Diana paced back and forth through the lobby for what felt like hours. The clock had struck midnight long ago. Neither Clara nor Diana noticed. Nor did they say anything to each other, or to Jasmine. The look on Diana's face twisted with regret, anxiety, fatigue, and depression. Clara kept opening her mouth to try to say something. But she couldn't think of anything.
The royal queen - no, the lady feigning royalty, now in complete distress - kept trying to wake her wife up. And she could not get the gall to do so.
It had been 30 minutes. This was ridiculous. Clara had to snap Diana out of her fugue. It might mean getting punished. But what did Clara care, at this point? They'd undone all the conditioning - temporarily, she'd assumed. Her brain still hurt from reeling everything she'd been put through.
Clara spoke.
"One way or another, you're going to have to tell her."
Diana finally stopped pacing, and snapped her head towards Clara. Her eyes were red and puffy, determined not to let any tears fall. "What do you know?" she growled. "You know nothing about me. About us. Just... know your place and be quiet."
"Of course I know you two," Clara sighed. "While I was... princess-ified? Yeah, that's the word. I saw you two fight. I saw you cry over small miscommunications. I saw Jasmine venting about you and refusing to say anything to your face. I don't know how you met, how you came to make this whole harem, or... any of that."
Clara stood up, walking over to Diana. Despite everything this couple had put her through, they did save her. Were it not for them Clara would be starving in the street or worse. She owed it to them to at least try to help.
"Jasmine needs to know this. She needs to be able to make her own decisions--"
"She *gave me* that power!" Diana protested.
"Maybe she didn't think this through! Again, I don't know. Love..." Clara looked away. She mostly spent her life as a loner, but that didn't mean she didn't know anything in the realm of romance. "Love is a powerful emotion. It... can be a good feeling, for sure. It's exciting, getting completely lost in someone. But love can lead to bad decisions or refusing to see... the bad parts."
Diana bit her lip. "You're saying I did a bad thing?"
"No. Again, I don't know what you or Jasmine did. But... I think you may have made a..." Clara paused, trying to find the words. "A huge decision. Without really thinking it through."
Diana couldn't help it. She finally let a tear fall. "You don't know anything! You don't know anything I've been through, idiot. Hell, for the past few months, you couldn't even form a coherent sentence without your brain melting!"
*Yeah, I wonder whose fault that is.*
"A-anyways," Clara diverted the point. "No marriage can rely on this much passive aggression or this little communication. At one point or another, you need to talk to your wife. Genuinely."
"Or..." Diana spoke in a quiet voice. "Or what?"
Clara felt bad giving her brutal honesty. There wasn't much else to give. "Your relationship has been collapsing whether or not you can see it. Unless you want it to fall to pieces, this is what you have to do."
“No,” Diana gaped.
“No stable relationship can rely on brainwashing. At least, not this much.”
“Shut up!” Diana lashed out. “Shut the fuck up! Just get… get out of my face! My wife is going to leave me and you’re laughing at me!”
“I’m not laughing.” That wasn’t a lie. Clara genuinely felt bad for Diana. “What else are you going to do? All I’m doing is being honest. If you keep dragging her into this fantasy, you’re only going to end up with a larger problem later. You might as well–”
“No, no, no,” Diana covered her face to try – and fail – to hide her rampant tears. “I… I can’t do that, I just, I can’t…”
Her speech devolved into broken sobs and small phrases. Clara stared at her awkwardly for quite a long time, pointing her fingers together and trying to figure out what to do. This woman had bought her, literally, and spent months doing whatever the hell she wanted with her. For the longest time – while she could still think, that is – she had to wonder why Jasmine and Diana were even doing this. ‘Their own sick pleasure’ didn’t suffice as a reason to Clara.
But now she understood, at least a little. Diana was in pain. Clara wanted to call her a control freak but… it wasn’t that. She was scared of losing her loved ones. And… Clara knew that must have been a painful way to feel.
Clara began to see Diana less as a captor and more as someone who’d been taking care of her. For a price, of course, but there must have been a reason they chose Clara. Or Felicity, or Kae, or Lisa, or… anyone else. Diana wanted a family.
And who was Clara to deny her that after all this time?
Clara walked up to Diana, grabbing her wrists away from her face. Diana stared bewildered at her princess, two more stray tears falling down… and then Clara embraced her tightly. Her head was still a mess, but she wanted Diana to feel less alone.
When did she start feeling this way? Was it when they first bought Clara? When they first truly took away Clara’s intellect? Clara didn’t know. But she cared about Jasmine and Diana. No matter what, she… she wanted them to be together. Safe, stable, and happy.
And she wanted to be with them too.
The first step to that, though, was convincing Diana to fess up to Jasmine. Clara knew it wouldn’t be easy for Diana, but… the least she could do was make it easier.
Clara clinged onto Diana, clutching her tighter. Diana eventually returned the hug, digging her nails into Clara’s back and her face into Clara’s neck. Clara gently patted her sleek, smooth, blonde hair. Twiddling her fingers in it, Clara lifted back. She looked into Diana’s eyes for permission.
