To Tame a Slave

I'm so sorry for the wait. Apparently I'm awful at sex scenes. I'm going to stop setting deadlines, because I feel so awful when I don't meet them. Hope you enjoy!

*****

I woke up the next morning tired and sore. A groan escaped me as I burrowed back under the covers, hiding from the sunlight pouring in from the windows. After a bit, I sat up, rubbing at my eyes and looking around blearily. Laid across a chair near the fireplace appeared to be a reddish dress, my leather jacket folded on top of it. I didn't sit there long luckily, because I would have gone back to sleep just to avoid thinking about yesterday, and to avoid the coming day as well. The maid poked her head in, making a noise when she saw me awake.

"Miss- Alanna, you're awake finally. You slept through breakfast, but the Master didn't want you disturbed."

I yawned. "The extra sleep was much appreciated. I had a strange dream last night, and then an interruption." My face flushed at the memory of my late night punishment.

The maid chuckled. "From the look on your face, I'll refrain from asking about your... interruption." Her voice was teasing, making my cheeks a darker shade of red. "I brought in some water earlier for you to wash your face and brush your teeth with," she said, bustling me out of bed. I wobbled on my feet for a moment, before gasping and diving back under the covers.

"Oh, honestly. I've seen plenty of naked women before. Up up up. You can't have any food if you laze in bed all day." Her voice was sly, and was immediately followed by the loud growl of my stomach. I peeked out at her sheepishly, debating my shyness for a moment, before clambering out. She bustled me around the room, preparing me for the day with an efficiency that was a little intimidating. In no time, I was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in a rose colored dress that fit a little closer to my frame. The front two pieces of my hair were braided with matching ribbons and pinned back, the ends meeting almost perfectly at the back of my head. When I looked in the mirror, I found that I resembled my old self a bit more, which made me smile.

That smile didn't last long, as at the moment I was currently fighting down some bad anxiety. The maid must have seen my expression, because she quickly perched on the bed beside me, taking one of my hands in hers.

"What's wrong?" She asked, worry in her voice.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm just-" I pause, shaking my self and taking a deep breath. "I'm still off balance is all. I need a bit before I can deal with... anything, honestly."

We sat there in silence for a bit, before she patted my hand lightly. "Would you like to talk? Maybe ask me any questions you have to distract yourself?" Her voice was kind, and I flashed a relieved smile at her.

"First question. Is it alright if I ask your name? It feels weird to keep thinking of you just as 'the maid'."

"It's Kata," she replied.

I mouthed the name silently, committing it to memory, before nodding. "Second question, and I'm really sorry if I ask anything rude, or taboo to ask or anything like that. You said you're some kind of fairy or something, but you look human."

Kata laughed. "Don't worry about sounding rude. I know you're from another place and don't understand our customs. Just be frank and ask anything you need. Also, that's not really a question," she teased. "I'm a Seraldi Fae, or simply Seraldi usually. We heavily resemble humans, more so than other types of Fae, which would explain your confusion."

"So what exactly are Fae then? Since it sounds like there's a bunch of different types." My eyes were wide, curiosity raging inside of me.

"Fae is an umbrella term for most winged creatures."

My mouth fell open, eyes roving over her. "You have wings?!"

She laughed again and stood up, removing the black jacket that was part of her uniform. Slowly, a pair of see through, gossamer wings stretched out behind her, each wing about the length of her arm fully stretched out. As I watched, they lit up, a pale green that slowly changed to a bright blue along the edges. Little veins of light flashed through them, dizzyingly beautiful to watch. The lights slowly dimmed, the color fading, until the wings were see through again, and were slowly, carefully folded up against her back.

"Those are absolutely beautiful," I told her in awe, and I swear she blushed as she put her jacket back on.

"Thank you very much, that's not something I hear often," Kata said, sitting back down and folding her hands in her lap.

"What?! Why not?"

She chuckled. "I live in a world full of creatures of all shapes and sizes. Compared to most of them, I'm very plain."

"Well, people are crazy if they think you're plain," I grumbled, picking at the fabric of my dress.

There was a period of silence before Kata took my hand again. "From what I've seen of you so far, you are such a beautiful person. On the inside I mean." She pressed her free hand to my heart, her warm brown eyes smiling at me. "I'm so happy you're here, with us."

