A tall figure walked quickly through the Basilica, a heavy silken wrap around her head obscuring her face and drapped over her shoulders. She wound her way through the other faithful who were at the cathedral and stopped momentarily to listen to the singing. Stopping at a font she reached out a hand, running her fingers through the water and making a sign on her forehead with her finger. Those nearby could hear a few muttered whispers from beneath her cowl and walks under one of the archways into a secluded alcove.
In the alcove an old man sat wearing heavy robes and looked up from a pile of old manuscripts. He smiled as she walked over and knelt before him at the small rail that lead up to the altar he was using as a desk. Walking over to her he held out his hand, a heavy golden ring with a religious icon graced his finger.
"Hello, my child. It has been a while."
Carmilla Deritan removed the scarf from her head and bowed her head and placed a kiss upon the ring.
"Hello your eminence, it has been far too long. You are looking well, your studies proceed I hope?"
"Carmilla," he chuckled and pulled a stool over to the railing, "I like to think I have known you long enough to know when something is troubling you. It is rare that you come to me for spiritual guidance. I wish you would come more often."
She smiled and curled her legs under her and waited while he walked around and pulled the curtains over the alcove and pulled out a stool and sat before her, taking her hand in his old calloused one.
"Come on my child, tell me all....."
Two days previous - Peshar's Bane
Carmilla Deritan docked at the main landing bay in Peshars and picked up the bag and slung it over her shoulder. She breathed in deeply as she walked down the ramp, noticing with a smile the old musty smell had now gone, the air recirculators now fixed and working. With a laugh she spotted Brute and bounced over, wrapping her arms around him, making him sway.
"Hey lil lady! Hey, what happened to the eye? And the hair?"
"Brute, Ooooooh I missed you!"
"What you doing back? I thought you were given a one way ticket to Khanid?"
"I was, but like I'm going to leave this place and you and the crew. You're family now, so dont' you forget that."
Several of the others came over and grins split faces and hands slapped her on the back.
"So what you doing here, babe?"
"My Mistress informed me Relana had requested me. I have a new slave to break in apparently..."
Brute laughed followed by the rest of the crew around them. Carm looked at them with a confused expression.
"What's so funny?"
"You'll see. Though if I'm honest Carm... I don't half wonder if this isn't some sort of punishment for you too."
Carmilla stood before Relana in a submissive stance. Her old Mistress walked over to her and ran her hand over her growing hair and traced the line of her scar.
"Things have changed since you were here last...."
"Life has been a bit exciting, yes, Mi'lady."
"Has your Mistress told you why you are here?"
"Briefly. I have a slave of yours to work on. Other than that...."
She shrugged briefly, her mind wondering now why she had been chosen, wondering about Brute had said.
"Relana. Am I being punished for something? I mean...."
She held up a hand and touched Carms lips, then took her hand and walked out the door.
"In a way... yes you are."
The Holder and slave walked down the corridors towards a room which had a long queue of people outside of it. From inside screams and cries could be heard. Relana looked on impassively as Carm shook slightly. The sounds inside stopped and two men walked out, grins on their faces and laughing. Two more walked in, this time a man and a woman, shortly the sounds started again.
"What's going on Relana?"
"Yes you are being punished Carmilla, courtesy of Ithiria. You are to take over the keeping of the slave behind these doors until we decide fully what to do with her. You can use any method of punishment you want or need. In essence, you will be her Holder."
"I cant' do that. I'm a slave. More than that I wont' do it."
Relana grabbed a handful of Carm's hair and pulled her towards her face, the smiles gone only a cold stare.
"You will do as you are ordered or we'll have you strapped to the table next to her and I'll promise you a thousand deaths and each one more painful than the last!"
She walked them over and kicked open the door and thrust Carmilla in to see what was in the room. A faint cry came from Carms lips as she saw Alizabeth Vea strapped to the table in the room, naked and heavily abused. Two guards stood watching and the man and woman who had come in before stood back, heads bowed as their Mistress entered.
"This is the slave you have to break. I'm sure you recognise each other."
Alizabeth's cry was music to Relana's ears.
Carm looked on for a minute then shook her head and pulled out her communicator and whispered a few words.
"She is mine to do with as I choose?"
"Yes."
"Good." She pointed to the guards and every other person in the room," Everyone out! Now!"
The door opened and Brute pushed his way in.
"Brute, everyone except you, me and Aliza leaves this room," she looked at Relana," no exceptions."
"You dare..."
"My slave, my rules."
Brute unstrapped Aliza and taking a medical bag started to treat her wounds quickly. He looked up at Carm with enquiring eyes.
"You see what I meant Carm? About being a punishment for you too?"
"Yes. I see it now. Oh Aliza, what happened?"
She sat on the end of the bed and listened as she was told the story. The arguments in The Summit, the execution of the slave, the threats of war, the forced removal of Aliza, her enslavement and the corps change of direction. By the time she had finished Carm was looking at her with a hateful look in her eyes.
"Why that look Carm? You've done worse than that. Far worse."
