Mindgames

Chapter 7: Wounds

Present day

Mariah held the crook of Master Gabriel's arm. She tried not to lean on it too heavily. She could feel his warmth radiating through his shirtsleeve. He smelled good. Clean, like rain. She had never particularly noticed the smell of a master before, except their breath when it was hot and rancid on her face. The old memory of Master Jonas flashed through her mind. Involuntarily she clutched harder at Master Gabriel's arm.

He was telling her something about flowers. Nasturtiums. There was a bed of them, red and yellow and orange. Their cheerfulness assaulted Mariah. Edible, Master Gabriel was saying. Spicy. Then he turned to her and his face relaxed from earnest to gentle. "You're tired," he said. He led her back to the wheelchair. It was no more than fifty yards from the flowerbed, but by the time they got there Mariah was shaking.

Just as she had sat down heavily, a runner came out of the mansion, panting heavily. When he saw Master Gabriel he fell to his knees before him and offered up a folded note. Gabriel read it, frowned, and turned to Mariah. "There's been an accident at the stable where I keep my horse," he said. "I haven't time take you home, and I daren't leave you here. Will you come?"

"I am yours to comm..." Mariah started to say. But Master Gabriel gave her a look, and she was so tired. "Yes, Master," she amended.

If Master Gabriel noted Mariah's brief concession to the mindgame, he gave no sign. He helped her into the wheelchair. He started to push the chair over the grass, but it was bumpy and slow. He backtracked to the paved walkway. There was a slight curb onto the pavement which jolted the chair, giving Mariah a shock of pain through her ribs that made her gasp. Master Gabriel ignored her, half-running with the chair towards the perimeter of the lawn and taking a right onto the road that encircled it.

When they arrived at an outbuilding, Master Gabriel stopped, panting from his exertion. He ran his fingers through his hair and breathed deeply several times. Then he began to push Mariah's wheel contraption, this time at a firm walk.

They turned the corner to the building. A slavegirl, with auburn flyaway hair, and so short that at first Mariah thought she was still a farm slave, ran up to them and skidded to her knees before them. "Get up, Jordyn," Master Gabriel said without breaking his stride, "and tell me what happened."

Jordyn rose without hesitation. "It's Remarque," she said. "He was riding Plantana out of the stable when something spooked her and she threw him. He hit the back of his head on Master Stefan's glass window and was cut bad when it shattered. Master Stefan won't let the vet look at him. He's waiting for you."

Jordyn led them into the building. The sweet scent of hay and dung assaulted Mariah. A group of slaves were hovering near the entrance. Master Gabriel started to push Mariah's wheel contraption through but stopped and turned to Jordyn. "This is Mariah," he said. "Take care of her."

Jordyn nodded. "Of course, Master," she said respectfully.

Master Gabriel hesitated for a moment, looking from Mariah to the crowd and back. "Keep her out of trouble."

Jordyn nodded again. "Don't worry, Master," she said. She flashed him a smile but looked towards the crowd. Master Gabriel gave her a little nod, and plunged into the circle of people. They parted to let him through.

∞ ∞ ∞

Remarque was lying on his back on the floor of the stable. Stefan was kneeling on the ground next to him, naked from the waist up, holding his blood-soaked shirt to the area where the slave's neck met his left shoulder. When Stefan saw Gabriel he let out of a sigh of relief. "Thank the stars that idiot runner found you," he said, sounding ragged.

Gabriel knelt on the ground next to Stefan. "How long ago did it happen?" he asked.

"Half an hour or more," Stefan answered, his voice cracking.

Gabriel laid two fingers on the other side of the slave's neck from the cut. Then he looked at Stefan. "I have a new rule," he said. "I'll look at this slave in return for your promise not to punish him for a full moon cycle."

Stefan's eyes bugged out. "You would bargain with me while he might be dying, Healer?" he asked. When Gabriel said nothing, Stefan said, "Yes, yes, I agree. Do what you can for him."

Gabriel looked glanced back towards Mariah and gave her a smile with the side of his mouth facing away from Stefan. He reached into his medicine pouch for a gel that he rubbed over his hands. At the same time he looked down at the slave and said softly, "Remarque." The slave blinked opened his eyes. "Do you know who I am?" Gabriel asked.

"The outlander," Remarque said, his voice hoarse.

Gabriel nodded. He held two fingers a few inches above Remarque's face and moved them slowly side to side. "What are the names of the horses you take care of?" he asked.

