The Gaze of the Abyss
Once she lost the attention of the retributive head mistress, Norma's life settled into a type of normalcy and mostly boredom, much to her relief. The vast majority of the female slaves served purely as decoration, housed and kept at exorbitant expense as a status symbol. The unseen potentate had detached private quarters where he kept house with his cadre of wives and mistresses, so Norma had yet to actually interact with any of them.
It was a ridiculous charade, but the rules were strict and all members were expected to follow them even if it seemed no one was observing, or cared, at their pantomime of an existence. Even without direct supervision, there were hidden eyes everywhere. She'd learned this lesson quickly, her knees the worse for wear as the typical punishment was to clean the floors and bathrooms with a toothbrush and hand rags.
Those early days were a blur of Sisyphean exhaustion as she'd worked muscles she'd never had used in her life and the endless hallways and byzantine chambers of the estate was all too much to comprehend at once. She had expected a period of hazing and was thankful when that time finally passed, as all things do.
There were no windows in the dormitory wing, so it was pitch black from lights out until morning. It was a pain to have to go to the communal bathroom, fumbling in the blackness so she had quickly learned that it was best to hold it in if it all possible until daybreak despite the line for the toilets.
When the overhead lights snapped on, she groaned and put her arm over her eyes, rolling over onto her stomach. The thin, shared, sheet had been pulled away, as usual, and bunched up with her closest bunk-mate, a waspish girl called Allie, although, like Norma, this was not her real name.
It was common for the women to pair up although this was one of the less formal rules of the place. As display pieces, however, they were all expected to be practiced in the Sapphic arts, so some of them took to it better than others. It helped that there was precious little entertainment, and unlike the senior servants, they were not expected to do chores except as punishment so there was plenty of free time.
As someone who had her own domestics in the past, she had little desire to actually become one despite her circumstances so she had no incentive for promotion and was glad that none was given.
She felt a tickle on her ear and the press of breasts against her back. Allie pecked her cheek as she tried to wave her away like a pesky mosquito. Her hair was cropped short and was a darker shade of blonde compared to Norma. She also had an Asiatic tilt to her eyes when half-lidded gave her the look of a contented kitten. She knew this expression pleased Norma, so she did it again as she pushed her face close to hers.
"Come on," Allie said. "I don't want to be last again. You need to brush your teeth, stinky breath."
"All right, all right!" Norma stretched, reaching out for an imaginary dresser. She pretended to put on a robe, still half-asleep. After rubbing her eyes, she groaned when she saw the line to the bathrooms. It was a wall of bare flesh, as none were allowed a stitch unless mandated for a particular role.
The washroom was also an open plan much like a locker room with sections for bidets, squat toilets, and showers as well as sinks. They were not allowed individual care items such as toothbrushes, combs, creams, and such, it was all shared. If any had balked at this they quickly overcame the lack of privacy or somehow managed to stifle their objections.
The first time she had been presented with the challenge, the others, strangers then, had snickered. Somehow, they knew she wasn't originally one of them, but a fallen angel, born of privilege. They had whispered under their breaths, "Princess" when she had stared awkwardly at the row of unmarked, used, toothbrushes standing in the stainless steel holders above the sinks.
She'd grabbed a random one and shoved it into her mouth, grinning, "Can't be any dirtier than your cunts." As part of her hazing, she had to clean them with her mouth, much to their amusement. After several weeks, she was intimately aware of each of their bodies as they were of hers.
It was all second nature now. Norma spat out the toothpaste suds, rinsed the well-used toothbrush, and handed it to Allie. There were frictions of course, she cursed at whoever hadn't cleaned the hair brush. There were long black hairs so it wasn't Allie, though she gave her partner the side-eye as she took her turn at the sink.
As decorations, they were all chosen to be healthy and attractive specimens. Exercise was mandatory in order to maintain their trim. After their morning ablutions, Norma and Allie went upstairs where they assisted each other in stretches on the gymnasium mat while others did aerobics or used the various machines. This section was above ground and connected with a yard which had a jogging track, a small grassy pitch, and a pool with a tanning area.
Breakfast was served in a cafeteria. The food was simple but well-made and heartening. After a wash and self-care if needed, they were expected to head to their duty stations, assigned by the head mistress on a rotating basis.
For several weeks, Norma had been outside in one of the vast lawns, where she had gained a tan and met Allie for the first time. It had been quite relaxing to be outdoors in the gardens despite the deepening summer heat, although it was mitigated by the water misters and ample places for shade. They were expected to circulate to various "scenic" pose areas where they had the option to enact various scenarios, mostly in the theme of erotic wood nymphs. There was even a wading pool they were expected to frolic in. Much of the time there were no direct supervisors, but infractions were punished quickly so there must be hidden cameras around the premises.
It was easy and simple "work" so she actually enjoyed it, even the mandatory encounters with other nymphs and the occasional male servant. They were expected to serve any visitors or guests, but so far, they had been few and far between.
Norma had grown used to the breeze in between her thighs, and she particularly liked the feel of the sun on her bronzed skin as she strolled through the park-like gardens, verdant and green. In another life, she may have lived as a nudist, she thought.
There was one particular stone pedestal that she enjoyed. It was a long slab with intricate relief carvings and a small, attached, canopy in the design of a metallic leaf that gave partial shade. She was allowed to bring a body towel to lie on. She'd practice meditating although a couple times she'd fallen asleep which had drawn a reprimand and sore knees.
The short-haired girl with aquamarine eyes had suddenly appeared, or so she had thought as she blinked. Their faces were almost touching.
"I was wondering when you'd wake up," the girl smirked.
"Shit, they're going to make me clean the all the tile grouts again."
