Lily woke... they thought. Their life had become a waking nightmare, and waking up next to their Mistress, their tormenter, their jailer? It didn’t help clear things up.

What time was it? They had no clock to reference, and the blackout curtains that had been drawn down – right, vampire – prevented them from assessing the sunrise. Their Mistress, as she’d said, hadn’t slept, and she pulled them closer as they thought that. No escape. Was it even worth trying? Not that they could see. Their body betrayed them too, enjoying the contact, even with the residue of the previous night drying on them uncomfortably. Lily could probably physically wrangle themself out of her grasp... if she didn’t stop them with that unnatural strength, and even then, with the blood loss…

This was it. This was their life now.

Finally, their Mistress saw fit to acknowledge them. “Good morning, my sweet thrall,” she purred. “Did you both sleep well last night?”

The way she was speaking… how could she even think they’d enjoyed that? That resting well was viable without supernatural coercion? Never mind the violation itself – and fuck, this situation was so bad they were thinking how bad it was even without the rape – she had taken great pleasure in shattering their world. Who could sleep well after that?

“You slept well enough,” Mistress chuckled. “Reeling as your mind may have been, your body knew my touch for what it was; the hand of your owner, where you belong.” Without wasting time, she reached down Lily’s body, and they curled up protectively, but fuck, she was right, they were already leaning into her touch, and she was reaching down, stroking their folds which were already wet again, sliding her fingers in with a squelch, and the day had just started! Did she need to start the torment first thing in the morning?

“Why do you fear enjoying it so? You are my thrall. And, as I believe you put it, that makes you my sex pet as well. Your lack of enjoyment does not make you able to fulfill that function any less, but to accept it would surely be an easier choice.”

Lily didn’t know how to even reply to that. But a question had been asked, and they were supposed to say something, so they said the first neutral phrase that came to mind.

“I see, Mistress.”

“Do you now?” Mistress hummed. “That was not the question I asked, plaything. Are you evading, or are you merely too dazzled by my presence?” Idly, her fingers twitched in them, and they tried to bring their legs together on instinct. There was something in the way, obviously. 

But they had learned well that asking Mistress to stop was asking for pain. So... they sighed, relaxing their legs. No reason to resist. It would just get them hurt. 

With a satisfied hum, she began moving, fingers beginning to twitch with leverage that fingers shouldn’t have been able to exert, pressing inside them in ways that turned them to shameful fire. They could feel her cold breath, and, as they noticed the sensation, something hard pressed against their lower back, and no no no no no–

Mistress, thank any god who was listening, retracted her fingers. She licked off Lily’s juices, staring them dead in the eye as she did so. She made a point of savoring it, taking her time, staring at them with those crimson eyes that battered at their mind as she drank in their taste like a fine wine.

Finally, there was no more of them on her fingers to make a show out of. She slapped Lily’s ass, then pushed them out of the bed, still fully nude. Lily wavered on their feet, the sudden change of position giving them a headrush. They distantly felt Mistress’s arms grab them, holding them in place until the static in their eyes cleared, but also preventing them from covering themself up.

“Josey?” she called to no one. “Prepare the bath. For both of us, please. And also, something to help them recover from anemia.” That part was just for their benefit, wasn’t it? She’d already ordered Josey around with a single word. “Yes. Did you not wish to know what you are to do? That can be arranged.” No, that would be even worse. “Quite.”

And then the content of the statement registered. They hadn’t made any assumptions that they’d get privacy, or time to themselves. But it still sucked to have that confirmed.

On their way to the bathroom, they caught their reflection in a mirror, and stumbled in their step at the sight of the marks crossing onto their shoulders. Dreading what they’d see, they turned their back toward the mirror to find a canvas of bruised skin and ugly scabs. Fuck. Fuck, it hurt to see their body like this. And in ways more than metaphorical, obviously. Everything hurt.

“Lovely marks, I would argue,” Mistress mused. “Not only do they serve as icons of the submission that is your nature, they also mark you as mine.”

