Liz yawned and almost fell over backwards as she stepped out of the jeep that had driven her to work.

​

“You all right, ma’am?” Sgt. Robbins, her driver, escort, and full-time assistant, looked at her with concern.

​

She flashed him a brief smile. “Yeah. Just had trouble sleeping last night.”

​

“I’m not surprised. I didn’t take you home until almost eleven, and eight hours later you’re back.”

​

“I’m sorry, Sergeant. I should get another driver if I’m going to be late. It isn’t fair to your wife to have you out that long.”

​

“Please don’t worry. She’s so starstruck by who I’m driving she’d be horrified if you got someone else. Besides, this won’t last forever.”

​

He was right. In the week since they’d returned from Werrin after finding and rescuing Jenny, Liz’s sixteen-hour days were showing results. Despite the province being caught completely unprepared for the thousands of POWs who surrendered or were captured after the three-day war, Liz and her military counterpart had begged, borrowed, strong-armed, and cajoled everyone they could contact. They now had basic food, shelter, clean water, and enough phones that all the prisoners had been able to call their families at least once.

​

“However,” the sergeant continued, “I have a feeling I might get a strongly-worded request from Mr. Benault to get you home earlier if this goes on.”

​

Liz had never talked with the sergeant about her relationship with Ryan, but the young man had been working so closely with the two couples that he’d surely picked up some hints.

​

“Yes, you might,” she agreed with a rueful grin. “All right, Sergeant, your orders are to get me out of here early enough tonight that Mr. Benault does not give you that request.”

​

“Yes, ma’am!”

​

True to his word, the young man worked his magic and managed to extricate her from the endless list of needs by six o’clock, and by six-thirty she was back in the tiny apartment, laying on her back with her feet on Ryan’s lap and groaning in ecstasy as he massaged the fatigue out of her muscles.

​

“I had a word with Robbins a few minutes ago. He reports your work is easing up a bit.” The voice above sounded serious.

​

She opened her eyes. “Well, yes, it is,” she responded guardedly. 

​

“I want you home by six every night now.”

​

She started to protest but it died on her lips. “Yes, Sir.” She chewed on her lip.

​

“What is it, love?”

​

“Remember when I came back from prison, how I needed your help to get back to rights?”

​

“To get your submission back? Oh, yes, I remember. That was a tough few months for you.”

​

“Mmm hmm. It was very tough. But it worked.”

​

“Feeling a little like that now?”

​

“Not a little – a lot. I need to keep doing this job; I know you know that. But… I miss your control. It’s been a hard couple of months and I sometimes feel like I’m spinning apart.”

​

“I can do that. You know I won’t make it easy on you, but I’ll always encourage you.”

​

“You’ll be my biggest cheerleader?” she smiled. “Remember the first time you said that to me? It was that very first day when you took me from the prison camp to Master Daniel’s estate. I’m not sure whether that was before or after I told you I’d rather die than be a slave.” Her voice went soft and serious.

​

“I’m not sure, either,” he said, giving her a hand up and pulling her close against his chest on the couch, “but even then I wanted to put my arms around you and comfort you and tell you it was all going to be okay. But I wasn’t in charge and I couldn’t make that promise.” He looked down at her. “Did I ever tell you that I almost quit and walked away the night after I brought you? I hated how Master Thomas was treating you and I talked with Michael about leaving. But I felt like I’d be abandoning you.”

​

She was quiet for a minute. “I didn’t realize how close I came to losing you. Ryan, I’ve never been as low as I was then. It wasn’t even the slavery; it was the way I was trying so hard, I really was, and he didn’t care. He didn’t encouraged me, and I never got a chance to even try to obey him because he hit me every time I made a sound. I know now that he was grieving and angry over his family being killed, and I feel really bad for for him. But if things had kept going the way they started – if you hadn’t stayed and talked with Michael – I would have just given up. No matter how hard he beat me.”

​

He closed his eyes and pulled her tighter. “Liz, we – I – never told you about the night he left. He came down to the slave house in the middle of the night.” He stopped, unsure if he really should be telling her this.

​

“He wanted to hurt me.” It wasn’t a question.

​

“You knew?”

​

“Greta told me about a year ago. We were talking about when I first came and it was the way she didn’t say something that made me wonder, and I pried it out of her.”

​

“Liz,” The pain in his voice was clear, “I’m so sorry. I know Daniel felt he had little choice but to take you hostage after Edwal attacked us, but looking back – there had to be another way. A better way.”

​

They said nothing for a while, lost in thoughts. He played with a curl in her hair.

​

“Hey,” she turned around in his arms and looked at him, “let’s talk about something less grim. I don’t think I ever told you that while we were eating pizza the night you took me to Master Daniel’s,  I was pretending we were on a date. A great date with a really hot-looking man. And I was trying to think of what movie we would go see when we were done eating. ‘Course, coming from Edwal, and spending six weeks in a prison camp, I had no idea what movies were actually playing.” She smiled, and saw his face relax.

