StripSearch

28. Breaking Free from Norms

Markus had always been someone who did the "right thing". But what had that really gotten him?

He was a hard worker. He had worked hard in school, and he did the same at university. On the side he had done internships, and he had a side job to gain work experience and make some extra money. That is what his parents and his teachers had recommended, and so he did that.

He didn’t spend much. He had no expensive hobbies nor did he go out a lot. Instead, he saved the money and made some investments. He wasn’t rich, but over the years he had done well for himself, considering his young age.

But he wanted a girlfriend. He wanted romance. And girls weren’t interested in someone like him who was all work and no play. He tried having ‘fun’, but try as he might, he couldn’t make conversations at parties, and he had no rhythm for dancing. None of this was any fun to him.

Girls didn’t mind talking to him, but they never saw him as anything more than a conversational partner.

When he had met Melissa it had been different. Of course, he liked her, that was the easy part, but he thought that there had been a mutual connection. And then she had just stopped seeing him. The prospect of a romantic relationship, something he so desperately wanted, had appeared to be within his grasp, but then taken away.

But he had not been able to stop thinking of her. Her beauty, her soft blonde hair, her melodic voice when she spoke, her shiny water blue eyes when she looked into his. None of this let him go.

But then she got together with Captain Abs. It had been like a slap in his face. Arbek was supposed to be better than he? It was so infuriating. How was Arbek a better choice than him?

It gnawed at him. And everyone he knew here was fucking. Tariq was fucking Amina, Arbek was fucking the woman he, Markus, loved, heck, even the old pensioners here had slaves to fuck.

How did he end up being the one sexless loser, he wondered, when he always did the right things.

Over the course of the last two weeks he had been talking to those pensioners. They liked to hang out at the pool with their sex slaves and were always up for a chat.

They had made him understand that life is what you make of it. That life was short. You can stick to society’s norms, or you can have fun. There are no medals to be had for being a ‘good boy’. We only have one life, and we have to make the most of it. Society’s norms deprived men of a good life. They existed to channel men’s creative energies to serve the interests of others. They were never in favor of men. Whenever society wanted men to behave in a certain way, it was to the detriment of men, they told him. And serving society was pointless because society wouldn’t have his back in adversity. Having a good life meant to judge for himself what was good and what was not. He had to think for himself what was in his best interest. If he did not pursue his interests, no one else would. It was him who had to act. To take life into his own hands. Live by his own rules.

Markus had found those ideas hard to process. He would lay awake at night. The stars outside offered little comfort as he tossed and turned alone in his bed. The pensioners' words would echo in his mind like a mantra: "Life is what you make of it." But the gap between him who did the right thing and the pensioners who had slaves seemed vast. He felt a pang of guilt for wanting to be more like them.

His first reaction had been to reject their ideas. But on the other hand, these old men were fucking. And he was not. So who was he to tell them that they were wrong and he was right. And whenever they met at the pool, he continued listening to what they had to say.

—

"It's all about perspective, Markus," Horst, one of the pensioners, had said. "You've been a pawn to society's game. Now's your time to be the player."

Markus nodded, though his heart was pounding with the weight of what this meant. "But owning someone, isn't that just wrong?"

Werner, the other pensioner, chuckled dismissively. "Wrong according to who? Western morals? They don’t care about you. They won't support you when the chips are down, will they? There's no reward for playing by 'society's' rules."

"Women are not going to just come to you, Markus," Horst continued in a paternal tone. "If you want one, you have to claim one for yourself."

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” Werner interjected. “Einstein said that.”

“No, he didn’t,” Horst laughed.

“Fine, whatever. The point is, whatever he is doing is clearly not working for him,” Werner clarified.

Later, when he was alone, Markus reflected on their words. He found himself unable to counter their arguments. He wondered if, in this odd foreign land, he was finally uncovering truths he'd always sensed but never acknowledged, truths that had been obscured by the society he'd lived in.

—

When Melissa had been enslaved he had found it abhorrent. But then he saw her with Arbek and his feelings were replaced with jealousy. Melissa should be his, and she should be looking at him like she looked at Bicep Brain.

Then Melissa had been repossessed and he had seen his chance. He had enough money saved up to pay her fair market price. Sure, it was a lot. But in return he would get Melissa. The most beautiful woman, in his mind. He didn’t want some slave girl from Mutual Mastery. They meant nothing to him. He wanted Melissa.

Fate was presenting him with an opportunity here. He could seize it, or he could let this play out. If he allowed events to unfold, then Melissa would be lost to the system, possibly never to be seen again.

He had failed to win her over when they were dating. He had blown his chance. It was rare that life granted a second chance, but it was doing so now and this time, he would not fail to get her.

But if he bought her, then he would own Melissa. And then what? Well, he could do the ‘right thing’ and free her. But he had been doing the ‘right thing’ his entire life.

And again, what had that really gotten him? A life without love and without sex.

Or, he could stop being a ‘good boy’ and grow up. He could stop following rules that did not serve him. He could for once emancipate himself from society’s expectations and pursue his own dream. Fate was giving him the opportunity to be with the girl of his dreams. All he had to do was break the shackles of society’s expectations and act.

He would never get a chance like this again.

The next day Melissa was brought to the visitation room again. As the previous day she was made to kneel where the ring was set in the ground and her leash was locked to it, preventing her from rising up. Then, the officer padlocked her handcuffs to her ankle chain and left.

Melissa waited alone in silence. A few minutes later she heard footsteps coming closer. The door opened and she saw Markus enter.



“Hey, Mel, how are you doing?” Markus asked.

“I’m being held here Markus. The bank has repossessed me and there is a real risk that I will be sold as an actual slave. Can you believe that? I could be an actual slave!” she said, louder than she had planned. She tugged at her handcuffs, “I couldn’t be worse, Markus. And how is your life in the free world?”

Markus pulled out his phone, tapping on the screen with a thoughtful look. "I’ve checked your file, Mel. There's new information in there. What's this about me?"

Melissa's eyes widened with panic, her voice dropping to a desperate whisper. "Please, Markus, don't read that. They... they got that information from me under duress. It wasn't willingly given."

“Duress? In the file it says it is from an interview with you. I thought they just asked you some questions.”

