MATRIA 43

Danadeva knelt in the chamber, some sort of office, hands braceleted behind back and ball gagged. She wore boots, gloves and corsage in red, still bald.

It was the next day, probably early afternoon. Still nothing of Sirf or Osh. In her sleep, Dana had visited dream world, to find the ocean black. Each single bubble was darkened. On thinking of her friends, bubbles had risen, but they were all black, dark, nothing visible in them. That must be the work of the males.

If they could do this in dream world, what else could they do there? They must know every single step the women had done.

The consequences were severe. With Dana know in their hands, the further adjusting of the seals had become impossible. If her friends couldn’t see her in dream world too, there was no chance of escape. Dana didn’t fear for herself, indeed she was very curious about the Master Amra and a life as his slave, but she feared for Matria. The war was about to happen. And she could do nothing about it. Without her, the others were helpless too, as only she could reach the seals.

When she had been brought into this room, she had seen numerous Shalaxashian women in the place, Doms, subs, slaves. The Doms wore a red uniform and black boots, gloves and turbans and were all armed with scimitar and dagger, the guards additionally with spears. She knew that was the uniform of the Shalaxashian army. Was Shalaxashia already under the males boot? Was that possible? Everything now seemed possible.

She had looked out of windows. It was a fortress in the mountains, she had seen. It was large and formidable.

The office door opened, and Guma entered, on her chain a large green skinned Orc. Dana shrank back. What was that? The Orc was very ugly and brutish, but seemingly docile. Dana understood nothing.

Guma removed the collar of the chain and stepped back. The Orc gripped a large silvern bracelet at his right arm and took it off. The air seemed to move around him, there was a short, blue light illuminating the office – and Lord Amra stood before Dana.

She gasped. Guma went to her knees and bowed her head to the master.

“Surprised?”

“UMMPHH!”

“A necessary disguise. The Shalaxashian sluts think Guma the boss, and me as her watch dog, an ugly, but dangerous Orc.” He grinned like a child having done mischief.

“MMPPH!”

Dana felt relief. It was not as bad as it had seemed. He had to hide, disguise as an Orc, to move among the women of Matria. So, his bond maids, Guma and the others, were probably from the males world.

“Remove her gag.”

Guma rose and did as ordered.

“Be silent,” she said to Dana, not unfriendly.

“It is obvious why I had you abducted, is it not? No need to speak of that. You are now a mere slave, nothing more. And nothing less. Do you like it?”

“Yes master, very much so.”

“Good. But in fact, you are still special. And there is still much to do for you, here on Matria, outside of bondage. “

“I don’t understand master.”

“In the end, its not at all obvious why you had to be abducted.”

“Master?”

“We two, you, the slave, and I, the master, have an important common goal.”

“I don’t understand.”

“We have a war to prevent.”

She stared up at him, perplexed, unable to speak.

“The impending male invasion of your world will lead to a global war, even a war between two worlds, with unprecedented death, destruction and misery. This must not happen. Be informed that on the male world, my world, there are some determined to prevent it. Unfortunately, we are not in power, but must work secretly.”

Dana felt joy and relief. There was hope after all. Not all was lost. Among the males there were those who wanted to prevent the war too.

“We have shielded you and your friends in dream world from the other males, those in power, preparing the invasion. They should not know about you. They hopefully don’t know you are readjusting the seals. If they know, they have so far not acted to stop you. All abduction attempts were, through Guma, ordered by me. You have developed an astonishing skill in escaping from those situations, be it yourself or through your friends.”

“Master, I… I don’t know what to say.”

“You see, there is still hope. But the danger our common enemy finds out about your specialness and your mission, is great and very real. Sirf is doing everything he can in dream world to protect you, but…”

“Sirf!”

“Naturally. He was the first one we contacted here.”

“But… but, why hasn’t he told me or the witches? We could have worked together, we and you.”

“Because there is another party involved. The women of Matria who want to bring about the invasion and enslavement of all women of Matria.”

Dana gasped.

“And they are well versed in dream world too. They know about you and what you do. They are allied with another faction on my world. Those who want to enslave Matria without a war.”

Dana kept silent for a while. Thinking.

