Fun at the Marketplace

Sir strolled the street, looking at the different things for sale or barter. To his left, was his new kajira. He had gotten the job, and was now planning for a party. Besides, people were starting to get suspicious, and suspecting that he didn't actually HAVE a kajira. Well, he was going to make sure that rumor quickly disappeared.

Diana was, to put it bluntly, overwhelmed. She'd never been to such a place, except the occasional farmer's market which was much smaller than this. In the country on Earth where she was born, most of the shopping had been done in supermarkets and retail stores. Every item had a fixed price and negotiations were only needed for major purchases like homes and cars. There were people everywhere talking, laughing, shouting, bartering. So many merchants were selling so many things, she didn't know where to look for fear of missing something fascinating.

Diana's tunic covered more of her than other slave's clothes did, but she was still self conscious about the parts of her body that were showing. She had been steadily losing weight on the slave's diet but she was still among the chunkiest of the kajira in the marketplace. She also wasn't sure how she should behave. Diana knew Sir would correct her if she did anything she shouldn't, but she would rather save them both the embarassment. She told herself he wouldn't have taken her out if he wasn't willing to take that chance but it didn't do much to settle the anxiety she felt.

Aasiyah was also in the market that day, her daughter Layla at her side. Layla, was a quite and obedient child, so much so that her Aasiyah worried her daughter might be collared one day. Aasiyah saw Sir down the street a bit and decided to say hello.

"Tal, friend!" She called out to him as she approached, her daughter obediently following. She hardly tried to conceal her disgust at his new slave. "And what is this? I thought you had a boy? Ah, well I suppose men have certain appetites that require a woman's cooking. Well, how have you been, my friend?"

Layla thought her mother meant that women were better cooks.

Sir blinked, and looked to see Aasiyah. He smiled, remembering her from a few years back, some time after his father had left him and his mother for another one of his kajira. She was a good friend of his, and nodded his head in response. "Tal, friend. As for my kajira here, this is Diana, at least for now. I'm still trying to think of the right Gorean name for her at the moment." He looked to Diana, and motioned her to bow. "She is technically my actual first slave, since Jael is my father's. Besides, now that I have a job, I need someone to clean up and cook while I'm gone, and Jael can't do that... he's too busy protecting the household and mother..."

He thought for a few seconds. "By the way, I've been thinking about having a party, now that I have a job. I want to wait a week first, to make sure that they aren't about to lay off workers anytime soon, but after that, if I still have my job, I'm going to have a celebration planned. It won't be big, but I'm going to make sure that it'll be the best time of your life." He grinned at the thought, excited about being able to celebrate ANYTHING.

Diana dropped to her knees when the woman approached, then looked up to Sir for his approval. It was when Sir had her bow her head that she noticed there was a little girl with the lady. Diana smiled and flirted with the girl and didn't hear a word of Sir's and Aasiyah's conversation, as interesting as it was.

Layla was shy at first, hiding behind her mother and clinging to her robes, but she was smiling. She was eventually came out to play and even squealed with delight.

"Stop that!" Aasiyah snapped. "That thing is beneath you! Just a kajira!" She turned her attention back to Sir. "No offense meant to you, of course, but I'm raising my daughter a certain way. Eight years old and she still doesn't understand her place is above the slaves! I must keep her from interacting with them like that until she understands!"

Sir nodded, though behind his mask was a certain sickness... he was glad his mother was too sick to have scolded him like that when he was younger... His life just wouldn't have been the same without Jael. He looked to Diana, and said softly, "Diana, please leave the child be..." Hadn't he warned her that Free women on this planet absolutely HATED slaves? He thought about it, and realized that he hadn't... he had warned her about all sorts of dangers from free men, but had forgotten to talk to her about free WOMEN. "I will let you go off easy this time, since I myself was neglectful in this case, and have not talked to you about how to act around free women, but watch yourself next time, alright?"

Diana blushed and hung her head. "Yes, Sir. I thought it would be helpful to entertain the child so you can talk in peace. I apologize."

"Well, it's been lovely catching up with you, but we must finish the shopping. I do hope to hear from you soon."

Layla tugged on her mother's robe. "Mama? Why am I not allowed to talk to the kajira?"

Aasiyah spun around, but held back her anger. "Because you are free. You are above slaves."

Layla scrunch her face in thought. "We are both girls."

Aasiyah dropped to look the girl in the eyes, frustrated that they were having this conversation again. "The free woman is proud. She is respected. She has dignity. The slave is a brazen and shameless wench. She degrades females. Do you understand?"

"The slave girl looked happy."

"It was an act to please her master."

Layla considered this. "I understand."

Aasiyah smiled. "Good."

