So many reviews! So thanks! Next chapter for your reading pleasure, here we find out the exact events that led to Emma leaving the palace in the first place, don't worry I hadn't forgotten.
Enjoy x
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"Mine!" A final cry as she reached her own climax, only then releasing Greta from the limbo of arousal she had been suspended in, a touch to the girl's clit and she collapsed under the queen, body rigid around the shaft embedded in her but still no sound spilling from parted lips.
Red had heard everything but wondered who the queen was really trying to claim with the act? The wolf that was pledged to her for life or the woman who lay recovering but may still win the right to leave?
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Emma woke to pain, her head was throbbing and a heavy weight was over her body. Pushing weakly at the encumbrance she quickly realised it was only furs but she was so weak. What -?
"Lie still," warm tones washed over the slave and a hand pushed her back against the bed.
"Greta?" Hoarse vocal chords stretched around the young wolf's name.
"Right here, Red left me in charge of you while she went to help the Queen," the girl happily explained.
"In charge of me?" The blonde's voice managed to sound teasing despite her groggy state.
"Yes!" The wolf growled. "So stay where you are, I need to tell the Queen you've woken up."
"Why -," Emma coughed as she turned her head towards the girl, catching bright blue eyes. "Why does it hurt so much?" She was confused and every inch of her body ached. "Why am I in the Queen's bed?" The blonde struggled again to sit up but a deceptively strong but slender hand pressed against her chest, preventing movement.
"No, Queen's orders and I don't want to be punished for you getting out of bed before she says so." Emma blinked, not used to the young wolf being so forceful but lay back against the pillows, too tired to argue. If she was feeling this bad and in the queen's bed then she must have been badly hurt. By the queen? She groaned, all the thoughts making her head pound.
"You need to stay still," Greta warned. "The Queen is coming."
Regina had been distractedly reviewing proposals for the trade meeting that was to be hosted at the palace during the coming week. The timing was extremely inconvenient, if Emma had not stopped to help -. The queen took a deep breath as she realised the paper she was holding had been crushed in her grasp.
"Mistress!" Red burst into the room unannounced, a behaviour not typical of her wolf. A brow raised in silent question and Red nodded.
"I have urgent business," Regina informed her advisers who bowed as she stood to leave the room. "I expect all proposals completed by the end of the day and all representatives to have theirs ready for me to view tomorrow. No exceptions!" A bevy of agreements was offered to the queen before she left the room with Red.
"Report." Regina ordered brusquely as she began the walk back to her rooms, the time it took to reach them would give her time to receive information on her slave's condition.
"She's awake, Greta is keeping her in bed as you requested, Mistress," Red informed the queen. "That is all I know, our communication is limited in human form."
"Indeed," Regina acknowledged, knowing the wolves' telepathy was extremely limited until they transformed, But, it was enough to communicate strong emotions, much like the slave's collar. The device was very much still intact and functioning as normal now that her pet was away from the dragon's influence. She had checked it carefully for any signs of tampering, who knew what may have happened to her pet before she was found by the dragon? They were magical creatures at it must have been attracted by the strong magic used in the collar, thank fully this particular dragon was an ally of the kingdom, living high in the mountains and under Regina's protection.
The queen swept into the bedchamber and observed the slave in question laying in her bed, pale skin a stark contrast to the dark purple bed linen. Mistress and slave regarded each other, green eyes meeting brown until the slave deferred and looked away.
"Leave us," Regina dismissed the wolves who left without fuss, both curious but knowing the queen valued her privacy.
"Why were you by the river?" Emma frowned at the question, her head still sore and thoughts were coming slowly. "Speak freely." She would if she could, the blonde grumbled internally. Regina sighed, taking pity on the convalescing slave. "Do you remember why you left the palace?"
"I did?" Emma's memories were fuzzy and she had no memory of ever leaving the palace.
"What is the last thing you remember?" The queen frowned, now concerned about the damage to the slave's brain from the cracked skull and submersion in the river. Emma concentrated and the last thing she could clearly remember was -.
"You hit me, Mistress," Emma recalled the unexpected slap from the queen but everything after that was-. "Cold, smoke -" Vague but confusing memories clashed for attention, for understanding but-.
Regina studied her pet, she seemed confused. Was it a ruse? Had she run away and was trying to cover it up? A skim through the slave's foremost emotions showed no signs of deceit, only a genuine confusion.
"Here, let me help you," the queen stepped forward and Emma felt cool fingertips rest against her temples and then the familiar, now welcome, sensation of the queen's magic.
Emma didn't even flinch when her mistresses hand connected with her cheek, sending her head snapping to the side, she simply righted her posture and looked right through the queen. Red and Greta both flinched as the blow struck but neither expected such a stoic reaction from the slave. It was as though she hadn't even felt it. Three sets of eyes were on the blonde's lip that had begun to bleed, small droplets dripping onto the front of her white shirt.
