The Ongoing Journey - defoxCern
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The House of Cernus
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| The Towers of Ar |
.Decidedly out of my element in Cernus' vast compound in the
enormous city of Ar, He kept me on a leash beside Him for many days. The Gardens and baths quickly became my favorite
places. Now i was seeing Him not as Cernus, a friendly companion visiting my world in the forest; now i was only a slave,
competing with hundreds for His attention, and He was my Master, practically an Ubar, dealing and dispatching
hundreds of P/people and decisions a day. While i had thought forest law was harsh, now i was seeing city life, Free Men and
Women, competing slaves, decisions involving the lives and deaths of many, was much more so. Being at His side was a comfort,
i am a survivor. i watched, and learned, determined to be become an asset, to bring Him honor and please Him.
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| View from Tarnback: The Towers of Glorius Ar |
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His Reputation Proceeds Him ... He is
Cernus, Slaver of Ar
His large hands rested over the arms of the curved curule chair in which he
sat, which was mounted on a platform of stone, about a foot high and twelve feet square. In
the base of the platform there were mounted six slave rings. ... wearing a coarse black robe, woven probably from the wool of the bounding, two-legged Hurt, the black of the
garment was broken only by three stripes of silk sewn lengthwise on his left sleeve, two stripes of blue, enclosing one of
yellow. About his neck, on a golden chain, a medallion which bore the crest of the House of Cernus,
a tarn with slave chains grasped in its talons. ... Behind Cernus, on the wall, there hung a large tapestry, richly done in
red and gold, which bore the same sign. ... His face impassive, his eyes revealing nothing, like gray stones.
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| Main Hall of the House of Cernus, alcoves visible |
"He was pleased with the size and complexity
of the operation, which was indeed impressive. It was, of course, the largest and most opulent of the slave houses in Ar.
The House of Cernus was more than thirty generations old. It had bred slaves as well as handled them for more than twenty-five
generations. The breeding lines off the House of Cernus were recognized, with those of the House of Portus, and certain other
of the large slave houses, throughout known Gor. To a slaver, certain girls can be recognized at a glance, as being of certain
varieties developed by certain houses."
(Assassin of Gor, page 110)
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| Dance and Display "as if your life depends on it ... because it does" |
The House of Cernus, which is a broad, many-storied cylinder, has a number of facilities which any
large slave house must have. The only difference between these facilities is the House of Cernus and such facilities in other
houses would probably have been in size, numbers of staff and lavishment of appointment.
I have already mentioned the baths in the House of
Cernus, which can rival some of the pools in the gigantic Capacian Baths, the finest of known Gor.
Less impressive perhaps but even more essential to
the operation of the House were its kitchens, its laundries, commissaries
and storerooms; its medical facilities, in which dental
care is also provided; its corridors of rooms for staff members, all of whom live in the House;
its library, its records and files; its cubicles
for Smiths, Bakers, Cosmeticians, Bleachers, Dyers, Weavers and Leather Workers; its wardrobe and
jewelry chambers; its tarncots, two of them, opening by means of vast portals to tarn perches fixed
in the side of the cylinder; its training rooms, both for slaves and for guards, and for those
learning the trade of the slaver; recreation rooms for the staff; eating
places; and, of course, various pens, kennels and retention facilities; as well as a chamber in which slaves are processed, collared and branded; deliveries to the
House of Cernus, both of foodstuffs and materials, and slaves, are frequent;
it is not unusual that a hundred slaves be received in a given
day; the total number of slaves in the house at any one time, a shifting population, of course, tends to be
between four and six thousand. (p. 112 - Assassin of Gor)
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While i was learning to adapt to the changes of being
Free and independent to becoming a good slave for my Master, i did have one friend in the Home, although at
first we were both leary of each other.
renee was the personal girl of Cernus, and yet it had been
her selfless love for Him that sent her searching for me when i'd disappeared from the forests.
It was my stubborn pride that did not want Him to know i was now
slave, but it was renee who found the Home where i was, and ultimately, it was renee that brought He and i together
again, Him gallantly riding in on His white kailla to bring me to His Home.
From Him i learned the practical, what to say and do; but it was
from her i learned the slave heart ... how to say and do.
It was from her i learned the important survival lessons needed to be a woman at His side.
Our bond was the love of One Man, fantastic times shared, times envious, times of tears,
but much, much laughter, caring for Him, protecting Him in our way .... and in time, we became true friends.
i love you and my heart still aches missing you, renee. There is no one who will
take your place.
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