Slave Trade - All Dressed Up
Slave Trade
All Dressed Up
copyright 2013 comidacomida
As promised, the healer returned the following morning and looked over the injuries the Gladiators had sustained during their fight with the Grinders. Far different than any herbalists or surgeons Sidney had ever seen, the old woman spent more time chanting and less time inspecting injuries. By the time she had removed the last of the bandages, however, all of the wounds were gone... even the arrow hole in Dorias' forearm.
The next two days passed quickly as the fox oversaw a return to the stable's prior routine. Although Sidney let the Gladiators sleep in both days he made certain that they were all up shortly after dawn. Despite the relaxed mornings, Tharis and Maern were up early both days. The bull spent the few hours of pre-light working on improving the practice circle while the stallion spent his time just outside the stable going through the slow, purposeful movements of the different combat forms he'd shown to the others.
Breakfast both days remained the same as usual: porridge and gruel for Sidney while the rest of the slaves had the gruel with roasted meat. The fox was slowly becoming more accustomed to the scent of cooked flesh and he was no longer driven to gagging and retching; he hadn't really noticed until Choel saw fit to comment toward the end of breakfast on the second morning, "Maybe you'll start taking your share one of these days, Slave Master." the tiger offered a sidelong glance followed by a wink in his direction.
The rest of the time remained unspectacular. Sidney would spend several hours watching the Gladiators go through their training routines. Maern would instruct them in combat drills and they would repeat each maneuver several dozen times. On the second day the monotony was broken for an hour as they went through what Dorias had translated from the stallion as 'soft sparring'. Based on Maern's explanation, it was a way to learn how movements chained together and ways to anticipate what would "come next" in combat.
At such a slow pace it almost seemed more like a dance and less like a fight. Although the Gladiators moved at a snail's pace as they fought, Sidney found himself with heightened pulse and quickened breath, watching everyone closely as they set up attacks, prepared parries, and maneuvered around the circle. With more time to inspect each move, the fox began to gain a stronger appreciation for why Maern had elected to instruct the Gladiators in the basics; Sidney was not a dumb fox, and he started connecting how each move the stallion had shown to the slaves chained together to create the act of sword play.
"Hmm..." Tharis grunted from beside him, causing the Slave Master to jump in surprise; he had been so focused on the soft sparring that didn't even realize the bull had joined him, "Tiger's got a good back-swipe."
"Huh?" Sidney asked, turning to look up at Tharis, whose attention was wholly on the combat circle where Choel and Dorias were going through their slow maneuvers.
"Watch." is all the bull bothered answering, resting a massive hand on the fox's shoulder.
Each movement was counted out to a slow beat as Maern slapped his open hand against one of the poles that stuck up from the ground. *SMACK*
Dorias stepped forward, his wooden pole coming around at shoulder-height toward Choel's left side. The move was purposeful and controlled, but it inched through the air at a crawl. Maern's open hand struck the pole again. *SMACK*
Choel fought with two sticks, each smaller than Dorias'. The tiger proceeded with the same slow, deliberate movements, bringing both of his fake swords up to catch the yak's wooden stick between them, and he raised his arms, deflecting Dorias' attack over his head. The stallion hit the pole again *smack* and Choel continued his movements fluidly, lowering one 'blade' and pulling it close to his chest as he rotated his footing and spun in place, extending his arm just before his shoulder was even with Dorias' abdomen, and he let his fake sword draw across the yak's exposed mid section.
"Kuss." Maern announced, and both of the Gladiators returned to what Sidney had been told was the 'ready' position.
The stallion began to speak to them with Dorias translating, but the fox's attention was back on the bull beside him, who had likewise started talking.
"Good back swipe." Tharis repeated his earlier assessment.
Sidney looked up at the bull, turning to face him, "You spent a long time as a Gladiator, didn't you, Tharis?"
The bull nodded, "Yes."
"Couldn't you help Maern train everyone?" the fox asked.
