The Rebellious Slave Ch. 03

Struggling against the panic, Kara closed her eyes tight shut, took a deep breath, and tried to channel Tamius' valiant spirit, but Arlington wouldn't have it.

"Eyes open, slave," Lord Arlington hissed, his voice dangerous. "Don't you think I have the means to forcibly open them?"

At that, Kara's eyes snapped back open. She could deal with the chains and the gag, but couldn't bear any further degree of restraint. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she could make out Arlington's face, studying her reactions. At that moment, it finally occurred to Kara why Alyssa had insisted she consistently resist. By giving into Arlington's demands sometimes and refusing to do so at others, Kara was allowing him to observe her weak points and gather up ammunition for later training. Lord Arlington's shadowy figure towered atop her, and he raised an eyebrow.

"I see there are limits to your insubordination," Arlington mused, a faint smile on his lips. "I wonder why that is?" But that was the last straw for Kara and cursing through the gag, she rattled the chains above her head, eyes positively livid. "Now, I won't have any of that. But I suppose we can work on the cursing later, can't we?" Striding back over to the coffee table, Arlington sheathed his dagger, then picked up the manila folder again and opened it. "Let's see here...according to this, you're not particularly experienced when it comes to your back end; is that true, slave?"

Wait...what?!

Immediately, Kara could feel her eyes grow wide in horror. It didn't matter that she couldn't speak. The very second Lord Arlington made mention of her "back end," she could sense the heat in her cheeks and knew that the answer was written all over her face. Casting her eyes downward, she stared furiously into the carpet and hoped the shadows being thrown by the fire might hide some of her shame. But then, Kara could hear footsteps approaching and a dark silhouette was suddenly standing over her. Though she tried to turn her head away, Lord Arlington reached out and gently cupped her cheek in his right hand, letting the warmth of her humiliation sink into his skin. She was certain she must be burning a hole through his palm.

"Didn't I just ask you a question?" Lord Arlington cooed, and Kara whimpered beneath his gaze—it was just too terrible to imagine, being taken like...like that. "Now, I'll have no whining...you don't get to beg, not anymore. But I asked you a question and of course, I expect an answer. You're a clever girl, aren't you, pet? Surely, even gagged, you can nod your head 'yes' or 'no' for your master." Kara swallowed hard, but she didn't nod or shake her head or do anything else except look into his eyes and try not to let their crushing deliberation shatter her. "Last chance, pet. I don't ask rhetorical questions."

There would be no sense in lying, but Kara had no intention of admitting to anything so personal, either. The second hand on the grandfather clock ticked by slowly and then the logs in the fireplace shifted, sending a cloud of shimmering orange-red sparks into the air. As patient as ever, Lord Arlington waited in silence for her to finally give in, but her neck remained stiff as a plank of wood. The grip on her face gradually tightened until she could feel his fingernails digging into her skin and was worried they might leave marks, but still, she didn't answer.

"You are a stubborn one, aren't you?" Lord Arlington growled, his eyes like daggers. "Such a shame, and when I already have to punish you."

Though it was only a temporary reprieve, Kara sighed in relief when he finally let go of her and then returned to the chest below the loveseat. She hadn't the slightest idea what he was looking for, but she knew he was going to rape her. On some level, Kara had always known. Almost desperately, she had tried not to think about it, but now she had no choice.

It's going to happen now, Kara realized, finally forcing herself to face the situation and letting the reality of it sink in for the very first time. And worse still, he's going to take my...my... The prospect was so humiliating, she couldn't even finish the thought.

Truth be told, Kara had never had so much as a finger up her ass, though that wasn't due to any personal hangups. Perhaps under the right circumstances and with the right person, she would have been willing to try. But Kara couldn't bear the thought of Lord Arlington bending her over his loveseat, laying claim to her last sacred place as she screamed into her gag. When he finally stepped toward her, it was way too soon. There was a clouded glass case in his hands and once in range, Arlington flipped the metal clasps aside and popped it open. She honestly didn't want to look, but inside there was only a pair of nitrile gloves, a bottle of lube, and a perfectly ordinary dildo with a flared base—hardly instruments of torture.

