dorion

She loved that look. Kneeling, eyes cast down: she saw meekness, obedience - also a spark of resistance: shame, pride, regret, lust. Regret for freedom lost, shame from the knowledge that it was his own slave nature to give it up, pride that she took it. He desired to submit to her, his surrender brought him shame, the shame aroused his desire.

Her dominance was attuned to the contradictions in his heart. She knew how to wrap them like cords around him. He might seem to have a choice. He did not. She confronted him with what he was; the only escape would be for him to deny his nature. This he could not do. So long as she chose to control him, he could only submit.

She saw this even more clearly than he did. A part of her regretted taking his freedom - but that lost look in his eyes was so delicious, his impulse to obey was so pleasing, his spark of resistance so exciting to play with - and after all, it was his own nature to submit, just as it was her nature to rule. This is how it was meant to be. And she loved it.