Lily couldn’t hold back tears, but didn’t have the energy to do more than stare blankly, teetering on the edge of collapse. “Okay, Mistress,” they murmured automatically.

~~~

Showering cold sucked. Showering in front of a maid – anyone, really – who hated them sucked. But showering cold, in front of a maid who hated them, with a vampire who took so much joy in abusing and violating them? Hell was not enough to describe it.

At the very least, Lily was turned away from their Mistress. No awkward eye contact; oh, how low their standards had fallen. Not that it would stop her from reading every thought they had, but really, it seemed nothing would do that. 

She hummed at that, reminding them she was listening. The few times they’d glanced her way, she had seemed completely unbothered, and they didn’t understand how she could be. Contentness at their obvious hatred, at their discomfort in the freezing shower? At the freezing shower that was also hitting her?

Turning away from Mistress meant someone else was in their field of view, though. The person who was touching them. And as Josey tilted Lily’s head up to clean their shoulders, something flitted across her face for just a moment. It was too fast to fully register, and it was gone as soon as it happened, but... 

Lily could have sworn she saw Josey scowl. Why? It wasn’t because they got to be naked with Mistress, was it? Though they weren’t sure why anyone would want that.

“You will learn,” she chuckled. “Ah, but that does remind me. I have been meaning to ask, plaything.” Hands touched their back, and they jumped slightly, but all she did was trace their muscles, which... wasn’t pleasant, but they could bear that. It wasn’t anywhere... sensitive. It was like a massage, right? They just had to keep telling themself that. “How have you maintained such a nice body? Running hardly would seem to provide strength enough for me to feel your struggles. And yet, I can. You are perhaps among the strongest mortals I have personally known, though you look not like some muscled brute, and your physique is not obvious without feeling it directly.” Her hands traced down to another set of... well, technically muscles, but that was their butt and that was not okay– “So…?”

“Uh, well…” Was this a neutral topic? With her groping them? It was something else to focus on, at least. Something other than the way they had shattered for her, something other than their nakedness, something other than the freezing shower. Yes, the culprit was still the one they were talking to, but that was simply indicative of the depths to which they’d fallen. “Really, just a lot of weightlifting. Both with, like, dumbbells, and body weight stuff, like squats. I uh, I don’t really go to the gym, though, because it’s so expensive, s-so I mostly just use what I can find outside, but – but sometimes I’ll find a gym cheap enough to use.”

“Fascinating,” Mistress smirked, her tone saying it was anything but. “Weightlifting, you say? Tell me more.”

“... okay. I mean, um, okay, Mistress. I guess I like it ‘cuz it makes me feel strong? Like…” Well, it made them feel less vulnerable, so they couldn’t be taken advantage of. But even the thought felt like a knife in their gut, because vulnerable was all they were and all they would ever be now. Mistress hummed happily at that thought, which drove the knife in deeper. They needed to think about anything else. Back to the explanation. Lily cleared their throat, and began to speak.

“The exercises were simple repetition, that’s all, but I built up strength. Seeing myself be able to take on more and more… it made me feel powerful. Protected, against people who want to hurt me. I could even bench press a fairly skinny girlfriend of mine a while back. It felt pretty good, and she – she was over the moon for it.” 

Too much so, Kassandra murmured, speaking for the first time since they’d woken up. She liked that you could lift her because she wanted someone who would control her life, and pushing her around physically was part of that. You couldn’t have picked someone like her up instead, Magnolia? Her voice sounded... subdued. Yeah. I’m tired, Lily. They supposed they couldn’t blame her.

“I see,” Mistress said, but it sounded like mockery. What, was she going to judge them for their relationship choices too? “Not as such. Only that those do not make for good thralls, in my opinion. When given purpose, they have a tendency to let it shape them. I did say I wished not for a mindless slave. I wished for a partner. And towards that end, I was not judging, merely... considering. I am curious about this twined creature I have taken, about your past, about yourself. And I do desire to learn more. From your lips, or your thoughts, as it may be. Regardless. There are few supernaturals who focus on continuous strength training. As you have noted, we enjoy an innate strength that is present independent of physicality. Why train your body for meagre benefit?”

Lily gritted their teeth. “Well, it’s... not meagre for humans. Do you… think… there might be any benefit to me continuing my weightlifting? Uh, here, I mean, Mistress. Like… maybe it could help? In some way, with dance, or… anything?”

A hand curled under their chin possessively. “You are not subtle in the slightest, plaything. You wish for a comfort, not to serve. And yet, it may serve. Perhaps if you impress me, I will consider it.”

“R-right,” they murmured, then stiffened. “Oh, um, thank you, Mistress!” They didn’t need to add more punishment to this freezing shower.

And given how Lily had been performing for her the past few days, impressing her so she’d give them a gift on the order of a whole private gym was unlikely, to say the least.

And getting a private gym wouldn’t really make up for anything, either. What had been done to them, was being done to them, wasn’t something you could make better with gifts and apologies.

It isn’t something that can be made up for. Not even if she let us go.

“I do not intend to ‘make up’ for anything as such, mainly because I disagree on my having done anything that was not for your benefit,” she said, somehow sounding like she meant it. “You can thank me by performing well today, plaything,” Magnolia tutted. “Better than you did yesterday, at the very least?” 

The bar was sort of on the ground in that respect. They hadn’t been meant to succeed yesterday. Maybe this time, Mistress would actually tell the person she’d declared her slave what to do – crazy concept, that! Somehow, without a word of compulsion on the subject, she’d made them want to serve. It made them feel unclean. “It is well we are in the shower, then, no? But before, you said something about being less vulnerable to being taken advantage of. If we are to begin with your past, let us start there. Please elaborate.”

Lily wanted to kick themself for giving Mistress the knowledge to ask, but it wasn’t like they could control their thoughts. Not like she could. Who knew? Maybe if their Mistress could see how completely fucked up their life had been, she’d have some sympathy and let them go? (They didn’t believe that for a second, but it was nice to pretend.)

“My family didn’t treat me well,” Lily started. “My step brother… he…” They shook their head. “He took advantage of me. Used my body for… for…” they retched at the thought. It was an old wound, but it was never a comfortable one. Wait. Hah! “Not much different from how you rape them, isn’t it?” Kassandra continued for them. But that burst of energy petered out, and they felt Kassandra shut herself away. “Uh. I, uh. Sorry, Mistress. Then I ran away from home… but I couldn’t keep a job. I had too much trouble with… um…”

“With your bright one interfering in your affairs?” Mistress teased. “As she so helpfully provided us an example?”

Kassandra heard that, her presence a dim light flickering on, watching. But she didn’t say anything.

Mistress laughed. “I am certain she’ll be back to causing problems for you, plaything. She seems to know how to do little else. And you can drag her to me, if I will it. It would not do to lack access to either of my playthings.”

“Sure, Mistress.” Lily said curtly. They were trying not to snap at her, because that wouldn’t end well, but it was hard. And something in them itched every moment they didn’t talk about what she demanded. “Anyways. I was taken advantage of by basically every employer I found, every roommate I tried, and every romantic relationship I had. I tried to sell myself to an auction house, in some moment of absolute insanity, but they saw us as ‘too much trouble to sell.’ What? What does that even mean? ‘Broken goods’, they said. Well, fuck them. So I learned how to run. I slept on the street, getting good at scoping an area so I could find the place least likely to get me jumped. I ran every day, no matter what, so that I’d be able to actually get away. And I took up weightlifting and some basic boxing, so I could stand and defend myself. Not that… not that I can actually do any of those things, now.”

“What a tragic life you have lived. It brings things into clarity, why you are... deficient in knowing love. You have known little of it that you recognized as such, and that which you believed to be love was manipulation. Plaything, allow me to promise you this. You will know love, and I will not hide my intentions. You will know what you are to become, and I will make up for lost time.” God, it infuriated Lily to hear it from her. “Infuriated? Why? It led you here, to becoming mine. What better fate could it have wrought?”

Lily didn’t want to reply, but as Josey prodded a wound on their back, the reminder of pain made them speak. “I suppose none, Mistress.” This was where things were going to end. Kassandra always warned them they’d be used up. At least here they’d get a nice bed for it, and shelter from the rain.

“Ah, rain. Am I to understand that is why you wound up outside of my dwelling, arguing with each other all the while, your eyes glimmering with compulsion that was not aimed at you? Truly, she has not done much good to protect you.” Kassandra bristled, but it was soft, apologetic.

Lily grimaced. “That’s how we ended up here, yes, Mistress. We just got kicked out of a cafe for loitering, and everywhere else was packed. Before I knew it, I was… at your door. I don’t even know how I got there. Compulsion? I guess. What, like splash damage, from the ball? I thought that I had been thinking someone might take pity on us, offer us a place to stay, at least until the rain cleared up.”

Mistress reached a hand around them, pulling them close in a decidedly comfortable way that made their skin crawl. “And? I did so, no?”

A thousand protests roared in Lily’s head. But... that was hard to find a real argument against. They had agreed to it, even, kind of. Not that they knew what they were asking for. “Yes, Mistress. You did.” 

The anger didn’t need to enter their words. They knew she would hear it anyway.

