Slave Unbound Ch. 15

"I am sure Mistress is quite upset." Cookie replied firmly, already anxious to hear what delicious punishments would be heaped upon Leita for this faux-pa. "Master Venge is certainly no one that we'd want to offend."

"Oh, most certainly not, my darling." Sabrina drawled darkly, her tone practically dripping with her dissatisfaction. "I'm glad you understand."

"Of course, my Mistress." Cookie said, taking a couple of sweeping steps forward, eyes glittering with anticipation of discussing just how to discipline the slave for her stupidity. "I assume you'll want to start with a public whipping, but I personally think--" She stopped herself short at Sabrina dismissively waving a hand.

"Now, now, Cookie, I believe we can forgo that." Sabrina sighed, but added a moment later, with definite meaning. "For the moment, at least."

"Mistress doesn't think this deserves a severe punishment?" Cookie asked, nearly appalled at the idea of letting this go so easily. "Master Cornelius Venge is not someone ou--your House would want as an enemy."

Sabrina inhaled a deep breath audibly, releasing it with a strong exhale, as though needing to keep herself calm. "I quite agree, which is why it is lucky that he was rather polite about it, though still disappointed. He intends to return, once Leita has been better...instructed."

Cookie gave a small nod, relaxing a little. "Well, that is at least some small fortune then. Still, I don't think Leita should go without punishment. How else will she learn her lesson?"

Sabrina lounged herself across the sofa, eyeing her concubine sternly. "Oh, my dear Cookie, I don't blame Leita for this. I blame you."

The words hit Cookie hard enough to make her stagger a step backwards. "Me?!?" She gasped, feeling ice-water go down her spine. "Mistress, w-why would you blame me?"

Sabrina looked to the small table beside her, becoming momentarily absorbed in the act of selecting a particularly plump grape from a bowl of them upon it. It was as if she'd completely forgotten what she'd just been saying, her face suddenly serene and whimsical as she plucked out her prize and took her time sucking it into her mouth, almost kissing it.

When she looked back at Cookie, she was smiling. However, it wasn't a smile that would make anyone feel any sort of relief. It was an icy smile of a pure evil and sadistic intent. She began speaking, biting off each word so they were as sharp as daggers. "According to Leita, she was merely doing what you had instructed her to do. You, who I had given the task of preparing her. So, you see, the blame is yours."

Shock left Cookie completely speechless. Her mind whirled as she realized the implications. While the statement was far from true, in spirit; she realized it wasn't exactly inaccurate. With horribly revelation, she recounted how she'd answered Leita's question of how she should act. Certainly, she'd not meant her to do as she had, but for a simpleton like Leita, she could see how it might could get so awfully misconstrued.

Still, Sabrina couldn't possibly blame Leita's incompetence on her! How could anyone think she'd end up taking what she'd said so foolishly? She struggled to find words to speak, to explain her position, but before she could, Sabrina began speaking again.

"M-my Mistress!" Cookie finally managed to say. "You can't possibly believe that lying little cunt? I never...I would never..."

"I've confirmed her words with the attendants you were supervising, darling." Sabrina retorted. "They said she specifically asked you what to do and your vague advice lead her to her insipid attempts at seduction." Her voice was growing more and more agitated, obvious anger flickering in her bright grey eyes.

"M-mistress!" Cookie sputtered, reeling from the realization that this was all coming back on her. "I...I did give her some p-pointers, but only a great fool would have turned them into...into what she did!"

"It was your task to make sure she was properly prepared, my sweet." Sabrina said, a menacing firmness settling into her expression, the fury in her eyes crystalizing into something truly dangerous. "Not just washed, dressed, given a few poorly worded 'pointers', and then shoved into a room with someone like Cornelius Venge. I told you to make sure she was made ready for him. As a long-time pleasure slave, I'd have thought you would know so much better how to do that."

She sat forward, planting her feet on the floor, now glaring straight into Cookie's eyes with the force of a thrust spear. "When Venge returns, he expects Leita to know how someone of her place should act. I expect you to be the one to ensure that is what he gets. When she isn't training in the yard, fighting in the Arena, or attending any other expected duties, she is to be with you, learning her place and how NOT to disappoint those who pay for her use."

