Waking the next morning was interesting. Part of me wondered if I had simply had a really good erotic dream the night before, but a lingering after taste in my mouth and the signs of a messy bedspread told me that it had all been real.

Which left the question, what next? I was alone in the bed and I could smell something that seemed a lot like breakfast wafting up the stairs. So obviously it was time to get the day started.

Aside from that though I had spent the evening gloriously fucking the time away with. My servant? Rosie? My servant Rosie? Call me odd but intimacy confuses a lot of situations. Like for example my relationship with the woman whose job it was to ostensibly take care of me.

“Well you have to admit she did a proper job of that last night.” The devil on my shoulder said with a chuckle. I had to agree, her comment about her being hypersexual was not a joke. I woke to her idly playing with me in the middle of the night after our first run through, and hearing her giggle when I just rolled onto her.

I was her boss, and I was sure that there was some sort of issue there, but I hadn’t ordered her into bed with me, in fact I recall giving a disclaimer or two…

Fuck it time to get dressed and face the day.

So I found a set of sweats and a t-shirt and headed downstairs to face the beginning of the day.

I walked down to the first floor and into the kitchen. Rosie had changed from moving clothes to a maids outfit. An old school French Maids outfit. That might have been designed by a lingerie company gone mad. The material looked to be satin and the skirt covered her most private parts but just barely. When I made my presence known she turned around with a happy smile. And I noticed the top had the sort of cut to it that would have made the mariana trench look like the side of a road.

“Good morning boss, sleep well?” Rosie asked as I sat down at the kitchen table.

“Well aside from a few possible pulled muscles and a heart murmur I slept well.” I said

with a chuckle.

Rosie smiled. “What can I say? I had some needs that needed to be filled, thank you.”

“Thank you, that was pretty much what I needed, whether I knew it or not.”

“Good.” She put a cup of coffee in front of me, and then added a plate that had two eggs, sausage and a bowl of fruit. “Now eat it all or I’ll rub it in your hair.” She said with a chuckle and made a plate for herself.

“So now what?” I asked

“What do you mean?”

“Well You’re my servant and I’m your boss. I’m not sure if sex is a right in that situation,

And..”

Rosie held up her hand. “Do you know what the word no means?”

“I’d like to think so.”

“I had a feeling.” She said with a grin. “When you hear it, respect it, and life will be good.”

“Seems reasonable.” I said and dug into my breakfast.

“So what are your plans for the day?” Rosie asked.

“I was thinking of taking a walk in the woods, then coming back and seeing if writing or music felt more like where my head is at.” I answered. And took another bite, it’s not often someone can make scrambled eggs interesting but she had done a remarkable job.

“Good, I’ll be at the market figuring out lunch and dinner, is there anything you might need?”

“I think I’ve pretty much got it covered. I brought over all the booze from the old house so I don't need much.” I replied.

“Yeah some of those bottles might be ten years old. Are you sure they don't need to find a dumpster?” Rosie asked.

“Well if it’s the flavored vodka and such, feel free, leave the whiskey please.” I replied.

“Excellent, I can clear some cabinet space.”

“And what would you do with it?” I asked

“Willing to trust me?”

“Well I don’t see why not, you’ve treated me right so far.” I said and popped an orange slice into my mouth, then tossed a few grapes down to keep it company.

“Excellent, I see you learn quickly.” She finished her breakfast and collected her plate then mine having just finished the last grape in the bowl.

Forests have always fascinated me. As a kid growing up we had a few acres of nothing but trees behind us, and in my darker days I would escape the harsh reality of school bullies by going into the forest to disappear and just read.

So the massive stand of trees behind the house was something I had to experience. Slipping on a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and a pullover hoody I added a pair of well worn engineer boots. I made my way out the back door.

Something I had missed living in the plains, the damp musty smell of the forrest, brand new leaves growing as older ones decayed under my feet. The lighting grew darker around me as I walked under the canopy of giant ancient trees

For a brief moment I felt that sense of relief I felt as a child hiding in the overgrown forest. With a deep breath I stepped forward and into the green curtain ahead of me.

For the first time I could remember. I actually felt relaxed. Not tired or worn out, which is what I used to think that word meant, simply unstressed. I lost my conscious thought in the walk, and climbing over felled trees and through old brush, there were some trails that had been formed in the ground, but I wanted to see the off the beaten path areas, maybe find a spot like the one I had as a kid when I could just lose myself.