"Yes, I know. And I've paid my dues. But so did that slave."
She stood up and brushed off her jacket and slung the bag over her shoulder.
"I think you Holders sometimes forget that the slaves talk to each other. I knew that slave you executed. Quite well."
With quite whispers she talked with Brute for a while and walked to the door, opening it and looking out on the angry faces beyond. Turning to Brute she looked at Vea and didn't smile.
"You have ten minutes Brute."
Aliza tried to say something as Brute grabbed a hold of her arm and wrenched. The sickening sound of muscle and tissue tearing as the arm was dislocated was nothing compared to her scream. Carmilla closed the door and faced those infront of her.
Folding her arms she stared down the angry slave force while behind her the screams and sounds of furniture breaking continued. Oaths and cries and threats were thrown at her and she stood there watching as more and more became silent.
"If you dont know why I'm here then I'll tell you. She was my friend to, and she died at her hands. But death is too good for her so I'm going to make her suffer. Me. Not you. And you all know me, know what I can do."
"You'll go easy on her! We know you bend over for Holders..."
"...Give it a week and you'll be back kneeling before her...."
".... Give her to us, we'll show her some real pain..."
"Enough," she shouted,"None of you have any idea what I've been through and I'll not take Vea down the roads I've been dragged. But mark my words, she'll pay. Pay in blood and pain and anguish. She is now a slave, like us. But less than us because there isn't one of us here, me included who hasn't felt her lash or been subject to her...."
More of them went silent as the sounds behind the door were familiar, they had all heard them so many times before. When the guards had taken them, or the Holders, or the pushers. Slowly they looked at Carmilla. Her slave collar was gleaming brightly, the look on her face, no longer one of anger, but one of pain and anguish. The screams coming from the room beyond, could almost have been coming from her mouth. Slowly the crowd dispersed until only Carmilla was left, leaning against the door frame openly weeping.
When the ten minutes were up she walked back in. Brute was sitting on the end of the bed, Aliza curled up in a ball, a look on her face that many of her slaves had once owned.
"Pick her up gently, lets take her to the infirmary. Is Kim still there?"
"Yes," he said as she picked up the brutalised woman in his arms, "She has a collection of heads in jars. She's a real spooky lady."
"Yes, she is. Runs in the family I guess."
She brushed a strand of hair from Vea's eyes.
"Now you know how we feel. And I'll teach you how we feel until I think you understand. I'll teach you to be a slave. I'll teach you hope, and I'll teach you hate. I'll teach you real submission and how to please. By the time I've finished with you you will understand what it means to be free. And at this moment I've never hated you more than I do now for what you've made me become."
And in her mind she could hear the mocking laughter of a sebiestor fanatic. As she touched her dead white eye she realised things would never be the same again.
In the alcove an old man sat wearing heavy robes and looked up from a pile of old manuscripts. He smiled as she walked over and knelt before him at the small rail that lead up to the altar he was using as a desk. Walking over to her he held out his hand, a heavy golden ring with a religious icon graced his finger.
"Hello, my child. It has been a while."
Carmilla Deritan removed the scarf from her head and bowed her head and placed a kiss upon the ring.
"Hello your eminence, it has been far too long. You are looking well, your studies proceed I hope?"
"Carmilla," he chuckled and pulled a stool over to the railing, "I like to think I have known you long enough to know when something is troubling you. It is rare that you come to me for spiritual guidance. I wish you would come more often."
She smiled and curled her legs under her and waited while he walked around and pulled the curtains over the alcove and pulled out a stool and sat before her, taking her hand in his old calloused one.
"Come on my child, tell me all....."
Two days previous - Peshar's Bane
Carmilla Deritan docked at the main landing bay in Peshars and picked up the bag and slung it over her shoulder. She breathed in deeply as she walked down the ramp, noticing with a smile the old musty smell had now gone, the air recirculators now fixed and working. With a laugh she spotted Brute and bounced over, wrapping her arms around him, making him sway.
"Hey lil lady! Hey, what happened to the eye? And the hair?"
"Brute, Ooooooh I missed you!"
"What you doing back? I thought you were given a one way ticket to Khanid?"
"I was, but like I'm going to leave this place and you and the crew. You're family now, so dont' you forget that."
Several of the others came over and grins split faces and hands slapped her on the back.
"So what you doing here, babe?"
"My Mistress informed me Relana had requested me. I have a new slave to break in apparently..."
Brute laughed followed by the rest of the crew around them. Carm looked at them with a confused expression.
"What's so funny?"
"You'll see. Though if I'm honest Carm... I don't half wonder if this isn't some sort of punishment for you too."
Carmilla stood before Relana in a submissive stance. Her old Mistress walked over to her and ran her hand over her growing hair and traced the line of her scar.
"Things have changed since you were here last...."
"Life has been a bit exciting, yes, Mi'lady."
"Has your Mistress told you why you are here?"
"Briefly. I have a slave of yours to work on. Other than that...."
She shrugged briefly, her mind wondering now why she had been chosen, wondering about Brute had said.