He nodded. "Of course." He nodded his head as they left, before frowning when they talked about his kajira like that... it must be lonely for her being in the house with only two men to keep her company (sometimes). He would like another Kajira... but he didn't want to end up with a harem like his father; after all, he was interested in bringing back jobs for free men, so that not so many would have to be jobless like he had to be. Still.... it made him wonder. "Diana... are you happy? With the way things are, I mean..."

"No, I'm embarrassed and a little bit depressed. Oh! You mean in general?"

What a loaded question! Is she happy? Was she happy to be taken from her home? Was she happy to be taken away from her apartment? The one with the noisy air conditioner and stained carpet. Happy to be taken away from her job? The job that she stayed late most nights finishing up the odds and ends so the other women can get home to their families. Was she happy to be taken away before the Summer Carnival for some non-profit, she didn't remember which one anymore, that she was organizing because nobody else would? Was she happy to be taken away from the world where her insecurity caused her to try to be all things to all people, at the expense of herself just for praise?

"Yes. I'd have to say I am." Life here was much less stressful. She only had to worry about pleasing one person. It took so little to please him. Clean floors, food when he was hungry, quiet when he was tired. Diana gave Sir all the credit for taking the anxiety of life onto his own shoulders. "You make me very happy."

Sir smiled, listening to her... "Well... maybe after things settle down, we can get another kajira for you as a friend... It must be lonely to be at the house with only two guys at the house."

He really did care about her, and he always wondered if the other was happy here, and if she wanted to go home... after all, she was separated from all her family and friends on earth... at the very least, she would be lonely. He also wondered at times if she hated him. He did not think of himself as a bad person. Indeed, all he wanted to do was make Diana happy...

Suddenly, he spoke. "Nese..." He looked down at the girl. Yes... it was the perfect name for her. "It means joy.... what do you think of it?"

"It sounds wonderful," she said.

Joy. Since the first few days she'd been trying to put a positive spin on her situation. It wasn't an easy task. She mourned for her family the first few days on Gor, and didn't get much sleep. When she missed them now she forced herself to remember everything she didn't like about her old life, and focus on how gentle Sir has been, and how helpful Jael is, especially when she's learning something new. Perhaps now she'll be able to think of the past as Diana's life and the present as Nese's.

(( Should we wait for gillian and Master Darius still, or continue on? ))

(I apologize for taking so long in doing this, things have been hectic. We are working on posts at this very moment and will get them up shortly)

(It's fine, Master Gevaldi. Things have been pretty crazy over here as well.)

Sir smiled, before blinking and looking up at Gervaldi. He had met the other when he was little, but their friendship didn't last long. Gervaldi was more outgoing than he was, and during their preteen years, it just dissolved due to the differences. However, he still liked Gervaldi much more than some of the other Free men around. He waved to her, and blinked, seeing a slave girl with him. Gervaldi had one too? But where were the others? He always saw Gervaldi when he was younger as growing up to have several slaves, always seeming very successful enough to be able to do so. There were still many biases against others during that time, due to his feeling of isolation from the other boys, and even now, they still lingered, and some parts even strengthened. However, Gervaldi could never be a exactly like the boys who bullied him when he was younger. Maybe similar but NEVER exactly like them.

((Please don't feel bad! I'm the one who should apologize for holding things up. I've had writers block for two weeks!))

Oh, no! Not another one! I had no idea Sir was so popular! Nese started to panic, not wanting to re-create the faux pas she committed earlier. What do I do? What do I do?

Sir frowned. "Gevaldi... you know how much I hate it when you call me that..." He looked embarrassed now, shy even. "Anyway, yes, this is my kajira, nese." He noticed the other's slave was wearing more revealing clothes than his own, and quickly averted his eyes, feeling nervous now.

(( Sorry! Forgot that kajira names are supposed to be uncapitalized! *too much of a grammar fascist* ))

Aasiyah ran back to where she met Nehayat. "I forgot! There was one more thing I wanted to... Hello?" She ran her eyes up and down Gevaldi and his girl. "Another one? And this one is half-naked." She held her breath and regained her composure. "I'll be getting in touch in the next few days."

She backed up a few steps, then turned and rushed back to her daughter. "A person can't even walk the streets these days without..."

Her train of thought derailed when she saw her daughter amusing herself. Layla reached her hands high above her head, then squatted down and put her hands on the ground, then reached back up, rhythmically repeating the pattern and singing.

"When I up, down, touch the ground, It puts me in the mood. Up, down, touch the ground. In the mood for food. I am stout, round, and I have found, speaking poundage wise, I improve my appetite when I exercise."

Such a strange child. "What are you doing?"

Layla happily replied, "Stoutness exercises! Gina taught me!"

"Who?"

"The neighbor man's kajira! She said it was a song from when she was a girl on Earth."

Aasiyah forced a smile. "I see..." It's an epidemic!