Diana silently accepted. She kissed Clara gently. Both of them collapsed on the couch, kissing, hugging, touching, and sharing each other’s warmths. 
Clara lifted up momentarily, looking at Diana intently. Clara's warm, soft body on top of Diana's silk dress... the emotion made it quite the exquisite feel. Clara reached for her skimpy dress that barely covered anything, and looked at Diana for permission. Diana nodded. Clara easily tore the dress off and lunged her arms around Diana.
"It's going to be okay," Clara whispered as she kissed her again. Why she felt so protective of Diana was beyond her, especially after all Diana and Jasmine had put her through. At the core, though, Diana was scared. She must have felt so alone, going through all the waves of her marriage, unable to truly just... talk it out. Clara wasn't sure if Diana was quite ready to talk about it still, but Clara could at least give her this.
Clara motioned her arms to Diana's shoulders. She massaged them -- Clara had given a few massages at her time in the mansion, and had gotten the hang of it. At the very least, she could tell how tense Diana's muscles were. She dug her fingers into them, with the aim of soothing them at least in part. Diana's skin felt soft, almost fragile, like Clara could break her if she really wanted to. Not that she did. Not in the slightest.
"Your Highness," Clara instinctively murmured. Diana's eyes widened for a moment, her chest rising and faltering. Clara exhaled and moved her hands down her queen's dress. "May I?"
"Please," Diana nodded, neither of them able to deny the small hardness near Diana's crotch. Clara lifted up Diana's dress, folding it neatly above her abdomen. And then she gently, almost imperceptibly, began stroking her shaft through her panties up and down. Diana whimpered, wincing an inch as Clara's strokes grew harder.
"Is this... good, for you, Your Highness?" Clara asked softly.
"It is," Diana teared up. "Is it good for you... princess?"
"Yes."
"Then..." Diana lifted her head up. "Can you... pull my panties down, and bring me into your mouth?"
Clara smiled. "Of course, Your Highness." Clara pulled Diana's lacy panties down, and her cock bounced up from it. Of course, Clara knew this wasn't the kind of hot, dirty, kinky sex the two had often had before this. But this felt better. Safer. More... present. The fact Clara wasn't bimbofied into a docile, slutty mess probably helped.
She leaned down, licking the precum off of Diana, and then bringing the tip into her mouth. Licking it like a popsicle, she paid special attention to the creases and folds as she lowered her head further. Occasionally, she'd look back up into Diana's eyes and look for any sort of discomfort. Her comfort was paramount. Clara didn't want to deny her that.
She pushed down to the base, bobbing her head up and down and eliciting more and more moans from Diana. Clara felt a wetness building in herself, too. She wanted Diana to fill her. She wanted to be one with the attractive, vulnerable, sweet royal queen below her.
Clara lifted all the way up. Diana whimpered.
"Would you like me to get on top of you, Your Highness?"
Diana nodded. “Get on top of me, Clara,” she ordered, much more forgiving than any of her prior demands. “Take me into you. Let me fill you up.”
Clara stripped off her bra and panties, the latter of which completely soaked. She moved around, her hands now guiding Diana’s shaft into her pussy. She lowered herself down, gasping as she adjusted to the size and girth. Diana’s cock now fully hard, Clara was able to thrust herself up and down with ease. She started slowly, sensually, making sure the royal queen actually enjoyed this. Diana’s eyes closed, a flurry of pleasure taking over her and Clara increased her speed and depth.
Her hands clutched Diana’s breasts to steady herself. Diana didn’t mind. No power dynamic really existed between the two, at that moment… the only things that mattered were pleasure, comfort, and expression. The feeling of being filled by her queen wasn’t any less hot, of course. Clara needed this as much as Diana. 
“You’re going to be okay,” Clara reassured through her gasps. “I’m here, Your Highness. I’m here.”
“Thank you,” Diana croaked from the pleasure.
“You’re a good person,” Clara exhaled. “You… deserve this. You deserve everything. Okay?”
“Mhmm,” Diana whimpered as she squirmed under Clara’s firm, reassuring touch. Her cock twitched needily in Clara’s hand, the Queen’s princess leaning over to kiss Diana’s lips. Diana kissed back. Clara could physically feel the want in her kiss, the way her lips quivered and her tongue formed the word ‘please’ over and over again.
Clara’s strokes grew faster, firmer, coaxed by her Owner’s need for… this. For what must have been the first time she’d had loving, comforting sex in what was probably a very long time. Clara signed up to be of service. As sadistic as she initially believed Diana and Jasmine to be, they helped her. So she wanted to be of service.
“Your Highness,” Clara broke the kiss and whispered. “Do you want to cum?”
“Yes,” Diana nodded, tears welling in her eyes.
Clara didn’t say anything else. She groped Diana’s soft, supple breasts, squeezing and twisting them a little. That was apparently enough to send Diana over the edge, as Clara’s waist was suddenly coated with warm, sticky cum. Her hand – now experienced in providing pleasure after all these months – didn’t stop sliding up and down her shaft. And she only stopped when Diana had finished riding out her orgasm.