"I don't fight now." Tharis answered simply, still watching the instruction at the ring rather than looking at the Slave Master.
Sidney pressed the issue, "But you could still help teach... right?"
"No."
The fox's ears went up. He'd asked a question rather than spoke an order, so the 'no' wasn't insubordination, but it still felt a little like a betrayal. "Why not?" he asked.
Tharis rotated so he could present his right arm to the fox, showing off the golden cord wrapped down it, "I don't fight anymore." he announced, still watching the gladiators, "I have a lead... I'm just a breeder now."
Sidney reached out a paw to rest against the bull's elbow, "You're more than just a breeding slave, Tharis."
The large slave's gaze finally left the fighting ring as he looked down to regard the fox. His lips parted for a moment as his expression softened just a little... and he flicked an ear, then looked back to the ring, stoicism returning, "Thank you, Sidney."
Sidney paused at that, one ear dropping as the other remained up, "I--" and he realized that Tharis had called him by name rather than title; the slave must have also caught his own slip at the same time.
"Dorias should use something heavy... a mace or a flail." the bull interrupted him, voice all business. Tharis cleared his throat, shifting his weight from hoof to hoof, "I have more work to do." and, with that as his only farewell, the bull headed back toward the stables. Something about the sudden uncomfortable moment between them should have made Sidney blush but, instead he found himself smiling... just a little.
Sidney returned to watching the sparring within the Circle; he did wonder briefly about finding 'the right weapons' for his team, but otherwise sat passively and watched Maern instruct the slaves. Tharis didn't return to the circle that day, keeping himself distant from the Gladiators throughout the waking hours by spending his time working on stable improvements and otherwise remaining busy. It wasn't until dinner that everyone came together, and, even then, Tharis remained around only long enough to collect his food, present a quick 'thank you' to Dorias, and disappear back to his own stall.
The Slave Master went through his serving of roasted vegetables and grains quickly, then set his empty bowl down and regarded the Gladiators surrounding the fire. Olnyr remained off to the side, focused entirely on his food. Dorias and Choel talked pleasantly with Maern sitting between them eating his stew, patiently quiet with ears swiveling back and forth to whomever was speaking. The yak always made it a point to halt the conversation now and again, speaking to Maern, possibly to translate what was being said; Sidney smiled whenever he saw the horse chuckle at whatever had been spoken.
The fox's attention shifted to Olnyr, who, having spent the first part of dinner sitting quietly on a bail of hay moved over to sit on the ground beside him, "Slave Master." the bison announced in gruff greeting.
Sidney took the cue from the slave and responded flatly with a non-committal, "Baron." The fox continued watching the three Gladiators by the fire but his attention was just as much on the large slave by his side; his ears focused on Olnyr. "You don't have to wait for permission to talk." he offered to the bison.
"I don't understand our Master." despite so few words, the slave's admission held no small amount of frustration. "Lord Hector?' Sidney asked, giving Olnyr his full attention, "What don't you understand about him?" the fox inquired. "This is a stable." the bison motioned around the structure.
"Right." the Slave Master nodded once to the affirmative.
"I have never seen a stable used as a Gladiator Stable." Olnyr announced.
Sidney cocked his head to the side, "What would it be?" the bison's comment didn't make very much sense, "I can't think of anything that would work as a stable better than a stable."
"You have seen Lord Levid's stable." Olnyr pointed out.
Sidney shuddered, "It looked like a slave pit... it FELT like one too..."
"What if one of us tries to leave?" the bison asked.
"The door isn't locked." the Slave Master acknowledged, "If you have to pee or--"
"I mean what if we LEAVE." Olnyr cut him off. The stable fell quiet as the discussion around the fire halted, several eyes gazing at the bison and fox.
"An' why would we be leavin'?" Dorias asked plainly from his spot by the fire, "Where would ye go?"
The bison shrugged, "Doesn't matter..." and looked back to Sidney, ignoring the others, "Lord Levid always had handlers put us away at night."
