My back was still hurting from the lashes she had given me when I was roughly pulled from my sleep by a guard.

"Get up! The Conqueror wants to see you."

I hastily donned a robe to cover my nakedness, ignoring the lustful glare from the guard, having become accustomed to it a long time ago. She liked to show me off and did so often, but she never allowed anybody else to touch me, and nobody would be foolish enough to try to defy her.

The guard grabbed me by the elbow and started to drag me with him out of the door to my small room and down the corridor leading to the Conqueror´s private chambers. It was early in the morning and there was nobody around, and I was surprised to feel a quiet sense of relief that nobody would see me being hauled down to her door like a dog. I was surprised because I didn´t know I still had some sense of shame left.

We stopped in front of the door and the guard knocked three times and then left. It was an old ritual and we all knew our parts.

"Come in."

I pushed the heavy door open and stepped inside.

"Close the door."

The room was dark and I could only guess as to where she was from the sound of her voice, but I could feel her gaze upon me as if it had been her hand touching me. I closed the door obligingly and waited, wondering what particular mood the Conqueror was in this morning and what she wanted to do with me this time.

"Strip."

The voice was low and almost caressing, but the command was clear and I obeyed immediately and the robe fell to the floor. There was silence for a long time as I felt her eyes roam my body, and I experienced a strange sense of pride that even after all these years, the Conqueror still liked what she saw.

"Go to the table."

If I hadn´t known the location of the table already I would´ve had trouble finding it in the darkness, but I knew every inch of her chambers by heart and quickly walked over to stand by the table

"Turn around."

I knew by now that she had to be standing at the other side of the room, close to the covered window and I started to realize what she wanted. And I knew it wouldn´t take long. I turned around and put my hands lightly on the table, facing away from her.

"Lean over."

I leaned over the table and felt how the cold oak wood created goose-bumps on my arms and my nipples hardened from the contact.

"Not so low."

I straightened up a little, steadying myself with my arms and waited. Sometimes she enjoyed letting me wait for hours in various positions, always reminding me of who was in charge and who it was who owned me.

Like I could forget.

"Spread your legs."

Her voice was closer now and I knew she had to be somewhere close behind me although I hadn´t heard her move, but then again, I never did. She entered me without warning, thrusting the phallus deep inside. The sudden movement pushed me forward and I had to steel myself with my hands not to fall in over the table. She immediately started grinding against me and I felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen every time her thrusts pressed me hard against the edge of the table. She grabbed my hips to steady herself and pushed harder into me, her breaths already coming in short shallow gasps. Her panting increased as I started to moan, knowing how much she liked to hear me. The phallus moved roughly inside me and she picked up a faster pace, using her body to push me down on the table.

The moment she started to grunt, I knew she was close and I felt her left hand leave my hip to reach under me and find my breast squeezing hard. With one last thrust that nearly knocked me all the way up on the table she came with a long hoarse groan, collapsing on top of me, her entire body shaking with release. She remained like that only long enough for her to catch her breath, then she abruptly withdrew and stepped away. I stayed where I was, not having been permitted to move. I heard her cross the room and walk over to the small table beside her bed. She sat down and judging from the sound of it, poured some kind of liquid into a cup, most likely wine, and took a few sips. I could feel her gaze upon me as I stood there by the table, and I wondered if I had been wrong and she wasn´t done with me after all.

"I heard you talk to my cook the other day."

The low husky voice was calm, but I instantly stiffened. The Conqueror was fiercely possessive when it came to things she considered her rightful property, and on more than one occasion she had flown into a rage and punished me when she thought I had been even looking at someone else. I wasn´t sure if she wanted me to answer and seconds ticked by while I considered my options, but before I could come to a decision she spoke again.

"You told him something, didn´t you?"

Still there was no accusation in her voice and although I knew it could be as deceptive as the rest or her, I decided to risk an answer.

"Yes, My Lord."

She shifted slightly on the bed and drank a little more wine as if considering what to do next.

"Turn around."

I turned around, but kept my gaze away from the dark figure sitting on the bed and stared straight ahead at the wall instead.

"What was it you told him?"

