2 comments/ 23920 views/ 3 favorites Master Knows Best By: kitschx He stepped into the darkened room and closed the door. She waited. The light came on, pale but nonetheless there, and she could hear the click of his boots on the concrete floor as he approached. She sat in the corner, naked and bound hand and foot, her back turned to him and her mouth filled with a ball gag. "Hello, pet," he growled, and her heart began to pound. Just the sound of his voice was enough to make her wet. He stopped and crouched behind her. "Miss me?" he asked, his voice low and sarcastic. She nodded. She knew any noise while the gag was in was strictly prohibited. Slowly he unfastened the gag and removed it from her mouth. "Turn around." She obeyed. Her green eyes looked into his deep brown ones. He smiled. "Good girl." He unfastened her wrist cuffs, and then her ankles. She rubbed the welts that had appeared on her wrists. "Too tight?" he asked mockingly. "Perhaps a little," she answered truthfully. "Well now, I had to make sure you didn't try to escape, didn't I?" Her eyes widened in horror. "Master, I would never even think of escaping!" He laughed. "Of course. My willing captive. Stand up." Shakily, she rose. She had been bound in the corner of the dark dungeon for two hours. "Master?" "Yes, pet?" "Have the guests left?" "Of course they have. I wouldn't be here if they hadn't. What a stupid question," he chastised her. She lowered her eyes. "Of course, Master. Please forgive my stupidity." He surveyed her naked form. "I am taking you to be tattooed tomorrow." Her eyes lit up. Finally, she would wear his mark. "Thank you, Master," she breathed. In response, he ran a finger over her lips, down her neck, circling her nipples and trailing downwards. He felt her body tense. He stopped just short of his destination, and saw the disappointment in her eyes as her body slumped. He laughed cruelly. Then, suddenly, he leaned in and kissed her brutally. She responded eagerly. He cupped her ass, and then, without warning, thrust two fingers deep inside her pussy. It caught her by surprise, and she broke the kiss. He raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to kiss me now?" " Yes Master, I do, I was just-" "I'm not interested in hearing your excuses." He removed his fingers from her body. She slumped again, disappointed in herself. He led her to the other side of the room where he locked her into cuffs attached to the wall. He then spread her legs and locked them into place also. He walked to the bench at the side of the room and stood musing over which instrument he should use on her. He selected a leather cat-o-nine tails. She trembled as he walked towards her, every step deliberate and menacing. "You know the rules. If I kiss you, I expect you to kiss me back. If I pleasure you, I expect you to be grateful and if I command you to pleasure me, I expect you to enjoy it." "Yes, Master. Sorry, Master." She lowered her eyes. She couldn't look at him. She had disappointed him, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. He ran his fingers through the tails of the whip, playing with his toy. Then, without warning, he swung the whip and caught her on her inner thigh. Pain stung through her body. She could feel her wetness start to leak down her thighs. He swung again, this time catching her expertly on her right nipple. She cried out. He marked her on her other thigh and again on her left hip. He was selective with his blows, expertly landing them exactly where he wanted. When he was satisfied, he stopped. He released her from the cuffs and examined the marks. "They'll be pretty tomorrow," he said, a slight smile spreading over his lips. "Yes Master. They will look beautiful." "And you know why I punished you?" "Yes Master, because I became distracted and didn't kiss you back how I should have." "Good girl. Shall we try again?" "Yes, Master." He kissed her, and this time she kissed him back passionately. Again he slipped his fingers inside her, testing her. She shivered, but did not break the kiss. He worked his fingers in and out of her, adding another, fucking her hard with his powerful hands. He used his palm to rub her clitoris. She moaned through the kiss, and finally he pulled away. She knew her pleasure would have to wait for another time. He unzipped his pants, and she saw his large cock was fully erect, resting proudly against his black singlet. "Get on your knees," he commanded. She obeyed, wincing when her welts stretched with the motion. She looked up at him with large green eyes. He smiled cruelly down at her. "Make me come." She had been waiting for the cue and now eagerly began to suck. She flicked the head lightly with her tongue and took the