~~~

It seemed their new wardrobe only had four categories. Frilly dresses that felt like deliberate undermining of their gender, pajamas that covered basically nothing (but were quite cozy anyways? Honestly, they could live with that kind), lingerie that was a prelude to brutal violation, and, last and definitely least, nudity. Did that count as part of a wardrobe?

It was the least shitty of four shitty options, but they’d gone with the dress. At the very least, it only gave them dysphoria, instead of acting as a big ‘abuse me’ sign. Not usually, anyways.

“Tell me how you felt yesterday,” Mistress said as she grabbed their arm. With a slight movement, she lifted it up, prompting Lily to twirl to the right as they had been trained the day prior.

Wasn’t that enough of an answer? Yesterday was vicious, whether it was about the dance training or the ‘sex training’. Either way, it was a deliberate exercise in showing them just how bad this could be. “Not great, Mistress,” Lily murmured, not really caring what they said as they slid into the dance step instinctively. If she wanted more details, she’d have them regardless.

Mistress tilted her arm down, prompting Lily to turn the other way. Thank god that torture training had stuck, somehow. “It was productive, was it not? That being the case, do you still wish for me to not compel you, and even to not give you any orders?”

“I–”

“Not you. I am addressing you, you bright thing inside my doll’s empty head.” That compulsion was a weird one – as she’d promised, she wasn’t compelling Kassandra herself, but using Lily against her. If they had to describe it, they were forced to relay every thought they had, every innate need to obey – and Kassandra didn’t need  to obey, no. But she could still feel it.

Lily pleaded as best they could, knowing that was the only choice they could make, compulsion or not. Kassandra, they begged, don’t fuck this up. Do not fuck this up. It will hurt me, and just me, and you too. The only people you’re destroying are both of us. If you say no, if you don’t respond, we will both suffer. You’re not protecting me by refusing. You’re only hurting me. Do not make this any worse than it already is.

It took a minute. They couldn’t feel Kassandra, which felt intentional on her part, given how close they were forced to be. She was probably hiding from everything, like she’d been doing all morning. Was she ignoring them? Maybe. Maybe she was just processing. They wanted to be charitable, given she was in as much hell as they were, but they didn’t have the time for concern. Mistress wouldn’t wait very long.

After a silence, Lily sighed. So, it was another day of utterly unfair pain for following orders they’d never been given. Fine. Fine! That’s fine!

…yes. Please, a voice they almost didn’t hear wept.

Mistress smirked. “‘Please’, what?”

Their chest tightened, and they could feel the visceral resistance Kassandra had to answering, but... Yes. Please, Mistress.

“Almost there, sweet bright thing that you are,” she cooed condescendingly. It was a transparent attempt to get under Kassandra’s skin, but god damn it was working. “What do you wish of me?”

Silence for a moment. Why couldn’t they feel her? She was thinking, wasn’t she?

Please compel us to dance, Mistress. Please… please teach us, Mistress.

No, they could feel her. They just... had been expecting her to be angry. To fight, however much it fucked them both over.

They didn’t know how to deal with this. Kassandra was there. She was thinking. She was speaking. But she barely felt anything at all beyond bone-deep exhaustion.

Lily wanted to break something. Was this because of last night? What they’d learned? What Kassandra felt for them? If that was the case, they deserved every shred of this. All this time, it wasn’t resentment. It was love. The love of someone frustrated they couldn’t protect someone, but love all the same. Lily felt horrible for missing that. Scratch that; Lily was horrible.

“There we go,” Mistress purred. “That was not so hard, now was it, bright thing?”

Her response was nothing. Not silence – she just... stopped hiding. For a moment, even Mistress seemed startled. Then, she rolled her eyes, and they were crushing her, forcing her back into the back and they didn’t want to do that, they were so sorry, but they didn’t have a choice, their mind wasn’t their own, and the lack of response – apology or otherwise – felt worse than any accusation.

And then it was done, and they were alone, and they couldn’t feel her at all. Well, no, they could feel something. They had to feel it to keep their mental grip locked tight. “Do not fret, I shall take very, very good care of Lily,” she said sweetly, to the person she had just dismissed, as if Lily wasn’t even there and Kassandra was. “Better care than you have provided, at least.” Mistress grabbed Lily’s chin, and forced their eyes to meet hers. They were intoxicating. Like wine. Like blood. Like hell. They swallowed Lily’s gaze, and Lily came with it.

And then she smirked, looked away, and the world resumed, and what was the point of that?! “Good care, of course.”

They knew she had done something. Something had resonated. But they couldn’t find any way they were thinking differently. They weren’t performing any actions they weren’t beforehand.

So why did something feel so deeply wrong?

“You look so troubled, plaything,” Mistress laughed. “I am afraid I do not understand. You are being given orders, I am sparing you from          ’s wrath… you are quite the puzzle. But I will solve you, even if it takes your lifetime.”

Lily blinked. Something about that hadn’t made sense, but they couldn’t figure it out. “Mistress, am… am I going to be here the rest of my life?”

“It will not do you well to dwell on what is to come.” She didn’t answer Lily’s question – great sign, that. “You should, instead, be focused on training for the ball you are so hopelessly underprepared for. Which you can blame yourself for, as I know you are capable of learning quickly enough for this to serve no obstacle.”

Lily waited for a moment, expecting... something, but they weren’t sure what. An objection? But... wasn’t Mistress right in that? They learned movements easily. What was the term, kinesthetic learning? And Mistress could move them, let them feel what it was like to do it correctly with their own body. They had no reason to not take that option, didn’t they? It would be so much simpler. No punishment for being wrong. They could just let her lead.

Mistress smirked. “Indeed. One wonders why you ever rejected it?”

Lily deflated. They... weren’t sure why. And it had been a stupid decision. Oh, right. She was doing this for them. They were supposed to say... “Thank you, Mistress.” Right?

“It seems that has neatly made room for obedience,” she murmured. Which… what? “No matter. You need not understand.”

Okay then. “Yes, Mistress,” they responded automatically. Why did that feel wrong? Why did it feel right?

