by Sharon Green
Moving through the door behind Killen showed Tain a large, round lobby area in front of a short counter to the right. Tandro had already reached the counter, and in only a couple of minutes he had the key to accommodations in his hand. The stairs leading upward were to the left of the counter, but for anyone coming in the front door the stairs would be straight ahead. And oddly enough, the only doors to be seen in the lobby area were the ones leading to the stable and the one that opened directly on the street.
It didn't take long to reach the second floor of the hostel, and a minute later they were at the door with the number to match the one on the key Tandro held. Inside that door was a round communal living area, with two doorways that probably led to bedrooms.
"I ordered food for us and the slaves, but I want my slave to lie down until the food gets here," Tandro stopped to say to Killen once everyone was inside and the door to the hall closed. "Do you have a preference about which bedchamber you want to use?"
"No, no preference, but I do have a different request," Killen answered without looking at anyone but Tandro. "Would you mind lending me that paddle for a while? Until I can buy one of my own, of course."
Tandro's amusement was clear as he agreed at once, but Tain's reaction was entirely different.
He wouldn't dare use that thing on me, she thought with swirling emotions, watching Tandro open one side of his saddlebags and begin to dig around. He wouldn't dare! Or he'd better not dare…
Chapter Six
"This isn't bad," Killen said as Tain followed him into the bedroom on the right and he closed the door behind her. "That bed would be a bit cramped for two if the two wanted to sleep, but slaves are probably expected to do their sleeping on that pallet."
He gestured to the pallet he meant with the paddle he held, but Tain didn't follow the gesture with her gaze. She'd already seen the small, thin pallet that looked like it had been partially stuffed with rags or straw, so a second look wasn't necessary. The bed Killen had referred to stood against the righthand wall, with two wide windows in the wall to the left of the bed and opposite the door. The windows weren't curtained or closed, but a wide overhang outside kept the pouring rain from coming in and making the whole place damp.
There were also a couple of chairs in the room, lamps already lit on two of the walls, and three tables. One of the tables looked large enough to eat at, but one of the smaller ones was square and sturdy enough to take Killen's saddlebags without a problem.
"Looks like we got inside just in time," Killen said as he put his saddlebags on the square table while studying the pouring rain through the open windows. "And it's definitely cooling down some, so I'm glad I wasn't given a reason to curse the storm. And now I want to know what's bothering you."
Tain looked up from distraction to see that Killen had turned from the windows to study her instead of the rain, his expression open and sober. But he still held that paddle, a circumstance that gave Tain very little interest in wanting to exchange conversation with him.
"What's bothering me is how long it's taking to get home," she answered after a short hesitation, not quite looking at Killen. "Do you have any idea how long this … chore of yours will take to complete?"
"That all depends on the man I'm here to see," Killen responded at once without moving his stare to something else. "The sooner he agrees to talk to me, the sooner we'll be free to leave. But how quickly we can leave isn't the bother I was talking about. Something else is disturbing you, and I'd like to know what it is."
"You don't consider having to play slave enough of a problem?" Tain countered, making sure her expression didn't give her away. The man was probably just guessing; it wasn't possible for him to suspect what the real problem was. "There are so many different angles and sides to the situation that it's a miracle I'm not rolling around on the floor foaming at the mouth. Being disturbed isn't even important enough to think about."
"That sounds very logical and reasonable, but for some reason I don't buy it," Killen said, taking a step closer to where she stood, appalling Tain with his continuing doubt. "There's something beyond being a slave that's twisting you around, but I won't force you to tell me what it is. I want you to volunteer the information, if for no other reason than to show you know you can trust me."
"How can I tell you about something that isn't there?" Tain returned, working hard to sound faintly exasperated as well as confused. "What you're talking about isn't a matter of trust, it's a matter of letting your imagination run away with you."
"I don't believe the impression I have is nothing but my imagination," Killen said, now sounding annoyed. "I think you're holding back on something I'll find important and relevant, so here's a choice for you: either you talk to me, or we'll get on with that punishment I promised you this morning."
"So that's it," Tain said with the suggestion of a sneer, grabbing onto the ploy as soon as she thought of it. "You decided you need an excuse to hurt me again, and this … problem thing is what you came up with. You'll need to justify what you've done once we do get home, and trying to solve a 'problem' before it becomes real trouble will be your justification."
"You seem to be missing a very important point here," Killen said, actually sighing. "I don't have to justify anything I do to you because I own you. You're a slave, and men on this world treat slaves any way they care to. If you stop to think about it, treating you as anything but a slave is what will get me into hot water. Not paddling you for disobedience could end up as a black mark against me, and I really dislike the thought of black marks."
He looked much too pleased with that line of argument, and Tain couldn't disagree no matter how much she wanted to. When you traveled as a native of a world, you were required to act like a native under all conditions and circumstances. The main problem was, Tain would never have accepted an assignment that required her to act like a slave. Her personality was too aggressive for her to be really believable in the role, a point no one had ever tried to argue.
