Thanks for all the great reviews last chapter. Because I got this finished last night here is the next chapter. Don't get too excited for the one after this as I'm still working on it but it's coming long pretty well so far.
Enjoy and review if it pleases you (it always pleases me!) I'm very interested to see what you all make of this as a lot is covered.
Lil'D over and out!
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"Sleep" Red urged, telepathically, and Emma made lay down, pressed up to the surprisingly warm and comfortable body of her friend. Red was about to fall asleep, now that she was certain she was the last one left awake, Emma had drifted off a few minutes ago and both the pup and queen seemed settled in their slumber. It was as she opened an eye for one last check on her charges before she allowed sleep to claim her that she felt it, magic surged and then Emma was gone.
Red started, her sudden movement waking the pup as the wolf raised her head to see if her suspicions were correct. Yes, there was Emma now in the bed next to the queen, still fast asleep and none the wiser that she had been called by their mistress. They really needed to have that talk, Red huffed as she wrapped her body around the pup and closed her eyes for the final time that night.
Xxxxxx
"Come," Red stretched and urged the pup to follow her out of the room as their mistress stirred. The scent of the queen's arousal was detectable, meaning Emma was probably in for a rude awakening any moment now.
Emma woke with a hand around her throat and her first instinct was to fight.
"Easy, pet," the queen purred as a hot mouth descended on the slave's, grinding down against her pet's hip. Regina had awoken refreshed and aroused, confused but not unpleasantly surprised to find the blonde in bed next to her, immediately taking advantage of the situation and rutting against the sleeping slave's body. Once she realised what was happening Emma held still until her mistress collapsed against her, spent from her climax and leaving the slave's skin coated in her mistresses fluid.
"Mistress," Red spoke from the doorway. "There is breakfast ready for you," the wolf informed the queen as she lay draped on top of her slave, the scent of sex heavy in the air. The wolf was pleased to see her mistress refreshed enough indulge in morning fornication and even now seemed relaxed and in good humour. The same could not be said for Emma who was breathing heavily and looking a little shell-shocked but true to form she soon recovered and lay awaiting permission to leave the bed, or not, depending on the queen's wishes.
"Thank you, wolf. Are you recovered?" Regina purred, stretching out in the bed and finding her back pleasantly loose then remembering her pet's massage.
"Yes, fully I believe, Mistress," Red replied before she was waved away, the queen's attention once again on the slave in her bed.
"What is going on with you?" Red broached the question as soon as she was alone with Emma, the slave returning the breakfast trays to the kitchen and the wolf on her morning errands. They had left the queen with Greta who was assisting her bathe and dress for the day.
"What do you mean?" Emma hedged, not willing to volunteer any information.
"You like her, you care for our mistress," Red persisted. "I've seen you in unguarded moments, you care more than you show her." Emma didn't reply, only now realising how much the wolf had seen as the blonde's time in the palace had been passing.
"It's not what you think," Emma replied, on the defensive. "I do not love her," the word was uttered with a dismissive sneer, "like the blacksmith does, like you do." Red narrowed her eyes at the retort, reaching out to lay a hand on Emma's arm to halt their progress whilst they remained in a deserted corridor.
"I never said you loved her, if you did she would have succeeded in her task of breaking you, your bet would be lost and the collar would release," Red reasoned and the blunt reminder focused Emma on her words, of course the wolf was right. Emma was safe, still winning the wager, but for how long, ghosted the thought? "I said you care for her, you admire her because I think you see a lot of yourself in our Queen. She reads you, she knows what you need and that has earned your respect." Red met the glower the slave was giving her, two sets of green eyes met and neither looked away.
"I see what you do for her and I appreciate it because yes, I do love her. It defies definition, it is complex, she is my alpha, my pack yet she has cared for me and protected me in a way a mother would. She has also abused me and fucked me every way her imagination desires." Red shrugged, struggling for words. "You're different, Emma. I do not know what you are to her but you are different."
That was the end of Red's side of the conversation and the wolf stepped forward.
"What will happen if I win this wager?" Emma's question stopped the wolf mid stride, green eyes turning back to the slave. "Will she keep her word and let me go home, if the magic works?" Red cocked her head as she observed the blonde.
"I think the most important question you need to ask is do you want to go home?" The wolf's words sank between them.