I smiled at her for a moment, glowing from her compliment, before my happiness dropped away. I pushed to my feet, arms crossed over my chest, and paced across the room. "Don't get me wrong Kata, you're a lovely person, but I hate this." I bit back tears.

"Because you are a slave?" She asked softly.

"All of it. If I was here in this world by choice, I'd be exhilarated. Everything is so new, so different, I want to learn and see everything. But..." I rubbed at my eyes. "I miss my home, my family. And I dunno if I'll ever be able to see them again. And most of all, I miss my freedom. I just- I want to curl up in that bed and go to sleep and wake up to find it's all a dream."

I spun, looking at her through a slight mist of tears. "I dunno if I can handle all this. I'm so overwhelmed, and I feel like I'm just barely clinging to my sanity."

Kata was on her feet and across the room before I could react, her hands on my cheeks, gently forcing me to meet her eyes.

"Hush," she said firmly. "I don't want to hear such things from you. Us Seraldi have an innate sense of people. We use it to find people who are worth caring for, and to avoid those that would harm us, as we're such a timid species. And do you know what I sense when I see you?"

I sniffled and shook my head.

"I sense an incredible strength and power inside of you, one that is tempered by kindness and compassion. You are a survivor. It is an innate part of your being." Her thumbs brushed across my eyes, wiping away the tears that had formed there. "Besides, it doesn't take my sense of people to see the strength behind your temper, even if you do have problems controlling it." We both chuckled at that.

I put my hand over one of hers, smiling and feeling more confident than I have since I arrived in this damn world. At least, a little more confident.

She released my face and took a step back, matching my smile with one of her own. "And do not be afraid of your current situation. It is the safest possible one for you to be in, considering the current state of things. There is no worry of someone stealing you, or of you being abused. The Master is a very kind man, if a hard one sometimes."

My mouth twisted into a grimace at the thought of having to deal with him again.

"I promise you," she insisted, capturing my hand. "He is a kind man, and he'll take care of you. If at any point you are unhappy with something, or uncomfortable, or scared, tell him, gently and honestly. He'll do what he can within his power to help you, as long as you treat him with respect and put forth an effort towards behaving."

I made another face at the word behaving, before taking a deep breath. "Alright. I'll try. I can't make any promises, but I'll try and control my temper and be, I dunno, civil."

"Thank you miss- Alanna." She smiled apologetically at her mistake. "That's all I can ask. The discord between the two of you is very unsettling." This time it was my turn for the apologetic look.

Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me in for a tight, warm hug that made me want to melt. After a long moment, she pulled away. "Now, I'm sure you're probably starving by this point." The knots that had formed in my stomach loosened, allowing a growl to slip out.

"You missed breakfast, and it's not quite time for lunch, so I thought you might like to take a light meal with the Master in his study," she said, bustling me towards the door.

"Was that his idea?" I asked, trying to keep the sour tone from my voice.

"No, mine. He told me you could take a meal in here, but I think it would be a good idea for you to test your new resolve as soon as possible." Her eyes had a mischievous twinkle in them, and she had me out of the room too quickly for me to respond.

---

Kata entered the study before me, telling Anthony she thought it might be a good idea for me to take a small meal in there with him. I hovered outside the door, listening to his assent. I waited there, frozen, until Kata came back out and bustled me in. His study was made of the same dark wood as his room, with bookshelves lining the walls, and a lovely desk that looked hand carved, which he currently sat behind. There was also a couch with a small table in front of it, and a couple of comfy looking chairs scattered about. I took all this in to avoid acknowledging Anthony, which worked until he spoke up.

"Good morning Alanna," he said, voice slightly wary. Understandable after our, um, interlude last night. I didn't have a good track record as far as how I reacted to him.

I took a deep breath, meeting his eyes with a nice, calm expression. "Good morning Anthony." I couldn't quite manage a smile, but it was a start.

He looked startled for a moment, before a broad smile made that hard face warm again, causing butterflies to flit around in my stomach.

"Please, take a seat. Kata will return shortly with some food for you," he said welcomingly, gesturing to the couch. "I apologize, I won't be great company for another fifteen minutes or so, I still have some work to be done."

I waved my hand dismissively, dropping down onto the couch. "Don't apologize, technically I'm the one interrupting your work."