"Well... WE know how to find our way back to our stalls." Choel added with a faint barb to his voice. Dorias glanced harshly at the tiger, who fell silent.
"He didn't want us leaving." Olnyr added to Sidney.
"Neither does Lord Hector." Sidney acknowledged, "But he knows that we're loyal."
"I don't understand him." the bison repeated his earlier statement.
"Why not?" the fox questioned.
Olnyr reached up to take hold of one of the stall dividers and he gave it an experimental shake, "How does he know we won't leave?"
"We're slaves, Baron..." Sidney answered, "Our place is here."
The bison let out a growl of frustration and stood up, shaking his head, "It..." he trudged off toward his stall, "... Lords don't TRUST."
Everyone remained silent for several long moments. Choel was the first to speak up, "Yea... he's fitting right in."
* * * * * *
The next day started out like any other: Sidney awoke with the sun, stretching himself out before donning his loincloth. He went out into the main portion of the stall, listening to the quiet sounds of sleeping Gladiators. Passing Maern's stall, the fox was not surprised to find it empty, and Tharis' was likewise vacant. He stopped, however, when he saw that Olnyr was also absent. Several thoughts went through his mind of the prior night's discussion as he headed out of the stable and into the early morning air.
"Baron?" Sidney called, glancing first toward the gate of the estate, then over to where Tharis was gathering some large rocks where the field slaves had piled them.
"Yes, Slave Master?" the fox jumped when a response came from directly to the left of him. Sidney turned to regard the bison, who was seated on the ground cross-legged beside Maern. The Slave Master took a step back as Olnyr stood, "Do you have orders?"
Maern glanced at Sidney, then at the bison, and slowly stood as well, "Good mor-ning, Sid-ney." he flicked an equine ear.
The fox glanced briefly past Olnyr, "Good morning, Maern." and he flicked an ear, looking back to the bison, "Good morning, Baron." a sense of relief flowed through Sidney; he had never thought that one of his slaves would even consider running but, after the discussion with the bison the prior night the slave master had almost thought--
"Sidney!" Finneas' hail stalled any further thought. "Sidney! Lord 'ector's comin' t'see yeh and the stable! 'e wants yeh ready for inspection!"
"Alright!" the fox waved back, "Thank you!" the mouse didn't bother responding, about-facing and heading off toward Gaius' workshop, most likely to complete some other assignment presented to him by their master.
"That's the leather worker's shop..." Olnyr noted gruffly, watching to see where the mouse had gone off to.
"Yea..." Sidney nodded, "his name is Gaius."
"And the Master is coming to inspect the stables..." the bison continued.
"That's what Finneas said." the fox nodded.
"The Master is Hosting today." Olnyr stated in a matter-of-fact tone, and turned around to head back into the stable, "I will be ready."
"Hosting?" Sidney called over his shoulder, but the bison was already gone. "Hosting?" he repeated to nobody in particular. Off to the side, Maern raised his ears, but didn't reply. "Like a party?" he turned and followed after Olnyr, "Baron... slaves don't go to parties." though he fell silent once he stepped back into the stables; Dorias' and Choel's gazes met him as he entered.
"Slaves going to parties?" the tiger chuckled, "Not unless they're the 'entertainment'."
Sidney shrugged, glancing down the walkway to where the door to Olnyr's stall had just closed, "I know..." and he glanced back to the two slaves by the cooking fire, "Finneas stopped by and said that Lord Hector is coming to see everyone today."
"Aye..." the yak nodded, "an' 'e 'as a right as th' Master o'th'estate." He ladled two spoons into a bowl and held it out for Sidney.
"I know." Sidney nodded, "But then Baron said something about Lord Hector hosting something because Finneas went over to see Gaius."
"Wait..." Dorias noted, pausing once Sidney took his breakfast, "Did 'e say Lord 'ector was gonna be 'ostin' something, or that 'e'd be 'Hosting?" the yak put strong emphasis on the final word, enough so that it managed to make it past his accent.
