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Tess slipped away from Jordan as the first rays of dawn lit across the graying sky. She left the still dreaming slave with a soft kiss before trudging back to the Manor. Having made it the safety of her bedroom unseen, Tess opted to a hot bath over more sleep. She washed the sweat and blood and grime from her quickly in order to settle in for a good long soak. The water had grown tepid by the time Tess dragged herself out of the tub and into her oversized bathrobe.
“When did you get here?” Tess stopped short at the threshold between her bathroom and bedroom.
Poe stood silently in the rapidly fading shadows of the bedroom. His face was red with rage and his hands were tightly balled fists clenched by his sides.
“If this is about...,” Tess’ explanation was cut short.
“He told me!” Angry tears fell freely. “He said, he beat you but I thought he was just boasting about a slap or two. Tessa, your back!!! How could you let him, why would you, I ought to...,”
Tess did not let the distraught Poe ramble onward. She rushed to cross the room and pulled him hard against her. Holding the big man close, she allowed herself to enjoy the comfort of one of the few bodies at the Manor taller than herself. Tess was, however, grateful Poe kept his meaty hands rigidly at his thighs and safely away from her wounded back.
“Listen to me. It is part of the parole agreement. I have no choice. If I want to stay out of prison,” she looked into his anguished eyes and smiled sadly, “if we are going to achieve our goals, then an occasional beating is a small price to pay.”
“No, not a small price,” Poe’s tears slowed but his pain was evident. “Never a small price if you are harmed. My God, Tessa, why didn’t you tell me they’ve been torturing you.”
“Because it would make you crazy and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Please Poe, obey me, if only this one time. Let me deal with the governor and his Inspectors on my own,” her smile broadened. “I brought all this hurt on myself. You have said as much yourself. Let me take my punishment and not earn more of the same for anybody else.”
Poe rested his forehead on Tess’ shoulder. She hugged the him closer and felt his heart hammering frantically against her chest.
“I will obey, Master,” she tugged his ponytail for using the formal address. “At least, let me clean the wounds.”
“All done,” she hushed him with a finger to his lips when he pulled back to protest, “Jordan washed them out last night.”
“Should have known you were hiding in the stable. It was your favorite spot after your father...,” Poe shrugged as he trailed off. “Are we going ahead as planned tonight?
“Not that I don’t trust you, my friend, but I am not putting you in a room with the Inspector for hours on end. Jordan will be my attendant at dinner. And after dinner. See that she is properly prepared.”
Poe did a mocking bow to Tess with a regal flair. The two laughed heartily at the ridiculous gesture. Both knew, all Tess needed to do was ask for it and Poe would stop at nothing to retrieve the moon for her.
“Can you trust the girl?”
“It should be obvious to anybody looking that I have no reason to trust a little run away slave,” Tess raised her eyebrows. “That’s what makes her perfect for our plan.”
* * *
“... so, the governor says, ‘Tosca, your staff is twice as big as that little...,’”
“Tess, I must congratulate you on your fine taste,” the Inspector interrupted Tosca’s disturbing story. “The food, the syrup, the slaves...,”
The Inspector tugged the sash of his attendant pulling the man beside him. Wrapping his arm around the firm waist, the Inspector openly groped the slave’s thinly covered penis. He smiled at the instant stiffening, certain the slave’s face blushed hotly.
“Yes, these short tunics are perfect for pleasure slaves. Gives one easy access. More syrup, boy,” the Inspector commanded harshly as he lay an open palm on the slave’s bare bottom.
“The governor insisted on the design during his last stay,” Tess spoke without lifting her gaze from her full plate of food. “It is the same attire pleasure slaves wear in the governor’s palace.”
Jordan stood, as the two other attendants did for the Inspector and Tosca, a half step behind her Master’s chair in a thigh high silk tunic, covering her bare flesh, with a pitcher of syrup in hand. However, Tess had needed no refills over the course of the meal. Jordan watched as Tosca’s attendant, a tall, auburn haired beauty, had to race for a second pitcher of syrup to meet his unquenchable thirst. The meal had been tense to begin with and Tosca’s drunken stories had only increased the anxiety permeating the room.
“So, when does the harvest commence?” The Inspector continued to play idly with his slave’s erection.
“It is currently in progress. We should be completed in ten days,” Tess tugged on Jordan’s sash as she spoke.
Jordan moved closer to Tess’ side ready to pour but the syrup glass was still full. A strong arm snaked around Jordan’s thighs and gently squeezed before resting with a warm palm on the soft, naked skin. Tess settled back in her chair apparently giving up on her meal.
“Where will you put it all? During my tour, I saw that storage was becoming an issue. The ice silos are filled as well as the dry silos. Talk about too much of a good thing,” the inspector turned his full attention to Tess, ignoring his suffering slave for the moment.
“We have rented additional units. Don’t worry, we won’t lose stock to rot.”
“What a shitty dinner party?” Tosca rose on unsteady legs. “I’m going to my room so I can enjoy myself, this slave, and a bit more syrup without mind numbing conversation about food stocks.”
