Exchange Rate Anon Ch5

Chapter 5:

>You feel an immense satisfaction as you tenderly lift the unconscious filly and cradle her in your arms, stroking her long blue mane gently.
>Her flush is slowly fading now, going to a lighter and lighter pink.
>"Oh shits!"
>You look over to see Gigas pulling out of his mate, the size differential even greater than that between you and your filly.
>A flood of semen and blood flow out, as the glow around Cherry's waist disappears and the pure white light reappears, this time around his slave.
>You set Cherry down on an unsoiled portion of the translucent rug and quickly put your pants back on and head over to where Gigas stood over the pegasus mare, silent and unmoving, a glow surrounding her.
>"It seems foal's magics only functions when she's is awakes…"
>"You look down to see that the mare's vagina has been roughly ripped oven.  A worrying amount of blood is still coming out.
"Is she going to be alright?"
>"Yes, I thinks sos.  I was ables to gets outs before magics wears offs completely.  Otherwise, she would be in two pieces now. Magics will helps her, buts she's will needs some rests."
>He puts a huge hoof on your shoulder.
>"Thanks you fors allowing us to makes use of Cherry's magics. We hads never beens able to haves full intercourses before. Hads to use disposables slaves as cocksleeves.  Maybe wes does agains sometimes, yes?"
"Perhaps.  In any event, as I said, I REALLY need to get going.  I have a lot to get done before morning. Can I leave her here for now?"

>You indicate Cherry's smiling, sleeping form.
>"Ofs course.  Is shall haves fines bed made for hers.  Yous wants me to sends her to you when she wakes up?"
"Yes, that will be fine."
>The glowing mare stirs slightly, then sits bolt upright.
>"Master!  I'm sorry for blacking out! Please, let me finish tending to you!"
>She moved to rise, but the massive hoof on your shoulder was on her in an instant, pressing her back down onto her back.
>"Honey Buzz, yous are in no conditions to moves. I wills punish yous laters, severely. For nows, be stills."
>She relaxed as commanded, though her face bore a look of anticipation mixed with anxiety.  You will have to find out what kind of punishments he inflicts on her.
>He removes his hoof and continues his work.
>You turn to leave, but Gigas calls out one more time.
>"Heres is somethings Honey wishes to gives yous."
>A card appeared in front of you, with the name of a leatherworking shop.  "Specializing in S&M and bondage gear" it says.  That will be useful.
>"And one mores things.  You mentioned yous wants to haves powerful seals for alicorns magics.  There is only ones in alls of Equestria who might haves such an objects."
>He gives you directions to an alchemist's shop off of the bazaar.
"Thank you Gigas, that will be of great help."
>With that, you turn and stride back to where the bag of bits lay.
>"Ah, no needs to lugs that's around. Yous can justs takes my seals and have any merchants bills us for expenses.  Takes a fews for pockets change ifs you wants, of course."

>You make your way out of Gigas' tent, scratch that, YOUR tent to find an empty square, with Godiva nowhere to be found.
>Understandable.  You must have been in there for a couple of hours, and she does have responsibilities.
>You will have her finish her tour later
>You head for the bazaar, intending to head straight to the alchemist
>You need to have either remote control or behavior contingent magic inhibitors before morning.
>You ponder the nature of Cherry's "talent" as you walk.
>So strange.  You thought magic couldn't effect you, at least not superpowered magic like Gigas' or the natural power of the princesses.  But this foal without even a horn was able to work her own special magic on you easily.  You will have to quiz Gigas on the subject later.
>Coming out of your own reverie, you notice that you are surrounded by people.  Mostly griffons, with many diamond dogs, fewer zebras and donkeys, and a very few Saddle Arabian horses and about as many ponies who have mostly (you presume) resisted dementia.
>A surprising number of foreigners here.  You suppose that everyone gathered here since the pony kingdom had turned to shit.

>Luckily, you are taller than everyone in the market, save for a few diamond dogs, so you can make your way fairly easily.
>You pass a stand selling grilled fish, manned by a griffon vendor.
>You buy two and eat them as you continue on your way toward the back end of the bazaar where the "less conventional" goods are sold.
>Best damn fish you ever had.  You really needed the protein.  Will need more before morning, if your gambit with the princesses pays off.
>Finally, you reach the edge of the bazaar, and make your way into the alley behind the "dragon" egg shop.
>As you turn in, you are accosted by two griffon children (chicks? cubs? chubs? cucks?), begging for bits.  You give them your mostly eaten fish instead, and they take off with them.
>Yeah, there are poor non-ponies too.
>The alley is lined with sketchy looking shops.
>You make a note of one that is selling non-pony, exotic slaves.
>You will have to stop in there later to pick up some "help" for your new home.
>You soon reach your destination.
>The sign reads "al-Hazred's Alchemical Potions and Charms"
>Sketchy as fuck, but came highly recommended.
>You open the door and step into the ill-lit shop.  It doesn't help that the sun is setting.
"Hello?"
>There is a green flash, and you see a horse sitting over a pot bubbling over a low fire.  In the light, you can see that the walls are completely lined with containers, with numerous charms and fetishes hanging among them.
>"Ah, hello and welcome, good customer.  Tell me, what can I do for you?  NO! Don't tell me, for the stars have already foretold your coming.  You seek a potion to grant wealth, yes? Or perhaps love?"
"I have about all I can handle of both already.  I am here because I need a charm that will suppress the users magic, but only if they act against me."

>"Ah, I see.  Yes, the stars foretold that someone would soon have need of such a device."
"I need two of them, actually.  And they need to be able to suppress even the most powerful of magics.  I may need more in the future, but those will need not be as powerful."
>You see him hoof a powder into his mix, which begins to glow an unearthly blue, and brightly enough to clearly illuminate the room.
>"Ah, yes, you wish to suppress alicorn magic.  Those that lurk beyond the stars have spoken of one who would make slaves of all the fair races of Equestria."
>That's…surprisingly accurate.
"How did you know that?"
>"I have spent many years unlocking the secrets of the universe, and have studied writings older than the origin, but it is not in those, but rather in the leylines which connect the land of Equestria with the places beyond the sphere of night, a magic which was created by an avatar of the Elder Gods, which whispered to me of such things."
>You can't tell if this guy is crazy, eccentric, or if he's just fucking with you.
"Ok, so you knew I was coming, and what I wanted, so where are they?"
>"Ah, alas, I can not craft such devices.  If I could, I would already rule this land."
"So you don't have any way to make a magic suppresser?"
>"No, those are simple, I have dozens of them, but none of the power required for a task such as you require."
>He looks at you in the fading blue light.
>"But wait, you are one of THEM.  A creature from beyond the spheres! You, you could help me to build such a device!"
"Really? I don't know anything about magic, except that I seem to be immune to it."
>"Of COURSE you are immune to it! You are an eldritch creature from beyond the stars! You are above magic, and beyond it, like all of your kind!"
"You know about humans?"
>He goes quiet, looking at his potion.

