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Snake Lords of the Desert For Skywing by Draconicon

Lorenus Adelin, fourth hatched of the second clutch of Prince Rebinus Adelin, lay wrapped about a pillar of flesh and fur. His two-toned length of tail was motionless, save for the occasional tension passing through it as he adjusted his coils around his slave.

"Our guest is quite late, wouldn't you agree, Jelani?"

The jackal in his coils didn't answer, not that the naga expected him to. He lifted his upper body, hood extending to cast a little shade over his slave. Jelani hadn't spoken in over a month; ever since Lorenus had put him into a trance, not a word had passed the jackal's lips. The naga was curious how long he could keep the jackal in such a state. After all, to be tranced deep enough to ignore conversation, yet still able to obey, was a particularly useful state for a slave belonging to anyone in high society. His father had promised to pay him for the technique, if he could perfect it.

Lorenus looked forward to the payment. A few more gold bands for his tail would make him look even more magnificent than he already did.

Chuckling at the thought, the naga looked out across the desert. Though the oasis behind him allowed for some moisture, some means of keeping cool and supplied, the rest of the landscape was empty and barren, save for the shifting dunes that his people called home. Many believed that the flowing sand was the inspiration for the first naga's hypnotic techniques. He wasn't sure if he believed the legend, but considering the number of hypnotic abilities - and the tranced intruders lost in the sands - he couldn't completely discount the idea.

The inspiring vistas could only intrigue him for so long, however. Lorenus held out a hand and hissed, and a goblet was given to him. He tilted his head to avoid his fangs and drank deep before turning to the lizard slave.

"How long have we been waiting for the Sizwe entourage, Kamir?"

"Three hours, your highness."

He blinked, slowly, before leaning back.

"Three hours? And how can you say that so little time has passed?"

"So little time has passed for what, your highness?"

The naga sighed. Sun madness was a common enough ailment in the desert, but he'd hoped another scaled species would find it easier to fight off. It seemed he was wrong.

"Ano," he called.

A camel, wrapped in a robe rather than the loincloth of a slave, stepped forward. Lorenus lazily gestured towards the lizard.

"Put him in one of the shaded cages. And remind me to tell my father not to invest in the lizards."

"Yes, highness. Who would you like him replaced with?"

"Another of the jackals, I believe. And, Ano?"

"Yes?"

"How many days have we been waiting?"

"I believe a full week, sir. But Prince Dumisani and his entourage should be here soon, oh master of the brilliant eye."

"One hopes he will be."

He shook his head, dismissing the camel and thoughts of his slaves from his mind. Ano would take care of things, he always did. Besides, he had something more interesting to think about.

The impending meeting between him and the Imperial delegation promised to be highly profitable, if handled correctly. His father would be the primary beneficiary - a thought that rankled through the passive hypnosis laid on him - but Lorenus knew he'd share in it. The Empire was a fast growing power in the southern lands, and there would be enough trade flowing that the entire family would be rich enough to rival the Great Hood.

Not to mention the opportunities that the Imperial conquest created. Lorenus smirked, thinking of the various refugees that tried wandering through the desert instead of surrendering. Proud individuals, but not in the least useful to the Snakelands as anything but merchandise.

Admittedly, the remaining tribes didn't like that much, but they were little more than an annoyance. Lore doubted that his people would ever have a fight on their hands, considering the draining power of the desert that surrounded their cities. Nobody would ever come deep enough to fight, or even trade. What few traders Lorenus had met from their people had brought little money to spend and nothing worth trading.

The Empire, however...

Lorenus had begun his personal fortune through a deal with their Kgosi, though he supposed Sithembile was a King now, rather than a chief. Quite the challenge, that deal. The elephant ruler had wished slaves for his army. Not, to the naga's surprise, for entertainment, but for more soldiers. The challenge inherent in arming slaves and keeping their obedience had kept him up for weeks. Poring over all the old techniques of his people and experimenting on hundreds of gold coils worth of slaves, he'd left dozens broken and catatonic before coming up with the solution.