“Anymore syrup and you’ll be swallowing your own tongue,” the Inspector laughed.
Tosca lunged toward the Inspector with his pretty slave dragged behind him by her sash. The abrupt move jerked her off her feet causing her to drop the pitcher of syrup. Enraged, Tosca landed a solid punch to the woman’s nose. She fell to the floor only to receive several sharp boot kicks.
“STOP!” Tess boomed but did not release or constrict her hold on Jordan. “Tosca, you are very tired. Go to bed. Let Mia clean up and then she will join you.”
“With more syrup?” He sounded like a spoiled child.
“Yes, she’ll bring you more syrup,” Tess’ voice was almost hypnotic. “Now go to your room.”
Tosca stumbled out the door and echoed down the hallway with his wishes for a goodnight to all with ears. His slave was struggling to steady herself and clean up the mess.
“Jordan,” Tess whispered and the blond lowered her head to hear, “help Mia clean up. Then take her to the kitchen for Poe to treat her wounds. Wait with her and then go directly to my bedroom by the back stairwell.”
The slave nodded before joining Mia. They cleaned in relative quiet as Tess and the Inspector resumed their meals. The two slaves left the dining room as quickly as they could manage.
Jordan handed her charge over to Poe who was waiting for them in the kitchen. Jordan shrunk into the background to let Poe do his job. After a bit of ice, a swipe of cleansing fluid, and a stitch or two, Poe decided Mia was well enough to return to the dorms.
“That leaves you to get to your Master’s bed,” Poe spoke as he washed his hands.
“Ah, Master Tess told Lord Tosca that Mia would go to his room with more syrup,” Jordan was unsure about the change in directions.
Poe nodded to Mia who immediately left the kitchen. He noticed how Jordan flinched when he turned to speak directly to her. Raising his hands as if in surrender, he hoped she would see he meant her no harm.
“Go directly to your Master’s bed, now.” Poe’s tone left no room for discussion and Jordan hurried up the back stairs.
Tess’ room was warmed by a wonderful crackling fire. The lights were lowered to allow the fire to illuminate most of the space in a dancing yellow glow. The bed had been turned down and all but invited Jordan to rest there. She, however, knelt at the foot of the bed to await her Master. Closing her eyes, Jordan let the warmth of the room ease her weary body and worn soul. The leisurely vibration from the monitor alert lulled her even more.
“Jordan,” Tess’ low voice startled the slave awake, “you should have gone to bed. Can you even feel your feet anymore?”
“I’m sorry, Master, I must have drifted off,” Jordan got up in the most ungainly fashion.
Tess’ hand steadied Jordan helping her get her balance. Lowering her head with a smile, she placed an innocent kiss on the slave’s trembling lips.
“Are you cold?”
“No, Master, I’m afraid.”
“Of me?”
Tess winced when Jordan nodded yes. She would have liked to tell the slave there was nothing to fear but that would be a lie. Tess did not want to lie tonight. At least, not to Jordan, anyway.
“If I, as your Master, commanded you to give your life for me, would you?” Tess kissed Jordan softly on the lips once again before the slave nodded yes. “If you were free and I asked you to risk your very life for everybody living at the Manor, would you?”
“Yes,” Jordan breathed before she returned Tess’ light kiss with a needy one of her own.
Tess took Jordan by the hand and led her to the bed. A slip of the sash knot and tug at the silk left Jordan naked as Tess lowered her to the bed. The most supple of kisses worked their way down the slender neck to the slave’s hardening nipples.
“Roll over,” Tess’ command sounded very much like a request.
Jordan turned onto her belly. She felt Tess’ still clothed body beside her. The long frame barely touching Jordan’s skin but was still close enough to raise goose bumps. Slender fingers smoothed their way across the ugly scars marring the slave’s creamy white back. Jordan choked back a humiliated sob at being so exposed before her owner.
“So very beautiful,” Tess whispered before anointing every inch of the scars with sweet kisses.
Jordan did sob then. She let down her defenses to allow the tender act to console her. It was an absolution of sorts. A blessing meant to free her from her shame.
“You are too beautiful for this world, Jordan. You are too beautiful to do what I must command you to do,” Tess continued to revere the permanent reminders of Jordan’s suffering.
“I’m afraid,” Jordan’s voice broke.
“And you should be but will you trust me?” Tess saw the weeping slave nod. “Thank you, Jordan. The entire Manor will thank you for this sacrifice one day.”
* * *
Tess awoke, as she knew she would; alone, fully dressed, with the fire alarms echoing throughout the Manor. She sauntered into the hall in time to see the guest room door burst open. A naked man raced blindly into her.
“FIRE?!” The Inspector screamed as she shoved him back a step.
“It would seem so,” she allowed a childish smirk at his shriveled manhood. “The alarms are from the lower farm and not the Manor. I think you might have a moment to don your trousers. Don’t want my slaves swooning over you now, do we?.”
The Inspector covered his lacking pride with his hands before stumbling back into his room. Tess followed him and freed the whipped slave the Inspector had tied to his bed post. Stewie groaned his relief when the last restraint was cut.