"In case you were worried, I won't be taking you to bed tonight," Lord Arlington told her, and Kara started. How could he possibly know what she had been thinking? "No, when I finally do take you, it may be to remind you of your place, or to train you in the ways I like to be served, or to reward you for a job well done, but never to punish." Then ever so gently, Lord Arlington tilted her face up and kissed the ball gag pressed between her lips. "When I fuck a woman, it's almost always about pleasure, but tonight isn't about pleasure, is it, pet? No, tonight is about pain."

Okay, then. He's not going to...to force himself on you, at least not yet, Kara reasoned, looking back into the glass case and willing herself to calm down—it was just a sex toy, how terrible could it be? You don't need to panic. You can handle this no problem if you just—

"The lube is infused with ginger oil," Lord Arlington told Kara, and all her reassuring thoughts instantly shriveled up and died. "It's specifically designed for training....well, difficult slaves. The concentration is significant enough to cause an extremely unpleasant burning sensation, but it won't damage any tissue." Now Arlington was putting on the gloves and lubing up two fingers, while Kara tried not to think about all the things he'd just said. "I assume you're at least somewhat familiar with it given your heritage."

Kara was indeed familiar with it. In Telma, ginger root was an extremely popular herb, especially during the winter months when spiced foods were a staple of nearly every meal. Once and only once while helping her mother cook, Kara had rubbed her eyes immediately after handling some ginger and could still remember the way it had burned. Her mother had rushed her to the sink to flush it out and the pain had subsided quickly, but she'd never forgotten to wash her hands after that.

No, Kara thought, hardly daring to breathe. No, he can't possibly—

Almost violently, Lord Arlington grabbed her about the waist and pulled her in close, until she could smell the soft, subtle scent of cologne against his neck and feel the hard-on rising in his trousers. That alone was enough to send her spiraling into a panic. Acting purely on instinct, Kara tried to pull away, but Arlington only growled in his throat and pulled her in closer still. By then, her heart was hammering so loudly in her chest she was certain the whole world could hear it.

"You're not getting away from me," Lord Arlington whispered in her ear, with a voice so low and guttural it made her shiver to hear it. "Didn't I tell you to look at me?" But he was so dreadfully close now and Kara wasn't sure she would survive his gaze this time around—she'd be obliterated and only a scorch mark would remain. "Look at me, pet. Now."

Without meaning to do so, Kara obeyed. The authority in his voice was so pronounced, it commanded her attention in a way that was almost physical. But Arlington's eyes were as terrible as she'd feared and maybe even worse. They seemed to peer into the darkest, most secret regions of her mind and their intensity absolutely shook her to the core.

"I need you to understand why you are being punished," Lord Arlington told her, his voice firm, but not unkind. "You were gagged because you spoke out of turn, but you're being more severely punished now for the precise nature of your words and your disrespectful tone. I imagine that being anally fucked for the first time would have been uncomfortable enough, but after refusing to answer my questions..." And Lord Arlington paused, letting his words hang in the air and the full brunt of Kara's decisions finally settle onto her shoulders. "Well, after that, I decided it might be a good idea to add in the lube. Though I intend to start slow, the pain will build over time. Now, eyes on me."

Oh god, Kara thought, feeling the panic rise within her chest. No, no, no...he can't seriously be—!

With his right arm still wrapped around her waist to hold her steady, Lord Arlington suddenly reached behind her and penetrated her ass with a single finger. Kara couldn't believe how little resistance there was and gasped as it slipped inside. There wasn't any pain yet, but it was so new and uncomfortable a sensation that she couldn't help herself—she'd never even let her boyfriends touch her in that place. All too soon, Lord Arlington was steadily fucking her, slowly at first and then a bit faster. Kara could hardly stand to look him in the eye as he did so, but she didn't dare disobey. A warm, persistent tingling began to blossom deep inside her and she knew it would only get worse.

"Do you remember that question I asked you earlier?" Lord Arlington whispered in her ear, and Kara could suddenly feel a second finger sliding into her ass. As Lord Arlington began to gently stretch her, she cried out into the gag and desperately nodded. "Ah, and now we're finally communicating," Lord Arlington praised, and he began scissoring her opening, thrusting at one moment with one finger and then switching back to two, gradually getting her ready for more. "Good girl."