shaft all the way into her throat. He had taught her early on to suppress the gag reflex, for which she was glad, because his cock was large and proud and would easily have choked her otherwise. "Use your teeth." She had found this odd the first time he had asked this, but now she knew him well enough to know that he liked her to be rough. She grazed her teeth along the shaft and he growled in pleasure. Master could sound so animalistic, and she liked it. She felt her own juices making their way down her thighs. She expertly worked his cock for a few minutes more and soon felt the rumbling that meant he would be coming soon. Good. She wanted to show him what a good girl she was. She wouldn't waste a single drop. As she expected, he came with a growl. Huge amounts of hot liquid spurted into her mouth, and she struggled to collect it all. Somehow she managed to swallow. She looked beneath her and was relieved to see none of his precious semen had spilt on the ground. She licked her lips to be sure she had it all, before looking up at him, seeking approval. Her eyes met with his and he grinned. "Very good. You get better every time, pet." She allowed herself a smile. "Thank you, Master." As an afterthought she decided she could try and get away with being cheeky. "I am aiming to have you come within a minute one day soon, Master." To her relief, he laughed. "Well, that will be interesting, I just hope you can keep your word." He offered his hands and she took them. He pulled her up and kissed her deeply, tasting his own come on her lips. "Tasty." "Yes, Master," she smiled. "The best thing there is." He laughed again. "Well pet, tomorrow we will take you to the parlour and get you inked. After that, you are mine, and no one else will ever have you. Will that make you happy?" "Yes, Master," she said as he enveloped her in his strong arms. "That will make me the happiest yet." Master Knows Best Ch. 01 Master told me that I had to be a good girl. First and foremost, it was the only thing that I really needed to do. Be good. Why was that such a hard thing to do? He purchased me from traders when I was quite young, and all I have known was his ownership of me. I loved the house that I grew up in. The lush garden and the ruthless games of escape and capture there, the awful pens of torment, the steam rooms and baths. The hall of torture and the contests of sport where I had to run naked, servicing the ranks of gladiators. I loved and hated it all. I was born to be a slave. I never thought to get away. I am ashamed to admit how much I loved the humiliation and the pain. To hear the roar of the crowd as a soldier overpowered me. The thrum of desire that burned me as hot piss spilled over my creamy-white flesh. Yes, I am a slave and I am proud to be a slave, my Master is the most powerful man in the realm, I don't know what else a girl could want. Master loved me. I knew it in my heart, for he held me when I cried and he bundled me in my cage and brought me with him when business drew him away from home. I had grown as a woman under his care and though he had sold the other girls that came before me, I was the eldest of his girls. I admit that I had some arrogance. I am a pretty girl after all. There are not many women with flaxen hair and blue eyes on the island. My skin glows like the moon. Flawless except for the lines of Master's whip that mark my inner thighs and the bite marks of his passion against my breast. They are silvery reminders that I should be a good girl. Ah, to be good. I wish that it were such a simple thing. I sat at his feet that fateful day. Suffering in sweetest humiliation, smelling of cunt and his cum. My eyes half-lidded as I lipped the underside of his cock, rolling my tongue-tip over his balls. The taste of master, all heady and musky with his powerful desire, was heaven to me. I dripped cum from the side of my face onto my bare breast, sticky with my sweat and the juices of another slave-girl upon my skin. That girl lay curled at my side and I petted her flank idly while my attention fixated on master's cockflesh, knowing just how he enjoyed the hot breath against his groin and my tongue working against his ballsack. "My Lord?" From the doorway, a man spoke and then, cautiously stepped forward, clutching the bound scroll against his chest. Marcios. I saw him from the side of my eye as I moved my lips against the underside of Master's prick and flicked my tongue up his shaft to savor the salty spunk still on his member. The heat of the day had faded somewhat but the birds in the fig trees remained silent in the shade. The eunuchs still cooled us with the great peacock plumed fans and the sound of water falling from the dozen pools