Larin

He stood and went to bed, leaving the light on so he could watch her, trembling and sweating. In the morning, he pulled the phallus out of her roughly, but he eased the plug out of her and cleaned away the blood before letting her out of the cage to eat. The girl servant who bathed her brought the meal up.

Larkin was unable to sit, so she drank her soup standing and Wynter didn't admonish her. He drug her back out to the wooden plank and tied her down. It was much colder, but she closed her eyes and tried to go somewhere else.

At midday, he came out and looked down at her. "Let me say the words and I will let you up."

She stared up at him silently until he walked away angrily.

That night he returned. "Let me say the words or you stay all night. Larkin? Larkin!" He slapped her face, bringing her out of her stupor, then untied her. He had to carry her to the baths and lower her into heated water before she would completely come around, even then it was just to whimper and squirm, trying to escape her hurts.

"Let me say it Larkin and I will let you end it."

She blinked at him, then purposefully pressed her lips together as she stared into his eyes. He scowled and pulled her out of the water and took her up to his room. He chained her to the bed and lay down next to her. She knew he was not asleep as she lay there, still shivering. The blankets weren't helping much, she had no heat to hold.

Wynter rolled from his back, moving close to her and laying an arm over her. "You will not get sick," he commanded.

"I will do my best," she whispered. She turned her face to his chest and he let her.

She woke to his hand roving up to her breast to squeeze it and him rolling onto her again. He wasn't as rough as the day before, working her to excitement before sliding into her. She wrapped her legs around him and bit her lip, trying to bite back her moans of pleasure. They escaped anyway as she met his thrusts with her own hips. His mouth went hers again, his kiss angry and rough though he was still moving gently. She kissed him, moaning into his mouth as she rose closer to climax. He pulled back his thrusts coming faster and faster. She came before he did, her cry as she did swallowed by his mouth again as he buried himself inside of her as deep as he could to come himself. He continued to kiss her, holding her face in his hands. She lost herself again, forgetting that she was playing a role. He did not stop until there was a knock on the door and the servant came in with food.

He pulled back and stared down at her in a daze for a moment, then scowled and pushed off of her. He undid her bindings and went to the table. She cleaned up and followed, eating silently and stealing glances at him. He looked at war with himself as he stared down at his plate, not touching it. Larkin knew he was. She didn't push it, she sat quietly until he finally stood, his plate untouched. She eyed the knife next to his plate. Could she reach it before he stopped her? If he did, he would know she was still trying to manipulate him. She needed a better chance.

"I am going to go down to the bath. You will come and bathe me."

Larkin stood obediently and waited for him to turn that direction. When he didn't she looked up at him. He was looking down at her looking lost and confused.

Her heart broke and tears sprang to her eyes before she could drop her gaze. He jerked her face back up to his, looking into her eyes. Her lip trembled as tears flowed. "Wynter... please. I cannot bear your anger and hate. Punish me... please? It helps you release your anger and I know part of you enjoys it. Please... I can't..."

"Be quiet. I won't let you go Larkin. I won't let you die. I won't let you make a fool of me again."

"No, Wynter. No. I will not. I did not understand then what I know now. All I can do is prove it to you... once you are done releasing your anger. Not before. I do not want you to have any hate in your heart for me."

"Let's go," he growled, grabbing her arm and pulling her down to the bath. She washed him slowly, rubbing his head as she washed his hair. She rubbed his shoulders and then his back before stepping into the tub with him and washing his chest. She was very careful not to touch his cock or try to arouse him, she just washed him. At the very last, she washed his cock, but quickly and not lingering. His eyes were hooded when he watched her step out of the tub and she knew he had expected her to try and excite him again. Instead she held up the toweling. "Get back in," he demanded. "Wash yourself."