“Master, Master,” Cory raced past the room and needed to double back when she called out. “It’s the silos. Poe said to come right away and bring Lord Tosca.”
“Inspector, if you would join me.” Tess turned to leave but stopped to speak quietly to Cory, “Help Stewie and then find me at the silos. Poe may need your help.”
The Inspector followed Tess as she went to Tosca’s room. She dragged the drunken Lord from his bed and slapped him awake. Righting his sleep wrinkled clothes, Tess steered him to the door as the three left the room empty. They made it to the front lawn easily as the Manor was nearly abandoned. All the slaves had rushed off to fight the fire.
“Master Tess,” Dinah panted as she hurried up to the trio, “we lost two ice silos and two dry.”
An explosion shook the ground beneath them violently. Dinah almost fell over but Tess caught her. Tosca landed flat on his face, in the mud. At least, he hoped it was mud.
“It would seem we’ve lost another silo,” Tess grimaced as she pulled Dinah to her feet and pressed forward.
“Why are they coming back this way?” The Inspector shouted at the sea of slaves coming toward the Manor. “Why aren’t they fighting the fire?”
“Because it is a lost cause,” Tess sighed. “The fire can’t breech the wall surrounding the base of the upper Manor. They will be safe here until it burns itself out. Only God can help us after that!”
Tess stood strong as grim faced slave after grim faced slave passed her. She sent Dinah back to prepare food. They may have lost the battle with the flames but their bodies would need a reward for their efforts. No matter the outcome, Tess would comfort her slaves for their devotion to the Manor; to her.
Ben came running behind the last of the stragglers. His dark features smeared with soot and ash. He was breathless when he dropped at her feet.
“Master Tess, all is lost!” His anguish was almost palpable “Poe, Poe caught, he thinks, he has...,”
“Move it, Bitch!” Poe’s voice boomed over the inferno behind him. “Don’t make me hurt you so bad you’ll pray for death, yet!”
Poe kicked the figure he had tethered by the neck. Hands bound behind the back, could not block the forceful connection with the ground. Poe yanked the pale figure to its knees and dragged the wretch the final few yards to Tess’ feet.
“Master Tess,” Poe, stained by his battle with the flames, bowed at the waist, “this worthless slave destroyed your stores!”
“Jordan?” Tess lamented when she saw the face cringing at her feet. “Why? Why would you do this to me?”
Jordan took a moment to steady herself. Giving a firm, if not futile, tug at the leash holding her. She glared up at Tess.
“My Master commanded me to burn the silos.”
“WHAT?” The stunned Inspector roared as he eyed Tess.
“Master Tosca, please tell him!” Jordan implored as she tried to crawl on her knees toward the rapidly sobering drunk. “Tell him that you instructed me to burn the silos.”
Tess whirled on the open mouthed Tosca. She wrapped two strong hands around his skinny neck.
“You Bastard!” She allowed her venom to surface. “You would let innocents starve so you could get what you wanted?”
“She’s lying! Stop saying that!” Tosca screamed before Tess slapped him to the ground. “Why would I want to burn the harvest? My income is dependent on its sale.”
“Tell us, slave,” the Inspector commanded.
“He said, she would be removed as Master by the governor. He could inherit the Manor then because of the ...,”
“PAROLE AGREEMENT!” Tess punched Tosca hard on the jaw before explaining to the Inspector. “Only the governor, Tosca, and myself knew about the failure to produce clause. If the harvest fell unreasonably short then the governor could replace me and I would be sent back to prison. Thanks bro!” She kicked him hard in the ribs.
“I’ll be leaving at once to inform the governor of these events. Lord Tosca is not formally charged, yet, and is not my concern. If you would like me to dispose of this piece of slave trash then I would be more than happy to comply.” The Inspector frowned at the state of the Manor, “Tess, I will do my best with the governor to be fair. I have seen with my own eyes how much you would have delivered to him if not for Tosca.”
Tess closed her eyes. The ash heavy wind brushed her long hair back but left dark trails of their path across her cheeks. She appeared almost feral when she finally looked him.
“I’ll thank you in advance for your efforts with the governor on my behalf. Tosca has a few hours to make his plans but that will not be done under my roof. As for the slave,” Tess grabbed the leash from Poe and fiercely yanked the woman prone, “I will make her suffer in a thousand different ways.”
Tess strode back to the Manor dragging the bound woman behind her.
“I wouldn’t be in that slave’s skin for all the money in the world,” the Inspector shuddered.
“Of course you wouldn’t,” Poe coughed, “because she’s not going to have skin for much longer.”
* * *
Tess kicked Jordan into her bedroom. The door slammed shut just as Jordan’s face slammed into the floor. Jordan swallowed trying to quell the wave of nausea threatening to upend her stomach. The soft whirling of the monitor alert let her know nobody would hear her other than Tess.
“Help,” she crocked.
Tess was instantly at her side releasing the chains. A cursory check found no wounds greater than bumps and bruises. Gathering the slave in her arms, Tess finally let out the breath she felt she had been holding since awakening.
“Are you okay?” Tess whispered in Jordan’s ear.