Clara collapsed onto Diana as her dick grew soft. She didn’t cum herself, but it was the sheer emotional intensity of that scene that caused the energy in her body to drain. Clara weakly held her upper body up with her hands, and kissed Diana.
“Thank you,” Diana whispered. “That was… what I needed.”
Clara smiled, a chuckle escaping through an exhale. “Me too, Your Highness.”
        She hugged Diana.
        “You’re a good person,” Clara reaffirmed. “You’re a good person. And I know you love Mistress very much.”
        Diana bit her lips. “Do you think she still loves me, too?”
        “Yes.” Clara’s eyes darted back to Jasmine’s slumped over body. “You… may need to talk about this. But I know she still loves you.”
        “...Okay.”
        Diana squirmed her way out of Clara’s grasp, standing up and walking over to Jasmine. Clara moved to the edge of the couch, staring curiously as Diana kneeled in front of her lover. Diana waited for what seemed like an eternity as she readied her fingers.
        She inhaled. And snapped. Jasmine awoke.
        “...My Queen,” Jasmine murmured. “Care to… explain?”
        “I… I will.” Diana looked down. “I… I brainwashed you. You asked me to, but I – but I should have thought more about it. This was extreme, even for us. I shouldn’t have let us go so deep into this fantasy. I…” her voice cracked and tears fell down. “I’m sorry.”
        Jasmine didn’t say anything for a very long time. Clara sat at the edge of her seat, watching. It was a miracle they didn’t dismiss her to her room.
        “Do you…” Diana croaked. “Want your memories back?”
        Jasmine took less time to respond to that. “Yes, I do.”
        “...Okay.”
        Diana whispered something into Jasmine’s ear. Clara couldn’t quite make it out, but judging by the way Jasmine’s eyes darted open – and the way her body temporarily froze – she could guess what Diana did.
        Clara said a lot of reassuring statements to Diana. But… in this silent pause, she had to wonder if she was wrong to give her those affirmations. Did she give Diana false hope? Either way, there was no turning back now. Eventually, finally, Jasmine spoke.
        “...I see,” was all she said.
        Diana gulped. “I… I’m so, so sorry, my flower. I shouldn’t have let it go this far.”
        “Yes,” Jasmine rubbed her temples. “I’m inclined to agree with you.”
        “Do you… do you still want to be with me?”
        “I…”
        Jasmine stood up and looked away.
        “I need time to think,” she finally answered. “I’ll take the guest room.”
        Diana reached out, about to start begging and pleading for her to show her lover some mercy. But she didn’t. Diana’s eyes looked back to Clara, almost to ask her what to do. Clara pursed her lips apologetically. Even she didn’t know what to say.
        Jasmine moved and walked upstairs, not saying another word. As she passed Clara, her head turned to the princess.
        She looked completely different. Like the rich bitch in charge had left the room and all that was left was this… empty husk. Jasmine looked at Diana with a blank expression. Not blank in the hypnotized sense. Blank in the sense that… she didn’t know what to feel.
        And then she retreated. Diana broke down on the floor, sobbing. It took all of her effort not to scream at Jasmine and beg her to come back.

        Clara went back to her room. Before she did, she offered to give Diana a huge. Diana told her to leave her alone. Clara did as she was told -- not because she was an obedient princess, but because she knew now was the time to give Diana space, or... give her whatever she needed.
Clara tossed and turned, her mind racing. What was going to happen to her? To her harem friends -- Kae, Felicity, Lisa, Anne... and whoever else? What was going to happen to Jasmine and Diana? None of the questions could be immediately answered, and the uncertainty weighed on her like an anvil. She must have tried a hundred different positions to fall asleep in. None of them worked.
Adrenaline coursed through her bloodstream. Anxiety crushed her soul. As much as this life had its problems, she didn't want it to end. She... had no idea when she started feeling this way, but all she knew was that it was real. She liked where she was. Clara wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Suddenly, as if answering her thoughts, Clara heard a knock on the door. Momentarily, her eyes darted towards the clock -- 1:34am. "C-come in?" she stammered, a bit in shock.
The door opened, and Diana slid in. Clad in silky, fancy pajamas, with admittedly adorable slippers and her hair tied into a messy ponytail. Her face downcast, her eyes still puffy and red. "Hi," she said lightly.
"...Hi," Clara readjusted herself to be sitting on the edge of the bed. "I... can I help you, Your Highness?"
Diana looked away, hugging herself tightly. "Can I... sleep with you, tonight?"
Clara smiled, her lips curled with hints of curiosity, compassion, and sarcasm. "I thought you didn't have to ask."
"...you can say no," Diana whispered, much to Clara's shock.
"I..." Clara fell silent. "Yes. Of course, Your Highness."
"Thank you," Diana whispered as she closed the door behind her. Clara laid back down, moving under the covers and inviting Diana in. Diana quickly joined in the bed, and buried her face into Clara's chest.
Diana didn't cry, but she might as well have. Her Queen clutched onto Clara for dear life. Clara petted her Owner's head as they both drifted to sleep.