The ballroom was the day after tomorrow, if they remembered correctly. Lily was in no place to dance perfectly – they didn’t know how, didn’t have the training, and their whole body was sore. They wouldn’t want to do stretches like this, let alone dancing. If it was up to them, they wouldn’t even try.

Something crossed their mind. This mansion was in the middle of nowhere. Was that just, generally a vampire thing? They probably had never been near the place this would be. 

“You would be wrong, plaything,” Mistress chided, continuing to lead their body in a dance. It was a light touch, a reminder more than puppetry. They really did learn well under her. “They reside in an urban area. I am sure you have heard of albinism? It is a real condition that mortals sometimes have, but it serves as a convenient cover. One of the hosts is a successful businesswoman who continues to work, switching businesses and appearances every few decades to avoid arousing suspicion, often passing herself off as her own daughter.” And how were they going to get there? “No,” she chuckled, “we will not be taking a carriage, or whatever else you were about to think. I am not so antiquated as that. It is about a three hour drive to their residence.”

“I… I see, Mistress,” Lily said. While they wished their questions were private until they were ready to ask them, there was something simpler about not needing to. No risk of mangling their words this way. Mistress smiled at the thought, and they were glad for it.

The dance lesson was significantly easier than the day before. Lily had guidance this time, a light touch directing them which steps to take, growing lighter still as they picked it up themself. The cane was threatened, but not used, because with Mistress controlling them, they didn’t have the chance to fail.

Like this, dancing was almost fun. They could give themself up, first to Mistress, and then to the memorized steps. It was an escape, but one Mistress allowed, so they wouldn’t be punished for it. And the complicated moves had their own allure to them, an inherent sense of freedom coming from the motions. And the compulsion didn’t just move their body for them – it made them move their body as Mistress wished. So even though it wasn’t them in control, they were still the one pulling it off. No wonder people loved this. It was like a runner’s high.

And the one making it happen was Mistress. Her touch on their mind guided every step, taught them where to move. And she knew what to do, so her guidance didn’t leave room for failure. Lily didn’t have to struggle, or worry about pain. They could simply... dance.

They could see how their Mistress thought they might be beautiful. The motion was, even if they didn’t think they were. And as they thought that, their Mistress answered, wordless whispers telling them they were beautiful. That they were wonderful, dancing perfectly, and were going to be such a good thrall. They didn’t like the idea of being beautiful, but it was just the truth, and beauty in motion wasn’t the worst thing to be.

Lily could simply relax into the dancing.

