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--- Burglar (excerpt) ---

The next morning I wake up before my master, and I decide that I can afford a few minutes of early-morning laziness. I uncurl enough to look out the window, seeing a beautiful day behind the sillhouetts of nearby buildings. I still can't get over how lucky I am to have a master. He's green for sure, but that's OK. And although I haven't 'xactly been behavin' like I should, I'll try harder, for him. I want to be a perfect slave, his perfect slave. I hear him yawn and I crawl over to kneel at the head of the bed. He's facing the wall, but he rolls over and opens his eyes. Soon as he does that he jumps up and shrieks, "Who... wha... Rowan?" I nod and giggle. 'Parently he forgot I was here. It'll take him a while to get used to having me around, I guess, but I have no prob with that. I just hope I'm still here when he does get used to having someone sleepin' at the foot of his bed. He yawns again and stands up. When I don't get up he looks at me and asks, "Rowan, do you intend to stay there all day?" I shrug and answer, "My lord Ki, if you bid me rise, I'll rise. If you bid me stay, I'll stay. When Rowan kneels to you in the morning it's reminding her she's a slave. And for Rowan it is a way of saying that she is at your command, wholly and completely." I bow my head, hiding a grin. In this at least I can say something of how I feel w'out overstepping myself. He nudges me in the ribs with his foot. When I look up he says, "Rowan, rise. Get dressed, then go down to the kitchen and see if you can make me a decent breakfast. I like coffee, orange juice, toast, French toast, pancakes, over-easy eggs, sausage, bacon, and grapefruit; not all at the same time, but if you pick a few of those I'll be happy." I smile, stand up, and bow low. Then I run down the hall to the room where my clothing has been put. As soon as I am dressed, which nach' doesn't take too long, I head downstairs to that huge kitchen. As I'm walking to the staircase I catch a glimpse of him in the bedroom. He's even beautiful in the morning. I start humming under my breath and skip downstairs. In the kitchen I dig around until I find some sausage, OJ, toast, eggs, syrup, and the rest of the trimmings of a good breakfast. I work as fast as I can, but before I am finished he waltzes into the kitchen. I try not to giggle as he sniffs the air and his stomach growls. He looks at me and laughs, so I do too. Then he comes over and ruffles my hair. I purr, and he laughs again. I would love to stand there with him forever, but I've gotta finish breakfast so I say as polite as I can, "My lord Ki, Raven is almost finished cooking. Where do you wish to eat?" He looks around. Fortunately I've pretty much cleaned up as I went so there's not too much mess, just a lot of good food. His stomach growls again and he growls back, "Wait a minute, can't you?" He looks at me with a helpless but unrepentant grin and I laugh. Then he says, "I think that if you bring it on a tray to the parlor I'll be happy. Bring yours, too." I look a question at him and he shoots it back to me, so I have to say, "Master, Rowan should not eat with her master. If he gives her scraps during or after the meal, that is sufficient. Rowan is a slave, she deserves no more than that." He rolls his eyes but shrugs, "Then you can play the piano while I eat, and while you eat after I'll get some work done." I look at him curiously and he explains, "Breaking and entering's not my only occupation. I'm also a writer... as yet unpublished, but a writer nonetheless." I grin and nod, then shoo him out so I can finish.