I swallowed hard, hoping she wouldn´t notice although I knew nothing ever escaped the cold blue eyes. I was getting nervous because I didn´t know where this was heading. The Conqueror rarely surprised me anymore, but when she did it was never pleasant.

"Well?"

There was a different edge to her tone now and I knew I´d better answer.

"I told him it was birthday tomorrow, My Lord."

"Why did you tell him that?"

There was something in the way she said it that almost caused me to turn and look at her, but years of training stopped me.

"He asked me, My Lord."

"Why?"

I swallowed again.

"I�I don´t know, My Lord."

There was silence for a long time, then I heard her rise from the bed and she walked over to lean against the wall exactly the place I´d been staring at for the last couple of minutes. I took in the sight of the partially dressed woman, almost hidden in the darkness and wondered desperately if I should look away. I could barely make out her blues eyes as she raised the goblet to her lips and sipped the wine, studying me closely over the brim.

"So�" Her eyes roamed my body briefly before her gaze returned to my face. "What do you want for your birthday?"

Of all the things she could have said this was the last thing I´d expected, and it must have shown on my face because she smirked slightly, obviously pleased with herself.

"Wh-what do you mean, My Lord?"

In all the years I´d been with her, she had never asked me anything about myself and I was at a loss as to why she was doing it now.

"What do think I mean?" She looked a little irritated. "A present of course, you know, something you give to people on special occasions."

In my confusion, I became careless and blurted out, "Why would you want to give me a present?"

Instantly her features hardened and without a word she stepped over and backhanded me hard across the face, then still without saying anything she returned to her former position at the wall.

"I ask again, what do you want for your birthday?"

My head swam from the hard blow and I felt tears come to my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away. The Conqueror didn´t tolerate crying from me.

"I�I don´t know, My Lord. I don´t want anything."

Her eyes narrowed and I had to stop myself from taking a step back. "Don´t lie to me, slut! Everybody wants something!" She stepped closer again and started to slowly walk around me. "The question is� What do you want?"

I was afraid now and couldn´t help but wonder whether she had finally tired of me, and wanted to end it all with a grand finale.

"I don´t need anything, My Lord."

First there was silence then I felt her move.

"This is the last time I´m going to repeat myself," a low voice suddenly hissed in me ear. "What do you want for your birthday?"

She abruptly left me and went back to lean against the wall, sipping her wine while her eyes never left my face. I looked at her and thought about all the things I´d been through the last couple of years, and all the things I might never get to experience if she decided to get rid of me. It was only a few weeks ago she had allowed me to learn how to read, and in my free time I had eagerly gone over the alphabet again and again, determined that I would master it before spring arrived. But now it looked like I wouldn´t get the chance again. With that though, a feeling I had thought long buried ignited inside of me; anger.

I hadn´t been angry when I was taken from my village and sold on the market. I hadn´t been angry when she had put the collar around my neck, or when she took me on the floor in front of my parents whom she´d had especially brought there for the occasion, and I hadn´t been angry the night she cut the X into my back to mark me as hers for all to see. All these things had left me feeling numb and resigned, but the prospect that I might never learn to read filled me with an anger I didn´t even know I was capable of, and as I looked at her standing at the wall, I decided that no matter what happened, I was going to make her pay for it in some way or another.

The rational part of my mind knew how futile thoughts like these were, but in my hatred I didn´t care. I wanted to humiliate her and control her, the way she had humiliated and controlled me for years. I stared into the emotionless eyes and an idea formed in my head. I knew she would probably laugh at my request or maybe even punish me, but it was a chance I was willing to take. Besides if I wouldn´t be allowed to read, I really didn´t care what might happen to me anymore. It had been the only bright point in my life and now it looked like she was going to take that away from me too.

"If I tell you what I want� Will you promise me that you´ll grant me my wish?"

An elegant eyebrow was raised by this audacity, but she didn´t move and just looked into my eyes speculatively.

"Will you give me your word?" I continued, knowing that her word was the only thing that still had any meaning to her, but also that she might not feel obliged to keep it to a mere slave.

There was a strange light in her eyes, but I was too caught up in my lethal little game to pay it much notice. Then suddenly she nodded and I instantly sobered.