Another startled look, before that warm smile. "I greatly appreciate the company."

I blushed, turning away to examine the bookshelves. It wasn't long before Kata returned with a tray bearing some bread and fruit and a tall glass of water. I tucked into it, happy to have something other than Anthony to concentrate on. Quicker than I expected, the food was gone, and my stomach settled down a bit, though I still looked forward to lunch. For a couple minutes I simply sat and looked around the room, occasionally glancing at the man working behind the desk, before quickly shifting my eyes away. Frustrated by sitting quietly, I bounced off the couch to explore the room, running my fingers lightly across the spines of the books, reading titles here and there.

I decided that this was the best thing I'd seen since being dropped in this world. All of these books, all of this knowledge, in one room. I was surrounded by the stories and history of an entire world that a couple of weeks ago I'd known nothing about. It was overwhelming, but in a beautiful way, like when you're staring up at the stars and realize how small you are in comparison.

After a little while, my eyes inevitably made their way back to Anthony, to find him watching me with a slight smile on his lips. My cheeks flushed at the realization that he'd probably been watching me for a bit now.

"Do you like books?" He asked after a moment. I nodded, eyes wide with awe as they swept across the shelves again. "Then please, feel free to make use of this room any time you like, day or night."

I swung back around to look at him. "Really?" I was wary, and it showed. Last time I'd been offered something beautiful, it came with a catch.

He chuckled, obviously catching my train of thought, and pushed himself out of his chair. "Really. All I ask is that you don't leave a mess, and all books are returned to their proper place when you're done," he told me sternly, leaning on the edge of his desk.

It took a moment for it to really process, but when it did my face split in half with the size of my grin, and I'd launched myself at him without thinking, arms wrapping around his chest. His laugh was startled as he caught me, arms squeezing me tight. "Thank you so much," I murmured, before pulling back, clearing my throat uncomfortably. He released me, trailing a hand across my cheek. I allowed it this time, determined to show my gratitude by not being difficult. His eyes became hooded as he looked down at me, hand cupping my cheek and jaw.

"I'd like to kiss you now," he said, voice husky. My heart stuttered both at the thought of his lips on mine, and at the realization that he hadn't demanded it, that he was giving me the opportunity to pull away. Without another thought, I curled a hand around his wrist and tilted my face towards his in a clear invitation.

His lips moved softly across mine, the usual flames his touch caused becoming a slow burn. All of the heat, with none of the urgency I'd been used to. Another hand came up to cup my other cheek, gently holding me in place as his tongue lazily explored my mouth, tangling with mine and drawing out a soft sigh of pleasure. I released his wrist, hand sliding to his chest, my touch light and hesitant, ever so slowly growing bolder, curling over his shoulders to pull myself against him. He responded with a groan, breaking the kiss and tucking his face into my throat, lips pressed to my skin as his hands shifted to my hips.

My body trembled, heart thumping in my chest at the feel of his lips slowly pressing kisses up the side of my throat. Teeth tugged lightly at my earlobe, making me gasp, eyelids fluttering. And then his mouth was back on mine, tongue tracing my lips before pushing between them to find my own, sucking it into his mouth and scraping his teeth across it. The kiss became more insistent, those flames starting to burn hotter, his hands tightening briefly on my hips, and then it was over. My eyes blinked open to find him staring down at me, breathing as heavily as I was.

"You're quite intoxicating, kitten," he said after a moment, voice rough. I ducked my head, shy and a bit embarrassed, but was forced to look back up at him as his hand caught my chin. "I'd prefer you look at me, not the floor Alanna," he told me gently but firmly as my eyes met his. "I apologize for getting a little carried away. I only meant for that to be a small kiss."

My eyes were wide at his apology. This man, a person who had bought me, who owned me, who could basically do anything that he wanted to me, was apologizing for getting carried away with a kiss. I could only blink at him in surprise for a long moment. "Y-you don't need to apologize," I murmured, keeping my head up but staring at his shoulder to avoid his eyes. "If I hadn't liked it, I would have said something."

He chuckled, hand sliding carefully through my hair, avoiding the parts that were pinned back. "Yes, I'm quite sure you would have made your opinion known. You're very good at that. Sometimes rather aggressively." My grin was decidedly unapologetic. "As much as I enjoy this newfound sweet side of you, I do hope this doesn't mean that you're completely pushing aside your... shall we say, more colorful aspects."

