"I had heard you had found a special wife, Baralai, but no one told me how attractive she was. Congratulations." The blond man who had approached them at their table at Maughin's said.

"Thank you, Arrass." Baralai replied tightly, and as accustomed as she was to reading her Master's body language, she gave Arrass a more scrutinizing appraisal, wondering why this man could make Baralai as tense as she'd ever seen him, and despite his outwardly pleasant, if not handsome, appearance, something about his demeanor repelled her.

"Since it came to my attention that you didn't invite me to your little get-together last month, I wanted to let you know there are no hard feelings, and I'd like to invite you to dinner at my place tomorrow with a once-in-a-lifetime deal for you. I'll call your office with my new address in the morning. See you at 7 p.m. sharp." Arrass said and flashed them a smile.

"Who was that, Dear?" Trophy asked when Arrass left. Once their twins had been born they had reevaluated their rules and decided that in public, she would always address him as 'Dear', and she had no trouble accepting the word as code for Master, to discretely acknowledge their roles.

"Trouble." he answered. "He was the Praetor before me, the one whom we had to force to resign, along with his father. He's the one who asked for Yuna's hand in marriage to enhance his reputation and power."

"So what's he been up to since then?" Trophy asked. "That was a long time ago."

"That's what I'd like to know." Baralai replied with a peculiar edge to his voice. "He and his father pretty much disappeared, though there were rumours they'd relocated to the outskirts of the Calm Lands and Mt. Gagazet. I didn't know he was back in town."

"Go upstairs and check on the twins before you get ready for me. I need to make a couple phone calls." Baralai told Trophy when they arrived back home.

"Of course, Master." she said and hurried to see her babies again, who were being looked after by their night nanny, a nice young man named Rian, who was part of their kink community.

"Did you enjoy your date night?" he asked her as she lovingly gazed at her sleeping children, wanting to cuddle them, but knowing better…it would just wake them up and it was nearly impossible to get them back to sleep again once that happened.

"Oh yes." she replied. "Did they fuss much?"

"Only when Yunan tried to steal his sister's pacifier. They're both really stubborn." he said with an amused grin.

"Yes, they are. Well, my night's duties aren't over yet either, I'll see you later." she told Rian before heading to her and Baralai's room, where she prepared herself for him. He arrived a few minutes later, and she didn't ask him for more details, knowing he'd tell her what was important for her to know, and only when she needed to know it.

"Be on your guard tomorrow." was all he said as he plunged into her, and she nodded before losing herself in the pleasure he always took from her, only to give it back in equal measure.

Baralai and Trophy arrived at a cozy cottage following the directions Arrass had given them, surprised it wasn't a more elaborate residence. "Let's get this over with." he said and rang the doorbell. He wasn't happy that Arrass was back, but he wanted to know what the man was up to.

Arrass answered the door himself, surprising them again. "So glad you make it. Come this way." he turned and led them to the dining room. "Dinner will be served shortly, please make yourselves comfortable." He sat down at the head of the table and gestured for them to sit down as well.

"What do you want, Arrass?" Baralai asked him.

"You were always such a workaholic, you know that? You never let anything get in the way of your ambitions." Arrass remarked pointedly. "But I guess you finally learned to enjoy the finer things in life." He looked at Trophy in a way that made her feel distinctly uncomfortable.

"If you have something to say, say it." Baralai said calmly, though the man's attitude towards Trophy was pushing it with him.

"Oh, well, I guess it's time to eat anyway….WHORE!" he bellowed, startling his guests who for a split-second thought he was insulting her, before they heard the sound of metal clanging against more metal. The sound grew louder, and then stopped behind the partition wall that concealed the kitchen doorway from Baralai and Trophy's view. Toes peeked out, but who they belonged to remained hidden. Arrass gave an exasperated sigh. "Do you want me to take off my belt again? Get out here!"

The person slowly stepped out from behind the wall, and Baralai's eyes widened as he recognized the naked and shackled woman. "Alase!" Trophy gasped.