Wrong Side of the Bed - Ch. 12

This is a work of FICTION, made by and for adults. The following chapter includes depictions of trauma. Reader discretion is advised.

After taking several deep breaths, Mistress wiped her tears again and scooped Elva into her arms. Her chest felt light as Mistress swiftly lifted her from the cold ground, surprised by how delicately she was cradled. As Mistress stood upright, Elva broke their silence to ask, "Wh-what are you—going to do?"

Not able to meet Elva's gaze, Mistress quietly replied through unsteady breaths, "What I should have done when you appeared at my bedside." As she explained, Mistress sniffled one more time before turning to a pair of black doors at the far end of the room. "I'm going to take care of you, Elva," she added while briskly walking toward the exit.

"Take—care?" Elva clarified as she looked at the dark, double doors then back to Mistress. When the light taps of her shoes was the only response, Elva eventually urged, "What—did you have in mind, Mistress?"

Glancing at her with uncertainty before staring ahead again, Mistress hesitantly inquired, "Have you ever had a warm bath, Elva?"

Unsure, Elva contemplated, 'Warm bath?' as her gaze fell. "The—stream isn't so cold—in the summertime," she shyly answered before looking back up.

A tired smile finally broke her glum expression as Mistress gently shook her head, quietly replying, "I didn't suppose so." As they reached the doors, Elva turned in time to see them shrouded in Mistress' mystical lights and slowly swing open before the pair passed through them. Beyond was a short, dimly lit passage leading to a long set of bright stone steps spiraling to the right. "I hope it," Mistress paused when Elva looked back up at her, avoiding her gaze as she stared ahead again, "well, I hope you find it more relaxing than the rest of today."

Elva rested her head against Mistress as she wondered, 'The—rest of today?' As they reached the steps, Elva flinched and shut her eyes as they walked into the natural light shining onto the ascending hallway. The warm sunlight felt nearly blinding, and Elva had to wait a few more paces before she could look again. As her eyes pried open, she saw a tall, translucent portal with red drapings on a tan wall above them, revealing a dense forest with pines bluer than she thought could be real. When Elva observed the orange sky and faint sunlight peeking through the trees, she wondered, "Wait, Mistress, is it—did—" As the realization sat in, Elva's eyes widened while she squirmed and exclaimed in a panic, "Mistress, I-I slept all da—!"

Before she could finish, Mistress shoved Elva's head into her cleavage. "I told you I will not hear any more complaints about you needing to rest, ki—" Mistress sternly insisted before she paused to soften her tone and ease her grip, "Elva." Still wide-eyed, Elva's heart leapt as she was scolded and enveloped, lamenting that Mistress hadn't called her kitten. "Now, you can complain again and I'll really silence you," Mistress continued as she squeezed Elva's mouth against her, "or you can be a—a good girl and stay calm until we make it to the washroom."

Feeling flushed as her body heated up, Elva soon closed her eyes while nuzzling into Mistress' bust before retorting, 'I—I'm not complaining.'

Quietly snickering at Elva's nestling, Mistress softly complimented, "Good girl. The rest of the day is for you, Elva, so please relax and tell me if there is anything you want or need."

Peeking her eyes open, Elva stared into Mistress' reddish chest as she shyly asked, "Then—ca-can you call me—kitten, Mistress?" Coyly glimpsing up as the light footsteps slowed, Elva watched Mistress give her a bewildered glance that gradually turned to an amiable smirk.

Mistress whispered, "Of course, kitten," before closing her eyes and leaning down to kiss Elva's head. Her heart fluttering at the unexpected affection, Elva gasped and shut her eyes tight as she squirmed back into Mistress' embrace. The quick clicks of her shoes resumed, but Elva paid more attention to Mistress' sweet aroma and the softness of her skin on her cheeks. Before Elva realized how long they'd been walking, she felt Mistress move upwards again for a number of steps. Finally feeling Mistress' grasp lighten, Elva curiously turned in time to watch a wide dark wooden door become aglow and silently swing open.

Inside was a well-lit room with smooth, bright stone covering the floor and walls. As they stepped in, Elva noticed a wide basin, carved from a pale, speckled rock, in the center of the room. Before Elva could look around further, Mistress approached one of several lightly-padded white chairs and gently set her down. As Elva relaxed into the cushioning, she watched Mistress approach the bath and turn a metallic handle. Bewildered, Elva blinked several times as misty water began pouring out of the curved tube next to it, draining into the tub. After running her fingers through the stream, Mistress grunted with satisfaction before shaking her hand dry and walking to a large, wooden cabinet on the opposite wall.

