Chapter 196 The Madame (1/2)

The Madame, as it turned out, was quite the powerful individual on Herguard. It didn't take long amongst her subordinates to work that out. The gossipy young slave girls primed and pruned and poked at Ebony until she was sure her skin was raw and they'd ripped half the hair from her body. When they were finally done, an old woman, whom from her behaviours Ebony assumed was their physician, assessed the damage to her leg. She barely spoke, only asking Ebony when the injury had occurred. After that was over and done with, she wrapped the leg in a new splint and encouraged Ebony to eat foods good for her bones. Ebony assumed the slave girls around her were taking note of that seeing as Ebony doubted she had a say in what she ate.

Following this, Ebony was taken to a sitting room in a building above ground. It seemed to be an estate house of sorts, and it was tastefully decorated. Even to the point where Ebony questioned whether she was still on Herguard. Surely they wouldn't have the taste or the means to design such an expensive and high class home?

It took Ebony moments to work out that she was very wrong on that point.

The Madame was perhaps a middle-aged woman, but she wore her age better than most. She gave the air of an elegant and refined noble woman, and made sure everything she wore, ate and drank was a symbol of her class. Her mere presence demanded respect in a way even Ebony had never encountered before.

”Sit”.

It was a command, not a request. Ebony hobbled over thanks to the crutch the physician had given her to help her walk. She took her seat as gracefully and respectfully as possible in her condition, then she patiently waited to be spoken to.

It was a long moment of silence before the Madame spoke again.

”You've been a slave before,” she said, ”Were you stolen from your masters or freed?”

Ebony realised then that the manner in which she'd sat, in which she avoided eye contact and kept her head lowered, in was the same manner she'd been taught to adopt as a slave when interacting with superiors. She'd adopted the manner unconsciously now. She hadn't had to adopt it for over four months, and a tinge of disgust at how easily she'd slipped back into it fluttered in her chest.

”Neither, Madame,” Ebony spoke softly.

”Oh?” asked the Madame. It was permission to elaborate more than genuine interest.

”My Masters were slaughtered, the man responsible allowed me and a few others to go free,” said Ebony.

”Who did you serve before?” asked the Madame.

”My most recent Master was an overseer of the Jerrica Prison Mines,” said Ebony.

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”Eldovia?” asked the Madame, ”You didn't look or sound like you were from the South I suppose”.

There was silence before she spoke again.

”Your name?”

”Ebony”.

”Well, Ebony, I have been informed that your…friend, though I can only assume lover from what I hear, has brokered a deal with the Slave Master. A foolish thing to do but lovers are fools so we can expect nothing less,” said the Madame, ”You will heal your leg, and as you heal you will learn what I teach. Given your previous experience I would assume it will not take you long to pick it up. You will not be touched, at least for the time being. However, should the Slave Master grow bored of the deal with your lower, or he fails to keep his end of the bargain, you can guarantee that you will have a regular place in one of my brothels. You have a pretty face, and should you grow out your hair a little more I have no doubt you'll fetch quite a price”.

Ebony knew it. She had not been innocent to unwanted sexual advances, but after having been freed she assumed she'd be spared of such things. The only thing working against such advances was the splint on her leg and the crutch under her arm. Some however, would probably consider such things a part of their advantage.

”Is this understood?” asked the Madame, ”I'm sure you can guess what is expected of you. You do not appear as stupid as your fool of a lover”.

”It is understood, Madame,” Ebony replied.