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Forgotten Desires (The Duchess & Mr. M)

It was nearly a decade before Spring-heeled Jack would haunt the streets of Whitechapel, but that did not mean there was not murder and villainy within London town. The town of Limehouse was infested with Chinamen, and their opium and their casual disregard for the laws of the whites led to all sorts of inhuman crime, a criminal underground that was, on occasion, literally underground.

It was some huge disused brick chamber, perhaps a sewer junction that never became active, some element of the planned underground train system, or perhaps the cellar of some great building that never went farther than the foundations. Whatever the origin, it was spacious, high-ceilinged, and packed full of men. Rowdy, sometimes drunken, all of them here for nefarious purposes. Sailors from strange ports, crimelords, decadent and evil rich men, and patrons even stranger. All there for the purchase of special goods.

Women. Mostly young, and mostly white.

Most would be spirited away to nearby ships, or smuggled into the special basements of wealthy mansions. A few would go to drudge work in secret houses and places not far away. Some would find more bitter ends. They came from all over; sold by parents, kidnapped as targets of opportunity, or just snatched as girls nobody would miss. But their origins didn't really matter anymore, not to the men gathered here. No, what mattered were their bodies, their faces. And their prices.

The man known as The Duke kept to the shadows, away from the crude sputtering torches and the gaslamps. He used the name Ajade, on occasion, but mostly he relied on his title. He was not here just for the flesh, although he did want to enjoy himself in that way. He was looking for more than that. He was looking for blood.
 
Charis sat in a low cage that didn't even come to the hip of a chinaman, she was instantly pulled out roughly and felt her hands being tied behind her back, she stood at a good 5`9 in height, the gag instantly went in her mouth and the crack of a bamboo stick being lashed at the back of her knees, she buckled down to her knees and let her head hang there till the china man grabbed her long, dirty and curly hair jerking it back to reveal fair skin that was bruised in some places and cuts and scrape's littered her body in various places, her eyes opened to reveal beautiful green orbs, like shining emerlds in the dull light.

The chinaman called out various aspects of her that were true and that might be for the liking of some of most of the men here, he didn't call her blood type not second guessing about vampires, mostly because of myth and stories. There were a few men examining her face and lean sculpted body before putting there name down and how much they would pay, by the end of the night she would be going home with one of those men who bid the highest, she was only wearing what looked like a ragged short dress that was way to short for her and showed off just about everything but still not naked, she was quiet and didn't say or look at the passer by'ers but did catch a slight glimpse of someone in the shadows, she shoke her head slightly and closed her eyes slowly, wanting to just crawl back into the cage and be left alone, she felt like an animal, thats all she was to the chinamen, an animal that would be sold for a high dollar amount
 
The Duke had ignored the previous offerings: emaciated or young girls without the sustenance or strength he would need. But this one... this green-eyed one... she was different, somehow. She was lean, yes, but not malnourished like the others, and she had a lovely shape. So his secondary needs would be met, at least. But she also seemed, for all her surface abuse, essentially healthy, which was more important to his primary requirement.

She was kept in a ragged shift, which would have been racy for his own early days, and was positively scandalously indecent for the modern repressed era. He drew closer, and saw her almost glance at him, before closing her eyes, probably trying to block out what was happening to her. Abuse was the way of her recent days, and who knew what she had endured before she was captured and caged? Surely she wanted to block out being treated like a piece of meat, sold like an animal to the hungry crowd. The cruel part of him wanted to go up and force her to look; one should always meet their fate with open eyes, whatever it might be.

But instead, he merely stepped up to the podium. He didn't paw her, or heft her breasts or squeeze her buttocks like some of them did. He didn't check her teeth, or pinch her or slap her, like others. No, he found what he wanted with his nose. She was unwashed and injured, but the blood of her scrapes smelled clean and healthy, and tantalizing. He wrote his bid down in the silent auction; it was much less chaotic this way than when they used to do it the traditional calling way. Much more civilized, for an uncivil activity.
 
The china man would bow slightly and smile in that goofy smile they usually got and thanked him for his entry, the night went on and she was continuously brought in and out of the small cage for ether inspection or just for show, she was quiet the entire time watching the different passer byers, rich men with snobby looking women by thier sides probably looking for house slaves, her green eyes would scan the area many others wold place thier name on the sheet and y the end of the night the sheet was almost full.