He sipped at his drink. The result had been glorious. A full hundred lions with their minds wiped of anything but fighting technique and obedience to the Sizwe (and a small safeguard of his own design) had lifted him and his family into nobility, and guaranteed that Sithembile would remember them in the future.

But Lorenus had no illusions that they were friends. The lion slaves had wiped out an entire tribe opposing the Sizwe, and he knew Sithembile was no fool. The elephant would know the power of the Snakelands could cut both ways.

Lore stroked a hand down his slave's back, watching the fur part between his scaly fingers. As his hand slipped under his coils and Jelani's tail, he felt the slightest of shivers against his body, and smirked.

"I see your mind is still active somewhere, slave. Such a strong will, to have that little bit of yourself left after so long. If my father knew -"

He felt another appropriate shudder, and hissed in contentment.

"Ah, you do hear me, and quite clearly. No wonder you obey so keenly; you are not so deep as I thought. Perhaps I should do something to fix that."

Perhaps, but not today. He had his own needs, as he felt his coils grow stiff, and a little moisture dribbling along them. Hissing contentedly, the naga tightened his massive tail around his flesh-perch, supporting himself on the jackal's shoulders as he shifted position. His coils kept the slave's knees locked tightly and ensured his slave wouldn't topple over from Lorenus' weight. He enjoyed seeing slaves as statues, unable to do anything, but he loved feeling their bodies against his even more.

As he circled his slave, he pulled more and more of his length around the canine. Every shiver, every tremble that shook the jackal's body was felt in his coils, particularly as he started to squeeze. Delicious, utterly delicious to have his slave so helpless, and yet so eager, judging from the new pressure against his tail.

"I always wonder. Are you a slave to me, or to my body?"

The naga hissed, chortling to himself as he continued to drag himself further up and around the canine. Circling him, he forced the jackal's eyes to follow him with a finger under his slave's chin.

"Willpower you have, but your body was lost to me from the first time I wrapped you in my coils. If only the other slaves were so eager to throw themselves upon us, as you were, then we would rule the world."

"Your highness, are you sure this is appropriate?"

Lorenus paused in annoyance, slowly turning his head. Ano stood at his side, the old camel keeping his head lowered and his hands behind his back. The naga cocked his head to the side, opening his mouth just enough to show a glimpse of his fangs.

"What matters appropriateness to a slave?"

"Nothing at all, my lord of the glittering eye. But to another prince, perhaps much. What if you are still engaged in this when Prince Dumisani arrives?"

"I cannot imagine that elephant has done anything less than this with his slaves."

"But you, sir, are the son of Prince Adelin, and carry the family markings."

Lorenus hissed in frustration, even as his eyes glanced towards the symbols along his hood. Though every family member had some mark along their hood, his was the only one that carried the same as his father's, which made him the practical heir, even if he wasn't born first.

"I ask, your highness, only to have patience until nightfall. Surely, if he does not arrive by then, you will be safe from any sort of disgrace."

"I am safe from it without your advice, Old Hump. But...I will oblige."

"Thank you, master of fate."

The camel left. Probably knowing what was best for him, the naga thought. At any rate, it seemed things would have to wait, for him at least.

Leaning forward, Lorenus opened his mouth further, exposing his fangs completely. His venom dripped down to the sharp tips, collecting into a larger droplet before falling into the jackal's mouth. He heard it hiss on impact as he pulled his head back.

The effect was immediate. The stirring hardness beneath his coils sprung up to a full erection, throbbing against his scales. His slave's moans were loud, but only for a second before Lore pulled his coils tight. The hiss of air leaving his slave's lungs sent a shudder of glee through the snake.

They should be honored, he thought. It is the closest they will ever come to imitating our kind.

He was impressed that the jackal remained stiff rather than limp. A standard slave would have collapsed from the constricting embrace, but not his Jelani. The jackal panted, shallowly of course, but eagerly, and Lorenus could feel his slave's muscles twitching beneath his enforced bondage. Every little twitch pushed that eager shaft against his coils, and he felt more of the canine's dribbles along his scales than usual.

