Enslaved

Hey, fellow readers of erotica! Really sorry for the long wait. My exam period is starting and I chose a really inappropriate time to start writing erotica. Hence, I implore for your patience.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I know the people who commented did. So please, guys and gals, feel free to comment or give feedback on the story! It makes me feel really satisfied and keeps me motivated to keep on writing out my perverted fantasies :). I hope this chapter will be satisfying. If so, please rate my story; getting into the toplist is one of my fantasies too :).

This chapter isn't that erotic, sorry... but I think the next chapter should have some action! As a warning, this chapter has spanking. If you are against it... well, why are you reading this story? Last time I checked, it was under non-consent. Childish jokes aside, I would once again like to thank my editor, Kyriae, for her wonderful work :). Enjoy.

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Scarlett awoke to the roar of thunder and the jerky movements under her. A headache thrashed through her, spikes of pain erupting in her head as though a porcupine was hiding there. She tried to raise her head and the porcupine went crazy, causing nausea to flood her. She took a moment to recover before looking closer at her surroundings.

She was in a car, the soft velvety cushioning hugging her skin. Looking out of a darkly tinted window, Scarlett saw malignant trees that laid just out of reach, their long arms snaking high above the ground, as if to pierce the night sky and block the protecting light of the stars. Heavy rain poured down on the metal roof of the car, the sound grating against her eardrums. The wind wailed between distorted trunks, carrying the sickly stink of wood rot.

Someone had also taken the liberty to change her into a dress. Questions bubbled through her mind. Why was she here? What had happened? Her recent memories were a blur. Scarlett rubbed her head, hoping, but to no avail, that it would help.

"Hello, kitty. How did you sleep?"

A startlingly cold voice dropped in the darkness, the sharpness made her jump. Surprisingly, she had not noticed the other person in the car. His dark presence filled the interior of the car, thick and stifling. Danger oozed from his very being. Primal instinct pressed her against the car door, trying to place as much distance between them as possible.

Scarlett's memories suddenly cleared. This dangerously powerful man. Attacking her father then using her as a bargaining chip. Fear flooded her. What was she doing here? Her last memory was of intense pain as a bullet penetrated her skin. Did she not die then? What of her father? He was looking at her now, his lips frozen in a smile.

"It is basic courtesy to reply."

Was he serious? Why was he trying to show concern after kidnapping her? There were countless questions streaming through her head. The issue of her father nagged at her mind the most, but she dreaded the answer. After all, if she was the only one here... She pushed it to the back of her mind. Right now, it was not vital for her survival.

"Wh- Where am I?"

"Already onto gathering information. You are quick... Or... desperate to escape."

Amusement shone in his eyes. Damn him, reclining all cool-headed and carefree.

"Wha... what?... no I..."

"Think first then lie, kitty. Nevertheless, we are driving along the southeast road. We are already quite a distance from Zaria, so don't bother jumping out of the car and taking chances with nature."

This man really underestimated her. He had left her free to move and even answered her question. While it was true that it was close to impossible for her to escape, answering her was still unwise. If she were to fake subservience, maybe he would loosen up his defenses against her and hence present an opportunity for escape in the future.

"What is this weapon you are after? "

He completely ignored her question and continued to address her.

"You should understand that you are now my slave, so from now on, you will be addressing me with 'master' or 'lord'. Understood?"

His curious eyes peered into Scarlett's' own pair. He wondered if she would really listen to him. How weird, that just yesterday she was her father's daughter, and today the fates decreed that she was to be Lord Rendel's slave. Already, she missed the nagging lectures of her mother, the boring lessons from her teacher, but more importantly, the masculine frame of her father and his bear hugs. And now... where was her father when she needed his comforting smiles the most? She wasn't sure if she would ever see him again. All because of this disgusting, self-absorbed, power-driven man. She was determined to resist him as much as possible. So much for faked subservience.

"A three-year-old could understand your ridiculous demand. But it doesn't mean said child would follow it."

Even in the dark, Scarlett could sense his wide smile.