The Chinaman grabbed the back of her head again and she had to bend backwards because of how short he was, she stumbled and walked in an odd way before he pushed her roughly into the crowd heading for the duke, he handed her off to him, it was an un civilized way to give away something someone had bought but he was a china man no use in trying to reason with him. She felt the restrants being pulled from her wrists and the gag being pulled from her mouth, she looked back at the short china man before he turned and slapped her on the butt and waddling off taking the money that The duke had given him for her purchase.
 
The Duke had won the auction after all, and now he was pleased to take command of his prize. He handed over his money while he looked at her. She was exhausted, dead-eyed, defeated. Part of him liked his prey this way, but he also had moods where he found it boring. For some reason, this time it gave him a very minor pang, like he didn't enjoy it, but he had no idea where that came from. She jerked when the foreign auctioneer slapped her ass in farewell, but her distraction gave him a chance to slip the rope noose he'd brought with him over her head and tighten it. He wanted to establish very quickly who held the power, and to the breathing, there was little like the risk of strangulation to focus their minds.

Before she could even react to the sight of the rope slipping past her vision, he snugged the noose tight, not cutting off her air but putting a pressure around her entire neck. He waited until he had her attention, then he held up the cuffs he'd brought with him, the new ones that slipped around the wrists and one turned a screw with a special key to tighten them. He held them up so she could see them. "I'm going to bind your hands," he said in a quiet baritone voice that nonetheless cut through the noise of the crowd to her ears.

"If you behave yourself, I won't have to gag you, and I can leave the noose loose as a lead. But if you make noise, not only will you have to endure this gag," and he showed her the thick plug gag made of leather and wood that already bore the teeth-marks of those before her, "but I will see to it you do not have the breath to cry out, and barely enough to keep walking where I lead. Do you understand me, girl?"
 
A Chil ran down her spine when he spoke, she turned back around feeling the rope now around her neck, she continued her silence by just looking at him then turned her orbs to the cuffs that he had put on her wrists, her ass still stung from the slap but his character before her was an even darker sort, she bit her pale lips slightly making them rosy, that gag looked like it had some miles on it, examining the teeth marks from where she stood and it looked slightly old, she only nodded to his words hoping he got what she was saying cause now she was afraid to say anything or make any kind of sound.

She felt tried and the dark circles that were under her eyes faintly showed it, she only focused on getting to where ever they were going, getting cleaned up and sleeping on what ever he would have her sleep on, she was swaying slightly from how tired she was but moved her feet to steady herself.
 
A nod was all he needed, but her frightened reaction also pleased him. He nodded back, and then tugged on the rope around her neck, making a small noise with his tongue, as if summoning an animal, then turned and led her off.

He got a bit of a charge out of leading her in her short shift through the rowdy crowd. Some were dealing with their own purchases, some were ogling his. He kept her exposed, unthinkable in this age, and let them ogle. He sensed furtive hands reaching out to touch her, grope her, as they passed, and he did nothing. Let her get a feel for her new station, he thought, and grinned an evil little grin to himself.

But soon enough, they passed out of the chamber into one of the little tunnels. He knew the system; if you knew the right doors and the right cellars, you could get almost anywhere in London through them, and he knew almost all of them. He glanced behind them before he turned a corner, and then he rushed her to a smaller door, barely a coal-scuttle, and hurried her through. It was a short, narrow passage that eventually opened up to a brick hallway. Through it, he led her to another passage, and another. The thin, cheap sandals she's been given were bare protection, but they lasted.

He judged her near delirious with exhaustion and pain by the time they came to a heavy wooded door, deep under London. He paused and turned to look to his new property, and withdrew a long brass key. With it, he unlocked the door and opened it wide. Inside was an incongruously neat and tidy parlor, lit by discrete gaslamps and brass reflectors, all mahogany furniture with red velvet upholstery and brass fittings. "Welcome," he intoned. "Welcome to your new home."
 
Charis jumped and looked back at the ones who grabbed her closing her eyes and trying to keep close to her new owner, she walked and walked down the halls and turned down the pathways and corridoors, she saw different doors and stone archways, her eyes moved to the little door that he pushed her through, she crawled through finding it a bit harder with her hands bound together, she eventully stood there infront of the large wooden doors gazing up then looked back at him seeing him look at her, a shiver went down her spine when he kept looking at her, she didn't know what to think with him looking at her like that, but she kept still when he opened the double doors and revealed the beautiful comfy looking room, she bit her lip slightly as she scaned the room, she didnt move or say anything till he led her with what she thought was a make-shift leash.
 