Sidney cocked his head to the side in response to the question, "Um..." and he asked, "there's a difference?" The tiger and the yak glanced at one another, and immediately scampered up, heading off to their respective stalls. Stepping further down the walkway, he raised his voice, questioning the stables as a whole, "What's going on?"
"He doesn't know what a Hosting is?" Olnyr spoke up.
"No." Sidney admitted.
"Th' Slave Master started as a personal slave." Dorias spoke up, "Which means 'e's never been t' one."
"So what is--?" Sidney began, but he was cut off by the stable door opening.
"Sid-ney..." Maern spoke up, and Gaius entered, "gest." the stallion added.
"Hello again, Sidney." the porcupine greeted him, glancing first at the unattended cauldron over the fire, and then to the fox himself, "I can't believe you have one of your slaves outside meditating on a Hosting day." he walked over to the breakfast and removed it from the cooking fire.
The Slave Master somehow managed to keep his cool as he shrugged, "Finneas told me to make sure the slaves were ready for an inspection... and why is everyone talking about Hosting? What's being hosted?'
The porcupine stopped mid-stride on his way back over to the door and paused. His expression changed a moment later, "Oh... right..." he cleared his throat and met Sidney's gaze, "A Hosting is an event where a Lord or Lady will present their slaves and show them off to interested parties."
"I have never heard of a Hosting." the fox admitted.
"Of course not." the leather worker acknowledged, heading out of the stables. He paused just outside the door and motioned for Sidney to follow. The Slave Master stepped out beside him and matched his pace as the porcupine led him to a small pull-cart, "Body Slaves are almost never brought to a Hosting."
"Why not?" the fox asked, helping Gaius with retrieving several packages from the wagon. Sidney saw that each one was labeled but, as he had never learned to read, it was nigh impossible to figure out what they were. "Maern." the Slave Master called, and began loading the stallion up with the contents of the cart.
"Hostings are usually reserved for gladiator, field hand, and pure-bred slaves." Gaius explained, taking the final two packages himself and motioning back toward the stables; Sidney gestured Maern forward first, and then followed after the stallion while Gaius remained at the fox's side. Despite holding nearly the entire contents of the cart, Maern still managed to get the door for the others.
"It's a chance for Lords and Ladies to offer their slaves out for stud services." the porcupine shrugged casually, walking inside the stables before setting the two packages he carried on the closest bail of hay, "Lord Hector doesn't hold Hostings very often... he's probably needing some extra coin." Sidney couldn't help but think of his Master's destroyed carriage, but he kept his muzzle shut.
"So..." the fox paused, "Lord Hector wants his slaves presented because he'll have other Lords and Ladies over..."
"To bid on breeding rights." Gaius nodded, "Yea." He glanced over at Maern, "What's he doing?" Sidney turned to regard the stallion, who was looking over each package and spreading them out into neat piles, "Hey..." the porcupine called, "Maern?"
"Iya?" the horse questioned, then paused, and looked at Gaius, "...yes... ser?" he spoke again, using the Prossian words instead.
"Huus lire?" the porcupine questioned the stallion in Vensiian.
"Ni Vensii'al, iya." Maern acknowledged with a sure nod, and he proceeded to speak further, but, based on Sidney's impression of Gaius' expression, the porcupine had no better luck translating it than he did.
"Ugh... he talks too fast." the leather worker objected.
"Maern said 'e could tell what th' tags said 'cause they were names." Dorias emerged from his stall, adjusting the grip of the fine leather strip he had used to affix his loincloth, and he glanced to Sidney, "Better'n'a rope, aye, sir?"
"Not by much." the leather worker's interruption kept Sidney from speaking, "Lord Hector sent special garb for everyone." he glanced to the stallion, "Maern..." and he paused, mumbling, "What's that damned Vensiian word for 'package'...?" then shrugged and pointed, "Give Sidney Dorias' package." he paused again when Maern looked at him, "Hua... hua 'package'?" the leather worker combined Vensiian and Prossian, "Where's the damned package for Dorias?"