“Don’t you fear that I could side with that faction?”

“No, for your Tashmal is right. Slavery as a game and freedom in real life are best for many women. They wouldn’t be happy in slavery. Your Tashmal is one of those. Zusha another. In your joy and excitement of your own revelation, you misjudge the issue.

Furthermore, Matria is a world with a rich variety of female cultures. Why destroy that? That would be a shame, a crime. Be it by war or other means.

So I and my friends oppose this male faction too. That leads back to Sirf. The very special reason he didn’t tell anyone here, is, that there is a spy of the female faction in your group. And that the corresponding male faction, lets call them the peaceful ones, knows your every move too. They don’t know about me, but may soon learn.”

“No! A spy! Who?”

“I don’t know. We don’t know. It could be one of the witches, or their knightresses. It could be Marule. Even Tashmal or Zusha can be it, despite they would not be happy as slaves. Niyi is also possible. Lina-Lir or Veema cant be it, they joined your group after we learned of the spy.”

So much had been revealed to Dana, she felt overwhelmed.

“Please, master, I must think about all that.”

“Permission granted. One more thing. Your friends will free you, probably tonight. So think about returning to the group and your behaviour there. – Guma, free her of the bracelets. – You will stay here in the office, Dana. There is drink and provender, and cigarettes under those sheet on the table. You have one hour.”

“Yes, master.”

Amra put back the bracelet around his wrist, the magic turned him into the Orc again. Guma chained him and led him outside.

A very thoughtful Danadeva remained behind.

++++++

“Done thinking, oh adorable slave of Lord Amra?”

“Sirf!”

“Can you forgive me? A male begs your forgiveness, Danadeva.”

“Yes, naturally. You had good reasons. Too much is at stake.”

“Good. I was concerned about that. Uff! – Now, to what conclusions have you come?”

“First, I have several more questions. How is it you cant find out who is the spy? You read our thoughts, are a master of dreamworld…”

“Because the master of the slave spy in question must be extremely good at these things too. To darken all bubbles is an easy measure. I did it myself in this case. It affected only you and Trish. But one can hinder a bubble to rose from the ocean, so the wanderer thinks there is no bubble to his question. This is how they hide the spy. And regarding the thoughts, the spy must have a spell in his mind, bewaring her from even thinking about dangerous things when I am listening.”

“I see. Another question: Why don’t do the “peacefuls” hinder our mission?”

“You haven’t thought clearly. They, too, don’t want a war. So they want the seals readjusted too. The spy is there to protect you.”

Dana felt suddenly very weak. That hinted strongly at Tashmal. Had she not come to find her and take Dana with her in the first place? As a second thought, it had been on behalf of Megan, the witch. Zusha had been a slave they had encountered accidentally. Or had they? No, this led nowhere. If Sirf hadn’t found out yet, she would surely not be able to.

Sirf, reading her thoughts said:

“Exactly. We must try to find out together later. One reason we abducted you and brought you here. We tried before, but somehow you always escaped.”

“What about the Kerke knightresses?”

“Not every faction on Matria is involved in this. As far as we knew, their machinations are entirely Matria-born. But we don’t have many assets. Amra and I and loyal Guma and her girls are nearly all we have to do things on this world. And you are most important.”

“How did they come here? The seals… the time…”

“Very small portals are already possible. The other factions are here too, in small numbers. We have good knowledge what the Conquer faction is doing, but nearly nothing about the peaceful faction. Especially, we don’t know how they plan to enslave all women of Matria. We see them working in winning Allies on Matria, hence the Matria faction of “wish-to-be slaves”. But how this is to help in the actual enslavement, we don’t know. Another thing we two have to do, is , to find out as we can.

You see, much ahead of us, beside the main mission to readjust the seals.”

“When you and Amra knew so much, was it necessary for us to visit the oracle back in Albor?”

“Yes, as we didn’t know the positions of the seals. More questions?”

“For the moment – no. But there will be more.”

“Granted. So what we have planned is for you to be rescued by our party tonight. We further plan for you to capture one of the bond maids of Amra, so that you all are to learn more about the enemy and his world. Amra is a bit of a fool, he plans to have some fun in the thing, but that is a side issue. He will naturally escape with Guma and her girls. Beside Guma, there are only four girls from Amras home world with him, the four you have already seen. As said, our assets are few.”

