Domina's Dominion

Chapter 1: Slave

Mya’s POV:

Slave. What was the meaning of slave? It’s where one person owns another. Being a slave didn't have a gender. Nor did it matter by the color of your skin. Slavery dates back millions of years, just like the oldest profession in the book... prostitution. I hated being a slave. I always thought of my birth parents. What would it be like to live a normal life? Clothes, money, and living the high life. Instead, I’m forced to live like ancient times. Domina liked it that way. I lay there in my den, on my small cot, with the other slave girls. I smiled as I pondered the thought. The door opened with a huge bang. I jolted upright. “Get up! All of you! You lazy bitches have work to do.”

It was Claudia, Mother Superior. Nasty, mean woman. She’s the head superior. Mother Claudia turned on her heels and stormed out. I scrambled out of bed to dress, knelt at the foot of my bed, reached under, and pulled out my gold bands and dressings. I could hear the girls behind me complain. I knew better than to complain. If Mother Claudia heard it, we would get beaten with silver metal whips. I began cuffing gold bands around my wrists, ankles, and neck. My bands were made of solid gold. I was the only slave to have them, for I was the royal personal slave of Domina. I wrapped my leather sheepskin around my hips and fastened it. As for the rest of my body, it was to remain bare. The older girls got chest coverings.

I was shoved into the wall when I was about to head out. “You b***h. You think you’re all high and mighty with your golden bands.”

I curled into a ball to protect my face and look as small as possible. I didn’t want to look up. I knew who it was. Julia. She was tall, with fair skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair. Julia was jealous of me. She and her cronies took turns beating me every morning. Kick, punch. She stomped on my ankle. I screamed out from the pain.

“Please. Stop!” I begged.

"Aw, look! She’s begging," Julia taunted.

“Please,” I whispered.

"Runt! Why would Domina choose you? Pathetic little b***h," Julia hissed.

I knew begging would do me no good. They would continue to assault me. Begging was like fuel to their fire.

“Domina’s pet!” Lilly shouted as she grabbed my head and bounced it off the wall. My head throbbed in pain. The girls ripped off my leather wrap, laughing at me. I tried to reach for my wrap. The girls flung it behind them. I lay there naked as they continued their assaults on me. They knew I would get beaten if Mother Claudia didn’t see me ready. And I knew Mother Claudia would come back to see what the holdup was and see me naked. I prayed to Selene just for today. Almost through my prayer, a booming voice roared throughout our den. “How dare you touch what is mine!”

The beating immediately stopped. The girls lay on the floor face down with their hands above their heads. No one made a sound. It was Domina. I was scared to move. I stayed curled in my little ball. I felt gentle hands pick me up. Her touch was so soothing. I wrapped my hands around her neck and my legs around her waist. I kept my eyes sealed shut.

“How dare you beat my daughter? She is special to me. You will not touch what is mine. Claudia!” Domina shouted.

“Yes, Domina,” Mother Claudia said in a low tone.

"Ten lashes each. Those three. Silver bullwhip," Domina pointed.

Mother Claudia nodded her head. The girls in my den all gasped. Julia begged. “Please, Domina! Have mercy!”

Domina passed me over to one of her ladies-in-waiting. She glided over to where Julia lay, knelt, and picked up Julia’s head by her chin.

“Look at me!” Domina commanded. Julia’s eyes peered upward. Domina squeezed her cheeks. “Mercy, you say. Mya is only ten years old. And you have been beating on her for years. How old are you, Julia?” Domina commanded.

“Fourteen,” Julia said meekly.

“Then, where the f**k is her mercy?” Domina seethed.

Julia's eyes brimmed with tears. “Answer me, you little b***h!” Domina said, now shaking Julia’s face. Julia didn’t answer fast enough. Domina slammed her face onto the ground with a large thud. Julia’s nose started to bleed. Lilly and Sarah made not a sound. They lay there like invalids. I wish Domina hadn’t punished her. It would only make things more complicated for me. Julia was going to want revenge for this. Domina stood up and made her way back over to me. Her lady-in-waiting passed me back over. Domina hummed a soft melody, stroking my head. "Let’s get you a new wrap. We mustn’t display our womanhood around men," Domina cooed. I nodded my head.

We made our way through the castle. People bowed their heads as Domina whisked by them. Two guards opened Domina’s den door. Her den was all white, with white pillars throughout. The pillars themselves had gold leaf designs. The flooring was made of white marble. She had a king-sized bed that sat on a raised platform. Beautiful exotic plants sat or hung throughout the den. Her den looked like the Garden of Eden. I didn’t know what the Garden of Eden looked like. In my mind, it probably looked like that.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Domina said, tapping my nose.

