Captive Ch. 04

"My servants, it has come to Your Lord's attention that some of you are displeased with there being a cat woman here with in Our Household. I have not hidden the fact that I have kidnapped with the aid of My men the slave of Lord Ulrich. Lord Ulrich has refused to pay the ransom for her which would have cleared His debt to Us. I will be keeping her. she will not harm any of you and you are to treat her as if she was Me. Do not think to harm or taunt her for I assure you she can defend herself if need be. The claws upon her paws will be kept short for the protection of all and will only be able to aid her in the event of true harm towards her. she is a rare creature and one that I treasure for as long as she is Mine. From this day forth those in this House will call her zara."

Master's speech brought a flash back upon me that took me back to when i was 15. i had been caught hunting deer in Lord Ulrich's personal reserve and was brought before Him for punishment. i had reached puberty two years prior to my offence and for a Cat Person that meant a demand for more protein during certain times of the year. i was not yet used to those demands and was having troubles curbing some natural instincts.

Twice a year in a Cat Person's life after hitting puberty, we revert to an almost animalistic state for a few days. We hunt and seek a mate much like in the manner of our wild cat ancestry. The first two years, my adoptive parents had seen the signs of it coming on me and had locked me inside our home until it passed. That year however, they had not seen the signs and were unable to stop the events that transpired.

There wasn't another of my kind among Lord Ulrich's people that i could have asked questions of or turned to during that time. i was pretty much alone with humans and was coping as best i could given the circumstances. Thus far there had been on return messages from my people and messengers continued to travel there only to return empty handed or refused audience.

Lord Ulrich's own people still feared my kind know as the Cat People with our coats of silky fur, pointed lynx like ears, razor like retractable claws, and long fluffy tails. i had been a gift of truce when i was a baby to build goodwill between the two cultures. Unfortunately there was too much distrust so peace talks stalled and eventually fell apart all together.

Instead of being returned to my people when those talks fell apart, i was given to a lesser noble family to be cared for. They were to keep me out of sight of Lord Ulrich and make sure that i behaved as any other child might. Lord Ulrich didn't want me under foot with His own children. i don't think He believed that my people were as "tame" as He was lead to believe.

i was taught many things about my adopted people as i grew up. i was cut off from my own people and knew nothing about my own kind except for the snip its of things said when people thought i was out of ear shot. i knew the town's people were uneasy about me but they also grew to love me. i was a well behaved child and i worked hard and helped out where ever help was needed.

It was early summer when what i would later call my days of misery began. Nothing in my upbringing prepared me for the feelings that soon over took me. i had gone out in the early part of the day and was just returning to the stables with the horse i had taken out. i felt a sudden and persistent urge that at the time i didn't understand. It had never hit me quite like it did that day.

One of the stable boys who was always teasing me and trying to get a peek under my clothes followed me into the tack room. He closed the door behind him and blocked my path out of the room. The stable boy reached out and grabbed my tail and pulled me tight against him. i am quite sure that the boy didn't know that the way he was touching my tail was much like running one's fingers over a human's clit.

The stable boy quickly relieved me of my garments and was amazed at how human like a Cat Person appeared naked. He admired my fur as he quickly set about touching what ever part of me could grab. The mind should have realized that this was not right but the hormones of a Cat Person in puberty were far worse than that of a human. It didn't help that the lad kept tugging at my tail.

Before too long, i had the lad out of his clothes as well and was soon rolling around the ground in heated lust. It wasn't until i felt the pain of my maiden head being breached that i started to come some what back to my senses. If he had not had my mouth covered all ready to silence my meows of pleasure someone may have come to stop what was happening. Being a relatively inexperience lad with sex he didn't realize a good many things.

The most important one would have been avoiding my claws. They went into his back when he had brought me to orgasm. It was then that my adopted Father discovered us in the tack room. i was cowering in a corner with blood on my claws and between my legs. The stable boy was looking at me with fear and rocking back and forth upon the ground.

i had bolted into the forest in search of food when my Father tried to touch me. i was terrified and confused about what had just happened. i was found later that night in Lord Ulrich's personal reserve. A few bones were all that remained of a deer that i had killed. My fur was covered in blood from the kill and the events of earlier that day.

i was thrown into a cage upon my capture and was made to wait until the next morning to be brought before Lord Ulrich. i over heard one of the guards saying that the stable boy was claiming that i had attacked him in the tack room. This did not bode well for me and i was scared and really unsure of what all had transpired that day. What i really wanted more than any thing else right then was my Mother.

i wouldn't let any of my jailors touch me as i cowered in the farthest corner of the cell. i was so afraid of what they might do to me if i had allowed them. In the morning, my Mother was allowed to come and bathe me so that i would not be brought before Lord Ulrich still covered in dried blood. She tried to soothe me with words and told me that what i had done was not my fault.

She tried to explain to me what had occurred in the tack room was a normal course of being a woman. She didn't want me to think that all men would respond as the stable boy to my claws in his skin. All i really knew at that moment was that i had shamed my family by my actions. i was no longer pure, had harmed someone, and hunted where i knew it was forbidden to do so.

Lord Ulrich was a generally fair Lord and He listened to what the stable boy had to say first. The boy's friends, however, tattled on him and told the truth. They revealed that the boy had bet his friends that he could get into my skirt. The stable boy was turned a bit crimson with anger at his friends and became embarrassed by what was revealed.