"Boxer, Tinder, Racer . . . "Remarque said. "That devil Plantana." His eyes followed Gabriel's fingers.

Gabriel gave a small sigh of relief. "You're going to be fine. You've a nasty cut on your neck but you missed the artery. I'll fix you right up."

"How can you tell that he missed the artery?" Stefan asked in a worried undertone. "You haven't even looked."

Gabriel said shortly, "If he had cut the artery he'd be dead by now. I was more concerned about a concussion." He looked around, craning to see past the slaves around him. "He's lost too much blood to sit up, but I need him higher to stitch him cleanly. Have you a table?"

"In the tack room," Stefan said, indicating behind them.

Gabriel looked around, and nodded. Without an order being given, two of the slaves hurried into the room and cleared off the table. Gabriel directed several of the others to gently lift Remarque, while Stefan kept pressure on his neck. He sent others to bring a bucket of clean warm water.

He found the salt in his medicine bag and poured a couple of tablespoons into the water. He reached into the bag again and found bandages and his scissors, meticulously wrapped. He cut away the material from Stefan's shirt until only the part directly over Remarque's wound remained. Then he indicated to Stefan to remove his hand from the makeshift bandage. He nodded, pleased. "You stopped most of the bleeding yourself," he said.

He slowly began to wash away the remaining cloth from the wound. Remarque groaned and moved his head. Gabriel instructed Stefan to hold the slave's head still, and said to Remarque, "This is going to pinch. You've lost so much blood that I can't give you anything to numb it." He waited for Remarque's eyes to meet his. "A man who can handle a horse like Racer can handle this. But I won't start until you're ready."

Remarque looked away from Gabriel. A blonde slavegirl, slightly taller than Jordyn, pushed her way next to the desk and took his hand. Remarque relaxed. "I'm ready, Master," he said.

Gabriel nodded at Stefan, who tightened his grip around Remarque's head, keeping it still. Remarque's eyes widened with fear. The blonde said, conversationally, "Guess who I saw at the pond yesterday." Remarque looked her way, and the girl began to tell a long, meandering story about a feral dog.

Gabriel slowly washed away the remains of Stefan's shirt. Using a cup, he poured some of the warm water over the wound, letting the blood and water mix and fall onto the floor below them. He would have to talk to Stefan about disinfecting the area later. When he was satisfied that the wound was clean, he took a sterile needle and thread, and sewed the wound. All the while, the girl continued telling Remarque her story.

When at last he finished, Gabriel put his tools back in an outside pocket of his medicine bag. He took Remarque's free hand. "You're going to be fine," he said. "But you need to take it easy. That means no work." Gabriel looked at Stefan as he said this, and Stefan nodded. "The stitches will come out in ten days. After that, we'll see."

Gabriel picked up his bag. Suddenly he remembered Mariah. He couldn't see her. Where had she gone? What had she done? He was about to yell her name, when a couple of slaves moved, and he saw her sitting quietly behind them. He let out a breath.

∞ ∞ ∞

"Can Remarque borrow your chair, Mariah?" Master Gabriel asked her. "The sleeping quarters are in back, and he can't walk it."

Mariah jumped up precipitously. She had been lost in Master Gabriel's treatment of Remarque. His hands were so competent, his demeanor so calm, his abilities so deep. She shook her head, angry at allowing herself to be impressed.

Stable hands helped Remarque into the chair. Most of them went with him as Master Gabriel wheeled him towards the back of the building, Gabriel talking in a low voice to Master Stefan.

Mariah found herself alone with Jordyn. "Don't you want to go with them?" she asked ungraciously.

Jordyn shrugged. "Your master told me to stay with you," she said. She added a little mischievously, "And to keep you out of trouble."

Mariah scowled. "If your master knew the kind of trouble I am, he'd beat you just for talking to me."

To Mariah's surprise, Jordyn laughed. "Master Stefan knows," she said. "You're the kind of trouble that would keep Master Gabriel from his horse for half a moon cycle." Impulsively she took Mariah's hand and said, "I began to think I would never lay eyes on you. I almost wondered if you were a mindgame."

Mariah recoiled, which hurt and made her scowl. Jordyn continued, a little contritely, "I knew Master Gabriel wouldn't lie. But were you really outside the wall?"

Mariah nodded, her thunder stolen. "I've seen the wall," Jordyn said in a low voice, conspiratorially.