“A little singed but otherwise unhurt,” Jordan made no attempt to loosen her death grip around Tess’ neck. “I know Poe’s on our side but he was pretty scary.”
“Thank you, Jordan,” Tess buried her face in the crook of Jordan’s neck.
“I won’t say ‘anytime’ but I am glad I could help. By the way, how does this help? Me setting the food on fire will make for even less food next year, right?”
“Why did you do it if you didn’t understand what was happening?” Tess chuckled as she looked into Jordan’s smoke stung eyes.
“You told me to start a fire and I did. I told you, I’m a good dog.”
“Never,” Tess stole a kiss from the delicious lips before her. “Never a dog, my sweet Jordan. The silo’s were empty. Our stocks are hidden in rental units buried under the empty rental units.”
Tess hushed anymore questions with a blistering series of kisses. She rolled Jordan onto her back and managed to remove both their clothes in record time without breaking lip contact. Laying herself on the smaller body, Tess was careful to balance her weight on her forearms. Jordan would have none of that. She pulled Tess down on her so their breasts crushed against each other. Their nipples pebbled rock hard and dug fiercely into softer surrounding tissue.
“Oh my God,” Tess wept as her need swelled.
Jordan slipped her thigh between Tess’ legs. The slave smiled when she felt the silky arousal there.
“Come for me, Master,” Jordan begged.
“Oh my God!” Tess knew she was more than close when the muscular thigh caressed her desire but the slave’s plea only served to drive her even more rapidly to her climax.
“Come for me.”
Tess screamed her hasty release. She collapsed onto the smaller body. It took several minutes of panting to get her breath. Jordan’s giggling was the first things she noticed.
“What?”
“You know, from this angle, you look alot like your brother,” Jordan allowed herself a good laugh.
“Thanks,” Tess grumbled without opening her eyes. “You think that I could get a some sympathy over here. I would have liked to hold out a littler longer but I’m out of practice.”
“Don’t worry,” Jordan stroked Tess’ back lovingly. “You’re not done tonight. I’ll see to that.”
Tess smiled happily as she gathered her strength and fell off to the woman’s side. She let her hand wander to Jordan’s breast to fondle the nipple back to hardness. Kisses began in earnest under Jordan’s ear and blazed a path to those generous lips. Tess’ wayward hand broke free to claim the slave’s sex.
“What?” Tess drew back as if burned. “Dry?”
Jordan froze in horror. Unable to find the words to explain, she just stared, wide eyed at her Master.
“I mean, I might not be all that but...,” Tess was bewilder how any woman with a heartbeat would not have found their little romp, at least, amusing. “What’s wrong?”
Tess suddenly realized that Jordan had never let her into her sex before. Sitting up, Tess dragged her legs up to her chest. She considered the woman laying beside her. A slight trembling of the slave’s lips marked the only visible motion. Short breathes were so shallow her chest hardly moved. A light sheen of sweat glistened across the small frame. Tess saw for the very first time the depth of Jordan’s fear. A terror so beaten into her that it robbed of her speech.
“Listen, we both smell like a small inferno,” Tess gave a lazy smile. “Let me run a bath.”
Tess left the silent slave on the floor. She hustled around the bathroom to prepare a soothing bubble bath. When she returned she found Jordan had not moved an inch.
“Come with me,” Tess extended her hand and held back a gasp when Jordan flinched.
Jordan somehow managed to respond to the command and got to her feet. She followed Tess with her head down. Tess lent an arm to steady the slave into the steamy water. Joining her in the oversized tub, Tess was glad she could settle on her side and not intrude on Jordan’s space, yet.
“Please, talk to me,” Tess spoke quietly when they had finished washing themselves.
“I, ah, I’m so very sorry, Master,” tears fell silently.
“For what?”
“For not pleasing you,” Jordan sobbed openly but did not look at Tess. “Please, forgive me. Let me serve you in the stable, please. I promise, I’ll be good.”
“No,” Tess breathed in a sigh.
Jordan stifled her cries. A well practiced mask closed her emotions off from view. Her body visibly stiffened as she prepared herself for Tess’ whim.
“You will not go to my stable or anywhere else on this Manor,” Tess opened her arms wide. “Jordan, you please me very much. I wish I pleased you half that much. Maybe, in time, that will come. Say you want to stay here with me,” Tess had to brush a tear away. “I won’t even ask you to touch me again. Shit,” she wiped tears away with a soapy hand making them sting worse. “It would be nice if I could just hold you as I fell asleep at night.”
Jordan’s mouth dropped as she watched her Master plead for her to stay. Realizing, in spite of her fear, a life line was cast in her direction, Jordan scramble to leap into Tess’ embrace.
“Say it,” Jordan cried as she nearly drowned Tess in a tidal wave of a hug. “Say you’ll keep me, Master!”
“Only if you say that you’ll keep me,” Tess grinned back.
“Yes, Master, I’ll keep you forever!” Jordan held onto her salvation in a grip that spoke more of desperation than love.
“Everything in its own time,” Tess thought to herself.
