She drove up to her Master's house and turned the car off. As she stepped out, she gave herself a few moments to enjoy the sounds of soft sighing leaves in the slight breeze and the warbling of songbirds. Her Master lived in a remote, heavily wooded area that she always enjoyed visiting; the escape from the chaos of city living was something she craved.
She pulled her overnight bag from the trunk and walked up the path to the front door. She had a brief moment's surprise that he was not there waiting for her. Usually he had the front door wide open by this point, his arms outstretched for the big bear-hug he always gave her after they had been apart for any length of time. But the door remained shut. Well, she thought, he was probably in the back of the house and didn't hear her drive up. She was a bit early; traffic had been kind and let her get through the city center with minimal delay. She knocked lightly then tried the door handle. The door swung open and she ventured inside.
The interior of the house was dark, except for a single candle resting on the small table by the door where she usually dropped her keys. The flame illuminated a folded piece of paper with her name on the outside. She reached for it with a slightly trembling hand and unfolded the paper.
Dearest:
Please remove your clothes, put on your collar and come to me in the upstairs bedroom.
Master
She reread the note just to make sure she understood, her heart pounding painfully. Her mind raced over the past two weeks, wondering how she had angered her Master, for surely this formality meant that she was to be punished. In all the many months that she and her Master had been exploring the depths of their relationship, she had never earned more than a hard swat or two for minor offenses. She reveled in obeying her Master and took pleasure in pleasing him. Now, this cold formality struck her like the hardest whip blow, and her stomach clenched at the thought that he may be planning to release her from his collar. But even with that thought turning her blood to ice, she obeyed. Slowly she removed each article of clothing until she was nude. She pulled her collar from the small pocket of her overnight bag and fastened the simple leather band around her neck. Then with a shaky breath, trying to keep the tears in her eyes from spilling down her cheeks, she walked up the stairs.
The hallway was pitch black, with the single open doorway at the end giving off just a small glow of more candlelight. She padded silently across the thick carpet and entered the bedroom. Her Master was standing in front of the foot of the bed, waiting for her. Even through her fear and uncertainty, his masculine presence hit her like a warm wind and her body automatically responded. Her nipples tightened to hard little nubs, and the tops of her thighs felt suddenly damp as she lowered her head and went to kneel at his feet.
She stayed still and silent, for the first time uncertain of what he expected of her. He also stood there silent. She could hear his measured breathing even over the pounding of her heart. Finally, a soft touch on the back of her head, and then he pulled her in to rest her cheek against his thigh. She kept her eyes closed, trying hard not to let him see her anguish.
His voice was low and strong as he began to talk. "Little one, I've been doing a lot of thinking these past two weeks. We have reached a crossroads in our relationship, and it's time for you to make a choice. I know that we've talked briefly about a permanent mark for you, and I have decided what I would have you wear. It is now up to you to decide if you trust me enough to accept the mark without knowing exactly what it will be."
She let out the breath that she had been holding in a rush, then broke down sobbing against his leg. Obviously startled, he let go of her head and pulled her upright, peering down into her face.