was enough to lull even the most dedicated slave-girl to sleep. "There is word of unrest in the Eastern provinces." Marcios was saying and I could see his dark eyes drinking me in hungrily. Naked, I lay sprawled on the warm stones, my head in Master's lap, cheek against his dick, well oiled by cum and pussy juices and my body ripe with need as I had not yet been given my own orgasm. I craved satisfaction with a keen pain. Still, I was only a slave and I had learned through the years to put my desires aside and not think about it. I was a well trained Slavegirl. I could not recall not wearing a collar. As usual, Marcios's loincloth scarcely hid his passion and as my lips toyed over my Master's loins, I wondered at the steel and power of Marcios's manhood. I had never seen it, except for how it made a tent of his groin. He had never sampled the joys of the game. Perhaps if he had, things would not have turned out as they did. "Is that so?" Master asked quietly, his voice husky with satisfaction; slightly bored even with the news of unrest. "Well, we will have to go and put and end to this I suppose. " His hand settled onto my head, petting my golden hair and spreading it across his thighs to show the contrast of bronze and glittering white-gold. "The Empress believes you should take a wife. It would be a sign of good faith." Marcios's voice grew rough as he watched from the distance. My hips quivered when Master wrapped his fist in my hair and forced my face down hard against his groin. I heard his low grunt of pleasure as my lips were bruised against the throbbing of his manhood and felt the song in my blood as my hair was pulled painfully tight. "I will take not bitch-queen as a wife. Unless she is collared....then I'll take her and all her sisters and have them at my feet like this little whore. Come Marcios. Sate your lusts in this little cunt. It would do you good." Marcios came in slowly behind me, I heard his sandals scrape in the sand as he neared me and I felt his cool, graceful hands against my upturned ass. "That is right. Feel how hot and eager she is? Dip a finger in...yes, that's right." Master's voice laughed and his hands loosened their grip before falling away from me. A long, cold finger slipped into my pussy; so sudden and so frigid. I licked Master's cock-base slowly, silently begging for him not to allow this, murmuring his title 'Master' in a prayer. I did not want to enjoy the aloof, diplomat's touches. I did not want to desire Marcios. The finger coiled within me, long and agile as it curved within my burning folds. I felt the wetness trickle around his knuckles as the fingertip pressed into my secret inner-bud and my head jerked away from Master's cock with an unexpected moan of pleasure. Master chuckled lazily and gave me a push away, reaching for the curled up slave-toy we'd played with earlier. The girl lifted her head, blinking dark eyes blearily and let out a cry of fear as Master groped her breasts roughly with his big hands. I longed to be that girl. Wanted to have Master force me down and use me upon his cock. Instead I had to watch as the girl struggled against his will. Her eyes rolled into her head as he forced his cock into her mouth. I heard the sputtering groan as her jaws were stretched wide around his girth. "Ah yes, a little entertainment and then we will go." "She is so hot. My God, I feel her pussy squeeze down upon my finger..." Marcios's voice sounded broken behind me, his finger speared even deeper, pushing upward within the tight folds of my needy pussy. Against my will, pleasure bubbled up in a throaty cry. My cries were answered by another rough chuckle from Master and I saw red for a moment, sweet bliss and desire twisting in my sex. My teeth pressed hard onto my lower lip as my head fell forward, white-gold hair sparkling around me. "You should feel what it's like to have your manhood sheathed in that heavenly cunt." Master murmured and then groaned as he shoved the slave-toy's head down on his cock. She made an awful gurgling sound as she was half choked by his cock and then began to bob in earnest, slurping and sputtering against his rod. "Haven't you ever wanted to sample what she's like? I know I've seen you watching her in the games." I wanted him to stop talking. I wanted him to fuck me. Good lord but I wanted nothing but that. Where master's body felt steel hard with unyielding strength, Marcios was lean and graceful, like a hunting cat. He bowed over my body and the silken softness his robes brushed against my recently whipped ass and his palm spanked against my pussy lips as he fingered me faster and deeper. "You do like it, don't you Slave?" He growled into my ear as he hunkered over