He smiled, resting himself against the jackal's shoulders again, and scratched his head.

"Truly, you are a marvel. Willpower, stamina, and such fiery lust. I will be having my fun with you for a very long time indeed."

"Travelers to the south!"

The lookout's shout immediately snared his attention. Uncoiling one of his loops around the jackal's chest, Lore lifted his torso upwards, waving from side to side as he compensated for his long stillness under the tall pavilion.

As he shaded his eyes, he could vaguely make out their visitors, approaching in caravan style. Heavily armed, too, with many guards at the front and side, ranging from heavily armed crocodiles to slobbering hyenas. He shook his head in distaste; it was one thing to 'employ' the crocodiles, as they were at least dignified despite their savagery, but to do the same with the hyenas? They would have been better enslaved, hauled out when needed and put in cages when not.

In the center of the hundreds-strong caravan was the familiar Sizwe standard, a trumpeting crowned elephant. Lorenus saw the prince almost directly under it, wrapped in sweat drenched silk clothes and fondling a monkey in his lap.

Curious as to others' methods of domination, Lore squinted at the monkey. Though having his body teased and stroked by the prince, the monkey showed no reaction. The blank face, lack of erection, and drool coming down his face told the naga more about the elephant than any meeting would have. To treat a slave like that, to break them down that far, was a shocking disregard for value.

Sloppy, very sloppy, if effective, Lore thought as he shook his head. To leave one drooling from the mouth rather than the crotch may prevent rebellion, but he will never have a thought again in his life.

At least the slaves of the Snakelands were capable of thinking, with some effort. Lorenus prided his people on creating slaves that had their thoughts and loyalties bent, not broken and plastered over. Any hypnotist in the family business would have looked upon the monkey with sympathy, and Lorenus was almost tempted to buy the monkey.

Almost. He wouldn't buy something without some future value, and he had no guarantee that he could restore the monkey's mind for an eventual resale. But it wouldn't take him long to find out.

Lowering himself back to the ground, he stroked his jackal's head, smiling at the feral panting and whimpering coming from his slave.

"It looks like this will be a most interesting day, Jelani. A most interesting day indeed."

Despite his confidence, Lorenus was a little shaken at the number of soldiers that accompanied Prince Dumisani. They outnumbered his slaves by far. His men were of high quality, but he knew the danger that the Imperial soldiers presented. He would have to proceed carefully rather than glibly, for once.

As most of the soldiers ignored the pavilion for the oasis, Lorenus uncoiled much of his tail from his slave - keeping just enough draped around his legs and crotch for dignity and support - and slithered towards the prince. His arms open wide, he greeted the elephant with an embrace.

"Ah, Prince Dumisani. I am grateful that you have finally arrived. I was beginning to think I was merely out here to sun myself."

"It's good to see you as well, Lorenus. My father has said many good things about you, though I can scarcely credit half of them. He told me that you once taught a hyena to act with the dignity of an elephant."

Considering the standards you set, it was not so difficult as you assume.

He smiled, though, and chuckled.

"I had to work for many hours to accomplish it, but I assure you that it is true. Now come, come, take a seat. May I send a slave to fetch you some water?"

"Do so, and one for my slave, as well."

Oh, no, no, he will dribble it everywhere, Lorenus thought, but he had little choice. With a gesture, he sent one of the jackals off for water. As the large elephant made his way to a chair - and almost knocked two others over in the process - the monkey was dragged behind him, pulling him to sit beside the royal elephant.

It was rather a pity, Lore felt, that they were meeting like this. Up until he saw the monkey, Lorenus had been looking forward to this summit, even planning on some slave sharing for their mutual enjoyment. Now, well, he was feeling cooler towards Dumisani, and it wasn't merely the shade's effect on his blood.

