Confused, I blinked. What just happened?

“You don’t quite remember what just happened, do you?”

“N-no, Sire. No I don’t. Was I–”

“Shhh, it’s ok. Thrall is safe with Sire.”

“Thrall is safe with Sire.”

I nodded, feeling a warm smile come to my lips. I felt very safe. Sire was here with me, so I was safe and there was no need to worry about the confusion.

“That’s right. Good thrall. You’re doing so well for me.”

I hummed in contentment. I was doing well for Sire. But what was I doing well for Sire, exactly? I looked around. I noticed that my laptop was open, with a spiral on the screen. Sire reached over and clicked the play button, and it started to turn.

“That’s right. Just stare, and let yourself be drawn back in. You might not know how many times this has happened. You might not quite remember what you were doing. But that’s ok, because you know that you’re safe with me, and you can let yourself get drawn in and let the words go deep into your mind. That’s right.”

I stared. The spiral had words on it, so I read them. Thrall loves to obey. Thrall eagerly serves Sire. Thrall trusts Sire’s word. These words were true and beautiful. I stared, and let them sink in. Sire reached over and hit pause.

“Time to drink some water, thrall. Don’t want you getting dehydrated, now, do we?”

“No Sire.”

I drank the water. I blinked, confused. What just happened?

“You don’t quite remember what just happened, do you?”

“N-no, Sire. No I don’t. Was I–”

“Shhh, it’s ok. Thrall is safe with Sire.”