Post by Naughty Kat on Jul 22, 2016 2:52:43 GMT -6
A cool day just outside of Lawrence, New Zealand. The car pulls up just outside of the Madison farmstead as inside at the driver's seat, Holly switches the car into park and remains silent. That is until she feels a hand rest gently along her shoulder. She looks over and finds the smiling visage of her Mistress staring back at her prior to removing her seatbelt. Holly lets out a deep breath and nods unbuckling her own belt and stepping out from the car to the picturesque setting.
There was a two-story home sitting atop the gentle slope that started a couple acres back at the highway. The driveway was entirely made up of small rocks and all around was a field of growing wheat. Just off the driveway, where Holly first goes, is a small clearing set out with two grave markers. By the time Kat arrives, Holly is already kneeling clutching her hands together offering what little amount of prayer she can give. Zahara is soon to arrive alongside Kat, still taking in this new locale with quiet, wide-eyed wonder. Katalina glances in her lover’s direction and their eyes meet for a moment… not in the typical fashion, but in one of quiet, intent understanding. Zahara’s hand finds its way into Kat’s and squeezes before the magician’s golden eyes turn to rest upon Holly. There’s a distinct sadness there for the young lady knelt before the graves, but also determination. Neither dares interrupt the silence, however.
Soon, Holly finishes up and stands up to her feet dusting her hands off along the apron of her uniform. She looks back toward Zahara and Kat smiling briefly prior to turning her attention toward the house. The sun was still high up in the air though angled so it blinds the maid’s eyes a little when looking up at her childhood home so it results with her hand coming up to block it out some. She turns back and smiles.
“Shall I give a tour?”
“That would be lovely. Thank you.”
Zahara links her arm with Katalina’s, the two women falling into step behind Holly as the maid, with slightly more spring in her step now, leads the ladies closer to the house. In time, the angle of the sun falls behind the aged home’s roof and a proper view is offered. The house was a little weathered, the last paint job having been over a decade ago so certain parts of its white exterior were starting to peel. The roof was in good condition as were the windows and even the porch. Someone was still working the upkeep as Holly makes her way up to the front door.
“My brother is still watching over the place, but he won’t be here. He…”
She goes into a momentary silence as her fingers touch gently to the front of her slave collar. After a couple seconds, she removes her hand and smiles using her old key to open up the front door and steps inside letting her guests enter after her. Once both Zahara and Kat were inside, Holly closes the door and removes her polished heels that were now a little more on the dust covered side.
“The first rule was to always remove shoes when entering.”
Placing her shoes aside, Holly takes a few steps in with her white nylons while Kat unzips her boots resting them alongside the maids shoes. Likewise, Zahara crouches for a moment to unlace her black ankle boots, setting them next to Katalina’s. Her attention, as it was outside, is quickly perusing the new environment. Rising again, she continues to gaze about, her voice little more than a murmur as she comments idly.
“I love old houses like this. The subtle creaking from wind or footsteps, the scent of nature all around… they feel so peaceful to me.”
Realizing she was thinking aloud, she puts a hand to her lips, a faint smile behind her fingers.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, love. You know, OUR house is… well, it’s only about a decade old. Still.”
Kat adds in with a giggle as the two follow along with the maid first into the living room. THe furniture was a mixture of new and old. New TV, old couch. New curtains, old lamp. New rug, old photos on the wall. Kat approaches them and begins looking them over as Holly begins to talk with almost an enchanted touch upon her voice.
“I was asked once what my happiest childhood memory was. It was actually in here on Christmas morning when I was seven. I was in the kitchen making dinner when I was told to come into the living room. Wrapping paper was strewn about the room mixed with ribbons of varying colours, it was like a holiday rainbow over the floor. I was given a bag and told to clean up as more gifts were opened.”
Kat glances over from the portraits a little troubled as Holly sighs pleasantly.
“It was like I was a part of their fun for the first time. Unfortunately, I was caught standing so the years that followed, they simply threw the paper into the dining room for me to clean up later.”
With strong ears, one can hear Zahara’s heart clench up. Every fiber of her being, on natural impulse, wants to walk her over to Holly and just hug the precious maid… hug her and squeeze out every last tear that should be falling. Yet, Holly actually speaks with fondness of such memories and leaves Zahara terribly confused. She looks to Kat for support but the domina can only shrug and share the same faintly-troubled expression.
“Do you… do you miss those days, Holly?”
It was all that Zahara could think of to ask. The want for an answer, a negative one, to spill out, made the magician so very angry at herself. Summer first looks down at the floor and sighs before nodding her head.
“I do.”
Kat swallows and looks back at the photos finding things a little odd. Mostly that all of the family ones had no little girl in them. In fact, the first picture of Holly she could make out was one of her in the ring from her debut night and even that one seemed freshly rested in place. From there on there were photos featuring the young maid. Kat steps from the wall and joins back up with Zoey as the tour continues into the dining room where Holly abruptly stops just outside of it. Though after blinking, she steps in and laughs a tiny bit.
“Sorry, force of habit. There was never any reason for me to ever go in here unless it was to set up the table or clean.”