As the doors swung open, Elva saw a number of translucent containers of various sizes filled with clear crystals or dust. Elva couldn't discern any difference as Mistress examined the illegible labels muttering, "Where's that bottle?" but she seemed pleased upon finding one in particular. After removing the porous cap with a pop, Mistress turned to Elva and asked, "Do you have a favorite scent, kitten? A flower, perhaps?"

Elva couldn't respond at first, silently lowering her head as she contemplated, 'What have I smelled that—isn't Mistress.' Eventually, Elva recalled, "I was—always fond of the violet flowers outside Móra's cottage."

Mistress held a curious expression as Elva glanced back up. "Dog-violets?" she asked to clarify. Uncertain herself, Elva looked away briefly before hesitantly nodding yes. Smiling somberly, Mistress whispered, "One of my favorites, too," before blowing into the container. Briefly glowing, the small crystals inside changed from an icy white to a vibrant purple that continued to glisten as the light faded. Her smile relaxing, Mistress stepped to the tub and upended the bottle, letting the contents fall into the basin.

Entranced as the large, sparkling grains dropped through the air, Elva's awe slowly turned to confusion as the crystals kept falling—long after the small vessel should have emptied. Hearing Mistress giggle, Elva glanced up to see her gleefully smiling before turning the still-full bottle upright. The violet shine extinguished like a candle as Mistress blew on it before replacing the lid and returning it to the cabinet, gracefully closing the doors before reaching behind her back.

Finally noticing the warm purple mist filling the room and the growing floral scent, Elva was stymied as Mistress began undoing the laces of her corset. "Uhm—Mistress?" Elva asked as the garment was loosened and slipped off Mistress' frame, revealing the open back of her dress. As Mistress set it delicately atop the cabinet and lifted her sleek leg back, Elva bashfully continued, "Wh-what are you doing?"

"I'm taking a bath with you, kitten," Mistress plainly stated as she slipped her raised shoe off. "If you don't mind. I thought I could wash your back for you," she sensually added as her other heel became bare. Struggling not to examine Mistress' slim, clean feet as they each settled on the slick floor, Elva's attention snapped up as Mistress disturbed her hair to untie the strap at her neck.

Shaking her head, Elva hurriedly replied, "Uhm, no, o-of course I-I don't—" before her jaw dropped with the dress. Dumbfounded as Mistress' thick crimson braid became her only covering, Elva couldn't help but let her gaze wander over Mistress' ample curves. Her slender waist seemed even more accentuated without a corset, while her smooth skin shimmered under the bright lights. Though, as her eyes wandered down, Elva couldn't look away from Mistress' rounded rear, the crease of which was barely covered by the tail of her braid. 'Oh, Brigit, that's—' Elva started to think before Mistress pivoted.

Widely grinning and chuckling with amusement, Mistress remarked, "You certainly seem to be feeling better, kitten." Elva's composure didn't improve seeing Mistress' bare bust swing around and settle. Mouth still agape, Elva eventually glanced to the fine lines segmenting Mistress' stomach and navel that drew her sight even lower. Before Elva could wander further, Mistress leaned over to whisper, "Kitten." Elva looked up quickly, startled to find that Mistress had moved so close but more distracted at how her chest was dangling. "My eyes are up here," Mistress added, finally drawing Elva's focus to her irises.

Illuminated by the growing violet mist, her ruby orbs stole Elva's breath as they shimmered in the fainting light. "Oh, I—I'm sorry, Mistress," Elva gasped before Mistress giggled in response and her eyelids peered.

Leaning back, Mistress softly commented with a wide grin, "I'm teasing you, kitten. Look as much as you like." She held out her hand before Elva could reply and added, "Please, join me."

Hardly looking at Mistress' hand, Elva took it and stood from her chair, suddenly aware of the thick, warm fog and accompanying aura of violets. Taking a step towards Mistress, a sharp glare to her left caught Elva's attention and halted her. "Wait, is..." Elva asked wide-eyed as she looked through the mist and saw the room reflected around a silvery frame. Letting go of Mistress' hand, Elva walked to the reflection hanging off the wall and whispered, "I-is this—me?" before placing her hand on the cold surface. As Elva looked at herself, she became conscious of the reddish dots smothering her cheeks and face that only spotted the rest of her pale body. Hardly noticing the dark marks underneath or red marring her whites, Elva thought her eyes looked bluer than the sky until she leaned in and observed, "Are—those flakes of green?" Elva struggled to pick out the emerald specks as her eyes darted about until Mistress held her waist.

