Emaline

Disclaimer: This story is every bit a fantasy. It is not meant to diminish the harsh reality of the cruel and unfair treatment that many endured during slavery- specifically in the southern United States. Some may find it offensive. This story is really about a relationship that would have been uncommon, but would not have been impossible. So I encourage readers not to dig too deep, just enjoy the sex!

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Edward Dawson was a fair man. Well, yes he was very pleasing to the eye. But he was also equitable, just. He never whipped his slaves unless it was absolutely necessary. He was not interested in torturing any of them for sport the way he'd seen others do. Old Mr. Brickford's son was known for being especially cruel. He terrorized his slaves into submission. No, Edward didn't want to be feared as much as he wanted to be respected. His reputation was important to him. He hoped to partner in business with another wealthy landowner, and he preferred to work with a like-minded fellow. Since he took over running the plantation for his aging father, he figured out the old way of doing things was not always the best. He was only 28 years old, but he was sharp minded and had big plans for the family property.

Edward had control over fifty slaves. He knew them all by name- even the kids. He learned to be stern and commanding, yet decent. While he acknowledged the slaves were his property, he also acknowledged them as human beings. The older female house slaves had helped raise him. The male slaves that humbly served his father, gave him their loyalty too. That, he could not ignore.

It was the young female slaves that held his attention the most. He always admired the beauty of their dark skin. He watched them adoringly whether they worked in the fields with sturdy legs, or cooked in the kitchen with gentle hands. He knew about the slave masters that raped their girls. Of that, he had no interest. He wanted the girls to yield to him willingly. He had already picked out a favorite- Emaline.

The darkest, sweetest girl on the plantation was without a doubt Emaline. Her eyes were always downcast both out of submission and shyness. Her voice was quiet like a soft summer breeze. Her hair was soft and wooly like the cotton that grew on acres all around them. Edward had started working on her when she was 17 years old, soon to be 18. He went out of his way to smile at her warmly whenever he could. He paid attention to her routine, observing her work and leisure time (the little bit she had). He always liked to hear the younger slave girls giggling and playing. It was as though they were oblivious to the hard physical work they were already used to doing.

One afternoon Edward passed the garden where Emaline and Celia were seated on a burlap sack, shelling peas. The sun beamed down on them. Beads of sweat glistened like little magical crystals across Emaline's forehead. She chatted and smiled while her hands worked methodically. Her raw beauty stopped Edward in his tracks. He marveled at how carefree she seemed. Free. She was enslaved but seemed quite free. There was a lightness to her voice. She jumped up to grab a nearby basket, but instead of walking- she skipped. She floated and hopped like a little girl. But as Edward watched her silhouette stand out against her airy cotton dress, he noticed that she most definitely was no longer a little girl. She had blossomed into a curvaceous young woman. His mouth hung open as he watched her perky breasts bounce with each skip and hop she took. She was divine.

Celia suddenly stopped talking as she looked up and noticed Master Edward watching them. Emaline quickly turned to see what was the matter and instantly caught her master's intense green eyes.

"We's almost done here Master Edward. Just one more basket to fill. We gonna finish up here and get back up to the house real fast, sir." Emaline turned her eyes down to the grass nervously and grabbed the empty basket.

"Well now Emaline, don't you get yourself all in a hissy over there now, gal. I can see y'all are working. Just you don't keep Mimi waitin' too long. She's promised to cook up some of them there peas y'all are shelling for my supper. You don't want to have my tummy over here a' grumblin' now do ya?"

"No sir, Master Edward sir." Emaline's eyes never left that lush green grass.

"Well I didn't think so, you gals are much too sweet for that. Go on and finish up now."

"Yes sir!" they both chimed in together. Celia had never looked down. She thought Master Edward was quite handsome. She only wished he would pay attention to her the way he did Emaline.

"Humph" Celia let out as soon as Master Edward walked off. "Sweet. Yeah we's sweet, but he be SWEET on you Emaline for sure!"

