The Belled Collar paga tavern in the city of Ar

The Belled Collar tavern is located on a high level in a tower in Ar.
It is accessible by the bridges that connect the the towers & cylinders.
I was Teela, a paga slave of the Belled Collar. That could be read, I understood, on the close-fitting steel collar I wore, a ten-hort collar.
I looked out, over the bridge, to the towers and cylinders beyond, and to the sunset over the walls of Ar. I saw the tracery of the bridges against the sky, the people moving about on them. Far below, in the streets I could see carts and wagons, too, being drawn by tharlarion.
Slave Girl

The sign outside, over the door, is a large collar with bells hanging from it.
I stepped outside the tavern, to drink in the pure air of Gor. We were permitted outside the tavern.
I stood beneath the sign of the Belled Collar, which swung above me, a large collar, from which hung bells.
Slave Girl

Common low tables at which men sit cross-legged - SEE ALSO Furniture & Furnishings
I nodded. I continued to regard the female before me. It was said she was from Earth. I lifted my page to my lips, from the low table behind which I sat, cross-legged.
Rogue

Some low tables inlaid with Kaissa board for customers to play
He carried the table past us, which he had taken to the shop of a carver and enameler, to be inlaid with a Kaissa board. He was now returning it to the tavern.
Slave Girl

Musicians

One musician at slower times, more when the tavern is busier
There was only one musician at the side of the sand. Others would join him later. Their leader was Andronicus, who played the czehar.
Slave Girl

The support rooms of the tavern

A tiled slave room
A room of preparation
A room of baths
Busebius, our master, sometimes, before ordering us to bathe and prepare ourselves for the floor, scattered a handful of hard candies among us. They were very precious, and, on the tiles of the slave room, we fought for them.
....
"Hurry now to the baths," he said, "and thence to the room of preparation, for you must be soon upon the floor."
Slave Girl

Perfumes, jewelry & makeup in the room of preparation.
We tore aside our silks in the room of preparation. We freshened our perfumes and adjusted our make-up. We must be soft, and perfumed and luscious.
Busebius thrust his head into the room of preparation. "Earrings," he said, "jewelry!" Then he disappeared again.
Slave Girl

Chests of costumes & mirrors in the room of preparation
I reached into a chest for hunters’ netting. It is a stout cording, used to net medium-sized game. Its mesh was spaced at some two horts, about two and a half inches.
Cunningly we twisted netting about us, from our throats to our brands, high upon our thighs. We garbed ourselves as "the hunter’s catch."
We looked in the mirror. Several of us gasped. Seldom had we seen such exciting girls.
Slave Girl

Low wall to chain slaves to, reserving them for later.
It was now the eighteenth hour. The tavern was more crowded. I knelt back against the low wall, my wrists braceleted over and behind my head to Ring 6. A customer had reserved me to himself. I waited while he addressed himself to a game of Kaissa.
....
"Do not run away," had said the man, putting me on my knees and braceleting my hands above and behind my head to the ring.
...
Then one man left, and he who had reserved me for himself, as though recalling me, took the rental key from his pouch and approached me.
I put my head down.
He unlocked the bracelets. I looked up at him.

Slave Girl

The alcoves

Leather curtains with buckles close the alcove off for privacy.
"Get to the alcove," I told her.
"Yes, Master," she said, and scrambled up, hurrying with a rustle of jewelry and bells to a leather-curtained alcove. There was more Gorean applause as I followed her and, turning, from inside, drew shut the curtains of the alcove. When I had them buckled shut from the inside, I turned to face the girl.
Rogue

Scarlet furs, small lamp for light.
Chains, rope and a whip.
She knelt in the position of the pleasure slave, back in the alcove, on the scarlet furs, in the light of the small lamp. I looked about. There were some chains in the alcove and a coil of rope and a whip.
"If Master desires special equipment," she said, "it will be provided by Busebius." "There is more than enough here to tame you," I said. "Yes, Master," she said.
Rogue

Many men come only to meet friends, talk and drink.
Many others make use of the paga slaves.
As a paga girl I came with the purchased cup of fluid, but, of course, I, like the others, was only a lovely option; whether I served in an alcove depended entirely on the whim and appetite of the customer. Many men, naturally, came to the tavern only to meet their friends, to talk and drink. Some nights I had not been used at all. I had been, of course, completely available. As paga girls went I was popular, and my master, Busebius, was not disappointed in me. He had made, I gather, a good buy on me. More than many of the girls had I squirmed in the alcoves, sometimes chained, writhing under the touch of masters, whimpering and crying out the submission I could not help but yield. I knew there were men who came back particularly for me. I had brought business to the tavern.
Slave Girl

