"Did I ever tell you..." by Maya R. Hirschman

Rauva apparently comes from a wealthy merchant family that held quite the niche market. They traded in slaves of the darthiir - surface elves and half-elves. Her mother also held a position on the city's Merchanters' Council, something of an all-encompassing guild, while her father and sister did the negotiating, buying and selling. The dirty work, so to speak.

The Abbylans were routinely approached for business by Ilharess Gutka Sumsudda d'Elmarga, a pretentious matron of a lesser house, who was always looking for a few good males. She kept at least ten at all times for both her pleasuring and to carry her about. Rauva said she was so fat that it took four men to lift her into the litter she insisted on traveling in. She put the order out for another male, a new elf, following the untimely demise of her favourite. Rauva explained in her uniquely unabashed way that Gutka had decided to be 'on top'. Poor male was likely crushed to death.

Rachne, Rauva's mother, had had enough of this ridiculous matron and her outstanding debt. It seems that Gutka had purchased seventeen male darthiiri from the Abbylans and had only paid for three in full, arguing that their poor health let her off the hook. This 'poor health' was due mostly to unnecessary sacrifices to the Goddess and, shall we say, accidents. But as a matron, Gutka could not truly be refused, and she liked having the darthiiri as a symbol of her wealth.

Rachne went before the Merchanters' Council demanding action be taken. Could they help her to get this mushroom of a matron to pay? Finding the Council unable to untie its hands long enough to act, Rachne went to another source. Ever comfortable among other races, thanks to her business, she slipped off to have a word with a contact living in 'The Box', the walled area within the city where the surface denizens were allowed to live and trade.

It was several weeks later that anything happened. Rachne had tried one last time to get Gutka to pay up, to no avail. It was young Rauva who opened the door to find a smug little man with pale skin and repulsively hairy, bare feet standing on the steps outside. In one hand he held a sack, in the other he held a bill. He looked at the bill and said, "I seek Rachne Abbylan. I am promised goods for bringing the proof of 'work' done."

Rauva brought the little man to her mother. Rachne took the sack and led the halfling out into the courtyard of the compound. Shortly after that, he left with a pretty half-elf, a wide, satisfied smile on his face. Rauva didn't find out what he'd brought until after dinner, though, when she happened to look up at the wall behind her. What she saw nearly brought her meal up again as she stared at the preserved scalp, including most of a recognisable face. For all her repulsiveness in life, Gutka was a hundred times more hideous in death. She didn't have time to think on this, though, as a massive explosion centred in the lower noble quarter rocked the city. Her mother laughed at this sound and beckoned Rauva near, saying, "Rauva-la, remember: profit first, then pleasure. If not profit then make sure that when you call in the debts, you enjoy it to the fullest."

With that Rauva turned to me and said, "That reminds me, Matron, I think you still owe me for that crate of liqueurs I found for you."

I paid in full, on the spot.