I laughed, pushing back and breaking free from his grasp. "Not a fucking chance."

---

We spent the next half an hour or so perusing his books as he pointed out some of his favorites, and explained the system for how the books were sorted so that I could find what I wanted easier.

"I think it's about lunch time," he finally said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"Ooh, food." I bounced slightly at the thought, hand on my stomach.

Anthony laughed. "Is that a stomach growl I hear? You seem to be constantly hungry."

I huffed and glared at him. "My stomach isn't growling, and I was almost starved for a week. Can you blame me for being hungry?" A dark look crossed his face at the mention, and my eyes widened, intimidated despite myself. I took a small step back, but his hands shot out, grabbing me and jerking me against his body. The sudden contact made me gasp, and I worried for a moment that he was going to take advantage of me. All that happened though was him wrapping an arm around my waist, his free hand running through my hair, curling around the back of my head and pulling my face against his chest. He held me tight like that for a couple minutes, and I let him, nervous about what his reaction would be if I pulled away.

"I loathe slavers." I could hear the disgust in his voice, and after a moment my hands came up, shoving hard at his chest.

"Says the one who bought a fucking slave," I snapped, glaring up at him as he let me pull back a bit. That dark look grew darker, hand tightening in my hair and making me whimper.

"I did it to save your life," he snapped back, startling me slightly. It was the first time he'd ever directed actual anger at me. "Whatever you may think of me, you're the first slave I've ever bought."

I smacked my hands against his chest, ignoring his rule about it. "So why me? Why am I your fucking charity case? If you care so much, why aren't you buying up a bunch of slaves to save their lives."

He actually paused at this, eyes growing thoughtful. "I don't know, honestly. I'm against slavery, but I've never actively done anything to stop it. But when Drell mentioned you... Something clicked in my head, and I knew I had to have you. Almost like Fate had made a connection between us."

My eyes widened at the mention of Fate, mind going back to the strange dream I'd had last night. He mistook my look, thankfully.

"I know, it must sound odd to you, being a changeling. But Fate does occasionally like to touch people's lives, shift them slightly. Most people are simply unaware of it." His hand released my hair to trail across my cheek, the tension of the moment slowly fading. A knot in my chest eased at the absence of anger in his face, and I allowed myself to relax slightly.

I took a deep breath, my expression tight, and finally spoke up. "I'm sorry for losing my temper," I said haltingly, "I'm beginning to understand what you've done for me, and while I'm grateful that I'm not in a bad situation anymore, it will take a lot of getting used to, being under the command of someone."

The hand stroked my cheek again, thumb brushing across my nose. "I catch glimpses of your submissive nature. You've never allowed someone to take control of you?"

My face flushed. "Well, I mean, I have. But never in a situation where I haven't given them control willingly." I ducked my head shyly.

He nodded understandingly. "I'll keep that in mind. I promise, until you are more comfortable with me, all rules shall only address respect in my home." His long fingers snagged my chin and tugged my face up towards his. "That includes looking at me when I'm speaking to you. Do you understand?"

I nodded, and he nodded in return, releasing me and taking a step back. "Now, we've put off lunch long enough, shall we?" He offered his arm, and I took it without fuss for once, allowing him to lead me out of the room. "I thought we'd have lunch in the garden today. It's rather beautiful outside."

"That sounds excellent," I responded, smiling up at him. He returned it, and those damned butterflies in my stomach started to flit around again.

Lunch passed uneventfully. His garden was small, but quite pretty, with a number of bushes and flowers that I'd never seen before. Tucked away in a small alcove was a beautifully wrought iron table with matching chairs. At the center of the garden was a lovely statue, surrounded by a fish pond. The statue was of a young woman, exact age indeterminate, wearing flowing robes and holding a couple of books under her arm. I questioned Anthony about it, and he informed me that it was a statue of Knowledge, one of the deities he worshipped. When I asked why it wasn't of Life, who'd resurrected him, he laughed and told me that while she was important, she was too hard and fierce of a woman to fit with such a soft and pretty garden. The rest of our time was spent chatting about his home here, his home in the country, the marketplace, and other nobles who lived in the area. It was informative and interesting, but I probably wouldn't remember most of it later.