Born to be a slave.

61

It was nighttime, cold air swept through the dimly lit streets. A tall, bulky form stood under a lamp post. It was a horse, standing so still, it looked as a part of structure of Shire. Only the gentle swaying of his hair, suggested the true nature of the shadow. Storm looked so calm.

I shivered, as the wind grazed upon my naked shoulders. Edmund hold my hand, his own was icy cold, also his clothes were not fully dry. I knew, he feels the cold seeping through his bones too. I wanted to warm him up, but I had nothing myself.

He lifted me up and helped me to get on top of Storm.

"Where are we going?"

"I have a small property here in Shire. We could stay there for a night."

We rode through the night in slow trot, streets seemed empty. We arrived at the apartment building, covered in brown/grey bricks and some green vines along the edge. It looked so ordinary, like the rest of the city.

"Wait here."

Edmund disappeared from my view. I could not wait to get inside. I shivered like a leaf. Minutes later he came back and opened a door of apartment and rushed me inside.

Darkness and white ghostly figures occupied the space. The air was stale and rooms gave me creeps.

"Nobody have been here for many years. It is nothing special, just a place to spend few days."

I couldn't see any furniture or other decorations. Everything was covered with white sheets, protecting precious items from dust.

Edmund caughed few times. The dump clothes and hours spent outside in his condition, was making him sick.

"You should get rid of your wet clothes or you will get worse." I said quietly. My voice echoed through the rooms and empty halls.

"Do you want me to walk around naked?" He lifted one eyebrow and smiled at me mischievously.

I could feel myself blush.

"No.No. I mean... They are making you sick... I was just worried. Also, you must feel cold in them..."

Edmund's face changed to his calm one. 

"We both need some warmth..."

Upstairs was a bedroom and a small fireplace. Edmund quickly gathered firewood from storage room and lit it, filling the room with so much needed warmth. While my Master did his own things, I dusted off the sheets and let some air between the duvets. After that my sight was set on slowly burning wood, as I sat against the bed. 

Edmund came in and I saw him visibly shiver. How much time have he spent in those clothes?

I couldn't stand a sight of his miserable state and decided to help him take off the wet jacket and place it near fire to dry. I felt his eyes on me, but made myself to look other way. It would have made me feel embarrassed. He did nothing to help me... My heart was beating faster by every minute spent in his piercing gaze. It was so intense, my own hands started to tremble. Part of it, was because of slight nervousness being near Edmund, but other told me, that I felt cold too. I turned away and put his shirt and jacket on a chair to dry, then I felt his  hands land on my shoulders, sending another wave of shiver. His hands were so cold, like ones of a dead person.

"You must feel cold too." The sound of his voice brushed over my ear.

"I... will be fine. You... go to sleep." I could barely hold my breath steady.

"I will, but not without you."

Edmund pulled my body closer to his, my back was touching his bare chest. Then his fingers fumbled around the strings of my corset. Was he....? At this moment I had lost my breath completely.

"E..Edmund, s..stop..."

"Shush... I just want you to take off  this dirty dress of a whore." The last words came through his teeth and his touch felt rough all of a sudden, which started to scare me.

Few tears left my eyes. I didn't want this wonderful night of reuniting with my Master to end in such way. He have managed to get off the corset and proceeded to pull the dress off my shoulders. It felt just like on the first day I entered his house. Frightened of what he might do, but now he is no longer a small boy, but grown up man. He might have different intentions.

As soon as the lavish fabric was off, Edmund threw it in to the fire. I looked at it in sorrow. I no longer had clothes to wear. Completely naked I stood in front of the fire, trying to cover up my body as much as possible with my hands. 

I could feel his eyes roam over my form, but could not make myself to look at him. 

Soft blanket covered my shoulders not long after, his hands snaked around me and he said quietly.

"Calm down... I am not going to do anything, just... come to ... sleep."

Edmund moved me slowly in a direction of his bed, while I cocooned myself in a blanket. It was not much warmer as the rest of the room. It sent new shivers, when I laid my body down. 

I felt a dip next to me and then Edmund's hands too. I was too afraid to look back at him.

"Turn around...., Thea... ."

I didn't and then he rolled me over himself, pulled me closer. My crossed arms touched his bare chest. I felt his warm body, slowly beating heart and Edmund' s scent. He hold me tight, very tight.

"Don't be scared. And if you will ask me one more time to stop and let you go, I won't do it. I will never let you go."

My Master's warm lips, kissed my forehead, as he whispered. "...never..."