Holly continues on through into the kitchen as Kat looks about the dining room first. She spots a cabinet of fine china resting up in the corner. The table and chairs were a bit rustic but still looked fine enough to be used in such a place. Still, Kat can’t help but grip hold of Zoey’s hand whispering to her.
“I know I should be keeping control, but… tell me I’m not the only one who wishes to dig up those bodies and toss them into a ditch.”
“And then salt and burn them? No, my love, you aren’t the only one. I want… I want to cry right now out of anger at them and pity for Holly. How can you treat your own child like that?! It’s… it’s…”
Giving Zahara’s hand another squeeze, Katalina paused for a moment to nod and set her soft hand to her lady’s cheek. It took a couple moments, during which Holly thankfully didn’t turn their way, but the magician composed herself.
“The place is… beautiful so far, Holly. What… what else can you show us?”
“My room.”
Summer says, her eyes darting around a bit nervously. There was something in the air emanating from the couple but it wasn’t something that the maid could pick up on, thankfully. Therefore, the tour continues into the kitchen as Kat pauses a moment.
“This is the kitchen, love.”
“Mm-hm. This is where I slept.”
Holly replies before realizing and steps back pointing to a spot in the corner.
“Oh, um, sorry. Over there, actually. I used to have a shelf when I was smaller, this one down here, but when it became harder for me to get out in the morning I got upgraded to the floor.”
“I… see.”
Holly tilts her head toward the two.
“Is… is something wrong?”
Calling on years of experience and training, Zoey put on a smile for Holly… one that she meant, certainly, but that she had to put a little oomph into to make it manifest. She prayed inwardly that the precious maid wouldn’t call her on it.
“Just seems a bit small is all, honey.”
“Small?”
Holly looks back over at her corner in the kitchen and lies down in it curling up into a ball holding position for a few moments then brings up her head.
“I guess it is kind of small now. I’ve been sleeping in a bed for so long, I guess I have higher ex-pec-ta-ti-ons of where I sleep.”
Sighing, Holly comes up to her feet.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to say that my life has just become cushy, just looking back now it seems things were different than I remembered.”
Maybe not the way either Kat or Zoey would want Holly thinking about it, but different may be good in this case as the maid vacates the kitchen and leads them along to the basement door.
“This leads down into the cellar. Most of the time I would be sent down during visits from friends and relatives.”
Holly wouldn’t see it, even if she had been looking at Zahara in that very moment. But Katalina certainly would. Zahara turned away from that door, a hand on Katalina’s shoulder as she took a few slow, deep breaths. It wouldn’t do to get angry here. No, they’d had that talk on the flight down, about how sometimes you had the make the best of a bad situation and leave the past alone. But poor Holly… those were the words that kept repeating in Zahara’s mind…
Poor Holly.
She turned, just before Holly shifted her attention back to her guests, in fact, and put that smile back on.
“You don’t have to take us down there if you don’t want to, Holly.”
“Oh. O-okay.”
Holly removes her hand from the handle and continues leading the way toward the back porch. Kat, however, was curious. She approaches the door and opens it up quickly closing it shut. Her hand gripping the handle tightly as fears persisted in her mind over what she had seen. Eventually, curiosity takes over and the hope that she was wrong in what she saw comes up as she opens the door again. It was worse than what she had seen. Holly’s brother had done a good job, but it was still evident that there had been a wall built up in here. Barely even space to call it a closet, a small child couldn’t even sit down when the door closed. It was enough as Kat closes the door again and hurries out the front door.
Meanwhile, Holly continues the tour with just Zoey for now, having not turned around to check on her Mistress’ progress. The back porch was an enclosed space of lattice and screen to keep bugs out. There was a table and some chairs and through a screen door some steps leading to a brick patio where the barbecue was kept.
“From what my brother always told me, this was…”
Holly turns around and tilts her head when she only sees Zoey.
“Mistress?”
Zoey herself hadn’t noticed that Katalina wasn’t with them. She turned as well, just in time to hear the front door open and close. Gnawing on her lip, Zoey turned to Holly and set a hand gently on the pink-haired girl’s shoulder.
“Maybe she forgot something in the car. I’ll go check on her. Just relax here for a bit, sweetie, and I’ll be right back.”
It couldn’t be that simple, though. Zoey turned and did her best to move at a normal pace even though she wanted nothing more than to run. Striding through the kitchen and dining room on her way out the front door, Zoey found Katalina on the porch and could immediately tell that the normally-strong woman was well and truly upset. Kat’s shoulders shook and her fingernails were digging into her arms as she held herself tight. Whatever was said, was seen… it must have struck her hard. With some hesitation, Zoey went up to Kat and slid her arms around her lover’s waist. Turning at the feeling, the domina pressed her face against Zoey’s neck and shoulder, still shaking some as tears flowed silently. Feeling her own start to well up, Zoey fought to hold them back; this was one of the rare times she had to be the strong one of the couple. Enclosing Kat in her arms, she stroked her lover’s hair and whispered.
“Come on, baby… it’s… it’s hard. For me, too. But this is for Holly. She needs us. We… we have to be strong for her…”
“I’m just the next in a long line of abusers on her.”
Kat says looking out to the grave markers.
“I don’t deserve her smiles, I’m only taking them away. Everyone’s right.”