me, pressing his weight down upon my back. "You enjoy being his play-thing." His palm slapped my pussy and my clit, finger spiraling back and forth in my throbbing sex. When he shoved a second finger into me I let out a cry of pleasure and he laughed, biting my ear. "Fucking whore!" I wanted to protest, but it was true, I was a fuck-whore, raised and trained to respond with longing to this sort of treatment. Master had denied me long enough. I needed to be stretched by a thick cock and fucked. Marcios's hand slipped up my belly, fingernails raking and scratching, leaving a pattern red welts on my skin. His dark fingers, soaked with my juices grabbed hold of one of my breast, pinching the pink nipple between his fingers. His grip squeezed hard enough to make me squeal. His other hand continued working at my pussy, slapping the outer lips while the fingers spread me wider and wider, each thrust dragging fingertips against the forbidden spot within me that made my juices squirt out down my thighs. "She's wet enough to soak me..." His voice betrayed his desire even though I could tell he was struggling not to give in. For hours I had gone without sex, simmering in the shade while I helped Master with the green slave. I needed fulfillment, my body arching towards each slap of the palm against my sex. I saw Master's hand spread the Slave's pussy and he rolled her pink clit between his lubed fingers with a pressure that made the flesh angry scarlet as the woman's ass jerked up off the pillows. The howl of torment choked out around cock-flesh. I wanted that. I wanted to be hurt and to feel the flood of panic and pain that came with Master's powerful command. Marcios's touches were cruel but unskilled, his lusts had control over him and he was like a rank-stud, grasping blindly. His grip loosened on me as he fumbled to draw his loin cloth up and when I turned to try and assist him, he snarled and struck me hard across the face, knocking me sideways. A pussy-soaked hand clamped over my mouth as I reeled from the strike, blinking back tears. The lean, hard cock slapped my ass as Marcios got his manhood free, wet from his pre-cum and twitching with desire. "I have wanted you for so long." He hissed into my ear, grasping my lower lip in his fingers and pinching until I squealed again. "All for my own. All mine....Ooh!" The swollen crown of his cock nudged my abused folds, pumped once against the slick pussy-lips and then he lost control. His face, inches from mine, twisted with shame and desire as he spurt his cum against me but not within me. Fingers freed my lips and his mouth claimed mine. There was something sweet in the desperation and even as my heart fluttered wildly in my chest and my denied pleasure beat upon me, I felt myself soften to Marcios. His body went limp over mine, his shoulders shaking slightly and I wanted to comfort him and to assure him that I could stir his pride to life again and he could abuse me to his delight. How had my emotions changed so swiftly? I admit, I had always thought him soft but even with his lust-blind fumbling; I could feel his hiden power. Having actually taken a moment to look upon him, he was pleasing to look upon, darkly handsome with dark eyes framed with thick lashes. I blushed and quivered, trying my best not to whimper out my need as I returned his kisses while he spent himself on my skin. Distantly I heard the scream of the slave, so did Marcios and he pulled away from me with a growl and shoved me hard onto the ground. I rolled onto my back, his cum trickling down my ass cheek and pussy, pooling under me and running down my thighs. The pain I saw in his face was like nothing I'd seen before. And when he saw me take notice of it, the emotion hardened and the ice crackled between us. Oh how I wanted to change his expression. Never had I felt so drawn to another person, not even Master. Perhaps he was a virgin? Surely not. I watched him fix his loin cloth and trembled, feeling my eyes sting. I've known many levels of frustration and shame, this was the most acute pain branding me. Each slap of Master's cock into the juicy slave-girl punctuated my failure. The slave girl's little pussy was stretched around the thick girth of Master's cock as he bent her over and applied his lusts to her. I don't know which punishment was worse, being forced to lick his cum out of the slave-girl's pussy when he finished with her, not being able to cum or knowing that Marcios watched me. Master's expression remained unreadable; aside from the obvious disappointment that I had so displeased Marcios. "So, Marcios, will you come with us on the trip? I think a young man of your station should go and see the world first hand." Master