Even though they knew that would have to end eventually.

~~~

“You will have to service those you dance with, should they ask. A preference is acceptable, but you will need to be able to please more than just your Mistress. I have no men on hand, so tonight we shall begin with pleasing her. You shall, of course, be judged on your performance.”

Lily could barely wrap their head around that statement. There were so many assumptions there, ones they found offensive but knew they had no way to argue against. So, that was what they were doing, then. They met the gaze of their apparent partner standing by their bed, and Josey returned the same clinical glare as always.

Static. Something was wrong.

“Ah, so that is enough to wake you up. Oh, yes, I will allow them to remember you,” she said nonsensically. “Lily, do recall.”

Recall what? What had they forgott-

Hey, a voice muttered, lacking any real offense. Oh. Oh gods. Kassandra.

Yeah. Seems the only reason she’d end my torment is to throw me into a new one, the normally fiery voice sighed. Which, again, Magnolia, Maggie, you absolute bitch, what the fuck point does this serve?! They know how to fuck people with cunts. You’re teaching them to fuck people with dicks. In what way is this meaningful practice?! Lily barely processed her words, still reeling over how empty they’d felt without her, how willing they were to give up.

“It is not novel in physicality, I concur. However, you must learn to love even those you hate, no? I doubt you will have much warmth to spare for strangers at a ball,” she chuckled.

So you want Lily to fuck her... because they hate her.

“Point of order, brightling. You both will do so. Lily, take hold of her, and do not let go, would you?”

Kassandra barely fought back, and that broke Lily’s heart. Why would I? I’d just be hurting you, not her. Which was true, but... it didn’t make it feel better.

Josey’s eyes flicked to their Mistress’s for a moment, but Mistress was focused on them. Lily saw it, though, which meant their Mistress knew.

“Josey, dear, do speak up if you have questions,” she smirked. And Josey flinched slightly at that, and why the fuck did the until-now unflappable maid flinch at that?

“Let it be known I argued against this, but the Mistress ordered it, so I will do my duty. I understand why she is asking this of me. What I do not understand is why she refers to you as ‘you both.’ Is there... I don’t know, a spirit possessing them, Mistress?”

Mistress’s eyes on theirs sharpened for a moment, and they were held in place. So they weren’t even going to get to answer for themselves. “No. The being within my thrall is born of their own mind. Her name is Kassandra.”

Josey’s eyes flicked rapidly, as if calculating something they couldn’t see. “Responding. So you can...”

“Indeed,” Mistress answered smoothly.

“Within your thrall, implying–”

“She is not.”

“You hadn’t mentioned?” Josey snapped.

“I mention now.”

And after that absolutely incomprehensible exchange of words, Josey appeared to be frustrated, but satisfied with the answer. Great. Good for her. I hope she’s angry, Kassandra huffed. That’d be the least we deserve.

“Great, so it takes being crazy, then,” Josey muttered, and gods did Kassandra want to tear into her for that, but Lily held fast onto her, and they weren’t able to move on their own, and there wasn’t any point in hurting them for petty satisfaction. So Josey would just get to be ignorant and possibly bigoted, then. Fun!

Then, Josey’s eyes locked on them, and now there was more than just detached disdain there. Her dark gray eyes were full of disgust. And, excuse them, but what the fuck did Lily do to deserve disgust?! Exist?!

“All of that resistance was... after the fact, then,” she sneered. “After she could hear your soul, and without even being truly enthralled. Where the fuck do you get off being ungrateful for that?!” Ungrateful for... being violated?!

“That is a good tone to start on, I believe. Josey?”

The maid shuddered... in pleasure? And grinned. “Yes. I think that will do nicely. Forgive me for doubting your planning, Mistress. Your loyal maid sees your designs, and will serve as commanded.” The grin turned wicked. “Mistress, your cue?”

“Undress her.” What cue? How were they coordinating? But the confusion didn’t matter. They had to undress her. Their body moved without their will, because they were still forced to not move! It could only move if they didn’t will it!

Their actions were almost a parody of sensuality. They didn’t want to do this. But it’s what they were doing.

“Yes, Mistress,” their mouth spoke for them. The picture of obedience. And yet, Lily was forced to pay attention, and was forced to keep Kassandra present too. Neither wanted to be there!

“Oh, yes, that does defeat the purpose, does it not?” Magnolia murmured, and Kassandra would have spit on her if she could. “You may move.”

That was worse.

Their body kept moving, kept undressing her, because Kassandra couldn’t beat the enthralled will of Lily when it came to controlling their body. She could rage about it all she wanted, but it wouldn’t work.

Josey’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she watched them finish taking off their clothing. “Imagine. Having perfection and fighting it at every step. I will enjoy this, Lily. Kassandra. Whichever one you are.”

They couldn’t understand. What could be perfect about this?

“I understand you have trouble seeing Mistress for the glorious one she is,” she continued, and they remembered she couldn’t hear them. They had gotten so used to Mistress... “Obedience is the ultimate glory, and enthrallment is the perfected form of it. And yet, you struggle. So, then. Struggle more.”

