25th Ashan, 718
"Say it."
His breath was hot on her face, the smell of cheap liquor all over him and as his hand twisted in her hair Tessa let out a cry of pain. "I'm yours, Benji! No one else! What y'say an' when y'say't without question!" Tears sprang into her eyes and she stared at her husband as she waited for the rain of blows to start. Yet they did not, and they had not for near twenty trials. As far as she could remember, she had never gone so long without taking a beating and she didn't understand; she also didn't question her luck. He'd still done things like this and as he shoved her to the floor, Tessa fell to her knees and looked at him, brown eyes wide.
"There's a new dress in there for you. You're to dress up, nice. I've given you to a work colleague, someone very important. Do you understand?" Tessa nodded, immediately. "Yes, Benji, I understand." He'd given her to a colleague, he repeated.
"And what does that mean, Tessa?"
Wide brown eyes looked up at him and she answered. It wasn't the first time he'd done this, she knew what it meant. "That I'm to obey 'im like I would you, an' anythin' other'n that an' you'll be very unhappy." It was like a mantra. Don't make Benji unhappy. Do what Benji said. She knew what happened when she disobeyed, when she wasn't a good slave or wife. Her friend, Torq, her only friend ever had once stood in front of her and protected her from Baron Andaris. He'd died for her, and the beating she'd taken had nearly killed her. She didn't care about that, bones had healed and bruises faded, but his corpse, she still saw it in her dreams as they put it in the carriage. "I'll be good, Benji, I promise."
Pleased with her answer, Benji nodded. Bending down he grabbed her hair once again at the nape of her neck and he pulled her into a rough and brutal kiss. Then, he threw her onto the floor. "Get ready. The carriage will be here in a break. If you mess this up, Tessa, the children will pay." She knew that, it was always how it was after all and she nodded. "I'll be good, Benji. I promise."
He turned and stalked out of the room, leaving before he gave in to his urge to punch her, Tessa knew. Scrambling to her feet, she moved to the wardrobe and looked at the dress hanging there. It was black, short and, in places, sheer. She stepped out of her clothes and quickly went and washed, then pulled on the black stockings he had put out for her, the suspender and briefs. Other than that, she brushed her hair until it shone and slipped her feet into the high heel shoes. The final thing to do, Tessa knew, was to put on her make up, which she did. Carefully, she applied a touch of gloss to her lips and then she worked to put dark shades around the outside of her eyes, accentuating them. She was getting better at this every trial and she was pretty good now, she knew. When she was happy with her make up, she moved over and picked up the dress. She stepped into it and pulled it up then, at the sound of the carriage, she went out into the tiny living room. "Would you do this up, please, Benji?" Turning her back to him, her husband walked over and did just that.
"You look beautiful, Tess," he said and she smiled in delight. "I love you."
Brown eyes widened. It was rare that he told her that and she felt a rush of emotion. "I love you too, Benji. I know how lucky I am t'be yer wife. An' that's what I always am." He was pleased with that answer and as there was the sound of a rapping on the door, telling them that the carriage was here for her, he slapped her behind playfully. "I'll see you when he's finished with you. Save some for me."
Save some for me. It was what he always said and she grinned at him, looking back over her shoulder and giving the answer she always gave. "Always."
723 Words
Cosmetology: Putting emphasis on the eyes with shadow
Endurance: Being pulled by the hair is painful
Intelligence: How you look is important in Intelligence Gathering
His breath was hot on her face, the smell of cheap liquor all over him and as his hand twisted in her hair Tessa let out a cry of pain. "I'm yours, Benji! No one else! What y'say an' when y'say't without question!" Tears sprang into her eyes and she stared at her husband as she waited for the rain of blows to start. Yet they did not, and they had not for near twenty trials. As far as she could remember, she had never gone so long without taking a beating and she didn't understand; she also didn't question her luck. He'd still done things like this and as he shoved her to the floor, Tessa fell to her knees and looked at him, brown eyes wide.
"There's a new dress in there for you. You're to dress up, nice. I've given you to a work colleague, someone very important. Do you understand?" Tessa nodded, immediately. "Yes, Benji, I understand." He'd given her to a colleague, he repeated.
"And what does that mean, Tessa?"
Wide brown eyes looked up at him and she answered. It wasn't the first time he'd done this, she knew what it meant. "That I'm to obey 'im like I would you, an' anythin' other'n that an' you'll be very unhappy." It was like a mantra. Don't make Benji unhappy. Do what Benji said. She knew what happened when she disobeyed, when she wasn't a good slave or wife. Her friend, Torq, her only friend ever had once stood in front of her and protected her from Baron Andaris. He'd died for her, and the beating she'd taken had nearly killed her. She didn't care about that, bones had healed and bruises faded, but his corpse, she still saw it in her dreams as they put it in the carriage. "I'll be good, Benji, I promise."
Pleased with her answer, Benji nodded. Bending down he grabbed her hair once again at the nape of her neck and he pulled her into a rough and brutal kiss. Then, he threw her onto the floor. "Get ready. The carriage will be here in a break. If you mess this up, Tessa, the children will pay." She knew that, it was always how it was after all and she nodded. "I'll be good, Benji. I promise."
He turned and stalked out of the room, leaving before he gave in to his urge to punch her, Tessa knew. Scrambling to her feet, she moved to the wardrobe and looked at the dress hanging there. It was black, short and, in places, sheer. She stepped out of her clothes and quickly went and washed, then pulled on the black stockings he had put out for her, the suspender and briefs. Other than that, she brushed her hair until it shone and slipped her feet into the high heel shoes. The final thing to do, Tessa knew, was to put on her make up, which she did. Carefully, she applied a touch of gloss to her lips and then she worked to put dark shades around the outside of her eyes, accentuating them. She was getting better at this every trial and she was pretty good now, she knew. When she was happy with her make up, she moved over and picked up the dress. She stepped into it and pulled it up then, at the sound of the carriage, she went out into the tiny living room. "Would you do this up, please, Benji?" Turning her back to him, her husband walked over and did just that.
"You look beautiful, Tess," he said and she smiled in delight. "I love you."
Brown eyes widened. It was rare that he told her that and she felt a rush of emotion. "I love you too, Benji. I know how lucky I am t'be yer wife. An' that's what I always am." He was pleased with that answer and as there was the sound of a rapping on the door, telling them that the carriage was here for her, he slapped her behind playfully. "I'll see you when he's finished with you. Save some for me."
Save some for me. It was what he always said and she grinned at him, looking back over her shoulder and giving the answer she always gave. "Always."
723 Words
Cosmetology: Putting emphasis on the eyes with shadow
Endurance: Being pulled by the hair is painful
Intelligence: How you look is important in Intelligence Gathering