She shakes her head and steps out from Zoeys grip resting her hands down over the banister.
“Do you think it’s wrong keeping her a maid? Or just even keeping her? Am I doing better than them by letting her continue on this way?”
Those words… ignited an anger almost as potent as what grew within Zoey for the so-called family that Holly grew up around. Zoey turns Kat around rather forcefully, gripping her arms tightly and staring up those two inches between them into the domina’s eyes.
“You are NOTHING like those people!”
The force of her tone surprised even Zoey but only briefly.
“She lives, breathes, plays and works just like the rest of us, and she does it in a home with the kinds of comforts this place NEVER gave her! A home that YOU gave her! She has a career, friends… a chance at happiness that she’d never have gotten had she remained here or with the people who used and abused her before! How… how can you even SAY that?! Or even think of linking yourself to these monsters?!”
Letting go, if only to cup Kat’s cheeks and make sure that she had her eyes on Zoey, the magician leaned in closely.
“Without you, she wouldn’t have anything. Because of you, she has everything. And the people who dare vilify you because of what they assume… and you mark that word, because that’s all it is… they don’t know a darn thing! I see how she smiles, the pleasure she gets from doing what she does in your home, baby! Because of you!”
Yeah, no chance of holding her own emotions in now. It was just a bit too much to lock down when both sadness as well as anger were welling up. Zoey let go, taking a few steps back, angrily wiping away a tear or two.
“We have to get a hold of ourselves for Holly’s sake, for the sake of her happiness.”
Kat lowers her head as much as allowed before nodding it. After a moment, she looks up ready to speak when she hears the faint chink of glasses from the doorway. She looks but sees nothing there though it’s enough to bring her back to her senses as she nods.
“O-of course, love. I’m sorry, you’re right. I’m nothing like these people. We should get back inside before Holly starts to worry.”
Kat grips hold of Zoey’s hand and the pair walk back inside through the living room, into the dining room and kitchen until arriving where Holly was waiting, out in the back porch. Though she wasn’t alone as she holds a tray of a couple glasses filled with some lemonade and ice. The maid bites hold of her lower lip to keep it from trembling as she offers out the glasses to her Mistresses. As Kat takes the tray gently from Holly’s hands with a small smile, Zoey draws the maid in and embraces her. It’s a reflex… a need to console both Holly and herself.
“I want you to know how happy we are that you’re in our lives, Holly, and how much it means to us that you continue to be.”
Leaning back just a little, Zoey places a kiss on Holly’s forehead before stepping back, her fingertips slowly gliding down the maid’s arms before Zoey lowers herself into one of the chairs and takes one of the offered glasses into her hand, sipping from it. Kat takes a seat as well across from Zoey keeping the chair in between them empty as Holly steps off into the corner looking down. Kat removes her glass resting it into her lap thinking before opening her mouth to speak.
“I like it here.”
It wasn’t Kat though, but Holly who looks up her own eyes brimming with tears.
“People say my parents were mean, they weren’t. They just wanted to work in keeping me on task, everything was my fault because I wouldn’t listen.”
Kat would interject, but feels it might not work so she quietly brings her glass up to the table.
“If it weren’t for them, I don’t know what I would have been. But with this, with everything they taught me, it’s brought smiles. I met my wife because of it. I-I met my best friends because of it. I’ve been able to repay so much kindness because I was able to focus more on others than myself. So please, please don’t hate them for what they did. Es-pe-ci-al-ly since they created what you love so much.”
“Maybe… maybe you’re right, Holly. I may not personally agree with it, but if it hadn’t happened, you might not be a part of our lives. And I don’t want to imagine my life without you in it.”
There was no need to force this smile, for it came naturally. Zoey was still saddened by what being here made Katalina feel and by what she knew in her heart was a horrible injustice done upon Holly. But in looking on the maid’s beautiful face and the innocent joy she possessed, Zoey couldn’t help but feel that maybe… maybe it WAS for the best.
“Thank you for showing us this place.”
“Y-you’re welcome.”
Holly replies doing her best to remain proper even in the face of a clearly saddened Zoey. She looks over toward Kat who senses it too. The domina rests her glass down and tries for a smile.
“Well...how about we see the backyard?”
Kat was hoping to change not only the tone of the conversation but the setting. Maybe there things would be a lot easier to digest. Holly looks over toward Zoey tilting her head slightly as Kat stands up from her seat taking her drink with her before turning to make her exit out the back door. Zoey likewise follows, drink in hand, looking calmer now that some manner of escape had been offered… even if it were based on hope.
Holly follows in behind Zoey keeping a proper positioning of herself as she steps out into the sunlight backyard. There really wasn’t much of a change from the backyard to the front as farmland was still farmland. The only things though was that there were a few extra buildings. An old barn set off a few hundred feet away with a couple of small sheds close by. Kat feels a sense of peace standing out in the country taking in the fresh air that she hadn’t much gotten since moving to Malibu. In fact, really ever. Her times at her own “farm” were often so busy that she could actually enjoy the feeling of being outside and the stables have been such a flurry of activity that it was just impossible to relax. But here… here there were no city lights, no rushing of cars and people… just nature, calm and clean. Zoey, too, seemed refreshed by the air and environment, her smile back in place where it naturally should have been.