“Very few it seems. What are Amra and his girls doing here officially?”

“This is a garrison of the Shalaxashian army. Amra has secretly enslaved the commanding general and made her his. Her every wish here is to obeyed by all. So no one dares to question the doings of the generals guests with their strange Orc.”

“Clever. And so easy to achieve. Perhaps the peaceful faction is secretly enslaving all rulers of Matria?”

“That is a possibility. But they, too, couldn’t have too many assets from TERKOMA over here.”

“So Terkoma is the name of the males world?”

“Yes. I know it is much you learned in the last hour, but our time is limited. I have things to do here. Are you with us?”

“Yes, for two reasons. Firstly, it’s the right thing to do. And secondly, more easily, I am master Amras slave now. I must obey his commands.”

“You are hopeless. I must take my leave now. Amra will discuss with you the details of tonight.”

And gone from her mind he was.

++++++

Amra returned shortly later, On Gumas chain, as an Orc. Soon Dana was kneeling before him, he the human male again. Guma was kneeling too.

“So you have decided to cooperate.”

“Yes, master. But you can simply order me to cooperate.”

“In this case, for once, I, and others, want this to be your own, free so to speak, decision. Do you understand that?”

“Yes, master, for the same reason you do all that. I mean, try to save Matria. On Terkoma most will view this as treason, I suppose. “

“You are right, slave. And correctly named after the goddess of wisdom.”

“Thank you master.”

“On to not so important matters. Your friends guided by Sirf, will arrive tonight by dragons, and enter the fortress. The Shalaxashians here know nothing of this, and I trust the skill of your friends enough to be sure they will succeed in freeing you. I will later leave with my girls, taking Fayasha and Veema with me.  Veema is too much slave, she is dangerous. She cant accompany your group. Fayasha is of personal interest for me and need not concern you. To tell the truth, I collect female slave hunters. Its more of a hobby than anything else. All make very good slaves, incidentally.”

Dana grinned, but quickly turned serious again.

“Master pursues his hobby here?”

“I am only human, and not above faults.”

“I see, master.”

“Well, speaking of faults, there will be some entertainment tonight. The spy is to believe that I belong to the Conquer faction. Therefore, a little charade is planned. I and the girls  are to capture the  group. We will play the cigarette gag game on them and make them slaves. Then we leave, you all remaining behind , as helpless slave packages. We will convey a message with this, going, we know every move of you, you stand no chance, we are only playing with you, and so on. That should convince the spy and her superiors, ultimately her master, that the situation is desperate. Hopefully they will think twice of their plans, maybe even changing them. Furthermore, if by accident, the spy is among my captures, she might be unnerved by her enslaving, making mistakes. Although she must have gone through an enslavement before, a repetition is always in order.”

“Master plays a fun game in a far more serious, demanding game.”

“Sure. Espionage is the most demanding game there is, apart from war.”

“War is a game to master?”

“It is to some people, and I are among them. Your Zusha is like that too.”

“If master says so.” She shuddered.

“Enough of talk, on to some action.”

“In the sheets master?”

He laughed.

“No, Dana. You are not ready for that. And don’t you love Tashmal?”

“Sex is not the same as love, as master surely knows.”

“Granted. Suffice to say, I have decided you will have to wait for a mans touch a little while longer. Guma, have her packaged with rope and cigarette gag and put her in my quarters, as if awaiting me.

You Dana, will surely enjoy a few hours in this predicament.”

She laughed.

“You are so right, master.”

+++++

Niyi, Zusha, Megan and Rowenn were quickly moving through the corridor. Around the corner, before a door, one of Amras bondmaids stood. She had long black hair in a single plate, green eyes and many freckles. Her name was Ilya.

Behind the door, presumably the male Amra was having fun with Veema. Megan spoke a small spell, and something invisible hit Ilya at the back of her neck. With a small soft sigh the girl collapsed. Niyi was near her in an instant, preventing her from hitting the ground, which would have made noise.

They bound and gagged Ilya with tape and draped her behind a curtain. Rowenn listened intently at the door. She heard muffled sounds of a gagged woman.