Coiling around his jackal perch, Lorenus reached for the goblets as the slave returned. He passed one to the reclining prince, and the other to the monkey. The monkey didn't even reach for it, and Lore had to pull the slave's hand up to the goblet for the monkey to understand. He shook his head as he pulled back. A true pity, considering the monkey's slender body and frame. The slave would have truly been a gem.

"So, Lorenus, I hear that you wish to open up a new trade agreement with us. My father is in favor, of course, but I would like to hear what you have to offer."

"Yes, the trade agreements."

Lorenus turned and nodded at Ano again. The camel approached the elephant, handing him a scroll of parchment.

"As you can see, the Adelin business is booming. We are selling across the sea to the north, and returning with many exotic slaves to bring south. In addition, we can offer our services in breaking down the more recalcitrant slaves so that they may still be useful, rather than mere...decorations."

Dumisani looked up from the parchment with a raised eyebrow as Lorenus shook his head in apology. With all his frustrations on the waste of the monkey, he needed to be more careful.

As the elephant continued to peruse the scroll, Lorenus felt the jackal beneath him start twitching and grinding against him again. The venom's effects were still going strong, he realized, and the naga repressed a desire to slap himself. If it kept up, Jelani would get very distracting very quickly.

It got worse as Jelani pushed back over the naga's cloaca. With his earlier lust not entirely dampened, his twin shafts were partially out and rubbing against the jackal's rump. And for the first time, the jackal didn't pull away, but pushed back. Frustrated at his slave's eagerness, Lore cleared his throat, trying to distract himself by continuing his presentation.

"I also have something that may help you with your neighbors down-river. From what we have heard, the Oceanborn continue to trouble your southern borders, do they not?"

"Unfortunately, yes. While our crocodiles are marvelous soldiers, they are not as capable in the depths as those that live there."

More, the spies said, the crocodiles were slaughtered wholesale when invading the Oceanborn lands. The Oceanborn didn't do much when pushing back, but the Sizwe could not stand the fact that someone else held land that they didn't.

And therein lay opportunity, according to his father.

Lore held his hand out again, and another slave stepped forward, holding a vial of glass. Inside was a clear, glimmering fluid, and the naga took it gingerly. A glimpse out of the corner of his eye confirmed that Dumisani was watching with interest.

"What is that?"

"This? This is cukani."

"I've never heard of it."

"Oh, there is a very good reason for that."

Lorenus lowered it, doing his best to ignore Jelani's growing insistence for attention. The tips of his twin shafts were nearly getting shoved up that furry hole by the wriggling in his coils, and he was forced to tighten his coils more than usual, squeezing the squirming jackal into stillness.

"Cukani is a substance only made in the Snakelands. We refine it from our venom."

"Poison? We need the Oceanborn under our control, not dead."

"There are other effects besides death to this, Prince Dumisani. Taken raw from our mouths, our venom has a strong aphrodisiacal effect. Taken and refined into cukani, it becomes a potent and very addicting drug, capable of drawing a person into a spiral of lust that they won't escape for hours. That vial in your hand would be sufficient to drug the water supply of more than two dozen men, enslaving them to the meat hanging between their legs and the need it would be filled with."

He saw the cogs turning in the prince's head. Cukani would, admittedly, be more useful against land based opponents than ocean ones, but with enough of a concentrated dose to a single area...

"Are there other effects?"

"A few. A little bit of manhood may be lost in some cases, as well as a measure of assertiveness, while a general obedience is brought out. It is, however, highly addictive. I have seen perhaps two slaves able to resist the offer of cukani after three doses of it. Nobody has resisted after four, and will beg for it regularly."

Lorenus objected to selling this to the Sizwe, but his father had overruled him. According to Rebinus, cukani was just another vice to peddle to the Empire. In Lorenus' eyes, he could see it used as a weapon against them. There was a reason that duels between nagas did not involve their venom; to use it would be to risk submission and addiction to the other, and cukani was far worse. The lowest of their society were those that dosed themselves with it, and they were feared. Not for the things they could do, but the lowness that they represented.