It's alright... Kara lied to herself, but she needed to grab hold of something—because even with Lord Arlington's arm wrapped around her, she still felt like she was falling from a million feet up. It's alright...it's alright...it's alright...

"Is it true, my dear?" Lord Arlington asked, as the pace and intensity of his thrusts increased. "Is this the first time you've had your pretty little ass fucked?" And though she wished with all her heart that she had the strength to keep fighting him, Kara nodded again. "Good girl, you're learning quickly."

Though he was careful to properly prepare her, Kara still didn't feel ready when he withdrew his fingers and returned with the flared dildo. It was only about four inches long and an inch and a half wide, but she'd never had anything remotely that big inside of her butt before. With absolutely no ceremony, Lord Arlington grabbed her face in one hand and oriented the toy against her with the other. She breathed in deeply as he pressed it ever harder against her rear entrance, then gasped piteously into the gag as it finally slid inwards.

"Now would have been a good time to beg," Lord Arlington whispered into her ear. She could feel him grin against her neck, and Kara caught herself thinking that he grinned far, far too often. "If only you still had the means."

Inch by inch, Lord Arlington slowly pushed the dildo into her and Kara could feel an awful, alien pang as it stretched her inexperienced ass wide. The sensations ravaging her insides were more intense than she had anticipated. The toy went in smoothly—gliding almost sensually with the help of the lube—but it didn't belong there and her body tensed itself in opposition, fervently trying to push the foreign mass out. Kara knew her resistance was only worsening the pain, but she couldn't relax, even as Arlington reminded her to keep breathing. With every new inch there was a fresh wave of agony, until she could feel her heartbeat quickening beneath her breasts and her face was burning with humiliation. But true to her word, her eyes never left those of her lord, even though the coldness in them seemed to burrow straight through her.

"Good girl," Lord Arlington praised, stroking her face gently. "You're taking this quite well." Then he pushed the dildo another inch inwards, and Kara grimaced. It was an accident—she hadn't meant to close her eyes—but she had and now Arlington was positively furious. "How difficult is this for you to understand?" he hissed, gripping her by the hair and forcing her to face him again, until her scalp was on fire and she cried out into the gag. "Your eyes will stay open at all times, no exceptions. Disobey me again and you will deeply and permanently regret the decision. Nod if you understand."

With terror welling up inside of her, Kara nodded and resolved to keep her eyes intently focused on her lord. He pushed the dildo in the rest of the way and she felt her whole body shudder in revulsion, then gasped as he started to fuck her with it. Then and only then was Kara able to appreciate the true nature of his torturous intent. As Lord Arlington thrust into her, he was also grinding the ginger oil more viciously into her skin, allowing the heat to build upon itself. It had started off as a tingle, but now it had morphed into something hellish and ugly, a flame deep inside her gut that no amount of muffled pleading could extinguish. The intensity increased with each passing moment, and suddenly Kara could feel a small sob and then a scream escape her lips. As her desperation peaked, she frantically tried to shift her hips and squirm away from the source of the pain, but her lord wouldn't have it.

"Keep still, slave," Arlington hissed, holding her in place. "You will take whatever I give you and you will do so with humility or I'll make sure your cunt gets the same treatment."

It seemed like an impossible task, but Kara powered through the pain and forced herself to endure the abuse. There were still a few more minutes of agonizing torture to go, but finally, Lord Arlington was finished. He left the dildo resting snugly inside her ass before stepping away, tossing his gloves aside, and allowing the chains to drop down from the ceiling. It was a small mercy, but Kara was grateful for the chance to rest on her knees. Panting and positively terrified, she could only cringe as Lord Arlington stepped into the light again, watching her with a bemused expression on his face. At that moment, it took all of her willpower not to burst into tears, but somehow, she managed it.

"Such a pretty thing, all stuffed up and red with agony," Lord Arlington smiled, circling her trembling body to observe his work. "You'll think twice before you defy me from now on, won't you, pet?" And humiliated, Kara nodded.