A sigh from the wolf.
"Emma, she's ruined you for anyone else. I know she's given you things, made you feel things you will never feel again if you leave and I know you know that. I don't know if you will win the wager or not, you're strong but I don't think you will ever find anyone who makes you feel the way the Queen does," Red fell silent, watching the slave who was staring out of a window, light bouncing off her golden hair, shoulders hunched as she gripped the window ledge.
"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere," the words were barely a whisper but Red caught them clearly. Emma had applied the quote to her own slaves before now but had never, ever thought it would apply to her. The irony was crippling. Emma sighed as she pushed back from the window, turning to observe the wolf.
"You know she magics you into her bed, that's how you got there last night. You were asleep on me then, poof, you were in her bed and never woke. It's not the first time it's happened is it?" Red pushed as she saw comprehension dawn on her friend's face.
"No, I kept thinking it was me either passing out and not remembering what happened or like, maybe sleep walking," Emma muttered, the information giving her even more to think about.
"You're different," was all Red said and the silence hung heavily between them.
"So, what's the what with the amazons?" Emma's rapid change of mood was not unexpected, Red knew she had given the blonde a lot to think about and the deflection was typical of the slave's personality and coping mechanisms the wolf had grown to recognise.
"She is the Queen's friend, they have known each other since the Queen was a girl," Red went with the change in topic and indulged her friend knowing Emma needed time alone with her thoughts to fully analyse the situation she was finding herself in.
"So that's why she's not dead?" Emma joked.
"Probably, it is a very profitable relationship for both kingdoms," Red shrugged and resumed their journey. "You will see lenience and tolerance for many things where the amazon queen is concerned."
"They were, are, lovers?" Emma was now extremely curious about the soon to be arriving monarch and read behind her friend's words.
"Yes, until recently. The amazon queen has selected a consort and I believe she remains monogamous," Red supplied, not hiding her smirk at the intense interest her companion was taking in the conversation.
"Is the Queen likely to share me while they are here?" Was Emma's next question, genuinely curious and not too concerned about her fate due to the fact that the amazons were all female.
"I don't know, sometimes. She likes to wager with the amazon queen and sometimes loses," Red shrugged. "If she does one of us is likely to be pleasuring an amazon or two," the wolf stated, pragmatically. "She may loan out the pup but as her training has just begun and after the incident with the faye girl, well I doubt it. You though -," another shrug. "She is proud of your many talents and that may turn boastful this evening when the wine flows. But then she may not wish to share you. I cannot say how the night will progress," Red smiled. "But it's usually a lot of fun and the amazons are a generally attractive and sexually skilled bunch so it's never a chore to bed one, or more," a salute, a wink and the wolf left her friend at the entrance to the kitchen.
Emma eyed the arriving visitors with interest from her vantage point on the balcony adjacent to the queen's main meeting chamber. Her mistress was speaking to her advisers with some last minute instructions but it was a warm, sunny day so Emma had requested that she be allowed to open the doors and she was taking a moment to observe the comings and goings in the courtyard below, a rare smile from the queen indicating that this was permitted. Yes, Emma had a lot on her mind after her conversation with Red but saw no reason to alter her behaviour towards the queen, so far it had only earned the slave additional privileges and now possible leverage.
Since Emma's accident the queen had been ensuring that her pet was well fed and rested, hand feeding her a lunch fit for a queen. It was a good job really the slave thought, especially given the brutality of the fucking she had received the night before last and this morning's surprise awakening. She ached but in a good way, a smirk escaping and a sideways glance at her queen showed that the blonde was being studied, a curl of the monarch's lip indicated that the queen's thoughts had been on a similar line.
As the slave turned her attention back to the outside of the palace a phalanx of what appeared to be the amazon royal guard dismounted in the courtyard, their armour gleaming in the sun. Emma was very curious to meet them properly and discover what kind of women chose the life they chose. She had her stereotypical assumptions but everything was so different here, especially under the queen's rule and their flying visit to the amazon kingdom yesterday had only left her with negative impressions despite Red's revelations. Their queen seemed nice enough though but Emma had come to realise that she preferred brunette monarchs, however surprisingly young and attractive the blonde amazon queen was.