“It’s really nice out here when you take a moment to soak it all in. Makes you wonder why people find big cities such a big screaming deal.”
She laughs as she speaks, taking a sip of the lemonade as she turns to Kat briefly. The sheds seemed odd to her for some reason, but she ignored her instinct.
“We’ll have to give Rouge a bit of a holiday and run the farm for her. Might be good for Makayla too.”
Kat replies. Rouge was the trusted individual Kat had left in charge of her more open air establishment. All those on the roster were there of their own willing accord and wanted a life of just general solitude with peers of their own kind. The ones who just wanted to serve. As Kat lacked the time to give each their own attentive rights and the dungeon was more specific catering to clients, the farm seemed like a good idea.
“Hm?”
Kat notices Holly and looks over watching as the maid approaches one of the sheds, resting a hand gently on the door. Her mouth comes up with a small smile as she looks it over stepping back a tiny bit.
“Seemed so much bigger back then.”
“What, that building? What’s in there, Holly?”
Back to her calmer, happier self, Zoey walked over to where Holly stood and set a hand gently on the maid’s arm, meant to be a gesture of reassurance. She, too, turned to the shed but saw little from the outside other than a place to store garden tools and a modestly-sized lawn mower. Kat approaches feeling a little curious herself finding it just a storage facility as well. Holly reaches out and unhooks the latch before opening it as deep down, Kat’s heart is already set on sinking… until she notices some garden tools hung up along the wall and leaning in the corners. Some empty flowerpots a couple of watering cans, and indeed a lawn tractor. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
“This was my home for a couple of winters.”
Holly says as Kat once more gets the sinking feeling in her chest. Zoey, too, feels a clenching in her heart as Holly says this. But instead of letting herself go that road again, trying to keep a cool head for Holly’s sake, Zoey sets her glass down and steps in behind the maid, gently hugging her from behind. Staring in the shed is a little hard to do, though, all considered. It filled her with a sadness-laced anger. She forces that aside, though, and snuggles the maid back against her chest.
“But not anymore, sweetie.”
Holly makes a little noise as she rests up a hand over the top of Zoey’s wrist once more a little confused. She tilts her head and stares into the shed as she was presently unable to look back at the magician.
“Winters aren’t too cold here, plus it was just a character building exercise. My father just thought that my life had been too soft, that I need to understand the harsh realities that made a soft life seem more posh. Now, I ap-pre-ci-ate everything that I have. Not because I’m weakened by them, but because I am blessed to understand how much worse life can be.”
“Did he say that?”
Kat asks stepping forward looking more toward Holly than the shed or even Zoey right.
“Is that what he told you?”
“Well...no. Not...not in those words, Mistress.”
“What did he tell you? What was said before he closed the door?”
Kat looks the door over seeing a few locks in place.
“And locked it?”
“That…”
Holly begins to shiver now, it’s not often she sees Kat this way. She looks back to Zoey as if looking for some comfort. Zoey moves to step before her, meeting the maid’s eyes. Running the back of her hand gently down Holly’s cheek, she nods.
“It’s okay, hon. Tell us what he said.”
Holly looks down feeling no real comfort zone, but...okay with it. She nods and looks back at the shed.
“H-he said I shouldn’t be watching te-le-vi-si-on.”
Kat clutches her fist tightly as she manages a few breaths. None of them as calming as she would have liked, but they eventually get her close enough to it.
“That’s why you were put in here?”
Holly lets out a gasp and shakes her head.
“I-It’s my fault! I was supposed to be sweeping and...and...a program caught my eye. Before I knew it, I was more enthralled by it than my duties.”
Having said that, the maid lowers her head down.
“I’m sorry for yelling, Mistress.”
Kat sighs having known to expect this. She just nods her head and closes up the shed now too afraid to ask about the other or even the barn. Zoey looked like she was handling it better than Kat but that’s just because she was managing to hold it in better. For the moment, anyway. Garnering Holly’s attention, she meets the maid’s eyes with a finger curled under her chin.
“It’s all right. It’s… natural to get upset about these things. But that isn’t a situation you have to deal with anymore. Not with Kat or with me.”
It was obvious that she didn’t know what to say, how to help. Holly looks down for a moment, not finding much joy in those words before looking back up to Zoey.
“I...won’t be trained anymore?”
“You’ll be trained.”
Kat says stepping closer to take hold of her maid’s hand, the same one with which was earlier clenched into a fist.
“I need my maid perfect, but for what I want. Kat Empire is expanding, I’ll need proper translators. I’ll also need you to keep studying up on your massages and what not.”
She glances at Zoey for a few more ideas.
“We’ve a lot of goals we want to see realized, not just on Kat’s side but my own. And we need you for that. Not just because you’re talented, Holly, but because we care about you and want you to be a part of this future.”
Holly looks back at the shed until she feels a pair of fingers touch underneath her chin turning her head back toward the domina.
“It’s time to go home now.”
Nodding, the maid gives one final look to the shed before the trio make their way back to the front. As Holly stands once more praying at the burial site of her parents, Kat stands back with Zoey.
“I honestly hope we’re doing the right thing for her, continuing her on this road.”