"Hush ya mouth! No he ain't!" she protested.

"Oh yes he is! I knows it for sure I tell ya. He look at you like you's the sun and the moon."

Emaline just shook her head and started filling the basket with more peas. She didn't want to think about it. She knew Celia was right though. Master Edward had always been gentle with the slave girls. He rarely yelled at them, and sometimes he even let them stop working earlier than the boys. She'd seen him stop in the kitchen to talk to Mimi all the time. He would regard her with a pleasant glance. Mimi would sneak him a taste of the stew right out of the pot on the stove or slip him a warm biscuit and then shoo him out of there. He would have a mischievous grin like a little boy, but he always listened to whatever Mimi told him to do.

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Edward couldn't get to sleep. He lay in bed thinking about Emaline's round ass and smooth looking skin. He imagined walking over to her in that hot sun and wiping her wet brow with his handkerchief before planting a kiss on her full pouty lips. She was so nervous around him, always being careful to stay in her place. But he wanted her to really look at him. He longed to see her deep brown eyes staring right into his own. He would make it a point to get her attention. He wanted her to want him.

The following morning, Edward decided to work outside with the slaves who were repairing a wooden fence along the back of the house near the kitchen. He knew Emaline would be helping Mimi to prepare the food for the day. Three young strong slave men were chopping wood and stacking pieces in piles. Their black muscular bodies shone in the sun. They worked while just wearing dingy pants and work shoes. With each swing of the ax, their toned backs flexed. Emaline was near the kitchen window, and she noticed. She turned her attention to rinsing and peeling potatoes. Once she finished she glanced up again and almost dropped her knife when she noticed Master Edward had joined the men working. She couldn't tear her eyes away. Master Edward was shirtless too, pushing a wheelbarrow over to the broken fence. His body was lean and strong. Mimi cleared her throat and Emaline snapped out of her trance.

"Whatcha lookin' at missy? You ain't got nothin' ta do with what's goin' on out there. Where's my potatoes?" Mimi walked over to see what the distraction was and when she spotted Master Edward she knew. "Oh, I see," she said with a chuckle. "You ain't used to seein' HIM out there is ya? Can't blame you. He certainly grew up to be a handsome man. I was there when he was born. I knew then he was gonna turn out like that. Matter of fact, his pappy used to be fine lookin' jus' like him."

"Old Master Dawson?" Emaline couldn't imagine it.

Mimi laughed. "Well yes girl. He wasn't always old and sick. Where you think Master Edward got it from? But look here now, you be careful 'round him. I knows him well, and he likes Y'ALL more than he likes his own kind. And you 'bout ripe for the pickin'"

"Whatchu mean Mimi? Emaline innocently asked. Although she was pretty sure she knew.

"Aw, now come on Emmy. You knows what I'm talkin' 'bout. He be lookin' at cha like you's a flower he wanna pick."

Emaline covered her mouth and looked down. "Don't say that Mimi!" Just then they both looked up and out the window. Edward emptied his wheelbarrow and looked toward the kitchen, tipping his straw hat and bearing a smile. Emaline gasped and covered her mouth with the dish towel she had clutched tightly in her hand. She couldn't believe how gorgeous Edward was. But mostly she couldn't believe she had only really noticed it at that instant. A tingling heat rose up in her belly. She quickly rushed over to the bowl of freshly peeled potatoes and started cutting them into chunks. She needed to get her mind on anything but him. Mimi just laughed and started rolling out the dough for bread.