The horse quickly retrieved three parcels and handed them to Sidney. "Here, Sid-ney... here." and he looked to the fox, "Pack-age?" he motioned to the goods.
"Yes, Maern... package." the fox acknowledged.
"Ni Vensii'al, 'siap'." the stallion explained.
"Three packages..." Sidney nodded, "Sen siapen." his tail lashed, swishing back and forth with glee that he knew how to say the words in Vensiian.
"Iya, Sid-ney... good." Maern nodded vigorously, "One... two... three... three package."
"Packages." Sidney corrected.
"Language lessons later." Dorias announced, repeating the same words to Maern in Vensiian, "an' I can deliver them if ye wanna get ready too, Sir." the yak offered.
"Thank you, Dorias." the fox nodded, "I'll get myself ready last.. after all, all of you are going to be the ones on display." and he looked to Maern, "Find your packages."
"Yes, ser." the stallion bowed his head and picked up four packages, "Maern." he indicated the labels on them. "Alright, Maern... go get dressed." he motioned to the stallion's stall, then turned back toward Gaius... who had already left. Sidney quickly went to the door and caught sight of the leather worker, who was walking back to his building, leading the cart along behind him, "Thank you, Gauis!"
"Yea..." the porcupine called back over his shoulder, "Good luck!"
Sidney returned to the stables; Maern was already out of sight, as were all of the packages... except two. The fox moved slowly to where the last parcels sat right where Gauis had left them. Despite the fact that the slave master didn't know how to read, he had seen his name in writing often enough to realize that the labels were addressed to him. Curious, the fox picked the packages up and brought them back with him to his room.
Sidney sat the parcels down on the floor and delicately began to open the larger of the two. The fox's heartbeat picked up at the first glance of pine green and, with a little more work the whole of the wrapping was open, exposing the same vest his master had provided him at Lord Levid's estate. He picked up the vest and hugged it to his chest, reverently paused to brush off a few strands of his fur from the fabric, and then put it on. Beneath the vest he found a carefully folded loin cloth, also familiar from his time at Lord Levid's.
The fox quickly doffed his brown linen waist wrap and took special care in measuring out the right length, sliding the loin cloth up between his legs, and splitting the wrap in the back to allow room for his tail. Glancing into the empty wrapping, the fox realized that the black leather belt was missing! He quickly forestalled any panic attack by tearing into the second package... and that's when he got a bigger surprise: not only was the belt there, but there was a selection of jewelery-- the same that Lord Hector had him don at the party... plus some.
Latching the belt closed so he could secure the position of his loin cloth, Sidney also took the time to sort the rings and put each in place. As the small pile of jewelery dwindled he was further shocked to see one new piece for the ensemble: a clasping band that was too small in circumference for his wrist and far too wide for any of his fingers. Only once he gave a flick of his tail in frustration did he realize what it was... and he couldn't help but giggle in glee at the sudden understanding.
A small, carefully decorated clasp slid open once he discovered it, causing the ring to open up like a clam. Reaching back, the fox smoothed out the fur of his tail, and carefully affixed the ring to the base, clicking it shut. He gave his tail a light flick and measured the fit of the new tail ring; it was perfect. Sidney had never before had a chance to wear a tail ring; the closest he had come was a yard-long leather strap to keep his tail-- the fox shuddered at the memory, pushed the thought from his mind, and stepped back out into the aisle between the gladiators' stalls.
Choel was the first to emerge from his stall. Like Sidney, the tiger had a finely woven vest, though the Gladiator's was not silk. Also, unlike the fox's Choel's vest didn't have the golden chain to hold it closed so it remained open, providing any onlooker a bountiful view of the tiger's finely formed abdominal muscles and smooth, light-colored chest fur.
Choel's loincloth hung low to his waist, revealing the gladiator's belly button and the thicker, coarser trail of fur leading from it and down out of view beneath his belt.
