He just clenched his teeth. Haria sighed, then got up, bent and picked up part of the chain between the lock and the ring. She pulled. The chain links rattled through the ring and then the chain tightened as the slack between He's neck and the ring was taken up. Haria gave a light tug. He stiffened. He wasn't about to subject to raw force. Haria shook her head then picked up a good size of the slack and threw it over He's head, allowing it to slip down until it reached his knees. She gave a hard tug forward, unbalancing He then pulled on the chain from his neck again. He came down hard on his knees, and fell forward, managed to save his fall by twisting so that he didn't hit the ground face first but fell onto his shoulder. The straw bolstered the fall only lightly and he winced as his shoulder bruised on the hard ground.

Haria pulled the slack through the ring until there was just an arm's length left, then pushed a peg through one of the chain links on the far side of the ring, thus stopping it from being pulled through. When He tried to get up again the length of chain allowed him just to kneel. He glowered at Haria, his beautiful dark eyes expressing all the anger and humiliation that made his blood rush to his head.

Haria hunkered down in front of him, and caressingly pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes then traced the curve of his ear and cheek with her finger. The tender gesture made him flinch back almost more than the brutal whip lashes he got before. Haria sighed. “I don't like to hurt needlessly. You are intelligent... you know what I demand of you. If you refuse me, I don't have a choice.”

He's beautiful mouth twisted at her words into a sneer. Haria nodded slightly. “You may speak.” For a moment He glowered at her as if considering to remain silent in the face of her permission, but then he growled.

“What kind of sick joke is this? You kidnapped me, brought me here, and now you expect me to be.. what? A toy?... a slave without a will? Obey your every whim? Without knowing why? What do you really want? Money? I can give you plenty... but believe me.. you wouldn't be able to enjoy it! Don't you know who I am? I'm Sha...” His words were muffled by her hand over his mouth.

“I don't care who you were. You don't have a name here... no past... and your future is entirely mine to decide! The faster you understand that, the easier it will be for you.” Haria smiled a little, an almost loving smile. While her left still muffled He's words she caressed him with her right hand. “Don't be afraid. Once you have accepted your situation you will find happiness in it. I only mean to show you your proper destiny. Fulfilment in my service. For that you were born. You will be free of responsibilities, worries for your future, you can be weak... because I will be strong for you.”

He looked at Haria with wide eyes of incomprehension then he shook his head. Haria took her hand from his mouth.

“That's ... madness. You are mad! This place is mad! I demand...” Haria's hand came up so quickly he couldn't react. She pushed a bit of rubber into his mouth while he still complained, gagging him effectively. At the end of the rubber gag was a wide leather strip which covered his whole mouth and cupped his chin. Haria buckled the gag in He's neck tight. No rubbing or chafing would dislodge this construction.

“You talk too much. You need to find some silence. I will leave you... others are awaiting my education.” Haria got up, and walked away. Under the door she looked back at He. He knelt there, restricted to the most basic movements, helplessly staring after her with a furious expression in his eyes which only barely hid the fear and sense of displacement which was beginning to break through. Haria nodded. He would soon be ready for further lessons.

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