"Leave us," Regina commanded as she stood over the still kneeling blonde. Red gestured to Greta to follow her but was highly unsettled by the vibe the mistress and slave were giving off. Something had shifted, thrown their balance off and this concerned Red, greatly. It was what she had been afraid of, that the queen would become too invested in Emma and everything would fall apart when something went wrong. Or when she killed her. Whether on purpose or by accident Red knew it had happened before and it was only her own wolf constitution that had kept her alive this long
Regina tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for the slave to speak. She would not break the silence, to speak first in this situation would be a sign of weakness. Emma stayed motionless, the pain from her lip barely registering as she knelt there. To be honest very little registered when she was in this state, she could follow orders but there was no investment, no connection to the outside world.
The queen waited, and waited. Enough was enough. A flick of her wrist and a shot of incapacitating magic hit the slave, throwing her to the ground. This is what Emma had been expecting, torture, pure and simple. Revenge for her behaviour the previous night. Nothing more than the delayed wrath of her mistress.
The blonde lay on the ground, unmoving, waiting. Waiting for more pain, knowing it would keep on coming until she blacked out, died even. Who knew how this would end?
Regina circled her pet, much like she had done last night but this time the slave was unresponsive, lying on the ground, eyes staring up at her but the gaze was glassy, unfocused. The urge to hurt the slave was pulsing through the queen's body, she wanted to make her scream and beg for mercy but the rational side of herself knew that would never happen. Her pet would never crack, never give her the satisfaction.
"Go!" The word received no reaction from the slave still lying on the floor. "UP!" Regina snarled, furious that she was being ignored. A fluid movement and the blonde was once again kneeling before her mistress, toned muscles easily righting her as the queen's ire was registered and steps made to rectify. "Leave." This time the words did cut through Emma's walls and the slave forced herself to focus on what the queen was saying, a slight frown on her face as she tried to make sense of what she was being told.
"You are no use to me like this. Return when you have yourself under control," Regina. "This -, this façade is only going to get you killed." Emma knelt there and bowed her head as she considered the queen's words. She had come here, to her mistress, expecting pain, expecting the worst. But was she ready to die, here in this alien land? They both knew what the queen was capable of, the fact that it had been acknowledged by her mistress only served to bring the slave back to the reality she was currently living.
"Go," Regina murmured, her hand falling to rest on her pet's shoulder. "Return by nightfall, do what you please but return to me or your life will be forfeit."
"Yes, Mistress," Emma raised her head and they locked eyes before the queen removed her hand and walked away, leaving the blonde kneeling in the dust.
Realising how close she had come to -. Well, who really knew? However, she had not expected the queen to be as pragmatic about the situation, about the blonde's behaviour and her own reaction to the slave's coping mechanism.
After a few moments had passed Emma stood and brushed off her pants and looked around. What to do? She felt like getting out of sight of the palace. A ride maybe? The queen had not said she was forbidden from taking a horse so she began to walk towards the stables. As she got closer the need to leave grew stronger and she began to jog. Just as she rounded the corner of the stable block she saw that bloody amazon approach.
Emma jerked away from the queen's touch as all recollection up to the point of her accident returned.
"I didn't run away," Emma confirmed firmly as she pushed herself into a sitting position, feeling severely disadvantaged with her mistress hovering over her.
"And I believe you. Lucky you," Regina curled a lip into a half smirk, watching as her pet looked down and picked at the thick black fur that was covering her.
"Indeed," was the slave's dry reply. "Um how long was I -?"
"You were missing for a day and then here, recovering for three," the queen interrupted.
"Mistress, I'm so sorry I -," Emma struggled to get up. She'd been in the queen's bed for three days?
"You need to eat before you resume your duties," Regina observed the struggling blonde with narrowed eyes.
"But -?"
"Do not be obdurate, pet. Unless you are still harbouring the misguided opinion that you need not obey me?" Strong fingers lifted the slave's chin, forcing eye contact with her mistress. "Hmm?" Regina searched her pet's eyes for any sign of the previous rebellion but saw none.
"No, Mistress," Emma murmured as she looked up into brown orbs, currently vacant of the queen's magic. "I'm sorry, I just want to serve you," she confirmed, meaning every word.
"Do not think that I have needed you," the queen retorted, releasing the slave and striding to the door way. "I have been very well taken care of by my other pets. That young wolf is proving to be a quick learner, she takes the lash well," Regina purposely baited the slave.
"I am glad, Mistress. I eagerly await the time when you deem me fit to resume my duties. If it pleases you," Emma replied, knowing exactly what her mistress was trying to do.
"If I deem you worthy," tossed casually over the queen's shoulder as she left the room and Emma fell back on the pillows, considering the queen's words. What would happen if the queen had already replaced her with Greta, the wolf was beautiful and eager to please, to learn.
The blonde knew she was addicted to the queen, no-one was ever going to make her feel the way her mistress did. If she was to be relegated in position so be it. That would make it much easier to win the bet and gain her freedom. The thought was sobering, only another 46 weeks to go!
She was so fucked! Thankfully her collar was still intact and that had to mean something, right? A groan as she lifted her arm up to cover her eyes, only time was going to tell.
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Next on the Collar
"Come, we have an Amazon to see," Regina stalked from the room, Red on her heels as they made their way to the dungeons. When they arrived at the palace's more exclusive cells the guards on duty stood to attention and saluted as the queen and Red passed them by. Regina only ever permitted her royal guard to monitor these particular cells as it was where the most nefarious or valuable prisoners were kept