spoke as a pair of collared girls brought fresh fruits and chilled wine for refreshments. I dug my fingers into the slave-toy's thighs to keep her from closing her legs on my face and she mewled weakly. I felt Marcios looking at me and when I glanced up, our eyes met and he flushed darkly before turning away, hiding his hunger by accepting the goblet of wine. "I don't think that I can Lord." He spoke in carefully pitched tone. "Ah, but I am afraid that I must insist. You see, I must ask for you guidance on the matters in the East and if you are not there to see firsthand, how will I be able to consult you?" I squirmed restlessly, rubbing my thighs together to sooth my pulsing sex, the thought of Marcios being with us on this trip was almost more than I could stand. I couldn't even put to words the emotions I felt, horror and longing and need and shame and so many other all raveling tight in my chest and worse, between my thighs. Surely Master would not condemn me to such torment. The look that Master shot at me was cruel with his plotting. I trembled to my bones and knew that Master would indeed see that my torment did not end. I would have to try and behave myself. It proved to be the most erotic trip of my life and I looked upon it at this moment with a mixture of fear and horror. Master Knows Best Ch. 02 She was woken by a tug on her neck. She realised that Master had attached a leash to her collar. She rose to her knees sleepily from her bed on the floor and greeted her Master. "Good morning, Master. Did you sleep well?" She asked the question every day, since usually she was the one to wake him up. This morning, though, he had said he had to wake early to take care of some things, and she was to sleep until he woke her. "Yes, I did, pet. Thank you for asking." This was his usual reply and it was always laced with sarcasm, since it was his idea that she should always ask in the first place. "That is good to hear, Master." "Have you remembered what today is?" he asked, knowing full well that she could never forget it. "Yes, Master," she beamed, "it is the day I am to wear your mark, at long last." she thought suddenly that the 'at long last' part might displease him and hastily continued, "not that I mind the wait, Master." She was relieved when he smiled at her. He could be so cruel sometimes, but he always showed affection for her, and didn't appear to tire of her company. He nodded. "Good. You may stand." Obediently, she stood. He had laid out her clothes, a short skirt and low-cut top. No underwear, no bra. She dressed quickly. He lead the way to the kitchen, and she followed behind him to his right, just as she'd been taught. "I have prepared breakfast for you, I thought since it was your marking day I would allow you a small sleep-in." "Thank you, Master." she was excited about finally being marked as his property, although she was a little apprehensive about getting a tattoo on her virgin skin. She told him this, and he laughed at her. "Pet," he said, not unkindly, "you receive pain at some level almost daily, and you're worried about getting a tattoo?" She thought about this, and although she felt a little silly when it was explained to her like that, she tried to clear up what she had meant. "It is the fear of not knowing what it will feel like, Master. Not knowing what sort of pain to expect." "Think of it this way," he said. "You and I try new toys together, experiment with how they feel and the effect they have on you, don't we?" "Yes, Master," she agreed. "The tattoo gun is just another toy. It brings a little pain while in use, but the effect afterwards is the same as any other toy we use. It symbolises that you are mine, and I am happy to have you." She felt much better about the whole thing now. "Thank you Master, that really eases my mind," she said. "Good." He put a bowl on the floor and unattached the leash. "Eat your breakfast now, pet." She knelt on the floor and began to eat her breakfast. She was lucky that he always fed her human food - some of his friends owned pets just like her and they had to eat dog food on occasion. She hoped Master would never give her dog food to eat, but if he did - well, she would just have to eat it and be damn grateful for the opportunity, she thought to herself. He was watching her eat, she noticed, and when she had finished he called her over. "I think I'd enjoy my breakfast so much more if you pleasured me," he said. She immediately knelt beneath the table. He was wearing tight leather pants today, and they fit snugly, showing the large bulge of his cock beneath. She eagerly unzipped his fly. His cock sprung forward, seemingly grateful to be set free from the confinement of leather. She