This is a fan fic story I wrote some time ago involving Brian MacPherson's characters (With his "Okay.").

 brianblackberry

This is a pretech world (Think old D & D to a large degree.) that the characters inhabit and the skunk woman character is Queen of the land. Ergo, I call it the "Queen Vicki stories/world/universe. This is the starting Chapter where Marriah, white tailed deer doe "sacrifices" herself to save her family. Ferra the vixen is introduced here as is Clovis.

This IS a fan fic and has no bearing or relationship with the "canon" storyline of Brian's. My thanks to him for his premission to post it (Now if I'll get cracking on the other chapters.....).


Related illo: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16450015/



Fork in the Path (A Queen Vicki story)


Marriah, a 5' 6" tall white tailed deer fem, stood in the center of the room as the middle aged male raccoon fussed over her. Seeing everything with a kind of detached disinterest her mind wondered back to the things that occurred to bring her, reluctantly, to this place and the raccoon.


Marriah's family were craftsmen. Her father did excellent work as a sculptor and carver/etcher. There were uncles and such who worked metal, stone, wood, and even cloth into wonderful things to delight the eye. One uncle, her favorite, was an engineer who designed and built buildings and monuments. Marriah absorbed a LOT of knowledge and skills from her family. Also, she learned to read and write both the Kingdom's high and low languages plus the craft guild's slang speak.
"Good with your hand and your head," her father said more than a few times. "If you were a boy you'd out do nearly all of us!"
All too true. Being female she was expected to stay at home and take care of things there, not do "men’s" work. The fact that her family was willing to teach her things outside of domestic work was due largely to a kind of "aura" that Marriah had that caused most people to like her and be willing to indulge her on various things, including knowledge and skills that were not related to her expected role as future wife and mother. On that front Marriah had, thus far, turned down several requests to wed. Her family had not, yet, pushed the issue but things were about to come to a head when disaster struck.
Her father had become a business partner with another man in an importing venture. His excellent reputation for keeping his word on things made him a very good front man to convince people to invest in and buy from the business. Things went well until they woke up one day and found that the partner had vanished. And so had all the money put up by buyers and investors. The anger at what happened was directed at the only target available, Marriah's father. Demands for the return of the money were blunt and ugly. Her father, and rest of the family, were beside themselves with worry as to how to pay it all back. Calling in favors, selling what could be sold, and borrowing what little that only a few were willing to lend left him 18 Suns (Gold coins) short. The creditors asked the local court to force the issue.
"Pay us or be sold into slavery to settle the debt!!"
Marriah's family was at a loss. There was no more money to be found and outlook was VERY bleak. At that moment Marriah pitched her idea.
"Sell me as a slave. Then use the money to finish paying everyone off," she told them.
Her family was stunned! They could not believe that their shy Marriah would suggest this!
"I have talked to seller Saizar and he has agreed that if he sells me that half the money of the sale will go to father. He tells me that it is VERY likely that I will go for at least 60 Suns," she continued.
Big as the capital city of the Kingdom was pretty much everyone knew of Saizar the slave seller. The raccoon had the best reputation for being able to sell anyone at a good price.
"Marriah! Are you insane? You would be at the mercy of whoever bought you!" cried her mother.
"I know that," she replied. "But it is better that than ALL of us sold off and at the mercy of others."
That silenced them. Truth was that they were all scared of that happening!
"As I have no marriage prospects and am likely to bring in the best price I suggest that it be me that goes on the Bloc," Marriah finished.
There was little gainsaying her. Either she was sold or, in a week or so, they all would be. They weren't happy about it but it was the only way out. Marriah went to Saizer and closed the deal.
"I've already put out the word that a pretty fem with many skills might be coming up for sale very soon," he told her. "Give me three days to tell those that it's true then we'll do the sale four days from now."
He noticed a somewhat distressed expression on her face.
"Having second thoughts?" he inquired.
"My...my family isn't happy with this. And I'm worried that if I stay with them much longer..." she trailed off.
"Ah, I understand. I have a place where you can stay if that is what you wish."
Marriah nodded and left to go pick up some things at home. She didn't notice the nicely dressed red fox vixen eyeing her as she departed. When Marriah disappeared from view the vixen moved towards Saizar's.


