DECA: MACI
She awoke in a bed. She'd... fallen asleep on a stool? The last thing she recalled was waiting miserably to attend the cock of the blasted magician who'd cursed her terribly. Now she was in a comfortable bed. She was naked save for a man's light tunic and the rubbery, awful Kraken panties! She sat up, pulling the heavy covers around her.
Where WAS she!? A... workshop An artisan's workshop--oh! There was a stone balcony attached to the bed-chamber and doors were open with sunlight streaming in. She smelled sizzled meat and eggs, her stomach suddenly reminding her how hungry she was.
Not trusting anything, she edged her way out of bed. Was her dress around here somewhere?
"Ah--Maci. You've awakened." The Artisan Master was in the doorway to the main workshop. She blushed and colored and was glad the tunic she wore came down to her thighs.
"I have breakfast," he gestured at a small metal table outside and two chairs.
She was tempted to tell him she wasn't hungry--but she was quite hungry and the food smelled delicious. She nodded. She'd never dealt closely with an artisan before. She had a general, if vague idea of how they worked. At least she thought she did.
"The stone might be cold," he said. "There are slippers." he gestured to two pink slippers--clearly not his--by the bedside. Also a thin but long coat. No pants or skirts though. She pulled it the jacket and slid her feet into the slippers.
"Well, that ought be warm enough," he decided. "But you'll tell me if you are chilled out there, yes?"
She nodded. She was sorely tempted to be sullen with him--to blast him with her resentment after he'd left her to thrash in agonizing discomfort for an hour or more yesterday--but she was sent here to apologize to him with her mouth and tongue and she didn't feel like icy resentment over breakfast was going to get her far.
"Thank you," she managed. He gave her a look that suggested he didn't really think she meant it. She wasn't entirely sure herself--but she exited the room and sat on the chair.
"If you need to--ah--visit the bathroom." he said, with a blush, "I've asked a girl--an acolyte--to wait outside and take you. I am not to leave you alone--but she won't punish you so long as you behave.
She squirmed in the tight, slick-feeling panties. A pause and she nodded.
The girl was good about cleaning her up. It was dreadfully humiliating but when it was over she slipped the awful panties back over her and the girl walked her back to the bedroom and out towards the balcony where Artisan Tanaris sat, looking at something he seemed to hold in the cupped palm of his hand and rubbing or poking at it with a finger.
"Best luck, penitent-Maci," the acolyte whispered to her before departing. Apparently they weren't entirely comfortable around the Artisans either.
She edged out and he nodded without looking up. "A moment, Maci," he said. "You may begin eating as much as you like."
She took one of the pieces of bread--warm from heating with a crackly layer and butter across it. She dipped it into the yolk of a fried egg. It smelled wonderful. She tasted it with pleasure.
He looked up, examining her. She was uneasy but forced herself to be controlled.
"We met in an awkward fashion yesterday--and I was already hugely vexed when I punished you," he said. She gave a grim nod.
"It's.... not exactly an apology," he continued. "But you were sent to me afterwards for an... unpleasant task--and I wanted to be clear I didn't request that."
Maci flushed. She was mad at this man--this boy--what? Seven years her senior at most?? She hugged the jacket, even though it wasn't that cold out. She nodded.
"It... got me out of the Mother's Clutches if only for a few hours," she admitted. "I hate to be thankful for that small mercy--but I am," she said. She was.
He nodded. Was he relieved? That she hadn't yelled at him?? She was hardly going to risk that!
"Well, I have you for more time," he said. "I shan't send you back earlier than I have to unless you require it."
Now she blushed hard. This was not at all what she'd expected. After the dismal, degrading practice sessions with Bryce, she had imagined herself on her knees before the imperious magician, working at swallowing his cock without gagging until he yelled at her, sending her crawling away. After the horror of her revealing her fantasy before him, she thought she'd be relieved to be expelled from his presence.
However now she realized just how frightened of that outcome and the terrible rejection and humiliation she was anticipating. She took another bite of the bread.
"It's good with the--" he gestured. "The berry-jam."
She nodded, looking down, demurely she hoped. She didn't want to offend him! Not when he was being nice to her!
"I'm not looking forward to returning," she admitted. "They are determined to break my spirit, I think."
"I had thought you a house girl--save for your fine blouse and those exotic... underthings," he said. "Why are you in their clutches?"
She detailed the events that had led her to the 'marriage block' and her failure to contain her annoyance which had, very unlucky for her, resulted in one of the few displays of disdain that would land her firmly and miserably under their punishment. She could have been hauled before the courts for doing that in their hall!
"The suggestion was planted," he observed, eyes narrowing.
"Mmm?" She asked.
"The girl who instructed you not to roll your eyes--that suggestion stayed with you. I do not imagine you do that commonly: you are clearly from a good family and I imagine your mother would--"
"She would spank me and worse--yes," Maci said. "If I rolled my eyes with her, I'm sure I would be unable to sit for days and likely have other miseries heaped on top of me."
"Yes," he agreed. "So the aide suggested it in a way calculated to slip the idea into your head such that when you were pressed, it would bubble back up. Possibly a form of hypnosis."
"I don't--" she paused. "Mesmerism? You think??"
It was his turn to be surprised. "I--yes, that is the technical term--Yes, Maci. That is my thought. You were like a fish in a pond. The hook was baited and when you bit, they reeled you in."
She flushed--anger--helpless outrage. Oh!!
She forced herself to calm her breathing. It might have been a trap, but she walked into it.
"So they will have you--until you are married?" he asked. He took a sip from one of the glasses of juice. The enclave seniors ate well.
"That's what they say--to my 'highest bidder'--whatever that means. They called it the Marriage Block--like a slave's auction block. I don't think suitors will literally pay for me."
He chuckled. But: "And your mother--your family--they have nothing to say?"
"My mother SENT me to them." she scowled. "That was my fault as well. She arranged an audience and I responded so badly I was shamed into attendance. Had I simply refused and left it at that, she'd have been angry but she wouldn't have forced me to go."
She kicked at the table leg. Frustration. Recrimination. She'd worked hard to get into this miserable fix. Now she was going to suffer grandly for it.
He pursed his lips, and looked off the balcony down on the grounds of the enclave.
"I came before them. Two years ago."