~~
And then a few hours later, Clara woke up. Diana had long released her bear grip on her and snored gently. Clara glanced at the clock once more -- 4:28am. She closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep, but the warm embrace of sleep didn't take her back. Questions soared in her brain again. Tossing and turning would have woken Diana up. Clara sighed gently, got out of bed, and left the room to clear her head.
She walked around the mansion aimlessly, seeing a few maids on night duty. She nodded gently to them, acknowledging them for all their work. God, walking around the entire mansion twice must be a good 10,000 steps itself. Clara didn't have time to walk that much, though. She did have to go back to sleep at some point.
Somehow, she found her way in the lobby. She expected it to be empty, and to pour herself a cup of tea to relax to. Instead, Clara saw a familiar face, reclined with a wine glass.
Jasmine.
Clara hoped she wasn't seen and retreated, before her other Owner stopped her. "Come here, princess," Jasmine ordered gently.
Clara held back a sigh and went back to the lobby. She stood in front of Jasmine, unsure of quite what to say. After everything she witnessed, what was there to even talk about?
"Yes, Mistress?"
"Sit," Jasmine said simply. Clara complied. "What's on your mind?"
"...A lot," Clara admitted. "Mostly just everything that's happened since I joined the mansion. And, well, what I just saw." She paused. "No offense. Mistress."
Jasmine chuckled. "None taken. I agree it probably was a sight to behold." She held out an empty glass of wine and eyed the opened bottle. "Care for some wine?"
Clara smirked. "Yes, Mistress. Thank you."
Jasmine poured the wine -- her Mistress poured the wine for her plaything. Clara didn't think she'd ever see it, but she wouldn't complain. "Thank you."
"And thank you for keeping me company," Jasmine replied casually. It was unlike her, to be so gentle and casual. Clara supposed she could understand.
"I... made a big decision," Jasmine started, with a bit of pain in her voice. "I suppose I asked for this. I asked for Diana to control me completely. I asked Diana to brainwash me until I wouldn't know left from right. Starting this mansion was my idea. I agreed to this. And my wife did too. So..." Jasmine put down the wine glass and held her temples tightly. "Why does it feel so wrong? Why am I not happy that I got what I wanted? Why am I... angry, at my wife, the one who did all this for me?"
Clara bit her lip. She didn't feel it right to actually answer Jasmine's anxious questions.
"I just... wanted to live this fantasy forever. But now that the clouds have been wiped from my vision, I don't feel that was quite the right decision. All the past years now seem... painful. I can't help but wonder if I did the right thing, asking for my memories back."
"I think you did, Mistress," Clara responded. "You would have found out one way or the other."
Jasmine shrugged. "Interesting. You can be wise, when you're not brainwashed into a brainless bimbo princess."
Clara chuckled. "I guess I didn't graduate college for nothing, then. They did give me a diploma. And way too much debt."
"That... we paid off." Jasmine looked like she wanted to be proud of that. "And yet. I can't help but think we made a wrong decision. That I made a wrong decision. You said anyone can be redeemed, princess. How can Diana prove herself a worthy lover to me, after all this? How can I... how can I do the same?"
Clara looked away. "Do you... want to save your relationship?"
"Yes," Jasmine answered without hesitation. "I do. I love my wife. I just... don't know what the answer is."
Distantly, Clara had to ask why she was being asked this. She was just a plaything. A toy. A fleshlight for both of them. She didn't sign up to make coherent decisions or be a marriage counselor. Then again, she had a feeling the rest of the playthings did a bit of that, too. "Well... if Diana having too much control was the problem... maybe take away that control."
"So..." Jasmine blinked incredulously. "You're saying to end our relationship?"
"No! I mean, rebuild your relationship. On... on things other than Diana's control over you."
Jasmine looked down. Clara could tell that would be giving up something she didn't want to give up. "You can still have a power dynamic, like always. But... different. Not as extreme. Or, maybe extreme in other ways. Do you get me?"
"I suppose I do."
Jasmine's expression shifted slightly, as she advanced on Clara on the couch. She smiled -- Clara couldn't tell if it was a thankful smile or a sadistic smile. "You're smarter than you look, princess. I'm curious what it'd be like to fuck you senseless when you can actually form a coherent sentence."
"Would... that make you happy?"
"Very."
"Then go ahead," Clara leaned back, inviting Jasmine into her. "Claim me again."
        Jasmine happily took the offer, advancing on Clara hastily. The look in her eyes was vastly different from before -- the dominance was every present, but her eyes were less controlling and possessive. Or, if they were controlling, they weren't in the way that would incapacitate Clara the way they had before. Different in the way the two had essentially made her dependent on them. Jasmine didn't look like she wanted that, anymore -- or that she would have ever wanted that pre-brainwashing.
The tall business lady got on top of Clara, her hands already getting to work. "You know," she started as she caressed Clara's firm tits in her hands, "when we first got your application, we were both quite excited about you. First of all, you looked adorable and fun to play with -- and obviously still do, my gorgeous princess."