The days had passed and Marriah was being prepped for sale. Saizer had had her come here wearing only a robe. He told her to stand in the middle of the room.
"Close your eyes and keep them closed until I tell you otherwise," he commanded her.
She did.
"Now, I'm going to remove your robe and then dress you," the raccoon informed her.
Opening her robe he slipped it off of her. She sensed him stepping back and pausing for few heartbeats. Her face heated in a blush and she just barely resisted the urge to cover herself with her hands.
"Yes. Yes," she heard him say.
Marriah heard him pad away then the sound of cloth rustling. Shorty, he came back to her.
"Arms up, out from your sides!" he commanded.
She did as ordered. Marriah felt him wrap something around her waist. Then he slipped something around her just under her breasts and tied it at her back. Saizar pulled up the upper part of the garment and tied the straps up at the back of her neck then stepped around in front of her.
Another pause.
"No, that's not quite right," he commented.
More rustling then he was, again, behind her and undid the ties to the halter he had put on her, removed it, and placed another one around her. This tied in the back like the previous one but the other tie was over one of her shoulders. Again, he moved to her front and inspected her.
"Hmmm, I believe that will do," he said. "Alright. Open your eyes."
Doing so, Marriah looked herself over. She wore a simple skirt that stopped at her midthigh level and a halter top with the strap over her right shoulder leaving her left shoulder bare. The outfit was something that she would wear herself on hot day. This baffled her. She had seen Saizer do number of sales over the last three days plus three today. All the slaves sold had worn less than she had on now and in half the cases had nothing on at all! She had envisioned the same happening to her.
"Wondering why you get the clothing?" she heard him ask.
Looking at the raccoon, she hesitated then nodded.
"It's a matter of presenting you in such a way that the buyers might be willing to pay more for you," he told her.
Saizer grinned at the mystified expression on her face.
"You are fair of face and figure. A higher quality than most of those who normally come through here." he told her. "What you are showing, face, shoulders, midriff, and legs, attracts the buyers' eyes. But, in your case, show them too much, remove most of the "mystery" about you, and it's likely to drive the price down and we don't want that. If a buyer wants to see what is covered then he, or she, has to bid against others who, hopefully, want to do the same. This..."
He touched the halter.
"...and this..."
And the skirt.
"...could drive up the final price by as much as a fifth more." he finished.
Getting up, Saizer went to the door that lead to the selling bloc and looked out at the gathered crowd. He noted that there were a rather large number of well dressed, and some overdressed, people there. Some notable personages and more a few agents acting as proxies for others.
"The little doe attracts a lot of interest," he murmured to himself.
His mind flashed back to the vixen that had visited him four days ago. He had never seen her before. Her questions about Marriah were direct and meant to get the most information. He returned to Marriah.
"It's time" he told her. "Put that robe back on."
"More mystery?" she asked as she slipped her arms into the sleeves.
"You're learning," he answered with a grin and placed a hand on her shoulder.
As they neared the door Saizer felt her tense up. He stopped her.
"Close your eyes," he told her.
She did.
"Now, take a slow, deep breath then let it out slowly."
When she had finished he had her do a few more breaths. A lot of the tenseness flowed out of her.
"Good. It will help if you think of this as watching another sale," he advised her. "Really, that is what you'll be doing."
They went through the door and out onto the stage. The day was as close to prefect as it could get. Occasional clouds shielded the sun and kept things from getting uncomfortably warm. A gentle breeze barely tugged at her lower leg length jet black hair.
"Greetings, all," Saizer said to the crowd. "I have here a rare gem for bid."
She saw and felt all eyes on her.
"Her skills are listed on the boards..."
"There's only one REAL skill that she needs!" shouted someone.
Marriah froze! She had been doing her best to avoid thinking about that. And, now, to have it thrown in her face, as it were.

