I awoke to the feeling of someone stroking my head and slowly opened by eyes to be met by my little goddess staring at me from eye level with a nervous smile.
"Good morning, Master," she said quietly "Can you roll onto your back for me please?"
I sleepily complied as I tried to rub my eyes but jumped at the feel of a dainty hand grasping my morning wood.
"Scarlett what are you...," I exclaimed before moaning as she started to move her hand slowly up and down. I tried to sit up more and found my little slave kneeling beside the bed, still dressed in her sexy white lingerie, with her hand under the covers.
"Master stay still," she said cheekily.
I wanted to tell her to stop but it was proving difficult. Things got worse when she ducked her head under the covers and I felt her warm mouth envelop the end of my cock as pleasure surged through me.
I had a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that there were important things for us to discuss but I completely lost myself in the moment as she expertly brought me to completion making sure not a drop was spilt.
As she finished, I collapsed back into the bed in a daze "Where did that come for?" I asked breathlessly.
"I'm your slave Master, I was just doing my duties," she said looking at me with a naughty look.
I smiled at her, "Thank you but you really don't have to do that."
"But Master, I wanted to say thank you."
I sat up and moved to the sit on the edge of the bed to look more directly at her, "Why did you want to thank me?"
She looked over in the direction of the bed which I realised was now neatly made. "Master, it's been a long time since someone looked after me, you're not meant to do that."
"What do you mean?"
"Master, I'm a slave, you should have punished me for being asleep in your bed but you tucked me in. You should have sent me to eat and wash with my fellow slaves but you had them prepare me a meal, run me a bath and give me a massage. My fellow trainees and I used to make sarcastic jokes about the sort of Masters we would end up with and they would always be handsome, rich, attentive, caring..."
I was moved by her words but couldn't help myself, "You think I'm handsome?" I replied in a jokey tone.
She playfully slapped me on the arm, "Master I'm being serious," before trying to rub the reddening spot she'd struck.
"Scarlett, don't worry about it," I said as I took hold of her hand, "I think all people should be treated with respect."
"But I'm not a person, I'm a slave," she said forlornly.
"Not to me," I replied earnestly.
She surprised me as she moved from her kneeling position to sit beside me before suddenly burying herself against my side in a hug.
"Master, you shouldn't say those sorts of things."
I just held her as I marveled at the young woman beside me. There were times where she was a little minx and others where her vulnerability shone through. I didn't want to end the moment but there was something we needed to discuss. I slowly drew away and turned her to face me as I took hold of her hand.
"We need to discuss something this morning and I'm not sure you are going to like it."
Her expression changed from one of peace to concern in an instant.
"Master, what's wrong?"
"The first thing you need to understand is that I'm not going to let it happen."
"Master, you are making me nervous," she said as her hand began to take a vice like grip on mine.
"There is no way to say this lightly but my father has ordered that you be returned to Two Moons once we arrive in the Capital," I said soberly.
My heart almost broke at the look of sorrow that broke across her face as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"No, no, no...," she burst out as she turned to hide her face, "I knew this was too good to be true..."
"Hold on, I told you I'm not going to let it happen," I said as I tried to cup her chin tenderly and draw her face to look at me.
"Master, what could you possibly do, I have a black mark against me and he is still technically my owner," she said before pausing, "It's not like you even wanted a slave...I had hoped to win you over but now it's too late," her eyes squeezed shut again as she almost silently whispered, "You don't know what they are going to do me," she whispered as a single tear slid out.
Her forlorn look almost broke my heart. I moved around to kneel in front of her taking her hands, "Scarlett, don't worry, I'm saying this all in the wrong order, but I want to keep you, I'm not going to let anything happen to you," I waited just holding her hands before she slowly looked up at me.
"You want to keep me?" she whispered.
"I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you, but you might not like my plans either."
She pulled one of her hands free to brush away a tear.
"I don't understand, if your father wants to send me away how can I possibly stay?"
"That's the hard part, it's risky but if we complete the bond then your ownership would move to me."
"You mean bonding me as your slave for the rest of our lives?" she said staring me directly in the eye.
"I'm so sorry, I know it's a lot and we've only just started to get to know one another," I replied feeling awful for her.
"Master, we can't, it's too much to ask," she said concurrently.
"I know it is, as I said you don't have to do it. My other plan is to find a way to get you out of the country," I replied.
"What do you mean master? I'm saying you can't possibly accept a black marked slave in a Concubine bond...you barely even know me. Why would you sacrifice so much for me?"
"I think we are getting our wires crossed!" I said before lifting her chin make her look directly at me, "If you're willing, I want to make you my Concubine," I said seriously.
She blushed, "Master, I'm not worthy, concubines are beautiful, elegant, refined, submissive...I'm a failed pleasure slave scheduled to be quelled."
"Scarlett, you really have no idea...," I paused, "You one of the most beautiful ladies I've ever seen and although we've only just met, I've found you to be intelligent, passionate and resilient...I'd be honored to have you."
She just sat there in a tense silence and I felt a dreadful feeling of rejection building. Trying to break the ice I redirected the conversation.
"Jasper told me what will happen to you if you go back...so I think the only other option is to find a way to help you escape the country. Do you have anyone who can help you?"
"Do you think I should run away?" she finally replied.
"If it protects you from a worse fate then we need to consider it as an option."
"It would be worse...they would put me and my family to death if I ran and anyone that helped me, I'm not putting them at risk," she said a little more forcefully than I'd expected. I knew most slaves didn't have any knowledge about their families so I made a note to myself to ask her about this if we ever got the opportunity.
"Master, if you really are willing, I want you to complete the ritual and bind me to you," she rushed out suddenly.
"I'm so sorry, I know you have no good options but I want to promise that if we go ahead with this I'll try my best to you safe."
"I understand Master, I know you are just being noble but do you truly want me to be your Concubine?" she asked hesitantly.
I took her hand again, "I'm not sure what there is between us but I can't stop thinking about you. You are smart, fun, beautiful and just spending time with you excites me. But the idea of subjugating someone to be my slave for the rest of their life is really worrying me," I confessed.
"But Master, you liked subjugating me when we were playing yesterday."
I sighed, "but that was different, one button and you were released but there is no escape from this."
"Master, I know I only have limited options but this is the first time in my life that I've ever embraced rather than fought my enslavement," she declared as frustrated tears started slipping out. She then proceeded to slip down to the floor in front of me and while kneeling she pressed her forehead floor where my knees were.
"Please Master, I am yours, I want you to claim me," she cried out.
I felt guilt wash over me as I gave an affirmative, "Ok"
She looked up at me hopefully from her prostrate position, "You'll take me Master?"
"If this is what you truly want then I will."
"I do Master," she said looked earnestly up at me through her still tear-filled eyes, "But it also needs to be something that you want."
I quickly pulled on some trousers before walking over to find the box as she slowly stood to follow still dressed in the breath-taking white lingerie. I turned it over in my hands to find an envelope stuck to the bottom which contained a single piece of parchment with a step-by-step guide and simple incantation which I assumed was the same as that on the inside of the box.