Jordan woke in total darkness. The soft growl of her Master’s snoring ringing in her ear immediately relaxed her. She felt the firm embrace of Tess at her back and snuggled up against her. The snoring stopped.
“You okay?” Tess’ sleepy voice husked.
“It’s not your fault,” Jordan’s hands took hold of the larger hand around her waist. “I just can’t ..., I’m mean, you own me ..., like the others did, and when... you touch me, I just freeze ... waiting for the punishment to start again...,”
Tears streamed down the slave’s face as she lost her composure. Sobs shook the small body as memories reserved for nightmares took control of her. Lost in her fear, Jordan managed to hold tight to the arm around her. The strong hand in her hand did not jerk away as the emotional words broke the stillness of her Master’s bedroom.
“You’ve been nice to me, mostly. Not like the others,” Jordan sighed. “Most of them hit me until I laid still and quiet. Some, though, really wanted me to suffer.”
Tess’ hand gave a gentle squeeze to the dainty hand in her grasp. Jordan smiled in the dark, slightly encouraged. She managed a squeeze of her own back.
“I learned how to be somebody else for their needs. Go through the motions to fool them into thinking what they wanted to believe. Ooohing, aaahing, faking them into a pleasant fuck or crying and begging for mercy as they beat me all the way to their orgasm. It didn’t matter because the part of me that would have felt the humiliation was safely hidden deep inside.” Jordan actually giggled a little between her tears, “I think they called it acting before the revolution.”
Tess did not laugh. Her hold on the fragile package in her arms never flexed in spite of her growing anger. An anger at her past, present, and future role in this slave’s life. She wished she could promise the pain was over but she did not want to lie to her slave.
“Jordan,” Tess breathed.
“No, not yet, wait for me to finish, please,” Jordan felt strangely bold as her story was finally allowed to break free. “I thought I was in for more of the same with you. You know, because of your brother and when you hit me the first time we met. But, the night I told you my own will was ‘no’ you were ready to let me leave without doing anything! You looked as sad as I felt. My heart broke for you, a little.”
“Are you telling me I was a mercy lay?” Tess sounded serious but Jordan felt the chuckle bubbling from deep in the chest behind her.
“Yes, you were,” she nodded satisfied this was, in fact. new information for Tess. “Like I said, I think they called it acting.”
“Was there anything we did together you enjoyed?” Tess asked the question Jordan had never been asked before.
A long moment of silence passed. Jordan’s breathing picked up a bit. Yet, Tess waited for the answer with no additional questions or movement.
“I, ah, I really, ah, liked the way you, you know, kissed me, my back,” Jordan’s cheeks burned red hot as sweet kisses began to trace across her scars once more. “Yeah, like that, I really like that.”
Tess blazed a path of kisses across the pale, if not perfect, expanse of back. When the slave’s breathing began to come in short pants, Tess intensified her assault on the tortured flesh by nibbling. She was rewarded with her captured hand descending between the creamy thighs spooned to her own.
“Are you sure?” Tess’ voice was barely a whisper.
“Please,” Jordan murmured before guiding the trapped fingers into her now wet and delighted dark hollow.
“For you, dear Jordan, this is for only you,” Tess cooed as she impaled the small body on her long digits.
* * *
The slave’s muffled screams were ignored by many of the house out of fear for her horrid fate at the Master’s hands. However, Poe spent the evening trying to ease Cory’s tears for his friend from the stable with work. The two inventoried the medical supplies in the kitchen after the last fire victim was treated. Cory did as commanded but could not shut out Jordan’s cries in the night despite of her obvious sedition.
“It would be better for the Master to just kill her outright than make her suffer like that,” Cory announced through his tears.
“Don’t presume to know your Master’s mind, boy,” Poe scolded. “Or Jordan’s mind for that matter,” an unobserved snicker followed.
* * *
“My,” kiss, “sweet,” kiss, “Jordan,” kiss, “wake,” kiss, “up,” Tess kissed the smaller woman from chin to forehead, lingering at the luscious lips, and back again.
“Good morning,” Jordan groaned, truly stiff after the escapades of the night before.
“Hungry?”
“For many things, Master,” Jordan smiled into charming blue eyes.
“Here, in my chamber, my favored call me Tessa. I beg you to do the same,” Tess stole the reply from the tasty mouth before it was spoken. “I brought breakfast. Sit up and have your meal in bed.”
A fully dressed Tess bounded off the bed. Jordan pushed her sore body up and leaned against the headboard. Her Master retrieved a huge tray of food and returned as if she were the servant.
“Scoot down,” a soft command. “Hold this,” the tray settled over Jordan’s lap. “Slide back,” Tess continued after she slipped behind Jordan, straddling her backside to pillow the slave’s body against her own.
There was more food on the tray than Jordan had seen in her first month of captivity. Pork and beef and eggs, two kinds, and breads, three kinds, and cereal and fruit, assorted, and juice and milk; enticing edibles were littered before her in homage to a healthy appetite. Jordan could not help but hum as she tasted the crispy bacon.
“Good?” Tess asked as she suckled Jordan’s succulent neck.
