Property of the House of Rask

kajira norla

The Journey

The wind brought the cool spray of water again to her body as the ship continued on it's course, whatever that might be. she never knew the world was so big, but in the time since she had left her home she had seen many ports. Though in fact, ports and waves were about all she had seen she mused as she thought back.....

It was a warm bright day as she packed. Though She was barely 17 Her brother was now 24, and was traveling to the Sardar Mountains as all must do before the age of 25. After much begging and pleading Her father had finally been forced to agree it would be safer for Her to go now with Her brother than alone in 7 years. She was excited as She packed Her best robes and prettiest veils while daydreaming of all the wonders She would see on Her journey and at the fair of En'Kara.

Aboard the round ship Belifa, She and Her brother shared a small but nice compartment. Though She did not wear Her nicest things even Her most concealing robes did not keep the sailors from watching Her and smiling each time She went on deck. She would grace them with a nod as She passed and often went for walks around the deck just for the thrill of knowing all eyes were upon Her.

The world rocked as She was thrown from Her bed! A sickening sound like the cry of a great dieing beast came from the very tembers of the ship as She watch Her brother spring to His feet and run to the door to look out. As the door opened the sound of men yelling and of steel meeting steel came to Her ears. Her brother looked out the door and then back at Her. "Lock the door behind me and get dressed" He said as He grabbed His knife and went out.

She dressed in Her best robe and pinned Her prettiest veil in place over Her face, then, She waited. The sounds of battle outside would rise and fall, sometimes sounding like they were just outside the door. It seemed to Her the room was no longer level but She dared not open the door until Her brother returned.....Soon the floor was tilting so badly that She knew the ship must be doomed.

She prayed to the Priest Kings, knowing that Her only hope was if the men of the Belifa could managed to take the other ship. If they did, Her brother would come for Her. And if not, then the water She knew would soon take the old ship was better than becoming a kajira. She blew out the small flame of the lamp as it tilted dangerously. Alone in the dark, She waited...

She heard the door handle move and held Her breath waiting for Her brothers voice but only silence followed. She exhaled, the beating of Her heart pounding in Her ears as strained to hear beyond the door.....She jumped as the door splintered from it's hinges a flew across the cabin coming to rest against the far wall. A sailor stepped in, He was tall with long blond hair and a smooth face.

As the ship pitched further He step to Her and lifted Her in His arms throwing Her over His shoulder before She could even ask His name or what had happened. With the sure footed steps of one who has spent His life at sea He carried Her to the deck of the doomed ship, then climbed up to the other ship on a rope ladder with her still over His shoulder.

As He set Her on the deck, She heard one of the men laugh then yell loudly "The captain was right, there is always at least one to be had!" She looked at the faces of the men and knew none of them, then ran and tried to throw herself overboard, but He caught Her and pulled the veil from Her face. She tried to bring Her hands up to cover Her face but He held Her wrists tightly as He spoke to Her "whether you live or die is now my choice girl"

she sobbed as she sank to her knees before Him, lowering her head as she raised her arms and offered her crossed wrists to Him. He striped her robes from her in front of His men letting them fall to the deck just at the sun rose from the water. The night was over, and so was her life as a free woman. He paused looking at her naked beauty, then called for the ships physician.

she stared blindly at the deck between her knees, then became dimly aware of hands on her arms gently pulling her up and guiding her from the deck. she stared blindly as she swallowed the slave wine they poured into her mouth without tasting it. she did not remember much of the examination that came after.

She awoke with a slight headache from the terrible nightmare and tried to sit-up only to hit Her head. she opened her eyes with a start and saw the bars of her kennel close before her face. A rather plain looking girl with soft brown hair dressed in red silk sat watching her. she smiled and handed her a bowl of watery porridge then sat and watched without saying a word as she ate, then took the bowl from her when she was done.

watching the girl in her red silks as she walked to the door she could not help but notice how gracefully she moved even with the rocking of the ship. she turned at the door and looked back again, a look of envy in her eyes as she spoke "it seems a girls Captain has found Himself a prow girl" she said with a soft smile, then left before she could respond. she felt as if she had been kicked as the meaning of the words sunk in...

Two days later as the Charza approached a small port she begged and pleaded as they took the white camisk from her and bound her to the prow. her wrist above her head and ropes around her neck, belly, thighs and ankles she was displayed for all to see as the ship sailed in. she cried with shame sure she could sink no lower, but she had been wrong...

below her she heard commotion and saw the male slaves were being unloaded from the Charza. Chained together their line had come to a stop as her brother stared up at her with tears in his eyes. One of the men hit him with the butt end of His kurt and he was forced to move on with the rest of the chain. she would never know if he looked back again, the tears of shame blinded her completely.