—

Melissa took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper as she tried to explain. "Markus, that interview... it wasn't just questions. They... they used methods to make me talk. I didn't have a choice."

Markus's expression shifted from curiosity to concern, his brows furrowing as he processed what she was implying. "What kind of methods, Mel?"

She hesitated, the memory of the ordeal fresh and painful. "They threatened me, Markus. With... with pain if I didn't cooperate. They wanted to know everything, including about us. I couldn't just refuse."

Markus's expression shifted to one of understanding mixed with a hint of sympathy. "No wonder you told them personal things like that," he said, his voice softening as he put his phone away. "I was just surprised because you told me we weren't compatible, that you rejected me for that reason. But in your interview, you said you thought I was a good match, just not at the right time. Why the difference?"

"You weren’t supposed to know that," Melissa said, her voice strained. "They forced this out of me. Please, Markus, let it go." Her mind raced with the reality of her situation; in normal life, she'd avoid him entirely, but here, in this prison of sorts, without rights or legal representation, she needed all the allies she could muster.

She shifted the conversation, her tone becoming more urgent. "How's my case going? Is the payment issue settled?"

Markus shook his head, his expression serious. "The payment was late because Grabesh's connection to the international financial system is poor. Low trading volumes cause the currency to fluctuate a lot, and sometimes there are more transfers, and then the system gets overwhelmed. But it should have gone through by now."

"Does that mean I'll be released soon?" Melissa asked, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Markus looked surprised. "You don't know what's going on?"

"Nobody tells me anything," Melissa retorted, frustration seeping into her voice. "I'm completely in the dark."

"You had an assessment yesterday," Markus explained, his voice low. "It was to generate a report for potential buyers... for you to be sold as part of the loan default."

Melissa recoiled at his words. "I know that much. But this can't happen! I can't be sold as a slave here! Has the bank not said anything?"

"Tariq explained to the bank that the payment was late because Arbek was making a foreign transfer from England," Markus continued, ignoring her distress. “But then the bank got suspicious when they learned Arbek left the country right after taking out the loan.”

Markus laughed, “It probably also didn’t help that Tariq couldn’t tell them what Arbek did with the money. Now they're afraid he's making a run for it!”

“Markus, this isn’t funny!” Melissa said, helplessly tugging on her chains. “They are holding me here because of this. I’m ‘repossessed’! If they go through with this, I will be sold like a real slave! Do you not understand that? They could actually sell me as a real slave here! This is not funny. This is not a joke!”

“Yes, you’re right, Melissa, sorry. But what were you thinking, putting your life into the hands of Mr Bicep Brain?”

Melissa's frustration morphed into anger, her voice sharp with indignation. "I didn't 'put my life' into anyone's hands, Markus! I trusted Arbek because I had no other choice. I never imagined... this!" She yanked at her chains again, the metal clinking with a hollow sound.

“Of course you had another choice, Mel. You just chose to go with Mr Flex-A-Lot.”

Melissa knew that Markus wasn’t talking about her choice to become Arbek’s slave. He was referring to her choice of Arbek over him.

Melissa felt a surge of anger and humiliation, her cheeks burning. “I chose Arbek because I was looking for something different, Markus. Not because I thought he was better than you in every way. Can we stop talking about that? I need to get out of here!”

Markus's expression softened slightly, his amusement fading into something closer to concern. "Yeah you’re right. It's just, seeing you like this... it's hard to wrap my head around how you thought he’d be a good idea."

He paused, then added with a more serious tone, "Anyway, normally, they'd accept a late fee and release the collateral, but now they don't trust your Mr Six-Pack anymore. The bank wants to sell you quickly to recoup their money. They're not willing to wait for pretty boy to sort out whatever mess he's in."

She looked up at him, her eyes searching his for any sign of an ulterior motive. "I see. And do you have a solution to this? Or did you just come to gloat?"

Markus looked away, his discomfort hidden beneath a veneer of concern. "I... I can offer you a way out of this, Mel. I can buy you. I've got the money. I can make sure you're not sold to some stranger who might not treat you well. You'd be with someone you know, someone who cares about you."

Melissa's voice cracked as she tugged at her chains, the sound echoing her turmoil. "What do you mean? Buy me to… keep as a slave, Markus? Your actual slave?"

Markus nodded and looked at her, “Yes.” There it was. He had proposed the unthinkable. The old Markus would never have even contemplated this. But the new Markus was ready to do what it takes to get her.

Her voice rose in pitch, a mix of disbelief and desperation. "Are you serious? You could rescue me from all of this, allow me to get my old life back, but instead you’d rather keep me as your slave? How can you even suggest that? How can you think that's okay?"

Markus inhaled deeply, meeting her gaze with a look of both resolve and sorrow. She was asking him to do the 'right thing'—to buy her and then release her. But what would that achieve? He'd deplete a significant chunk of his savings, only for her to return to Arbek, leaving him alone once more. Thanks to his generous help, Arbek would be back to fucking Melissa while he, Markus, would end up love- and sexless again. Sure, he might recover his money if either Arbek or Melissa repaid him over time, but the truth was, sticking to society's expectations brought him no personal gain here. Horst and Werner had made it clear: there was no reward for him in following those norms; he'd just be serving others' interests while his own went unnoticed.

And this would go on for the rest of his life: Some idiot would always be fucking the girl he wanted unless he finally learned to stand up for himself. It was like they had told him: If he didn’t pursue his interests, no one else would.

No, he decided, despite his affection for Melissa, he wouldn't be the one left holding the short end of the stick. If he was going to rescue her, there needed to be something in it for him. And that something was Melissa herself.

"Melissa, I know it sounds awful. But think about your options here. If I don't buy you, you'll end up at an auction. Who knows who would buy you then? A brothel? Some harsh master who doesn't care about you? Here, with me, you'd be with someone who knows you, who has always cared for you."

He paused, seeing the disbelief in her eyes, and continued, "I'm not saying it's ideal, but it's a way out of an even worse fate. I can promise you, I'll treat you better than anyone else here would. We could... we could make this work, somehow."

Melissa's voice trembled, "So, your solution is to own me? After everything, you'd reduce me to a slave?"

Markus's face was pained, but he kept his voice steady. "I’m not reducing you to anything, Mel. It was not me who talked you into becoming a slave. That was Arbek. I've seen how they treat slaves here, and I know I can offer you a life far better than what you'd get elsewhere."

