"After the morning meal, m'lord has three appointments." Isaac droned, "The first concerns the Simeon's vineyard. I believe there is some withering that is of concern. Perhaps a disease."
Sai gave a small nod, swallowing.
"The second concern, m'lord, concerns the crown. There are some peasants under your domain who have been... Altering how much tax that they have been paying." Isaac said it without judgement or concern, despite the fact that most of the time this sort of thing led to minor rebellions.
Sai felt a bead of sweat run down the side of his face as he struggled to keep his composure. To pretend to be listening to his vassal.
Isaac continued, "The third... M'lord? Are you okay? Should I fetch the doctor? I apologise. You must be tired from your mistress, yesterday. I will take care of the petitions."
"I am fine." Sai snapped. He hadn't let a single groan out, thus far. No sign of weakness. "Continue."
"As you wish, m'lord." Isaac bowed, "I apologise for my presumption. The third appointment is less serious than the others. A farmer is requesting permission to marry. I am afraid I do not yet have the details of the partner."
Sai nodded slowly, "Be sure... You receive the heraldry."
Isaac bowed again, "I will leave you to your breakfast, sir."
As the butler left, Sai's eyes closed, and his fists tightened on the edge of his chair. Almost as soon as the door closed he let out a pained grunt.
A moment later the cat emerged from beneath the table. Toofy grinned at her master, opening her small mouth to reveal the liquid in her mouth before she swallowed. "Master tastes good today."
He took a deep breath, "Are you satisfied now, little cat? Forcing me to stay quiet like that, your master."
"Was it not fun, master?" She asked with innocent eyes, a hand moving up to toy with her bell, "If master didn't enjoy it, Toofy will gladly accept her punishment."
Sai laughed softly and flicked the bell out of her fingers, "I have no desire to damage my property. Even if she is a rascal. I thought for certain you were going to show off for Isaac. Let him know you have authority over him, now."
"Toofy was trying. Sai didn't cooperate. He is learning too quickly." She gave a half-pout.
He raised an eyebrow, "Is that a problem?"
"Toofy will get chafed." She said as she took her place at the table by his left hand, "Lasting too long is not fun for the girl, master. Toofy would prefer it if master shared his moment with her, not last longer."
Sai frowned, "I know that the temple gave you training, Toofy... But I also thought I was buying a virgin."
"Toofy was. Master was her first." She said fiercely, and then sighed sadly, "Her... Thing... Broke when she was little. Master was still her first. It was not someone sleeping with Toofy that broke it. She got hurt, badly."
He winced, "I saw some of your scars. They weren't from just punishment. What happened to my precious little neko? Who hurt you, that I can hurt them?"
"Master cannot hurt the dead." Toofy laughed with a half smile, "It was some of Toofy's sisters. Didn't like having a cat in their pigeon's nest. They hurt Toofy, tried to teach her that she is less than them. Toofy didn't like it, so she hurt them worse."
Sai swallowed as he saw the proud look on her face. The same pride she showed whenever she managed to make him cum, now speaking about what he had to assume was murder.
The neko didn't see the world the same way others did. She saw opportunity where others would see nothing but trauma and nightmares. Saw what she wanted, and took it.
He considered carefully before he made his next decision.
"At the midday meal, we will be entertaining guests, my little neko." He began, "They will join me on a hunt, afterwards. We will speak of politics, and we will say words that don't mean what we say. You will join me, by my side. And you will not embarrass me on the hunt."
Toofy blinked, "No, master. You are her master. She may play with you, because she likes you, but she has not forgotten her promise or dreams. She will take the palace. First, she will take these lords."
"I'd rather you only share your bed with me." Sai said pointedly.
The cat laughed, grinning lopsidedly, "Toofy did not intend to fuck them. Maybe with their minds, a little. She would not betray her master. He will be emperor."
"You'll get my head cut off if you keep up with that talk. Especially the lack of decorum." Sai rubbed his temples.
She let out a giggle with a proud grin towards him, "Toofy loves to tease her master. She was not just taught how to please his senses. She knows how to speak to the humans."
"You hate lords?" Sai asked in surprise, "They're just lesser people to you? No wonder you treated me like you did, on first meeting."
"Toofy did that because you touched her head." She snapped, and then shrugged, "She doesn't hate them. She simply knows what they have yet to learn. That she will be their empress, and they will bow to her. They see a slave. Toofy sees her servants."
Sai sighed, "Toofy is a slave. I may have taken you as my mistress, but that bell around your throat still signifies that you have an owner. You may go where you wish... As long as I allow it."
"Is Sai upset with her? Toofy calls him master." She said anxiously.
He shrugged, "I will be upset if you make my neighbours, who already look for excuses to stab me in the back, think I might have rebellious thoughts in my head. You're dangerous, neko."
Her face fell, and her ears drooped. Sai felt like he'd been kicked in the gut. He needed to do it, all the same. Remind her of her place.
She ate her breakfast silently, chewing glumly on the grain.
Watching her tail dragging on the ground, her ears drooping, and the light going out from her golden eyes... It was more than enough to break his spirit.
To make him regret having hurt her.
Sai glared, "Twenty Four. Stop pouting."
"He's angry with her. Didn't call her by her real name." She sniffled, and rubbed at a cheek as a single tear slipped down. "Toofy is behaving. She is going to be quiet and perfect. Just like her master wants. She won't embarrass him. Won't hurt him. She knows she's just a slave."
He gave a deep sigh, unable to provoke her back into spirit. Time for a different tactic. "Whilst I am engaged with a... Dying vineyard, and... People who don't want to pay all the taxes... And... A marriage? What will the little neko do?"
"She wants something." The cat swallowed, "But she thinks it would make the Sai angrier with her."
He shrugged, "I told you to ask when you want something, didn't I? Worst thing I can do is forbid it. Ask."
"Arina."
He frowned and cocked his head, "You're handmaiden? She's yours. I hired her to take care of your every need. Obviously I still need to find an appropriate punishment for Isaac, but I figure you might take care of that."
"In time." Toofy replied, a hint of hatred in her voice, and then she reverted back to her timid self. "Toofy... She wants... To share with the Arina. Make her, her own."
Sai blinked, "Oh. You're asking to sleep with your handmaiden?"
Her ears drooped even further. "Y... Yes."
"I'm fine with that." Sai shrugged, "That's... Actually pretty normal, Toofy. Most lords are preoccupied with other matters than their mistresses and wives. So... You're going to spend your morning seducing her?"
