Hey all, Thanks again for all the support for the last chapter. I'm going to try and keep to a schedule of a new chapter every two weeks. That way I should be able to stay ahead of the curve and give my lovely proofreader lots of time to suggest improvements.
Anyway, on with chapter 3.
Enjoy.
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Rose
For the second day in a row I wake up alone in a strange bed, but at least this time Master's cat has found another place to sleep. Stretching out my arms and legs, I snuggle back below the warm covers. I can feel the happy rumble deep in my throat, Master called it purring last night, and the name seems to fit. I allow myself a moment of happy reminiscing of waking to the sound of my contented comfortable sisters.
The sound of movement outside my cocoon draws my attention, peeking out from under the covers I look up into the smiling face of my Master.
"Morning." He says softly, reaching out a hand to gently brush a strand of hair behind my ear. He seems to like doing that.
Acting more on instinct than good thinking I nuzzle his hand affectionately. I whimper softly as my brain catches up with my body, I'm supposed to be showing him I'm an obedient girl. I curse my foolishness silently, I'm acting like I'm still with my sisters! I will never get my collar if I carry on like this!
Master kneels down beside the bed so we are eye level, the back of his fingers gently stroking my cheek. "What did I do?" He asks softly.
I blink at him confused.
"You stopped purring and started whimpering, what did I do wrong?"
"Nothing Master!" I say quickly. My words fall over each other as I rush to explain my actions, leaving Master looking completely baffled. I've messed things up so badly that Master if blaming himself for my lack of discipline, I can't even begin to wrap my head around how this could have happened. He's going to send me back for sure.
"Rose." Master says firmly, silencing my futile attempts to explain. "Slowly this time, why are you upset?"
I take a deep breath, shifting to my kneeling position in the centre of the bed like I should have done when he first approached. "I shouldn't have pressed my face against your hand Master, it was disobedient." I say, my heart racing.
"Well, that's hardly the crime of the century. Anyway I'm not sure I want a blindly obedient slave. I want someone who thinks for herself."
I groan internally. Master doesn't know anything about Lower Vil, we can't think for ourselves, not all the time like he wants. Our minds can't take it, they fall apart. The wardens at the compound knew this well enough, it was a core part of our training. We need strong owners to care for us, we serve obediently because it's the only chance of a life we can have.
"Yes Master." I say softly.
"Right, now bathroom, shower, pee and find something to wear! I have a big day planned for us!" Master sounds excited, but it's too soon to tell if that's a good or a bad thing. "I'll meet you downstairs when you're ready."
He gives me a final gleaming smile before leaving the room.
I pause for a moment, enjoying the sound of the wind rustling the trees before hurrying to the bathroom, Master is waiting! Shivering through my cold shower, I wonder if Master might let me use warm water if I behave. Before quickly shaking my head at that foolish notion and brushing my teeth. Master has been extremely kind to me so far, but there's no telling how long that will last if I start to become a nuisance.
I approach the bags from yesterday's shopping trip with eager anticipation. But selecting a set of clothes to wear turns out to be so much harder than I ever imagined. The obvious choice would be those items that please my owner, but I have absolutely no idea which of the dozens of combinations of tops, bottoms and dresses would make him happy. I'm utterly lost.
In desperation I lay out each and every piece of clothing on the bed, trying to remember what Mistress Jezebel said about matching outfits. Perhaps I should pick at random and hope for the best? An image of Master's excited smile turning to a frown of displeasure quickly rids me of that idea. It's hopeless, whatever I do I'm going to disappoint him. Silent fat tears roll down my face as the weight of this unexpected decision fully hits me.
"Are you okay?"
I jump physically, spinning round to find a short slim man standing in the doorway. He's wearing a bright pink shirt with tiny white shorts and matching tights, the primary function of which seems to be to show off the bulge at his crotch. His endowment isn't what makes him so striking though. No, what catches my eye are the scales that run around the outside of his face and down his back. He's a lower Vil, like me. A male Lower Vil. I've never seen one before.
A gentle smile spreads across his face. "I remember that look, when Mistress first introduced me to Emily I was just as amazed."
Speechless I move towards him, holding my hand out to trace his markings. Taking a step back, his smile vanishes. "I don't think Master Dan would like to catch either of us touching, especially when you're naked."
Dropping my hand I peer down at myself, then at my out stretched hand. An embarrassed heat touches my cheeks. "I'm Rose." I stammer, trying to regain at least some control of the situation.
"Zack, a pleasure." He bows his head, and I notice his collar glitters with hundreds of tiny jewels. "I believe you went shopping with my Mistress yesterday?"
I nod.
"And now you are trying to work out what to wear?"
Again, I answer him with a nod.
"Right!" He matches past me into the room, taking a long moment to examine the bed before picking up a couple of items. "Bra and panties, your Master should enjoy the lace."
Relief flooding over me I quickly pull on the silky underwear. Next comes a white vest with a slim band running down the back, perfect to show off my maze like markings and the whole outfit is completed with a pair of small shorts.
"I didn't see you yesterday?" I say cautiously, struggling with the button on my shorts.
"My Mistress works at an immensely popular style and fashion feed, sometimes she has pressing appointments on her hands so I perform her duties in the office." He looks away, but even with my limited experience I can tell he's very proud of himself.
"Your Mistress lets you travel to her workplace without her?" I ask amazed. It's one thing to meet someone like me who's dropped off somewhere and picked back up, but to perform the whole process like a human? How can he stand it?
"Yes, I'm given a lot of responsibility. I'm very lucky."
"I could never do that." I mumble.
"You would be amazed at what you can do." He grins, "Now go little flower, before I end up whipped for detaining you."
I thank him profusely before fleeing the room. I try and imagine living a day as he does. All those decisions to be made without any guidance, without a master to comfort or protect you. I was never trained to deal with something like that, surely my already easily distracted mind would breakdown completely if I were faced with that life.
I meet Master at the bottom of the stairs. Determined to show him I can do better, and in the silent hope he won't send me away to work, I sink to my knees. Legs slightly apart and hands held behind my back I wait for him to inspect me. Without a word he places his hands under my elbows, pulling me gently to my feet.
"None of that. Just greet me like you would Emily or any other Lower Vil, okay?"
I nod mutely, but my bewilderment must show because he continues. "Tell me what's on your mind."
We are completely forbidden to lie, obviously, still, I don't relish telling my owner the truth. "Master I've spent my entire life training to please you, you're my owner, my reason for being. I want so desperately to make you happy! But I don't understand how!" I end shrilly, looking away so as not to see his reaction.
"Rose, your purpose in life isn't to make me happy. It's to find happiness for yourself." Master says, chuckling at the alarmed look I give him. "But, perhaps that's a bit much for your third day. Come on, let's go outside, it will be fun, I promise."
I follow Master to the kitchen in silence, mulling over his words. There's an older scaled women working at a countertop when we arrive. Looking up I give her a small smile, hoping to make another friend in my new home. However the look she gives me in return is so savage I physically recoil. She looks the same way the meanest warden at the compound might have had I just stamped on his foot.
"She should be on a leash if you plan to take her outside Master Dan." Her voice is flat and brutally clear, her eyes burning into mine.
She's right of course, but I secretly hope Master ignores her. I've never been as comfortable with a leash as my sisters, I think it's because I'm so easily distracted. Or rather, I find so many things distracting. Even when I'm on my best behaviour - or at least trying to be - as I was with Mistress Jezebel I still end up yanked around.
"Rose, hand." Master says sharply and without needing to think about it I present my palm, bracing for the pain of a belt or cane. But instead Master's warm fingers wrap around mine. "There we go, she won't get lost now."