Dana observed all this in a dream bubble she herself had called up, the ocean free again for her.

Megan used a spell to open the door, and in the four were. In the bedroom inside, Veema knelt on the bed, in the usual predicament. No male present.

The girls exchanged disappointed glances. Rowenn whispered:

“At least we can free Veema too.”

Zusha approached the bed to cut away Veemas ropes, when the heavy, weighted net fell from the ceiling. In a heap of gloved arms and booted legs the four girls went down, the net upon them. Guma and her bondmaids appeared from the door, armed with clubs. Quickly all four captives of the net were unconscious, hit by the clubs.

One by one, they were freed of the net, stripped save boots and gloves, corseted in a matching colour, tied with ropes like Veema  was, and gagged with a white three part latexa gag. When a girl had been packaged, she was awakened, knelt upright, a cigarette put into her gag between her lips, and she finally had her head shaved. Zusha had been first.

Kneeling there helplessly, and quickly blossoning in face and body, the red skin had to observe the packaging of the other three girls. Megan was second, followed by Roween, and Niyi was last.

Soon four beautiful bound, gagged, cigaretted and balded packages knelt on the floor, facing Veema on the bed and each other. They struggled mightily and screamed into the gags. Their faces reddened, their hands twisted about uselessly, bound behind their backs. Eyes were wide and moist, the gag screams growing louder and more urgent. Their hips moved to, inadvertently.

Dana awoke from the dream. She lay, bound and gagged like the others, on another bed in another chamber. Tashmal had awaken her. With her were Trish, Zoet, Marule and Lina- Lir.

Tashmal whispered:

“Into what predicament have you brought yourself again, inn maid?”

The same you and the others will soon be in, Dana thought.

Here, like in the other chamber, the net fell, and all five girls were caught. The procedure was repeated. They were first knocked unconscious, than packaged. Tashmal first, followed by Marule, Lina-Lir, Trish and lastly Zoet.

Together with Dana it were soon six packages kneeling on the floor, which was larger than the other. For a few minutes all six struggled, moaned and then screamed into the gags, beginning their transformation already. Then Zusha and the others were led in on a leash. Their knees and ankles were bound again, and they quickly knelt with the others, only Veema missing.

A full hour passed, the captives growing hotter and more desperate by the minute. Each single one of them had plenty of time to contemplate her personal fate, as well as the fate of all women of Matria.

Truly defeated, it seemed, they mmmpphed and stared at Amra as he entered with his bond maids.

He went to the middle of their circle and addressed them, smiling slightly.

“You see, all this has been planned beforehand. We knew your every move. Your animals could not help you in this, nor they can help you now. You are defeated. You will now all pronounce yourself slave. “

The girls, save for Dana, struggled stronger, moaned heavier into the gags. All, naturally, to no avail. One by one, they were indented with a slave mark at the left hip. Slave collars were put around their lovely necks.

After this, Amra pointed at Marule. Lets start with her. Guma!”

Guma approached the kneeling Marule with a lit match. Marule hesitated not a second and lit up. She was followed by Lina-Lir, Zoet, Trishand Rowenn. They all didn’t hesitate a second to so pronounce themselves slaves. They were truly defeated.

That left Tashmal, Zusha, Megan and Niyi. Niyi was next. She hesitated, the first one to do so. She cast wild glances at the already smoking girls, then at Megan to her right. Megan stared back.

“UMMUMMMPH! UMMPPH!”

“GGMMMSCGH; MMPPHH!”

Suddenly, Niyi leaned forward and lit up. Megan stared at her, wide eyed, and shook her head.

She was next. She hesitated till the match had burned down. Guma lit a second one for her. Megan stared at the flame, then at the others in the circle. She again shook her head.

“Lash her.” Amra ordered calmly.

Another bond maid did so. One, two, three strokes. This was enough. With a wild gag scream, Megan leaned forward and lit the filter cigarette in her gag, like the others before.

Zusha followed. She stared at Megan and Niyi in disbelief. Shuddering, as if in trance, she accepted the light, pronouncing herself slave.

That left only Tashmal.

Amra regarded her.

