I had then snapped the leash strap on the leading ring. In one's pouch or pack the leash strap is normally coiled inside the collar, whether it is snapped on the leash ring or not. I usually do not keep it on the collar because in that way I am free to use it independently as a binding device or, doubled, as an admonitory lash. Also, I think it does a girl good, and it had seemed to do this girl good, to hear it snap on the collar ring, either at the back of her neck, when she is to be back-controlled, or just under her chin, when she is to be front-led, Leashing, of course, of either variety, is excellent psychologically for the female, as it confirms her bondage upon her and helps to make clear to her her animal status. Similarly, the jerking of the leash, to test its strength, is good for her. It helps her to understand that it is truly on her. This leash pressure, in testing, of course, either is done with the ring in the front position, to avoid damage to the throat, even if the collar is then to be turned and she is to be back-controlled, or, if the ring is left in the back position, in such a way, say, with a thumb or fingers inserted at the front of the leash collar, as to take the pressure of the testing, and protect the throat. The general consideration here, of course, is to avoid pressure to the front of the throat. It is general Gorean practice to avoid even the slightest of pressures here. This does not represent a relaxation of Gorean disciplinary practices incidentally, for discipline may be, and will be, if there is the least cause for it, inflicted outside the strictures of the leash. Too, if the ring is in the back position, if the girl is not compliant she puts this pressure on herself. An excellent example is the choke leash, which cannot be slipped, but can tighten. The least bit of resistance on the part of the girl closes the loop. In such a device, girls, after the first moment or two, follow without resistance.

"What are you going to do with me?" she said.

"I am going to take you to a slaver's," I said. "I think I know one who will not ask too many questions."

"To a slaver's!" she cried.

"Yes," I said.

"Why?" she cried.

"Why do you think?" I asked. "To make some money on you, of course. It will probably be the first time any man ever made any money on you, but I assure you, it will not be the last."

I then turned about and began to stride rapidly down the bridge. She was running behind me, on the leash, laughing and crying.

I threw the blonde to her knees before Tenalion, slaver of Ar. It was he to whom Boabissia had earlier, inadvertently, returned herself, his slave. We were now, however, in his house of business, in his office there. She knelt inside an outlined yellow circle. It was a few feet before his desk. This circle had a diameter of about seven or eight feet. The border of this circle, delineating it, was about seven or eight inches in width, and was formed of yellow stones set mosaiclike into the smooth scarlet flooring.

"I bring you a woman," I said.

He rose from his desk and came about it, to stand a few feet from the blonde. I removed the leash from her neck. I separated the collar and strap. I coiled the strap, placing it within the collar. I then returned the two parts of the leash to my pouch. I glanced to the blonde. "Kneel with your knees more widely spread," I said.

She obeyed. I could see she was frightened, now that she was here. Perhaps she was having second thoughts. It was a bit late, however, for such thoughts. She squirmed a little, on her knees. She was attractive, doing so. This squirming, I think, was genuinely due to her fear and agitation, but, even so, I thought it might add to her price. She moved well. Her hands were still tied tightly behind her.

"Where is her brand?" asked Tenalion.

"She is a free woman," I said.

"I thought so," he said.

"You are in the house of a slaver," he said to the blonde.

"You kneel within a circle of assessment." She looked down at it. "I did not know," she whispered.

"It is about the size of a slave block," he said.

She nodded.

The circle, of course, was flush with the floor. The slave block, on the other hand, is normally about a yard to five feet high, and is designed to raise the girls above the crowd, so that they may be more easily seen by the bidders. "Have you ever seen a sale of female slaves?" he asked.

"No," she said.

"Perhaps you have some idea," he said, "of what they are like."

"Yes," she said.

"Usually the merchandise is exhibited stark naked and sold to the highest bidder," he said, "whose slave they then are, in all ways."

"I understand," she said.

"You are to be assessed," he said.

"I understand," she whispered.

"And eventually, doubtless," he said, "in one way or another, you will be sold as a slave."

"I understand," she said.

"Is she a virgin?" asked Tenalion.

"No," I said.

The blonde blushed hotly.

"I did not think so," said Tenalion…

The blonde put down her head.

"You are beautiful, my dear," he said.

"Thank you, Master," she said.

"Are you sexually responsive?" he asked.

She looked at me, wildly. "I do not know," she said.

"Yes," I said, "quite so, at least for one who is still substantially a free woman."

"In your opinion," asked Tenalion, "she shows slave promise?"

"Yes," I said.

"May I see?" asked Tenalion.

"Of course," I said.

"Oh!" cried the girl. "Please no! Not here! Not like this! I beg you! Oh, Oh, Master! Master! I could scarcely hold her then, squirming, bucking, on her knees. It was almost like trying to hold a small sleen. Her body was very strong in its passion. Then she looked at Tenalion, tears in her eyes, revealed before him as a superbly responsive female, in a man's hands no more than a slave.

"Excellent," said Tenalion.

"I would suppose," I said, "of course, that she might improve considerably, and indefinitely, in such matters, when she is truly a slave, when she is legally and fully imbonded."

She looked at me in wonder.

"Of course," said Tenalion.

The blonde put down her head, shuddering.

"Girl," said Tenalion.

She lifted her head.

"Are you prepared to enter slavery?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," she said.

"Will you strive to be a good slave?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," she said.

"Many masters are not patient with slaves," he said. "Do you understand what that means?"

"Master?" she asked.

"You are well advised to be fully pleasing to your masters," he said.

"Yes, Master," she said.

"It is not pleasant to be whipped," he said.

"No, Master," she said.

"Similarly, it would not be pleasant to be subjected to many other conceivable punishments, or, say, to be thrown alive to hungry sleen," he said.

"No, Master!" she said.

"Be a good slave," he said.

"Yes Master!" she said.

"Do you think being a slave is merely a matter of crawling about your master's legs, and licking and kissing, and serving his intimate pleasures?"

"I do not know, Master," she said. "I have never been a slave."

"Do you think you would look well dancing before your master?" he asked. "I do not know," she said.

"Absolutely naked, of course," he said, "as you are now."

"I do not know, Master," she said.

I, frankly, thought she would look quite well doing this. No one, however, had asked my opinion.

"Still," he said, "such things are only among the more obvious sexual modalities."

"Yes, Master," she said.

"Your entire life," he said, "will now be pervaded with sexuality, with your femaleness. Your life will now be a sexual one, a life in which your femaleness, for the first time, will be of undeniable and paramount importance, a life in which it will be overwhelmingly central. Everything else will take its coloration and meaning from that."