A group led their horses off to the stabling that Emma knew had been put aside for their mounts, the remaining women mingled, a smaller group breaking off and walking towards the castle as Red walked out to greet them, the wolf now fully recovered but still really pissed at being injured. After their initial conversation that morning Red had returned to the queen's side but when they had been left alone the wolf had been ranting to Emma and Greta, envisioning all kinds of very imaginative punishments for the trainee guards that had 'detained' her, the pup in agreement and coming up with her own suggestions It had been an entertaining morning for the slave as she had waited for the queen's meetings to finish.
"Mistress," Emma called the queen's attention. "I believe our visitors are approaching." She did not think the queen would wish to be late to greet her guests.
"Come," Regina summoned her pet and the young wolf and they walked swiftly though the quiet halls. "They are an interesting people," she commented. "I am expecting to enjoy the visit, there are always amazons willing to warm my bed," she chuckled. "Excellent specimens with admirable stamina." Emma kept her face passive but the thought did not appeal to her, still wondering if she would she also be expected to 'entertain' their guests?
It wasn't long before they arrived at the rear entrance to the throne room and there Regina paused to survey her slaves. The pup wore her favoured corset and short skirt combination, her pet was dressed in her usual clothing of pants, boots and a shirt.
"That won't do," Emma heard the queen murmur before she felt the familiar tingle of magic and felt the air of her skin. "Much better!" Regina smiled as she took a moment to admire the change of dress.
Emma glanced down and saw her heavy leather boots remained but the pants had been replaced with a short leather skirt with a slit up either side and bikini style top, not quite as revealing as the one she preferred her slave to wear for the more intimate banquets but it still left most of her torso on display. Emma realised with a jolt that this was may have been why her mistress had been so brutal the previous night, she had wanted the marks of her pleasure to be undeniable. Regina hummed her satisfaction at the marks covering the pale skin, lash, cane and bite marks covered her pet's body interspersed by various bruises, most notably the discernible finger marks around her throat from that morning's session that were fully visible now that the shirt had gone.
"Come," a crooked finger an the two slaves followed their mistress as she took a seat in her throne, Emma dropping to her knees on her mistresses right hand side, the padded cushion now extremely familiar, Greta taking position on the queen's left. Only moments later the main doors were opened by Red and a small party of the amazons entered, led by their queen. Emma watched as Red dropped to one knee before announcing their guests, the action a mere formality given yesterday's familiarity between the two queens.
"My Queen, may I present the Amazon Queen and her royal guard," Red introduced their guests rather grandly but then Emma reasoned, the woman was a queen in her own right. There were approximately thirty amazons in the throne room, women of varying ages and appearance but twelve were all wearing identical armour, the queen's guard Emma presumed. One in particular stood out, piercing eyes glued to her queen as she stood slightly to one side of the ranks, Emma recognised her and a couple of others from the day before and knew they were ones to watch.
"My Queen," the greeting was clear and warm, followed by a smile, the amazon queen stepping forward with a bow, she did not kneel as Red had done but Emma didn't sense any displeasure from her mistress at this. "Need we be so formal?" The question was teasing and Emma tensed, waiting for the backlash but was shocked when only a low chuckled reverberated around the large room. It seemed what Red had told her was true,
"I suppose not," Regina stood and slowly made her way down the dais and across the floor towards the amazons. Red stood as her mistress approached and looked up to see Emma tracking the queen through narrowed eyes, noticing for the first time the slave's attire and smiling internally at her mistresses need to show off her toys and unsettle her guests in various ways. Some would pity Emma, some would praise her strength, most would covert her body and beauty and all would probably underestimate the blonde, something that may not have happened if she had been presented in the armour she had worn yesterday.
Then the wolf switched her attention back to the queen as she practically stalked towards the group of amazon who stayed respectfully silent but whose bodies betrayed them, Red's sensitive wolf nose picking up increasing arousal from many of them. She wasn't surprised, the queen was decked out in a typical outfit, skin tight dark silk topped with a crimson corset, her face perfectly made up to accentuate her lips and dark eyes. She looked stunning, as always, and exuded power. And pure sexuality.
