When he brought me back to the house we parted ways without another word. I fled straight to the kitchens and sought out Floss.

"Kellen! Your hands!" She gasped and looked at the backs the moment she saw me. I begrudgingly let her lead me to the infirmary to patch them up. Floss appeared to be very good with it though and the bandages didn't cut the circulation or hang off my hands. It was a snug fit.

"I have a... favor to ask of you, Floss," I mumbled as we traveled back to the kitchen.

"Sure, Kellen," she smiled and I was startled by how alike she looked to Juno.

"I'd like it if you'd stay around me," I admitted, with Floss around I could always have an excuse not to speak with Caerus.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to be left alone with him," I groaned and crossed my arms over my chest, "I was hoping if you were around more often he wouldn't corner me like earlier today."

"He cornered you?" she cocked her head to the side and I pulled back my collar to show her the string of bite marks and hickeys across my neck and jaw. "Holy gods, Kellen, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, he's just a prick," I scoffed and pulled my shirt back to cover them.

"Master Caerus doesn't do things for no reason," Floss assured me with a small wave of her hand.

"Okay, I guess I kind of provoked him, but it was mostly an accident," I rolled my eyes as we walked into the kitchen.

"See? There's always something," she shrugged and walked over to the head cook, I didn't want to intrude on their conversation, so I lingered by the doorway instead. After a moment he gave her a gruff nod and she bounced back over to me.

"Come on," she chirped and hooked her arm through mine, I let her lead me out of the kitchen to wherever we were going.

"Uh, where-"

"To the gardens silly," Floss remarked as if I should've already known, "I didn't think you'd want to be trapped in the kitchen all day, I sure don't."

"But won't you be needed?" I asked as we passed the staircase and the front door came into view.

"Not really, we already have enough people working there, I only help for breakfast anyways," she shrugged and I caught a glance of Caerus making his way down the stairs. His eyes immediately went to Floss' arm around mine, I knew exactly what he was thinking.

I couldn't be bothered to care though, let him think what he wants.

"And you wouldn't mind working in the gardens?" I asked tentatively as we walked out into the sunshine.

"I'd love to restore it to its former beauty, you should've seen it Kellen," she sighed and looked at the already weeded beds, "it was magnificent."

"Well, as you can see, I've already weeded a few, so that's probably where we should start," I shrugged and picked up my bucket, "there's probably another bucket in the shed back there."

I pointed in the direction of the small structure and she skipped around the corner to find it. I started on a new bed of weeds and began filling up my bucket. One day I'd have this whole garden weeded and flowers would grow everywhere. I pictured it for a moment.

Daffodils in the patch across from me, tulips on the one before me. Maybe a few could grow vegetables for the kitchen too. Carrots might be nice under the window to my right, or perhaps roses.

And I would most certainly have lavender and jasmine beds right beside each other, in a subtle reference to Caerus, but I'd never tell him that. I'd never tell anyone. That was if I even survived Caerus long enough to begin planting.

I shrugged and continued along when I found a poppy plant hidden among the brush. I blinked and spread the weeds to take a closer look at the crimson flower. The petals drooped slightly and it seemed to be the only one on the plant, the others had died. Probably for lack of sunlight and nutrients.

I furrowed my brows and began to clear away the weeds around it, careful not to disturb the fragile red flower. When they were all cleared away the only thing standing on the dark soil was the less than impressive poppy. I placed my hands on my hips and wiped the sweat from my brow.

Floss had long since begun pulling weeds on the other side of the garden, so she was currently out of view. I walked to the dilapidated shed and rooted around for a watering can. After a moment I found a small green one with a few dents, but at least it would get the job done well enough.

I walked inside the house and filled it up at the sink in the kitchen, none of the staff bothered me as I went on my way.

I returned to the flower and sprinkled water over the top of it.

It was ironic, actually. Poppies meant eternal sleep, or in other words, death. But here I was trying desperately to keep it alive. It was all just a story anyways, poppies were only flowers, not some superstitious omen.