“But… but why wouldn’t you free me, Markus?” Melissa asked.

Markus took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Melissa's eyes, a mix of determination and longing reflected in them. Of course, she wanted her freedom, but that would come at a significant cost to him. Her plea to be freed would make him a mere tool for her benefit, when in fact he held all the power here. She was the one in chains, not him. This was exactly what Horst had warned him about: society making him feel like a pawn when he should be the one playing the game. Markus sought a balance; he wanted to help her, but he wouldn't let himself be used like this anymore. Melissa needed to understand that this was a give-and-take situation.

“Melissa, I'm not saying this is the perfect way to do it, but I want you to be with me. I know you don't see it now, but I truly believe that we belong together. I've thought about us a lot since you left, and despite everything, I feel like this... this is a second chance for us.

“If I free you, you'd go back to a life where we might never find each other again. Here, with me, I can give you time, show you what we could have together. You might not understand it now, but I'm convinced that eventually, you'll see that we're meant to be together. If it helps, don’t think about this as me buying you. I'm buying time for us to reconnect, to build a relationship together. I promise, I'll make this work, make it something beautiful for both of us. You'll see, in time, that you are meant to be with me.”

Melissa whispered, "Markus, I... I need a moment," she said, her voice quivering with the weight of her situation. She looked around the sterile room, the walls feeling like they were closing in.

Melissa's thoughts were racing. She knew Markus was offering a twisted form of salvation. She didn't want to be anyone's property, least of all Markus's, but the alternative was a life in a brothel. She knew the local people here had no compassion with their slaves. The memory of her experiences at the Health Office, the invasive procedures, the loss of dignity, the cattle prods and tasers and Safina’s torture methods were still fresh.

She could not take pain well and as much as the thought of being enslaved to Markus repulsed her, the worst he would do to her would not even come close to what the natives did to their slaves. She knew Markus from when they dated. She could not even imagine him being violent. It was just not in his nature.

If she wanted to survive this, she had to try to stop seeing Markus as the man she had rejected. He was now her potential savior.

—

Melissa's eyes were wide with a mix of fear and incredulity, her voice trembling as she sought to understand Markus's proposal. "Markus, are you... are you seriously saying you want to buy me?"

Markus nodded, his gaze steady but his voice betraying a hint of unease. "Yes, Mel. I want to buy you, to keep you safe from... from all this."

She shook her head, trying to make sense of it, her chains clinking faintly as she moved. “And then keep me as your slave?”

Markus replied, "Look, Melissa, being here in Grabesh, seeing how things work, how slaves live... it's changed my perspective. I've seen how the pensioners manage their slaves, how their lives are structured. And I've thought about it. A lot."

"Changed your perspective, how?" she pressed.

"I've... grown to like the idea of people owning slaves. And you would not just be a slave to me, Melissa. I think we could have a good life here, together."

—

"How long do you plan to keep me enslaved?" her voice trembled with insecurity and fear, her eyes searching Markus's for any sign of compassion or a clue to her future.

Markus took a moment to gather his thoughts, aware of the gravity of what he was suggesting and the need to frame it in a way that would not seem entirely heartless. He leaned forward slightly, his voice measured but sincere.

"Melissa, I understand this is a lot to take in," Markus began, his tone softening. "I'm not talking about keeping you as a slave indefinitely. What I'm proposing is a chance for us to start anew, here, where we can control our circumstances. I want you to understand that this isn't about reducing you to something less; it's about giving us a chance to build something meaningful from this mess."

He paused, seeing the resistance in her eyes, and continued, "I know it sounds like I'm trapping you, but I see it as an opportunity for us to reconnect, to see if there's something we missed before. I'm not promising you freedom immediately because I believe in what we could have together. I want us to have the time to explore that, without the pressures of your old life pulling you away.

"I've learned here that life isn't about following the rules society sets for us; it's about finding happiness in our own way. I think we could find that happiness together, but we need time to do that. So, no, I'm not setting a specific time for your... for our situation to change. I want us to decide that together, when we both feel ready. In the meantime, I promise you'll have a life that's far better than what you'd face out there in the open market."

He looked at her earnestly, trying to convey his sincerity without admitting the darker side of his motivations. "I know this isn't what you imagined, but consider this: it's a controlled environment where you have someone who cares deeply about you, not just another number in a catalog of slaves to be bought and sold. We can make this work, Mel. I believe in us."

Melissa's expression was a mix of confusion and horror, but Markus knew he had to keep selling this as her best option, without making it sound like a permanent sentence. He was banking on her pragmatism in the face of immediate danger to accept what he was offering, even if it was cloaked in the language of love and second chances.

—

Her voice was laced with desperation as she continued, "How would you even afford this? How would you pay for me?"

Markus looked at her, his expression firm. "I have savings, Mel. I've been careful with my money. While Tariq was busy talking to the bank I found a finance institute in the capital that can do quick international transfers. I can transfer the money to Grabesh at short notice. And I'm willing to use it for you."

Melissa's heart sank further, the reality of her situation solidifying. "So, you've thought this through? You're ready to do this?"

"Yes," Markus replied, his voice now steady as if trying to convince both her and himself. "I'm ready to do whatever it takes to keep you out of the hands of someone who might not care for you like I do."

The weight of her chains felt heavier than ever, the gravity of her decision pressing down on her. Melissa knew she was out of options, trapped between a life she dreaded and one she feared. She nodded, her mind racing with the implications of what she was about to agree to, but for now, she was cornered into acceptance.

—

He leaned toward her, trying to project reassurance. “Listen, Mel, think about it. If I don’t buy you then you will go to an auction. Who could bid highest in an auction? A decent man? Or rather a ‘business’, if you know what I mean.”

Melissa shuddered at what his words implied. A business would likely be able to outbid private people because they would make a profit on her. And the types of businesses interested in her would be brothels who would work her hard to make their money back. Or one of these rent-a-slave businesses like “Mutual Mastery” that had rented Kaya and Liana to the pensioners. That could be her future.

“This way, you'll be safe,” Markus continued. “I care about you, more than anyone else here. We could be together.”

Melissa was exasperated. "'Be together'? But I'd be enslaved to you, Markus! I’d be your property. I would literally be your slave!"

