Eternal Slave Ch. 04 - The Escape

"Stop!" a voice said behind me. "Don't let him in. He's mine. My gift slave."

Talk about the she-devil. It was Sprite. She was warm, red-faced, out-of-breath, and, worst of all, she was smiling and looking friendly. 13 was nowhere to be seen.

"I beg your pardon, Ma'am?" Captain Ember said.

"This man," she said, "is a recently arrived gift slave. I'm Wicked Sprite, by the way, a village witch from Slave Fountain Island. He's confused and has run off. I was afraid something had happened to him."

"You happened to me!" I shouted. "You captured me and tortured me!"

Sprite cleared her throat and gave the Captain an apologetic smile. "This man... He is very vulnerable right now. Last night, he begged me for some very rough treatment, and I obliged despite my better judgment. He found it exhilarating at the time, but when morning came, he panicked. Now I feel like a completely ass. I'm ashamed, and I am looking for ways to make it up to him. But we need to calm him down so that I can bring him back to my hotel room, where we can sit down, have a cup of tea and sort things out."

"No!" I yelled. "She lies. She hurt me on purpose, and I begged her to stop."

"It's just a delusion," Sprite said. "Please listen to me, Ma'am. He's even assigned me Ownership of his body and soul for one year. Signed it clear and proper, in the presence of witnesses."

"No, I never did that shit, whatever it means!" I said.

"Look!" Sprite pulled a letter from a pocket in her shirt. "Here it is!" She handed it to the Captain.

Captain Ember took it, unrolled it, and read it in one, smooth movement of bodily and mental efficiency. "I see. This looks valid." She handed it back to Sprite.

"Valid?" I said. "You don't even know how I sign my fucking name!" I wished 13 was there to show them his mouth and make them open their eyes. How could a pair of such beautiful green ones be so blind? "Let me look at that thing." I hadn't signed anything, had I? They hadn't made me do that after they drugged me?

"Don't trouble yourself with that, honey," Sprite said. "Let's just get back to the room so that we can have a nice, long chat, all alone. I'll explain everything to you and make sure you see it my way."

"Fuck you!" I shouted, turned around, and began running and limping along the wall of the castle, towards the mountain, away from this city of tit-flashing, stone-throwing, lie-believing women.

"Oh no!" Sprite wailed. "Please help him! I am afraid he's going to hurt himself!"

The female guard, the one who had teased me, just laughed and tossed her spear. That was enough. Once again I was felled by a spanner thrown into my legwork, but this time the woman didn't even have to run after me to get me.

Another difference was that crashing headlong into a pile of rocks was way more unpleasant than hitting a pile of leaves. A third was that there was no voluptuous, playful sexy Glow that got on top of me and playfully defeated me. Captain Ember was just as desirable as the other woman, but she was all business.

First there was the knee in my back, then one arm was twisted and wrenched up against my spine, then the other followed, then something leathery was passed between them. Soon I was handcuffed just like any common criminal at the hands of the policewoman of the month, the one with the most arrests in the entire precinct.

"Can you stand up, sir?" she asked after getting to her feet and putting a hand under my left arm.

"Set me free!" I demanded.

"I'm sorry, sir. You're an owned slave."

"I'm a free man!"

"Not according to the contract you have signed, sir."

"It's a fake! Why don't you listen to me?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but this is a civil matter, and I have no jurisdiction except to assist in urgent matters, such as preventing you from harming yourself."

Harming myself? My body was beat half to death from the fall just now, but that was nothing compared to what Sprite would do to me. I tried my best to break free, but I only managed to confirm that Ember was a complete professional, and that having twice her weight didn't mean anything when she had ten times my skill.

"Thank you, Captain." Sprite gushed and smiled. A very grateful, very concerned woman that. "I assure you everything's going to be all right. In fact, once he's properly trained, I'll have him bring you some donuts that he'll make himself."

The female guard looked like she was partial to donuts. She retrieved her spear and winked at Sprite. "I like mine with sprinkles on top."

"No problem!" Sprite reached out for my arm and winked at me. "Come, sweetheart! Let's go make ourselves a large pot of hot tea, shall we?"

"I want to enlist!" I screamed. "I want to enlist!"

"Come on now," Sprite repeated. Her grip on my arm was soft and gentle.

"Wait a minute, Ma'am," Captain Ember said.