"Relana. Am I being punished for something? I mean...."
She held up a hand and touched Carms lips, then took her hand and walked out the door.
"In a way... yes you are."
The Holder and slave walked down the corridors towards a room which had a long queue of people outside of it. From inside screams and cries could be heard. Relana looked on impassively as Carm shook slightly. The sounds inside stopped and two men walked out, grins on their faces and laughing. Two more walked in, this time a man and a woman, shortly the sounds started again.
"What's going on Relana?"
"Yes you are being punished Carmilla, courtesy of Ithiria. You are to take over the keeping of the slave behind these doors until we decide fully what to do with her. You can use any method of punishment you want or need. In essence, you will be her Holder."
"I cant' do that. I'm a slave. More than that I wont' do it."
Relana grabbed a handful of Carm's hair and pulled her towards her face, the smiles gone only a cold stare.
"You will do as you are ordered or we'll have you strapped to the table next to her and I'll promise you a thousand deaths and each one more painful than the last!"
She walked them over and kicked open the door and thrust Carmilla in to see what was in the room. A faint cry came from Carms lips as she saw Alizabeth Vea strapped to the table in the room, naked and heavily abused. Two guards stood watching and the man and woman who had come in before stood back, heads bowed as their Mistress entered.
"This is the slave you have to break. I'm sure you recognise each other."
Alizabeth's cry was music to Relana's ears.
Carm looked on for a minute then shook her head and pulled out her communicator and whispered a few words.
"She is mine to do with as I choose?"
"Yes."
"Good." She pointed to the guards and every other person in the room," Everyone out! Now!"
The door opened and Brute pushed his way in.
"Brute, everyone except you, me and Aliza leaves this room," she looked at Relana," no exceptions."
"You dare..."
"My slave, my rules."
Brute unstrapped Aliza and taking a medical bag started to treat her wounds quickly. He looked up at Carm with enquiring eyes.
"You see what I meant Carm? About being a punishment for you too?"
"Yes. I see it now. Oh Aliza, what happened?"
She sat on the end of the bed and listened as she was told the story. The arguments in The Summit, the execution of the slave, the threats of war, the forced removal of Aliza, her enslavement and the corps change of direction. By the time she had finished Carm was looking at her with a hateful look in her eyes.
"Why that look Carm? You've done worse than that. Far worse."
"Yes, I know. And I've paid my dues. But so did that slave."
She stood up and brushed off her jacket and slung the bag over her shoulder.
"I think you Holders sometimes forget that the slaves talk to each other. I knew that slave you executed. Quite well."
With quite whispers she talked with Brute for a while and walked to the door, opening it and looking out on the angry faces beyond. Turning to Brute she looked at Vea and didn't smile.
"You have ten minutes Brute."
Aliza tried to say something as Brute grabbed a hold of her arm and wrenched. The sickening sound of muscle and tissue tearing as the arm was dislocated was nothing compared to her scream. Carmilla closed the door and faced those infront of her.
Folding her arms she stared down the angry slave force while behind her the screams and sounds of furniture breaking continued. Oaths and cries and threats were thrown at her and she stood there watching as more and more became silent.
"If you dont know why I'm here then I'll tell you. She was my friend to, and she died at her hands. But death is too good for her so I'm going to make her suffer. Me. Not you. And you all know me, know what I can do."
"You'll go easy on her! We know you bend over for Holders..."
"...Give it a week and you'll be back kneeling before her...."
".... Give her to us, we'll show her some real pain..."
"Enough," she shouted,"None of you have any idea what I've been through and I'll not take Vea down the roads I've been dragged. But mark my words, she'll pay. Pay in blood and pain and anguish. She is now a slave, like us. But less than us because there isn't one of us here, me included who hasn't felt her lash or been subject to her...."
More of them went silent as the sounds behind the door were familiar, they had all heard them so many times before. When the guards had taken them, or the Holders, or the pushers. Slowly they looked at Carmilla. Her slave collar was gleaming brightly, the look on her face, no longer one of anger, but one of pain and anguish. The screams coming from the room beyond, could almost have been coming from her mouth. Slowly the crowd dispersed until only Carmilla was left, leaning against the door frame openly weeping.
When the ten minutes were up she walked back in. Brute was sitting on the end of the bed, Aliza curled up in a ball, a look on her face that many of her slaves had once owned.
"Pick her up gently, lets take her to the infirmary. Is Kim still there?"
"Yes," he said as she picked up the brutalised woman in his arms, "She has a collection of heads in jars. She's a real spooky lady."
"Yes, she is. Runs in the family I guess."
She brushed a strand of hair from Vea's eyes.
"Now you know how we feel. And I'll teach you how we feel until I think you understand. I'll teach you to be a slave. I'll teach you hope, and I'll teach you hate. I'll teach you real submission and how to please. By the time I've finished with you you will understand what it means to be free. And at this moment I've never hated you more than I do now for what you've made me become."
And in her mind she could hear the mocking laughter of a sebiestor fanatic. As she touched her dead white eye she realised things would never be the same again.
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