“I understand, Melissa. I love you. But if you don’t want my help, then tell me to go away and I will go away.”

Melissa's face was a study in incredulity, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly agape as Markus laid out his proposal. "You actually want to do this, Markus? You want to buy me and then keep me as your slave here?" Her voice was sharp, but she tried to control herself. She was aware that her situation was precarious and Markus might be her only hope to change her situation. She could not afford to alienate him.

Markus shifted uncomfortably, his voice soft, trying to convey sincerity. "It's not like that, Mel. I'm trying to protect you. I'm giving you a way out—"

"A way out?" Melissa's voice was laced with disbelief, but she kept her tone measured. "You know I'm in a corner here, and you're using that to... to what? Make me yours?" Her words were careful, the anger there but tempered by the reality of her situation.

He looked down, the weight of his decision clear in his expression. "I know how it seems, but I promise, my intentions are—"

"To keep me?" she finished for him, her voice softening, not with acceptance but with the necessity of diplomacy. "Markus, I understand you think you're saving me, but this isn't what I want. I don't want to be anyone's slave."

Markus's face was a mix of guilt and determination. "So, what would you prefer, Mel? Being with me, a man who loves you, or spending the rest of your life as just another slave in the Grabesian slave system?"

Melissa took a deep breath, her chains a constant reminder of her vulnerability. "You're asking me to choose between being your slave or being sold off to some kind of brothel."

He nodded, understanding the compromise she was making. "Yes, Mel. That's the reality. But I'll do everything in my power to make this life good for you. I'll treat you with respect. I want this to work between us."

She looked at him, her gaze piercing through his intentions. "Then do it, Markus. Buy me, but I'm not agreeing because I want to be your slave. I'm agreeing because the alternative is worse."

Markus's expression hardened, his resolve faltering at her words.

He wanted her, but not under duress. He didn't want her to be with him like Kaya and Liana from Mutual Mastery, serving whoever they were passed to. He wouldn't purchase her if she was unwilling. He wanted her, but there was a limit to how far he'd go. He wouldn't impose this on her. That would not be right. She needed to show some willingness, or he wouldn't proceed.

He shook his head, his voice firm but pained. "No, Mel. I won't buy you under these conditions. Either you want to be with me or you don’t. And if you don’t want to be with me then I won’t pay for you. I'm not that kind of man. You're either with me willingly, or not at all."

—

Melissa's mind was a whirlwind of panic and calculation. The metal of the cuffs around her wrists seemed to tighten. She was cornered, the proverbial rock and hard place closing in on her. Buying time was now her only strategy.

This reminded her of the bus drive from Zawadi to Ngalawa Bay all over again. But worse. She had been caged up, Arbek had been too occupied talking to Zahara in the bus and the only one remembering her and offering her a life-saving drink had been Markus. Now she was chained to this floor and would be auctioned off as a real slave for the rest of her life. And where was everyone? Arbek was in England this time, and again with Zahara, just like on the bus. Maybe they were even hiking again at this very moment of her greatest despair. She hadn’t heard from Tariq. He might be pursuing another futile lead, or maybe he had given up. She didn’t know. The only person offering her help was Markus. She didn’t like his offer. But there were no good options and sometimes the only one open for business was the devil.

—

The air seemed to leave the room as Melissa's heart sank and Markus rose from his chair.

Panic briefly crossed her face before she managed to school her features. "Markus, wait, please don't leave me like this," she pleaded, her voice softening, her words carefully chosen. "I... I didn’t mean it like that. I accept your offer. I want to be with you."

Markus looked at her, searching for truth in her eyes, the conflict within him clear. "Do you really mean that, Mel? Because I can't... I won't do this if you're just saying it now and then make trouble for me later."

Melissa knew she had to sell the lie, for her survival depended on it. She lowered her eyes, then looked up at him with what she hoped was sincerity. "Yes, Markus, I mean it. If I'm going to be a slave either way, I’d rather want it to be with you. Please, don't leave me to the mercy of the Grabesians."

Markus studied her face, wanting to believe her, needing to believe her. "I want you to be sure, Mel. Because once this happens, you will be mine."

"I'm sure," she lied, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "I choose you, Markus. I want you to be the one who buys me."

His expression softened, relief mingling with the hope that perhaps this could be a new beginning for them, even under such dark circumstances. "Alright, Mel. I'll buy you then. We'll make this work, I promise."

Melissa nodded, her heart racing with the complexity of her situation. She knew the path she was on wasn’t easy, but for now, she had secured her immediate safety. She would not be sold off into the Grabesian slave system never to be heard of again, she would still be with her friends.

Melissa was being escorted from her cell. Upon the guard unlocking it, she had lain down on the floor in submission, a routine she had followed several times during her stay at the police station. As was customary, the guard handcuffed her, then secured her legs with ankle chains. Struggling slightly, she managed to stand, after which the guard fastened a leash to her collar and led her through the jail's corridors.

—

Two days had passed since Markus declared his intention to bid on her. The day before, Tariq and Amina had visited, informing her that the bank would not relinquish her from repossession. The bank had lost its patience with Arbek after he had failed to pay the installment on time, and they had then found out that he had left the country.

Tariq and Amina had been unaware of Markus's plan to bid for Melissa, yet they seemed relieved when she told them about it. If Markus won the bid, Melissa would avoid an uncertain destiny of being enslaved to a stranger for sexual exploitation and profit.

It had been a chilling meeting for Melissa. Not only did it mean that Arbek had not been able to bail her out of this. She was truly in the hands of the Grabesian slave system. And her only hope now was that Markus’s bid would go through. The best she could hope for at the moment was to be enslaved to Markus. Markus, a man her age who had said that he had no intention of giving her her freedom back. If his bid on her was not successful, she would never see her friends again. Markus had feelings for her and she harboured some hope that she might be able to sway him to grant her her freedom. However, if a local from Grabesh acquired her, all hope would be lost, and her brief stint of slavery at the airport would become a lifelong sentence.

After the meeting, Melissa was returned to her cell, where she agonized over her fate, feeling helpless. She kept reflecting on how she should have been free by now, yet here she was, still naked and collared since her arrival at the airport, alone in her cell, with her life hanging in the balance of decisions made by others.