>After a moment, he speaks again.
>"That is not a word that I know, but I know the false void of a star spawn when I see one.  Like the Ursa, you can only be touched by the most powerful of magics, but your void is far deeper than theirs, for they come from the outer sphere.  You are from some place beyond that, far, far beyond.  Only madness lies there…"
>He looks down, his face taut with painful memories.
"You mentioned that I could help you to craft the artifacts I seek.  What do I need to do?"
>That snaps him out of his daze.
>"Ah, yes, that is simple.  One of the simplest artifacts I have ever created, the Poison Pill, combined with a bit of your own blood, which shares your ability to swallow magic's."
>He turned quickly, and cast aside a curtain revealing a number of strange and intricately crafted devices of all different shapes and sizes.
>He takes a box from the lower shelf and opens it, revealing a huge number of tiny, intricate metallic objects.
>He removes two of them closes the lid, closing the curtain.
>As he returns, he takes a hoof-ful of powder from an open sack near the fire and throws it in, causing it to flare up with a strange green light that persisted in the room after the flames had died back down.
>The room had taken on the unearthly glow, with light seeming to come from no particular source.
>It seems very different from before somehow.  Ominous.

>The mad horse set the two pills on a strange sort of altar with an intricately carved statue of a horse with a heavily tentacled face.
>Then he pulled the knife.
>You take a step back.
>"Do not fear, strange one," he said, setting the knife on the altar. "You must do this yourself.  Sit before the altar and fill each pill, afterwards, place each pill in the maw of the star spawn…"
>He indicates the strange statue.
>"…and speak the conditions under which the poison will be released, and how much.  A small drop of your blood will temporarily disable the magic of the victim, perhaps for a week.  More than that will disable the magic for a longer amount of time.  With each dose, the effect will become stronger.  Too much, and their magic will be permanently lessened.  Should all the blood be released, they will likely never recover anything beyond their intrinsic magic."
"Intrinsic magic?"
>"Their natural ability. For example, Celestia would remain immortal, retain her intellect, and be able to raise the sun, but aside from that, nothing.  Maybe after a thousand years she could use some simple spells at most."
"Interesting…"

>You take a few moments to think over the implications of such a charm.
"Can someone take more than one of these pills?"
>"Of course."
"And they will remain inside them?"
>"Yes, they will lodge themselves into the the entrails such that they can not be removed without magic, at least not without killing the host.  Of course, one containing your blood could not be removed by magic without spilling all of its contents."
>He smiled darkly.
>This is prefect.
"Do you have any nicotine?"
>"Nicotine? I have not heard of such a potion."
"Its an extract of tobacco."
>"Ah, yes, I have some here.  It is a most popular poison.  The poison pill can hold several lethal doses of it."
"In my world, it is used as a drug--a stimulant.  I would have a pill that administers a very small dose when I say "Good whorse."
>"Ah yes, such a thing would be most useful…"
>He seems a bit uncomfortable.  Maybe it's the "whorse" thing, since he is a horse, sort of.  He's only a little taller than Celestia.  That would still count as a pony on Earth.
>You just ignore it.
"And for the other, some substance which would cause a bad feeling, perhaps mild nausea."
>He turns to one of the many shelves lining the walls and retrieves a couple of vials, one of which is marked with a (pony) skull and crossbones, presumably meaning "Poison".
>Yes, this is going to work out nicely…

>You walk out of the Mad Horse's shop with two small bags full of pills, one marked with a pony skull and crossbones, and the other marked with a tobacco leaf, a small box, with two very special pills in it, along with a few other items which interested you. The guy was nuts, but he seemed to know his stuff, and he had a LOT of cool stuff.
>And one point of his ramblings got your attention especially
>"…all the fair races…"
>You take a look around.
>The sun has risen again, giving you a good view of the alley, which remains dingy.
>You've still got a good 8 hours before the deadline you gave to the princesses expires, and you've already accomplished your two main goals. Might as well do a little sightseeing.
>First stop is the exotic slave shop.
>You open the door to find a surprisingly clean, well lit, simple room with a large counter.
>Behind the counter was a zebra mare, who seemed busy with a number of scrolls.
"Hello."
>She jumped a bit, and looked up at you.
>"Oh, hello, honored customer.  How can I help you?"
"I'm in the market for a reliable domestic servant, but I would also like to see the rest of your selection."
>"Wonderful, wonderful.  If you wish to examine the merchandise, that is free of charge.  If you wish to test any of them, you must pay 50 wood bits up first."
"Test?"
>"That is, if you wish for them to demonstrate some of their skills, whether in combat, or in the bedroom.  The fee is to keep out the riff raff who want a free show."
"Ah, I see."
>You fish out some of the change from your fish, and plop down five ten wood bit pieces.

>"Wonderful, please come with me, honored customer." she said, hoofing the change into a cleverly hidden drop-safe behind the counter.
>She leads you through the only other door in the room into a short hallway.  On either side there are openings into smallish rooms, each with several male zebras, apparently guards, as they are armed to the teeth.
>They didn't return your courteous smile.
>"Don't mind them, they are a most sour bunch. Distant relations of the owner of the establishment, Zeno Longflank."
"Should I know him?"
>"I would say so.  His is the largest slave operation in the entire world.  He takes pride in having outlets in every country in the world, even those where slavery is illegal.  He is probably the second most powerful Zebra in the world, after the Caesar."
>She opens a heavy door, which glows with a blue light.
>"Many of the exotic slaves we keep here possess powerful magic.  Should they leave by this door, their magic will be nullified, or at least blunted, in the case of the most powerful ones.  Similarly, any magical species that pass through here will have their magic dulled while inside.  I don't see any horns on you, so I don't think you will be affected."
"That is no problem."
>As if that would work on you in any event.
>You wonder how Gigas would fare against such an enchantment.
>She opens the door to reveal a small chamber, with two more doors.
>Door enthusiasts, you suppose.
>The zebra mare turns to you.
>"I must ask you what your price range is.  We have two tiers, and I don't want to waste your time by showing you something too expensive, or too common."
"Let us say that my price range has no limits.  I am interested in your most expensive and unique slaves, though I am also interested in one skilled in domestic capacities, whatever the price."
>"I see, then let us start with the door on the left, which leads to our more "unique" offerings."