He was distracted enough that he didn't notice his jackal squirming again until his shafts slid into Jelani's hole. The naga's eyes twitched, the closest he could come to going wide-eyed, and he almost swallowed his tongue as he swallowed his moans.

This is NOT what I need right now...

Desperate for a respite, Lorenus cleared his throat.

"You need not agree now. Perhaps, as a means to relax after your journey, I may offer you my slave. Jelani here is well trained, and as I can feel, very needy. He would be eager to pleasure you, if you like."

"I must admit, I've never had a jackal before. Give him here."

Quick as his feral cousins, the naga unwrapped himself from the jackal. His quickness kept his own 'need' from being seen, and he coiled up around himself to keep it that way.

As the prince gathered up Jelani, however, Dumisani looked at him and smirked.

"As a trade for the afternoon, why don't you take mine? I think you will find him pleasing to look at."

And not much else, Lorenus thought, completing what the prince must have meant. Nevertheless, he was a professional, and nodded his agreement. One of the slobbering hyenas pushed the monkey over to him, and he barely caught the slave before he hit the ground.

It was even worse than he thought. As he lifted the monkey to his feet, it was clear that the slave barely had the thought to stand up, let alone do anything to keep his balance. Feeling the weakened muscle under the slender limbs and along the monkey's chest only soured Lore further towards the prince. It was a waste beyond measure to allow someone like this to deteriorate to this point, just because it was an easier way to deal with rebellion than a full Snakelands treatment.

As he settled the slave in an upright position, he cleared his throat as the prince was about to step out of sight.

"Prince Dumisani?"

"Hmm? Yes, Lorenus?"

"I would ask that you stay nearby. That is my slave, after all, and I have put considerable effort into training him."

"I can't imagine what you're implying."

"I imply nothing. Just don't wander too far if you don't want your purse wandering the opposite direction."

Lorenus knew he was pushing things a bit, but he wasn't going to have any of his slaves get treated like the monkey had been. Admittedly, none of them would break down to this degree over the course of hours - this sort of state took months to reach - but he didn't want them to start down that road.

Thankfully, the elephant prince didn't seem too bothered. If anything, the smirk that Dumisani sent his way suggested that the elephant enjoyed the audience. Thinking about that, Lorenus supposed he wasn't too surprised.

Ignoring the shaft springing out of the prince's silk pants, Lorenus turned his attention to the monkey again. Though he was tempted to merely take his fun - and he was more than ready, after Jelani's behavior - he wanted to see the extent of damage that had been done. And, perhaps, see if he could salvage some value from the beautiful savage.

Wrapping his coils around the slave, Lorenus lifted himself up to a point where his hemipenes were pointed towards the monkey's face. He was rather disappointed at the lack of reaction in the eyes and expression; normally his twin erections tended to provoke at least a gasp, but there was nothing, not even recognition of something in front of him.

This slave would be cast off at the first opportunity back home. He brought the tip of his tail up from the monkey's ankles, pressing the slave's chin up for their eyes to meet. As he slid his cocks into the slave's mouth, he gazed into the monkey's mind.

It was even worse than he had anticipated. Over the sound of sloppy, lewd sucking from his jackal a few feet away, Lorenus 'heard' nothing. No thoughts, no emotions, nothing at all. The monkey's mind had been emptied completely and repeatedly, judging from the scars left behind. Somehow, the slave had tried to hold onto pieces of himself, but hadn't succeeded.

"Your jackal has a good mouth, Lorenus."

"Hmm? Yes, yes, he does."

"Sorry if my slave doesn't. I prefer to use his other end."

"I'll keep that in mind." If I don't wind up trapping you in my coils as well.

Pushing his anger out of his head, the naga pulled himself out of the slave's mind. There would be no 'suggesting' to come back from that, since there was nothing to make a suggestion to. There was another possibility, but he would need a little distraction to accomplish it.

