His response was immediate as he obediently replied, "Yes Mistress."

I nodded in Ivy's direction and murmured, "Is there anything you need to take care of before we leave?"

Understanding lit his expression and he nodded gratefully to me, before crossing the room back to Ivy. Since I had not explicitly acknowledged her and given my permission, he did not allow her to stand in my presence. However rather than just bark orders as every other pet owner seemed to do, he crouched down in front of her and lifted her chin with his fingers, exactly as I had done with him. He spoke with unquestionable authority, but his voice carried gentleness as he gave her instructions for the timeframe we would be gone. Even in her submissive position, he treated her with respect, and she looked up at him with rapt attention, obviously eager to do whatever he wanted.

It was what I had been curious about from the moment she had dropped to her knees, and the very reason why I had purposefully not acknowledged her, because I had wanted to see how he handled the situation, and how she responded to him.

As I watched him now, his successful interaction with her warmed my very insides. He was coming along beautifully, and hopefully by the end of our conversation today, he would be ready to take the next step. However, I suspected this step was going to be extremely hard for him because the behavior was so ingrained into his psyche.

I decided we would go back to my suites so that we could sit comfortably and talk. As soon as we were settled, I began, "Talon, I no longer want you to call me Mistress."

He looked at me in deep confusion and waited.

I took a deep breath and said, "I want you to call me Raine."

As expected, he looked a touch horrified and I hurried to calm him down, reminding him he was no longer my pet, but my employee. He sat motionless until I finally prodded, "What do you think?"

"But you are a queen..." He breathed as his voice trailed off.

"Yes, however that means I have sole discretion on the names I prefer people to call me and I wish for you to call me Raine, and never Mistress."

"Yes, Mis..." he stopped himself and then purposefully forced his mouth say, "Yes, Raine."

I continued, "While I expect you to call me Raine at all times, I am also offering Ivy this exception, but only when we are in private, not public. However, since she belongs to you, the decision is yours."

He didn't need a moment to think about it. His response was immediate and resolute, "No, absolutely not."

I didn't ask him why. I already knew. Regardless of the liberties I had given him, he would hold her to a strict standard of behavior since she was, by definition, a pet. He knew those rules explicitly, and would allow nothing less.

"As you wish," I simply agreed and moved on to the next subject. "Talon, it seems that Ivy is quite taken with you. Why do you hold back from her?"

He looked startled at my very direct question. But his expression earlier today had me concerned. I knew there was something very wrong. He whispered brokenly, "I can't."

The emotion in his voice broke me. I had to take a moment before I could ask, "What do you mean?"

"I can't...Be with her," he said.

I prodded, "But why?  She belongs to you. Of course, you may be with her."

He whispered, "No, that is just the problem. It is because she belongs to me that I cannot be with her. I would be wrong of me to use her in that way."

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