22 Chapter 22 - In Which The Drama Ends (2/2)

”There is magic that would let me take away that memory. I don't know it yet, and it absolutely terrifies me. What if I mess up and it burns every memory I have? It would be ripping a piece of me out.” His voice trailed off for a moment, as he tried to get himself under control.

”What can I do to make you act like you used to? You haven't laughed, giggled or joked about me s.p.a.cing out since that happened. I can promise I will never touch you, or force you to do anything you don't want to. It doesn't even have to be s.e.xual in nature!

”You are the girl who was so brave and determined, that you walked for two days, from the city to my father's estate, and then demanded Stu give you a job. Even the slaves a.s.signed to him, couldn't handle him, yet you were able to stay for two whole months. Knowing that what I did has terrified you so much is killing me.”

The slate she had in her hands throughout this whole speech was shaking. He wanted to comfort her, but he wasn't sure how.

”Master, my earliest memory was of my mother inviting a man into her room for the night. She was so drunk of the drink, that she could barely walk. It scared me so much, that I crawled under my bed to hide from him.” She stared at her hands, where they were clutched in her lap so tightly, they were white.

”When he was done with her, he came searching for me. Thankfully, I was small enough, he couldn't find me in the dark. I told my mother about it after he left the next morning, when I finally came out of hiding, and she refused to believe me. She said that I was far to small to start pleasuring men, and to keep quiet.”

Joseph stared at her in horror. This was way worse than he had thought.

”Whenever the rent was due, mother would go out and return, drunk with a new man. I never knew if he would come looking for me, because I would run and hide as soon as I saw him. Of course, if I saw them, then they always saw me as well.

”The house we lived in was very small, and shared one wall with a neighbor. I discovered a crack in one of the boards under my bed, while hiding one night. I don't know if I had leaned against it enough that it gave up or not, but it was loose enough for me to push it aside and scramble through. I found myself under the bed of the old man who lived next door. He was a very deep sleeper, and if he ever knew I was there, never said a word.

”I took to hiding there whenever mother brought home a man. Until I couldn't fit through the hole anymore. It had been getting tight, and I had started wondering if I could break it a little more, but it didn't matter. I was only half the way through the hole, when the man finished with my mother and came looking for me.

”He was very drunk. Mother was not. She tried to stop him, when he grabbed my leg and pulled me out from under the bed.” She sat there, lost in thought. Joseph wanted to know if she had gotten hurt, but it was her turn to talk.

”The next morning mother took me to the local market, looking to sell me into slavery. I was too young to sell as a girl of the street, and she could get in trouble with the law, if they found out. I escaped when she started talking to the slave dealer. I had seen what he did with slaves. I ended up at the master's estate two days later.”

She looked at him, and he didn't hide the tears in his eyes.

”I don't want to leave you, as you've been the best thing to happen to me. But I will not be hurt again.”

”I understand.” He reached down into his desk and pulled out a magical contract. He wanted her to know that he was serious.

”Master Joseph! That's not necessary!” she panicked. What was he doing?

”I am more than willing, right now to make a binding agreement with you, to ensure that I am never the reason for harm to you.”

She looked away. It was very tempting, he could see it on her face as emotions warred with themselves. A decision was finally made, and she turned back.

”If you will promise to never sell me, I will accept your word. There is no reason to make a contract of that kind.”

He looked at her for a moment more, then nodded, putting the contract back. Maybe this nonsense would go away now.

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