From above me I heard a sound, kind of like a strangled meow and growl mixed together. I moved toward it, and looked up the massive tree. In the branches what looked like a kitten was standing there yelling at me.

I smiled, then began climbing. The little critter had gotten up there but hadn't figured on the going down part of the trip. “Okay let’s do our good deed for the day.” I thought as I climbed up. Onto a massive branch.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The trip up took a little work. The branches were massive but oddly spaced, so it was like figuring out a puzzle, taking a step down in one moment so I could take three steps up, the next.

In a few minutes though I was face to face with my feline friend.

Who on further examination was a small mountain lion cub.

We both looked each other over, I admired the critters' fur and the very large paws on such a small creature. Meanwhile I hoped and prayed its mother was close enough to find this little ball of murder floof, but far enough away that I could fuck right off before she got mad at the stupid human messing with her baby.

“Okay lil one, I’m going to put you in a pocket and bring you down, so try not to freak out.” I didn’t expect a response, but the little monster didn’t argue when I picked them up and put them in my hoodie pocket. .

Now I had to navigate the way down while doing my best to keep from slamming my tummy into the tree and possibly hurting my new friend.

Eventually I got to the last stop on this E-ticket ride and my feet found solid ground again. I slid to my knees and moved my hand into my hoodie pocket and my new friend looked at me and yawned. “Well I guess applause was out of the question, now then think you can find your m…”

Which is when I felt warm air on my neck.

There’s a kind of primal terror in moments like these, to me it tends to go with a sensation of a cold electrical shock of adrenalin mixed with the chemicals that create pure raw terror in your mind.

Somehow I tamped that all down and turned slowly, holding the little lion cub. Sure enough, Momma was there. I’m not very good at judging the emotions of great cats, but her appraising look made me wonder if she was going to feed her child a snack made of me before taking them home.

I slowly lifted my hand with the small creature in it. “I believe you were looking for this one here?” I said gently and was happy to hear my voice not squeak in fear.

Momma was looking at me, then gently moved her head forward and took my new friend in her mouth. Then set them on the ground. I had a feeling they'd get a big cat talking too later.

Meanwhile I was hoping that my heart wouldn’t go into Afib, as she turned her head and looked at me. “I always knew I’d die trying to pet something I shouldn’t.” I idly thought.

Momma moved her head forward and licked my face,and oidd sensation, the bigger version of a cat tongue with a rougher grade of velcro on it, then collected her little miscreant and walked off into the forest.

Waiting until she was mostly out of sight I let out the deep breath I expected to be my last, then slowly walked back the way I came. All the way shaken and also energized by my encounter. I wasn’t fool enough to think that I had made a new big cuddly buddy, but I had also met a creature I thought of as the Queen of the Forest. And she had decided to not kill me for handling its child.

So I went back into town, and idly strode down the streets, I knew I would be back in the forest again. Just with a better sense of safety.

I hoped.

My foot came down on the delay pedal, and I worked my way through some arpeggiated chords. Letting the delay add a sort of shimmering effect to the sound. On my computer I could see waveforms as I played. I was making a base recording of an idea. Kind of inspired by the feel of today's little misadventure.

Which is when the doorbell rang. I hadn’t heard Rosie come back in, so I rolled the volume down on my guitar, paused recording and ran upstairs.

I opened the door and Madeline stood there. Dressed in tight fitting jeans and a black silk button down top. She smiled as I opened the door. “A pleasure to see you.” I said as I let her in.

“What happened to your face?” She asked as she passed by,

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.” I answered and walked to the kitchen. “Get you anything?” I asked as I grabbed a bottle of ginger beer.

“You would be stunned by what I would believe.” Madeline replied. “And I’ll take one of those, thank you.” I handed her a glass bottle and a church key. She opened hers as I took a seat on a stool by the kitchen island.

“Well I got licked by a mountain lion. I think she took a few layers of surface skin for her effort.”

I think I can be forgiven for feeling a little pride at seeing Madeline cough up a swallow of her drink. “What?”

So I told her the whole story, thinking I was saving a kitten that was actually a lion cub and Momma being there waiting to retrieve her lost child.

