Chapter 4: The Cage

I’m woken by the sound and feel of my box being moved. My sexual cravings have dulled for the moment, but they’ve not entirely disappeared. I’m bursting to relieve myself but I resist the degrading act for the moment. My chastity belt is shaped to allow me to piss and shit, although neither in comfort. I don’t want to soil myself if I can avoid it as it would only be another step on the slippery slope to my total degradation.

The box is put down and the lid unlocked. Maeve stands there looking at me. One of her attendants checks my box and, at Maeve’s command, unfastens the ankle chains keeping me locked inside the box.

“Get out of the box, slave,” orders Maeve.

I could refuse, but it would be a pointless defiance. I struggle to sit up and then raise myself to my feet. The box had been placed next to a newly built wooden plinth in an annex of Maeve’s throne room. An iron cage has been constructed next to the plinth.

“Welcome to your new home, slave,” smirks Maeve. “Behave and you’ll be allowed to reside inside the cage when I’m not in need of your services. Disobey me and you’ll be returned to your box. Your choice.”

I look at the cage. It’s not very large; too small to allow me to stand upright, but I could sit or crouch, and it’s wide enough that I could lie down. Small it might be, but it would allow me more freedom than the casket. But at what price is this pseudo-freedom granted?

“Today we shall resume your training,” says Maeve. “I intend to have you broken in to my satisfaction by the end of the week. You have four days, slave. If I’m satisfied that you are truly mine, then you’ll save Nisa from further punishment. You alone are responsible for her fate. And if she should die from Cairn’s attentions, then I can find plenty more to replace her.”

Four days. Can I find a way to restore my magic power in such a short time? Unlikely. Even if I can get myself free of this mask and my fetters, four days is precious little time. While I’m encased in iron, restoring my power will be impossible. Maeve signals for Nisa to join us.

“I’ve made Nisa responsible for your training. Obey her as though you are obeying me. She will report your progress at the end of each day. Both of you will be rewarded or punished as I think fit depending on your progress.”

Nisa waits while Maeve strolls across the room towards a waiting chair. She clearly intends to watch the first part of my training. I look at Nisa. She seems very nervous, but she’s resigned to her task. I’m in a quandary. As Maeve demonstrated yesterday, she’s more than happy to play on my guilt when I’m faced with someone else suffering for my defiance. It’s a far more effective weapon than beating me into submission.

Nisa begins by going through some basic rules I’m expected to follow. Firstly, I’m not allowed to speak without permission. She shows me the signal I’m to give if I want to ask for permission. There’s another signal I must give if I need to perform a bodily function. More signals for when I complete an assigned task, or if I don’t understand an instruction. Then there are postures I’m expected to adopt in different circumstances. Those are a bit of a joke while I’m bound by these heavy chains. Nevertheless, Nisa has me practise them repeatedly. Only when she is satisfied with my attempts does she respond to my increasingly urgent signals, and allow me to relieve myself in the small chamber pot in the corner of the room. I shuffle off as quickly as I can manage with Nisa following close behind. It’s embarrassing having to relieve myself in Nisa’s presence, but she is clearly expected to be in attendance. We return to where we were before and resume my training.

The next part of my training could only be described as physical exercises. I’m ordered to walk about the annex and throne room as quickly as I can manage in my fetters. It’s difficult to say whether the purpose of the exercise is to build up my muscles, or simply to provide amusement for Maeve. The motion aggravates the sores forming around my wrists and ankles from my fetters. Maeve clearly enjoys seeing me suffer and being bent to her will. But she has a long way to go before she breaks my willpower. To be honest, I don’t know why she’s wasting her time with this performance. I might be forced to comply while I’m bound as I am, but she must know that she’ll lose control the moment I’m free.

Finally we stop for a break. Food and drink arrive. For the first time since my capture I’m allowed to eat and drink normally. At least, as normal as anyone can eat and drink through one side of their mouth. The iron mask effectively blocks anything from passing into the left side of my mouth. Nisa is looking increasingly nervous as we prepare for the next session. Maeve decides to leave us for now and moments later Nisa and I are alone.

“You must remember the signals and postures. I’m not allowed to show you them again. Now lie on the floor. I’m sorry for what I must do next, but I have no choice. My mother will be handed over to Cairn tonight for his pleasure if I fail in my task.”

I want to tell Nisa that I don’t blame her, but I remember that I’m not allowed to speak without permission. Nisa refuses my signal requesting permission to speak, but I think she understands. The threat to Noor is aimed at obtaining Nisa’s compliance rather than trying to defeat me.

I soon realise that although Nisa is reluctant to be my trainer, she is nevertheless exceptionally good at the task of breaking in a new slave. She must have done this several times before. However, I’m probably the first Human-Fae half blood she’s been tasked with breaking. Her technique will only affect a Fae, and she’s clearly uncertain whether it will work on me. However, that doesn’t weaken her obvious determination to succeed.

To break a human slave, he or she would be beaten and deprived of the basic necessities of life until they capitulated. For the strong minded that could take weeks, or even months. Breaking in a Fae slave is more subtle. It’s a simple matter of a dominant Fae overpowering the magic possessed by a lesser Fae. The inherent magic possessed by every Fae can be manipulated to work against its carrier. Not to the extent that the magic can be used to kill its carrier, but enough to render it ineffective if it isn’t used as the dominant Fae commands. Furthermore, should the dominant Fae so desire, the open door created by the lesser Fae yielding control of their magic can be used to influence what the lesser Fae believes.