He Holds the Key

I have broken my rule of, 'Never let yourself get too attached to your Master.’ I broke it before he even owned me. After Master Agrippa handed me over to Master Valentin, I was brought to my new home. I knew it well as I had spent the better part of two hands there already. I could tell Master Valentin was quite pleased with the deal he had struck with Master Agrippa.

After he removed Master Agrippa’s collar, a dark game was ensued. He allowed me to call him Magistrate, and he called me by my birth name; yasmina. It would be the one and only time he used my body while there was no collar about my throat. I believe he did this to prove that even if I were free, I would still beg to be his slave. He trailed the tips of his fingers over the flesh that was lighter than the rest, where the steel had once been. He drew forth a collar and held it out so I could see. It bore a tag with something inscribed on it. I can't read, so I asked him what it said.

He read aloud, "La Kajira Bit, En'Safora of Valentin Renaldi.”He had planned all along to own me, the tag on the collar proved it.

He held it open and whispered, "Once you are done stripping. I want you to submit my pet."

I melted to my knees before him, and assumed the position of submission. I raised my arms, crossed my wrists, and bowed my head in utter supplication. I can only describe the feeling in my bara as being fluttering tibits. I could feel my pulse racing as he locked the thin, oil boiled, leather collar about my throat. It was tighter than the steel collar he had removed. Each time I swallow, I can feel his collar as it is so snug. He held me in his arms that night, allowing me the warmth of his body as we slept in his furs. It was the most peaceful sleep I have known in many turnings.

The first time I ever saw him…

…was under the cloak of a night sky that was sprinkled with ribbons of lights. I was at the beach with Master Agrippa and lola. There were others there and we were all gathered around a roaring fire. I could see him through the flames as they lifted into the air to be eaten up from lack of fuel. I had noted that he was a striking man, and I was intrigued by his demeanor. Master Agrippa then fetched a free woman he had tied up down the beach from our little gathering, and threw her to Master Valentin’s feet. I watched the way he touched her, control her, commanded her attention. As he left with his new captive he looked in my direction. Had he seen me?

Later that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, a messenger arrived. He told me that Master Valentin wished an audience with me. Me…he wanted to see me…he had seen me. Who was I to deny what a Master wants. I went with the messenger, and he took me to the house in the Western District. Master Valentin had me help him break that free woman. It was the first true contact I had with the ‘Silver tongued’ devil, the man of the people.

When I left that night I could already feel the effect of his poison pulsing through my veins. You see that is what Master Valentin is, a poison, a drug you become addicted to and cannot live without. Several nights later, he sent for me again. I informed him that he must pay 5 coppers for my use, and he threw a silver at me saying, “For the use tonight, and future use.” He had just paid for the use of my body for 20 times. I believe he knew he would poison me fully before that payment of silver was ever used up.

It didn’t take Master Agrippa long to figure out what was going on. It was then that he threatened me and told me to get information from Master Valentin. I did as Master Agrippa told me, and I tried to steal scrolls from Master Valentin’s desk. I was unable to smuggle them out of the house, and had to stash them in a flower pot. The next time he sent for me, I rushed to him. At this point I waited with baited breath, late into the night, for that messenger to come and fetch me.

When I arrived at his house I found him in the den with that brat house slave. He made me watch as she attempted to go down on him; pathetic girl choked the whole time. It was then that he tossed the scrolls, with their smeared ink from the watering they had taken, between my thighs as I knelt in nadu watching him with that girl. “Tell me what these are slut!” He barked at me over the girl’s bobbing head.

What could I tell him, that I had tried to steal them? He pulled that girl from him and stood, crossed the span between us and grabbed me up by my hair. He barked at the kettle slave, “Never let this slut into my house again!” He yanked me from his house, down the brick path way, all the while I stumbled and slapped at his hands. He tossed me into the street and threw a handful of coppers at me, hitting me in the face with them. Those copper coins clattered to the cobblestones around me and I began sobbing uncontrollable.

It was in that instant I knew… I felt it throughout every cell in my body…I could not live without him. He had become my ‘dark obsession,’ and I needed him as surely as my lungs needed air. I would die without his touch, without his torture, without the sound of his voice commanding me. He was the thread that was holding my world together, and it was threatening to become unraveled.