placed her lips around his cock and began to run her tongue along the grooves beneath the head. He growled softly with pleasure, and she felt herself getting wet. She took him deep into her throat, as far as he could go, and felt his cock throbbing in her throat. She loved the way his body responded when she was sucking him off. She loved the salty taste he excreted, and she especially loved it when he came. She was always careful not to waste a drop of it. She grazed her teeth along the shaft, knowing that if she didn't do it out of initiative, he would command her to sooner or later. She sucked hard, alternating between deep-throating him, using her teeth and licking and teasing the tip until she felt him tense up. His engorged cock finally exploded inside her mouth, and she expertly collected every last drop and swallowed it all. "Mmm," he said. "I've been looking forward to that all morning." She moved out from under the table and smiled at him. She noticed that his breakfast was untouched. He saw her looking at his plate and grinned at her. "I got a little distracted," he said lightly. "You're good at what you do, pet. You know just what to do to make me come. And hard." She grinned back at him. "While you finish your breakfast, Master, would you like me to clean my plate?" He nodded, his mouth full. He swallowed. "Thank you, pet. You're a good girl." She smiled, feeling proud of herself for pleasing Master. She picked up her plate from the floor and took it to the sink. She ran some water and went about washing her plate. She noticed that there were other dishes that needed washing too, so she decided to clean those too, to please Master. She was so engrossed in getting the dishes clean to Master's standards that she didn't hear him approaching. He stood behind her and slipped his hand beneath her skirt. She got such a fright that she dropped a plate she had been cleaning into the sink, where it broke into pieces. "I- I'm sorry, Master," she stammered. "I got a fright." "I know. You tend to get wrapped up in doing it right. I appreciate that you took the initiative in cleaning those dishes as well as your own. Don't worry about that one, it's replaceable." All the while, he was caressing her pussy from behind. He ran his fingers over her clit and down to her entrance. She could feel herself getting steadily wetter. She had pinned her to the bench, but she wouldn't have tried to turn around anyway. He kissed her neck, moving up to nibble on her ears. She could hear his breath in her ears, and it sent shivers down her spine. Without warning, she felt his hard cock enter her pussy. She realised for a fleeting moment that he probably didn't do his pants back up after she had sucked him off. He rammed into her, and her breathing becoming shallow. Soon she was moaning and pushing back as hard as she could. She wanted all of him inside her. Every last inch. He sped up, and drove harder into her. She was in ecstasy. Master wanted to fuck her today, and she was more than happy to oblige. He filled her, never fully leaving her. She cried out as he rammed hard into her again. Her knees were getting weak, it was lucky she had the bench to support her. She moaned loudly, pressing back into Master, taking all of him in. She could feel his balls slapping against her ass, and she could hear the steady beat they made. Occasionally he uttered one of his animalistic growls, which got her even wetter, although she wasn't sure that was even possible. She could hear his breathing become shallow and she felt the pulse of his cock lodged deep inside her. "Oh...fuck me, Master," she cried as he pounded her, viciously and brutally. He sped up even more, pounded her harder. In response she pressed harder against him. The sensation was incredible. No matter how much she loved swallowing his come, she loved it when he filled her pussy so much more. She could feel her orgasm rushing towards her. "Come for me, Pet," he said, sensing she was close. Two more strokes and she was thrashing and writing against the kitchen counter as she lost all control. He continued to ram her throughout her orgasm, and she felt his cock swell and then explode as he came in four long spurts in her hot cunt. She felt the warmth of her Master's come fill her, a welcome sensation. He withdrew, and she felt the emptiness as he left her. She was suddenly aware that fluid from him and from her was running down her leg. She grabbed a bunch of paper towels off the counter and hurriedly cleaned herself up. Master was watching her, a satisfied smile on his face. "You're a damn good fuck, pet." "Thank you Master." she blushed a little. He laughed. "Go and have a shower and do your makeup. I'll give you