>She even made the little quote signs with her hooves.  She's actually pretty cute, with her surprisingly long mane sweeping down one side of her face.  You wonder if she is half pony.  She doesn't really look as much like a zebra as you would expect.
"You never told me your name."
>"And you never told me yours, honored customer.  I am Ziziminai Lekatariba Lamina-Tchai Ekbat De Sebat, Zizi for short."
>You offer her your hand, and she raises a hoof, which you grasp and shake once.
"And I am Lord Anonymous, trade ambassador for the United States of America.  Anon for short"
>"It is a pleasure to meet you, my Lord and honored customer Anonymous."
>She bows gracefully, and you slightly incline your head in return.
>"Please, allow me to show you some of our more interesting items…" she said, opening the door on the left, revealing a long, metallic corridor with numerous cells walled off with glass, many of them glowing various colors.
>She leads you to the first cell, which glows with a light blue glow.  Inside, you see a strange creature, it's body a cross between that of a pony and a dragon, with parts of its fur seemingly on fire.
>You are enchanted by its beauty, wreathed in unearthly flames.  It's head, shapely and feminine, sporting two multipoint horns, sloped backwards, and a long graceful neck. It was perhaps slightly larger than a regular adult pony, though the flames surrounding it made it seem larger. Its fur seemed to be covering scales, or perhaps they were patterned to give the appearance of scales.  It was difficult to tell in the unearthly light.
>"This is one of our most prized and rare possessions, a qilin from far across the eastern ocean.  It is a most interesting beast, but sadly it can't be sold.  It rejects those it considers to be evil, and burns them with a holy fire if they try to approach.  It is said that it will be eternally loyal to any who are able to place their hand upon its head without burning."

"How interesting, so you enslaved a creature that burns slavers to death."
>"Yes, it seems foolish in retrospect.  It was originally brought here as a gift to the princesses of Equestria shortly before the war began, in an attempt to get access to the Equestrian marketplace. It was never delivered, as the war began shortly after it arrived here.  The griffons were, of course, much easier to persuade."
"If it burns any that approach it, what use is it?"
>"Ah, you are a most savvy honored customer.  Observe the drain on the floor of the cell.  Its urine is collected as it is most intoxicating and delicious.  It fills the market niche left abandoned by Equestrian hard cider."
"I see, so even though none can touch it, it still has economic value."
>"Not exactly.  The enchantment that keeps it imprisoned is actually very expensive to maintain.  It only produces a small profit."
"Would you allow me in to see if it would accept me as its master?"
>"Of course not, that would be foolish.  All who keep slaves, or would keep slaves are considered corrupt by its flames.  We can't even get close to it.  The truth is, this hallway would be deadly for us, if not for the enchantment surrounding the cell."
"I think it would like me."
>"Well, perhaps, but let us finish our tour first, then you can make any purchases you like, and then you can commit suicide."
>She smiles at her dark humor.
>"In any event, let us continue."
>She shows you a number of amazing creatures that you have never heard of before, and some that you have, from ancient mythology and video games.  Massive birds.  Strange sea creatures. Even a creature that seemed to be made out of smoke.
>You soon came to a cell that had something seemingly ordinary.  A doe. A deer. A female deer.  Her cell, unlike most of the others, was furnished. You notice that one of her horns is broken.

>"This is Diana, the Deer.  She is perhaps the rarest creature in our collection.  Only a few deer have ever been captured alive, their magic such that they are able to slip past nearly any barrier.  This one was injured when she was found, her escape magic no longer effective, due to her broken horn."
"She is beautiful."
>She really is.  Though deer are a very normal, everyday sort of creature in your world, this creature seemed different.  Almost like what you feel like a unicorn OUGHT to feel like.  Rare.  Beautiful.  Discriminating. Magical.
>She looked at your through the thick glass, and smiled slightly, looking down, blushing a bit.
>"This one is quite trustworthy, and well trained in both sexual and domestic capacities.  Would you like to meet her?"
"Yes.  Yes I would."
>Zizi pushed a button off to the side of the cell, and the glass retracted into the floor.
>The deer rose from where it was seated, and bowed all the way to the floor, towards you, with the grace of a dancer, or even a contortionist.
"Please, rise, Diana."
>She did as you instructed, not looking you in the eye.
>"Diana, this is a potential customer who has paid the full admission."
>"Yes, Mistress Ziziminai."
>She looked toward you.
>"What would my potential master know of me?"
"I seek a domestic servant.  What do you know of cooking and cleaning for large numbers of people of various species."
>She bows again.
>"My potential master, I am well versed in cooking in Equestrian, griffon, minotaur, and zebra styles, and am learning about diamond dog and Saddle Arabian cooking techniques.  I am also fully capable of cleaning a large domicile without additional help, and I am skilled at delivering children of any species."
>She looks at you seductively while maintaining her bow.
>"I am also fully skilled in the 1039 techniques of the Camel Sutra."

>You turn to Zizi.
"Camel Sutra?"
>"That…is something she learned before she was captured.  I'm surprised, she doesn't normally bring it up unless asked specifically.  I think she might like you, Lord Anonymous."
>She winks at you.
"Tell me, Diana, where did you learn all of this?"
>"My potential master, I have long traveled the world in search of knowledge, and in so doing found it, freely given to those who would learn."
"I see, so you are a world traveller?"
>"Yes, my potential master, I once even accompanied a creature who bears much resemblance to yourself, who took me to strange lands unlike any I had seen before or since, and who taught me the use of the bow and arrow, and the joy of the hunt."
>You recall such a story from ancient mythology.
"Tell me, what was her name?"
>"She was called Artemis, my potential master."
"When was this?"
>"But a few short years ago, shortly before my capture."
>Your mind is reeling at the implications.  Greek myth is real?
>You need to assert your authority a bit.
"Did you know that where I come from, my kind hunt your kind for their meat, pelts, and antlers?"
>She looks down, blushing and ashamed. She quivered slightly, and you noticed the thin band of metal she wore around her head, with a small insignia of the crescent moon on the front, made of a metal of pure white.  It was beneath her antlers, set in such a way that it could not be removed without further damaging them.
>"Yes, I helped in many such hunts, out of loyalty to my mistress."
>Zizi looked on, dumbstruck.  She apparently hadn't heard any of this before.