I set the watering can aside and went to dump my bucket of weeds in the growing pile by the shed. When I returned the poppy seemed a little less droopy, good.

Then I began on the next patch of weeds.

--------------------

By the time the sun had set, Floss and I had cleared around ten more beds and we were exhausted. We stumbled inside laughing over how Floss had just tripped and fell on her face. Her entire front side was covered in mud and dirt. She punched my shoulder and flushed but was smiling all the same. With her pale freckled skin the flush might've also been a sunburn.

My smile faded as I spotted Caerus gliding down the steps, I rolled eyes and pushed Floss towards the kitchens for a towel.

"It looks like you two had fun," he remarked and stalked closer, a shiver ran up my spine, the air almost crackled around him. He was irritated.

"I was being clumsy, that's all Master Caerus," Floss smiled happily at him, despite the grime on her face, it really just made her blue eyes stand out more. She didn't seem to be aware of his foul mood.

"Yeah, so we should go get you cleaned up," I replied and gave her a smile, completely ignoring his existence. That only appeared to tick him off more.

"Floss can do that on her own, come here Kellen," Caerus glowered and I was surprised that he even knew her name.

Floss shot me a worried glance that I knew he saw. The entire goal of this was to stop from being alone with him, but would she refuse orders? I knew I would, but Floss had worked here for a century according to Caerus. I sighed and gave a slight nod before dragging my feet over to him.

Floss scurried away and left us in a tense silence. Then he said something very unexpected.

"Give them to me," He whispered and took the both of my hands into his palms. I internally cringed knowing they were bandaged and he'd ask about it.

"What do you want?" I mumbled as he turned them over and inspected the off white material.

"Who did this?" Caerus asked even though he probably already knew and ignored my question.

"Floss," I returned and studied the floor, the morning's events were still fresh in my mind.

"You two seem close," Caerus remarked but the both of us knew what this was really about.

"I'm allowed to have friends, aren't I master?" I retorted sarcastically, with the intention to make him angry and hopefully storm off.

This, I realized quickly, did not have the desired affect.

"That's right, Kellen," his voice deepened and rumbled in my ears as his lips ran across my cheek, "I'm your master, and you are mine. Only mine, do you understand?"

His breath so close to my ear made my brain fuzzy but I realized one thing.

He was jealous of Floss.

Caerus wanted me all to himself. He wanted to be the one to mold me and tame me. He wanted to be in control.

"And like I said this morning, I am not your lapdog," I hissed as Caerus leaned his body into mine and pressed his lips over my ear.

"You'll be whatever I want, and you'll do whatever I want," he breathed and ran his hands down my sides. I tensed and clawed my fingers into his shoulders.

"No," I choked and clenched my jaw as he pulled my hips against his.

"If I want you to be a shameless whore for me, then you will. If I want you on your hands and knees then you will," he growled and I couldn't deny how weak in the knees the sound of his voice made me. "If I want to take you on these steps for anyone to see, then I will."

Caerus gyrated his hips against me in a slow circular motion, to show me just how serious he was. I let out a shuddering breath and pushed against him.

"We both know what this is about, Caerus," I snarled and tried to turn my head away, "you're jealous."

"Jealous? Of some kitchen maid?" He laughed like the idea was preposterous and I felt the rumble of his chest vibrate against me.

"No. Not of her. You're angry that I'll be nice and sweet for Floss but not for you," I scowled as he nipped at my ear and I released a ragged pant. "You're jealous because you wanted to be the one to make obedient. So what if I enjoy her company? You don't get a say in it."

He sucked in a sharp breath.

"I don't care who you want to whore yourself to, Kellen," Caerus sneered and it felt like he'd drenched me in a pitcher of cold water, "but the only sheets you'll be warming here, are mine."

"I don't even like women you massive prick!" I roared and pushed away from him before realizing what I'd said and clamped my hands over my mouth in fear and shock.