Clara giggled under the praise. It was unlike Jasmine to shower her with such praises, and that made it much hotter to hear. Much more... validating, comforting. Jasmine wasn't being nearly as possessive as she typically was over Clara, but even being called 'my' anything... it still made Clara's heart race. Maybe she *had* applied to be part of the harem for more reasons than debt repayment. Maybe she deeply just wanted to be owned by someone.
"I honestly expected at first for you to put on more of a fight. But you didn't -- you basically mindlessly obeyed everything I told you to. Like a good, obedient princess. Even when I snatched you from Lisa... hmm, that reminds me," Jasmine's eyes changed as she got distracted. "Did I ever tell you Lisa was our most desperate subject?"
Clara's eyes widened, being taken out of the moment a bit. That was, until Jasmine twisted her nipples painfully. "W-what?" she winced.
"Oh, yes," Jasmine mused as she released her nipples and traced spirals on her chest. "Lisa begged us to take control of her. In fact, we were uncertain of her at first, and she told us she would do anything. Anything! So we couldn't say no." Her calm dialogue turned to a sinister snicker. "Whatever we told her to do, she'd obey with a smile on her face. Once I got home from work exhausted and she immediately offered to give me a foot massage and kiss my feet."
"So you..." Clara's question was cut short. Jasmine's hand reached her neck and stranged her slightly.
"You can be smart when you try, princess," Jasmine cooed patronizingly. "Yes. We hypnotized her. Or... I should say Diana hypnotized her, to be bratty and resistant." Jasmine paused, releasing Clara's neck. "I guess she wanted a sub she... we... could break over and over again. So she did it on her own."
Clara gasped for air. "Wow. I... wouldn't have--"
"Kae, too, similar thing. Except, Diana asked me to hypnotize him into being a jock fuckboy. You want to know why?"
"W-why?"
"Because Diana apparently could tell he was a closeted trans guy. The kind who refused to see it and kept looking away. So she... wanted to give him a gentle push. Against his protests, of course."
Clara wanted to say something like, 'I wouldn't call that exactly gentle', but she didn't feel it was the right moment.
"But this isn't about Kae, or Lisa, or even my wife, right now."
Jasmine grabbed Clara's shoulders, pinning her down to the couch. She reached down and kissed her. If her eyes alone didn't claim Clara, her lips, her tongue, did. Clara moaned into her Mistress' mouth. One of Jasmine's hands remained on Clara's left tit, and the other reached down... rubbing the exterior of her panties first. Just in the right spot. This forced out an even louder, sluttier moan from Clara. Jasmine laughed at her against her lips, before breaking the kiss. She stared down at her -- in more ways than one -- and smirked.
"It's strange, you know? I don't think I even needed hypnosis to break you. Because deep down, this is what you wanted to be. A slutty bimbo princess who needed smarter, more powerful ladies to think for her. After all, you've done so much thinking in your life. Must be exhausting by now. You strained your braincells so hard through college... you just wanted not to need them anymore. Am I right?"
Clara whimpered as Jasmine edged her in squares through her degradations. "I-I guess so, I, um..."
"Shh," Jasmine pressed her left hand to Clara's lips as she sped up again. "No need to think, princess. You've done enough speaking for me. I think I just want to have my way with you."
Whatever Clara wanted to say next disappeared as the speed of Jasmine's fingers increased once again. And then it slowed down. And then sped up again, almost rhythmically. Jasmine knew Clara's body so well now. She just... knew what Clara wanted.
"You've helped so much, princess," Jasmine slid effortlessly back into praises. "Me and my wife. You've helped everyone in this mansion, and all you had to do was be obedient and indecent and kind and patient and debased and a total fucking whore. You whored yourself out to me and did more than you ever thought -- if you ever thought." The shifting between praise and insults disoriented Clara even more than the edging. Every time Clara wanted to speak, she was cut off by another edge or another mean word.
"So I'm going to do something I don't often do. I'm going to reward you for going above and beyond, like the talented lady you are. But we have to work for that."
Jasmine slowed down again. Clara had to guess they were on the sixth or seventh edge or... fuck it, she couldn't count. She was far from being in bimbo princess mode, but even just a bit of edging cracked her brain again. She really was an idiot at heart. Jasmine and Diana just brought that out to be more blatant.
"We're going to get to fifteen," Jasmine almost threatened, "and then you're going to have the orgasm of your dreams. And you will because I say so."
"O-okay," was all Clara could say before the edging began again. She got edged numerous times, and every time she was close to fifteen, she found out they were much further away. Was Jasmine fucking with her again? Was this actually the twentieth or thirtieth edge? It didn't matter. Jasmine could do whatever she wanted to Clara, as far as she was concerned. Clara had no complaints. This is where she was meant to be.
Edge. Edge. Edge. The intervals grew shorter, Clara only lasting a few seconds before she came close to the edge again. It felt like hours, Clara's cries echoing through the empty halls. She felt her brain melting as if it hadn't melted already.
And then Jasmine was satisfied. "We made it to fifty," she hissed in Clara's ear.
"Can I--"
"Yes," Jasmine answered. "Cum for me."