I nodded.

Domina placed me on a chair. This was the first time I sat on one of her lavish chairs. I, even as a royal slave, did not get luxury. I was made to wait on Domina hand and foot, besides school. It was essential to Domina that I get an education. But after school, I was made to work. What was so different this time? Maybe Domina finally took pity on me. I didn’t know.

“Now, we mustn’t get used to luxury, Mya,” Domina said, shaking her finger.

I nodded. Domina picked me again and walked over to a vast white marble pool in the middle of her den. The pool had flower petals inside. The aroma of jasmine filled my nostrils. I could see the steam rising from the water. I noticed carvings of wolves around the entrance of the pool. I had never taken notice of them before. I always kept my head bowed and my eyes on the floor. Domina started taking off my bands. "These look dingy. You need new ones," Domina mumbled.

I wasn’t paying attention. I was enjoying this rare opportunity. I usually bathed in a pond-like structure that was segregated from the boys. It was forbidden for girls and boys to be together.

“Do you know what next week is?” Domina questioned as she broke me from my train of thought.

I looked up at her. Her beautiful face looked as if it had been sculpted from a Greek Goddess statue. Her blonde ringlets sat perfectly around her crown, and her skin was flawless. Some say she looked like Helen of Troy.

“No,” I murmured.

Domina smiled down at me. “Reaping. And guess who’s coming?”

“Father?” I guessed.

“That’s right. And you have a special job.”

Now, I understand why Domina was doting on me. Father was coming. I beamed up at her.

“Is Father a part of the reaping again?” I asked.

"No, my child. Once you are chosen, you will never be chosen again. But because you are special to me, I’m allowing your father to come with his mate. Now, remember. I am your mother. Your mother, who gave birth to you, is not. She is not allowed to touch you. She is allowed to speak to you and bring you gifts, for it is your tenth belated birthday gift from me. Even though you turned ten a few days ago," Domina explained.

“Is my father allowed to touch me?” I questioned.

"Yes. Think of it as if your father and I were mates," Domina said with a sigh.

“You don’t like the reaping, do you?”

Domina huffed as she poured water over my head from a vase. “No. The reaping is there because, a long time ago, our kind killed innocent human children. It’s retribution per se.”

Domina scrubbed my hair as she continued, “Now, as a royal slave, you must attend to the guests. Cater to them as you do me. Walk around, filling wine glasses and taking away all the dirty dishes. Can you handle this task I ask of you? You will be around men. Only during the reaping ball will it be allowed. They were given strict instructions besides your father not to touch you.”

“Yes, mother,” I said, trying to appease her. That did the trick. She hugged me. Then, I lay backward as she scrubbed my legs. One of her ladies ambled toward us. She was carrying something shiny. “Domina.”

Domina stopped scrubbing and turned around. “Thank you, Rose.” Rose bowed, turned on her heel, and left. Domina directed her attention back toward me and pointed at my chest. “You are starting to bud. You must keep wrappings around your chest now.”

I wrapped my arms over my chest. For the first time, I started to feel naked. Domina laughed at me. After my bath, Domina dressed me. She wrapped a white cloth over my chest. Then she wrapped a white cloth around my hips and clasped it at my right hip. My eyes lit up. Domina made me new gold bands. She put the new bands around my neck, wrists, and ankles. The only luxury that I owned. I loved my bands. After I was dressed, Domina brushed my long, jet-black hair. I had a white strip down the right side of my hair. It was some form of birthmark. I think. Domina braided my hair in one braid and patted my butt. "Off to school. And you are to take a bath here for this week only. After that, back to your normal schedule," Domina pointed out.

“Yes, Mother,” I said, placating her once more.

Just before I left, a huge man walked in. He stopped in front of me. I dropped to my knees, with my head low. Just how I was taught when men were around. "Stand up," the man said in a husky voice. I didn’t move. I was scared that I would be beaten for looking at a man.

“Domina, who is this? I have never seen her around before,” the man questioned.

"Mya. My royal slave," she answered.

"The famous Mya that everyone talks about—the one with different colored eyes," the man said in a cheerful tone.

I didn’t care who that man was. I wasn’t about to get beaten for him. I felt a large pair of hands hoist me up to my feet. I shook with fear. A man was touching me. I kept my head bowed. He grabbed my face. “Look at me! I want to see those eyes.”