Rachael Slave of Emaruistan

Story so far: Twenty-year-old Rachael has been a slave since birth. Unexpectedly she's granted her freedom, but she lacks the means to support herself. Consequently, she continues to live and work as a slave even after registering her manumission at the local temple. Rachael takes up an offer to work as a porter on a trading caravan, with the promise of enough money at the end of the journey to support herself as a free woman. But things go seriously wrong and Rachael and Lord Mustafa's two daughters, Dania and Phoebe, end up back in the city at a slave trader's house called the Halls of Valhalla. Dania and Phoebe join a group of other newly enslaved young women being trained. Rachael is reunited with her cousin Zoe, and together they work as house slaves for the owners of the Halls of Valhalla.

Chapter 5: Rachael and the Vikings

The first indication of things not going to plan is the non-arrival of the expected fresh batch of northern slaves. As usual, Zoe and I get told nothing, but you would need to be blind not to notice the state of Leif's and Sigmund's alarm and consternation. There are several meetings between them and Knut behind closed doors. Even their regular sex sessions with Zoe and me are abandoned.

Sigmund disappears a couple of days later, and it is evident from overheard conversations between Leif and Knut that they are concerned by his continued absence. But Zoe and I must carry on with our daily routine and pretend that nothing is amiss.

By now Brynhldr has left the Halls of Valhalla. Her new owner collected her the day Sigmund disappeared. With most of the other slaves in training having been sent to the slave market, only Dania and Phoebe, the former warlord's daughters, remain with us. They have nearly completed their training and will soon be ready to be sold. With only two slaves in training, Zoe's and my workload has dramatically reduced. While the easing of our workload is appreciated, I'm well aware that idle slaves are never tolerated for long. Unlike Zoe, I've never had to endure the humiliation of being sold on a slave market auction block, and I've no desire to go through the experience.

This strange and increasingly tense situation continues for another three days. It is becoming very difficult for Zoe and I to continue our duties as normal. By now Leif and Knut must realise that their secret meetings aren't achieving anything. Leif finally decides to invite Zoe and I into one of his meetings with Knut.

"My brother Sigmund is being held by a group of religious zealots cooperating with one of our rivals," says Leif. "We must suspend operations at the Halls of Valhalla until Sigmund and I can exact our revenge for the insult to our family. In the Viking tradition, blood will flow and our rivals will soon regret messing with us."

We listen to Leif's words, but we don't understand what this has to do with us beyond his comment about suspending operations.

"Firstly I must secure the release of Sigmund. You, Zoe and the other two slaves will be the bait to secure his freedom. Knut and I will take you to the agreed meeting place and exchange the four of you for Sigmund. It will be a trap, of course, so you need to be ready to react to whatever the situation demands. Rest assured that should you be killed; I shall personally take the head of whoever is responsible. Vikings take our blood feuds very seriously."

Leif's promise of revenge for our deaths does nothing to comfort us, but neither Zoe nor I have any choice in the matter. I've heard several tales about how men from the distant northern lands like to settle their feuds with very sharp axes. Before she left us, Brynhldr told me of how she came to be enslaved as a consequence of just such a feud.

Needless to say, Dania and Phoebe share our low opinion of Leif's plan. However, Leif and Knut aren't taking any risk that we might make a run for it. The four of us are put in waist chains with our wrists locked to our waist. Leif and Knut march us through the streets in a coffle towards the appointed meeting place. They take us into a part of the city I've never visited before. I'm more than a little afraid, and I'm sure Zoe feels the same. Dania and Phoebe are close to blind panic.

"This is the Forbidden Zone," squeaks Dania in terror.

I've heard of the so-called Forbidden Zone, but until now I didn't know its location. A free woman isn't allowed to enter here unless she is escorted by a man. Not that any sane woman would want to enter this rough looking neighbourhood without a well-armed escort. It's the stronghold of a large xenophobic religious sect who openly despise anybody from other lands. Leif and Knut are probably in more danger than the four of us. Two men in black robes step out in front of us, bringing us to a halt.

"State your business here," snarls one of the men at Leif. I translate the man's words for Knut when he looks blankly at me.

"I've these four slaves to trade for my brother, Sigmund," says Leif.