He twitched the rope and led her inside. He brought her to the center of the parlor and had her stop while he went back and closed and locked the doors, deadbolting them with the heavy bolts that only he could really move. He came back to her, and slipped the noose off her neck. "We won't be needing this in here. It's not as if you can escape, at any rate."

He unscrewed the manacles. "Stay right there," he said, with steel in his voice. He turned and went to the bar, and poured water into an exquisite crystal glass. He brought the glass to her, and offered it to her. "Drink. You must be thirsty."
 
she breathed softly and reached her hands out forward and bit her lips slightly before she lifted the water to her lips and slowly sipped from it feeling the cool liquid flow down her dry throat and breathed softly and ended up downing the drink easily, she licked her top lip softly and looked at him now handing him back the beautiful glass, she looked slightly pitiful in her rag dress and dirty skin, she still didn't speak, she didn't know if she was supposed to yet anyway.
 
He took the glass back, and regarded her a moment. He went back to the bar and refilled the glass. "I have to go make preparations. You may have this glass if you take off your sandals and leave them there." He left the glass on the counter, and went through the door nearby, closing and latching it behind him.

He moved to the bathing chamber, made sure the boiler was hot, and began to run a warm bath. He'd established her place in life, now he wanted to establish his. He was capable of handing out punishment and harshness, but she had to understand that he was capable of handing out rewards, as well. But it was going to be under his control, and that meant she had to work for her rewards.

Once the bath was running, and the temperature was set, he stole back to the parlor. Before he entered, he went to the side passage and used the secret peephole to see what she was doing.
 
She listened to him and watched him leave her alone, this gave her a chance to walk around for herself, she moved to the counter and took another sip of the water before she walked around the room looking at the different things, she didn't touch but she did read the spines of a few books noting to come back to them later, she then sliped the pittiful sandles off and placed them where he told her and wondered what he was doing, she eventully sat down on the floor and extended her tired legs rubbing her feet and sighing softly to herself waiting for him to come back, not that she didn't enjoy the time alone.
 
He grinned as he watched her explore the room, and then rest. She had a bit of self-possession, this one, yet she was also smart. She hadn't disobeyed once during the trip back from the auction. She could turn out to be very interesting. But first, she had to be presentable, and healthy.

He returned to the bathing chamber, and checked the water level. Indeed, it was ready.

He made no sound as he re-entered the parlor, but she caught sight of the movement. "Stand, please," he said softly, and when she was on her feet, he said simply "Strip," as he gazed at her calmly. Would she do it? Did her obedience go that far? Time to find out.
 
She turned and looked up at him blinking slightly before se stood and froze when he asked her to strip, a million different things ran through her mind, she had never shown herself willingly to anyone, it was always forced in some way, he was being kind but she still felt very uneasy about it but she had no choice she had to do somthing, she figured he was the only one in here, she pulled off the rag and let it drop to the floor and stepping out of it and blushed slightly, her long auburn hair covered her beautiful breasts and extended halfway down her back.
 
He noted the hesitation, then the compliance. Oh, she was impressively centered, unlike many Victorian girls, with a sense of when to cling to propriety and when to give in to inevitability. She might last a long time, and looking over her naked form, he found he rather liked that idea.

He let his eyes run over her bare body, and then he stood aside and gestured through the door he had come through, clearly inviting her to accompany him.

He took her to the candle-lit bathing chamber, and indicated the bath. "Please, enter. It is quite warm, and you can see the soap and cloths and more. Please cleanse yourself, and relax a bit."

"You have been quite obedient tonight, and therefore you have earned this small indulgence. I shall bring you sustenance, as well." He would give her red meat and wine, all the better to promote healthy blood. "You earn good treatment by behaving and obeying without question. You will earn poor treatment for any sort of resistance. Do you understand?"

He paused for an answer, then added, "And what should I call you?"
 
She blushed slightly when he scanned her body, she didn't see an expression on his face but nodded when he jestured to the bathroom, maybe he didn't like what he saw, that was false hope, she looked around the warm bathroom and shivered in delight at the warmth, she decided to go ahead and eat first, she sat down on the edge of the tub and used her fork to easily cut into the meat and eating quite politly and slowly looking up at him every now and then. when he asked her his question she swallowed and answered " Charis, and i understand your conditions" she had a beautiful voice, not high pitched or to low of tone, just the right tone for a woman, she stopped eatting and just watched him just in case he had anything else to add to that.
 