Over the next several weeks. Emaline did her best to avoid Master Edward, but Edward did his best to seek Emaline out. They would meet in the kitchen, and Emaline would suddenly realize she had some other task in some other part of the house that needed her immediate attention. Edward would smile, Emaline would look down. Edward knew Emaline's birthday was coming up soon. She would be turning 18. He could not wait to welcome her into womanhood. When his slaves had birthdays, they would all get together after the day's work was done to celebrate. They would gather outside their cabins and dance and sing into the night. Sometimes, Edward would watch from a distance as the young pretty girls swayed their bodies to the rhythm of the music. They seemed to have a natural talent for moving around gracefully. His eyes were always drawn to the girls with skin as dark as the night. The flicker of the fire would reflect off their faces, wet with moisture from the southern humidity. It was a most joyful sight to see.

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Harvest season was coming to a close. A slight coolness began to fill the air. Emaline's birthday was in two days on October 25th. She looked forward to the treats she knew Mimi would make for her. She looked forward to dancing to merry sounds around the fire at sunset. It was late in the day when Mimi asked her to go out to the well to fetch a pail of water. Emaline made her way outside and walked around aimlessly for a while enjoying the cool autumn breeze. She gazed up into the afternoon sky noticing the warm hues of pink, purple, and orange. Not paying attention, she walked right into Master Edward. He had been standing near the side of the yard watching her the whole time.

"Oh! Master Edward, I sure is sorry sir. I wasn't watching where I was going," she stuttered out.

"Well I sure was watching, Emaline. I been watchin' you a whole lot here lately. And I've been noticing how lovely you are. But you never see me watching you 'cause whenever I come around, you put your head down. Well this time, I caught you looking up at the sky. Didn't I?" He stood with his feet planted firmly and his hands folded across his chest.

"Uh, yes sir, I sure will pay attention to where I'm walkin' from now on. I's gonna be a lot more careful sir."

Edward cupped Emaline's chin, "Oh it's okay. I like to see you looking up so I can see your pretty little face." Emaline backed away nervously and instantly looked down. "Now, now. Don't be shy. I ain't gonna bite ya."

"Well, uh... Master Edward sir I supposed to be gettin' some water for Mimi and I got a little distracted and, well I expect she waitin' on me now, sir." Emaline wrang and twisted her hands and took two more steps back.

"Emaline, why are you so afraid of me, girl?"

"Huh? Well I ain't sir, I just..."

"Everytime I see you," he interrupted taking two steps toward her "you seem to be in such a hurry to get away from me. Why is that?"

"I don't mean nothin' by it sir..."

"I mean have you ever seen me whipping any slave girls 'round here?"

"No sir."

"Have you ever heard me yelling or cursing at any slave girls?"

"No sir."

" I treat y'all pretty good don't I? I haven't given you any reason to fear me now have I Emaline?" He cocked his head to one side.

"No, Master Edward you sure haven't. You sure is good to all us girls, sir."

"Well alright then. Now you know you belong to me, so I can touch you if I want."

"Yes sir."

"Good girl. Now let me see those pretty brown eyes of yours." He touched the edge of her chin again, ever so gently and tilted her head up. She blinked several times and finally fixed her gaze on him. "There now. I know your birthday is coming up 'cause I heard Mimi talking about making you something special. And see, I got you something real nice and I want you to come see it." Emaline looked surprised but nodded her head. "Now come on down here with me and let me show you." He lead her past the well to the edge of the yard near the gate. "See these flowers here?" He pointed out a patch of yellow and orange mums. "Pretty ain't they?" They moved a little further down and he pointed to several deep burgundy mums. "But these here... these are my favorite. These remind me of you, Emaline." He plucked one up and handed it to her. "These are so dark and so beautiful. These stand out more than any of the others."

Emaline looked puzzled and anxious. She always thought men only liked women with fair skin. She never really felt like she was beautiful. But here was Master Edward looking at her like she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. "I am going to give you a gift on your birthday too." He stroked the side of her face and reached down to grab her hand. Holding her hand softly, he pressed it up to his lips for a warm, chaste kiss. A jolt of electricity shot from Emaline's hand, down her arm and slowly dissipated out through every nerve in her body. "Now you better go on ahead and fetch Mimi's water." He started walking back towards the house. Emaline followed numbly behind him, trying to understand what had just happened. Moreover, what was about to happen?