"Idiot!" commented a horse stallion to a vixen.
"First timer, most likely," she answered. "Anyone who’s been to more than one of Saizar’s sales knows he doesn't allow any of the rough comments that goes on at other slave sellers."

Saizer speared the catcaller with a hard look.
"Friend, the next time you open your mouth you had better be making a bid," the raccoon said.
His voice was cool and soft but everyone hearing it felt the hard edge in it. The speaker, a male impala, visibly deflated under the sharp gaze. Marriah saw expressions ranging from amusement to pity on the faces of those who looked towards the offender. Saziar scanned the crowd as if to look for any other possible "annoyances". Seeing no other "problems", he resumed his announcement. He placed his hands on her shoulders...
"She 18 years of age, of good health and..."
...slipping the robe off of her.
"...untouched"
Marriah took some comfort from the expressions of disappointment, that she wasn't nude, that she saw on a lot of faces.
"Now, let us begin."
Pause.
"Three Suns!" called out a stocky lion.
An amused expression on his face, Saizer looked at the bidder.
"Friend, that bid just earned you the position of court jester in the Palace."
Laughter rippled through the gathering.
"Come, come my friends. Such a prize as this..."
He waved towards Marriah.
"...does not present itself very often. Let the foolishness end and the serious bidding begin."
Minutes of spirited bidding that followed. Staying aloof as possible, Marriah did a slow scan of the people around the bloc she stood on. A red fox vixen caught her eye, for some reason, and she studied her. She was about Marriah's age. Nicely dressed but not as showy as a lot of others there. She wore a pair of clip-on earrings and a copper bracelet on her left wrist. A nicely built and well-muscled horse stallion stood at the vixen's side. His only article of clothing was a kilt and two fair sized satchels were slung over his shoulders. Then Marriah noticed that the pair was surrounded by several other males, all carrying weapons of some kind.
"Personal guards?" she mused.
Saizer noted the clump of people surrounding the fox and horse, as well.
"Soldiers or they were that, once," he thought. "Better than the city guards. This gets more and more interesting."

"You going to bid?" queried the horse.
"Not yet," answered the lady.

"Seventy-two Suns!" called out a lanky fennec.
"That's it," Marriah thought. "Thirty-six Suns is more than enough to..."
"One hundred Suns," a lazy voice bid.
Eyes clicking to her right, Marriah saw the bidder. He was a zebra stallion in his middle 20's. A bit overweight, overdressed, and showing a lot of jewelry. She didn't like the look of him.
"One hundred and fifty Suns!" called out a tall impala woman.
The impala, sour expression on her face, looked over at the zebra.
"Milek, you skinflint!! Quit trying to be so CHEAP!" she yelled at him.
Laughter broke out from the crowd. The zebra gave his taunter a slow look.
"Why Thessa," he drawled. "Wherever would you get that kind of money? Busy hiring yourself out?"
"If I were, YOU'D never have enough coin to pay for me!" she shot back.

"So much money!" Marriah thought in astonishment.
Who'd have thought anyone would think she was worth so much!

"Well, Thessa, I might not have you but you won't have her," stated Milek. "Three hundred Suns!"

"This will get interesting," Marriah heard Saizer whisper to her. "Those two have always been rivals and they've got the bit in their teeth."

The two bid against each other for another couple of minutes pushing the price up to 550 Suns.
"Six hundred Suns!" called out a new voice.
"Craftmaster Gundar's agent," Saizer informed Marriah.
She shivered. The Craftmaster's sexual "tastes" were the subject of much gossip. Marriah heard that he preferred girls somewhat younger than herself. Another possible Owner she'd rather not have.
"Like you get any choice in that," her logical side reminded her.
Milek and Thessa looked at the agent then at each other.
"Seven hundred Suns!" bid Milek.
"Seven hundred and fifty Suns!" answered the agent.
"Eight hundred Suns!" chimed in Thessa.