“We are. Her past is so ingrained within her that trying to change her perception of it would only hurt her. But we can help her find a better future.”
Zoey’s hand steals over a bit to clasp Kat’s.
“You’ve done right by her so far. And now I’m here to help as well. She’ll be just fine.”
There was a two-story home sitting atop the gentle slope that started a couple acres back at the highway. The driveway was entirely made up of small rocks and all around was a field of growing wheat. Just off the driveway, where Holly first goes, is a small clearing set out with two grave markers. By the time Kat arrives, Holly is already kneeling clutching her hands together offering what little amount of prayer she can give. Zahara is soon to arrive alongside Kat, still taking in this new locale with quiet, wide-eyed wonder. Katalina glances in her lover’s direction and their eyes meet for a moment… not in the typical fashion, but in one of quiet, intent understanding. Zahara’s hand finds its way into Kat’s and squeezes before the magician’s golden eyes turn to rest upon Holly. There’s a distinct sadness there for the young lady knelt before the graves, but also determination. Neither dares interrupt the silence, however.
Soon, Holly finishes up and stands up to her feet dusting her hands off along the apron of her uniform. She looks back toward Zahara and Kat smiling briefly prior to turning her attention toward the house. The sun was still high up in the air though angled so it blinds the maid’s eyes a little when looking up at her childhood home so it results with her hand coming up to block it out some. She turns back and smiles.
“Shall I give a tour?”
“That would be lovely. Thank you.”
Zahara links her arm with Katalina’s, the two women falling into step behind Holly as the maid, with slightly more spring in her step now, leads the ladies closer to the house. In time, the angle of the sun falls behind the aged home’s roof and a proper view is offered. The house was a little weathered, the last paint job having been over a decade ago so certain parts of its white exterior were starting to peel. The roof was in good condition as were the windows and even the porch. Someone was still working the upkeep as Holly makes her way up to the front door.
“My brother is still watching over the place, but he won’t be here. He…”
She goes into a momentary silence as her fingers touch gently to the front of her slave collar. After a couple seconds, she removes her hand and smiles using her old key to open up the front door and steps inside letting her guests enter after her. Once both Zahara and Kat were inside, Holly closes the door and removes her polished heels that were now a little more on the dust covered side.
“The first rule was to always remove shoes when entering.”
Placing her shoes aside, Holly takes a few steps in with her white nylons while Kat unzips her boots resting them alongside the maids shoes. Likewise, Zahara crouches for a moment to unlace her black ankle boots, setting them next to Katalina’s. Her attention, as it was outside, is quickly perusing the new environment. Rising again, she continues to gaze about, her voice little more than a murmur as she comments idly.
“I love old houses like this. The subtle creaking from wind or footsteps, the scent of nature all around… they feel so peaceful to me.”
Realizing she was thinking aloud, she puts a hand to her lips, a faint smile behind her fingers.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, love. You know, OUR house is… well, it’s only about a decade old. Still.”
Kat adds in with a giggle as the two follow along with the maid first into the living room. THe furniture was a mixture of new and old. New TV, old couch. New curtains, old lamp. New rug, old photos on the wall. Kat approaches them and begins looking them over as Holly begins to talk with almost an enchanted touch upon her voice.
“I was asked once what my happiest childhood memory was. It was actually in here on Christmas morning when I was seven. I was in the kitchen making dinner when I was told to come into the living room. Wrapping paper was strewn about the room mixed with ribbons of varying colours, it was like a holiday rainbow over the floor. I was given a bag and told to clean up as more gifts were opened.”
Kat glances over from the portraits a little troubled as Holly sighs pleasantly.
“It was like I was a part of their fun for the first time. Unfortunately, I was caught standing so the years that followed, they simply threw the paper into the dining room for me to clean up later.”
With strong ears, one can hear Zahara’s heart clench up. Every fiber of her being, on natural impulse, wants to walk her over to Holly and just hug the precious maid… hug her and squeeze out every last tear that should be falling. Yet, Holly actually speaks with fondness of such memories and leaves Zahara terribly confused. She looks to Kat for support but the domina can only shrug and share the same faintly-troubled expression.
“Do you… do you miss those days, Holly?”
It was all that Zahara could think of to ask. The want for an answer, a negative one, to spill out, made the magician so very angry at herself. Summer first looks down at the floor and sighs before nodding her head.
“I do.”
Kat swallows and looks back at the photos finding things a little odd. Mostly that all of the family ones had no little girl in them. In fact, the first picture of Holly she could make out was one of her in the ring from her debut night and even that one seemed freshly rested in place. From there on there were photos featuring the young maid. Kat steps from the wall and joins back up with Zoey as the tour continues into the dining room where Holly abruptly stops just outside of it. Though after blinking, she steps in and laughs a tiny bit.
“Sorry, force of habit. There was never any reason for me to ever go in here unless it was to set up the table or clean.”
Holly continues on through into the kitchen as Kat looks about the dining room first. She spots a cabinet of fine china resting up in the corner. The table and chairs were a bit rustic but still looked fine enough to be used in such a place. Still, Kat can’t help but grip hold of Zoey’s hand whispering to her.
“I know I should be keeping control, but… tell me I’m not the only one who wishes to dig up those bodies and toss them into a ditch.”