When asked if this was the truth the boy refused to go through with his charge of being attacked by me. The boy knew that the punishment for lying before Lord Ulrich was more severe than the charges against me. The older men laughed and joked amongst themselves and said that the boy should have left the cat to a real man. i did not take pleasure in being referred to as a cat.

i was still going to be charged for hunting in the Lord's personal reserve. i cringed in horror when i heard what my sentence was to be. i was to be stripped naked before the town's people, claws trimmed very short, bound to a post, and whipped for 30 lashes. i had never heard of a woman being punished so before but i would accept my punishment none the less.

my Mother could not remain in the hall upon hearing that sentence. She could not bear to witness that happen to her child. She raced home, however, to begin gathering things to tend to me once my punishment was completed. She knew that i would need taken care of and didn't trust it in the hands of those who had not raised me. i was taken back to my jail until my punishment could be carried out.

i had three days to think about what my punishment would be like. i hardly ate or drank during that time even though it was provided to me. i was still so scared about what had happened and still very unsure of why. i but on a very brave face the morning i was lead from my cell and out into the town's square for my whipping.

i was stripped of the garments that i had been wearing in my cell. i trembled from head to toe as i was tied to the whipping post. The claws on all four paws were trimmed very short so that i could not think to use them to cut the ropes that bound me to the post. A man in a hood stepped up and whispered in my ear to be brave.

The punishment was pronounced for all that had gathered and the hooded man took his place a bit back from me. i had seen the whip in his hand that was intended to be used on my back. i fought not to cry out in pain when the lashes of the whip began to strike against my back. i was just ten lashes into my punishment when there was a loud commotion in the crowd.

It was just at that point that a representative from my people had arrived with a courier. Lord Ulrich called for a stop to the punishment until the representative could be spoken with. i was promptly untied from the whipping post and ordered returned to my cell. i couldn't believe my eyes as i looked upon the first person who was just like me...a Cat Person.

The representative went into a private council with Lord Ulrich without as much as a word to me. i was taken down from the whipping post and without much care tossed back into my cell. i was told that my lashes would not be tended to until Lord Ulrich decreed that the punishment would be finished. i sobbed and huddled in a darkened corner at those words.

It seemed like hours passed before the Lord Ulrich sent word to the guards. i was to be released with no further punishment for my crime. my Mother was admitted to my cell to bath and tend to my wounds. Lord Ulrich wished to see me within the hour so time was of the essence. i was helped into a light shift after making sure the lashes were just superficial wounds.

Just as i was preparing to be led from my cell, i was met by the representative from my people. In a hushed tone i said my thanks to him for arriving and speaking with Lord Ulrich. The man told in a manner of fact fashion what was happening to me and why i had reacted as i had the other day. i blushed deeply as the man talked to me as this was not a subject i thought was discussed so openly. i was told what to expect from such an occurrence in the future and how i may be able to avoid causing harm to partner not like myself.

A book was left with me that explained all this so that i would not have to try and remember it all. i begged the man to take me home with him as i was now afraid to be here. The man said that he could not take me with him as i was the property of Lord Ulrich. It was later that very night that i understood exactly what that was to mean.

i was brought before Lord Ulrich in the great hall. There was a feast in honor of the representative who had come from my people. i was tied to a post in the center of the room and my shift was taken from me. Lord Ulrich declared that the remaining 20 lashes of my whipping would be carried out then. The great hall became silent as the man in the hood once again prepared to whip me.

The kiss of the whip was not something that hurt me overly much. Rather it was pleasurable but i was trying very hard not to let anyone see that. Lord Ulrich saw the wanton look in my eyes and knew what i was feeling inside. He grinned at me in such a way that disturbed me to my very core. i sagged a bit against the post i was bound to when all 20 lashes were done.

Lord Ulrich rose from his seat and motioned for a squire to bring him the tufted pillow. Upon the pillow was circular band that resembled the collars worn by His prized dogs. Lord Ulrich fashioned it about my neck and declared to all present that i was now His slave. i would be permitted time to heal in the care of my family but was to return to Him promptly.

All of my hopes of having a normal life just went out the window in that moment. i had gone from being a free person on His lands to a slave. i was not given a choice in the matter and some how i felt it was because of the representative from the Cat People. Why else would Lord Ulrich change His mind about wanting me around His family?

The squire was instructed to take me to my Mother to heal and to hand my Father the slip of parchment. i cried as i was taken from the whipping post and lead home. Once there the look on my Mother's face was enough to instill more anguish inside of me. i knew deep down that my punishment would never truly be over and that i was now the property of Lord Ulrich. i entrusted the book i had been given to her care knowing that the Lord would probably take everything away from me.

After my punishment was done i was taken to back to Lord Ulrich. When i was healed i was brought to the Lord's house by my Father. He was not happy to be bringing me here but also knew that he had no choice in the matter. i was presented to the Lord in the great hall and a collar was fitted about my neck and i was chained to the Lord's chair. There i was to sit by His side that day. i was embarrassed to treated so but i knew better than to complain.

Later that day i was brought before Him in his personal chambers. i knew the look He had given me that night. i knew now what such looks meant. my Mother sat with me and talked to me about things that my mind was not yet really ready to handle but knew it would soon become a life saver for me. i was explained a good many things that a woman must know even if she was a cat.

i was jarred back to the present moment by Lord Elrik.

"zara my pet, please pay attention when I am introducing you to members of My staff."

"Sorry my Master, i will strive to be more attentive in the future."

And so ends Chapter Four...