"Interesting."
>You turn to Zizi.
"Yes, I believe I will take this one.  How much for her?"
>"Excellent choice, My Lord.  Her price is steep, but her skill and rarity are worth a great deal.  We only ask a mere 90 bits for her."
"Excellent.  Now let us see what else you have to offer."
>You both step out of the cell, and Zizi pushes the button again to close the thick glass barrier.
>It closes quickly, and you turn to continue down the hall, only to find Diana again at your side.
>Zizi has a bit of a fit when she sees her.
>"H.h..how?"
>"Mistress, you and the others only assumed I had no magic.  I have now been purchased, and would accompany my new master, unless he wishes otherwise."
>You smile at that.  This one WANTS to be a slave.
>No, she wants to be with YOU.
>You place your hand upon her head, just behind her antlers, and she look up at you with affection.
"It's fine Zizi.  I will pay for her even if she runs off."
>"Th..this is most unorthodox.."
>You give her a stern look.
"I said it is fine."
>She looks down and stutters a bit.
>"Y..yes, Ma..honored customer."
>That reaction perks your interest.
"Tell me, Zizi, are you a slave as well?"
>"Y..yes. I am the illegitimate daughter of Zeno's son, Xero, born of an earth pony.  My mother lost her magic, and sold me to father, so now I work here, as a trustee."
>She looked at her hooves.
>"But still a slave."

"So, how much do you cost?"
>"I…don't know.  No-one has ever asked before.  Few have even realized that I was a slave."
"So, who would know?"
>"My father.  If you like, you could ask.  His office is at the end of the hall."
>You place a hand on her rump, and squeeze it.
>She jumps slightly at that, and looks at you bashfully.
"Let's go see your father then."
>She leads you down the hall, passing numerous creatures, both fierce and gentle looking, and of every possible description but one--free.
>You soon approach the end of the hall.
"Wait."
>Zizi was about to knock on the door to her father's office.
>She turns to you.
>"What is it Ma..er..honored customer?"
>You turn to the last cell, which had a window quite different from all the others, in that it was much smaller, and had multiple fields of different colors surrounding it.
"What is in there?"
>You point to the heavily reinforced cell.
>"That…that is our most dangerous, and most powerful slave, a draconequus.  She is called Eris."
"Draconequus?"
>You are sure you never heard of such a thing.
>You walk over and bend down to peer through the window (obviously not meant for one of human height).
>Inside, you see an empty cell.
>Huh.
>You look again, and there is a flash of light, and there is a desperate looking creature that defies description, seeming to be composed of a bit of every other type of creature you have seen here.
"What makes it so dangerous?"
>"Her magic is chaos based, and it is extremely powerful, much more powerful than that of any other creature with the same magic type, and even the weakest of them is able to bypass most of the laws of magic.  There are only a very few means of keeping a creature such as that contained."

>You observe her for a few moments, as she makes various gestures at the walls, apparently attempting to use her magic to escape.  She is really beautiful, despite her pandemoniac appearance.  She appears to be quite young, perhaps the same age as Cherry.
>You must have her.
>She disappears again.
"She disappeared!"
>"Yes, this is only one of several dozen cells that she is confined to.  Most of our branches have a cell for her.  The seals on them are linked together, making them something like a chaos magic hamster maze."
"So tell me, how much does she cost?"
>"Well, strictly speaking, she's free to anyone that can contain her.  It's the containment system that costs…"
"What do you mean?"
>"Our revered elder, Zeno, developed a system of magical barriers that is impenetrable to chaos type magic.  That system is actually one of our main products, preventing draconequus mischief from taking root among our client's holdings, including entire kingdoms, such as Minos and a number of the Griffon kingdoms.  Eris here is something of a mascot for us, having been confined for nearly three years, proving the resilience of our seals."
"I see.  And how much does such protection cost?"
>"That is another question for my father.  I am merely a clerk and tour guide."
>She bows humbly, her long mane sweeping across her face quite fetchingly.
"Very well, let us speak then with your father, Xero."
>She turns back to the door at the end of the corridor, raises her hoof, and timidly knocks twice.

>"ENTER!" comes a voice from behind the door.
>Zizi opens the door and motions for you to enter.
>Within, you find a richly appointed office, filled with dark, lacquered wood, with fur rugs coating the floors (not so rich as Gigas'), a find ebony desk covered with scrolls, and on the far wall a rather fantastic mural featuring a zebra stallion mating with subdued earth pony.  Further featured on the mural were a number of gambling implements, dice, cards, and a roulette wheel.
>Seated in front of said mural, but behind the desk was an older version of what looked like the zebra stallion in the painting.
>He had a strange look on his face as he acknowledged you, likely confused by your appearance, while attempting to appear stern.
>"My Lord Xero, this is Lord Anonymous, a most wealthy potential customer, who wishes to speak with you on the price of several slaves, including…myself."
>He never took his eyes off of you during her introduction.
>"So you would purchase my own daughter, bastard though she be?"
"Indeed.  I am also interested in the purchase of this deer…"
>You indicate Diana, who stands respectfully three paces behind you, bowing.
"…your qilin, and your draconequus."
>"HA!" he laughed. "None but the deer are for sale.  The others are valued far above what what the vast majority can pay, and are worthless outside of their current roles besides."
"I can assure you that I can afford any price you would name."
>"Fat chance.  And even if you could, I wouldn't sell them to you.  They are of great worth to me, and my father respectively."
"Perhaps a wager then?"
>"What could you possibly have that would compensate me for the loss of my only daughter, my most prized possession, and the ire of my great father should I lose his most prized possession?"
>You pull a quarter from your pocket and slam it down on his desk.

>He stares in disbelief.
"I will wager this coin, and the remainder of wealth that I carry on my person, that I will be able to touch the qilin upon the head and survive to claim my reward, which will include Diana, Zizi, the qilin, and Eris, along with the containment system to keep her confined to my home."
>He smiles quickly at that, and seems to pretend to think for a moment before answering.
>"Very well, your stakes seem completely fair."
>You take the coin and place it back into your pocket.
"Very well.  Should I die, you can collect my fortune from the floor of the qilin's cage."
>"Fair enough." He rises from his seat and offers you his hoof, and you grasp it and shake on it.
>You hide your smile.  You have already won, and you know it.
>He trots out from behind his desk, barely restraining himself from giggling like a schoolboy.
>He clearly has no preoccupation of sacrificing your life in the pursuit of wealth.
>You would admire that in him, but for his extraordinary foolishness in failing to question just WHY it is that you think you will survive the qilin's fire.
>The truth is that the zebra is an idiot, and there is a clear reason why he is here, in this god forsaken shithole.
>You spare a glance at Zizi.  Her eyes are wet with tears.  Funny.  She is no more than a plaything to her father, and so she will be for you.
>She's even cuter when she's crying.  You will have to remember that.
>You look at Diana, still walking three paces behind you, looking at your feet.  When you stop to look at her, she glances up at you, smiles, and quickly looks away, then back at you out of the corner of her eyes, blushing slightly.
>She really is exactly what you wanted for a domestic slave.  You harden a bit at the thought of how she will perform in bed.
>'Camel sutra' indeed.
>You turn back forward to Xero, and rush a bit to keep pace with him.  He is extremely eager.  What a fucking nitwit.