Men enjoy a game of Kaissa
I watched him playing Kaissa, completely absorbed in the game. I clenched my fists in the bracelets.
Then I saw that he had brought about capture of Home Stone. They put away the pieces, sliding them into the drawer in the Kaissa table. They then conversed a bit, discussing, it seemed, the game. Then one man left, and he who had reserved me for himself, as though recalling me, took the rental key from his pouch and approached me.
Slave Girl

Working at the counter, refilling paga vessels from a great vat of paga.
I hurried to the counter and handed Busebius, who was beaming, the paga vessel and strap. Again it had been emptied.
He dipped the vessel into a great vat of paga and returned it to me.

Slave Girl

Working behind his counter while the tavern is busy and crowded
"Paga!" called another. I leaped to my feet, to hurry to him and serve him. Never, it seemed, had we been so crowded. I had not even had time to go to Busebius, behind his counter, to have the hook bracelets removed from my wrists.
Slave Girl

Seeing personally to important customers
The door of the paga tavern flew open. The music, for a moment stopped. Helen froze in a motion. Eyes turned toward the door. My heart skipped a beat.
Impressive men stood there, warriors, though not in the garb of Ar.
Their leader, without helmet, but in cloak and medallion, indicated that the music should continue.
The musicians again played, and, again, Helen danced.
The leader of the newcomers removed his gloves, slowly, and thrust them in his belt.
His eyes viewed the slave body of Helen, as a master’s eyes look upon the flesh of a property girl.
Busebius, bowing, rushed to him.
The stranger casually looked away from Helen, and she bit her lip, tears in her eyes, no longer under his scrutiny.
Slave Girl

Seating the important customers on a special raised dais
Busebius conducted the visitors, his honored guests, to a private corner of the tavern from which, on the raised dais there, they might well view the room, the musicians, and the dancer.
"Do you not know them?" asked a man.
"No," said the other.
Beside me, Bina trembled.
"They are the delegation of the Salerian Confederation," said the first.
"Their leader?" asked the other.
"Thandar of Ti," said the first.
Slave Girl

Directing the slave girls
"Please Master," whispered the girl to me. She extended her small hand, still dancing, as though to touch me. On her wrist was a golden bracelet, beled. I saw the small lock, with the key socket on the bracelet. She could not remove it.
"She likes you," said the man next to me, now paying some attention to the dancer.
Suddenly there was the fierce crack of a slave whip and the girl, terrified, scurried from me. Busebius, proprietor of the tavern, stood at the edge of the sand. "Do you think I have but one customer?" he called to her. "No, Master!" she cried. There was laughter. Then she was dancing, too, before others and among the tables. I watched her. She was a sensuous dream. It was hard to imagine that she was from Earth.
Rogue

Arranging special service and entertainment for important customers
Busebius hurried toward us. He gestured to us, and to four of the other girls. He gathered us about him. We were excited. "You six will serve," he said, indicating the men on the dais. Two of the girls cried out with pleasure, to be selected. "Go swiftly to the room of preparation," he said. "Garb yourselves as the hunter’s catch." I was startled. The guests must be important indeed. We hurried to the room of preparation. Busebius went to give orders to the men in the kitchens.
We must serve the initial wines swiftly, with the matched breads and cheeses.
We tore aside our silks in the room of preparation. We freshened our perfumes and adjusted our make-up. We must be soft, and perfumed and luscious.
Busebius thrust his head into the room of preparation. "Earrings," he said, "jewelry!" Then he disappeared again.
"I do not want to wear earrings," wept one girl.
"Put them on, Slave," I snapped. I did not want to be beaten for one of us who was not pleasing.
I fastened golden loops in my ears, and slung necklaces about my throat. I slipped on an armlet.
Beside me, Bina placed earrings, unprotestingly, on her ears.
"Do you, too, not weep to put on earrings?" I asked her.
"No," she said, "I am a pierced-ear girl." The earrings, I noted, jeweled droplets, were very beautiful upon her.
I reached into a chest for hunters’ netting. It is a stout cording, used to net medium-sized game. Its mesh was spaced at some two horts, about two and a half inches.
Cunningly we twisted netting about us, from our throats to our brands, high upon our thighs. We garbed ourselves as "the hunter’s catch."
We looked in the mirror. Several of us gasped. Seldom had we seen such exciting girls.
"Hurry!" said Busebius, again appearing at the entry to the room of preparation. We knew then the wines, and the matched breads and cheeses, were ready.
"Teela, wait," said Bina.
The other girls left the room of preparation. "We must hurry," I said.
"I know what you intend, Teela," said Bina. "And it is not proper."
"I do not understand," I said. How could she know what I had in mind.
Bina stood between myself and the door.
Slave Girl