The robed men clearly know something about Sigmund's whereabouts. They have us follow them deeper into the maze of narrow streets that make up the Forbidden Zone. We arrive at a large derelict temple that has signs of being repaired many times before the owners finally gave up bothering.

"Wait here," says one of the robed men when we enter the run-down temple. The two men disappear down one of the rubble strewn corridors.

We wait. Then we wait some more. Leif and Knut both start pacing and periodically test the heft of their axes. With us all chained together in a coffle, Zoe, Dania, Phoebe and I simply stand as still as we can.

After we've waited for over an hour, one of the robed men returns, leading a bound Sigmund by a rope leash. Four other Vikings follow behind. Each is armed with a variety of sharp weapons. I look around me for somewhere to take shelter should this turn into a battle. Unfortunately, with us chained as we are, there is little we will be able to do to protect ourselves.

One of the four Vikings gives a small bag to the robed man. He verifies the contents of the bag and hands over the end of the rope binding Sigmund.

"Our profitable business deal is concluded," says the robed man to one of the Vikings. "Our master will be satisfied with your contribution to our brotherhood. Settle your affairs with these men and depart."

I seriously doubt that either group of Vikings intends to sit down and discuss a settlement to their differences. Far more likely their disagreement will be resolved by the sharp end of a weapon.

"The deal was for six slaves in exchange for your brother," says the leader of the Vikings in their own language.

"These are the only slaves we have at the moment, Axel," replies Leif. "The shipment of new slaves we were expecting never arrived."

"Yes, I know," laughs Axel. "They somehow managed to end up in our possession. Ha, ha, ha. We intend to make a tidy profit from them. Perhaps we should demand ownership of the Halls of Valhalla to make up for the shortfall."

"Let's get this business done, Axel," snaps Leif. "These four slaves for my brother's freedom."

"We're going to need to inspect them before I can agree to that," says Axel.

"You can fuck the two older ones first if you want, but I'm not increasing my offer."

Axel and his men don't waste time accepting Leif's offer. The chain connecting Zoe and I to Dania and Phoebe is removed. We are bent forward over a dirty table with our arses on display. Axel and one of his men promptly step up behind us as test the readiness of our cunts. Since it has been a week since I last had sex with a man, my cunt is hot and wet in next to no time. Which is probably fortunate, because a huge thick cock is immediately rammed into my innards with the force of a team of horses. Zoe is undergoing a similar treatment and we are both finding it difficult to keep our feet on the floor.

The man fucking Zoe soon spills his seed inside her. She moans is pleasure as she reaches her own orgasm. Axel is fucking me and he seems more restrained in reaching his peak. I've long ago learned that a slave should never have her orgasm before the man fucking her, so I restrain my own urges. Finally, he lets out a roar of triumph as he shoots his load inside me. I release my pent-up orgasm and use my muscles to milk the last drops of his cum before he can withdraw his cock from me.

"This one is a true slut," laughs Axel, admiring my efforts to keep his cock inside me. "Your turn Harald. Try her arse."

Axel gives my arse a strong but playful slap as he withdraws. He allows the man he called Harald to have his turn. Zoe already has a new man pumping away inside her. I can't tell if he's fucking her cunt or her arsehole, but Zoe seems to be enjoying the experience.

Harald does as Axel suggests and pushes his cock into my arse. His cock isn't as big as Axel's but it still fills my arsehole. I find it uncomfortable after a such a lengthy spell without a man taking my rear, but I do my best to assist Harald's efforts. He certainly seems satisfied when he reaches an orgasm.

Satisfied with the pleasure they gained from fucking Zoe and I, Axel, Harald and the other two Vikings put their cocks away. They resume their confrontation with Leif.

"Those two are worth something, but I'll want to sample the other two before we agree terms," says Axel.

"They are virgins," says Leif. "You'll reduce their value if you fuck them now."

"Are you a virgin?" asks Axel of Phoebe, switching into our local language so that she can understand what is being said.

"Yes, master," she replies. "My sister is too."

"Hmmph. Okay, we have a deal, Leif," says Axel reverting to the northern language.

