Chapter 3: Safari
In all my time at The Academy, I have taken only one personal slave. I never meant to. If I could have it my way, I would never have something so personal, something so indulgent. But this was different. It struck me. The beauty of it, and the exotic nature of it. I always told myself this was a business, that it cannot be personal, and there I go, breaking the rules again.
It became obvious, I needed a vacation. I needed downtime. Daniel, one of my trainers, mentioned it to me one day after seeing me enter the guests’ lounge dressed in flannel pajamas. For me, a woman who makes her image by Vercace, DKNY, Vera Wang, and Chanel, flannel pajamas and uncombed hair in a scrunchie are not the norm. Daniel was right. I needed downtime. I called a meeting with the trainers and put Gabriel in charge in my absence. Arianna, my secretary and one of the former slaves in The Academy would accompany me on my vacation. She needed some time off as well. Now, where to go?
I called the man who owns The Academy; I will call him Michael, to arrange for me to have some time off. In the years that I have worked at The Academy, I have taken one other vacation, and that was a weekend leave and I never left London. Michael is first class though, and when the trainers need downtime, he provides for them, always lavishly.
“Michael?”
“Yes? Lily dear, how are you darling?”
“Oh, everything is okay...”
“Lily...” his voice was dead pan. “If everything was okay, you wouldn’t be on the phone with me.”
“You’re right. You’re always right. Um...I don’t know how to ask this...I.... okay...I need some time off. I think I need some time off badly.”
“Are you okay, Lily?”
“Yeah, just tired. I am working so much, every day, no breaks and I just...I am getting migraine headaches, too much stress. I look like hell. I need out of here for a while.”
“All you have to do is ask, love. I can give you three weeks vacation; anywhere you want, dear. I will need you here in London for the auction on the 28th though.”