The two leaders met and Emma watched as the amazon grabbed her mistresses forearm, the slave expected the rather crude greeting to be rebuffed but instead it was returned with equal enthusiasm and the women shared a brief embrace, surprising the hell out of the blonde despite the vents of the previous day. Red spotted the look and gave her friend a subtle wink, it was going to be a very interesting visit.
Once the greeting was completed Regina gestured for her pets to join them, Emma rose gracefully to her feet and walked toward her queen, taking her time and keeping her strides loose, Greta by her side.
"A different look today, Majesty," the amazon queen gestured to Emma and the slave noted the more formal language between the two women now they were in public.
"My pets have many talents." Emma returned the amazon queen's gaze for the second time in as many days. Two sets of green eyes meeting, assessing each other. Now that Red's life was not in danger and from what the wolf had told her earlier that day the slave was curious about the other queen. Emma also observed the way the amazon queen's eyes roved over her body, frowning at what she saw there. Another look exchanged and the slave kept her expression cool and neutral she would not be judged. the moment observed by the dark queen and interrupted when she spoke again
"And that leads us directly to my reason for summoning you in the first place," Regina continued, pleased that her pet had roused such interest in her friend and pleased by Emma's response. "Red, take the pup and bring me the prisoner."
"Mistress," Red bowed and was off, striding purposefully through the room, Greta following, all eyes on the wolves' striking forms as they went, black hair flowing behind them, none denying their beauty.
"Red grows stronger each time I see her," the amazon queen commented as she and the other women watched the wolves go, many with envious eyes. "And fully recovered, already?"
"Indeed, extremely rapid healing even without magic," the dark queen confirmed.
"I am pleased to see her so well. Let us get on with our business so that we may rest, feast and fuck!" Emma hid her surprise at the amazon queen's words, now she could see why the two women got on so well. It seemed they shared the same tastes and was curious to see what the day would bring.
"Mistress." Red returned with the prisoner and Emma was shocked to see that it was the amazon, Thera. Hands cuffed in front of her, flanked by Red and Greta.
"Your Majesty?" Now the amazon queen looked pissed, seeing one of her subjects shackled caused her green eyes to narrow as she recognised the young woman "You charge her with treason? Explain, she is young but has always been loyal to your crown, always trustworthy."
Shit! Emma immediately saw what had happened, Thera was in trouble for helping her. The prisoner chose that moment to look up, grey eyes dull until they met the slave's.
"You're alright!" Her eyes sparked as she saw the queen's pet in good health.
"And there we have our problem," Regina hissed as she glared at the prisoner.
"Then I wish to discuss this matter further," the amazon queen demanded. "with or without an audience. Lay out your charges," she continued eyes steely and arms crossed across her chest.
"Your amazon assisted my slave to leave the palace, she procured a horse for her and on her journey my pet was grievously injured, to the point of near death. Her crime is two fold, aiding a slave she knew was possibly escaping and by doing so having a hand in the damage my property sustained," Regina hissed.
The room was silent as the two queens regarded one another, one obviously more powerful than the other but neither prepared to back down.
"Leave us!" The amazon queen dismissed her subjects and they left, reluctant to leave their queen unprotected but knew she would have it no other way. "All of you, please," she spoke directly to the dark haired warrior Emma had been keeping and eye on. Blue eyes narrowed but she left without an argument. "Tell me why you helped her," the petite blonde demanded of her amazon as soon as the doors to the throne room thudded to a close.
"I owed her a debt, my life. She saved my life," Thera explained, sinking to her knees before the queens. "I attacked her, at the command of my captain but she spoke up for us, we didn't want to hurt her." The amazon queen frowned, the situation was more complicated than she had first believed.
"So you committed treason and helped her escape?" A nod.
"I did, Majesty."
"But I wasn't escaping," Emma knew that is was not her place to speak but she couldn't stand by and let a good deed be punished.
"But she did not know that! And that is where I take issue!" Regina hissed, rounding on her pet, the harsh slap catching Emma across the cheek, the queen's ring drawing blood. Emma refused to look away immediately but deferred as soon as she saw the magic flare in her mistresses eyes. "The fact that she," a finger was stabbed towards the prisoner, "showed loyalty to a mere slave and not her queen is why she is in this predicament."
"Is there any other evidence to bring?" The amazon queen questioned, intelligent green eyes hiding a multitude of thoughts as she observed events.