The tiger was also wearing a much finer collar than the old brown-leather thing he'd had; it was, like Sidney's, a deep pine green with a thin band of brighter green running through the center. A fine golden chain extended from the clasp on the collar and it hung down to the floor. Choel was so mindful of trying to avoid stepping on it that he didn't notice Sidney staring until the fox cleared his throat.
"So..." Choel instigated a conversation, looking up and at the Slave Master, "What do you think?" he spread his arms out, turning around in place to provide Sidney a view from the front and back. The fox didn't miss that the loin cloth belt did not have a spot for the tiger's tail, so Choel wore it up beneath his tail instead of over it; the look worked.
Sidney, however couldn't help but ask, "Are you wearing that right?" he pointed to the loin cloth, "Shouldn't you have your tail--"
"Don't think so." Choel interrupted him, lifting the back of the covering in Sidney's direction, providing the fox a very clear view of the tiger's tight, furred cheeks, "It's two strips of cloth, not a full wrap." he added, letting the linen fall back down in place, "If my tail's under there then plenty of people're getting flashed, and I'm not sure if Lords and Ladies appreciate that from someone who isn't a sexy little fox." the slave winked.
Sidney spent a moment to overcome the pause brought on by the gladiator's comment. He covered the response with a cough, and was saved from having to respond further when Dorias' stall opened and the yak emerged. Like Choel, Dorias had a green vest with no chain to hold it closed. The yak also wore the same style of collar as both the fox and tiger, though the golden chain identifying him as an off-duty gladiator was attached to his nose ring and not the neck piece. Dorias also had two bracers made of a yellowish-red metal that accentuated his fur nicely, and matching horn rings. He also had a small metal ring holding his short beard in a loose braid, giving him an even more refined look.
Unlike Choel, the yak had a literal waist wrapping. Looking more like a towel and less like any proper form of clothing, the cloth was JUST long enough that the two ends met over his left hip and were attached together by a platinum clasp. Sidney did not miss the fact that Dorias' waist wrap did not leave much to the imagination... and what WAS covered would probably not stay that way for long if there was so much as a stiff wind. Just thinking about it was staring to make something else stiff. The fox fidgeted, "I like the horn rings." he offered.
"Thank ye, Sir." Dorias bowed his head, and he paused, "Ah! Ye 'ave a tail ring."
"Ooh..." Choel purred, "I didn't notice that before... looks good, Slave Master."
Sidney took a step back in embarrassment, then paused as Olnyr's stall door opened. The bison emerged, the thick fur on his head and neck surprisingly tame compared to its usual appearance. Rather than the rings that graced Dorias' horns, Olnyr had caps on his, and they appeared to be golden. Like Choel, the bison had a loin cloth, though it was worn a little higher, most likely because he latched it above his tail, but it was still low enough in the front to see the top of the slightly lighter fur that graced his groin. The fact that he was completely bare-chested made the peeking groin fur that much more obvious.
Olnyr stood confidently, raising a leg to stomp a hoof down on a hay bail to show off the silver cuffs that wrapped around his arches right above the top of his hoof. Sidney also noticed with the motion that the bison's heavy, furred sac was visible for a moment as the cloth shifted; between not having a vest at all and the single-leaf loin cloth, Olnyr, like the rest of the slaves had only the simplest of coverings. He didn't seem bothered by it at the least, and wore his collar and the joined golden lead proudly; Sidney didn't miss the fact that the lead was wrapped loosely around his arm, just like with--
"Tharis." Sidney spoke, taking a step back as he was left flabbergasted by the sight of the mature bull. Although it was not hard to imagine the older slave's pose at any time as regal, the garb Lord Hector had selected for the bull further reinforced that suggestion. The breeding slave stood as stalwart as ever, thumbs tucked into the fine leather belt that held up his deep green loincloth. Sidney did not miss the fact that Tharis' waist clothing, like his own, fully wrapped beneath his belt and between his legs, providing proper cover.