Hanging over her left shoulder, Mistress softly remarked, "They're beautiful, aren't they, Elva?"

Too taken aback to notice Mistress pressing into her back, Elva replied, "I-I guess." She could only share Mistress' stare for a heartbeat as her own irises and cheeks grasped her attention again.

When Elva didn't comment further, Mistress inquired, "Have you never seen yourself, kitten?"

Elva quietly clarified, "I-in the stream and in puddles, but—" Before she could continue, Elva's gaze dropped to her collar. Gasping at how the wide green band tenderly held her neck and contrasted against her freckles and ginger hair, Elva raised her hand to trace the smooth lines. As her fingertips slid left, Elva blinked as she noticed the dark welts on both sides of the strap. Perplexed, Elva touched the strange bruises before flushing and recalling Mistress biting her this morning. Feeling her heart pound, Elva glanced further down to discover her chest and shoulders were similarly bruised.

"Do you want me to hide them?" Mistress asked, drawing Elva's gaze to her softened eyes.

Hardly hesitating, Elva briefly shook her head and replied, "N-no, it—" before looking back at her neck. "It's fine, Mistress," she reflected as she touched the dark splotch above her collar and noticed the lighter marks that were partially covered by the band. 'They're like—reminders,' Elva reflected, suddenly recalling Mistress firmly kissing her while gripping her hair yesterday. Elva's heart fluttered as her eyes fell to her shoulder and saw it was marred with two welts, one much darker than the other. 'This was her first bite,' Elva recalled the sensation as she touched the lighter splotch first, 'and this was the one—I asked for.' Feeling herself grow hot, Elva looked to her chest and saw several bites that still somewhat showed teeth marks.

Before Elva could reflect further, Mistress swiftly kissed her head and whispered, "Don't get too distracted, kitten. We're here to relax, after all." Elva initially turned to Mistress as she separated and walked away. However, Elva couldn't help but look back at herself wide-eyed upon seeing Mistress clearly reflected next to her. Even without her raised shoes, Mistress still stood well over her. Looking closer, Elva became even more uneasy as she realized how much more filled and smooth her proportions were.

While Mistress stepped out of view, Elva looked back to her small breasts, which hardly cast shadows compared to her Mistress'. Elva saw her ribs next and couldn't help but trace the deep trenches with her fingertips as they sat above her tiny waist. When Elva looked down to her bony hip, Mistress grasped her arms and gently spun her around. Looking up to Mistress beaming at her, Elva's heart stopped as she whispered, "You know you're beautiful, don't you, kitten?"

Unable to question as Mistress stole her breath away, Elva eventually replied, "I-I suppose."

Chuckling as she stepped back, Mistress pulled Elva along and mentioned, "The bath is full and the water is warm." As they reached the basin, Elva saw the water was more violet than the mist in the air. A droplet of water from the otherwise-still tube rippled the surface as it fell, entrancing Elva as the lights seemed to dance. "Please," Mistress requested as she stepped into the water, "join me, kitten."

Watching her Mistress' reddish skin darken while she sat in the stone tub, Elva followed her pull and lifted a leg over the rim. As Elva wetted her toes, the gentle heat drew her further in until her foot laid on the smooth floor. Sighing in relief as her leg became enveloped, Elva quickly stepped into the tub and let Mistress guide her down. Elva's eyes gently closed as she lowered herself, hardly conscious of Mistress turning her so they could rest against each other.

Moaning with satisfaction as Elva fell into her embrace, Mistress asked, "There, that's much better, isn't it, kitten?"

Elva could only gasp as the mild waters comfortably enclosed her while the smell of violets flooded her senses. "It's—nice," she whispered while her eyes cracked open. The fog was so heavy Elva could hardly see the far edge of the basin, but the purplish hue to the glowing orbs on the ceiling was entrancing.

Sliding her hands to Elva's sides before her eyes closed again, Mistress inquired, "Would you like me to wash your hair?"

Slowly snapping awake at the suggestion, Elva wondered, 'Wash my—hair?' Mistress took her left arm out of the tub as Elva turned and reached out of view. When her hand came back up, Mistress' palm held a large, translucent glob that nearly dripped into the water. "I-I guess?" Elva replied as she sat upright.