>Before too long, you arrive back at the first cell you had seen on your way in, still glowing with its quiet blue light.
>Xero stops short, and turns to you.
>"Alright, so are you ready?"
>He's rushing you, which is fine.  You want this resolved quickly too, though you don't show your eagerness.
>Rather, you decide it would be best to show a bit of apprehension.
"M..maybe this isn't such a g..good idea…."
>You feign a stutter.  Time to up the odds a bit more.
>"Come on, all you need it to think happy thoughts.  Don't worry about it."
>You smile internally.
"W..well, if I'm going to risk my life, I want a bit more."
>"What could you possibly what?  I'm already betting some of the most valuable slaves we have!"
>He's impatient.  That's good.
"I want my selection of 50 more slaves from any of your branches, any time I want them."
>He didn't even think for a second.
>"Fine, just get in there."
>He hoofed a button and the glass barrier slid down into the ground, though the blue barrier remained in place.
>"Don't worry, it's just an anti-heat spell.  You can pass through it so long as you aren't on fire."
>He couldn't suppress the wide smile at that.
>You turn towards the barrier, and the beautiful but terrible dragon-like creature that lurked behind it.
>You second guessed yourself for a moment there, hoping that the qilin couldn't send its magic past the void that separated you from the magic of this world.
>You still had so much you wanted to do.
>You thrust any such thoughts from your mind.
>You turn to your soon to be slaves.
"Step away from the barrier.  I don't want you to get hurt."
>They all comply, surprisingly, even Xero steps back.

>You wonder if he has any sheep in him.
>Nevermind that, time for glory.
>You step into the barrier.
>The qilin is staring at you, its eyes filled with rage.  Honestly, you are worried that even if you don't burn up, the damn thing might just disembowel you with the razor sharp claws you are now noticing.
>You feel a strange sort of tingling sensation as you pass through the barrier.
>You hear a loud exclaimation behind you as you pass.
>"Woah!"
>You turn to see Zizi and Xero retreating further down the hall to escape the flames which are now pouring out through the you-shaped hole in the barrier, while Diana remains standing directly in the path of the flames, unaffected.
>After a few seconds, it repairs itself, leaving Xero smacking his own bottom, trying to put out the fur that had ignited.  Zizi was not so affected, but was waving air in her face, seemingly trying to cool down.
>This creature is very interesting.
>You turn back to it, to find its expression has softened considerably.
>You continue to approach it.
>You can feel that the room is hot, almost unbearably so, but the heat seems somehow distant, as if it doesn't matter somehow.
>Regardless, there is no sweat on your brow as you approach the creature, who wears a face of sheer confusion.
"Can you speak to me, beautiful one?"
>"Why aren't you burning?  You keep slaves, so you must be evil, yet you can approach me even as I exert my full pressure."
"Perhaps I am not so evil, my dear."
>You place your hand upon her head, wreathed as it was in flame.  You could feel the intense heat, exactly like sticking your hand into a fire, only without the pain, or the damage that should follow.  To be honest, it feels extraordinarily pleasurable, intense, like an orgasm, but not sexual.
>You wonder what sex with her would feel like.
>At the thought, the feeling intensifies.
>Does it become more intense according to your thoughts?
>You think about doing something awful.  Like raping Cherry to death.

>The flame flares up, like an orgasm, licking at your hand and lower arm.
>This is going to be very, very interesting.
"Will you trust in the judgement of your own flames, righteous one?"
>She looks down, conflicted, with your hand still resting on her head, completely unharmed.
>After a brief moment, she looks back up at you, directly in the eyes.
>"Yes, I will.  I am at your command, noble lord."
>She bows deeply at your feet.
>You smile.  This is going so very well.
"Can you reduce your flames, so that you will not harm those around you?"
>"Yes, of course."
>With that, the halo of flames surrounding her was decreased, and she seemed to shrink in size.  She seemed to be smaller even than a pony, so much so that you would now have to kneel to touch her head again.
"You're a child?"
>"Yes, my lord."
"How old are you?"
>"I am a mere 432 years old."
"You can change your form?  You seemed larger when your flames were more intense."
>"To an extent.  My flames and my size are linked with my sense of corruption.  When I sense corruption nearby, I grow and my flames grow in intensity.  I can suppress both reactions though, as I am now."
"What reactions are you suppressing?"
>"I sense a deep, almost abyssal corruption in you, like a beast from the lowest levels of Taurtarus, but your heart is absolutely pure, like driven snow.  Otherwise, you would at the very least blister upon touching me.  Even a dragon can't resist the effects of my holy fire."
"Will you follow me, and do as I command then?"
>"Yes.  You are clearly my superior.  I will do anything you ask."
"Even if it seems evil?"
>"So long as you do not burn, you must be a pure being, and I must trust in your judgement."
>She smiled weakly at you.  She doesn't seem to believe her own words.
>You kneel down, and kiss her lightly upon the forehead.

"Very well, then, for now, you must not burn any one, no matter how evil, without my say so.  There is a great feat which I must see done, and to accomplish that goal, I will need to use some…unconventional means.  Are you willing to help me with that?"
>"Yes, I will trust you until they day you die in my flames.  I will subject none but your to them if that is your wish."
>Her flames died down completely then, leaving no trace but golden highlights on her fur.
>The pale blue glow of the cell faded slowly, then died out completely.
"Tell me, what is your name?"
>She hesitates for a moment.
>"It is considered a sign of great trust for a dragon-borne to entrust another with their true name."
"You do trust me, don't you?"
>"I…of course, my lord.  My name is…"
>She glanced at the gawking zebras and the perfectly calm deer, then stood on her hindhooves and beckoned for you to stoop down.
>You did so, and she whispered to you "…Annabelinda."
>You turn to face her, your face only inches from hers, and you embrace her, and kiss her deeply.
>Surprised, she struggles a bit at first, the flames flaring up again, this time, enveloping your entire body.  The feeling is exhilarating, like skydiving into a volcanic caldera, but as Superman.
>Your cock is rock hard, the flames stroking it as if it were already inside of her.
>It is only with the most monumental amount of resistance that you refrain from taking her then and there.  You have other things that you MUST attend to tonight, and they will likely require that you have a full ball sack.
>Thus, you break the kiss.  She looks at you with a mix of confusion, anger, and regret.
"You said that you would follow my commands, did you not?"
>She looks down, her fires dying."
>"Yes…"
"You realize that if any of my other companions had been present, you would have killed them, right?"
"I…"
>You interrupt her with a slap to the face.

