Tal All,

On June 15, 2000, Mika and I celebrated our 12th anniversary. On that day the Earth had made one complete revolution around the Tor-tu-Gor (Light upon the Homestone) since my collar was placed on her lovely neck. While each of the monthly anniversaries was special, this was the most special because of what had been planned over the past several weeks. Today Mika would experience what few kajirae on Earth have experienced; she would be BRANDED with a modified Kef BRAND. The Kef is the first letter in the word kajira and in the Gorean series is described as the most common brand on Gor. I chose this style of brand for Mika because the other brands described throughout the series would not have marked her properly as I saw her. Below are quotes from the book Explorers of Gor to gives you some idea about the Kef and the meaning it holds.

The brand is normally concealed by the briefly skirted slave livery of Gor but, of course, when the camisk is worn, it is always clearly visible, reminding the girl and others of her station. The brand itself, in the case of girls, is a rather graceful mark, being the initial letter of the Gorean expression for slave in cursive script.
book 2

The brand was the common Kajira mark of Gor, the first letter, about an inch and a half in height and a half inch width, in cursive script, of the expression 'Kajira', which is the most common expression in Gorean for a female slave. It is a simple mark, and rather floral, a staff, with two, upturned, frond like curls, joined where they touch the staff on its right. It bears a distant resemblance to the printed letter 'K' in several of the Western alphabets of Earth, and I suspect, in spite of several differences, it may owe its origin to that letter.
Explorers of Gor, pg. 9

For example, in the slave brand, the 'kef', though clearly a Kef and in cursive script, is more floral, in the extended, upturned, frond like curls, than would be the common cursive Kef. This tends to make the mark more feminine. It is at this point that the symbolism of the brand becomes clear. The two frond like curls indicate femininity and beauty; the staff, in its uncompromising severity, indicates that the femininity is subject to discipline; the upturned curves on the frond like curls indicate total openness and vulnerability. It is a very simple, lovely brand, simple, as befits a slave, lovely, as befits a woman.
Explorers of Gor, pg. 12

In America in the year 2000 a person getting a physically invasive procedure done at a professional providers facility must sign a waiver. With all of the litigation today I fully understand this. I was not however going to allow Mika to sign any legal papers let alone a permission slip on the day she would feel most slave like. To prevent this she came to Phoenix several days in advance and we met with Steve Hayworth and his lovely girl Beki at his studio in Tempe, Arizona. I had sent Steve even before this meeting an outline of how I wanted the ceremony to proceed and I sent him a one to one copy of the mark I wished placed on her left thigh. Why would you think the left thigh best? This quote describes the reason.

'Yes, left thigh,' said Samos to one of the guards. I liked the left-thigh branded girl. A right-handed master may caress it while he holds her in his left arm."
--Beasts of Gor, page 25--John Norman

Steve was very helpful and described his facilities and make suggestions on how to improve the ceremony based on what he knew of his facilities. The time, place and now the legalities were now out of the way and all that was needed was the few days to elapse until June 15.

The morning of June 15, 2000 started as most Arizona days, the sun shone brightly and the sky was clear. I awakened next to Mika at her home outside of Tucson. This was a vacation day for me and I had driven down the evening before. Some of the children went off to school (year round district) and others were watched by a close friend to Mika. We left the house to pick up the Angel, a girl that once shared my chain with Mika. The tension was high; branding is a serious matter not for the faint of heart. Angel always had a calming effect on Mika and today was no exception. The girls chatted and bantered as we headed north to Phoenix at 75 miles per hour. Our first stop was at the home of Master Bleu. During the branding ceremony a man should have his oldest and dearest friend with him to share the joy and pride he experiences. Upon arriving at Master Bleu's home we all loaded up in his vehicle because it was much larger and more comfortable than mine was. The Masters in the front and the girls in the back. While heading towards Steve's branding facilities, I had Mika in chains and topless. We received a few looks from the workers in the back of trucks as they passed. People that we felt might not enjoy the view as much we blocked by the dark windows and the front of the dress which would be temporarily pulled up.

When we arrived at Steve's, I unchained her and she followed me inside. In the year I had known Mika, she had never been so nervous. We were welcomed at the door by Steve and Beki and were led to a beautifully decorated room and we sat and talked a while. Steve and I slipped into the back so that I may have a chance to look at the room and discuss the procedure and ceremony with him. The chair that Steve uses is a medical chair from the 30's and in excellent condition. My instruction to Steve was to continue as though a single stroke of an Iron. This proved to be a mistake that I will describe later. This brand technique took almost a minute to complete a single or multistrike brand is seconds.

He explained that the Cautery Scalpel that he uses for branding is a medical device that is used by plastic surgeons to burn away bone and skin and whatever other tissue is in it's path. Before ever putting this device to a human he practiced on various meat byproducts. Only when after a lot of practice he could make the designs he wished to produce did he use it on his first human volunteer (guinea pig). To find out more about Steve Haywoth and him art you can go to http://www.bme.freeq.com/people/htc.html.

While Steve and I were in the back Mika dressed in silks and awaited my return in the other room. Steve waited by the chair; I went to fetch Mika.

Mika was brought to the branding room in the "HAIR" position. This was convenient because she could only follow and have no idea of where she was heading. Hair works well with Mika her auburn hair is about waist length and when down or in a ponytail makes a great slave handle. Steve had prepared the transfer that would be placed on the thigh so that he could trace it. She stood before him and as we discussed he was to treat her as though she was property.

He did not speak to her at all but asked me where I wanted the brand. Well things being a little tense I started pointing at the right thigh. Mika, in her most kajira like way said "Master don't you want a left thigh branded girl?" Well, I changed my mind and decided that left would indeed be better. Steve applied a coat of deodorant where I pointed and applied the transfer. It was lower then I wished and he reapplied in a little higher and it was just right. She was made to sit in the chair and she was bound at the ankle and wrist as well as the knee and elbow. Steve opened a fresh ground pad and scalpel after putting on gloves. He applied the ground pad to Mika's thigh right by the transfer and we were ready to start.

Because of the length of this article I am breaking it into two parts. So we will leave Mika in the chair about to have the flesh vaporized away from her body in a cloud of smoke until January 1 2002. At that time we will tell the rest of the story.

Anyone having any questions or comments please contact me at Michael@Desertvista.com. Be Well!