"What, Captain?" Sprite said.

"This man wants to enlist in the city's armed forces, as a gift slave."

"He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Sir," Ember said to me. "Are you aware of what you are requesting?"

"Yes," I lied and gave her my sanest look. It was the 'I'm really, really scared, but I still manage to get kind of confused when you examine my face with those green eyes' look. Among sane looks, it doesn't rank very high, but at least I could hope I would be able to fake it.

"In that case, Ma'am," Captain Ember said, "this man passes from your authority to military jurisdiction."

"What?" Sprite said. "He belongs to me. He's signed the contract. One year."

"That contract is now null and void, Ma'am," Ember said.

"I have my rights," Sprite hissed. "He's my property. The army can't just take people's property."

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. Some measure of martial law has been imposed on the citizens of Windy Isles and any visitors from the republic due to the imminent threat of the Sea Hag. This includes the waiving of any civil obligations on the part of individuals that wish to join, and are subsequently accepted into, our armed forces."

"Yeah," I said. "So go fuck yourself, you evil monster."

"Watch you language, recruit!" Captain Ember said while the guard drew in her breath. "That's a punishable offense."

"Give me my slave, or I'll take it to the Dux," Sprite said.

"You are entitled to do so, Ma'am. However, if your slave refuses to be initiated or is not accepted, we will bring him to your hotel." Captain Ember said. "Please leave your contact information with my colleague here, and we'll get in touch. Good afternoon, Ma'am."

With that, Captain Ember untied my wrists and turned me around in one, smooth motion. While the guard opened the gates, she pushed me along with the slightest of touches, and I passed through the portal. As the door closed behind me, I heard Sprite curse and promise to revenge herself upon the Captain, the guard, the armed forces, the Dux, Windy Isle as a whole, and the world in general.

In one sense, I was safe. In another, I had just leaped into the fire with my two, naked feet first.

"Follow me, recruit," Captain Ember said and headed into an exercise yard surrounded by barracks, workshops, and sheds, as well as the large, main keep with its towers and battlements.

I hastened after her, my two, naked feet spending a few moments catching up with her pair of fetching black leather boots. They looked perfect both for inspection and for marching through the wilderness, as well as, in my opinion, polishing and kissing.

"Where are we going?" I said.

"Where are we going, Ma'am," she replied without turning her head. The braid kept swinging as she strode, reflecting the harsh sun, almost blinding me.

"Where are we going, Ma'am?" I repeated.

"To the offices of the Slave Squad in the Dark Tower," she said.

I liked the sound of the first half of that statement. Then again, this was a crazy world, and I might be up shit creek with a pair of handcuffs and a paddle that was not made for rowing. The people who walked about, mostly in uniform, but there were a couple of civilians as well, seem to find me hurrying after this energetic woman very amusing. As if they knew.

The keep had one main entrance, a huge, tall double door with elaborate brass hinges and a crest showing an almost-Chinese style dragon churning in some waves or other. We were not headed towards that door.

The keep had several very, very small doors set high up on walls and accessed by narrow, wooden stairs. The Captain led me up and into one of these, and behind it was a stairwell taking us up at least five floors. When I looked out through one of the standard, slim castle windows, I saw how this tower faced the mountain, which destroyed any hope I had of a marvelous view of the bay. Was this why it was called the Dark Tower?

We reached a landing and a door with a sign that said 'Special Branch.' Captain Ember knocked, and the door opened after a discrete, little pause that was far from long enough to cause even someone with her energy to feel impatient.

The man who let us in was a gift slave, I was sure of it. For three reasons. One, he was ultra-polite and bowed to the Captain with extreme deference, as well as pleasure. Two, he was dressed in something which looked like a mix between a tailored suit, a flashy uniform, and a silk bathrobe with a long, blue satin tie. Three, he was clearly of African ancestry, none of that alternative racial makeup they were so fond of in this world.

"Hey?" I said. "Are you from Earth?"

He just cleared his throat.

"Recruits are not allowed to indulge in idle chatter in the presence of officers," Captain Ember said. "But you are right. His name is Kevin and he is forty-five years old. He is from a place called Angola, which I do not know, and is one of our four current gift slaves. He's got the power of heightened senses. Private Kevin has his greatest wish fulfilled, he informs me, by being allowed to served as butler in the Tower, a previously unfamiliar role which we have had the pleasure to become acquainted with. Private Kevin, meet Sam, a new recruit."