But now she was supposed to be a slave, and might have managed the role if her owner had been anyone but Killen. He was trying to make her be a slave instead of just acting like one, a truth he didn't seem prepared to admit. He really expected her to tell him exactly what he wanted to know, but that wasn't going to happen. She was vulnerable enough as she was; there was no way she would add to the state by giving Killen what he needed to reach her deep down.
"I'm not hearing any more argument," Killen pointed out when Tain had stood silent for a long moment. "Does that mean you're starting to see things my way?"
"Actually, I've been wondering why I'm wasting my breath," Tain said, deliberately looking away from him after no more than a short glance. "You're going to do exactly as you please no matter what I say, so you might as well get on with it."
This time it was Killen who hesitated, and then he moved closer to her to stroke her hair.
"Listen to me, girl," he said, the words soft and as gentle as his touch on her hair. "If you acted like this with any other man of this world, you'd be whipped instead of just paddled. I've given you all the freedom I can get away with, but you insist on seeing the effort as not good enough. Do you want me to make you into a real slave? I can do it, you know, and it won't be very hard at all. Tell me what's bothering you, and then I'll be able to help you to settle down into this role as comfortably as possible."
Tain stayed silent, but fighting the urge to speak to the man was more a battle than a struggle. His soft coaxing reached her the way shouting never would have, but she couldn't tell him why the current situation was so intolerable. Exchanging unhappiness for misery wasn't a trade anyone would see as useful, and that would be the only result of her speaking out. And as far as being made into a real slave went, there wasn't a chance in hell she would ever let that happen.
"So you still refuse to cooperate," Killen said, his hand leaving her hair as annoyance entered his tone. "And the way you just straightened says you don't believe I can make you
into a real slave. I think it's time you learned I don't bluff. The experience should do you a world of good."
Tain watched him walk over to the large table to put the paddle down, wondering what he was up to. If he was going to try forcing her to do something, shouldn't he -
"Now then," he said as he came back to take her face in both of his hands. "Listen well and obey me, slave. You aren't a woman of experience and ability, you're a girl who's only just been made a slave. In your innocence you're eager to become a good slave and serve your owner in every way you can, but that very innocence causes you to commit small disobediences every now and then. The punishment you're given will intimidate you and make you even more eager to behave properly, but you won't actually feel fear. You'll continue to be like this until I tell you that it's all right for you to come back to yourself, and once you do return to yourself you'll remember everything you did. Obey me now."
Tain was suddenly very confused, feeling as if she'd been fighting against something she couldn't see or remember, but that was silly. Girls like her didn't fight things, they did as they were told. And her new owner was holding her face, certainly wanting his slave to do something for him. Tain very much wanted to please the man in every way she could, but that confusion wasn't letting her remember what he'd told her to do.
"I'm sorry, my master, but your slave is a fool for not hearing what you told her," Tain said hesitantly, hoping he didn't get very angry. "If you'll just say it again I'll take care of the matter right away."
"How nice to see a slave eager to please," he said with the loveliest smile, making Tain's heart beat just a little faster. "Come with me now and we'll finish up all the necessary arrangements."
Tain had no idea what he was talking about, but when he turned and walked away she lost no time in following him. First he went to the saddlebags that stood on a small table, got something from one of them, then went to the uncomfortable-looking chair rather than the soft one. When he turned and sat down he found her right behind him, and that seemed to make him smile again.
"I really do enjoy seeing an obedient slave," he said, gesturing her even closer. "Put yourself face down across my lap and then relax your muscles."
"Certainly, my master," Tain said at once as she did as she'd been told. "Is this right, my master?"
"Exactly right," he approved, and Tain could now hear his smile. "Keep your hands right where they are and don't try to resist what's being done."
For a moment Tain didn't understand what he meant, but then the back panel of her skirt was lifted out of the way and his hands were at her bottom. The next moment her eyes went really wide and she couldn't keep from squirming in protest.
"Oh, that feels terrible!" she exclaimed, wishing she could reach back and remove what had been put inside her. "Please take it out again, my master, please!"
"But putting that in you will increase my pleasure later when I use you," he said, his hand now stroking her bottom and making her feel worse. "Your asking me to take it out again means you're trying to deny me pleasure, not to mention that you're also trying to be disobedient. I'm afraid either of those things would call for punishment, and both together certainly do. Stand up and fetch me the paddle from that table."
Tain didn't hesitate to obey him about standing up, but she couldn't keep from squeaking as she moved slowly to obey his orders. What he'd put inside her made her feel terrible, but even worse was the punishment she was about to get. She certainly didn't want to be paddled, but there was no way to stop it from happening. Oh, why hadn't she been a good slave and kept silent?
"I'm sorry, my master, I really am," Tain said when she finally got back to him clutching the paddle. "I want to be the best slave there is, so I promise that I'll never do those things again."
