What Price Power? Ch. 07

While it was enjoyable to be holding the soft curves of a young woman, it was not exactly pleasant to have to listen to her chattering and that vapid laugh. Instead he focused on what he planned to do with her. He had several desires, but he knew exactly what he wanted first. He would have to put off his demands for a night. There was a hunting lodge close by, he would take her there for the night. A bath, new clothes.. send Mina with Jenyse off to the city on pretense of a shopping trip. The concubine had been suggesting that he start dressing the girl in a manner more suited to the station he had. He saw some use for it, to be able to show off his apprentice, power and refinement, his find.. not theirs.

Rosie was not thrilled with the lodge and let him know it. "My dear, you must first bathe and dress in suitable clothing.. or do you wish to meet your family.. your peers.. looking like a milk maid?" His sneer silenced her and she huffed and pranced in.

Noble born and noble bitch.. regardless of how long she had been on that farm. He wondered for a moment how pristine her cunt was, well tomorrow he would find out. He went to the bathing chamber, summoning water and heating it. He had so far disguised the fact that he was a magi. Someone would no doubt have warned her, and he wanted her at least semi willing till he got her back to the estate. Sending her to bathe and excusing that he had to send the servant to get her clothes, but he hoped she could bathe herself. If not he could have it done the next day when they got to the estate.

Using magic he teleported home, would need some garments and he wondered if Mina still had that one dress.. the one he had first seen her in. At least his apprentice was not a noble bitch, give him an honest whore any day.

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For Mina the days of freedom were a delight, she had books to study, time to practice spells.. the housekeeper insured that she ate often and more than she thought she needed. Still she started feeling more alive and energetic, maybe it was the freedom. Or it might be as her Lord had said, she was being starved by the core. A blessing and curse in one, it was why she was here little more than a slave to a man she knew could be very cruel. It was also why she was no longer expected to be a toy to any man with wealth enough to buy her time. It would keep her hostage for years to come. It would one day be the thing that kept her from ever being touched again.

She looked about her room, it was larger than any house she could remember living in. And empty, the book shelves had only the books for her lessons, not a one hers truly. The dresser had all her various makeup, she had been taught to dress her hair and do her makeup suitable for any occasion. She could walk in a royal court unremarked, or have an intimate picnic in a garden. She realized long ago that she had been groomed to become a concubine. But not one like Jenyse, she would not have the protection, no record of who she was or where she went. The old whore had planned to train her, show her off.. then sell her to the highest bidder.

The war had taken family, home even her memories, left her in the hands of predators. In some ways she had been fortunate to land in the hands of one that had patience to not just start whoring her out from the start, rather wanted a bigger payout on her investment. Not that she hadn't been used to make enough for the old whore to waste away on dream dust. Now she was in the hands of one of the ones who had brought about the war. One of the men that had murdered apprentices, then allowed others to die for lack of training. They had brought about the final battles, the purging of the noble houses, uncaring of the havoc that followed. The Magi had used the famine, illness, desperation to gain control of the populace.

She sat down at the dressing table, even if he wasn't expected home she carefully wove her hair into a sleek braid with ribbons running through it, makeup was subtle, blending to her golden skin and highlighting the unusual eyes. She looked every bit a lady as she dressed in one of the long sleeved, high necked gowns. Without him.. she could pretend to be something more than his toy. Remember dignity and modesty, remember.. she wasn't even sure. Still she made her way through the halls he delighted in dragging her naked through with the air of the mistress of the house for a change. She was not concerned to see the second place setting. Jenyse sometimes joined her. And even if not her it was proper to always have a place for the Lord in case he returned.

Then the hand grabbed the long braid and wound it about her throat. She turned to see HIM standing there a fury in his eyes. She wanted to scream, to beg, to escape. Yet she stood still, the braid drawing tighter, threatening to choke her. She hadn't seen that look since before the shield training but had not forgotten it. She went limp, she had no chance to fight.

All she could do is endure and survive.

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How dare she!

Was this what she did when he was gone?

He had hurried home, to find his apprentice acting like she was now the Lady of the house. Had he made an error moving her from the smaller room? Although it had placed her more easily at hand for him. Had he made an error showing her such favors and tenderness? She needed a reminder of her place in this household. She was his apprentice, his to train and use as he saw fit. She was not a noble bitch just a low born whore he had saved. She should be more grateful.