"This is insane!" Marriah thought.
The highest price she had seen any slave go for, over the past three days plus today, had been 93 Suns. What in the name of All could make her of such value to these people?!

"Nine hundred Suns!" bid the Craftmaster's man.
Silence.
"Nine hundred Suns is the last bid," Saizer spoke.
Silence.
"Nine hundred Suns going once."
Quiet.
"Nine hundred Suns going twice."
"Three hundred Triangles!" a new voice called out.
Marriah's eyes went wide!
"Someone is bidding silver for me?!"
"Silver has four times the value of a same weight as gold because it's harder to get," she remembered one of her uncles telling her. "Gold, for the most part, is recovered from rivers and streams. On the other hand, silver has to be mined out of hard rock. It is this mining that makes it both rarer and of greater value then gold."
Turning her head, Marriah tried to pick out the new bidder. Her eyes settled on the vixen and her stallion companion. Both were looking up at her, the vixen had an expression of anticipation on her face while the horse male gave her an easy grin.
"You?" Marriah mouthed at them.
The stallion nodded back at her as he touched one of the satchels he carried.
"Twelve hundred and fifty Suns!" called out Gundar's agent.
The vixen didn't hesitate.
"Four hundred Triangles!"
Marriah was in an utter daze. That kind of money was a high Noble's ransom!!
"Any other bids?" asked Saizer.
Silence.
"Four hundred Triangles going one."
"Four hundred Triangles going twice."
Pause.
"Third and final time."
Silence.
"SOLD!! For four hundred Triangles!" called the seller.

Marriah barely felt the robe settle on her shoulders. Hands turned her around and guided her off the stage. Just as she got through the door her mind unfroze and twin forces of awe and terror slammed through her head. Awe at the INCREDIBLE price that had been paid for her. Terror as the full realization that she was, now, OWNED by someone. And, as a slave, that Owner could do ANYTHING they wanted to and with her and there would be nothing she could do about it! She began to shiver. Then she shook, violently! The brave front she had shown the world the last several days collapsed. She would have done the same if it weren't for the two strong arms holding her.

"It's a wonder of the Deities that she got this far before this hit," thought Saizer as he laid her on a cot, put pillows under her head and her legs, then threw a blanket over her.
Minutes into their first meeting he had seen she was shy and reserved. He had had her come and watch, and record, the previous days' sales so that she, hopefully, would be used to them. Kneeling beside the cot, he took her head between his hands and turned it so she was looking him in the face.
"Marriah! MARRIAH!!!" he called to her.
Though her shaking continued the almost feral look in her eyes faded. A small light of intelligence returned.
"Listen. Close your eyes and concentrate on the beat of your heart! Listen to your heartbeat! Hear it only!" he ordered her.
She closed her eyes and he released her. Over the next few minutes he saw her breathing slow down and the shaking abated quite a bit.
"Keep doing that," he said to her, softly. "This will pass and you will be alright. Rest, I have to attend to things."
He stood up and left. Marriah listened to her heart and her mind remained clear of other thoughts.