"Hello, Slave Master." the bull tilted his head in deferrence, the loose, delicate chains draped around the base of his horns tinkling faintly. Unlike the rest of the slaves, Tharis did not have a collar, rather, he wore a fine metal necklace inset with emeralds and verdite. His golden chain was in its usual position, spiraling down his arm so he could hold the end of it in his hand, the fingers of which were all adorned with rings. The chain theme continued down to the bull's vest which, like Sidney's, was pulled most of the way closed, open just enough to reveal several streaks of gray on his otherwise darker chest fur.
"Looks like we're all ready to go." Choel added, looking over to Tharis, who calmly unwound the gold cord and placed the end in Sidney's paw. "Oh... right." the tiger acknowledged, and picked up his loose lead and offered it to the fox, followed by Dorias.
Olnyr paused, unwrapping his cord from his arm as he glanced guardedly at Sidney, "Is the Master really letting me join the Hosting?"
"You're his slave..." Sidney cocked his head to the side, "Why wouldn't he?"
"What if I--"
The fox wasn't interested in continuing the guessing game with the bull, "Will you?" he interrupted the bison. "...no." Olnyr responded, and placed the end of his golden chain in Sidney's paw.
"Good." the fox smiled, nodding his head to the big bison, "Thank you." and he paused, suddenly realizing they were one short, "Um... what about Maern?"
" 'e went outside already, Sir." Dorias answered for him, "An' I think 'e's waitin' for us just out near the Circle." Sidney wasn't sure how having an unattended slave would look on him, so he moved quickly to the door, "Alright... we'd better go outside and meet up with him then."
"You should have his lead." Tharis confirmed the fox's initial suspicion. With little other motivation needed, Sidney quickly headed outside, his entourage of gladiators following after him. When the Slave Master saw that Maern was indeed at the Circle he was, at first relieved... but when Sidney realized that someone was there talking with him he came to a complete halt... and his slaves almost ran into him from behind.
"Ah... Sidney!" Lord Talvin called, raising a gloved paw in greeting as he leaned his other elbow against one of the posts surrounding the Circle, "I was truly hoping I would get to see you and your slaves before the evening's grand events began."
"Lord Talvin." the fox bowed courteously then glanced around the immediate area, "Is Lord Hector--?"
"He is being the perfect host and greeting the other guests as they arrive." The wolf interrupted the question, "It is well known to him that I would be most despondent were I to inadvertently cause problems wandering his estate, so he went to deal with more important issues once I excused myself."
"Of course." Sidney nodded his head, not fully understanding the wolf's courtly words, "I had just sent Maern out here so he--"
"Be calm, good fox." Lord Talvin held up his paw again to quiet the Slave Master, "I am well aware of the leeway my good friend Lord Hector provides to his slaves... you need explain nothing to me." he held a paw out to Maern, and spoke in Vensiian. The stallion looked to the wolf, and then to Sidney, and placed the end of his golden lead into Lord Talvin's grasp, "Just have care about who sees the liberties he provides... we would not much care for word to reach the wrong ears." The wolf smiled, offering the end of the chain to Sidney, and only then did the fox really notice Maern's new garb.
The stallion had a simple loin covering, just like Choel and Olnyr, but, instead of a vest like Choel or being bare chested like Olnyr, Maern wore his gladiator harness... or, at least, that's what it looked like at first. When Sidney stepped closer, however, he could tell that the leather was treated, and dyed to match the greens of Lord Hector's house colors.
Once the Slave Master drew nearer, Lord Talvin reached out a paw and rested it on his shoulder, "I suppose I will see you and your Gladiators at the Hosting..." the wolf's smile seemed genuine, but it also left Sidney a little off-balance, "I am very much looking forward to seeing how this remarkable night turns out."
Sidney swallowed the tightness in his throat, suddenly feeling an even greater level of both expectancy and anticipation... and more than a little hint of fear. Burying it deep inside, the fox took a deep breath, made sure he had a good grip on the leads, and followed after the wolf's wagging tail. "Just the wolf." he clarified to himself, "...not the tail."