"Yes." Her voice was low and loaded with something I couldn´t quite define.

"Wh..what?"

"I said yes. I´ll give you my word that I´ll grant you your wish�as long as you don´t ask for your freedom."

The words lingered in the room for a while, neither of us breaking eye contact. I didn´t know what to believe, but decided to play along. I studied the beautiful, but cold face and the breathtaking, but piercing blue eyes, and I made my decision. I was going to ask for the only thing she wouldn´t be able to give, the only thing she wasn´t capable of. Her only weakness.

"I want you to make love to me."

Her eyes instantly widened then just as fast they narrowed dangerously.

"What?"

I felt my heart beat faster, but refused to look away.

"I said, I want you to make love to me. Tomorrow night, on my birthday."

I had expected her to laugh or throw me across the room yelling obscenities, but when she finally opened her mouth the single word took me totally by surprise.

"Why?"

There was a genuine curiosity in her voice which I had never heard before, and just as I had started to feel in control again, the control evaporated, leaving me feeling more confused than ever.

"Why not? Are you afraid" Was all I could say, wondering if my last remark hadn´t just sealed my fate.

She studied me for what seemed like hours, her face totally blank, showing no emotion whatsoever. Then she slowly close the distance between us and cupped my chin in her right hand. Her blue eyes came closer and closer as she leaned down, but just before she would have touched my lips, she moved her mouth to my ear.

"Your wish has been granted," she whispered and then she bit down hard on my earlobe, piercing the skin with her sharp teeth.

She moved away and stepped over to a window with her back towards me.

"You may go."

It was command and I instinctively grabbed my robe and left her chambers. Outside a guard materialized out of thin air and led me back to my room.

I spent the following day cursing myself for my recklessness, but as evening arrived a quiet sense of peacefulness mingled with a little resignation settled in my body, and I managed to relax long enough to take a bath and dress in the simple white dress the Conqueror had had delivered earlier. I still wasn´t sure what was going to happen when the guard arrived and to my surprise knocked on my door instead of barging in as usual. He gave me a small bow and told me he´d been ordered to escort me to the Conqueror. I could see in his eyes that he was just as confused by the situation as I was, but he didn´t say anything and led me down the hall without grabbing my arm.

Instead of stopping in front of the door to her main chamber, we continued and soon I found myself in a part of the castle I´d never been before. We came to a halt in front of a small wooden door and the guard knocked three times. He gave me one last look before disappearing down the corridor again, and I waited outside in silence.

"Come in."

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me before I carefully let my eyes take in the surroundings. The room was much smaller than any of the Conqueror´s other chambers and aside from a huge fireplace taking up the entire left wall, a small table under the window and a big bed to the left, the room was unfurnished.

My gaze found the Conqueror who was leaning against the wall next to the table. She was dressed in a blue tunic instead of her usual robes or leathers and as my eyes went lower, I was surprised to see she was barefooted. She wore her hair loose and the ring symbolizing her power was no longer on her finger, and I saw a thin white band instead where the skin hadn´t been exposed to the sun. I wondered briefly if I had ever seen her without that ring before, and as my eyes strayed higher and I saw the unreadable expression on her face, I knew that I hadn´t. She looked at me for a long time, her eyes never giving away what she was thinking, then it looked like she exhaled slowly.

"Come here."

I stepped closer and before I could start to think about what might happen, she walked out to meet me, putting her hands around my neck. My entire body stiffened and I know she noticed it, but she didn´t say anything. Instead she unlocked the collar and let it fall to the floor. She stepped back to the wall and I couldn´t stop myself from gingerly touching the area where the collar had been. It had been around my neck for so long that I had almost forgotten how it was to be without it, but as I touched the slightly irritated skin, I remembered and involuntarily tears sprang to my eyes. The Conqueror saw it, but didn´t comment and turned to the small table and picked something up.

"Sit down."

She gestured at the rug lying in front of the fireplace and I sat down, trying to watch the flames while I was acutely aware of her presence just behind me. She stood behind me for a long time, almost as if she was hesitating then suddenly she sat down beside me on the rug. She placed a small jar between us and without looking at me said, "I´m gonna put some ointment on your neck, it´ll help against the itch."