half an hour." "Thank you, Master." she disposed of the paper towels and went to the bathroom. She showered quickly and did her makeup just how Master liked it. She presented herself to him twenty minutes later. "Early, even," he said, looking up from his newspaper with a smile. "Come and sit by me. I'll finish reading this paper and we'll go." "Yes, Master," she replied, and sat obediently at his feet. She watched him read, watched his reactions to articles he read, surveyed his body. His pants moulded to the shape of his body, skimming over the large bulge of his cock. Master's cock never seemed to be anything other than erect and at attention. Eventually he finished reading and stood. "Now, pet, I managed to get a personal friend of mine to do your tattoo. Let's go." He attached the lead to her collar and led her out the front door. He loaded her into the car. As they drove, her stomach twisted in knots. She was nervous, no matter how Master had put it. She had never had a tattoo before, she didn't know what to expect. That was the worst part. She knew she sounded stupid, even in her own head. She dealt with pain on a daily basis. He pulled up to the tattoo parlour and stopped the car. He turned around to look at her. "It's time." She sighed. He opened the door and she stepped out. He led her to the front door and pushed it open. A bell went off somewhere inside. A gorgeous woman with bright red-dyed hair came around the counter and greeted them. Master's personal friend was a woman? "Hi, Sir. And this must be your slave?" "Yes, she is." Master sounded proud to own her. She decided to try extra hard to keep him proud of her The tattooist looked at Master, and he nodded at her. "My name is Rose," the tattooist introduced herself. She nodded. Master tapped her sharply. "Nice to meet you," she said to Rose dumbly. Rose didn't ask her name. She just nodded, and said to Master, "I'll get this drawn up." She moved over to the bench and started to draw up the tattoo. "You wait here, I'm going to speak to Rose," Master instructed her. He detached the lead and tucked it into his pocket, then went to speak to Rose. She watched them - they chatted easily as Rose drew up the tattoo. She wondered what was or what had been between them, but she knew it was none of her business. "Pet," Master called to her finally, "Come and see this." She trotted over and inspected the tattoo draw-up. It was beautiful - the outline of a raven with the initials of her Master inside. "Master?" "Yes, pet?" "If I may ask, why the raven?" He smiled, a knowing smile, but did not answer. She hated it when he did that - it had to have some significance! Everything Master did or chose had a purpose. Everything was significant. "Up on the chair," Rose said to her. She looked at Master and he nodded. She clambered onto the chair. "Your Master has chosen the back of your neck to place this tattoo," Rose said. She nodded. She knew why - it would be easily visible when Master wanted it to be so. "I'm not going to lie, it will be painful," Rose said. She looked up at her Master with panic-filled eyes. She tried to tell him with her eyes, I can't do this, Master. Fear of the unknown. Please, Master... she pleaded with her eyes, to no avail. He just nodded his head yes. She began to cry. "Do you want to calm her down?" Rose asked him. He nodded. He crouched so he was at her level. "Pet, you know you want this. You want this for me, and I want this for you. It won't hurt as much as you think it will. Anywhere near as much." She took a deep breath, swallowed, and nodded her head. "I'm ready, Master." Master leaned in and unfastened her collar. Rose transferred the drawing to her skin and eventually she heard the buzz of the tattoo gun. She passed out on the first stroke. When she regained consciousness, Master gave her some water. They waited a bit, and then she nodded that she was ready to continue. She stayed focussed, made sure she breathed deep breaths. It didn't hurt as much as she had thought. It was the fear. The fear consumed her. It took what seemed like forever, but finally the buzzing stopped. She opened her eyes. She hadn't realised she had kept her eyes closed the whole time. She felt disappointed in herself. This was her Marking Day, and she hadn't seen her Master throughout the whole process. "Thank you, Master," she said, but he didn't look at her. Rose gave Master the aftercare cream and some patches, and he paid her. They walked to the car in silence. He seemed to be angry at her. He was quiet, but she could feel the anger seething around him. He didn't bother to reattach her leash. They got in the car and she winced as she brushed her newly inked skin against the seat. The