She stepped back in and quickly washed herself, then looked up at him. Her lips parted and her breath caught at the look in his eyes. She swallowed and moved closer to him, then hesitated. She licked her lips, then straddled him, looking up at his face. He sat back, watching her, but she felt him get hard between her thighs. She reached down slowly and guided him into her with a sigh of pleasure. She closed her eyes and slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her. When she was cheek to cheek with him, riding him slowly, she opened her eyes and looked at the razer. How many steps? Could she reach it before he could get out of the tub? His hands moved to her hips and she felt pleasure rising in her again. She closed her eyes, turning away from the razor. She pulled back far enough to kiss him, then chased that feeling, the pleasure building in her. She came with a cry and then a whimper, then rode him wildly as she chased a second. He came hard, yanking her hips down onto him to shoot into her. She was panting, so close as she rolled against him, grinding. He rocker her forward, lifting her off of him as he slid to fingers into her and found her spot with his thumb. He brought her quickly, pulling her up to kiss her again when he did. She lay panting in his arms, staring up at him wide eyed.

"Tell me the truth he demanded," looking hurt as he looked down at her from inches away.

"I have Wynter. I ran because I was afraid of you, afraid of how I felt. Afraid you didn't feel the same about me and you would forever hate me. Forever be angry with me. It broke my heart and I thought it would not hurt you so much if I did."

"Is that the truth, Larkin?"

"It is. I have never wanted another man. It was you I dreamed of and wished could care for me as I did you. I was only your slave though, a thing you wanted to hurt, someone you could never love. I hated myself for loving you so much when you felt so little for me. I was ashamed over how much I needed you. Even as I was running, I dreamed of you and wanted you. I almost turned around so many times, but I knew you would kill me. You didn't love me so you could never forgive me."

"How many?" he asked. He had tried to sound harsh, but he sounded more hurt.

"None. I never wanted another to touch me as you did. I dressed as a boy, travelled in the woods, avoided people. I stopped in a place where men were extremely well mannered and never even spoke coarsely to me. I took the name of the innkeepers dead daughter and he treated me like a daughter. He was a good man. Most of them were good, gentle, men. It was easy to keep my distance from all of them."

"But they wanted you."

"If they did, they did not act on it. None even asked me to go for a walk or anything else. They spoke kindly to me after I was there for weeks, but not before. It was a different place from here. I was happy with that. I could live and imagine what it might be like if you had loved me, thought about the times when you were sweet... and what your arms felt like, and how good you made me feel when... you know. When you came, I knew it was not because you cared, it was because I had embarrassed you. You were going to torure me to death. When you told me... Wynter, I have never felt like more of a fool in my life. I can see it now, looking back. How sweet you were to me... how you had stopped hurting me... everything you had done for me once we arrived. Even the clothes should have told me. I was so convinced you could not love me..."

"Enough," he said gruffly. "Wash up and get out." He got out of the tub and dried off, then picked up the razor and put it up high enough that she could no longer see it, let alone reach it.

She tried not to sigh or look disappointed as she hurried. He led her out of the bathroom, then hesitated. She knew he was debating on taking her out to the slab again. He looked down at her. "If you let me say it, I won't do it."

She looked up at him, then walked out to the slab herself, laying on it as he followed. He tied her down slowly, watching her face in confusion. He didn't tie her tightly, though it was secure. He came back in the afternoon.

"Let me say it," he demanded. He didn't seem upset, only lost.

She shook her head and he left. He returned at nightfall.

"Let me say it or you will be here all night Larkin. Larkin? Damnit!" He had to carry her back into the baths again and let the warm water bring her around. It had been close that time. He stared down at her as he held her in the hot water. She was still half out of it when he carried her up to his bed.

He woke to her head on his shoulder and her arm over him. She had moved in the night and he had not woken. She was not chained, he had thought any movement would wake him. She did not flee, she came to him and laid on him, snuggling with him. Why? He rolled her off of him and she woke with a gasp.

"My Wynter?" she asked sleepily, then came full awake when he nudged her legs open.

"Do you want my cock, Larkin?"

"Yes. Always."

"Because you are a whore?"

"Only for you. I am your whore Wynter."

"I won't be fooled again Larkin."

"I have no wish to fool you. Keep me tied down. Forever if you must. I will not fight it. Punish me as you need to, just please don't hate me. That, I could not bear."

"I think you are lying to me."

"I don't expect you to trust me. I don't deserve it. I know I betrayed you... All I can do is prove it to you. Even then, I know it will take a lot of time. Time I do not deserve. In the meantime... I still wish to please you. And I admit, it feels wonderful to me as well. I suppose in that it means I have ulterior motives."

"How many?" he asked darkly.

"None Wynter. There has only ever been you."