"You will not activate those fires unless I COMMAND you to, do you understand, you stupid slut?
>She is tearing up now, even the gold going out of her mane and fetlocks.
>"I…I…I'm sorry…"
""Sorry" won't bring back the dead.  And you are to call me "Master" from this moment on, do you understand?"
>"Y..yes, I'm so..sorry, Master…"
"The truth is, Anna…"
>"MASTER! Please don't say my true name where others can hear it!  If you do, they can command me to do anything they want against my will!"
>That is certainly an interesting bit of information.
"I will refrain from punishing you this time, but you are NOT to interrupt me when I am speaking, do you understand?"
>She looks down, her confidence apparently broken.
>"Y..yes, M..m..master…"
"Good, now you will tell me what you mean when you say that anyone can command you if they know your true name."
>"They need only invoke my true name and command me to do something.  If they first command me to suppress my fire, or prohibit me from harming them by any means, I will be at their complete mercy…"
>She's crying now, utter terror etched in her face.  Her first meeting with a "pure being" seemingly isn't going as she had ever thought it would.
>You smile a smile filled with evil intent, and she shrinks from it, like a toddler before a greater dragon.
>You grab her by the jaw and lean in close, right next to her ear and whisper
"Annabelinda, clop yourself until I tell you to stop."
>Her right hoof shoots directly between her legs even as she looks at you in shock.
>That look soon changes into one of arousal as she masturbates herself in front of you, and the audience on the other side of the now invisible barrier.
>You ignore her as you turn and walk back out of the cell.

"Xero, I have won our little bet.  It's time you paid up."
>His look of shock soon gave way to one of anger and indignity.
>"I don't know what you're talking about.  We never made any bet."
>"B..but Dad, you said…"
>"Shut UP you little slut! How DARE YOU talk back to me?"
"Are you honestly trying to welch on our bet?"
>He turns from you in a huff.
>"I don't know what you're talking about, but good luck trying to prove anything with just the word of an unknown and a few slaves."
>He smiled at you as if he had won.
>What a fucking idiot.
"Annabelinda, darling, please stop clopping and come out here."
>In a flash she was at your side.  Almost supernaturally fast.  You are going to have to quiz her on her abilities later.
"Now look here, you fucking zero, if you don't make good on your side of the bet, I'm going to have our sweet little qirin here burn your dick off, and that's just for starters.
>The look of utter terror on his face was priceless.  Apparently he didn't realize that the magical barrier was only good against flames, and that with the glass barrier down, she could simply walk right out of her cell.
>Seriously, what a fucking idiot.
>"O..okay, you win.  I'll give you whatever you want, just please…"
"Yes, you will.  Now, first, how do you report to your superiors within the company?"
>"I have a balefire lamp that I can burn scrolls in to send them to my father."
"Good, you are going to tender your resignation, effective immediately, and recommend your daughter to take your place."
>Zizi looks at you in shock.
>"But, My Lord, I thought you wanted me as a slave?"
"Oh, you are still going to be my slave, but Xeno doesn't need to know that just yet.  I am certain you will do a fine job. At least, with my supervision.  After all, I already own the largest slave operation in Equestria."

>"B..but Gigas.." Xero stuttered, partially recovering from his shock.
"Is now my employee."
>"How?  How can this be happening? This was supposed to be EASY!"
>Jesus, he's crying.
"Come on, get moving.  I don't have all day."
>"W..what am I supposed to tell me father?"
"Tell him that you are an utter failure and a degenerate gambler who bets things that aren't yours to lose, and that your shame is so great that you are going to leave the company to live as a hobo."
>W.wh..what?"
"You don't actually have to go live as a hobo.  I'll let you take some money out of your petty cash fund."
>He looks at you dejectedly, tears still poaring down like he was a foal caught with his hoof in the cookie jar.
>You facepalm.
"Don't tell me, you've been embezzling money to cover your gambling debts and there isn't any left."
>Still crying, he just nods his head.
>You dig around into the pocket full of bits you had taken for pocket change and toss some of them on the ground.
"There, that's your severance.  Now go write that fucking letter."
>"I, um, don't know how to write."
>"My Lord, he normally just dictates to me." Zizi volunteered.
>You chuckle to yourself.
"Can you sign his name?"
>"I have a stamp for that."
>You look down at the piece of shit gathering the bits you threw at him, and a thought occurs to you.
"Before you go, Xero, I have one last task I need you to complete."
>You grab him by his comb of a mane and half drag him back to the other end of the corridor, to Eris' chamber.

>The others follow you, Anna looking a bit more like herself, the gold having returned to her coat, seemingly pleased with your treatment of the scoundrel, Diana looking perfectly calm, remaining at her respectful distance, and Zizi, seemingly caught between joy at her sudden promotion, confusion at all that was going on, and anger at her father's betrayal.
>You arrive at the chamber.  Still holding Xero's comb, you look inside the window and confirm that Eris isn't inside.
"Zizi, open the cell."
>"My Lord, that's dangerous!"
"Then be quick about it."
>She quickly complies, the metal wall with the small window sliding into the floor and several of the spell generators losing their glow..
>With a quick motion, you hurl Xero into the cell.  He's surprisingly heavy, so it takes all of your strength.  He lands a few feet inside.
"Now close it."
>She quickly complies without a word, fearing the consequences if Eris were to appear at that moment with the physical barrier down and part of the spell matrix disabled.
>"Please stop!  You can't do this!  She'll..."
>His words were cut off as the thick metal wall clicked back into place, the spell matrix already glowing again.
>"Master, what are you doing?"
>You turn to Anna, who is looking at you quizzically.
"And what would you do with him?"
>Like you need to ask.
>"I would subject him to my trial, of course."
>IE burn him to death.