Zoe, Dania, Phoebe and I are grabbed by Axel's men and dragged to their side of the room. Sigmund is roughly pushed towards Leif and Knut. They promptly unbind him and hand him a weapon. If there is going to be a fight, then now will be when it starts. I try to move us out of the way, but our shackles hinder our movements and there's no obvious safe place within reach.

Harald is placed in charge of us. Axel and his men stand facing Leif, Sigmund and Knut, who seem reluctant to leave. The men exchange insults for a while without coming to blows. If they confine their wrath to exchanging colourful oaths, then there's a chance a battle might be avoided. Leif and Sigmund are nearest to the exit, so they have the opportunity to depart without a fight. They don't seem to have any intention of doing so.

The uneasy stand-off finally breaks when Knut unfurls his whip and lashes out at the man standing next to Axel. The two groups charge each other with weapons drawn. Harald pulls us into a side room and tells us to stay where we are. We don't need telling twice. Harald leaves us to join the battle.

We don't see the battle, but the sound of clashing weapons and the screams of injured men are far worse than the battle I witnessed when Lord Mustafa was killed. This fight is in a confined indoor space which it makes it sound worse. Finally, the battle ends. We wait a few minutes for the victors to claim us as their prize, but nobody comes. Eventually curiosity gets the better of me. Zoe is less sure. As she and I are still shackled together with our wrists bound to our waist chains, I can't do anything without her cooperation.

"Nobody is coming to claim us," I say. "We need to find out why."

Zoe reluctantly agrees to my suggestion and comes with me to investigate. The scene isn't a pleasant one. Seven bodies lie on the floor. At first glance, they all seem to be dead. A moan from one of the men proves otherwise. Zoe and I shuffle over to where Leif is lying in a pool of his own blood. He's alive, but I don't know for how long.

"Good battle," says Leif. "My honour is restored, and my enemies lie dead at my feet."

"Save your breath, overlord," I say. "Release me from my shackles and I'll tend to your wounds."

My wrist manacles are fastened to my waist chain with a simple screw-pin that only needs two free hands to undo. By performing acrobatics, Zoe can reach the pin on my left wrist manacle with one of her hands. With Leif's feeble assistance, they manage to unscrew the pin and my left hand is freed. Freeing my right hand is easier, as I can use my left hand to help. I'm now torn between taking time to free Zoe's wrists, or doing what I can to help Leif.

"Leave me," says Zoe, solving my dilemma. "Tend to him first."

I do what I can to stem the bleeding from three deep wounds. I've seen injuries this bad before, and all have proved fatal. I think Leif already knows that my efforts are only delaying the inevitable, but he allows me to try.

"That mercenary who sold you to me said that you are really a free woman," says Leif unexpectedly.

"Freedom without the means of supporting yourself is slavery under a different guise, overlord," I reply, almost by rote.

"Then I must do something about that in order that my soul shall join the warriors in Valhalla," he says. "Pass me my satchel."

I reach for the leather satchel lying nearby. He delves inside the bag and produces a parchment scroll.

"You can read, if my memory serves me correctly," says Leif.

He hands me the scroll. I unfurl it and see that it is the title deed to the Halls of Valhalla. I look at Leif with a puzzled frown.

"Zoe is witness to my words," continues Leif with a fading voice. "I recognise you as a free woman and grant you ownership of the Halls of Valhalla. There is a chest of gold in my sleeping quarters which should cover your immediate expenses."

I'm stuck for words. By the time I can think of something to say it is too late. Leif has gone to join the other Vikings in the afterlife. Now I'm at a complete loss about what to do. Leif's words recognising my freedom are a great gift, but they are totally meaningless unless someone in authority approves. A slave cannot own any possessions, so the title deed to the Halls of Valhalla is no use to me while I remain a slave. As warlord, my father could verify my freedom and validate my ownership of the Halls of Valhalla. But will he?

Our next course of action is decided for us. The battle must have drawn the attention of nearby residents and the city guard have been called. A patrol of eight men search the building. They round us up along with a group of northern slave girls whom must be the ones Leif was expecting. Somehow, I've been nominated as our spokeswoman, presumably because I'm the only slave without her wrists manacled to her waist chain.

