- That's very good, Captain. Have your men stationed on the ridge at the crack of dawn. God willing this war will be over soon.
The Captain saluted and with a smart click of his heels retired from the tent, leaving General Talin alone with his thoughts. For a while he gazed upon the maps strewn over his desk. Detailing enemy and allied positions alike the map clearly demonstrated the tactical advantage his army had. They had won a great battle today and there was much to celebrate, nevertheless the General raised his goblet to his lips soberly: he was aware that the war was not over and that the retreating army could easily reassemble and counter-attack. Yet he could not help but let a smile escape his pursed lips. He had obtained from today's battle much more than the decimation of his rival's forces... At that moment his thoughts were interrupted by one of his squires entering the tent.
- Sir, your tent has been put up.
- Good. Have you followed my orders to the letter.
The squire, who had only recently been enlisted to the service of the general, blushed.
- Yes, sir.
- That will be all then.
The squire, believing discretion the better part of valour, withdrew, leaving to the General to find his own way to his tent. The squire's hasty departure was not noted by the general as he picked up a few essential possessions and exited the tent as well.
Passing through the camp fires his men has lit up, he was greeted warmly by his men. The General firmly believed that if you wanted to be respected by your troops you had to be tough but fair; he was not aghast at sentencing a soldier who had broken protocol to the lash, but there had to be a reason behind it. Arbitrary decisions were foolish decisions, and he was perfectly willing to duel with any gentleman that argued against him on the point. His soldiers were some of the best disciplined and best organised in the land, and, he couldn't help but think as he looked around at his men, that it was down to his force and commanding presence as a disciplinarian. He brooked no disobedience.
Coming at last to his tent, the General parted the heavy-set curtain and entered his private abode. Voluptuous would best describe the scene that laid before the General's eyes. Already considerably larger than any other tent within the camp it was adorned with tapestries and silks from far-off, exotic kingdoms. Chest's gilded with gold bulged at the jaws with the spoils of war, laid next to all the luxuries that a prince, let alone a general, could desire. The General had not wished to travel in such conspicuous, not to mention, impractical lavishness, but had been obliged to follow suite in lieu of the other Generals in the campaign, or else lose face if, for whatever reason, it was necessary to entertain them. A king-sized four poster bed nestled at the rear of the tent, but it was to a nearby divan that the General collapsed into. From this position Talin had an excellent view of the object that had made him hasten back to his tent.
- And how are you tonight, my dear?
His query was met with silence by the girl opposite him. The girl in question was bound securely to a tent pole that reached up to the apex of the ceiling. It was firmly entrenched and she had tired herself already to discover this fact. She wore little. A few scraps of cloth protected her modesty. In her efforts to resist being tied to the pole she had torn her garments, but if she felt vulnerable she hid it well, for her eyes glared at the General defiantly. He returned her gaze languidly; not having expected a response from the girl, her mouth was gagged with a strip of clothing, he took advantage of the silence to savour the satisfaction of having captured such a prize. For this was no common slave or villager conscripted into his army against her will, this was the legendary barbarian known as Davina. A hero among her people, she had led the vanguard, and though personally fighting with the strength of ten men, she, and her army, had succumbed to his forces in the end. He was told that even after being disarmed she had fought like a wildcat, biting and tearing at the men ordered to capture her alive. Talin had hoped she would not be killed in the fighting. He had heard stories of her great beauty and now that he saw her in the flesh he knew those stories hadn't been exaggerated.
He approached her cautiously as one would a caged animal. She was tied standing to the pole by means of three ropes, the first above her knees, the second her waist and the third snugly beneath her breasts. For additional precaution her hands were tied behind her back. Gravitating closer the General drank her in with his eyes. She was a dark-skinned creature, with raven black hair and cat eyes. Her body was taught and lithe. Years of fighting had roughened the edges, but there was still a sleek, feminine curvature to her frame. Her breasts were prominent and as he gazed upon them the girl intensified her struggles to escape.
The General saw that the lust in his eyes was aggravating his prisoner, and he stepped closer. One of his hands brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. She tossed her head angrily, purposely dislodging more strands. The General smiled and traced his finger down her face and neck. Davina stiffened as his hand slid down to her breast. He cupped the breast as if he were weighing meat; hefting it higher, Talin squeezed, and was rewarded for his efforts by the girl moaning gently through her gag. When she saw that the noise excited him, she clamped her teeth shut and once again glared daggers at the General through the shroud of her hair. As he ran his hands over her body, appraising it, delighting in it's sinewy contours, Talin spoke to her:
- Now... Davina, I've gone to a lot of trouble to get you here, you understand? And I'd like us to be on friendly terms, for I have every intention of keeping you on my staff for quite a while. You will serve me on your hands and knees. You will be at my beck and call, ready to satisfy my every need...
He gripped her jaw and turned her face to his.
- My every need!
Talin roughly lowered her head.
- You will keep your eyes on the ground unless told otherwise. You will clean up after me and attend me at my meals. In other words you will be the perfect maid and when I wish it the perfect mistress. Nod if you understand.
Davina understood exactly what he wanted of her and refused to nod.
- No? Gabrielle!
His shout was quickly picked up on and a young girl, barely out of her teens, rushed into the tent. She wore nothing but translucent harem pants and a gold collar. When she arrived at her master's feet she stood at attention, her eyes on the floor.
- This is what you are going to become.
He pointed at the young girl.
- An obedient slave, who will not only perform my every command, but who will enjoy performing it... no matter how degrading it might be.
