For anyone having a less than fun day with no plans for a Friday night (that would be me!)
Lots of talking! Let me know what you think about the revelations...
Enjoy x
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Emma was heading for breakfast when her stride faltered, coming her way were the amazon queen and her warrior.
"Good morning," the blonde queen greeted the slave with a friendly smile and manners dictated that Emma should not offend her mistresses guest so was obliged to heed the salutation.
"And to you," a curt nod of the slave's head returned the pleasantry but Emma's progress was stalled by a hand on her arm.
"Why did you take the collar? You are strong enough to make a different choice," Gabrielle got straight to the point. Her conversation with Red the previous night had been weighing on her mind and a lot was not adding up.
"A choice?" Emma chuckled darkly. "I would not recommend resisting our queen," was all she said before side-stepping the amazon and warrior, continuing on her way soon finding Red and Greta already eating outside in the sunshine.
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"How are you feeling?" Emma queried of Red as she sat opposite the wolf, placing her plate of food down on the table.
"Tired, confused," Red sighed looking up at her friend. "And having her around is exhausting," she growled, scowling at the young amazon standing a good few feet behind them, against the wall. "I have her and finding out the Queen wishes me to be her heir -"
"What?" Greta squeaked, hearing Red's news for the first time, staring at her friend, jaw gaping.
"Yes, I was informed of this while you were playing prison guard," Red mumbled. Not really comfortable discussing her change of status yet. "It's why I was a guest last night, not working," she explained to the pup. "Also one of the reasons our mistress gave me her," the wolf glowered over her shoulder at the amazon. "I can do what I want, except kill her." Emma noting her friend's eyes had yellowed.
"Then just bed her!" Greta exclaimed, a little too loudly, peeking at the amazon to see if her comment had been overheard but it didn't seem so. Her friend needed to let off steam and her new pet was gorgeous and more than willing it seemed from what the young wolf had witnessed of the girls' behaviour, she'd sure smelled ready for the wolf.
"I don't want to!" Red was practically pouting. "How is she going to compare to the Queen?" The wolf's answer caused Emma to frown in concern. "And look at you," Red snarled, "you're practically glowing!" Emma dropped her eyes, her plate of food now seeming incredibly interesting. "I know you earned it but still -," the wolf continued to grumble.
"It was good," the blonde shrugged but didn't look up, her actions catching Red's attention. Maybe they needed to have another talk, the wolf thought.
"Yes, I know how good it can be," Red sighed, making a mental note to approach the slave when they were alone.
"Train her, she's responsive," Emma suggested, eyes studying the young amazon standing behind Red.
"She is," Red agreed, thoughtfully.
"Ropes get her wet," Greta added through a mouthful of bread, the comment making Emma snort the water she was drinking.
"Shhhh!" Red warned. "If Emma chokes to death the Queen will have your head!"
"But you have a point, pup," the blonde shrugged, looking to Red. "She has a point," Emma repeated now Red was paying attention. "Break her however you want, it won't take much before she learns some skills. Or just play with her and get laid elsewhere, she's eager to please and that's half the battle. I can help, if the Queen permits," the blonde shrugged. It would be fun to train the girl.
"Maybe, you handled her well last night," Red complimented her friend, Emma acknowledging the words with a dip of her head.
"She was practically begging you to fuck her last night," the pup rejoined the conversation with another helpful comment. "Or just go find yourself a horny amazon, or four!" Greta added, Emma using the distraction to steal Red's last piece of bread. "They all wanted us so bad last night!" Greta bragged, smiling wolfishly.
Belle watched the three young women interacting, it was familiar and compared favourably to the way she and her amazon sisters would joke around in between training or when given free time. They were friends, but Belle was surprised that the queen allowed them to behave this way. Well, she was surprised to see Mistress Red behave so playfully and wondered what these young women were to each other.