The Charza sailed from port on the retreat of the same tide that brought her there and she was freed from the prow. The girl in red smiles tenderly as she washed her and then dressed her again in the clean white camisk. The redsilked girl seemed very excited and happy as she spoke of the celebration the Captain was having tonight because of His recent good fortune. The thought cam to her that she was just another prize, a small part of that good fortune.....

By the light of the lanterns she watched as the redsilked girl danced. the ship rolled as she sailed through the night yet the girls dances seemed to flow as if each tip of the deck was planned and counted on. Dispite the cool night air her skin shined with the effort of the dance as she laughed and spun in and out of the reach of the crew watching her, each mans attention fixed on her with clear desire.

she kneeled there watching, unnoticed by the men as the redsilked girl changed before her eyes. With her dance this plain girl turned herself into a creature of undeniable beauty to any man. Suddenly it dawned on her, she was only pretty, it took much more that looks to be beautiful.

The last dance involved the girl going from man to man and each would put a small tile in the large mug she carried, she would then kiss Him and spin away with a smile to go to the next man. When the dance was over she shook the mug and reached in with her eyes closed pulling one of the tiles out and holding it high for all to see without looking at it herself. A roar of laugher came from the men as they saw it was the Captains tile.

The girl with a bright smile that made even her plain face seem strangely seductive set the mug on the table and ran to the Captain, dropping to her knees with her thighs widely spread as she held her crossed wrists up to Him. The meaning of the dance now clear, she watch as the Captain threw the girl over His shoulder. As she was carried past her the girl winked and smiled at her seeming delighted to be carried off so.

she shivered at the thought of her fate being decided by the pick of a tile. Unnoticed she slipped off to sleep, but it was not a peaceful sleep. In her dreams she danced, yet none would look at her for she was just pretty, not beautiful. she took up the mug and went from man to man, but none would put their tile in....she was crying when she woke, the redsilk girl was holding her, gently rocking her and telling her all would be well.

In the days that followed she learned the ways of the ship, she helped cook and serve, and each time the ship came to port she would be striped and bound to the prow, and each time they left port the redsilk girl would wash her and dress her in freshly washed white silks with a warm smile and a look of envy in her eyes, for as well trained as she was, only a girl a striking physical beauty could adorn the prow.

As time past she grew use to her new life, she had always known that being enslaved was a real possibility, and if she must be a slave, things could be worse, though she was unskilled the Captain was proud to have such a beauty adorn His ship at every port, and her life was not that much harder than at home. No longer was she dragged to the prow crying, but walked proudly naked past the crew and smiled as she was bound, she was the prow girl after all.

Another spray of water over her naked body brought her back from her thoughts and she looked across the water at the city coming into view. It seemed to shine in the sunlight, nestled in the midst of a green shoreline. she wondered what city it was, then sighed thinking she would likely never know. It did not matter anyway, the Charza would be emptied of cargo and reloaded in a day or two and then be gone.

she arched her back as much as the ropes the bound her to the prow would allow as the ship drew near to the dock knowing that in a few Ehn Men and Women, kajira and kajiru would all turn their eyes to her. she had only two choices, she could be a whimpering slave, or she could be a dazzling and unattainable beauty. she would be as dazzling as she could be...

she looked forward most of the time, being aloof as she had been when free despite her position, she was after all a prow girl and prettier than most any who would look upon her. Sometimes she would sense a stare and would look down at the kajira or peasant coolly and they would move on and she smiled smugly to herself.....then, the Warrior came...

she ignored Him pretending not to notice as He watched her. she would glance down and see Him still just looking at her as though thinking of something she could not guess. she fixed her coldest stare on Him and yet He showed not reaction, just watched her as if trying to see something more than just her naked beauty bound to the prow.

As she stared back at Him girls began to gather around Him, each of them naked but for their collars, and each of them as pretty as she. They would each in turn look up to see what there Master was looking at and then smile at her, now there were four of them and they laughed and spoke with each other as they kneeled on the dock at the feet of their Master. And still he gazed at her...

her stare faltered, she could no long meet His eyes. A tear formed on her cheek and she closed her eyes. This man had beaten her, without a word or a blow He had shown her that He was a Master, and she just a kijira. she prayed that His point made He would now move on, but when at last she opened her eyes He was still there, a tender knowing smile on His lips. she found to her suprize she was glad He had not gone, but the pouch He had worn on His belt was missing, and so was one of His girls!

she heard a sound and the missing girls face came into view as she leaned over the railing and smiled at her, she had what looked like a talendar in her free hand, but where on Gor were talendars red? The girl kissed her softly on the cheek before speaking "greetings sister, a girl welcomes you to the house of her Master" she said as she gently fixed the crimson talendar of Baren Touhk in her hair.