I wondered briefly how she knew that my skin had been itching terribly from the moment she had removed the collar, but I didn´t say anything. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her rub some of the foreign, but not unpleasant smelling substance on her hands, and then I felt her hands close gently around my throat. I continued to stare into the fire and for a moment it felt like we were both frozen because her hands didn´t move and I could sense that her entire body was tense, then, so slowly that I hardly felt it at first, she began to apply the salve to the irritated area. A strange warm tingling sensation followed which slowly spread to the rest of my body, and I barely managed to suppress a tremor.

She continued to massage the skin lightly, every now and then dipping her fingers into the jar to get some more salve. She didn´t speak and I didn´t look at her during the entire session, and when she finally decided it was enough she just took the jar and rose from the rug. She came back with two glasses and handed me one before sitting down again.

I could smell the spicy scent of the wine even before I had seen what was in the glass, and I inhaled deeply. It was so rarely that the Conqueror allowed me to drink wine, and I began to wonder if she really intended to go all the way and grant me my wish. Until now I´d more and less been expecting that she would play with me for awhile, have some fun before she would resume to her old self again and do whatever she wanted to me, but now I wasn´t so sure anymore. I had never really considered what I would do if she kept her word. I wasn´t even sure I wanted her to, and suddenly I wished that I had asked for some time alone instead of this unreal and fake scenario that didn´t mean a thing to any of us.

"Turn around."

The quiet voice startled me, but I quickly recovered and turned around to face her. She raised her glass in a silent toast, her eyes never leaving mine as I hesitantly did the same and sipped the wine. I held the wine in my mouth for a second, savouring the sweet taste before swallowing. As I threw a glance at her, I saw her grimace a little and suddenly I remembered that she didn´t like her wine sweet, and I wondered why she hadn´t chosen something else, but before I could finish the thought she looked directly at me and I felt my breath catch. Her blue eyes were darker than I´d ever seen before. Even on the height of her passion they had never looked like this, and I swallowed a few time without really knowing why.

"Good?"

It took me a few seconds before I realized she was talking about the wine.

I nodded, "Yes, My Lord."

A look I wasn´t able to decipher showed briefly on her face, but she didn´t say anything and instead she turned her eyes to the fire. We sat in silence, both staring at the flames while we sipped our wine. Even though she was sitting more than a feet away from me, I had no problems detecting the tension in her body that seemed to emanate from every pore. Once in awhile I could feel her throw a glance my way, but she always looked away fast and I never took my eyes off the fire to meet her gaze. When she had emptied her glass, instead of putting it down she started to fiddle with it between her fingers.

Her restlessness made me nervous and even the sweet tasting wine wasn´t capable of soothing my nerves as I placed my empty glass on the rug. For a second she didn´t move, then abruptly she grabbed the glass, rose and walked over to put the glasses on the table. She remained standing at the table for a long time and as always I had no problems feeling her eyes on my body, but there was something different from the way it usual was. Usually I could tell what she wanted just from the way she looked at me, or how long she did it, but this time I sensed nothing that would reveal her intentions to me, and this, more than anything made me regret my foolish request. Nobody dared the Conqueror without paying for it.

Then just as suddenly she moved again and sat down beside me on the rug. I heard her take a deep breath and then she turned around to face me. With my gaze still fixated on the flames, I almost jumped when I felt a warm, calloused hand come to rest on my right arm just below the elbow.

It rested there, motionless for several minutes, but just as I had started to relax I felt her slowly move her thumb, stroking my skin lightly. My first instinct was to recoil which surprised me no ends since it had been years since I had last experienced that pointless and, in the end, damaging thought. She continued her ministrations, but I had a hard time relaxing and I had to swallow when I heard her ask, "Don´t you like this?"

I had been so caught up in my fear that I hadn´t even given it any thought whether I liked the touch or not, but as I forced myself to calm down and pay attention to her finger, I realized the feeling wasn´t unpleasant. Unsettling yes, but not unpleasant.

"It´s nice, My Lord," I managed to croak out, not daring or wanting to look at her as I said it.