"We are really going to have to work on your people skills."
>You turn back to the porthole, to se Xero desperately banging on the window.
"Is there a way we can talk to him without opening the cell?"
>Zizi indicated a button near the window, placed, very intelligently, far from the one that opens the door.
>"If you hold this down, you will be able to hear each other."
>You push the button.
>"..have to let me out!  Please, I'll do anything!"
"Shut up."
>He quiets down except for the occasional whimper.
"You aren't going to die, but you are going to pay for your foolishness."
>Just then, a flash, and Eris was back, again, looking around desperately.
>Then she saw him, and smiled a wide, devious smile.
>"Well well well, if it isn't one of my wardens…"
>He turned to face her, back to the wall.
>"S.s.stay back!  I'm warning you!"
>"Warning me about what?  I'm just going to have a little fun with you until you let me out."
>She disappears in a flash, and reappears, coiled around him, her eyes less than an inch from his.
>He looks down.
>She brings one of her "hands", a dragon's, up and places the forefinger of her index finger under his jaw, and pushes it up so that he is looking her in the eyes.
>"And you ARE going to let me go, right?"
>Before he can blubber out anything else, you speak through the intercom.
"I'm afraid that decision is no longer his to make."
>She turns to you, and in a flash is next to the window.
>"A new warden?"
>She looks back at her old jailer.
>"OOOOHH!  A hostile takeover!  I like it!"
>She turns back to the window and looks you up and down, as much as she can through the smallish aperture.
>"You're weird."

"You're weirder, but that's beside the point.  You want out of that cell, right?"
>That caught her attention.
"Then I'd like you to do a little something for me."
>She smiles at you innocently, keeping her head perfectly steady while her body detaches and runs around the back of the cell doing flips.
"Yeah, you're definitely weirder."
>Her body does one last flip and "lands" in the air in a reclining position, reattached to her head.
"In any event, I have a proposition for you."
>She remains where she is, looking at you expectantly.
"If you will to serve me, I will allow you to join me and my other slaves in my home."
>She looks a bit dejected at that.
>"So..I still won't be free."
"No, but you will have more freedom than you do now, and company, and more room to do.."
>You indicate her body.
"Whatever it is that you do."
>She smiles a bit at that.
"If you prove that you are loyal and trustworthy, you will be given more freedoms.  If you show that you are not, then you will be punished.  Or you can stay right there in that cell if you want."
>"Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you want."
"You can start by turning that Zebra into something more befitting his personality and intellect.  Let's say, a toad."
>She contorts her body slightly, whipping her tail in his direction and where there was a zebra, there was now a panicked looking toad.
"Very good, and now a nice aquarium for him."
>She writhes a bit again, and he's in a very nice looking little sandscaped aquarium with a sun lamp, water, and some nice insects.
"Well done.  Now, I have some preparations to make.  We will set up an additional spell matrix around my home.  Once that is done, I will return for you."

>She looked down, sad.
>"But..I thought you were going to let me out today…"
"Enough of that.  You will come when I am ready for you, and not an instant before."
>"Okay…"
>And in a flash she was gone.
>Or rather, you see that she had shrunk herself, and was laying on a stone in Xero's habitat, sunning herself.
>You release the button and turn from the cell to Zizi.
>"You are going to LIVE with her? Anonymous, you are playing a very dangerous game.  Draconequus are, by a wide margin, the most dangerous creatures in Equestria.  They don't play by the rules.  There is a reason that Zeno is paid so well for his anti-Draconequus matrices."
>You pat her on the mane gently.
"You just let me worry about that."
>You then grab the hair of her mane and pull her close.
"And you will address me properly from this moment on, do you understand?"
>A look of horror flashes in her eyes.
>"Y..yes master, I'm sorry Master!"
"Yes, you are.  But for now we have business to attend to."
>You turn to the other two.
"Anna, you wait here.  Come and get me if anyone comes down the hallway.  If anyone tries to come down the corridor, you are to VERBALLY warn them off.  If they try to get past you or assault you, you may give them a light toasting, then you are to come and get me.  And for fucks sake don't kill anyone.
>She bows her head.
>"Yes, Master."
>She turns to face the far side of the hall and grows a bit to become more imposing, her fur lighting on fire again, but her heat doesn't extend any further than that away from her, as Zizi seems unaffected.
>She seems well suited for such duty.

>You turn back towards Zizi's new office and open the door, beckoning Zizi and Diana inside.
>They file in quickly.
>You motion for Zizi to sit in Xero's old seat.
>She is smiling as she sits down, taking it in, her fear from moments ago seemingly forgotten.
"So, how does it feel, branch manager?"
>She smiles somewhat shyly at you.
>"I never thought in a million years that I would get here.  Thank you so much master!"
"Well, let us do what we can to cement it.  For now, I want you to write Xero's resignation letter as I described it and sign it.  Don't send it just yet, though.  I will cement my position in this country before I start poking bears too hard."
>"Master, could I ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
>"I don't understand how you are going to dictate to Zeno that I will be the new manager here.  My grandsire, Zeno is no foal, he surely knows that his son is illiterate.  If we send the letter he will know something is going on, and command the guards to lock us down, and possibly kill me for my impudence at taking his spot."
"That is why I want you to wait on sending that letter.  If he protests, I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."
>You decide to end it on that cryptic note.  She will understand soon enough that you will be the only one allowed to traffic slaves once the Princesses have their magic returned.  Assuming they accept your proposal.  Hence the wait.
"In the meantime, I want you to stay here and continue to run this place as you did before.  If anyone needs to talk to Xero, just tell them that he went home sick or something.  You will only need to stall until tomorrow morning."
>"I understand, Master."
>She takes a quill and a blank scroll and begins drafting the letter.
>In a moment, she is done, and hoofs it to you to read over, which you do quickly before handing it back.
"This looks fine.  Now, do you have everything under control?  Is there anything else that you need to make this work?"