A few heartbeats passed.

"What?" His voice sounded hoarse as he stared me with wide eyes.

"I-I didn't mean it, I-" I stopped when he pushed my body against the wall, far gentler than he'd been before.

"What did you say?" He whispered in disbelief as I shook my head vigorously and felt my eyes burn. After all these years of knowing, I'd never said it aloud. Never told anyone how disgusting I was for- for liking men the way I should've liked women.

"No, no," I whimpered and thrashed my head to the side, Caerus turned my face toward him and captured my lips with his.

I was too shocked to fight back. Caerus moved his lips against mine with deft efficiency. My knees trembled as he pushed his leg between mine to suspend me against the wall.

His tongue swept across mine in lazy strokes that had me moaning quietly in pleasure. Caerus cupped the back of my neck and kissed me harder, deeper. His fingers tugged at the stands of my curly hair and I whimpered against him.

Caerus pulled away and stared into my eyes for a few terrifying heartbeats before kissing me again and again.

"This whole time..." he pressed his body into me, "I thought... it was because you didn't like men," he mumbled against my swollen lips and I couldn't find the words or action to tell him to stop. "But you were afraid... just afraid."

I gave up trying to stop him and allowed his tongue to slide against mine. As long as he wasn't touching me anywhere else, this was acceptable. As long as his hands didn't stray up my shirt I'd let him kiss me as long and as hard as he wanted.

"M-master," I called, I wasn't sure why, the only grounds being that I knew he liked it.

"Kellen," Caerus groaned and I felt a very prominent bulge against my thigh. Blood rushed to my face as my own rubbed against him. "Have you ever touched yourself, Kellen?"

Touched... myself?

He didn't mean touching... that, did he? Why would you even-

My question was answered as he pressed his palm over it and I released a quiet moan. I wasn't even sure I could touch myself the way he was, it felt unbelievably good.

"Every good boy should know how to touch himself, Kellen," Caerus clicked his tongue as if it were shameful. I prayed to all the gods that he wouldn't make me do that in front of him. In the middle of the entryway.

"Please, please not here," I begged as his mouth latched onto my neck again. A moment later I felt like retching as everything went black before we were in that room again, Caerus had me pressed against the mattress.

I panicked and tried to push against him. He was going to take me, I didn't want that. He couldn't. No.

"Relax Kellen, I won't fuck you, I won't even look," Caerus promised and I felt myself blush at his use of words.

Nonetheless, I let him push me back down and palm me through my trousers. He kept his face buried in my neck the entire time he unbuttoned them and then his own. "Touch yourself. Like this."

I almost sobbed with pleasure when Caerus wrapped his hand around my aching shaft and began pumping his hand up and down. Was that how you did it? How you touched yourself?

"Now you do it," he mumbled and wrapped his hand around his own. I felt his prick rub against mine and I stifled a small gasp at the size difference, he was far larger than me. Very slowly, I began running my hand up and down until I was moaning and thrusting my hips against Caerus.

"Master, master," I whimpered under my breath and it mostly resulted in low growls from him as he kissed down my neck. A tight ball grew in my abdomen until I rubbed my thumb over the tip of my shaft and felt it release. I blushed hard as I soiled myself and felt strong surges of ecstasy ripple through my thighs and stomach. It was exhausting and exhilarating and wonderful.

A few moments later Caerus did the same and I felt the heat squirt across my legs and stomach.

I ran my hand over my prick a few more times, but it only felt limp and uncomfortable, but I wanted that feeling again. How good it was. Then again, it made me exhausted, too. I was left splayed on the sheets as Caerus praised my body with kisses.

"Good boy, Kellen, you did so well for your master," he purred and kissed my ear, I whimpered his name and clung tightly to his body with as much strength as I could muster. Caerus rolled us to the side and pulled my leg over his waist.

I basked in the scent of jasmine and lavender and the warmth that radiated from his body. He pulled the blanket over us and rocked me gently in his arms until I drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.