Once again, Clara followed Jasmine's lead like a dance. She came over and over, riding one orgasm to the next, so much so that they all blended together. After the third orgasm, she felt herself squirt over Jasmine's fingers -- not that the more dominant lady minded. Clara's legs shook, her body begging for more. As if it could go on forever. As if it needed the sensation of cumming while fully conscious. Sadly, her climax had to end. Afterwards, Clara's body fell limp. Jasmine's fell on top of her as they looked into each other tenderly.
"Back at the beach, you told me... you loved me," Jasmine reminded her. "Was that true? Or were you just saying that to be stupid?"
Clara blinked, suddenly remembering that. "I... um, why do you ask?"
"None of our playthings -- even the most enthusiastic ones -- have ever said that. From what I've gathered, you've said similar to Diana. So..." Jasmine held her breath. "Were you being honest?"
Clara took a moment to think. It felt so long ago, and within the span of an evening, so much had changed. In her, and in her owners. Did she? Whatever she was feeling, it wasn't apathy. Or hatred. As much as what they did initially disgusted her, she came to recognize them as full people who -- appearances aside -- genuinely cared about their playthings.
"Yes," Clara finally answered. "I did. I love you... both."
Jasmine smiled. Clara could swear the corners of her owner's eyes welled up with tears. She never thought she'd live to see the day.
"Then can you do me one favor?" Jasmine asked.
"I've done you many, what's one more?" Clara chuckled.
What Jasmine said next came as a total shock. "Could you hypnotize me to sleep?" When she noted Clara's shocked expression, she clicked her tongue. "Oh, don't give me that. You did well hypnotizing Lisa. You could easily do the same for me."
Clara readjusted herself to prop her torso up on the couch. "I... guess I can. I'll, just, um..."
"Yes, of course." Jasmine took off her glasses and put them on the glass and wood table. She got off of Clara's body, sitting up and staring at her plaything's bewildered eyes. "Well? Get on it. I'd like some sleep, too."
"R-right." Clara had no idea what exactly to do... so she did what came naturally to her. She grabbed Jasmine's hands and began rubbing them gently. "Let... all those scary, unwanted thoughts fade away as you feel my hands over yours. You can feel your eyes growing heavy, your body sinking into the couch..."
Seeing her owner's strict eyes turn light and trancey was a sight to behold. Clara didn't stay too far in it, as Jasmine fell asleep easily. A hint of pride crossed Clara's chest as, within minutes, she left her owner's sleeping body on the couch.
Before leaving, Clara kissed Jasmine's cheek, making her wince.
"I love you, Mistress," Clara murmured as she retreated to her room -- where she was surprisingly now alone.

~~

"...So, like, where do you really think they went?" Kae murmured as he passed his controller to Clara. The harem had gotten together in Felicity's room for another game night, something that had become quite common since their Mistresses disappeared from the mansion with few words.
"How should I know?" Clara murmured. She hadn't gotten much sleep over the past few days, so she was grumpier than usual. It didn't help that she no longer had her ditzy princess mode -- at least not right now -- to combat the fatigue.
Lisa raised an eyebrow as she started up another game. "...Because you were the last one to see them, you've shut up about whatever you saw, and because, oh I don't know, you can now form coherent sentences?"
Clara sighed, rubbing her temples. When she came to Anne the day after, Anne's jaw dropped onto the ground from seeing Clara de-princessified. She immediately called the rest of the harem over, all of them having equally shocked reactions. Clara's lips were sealed shut about Jasmine and Diana's conflict -- no matter how many times her friends or flirtationships had hounded her for answers.
"Look, I... don't want to talk about it, okay? I think they just need some... space."
Anne clicked her tongue, smirking. "Yeah, I can't say I didn't see that coming." Clara wanted to smack Anne in her head. Why did she have to be so smug? She never thought her ex-professor would be so dang sarcastic. "Clara, could you get me some water?"
"Of course," Clara obediently stood up to refill Anne's glass. She handed it back and continued the game.
"Hmm. Even with your brains back, you still love obeying, huh?" Kae teased.
Clara shrugged. "It just feels nice. I... just get this feeling in me when I make people happy." I guess this is where I was meant to be, then, she completed in her mind.
"It suits you," Felicity smiled. "Means you can't complain when I kick your ass in Mario Kart."
"Wh-" Felicity was right. Clara realized she was now in dead last as Felicity slid across the finish line first. "Oh. Right."
"Any complaints?" Felicity smirked.
"...No," Clara laughed. "Alright, who wants to go ne--"
Before they could start up another round, the door opened, startling all of them. They expected it to be a maid tidying up the room, or a butler, but... they saw who they least expected.
Jasmine and Diana. The playthings' owners.
Hastily, they all stood up to greet them, chattering amongst themselves. Jasmine held up a hand and they all fell silent immediately. Clara had to wonder if that was a trigger she'd put in all of them...
"Good afternoon, playthings."
"...Um, good afternoon?" Lisa asked with a raised eyebrow. None of them could remember the last time they'd been properly greeted by their Mistresses. Clara sure couldn't, at least.