When I come in to the library/home office I almost drop the trays I'm carrying when I catch a look at his expression an' laugh. I hand him the tray with the plate of French toast and sausages, the OJ, the coffee cup, and the grapefruit. Then I manage to control myself an' kneel beside him, holding the pot of coffee, the sugar, the syrup, and the salt. He looks down at me with this stunned look on his face. Fearing that he's unhappy I ask humbly, "Master, does this displease you? Should Raven make you something else?" He shakes his head slowly, looking at me funny. Then he says softly, "I think I'm going to like having you around, slave of mine. Pour me some coffee, will you?" I do so carefully, then watch as he tastes the sausages. For a moment he looks at me sternly and I'm afraid I did something terrible to them, but his face breaks into a gorgeous smile and he laughs, "You are a first-class cook!" I grin, pleased, then smile even wider as he cuts off another piece of sausage and holds it out to me. I open my mouth and he pops it in. I duck my head in thanks; my mouth's full and I can't bow with a tray in my hand, but he gets the message and says, "Want more?" I get kinda wide-eyed; most masters would give me what they didn't want when they were done, but he's already cutting up the sausages into bite-size pieces. He takes one and spears another to give to me. I open my mouth hopefully but he pulls the morsel out of range just as I am about to bite on it. I look at him resentfully and he laughs, then says, "Beg for it, girl!" Now I laugh, 'cause that's a trick only a master would pull. I look at him pleadingly and beg, "Please, master, feed Raven!" He tosses the piece of meat up and I catch it neatly in my mouth. He grins and applauds, then says, "Set that tray down and play me some music, girl." I hurry to do so, running my hands lightly over the keys before launching into the opening bars of 'Downtown'. From there I segue into 'Blue Moon', 'I'm In Chains', my Piccolo song, and a brief medley of slave songs. When I tell him what the medley was he laughs and says approvingly, "You're pretty good at choosing music. Try this. What would you play if I was angry at... at a publisher who bounced my novel?" I quickly run through 'Bad Days', singing the words. He seems to find that hilarious; i' fact, he spills his OJ laughing. I run over and begin to clean it, but he lifts me up and says softly, "Rowan, are you sorry you came with me?" I look at him for a moment, then slip out of his grasp and move back to the piano. I sit down on the narrow bench and play a gentle version of 'No Regrets'. He recognizes it and says laughingly, "Well, if you're happy here I don't think I can find it in my heart to get rid of you, at least not for a while. Besides, I need a good cook." I run back to kneel before him and he runs his fingers gently through my hair when I look up at him. I grin, can't help it; he's gonna keep me for long enough that I might be able to get him used to me. And if that happens... I'll stay! He looks down at what's left of his breakfast: two sausages, a piece of French toast, and a half-cup of coffee. He glances at me and says tentatively, "Rowan, do you want this? Is it enough?" I almost start to laugh, but I manage to put a lid on it before my big mouth gets me in trouble. Carefully I nod and say, "My lord Ki, whatever you give your slave will be more than enough. For Rowan, that is a feast. But my lord Ki, has Rowan really earned all that?" He's looking at me funny again, but this time I hope that he can figure it out on his own. He doesn't need a slave 'xplaining everything. Sure enough after a couple seconds he rubs his forehead and asks, "So what do you think you'd have to do to 'earn' that much food?" I almost whimper but I remember that I'm the one what got him started down that road so I quickly answer, "Master, if at the end of the day you feel your slave has served you well, you would feed her then. But this early, and so much? To earn something like that with most other masters Rowan would have... pleased them well." Now I do turn down my head, hoping that he doesn't ask for any details. I mean, he's already made it pretty clear where he stands on that stuff... Unfortunately, my new master's got more curiosity than ten cats, and he asks calmly, "How would Rowan please them? Perhaps you could do the same for me." I almost grin, then remember that he doesn't know what he's saying. I stand up, keeping my head down as I walk to stand behind his chair. Carefully I begin massaging his shoulders. He leans forward and my hands move further down. After a minute of this he jumps up and says, "Rowan, I love that!" I grin and start to thank him but he's already continuing, "Come upstairs. I assume you can do a full-back massage?" I nod, wishing that I could touch more of him than his back... but that's just foolish dreamin'. I follow him up the grand staircase to his bedroom, then wait as he pulls off his shirt and lays on his stomach on the bed.

"Well, aren't you going to get started," he asks impatiently as I just stand beside the bed. I jump a bit and tentatively touch his back, running my hands lightly across the smooth tanned skin. For a moment I can't remember what to do, but it all comes back when I feel his silky skin beneath my hands; I knead and rub, the rhythmic motions calming me as much as my master. As I alternate between gentle stroking and roughly pressing and massaging I slip off into something of a daydream. I imagine that I let my hands work their way downward, going further and further until I am massaging the part of him that I want to touch with something other than my hands. As I return to reality I feel my hands moving down, almost of their own accord. Daya, but I don't know what to do. I want to please Ki so bad, but if I try I might make him angry... With a shrug and a quick prayer for luck I let my hands slide downward. In a few minutes he is groaning, shivering. I guess that he'd been subconsciously wanting me to do something like that, because he doesn't stop me as my hands first caress the bulge of him through his jeans, then begin to remove the frustration of cloth between skin; and by the time he's realized what I'm doing, and where it'll take him, it's too late. I climb up onto the bed, slipping off my shirtdress with one hand and continuing my task with the other. When he feels me kneeling beside him he rolls over until he's looking up into my eyes. I pause for a moment and he says in a strained voice, "Rowan, do you know what you're doing?" I'm too hot to answer, so I just reach down and touch him lightly, then nod. I can tell he's trying to control himself; but I can't control myself and I lean down to kiss him. His arms wind around me, holding me; one hand slides through my hair to imprison my head within kissing distance. My hands have never stopped moving, and now I find the buttons on his fly. It's a matter of seconds, and then he springs free of his confinement. I roll over until he is on top of me. He pulls back and looks at me, and I can tell he wants to be pleasured. Before he can say anything I lift my head, covering his mouth with mine. One hand guides him into me while the other rubs his back. For a moment I'm trembling, remembering my last experience with this. Then I see his gentle face above me and I let myself go. I love him, and I want to please him every way I can. Now he kisses me back, now we are moving in synch, and now... When I come back to reality as I know it I feel as if I'm floating on a slow-moving river in paradise. His head is nestled in the hollow between my neck and my breast. His slow breathing tells me that he too is lost in the bliss I'm feeling. I remain there, holding him. I know that when he's more awake I'm going to be in trouble; and I'm almost always right about that kind'a thing.