He met her eyes, and had the oddest sensation from looking into their emerald depths. Of course he didn't let it show, but merely bowed slightly. "I shall return in slightly over an hour to show you your chambers. That is where you will stay during the times I must rest, which time is approaching."

With that he backed out and closed the door. She would not move unrestricted the rest of her life, this girl. Not that her life was going to be particularly lengthy, but that was the fate of all his slaves.

Charis... Charis... 'Graceful One." It was a lovely name, and unusual. He bustled about in his lair, in the shadowy chambers where no human eyes had glanced in decades, and found his mind unusually occupied. She was a food source, and a delightful sexual distraction, but she shouldn't be clinging to the inside of his brain like she was. That was... unusual.

Still, in a little over an hour, he returned to the bathing chamber and unlocked it. "Come."
 
She watched him leave and bowed her head to him as he left, she finished eating the plate of food that was givin to her, she savored every bite of it, it had been a while since she had a decent meal.

She looked to the bath and tested the water for herself before she slipped in and moved her body underwater as well as her head, she stayed under for a while before she emerged pushing back her hair, she sighed softly and lathered her dirty skin, she felt tons better after she got out and dried herself looking towards the clothes he had provided, she walked over to them and held them up only to smile at the soft matierial, a long, satin, black night dress, so beautiful she flet like she didn't need to touch it, she pulled it on and smoothed it over her curves and adjusted it to fit right, she looked down at herself and smiled slightly before she head the door open and heard his voice echo through the chamber, she turned to him and walked towards him then past him into the other room and waited for him.
 
He closed the door to the bathing room and joined her in the hallway. He ushered her down the hall to the small door that was her personal chamber. It was a smallish room almost entirely occupied by a large four-poster bed. The bed came equipped with iron manacles and adjustable lengths of chain on each post, able to be attached at a number of heights. The chamberpot sat under the washbasin stand, and both a washing pitcher and a drinking carafe stood on top of the stand. The only other element was a cage made of cast iron bars. It was not tall enough for a person to stand, nor long enough for a person to lie down.

"This is where you will stay. The bed, of course, is where you will sleep; unencumbered, if you have been satisfactory. If I am displeased enough, there is your cage. Hopefully you won't have to endure that." He considered perhaps he would inflict it upon her anyway; that was his choice. He ushered her in, and nodded to her. "Rest now. When I return, we will discuss your duties. They are not many, but I will expect total obedience." He smiled, in a way he couldn't help but seem creepy, and closed and locked the door.

He flitted through his rooms and ended in his secret chamber, with his coffin. Climbing in, he settled himself. He was satisfied with his purchase, and he was starting to anticipate making full use of her. He wondered if her apprehension would make her resist, or be more eagerly compliant? He looked forward to finding out.
 
she bit her lips and didn't say anything the entire time he was with her, she watched him leave and heard the swift clicking of the lock, she went to the door after a while and tried to open it, did he really think she would escape, she wouldnt even know where to go, she slid down the door to the floor and curled up, this was worse that the last master she had, at least her room looked a bit similar to his and didn't look like a dugeon, this was what she was going to call her room, a large prison, at least it looked like it aside from the door, she got up and walked to her bed and sat down, she placed her hand on one of the lenghty chain and cuffs and shivered at the thought of them, she pushed them off the bed to where she couldnt see them and pulled her feet up to the bed, she shivered slightly and grabed the thin blanket wrapping it around herself, she wrinkled her nose slightly and wiped the access fluids that leaked from her nostrils onto the blanket and layed down on the hard bed and sighed softly pulling herself up into a sort of ball, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep, thankfully she was tried enough to get to sleep.
 
Even in her exhaustion, she was already awake and mostly ready when the Duke came for her next.

Her morning duties were simple; she would take her chamberpot and whatever linens needed washing with her and he would lock her in the kitchen area. Here there were disposal shafts and washing facilities, cooking supplies, a pantry, and so forth. She was to wash up and maintain her own linens and what few clothes she was given (mostly he liked her naked, or nearly so, so clothes were rare), and cook for herself. She would do all the chores in the first hours of wakefulness, when the Duke was out and about getting his mortal business completed. She could eat as well as she wanted, whatever she could find the ingredients for. She would make her own breakfast, and set her later meals ready. She would prepare nothing for the Duke.

He also knew there were days she would need the "morning" for further recuperation. She would discover this also, soon enough.

