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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Orichalcum" data-source="post: 5367365" data-attributes="member: 3722">A Charming GirlMore Excerpts From "A Brief Account of the Life of my Master’s Master, Laoshi Tai-tai, by Soong Ling"Now came the crucial turning point in the life of Rian of Tilung. The slavemaster Daoran took her to Minister Tang's estate and handed her chain off to Shushila, the Slavemistress. "Train this one as another dancing girl, a replacement for the Arawai. Her dealer spoke highly of her talents, though I have my doubts."Shushila bowed. "What tasks shall I assign her until she is trained enough to perform in public?"Daoran considered for a second, little knowing the import of his words. "Oh, give her the care of the pale baby - no need for a more useful slave to do that. You, girl - what's your name, anyway?""Rian, honored Slavemaster," she spoke, feigning submissiveness."Do you know anything about taking care of children?""I fed and watched my younger brothers when my parents were in the rice fields, Slavemaster," Rian answered, confused somewhat by the line of questioning."Good enough," he answered. "Bathe and dress her and tell her the routine; then give her the babe."Once Daoran was out of the room, Shushila tsked at Rian's dusty slave robes and ragged hair. "Not really fitting for Minister Tang's, are you?" Rian attempted to scrape some of the dust out of her robes and cast a spell, but before she could Shushila whisked the robes off her entirely and bade her lift her arms. "Well, you've got the body of a dancer, at least, though you're a bit small. We'll see what we can do with you. Meanwhile, you very much need a bath." She raised her voice, calling into the slave quarters. "Carwyn!"A voluptuous, strangely pale-skinned young woman, her beauty marred by visible bruises on her cheeks and wrists, hurried into the room. "Yes, Slavemistress?""This is Rian of Sziao, the new girl. Take her and bathe her and do something about her hair. You think you can manage that task, Northerner?""Yes, Slavemistress."Carwyn led Rian into a simple but large bathing chamber, heated by the hot springs that ran under the Minister's estate. She handed her a pumice stone and a bucket of warm water. Carwyn's tone was brusque, not welcoming the replacement for her departed friend Kyla. "First, you scrub yourself down with the stone. Then, wash with the water. Then, you can rinse in the pool, and I'll try and deal with your hair."Rian, terrified at her lack of success with the Slavemistress or Slavemaster and knowing that the dealer had vastly overstated her talents, was determined to find an ally - by whatever means necessary. She bent down timidly and grabbed the stone, scraping off some of its surface as she scrubbed her feet and palming it in her hand. Under her breath, she spoke the words of magic learned from her grandfather's scrolls and looked up piteously at Carwyn. "I'm all alone here. Would you be my friend?"Carwyn felt her heart surge with an unexpected wave of empathy and compassion for the young girl, who looked all of fourteen. "Of course. Don't worry. You'll be all right. My friends and I will take care of you."</blockquote>

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