Captive

i blinked at my Master as soon as He spoke those words. i was more than a bit perplexed over what He had just said.. i thought that i was going to be His forever. Now i was confused and a bit unsettled by the thought of more changes being made.

i squirmed a bit in His lap and He softly stroked my fur in a calming manner. i couldn't help myself and i started purring. i don't think Sir Kern had ever heard of one my kind purr before and shifted a bit in his seat. Master looked over at Sir Kern as He looked uncomfortable.

"Is there a problem with her purring Sir Kern?"

"No, M'Lord, I just have never heard one of them purr before. I didn't know that they had some similar reactions to that of a cat. I thought they were more human than beast."

i softly giggled at Sir Kern and Master shot me a look that said to be silent. i shifted a bit in Master's lap to be able to see Sir Kern a bit better. i then turned and looked directly at Master before softly speaking to Him.

"Master, may this one speak and explain a bit about my people to Sir Kern."

He softly stroked my fur a bit more and smiled at me. He realized that this shy thing in His lap did want to be heard. He wasn't treating her like an object but rather like one would a prized pet. He knew the secrets of her people.

"Please do My kitty. I would like to hear this as well. I know some about you but I would like to know more as well. I do have a small confession My beauty and I'm not sure Sir Kern remembers this or not. As a small child, my Mother had a handmaiden who took care of Me. Her name was Tiffa and like you as she was a Cat Person. She was with U/us until I was about seven."

"M'Lord, I do remember Tiffa vaguely. She was a gentle and caring lady. I think all of us were sad when she decided to return to her people."

"Now please my kitty will you tell U/us more about your people."

i took a deep breathe and gathered my thoughts before speaking to T/them B/both.

"my people are capable of the same speech as humans and also some of the vocalizations of cats. W/we can purr, hiss, and make a growl like noise. i do believe it is the growl like noise that makes most people afraid of U/us. It comes off sounding quite menacing. i could demonstrate the noises that are cat like if You wish my Master."

"I don't see why not but only if Sir Kern's nerves are up to hearing the growl."

"I think my nerves can handle it, M'Lord if zara would be so kind as to demonstrate them."

"Very well then, i will make the noises for Y/you then."

i made the purring noise first. It was met with a smile from B/both of T/them. The next noise i made was the hiss seemed to be met with amusement. Since i was not truly angry or afraid i could not make it menacing.

The growl noise was met with commotion in the hallway. Master and Sir Kern chuckled at the sound of feet shuffling outside the Master's door way. Sir Kern went to the door and opened it. i could make out people scurrying and going back to what they had been doing.

"Sir Kern, I take from the shuffles outside My door that the some have taken to spying upon the goings on near My chamber. Is this from any one's orders or from their own inquisitive minds concerning zara and Myself?"

"M'Lord it may be a little of both. I think that some are still a bit concerned as was I about her presence in regular living quarters. I'm sorry but I was not very trusting of zara because I did not know her. I still had my reservations for Your safety M'Lord. That is my first priority is it not? My apologies to you, zara, but you are a stranger to this Household."

"Yes, it is and I am not mad. I expect you to be on top of things. I think the only thing I am in danger with zara is some restless nights."

Master spoke those words and B/both He and Sir Kern broke into laughter. Sir Kern did turn a bit red probably from thinking about what the words implied. i just simply purred as i knew it to be the truth. Of all the people, i had encountered in my life -- Master was one man that i had no desire to harm.

"Master speaks the truth Sir Kern and i will make this solemn oath before you. i will not raise a hand to Master even if it means that i forfeit my own life in doing so. He is an honorable Man and has not harmed me in the time i have been in His charge. i may grumble from time to time at how others might seek to treat me, but i will not harm them except if they raise an arm to harm Him. i will protect Him with my life. This is not a vow made lightly by my people, and i do not make it lightly either."

Master looked me square in the eye and shook His head. He was not accustomed to such words coming from a Lady or one in a status such as mine. Many a slave simply did that without ever making such a public vow. He held me a bit tighter to Him. i felt comfort at His touch and settled next to Him and purred once more.

"Sir Kern, I need to ask one thing of you. I don't ask this lightly and will understand if you wish to have some time to think upon this matter. If something should happen to Me, I would like for you to see to it that zara is taken care of. I do not know what the out come of this with Lord Ulrich will be. I won't have her fall back into His hands. Would you take care of her should I fall to some treachery of His?"