It was several hours before he came to collect her. He'd developed an idea to put her through her paces; these modern Victorian girls were so shy and ashamed of their bodies, unlike many of the women in his breathing days. He wanted to see how deeply rooted this shame was in her; he would order her to perform for him, to display herself, and see how far she could go. And when she finally balked, he would have reason to punish. IF she balked; if she didn't he would get a fine show. It was as if he couldn't lose.

He unlocked the door. "Are you ready to serve your Master, Charis?"
 
She awoke out of being uncomfortable, he rolled slightly in the satin night dress and opened her eyes before sitting up and rubbing her arms sligtly at how cold it was, she shivered and climbed out of bed but jumped back slihtly feeling how cold the floor was, she looked around her little prision and closed her eyes slightly, it was only then that the man walked in from yesterday, it seems that it was just the two of them here, tho she wished she could explore and maybe find a way out....maybe. She lifted her head up and looked at him wrinkling her nose slightly but moved herself to sit on her legs and placing her hands in her lap after fixing her hopelessly curly hair " i am not awake completly yet, if i could have somthing to eat before i perform my duties, i promise you won't be disappointed" she said quietly watching him with her green orbs wondering what he would say to her.
 
He nodded. "You'll have ample opportunity to have whatever you wish. Your duties here at the beginning of your day are all about maintaining yourself." He gestured her out of the room, and down the hallway to the end, where the kitchen was. He explained how she'd be tending to her own care during the first part of her waking day, while he was tending to his business. "But when I come for you, afterward... then you are mine. Do you understand?"

He had stocked the kitchen with ingredients and food before the auction, and he could restock any day, though he'd rather sleep. He knew the kitchen had knives, pots and pans, all sorts of possible weapons... but nothing that could hurt him more than momentarily. He would just lock her in, knowing there wasn't any other way out; all the drains, shafts, flues, or other passages were either too small or barred so as to be impassible.

"Here you are. Your time here is your own; prepare your breakfast, put your dinner on to cook, whatever you like. In future days, perhaps you can bring a book with you to pass the time. But now I leave you. I have meetings to attend." With that, he closed and locked the door.

((In the future, we can gloss over this part; it's just an excuse to have her day-to-day living needs dealt with off-screen, after all. Useful plot-wise, but not necessary to cover each day.))
 
She looked around the decent Kitchen then listened to her duties, she bit her lip slightly and jumped when he just left, she heard the familer clicking of a lock and sighed softly rubbing her face and walking around the room again and sat down at the table to collect her thoughts, she knew what she was allergic to and she found a few of those things here, she wrinkled her nose and used a fork she had found to rake the onions into the trash, she thought that maybe she should mention that to him so he wouldn't think she was wasting food

she pulled out a few things like bread, bacon and a potato, she smiled slightly and grabbed a plate and began to prepare her breakfast, all while putting pasta on to boil for her dinner or lunch, after everything was prepared and done she had hash browns, with toast and bacon, and from lunch or dinner there was macoroni salad with a pot roast cooking slowly in the pot in the fire place, she ate slowly and sighed softly.

She thought of what he had planned for her to, she was puzzled at the fact that he only showed her hostpitality but in a non pleasent manner, maybe he wasn't used to being around a woman, she wasn't sure, she she finished eating and wrinkled her nose, where did he expect her to bathe, she looked around and found a tub in an unlocked room, it was filthy, she groaned slightly and grabbed and rag and made some soapy water and began to scrub the tub as best she could to get the dirt and grim off of it, that pretty much took up all of her bath time and that made her groan slightly, maybe she would be fine with the way she was now, she pushed back her long auburn locks and moved out of the bathroom and sat down at the table waiting for him to return.
 
It only took a few hours to complete his business. He only had to break one neck that evening, though he couldn't feed on the corpse with people around. Well, not people exactly, but thugs. So it was a good but frustrating night, and he was looking forward to toying with his new plaything.

He unlocked the kitchen and found her waiting at the table. At least she wasn't lurking, ready to attempt to bash his head in with a frying pan. "Stand up," he said sharply. "We shall repair to the parlor."

He let her out of the kitchen and guided her back into the parlor. "Stand there," he said, pointing to a spot in the middle of the room, while he went about taking off his jacket, loosening his tie, and so forth. Getting relaxed while he expected her to get tense. He let her simmer, having her stand "at attention" while he got himself ready and pulled up a large chair, an overstuffed easy chair to serve as his "throne" while he had her perform for him. He was sure the wait was working on her mind...
 
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