“And then salt and burn them? No, my love, you aren’t the only one. I want… I want to cry right now out of anger at them and pity for Holly. How can you treat your own child like that?! It’s… it’s…”
Giving Zahara’s hand another squeeze, Katalina paused for a moment to nod and set her soft hand to her lady’s cheek. It took a couple moments, during which Holly thankfully didn’t turn their way, but the magician composed herself.
“The place is… beautiful so far, Holly. What… what else can you show us?”
“My room.”
Summer says, her eyes darting around a bit nervously. There was something in the air emanating from the couple but it wasn’t something that the maid could pick up on, thankfully. Therefore, the tour continues into the kitchen as Kat pauses a moment.
“This is the kitchen, love.”
“Mm-hm. This is where I slept.”
Holly replies before realizing and steps back pointing to a spot in the corner.
“Oh, um, sorry. Over there, actually. I used to have a shelf when I was smaller, this one down here, but when it became harder for me to get out in the morning I got upgraded to the floor.”
“I… see.”
Holly tilts her head toward the two.
“Is… is something wrong?”
Calling on years of experience and training, Zoey put on a smile for Holly… one that she meant, certainly, but that she had to put a little oomph into to make it manifest. She prayed inwardly that the precious maid wouldn’t call her on it.
“Just seems a bit small is all, honey.”
“Small?”
Holly looks back over at her corner in the kitchen and lies down in it curling up into a ball holding position for a few moments then brings up her head.
“I guess it is kind of small now. I’ve been sleeping in a bed for so long, I guess I have higher ex-pec-ta-ti-ons of where I sleep.”
Sighing, Holly comes up to her feet.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to say that my life has just become cushy, just looking back now it seems things were different than I remembered.”
Maybe not the way either Kat or Zoey would want Holly thinking about it, but different may be good in this case as the maid vacates the kitchen and leads them along to the basement door.
“This leads down into the cellar. Most of the time I would be sent down during visits from friends and relatives.”
Holly wouldn’t see it, even if she had been looking at Zahara in that very moment. But Katalina certainly would. Zahara turned away from that door, a hand on Katalina’s shoulder as she took a few slow, deep breaths. It wouldn’t do to get angry here. No, they’d had that talk on the flight down, about how sometimes you had the make the best of a bad situation and leave the past alone. But poor Holly… those were the words that kept repeating in Zahara’s mind…
Poor Holly.
She turned, just before Holly shifted her attention back to her guests, in fact, and put that smile back on.
“You don’t have to take us down there if you don’t want to, Holly.”
“Oh. O-okay.”
Holly removes her hand from the handle and continues leading the way toward the back porch. Kat, however, was curious. She approaches the door and opens it up quickly closing it shut. Her hand gripping the handle tightly as fears persisted in her mind over what she had seen. Eventually, curiosity takes over and the hope that she was wrong in what she saw comes up as she opens the door again. It was worse than what she had seen. Holly’s brother had done a good job, but it was still evident that there had been a wall built up in here. Barely even space to call it a closet, a small child couldn’t even sit down when the door closed. It was enough as Kat closes the door again and hurries out the front door.
Meanwhile, Holly continues the tour with just Zoey for now, having not turned around to check on her Mistress’ progress. The back porch was an enclosed space of lattice and screen to keep bugs out. There was a table and some chairs and through a screen door some steps leading to a brick patio where the barbecue was kept.
“From what my brother always told me, this was…”
Holly turns around and tilts her head when she only sees Zoey.
“Mistress?”
Zoey herself hadn’t noticed that Katalina wasn’t with them. She turned as well, just in time to hear the front door open and close. Gnawing on her lip, Zoey turned to Holly and set a hand gently on the pink-haired girl’s shoulder.
“Maybe she forgot something in the car. I’ll go check on her. Just relax here for a bit, sweetie, and I’ll be right back.”
It couldn’t be that simple, though. Zoey turned and did her best to move at a normal pace even though she wanted nothing more than to run. Striding through the kitchen and dining room on her way out the front door, Zoey found Katalina on the porch and could immediately tell that the normally-strong woman was well and truly upset. Kat’s shoulders shook and her fingernails were digging into her arms as she held herself tight. Whatever was said, was seen… it must have struck her hard. With some hesitation, Zoey went up to Kat and slid her arms around her lover’s waist. Turning at the feeling, the domina pressed her face against Zoey’s neck and shoulder, still shaking some as tears flowed silently. Feeling her own start to well up, Zoey fought to hold them back; this was one of the rare times she had to be the strong one of the couple. Enclosing Kat in her arms, she stroked her lover’s hair and whispered.
“Come on, baby… it’s… it’s hard. For me, too. But this is for Holly. She needs us. We… we have to be strong for her…”
“I’m just the next in a long line of abusers on her.”
Kat says looking out to the grave markers.
“I don’t deserve her smiles, I’m only taking them away. Everyone’s right.”
She shakes her head and steps out from Zoeys grip resting her hands down over the banister.
“Do you think it’s wrong keeping her a maid? Or just even keeping her? Am I doing better than them by letting her continue on this way?”