—

The guard then escorted Melissa to the judicial officer's office, where Markus and a man in a suit awaited her.

In the plain, unadorned office of the judicial officer, Melissa felt the handcuffs against her wrists and the weight of her collar, a constant reminder to her and anyone who saw it, that she was not a free woman. That someone owned her. The guard's leash tugged gently as she was led to the judicial officer’s desk.

Her eyes met Markus's, and the flood of emotions was overwhelming. There was a sinking feeling in her gut, a feeling that burned like acid that she was being led like this before him. She felt as if she was under a microscope, where her nakedness was magnified for Markus to see. The clinking of the chains around her wrists and ankles felt like signals that transmitted her powerlessness for all to hear. Signals to remind everyone that she had no say in what was about to happen. She could feel Markus’s eyes on her, taking in every inch of her naked skin, and it was as if her skin was on fire, burned by each of his glances that she couldn't protect herself from with her hands cuffed on her back.

She wished she could be invisible. That the ground would swallow her up, but her body was forced to move forward by the guard’s leash, one demeaning step in her ankle chains at a time.

Being brought in front of him like purchased cattle twisted her insides.

The guard removed her handcuffs.

The judicial officer looked at Melissa and instructed, "Miss Maurer, please climb onto the table and assume a position on all fours."

Melissa complied silently, the chains of her hobble and leash clinking as she maneuvered herself onto the table. The table felt hard against her skin, but she positioned herself as ordered, her knees and hands supporting her weight. Her heart was a tumultuous sea. She was feeling tentatively relieved that she was about to be released from the repossession nightmare, but worried what a future as a slave to Markus would hold. Freedom, once lost, is not easily regained, she realized.

As Melissa positioned herself on the table, she couldn’t help but think about how her vagina was exposed from behind. She felt her skin prickle with awareness, knowing Markus was behind her and the sound of her own breathing was loud in her ears.

"Move your hair forward to clear your neck," the officer added.

With a resigned sigh, Melissa gathered her hair, letting it fall over her head to reveal the back of her neck. Her neck felt bare without the usual cover of her hair and only the steel of her current collar against her skin.

Markus stepped forward, holding a new collar in his hands. It was sleek, made of steel like the one she currently wore, but with a different, perhaps more personal, significance. He approached her cautiously, as if handling a fragile artifact. He locked the new collar around her neck. It was cool, unlike the other one she was already wearing. Now, she bore two collars, one next to the other.

The judicial officer then leaned in and unlocked the state collar. There was a moment where Melissa felt the weight lift from her, the metal parting from her skin, finally freeing her from the symbol of her initial enslavement. After three weeks, the sensation was surreal, like shedding an unwanted skin.

And even though she was now wearing Markus’s collar, she sighed with relief. She had worn this collar for three weeks straight. She had wished for it to come off so often, and now she was finally free of it. She was not free of course, she was now locked in Markus’s collar, but it was still a relief to know that she would not be auctioned off. She would not be owned by some stranger, she would not be made to work in some brothel.

The man in the suit, previously silent, spoke with a tone of finality. "Mr. Wagner, congratulations on your acquisition. It has been a pleasure doing business with you."

Markus responded with a nod, his voice carrying a hint of pride and excitement, "Thank you. I appreciate the smooth transaction."

"Melissa, stand up and come here," Markus said softly, his eyes reflecting a mix of affection and triumph.

She did so, her movements cautious, feeling the new collar around her neck. Her ankle chain clinked as she walked over to him. She stood naked before him, the young man she had once dated and dumped. He owned her now. Her eyes met Markus's, and in them, she saw something she couldn't quite name—perhaps it was affection, or at least the illusion of it. He opened his arms, and she stepped into his embrace, with relief at not having been sold to some stranger. She hugged him back, the act more out of desperate gratitude for having been saved than genuine affection.

After a moment, she pulled back slightly, her hand moving to touch the new collar. It was steel, like the one before, but somehow felt different, perhaps because it was Markus's. "What does it say?" she asked, her voice a whisper, fearing the answer but needing to know.

"Melissa Maurer, property of Markus Wagner," he replied, looking into her eyes, searching for a sign of acceptance or at least resignation.

She nodded quietly.

The guard cuffed her hands behind her back again and removed her ankle cuffs. Slaves were handcuffed at the police station when they didn’t need their hands. But she was no longer repossessed, so the other restraints were no longer necessary.

The words on the collar began to sink in. She was now Markus's property, her life depended on his decisions, his whims. But at least, she thought, she was with someone she knew, someone who might still listen to her pleas for freedom.

Together, they left the office, Markus's hand gently guiding her by the elbow, a gesture that under different circumstances might have felt protective rather than possessive. They walked through the police station. Melissa’s handcuffs were removed at reception.

They left the police station together. For the first time in days Melissa breathed fresh air again and felt the sun’s rays on her skin. When she had entered the police station, she had done this to clear up a repossession request. She had thought she would be out within the hour. Instead, she had spent days in there, locked in a cell.

Arbek had promised to set her free, but in the end he hadn’t. Now she belonged to Markus. And while Markus had never promised her freedom, she was sure that this would not last forever. He owned her outright. There was no loan she was collateral to anymore. All he had to do was unlock her collar and she would be free. It would be so easy for him.

They walked home side by side, Markus draping his arm around her shoulders as though she were his girlfriend. He was in high spirits, engaging her in cheerful conversation.

But in her thoughts Melissa wasn’t really in the conversation. Would he free her from her collar? she wondered. He knows this is wrong, she convinced herself, clutching at the remnants of her optimism. He's been swept up in this... this fantasy of power. She remembered how he had looked at her in the police station, a mix of triumph and affection in his eyes. Could that affection be enough? Could it persuade him to free her?

But then, doubts crept in. What if he would grow too comfortable with his control over her? she pondered, her fingers now nervously tracing around her new collar. The power dynamic had shifted so drastically between them. Would he ever willingly give up the power he held over her? She had seen how people here, even good ones like Tariq and Amina, accepted slavery as part of life. Could Markus, who had tasted this authority, ever truly go back to how things were?