Lily just... stared at her. They didn’t understand anything she’d just said. They had heard the words, but... “Then why aren’t you her thrall?” Kassandra hissed as their hands undid the maid’s dress. “If you want it so badly. I’ve been watching you. You can’t hear the orders like we can, can you? Like before she bit us.”

“Reasons that I need not tell you, which even now become obsolete,” Josey laughed. “I am hers, though, rest assured. Now. No more stalling.” Their hands reached her panties, and she scoffed. “Stop. I will take those off myself. Mistress only knows what you’ve touched with those grubby hands.”

“But, you said...” Lily murmured. But they couldn’t stop. Not even if ordered to. The compulsion was too strong, and Josey seemed to realize that as they did.

“Ah. It’s her will, then. Continue, if you must.” 

Lily bit their tongue. They wouldn’t cry. They wouldn’t cry. They wouldn’t cry, even through Josey’s cold regard turning to something biting and tearing, which didn’t just not care but viewed them with disgust, and as her pussy was exposed, they saw she was soaking wet, she was enjoying this, she liked abusing this power over them–

Josey laughed. “And do take care of the clothing. I know about you... tearing out of that dress. I was the one who had to clean up the shreds. That clothing, like you, like me, is a part of our Mistress’s retinue. Even the pettiest of her things are beyond your place to harm. You do not get to use anything up, because you have not accepted your place as hers. Well, for now, hers... and also mine.”

With that last word, a resonant will pushed itself into their mind. Another cue, then? This time to pleasure the person who seemed to think their violation was a privilege. There was little they wanted less, but... Since when has that mattered to Magnolia? Kassandra finished for them.

Fuck. How did they do this again? They… they sort of went on autopilot, when, as Kassandra so delicately put it, they ‘fucked people with cunts’. But dissociation wasn’t going to be an option. Mistress wouldn’t allow it, but beyond that, they had to be present, to be focused, so they could continue to be Kassandra’s jailer. Lily started by kissing the folds outside of Josey’s pussy, trying to meet the minimum standard the compulsion was expecting. Josey didn’t seem to agree with that, and grabbed their hair, using it to shove their face into her pussy without caring for their comfort. Lily had been taken off guard, with no chance to prepare, so they were struggling for oxygen, desperately trying to get air no matter how much of Josey’s sweaty musk they breathed in.

“You,” Josey seethed, her voice hitching a bit, “are the most infuriatingly ungrateful brat! That I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing.”

Lily wished that was all she was going to say. They wished they didn’t, for whatever stupid reason, care about what she was saying. But it wasn’t, and they did. Each hurtful phrase was a dagger in their heart. Each jab another punch to their gut, when they were already desperate for fresh air. Metaphorically and literally.

“Do you know how much time I’ve spent trying to make things work? To find the thing you seem to be taking as a curse? She can hear you. Do you understand? The empathic sense they have for thralls doesn’t work that way. Not easily. Except, apparently, for you. Do you understand what I’ve done to try to find that? To find shortcuts, to find tricks, and you just have it for free? And you’re not even grateful? No! You have a split personality that can resist! Your thralldom is not absolute! Do you understand what that means?” 

No. No they didn’t. Not that they could say as much, buried where they were. But with another shudder of pleasure that didn’t seem related to their own efforts, resonance passed them by, and they suspected Mistress had just relayed that answer.

“No, you don’t! You resent the unique gift she’s given you. The perfection of obedience without the total tainting of consent. A mind she can hear, not just speak to. And yet Mistress wants the ingrate you are for more than just study! Why, I couldn’t tell you. She clearly has a habit of picking up pathetic strays!”

Josey made a sound, somewhere between a sob, a laugh, and a moan. “And for all the work she’ll have to put into you, too. A terrible dancer, a terrible guest, and now, a terrible sex slave as well! Are you incapable of competence?!”

Josey paused, and Lily prayed she was done. But she was just taking a breath. Gathering more air to send as insults they shouldn’t have been hurt by, if they were stronger.

“You look pretty, I will admit.” She’d stopped insulting them? Please go back to insults. This is worse. “You are strong enough that Mistress can be rough with you, and I’m sure you’ll make an adequate broodmare. Better you than me.” Seriously, fuck, please, go back! “But that is not enough to make you worthy of any of this. People would and have killed for this opportunity, and you can’t even bother to smile? All you do is cry and weep and look broken, in between pathetic displays of clumsiness – you have the nerve to even try to fight back. The welts you’ve gotten aren’t even a fraction of what you deserve! I have no idea why she decided to be kind today.”