A gentle hand was shaking her shoulder. Marriah's eyes popping open and she saw Master Saizer standing over her.
"Naughty, naughty!" he said in a mock scolding tone. "Caught you dozing, pretty one."
Quickly, she sat up.
"I...I...I'm s...s..sorry, sir! I didn't mean to...." she stammered
The raccoon waved her to silence.
"After the reaction you had I'd have been seriously surprised if you hadn't drifted off," he said as he walked over to the room's one table and picked up something. "I've talked with the lady, her name is Ferra, and explained that I'll need a little time to get you prepared. There are some things that need to be done."
He returned to the cot and Marriah saw what he had in his hand. It was a thin, curved band of bronze with a locking mechanism on one end and a lock on point on the other end. A piece of clear crystal was embedded in the outside curve of the band at what would be its midpoint. Marriah recognized it.
"A slave collar," she thought. "Symbol of my new status."
"I had this ready to put on you," he said as he turned it over in his hands. "But..."
Saizer tossed the collar onto one end of the cot.
"...the lady..."
He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out something to show her.
"...had one ready."
The object he held was a collar with a clear crystal set in it. But, instead of being a solid band it was made up of hundreds of tiny links that were interlaced together. The crystal was flanked by two pieces of beautiful sky blue turquoise. Marriah touched the band and it felt soft. She had little doubt that it feel better wearing vs. the hard, single band one.
"Something before I place this on you," said the raccoon as he put the collar aside. "I have already sent my agents out with the half of the money that goes to your family."
He chuckled at the look of surprise on her face.
"The Lady paid it all. So I dispatched the payment right away."
He took a small pouch from his belt and handed it to her.
"This is yours," he said.
Marriah opened it and dumped the contents into one of her hands. Her eyes widened at the sight of five silver Triangles and five gold Suns. She looked up at Saizer.
"Wha...why..." she stammered.
"It's an old slave seller’s tradition. When someone has themself sold off to help others the seller has the option to give a small part of the money to the slave as a wish of good luck. The higher the value, the greater the luck," he informed her. "If your new Owner observes the tradition then it is yours to do with as you wish. Bad luck comes to them if they take it from you."
Picking up a small wood box he slid the top off of it. Upending it a stack of thin ivory plates fell into his hand.
"You know what this is?" he asked while showing them to her.
"It's a 'Seer's" deck," she replied.
"Yes. Purported to allow the user to see some bit of the future when used. I did a reading about a year ago. Part of it said that a "gem of great value" would come to me and bring great wealth and fame."
He looked at her with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I believe that that is you."
Saizar’s hands restlessly shuffled the desk, his eyes never leaving her.
"Last night I did a reading with these, a reading on you," he said. "It says that you will be a slave for the rest of your long life."
Her eyes closed for a moment then she opened them again.
"Guess that isn't so surprising," she thought to herself.
"But," he continued. "It, also, said that you will get most of what you want. There will be costs attached to getting these things but, evidently, you will be willing to pay them."
He placed the deck back into its box, put it down, then picked up the collar and faced her.
"It's time," he said.
Marriah reach back with one hand and swept her hair aside and away from the back of her neck. She tipped her head up and waited. Saizer slipped the collar around her neck.
"Tik, tik!" went the tiny locks as they snapped shut.
It was done.
The seller stepped back and Marriah let her hair fall back into place.
"Master Saziar?"
"Yes?"
"One last question."
"Slaves aren't to ask questions," he said firmly.
She was silent.
"Ask," the raccoon said after a moment.
"Are you always this kind to those you sell?" she queried.
An odd, almost sad, expression crossed his face. His right hand came up and the fingertips brushed her cheek.
"Only to those who deserve it," he answered.
His hand dropped away from her.
"Come. I'll take you to the lady," he said.
Marriah shook her head.
"Please, no. I have to do this on my own," she replied.
"Sigh, very well."
He pointed at a door.
"Go through that door and down the corridor to the door at the end. The Lady and the others wait for you there. Look at her then bow your head down, eyes downcast, then look back up to her and say "'I am yours, milady.'" Saizer instructed her.
After taking a few deep breaths Marriah went to the indicated door and exited the room.
Saizer looked at the closed door for bit then one of his hands slipped into a pocket and pulled out three ivory plates. They were from the Seer's deck and were the last three he had pulled for the reading on Marriah.
The first one was the Sun, symbol of great power.
The second was the Queen of Jackals, the second most powerful female in the deck.
The third was the two of Scepters.
He looked at the three and, with a mixture of disbelief and wonder, shook his head.
"How is it," he mused aloud to himself. "That a slave girl is to have the power of a Queen at two different times in her life?"