Maybe he'll come to his senses, Melissa hoped. Markus had grown up in the West, where freedom was considered a fundamental right. She recalled the Markus she knew back home, believing he wasn't truly a slave owner at heart. His current actions seemed more like an indulgence of his sexual desires, a fleeting fantasy fueled by lust. He undoubtedly wanted sex with her, and she had made her peace with it. It was the price of him rescuing her from the repossession, so she was willing to endure this. Once his sexual frustration had been defused, he would sober up. He would come to understand that he couldn't hold her as his prisoner indefinitely and would eventually grant her freedom.

Dear Reader,

Wohoo! We've reached chapter 30! Thanks for reading this far. If you've read the entire story up to here from the first chapter, you have read 249 pages!

As usual, what did you like, what didn't you like?

Let me know what you think and don't forget to enter a rating at the poll at the top!

Hoggle: Only one question, is the ear tag going to stay on Melissa?

Does the EU respect the property rights of owners of Grabesh slaves? If Markus were to take Melissa back to the UK would she retain her status as a slave? The one theme throughout this story is the ease with which the young woman Melissa deceives the men in her life. Under Grabeshian law, what happens to the child if he breeds her? I'm looking forward to Markus's reaction when he discovers that Melissa has deceived him. Does he keep her, treating her more like a traditional slave, maybe renting her out as a high end pleasure slut, or just sell her at auction? Melissa keeps digging herself into a deeper hole with every lie.

lovethissite wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 4:28 pm Hoggle: Only one question, is the ear tag going to stay on Melissa?

That's up to Markus now. He is not interested in humiliating her, so if Melissa were to push for it, he might be swayed. Maybe if she told him it would be a sign of his love to her to have it taken off he might just do it. So, if she plays her cards right, she could get rid of it.

But I think at the moment she is in too much turmoil to consider that. And then she will be too focussed on wanting her freedom to push for this more attainable goal. So it seems unlikely.

Coming to think of it, Markus might dangle the prospect of its removal as a reward in front of her for good behavior. If the idea occurs to him.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 7:46 pm Does the EU respect the property rights of owners of Grabesh slaves?

In the Grabesh Universe, Western countries are pretty much the same as they are now.

So absolutely not.

In fact, some serious items of the penal code would likely apply to Horst and Werner with their rented sex slaves.

I'm saying "pretty much the same" because Tariq has hinted in chapter 23 that there might be more going on behind the scenes:

hoggle123 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 3:29 pm Melissa, still grappling with the reality of her situation, asked, "How can a place like this even exist? Wouldn't the UN or other countries step in?"

"Grabesh is a tiny, insignificant country," Tariq said. "Most people don't even know it exists. It's off the international radar."

"And," he continued, "there are conspiracy theories that many rich international figures have homes here to indulge in their fantasies without repercussions. They have an interest in keeping Grabesh out of the spotlight."

"Other conspiracy theories," Tariq added, "have it that the local elites might be using blackmail to make the rich use their influence to ensure Grabesh stays under the radar."

So there might be some influence on Western countries, but it would not protect people like Horst, Werner or Markus.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 7:46 pm If Markus were to take Melissa back to the UK would she retain her status as a slave?

Same here. Slavery is illegal in the UK of the Grabesh Universe. If Markus brought Melissa back then the Melissa could report him to the police and he'd have to answer for anything he's done to her.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 7:46 pm Under Grabeshian law, what happens to the child if he breeds her?

Breeding of slaves is one of the major sources of slaves in Grabesh.

A lot of the slaves are born in slave colonies where slaves are paired up to create offspring with favorable qualities. The adults do regular field work during the day, but they also have families as part of the breeding program.

So Grabesian laws would have evolved with that in mind and the default would be that the child of a slave would be a slave.

Since Markus owns Melissa, he would own any child born to her. If he wanted, he could free the child.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 7:46 pm Does he keep her, treating her more like a traditional slave, maybe renting her out as a high end pleasure slut, or just sell her at auction?

You'll have to stay tuned to find out!

Here's my take on the ear tag question: As you wrote earlier, the reason for the ear tag is that not all regions of the backward country have equipment for scanning chips; so, they rely on the tags. As long as she is a slave, the tag has to stay.

Going forward, Markus needs a job if they are staying since they can't be visitors forever. They leave the beach town and move back to the city. Perhaps, he was a language major in school and got a job at the customs office at the airport. Part of his training involves "livestock/slave handling" and projecting an authoritarian image. Voila! He grows a set of balls He finally deals with Melissa's whining and sends her to obedience school then rents her out to help with finances. She finally comes to respect his new "bad boy" persona and settles in as his faithful, loving slave; never questioning him again.

Like I said previously, I love a happy ending and I hope she becomes a loving slave to Markus in the end.

Personally, chapters 28-30 were a lot of words with no scenes of humiliation, subjugation, domination, or sex. in other words, interesting but not arousing.

Hi Cardman,

cardman314 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 8:59 am Personally, chapters 28-30 were a lot of words with no scenes of humiliation, subjugation, domination, or sex. in other words, interesting but not arousing.

Thanks for your feedback!

I'm always curious about people's impressions on this especially when I'm trying something different.

I agree that chapter 28 does not have any humiliation, subjugation, domination, or sex.

Chapter 29 however has Melissa chained to the floor, forced to kneel and chained by her hands and feet while she has to negotiate with Markus for her rescue.

I thought that was quite humiliating. And in the end she is forced to ask him to buy her as his slave.

Chapter 30 had her led in chains before Markus after he had purchased her, which I thought was quite humiliating as well.

And I also thought that the entire theme of her not being informed of anything going on is quite humiliating. If her friends wouldn't visit her, she wouldn't know what was going on at all. She only learns that her purchase has gone through after it has happened and the new collar is locked on her.

The two previous installments were more intense in that they had the "access device" in the assessment and the one before that had her kneeling before Nala and Killian and also the cavity search at intake.

So was it that next to the previous chapters these here appear tame in comparison and that creates the impression that nothing humiliating has occurred?

But yes, these chapters are less about humiliation than others. The spotlight is more on Markus's shift in personal values from following the societal norms he was raised with to embracing a more pragmatic cynical worldview under the influence of the pensioners and how those two sides are in conflict in him.

When I've read stories like this the dominants often appeared needlessly harsh to me or just sadistic without much justification, and I've wondered why authors don't make more of an effort to explain their motives. And maybe the reason that authors don't do that is because it leads to chapters that readers won't find arousing and so seem off-topic for this kind of novel.