protective patch didn't provide much of a barrier. Master didn't start the car for a long while. Finally he looked at her, and she saw the disappointment in his eyes. He started the car. The drive home was long and silent. The silence stretched before her like eternity, like a darkness between them that she couldn't control. They finally pulled up home, and he got out of the car and walked inside, leaving her alone. She knew she was supposed to go inside, but she was scared of seeing that look on his face even once more. She sat there for a long time before getting out and making her way inside. "Didn't think you were coming," he said from the table. He had made coffee and had been sitting there, drinking it and waiting for her to come inside. "I'm sorry, Master." "I'm not interested." She walked over to him and kissed him lightly. He didn't kiss her back, but he didn't pull away. "You've saddened me," he said. She glanced at him. "I know that, Master, I wasn't brave -" "- You ignorant girl." Master stood and grabbed her by the wrist, dragging her to the bedroom. He threw her down on the bed, and gasped as her fall impacted on her sensitive neck. "It is not," Master started, removing her skirt none too gently, "that you weren't brave. It is more the fact-" he slid her top over her head in one fluid motion, leaving her naked, "-that you have been hiding something from me all this time." She hung her head, not wanting to ask what he thought she'd been hiding. He turned to a small box he had on the dresser, that she had been told never to touch, and took something out of it. "You," he said, producing the equipment, "are afraid of needles." She recoiled in horror at the large needle he held in his fingertips. "I am not going to punish you. Nor am I going to tie you or bind you in any way. You will have to trust me. You wear my mark now, you are bound to me. I am disappointed, so disappointed. In the beginning of all this we discussed, clearly, what your limits and fears were. You never mentioned needles. Ever. I gave you so many opportunities before we got into any of this, and you never felt you should bring it up. Therefore, you will now lay perfectly still. Move, and you run the risk of having this needle stuck somewhere, your own fault." Her eyes widened as he brought the needle closer to her bare flesh. "Master, please..." she begged, but she knew it was no use. "Not a word." It was her one and only warning, that much she knew. He grazed the tip of the needle over her stomach. Not enough pressure to puncture the skin, just enough for her to feel it dragging over her flesh. He saw her body tighten. Her eyes were begging with him, pleading, but he ignored them. Slowly he dragged the needle up her stomach and onto her breasts. Her breathing was shallow and fast now, she was panicked. But she didn't make a sound. Carefully he dragged the needle tip over her nipple, grazing the skin ever so slightly, then ran it towards her neck. He saw the look of indecision in her eyes. He had a needle so close to her jugular, and she could either panic more, or trust him. She closed her eyes and focussed on the feeling of the needle running over her skin. It scared her to death, but she hadn't been honest. He was trying to teach her. He continued to run the needle over different parts of her skin, and finally he saw her body relax a little. "Better, pet?" "Yes, Master," she answered. He put the needle away and sat her up on the edge of the bed. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and he wiped it away gently. Carefully he pulled away the bandage that covered her new tattoo and reapplied cream to it, tracing the outline gently with the tip of his finger, feeling her tense up. "Pet, do you still want to know why I chose this raven for you?" "Yes, please, Master," she answered truthfully. He covered the tattoo again and crouched in front of her. "I have decided to name you in honour of your gorgeous black hair," he said, running his hands through it. "Raven is your new name. And you, raven, belong to me, now and forever. No more games, no more dishonesty." "Of course, Master." She felt the need to say the words crushing her with every second she waited. "Master, I - I love you, Master." He smiled at her. "And I love you too, raven." He held her for the longest time, until she fell asleep. He lay her on the bed, and kissed her forehead. She was lost in dreams. Dreams of her Master, the loving man that he was. The man that always tried to better her. "Sleep tight, pet." As the words entered her subconscious, she felt the warmth in his voice and knew that she would do anything to please him. Whatever he asked, no matter what it was, she would do it. Forever.