She stilled her thumb for a second, then she sighed quietly and continued stroking my skin, but this time she moved her entire hand, running it slowly up and down my arm. A few minutes later she suddenly stopped and for awhile it felt like we were both waiting for something, but that neither knew what it was.

"Turn around."

Her voice was low and almost with no hint of command, but even so I didn´t hesitate to turn around to face her. I didn´t want to, but somehow I knew she expected me to look at her and slowly I raised my head to look into her eyes. Her eyes were just a dark as before, but there was something else different about them too. And suddenly I realized that the cold, contemplating expression was gone, replaced by a fascinated if slightly clinical look.

"I´m gonna kiss you now," she said slowly, as if daring me to contradict her.

I didn´t answer, but stared at her face as I watched her lick her lips a few times before leaning forward. Inches before my face she stopped and I felt her warm breath against my skin for a few seconds then she moved again and brought her mouth to mine. I instantly parted my lips, expecting to feel her tongue thrust into my mouth any second, but nothing happened and she only pressed her mouth against mine briefly before leaning back again.

I looked at her, but the expression on her face hadn´t changed and I still wasn´t able to tell what she was thinking. Then she moved forward again and this time she started to tease my lips with her mouth and tongue, and involuntarily I parted my lips for her. She seemed to hesitate for a moment then I felt her tongue in my mouth, slowly circling and tasting my own. Her motions were gentle and patient and it surprised me so much that I almost didn´t feel her hand go behind my head, pulling me closer.

She kissed me like that for a long time, but then I felt her breathing become more shallow and she increased the force of the kiss. She used her body to press me down on the rug and kissed me ferociously while her hand started to push up my dress. Her other hand began to squeeze my breast roughly through the fabric and I felt her hips starting to move against me.

A low impatient growl escaped her throat as her hand found my undergarments and with a quick pull she tore them from my body, throwing them over her shoulder. She released my breast only long enough to use both hands to push the white dress all the way up to my hips, then she forced her leg between mine and started to grind against my thigh. She grasped both of my wrists in one hand, securing them over my head while she continued to move against me and thrust her tongue into my mouth. Her breath was coming in short pants now and I knew she was approaching her climax. Then suddenly all movement stopped.

As I tentatively opened my eyes I looked directly into smoky blue eyes, brimming with arousal, but the expression on her face startled me. She looked almost confused, but immediately the expression disappeared and she abruptly moved away from me and stood up. She walked over to the table and poured herself some wine and swallowed in down in a few gulps. Then without looking at me she said, "Get up."

I got to my feet, surprised by the strain in her voice.

"Undress."

I quickly removed my dress, letting it fall to the floor like always. Still with her back to me, she poured herself some more wine.

"Go lie on the bed."

I did as she said, nervously glancing at her out of the corner of my eye. She finished her wine then turned around to face me. Her eyes took in the sight of my naked body on the bed for a few seconds then she suddenly started to undress, discarding the clothes carelessly on the floor.

As she stood naked in front of me there was no denying that the Conqueror was an extraordinarily beautiful woman, but I had long ago learned that just because people were beautiful on the outside, it didn´t mean they were that way on the inside as well.

She took a couple of deep breaths, probably trying to calm herself down and control her desire, then she stepped closer until she was touching the bed with her legs, and she took another deep breath.

"Okay� What do you want?"

I had no idea what she was referring to at first, but slowly a thought began to form in my mind. However, it seemed so ridiculous that I didn´t dare believe that was what she meant.

"What do you mean, My Lord."

"I mean," she gestured impatiently, "what do you want me to do?"

I just stared at her and I noticed some of the coldness return to her eyes.

"Come on, girl! You asked for this. What do you want?"

"I�I don´t know, My Lord," I spoke quietly. "I´ve never made love before."

She straightened up a little, but didn´t speak and just stared at me for a long time, tapping her fingers against her thigh. Then without a word she crawled onto the bed and moved up to lie down beside me. I was lying on my back, my eyes never leaving the ceiling above me as I felt her study me intensely. She leaned over and started to kiss me. The kiss was just as slow and gentle as when she kissed me the first time on the rug, but I could feel how it took all of her legendary willpower to restrain herself and hold back. Her lips were soft and I could detect a few traces of the sweet wine she had been drinking when she finally pushed her tongue into my mouth.