Mariah shrugged scornfully. "Some slaves grow up within sight of the wall," she said. "But they never go outside it."

Jordyn frowned angrily, but then a look of understanding crossed her face. "You're tired," she said. "We can wait in Master Stefan's office. He won't mind." She started to take Mariah's arm but she pulled away.

"I can take care of myself," she hissed.

Jordyn shrugged and stepped back, indicating that Mariah should precede her into a room opposite the tack room. Inside, Jordyn sat down on a divan chair placed against the wall, with a tilt of her head indicating that Mariah should sit next to her. Mariah lowered herself slowly, as if it made no difference to her. They sat in silence for a few minutes, each stubbornly staring straight ahead at Master Stefan's meticulously neat desk.

At last Mariah said, "You trust him, don't you?"

Jordyn looked confused for a moment but then said simply, "Master Gabriel? Yes, I do."

"Why?"

Jordyn considered. "I can show you better than I can tell you. But you have to let me help you walk, or I won't do it."

Mariah scowled, and then nodded. Leaning on Jordyn, she walked down the open space between the stalls that lined either side of the stable. Mariah pretended not to be awed by the large animals as they passed, and if Jordyn noticed that Mariah clutched at her arm she did not mention it.

Jordyn stepped into a stall on the right. Mariah started to follow her but stopped short when she saw a large horse turn and walk towards Jordyn. Jordyn kissed the horse between its eyes and petted its neck. She turned to Mariah. "Look at her," she said softly. "Her spirit is completely unbroken, yet she is as trusting as a child raised by its mother."

Mariah watched blankly until comprehension awoke. "This is Master Gabriel's horse?" she asked.

Before Jordyn could respond, Master Stefan answered from behind her, "Ridden from the far ends of the earth for the express purpose of rescuing you, it appears."

Mariah fell to her knees, painfully. Master Stefan's sardonic half smile turned to a complete frown. "Get up," he said. "Gabriel's done enough for me this day that I won't have you hurting yourself in these stables."

Mariah stood up tall, stubbornly refusing to lean against the wall of the stall for support. Master Stefan looked her appraisingly up and down. "Pity you were ruined instead of making a stable hand," he said. "We could've turned that bravado into courage."

Mariah retorted, "If you'd have taught me to ride, I wouldn't come crawling back here every evening, waiting for your lash to fall."

Jordyn gasped, but Master Stefan just laughed meanly. He turned to the back of the stable and said sarcastically, "Well, Gabriel, I can certainly see how her charms would snare you so."

Master Gabriel came into view, pushing the wheel contraption. He looked tired. Jordyn walked up to him and quietly lay her hand on top of his on the handlebar behind the chair. "Is there anything I can do for you, Master?" she asked. As Master Gabriel smiled a little and shook his head, to Mariah's shock she felt a stab of jealousy, as if she should be the one debasing herself so. Master Gabriel's eyes met hers, and his smile seemed to include her.

"You'd better sit in this contraption, Mariah," he said, "or I might take your place and have you push me home."

Mariah obeyed, shamefaced. As she sat, Master Gabriel gave Master Stefan care instructions for Remarque. Master Stefan said, "Gabriel, I thank you. A vet would have killed him, I know..."

Master Gabriel started to wheel Mariah towards the stable exit. "Treat him well," he said. "That will be thanks enough."

Mariah remembers

Mariah awoke dizzy and disoriented. Thinking she was late for the fields, she tried to jump up but her limbs were bound. In pieces she remembered the horse ride, the waiting room, being chosen by Master Jonas, and finally what he had done to her-when? This morning? Yesterday? She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She heard Master Jonas' laugh, and saw him approaching her. "Well, no question you're a slave, huh, girl?" he said. He placed his hand on her crotch and pressed his index finger into her pussy. She was still gooey there, but his finger was large and it hurt. Mariah whimpered. Master Jonas laughed again. He pulled his finger out, quickly, and it hurt as much as it had going on.

Master Jonas unbuttoned his pants and took out penis. Mariah stared at it, puzzled and afraid. It was stiff and big and it pointed at her. Master Jonas rubbed it and it seemed to get even larger and stiffer.

Suddenly Master Jonas flung his body on top of Mariah's so that they were lined up, face to face, chest to chest, groin to groin. "I gave you pleasure," he whispered to her. "Now you pleasure me." He pressed against her body,

Mariah thought Master Jonas was putting his finger back inside her pussy, but she realized it was something much bigger. It seemed like it was tearing her. She groaned and tried futilely to wiggle away.

