Tara woke in her bed the next morning, her sex damp and her body aching with need. Her dreams had been filled with the events of the past three days - of hands caressing her, of wet mouths and stiff cocks, of cool wine and hot flesh, of all that she had seen and heard and done and of this new being she was becoming. She sat up and winced, as the pleasurable ache she had felt lingering from her dream turned into a very real ache pulsing from her sore pussy and newly marked ass. Tara remembered her training and braced herself for the pain as she stood slowly and made her way to the bathing room.
After she had washed, freshened her mouth, and brushed her hair, Tara followed the sound of voices and laughter to the small kitchen area. Leanna was leaning against the wall, sipping tea from a stone cup and Katya was sitting at the table with two other girls Tara had never seen before. The first thing she noticed about them was that they wore collars that looked more like hers, although the markings on them were different.
Katya was the first to spot Tara hovering in the doorway. "Well, look who finally woke up," she said. Everyone turned to stare at Tara and she felt her skin heat up with embarrassment. "Tell us, Tara, we're all dying to know," Katya continued, her tone pointed, "Did you enjoy your... training yesterday?"
Tara clenched her fists and stared at the ground. Why did Katya always make her feel this way?
What could she say? That she herself didn't know how she felt about everything that had happened to her but that "enjoy" didn't come close to encompassing it? Tara felt many different things, but as she thought about it, it became very clear to her that ashamed wasn't one of them.
"Yes," Tara replied, lifting her chin, "I believe I did."
Katya's eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything else, they were interrupted by a paige at the door to their quarters. The other slaves, owned by guests of the Young Master, had been called, along with Katya, and Leanna hurried them all out the door. When she returned to the kitchen, she offered Tara some bread and tea and motioned for the girl to join her at the table.
"You've been marked," Leanna said.
"Yes, Mistress," Tara replied.
"Liam says you endured it quite well, all things considered..."
Tara's mind flashed back to the day before, to the afternoon spent fucking Lucas in every position over and over again, and then the evening that followed with Liam in the Training Room. He had recounted her infractions to her in detail and his corrections had come with stinging slaps and cruel pinches. When he had finally led her to a post on the far side of the room facing away from the wall where his implements hung, she had embraced the smooth, sturdy wood gratefully, expecting a spanking, yes - but also, just maybe, his fingers inside her again. She had been surprised when he held up the wooden cane for her to see.
"I'm going to mark you, Tara," he had said calmly. "It's going to hurt. You'll receive four strikes and I want you to count each one aloud. I don't want to have to bind you to the post, so you must try very hard to hold your position. Are you ready?"
"Yes, Sir," Tara had whispered.
But there was no way she could have been ready for the intense pain that exploded across her skin as the cane first made contact. It was unlike any punishment she had received so far and she didn't think she could bear it. As if reading her mind, she had felt Liam gently stroking her hair.
"Count, Tara," he reminded her softly.
A part of her had wanted to let go of the post, sink to her knees, beg him to stop, plead for mercy or forgiveness or anything but this. But somehow, she had managed to remain upright.
"One," she had choked out.
Liam had administered the remaining lashes with a measured hand until four red stripes of fire evenly crossed Tara's buttocks. By the time she counted four, Tara was sobbing, her legs were visibly shaking and she had bit into her own lip hard enough to taste blood. But she had held position, her fingernails digging into the post, her bare feet rooted to the ground. She had felt the warmth of Liam's body behind her pulling her hands free from the post.
"It's over now, Tara." he had said. "Shhh now, it's over, you're safe. And you've done so well, such a good little girl." And Tara had collapsed into his arms. She remembered him carrying her from the Training Room and placing her in her own bed, where he had sat next to her until she fell asleep.
"I didn't thank him properly," she said.
"What do you mean?" Leanna asked.
"Sir Liam," Tara replied. "I should have thanked him for.. marking me and I didn't."
Leanna regarded the girl thoughtfully. This new slave was full of surprises today. But her true tests were yet to come.
"Come with me," she said.
Leanna led Tara back to the bathing room and sat her down on the same platform where she had been bound and stripped of her hair not long ago.
"When was the last time you bled?" Leanna asked.
Tara furrowed her brow. She hardly paid attention to her cycle. It was more a nuisance to her than anything else.
"I'm not sure. Maybe... Two weeks before the Stewards arrived?"
Leanna nodded. She seemed to be counting in her head. Then she said, "It's important to keep track. There is only a short window each month where you may fall pregnant and once you know exactly when it is, your use will be restricted during that time."
Tara had only a vague understanding of how one became pregnant and she struggled to piece together what Mistress Leanna was telling her.
"Restricted... how?" she asked.
Leanna smiled and withdrew from the pocket of her robe what looked to Tara like a silver egg with a flared base and tapered handle.
"I think you're ready for the next phase of your training," she said.
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