The girl, the pretty girl wolf, was teased by the older women as though she was an annoying but favoured sister. Mistress Red and the Queen's slave were friendly but there appeared to be an underlying respect between them.
Belle's attention was caught by her queen who had stepped out onto one of the terraces opposite where the slaves were eating, the amazon monarch's blonde hair catching the sun. She was accompanied by her consort and the dark queen.
Many outside the amazon nation wondered about the queens' friendship, it seemed at odds with their styles of rule. However, it made sense to the amazons, their queen had once been a slave in the southern kingdoms, found close to death by the dark queen and nursed back to full health. Thus their friendship had formed and although the dark queen herself kept slaves there was no longer regular trade with the southern kingdoms and certainly no children were ever purchased, a common occurrence under the old kingdom's rule and how the amazon queen had made the journey.
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Gabrielle exchanged a look with her consort who shrugged before continuing their progress through the palace.
"Regina you have a lot of explaining to do," Gabrielle grumbled as she entered the queen's study where she had tracked her friend.
"I owe you little and certainly not that!" Regina snorted and tossed down the parchment she had been perusing.
"Then I am asking as a friend, explain this-," Gabrielle stepped out onto the terrace that overlooked the queen's private garden. It was a warm day and Regina had opened the doors to clear the air.
"You are extremely irritating when you put your mind to it," Regina sighed, joining her friend. "What are you -? Ah." The dark queen pressed her lips together to hide a smile. They were looking over the gardens and towards the kitchens where her three pets were breaking their fast on the table set near the kitchen entrance, red's save standing behind them. At that moment there appeared to be a squabble going on as her pet stole a piece of bread from Red's plate. The older wolf growling only to be taunted by the blonde slave. Then the pup joined in momentarily before Emma pulled her into a headlock, Red looking on, laughing.
"I encourage the friendship, it makes them a more cohesive unit," Regina shrugged, feigning disinterest in the goings on.
"I've never seen Red so relaxed, around anyone but you, Regina," Gabrielle commented, watching as the wolf and slave bumped their clenched fists together before the blonde released the younger wolf.
"My wolf takes to few people, the pup of her pack, the slave is well educated in many areas with a sound head on her shoulders. I see nothing wrong with the association. Plus, they compliment each other delightfully in my chambers," Regina smirked, enjoying her memories.
"I'm sure they do but can the slave be trusted?" Gabrielle sensed she was close to the answer she needed but her friend was being stubborn.
"Oh, the terms of her service are rather delightful. She would gain nothing by betraying me," Regina shrugged, sighing as she saw the look of determination on her friend's face. "Pet!" On hearing her mistresses voice Emma looked up and immediately spotted her mistress, leaving her breakfast she swung her leg over the bench and jogged towards the queen, dropping to her knees as she reached her destination.
"Mistress?"
"Pet, please inform our guest of the terms of your service to me," Regina commanded and Emma nodded. "You may be completely frank, she can be trusted," the dark queen added, watching her slave relax at the permission. Emma looking up to the amazon as she began to speak.
"I entered a wager with my mistress. If she is unable to break me within a year I win my freedom and compensation for my time. And she will try to send me home," Emma looked to her mistress for guidance.
"Continue," Regina nodded, backing the encouragement up with a flick of her fingers.
"If she does break me, without the use of magic to alter my actions in any way," Emma clarified, "then I am hers until she tires of me."
"I see," Gabrielle nodded. "Why the wager? Did you just not buy her from a trader?" The amazon queen assuming that was how Regina had come across the young woman from another world, a rare prize to be sold to the highest bidder.
"No, she was a free woman when she arrived," Regina sniffed, enjoying the look of surprise on her friend's face.
"Then why accept a life of slavery?" The amazon queen was shocked but sought answers.
"Because I am at a disadvantage in this world," Emma answered. "But my training gives me a good chance of winning the bet. I've not been broken yet." A shrug.
"So you were a slave before, in your world?" A frown as the amazon queen tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle into place.
