I hadn't realised I'd dozed off until I woke to find Scarlett shaking me by the shoulder. As I looked up to find her face framed by elegant flowing curls, I noted that she had dressed exactly as we'd discussed earlier in a cream woolen turtleneck top, hiding her collar, with sleek black trousers that highlighted just how slim her waistline was.
"You look simply stunning!" I said grinning up at her.
She blushed at my words, "I dressed as you requested Master, although I would be more comfortable wearing normal slave attire."
I quickly climbed out of bed standing up next to her to take her in. She looked very refined in her elegant attire but I couldn't help but picture her as she'd been an hour earlier wantonly bound and gagged before me.
"You look every part the refined lady you will fit right in once our guests arrive this evening." I managed to say despite my wandering thoughts.
"Guests?" she asked panic on her face as I realised I'd completely forgotten to mention about Lady Emily.
"I'm so sorry, I met a Lady on deck while you were indisposed earlier and we had lunch together. I invited her and her companion for dinner."
"In what capacity will I be serving?" Scarlett asked as she became more formal trying to hide her shock.
I chuckled a little awkwardly, "You aren't serving anyone you are my companion and will be joining us."
"But I've just eaten Master," she said guiltily, "I think Laura was trying to placate us and left fruit and sandwiches next door...I was ravenous so couldn't help myself," she continued while averting her gaze.
"But I'll be ok for later. I promise. Where did you go for lunch?" she finally asked steering the conversation away from her indiscretions.
"Emily found me pacing on the top deck when I was worried about you and she invited me to the 1st Class café for an early lunch." I replied a little guiltily myself.
"Emily?" she asked giving me a nervous smile.
"Lady Emily, she is travelling to the capital as well," I said blushing.
"Master, I can feel your excitement and heart beating faster. Do you like her...is she beautiful?" Scarlett asked me in an unexpectedly excited manner.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spent time with her when you were unconscious. I'm not sure how to explain it but we have a connection that drew us together," I said while still being confused as to why Scarlett wasn't more offended given that I'd in many ways cheated on her.
"Master, don't apologize, I'm your pleasure slave...not your wife. You choose who you spend time with!" she announced causing me to blush even more, "You really like her don't you Master?"
I nodded in ascent.
"Is she a suitable marriage match for you? Oh, this is very exciting," She paused for a moment before nervously asking, "Did you tell her about me? Does she know that I'm bound to serve you?"
"She knows some of it, I was very worried about you at the time and she picked up on that so I told her about you and what had happened. She had lots of questions about you though. She even wanted to come for dinner here to meet you."
"Do tell Master, what did she want to know?"
"She was very interested in you being a pleasure slave...she even wanted to know whether I keep you tied up with a collar," I replied chuckling away.
"Really master? I only know from personal experience but I think she could be perfect for you."
"What do you mean? You've never met her," I replied.
"Clearly you think she's attractive considering how fast your heart is beating. But asking those questions is a sign of her being interested in those things, Master."
I was taken aback for a moment, "What do you mean?"
"Master, if she's asking questions like that then they are quite possibly a fantasy of hers. If you gave me 5 minutes alone with her, I'd prove it to you."
"She's a Lady. I doubt she is day dreaming about being a slave."
"I'm a Lady and I fantasize about what you might do to me all the time," Scarlett replied naughtily.
"Anyhow, we only kissed and didn't go any further," I continued but struggled as my imagination went wild at the thought of having both Scarlett and Emily bound before me.
"I'm pretty sure she is similar to me...I guess you'll have to introduce us so I can tell for sure," she said while smirking happily, "Is she a good kisser?"
I blushed at her question as she approached me.
"I guess so, but her kisses were different from yours."
"How so?" she asked as she moved into my personal space and took my lips into another glorious kiss, "Does she kiss like that?"
"Umm...not really, it felt like my magic was out of control as we kissed and it affected her as well. It wasn't until afterwards that I realised that my mana pool had taken a sizable power boost. It's how I was able to heal your burns."
"That's strange, you do know that's not normal. The fact that you gained mana almost sounds like she could be a Font," Scarlett reasoned as her words caused a dawning horror to crash over me. Was that exactly what I felt with her, was she gifted?