She moved until she was almost on top of me, her mouth now pressed against the pulse point in my throat. I remained still, no knowing what was expected from me, but suddenly I felt her take my left arm and guide it onto her back. As she moved down to kiss the hollow of my throat, I gingerly put my other arm around her as well and I heard her moan softly when I started to stroke her skin.

She shifted to lie completely on top of me, her hands running up and down my sides while she continued to kiss her way downwards. Her hand found my left nipple the moment her mouth found the right, and she eagerly started suckling one while her fingers gently pinched the other. My nipples instantly hardened and I wasn´t surprised. The Conqueror had always been able to make my body respond to her touch whether I wanted it to or not.

Strange sensations were running through my body and it frightened me terribly. I wasn´t supposed to feel like this. Almost as a way of soothing myself, I continued to stroke her back and she bit down lightly on my nipple, forcing a small moan from my throat. She moved her mouth to my other breast, but instead of using her hand again, I felt it move down my body and come to rest on my stomach.

She started to caress my skin, every once in awhile dropping her hand lower and briefly touch the inside of my thighs before moving back up. Involuntarily I spread my legs a little and she immediately used the opportunity to press her own leg against my centre. I gasped in shock and arched my back, surprised by the strong sensations shooting through my groin.

"You liked that?" She growled and pressed harder against me, and again I gasped, lifting my hips to meet her thigh.

My breathing was harsh and shallow now, and all I could think about was the burning sensation between my legs, and the Conqueror´s mouth that continued to ravish my breasts. Then she moved lower and suddenly she was between my legs, coaxing me with her hands to spread them further and I did, digging my heels into the bed.

"Oh Gods," I whispered as I felt her warm breath against my sex.

"Oh no, girl," she growled as she started to kiss the soft skin of my inner thighs. "The Gods have nothing to do with this."

My body was taut as a spring by the time she finally parted my folds and I felt the first long stroke of her tongue.

"Oh Gods!" I cried out again and I briefly thought I heard her chuckle before I was caught up in the sensation and all other thoughts left my mind. I arched my back, desperate for a firmer contact with her tongue, hardly aware of the juices coating my thighs. I vaguely heard the Conqueror moan as she continued to stroke my length, always staying away from the spot where I needed her most. Then suddenly she thrust her tongue inside of me and I both heard and felt her lap up the next flood of juices that greeted her.

My hips were rocking shamelessly against her, and she grasped onto my thighs to steady herself while reaching inside of me with her tongue as deep as she could. She was rapidly bringing me to the edge, but the moment she felt my muscles start to contract around her, she abruptly withdrew and I groaned in disappointment.

It didn´t last long though since the next thing I felt was her lips closing around my clit, and three fingers plunging deep inside, immediately starting to thrust hard and fast. Heat and pleasure coursed through my body and I writhed in both ecstasy and pain, begging her to release me. My hands were tangled in her hair and my heels were digging frantically into the bed, but still she refused to increase the pressure. Her tongue was barely grazing my clit and I cried out in frustration, but suddenly she bit down hard and curled her fingers inside me.

My hips flew from the bed and I cried out as I was brought over and release flooded through me with a force I hadn´t thought possible. As I fell back down on the bed I was almost sobbing, but whether it was from the wonder I had just experienced or the fact that I would never experience it again I didn´t know.

She moved away and pulled the covers from underneath me and placed them over my naked body.

She stood beside the bed for awhile then I heard her pick up her clothes and begin to dress. My eyelids were heavy and my entire body demanded rest, but I was unwilling to close my eyes and fall asleep, knowing that if I did, morning would come all too soon. By the time she was finished dressing, I had almost lost my battle against sleep and was gradually slipping into oblivion when I felt a soft kiss on my forehead and heard a voice whisper, "Happy birthday, Gabrielle."

Then she was gone and I was alone in the room.

Two days later I had to postpone my reading practice because my back was still bloody from the lashes she had given me.

The End