“What about you?”

Tashmal met his gaze. Though obviously much aroused, she slowly shook her head. Her eyes showed something Dana had never seen there before. It was hate.

Amra nodded.

“I have expected nothing less of you, girl. No sense in continuing this. Well, slaves, be informed that I must leave now with my bond maids, there are still many females unpackaged on Matria. Much work to do. I have given order that you all will be freed in the morning, free to leave, with weapons and all. You may pursue your mission of readjusting the seals. You will, not succeed. And every night from now on, you will be afraid that I come back to collect my slaves. For that is what you all are now. Mere slaves.”

With that he left. Finished smoking, the girls, save for Dana and Tashmal, who hadn’t smoked, had the butts removed from the gags and new unlit sticks put into them. The bond maids now left too.

Soon the packages were alone with their thoughts and feelings.

+++++++

They were freed in the morning, as the male had said. Shalaxashian slaves in latexa stockings, gloves and corsages entered, first lit all their cigarettes, then loosened their ropes. The slaves left. The girls had to remove the gags themselves. Most had difficulty with that, their fingers quivering, and in the leather sheating of the gloves. They succeeded finally, though Trish and Marule needed help from Dana and Zoet.

They through away the gags, some forcefully, some weakly. The cigarettes were already all down to the filters. Niyi rose and collected all buts and put them in an ashtray.

Zusha was fuming with rage now, but said nothing. Tashmal was cold as ice, even as Dana hugged her. The Achaian rose and started to redress herself.

“Lets get out of here,” she said in a low voice. Suddenly, Dana saw her as a black panther, just like Master Amra. She still loved Tashmal but, for the first time, she was afraid of her too.

Trish exclaimed:

“All is lost. We are doomed. And Matria is doomed.”

She put her face in her hands, sobbing.

“We are slaves now,” Marule said aghast.

“Nonsense,” Rowenn hissed.

“We did it in our arousal by the bondage, in the sense of defeat. It was not for real.”

“It was very much for real,” Zoet said, lighting a fresh cigarette with quivering hands.

“Lets discuss all that elsewhere. I want my hair back, that indention and the collar removed, and a hot bath, not necessarily in that order.” Megan said, she, like Zusha seemingly very angry if not furious.

“Where is Osh?” Dana asked, concerned.

“Nestled between my dress, rest assured,” Megan snapped.

“And Sirf?” That was Marule.

With that, the cat entered the chamber through the open door.

“All well with you, Dana?” the Tomcat asked in her mind.

“Yes. But I don’t know if your plan has worked. The group seems broken. Their spirit I mean.”

“Sure. That was one of our intentions. Later more on that. I will spy a bit in their minds. Over and out.”

“What?”

“Nothing Dana, nothing. It means I am gone now.”

“You could say “Bye” or something.” No answer. Sirf was gone from her mind. She eyed the cat. Marule stroke it, absent mindedly it seemed.

Zoet and Roween were in the meantime engaged in a quite unfriendly conversation.

Tashmal stopped that by saying with an icy voice:

“Be silent, you two. Now.”

To Danas surprise both fell silent, lowering their heads.

Slowly, all started to dress. Danas clothes were here too. They lit fresh cigarettes, donned their weapons, which were nearby in a leather sack drawn shut, so that they could not have reached them in the night to free themselves, and left the chamber.

Outside, a Sub of the fortress and several slaves awaited them.

“What are your wishes, ahhh, ladies?”

She eyed the bald heads, the slave collars and seemingly supressed a giggling. Zusha made a move toward her, Dana feared to kill her instantly with bare hands. She gripped Zushas arm and held her back. Zusha stared at her in fury, but suddenly lowered her eyes and stepped back.

Megan took the lead:

“Our wishes are as follows, girl….”

+++++

“So, what now?” Megan asked the group.

It was the question everyone had asked herself over the last days, quite often naturally. They were at what was deemed the most secure place in Shalaxashia, the Alborian embassy in the capital.

The collars and indentions were gone, their hair regrown. Other things, inside of them, could not be as easily resurrected.

In a dining room of the embassy, they had met today to discuss matters for the first time with the whole group since that fateful night only three days in the past.