Sure 'nough, five minutes later he stands up and growls, "Rowan, I told you I didn't want to do that to you! Are you mad?" I slide off the bed as well, then I kneel on the floor in front of him and whisper, "Please, my lord Ki, punish Rowan. She knew she should not. But..." I stop there. To say more would only dig me deeper, an' I don't need more grief. But unless he sends me away, whatever punishment he dreams up'll be worth it. I love him, and I want to please him. I look down and hope that he realizes that I'm his, and he can take me whenever and wherever. I look up again as he says, "Rowan, why did you do that? Why did you willingly help me... you know?" He's blushing a bit and I almost giggle but I know better'n that. In a soft voice I answer, "My lord Ki, Rowan hoped to show you that she could be pleasing. And..." I almost stop but I grab my nerve and go on, "And Rowan wanted it. My lord Ki, Rowan loves you, and she wants to pleasure you. Please, forgive her for this. Do not send her away." I creep over and kiss his feet, tasting the dust of the streets still on them from yesterday. He looks down at me for a long time, not saying anything. I too am silent, although I long to beg for his mercy, and beg for his touch again. He's nothing like my old master. He's gentle, and yet strong. He's so wonderful. I snap my attention back to the present. My master walks over to the bed and sits down, motioning for me to come near him. I run over to sit on the floor at his feet, looking up hopefully. He grins ruefully and runs a gentle hand through my hair, then rubs the back of my neck. I purr and smile, then turn my head to snap playfully at his hand. He laughs, he can't help it, and I laugh with him. When we have both stopped he looks at me and says seriously, "Rowan, I don't know why you think you love me, and I don't know why I think I love you. But love or not, you're not to do that again. If I tell you to, that's one thing. But I don't want you thinking you have to get me in heat before I'll accept you. Understand?" I nod quickly, almost bursting with one question. I guess he sees it in my face 'cause he asks, "Is there something you want to say, slave of mine?" I nod again and say breathlessly, "My lord Ki, you... could love this foolish slave?" He grins again, and whispers, "Yes, I could love this foolish slave. I don't know why, I've only known you for a bit more than a day; but I love you. And how do you feel about me?" I look at him with tears in my eyes and say huskily, "Master, Rowan will never love another the way she loves you. My lord Ki, I want to always be at your feet, to have your voice wake me in the morning, and to have your face be the last thing I see before I sleep. I love you with all my heart. Rowan knows that she is only your slave, but a slave's love can be just as strong as that of a free-born. Master." He smiles down at me and I realize that I'm still undressed. I blush, then realize that he's already seen me, and anyway he's my master. I have no secrets from him. Now he realizes that I'm nude and he looks away, blushing furiously. I grin and slip on my shirtdress, then say laughingly, "I'm decent... or at least dressed." He blushes again and turns to watch me. I stretch longingly, making sure he sees me silhouetted against the light from the window. My clothing is sheer enough that he can see the curves beneath it. He laughs and pulls me close. I nibble at his ear and he breaths, "Rowan, do you know what you do to me?" I laugh and say, "Do you know what I want to do to you?" At that he pins me down to the bed, his strong arms holding me while he places gentle kisses all over me. I laugh; it tickles a bit. For almost an hour he and I are in bed, and I show him that to be pleasured by a slave girl can be a very good thing.