"I'm sure you won't do those things again," he said as he took the paddle out of her hands. "But in order to be absolutely certain I'm going to give you a very good reason to remember your resolve. Put yourself back across my knees, keep your hands out of the way, and don't let yourself make a lot of noise."
Tain couldn't move as quickly as she might have wanted to, but it was still much too soon before she was face down again. She felt the skirt panel being moved aside a second time, felt the hand that stroked her bottom gently, and then she nearly choked trying not to cry out. Not only was that paddle hard when it struck her bottom, but the stroke was even worse with whatever had been put inside her. She mewled when the second stroke added more of an ache and more agitation, wishing she could protect herself with her hands, wishing she could keep from squirming.
The third smack was followed by the fourth and fifth, each stroke slow enough to let the previous one turn into a flaming ache before the next one landed. Tain bounced and kicked as the throb in her bottom grew higher and higher, finding it impossible to stop the soft whining coming from her throat. The paddling hurt even more than she'd thought it would, and on top of that she was being turned frantic by whatever had been put in her. She also cringed on the inside waiting for the next smack, but a knock at the door came first.
"Come in," her master said at once, something Tain hadn't expected him to do. Heavy embarrassment made her want to jump to her feet, but of course doing something like that was impossible.
"This is a drink and a snack from the meal that was ordered, master," an amused female voice said once the door had been opened. "I'll bring the rest as soon as it's ready, which shouldn't be much longer."
"Put it down on the table over there," her master directed, probably pointing to the table he meant. "I'll help myself as soon as I'm done with this chore."
"Certainly, master," the female said as Tain heard her moving, and then she was able to see the other slave out of the corner of her eye. Even that tiny glance showed the other slave fighting not to laugh out loud, but before Tain could feel more than a little outraged the paddling was continued.
The need to howl turned into mewling as Tain jumped and bounced and kicked and squirmed, but even the smack of the paddle didn't completely erase her awareness of how slowly the other slave was leaving the room. Tain had never been paddled in front of anyone before even as a child, and having her seat heated to sizzling was made even worse by the presence of an audience. Her master couldn't help but know that the slave was taking her time leaving, so his not saying anything to hurry the slave out had to be an addition to the already-painful punishment.
The paddling didn't go on much beyond the eventual departure of the slave, but Tain was already intimidated by the time the last smack landed. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she was made to stand up, and she didn't have to be told that she couldn't rub at her hot and aching seat. All she could do was stand and try not to bounce, or at least not bounce too hard. Moving that way made her feel so much worse, but not moving was completely beyond her.
"Don't worry, you won't have to suffer for long," her master said as he also stood up, then raised her tear-stained face to touch her lips with his own. "You'll serve my meal when it comes, and after we eat you'll serve me in a different way. You do know what I mean by that, don't you?"
Tain shook her head to show she didn't know, but her master didn't get angry as she half expected him to. He smiled and touched her lips with his a second time, then used one finger to wipe at the tears on her cheek.
"Don't worry, you'll find out what I'm talking about later," he said in a gently amused way. "But that won't change your innocence, even though you will have more pleasure than you've ever had before. And you'll have the same pleasure every time it happens."
Tain didn't know what he meant, but she wasn't foolish enough to ask questions as he left her to walk to the table where the tray had been put. A glass of wine and some raw vegetables had been brought to him along with a slice of bread, and he took a piece of carrot as well as the glass of wine to the comfortable chair. Once he was seated with the food, he gestured with the carrot slice that Tain was to come and kneel by his feet.
Trying to hur
ry to obey him brought the squeaking back to Tain, a squeaking that didn't quite stop even when she was kneeling the way she was supposed to. Her bottom really hurt from the paddling, but more than that she felt … desperate for something because of what had been put in her. Her master had said she would feel better later and she believed him without the slightest question, but later was still a long way off.
And later continued to be a long way off. When her master finished the slice of carrot, he had her go and fetch him a piece of celery. When she looked at the bread still on the tray she became aware of how empty her insides felt, but she couldn't quite make herself ask to taste the bread. Or even any of the vegetables. If her master had wanted her to have some of the food, he would have said so or given it to her himself.
Her master was just finishing the piece of celery when another knock came at the door. When he allowed the person knocking to enter, the visitor turned out to be the same slave who had been there earlier. This time she carried a tray with three plates and a bowl, and she took the tray directly over to the large table.
"Your meal, master," the slave said after putting the tray down, her smile warm and her voice very soft. "If there's anything else I can do for you, you have only to command me."
It suddenly came to Tain that the other slave was a very beautiful female and was entirely naked. A glance at her master showed that he seemed to be enjoying the way the female was turning herself just a little as though offering him something, and he smiled as he got to his feet.
"I just may decide to do that commanding later, slave," Tain's master murmured as he got nearer to the other female. "Right now, though, the only thing I'm interested in is that food. You may go."