"M'Lord, I do not need time to think upon this. I may have only begun to understand zara and her people but can see into her and know that she is a good person. I promise to care for her should something ever happen to You. I pray that day never comes though M'Lord."

"I pray that it doesn't as well. Thank you for your word on this Sir Kern."

"Sir Kern, i hope to never make you regret the promise you have made this day. my people, i am sure would thank you as well should i ever get to embrace them again. my home is no longer amongst them for what ever reason. i live my life now amongst this Household. i do not know why i wasn't returned home when i reached puberty. *sighs a moment* my people are peaceful for the most part. we have tried to live in peace with humans, but so many do not understand what we are. i don't think that we fully understand how we came to be. we simply are this -- a cat that can walk and talk as any human can. we are a bit stronger than a human and our loyalty is unwavering i assure you."

Master smiled at me as i spoke to Sir Kern about my people. i could see Sir Kern loosen up a bit in my presence. i think he just needed to better understand what i was and that i didn't mean harm to anyone.

"zara, My dear sweet pet. Now that I know that you will be safe here in my House I release you from the bonds of slavery. You are no longer a slave but a member of this Household."

i struggled then in His arms at those words. These were not words that i wished to hear. i had come to think of Lord Elrik as someone very special to me. i certainly did not wish to be released from service to Him.

"No, Master, please don't release me. What have i done to make You do this? i promise that i will try harder in my service to You. i don't wish to released."

my eyes were pleading with Him not to do this. i could feel my tears welling up in my eyes. Sir Kern shifted in his seat again as tears flowed down my face. He looked rather uncomfortable witnessing this.

"zara, My mind is made on this issue. I can not keep you as a slave. I know your people would not be very happy with Me for keeping you as one. I will not keep you as a slave. The only thing that I can allow is for you to serve some function in this Household until the danger with Lord Ulrich has passed."

"Master, please i wish to remain as Your slave. i do not wish to be anything else in Your Household. i don't know how to be anything else. Please don't release me"

"zara, please this matter is not up for discussion. I can not allow you to be a slave any longer. I was wrong to even begin to keep you as one. I am sorry for creating this confusion within you. you deserve so much more than being a slave. you should be demanding to be restored to your rightful place in society. Not sitting in my lap begging me to be a mere slave."

Tears welled up more in my eyes as He continued speaking His words. It was clear to me that Master simply didn't understand that it wasn't slavery that i had grown to love but rather submission itself. i had to find a way to make Him see that was what i wanted more than any thing else. i would have to think upon how to go about making Him see that.

In that next moment, Master picked me up form His lap and set me upon my feet before Sir Kern. He stood up and didn't look me in the eye but instead spoke directly to Sir Kern.

"Take zara to the tailor and have some clothes given to her to wear. See to it that she is assigned living quarters. I, also, want her to shadow Tara for a few days. I want her to learn how to work in the kitchens. Perhaps there the My people won't bother her."

"Yes, M'Lord, I will see to Your orders. *looks in my direction* Come with me zara and I'll see that His orders are carried out."

"zara, there is one other thing. you may no longer call me Master. You are to call me Lord Elrik like everyone else in my Household. I know you don't understand this right now why I am doing this but I assure you that this is for the best."

i didn't understand but also knew that i was in no position to argue my point for the time being. Sir Kern led me out of Lord Elrik's quarters and was taken to the people i was to see. Some of the staff still looked at me with fear in their eyes as i walked past them. When i was shown to my quarters, i collapsed to the floor in a fit of tears. Once again life was changing on me and i didn't understand why. Sir Kern offered me his shoulder to cry on and i accepted it because in that moment that is what i needed.

"It will be okay zara. Lord Elrik only wishes what is best for you. I am sure His intent is not to inflict upon you this pain. I know you are hurt right now and don't understand. Hell I don't understand it. It is not for us to question Him though. You may come to me at any time if someone starts to hassle you. I take my oaths seriously. I do realize He meant if Lord Ulrich causes problems but you need someone right now."

Those words just made me cry more. He held me tight in his arms and tried to soothe me. There really wasn't any soothing me right then. This was just one more thing in my life that i had no control over. When was i going to be able to control my life?