She was innocent but she wasn't ignorant. This was what Mimi had warned her about. Master Edward definitely had his sights set on her. The whole time she and Master Edward had been alone, she felt like butterflies had taken up residence in her tummy. She was forced to look him in his eyes. Those impossibly gorgeous green eyes looked like the stone in Missy Anne's necklace. What had she called it? Jade. Missy Anne was Master Edward's mother. She was kind to Emaline. Ever since she was a little girl, Missy Anne had taken a liking to her. She told Emaline stories about beautiful women in far away places. The women all wore fancy gowns and exquisite jewels. She even taught Emaline to read a little when no one else was around.

Yeah, those jade colored eyes made Emaline feel uneasy. Master Edward was tall and slim. His skin was tan from working outside all summer and into the fall. His hair was a rich brown mass of waves and curls. When he smiled at her, his sturdy jawline softened a bit and his cheeks were punctuated by dimples. Emaline never wanted to look at him because she was afraid she would be hypnotized by his handsomeness.

What kind of gift did he have for her birthday? More flowers? Another kiss? She liked the idea of another kiss. Master Edward's lips felt soft and sweet against the back of her hand. She wondered what they would feel like pressed against her lips. Fear and anticipation crept up her spine. She now had another reason to look forward to her birthday.

"Good Lord, child! What took you so long?" Mimi looked impatient.

"Oh Mimi, I'm sorry. But Master Edward took me way down there" she pointed out beyond the fence surrounding the property, "to show me some beautiful flowers!"

"Mm-hmm."

"And he even gave me one, and guess what else Mimi? He said he gonna give me a gift for my birthday!" Emaline's words all came out quickly and excitedly.

"My goodness, slow down girl. He sure 'nuff got you all giddy now don't he?"

Suddenly realizing her unashamed enthusiasm, Emaline caught her breath and calmed down a bit. She looked over at Mimi timidly and noticed her staring back with her hand on her hip. She had a look of concern on her face.

"Lord have mercy, child- now I done already told you to be careful 'round that man. But I sees now that I was too late. The love bug done bit you! Mm mm mm." Mimi shook her head from side to side.

"Love!" Emaline exclaimed as though the word tasted sour in her mouth. "Ain't nobody said nothin' 'bout no love!"

Mimi just laughed. "Silly girl. You 'bout to find out. That train is coming whether you sees it or not. You better get ready to jump on it or it's gonna run you right over. Either way, it ain't stoppin'." With that, she finished wiping down the table and pulled off her apron. "Goodnight sweetie."

Emaline stood there a while, pondering Mimi words. Later that night her last thoughts before she fell asleep were of a speeding train coming towards her. A thick stack of smoke bellowed out from its chimney. A loud whistle rode on a gust of wind. She was standing on the tracks with her feet tied down. She couldn't pull herself away. She couldn't loosen the ropes. Panic set in as she pulled and struggled. The train was getting closer. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The whistle was louder now and the tracks were vibrating with the pulsing cadence of the powerful vehicle. Finally, she freed her restraints and stumbled off the tracks. But then she realized she needed to be on that train. She didn't remember why, but a sudden urgency came over her. She scrambled to her feet and started to run beside the train.

Each enormous car roared past her in a blur. Suddenly there was a car with an open balcony. A strong looking arm stretched out above Emaline's head. She was panting and running and trying her best to keep up. She grabbed a hold of the unknown person's hand and she was swept up off her feet. Everything went dark and all she could hear was the clank,clank of the train as it sped down the track. A blinding shimmer of green broke through the darkness. Her vision was fuzzy at first, but then it started to come into focus. There were two round objects that began to get sharper. The glaring light surrounding her dimmed slightly. The two round things were some kind of orbs. They were captivating, mesmerizing, hypnotizing. Her vision came fully into focus. They were... eyes. Jade eyes. His eyes.