"Briefly," Emma replied, not giving any more information than was necessary.
"My pet here is extremely strong and physical punishment does little to phase her," Regina added, taking pity on her friend. "Her previous mistress was weak. I am not and will win the wager,"
"Anything is a possibility, Mistress," Emma acknowledged, eyes meeting those of the dark queen. There it was, the connection Gabrielle had witnessed on more than one occasion.
"You like it here?" The question seemed vague but Emma suspected that nothing the amazon queen said was without purpose.
"I have been in worse positions," Emma confirmed.
"My pet has unique skills that are extremely well suited to my needs," Regina smirked, brow raised as she looked down at the slave. "And we have an understanding, don't we pet?"
"Yes, Mistress," Emma murmured, looking up at the dark queen before flicking narrowed eyes to the amazon, "we do."
"Good girl," Regina reached out to cup her pet's cheek and Emma leaned into the touch. "There is a darkness in her that is not often found and it intrigues me, doesn't it my pet?"
"Yes, Mistress," this time Emma raised her darkened gaze to the survey the amazon, she may be on her knees but she belonged to no-one but her queen. Gabrielle inhaled sharply at the cold dead eyes looking up at her, she had seen that look before and knew the demons that came with it.
"I see," a nod and the amazon queen seemed ready to drop the topic, having garnered enough information to complete the puzzle, or so she thought.
"So, Emma." Regina addressed her slave by name, catching the blonde by surprise as she sat back on her heels. "Please inform our guests of your parentage." The slave scowled, not at the request but at the likely connection she had to those bigoted idiots before repeating her lineage as Red had taught her.
"I am Emma of the White kingdom, daughter of Snow White and Prince James," Regina let out an unrestrained laugh as she witnessed the look of pure astonishment on her friend's face.
"She is extremely talented, yes?" Gabrielle was unable to answer as she stared at the still kneeling slave in utter shock.
"How -?" The amazon gestured wildly, trying to form words.
"Oh, it appears time moves differently in her world. I went looking for a six year old and I can say I was pleasantly surprised to find my pet here. Grown and fully trained, ready for me to abuse as I choose." A light pat to the slave's cheek earned the dark queen a smirk from her pet.
"Do they know?" Gabrielle was of course referring to her parents.
"We have encountered them, in fact Snow herself whipped my pet in an attempt to save a guilty man," Regina delighted in informing her friend. "The look on her face when I called my pet by name was without price!"
"Does this not sicken you?" Gabrielle herself was shocked to her core as she addressed the slave.
"No, why would it?" Emma shrugged. "They abandoned me, I almost died from cold before I was found. I've grown up in orphanages and on the streets, fighting for my life. Had she captured me as a child my mistress would have fed and clothed me and offered shelter, an education. Everything is relative." Gabrielle was once again appraised by those green eyes and once again more pieces of the puzzle slipped into place.
"I had already chosen this life in my world," Emma continued. "But as a mistress, not a slave."
"This position goes against her nature but it suits us both," Regina added. "Doesn't it pet?"
"It does, Mistress," Emma murmured.
"And adds such a delightful layer to our games," Emma relaxed, the queen sinking strong fingers into her hair. "It is so refreshing to find a pet, except from Red of course, that can continue to please me," Regina concluded.
"I see," was all Gabrielle could muster after the startling revelations.
"Come, it is time to see to that traitorous amazon of yours," Regina announced, waving to catch Red's attention, the wolves having stayed to finish their breakfast but rushing over when summoned by their queen.
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Next on The Collar
"So?" Emma frowned as she faced her mistress. "What would you do?" Regina questioned, waiting for her pet's response, studying the blonde intently, eyes searching for those minuscule signs that may give a clue to the slave's thought process.
"I would free her, Mistress," Emma eventually replied, her answer causing a ripple of sound to travel the courtyard. The slave had dared speak to the queen that way? To request the prisoner's freedom?