Those words… ignited an anger almost as potent as what grew within Zoey for the so-called family that Holly grew up around. Zoey turns Kat around rather forcefully, gripping her arms tightly and staring up those two inches between them into the domina’s eyes.
“You are NOTHING like those people!”
The force of her tone surprised even Zoey but only briefly.
“She lives, breathes, plays and works just like the rest of us, and she does it in a home with the kinds of comforts this place NEVER gave her! A home that YOU gave her! She has a career, friends… a chance at happiness that she’d never have gotten had she remained here or with the people who used and abused her before! How… how can you even SAY that?! Or even think of linking yourself to these monsters?!”
Letting go, if only to cup Kat’s cheeks and make sure that she had her eyes on Zoey, the magician leaned in closely.
“Without you, she wouldn’t have anything. Because of you, she has everything. And the people who dare vilify you because of what they assume… and you mark that word, because that’s all it is… they don’t know a darn thing! I see how she smiles, the pleasure she gets from doing what she does in your home, baby! Because of you!”
Yeah, no chance of holding her own emotions in now. It was just a bit too much to lock down when both sadness as well as anger were welling up. Zoey let go, taking a few steps back, angrily wiping away a tear or two.
“We have to get a hold of ourselves for Holly’s sake, for the sake of her happiness.”
Kat lowers her head as much as allowed before nodding it. After a moment, she looks up ready to speak when she hears the faint chink of glasses from the doorway. She looks but sees nothing there though it’s enough to bring her back to her senses as she nods.
“O-of course, love. I’m sorry, you’re right. I’m nothing like these people. We should get back inside before Holly starts to worry.”
Kat grips hold of Zoey’s hand and the pair walk back inside through the living room, into the dining room and kitchen until arriving where Holly was waiting, out in the back porch. Though she wasn’t alone as she holds a tray of a couple glasses filled with some lemonade and ice. The maid bites hold of her lower lip to keep it from trembling as she offers out the glasses to her Mistresses. As Kat takes the tray gently from Holly’s hands with a small smile, Zoey draws the maid in and embraces her. It’s a reflex… a need to console both Holly and herself.
“I want you to know how happy we are that you’re in our lives, Holly, and how much it means to us that you continue to be.”
Leaning back just a little, Zoey places a kiss on Holly’s forehead before stepping back, her fingertips slowly gliding down the maid’s arms before Zoey lowers herself into one of the chairs and takes one of the offered glasses into her hand, sipping from it. Kat takes a seat as well across from Zoey keeping the chair in between them empty as Holly steps off into the corner looking down. Kat removes her glass resting it into her lap thinking before opening her mouth to speak.
“I like it here.”
It wasn’t Kat though, but Holly who looks up her own eyes brimming with tears.
“People say my parents were mean, they weren’t. They just wanted to work in keeping me on task, everything was my fault because I wouldn’t listen.”
Kat would interject, but feels it might not work so she quietly brings her glass up to the table.
“If it weren’t for them, I don’t know what I would have been. But with this, with everything they taught me, it’s brought smiles. I met my wife because of it. I-I met my best friends because of it. I’ve been able to repay so much kindness because I was able to focus more on others than myself. So please, please don’t hate them for what they did. Es-pe-ci-al-ly since they created what you love so much.”
“Maybe… maybe you’re right, Holly. I may not personally agree with it, but if it hadn’t happened, you might not be a part of our lives. And I don’t want to imagine my life without you in it.”
There was no need to force this smile, for it came naturally. Zoey was still saddened by what being here made Katalina feel and by what she knew in her heart was a horrible injustice done upon Holly. But in looking on the maid’s beautiful face and the innocent joy she possessed, Zoey couldn’t help but feel that maybe… maybe it WAS for the best.
“Thank you for showing us this place.”
“Y-you’re welcome.”
Holly replies doing her best to remain proper even in the face of a clearly saddened Zoey. She looks over toward Kat who senses it too. The domina rests her glass down and tries for a smile.
“Well...how about we see the backyard?”
Kat was hoping to change not only the tone of the conversation but the setting. Maybe there things would be a lot easier to digest. Holly looks over toward Zoey tilting her head slightly as Kat stands up from her seat taking her drink with her before turning to make her exit out the back door. Zoey likewise follows, drink in hand, looking calmer now that some manner of escape had been offered… even if it were based on hope.
Holly follows in behind Zoey keeping a proper positioning of herself as she steps out into the sunlight backyard. There really wasn’t much of a change from the backyard to the front as farmland was still farmland. The only things though was that there were a few extra buildings. An old barn set off a few hundred feet away with a couple of small sheds close by. Kat feels a sense of peace standing out in the country taking in the fresh air that she hadn’t much gotten since moving to Malibu. In fact, really ever. Her times at her own “farm” were often so busy that she could actually enjoy the feeling of being outside and the stables have been such a flurry of activity that it was just impossible to relax. But here… here there were no city lights, no rushing of cars and people… just nature, calm and clean. Zoey, too, seemed refreshed by the air and environment, her smile back in place where it naturally should have been.
“It’s really nice out here when you take a moment to soak it all in. Makes you wonder why people find big cities such a big screaming deal.”
She laughs as she speaks, taking a sip of the lemonade as she turns to Kat briefly. The sheds seemed odd to her for some reason, but she ignored her instinct.