"Please let me thank you Sir Kern for your comforting words. i am sorry for having dampened your shoulder. i am very confused and upset right now. i feel like everything i have ever known or thought i knew has been pulled out from under me. i don't expect you to understand why not being a slave is upsetting to me. i enjoy being a slave. It makes sense to me. It completes me and i don't need the approval or disproval of my people to know what it is that i want."

"I know zara but right now there is no changing His mind. Give me some time to think of something and I will help you. I don't know why I feel so compelled to do this but I know that your heart wants to not be separated from Him. We didn't travel all that way in the dead of night to give you something that you truly don't want. I do understand it isn't being a slave you miss but the service that a slave does for their Master. I don't know what is going on in Lord Elrik's mind right now but I assure you. I will find a way for you to return to things as they were."

i hugged Sir Kern a bit harder upon hearing those words. That was what i needed to hear. Finally someone understood me and what it was i wanted. This day was going to change my life forever.

Sir Kern gave me a few moments to compose myself and took me to the tailor to be fitted for some clothing. i was given some hand me down for moment but even those had to be altered a bit on account of my tail. i didn't want it trapped under the cloth. i wasn't accustomed to wearing much so this in itself was a change.

i over heard one of the sewing ladies complaining about having to make the special opening for my tail to fit through. i calmly walked up to the lady who made the comment and took up one of the bolt of lace and took some chord and tied it around her waist. i then asked her to sit down on that and see how she felt.

"Now tell me how comfortable it would if you had to sit on that unable to move it because your garments were in the way. i doubt you would find it comfortable. my tail is similar. It is not something i really want to sit on."

Sir Kern and the other ladies tried not to laugh but it was funny. Even the lady i had done that to was laughing. Sir Kern then gave me a stern look.

"i'm sorry i know i was just trying to make a point but i shouldn't have done in this manner."

"It's okay zara. I think all of us needed to be reminded a bit that *giggles* all of us have some place in the garments that we need a little extra room."

The tailor pointed at Sir Kern and made a gesture that indicated he needed a bit more room in the groin area. i noticed him turn bright red while the rest of us just giggled.

Sir Kern took me to the kitchens after the tailors were done with me to meet up with Tara.

"Tara, Lord Elrik, wishes zara to shadow you for the next couple of days to learn to work in the kitchens like the other girls. I trust that you will show her the proper way to serve in the dining hall as well."

"I will do as Lord Elrik asks Sir Kern. I will show zara around and make sure that she makes the adjustment to this smoothly. Come, zara, let me show you around. I am sure the others will want to get to know you too."

i followed Tara and Sir Kern left to return to his normal duties. He promised to check back later that day on me. i was nervous but knew that Tara wouldn't steer me wrong. She was a likeable girl and was sweet. She introduced me one by one to each of the other girls who after the initial shock wore off they began to warm up to me.

This was a beginning of a whole new life and i was scared as hell. i had been a slave for so long that i wasn't sure i could be any thing else. This was undiscovered country for me but i was willing to give it a shot. If i was to get back to where i truly wanted to be this was merely a stepping stone.

It was a really long day for me and i was disappointed that Lord Elrik was not among the dinners that evening. Tara kept me busy running back and forth between tables replenishing the bread loaves. It was a simple enough tasks to do and one that gave the Lord's people a chance to get to know me.

Sir Kern came and escorted me back to my quarters when my day was through. i was rather surprised to find that no one else was going to be sharing my room with me. i had thought not seeing anyone earlier was just a fluke. i started the fire in my fireplace as there was a chill in the air and asked him to sit with me for a while. i wasn't quite ready to be alone just yet with my thoughts.

i asked Sir Kern many questions about life here and he answered them all for me. He didn't seem in a rush to get any where. i must have dozed off during one of his more lengthy explanations and found a blanket wrapped about me when i awoke that next morning. i thought that was very sweet of him to do.

A part of me was really missing Lord Elrik but knew deep down that some how there was a lesson to be learned in this. i was going to hold my head up high and not let it show that i missed Him. In my heart, i knew that He had to be hurting on some level as well or He would not have avoided the dinning hall last night. i knew that i could get through this a day at a time.

i made my way to the kitchen and was soon met by Tara and others as the morning meal was taken into the hall and served. Lord Elrik was not among the dinners again. It was no big surprise to me as i knew He often took His breakfast in His chambers. i saw Tara slip away with a tray for a few moments. i knew where she was headed with it. my eyes followed her until she disappeared around the corner.

And so ends Chapter 6.