A shiver ran through Cookie. Two shivers, actually. One was born of fear for Sabrina's anger, knowing just how evil the woman could be when she was angry. The other was from her own fury at Leita for putting her in Sabrina's sights. She would teach that ugly lump her place, alright. And her place would be beneath her heel.

Standing, Sabrina smoothed her dress, seeming to have finally vented her ire. When she looked at Cookie again, her expression was light, smile warm and almost maternal. She seemed as if she'd realized how much she'd rattled her concubine and now felt a bit of pity for having to be so harsh. Languidly, she glided over, brushing a soothing hand down the edge of Cookie's cheek.

The affectionate touch did indeed give some balm, easing her tension. As the hand continued to trail downwards, along her neck, down her front of her shoulder, she began to feel a new kind of rush. A warm flush of arousal began to spring as Sabrina's fingers traced the side curve of one breast, the thumb extended to lightly brush over the fabric above its nipple, before continuing further downwards. A heady smile slowly blossomed as she felt Sabrina begin to lift the material of her skirts.

As Sabrina's fingers found her lower lips, already tingly eagerly, she roughly thrust two of her fingers up deep inside her, drawing out a sudden gasp from the harsh, but erotic, pinch of it. Cookie began to lean forward, intent to give her Mistress an inviting kiss, a beg to continue, but was stopped short in this as the rest of Sabrina's hand clamped hard. What, at first, seemed as a prelude to lusty interlude, turned instantly into deep pain.

Sabrina's strong fingers crushed and ground the sensitive and tender flesh of her groin into the hard and unforgiving ridge of her pelvic bones, sharp nails biting into the inside of her, pulling upwards hard enough to make Cookie rise onto her tip toes. The intense pain made the concubine choke and gasp, tears flooding into her eyes. A moment later, Sabrina's other hand smacked the side of her face, not strong enough to shift it, but with enough sting to get her attention.

"Don't fail me this time, Cookie." Sabrina said, her words as soft and delicate as silk, eyes sparkling with playful humor, distinctly at odds with the brutal actions the rest of her was taking. "Try not to forget that, though you may no longer wear that pretty little collar, you still belong to me. Your ability to claim freedom lasts only as long as I allow. You are still listed as my property in the municipal registry, my dove. A proper deed of ownership can be produced anytime I request it."

She leaned in and gave Cookie a gentle and, almost loving, kiss on her lips. However, her excruciating hold on her pubis remained firmly in place. "All I have to do is have the House Recorder add your name back to our ledger of assets. Just one little line of text and you return to being just another pleasure slave of House Firebridge. Just one more thing to be inherited by my successor when I finally grow tired of playing these tedious little games with the immature little boys that run the other Houses."

With a sudden wrench, her grip was gone, fingers removed, and she was already turned and gliding back to her sofa. "When Venge returns, I want her ready to give him what he wants of her. Otherwise, I will make it your place to sate her carnal needs at night."

As painful as the crushing grip had been, the implications and words of her Mistress hurt far more and far deeper than anything she could have done to her body. Cookie's breath was ragged, her hands trembling. She would teach Leita, for certain. Teach her how to suffer and how to cry.

"Oh, and one more thing." Sabrina said casually, now draped back onto the couch and selecting another grape to eat. "Her primary purpose is still as a gladiator to the House, darling. Ensure that you don't do anything foolish that might cause her to be unable to fight. As tempting as it might seem to drag her down to the hostler and have her practice with my prize stud, keep your 'lessons' free of anything that might cause serious...physical...injury."

For a long moment more, there was just silence, Sabrina making a meal of her grapes and Cookie standing there still as one of the statues about the room, her mind a raging tempest of hatred and ideas for how to best punish Leita. When Sabrina finally looked back at her with a dismissive expression, Cookie had enough awareness left to know she should leave.

However, with all her stewing and shaken wits, she did not have enough awareness left to catch the look of amused satisfaction on her very manipulative Mistress's face.