>"No Master.  I do most of the work around here already anyways."
"Excellent.  I want you to start making arrangements to have one of your draconequus confinement spell generators installed around my home."
>You take a scrap of parchment and she offers you the pen and ink well and you write down the address of Cherry's Brownstone and hand it to her.
"How long do they normally take to install?"
>"Master, I'm afraid we don't have anyone here at this branch capable of installing one.  I will have to bring in a crew from one of the neighboring districts."
"So how long?"
>She thinks for a moment.
>"If there is a free crew, I might be able to have it done by tomorrow afternoon, if I could get a team of griffons to transport them and the equipment by air.  Otherwise, it will be a few weeks at least, as they will have to walk here and have a merchant caravan carry the equipment."
"I see, there is no problem then.  Go see Gigas and tell him I sent you.  He will provide whatever you need.  Once the installation is finished, you can disassemble the one here for parts, which should reduce the cost of the operation."
>"Yes master, that won't be a problem.  I will see to it at once."
"And one more thing, how much do you know about this spell matrix?"
>"Quite a bit, Master.  What do you wish to know?"
"What would happen if Eris were to try to pass through the barrier?"
>"The barrier is actually a large number of spells of varying effects, layered in a way that will prevent her from either using her magic to disable it, pass through it, effect anything on the other side, or teleport around it.  I don't know exactly what would happen if she tried to pass through it.  She never tried as far as I know, since the barrier around her cell abutted a solid physical barrier."
"My home is not a steel box, so we need to find out."

>"Master, I know that you have other matters to attend to.  If you like, I can consult with some of the experts by balefire message, and let you know upon your return."
>You smile at her.
>That is the way a professional should behave.  You are proud to have her as a slave.
"Very well.  I will take my leave of you then.  I am taking Diana and the qilin with me.  I believe you mentioned that we needed to leave by a different route to avoid triggering the magic draining enchantment out front?"
>"Yes, Master, the sales exit is down the other hall you saw on your way in.  Shall I escort you?"
>You simply nod in response and rise, heading for the door.
>You open it to find an interesting sight.  Anna is no longer looming massive in the middle of the hall, but rather had slunk down against the wall next to Eris' cell where none of the other creatures could see her, her size shrunk back down to that of a regular pony.  She was still looking down the hall, but was silently clopping herself, her mane of fire shimmering multiple colors in rhythm with her hoofs motions.
"Having fun are we?"
>She tensed up instantly, and her hoof shot right back to her front as she sat up back in the "guard" position.
>"M..master, I…"
"We will discuss your perversion at a later time, for now, it is time to go."
>You walk ahead, with the others following behind.
>Your pace is quick.  You need to find out what time it is.  You have wasted a lot of time here.
>You reach the end of the corridor and enter the anteroom before quickly turning down the other hallway.
>This one is far less high tech than the other one, with numerous slaves of the more "standard" races here.  Griffons, Zebras, Donkeys, Saddle Arabians, etc are all in large cells that remind you of prison cells, with bunk beds, sinks, small tables with simple chairs and toilets.  They are segregated by species, with the largest cell holding griffons.  The others were much smaller, and had smaller populations.

>You wonder briefly whether any of Giga's, scratch that, your employees are slaves.  You will have to find out.
>You would like to examine the slaves, but you are simply in too much of a hurry.  You need to get Diana back to the house then go to the "castle" with Annabelinda.  It will be good to have a little muscle to back up any threats you need to make.
>You notice that once you pass the cells there are a number of other doors.
"What's back there?"
>You point at the doors as you pass them.
>"Those are our facilities.  Training of various types takes place there, whether combat or strength training, or sex and obedience lessons, we really do it all here."
"You have trainers?"
>"Yes, but they aren't here right now.  We don't make enough here to support a permanent staff.  Instead, we have them come in from neighboring lands once or twice a year.  We make the facilities available to the less dangerous slaves when there are no customers."
>You turn to Diana.
"You learned skills here?"
>"Some, yes, but I actually teach, both domestic and sexual skills."
>You ponder that for a second.  It may be a problem taking away one of the more skilled slaves who instructs others.
"Will you be able to get on without Diana?"
>"Yes Master.  We don't have much demand for domestic slaves as most everyone around here who wants one has one, and as far as sex slaves, we have a number of other talented trustee slaves who are not for sale."
"Good, good.  I don't want to deprive you of a valuable asset unless it is absolutely necessary."
>She is silent, and you continue toward the end of the hallway.
>You pass another cell similar to Eris'.  As you do, Zizi calls out to the zebra at the window.
>"They are good, Zanz, all paid up."
>With that, the exit door opened, sliding down into the floor, then another to the side, then another to the other side, and a red colored glow that seemed to fill the space between the doors vanished as well.

>"With that, I will leave you, Honored Customer.  I thank you for patronizing our shop.  Please come again for any slave related needs."
>The guard can hear you, and she is playing it up for him.  Good girl.
>You smile and incline your head slightly.
"It was a pleasure, I look forward to doing business with you again in the future."
>You send a friendly wave to the zebra behind the heavy door.  He nods slightly, but that's all you get.
>You proceed through the door to find that it is dark out again.  Not that that means anything.
>You hear Anna breathe in deeply.
>"It is good to be out of that stuffy place.  I would prefer it if we never returned, unless it was to purge it of evil."
>Well, that's not happening.
>You quickly made your way out of the deserted bazaar and past some very confused griffon guards at the barricade.  After that, it was an uneventful trip back home.
>You opened the door to find Cherry there, a wise smile plastered on her face.
>"Anon!" she shouted, as she jumped into your arms.
>You quickly set her down and took a stern tone with her.
"Cherry, you need to remember to accept your new place.  You are my slave and as such will call me Master, understand?"
>"Oh, sorry Ano..er..Master."
>She rubbed her foreleg sheepishly.
"Don't worry too much about it, you will get the hang of it soon, and if you don't, you can look forward to some discipline."
>She blushes hard at that.

"Anyways, let me introduce you to some new friends."
>You gesture to Diana.
"Diana, this is Cherry, Cherry, this is Diana.  Diana will be my new maid.  You are to follow her orders on all things related to cleaning and household maintenance."
>You think for a moment, then turn to Diana.
"And I want you to start instructing her on the Camel Sutra.
>"Very well, Master."
>She curtseys gracefully.
"And this is Anna, the Qilin."
>"Master, what's a qilin?"
>You look at Anna, then back at Cherry.
"Looks like some kind of dragon horse to me.  You can ask her yourself, later, as she will be spending a lot of time here on guard duty.  If you should ever get into trouble when I'm not around, go to her, and she will protect you."
>You turn to Annabelinda.
"You are to protect every member of this household, and not allow them to come to harm from anyone but me, or people who are acting on my orders, and then only when you receive confirmation from me, understand?
>"Yes, Master."
"For now, Cherry, please show Diana around and help her to clean.  I expect this place to be spotless when I return.  I expect to return with Royal company."
>"Okay, A..Master."
>With that, you dismiss them and Cherry leads Diana inside and you shut the door and lock it.
"Come, Anna, we have Princesses to recruit."
>You head towards the square and toward the barricades just as the sun starts to rise again.