Diana looked to Jasmine. Clara could tell she still looked apologetic. She... had to wonder how their conversation -- or, conversations, plural -- went. "I'm sure you all have questions. We're... having a meeting. Please, come downstairs and sit down in the lobby."
They left without another word. The harem mates all looked at each other, speechless, their jaws on the floor. At least, mostly speechless.
"What the fuck?" Lisa exclaimed.
They all but ran down, snaking their way through the now familiar mansion as they made it to the lobby. Awkwardly, they all took places on the couches. Jasmine and Diana stood, facing them. The queen grabbed onto her lover's hand, and Jasmine squeezed it. Clara sighed with relief. So they didn't hate each other.
"I want to start off by saying all of you are free to speak your mind without getting punished," Jasmine started.
"ANARCHY!" Lisa shouted with a manic grin, raising her fists in the air. "No gods, no leaders, no Mistresses! Tonight, we reign--"
Jasmine cleared her throat. Lisa stopped to read the room. "Perhaps that wasn't the right way to start," Jasmine murmured. "We have some... announcements."
None of them said anything else - not even Lisa - but Clara leaned in curiously.
"First of all, I'm... not actually royalty," Diana confessed. The harem mates looked at each other curiously. "It was a front -- a roleplay that went... a bit too far. And to live out that fantasy, I dragged you all deep into it with me and... with my wife. I am... so, so sorry."
No one spoke, still. Shock crossed all their faces -- except Anne's a bit less, and Clara's not at all, obviously.
"We grew obsessed with control to live out this fantasy," Jasmine continued for her wife. "And that grew to excessive control over all of you. We’re going to seek counseling so this – so none of this ever happens again. All the things we put you through, we shouldn't have. We're... genuinely sorry. We want to make this right, but we won't blame any of you for storming out or shouting at us. We deserve it."
Again, no one spoke. It was like no one wanted to. Or that no one knew quite what to say. Maybe any of them needed more time. Clara looked at her friends with curious looks.
Finally, Felicity spoke. "I mean, I can only speak for myself, but I think you two are being too hard on yourselves."
Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yeah. I mean, you gave me warmth, shelter, food... not having to pay for any of it. I'm disabled, I can't work, and this was about the most accessible life I could have asked for. All I had to do was be an obedient drone for two hot older ladies. You both seem to underestimate how many needy subs would kill for that kind of life."
Jasmine chuckled, as did the rest of them. "I suppose you may have a point. But--"
"I'm with her," Anne interrupted. "I mean, I still think you two are weirdos."
"Unnecessary," Diana murmured before Jasmine shushed her.
"But it's not like you ever made us do anything absolutely terrible or mean-spirited. All of us signed up for this. I didn't have any debt, too. I was just curious what my ex was doing," Anne explained. "Besides, if being a professor ever stops working for me, I can work a good job in housekeeping."
Kae was the next to speak. "Agreed. I'm assuming we all had to go pretty far out of the way to get here. It's not like you scooped vulnerable girls off the street to be here. Every one of us knew what we were getting into. Besides, I..."
Everyone looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "Being here helped me... realize some things. That the things I liked before -- shopping, makeup, all that... it was a front." He started tearing up, forcing himself not to cry. "Being a guy -- the kind of guy you made me -- is... what I needed. I'm actually transgender. Not because you made me that way, but I guess a part of me always was. And..." His eyes turned to Diana. "You're the one who saw that, right? Who saw that I needed just some guidance in the form of extreme brainwashing?"
"...Yeah," Diana nodded meekly.
"Then, in my eyes, as much as I liked to be all sarcastic about it... what you did wasn't all bad. At least for me."
Diana looked away, hiding her face. "Thank you," she choked. "That means a lot."
No one spoke for a while. Lisa didn't, at least. Well, she shrugged non committedly. She probably cared about all this much less than she always seemed to.
"Well, regardless, we want to change the way things work around here." Jasmine clapped her hands together. "You are all free to leave the mansion, if you so wish. With or without your changes. Or -- if you want them to be something you can turn on and off, we can do that too. We'll give you money to get back on your feet, if you want to leave. Whatever you choose, we'll respect. And we'll help you with."
Agonizing silence as all of them pondered.
One by one, they all spoke.
"Okay, fine, you got me," Lisa sighed. "I love being what you made me. But I want it to be an on-off thing. And I want to live separately. But... closeby, so I can..." she fell quiet. Looking around, she noticed everyone stared at her with bewilderment. "Shut up, all of you! So I can... come back here, if I want. Only if I want!"
Jasmine readjusted her glasses. "Understandable. We'll get you set up with a new place, and you'll always be welcome back here."
"We're always happy to have fun brat taming you," Diana smirked.
Lisa snickered. "Like you'll ever truly succeed at that."
The silence returned. Next, Felicity.
"I also want the same," she spoke. "To live separately, but close by. My drone thing was already an on-off thing anyways. And as much as you two hate yourselves for all this, I am genuinely grateful."
Felicity stood up, walked over, and hugged Jasmine. Jasmine froze in shock before hugging back.