Kevin inclined his head, and his eyes were tender as he looked back at her again after barely registering my presence.

"Thank you, Kevin," the Captain said and led me past him.

Inside was an empty lounge area with a desk where a woman dressed in civilian clothes sat writing, nodding at the Captain as we approached, and some more stairs for us to take.

"The Slave Squad is only part of the Special Branch," she said, "and our quarters are at the top. Starting from the next level."

We reached a floor where there were several clothes' racks filled with uniforms made for women, all with different distinctions. All were spotless and pressed. Below them stood several pairs of black, leather boots, shiny and clean. A young, white man wearing a suit of the same cut as the black man, was sitting polishing a pair that were also shiny and clean. So shiny and clean he ought to be putting them down. He looked like he had no plans of doing that. The man started as we arrived, clearly shaken out of a dream that probably featured whatever woman owned those boots busy showing her displeasure with his care of them.

"Ma'am," he said, bowing to Captain Ember.

"Good afternoon, private. This is Joe from a place called Toronto," Captain Ember said. "He's our quartermaster. When his duties allow, he also takes care of the uniforms and boots of other female soldiers. He is a true expert and his services are much sought after by a large section of the rank and file. His powers are that of resistance to the elements. Joe, meet Sam."

Joe winked at me, then went back to polishing, his blue silk tie dangling.

We climbed another floor and arrived in a kitchen area where an older Asian guy, early fifties?, was busy cooking up something that smelled like Chinese food ought to smell. His movements were fluid and economic, and he was wearing the same suit as the men below, properly protected by a heavy-duty apron. I noticed his tie was blood red instead of blue.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am," he said and took a short break from whatever he was deep frying to offer Ember a deep bow.

"Good afternoon, private Jiang," Ember said. "Jiang has been with us for over thirty years now. He is from a place called Changsha, and cooks the most delightful dishes from his homeland as well as my local ones. He is often called away to cook for our female officers. His powers are that of ease of movement, and he is used daily to train our troops."

Jiang gave me a wink and a very self-satisfied smile.

"Private Jiang, meet recruit Sam. Do you know where private Pablo is?"

"Private Pablo has been requisitioned for use by the workers erecting the new seawall at Hollow Cape, Captain," Jiang said. "Captain Rash said they will keep him in the use tent for a few days."

While the two other men had not spoken much, I noticed Jiang's accent. Rather, his lack of accent. Perhaps he'd been born in China and had moved to my country while still young enough to learn to speak the native tongue fluently? That, or we were in some crazy world where everyone were magically enchanted to a) understand each other's languages, b) speak a common language no-one had ever learned before, or c) be auto-translated.

"Captain Rash may not requisition my men without my permission," Captain Ember said. "Pablo has his duties to attend to, and besides I want to make sure he is treated with respect."

"The orders came directly from the Dux, Ma'am," Jiang said. "Apparently there is a fear of an imminent attack by the Sea Hag. Sergeant Tease read the orders most thoroughly and accompanied private Pablo there. Said she would be back in a few hours, Ma'am."

Sergeant Tease. Sounded, well, cheesy. Sounded more sexy than cheesy, though. Could be both, no?

"That is well," Captain Ember said. "I will be interviewing Sam here to make sure he is of acceptable quality. Please leave me undisturbed."

"Of course, Ma'am," Jiang said. He offered me thumbs up when Captain Ember had turned around.

We climbed another set of stairs, the last one, and reached a door with the sign 'Captain Ember' engraved. Inside was an office with the crisp, intense neatness I expected of her. There was a writing desk and meeting table and uncomfortable chairs and large maps and thick books and rolls of paper and ink stands and all. There was also a screen over by a section of the curved wall.

The Captain locked the door, strode over to the screen, and pushed it aside.

There was a table there, dark and heavy. Fitted with leather straps.

"Please get on the table and prepare for use," she said.

"You want me to lie down on the table?"

She gave me an icy stare. Green ice was apparently the coldest of ices.

"...Ma'am?"

"Yes, recruit."

"And then you are going to tie me up with those leather straps, Ma'am?"

"Yes, recruit."

"And have sex with me, Ma'am?"

"Correct, recruit."

By the clinical look she gave me, she might be a physician trying to get me on the table so that she could cut some painful boils open or something. Was she autistic? We were talking about sex here. The most beautiful, intimate thing to happen between two...