There's no sign of the black robed men. Without any witnesses apart from us, we are at the mercy of the sergeant in charge of the patrol. His natural inclination is to disbelieve everything we say, but in the absence of any other plausible explanation for seven dead Vikings with battle wounds, he decides to let someone more senior decide our fate. We all get marched off to the city prison where we spend the next two days.

Our incarceration shackled together in a huge common cell at least gives me a chance to talk with Dania and Phoebe and the newly arrived slaves. Regardless of which of the dead Vikings technically owned each of us, we all share the common problem of having no owner. That makes us the property of the city unless either the warlord or the city aldermen decide otherwise.

Dania and Phoebe seem to have accepted their fate and have adapted to the loss of their freedom remarkably well. The northern slave girls are all too scared to do anything other than obey whatever order is given them. As usual, their different language is a problem, but the prison warders soon realise I can translate their orders. Once again I get treated slightly better than the others. Consequently, I don't think anything unusual is happening when I'm released from our coffle and taken to a large room.

I'm interrogated again, not only about recent events in the Forbidden Zone, but about my adventures with Jamal and the death of Lord Mustafa. The whole process is repeated the next day with a different inquisitor. This one even threatens to have me tortured if I don't confess the truth. But I stick to the same story, simply because it is the truth.

A week after the death of Leif and the others, I finally get to see someone who out-ranks the hired thugs who pose as prison guards and interrogators. I've never seen the man before, but I've heard my father mention his name during my time at Wadi-Halaf. He goes through the same set of questions I've been asked before, and he gets the same answers. Eventually he decides that perhaps I'm telling the truth.

The following morning we are all marched out of the prison in our coffle and escorted through the city streets to a place very familiar to me; Wadi-Halaf. Zoe, Dania, Phoebe and I are paraded in front of my father and one of the city aldermen. They are sat on large cushions often used while holding a meeting.

"I was told that you had been killed while helping some mercenaries to escape from Hassan's caravan," growls my father at me. "It seems that I was misinformed."

"The informant has already retracted his statement," says the aldermen to my father. "He confessed to being paid to supply you with false information."

"Yes, so I've heard. It's a pity you let him die before he could tell you the identity of his paymaster."

"Indeed, my Lord," mutters the alderman, squirming on his cushion and refusing to look my father in the eye.

"I've read the transcript of your story, Slave Rachael," says my father, reinforcing my lowly status. "You place us in a difficult situation. One which requires us to make a distasteful decision."

"Yes, yes," interrupts the alderman. "These slaves are clearly rebellious traitors and must be punished most severely."

"Not so," says my father. "The evidence points to the source of the current unrest coming from an entirely different quarter. In fact, Slave Rachael's statement supports the existing evidence that the wrongdoing is coming from you and your allies."

"The word of a slave is not to be trusted, even if she is your daughter," bleats the alderman, clearly unnerved by this turn of events.

"She has no reason to lie, while you have done nothing but lie since I took over as warlord. Do you not recognise the two slaves on the right? They are Lord Mustafa's daughters. Shall we ask them to confirm your complicity in the escape of Lord Mustafa and his men from Hassan's caravan?"

"The statements of slaves have no legal validity in Emarukistani law," says the alderman with slightly more confidence. "No judge has ever convicted a man based on the testimony of a slave."

"True. But the testimony of a free woman cannot be dismissed so lightly," say my father.

"And what free woman has any involvement with this matter? Mustafa's daughters are enslaved and the slave next to your daughter was not part of Hassan's caravan."

"But Rachael is a free woman. Her manumission papers were registered in the temple days before Hassan's caravan left here. Her statements have been gathered independently by three inquisitors, and all confirm that your version of the events surrounding Mustafa's escape is entirely false."

The alderman tries to bluster his way out of trouble. I'm not sure of the politics involved, and I suspect that my father arresting a city alderman would spark discontent among some of the city's citizens. The alderman wouldn't be in a position of authority if he didn't have powerful allies.

"You can't arrest me," says the alderman with a hint of nervousness in his voice. "I have influential friends in all the trade guilds."

"Hmm. The same trade guilds that supposedly supported Lord Mustafa, but were nowhere to be seen when he needed their help. Men's loyalty can be bought, and merchants are the easiest to buy."