“Oh, Master, so very, very good,” Jordan fed a piece of sausage to the nibbling mouth at her neck.
“Tessa, call me Tessa,” she spoke around a mouthful of hot food.
“Thank you, Tessa,” Jordan moaned as if food alone could produce bliss.
The two spent their time together but in separate worlds. Tess enjoyed the salty, sweat soaked body of her slave. Knowing she had brought the little woman to orgasm over and over during the night was more than satisfying. Tasting the remains of their love on the pale skin was an added bonus. For Jordan, the day was much more basic. The previous evening her body found pleasure. When morning broke she was provided with nourishment while her body was caressed by a beautiful mouth. Any slave with half a wit would know this was a dream; a wonderful dream.
“Master, you’re dressed so early...,”
“Please call me Tessa,” it did sound like pleading at this point. “And, yes I’m dressed early. I need to be seen around the Manor to reassure the slaves all is well..”
Jordan swallowed hard as she thought of life beyond the bedroom door for the first time. How they must hate her?
“What will you do with me now?” Jordan lost her appetite and hung her head.
“Hey,” Tess’ head snapped up with the trembling in Jordan’s small body.
“I realize you can’t keep me here with the whole Manor believing I destroyed the harvest,” Jordan had been lied to by all her previous Masters, why should Tess be any different. “Master, I humbly ask that you sell me as a service slave and not a pleasure slave. It is the only indulgence I request.”
“I promised you last night that I would keep you forever,” Tess snuggled the smaller woman into a hug. “And I keep my promises, always.”
“What about...,” Jordan was unable to finish her sentence because Tess turned her head for a kiss.
“You will stay here in my suite until this blows over. And it will blow over, Jordan. Now look there, behind the tapestry is a door,” Tess pointed across the room before stealing a piece of bacon. “The door leads to the library and nursery. You can have some privacy during the day while I’m out. The door bolt can only be released from the inside. You could even read if you wish. Or rest, the nursery has a full size bed. My mother use to sleep in there.”
Jordan looked back surprised by the news. Tess shrugged before stealing more food from the tray.
“My mother was a slave. It would not due for the daughter of the Master of Westerly to sleep in a room smaller than her slave’s. So, Father switched the sleeping arrangements and put the crib in here. I guess, technically, this would be the nursery,” Tess frowned slightly at the thought.
“You owned your own mother,” Jordan whispered with a shudder. “What happened to her?”
Tess stopped chewing. She kept her head down while blinking back tears. It would not be right for Jordan to see her cry. While it might be one thing to be kind, it was entirely different to be sentimental.
“I, ah, I killed her,” Tess closed her eyes and the tears flowed. “My fault.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Jordan put the food tray on the floor before shifting over in the bed and patting her naked thigh with her back firmly braced against the head board.
Tess sank down to the soft skin. Cuddling the warm legs, soothed her more than she could have imagined. So much for not being seen as sentimental.
“I was seven. Father was having powerful people over for a meal. In fact, it was the current governor’s father and mother. He was the Federal Army Chief General. Tosca and I were the very model of obedient children during dinner. Over dessert and syrup, Father and the General began to discuss my mother, Agalia. She had been Poe’s wife before Father saw her in the fields and claimed her as his breeder.”
Jordan shook her head sadly. Poor Poe! His wife taken to produce offspring for his Master and there was not a thing he could do about it. Jordan stroked back Tess’ long black hair to expose the tear stained cheeks.
“After two children, Father grew tired of her. He left her pretty much to be my full time nanny. He had his son and a back up heir. That evening, Father talked about how big and independent I was. I would not need a nanny much longer. He did not want me to be weak. He did not want me to be like a woman; like Agalia, his slave,” Tess took a deep breath. “The General offered to buy her. Father looked right at me and saw my terror. I just know he did,” Tess cursed her stupidity for the millionth time. “He must have seen it as a weakness because he agreed to sell her if they could reach a fair price.”
Jordan continued to gently stroke her grieving Master’s hair. Steady and even touches were meant to calm a body. It was a technique pleasure slaves used with the most aggressive Masters to prevent accidental bruising. The effect was equally good for troubled souls like Tess.
“Did they reach a fair price?” Jordan asked quietly.
“I didn’t wait to find out. I ran right from the table to the nursery. Mother was mending clothes when I found her. I told her of my Father’s plans and begged her to hide. She told me we had no choice but to obey. Father followed soon after, banging on the door I bolted and bellowing for me to come out. She took me by the hand to face him.”
“I take it he was furious,” Jordan had heard enough about Master Togo to anticipate his reaction to his daughter’s defiance.
Tess sat up. She unbuttoned her blouse to display a nasty three inch scar just left of her navel. Jordan could not keep her fingers from touching the old wound. Tess quivered at the contact.
“My Father beat me with his belt. The buckle tore a hole across my belly. Poe managed to stitch it up, secretly, a day later. Father had refused to get a doctor because I brought it on myself. But,” Tess slouched, “it must have been as I was passing out because I don’t remember it clearly, my Mother had been pleading for mercy whole time finally threw herself on top of me. She cradled me as Father went into a frenzy. I could feel the blows she bore with every shudder of her body. Somehow, we ended up in the Courtyard. Poe holding me in his arms, Mother tied to the whipping post, and Father with his whip in hand. She didn’t last long.”