“Sirfs powers in dream world, as well as mine, are inferior to those of the enemy. He has always known and probably will in future know our every move. We are doomed.” It was Trish saying that.

No one responded to that. It seemed true.

It was Dana who first spoke again:

“We cant give up. I will not give up. Matria must be saved from the war. The females of Matria must be saved. They should not be enslaved.”

“But how?” Zoet exclaimed.

“We must change our attitude. Our private destiny, the question if slave or not, is insignificant to the issue. Much more is at stake than that. The enemy is not so powerful as he thinks. He took the pportunity to take us all in, but it was stupid to let us, and especially me, go. The males are arrogant. That is a weakness. They consider themselves so superior that the leave us free to continue our mission. If they could retake us every night or day they wish, why did they try in the past to abduct me, and didn’t succeed? To them, or at least for this Lord Amra, its all only an exciting game. That is another weakness.”

“He most certainly listens to your words now, you fool,” Trish hissed.

“And when? He will be amused. He doesn’t fear us. He thinks us all only helpless packages, pretty sluts, for the time being unbound and ungagged, no real adversaries. Let them watch our every move. Let them try to capture us again. What worked once, must not necessarily work again. Lets fight, ladies. Where are your spirits?”

She saw she had convinced many, Zusha, Megan, Rowenn, even Zoet. Marule slowly nodded too. Niyi showed no emotion, but bowed her head to Dana. Trish she didn’t convince. Lina-Lir kept her head down, it was as if she cared for nothing what was going on. That probably had the well known other reasons.

Remained Tashmal. The Achaians milk white face showed nothing, her black eyes met Danas gaze.

“What of you, my cute whore?”

“I am proud of you. I really am. Slave or not, you a warrior at heart. “

But she didn’t smile. Instead she continued:

“Ladies, or should I say slaves, I could not have put it better than Dana. Trish, you must have conferred with the council of witches back in Albor in the dream world. What do they say?”

Trish sighed and said:

“They say largely the same as Dana. They have ordered us to continue the quest as if nothing has happened.”

“And you, too, will obey and continue?”

A tear ran down Trishs cheek.

“There is nothing else I can do.”

The witch quickly lit a smoke and stared out the window. Still heavy rain outside.

Megan said, lighting a cigarette too:

“Then its settled. Onward to the next seal.”

Led by Megan, they discussed the next part of their journey. Dana called out in her mind:

“Sirf, are you here?”

“What do you think, will they come together again. I mean their spirits.”

“They are on a good way, even Trish. I do not count Lina-Lir, she doesn’t care for the world or anything.”

“Sad, but true.” Another problem lying ahead. But a minor one compared to others.

“What about the spy?”

“I have no new clue who might be it. But I am now quite sure Tashmal is it not.  The hatred in her eyes when staring at Amra that night. No real slave to males would stare that way. That was not acting, I am sure. She now seems so cold, so different. Like another person. This night has transformed her too, awakened something long hidden, but it was not what everyone expected. The others were shown the slaves in their heart or at least doubts about their freedom have arisen in them. In Tashmal hate and coldness awakened.

Sirf, I am afraid. Afraid of what has become of Tashmal.”

“You had three nights in bed with her since then.”

“We had no sex. She not even has kissed me once. As if she doesn’t love me anymore. Don’t you know?”

“I don’t always spy on you in the sheets Dana, or in Tashmals mind.”

“But when you, what is there in Tashmals mind?”

“I will not tell you Dana, and you know that. But know as much: She still loves you. Is that enough for now?”

The blonde felt a wave of relief.

“Yes, its enough. But what do you think of her change? How can she so quickly and deeply hate a male? She hasn’t seen a single male before in her life.”

Sirf said nothing. Dana started to think he was gone, but then she heard:

“You don’t know for sure what Tashmal has seen in her life, do you?”

“No, not really, but a male human?”

“Back to the spy, will you. Our further plans call for you to speak, here and there during the coming days and weeks, with the others about bondage and slavery and the fateful night. It is our hope that the spy will reveal herself to you to recruit you on such an occasion.”

“How big are those hopes?”

“Not very big.”

“I thought as much.”

“But it is a start, don’t you think?”