"Thank you," she said. "I'll support you as long as I need to. I know how important that is to you."
Felicity let go, smiled, winked, and sat back down.
"I'm going back to being a professor," Anne declared. "Fuck this shit!"
Jasmine's face fell. "I understand."
"But I look good in a maid outfit, so I'll come beat your maids into shape on a contract basis, if you want. Or to beat any of you all into shape," she turned to the harem as they all murmured submissively. "Yeah, yeah, keysmash all you want. You're not getting rid of me all the way."
"Are we..."
"Yes, Jasmine," Anne sighed. "We're good now."
"I think I feel the same," Kae said. "As much as you two have an... well, not traditional way of doing things... I'm interested in where things go next. I'm... going to stay like this, though, I think. I like how you made me. But I want to see the world, do things on my own, and maybe... come back to visit."
Jasmine clutched onto Diana's hand tightly. "Thank you, Kae. Thank you... everyone. We'll get you all set up for a while. And we'll be always happy to host you."
"And play with you, if you want," Diana cracked a smile.
A wave of relief washed over everyone in the room. Especially Clara. This went so much better than she expected.
"Clara?" Diana asked. "What... do you want to do?"
Clara looked at the rest of her friends. Her heart broke a little. All of them leaving... going elsewhere to live their own lives. She wouldn't get to see them every day like she did. That was hard enough.
Leaving her Owners -- who she loved so much? That would be even harder. She never thought she'd be in this place, and a prideful part of her wanted to fuck off like the rest of them. But that wasn't what she wanted.
She wanted to stay.
"Can I... speak to you alone?" Clara asked.
"Of course," Diana nodded. "Would all of you mind--"
"Yeah, sure," Anne shrugged, leading everyone else away. Presumably to go pack their bags. As Kae left, he ruffled Clara's hair, and kissed her cheek.
“Before you start…” Diana interrupted what Clara was about to say. “Thank you. Thank you so, so much, Clarie. For helping me. For helping Jasmine. For…” Diana embraced Jasmine, both of them still looking at Clara. Clara stood up, and walked over to them. Even like this, both of them towered over her. Despite everything, they were still much, much more powerful than Clara. “For helping us.”
“Whatever you decide, we’ll understand. If you want to leave, we’ll–”
“I want to stay here.”
Both Jasmine and Diana looked at each other incredulously, then back to Clara with even more surprise. “You… do?” Jasmine asked.
“Yes.” Clara started. “I meant what I said. I love both of you. I love being under your control. And I want to be with both of you in a million more ways. I want to go on dates – real dates – I want to spend time with you, just… being together. I want everything we’ve already had, and more. You two are… special. You think everything you did was out of control, but you helped so many people. Sure, you may have fucked up, but… all of us have. We’ve all fucked up in our own ways. And I want to… keep growing. And I want to keep fucking up with both of you.”
Her arms widened and embraced both of them. Diana and Jasmine hugged her back.
“I love you two,” Clara said tenderly.
“We love you too,” they both responded in unison. “We’re happy to make you… a bit more officially… a part of us.”
Clara smiled, feeling a single tear drop from her right eye. “I want princess mode to be… also an on-off thing. Because I want to spend time with you like this, too. With the real me. I want to be a princess when I want, and just Clara when I want. But… I still crave both of you. Your control. And your love.”
“Of course,” Diana hugged Clara tighter. “I think we both want that too.”
All of them shared the hug for much longer, letting the moment sink in. Where she was now, Clara would have never expected. But that didn’t matter. Life took her in a strange, unpredictable direction, and it was exactly where she needed to go. She had a purpose here. And more importantly, she had people to care about.
“Then… can we turn it on right now?”
Jasmine blinked. “Right now? Your princess mode?”
“Yes. Please?” Clara looked up at them with pleading eyes. All of this tension set something off in her. A week outside of princess mode was long enough. She wanted back in.
Jasmine and Diana looked at each other, and smirked at each other. And then down at Clara.
“If that’s what you want, then that’s what you’ll get, princess.”
Clara giggled. “Please, take me.”
Both Dommes leaned down, and whispered into Clara’s ears. “Pink, pink, pink.”
Clara blinked. Within a millisecond, her intelligence flushed down the drain, leaving her with just enough brain cells to mindlessly obey. Her serene grin was replaced with a dopey smile, all but drooling already. She was ready to be controlled again, and again, and again, forever.
“Um, hi, Mistress and Your Highness!” she giggled with a curtsy. “How may I be of service today?”
“Oh, I’m sure we can think of a few ways…” Diana said as she began taking Clara’s clothes off. Jasmine soon joined her. “I think we’d like to use your body for tension relief right now. How does that sound, princess?”
“Like, so good, Your Highness! Please use my body as your toy.”
“Oh, we will,” Jasmine smirked. “We have so, so many more plans for you.”
Clara giggled. The dumb princess, and the smart college grad, had many plans herself. She couldn’t believe how happy she was to hear that. To be in their presences. To be owned for the rest of her life by both of her lovers – both of her owners.
She wanted nothing else. Her life was perfect.