The silence was heavy around them.
“It wasn’t your fault, you know,” Jordan concluded. “Agalia was a slave for longer than you were alive at the time. She knew the risk of protecting you and she still threw herself over you to save you. She sacrificed everything for you. What a wonderful mother, Tessa! What a wonderful gift! Her blood is in you.”
Tess turned to look at Jordan. She saw no deceit in the woman’s eyes.
“I loved her, Jordan,” Tess fell into the slave’s embrace crying for the first time over her loss.
* * *
“I’m hoping the Master gives me a chance at the little whore!!! I’ll cut her into filets, ground meat and chuck roast and then stew her bones for the dogs!!!” Dinah howled above the laughter of the slaves gathered for evening meal.
“I think they should let me have a go at her,” piped in Fel. “I need an able bodied slave to pump out the septic systems now that Ernie is sick again.”
“Who said she was still able bodied?” questioned another voice from the table resulting in gales of laughter.
Mia went to speak but Stewie stopped the comment with a light touch to her arm. She turned to look at him and he shook his head no. Both remained silent at the rowdy table.
“Too cruel,” winced Vic, the door man. “I would only have her clean the filth from the boots of our guests,” he sighed for effect while missing the paling of Dinah’s cheeks, “with her tongue!”
Most roared their approval, around mouths filled with food, at the task described by the slave.
“You are too kind,” Mickey’s grin was ended with his mother batting him in the back of the head.
“Stop it, boy! You’ve never been punished. You’ve no idea of the pain it brings,” Dinah shoved down her growing alarm at her son’s indifference to a suffering she almost endured only to be spared by the slave they were now mocking.
“Mom, you wanted to cook the little run away,” Mickey tossed back a confused look. “Why blame me for joining in fun?”
“There should be no fun in this, boy.”
Before Dinah could elaborate the back door opened admitting a man and a chilled gust of northern winds. All the slaves moaned at the sudden burst of cold. L’tish pushed the door roughly closed against the gathering howl of wind. He signed his apology and everyone in the room greeted him with their distinctive ‘hello’s.’
“We were just discussing the best punishment for the runaway,” Fel happily updated the black smith.
L’tish snapped his fingers rapidly to get the attention of the lone figure sitting on the bottom step of the back stairs. “Speak for me,” he signed between snaps but the boy did not lift his head. L’tish strode across the room to tap the boy on the shoulder. When soft brown eyes met his own, he signed again, “Speak for me, my little friend, please.”
“L’tish wishes for me to speak for him,” Cory spoke with a dry, cracked voice. “He says, the Master is growing more bitter daily,” the group sucked in air at the accusation. “Look at what she commanded I make for ...L’tish, I can’t say that slave’s name. We agreed as a group. She is not a human anymore,” Cory turned to him with pleading eyes.
L’tish sighed sadly at the boy’s words and shrugged. He signed back, “As long as they know who I was commanded to make these for,” the boy translated and all nodded.
The black smith emptied the contents of his sack in the middle of the kitchen table. A collective gasp rose instantly only to be followed by an eerie silence. Several chairs pushed back to provide distance between the offending pieces of metal and their own fragile skin.
“May God help us all if the Master plans to punish that poor girl like this,” Dinah whispered.
“Better God help that slave,” Poe had entered the kitchen unobserved and stood behind Dinah.
“My God,” Fel choked in surprise, “you move like a panther! Couldn’t you clear your throat or something when you come into a room.”
“Just be glad it’s me and not your Master!” Poe warned. “L’tish put those back in the sack and bring them to the Master’s study. She is waiting for them.”
“Poe,” Dinah found courage to ask, “have you seen the girl today? Did the Master hurt her too much?”
The imposing Poe smirked. Walking to the table, he snatched a piece of chicken from Mickey’s plate.
“You heard the same as I did last night and the night before that and the night before. In fact, it has been the same screams in the night for over a week. What do you think is left of the little slave?” He smiled but it was without humor.
“Perhaps, the Master would let me bring her something to eat,” Dinah was feeling a bit guilty remembering Jordan’s previous kindness to her.
“You don’t feed the dead when we’ll be starving in a few short weeks!” Vic bellowed. “Especially, when she’s the cause of it.”
“No, it was Tosca’s fault,” Ben interjected. “The girl thinks he still owns her. She’s kind of stupid, I guess.”
Poe laughed. It was a genuine and true sound. He patted the boy’s head affectionately.
“She was tricked, Ben, and that is a bit different. Isn’t it funny? A child understands what happened but none of you want see it. I just pray the Master calms down so she can see Tosca’s hand in this before she kills the girl.”
“Why would you care?” Cory shook his head in confusion.
“Because,” Poe knelt in front of Cory as if to speak only to him but his message was for all in the room, “the girl is no threat to us. She was a pawn. Just as we all are pawns of our Master’s will. Tosca is the dangerous one. He will not stop until he is the Master of the Manor even if he has to kill us to do so.”