Slaves in the Belled Collar carry large bronze vessels of paga to the tables to fill the cups of customers.
"Paga," called a man.
I hurried to him, carrying the large bronze vessel of paga, on its strap about my shoulder.
I knelt and filled his cup.
Slave Girl

The vessel is two handled with a shoulder strap
"Paga! Paga!" I heard. I did not even have time to slip the vessel on its strap over my shoulder. Holding its two handles with my hands, I fled back, with a jangle of slave bells, to the floor, to serve.
Slave Girl

Bells on left ankles - SEE ALSO Slave bells
These paga slaves wear brief parted yellow silk.
Barefoot
"Greetings, Teela," said the girl who now stood beside me, who had come, like myself, from the tavern. She, like I, wore slave bells on her left ankle, brief, parted yellow silk, the house collar. We stood barefoot on the bridge.
Slave Girl

silks belted tightly by a length of yellow binding fiber
"Paga, Master?" asked a dark-haired, belled paga slave, in a scrap of diaphanous yellow silk. I motioned her away. She had short, lovely legs and a sweet full bosom. The yellow silk was belted tightly about her waist by several turns of yellow binding fiber, more than enough to tie her for your pleasure in an alcove.
Rogue

22 paga slaves (at this time) in the tavern plus five dancers.
There were twenty-two slaves in the tavern, not counting the dancers, of which there were five.
Slave Girl

Four dancers perform each day, one rests
We had five dancers at the Belled Collar. I thought all were fine. The best would perform later in the evening. Four performed a day, and one would rest. I could not dance.
Slave Girl

Dancer is naked except for strings of jewels, armlets, bracelets & anklets of gold.
Collar is gold and belled.
I considered the belly and hips of the dancing girl as she thrust them toward me, undulatingly, as the music pounded in the tavern.
"Have you heard the news?" the man next to me was asking. "No," I said.
The girl was naked, save that she wore many strings of jewels and armlets. Too she wore bracelets and anklets of gold, which had been locked upon her and were belled. Her collar too, was of gold and belled. She was blond, and it was said she was from Earth. A single pearl, fastened in a setting like a droplet, on a tiny golden chain, was suspended at the center of her forehead.
Rogue

Rules of the Belled Collar tavern
Customer may choose any serving slave with price of cup of paga.
One cup of paga = use of one girl.
Dancers are negotiated for separately.
The rules of the tavern with respect to the slave girls were simple. The customer could select any serving slave for his pleasure, providing he had paid the price of the paga; he could pick the girl of his interest, whether she had poured him the paga in question or not; to be sure, the customer usually commanded his paga from the wench who had caught his fancy, if he was planning on using her; if he was not interested in the having of a slave girl he would usually call his paga from the closest wench; each cup of paga entitled him to take one slave to the alcove; thus, theoretically, he might use several in one evening; these arrangements, however, terminated with the dawn, and the closing of the tavern; he might not, so to speak, save his cups for later. Dancers must be separately negotiated for.
Slave Girl

Employees are entitled to the use of the girls of the tavern
This one performing small odd jobs for the proprietor.
Standing outside the door to the Belled Collar, we stepped back, and knelt.
Bran Loort, who had once been of Tabuk’s Ford, carrying a low table, entered the tavern. He performed odd jobs about the tavern in return for his keep and a tarsk a week. We had knelt because he was free. Yet I wondered if in his heart he was free. He seemed a downcast, defeated man. He carried the table past us, which he had taken to the shop of a carver and enameler, to be inlaid with a Kaissa board. He was now returning it to the tavern. He slept in the tavern overnight. He was entitled to the use of the girls of the tavern, as it was his place of employment.
...
He did small work about the tavern.
Slave Girl