I also noticed from the poll at the top that initially this update got mostly "Love it" ratings which initially made me think that this update would be the highest rated one I've ever posted. But this morning there were more "Like it" ratings and in fact they even outnumber the "Love it" ratings by one at the time that I'm writing this.

It looks a bit like there are two groups of readers. It appeals to some but not so much to others. And it appears like the ones in my general timezone (Europe) tend to "Love it" and the ones outside my timezone only "Like it". I assume those will be the ones from the American continent and maybe some from Australia. It makes me wonder if there is also a difference in preferences according to the region people live in.

Hoggle: I agree with card man the ear tag should stay. I am still think she needs to be hairless from the neck down to add to her humiliation. She needs to be knocked down a couple of notches. She is alreading trying to manipulate Markus. She has no passion afor him as there shouldnt be. She is a slave now forever if he chooses. I guess there might a difference between Americans and other areas in the world. In our stories I have read writers seem to prefer slaves hairless from the neck down sometimes permanently. Some writers prefer marking slaves too by using tattoos or branding. I guess it seems our writers show ownership differently

So love this story. Maybe another take on Mellissa is not a born submissive like some of us. Maybe at her core she is a dominant. Just a thought.

Love,
Belinda

If I understand your previous comments then Markus will not be able to free Melissa and return to the UK with her if he uses her sexually as his slave. Once he does this he is never going to be able to free her and return home unless somehow she falls in love with him and agrees not to report him. Thus he will have to sell her if she does not come around if he ever wants to return to the UK and not be prosecuted. Does he realize the ramifications of his decision? We'll find out I guess.

Belinda's suggestion that she is not a submissive creates the opportunity for her to top from the bottom which could be interesting. I could see some interesting scenarios. Not sure if you are going there.

I think you missed a few opportunities to add to her humiliation. So far she has only had sex with Arbek out of a feeling of obligation, not because she wanted to. Now she will be doing the same with Markus. It would have been interesting if she was required to orally service Jabari while Safina observed her performance. Having another woman evaluate your enthusiasm, technique, and style would be extremely humiliating. I could see this as a valid step in the bank's evaluation of Melissa, testing her obedience and slave heat while the author would be giving his character a true taste of slavery.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 2:41 am If I understand your previous comments then Markus will not be able to free Melissa and return to the UK with her if he uses her sexually as his slave. Once he does this he is never going to be able to free her and return home unless somehow she falls in love with him and agrees not to report him.

Yep. He is conflicted between what he has learned is right all of his life and what the pensioners are teaching him. But as the wise Yoda once said:

Yoda wrote: Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.

There is no middle ground.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 2:41 am Belinda's suggestion that she is not a submissive creates the opportunity for her to top from the bottom which could be interesting. I could see some interesting scenarios. Not sure if you are going there.

She is neither a submissive nor a dominant, actually. Melissa is not into any of this.

She has a bit of influence over him in that Markus loves her, and he wants her to love him back. That puts restrictions on how far he can go and can motivate him to yield to her wishes.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 2:41 am It would have been interesting if she was required to orally service Jabari while Safina observed her performance. Having another woman evaluate your enthusiasm, technique, and style would be extremely humiliating. I could see this as a valid step in the bank's evaluation of Melissa, testing her obedience and slave heat while the author would be giving his character a true taste of slavery.

Testing an unwilling slave on her blowjob skills is a dangerous task. It is unlikely that a woman would bite down in that situation, but if I were in Jabari's shoes I would not want to risk it.

But it could be done with a dental gag.

I could see the scene be that Melissa's task is to get him off and Safina would note how long it takes. The quicker she can get him off, the better.

Due to her lack oral skills she would not be able to get him off at all. Then, Safina would allow her to use her vagina to do it, but since she isn't into it, her lack of lubrication would make it difficult to get started at first. Once in, she would struggle because she doesn't know how to move properly to get a man off because she usually lets the man do that part. She would be doing some grinding motion that she enjoys but, as she now realises, does nothing for the man. Safina would accuse her of not cooperating. Then Melissa would try some kind of kegel contraction because she read somewhere that men like that. Eventually Safina would call it off and say that she has never seen a girl this pretty being unable to get a man off.

As a result, Melissa's base price at sale would have to be lowered due to her unusually low love making skills.

Wow I didn't realize that if he uses Melissa as a slave and has sex with her he can no longer return to the UK. What is the point to purchasing a sex slave if not to use her at a minimum. He is a frugal savor why not just borrow one of the slaves from the pensioners for sex? Let Melissa be sold to a brothel for training then pay to use her since her oral skills will improve. Also he may be able to use her anally and she may even be slave naked no hair below the neck no ownership needed just a rental fee. A win win.

lovethissite wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 5:19 pm Wow I didn't realize that if he uses Melissa as a slave and has sex with her he can no longer return to the UK.

It's not that dire.

He can still go to the UK.

Nobody there knows what happened in Grabesh so he wouldn't be arrested.

Melissa can't leave the country without his consent, so she can't go to the police. And slaves are not usually allowed access to any electronic devices:

hoggle123 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 21, 2024 2:48 pm “Most masters don’t allow slaves to access the internet or phones,” Tariq added.

Markus would be such a master. And she wouldn't be allowed to use anyone else's devices for that reason. He might allow her a tablet with parental controls enabled so she can't use it to communicate. But she wouldn't be able to report him in her current situation. Or contact anyone else like her parents.

The proper Grabesians, Tariq, Amina and Zahara wouldn't rat him out because that would be facilitating the escape of a slave. The law against that evolved from their culture and aligns with their values so this is not a law they would want to break. He is not doing anything wrong according to their feeling of what is right. He has rightfully purchased her, and so she is his, even if they would rather see her free.

That leaves only Arbek as her only hope.

Arbek could report him, but it would be his word against Markus's. And the police would want more information on this weird story before they take action. If they ask Arbek, then it will turn out that he is Melissa's boyfriend, and they went to Grabesh together without Markus. The police could confirm from passenger lists that the two left the UK together and that Markus was not with them. Arbek would have to confess that Melissa got enslaved because of him, Arbek. Of course, he would assert that it was all a mistake. But then the police would ask him why he didn't let her go. And that too would be hard to explain.

