I am in a cage; I can only assume is built for large dogs. My body aches, especially when I move. I curl up into a ball and try to make my mind go blank.
I focus on my breath, in and out, in and out. I eventually fall into a restless sleep. I wake up every time I move because of the pain.
Finally, I hear the door open. I stifle a moan of dread, and try to pretend to be asleep.
"Maeve, it is Aedan. With a little encouragement, Mr. Diabhal had too much to drink. He is passed out, and I don't expect him to wake up until morning." He says.
I look up and say, "What are you doing here?"
"I want to take care of your wounds, first a warm soapy shower, then I have some salve to put on them. I also want to see if he broke the skin." He tells me.
He opens the cage and helps me out. It is hard to stand after so much time in the cage and the injuries I have.
He takes me to the bathroom, and starts a shower. I am beyond caring about my nakedness. I get in the shower, and he washes my whole body, then carefully helps me dry gently to keep the pain down.
He puts antibiotic ointment on my cuts, then massages some salve on my injured areas.
"I will have a talk with him tomorrow about making sure your wounds are treated properly, sometimes he just doesn't think. I know he does not want to do any real damage. He has long term plans for you." He tells me.
"Long term plans?" I ask.
"Yes." He says.
That is all I can get out of him.
"OK back in the cage, I am not sure he will sleep all night, and don't want him to come in and find you on the bed." He tells me.
I reluctantly get back into the cage.
"No matter how tempting it is, don't resist him. Work hard to pretend he is breaking you. This will go much smoother. His wife is in Paris for the week, so he can take as much time as he wants with you. The sooner he thinks you have resigned yourself to this new role, the easier it will go." He tells me.
"Why me?" I ask.
"I don't know the answer to that question." He tells me.
Then he leaves me alone with my thoughts. Now that my body feels a little better, I sleep into sleep. Every time I move, I wake up either from pain, or hitting the edge of the cage. I wake up well before dawn with muscle cramps. I try to stretch and massage them out, but I can't.
By the time the door opens again I am in tears, the cramping is so bad. I need to get out.
"Good morning, Slave." How are we this morning? Already crying I see, what a great start to our day." Says Mr. Diabhal. "What is the first thing you are going to do when I open the cage?"
"Stretch out, and use the restroom." I respond.
He kicks the cage.
"You forgot to say master!" He yells.
"Stretch out, and use the restroom, Master." I hate adding that.
He kicks the cage again.