Lord Arlington paused where he stood, then continued circling the girl, searching her face for some indication of how she had handled the stress of the evening. To an inexperienced eye, it might appear as if she had been successfully cowed: whenever he stepped too close, he could see the girl wince and she was struggling to meet his gaze. That pleased Lord Arlington greatly, but it wasn't enough. Though she was undeniably afraid, Kara was still very much in control of her feelings. It was clear from the tension in her body and the way she was breathing—a desperate attempt to remain calm and collected—that he hadn't broken her yet. Kara was still fighting him and his advances, even if she didn't know it. To assume otherwise would be an amateur's mistake, the kind that could earn you a knife in the back and a runaway slave.

But Lord Arlington was no amateur.

All night, he had been watching Kara closely and knew enough to be wary of her newfound submission. Hers was a shallow, unfeeling sort of obedience, reliant on the weakest of motivations. She had given into his demands not for his sake, but for her own—to avoid further humiliation and pain. That was all well and good when he was coming at Kara with a stick, but the last thing Lord Arlington needed was a slave who would submit graciously in the bedroom only to rekindle her hatred in the safety of her cell. Partial control over a slave wasn't control at all. And besides, any fool with a knife could provoke fear. Lord Arlington wanted to inspire it by his mere presence. He wanted a slave that respected him, not just the whip hanging from his belt. It would take time and it would take patience, but he was okay with that and rather excited by the prospect of a challenge.

Yes, I made a good choice, Lord Arlington thought, watching her brilliant, blue eyes flick upward toward his face and then back down again. Some of those habits of hers, though...

Kara did indeed have a number of problematic habits. Perhaps instinctively, she had spent the entirety of the past hour treating him like an external force, detached and inhuman—a natural disaster she had to deal with rather than a human being with whom she could interact. She had shut herself off from him as one might board up the windows in preparation for a tornado, waiting out the storm with the steadfast resolve of a bomb shelter. Lord Arlington knew straightaway that he would have to fix that, though Kara likely wouldn't let him in without a fight. Over the course of the evening, she had been careful to ration out her obedience in an almost death-defying balancing act. She must have known that total defiance would inevitably lead to her destruction, so she had refused him only when she'd had the strength to do so and had been quick to relent to him whenever she could feel her mind slipping. It was an incredibly risky approach to take, but Arlington admired her gall. The strategy had allowed her to keep hold of her dignity without totally losing herself in the process. Each time he knocked her confidence loose, she retreated, only to come back at him a few moments later with her wounds bandaged and her shattered shield somehow repaired.

"Eyes up here, slave," Lord Arlington ordered, and the girl's eyes met his, but they were cold and clouded and looked past him—through him—without really seeing. "Tell me, do you feel as if you've been properly dealt with?"

The question was designed to be difficult. If Kara answered with a 'yes,' then she would be admitting defeat. Arlington knew it would hurt her deeply to do so and yet, answering 'no' came with the risk of inviting further violence. He wanted his slave to choose in an utterly unambiguous manner between her dignity and her safety. Whichever Kara chose, it didn't matter. Lord Arlington would work it to his advantage. But clearly unwilling to commit either way, she merely looked into the ceiling above her as if she hadn't heard the question and he couldn't tolerate that.

"Eyes up here," Lord Arlington ordered, more firmly this time. "Now." But again, Kara ignored him.

It had only been a few minutes, but the girl was already starting to reclaim the core of her defiance. Slowly, Arlington could see her breathing slow, then the fight returned to her eyes and the anger soon followed. If he wanted the night to end in success, he would have to act quickly. At least Kara didn't block him out completely, but she was still refusing to look at him and was staring into the fire as if it were far more interesting. For a moment, he seriously considered giving her a closer look, but changed his mind. He could introduce Kara to the brands later. Right now, he'd rather she not be moved from her position on the floor, perhaps because she looked so lovely gagged with her ass filled and her pretty little face red.

"I'll ask once more," Lord Arlington warned, lacing his voice with as much threat as he could muster. "Eyes on me, Kara." And this time, she looked up, surprised he had used her name.