Mariah tried to calm herself, to think but she couldn't. She wanted to scream. Suddenly the pain below subsided somewhat as Master Jonas gave a throaty groan and one final shove, and then sprawled on top of Mariah, his eyes closed. Mariah felt more disgusted by his face near hers than when he had tortured her with Spot; but, free of immediate pain, she was able to gain control of her mind and her body. She lay still. "It's just a mindgame," she told herself. Indeed, what Master Jonas had just done to her was less painful than many thrashings she had been given, and certainly quicker.

After an eternity Master Jonas stirred and opened his eyes. "Kiss me," he said to Mariah, his voice husky. Mariah pursed her lips and pecked him on the cheek. Master Jonas laughed softly. "Like this," he said, and, placing his mouth on hers, parted her lips with his tongue and softly explored her mouth. To her horror Mariah felt a ticklish sensation in her clitoris. She tried to pull back but this was impossible. Master Jonas shifted his position slightly so that his penis rubbed the top of her legs as he continued to kiss her. She felt wetness down there, and felt his penis grow against her inner thigh, but he did not enter her again, not yet. He cupped her face with his hands so that it was as immobilized as her body, and continued to softly kiss her. His penis poked at her. It was rubbing her clitoris now.

Master Jonas raised his hips and reentered her pussy, but slowly this time. Still sore, she cried out, but the sound was muffled by Master Jonas' own mouth. He pulled his head back. "Shsh," he said, and kissed her as he pushed his penis forward. He moved slowly in and out of her, his penis rubbing against her clit, his mouth against hers. Mariah wanted it to stop feeling good. She did not want to have another orgasm, not from him. But she couldn't keep her body from responding to him. With a cry of despair she spasmed around him. Master Jonas continued to kiss her and to fuck her slowly, until she came again. He gave a great thrust with his penis, and a gasp, and, as before, collapsed on top of Mariah.

Present day

Gabriel was in a foul mood when he left his clinic. Two teenagers who had started internships with him the previous week had neither showed up nor sent word. The clinic was bursting with what Animal dismissively called the "wart cases" - kids with acne, women with wrinkles, men with athlete's foot. Wash your face, smile less, rub it with garlic, he wanted to scream at them.

And of course there was the usual assortment of battered slaves. Each master or mistress promised that they would neither punish nor torture their slaves for a month if Gabriel would treat them, but there was one man who he had come in with infected cuts the week before who was now back with a broken finger. His mistress was astonished that Gabriel remembered him, since "really, they are all alike." Gabriel splinted the slave's finger anyway, and watched in disgust as he licked his mistress's shoes. What would the elders back home say? Had he made a mistake when he argued so hard that he should be chosen to come to Riviera despite their arguments that he was young and untried? He would have to do better.

At least, he thought, while Mariah stayed under his care she would come to no further harm. He could heal and protect her, and give her safety. As he so often did, he remembered her eyes as they had looked when he had first seen her, fierce and wild. He smiled. He would heal her, and she would look that way again.

He entered his apartment. Animal and Rose were mixing pigments at the table, and Mariah was doing a breathing exercise he had taught her. Animal and Rose greeted him. Mariah ignored him. He said hello and then threw himself on the couch and stretched out, putting his arm over his eyes.

Animal cleared his throat. "Umm, Gabriel?" he said. When Gabriel looked at him, Animal pointed at the floor by the couch. Mariah was prostrating herself there.

Gabriel's body reacted before his mind, scooting away from her. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, disgusted. Mariah didn't answer, but her body trembled.

"That's the position a slave takes when she wants permission to speak," Animal said mildly.

"What?" Gabriel said. He looked down at Mariah. If she injured herself by twisting herself into some ridiculous position her body wasn't ready for . . . His days without sleep, caring for her. . . . The hours and hours of physical therapy he did with her. . . . Her eyes . . . .

"No," he said, his voice low and harsh. "I do not give you permission to speak. If you want to talk to me you get up and look me in the eye."

Mariah sat up, her face hot. Gabriel put his hand under her shoulder. He stopped himself before he lifted her onto the couch, realizing he could injure her. When he took his hand away Mariah pulled herself onto the cushion. "That's better," Gabriel growled. "Now, what?"