Glancing across the pavilion, he got his first look at his jackal taking the prince's shaft. It wasn't his ideal image - after all, the prince was a very round individual, and Lore preferred his shows with someone a little more control over their 'appetites' - but he had to admit that the jackal was doing well. Despite a shaft nearly as thick as the canine's wrist to work with, the slave was taking it like a champion, swallowing and slobbering over it so that it remained slick and wet. The sound was almost enough to draw a little pre from him.

Like all royalty, Prince Dumisani was more concerned with himself than anything else. Lorenus smiled as the elephant looked towards the ceiling, and he looked down at the jackal, meeting his eyes. All it took was that simple glance to connect with Jelani's mind, his eyes glowing as he sunk into that familiar mindscape.

Unlike the monkey's, Jelani's mind was organized. Like shelves of scrolls, it had everything in its proper place, and as he expected, the jackal himself kneeled in the center, chained to a statue pronouncing naga superiority.

As he approached, Jelani looked up at him.

"What do you wish, sir?"

"I have something I want to do with the monkey. But I need a distraction."

"How may I serve?"

"Make sure that the elephant is too interested in you to be looking my way. Not too much - I don't need an offer from him to buy you, after all - but do something good."

"I believe I have just the thing, master."

"I knew you would."

Patting the jackal on the head, he blinked.

The whole process hadn't taken more than a second. When he opened his eyes, the prince was still thrusting forward, but Lorenus saw the glimmer in Jelani's eyes that confirmed his command had been received. The jackal was already changing position, hands rising around the prince, and Lorenus grinned as he guessed where those hands were going to go.

Shutting out the prince's moans, Lore tightened his coils until the monkey was lifted up and off of the ground. Stroking the slave's cheek, he leaned down until his hood covered the monkey's face.

"If you can hear me, this is going to hurt."

With that, he bit down. His fangs pierced the monkey's shoulder, the tips delivering several potent shots of his venom. He pulled away before the quivering monkey could draw someone's attention, tightening his coils to keep him quiet. As he felt the monkey's cock rising up, he looked into those blank orbs, and once more he stepped into the simian's mind.

It was much the same, but there was the slightest of differences. He almost felt that he was imagining it, but no, it was there. Lust. Not just physical arousal, but actual lust. The fact that it wasn't just a physical reaction, the way that the feeling of it was starting to burn in the monkey, showed that there was some hope.

He looked about, hoping for some other sight, something -

There! A chink in the gray nothingness. It was barely anything, almost impossible to see amidst the rest of the blandness, but something red was growing, and better, spreading.

Maybe you're not so broken after all.

A sudden shove knocked his head back, and he was pushed out of the monkey's mind. Shaking his head as he returned to the real world, Lore looked down to see the slave was grinding eagerly against his body, the simian's shaft slipping between his coils and thrusting hard. For the first time, the little 'toy's' face was lit up, looking like he was feeling the best pleasure of his life.

He probably was, for that matter.

Lore chuckled, using his long tail to turn the monkey around. It didn't take much effort to bind the monkey's legs and bend him forward, pointing his head towards the elephant. As he examined the monkey's rump, he realized that he wouldn't need lube; the little slave was well enough used that anyone could just slide in, save for one of the zebras.

Reaching down and grabbing hold of his twin cocks, Lore pushed the tips together and gradually nudged them into that gaping hole. The monkey twitched under him, and he felt the needy slave's shaft twitch against his coils, but he refused to let the male start humping. It was time for his fun now, not the slave's.

As he slid in, he looked up again. His jackal's hands were spreading the elephant's rump wide, fingers rubbing his hole. A familiar slickness shone along it. Not cum, but something even better. Lorenus smirked as Prince Dumisani pounded his cock down the jackal's throat, lost to the rest of the world. The naga would have to give the jackal a reward for taking that huge pole so deep.

For now - mmph - he had a monkey to use, and use him he would. He grabbed hold of those slim hips, holding the monkey in place so he couldn't hump back and forth, and let himself try to enjoy the slave's hole.

