A short chapter, but I think it was a good stopping point or you guys might have been waiting for another few months!
If you haven't read the previous chapters, please do so. These chapters are not standalone. Of course, my normal disclaimer... no sex involved.
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"So what were you humming earlier?" he queried.
Tali blushed, recalling the whole episode earlier where her master had snuck up on her, causing a whole scene to unfold.
"I... I don't know master, I apologize for being careless. I don't know what came over me," she wished she could say that she'd never do it again, but promises like that were hard to keep. "I know you already had to punish me today, master, but... I... umm.." she faltered. She was being greedy, and needy, and high maintenance! But... but she didn't know what else to say... "Please, master, will you punish me to help me remember? I.. I don't want to disappoint you anymore.. please!"
"Help you remember...what, exactly?" He intended the question to be playful. He should have known it wouldn't be received that way.
She realized, now, that her plea was ambiguous. Help her remember the tune, or help her remember not to hum again? She just about hated herself at this moment. She put down the fork she had been using to eat, noticing that she had clenched her fists so hard that the handle had imprinted itself in her hand.
Miro looked down at her and realized he didn't help the situation with his question. He wished he could just move out and hold her, but now his breakfast tray was in the way.
"Girl... I'm sorry, it's okay, come here."
She hated that he was sorry. She wanted to protest but she had just been punished for speaking out earlier, and she refused to make the mistake again so soon. She shifted on her knees and wobbled a little closer to him.
"Higher, come on."
She lifted herself off her heels and leaned in. He put a hand around her shoulder and drew her closer, so her head rested on his shoulder, careful not to disrupt his tray.
Tears leaked out of Tali's eyes. She didn't know what to do. She was out of her element, and he was comforting her. She felt weak.
"There's no reason to punish you. I enjoyed listening to you, and certainly, not everyone knows where the tunes they hum come from."
Even though he said that, she still wracked her brains to try to figure out where she had heard what she had been humming. She wanted to be able to answer everything he ever asked! She simply couldn't remember though.
"Thank you, master," she replied with the only thing she could think to say.
"Now, what do you say we finish breakfast and go buy you some new clothes?"
"Umm..." New clothes?
"You hadn't forgotten that we were going to do that, had you?"
"No, master!" Tali knew he had mentioned this last night... but... she just couldn't imagine having money spent on her for something she didn't even need! She hoped she could keep herself together during the trip.
"So why the hesitation?"
"I... I just hope I don't do anything to disappoint you, that's all," she said, her voice falling off at the end, knowing that her own tendencies could betray her. She seemed to find a way to screw everything up lately.
"Don't worry about it so much, girl, or you'll just make it inevitable."
"Yes, master."
She went back to her plate, and he back to his. After they were done with breakfast, she washed the dishes, and he took her to a place to buy some clothes.
"Tali, let me know what you like, and I'll make the final decision on what we will purchase in the end, alright?"
"I..." she looked around. She was surrounded by so much variety, she didn't even know how anyone could figure out what to buy. "I'll try, master."
He let her knew the general area where he'd be, and let her roam.
