Unable to find her friend, Anne bathed herself in the light of the few remaining candles, delicately washing between her legs and wincing at the tender welts raised hotly upon her thighs and buttocks under the fur.
Drying herself off as carefully as she could, her eyes fell upon a simple shift of grey set out for her over the back of the bathing room's only chair. Next to it, a small jar with a lid. She smiled softly to herself, setting the wet towel aside and slipping into the shift. Much softer than her old clothes, she barely felt it as it settled over her painfully tender buttocks and thighs.
She picked up the jar and, lifting its air-tight lid, sniffed inside. Her sensitive nose wrinkled at the medicinal scent; numbing salve. Emily must have left it for her… Anne smiled to herself and left the bathing room, numbing salve in paw, feeling much refreshed if still sore.
Emily was waiting for Anne as she entered her new bedroom. The room Silva Marie had chosen for her was sparse in comparison to the rest of the house, holding just a bed set in the far corner and a little dresser upon which laid her small bundle of belongings and a single guttering oil lamp. Her friend was sitting curled up upon the bed with an understanding, sympathetic little smile upon her lips. "Anne…"
Anne paused in the doorway, and as Emily spoke, she felt all the confusing emotions of the night crashing in on her again. Her lower lip trembled, eyes growing liquid, ears laying flat, and suddenly she was sobbing, quickly crossing the room to the bed. Emily met her with open arms, enfolding her in a close embrace and softly petting her damp hair, shushing her, "Shhh, it's all right, everything's all right friend."
Crying, watching her hot tears darkening the brown and grey of Emily's tunic, Anne suddenly remembered Silva's words… Emily's dreams would never come true, and she never even knew it.
She pulled back, eyes drying as she searched for Emily's grey gaze. Her friend continued to stroke and pet her, pushing her hair back from her face and smiling comfortingly. "Emily…" Anne began.
"Shhh, Anne… You don't need to talk. Just lay down, let me rub this salve in and I promise you'll feel much better," Emily said, pulling away from her and taking the jar of salve from her paws.
Anne looked up at Emily, at her friend's clear and honest face, then dropped her eyes and nodded silently. Emily guided her down onto the soft bedspread, laying her down on her stomach and then settling down on the edge of the bed. Anne sighed with relief and closed her eyes, flipping her thick tail up out of the way as she felt her shift being folded up onto her back and the first cool touch of the salve upon her angry red welts raised up under her fur.
Emily smiled, very gently dabbing and then rubbing the salve in. "See? What did I tell you," she said, shifting down to her thighs.
Anne smiled, then nodded, "Mm, yes, that feels wonderful, Emily…" she murmured groggily, spreading her legs so her friend could reach her inner thighs. She didn't register the soft warmth in her middle at first as Emily smoothed the cool white salve into the welts, but as her friend's finger-tips brushed just barely over her sex she realized--she was becoming aroused once more.
She sat up suddenly, turning over and bowing her head at Emily's questioning gaze. Ears flat back, she scooted up against the wall, wincing at the burn of her welts as they slid over the bedspread.
"Anne?" Emily asked with concern, closing the jar of salve and setting it on the dresser before leaning in and placing her paw upon Anne's shoulder. Anne looked up at her, unable to keep the guilty expression from her eyes. To her horror, Emily blinked, and then giggled at her.
"You silly! You think you should be ashamed of your pleasure?" she asked, scooting over to sit next to Anne against the wall.
Anne lowered her eyes again, blushing fiercely. "I… I just don't have control over it. I don't understand when it happens, how it could happen when, well…" She looked up at Emily, searching her friend's eyes for understanding.
Emily nodded, smiling at her, "I know, it takes some getting used to. But you will get used to it, Anne. It's not something to be ashamed of, it's something to be proud of!"
Anne blinked, shaking her head, confused, "Proud of? I don't understand… You, and Silva Marie… The pain…"
Grinning, Emily drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them before continuing, "You mean you like it already?"
Anne sighed, bowing her head in a shameful nod, then glanced up, "What do you mean, 'already'?"
Emily grinned at her again, "See, some slaves never do come to like the attentions of Silva Marie. They hate it, and she loves that. She loves her power over them, that they gratefully allow her to make them suffer," she said. "I realized this about a year ago, myself. Around that time, Silva Marie stopped calling me to her bedchambers…"
She sighed softly, looking away, eyes distant, "I became more of a servant than anything. My hopes of becoming a brown are waning more and more each day…" Trailing off, she looked over at Anne again, "Your shame and embarrassment are something Silva Marie probably likes very much."
Anne nodded silently to her, looking away, afraid her friend might see the knowledge of broken dreams in her eyes.
Emily's paw came to rest over hers, "I'm afraid to say more would be to do you a grave disservice. Let's just say that you're lucky, and that you shouldn't be ashamed of it."
Looking up, Anne gave Emily a half-hearted smile which slowly faded.
"What? What is it, Anne?"
Anne sighed, withdrawing her paw from Emily's, "Emily… Silva Marie said something… I don't want to tell you…"
Emily frowned with concern, "Anne, please… Tell me."
Anne nodded, closing her eyes with a heavy sigh, "Silva Marie never intended to make you a Brown. She's just, just playing with you, Emily. I'm sorry…"
Emily remained silent for a long time. Anne opened her eyes and looked up at her, and found her friend's face a mask of resigned disappointment.
She nodded, "Yes… I think I knew, somewhere inside." She whined out a soft sigh, shaking her head to herself and tipping to one side to lean heavily against Anne, head coming to rest on her shoulder. "I knew."
It was Anne's turn to comfort her friend, stroking lightly over her hair and ears. "I'm sorry…" she said again, feeling Emily nod against her.
"It's okay. Thank you for telling me, Anne." She tipped her head up, lightly kissing Anne upon the lips. Anne drew in a sharp breath, surprised, but then gently returned the kiss. Her soft pets trailed down to Emily's cheek, turning into delicate caresses, her fingertips moving over her friend's smooth skin.
Emily made a soft sound in her throat, somewhere between a moan and a whimper, then pulled back. Anne bit her lower lip, lowering her eyes, tears threatening again. "I'm sorry, I don't understand myself or what I'm feeling, not even what I'm doing. I don't have any control…"
Her friend smiled, tipping Anne's chin up in a way so like Silva Marie's, but the affection in her face was something her Mistress would never be able to achieve, "It's all right, Anne, my friend. I'm going to go now, and let you rest. You've had enough to think over already. There is all the time in the world, for us."
She hugged Anne, giving her a light kiss on the cheek, then scooted off the bed and headed for the door. Pausing at the threshold she turned. Anne looked at her questioningly.
"Anne… If, no… When you do make Brown… Could you speak to Silva Marie? Maybe… Maybe I could be your apprentice instead. I… Mm, nevermind, I shouldn't ask such a thing," Emily said, bowing her head and turning to walk out.
"Emily…" Anne said softly. Emily stopped, and turned reluctantly, one paw on the doorknob. "If I make Brown… IF… Then it would be my honor to have you as my apprentice."
Emily smiled winsomely, nodded, then slipped out into the hall, closing the door.
Anne sighed softly to herself and lay down upon the bed, feeling the various salved welts and sore spots throbbing to the rhythm of her heart.