"The amazon did provide a partial clue to the slave's return," Red spoke for the first time, standing tall and bracing herself for a possible backlash from her mistress. "But I agree that it is the matter of Thera's loyalties that are to be questioned. She swore an oath when she joined your guard, Mistress," the wolf concluded and there was silence as her words were processed.
"Then I will not stand in your way, My Queen," a respectful dip of her head and the amazon queen conceded the matter to her sovereign. "Thera, loyalty to your queen must come before personal attachments, I can see why you are so taken," a soft smile as she acknowledged the draw of the queen's pet, "but it is misplaced." The blonde queen turned towards the dark. "Majesty, I ask for compassion when setting the punishment, in light of the aid in recovering your slave."
Regina sniffed, eyes narrowed as she looked at each woman in turn, weighing up each and every option she had.
"The punishment will fit the crime, my friend. I can promise no more than that. It has already been decided and I will not waver," Emma listened to her mistresses response and wondered what she had in store for the amazon, she pitied her, she really did. But, she had to agree with the queen's reasoning, no weakness could be shown. "Tomorrow. Throw her back in the dungeon and return to me then we must deal with the ones that injured you, my wolf." Red growled her agreement with her mistresses orders.
Emma was left alone with the two queens and the silence was pregnant to say the least.
"Tend to your slave, Regina," the blonde queen gestured distractedly and only then Emma realised that blood was dripping form her jaw.
"We are friends but do not interfere with the way I treat my pets," the dark queen hissed, booted foot stepping forward so she was in the amazon's personal space.
"You know my views on the matter," the two women faced off and Emma felt the queen's magic begin to frisson in the air but she did not silence the amazon. "I know we will never agree on that. I know you have certain 'needs' that have to be taken care of and you have your own way of doing so. The Amazon Nation does not condone slavery but I have agreed to defer to your rule and that comes with compromise," the blonde queen rallied. "You are one of the few that know my true origins, where these scars on my body come from. How you healed me. As you heal your pets when they require it." Green eyes flicked between the queen and her slave as she observed the reactions wrought by her words, surprisingly seeing none. Both women's expressions passive but she knew their thoughts were running deep. "We come from the same roots you and I. I know you Regina and you cannot hide from me."
The throne room was silent until the main doors crashed open as Red returned with Greta and what seemed to be the entire amazon contingent. Nothing more was said but both mistress and slave were affected by the words of the blonde queen, whether they would ever admit it to themselves or not.
Red looked to her mistress, both she and Greta could sense the magic emanating from their queen and both wolves were on alert. They were not the only ones to pick up on the tension in the room, all the amazons were now on edge, hands twitching towards their weapons.
"My Queen?" The tall dark haired amazon stepped forward, piercing blue eyes glaring at the trio.
"Stand down, soldier," the blonde queen nodded at her amazon who obeyed but the Emma had figured correctly that she was one to watch.
"Belle!" The amazon queen called and Emma watched as the young amazon who had admitted to shooting Red stepped forward and towards the queens. "This is the one that injured your wolf, Majesty." The formal address had returned but Emma overheard a whispered "do not let our discussion influence your actions, Regina," from the blonde queen, audible to only the three of them. Emma ensured her mask was in place as she received another searching look from the amazon monarch.
"Red!" Regina echoed her counterpart's call and the wolf stepped forward, eyeing the young amazon suspiciously, lip curled in a snarl and pointedly revealing a sharpened canine. The guilty young amazon going wide eyed as she caught the flash of fang, her gulp of anxiety both visible and audible. "I should just kill her now," the queen sneered, eyeing the girl in question, "nothing can repay me for what you did to my wolf." Red's chest rumbled in agreement.
Next on The Collar
"The last men who laid hands on one of my pets were tortured with razor sharp wire until they bled out, it took over a day and they suffered greatly," Regina sniffed. "That was the incident your amazon was first involved in," the dark queen casually informed the amazon queen who paled at the revelation.
"But you, you nearly killed My wolf," Regina roared, incensed as she remembered the panic and worry she had experienced when she had felt that flicker in Red's life force. "The wolf that has been in my employ since she was a girl, not a slave who has been here mere weeks," a glance was sent towards Emma before returning to the amazon girl who had fallen to her knees before the dark queen.
(Quote from Voltaire)