​

“And I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you under that tree. You were pale and sad and I wanted to put my arms around you and make things right.”

​

“It’s been a long journey for us, hasn’t it?”

​

He nodded. “I’m hoping we can have some time to ourselves soon. I know things will be chaotic for a while, but eventually I want to settle down in a home and be like other married people.”

​

“Ooh, Master Ryan, have I tamed you?” she giggled.

​

He answered the question by dumping her on the floor on her back, and kneeling down over her, his large form completely covering her small one.

​

“Just because the lion wants a den doesn’t mean he can’t bite,” he threatened as he pinned her wrists above her head. “Allow me to show you.” He leaned down and took a shirt-covered nipple in his mouth as she giggled and struggled.

​

“Mmm. This is even better than usual,” he said between his teeth. He increased the pressure until her giggles turned to moans of arousal, and when he heard just the smallest bit of pain in her voice he let go.

​

“Lesson received?”

​

“Yes, Sir,” she said breathlessly. “And enjoyed.”

​

“Good.” He sat up and leaned back against the couch. She sat up and curled into his arm. “So here’s what we’re going to do. You no longer have permission to call me ‘Ryan’. You will call me ‘Master’ or ‘Sir’ all the time. You’ll call me ‘Sir’ in public, no matter who hears. You’re going to lose a lot of privileges here at home that you have to earn back with perfect behavior.”

​

He listed a number of other expectations and she quailed a bit at the severity of them. Nevertheless, she nodded and agreed as she trembled, partly in fear and partly in submissive longing.

​

~ ~ ~

​

Her days at work were going to be easy compared to what Ryan expected of her now. Around the house she would be naked all the time, unless there was company. That she expected. She was to kneel each time he entered the room and wait to be released. That was tough. They had a one bedroom apartment with a living room and kitchen. Any time Ryan left the room to get something he would be back just a moment later and she’d have to drop whatever she was doing to kneel and wait, again.

 

He was particularly restless the first two evenings, wandering from room to room every couple of minutes, causing Liz to kneel again moments after he’d let her stand. She got very frustrated very fast and once let out a growl of annoyance as he returned to the kitchen only a few seconds after he left. That earned her a trip across his lap and a thorough spanking. She spent the rest of the evening kneeling at his feet without moving, something she used to be good at but now made her restless and fidgety.

​

She also knew that the furniture was going to be off-limits, but what she hadn’t expected was that the bed would be, too. This she found out when she started to crawl under the down comforter.

​

“Unh uh.” He shook his head.

​

She looked at him in confusion. “Sir?”

​

He pointed to the floor. “Down there.”

​

She looked around for a blanket and pillow but saw nothing.

​

He knew what she was looking for. “Tonight you’re on the floor, no blanket or pillow. If you’re very obedient tomorrow, you get to choose which one you want tomorrow night. Each night you get a little more until you’re back in the bed with me.”

​

Her face fell. She loved snuggling in bed with her tall, warm husband. She was going to be cold and lonely for a while.

​

“Yes, Sir.” She curled up on the thin industrial carpeting with her head pillowed on her arm. The apartment was warm enough that she wouldn’t shiver, but even so, sleep was a long time coming.

​

When she exited the shower the next morning, Ryan had a gleam in his eye that she’d learned a long time ago to be wary of. He held up a curved metal object and she groaned. The gods only knew how he had obtained a stainless steel butt plug in the chaos of the last two months.

​

“Sir?” She feigned ignorance to delay the inevitable.

​

“This will help you remember me all day long. Turn around and lean over the end of the bed, little slave.”

​

She closed her eyes and let out a breath. I asked for this – I asked for this she repeated in her head as she bent over in obedience. She felt his fingers slide over her warm damp skin.

​

“Such a fine, fine ass. You’re going to feel this all day. I want you to keep your mind on your work, but in the back of your mind should always be the understanding that you’re my treasure, and I’m also counting the minutes until you’re home and kneeling at my feet again.”

​

How could she protest against a sentiment like that?

​

It had never been easy to take anything back there, and it wasn’t any easier today to slide it in, no matter how much lube he used. She felt the tip go in and she tried not to stiffen, and as the plug widened and began to get uncomfortable she bore down. When the plug reached its widest point she screeched in real pain, but both she and Ryan knew that would happen, and he quickly pushed it the rest of the way in, seating the cold hard object deep inside.

​

It always took a few minutes for the pain to subside all the way. This was a real test of her submission; there was nothing erotic about this pain to her. It was simply something she bore because her Master desired it. And yet there was nothing as powerful as bearing pain for him to help her get into the place in her mind where she could find the joy and peace that waited for her.

