I was silent while Lara skillfully cut through the bandages, which had tightened their grip on my body considerably during my struggles of the past night. I remained silent while she removed the collar of the breeding mask and replaced what I now understood to be a very ancient antique in its cabinet. We returned to her quarters where I retrieved my dress and put it on. I sat down to lace up my sandals, then Lara finally spoke to me again.
"I have other torments like that one planned for you, Pleasure imp, and you shall also be experiencing that one again." she said. "Each will end the same way, with a different Tribute each time!"
"I'm not sure that I should have been left bound up in those bandages while you went to bed, Lara!" I snapped back. "I was starting to have trouble breathing just before...before I disgraced myself!"
Lara looked at me with a mixture of anger and concern. "I am a Healer, Linzi!" she replied. "I would have never gone to sleep and left you unwatched! I was awake all night with you, my little imp. And I don't recall giving you permission to address me by name!"
"Your imp apologises Miss, she was angry at herself, but also at you." I replied. "Surely Miss realises that her imp is terrified of becoming the very thing the ordeal last night made of her?"
"I am fully aware of that, Linzi'estar!" Lara replied curtly. "If you want the torments to end, resist the lust that so easily controls you!"
With that, she basically hustled me to the door of her chambers and threw me out. There were still three hours before breakfast, so I wearily made my way back to my own suite to get some sleep. Tel'estar was sitting in an armchair, reading, when I staggered in and flopped face down on the couch. He knelt beside me and removed my sandals.
"I like your new hairstyle, my pet, but you are coming to bed very late!" he said softly.
"I'm sorry, Master, but I'm too upset to talk about it!" I replied, my eyes already closed.
He was already stripping off my dress as I spoke. He took me in his arms and held me on his lap, comforting me as I snuggled against his chest.
"My apologies for not warning you about Lara, my sweet Linzi." he said. "I suspected that she planned to make you her plaything, but I never anticipated her being so bold as to entrap you while I was still here!"
"It's what she did to me that I'm upset about, Master!" I began to sob against his chest now, as he stroked my hair. His fingers brushed against one of the Triskele earrings; he swept my hair back behind my ear and examined it. I groaned as he ran his fingers over the little silver roundel in my newly pierced ear, my earlobes still throbbing from the piercings.
"She should have NOT have done this to you!" Tel shouted, the first time I had ever seen him angry about anything. "This is a violation of your person as well as of your trust. I shall have her remove them immediately!"
"I'm sure if I insisted that she do that, she would, Master." I replied. "That isn't what I'm upset about. She tested me, and I FAILED! I let my imp nature fully control me and behaved like an animal!" I buried my face against his chest and sobbed bitterly. He stroked my hair and hugged me tighter.
"I understand why you struggle against your demonic nature, my sweet Linzi," Tel said, "and I admire you for it. But you are what you are, a Pleasure imp. Is it possible that your struggle may actually be doing you more harm than good?"
"Tr'skel has suggested that my imp nature may be preventing me from achieving Unity with Gyn." I answered. "Maybe if we can fully meld, Gyn will accept my being your slave. I understand Lara's reasons for treating me in this way, she is forcing me to test myself against her torments. I'm just really upset that I couldn't control myself!"
"Gyn will come around, my pet, one way or another. Melded demons never separate in life." Tel stated, with absolute certainty. "You do not need to put yourself through such trials, in fact I'm certain Gyn would not expect you to."
"There's more to it than that, Master." I said. "Tr'skel seems to believe that Gyn and I could have children if we achieve Unity!"
"And that is what you both want, of course." he replied. "What demon couple would not?" He squeezed me even tighter and kissed the top of my head.
I looked up at him. "Do you believe such a thing to be possible?" I asked.
"Demonic reproduction is much more like budding in plants, although a great deal more complicated, than hu-man genetic fusion. The melding of demon parents to produce a new essence, a new consciousness, is of far more significance. The body is simply a vessel for the new essence." Tel explained. "The power of the estar has transformed you twice, Linzi'estar, and Gyn's transformative power infuses with your body when you are melded and sometimes, I am sure, physically."
"Master!" I exclaimed, smiling wickedly. "Such things are private!"
He laughed softly. "Of course, my pet!" he replied. "I was simply speculating on how it may be possible for you to bear younglings."
"Well, thank you for explaining, Master." I replied. "I'm now more determined than ever to succeed!"
"I have no doubt that you will, my sweet little Linzi." he answered. "Now, your Master commands you to sleep for him."
I snuggled up against his powerful body, felt his tenderness and affection for me, and was immediately asleep. When I awoke, I was in the bath, still in his lap, his strong hands gently bathing me.