Madeline shook her head. “The report we had on you said you made friends easily. But you might have taken this to a new level.” She chuckled. “I’m glad to see you’re alive and well.”

“Anything else I have to worry about in the forest?”

“There’s a few Mountain lions but by and large they tend to leave people alone, apparently we’re not on their taste palette. There is a family of brown bears in the area, if you see one just head the other way. They tend to avoid people, but try not to push your luck.”

“Oh No, I’ve pushed that about as far as I can I’m sure.” I paused and took a sip of my soda. “So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit to?”

“I wanted to see how you were settling in.” Madeline replied.

“Well the house is all set up the way I wanted, and I’m settling into a sort of schedule, and Rosie.” I paused.

“Is she not working out?”

“She’s working out spectacularly.” I answered. “She’s remarkably good at everything she does and..”

“Oh this is going to be good. I think you’re blushing. Did she come visit in the evening?”

“Did you set that up?” I asked, trying to keep venom out of my voice.

“Not exactly, it’s not like she's under orders to sleep with you.” She grinned. “But I had a feeling.”

“Oh, please tell me more.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s messing with me.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s my .. servant and I’m her boss.”

“A setup that has had this result for.. A few millennia.”

“Yeah but in this Millennium I just worry and wonder about taking advantage of someone.”

Madeline shook her head. “Your report said you were largely amoral, but strictly ethical.”

“I’m getting sick of hearing about this report on me.” I sighed and finished my drink. “This is all a bit much.”

“Why?”

“Jesus, you sound like one of my nieces!” I shook my head. “It’s like stepping into heaven, I finally have the time to really do what I want, in a place that I like and I’ve hired a woman who seems to exist to take care of my whims.”

“I’m still looking for the problem.” Madeline said and took a seat next to me.

I gave it a thought and then let out a deep breath. “I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, all things have costs and exact them. So I’m waiting to find out what it is.”

Madeline did something that surprised me. She got up and ran her fingers down my scalp. “Don’t think a massage is going to keep me from asking.”

“I don’t think so, but I have seen this a lot, the creative class often exists because of trauma, and a lot of that is them experiencing the situation of having the things they love taken from them.”

“If you say my report says, I might ask you to leave.” I said although it would have required effort the woman's fingers had me in a full tilt ASMR mode.

Madeline laughed, a musical sound. “I Promise I won't mention it.” Her fingers worked down my neck. “The cost is this. We want you to do what you do, because in the end the world needs new dreams and hopes.”

“And how do I pay for that?”

“Do what you do, write, make music, make art. We’ll make sure the world sees them and that you see the rewards for it.”

“And if I hit a dry spell or turn all bratty and decide I Won't make anything?”

“I can see a dry spell, but the people here, like I said, are the sort who need to create, and so do you. We are fighting against the human desire for destruction, by filling the world with creation.” She paused and I felt her fingers work on my back. “Some people will not like that, you’ll learn more later, but that’s the real cost. Fighting against them will likely be your greatest battle.”

“Where did you find Rosie?” I asked. “I know you look for artists and such.

“Rosie in her own unique way is every bit as much an artist as you. Her canvas is service, she lives to serve. And does it well.”

“I noticed.”

“Some people exist to please, and she is one of them. Sadly she’s often worked for people who do not appreciate her skills and her sense of self. So when Carol found her, we knew she would be right to be here.”

I let it roll in my mind remembering various moments, BDSM clubs, people who were service bottoms and such. It began to make sense. “So you introduced her to someone who would appreciate her skills and self?”

“Exactly. Carol has an eye for that sort of thing, think of her as Yenta from Fiddler on the roof. She loves to pair people.”

“Okay this is all making sense.”

“Feeling better?”

“A Little.”

“Good, don’t be concerned about her, you’re not the sort to steal something that’s meant to be a gift. And if you should, she’d have no issue with letting you know once you’ve stepped over her boundaries.”

“Good to know.” I could feel the tension draining from me.

The front door chose that moment to open, and Rosie walked in with a cloth shopping bag that was bulging. “Oh Hi Madeleine! She said as she came in. “I got the fixings for an amazing stir fry, more than enough if you want to stay.”

“I appreciate it, but I should be going soon.” She moved her hands off my back. “Your Boss had an encounter today. You should ask him about it.” Madeline walked off. Heading out the front door.

“What happened to your face?” Rosie asked.