​

When her breathing had calmed and the hands clutching the bedspread had loosened, Ryan knelt down beside her.

​

“Keep this in as long as you can today, but at least three hours. Tomorrow it’ll be four, and we’ll work up to all day. Eventually you’ll wear one any time you have clothes on, as a kind of penance for wearing them.”

​

She almost missed what he was saying because his fingers had slipped between her folds and were doing a dance on her clit, pulling the little ring inserted there one way and then the other, until she was gasping with need.

​

“And I probably don’t even need to say this, but you’re on indefinite orgasm restriction.”

​

That wasn’t a surprise, but if he didn’t want her to have one he’d better stop playing with her clit right–

​

He pulled his fingers out as she whimpered with unmet need. “Yes, Sir,” she panted, finding she was already deep in a submissive place. He helped her up and watched as she got dressed, which took a lot longer than usual.

​

It was also no surprise when he pointed to the floor in the kitchen, and she spent a contented thirty minutes being fed from his hand, something she loved but hadn’t done much lately. She had a feeling she’d be doing it a lot from now on.

~ ~ ~

​

Being driven to the POW camp in a jeep whose shocks had disappeared long ago was an interesting experience. Every bounce made her wince, and more than once Sgt. Robbins looked sideways at her. She made a mental note to spend most of the day on her feet, not sitting at her desk.

​

By the time she got home that evening, her feet were sore from the miles she’d walked through the camp. Ryan noted her tired face and had her lay down on the floor again while he massaged her feet and she moaned with pleasure.

​

“Tired, love?”

​

“Yes, Sir.” She didn’t add that part of the reason was that she hadn’t slept very well on the floor the night before. He would already know that, like he knew everything about her. And if her poor sleeping started to affect her work, or ability to function, he’d change things. Right now, though, it was part of her submission to accept the discomfort that he gave, deal with it, and move forward.

​

“How long did you keep the plug in?”

​

“Until just before lunch, Sir.”

​

“Got uncomfortable then?”

​

“Um, kind of.”

​

He cocked an eyebrow up.

​

She sighed. “It was getting uncomfortable, and I knew I was going to have to sit down for a while which would make it worse, so I went ahead and took it out.”

​

“Were you at ‘yellow’?” That was code for either ‘something is not right and needs to be changed, or ‘I’m approaching my limits but not there yet.’

​

“Yellow – with maybe a touch of green still,” she confessed.

​

“Liz, normally I would accept ‘yellow’ as the place to stop something like this, especially at work. But right now, while I’m pushing you, I expect at least somewhere between yellow and red.”

​

“Yes, Sir.” She dropped her eyes from his, knowing he was right.

​

“I didn’t make that clear to you earlier today, I know. So I want you to decide if you went as far as you could have gone today, or if you should have gone further but were feeling rebellious.”

​

She screwed up her eyes and mouth before looking up at him. “I could have gone longer,” she whispered.

​

“Thank you for being honest. You know there’s a consequence, right?”

​

She nodded a tiny nod.

​

“Go get on the bed on your stomach with the pillows under your hips, raise your arms above your head, and spread your legs.”

​

“Yes, Sir.” She scrambled to obey. It only took a moment for her to get in position, and despite knowing she was going to be punished the bed felt wonderful and she thought longingly of sleep.

​

But he was standing right next to her. There were no surprises when he fastened her hands and legs with soft cuffs to the headboard and foot board. Her head turned to the right as she followed his movements.

​

He left her for a few minutes to contemplate, and despite her fear the arousal was flooding through her.

​

When he returned a few minutes later, she was startled to realized she’d drifted off to sleep. He was kneeling at the side of the bed with a smile on his face.

​

“You are tired. This will wake you up.” He held up something long , thin, off-white, and looking vaguely like a butt plug–

​

Oh, no. It was ginger.

​

“Ryan?” she squeaked. What was she going to say? “Please don’t?” She’d never had it before, but knew what it did, and knew it wouldn’t kill her, though she might feel a little like she was on fire…

​

He moved behind her and she felt his hands stroking her ass, but felt no cold lube like she expected. Instead she felt the root pushing through her folds and sliding into her vagina.

​

“Just getting a little natural lube on it, love. Can’t use the regular stuff because then you wouldn’t get the whole experience. Plus, this adds a little extra touch of spice.”

​

“Oh gods!” she whimpered.

​

He swirled it around inside her, causing groans and whimpers of lust, then withdrew and trailed it up her crack until she felt it sit in the dimple of her small hole.

​

“Here we go.” She felt him push it in without a lot of resistance – it was not very wide, certainly not like the plug she’d worn earlier in the day. Oh, why didn’t I just push myself a little longer? she wondered with real regret.

​

When he was done he knelt by the side of the bed again. “You know what it’s going to do, right?”