"Ahh, but as it were, the child would be disciplined. As you will be. And I love getting rough and dirty, little girl."

Just like before, an invisible force yanked at her side, so instead of sitting, Scarlett was slammed face-first into the velvet seats, the length of her body lying across the car. Surprised by the sudden turn of events, she yelped, but thankfully the soft material muffled the sound. The once comfortable velvet now scraped against her skin as she tried to move out of the vulnerable position. However, the nape of her neck was forcefully held down by Lord Rendel's hand.

He squeezed lightly and the threat of being strangled caused Scarlett to stop squirming. The neck was a vulnerable spot after all. Due to his use of magic, Lord Rendel was still in his original position, with Scarlett's thighs above his, touching in a startling way. To her relief, the amount of skin contact was minimized because of her dress. She could feel the coiled strength in the tough muscles under her.

"Haha, you look cute in such a submissive position. Now, onto your punishment. I think spanking your ass will do for now."

"What?! Are you out of your mind?? I am an adult of marriageable age. Spanking is for children!"

"Oh, but it is a fun punishment. No scars, just sharp pain. And anyway, did you look in the mirror at yourself these past few weeks? You are hardly an adult."

Grudgingly, Scarlett silently admitted that it was true. Despite being 18, her height was slightly below average, and her face was rounded and cherubic. Worse still, her chest was still developing and was small compared to her mother's and her friends. It did make her look extremely pretty though, or so she was told, since she had waist-length red hair and cute gray eyes.

"And you still... have not addressed me."

His eyes were narrowed now, a dangerous cold gleam appeared in them, and Scarlett felt like a cornered prey before an almighty predator. Even so, she remembered her promise to resist him and squashed down her fear. She would not give him the satisfaction of a cry or scream. Anyway, how painful could spanking be? As she said, even children could endure it. Surely she would be fine.

"I will not stop until you apologize. And trust me, it will hurt."

His cold voice, filled with such malevolent and sadistic intent, caused her to shiver involuntarily. Damn. The thought of resisting him when his presence itself induced such immense fear just became so much harder. Scarlett felt his cold fingertips caress the inside of her thigh. Dark and ill intentions lingered in the trail left by them. The sudden cold shocked her, and she jumped at the startling sensation with a protesting yelp. Not that she could physically jump, since his iron grip still held her in place.

"Silence, girl. The real test has yet to begin."

Once again, Lord Rendel used magical energy to cut through her dress since there was no tearing sound, yet the smooth fabric had slid off her back, leaving her back bared and exposed to him. His fingers stroked her creamy skin, her thighs, the small of her back, and the cheeks of her ass. Scarlett held her breath, anticipating the first blow and trying to brace for the impact. The dark interior started to overwhelm her senses, the creeping tension enhancing them. She seemed to hear each and every raindrop, feel the velvet seat and silk texture of her dress against her skin, and smell the faint vanilla scent of Lord Rendel. It was almost as if...

A deafening thunderclap filled the interior of the car. Scarlett's mind went blank as acute agony flashed through her body, the crystal white-hot pain setting her blood on fire, her senses overloaded with the sheer force of the blow. How could anything in the world hurt like this? Even the bullet that tore her flesh open just yesterday... paled in comparison to this barehanded slap. Darkness encroached the edge of her mind, threatening to plunge her into the blissful depths of oblivion, to shut down the body system and escape the torturous feelings that flooded her consciousness. Stubborn tears escaped her eyes, but she had bitten down on her arm and somehow stifled her uncontrollable scream. She could feel blood spilling out of her teeth marked wounds and tasted the metallic tang of it. Even then, the pain of the spanking drowned out other bodily sensations, such was the strength of Lord Rendel.

"One, little girl."

His powerful voice vibrated through the air, seeping into her skin. Scarlett shivered in fright and almost felt like giving in. But bowing so easily, just after one blow, was too embarrassing after mustering all her resolve to resist him.