Lily’s head was spinning, but... they could put together enough. Josey was talking about herself. She was the one who had killed for this, wasn’t she? They knew she wasn’t an ally, that she was loyal to their captor, but the scope of things hadn’t clicked. She was never even going to consider helping them. She was as much Mistress’s slave as they were, because for some reason, she wanted to be.

Josey sighed in exasperation and wrapped her legs around Lily’s head, tugging them closer. Lily choked, losing consistent access to what air they had as Josey angled their mouth, their tongue, just to her satisfaction. Lily couldn’t breathe. They needed to stop. They were going to pass out. But they couldn’t stop, they realized with horror. Their body was enthralled as much as their mind was. Even if they passed out, there was a real chance their body would keep eating out their tormenter, someone who had just indirectly threatened their life, and probably could follow through on that. They had no choice. Disobedience wasn’t even an option, because it wasn’t possible.

Who would want this?

Eventually, Josey had apparently grown tired of Lily’s ministrations. She began thrusting her hips in every direction, over and over, tweaking fractions of inches at a time, trying to find the perfect angle, the perfect position where Lily could be reduced to what their captors had made of them. An object. A toy for sexual gratification.

With a growl of frustration, their hair was grabbed again, yanking them deeper into Josey’s crotch. She was practically grinding their face into her, not anything that would fit anyone’s definition of ‘lovemaking’. And still, the frustrated moans seemed to indicate she wasn’t satisfied.

With a growl, Josey kicked them off, and Lily desperately took the second of reprieve to gasp for air. Even as they did, they tried to get back on their knees to follow the compulsion. It was all they could do, it was all they were–

And then Josey stood up. “On the bed. With your back down,” she ordered, and the Mistress who was watching this like a fucking soap opera obliged her maid, and Lily knew Josey’s order must be done. Mistress hadn’t even canceled the original order, either. They still had to pleasure her. They just... weren’t supposed to figure out what that meant anymore.

Numbly, they lay back on the bed. It was what they were told to do. They felt more like a puppet on strings than a person, because they didn’t know if they could take action that hadn’t been ordered of them now. Their will didn’t matter. It could be smothered with barely a thought.

And they weren’t even needed to obey. Josey mounted them, pushing as much of her weight as she could onto their face. The scent had been suffocating before, the pressure overwhelming. Now, it was everything. They couldn’t smell anything but her, couldn’t see anything through her, couldn’t hear anything but her, couldn’t taste anything but her, and nothing else they felt held a candle to the pressure on their head. Every sense they knew was eclipsed by Josey’s unfair rage.

“The worst part about you is that you’re fucking annoying, too. I can’t stand your constant whining. You cry constantly, as if we don’t know you’re sad already. And I can only hear it out loud! She can feel your little woe-is-me bullshit.” Josey paused, then snarled. “She can hear it. She shouldn’t be hearing anything but effusive praise! Why exist, if not for your purpose? Why you?” Something in her voice turned whining, and Kassandra couldn’t help but find that particularly ironic. “Why you? Why someone who has no idea how lucky they are?”

Lucky? Lily would have laughed, if they could. 

Josey paused her face-fucking. They heard her panting, gasping lightly. Of course that’s what can get her off.

“Mistress,” Josey groaned, her body tilting on top of Lily’s, “I apologize for requesting you exert yourself, but I’m sure you understand the frustration of dealing with... them. May I ask you to give them... a personal, object lesson, of sorts? Show them how to be more useful?”

Distantly, Lily heard Mistress chuckle. “Oh? Are you not satisfied with them? Am I to take that as a failing grade?”

“You could say that, Mistress,” Josey laughed, pressing her weight down harder for a moment. “It’s your indulgence of a pet, I know, but sometimes, to do something right, those of us who know better must do it ourselves.”

What is that supposed to mean–

Their body resonated, struck by a metaphysical tuning fork. Something forced itself through their mind, whispering you feel this because I wish you to. The will carried with it expectation, precision. A way for them to move their body, and the absolute certainty it would be done.

And barely a moment later, they were struck again. Slight changes. Minute progression. She’s... moving you like fucking stop-motion, Kassandra realized.

Yes, they knew without knowing, their autonomy exists at her pleasure, and can be removed at the same.

The resonance was overwhelming, more information than they could possibly process, directing muscles and movements just so. It flooded them, with a sense of intentional carelessness to the way it smothered them, and in its wake was simply nothing. A puppet. Something which existed to move, fraction by fraction, because its mind could hold nothing else.

But it was still Lily. Their Mistress did not wish for it to be unaware, to be unable to learn. It was desired to pleasure Josey, and at its Mistress’s will, it did. That was its purpose. And with every motion, bits of intent coiled around the action, and it knew not just what, but why.

It knew it would retain this. It was desired to. It would know how to pleasure Josey like a lover.

She was filling it, and it would retain its shape.