"My Lord? You are home early.. and spoiling my surprise, let Mina go before you ruin my training."

He blinked looking at Jenyse, who had rung for the butler, "We need a third plate it would seem." Then a grin at him, "Unless you prefer to use one of us as a plate...And let her go, she's turning blue."

He looked at Mina, a faint blue tint to her lips, a dullness to her eyes, "He released the braid and looked at the concubine, "What surprise? And why was this little whore traipsing about like the lady of the house?"

"Because I have been teaching her to walk, talk and act like the most proper lady one could find.. unless you wish your colleagues to know you took a street whore for an apprentice. Having her at your side can raise your standing, having her whimpering in a corner.. make you a joke." She took a seat at the table, "Help Mina to her seat, you've gone and scared her horribly. Hopefully she hasn't forgotten her lessons."

He felt as if he were drunk, or crazed, or in some alien version of his home. Mina was gasping, shivering, he helped her to her feet and she half stumbled to the table, her eyes looking at Jenyse with confusion? Betrayal? As soon as she was settled, he sat down glaring at the concubine, "Explain."

Jenyse waved a hand in dismissal at him, "Mina, pet.. Sit up straight, Remember dignity.. Head up, eyes steady ahead, nothing behind you but servants, only those seated are important. Hands in lap till served. Mina! Focus child and show him how well you have learned to mimic the nobility."

"Why would I wish her to act like one of those useless bitches?" He growled.

Jenyse blinked at him, "I just told you. You need an apprentice that can play the part of a Lady. You can have one that seems perfectly at ease among the Archmagi, or one that whines and shivers like a trapped mouse."

He sat back, looking at Mina, "She is still my apprentice."

"Yes.. but as you see she can be taught so much more."

His rage had somewhat faded, this was indeed what he had been thinking, he just hadn't expected to see her acting like that.. more so after an afternoon with Rosie. A smile came to him, Oh yes.. Rosie to use, and his Mina.. to the world a lady.. to him a whore. This he liked. And now he had a perfect excuse for sending the pair away.

"Very well.. tomorrow the pair of you will be escorted into the city. I wish to see Mina dressed fit enough to present to a king. But.. I want her undergarments to be suitable to seduce a king. Am I understood? Also.. I thought I asked you to teach her something besides manners."

Mina flushed and looked down at her plate, he could tell she was still disturbed and skittish, damn it his temper was going to make a mess of her. But at least her would soon have an outlet for it. Jenyse shrugged, "It is going as well as can be expected, she is small you are not My Lord."

He smirked and sat back, a good meal would suit him but he really couldn't spare the time. Instead he stood, walking to Mina and almost tenderly caressing her, "A lady whore.. at least you are honest in spreading your legs and getting fucked. Pick something out to make me smile when you come home."

Mina nodded, not trusting her voice and he strolled off, to the kitchen to order a basket, to Mina's room to find that red dress. He had to return to Rosie before the twit managed to wander off and get lost.

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He returned to find the girl sitting on one of the chairs wrapped in a blanket and combing her hair out, she saw him and shifted, trying to look what she supposed to be sexy and desirable. Not that she had the least interest in him, but she needed his attention.. any man's attention. He handed her a night clothes and robe, told her which room was hers, opened the basket and seemed to be ignoring her.

Spoiled bitch tittered and headed to the room, accidentally baring an expanse of her back, almost her rounded hips, Oh yes that white skin would bruise so well. She returned garbed in the borrowed night gown and the robe opened just enough.. her breasts were heavier than Mina's and sagged more too. Still that was to be expected, she was a bit more plump, he wondered for a moment if the gown he had wanted her in would even fit.

Well it wasn't like she would be in it long. He lost his appetite as she greedily ate from the offerings of the basket, somehow never ceasing her chatter. He wished he had stayed for dinner, Mina's silence and Jenyse's teasing would have been preferred. He rose and locked the house up, admonishing her to insure her shutters were locked tight, there were bandits about and she was valuable, with a smile he stalked to his room.

Patience he promised himself.. patience..