“We’ll have to give Rouge a bit of a holiday and run the farm for her. Might be good for Makayla too.”
Kat replies. Rouge was the trusted individual Kat had left in charge of her more open air establishment. All those on the roster were there of their own willing accord and wanted a life of just general solitude with peers of their own kind. The ones who just wanted to serve. As Kat lacked the time to give each their own attentive rights and the dungeon was more specific catering to clients, the farm seemed like a good idea.
“Hm?”
Kat notices Holly and looks over watching as the maid approaches one of the sheds, resting a hand gently on the door. Her mouth comes up with a small smile as she looks it over stepping back a tiny bit.
“Seemed so much bigger back then.”
“What, that building? What’s in there, Holly?”
Back to her calmer, happier self, Zoey walked over to where Holly stood and set a hand gently on the maid’s arm, meant to be a gesture of reassurance. She, too, turned to the shed but saw little from the outside other than a place to store garden tools and a modestly-sized lawn mower. Kat approaches feeling a little curious herself finding it just a storage facility as well. Holly reaches out and unhooks the latch before opening it as deep down, Kat’s heart is already set on sinking… until she notices some garden tools hung up along the wall and leaning in the corners. Some empty flowerpots a couple of watering cans, and indeed a lawn tractor. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
“This was my home for a couple of winters.”
Holly says as Kat once more gets the sinking feeling in her chest. Zoey, too, feels a clenching in her heart as Holly says this. But instead of letting herself go that road again, trying to keep a cool head for Holly’s sake, Zoey sets her glass down and steps in behind the maid, gently hugging her from behind. Staring in the shed is a little hard to do, though, all considered. It filled her with a sadness-laced anger. She forces that aside, though, and snuggles the maid back against her chest.
“But not anymore, sweetie.”
Holly makes a little noise as she rests up a hand over the top of Zoey’s wrist once more a little confused. She tilts her head and stares into the shed as she was presently unable to look back at the magician.
“Winters aren’t too cold here, plus it was just a character building exercise. My father just thought that my life had been too soft, that I need to understand the harsh realities that made a soft life seem more posh. Now, I ap-pre-ci-ate everything that I have. Not because I’m weakened by them, but because I am blessed to understand how much worse life can be.”
“Did he say that?”
Kat asks stepping forward looking more toward Holly than the shed or even Zoey right.
“Is that what he told you?”
“Well...no. Not...not in those words, Mistress.”
“What did he tell you? What was said before he closed the door?”
Kat looks the door over seeing a few locks in place.
“And locked it?”
“That…”
Holly begins to shiver now, it’s not often she sees Kat this way. She looks back to Zoey as if looking for some comfort. Zoey moves to step before her, meeting the maid’s eyes. Running the back of her hand gently down Holly’s cheek, she nods.
“It’s okay, hon. Tell us what he said.”
Holly looks down feeling no real comfort zone, but...okay with it. She nods and looks back at the shed.
“H-he said I shouldn’t be watching te-le-vi-si-on.”
Kat clutches her fist tightly as she manages a few breaths. None of them as calming as she would have liked, but they eventually get her close enough to it.
“That’s why you were put in here?”
Holly lets out a gasp and shakes her head.
“I-It’s my fault! I was supposed to be sweeping and...and...a program caught my eye. Before I knew it, I was more enthralled by it than my duties.”
Having said that, the maid lowers her head down.
“I’m sorry for yelling, Mistress.”
Kat sighs having known to expect this. She just nods her head and closes up the shed now too afraid to ask about the other or even the barn. Zoey looked like she was handling it better than Kat but that’s just because she was managing to hold it in better. For the moment, anyway. Garnering Holly’s attention, she meets the maid’s eyes with a finger curled under her chin.
“It’s all right. It’s… natural to get upset about these things. But that isn’t a situation you have to deal with anymore. Not with Kat or with me.”
It was obvious that she didn’t know what to say, how to help. Holly looks down for a moment, not finding much joy in those words before looking back up to Zoey.
“I...won’t be trained anymore?”
“You’ll be trained.”
Kat says stepping closer to take hold of her maid’s hand, the same one with which was earlier clenched into a fist.
“I need my maid perfect, but for what I want. Kat Empire is expanding, I’ll need proper translators. I’ll also need you to keep studying up on your massages and what not.”
She glances at Zoey for a few more ideas.
“We’ve a lot of goals we want to see realized, not just on Kat’s side but my own. And we need you for that. Not just because you’re talented, Holly, but because we care about you and want you to be a part of this future.”
Holly looks back at the shed until she feels a pair of fingers touch underneath her chin turning her head back toward the domina.
“It’s time to go home now.”
Nodding, the maid gives one final look to the shed before the trio make their way back to the front. As Holly stands once more praying at the burial site of her parents, Kat stands back with Zoey.
“I honestly hope we’re doing the right thing for her, continuing her on this road.”
“We are. Her past is so ingrained within her that trying to change her perception of it would only hurt her. But we can help her find a better future.”
Zoey’s hand steals over a bit to clasp Kat’s.
“You’ve done right by her so far. And now I’m here to help as well. She’ll be just fine.”