The Grain and Gain bank also has to pay out any extra money from Melissa's sale to him after the loan and the fees have been covered. So technically Arbek stands to financially benefit from the whole slave debacle.

It would be quite a fishy story in which Arbek would incriminate himself more than Markus.

Markus is also German, so the money transfer to buy her would have been done from a German bank account and his British bank balance would not show any suspicious bank transfer to a Grabesian bank account.

So while what Markus is planning is illegal, it seems that he has a chance to get away with it if he is a bit careful.

Hoggle: good to know. Thanks.

This is getting more interesting from a legal analysis if EU citizens can be prosecuted in their home countries for either owning a slave or having sex with a slave. I assumed there would be no legal hurdles like this and that other countries (EU) would respect Grabesh legal institutions within the borders of Grabesh. There might be a social stigma attached to Markus or Arbek in Britain or Germany, but no legal ramifications. I believe Gortmundy wrote a story where the American owner brought a slave to Scotland where slavery is illegal that resulted in all sorts of fun and games for the owner when she was arrested. Then again, each of us authors creates a whole new set of laws and societal norms in our world-building to make these stories work.

What happens when Melissa's parents make a missing person report concerning their daughter? Will British authorities discover that Arbek enslaved her? I assume there is a record of her leaving the country and she will be tracked down to Grabesh. How will Grabesh respond to the diplomatic inquiry? I need to stop with these questions, but I love to see how other people work out these issues. I often find that I have inconsistencies in my stories that I have to work through.

Mr. Smith wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:39 am This is getting more interesting from a legal analysis if EU citizens can be prosecuted in their home countries for either owning a slave or having sex with a slave. I assumed there would be no legal hurdles like this and that other countries (EU) would respect Grabesh legal institutions within the borders of Grabesh. There might be a social stigma attached to Markus or Arbek in Britain or Germany, but no legal ramifications. I believe Gortmundy wrote a story where the American owner brought a slave to Scotland where slavery is illegal that resulted in all sorts of fun and games for the owner when she was arrested. Then again, each of us authors creates a whole new set of laws and societal norms in our world-building to make these stories work.

What happens when Melissa's parents make a missing person report concerning their daughter? Will British authorities discover that Arbek enslaved her? I assume there is a record of her leaving the country and she will be tracked down to Grabesh. How will Grabesh respond to the diplomatic inquiry? I need to stop with these questions, but I love to see how other people work out these issues. I often find that I have inconsistencies in my stories that I have to work through.

Those are great questions and I have to admit that I haven't thought all of this through.

I guess the short answer is: I don't know.

Some thoughts that come to mind:

I think the best scenario to get her out would be if, as you say, her parents file a missing person report and Arbek also reports Markus to the UK police. In that case Arbek would look more credible than in the scenario I described in my previous post.

The police could put her parents in touch with Arbek, and Arbek could lead her parents to Melissa in Grabesh. So her parents would see Melissa's enslavement and could bear witness to authorities.

That would give three witnesses to her case and the police would take it seriously.

Nothing can be done while Markus is in Grabesh because he hasn't broken any laws there but the objective would be to get him arrested if he ever tries to come back.

When learning about the case, Markus could argue:
- It is generally known that Grabesh practices slavery, and she went there willingly. So she endangered herself recklessly.
- Melissa agreed to be enslaved.
- Melissa agreed to be Markus's slave.
- He hasn't broken any local laws.

The points about her consent could be challenged because her consent was not genuine. And the last one would not free Markus from extraterritorial laws regarding human trafficking.

It would also depend on the authorities' willingness to prosecute this. The international aspect would require significant resources. Even if Markus's arguments are not a valid defense, she might be seen as reckless and this might influence how her case would be prioritized. And while her "consent" officially does not matter, it might still influence how prosecutors view and prioritize the case.

Another aspect is this:

hoggle123 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 3:29 pm Melissa, still grappling with the reality of her situation, asked, "How can a place like this even exist? Wouldn't the UN or other countries step in?"

"Grabesh is a tiny, insignificant country," Tariq said. "Most people don't even know it exists. It's off the international radar."

"And," he continued, "there are conspiracy theories that many rich international figures have homes here to indulge in their fantasies without repercussions. They have an interest in keeping Grabesh out of the spotlight."

"Other conspiracy theories," Tariq added, "have it that the local elites might be using blackmail to make the rich use their influence to ensure Grabesh stays under the radar."

My idea when I wrote this was that for the rich and powerful Grabesh might be a bigger version of Epstein Island. Important people have an interest that not too many questions are asked. And just like authorities tend to fail to look into the Epstein case, I thought that a similar dynamic might be at play here: Investigations into Grabesh would be discouraged from some unclear higher up influence to keep matters regarding Grabesh off from scrutiny.

So if Markus brought Melissa back to the UK as his slave, then the case would be clear-cut, and he would go to prison.

But if he keeps her in Grabesh, then the legal battle becomes long, complex and with no guaranteed result and the Epstein Island effect might lead to this going nowhere.

Another possibility would be that he does get arrested on one of his travels at some point and ends up in prison. That would not free Melissa though. She would still be in Grabesh and when he doesn't return for her, she would be lost to the slave system.

So in conclusion: I don't know. I have to think about this. If people have ideas, let me know!

It's cleaner for you if there are no legal ramifications to either Arbek or Markus for enslaving or owning Melissa in Garbesh. Kind of a what happens in Garbesh stays in Garbesh as long as no local laws are violated. If Melissa leaves Garbesh she regains her freedom unless she ends up in another country that allows slavery.

If Markus and Melissa do not have that HEA finding love it might be fun if Markus tires of Melissa, sees her for the immature shallow manipulative woman that she is, and puts her to "work" to teach her a lesson about making bad decisions. By this time Melissa will have slept with both Arbek and Markus out of necessity, not desire, already labeling her as a whore of sorts. He then sells her at auction or contacts her parents who happily buy her back at a nice profit. Just a thought.

I need to get back to my writing where I am at a point where Belinda is on her back, a red ball gag secured in her mouth, locked in a metal yoke that secures her wrists at neck level about a foot to each side with her legs spread. Taylor is kneeling between Belinda's splayed legs sporting a pink strapless dildo and rubbing it at the entrance of Belinda's womb.