Hearing yet more scrabbling behind me, I turn to find the tall one has escaped yet again. I move quickly, grabbing her with one arm around the throat this time; no more escape. Putting gentle pressure on her windpipe, it closes, and she squirms no longer.

There is a vertical rack which faces this one's sister, and so I fasten this one there firmly, and stretch her a bit for good behavior. She screams as she wakes to pain.

Yet it is not enough. Uncoiling the single-tail at my waist, I lay on five strokes, distributing them from shoulders to thighs.

Turning, I help Master SAE up from the floor, gently to respect his wounds. Two guards help him to a couch, nearby, to allow him to heal a bit.

Shaking my head at the turn of events, I recoil the whip and strap it to my belt once again. It was approaching the time of the auction.