The Fear...

She did not understand. Her eyes wide with fear as she looked at the hem of her Mistress's flowing gown. Her whole body trembled as she listened to her Mistress's command, "You will remain here Xena and serve and respect this home as if it where my own."
The words cut into her worse then any blade could do, piercing deeply into her soul further then any arrow could, her mind raced with thoughts. Had Mistress sold her to this house? Was she just on loan? Did Mistress no longer want her? She did not know as she responded the way she had always to her Mistress's beautiful voice, "Yes my Mistress."
Her voice trembled as the words slipped past her lips. She was so confused...

...She looked slowly around the new place, trying to see where everything was in case she was to serve the needs and wants of the Master she was being left with. She could feel the rough old wooden floors bite into her knees as she knelt there, legs opened, back straight and tall, the backs of her hands laying across her soft, supple thighs, her breasts bouncing slightly as she nervously inhaled and exhaled...

...She heard the Master's voice boom like a crash of thunder. Her whole body shook as he instructed one of his kajira to take her up to where the slaves slept, "Yes Master" the girl spoke quickly. Xena's heart raced as her eyes left the hem of her Mistress's gown...

... "This way, come." spoke the Master's kajira. The delicate voice like that of a soft, morning rain spoke. She followed quickly to the room. "You can sleep here on the rug with us" her voice sang softly. Xena was unnerved, frightened, her insides shaking. She spotted a corner of the room and headed to it without a word...

...She had lost all her gracefulness and she dropped to the floor quickly, drawing up her knees tightly to her chest, pressing them hard against her breasts. Her arms wrapped around her legs tightly, her fingers locking around her wrists tightly as she pulled her legs tighter to her chest.
The soft feel of her knees and thighs embraced her lips when she lowered her head to them. The pounding of her heart vibrated against her thighs, the warmth of her legs upon her lips only a tiny bit reassuring. Her spring green eyes darted around the room, trying to take it all in as they scanned every detail of the room...

... There she huddled, withdrawn, lost, afraid. Her ears listening intensely for the beautiful harmony of her Mistress's voice to call for her to come to her heel...
...There she waited...
...her ears aching, longing to hear her voice call for her...
...silently withdrawn into the fetal position...
...yearning to see the hem of her Mistress's gown once more...
...racked with fear...