looked at him. She could not hide the defiance in her eyes.
He smiled at her sensually.
"You are exquisite little one."
She looked away from him, annoyed by his possessive gaze, so sure of his ownership of her. He laughed softly.
"Such a little brat you are. We'll soon see to that. It's too bad the banquet is about to start..."
She tossed her head a bit, swallowing against the collar. He frowned.
"Is that too tight?"
She looked at him quickly, opening her mouth. She had no idea what to say to him...
"It's- a little."
He stared at her thoughtfully.
"We'll fix it. Unfortunately there's not enough time now, but you don't have to wear it later when we are alone."
She said nothing, staring stonily at the ground. He chuckled again and lifted something from his pocket. The chain. He fitted it to the hook in her collar and slid the handle over his hand. She stared at it, his large hand holding the leather circle firmly.
"Come. You will walk in front of me so I can look at you."
She stepped out of the room into the hallway. There were four guard there. Two of them led the way. She fell into step behind them, feeling the Prince's eyes on her bare back. The other two guards brought up the rear.
She stared straight ahead, her back straight, as they walked through the castle. Everyone was watching them, all eyes on her. She felt naked, her skin tingling under the light silk of the gown. She refused to react in any way. She had her pride after all. Too much of it most likely.
They walked through the hall to the dining chamber where the Royal table was set high on a dais. There was another level with a small table set off to the side before the main floor, where most of the nobles and dignitaries sat. She was guided to the small table where Sephina already stood, waiting. The King and Queen were already seated. The Prince joined them, still holding her leash. It stretched between them, making a clanging sound as it hit the floor.
She was given a seat that faced sideways, so the Prince could watch her easily. Sephina had her back to the main floor so she was also within the King's view. She smiled at Jillian softly. They waited as the Prince took his seat, and then they sat down.
"You look lovely."
The woman's voice was so soft she nearly didn't hear it. She glanced at her sideways as they were served wine. Sephina looked utterly serene, her eyes demurely lowered.
"And terrified."
Jillian lifted her eyes to Sephina again, but the woman was staring down at her empty plate, a soft smile on her lips.
"Not that I blame you. When it was my turn, I had months of instruction before I was claimed. Times have changed."
Jillian sipped her wine, trying to ignore the Prince who was openly staring at her. He grinned, tugging on her chain. She flashed her eyes at him angrily.
"I would try to avoid aggravating him right now, my dear."
The servants moved around them, laying plates along the tables. All except theirs. Finally a small plate of salad was placed before each of them.
"Do they intend to starve us?"
Sephina's lips tilted up again.
"It's best to eat small meals throughout the day. I have my biggest meal in the morning."
"Why?"
Sephina's eyes lifted to hers conspiratorially.
"Because you don't want to be full at night. That's the time he's most likely to call upon you."
Oh. She wished she hadn't asked.
"Of course, if he doesn't require you for the evening you can always have food brought to your room."
Jillian took a dainty bite of her salad, trying to mimic the older woman.
"Though in your case, I suspect you will get little rest for a good long time."
Jillian almost choked on her wine. The older woman smiled at her, hiding a laugh.
"I wish I could give you advice my dear but I was specifically told not to. If and when the time comes to formally instruct you, I will be happy to do so."
Jillian stared down at her plate. She was having trouble breathing
He smiled at her sensually.
"You are exquisite little one."
She looked away from him, annoyed by his possessive gaze, so sure of his ownership of her. He laughed softly.
"Such a little brat you are. We'll soon see to that. It's too bad the banquet is about to start..."
She tossed her head a bit, swallowing against the collar. He frowned.
"Is that too tight?"
She looked at him quickly, opening her mouth. She had no idea what to say to him...
"It's- a little."
He stared at her thoughtfully.
"We'll fix it. Unfortunately there's not enough time now, but you don't have to wear it later when we are alone."
She said nothing, staring stonily at the ground. He chuckled again and lifted something from his pocket. The chain. He fitted it to the hook in her collar and slid the handle over his hand. She stared at it, his large hand holding the leather circle firmly.
"Come. You will walk in front of me so I can look at you."
She stepped out of the room into the hallway. There were four guard there. Two of them led the way. She fell into step behind them, feeling the Prince's eyes on her bare back. The other two guards brought up the rear.
She stared straight ahead, her back straight, as they walked through the castle. Everyone was watching them, all eyes on her. She felt naked, her skin tingling under the light silk of the gown. She refused to react in any way. She had her pride after all. Too much of it most likely.
They walked through the hall to the dining chamber where the Royal table was set high on a dais. There was another level with a small table set off to the side before the main floor, where most of the nobles and dignitaries sat. She was guided to the small table where Sephina already stood, waiting. The King and Queen were already seated. The Prince joined them, still holding her leash. It stretched between them, making a clanging sound as it hit the floor.
She was given a seat that faced sideways, so the Prince could watch her easily. Sephina had her back to the main floor so she was also within the King's view. She smiled at Jillian softly. They waited as the Prince took his seat, and then they sat down.
"You look lovely."
The woman's voice was so soft she nearly didn't hear it. She glanced at her sideways as they were served wine. Sephina looked utterly serene, her eyes demurely lowered.
"And terrified."
Jillian lifted her eyes to Sephina again, but the woman was staring down at her empty plate, a soft smile on her lips.
"Not that I blame you. When it was my turn, I had months of instruction before I was claimed. Times have changed."
Jillian sipped her wine, trying to ignore the Prince who was openly staring at her. He grinned, tugging on her chain. She flashed her eyes at him angrily.
"I would try to avoid aggravating him right now, my dear."
The servants moved around them, laying plates along the tables. All except theirs. Finally a small plate of salad was placed before each of them.
"Do they intend to starve us?"
Sephina's lips tilted up again.
"It's best to eat small meals throughout the day. I have my biggest meal in the morning."
"Why?"
Sephina's eyes lifted to hers conspiratorially.
"Because you don't want to be full at night. That's the time he's most likely to call upon you."
Oh. She wished she hadn't asked.
"Of course, if he doesn't require you for the evening you can always have food brought to your room."
Jillian took a dainty bite of her salad, trying to mimic the older woman.
"Though in your case, I suspect you will get little rest for a good long time."
Jillian almost choked on her wine. The older woman smiled at her, hiding a laugh.
"I wish I could give you advice my dear but I was specifically told not to. If and when the time comes to formally instruct you, I will be happy to do so."
Jillian stared down at her plate. She was having trouble breathing
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