Her mind realized it was impossible! Pure strength could not induce such pain. She could feel that the skin of her ass was still intact. But this was Lord Rendel. He could use dark magic; surely he was somehow messing with her mind? Maybe the pain was actually an illusion, her mind fooled into thinking that the blow was real and hence creating physical sensations? It certainly was a possibility. But even if that was so, how could she fight him?

It felt like a sonic boom hit her.

Accumulated physical agony, concentrated into a single moment, burning into her flesh like liquid fire. It totally wiped out her bodily functions. The once encroaching darkness swarmed her mind and she only managed to stay conscious through sheer willpower. For that one single moment, Scarlett cried her lungs out, her nerves unable to cope with the physical sensations. It was hopeless. As streams of tears dripped down her face and stained the velvet seats, she just felt like going home. She wanted to see her family and friends one last time. This new life would certainly need happy memories to tide her over.

"Two... Ready to apologise yet?"

Amidst the aftershock sensations and her teary hiccups, Scarlett could sense his hand rising once more.

"N- Noo... St-stop... please..."

Her throat burned with the effort of rasping out the few words.

"You must learn to be more sincere, slave."

His hand was still poised for a viper strike. In desperation to escape the pain, Scarlett pleaded, though in her heart, she was sick with her weakness and prayed for vindication.

"I... I'm sorry, Lord Rendel."

"I see that pain does not teach you anything."

His hand slammed downwards once again and Scarlett saw the eerie green sparks of dark magic flying across his arm.

"Please forgive me, Master!"

Through her shame, Scarlett could sense his triumphant smile. The sparks dissipated and his fingers started stroking her scorched and tender skin. After her heart calmed down and adrenaline levels subsided, he helped her up and hugged her close to him. He stroked her silky red hair and cooed.

" You are my slave now, girl."

Damned jerk. Trying to forcibly take her freedom and bend her to his will. Scarlett assured herself that she was only trying to escape the pain and hence had succumbed to his ridiculous rule. She would not stop resisting him! But the gentle and rhythmic stroking of her hair was comfortable. She certainly did not mix it up with kindness, but it was easily lulling her emotionally and physically weakened body to sleep.

"Yes... Master..."

She said softly. He smiled. It was not a question. She might bear great hatred towards him, but subconsciously she was beginning to fear him. Of course, if he were to leave her alone, that fear could end up bolstering her hatred, which would be the exact opposite of his intended effect. Letting her rebuild her resolve and rekindle her passionate, autonomous spirit could result in disastrous consequences indeed.

Then again... he did not capture her just for fun and games. And just a few moments ago... did his eyes deceive him? What he had seen certainly would explain why she had survived the magical energy within the bullet. And the spanking. He had gotten carried away and used too much magical energy. The second blow should have knocked a grown man unconscious. He grinned. It seemed he had gotten a prized possession. He would need to observe her more.

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The warmth of the fireplace filled Scarlett right down to her bones. For a long moment, she thought she was still at home in Zaira. The divine aroma of freshly baked bread wafted up her nose and the crackling of firewood familiar to her ears. Unfortunately, she opened her eyes and reality slammed into her like a one-ton sledgehammer.

She clearly was not in her home anymore. This room had an unusual décor. The comfortable fireplace was burning with an eerie green light, antique lacquered mahogany wood furniture filling the room. The sofa she was sleeping on was of a similar fashion. She was dressed in a black nightgown. Scarlett struggled to sit up, as aches resonated through her body. She felt like an old woman, with painful joints and fragile bones. That accursed Lord Rendel, causing such harm to her. God, she was just an ordinary young girl, wasn't she? Why go so far to test the limits of the human body?

When the heavy tendrils of sleep left her body, Scarlett stood up and explored her surroundings. Once again, not tying her up and not leaving anyone to guard her. Lord Rendel would regret it when she found some confidential information. Maybe she could even formulate an escape plan! Refreshed with a purpose in mind and the possibility of freedom, she set about as quietly as possible, trying to look through every nook and cranny for something useful. Surely there must be something in this huge study.