​

“Yes, Sir,” she whispered. Right now it was just a little tingly. But in a few minutes…

​

“I expect you not to push it out.”

​

“Yes, Sir,” she repeated.

​

“Good girl.” He smiled and brushed a lock of hair off her face. “I’m going to go make dinner.”

​

He left her alone, but she wasn’t bored. The ginger had started its evil work. It stung. And the stinging was growing by the minute. Most of the sting was in her bottom, but there was just enough in her folds from when it had been dragged through that she was acutely aware of the whole area down there.

​

She tried to relax, knowing the pain was worse if she tensed. Breathe in, breathe out. That wasn’t going to work for long, because if there was a way for her to get around the intense feelings that were coming then this wouldn’t be a punishment.

Time dragged. The burning got worse and she started whimpering. When she couldn’t stand it any longer she started wiggling, which just made it worse.

Clenching her butt sent fire straight up her belly.

​

Now she was moaning out loud. “I can’t do this, Ryan, it hurts, please!!”

​

Suddenly he was at her side, brandishing a spatula in one hand. The sight almost made her laugh.

​

“Ryan, I’m on fire!” she cried instead, straining hard at her cuffs. “How much longer?”

​

He looked at his watch. “It’s usually bad for about 20 minutes. You’ve been at it for eight.”

​

“No!” she sobbed.  She was going to be burned alive, she knew it.

​

“Shhh,” he soothed, stroking her face. “You can do this.” He stood. “Let me turn off the stove.” He disappeared for only a moment while the burn in her ass went from fire to volcano.

​

He came back and knelt down again and spoke soothingly to her as she struggled and cried and begged. It hurt so bad she couldn’t keep still, but moving around just made it worse. She’d never felt anything like this before. And even through the pain of it was a little awareness of being so horny she could explode into an orgasm at any moment. That, she knew, was the contradiction of ginger.

​

“I’m sorry I took the plug out. I won’t do it again,” she managed to get out in between gasps and groans.

​

“I know you won’t. You’re very good at learning lessons. And I know this is one you don’t want to repeat.”

​

“No, sir,” she whispered. The burning seemed to subside just a little.

​

He stood. “I need to check on dinner. I’ll be right back.”

​

She lay perfectly still now, able to tolerate the burning if she didn’t move. Any slight squeeze of her butt cheeks, though, reignited the fire.

​

He was back in a moment. “How are you doing, love?”

​

“It’s getting better, Sir. But it’s making me so horny!” Her aching clit had now become the center of her universe.

​

“Really? Let me check.” He reached underneath her hips with his hand and snaked his fingers between her dripping wet folds. Just the touch of his hand had her moaning and tightening, sending fresh waves of heat through her belly from the ginger, but now the heat only increased her lust. His fingers found her clit and slid back and forth over the rigid hard button. The sensation was so strong she threw her head up and cried out.

​

“Please can I come, Master, please?!” She knew he would say ‘no’ but she was beyond desperate.

​

He didn’t reply. He backed away from her clit, rubbing her folds between his fingers while she panted, rubbing the skin around her tight hole, which reignited the burn, and talking to her in a low voice that she didn’t really hear, so surrounded by sensation was she.

​

All she knew was that his fingers had resumed stroking her clit and a tidal wave rose inside that made it hard to breathe. Up and up it rose until she thought she would combust, and she scarcely heard Ryan when he leaned over her thrashing head and whispered, “Come.”

​

She exploded. Every muscle in her body short-circuited and seized. Her brain had no coherent thoughts except lust mixed with blinding light.

​

When she finally came down Ryan was bending over her whispering, “Breathe, my love. Breathe…”

​

She took a shuddering breath but couldn’t form words. He moved a damp curl off her forehead and then gently pulled the ginger out of her ass, leaving only a pleasant burn behind.

​

“I’ll be right back.”

​

She nodded, the only movement she was capable of making, and he stood up and left.

​

~ ~ ~

​

It took Ryan only a moment to dispose of the ginger and wash his hands, but when he walked back into the bedroom Liz was fast asleep, still bound to the bed. He chuckled as he unclipped the restraints, covered her with a blanket, and went back out to the kitchen to finish making dinner.

​

About an hour later he heard her stirring, and a few minutes after that she emerged from the bedroom, disheveled and half awake. He met her at the bathroom door, taking her into his arms and kissing her thoroughly.

​

“Feeling better, love?” he asked.

​

“Yes, Sir. That was – um, it was – I, um, can’t speak yet, I think.”

​

“Go wash up and come out to the kitchen. I know you’re hungry.”

​

“Mmm hmm. What’s for dinner?”

​

“One of your favorites. Grilled steak and vegetables with a ginger sauce.”

​

The groan that came out of her mouth was the best reward a Dom could ever hope to hear.

​

​

​