"There are many strange and inexplicable powers."
She had changed now and was wearing a dress with a purple satin underskirt covered in black lace-like material and a bodice in woven colours of black and purple, all in a pagan style. Her costume was completed by a headdress of white stones with one pendant gem resting on her forehead. She looked magnificent and stunningly beautiful as Kim and the black cat both looked up in awe of her. She was the perfect figure of a pagan priestess prepared for the conduct of some arcane ritual.
"The pain and pleasure that you feel in this world, is that not real?"
"Oh yes, definitely," laughed Kim.
"Then do you still believe you are in a dream?"
"I don't know. I want to believe, but some of it is so strange."
"Everything the black cat has told you is true. His account of your life is what actually happened even if your inability to comprehend it, or spells cast on you, have buried the memories deep into your subconscious. Delve deep into yourself Kim and you will discover this. Your fates are woven together and intertwined with my own. Vicky, take the black cat and prepare him. I need to speak to Kim about her next trial."
Vicky came forward and unlocked the wrist and ankle cuffs, unpadlocked the doors and led the black cat away.
"So Kim, you've heard the cat's tale, you've heard the part he has played in your downfall. His actions and his failings at critical moments are the reason why you ended up in that brothel Kim. Do you not think there should be some retribution to pay?"
"I don't know. He did rescue me in the end, in a fashion and, having heard his tale, I believe he meant well. I don't believe he intended me any harm."
"You still have much to learn about my world. It's your right to extract vengeance. I want you to torture him. You should want him to suffer for you."
"But, I don't bear him any grudge for what he's done and besides I rather like him to be honest."
"This slave of mine, Nano, he is a loyal and devoted servant and he has served me for many years now. But, when he transgresses, when he fails me or when a task is not completed to my satisfaction then he must be punished. It has nothing to do with not liking or holding grudges. This is about justice and retribution, about devotion and service. He wronged you and he must pay. I expect you to administer his punishment Kim. Trust me; he will thank you for it in the end, he will understand why you need to do it."
"Is that what you want me to do?"
"What do you want to do Kim? Retribution must come from within you. In my world you must learn to submit to me when I require but you must also be able to administer punishment when it is deserved. And it is deserved isn't it?"
"Well, you're right; he did leave me behind in the Temple in Constantinople."
"Yes Kim."
"And he didn't see that the eagle that took me away was a trick and illusion, even though he had been warned to look out for such things."
"Exactly Kim."
"So really, he does deserve to be punished."
"I shall take pleasure in watching over you as you do it. I shall be a pagan priestess and you will be my acolyte."
"Like it should have been, you mean?"
Their eyes met knowingly.
"Yes Kim, how it should have been."
Mistress had brought some clothes for Kim to get changed in. There was a purple and black silk corset, a short black lace skirt, black tights and gloves. The pagan priestess put a white mask on Kim, its face painted with purple lips curled up into a sinister smile. Then she put a silver sickle moon disk over her neck and Kim noticed that she was wearing a full silver disc; two pagan figures symbolising the new and full moons. Finally, Kim was handed a headdress made of purple and black feathers, which she perched on top of her head.
"You know how you must conduct yourself Kim? You must permit no mercy. Your retribution must be severe."
"Yes, I understand," Kim replied.
The pagan priestess and her assistant returned to the dungeon. Vicky was waiting also dressed in purple and black. The black cat had already been blindfolded and laid out onto the rack, his ankles in leg spreaders and his arms stretched out and wrists secured to the rack.
"First, let's secure him to the rack a bit more tightly. Cats are slippery creatures; we don't want him escaping from his bonds. Vicky, fetch me some ropes. Kim, you can help me."
Vicky handed the mistress several coils of rope.
Kim looked on fascinated as the pagan priestess set to work. She tossed the end of the ropes to Kim who had taken up a position on the other side of the rack and she threaded them through metal hooks set into the edge of the rack and passed them back again until eventually the black cat was tied down in an elaborate network of ropes and knots. Kim admired the skilful work and the artistry of the finished design with a large knot on the cat's chest and an array of ropes coming out of it like the rays of a sun. The cat remained silent on the rack only expelling little gasps of breath when the ropes were tightened and they dug into his flesh. He looked strange laid out there, thought Kim. This human body covered in sleek black fur and whiskers and pointed ears and his black and white tail that stuck out from underneath him onto the heavy wood of the rack. In contrast to this was the pure white of the ropes and the pattern they formed over his black fur.
"He's prepared for you now Kim," said the pagan priestess, "everything in this dungeon is at your disposal," she continued her hand sweeping across the length of the room to show the plethora of instruments of torment that lined its walls.
Kim looked down at the black cat. She paused to think. Where should I start, she thought? There's too many things to choose from. I know, first of all, I want him to see me dressed like a pagan witch so I can look into his eyes and make him know why he needs to be punished. Kim stepped up to his head and started to slowly pull the blindfold from over his eyes. The pagan priestess and Vicky, anticipating what Kim was going to do, had moved into position so that they were also leaning over him. Kim smiled. When the blindfold was lifted he would see all three of them in their purple and black gothic splendour. As his sight was restored the cat let out a moan. It must be scary, thought Kim, to be poured over by three mystical pagan magicians, the haunting dark beauty of the priestess and the sinister, faceless white masks of her two assistants, knowing that you are about to be the protagonist in a bizarre ritual of punishment and revenge.
"Nano. Black cat. Slave to the pagan priestess Nemesis, servant of the Red Queen; you have been brought before me to face a reckoning."
Kim was well impressed with herself. Her friendly enquiring voice she used to encourage the cat to tell his tale had been dispatched and replaced with a ringing dominant tone. Kim took control and made it crystal clear from her first words that she was in charge.
"I appear before you now, restored as the acolyte of my mistress, the pagan priestess of Nemesis, the goddess of fate and retribution, to extract my vengeance on you for failings against my person. I appear to you as Nyx, goddess of the night, Nemesis's daughter, and, like her, wielder of pain and suffering."
That was inspired, Kim congratulated herself. She had dragged that up from a late night chat with one of the girls who worked in the parlour for a short while. She was a classics student at the university who was trying to earn some extra money and one night had gone through a whole list of classical goddess's names with her. I was obviously meant to have that conversation just for this moment. The pagan priestess, who had withdrawn into the shadows, looked on admiringly at Kim's ingenuity.
"Do you understand the charges that are laid against you Nano? That you failed in the mission set for you to rescue me from the captivity of the Knights Templar in the temple at Constantinople and that you surrendered me back into their hands because you had been tricked by the illusion of the eagle goddess created by them. Do you acknowledge the consequences of your actions? That the chosen acolyte of the Goddess Nemesis was subjected to abuse and made to work in a brothel."
Kim was absorbed into her role now. But, it was more than a role. She believed the tale of the black cat, she believed she had been chosen, she believed that she had been wronged and had suffered because of it and believed that vengeance was due to her. The black cat could see all of this in her eyes and was mesmerised by this new version of Kim that was before him, the avenging pagan witch of the night. And he feared what would happen to him.
"Do you have anything to say in your defence?"
"No, there's nothing I can say. Everything you accuse me of is true. I'd only say in my defence that I did try my best; that I never meant you any harm and I'm truly repentant at my failings."
"That may be so, but that's not sufficient for you to escape my retribution. Do you accept whatever punishment I deliver?"
"Yes Goddess Nyx, I surrender myself up to you."