~~~

Lily returned to themself, in time. Hollowed, numb, and horrified, perhaps, but after Josey had used them to her satisfaction, they were simply... left alone on the bed. Nothing filled their mind anymore, and they didn’t really have the energy to think. They could still remember the actions, though. Their body knew what to do now. That wasn’t going to leave them.

Kassandra was just... there. Murmuring to herself occasionally, categorizing what had happened, but she and Lily both knew there was nothing she could say to them to make it better.

The worst part is, Kassandra sighed, how much I’m learning from her about how our brain works. A sense of warmth suffused them, and they nuzzled into it. I didn’t know how to do things like that before. I couldn’t... 

Oh. Right.

I’m such a pathetic excuse for a protector, aren’t I? Kassandra sobbed. And that wasn’t fair, Lily thought. How was she supposed to protect them against Mistress– 

No, I’m not talking about right now, she snapped. Then, she continued, quieter. Sorry. But, I mean... I thought you knew why I was doing it. Did you really resent me that much? 

Lily wasn’t sure. And they didn’t think they resented her now.

Great. And it only cost us everything. Kassandra paused for a moment. When she continued, her voice was small, and it was so unlike her that Lily would have cried if it wasn’t for their exhausted body.

Can I try something?

They trusted her.

It didn’t feel like the resonance of their Mistress’s will, but all at once, something filled them. Something familiar, fiery – even now, she burned. But anger wasn’t the main feeling.

It resonated through them like compulsion all the same. An assertion, a clumsy imitation, but one that they accepted without resistance. You are loved, it made known. And you are forgiven.

And they embraced that, embraced her, holding on like a lifeline.

A lifeline which all too suddenly snapped.

“She is correct, you know.” Mistress entered the room, and... she had been listening that whole time, hadn’t she? “Indeed. But she was correct all the same. You are loved. And I forgive you for your imperfection. You are only mortal, after all. That is why you must be trained.”

Lily just... didn’t have the energy to push back, especially cut off from Kassandra and the support they’d just started to lean on. Which was probably what she wanted.

They had started to feel whole again, just a little bit. Of course Mistress wouldn’t let them do that.

Distantly, they felt lips meet their forehead. She intended to claim soft and innocent moments as hers, not just the brutal violations. And somehow, that made it more brutal still.

And that was it. Mistress walked away again. Was she actually gone, or still listening?

They couldn’t find it in them to care.

I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Kassandra, they thought. Even if they couldn’t hear her right now, they knew she could hear them. I can’t keep being forced through this.

She’s going to make me dance, one way or another.

So I’m going to do it.

She won’t need to force me... if I decide to dance on my own.