This room was a really grand place, with crystal chandeliers and large bookshelves. It was split into two areas. From the door, there was a fireplace, some coffee tables and sofas, one of which she had slept on. There were potted plants placed at intervals. Opposite of the door was a set of stairs that led up to a second area that mainly comprised of a desk and some high bookshelves, the higher levels even requiring a ladder to reach. The bookshelves surrounded the width of the room, with a glass partition to prevent anyone from falling down to the lower area.

Scarlett walked up the stairs and went straight for the desk. Like the rest of the room, the desk was meticulously cleaned. Letters and documents were stacked up in a corner, pens arranged neatly. Wooden compartments lay waiting, hidden secrets begging to see the light of day. There were also some photographs. It felt strange that Lord Rendel would keep photographs. In her mind, he had been like an unrelenting force of nature, irritating but inevitable, which she could only ignore or attempt to avoid. It seemed unreal that he would actually have another life and possibly another personality, different from the devil that had punished her.

Lord Rendel's life was still seemed mysterious and obscured. In the photographs, he was with important businessmen or political figures. The other Lords of Stralin, big-shot company CEOs, even kings of different countries. But in these photographs, he always manufactured a mask of cold confidence and calm, his smile false, his eyes sharp. It was never a heartfelt, warm smile of a friend. There were no pictures of family either. It was like Lord Rendel had always been alone and distant from others.

Except for one.

In this photograph, a younger yet similarly muscular Lord Rendel stood on top of a small hill in the middle of some plains. The vibrant green grass was dotted with colourful flowers, all swaying in the gentle breeze of a glorious new morning. A large white building stood tall and proud in the background. More importantly, there was a beautiful girl standing beside the young man. Her long blonde hair shimmered in the wind, flowing smoothly behind. She wore a simple white dress with no accessories except for a blood-red ruby pendant necklace. They were holding hands and smiling sweetly at each other as they walked through the plains, and unlike the other photos, his smile seemed genuine.

Was that really Lord Rendel? Did he know that in the years to come his smiles would grow colder than an arctic iceberg, and that his casual, cheerful eyes would turn into calculative and suspicious ones? And who was that girl? His girlfriend? His sister? Scarlett wondered what happened to Lord Rendel that made him the man he was today.

Scarlett almost lost track of her purpose as she looked at the photo. Reluctantly, she tore her eyes away from the smiling couple, curiosities left unsatisfied and possibly would never be solved. The papers on the desk were useless, bills and advertisements among them. That much was obvious. Lord Rendel would not be so careless. She did learn his name though, Lord Alexander Rendel. She also found a sharp pencil. It was not much, but at least she did not feel as vulnerable as before.

Looking through the wooden compartments at the side of the desk, she became increasingly discouraged. Her fingers trawled through many more useless pieces of paper, before seeing an interesting letter. The sender was Jonathan Brent. She recognised the name to be one of the Lords of Stralin, a ruthless and cruel man whose bloodthirst for war could never be sated. His name struck fear even into bravest of men. Jonathan Brent was an intelligent and careful strategist, but was even more deadly when he was fighting on the battlefield in person due to his adept usage of magic.

Hello, Lord Rendel. I received word that you attacked one of Zaira's Generals last night. I hoped you found some useful information about their project. I will visit soon and we can talk in greater detail.

Scarlett felt her blood run cold. Lord Rendel was already a huge problem. She would rather not have to worry about two Lords in the same place. Her mind felt numb with fear. With slightly shaking fingers, she returned the letter and continued searching.

Squating down, she looked through the final few compartments. It seemed like there was nothing hidden in this room. Wait... hidden? Of course... if there was anything worth hiding, it wouldn't be out in the open, where even idiots like her could find. Maybe there was a secret compartment somewhere. Looking through the last compartment again, she finally found what she had failed to see before. There was a string poking out of the corner. Scarlett pulled it, lowering the fake wall to reveal a secret section.

Feeling really proud of her discovery, she allowed a small smile to untie the knots of anxiety on her face. Hopefully, this small victory would be the start of her escape from this dreadful place...

"Enjoying yourself, princess?"

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