"Master, are you ok?" Scarlett asked surprised by my change of mood and troubled expression.
I was a little panicked.
"How would you know if someone if gifted?" I asked hesitantly.
"Isn't that a secret of the sorcerers. I know they are supposed to test all men and women after their 18th birthday and that identifies whether they've got the gift or not. They just normally then whisk away the poor women who've tested positive."
"So, it's not possible for those tests to be wrong?" I asked tentatively.
"I'm not sure I know any more than you but I wouldn't have thought so. Are you worried that Lady Emily might be gifted?" she said expressing her own concern at the thought.
I was a little more relieved though, "She is a noblewoman, not some country girl from a remote village. There is no way she could have avoided being tested!"
"Master, if you are so worried why don't you go check on her?
I felt bad doing so but was desperate to check she was ok.
"Ok, but I don't want to leave you alone so why don't you come with me?"
"Don't be silly, I have some things to prepare for you here and she is your girlfriend," she finished cheekily.
"I've met her twice, she's not my girlfriend," I replied a little embarrassed.
"Well I'm your primary slave so she'll have to find her own role."
"Right now you are just my companion and you look beautiful dressed like that," I replied earnestly.
"We are in private Master," she said as she knelt down before me, bowed her head and slipped her arms behind herself, "right now I am still your slave and you need to remember that."
"Scarlett, you don't have to do that," I pleaded, "we aren't in the bedroom."
"This is what I need and being dressed as I am is confusing things. I am your slave and I need you to treat me as such," she implored in return, "Go check on Lady Emily and I'll wait for you to come back here.
"Oh, and Master, when you come back there is something I'd like you to try," she said with a hint of mischief.
I relented as it didn't seem like anything I said was going to persuade her that she didn't need to behave like my slave all the time. I hoped for a time in the future where that would just be something we saved for the bedroom and I could just spend time enjoying her company without the barrier of her slave training.
I left Scarlett kneeling behind me as I slipped from my suite and made my way to the 1st Class cabins. My memory failed me at this point as I looked up and down the identical rooms and after one unsuccessful attempt, the next door was opened by a flustered looking Tamara.
"YOU, what are you doing here?" she asked accusatorily.
"I'm looking for Scarlett, I was worried about her?" I replied with growing concern.
"What did you do to her?" she asked in a worried tone.
I felt panic rise within me as I pushed into the room in an ungentlemanly fashion. The room Emily shared with Tamara was small but luxurious with a set of twin beds. Emily was lying on the top of her bed in just a nightie with what looked like a wet towel resting on her head.
"Harry, is that you? Is it already dinner time?" Emily asked feebly.
"Stay away from her," Tamara shouted at me from behind as the door shut behind her.
I ignored her and rushed over to Emily.
"Lady Emily, are you ok? What is wrong?" I asked desperately but she appeared to have drifted off to sleep.
"You are what is wrong, she came back from spending time with you and now she is sick," Tamara accused me.
I reached out to take her hand and felt how hot she was as I took a grip of it. I turned back to Tamara with a deeply concerned expression.
She looked at me and broke down, "She was unconscious before you came in...I don't know what to do?"
"Tam, I need you to answer a quick question for me before I send for help. Has she ever been tested to see if she is gifted?"
The look of fear that flittered across Tamara's face answered my question.
"Her father always kept her secluded and I don't remember either of us ever being tested. You don't think she could be gifted?" she asked with a terrified look on her face.
"I don't know for sure but the way my magic reacted to her and the boost to my own mana from the time we spent together made me worry that she could be."
"No, she's like my sister, I'm not losing her to those monstrous Sorcerer's. You have to help me get her back home!"
"You do know I'm a Sorcerer as well?"
Tamara rushed past me to get between Emily and myself holding her arms up to me.
"Please don't tell anyone, I'll do anything to protect her," she beseeched me.
"I'm not going to say anything Tam. I'm worried for her as well."
She looked at me without an ounce of trust in her eyes.
"You've only just met her, how on earth can you say that?"
"From the first moment I saw her at the Sky Port I felt drawn to her. I want to explore that and if she needs my help, I will give it."
At this point Emily roused again and reached out her hands towards us. I lost the race with Tam but we both moved to either side of her on the bed taking a hand. She turned to me as her eyes flicked open.