“I don’t question the plans of Masters.”

“Not that again, dumb slave.”

“Master Amra thinks me wise.”

“Master Amra is quite young, if you know what I mean.”

“No, what do you mean?”

The cat was gone from her mind. Dana through her hair back, in this old proud gesture, not really fitting for a slave anymore.

She didn’t really listen to the conversation about the coming realms. But at the end, Tashmal spoke:

“One last thing. Technically, as well as in a very real sense, you are now all slaves. You submitted to the male. I didn’t submit. So I am the only free person here in our group. From now on, if I issue an order, every one of you will obey. Is that understood?”

Her voice was calm and cold as ice.

Dana shuddered, but quickly said, “Yes mistress.”

Marule and Lina-Lir followed. The others stared at her.

“Megan?” inquired Tashmal.

The redhead lowered her gaze and said, no whispered:

“Yes mistress.”

Trish, Zoet and Roween repeated the phrase then too.

Niyi said unbidden:

“NIyi will obey your orders, mistress, that is without any doubt.”

That was a rather long speech for the Mayuta, Dana thought.

Only Zusha remained. The gaze of Tashmal and Zusha met. It was now very silent in the room. Without lowering her gaze, Zusha said evenly:

“Yes mistress.”

Dana let out a long sigh of relief. For a second she had feared violence was at hand.

Tashmal smiled thinly, averting her eyes from Zusha to look out for her cigarettes on the table. She mouthed a stick, lit it unceremoniously, and smoked in a relaxed, calm manner.

“Fine, now than that is settled, on to the REALLY important things: a good cook and a good digestion. Whats for dinner?”

There was some chuckling at that, and the mood lightened a bit. That hinted at the old Tashmal, but Dana had seen that the Achaians eyes had remained cold black pools while making the joke.

The blonde shuddered again.

++++++

It was late afternoon of the same day. Dana was returning from the small training hall of the embassy, where she had practised fencing and martial arts with Zusha, Rowenn and Zoet. She was still becoming better at the fighting skills, despite not really being interested in them anymore. But she saw the necessity, now more than before.

She opened the door of her and Tashmals chamber and entered. The stopped cold on the doorstep.

Tashmal was sitting before the mirror to one side, combing her black hair. It was no longer shoulder length, but fell down to her waist, being very thick and glossy. Her face wore new permanent make up too. Black lipstick, black eyelids, her whole eyes were surrounded by black paint, it extending to both sides to her hair and ears. She looked like the goddess of death in person.

The Achaian didn’t turn but said:

“Don’t look so aghast. I had a beauty maga visiting while you sweated in training. Close the door, will you?”

Dana did so and approached her lover and mistress.

“Tashmal…. You are so different, so much changed. What is going on? I am afraid…”

“You are forbidden to speak about that.”

“But…”

“Must a command be repeated?”

“No, no mistress.”

Dana went down to her knees and lowered her head.

“Maybe I should buy a whip for you, slave. A lash wont suffice, you would only enjoy a lashing, but a whip does wonders on a slave.”

Everything said without the slightest emotion in her voice. Dana risked to glance up at her. Now Tashmal was not only changed inwardly, she had changed her appearance too. And profoundly so. This makeup, Dana shuddered. She was getting used to shuddering in Tashmals presence as of late, she thought wryly.

“Come over here and comb my hair.”

Dana obeyed taking the comb fry Tashmals black gloved hand. She combed the beautiful long mane for a while. Tashmal mouthed a filter stick, lit it, smoked camly.

“Mistress hair is extremely beautiful. Would it be this way if grown naturally this long?”

“Yes. Ah, this feels good. You are doing well, Dana.”

“Thank you, mistress.”

“Call me Tashmal again.”

“Yes, Tashmal.”

“I think I have to visit the training hall too. Have avoided such places for long enough now.”

“If you say so, Tashmal.”

Dana continued combing the black mane. Yes, she was frightened of Tashmal now. She would become even more so the next day, when Tashmal accompanied them to the training and single handedly  defeated Dana, Zusha, Rowenn and Zoet all at once in a matter of seconds both with the blade and with hands and feet.

Her cute Achaian whore had become a deadly black panther indeed.

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