It was slightly disappointing. For all the monkey's physical beauty and sleekness, his hole had been used so many times that little tightness remained. Even with both his shafts inside the smaller male, it gave him little in the way of pleasure. It was only the need that the slutty thing had that kept his cocks erect, and even then he knew he'd need more.

Pulling out, Lore dragged his coils up around the monkey's stomach, holding him pinned and squeezing hard. He felt the breath leaving the body under him, and loosened just enough to allow the slave to remain conscious.

"What are...mmph...what are you doing?"

"Enjoying myself, Prince Dumisani. Do continue doing so yourself."

With a surge of his muscles, the naga lifted himself and the slave more than five feet up in the air. Again the mindless monkey wheezed beneath him, but this time he didn't let up. Positioning his slinky body behind the slave, he rammed in, fucking the monkey once more.

This time, with his coils tightening the body from neck to toes, the monkey was much more pleasurable. Lore found himself moaning in short order, and with the pleasure filling his mind, he was kind enough to reach around and stroke the slave in return. He felt the shudders of pleasure run through the monkey's body, and he smirked.

"That's it...enjoy yourself."

Of course, the slave had no choice. With the venom running through his veins, he had to, and would continue to need this for hours.

And judging by the way that Prince Dumisani was using his jackal, Lorenus would guess that Jelani had distracted the royal elephant by using that vial of cukani. Even if the elephant didn't turn and raise his rump, he would need to have sex often and repeatedly for some time.

Chuckling at his mild 'revenge', Lorenus closed his eyes for a brief moment, enjoying the feeling of his shafts tingling as he approached climax. He leaned forward, fighting his instincts to deliver another bite to the monkey. Instead, he turned him, looking into his eyes again.

Recover.

It was as deep and as strong a command he could give to the swelling mind, and it was all he could say before he hilted one more time and climaxed. He moaned, hissing through his orgasm, even as the monkey painted his tail white with eager seed.

Lorenus finished with the monkey after two more orgasms, but the prince was busy for the rest of the afternoon. It reached a point where the naga had to insist on giving his jackal a break and handing the monkey back to the prince. He felt a small pang on doing so, but with one infected with the serum and the other with his venom, they would be the only ones with similar stamina.

With the elephant and his entourage out of the pavilion and back in their own encampment, the naga turned to Ano again.

"Old Hump, how good a deal do you think we will get out of them?"

"I would say a fairly good one. Doubtless they will be eager to purchase much cukani."

Lorenus hissed.

"I hoped to avoid that and focus on selling our surplus slaves."

"Doubtlessly we'll sell that too, my lord. But I was watching the prince. The idea of such a powerful serum is more than he could resist. Your father will be rich through selling it."

"And we may damn ourselves from it."

"Perhaps, but we cannot disobey Prince Rebinus."

If there was one tradition I could do without, it would be that one. Even years later, the hypnosis laid on him as a child, that was laid on all naga children by their parents, kept him from disobeying. Against his better judgment, he had to sell the cukani.

But at least he had managed to force one dose into the prince. True, one may be little enough to start, but he had seen the self-control that Dumisani lacked. The prince would not last long without wishing to try another dose, even if he didn't realize why. And with the monkey's mind waking again...

Lore smiled. The game would be long played and difficult, but he could see more chaos erupting in the lower lands. And with chaos always came opportunity.

The soft footsteps of his jackal only made his smile bigger, and he slithered over to his slave, even going so far as to embrace him before coiling around him again. The soft fur felt quite different to the sharper, prickly hairs of the monkey, and he was glad to have him back. Even if Jelani did stink of elephant.

"You did well, slave. I believe I might allow you into my coils tonight, rather than the cage."

Jelani didn't respond. After the experience with the monkey, just for a small moment, Lore almost wished he could.

Then the moment passed, and the snake settled into his comfortable pose, wrapped tight around his fleshy perch as he planned how the trade meeting would go the next day.

The End