Mistress' smile widened before she asked, "Do you mind getting your head wet?" After Elva shook her head in disapproval, Mistress held her hair while commenting, "The water doesn't taste as good as it smells, but it won't hurt your eyes if you're curious, kitten."

Glancing down at the shimmering water, Elva took a deep breath before sliding beneath the surface. While her eyes flinched closed as her cheeks became wet, Elva opened them to a mesmerizing display of sparkling glows as distorted light reflected in. At the caress of her hair a few heartbeats later, Elva pushed herself upright and gasped the moist air. Even after rubbing her eyelids, the sharp glistening didn't clear until Elva blinked several times.

Elva couldn't help but lightly smile as she turned to Mistress, her smirk as radiant as ever when she asked, "How would you like your hair to smell? Like violets?"

Looking at the glob in her hand, Elva took a few breaths of the heavily scented mist before inquiring, "What would smell nice for you, Mistress?"

Pausing for a heartbeat while her grin slimmed, Mistress cupped her hands before commenting, "You won't find ashen lavender like this anywhere on the Mortal Plane." When she blew into her palms, the strange material became faintly purple as a new, floral fragrance was added to the air. "Close your eyes and turn ahead, kitten," Mistress requested as she rubbed the strange glob into a stranger collection of bubbles. "This won't feel pleasant if it gets into your eyes, but I'll be careful as long as you keep still," she warned Elva.

Wishing to watch Mistress work, Elva hesitated to turn away and shut her eyes. No sooner did Mistress touch her hair and gently massage her head, adding the second, flowery essence to Elva's awareness. Lightly grunting as the tender rubs made her heart throb, Elva melted into Mistress' kneading while her shoulders hung limp. After listening to Mistress affectionately chuckle, Elva quietly said, "Thank you, Mistress."

Mistress slowly lifted her palms before she asked in confusion, "Th-thank—what for?"

"For being here," Elva airly replied, "and for taking care of me." Feeling her eyes grow heavier, Elva sleepily added, "No one has ever been there—to wake me up, or comfort me when I did remember—" Elva felt uneasy as memories came to her thoughts before the powerful essences flooded her mind again. After taking a deep breath, Elva continued, "I had forgotten about that room, and—I'm not sure I want to remember either because—nobody was there to save me. But, even if it was just once—I'm glad someone could be there for me. So, thank you—for saving me this time." Feeling her eyelids relax as Mistress' trembling hands rested back on her head, Elva breathily murmured, "And for—everything else," before drifting asleep.

Elva heard Mistress whisper, "Kitten," before her eyes bolted open. "You dozed off," she dreamily sighed as Elva looked at her. Mistress' smile was as warm as the bath, but the water dripping from her hair made her eyes seem sad.

Blinking awake as she turned more comfortably, Elva sheepishly replied, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, Mistress." Glancing around at the dense fog, Elva asked, "How long was I asleep?"

Her grin softened as Mistress commented, "Only a few minutes." Before Elva could look confused, she chuckled while explaining, "Long enough for me to finish washing your hair, kitten."

Holding her own locks, Elva found them unusually soft and smelled heavily of lavender. Looking at the paler bubbles scattered on the violet surface, Elva lamented, 'That felt nice, though.'

Distracted when Mistress petted her head with a chuckle, Elva's heart fluttered even before she mentioned, "I can wash your hair again, kitten. Maybe next time we can wash each other's backs too."

"Next time?" Elva snapped up. "Wh-what about—did you want to wash your hair?"

Mistress shook her head as she explained, "The salts are plenty for today, and I quite enjoy the violet scent." After reaching behind, a strange gurgling followed before Mistress pulled her arm up from the waters. "Besides, you shouldn't get in the habit of falling asleep in the bath, kitten. You're lucky I was here to hold you before you fell in, kitten." Standing up, Mistress held her hand out before adding, "I suppose the hot water was a little much for your first bath, given how exhausted you were."

As she held Mistress and lifted herself out of the waters, Elva reflected, 'Exhausted? Even though I've slept so much already?'

Her smile faded as Elva met her gaze before Mistress commented, "I wouldn't exactly say you were sleeping, kitten. Resting, regrettably, isn't always—well, restful." Not sure what to question when Mistress stepped out of the tub, Elva silently followed, glancing at the glistening surface as it slowly descended. Stepping onto the chill floor, Elva shivered and held her other foot in the warm pool for a heartbeat longer.