“Poe, I like Jordan,” Cory risked the wrath of his fellow slaves to speak her name. “Can’t you do something?” The boy hid his teary cheeks against Poe’s strong chest.
“No, boy, it is all in the Master’s hands now.”
* * *
Tess entered the warmth of her bedroom with a soft click of the door latch behind her. She knew Jordan would be in the library reading as she had spent every day of the previous week. It had been a special time for Tess. Tending to the Manor’s needs during the day then returning at night to her rooms and Jordan, Tess started to believe the building might yet become a home for her. They shared their meals together. Jordan would quote the first line of a book from the library trying to stump Tess but she knew them all by heart. After the meal, they would retire to Tess’ bed. Some nights they would just sleep and other nights they would be wild in their abandon. Tess was enjoying this arrangement too much, she thought, under the weight of the sack she had slung over her shoulder.
“Master, I didn’t hear you come in,” a surprised Jordan emerged from behind the tapestry. “Are you ill? You look very pale.”
“Sit, please, and listen,” Tess choked out and watched her slave sit in the nearest chair. “Jordan, I have so very much enjoyed our time together but...”
Jordan’s shoulders drooped. The last week had been pure heaven. Her Master’s absence during the day gave her time to read and think. In the evenings, they would discuss the books Jordan read. Tess’ mind was sharp and she would open up aspects of the plots Jordan had not considered during her first reading of the material. When the hour grew late the pair would silently make their way to the bed. Cuddled under the blankets, nature would take it’s course. If the day was long then both fell quickly into a happy sleep. If their appetites were still wet they would pleasure each other until the dawn threatened. Jordan found she enjoyed Tess’ body more than any other she had encountered. Yet, now, it seemed Tess was ready to be done with her.
“...there are so many lives depending on us,” Tess saw the tears in Jordan’s eyes. “We must be brave.”
“Of course, Master,” Jordan could not lift her gaze.
“Poe has been working to turn sentiments in your favor. He presented you as the dupe for Tosca. Most of my slaves were more than happy to accept him as the villain. Yet, a small number of slaves still would do you harm if they got their hands on you,” Tess cleared her throat and Jordan looked expectantly into steely blue eyes. “They need to see you punished.”
Jordan’s mouth dropped. Fear knotted her stomach and threatened to empty lunch on the floor. Suffering would be the reward for her obedience.
“Mercy, please, Master!!! Must you whip me?” She choked on the words.
“No, never,” Tess hurried to kneel before the girl. “I would never spill your blood! Not for anything! Including the Manor!”
Tess wiped the tears dry from Jordan’s clammy cheeks. She tried to quiet the frightened pants of her slave girl but Jordan was beyond listening.
“Please, I’ll do anything! Just don’t beat me, please! Forgive, please, whatever I did, please forgive me, please,” Jordan wailed into the soft cotton of Tess’ blouse.
Tess held Jordan close trying to slow the tears. In her heart, Tess knew the Manor was not worth one moment of this girl’s terror. Yet, there were others who would disagree. Slaves and task masters, village elders and villagers; all dependent the Manor for their very next meal. They would easily sacrifice the girl for a loaf of bread. Tess tried to gather herself with that fact to forge ahead.
“Come on, now. Be brave,” she ruffled Jordan’s hair. “The punishment is not a beating. I have not had a beating on these grounds in two years. This will be more emotionally brutal than physically harmful. You have my word.”
Jordan’s tears eased slightly and she nodded her acceptance of her fate. As if she truly had a choice in the matter. Tess swallowed hard as she lifted the sack from her shoulders. Gingerly, she removed the contents and lined them on the floor at Jordan’s feet.
Leather cuffs for the wrists and ankles and neck linked together with a shiny steel chain. Jordan watched carefully as the restraints were laid a her feet and the sack discarded. Tess did not raise her eyes during the task.
“Master, you mean only to chain me?”
“Chaining has not been done on this estate since my father’s death. Only run always were doubled chained at the ankle and only two were done at that,” Tess’ voice cracked. “But now I must show my control over you. I must let them see that I am making you suffer pain and humiliation.”
“You will chain me and what?” Jordan posed.
“See to my daily duties around the Manor.”
“And what else?”
“Nothing,” Tess was confused by the question.
“Master,” Jordan lifted Tess’ chin, forcing their eyes to lock, “this is nothing compared to what I have suffered. A simple chaining will not bother me after all I have been through.”
“But, Jordan, it will be at my hand this time. That makes it all the worse than anything you’ve been through before,” it was Tess’ moment for tears. “I don’t want to hurt you for anything and now I will hurt you for doing as I asked.”
“Master, I am honored you trusted me with your secret plan to steal the harvest. If it were revealed then you would go back to prison and the Manor would be handed over to Tosca. You trusted me so I will trust you,” Jordan smiled brightly.
“We have tonight together before this little show,” Tess ventured.
“Then come to bed and let us explore our trust where it really matters,” Jordan laughed pulling Tess to her feet and over to the bed.