"What's the matter, recruit? Do you not want to have sex with me?"

What kind of idiot question was that? Flawless face, fit body, feet upon feet of fiery, red hair. Even a dead gay man would answer in the affirmative.

"Yes, Ma'am. I do." Since she didn't blush, I would have to do it for both of us.

"Do you want to be tied up while doing it?"

I licked my lips. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Well, then. What seems to be the problem, recruit?"

Yes. Well, then, Sam? I pulled off my shirt and pants. Stood before her. Naked.

"You've been hurt."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"You've been swimming."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Running."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"For future reference, all soldiers of the Slave Squad are required to take care of their appearance at all times. We take great care to groom ourselves."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"You are erect. That is well."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"Please mount the table."

I always imagined that the first time a woman tied me up using her own hands would be a sexy, drawn-out affair with lots of hints about my approaching helplessness. Captain Ember was not into that. She fastened all the leather straps in ten seconds without even a wink or a giggle. It was sexy, though. Her attitude and determination turned me on.

"Why, eh, are you doing this, Ma'am?" I asked while my cock waved at her, trying to get her to get down to business.

"To investigate whether your powers are strong enough for you to be allowed to enlist," she said. "I told you."

"No, not that, Ma'am. Why tie me up?"

"To make you lie still during use," she said. "I enjoy complete control."

I found I enjoyed women telling me they enjoyed complete control. "But, can't you just order me to lie still, Ma'am?"

"You might disobey in the heat of passion. That will ruin the pleasure I receive from the proceedings." She took a few steps back, put the screen back in place, and disappeared.

"But I'll still come, Ma'am?" I said as the pathetic sad geezer I was, moving my head to see if her shadow could tell me what she was up to.

"You will come, and so will I. But I will not enjoy it as much if you start pawing at me or try to control the pace." If I was not mistaken, she was undressing. I got a feeling that all her clothes were being folded and put neatly down on a chair.

"You're doing this for enjoyment, Ma'am?" This was so sexy. Knowing she was naked, knowing she refused to show me. Why hadn't she blindfolded me?

"Certainly. I enjoy sex, much more than most women. I would not have applied for this position if I was opposed, even indifferent, to training, disciplining, maintaining, and using gift slaves." She was fuzzing around with something else back there. Some lingerie? Some kind of leather or latex suit? Some fantasy medieval latex suit with a touch of lingerie?

"Are you saying this just to make me horny, Ma'am?"

"Saying what, recruit?"

"That clinical tone, Ma'am. It is so sexy."

"I have no idea what you mean, recruit," she said and pushed the screen away again.

"Wow," I said.

"Wow, Ma'am," she said.

"You're so beautiful, Ma'am!"

"I appreciate your opinion, recruit," she said and strode up to me.

She was wearing a ball gown. A satin ball gown that trailed behind her. A sleeveless ball gown that showed of her firm and round breasts. A ball gown with a skirt full of folds that caught the light from the window and the lamps and her hair and turned everything into joy. A ball gown tied at the back with a bow on the wide ribbon she wore as a belt, accentuating her slim figure. The ball grown was green, the color of her eyes. It brought out her grace and beauty, yet was unable to quench her strength.

"You must be wearing that to make me horny, Ma'am."

"Certainly, recruit," she said. "I enjoy male lust very much. Joe, our quartermaster, truly appreciates cleaning this garment after each use. But I also think it is improper to appear nude in front of a man. No man has ever seen me naked."

"Would you let your hair hang loose, Ma'am? It would look so beautiful against the green satin."

"No man has ever seen my hair loose either. I am a decent woman."

"I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven. You have much to learn, recruit. Including never to forget to address me as 'Ma'am.'" With that she climbed onto the table, her athletic movements made it as natural as if she was mounting a horse.

I gasped.

"I see, recruit. Having the dress stimulate the penis usually produces such a reaction," she said. "Now I will arouse myself, with your permission." She sat down on my belly, and I could feel her sex against me, warm and dry.

Asking my permission? What a ridiculous notion! But Captain Ember was a very strange woman, indeed. So clinical about her own sexuality. And mine, not to forget. I was sure that among her friends she was the odd one out, the one who made all the serious, yet out-of-place observations that the other, normal girls, all found so funny.