The owners were unusually quiet. They didn't say anything about Madam's abrupt kiss, didn't make any sounds or move. The atmosphere felt a bit heavy, a bit tense, and it was getting uncomfortable.
I would have preferred Michael's teasing voice, or Moyu's awkward apologies, or Baron's cheerful humming, even Skaris' provocative remarks would have helped to ease the mood.
"Did...did I do something bad?" I whispered, afraid I had broken some kind of rule.
"..." Baron's hands stilled in the water, his eyes on me, then his face softened, "We are all a bit territorial, and can get grumpy from time to time. It will pass, don't worry about it, Little Miss."
He washed me and dried me up, and I could see Michael giving me a stink eye. I always turned to him when I needed an honest answer, and he gave me one.
They didn't like Madam healing me with a kiss.
At the end of the day, they were still rivals when it came to her attention, and I was the one getting it from her.
Even though they wanted the best for Madam, and tried their best to give her everything she might want or need, they still wanted her all for themselves.
Baron flicked my nose, "Don't make that face," he ordered me to stand up so he could put my dress and the chastity belt on.
"But Madam..." I looked at her, then back at him, "She...she didn't..."
"She can't be dealt with alo...ouch," Baron groaned.
Madam's shadow appeared behind Baron, stepping on his tail, "Why not put a chastity belt on yourself as well, big boy?"
She dropped a chastity belt next to Baron, then walked towards Michael, dropping another one on his lap, "You too."
She then dropped one near Skaris, "You as well."
"Moyu," she called his name and Moyu caught the belt she tossed at him from behind the throne.
"You all seem too well fed and satisfied," Madam declared, moving back to the pedestal, "You won't need your dicks for a while, so we might as well make sure they are safe and sound."
"..."
"..."
"This is not how you treat The King Of The Desert," Michael complained, but still put his belt on by simply attaching it around his hips. It then clicked and moved around to cover his crotch, "You foul female, I am not one of your little house dogs that would listen to any command you give them."
Madam responded by snapping her fingers.
The belt around Michael's crotch tightened. He gasped and let out a grunt. He didn't have time to run away and hide, as it was already too late for that.
With her head tilted to the side, Madam enjoyed his struggle, "You might be a king in your land, but here you are a bug, the same bug I stepped on when we first met. Remember that, before you forget your place. Michael."
I didn't know why Madam suddenly changed her attitude toward the owners, like she was punishing them for something only they knew. It wasn't my place to ask. I just observed, as always.
"Little Miss," Madam's voice called for me and I turned to face her, "Clean the mud off my boots."
She sat back on the pedestal, elbows resting carelessly on her knees in a way that wasn't careless at all, her legs extended toward me, showing the sole of her boots.
Baron was about to help me get the things needed for it, but Madam stopped him.
"Little Miss will do everything by herself."
I nodded, and went to fetch a wet cloth from the basin, kneeling before her, and starting to wipe her boots, which were so clean, the cloth didn't get any dirtier than it was.
It looked like she wanted to prove something to the owners, that I was not receiving special treatment, but was working just as they were.
I hoped that was the case, and she wasn't angry at me. I didn't want her to be angry at me.
Her hand touched the top of my head, her fingers caressing my ear. Her sharp nails gently traced the outline, then moved down to my cheek.
"Blushing so hard, my lips are still lingering, huh?" her words made me go still.
"I'm just...I'm just a bit hot," I excused my blush, feeling her nails tracing the lower part of my lip.
It was tingling, the sensation making my stomach feel queasy like I was coming down with a fever.
"Keep cleaning," she ordered, removing her hand.
I nodded and continued to move the cloth, focusing on the task at hand.
If I could control my blush, I would. Madam's words made it even harder to calm down, my face only getting hotter, my heart beating faster.
"Was it your first kiss, Little Miss?" I heard Michael's snarky tone from behind me.
"Not a kiss," I saw Madam's right pointer moving, beckoning Skaris to approach her from the side, "Just a healing touch."
He came to her and she put her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him down. I could see his throat bobbing as she licked his lips, then pressed hers against them, slipping her tongue inside.
He moaned into her mouth, his knees buckling, and he put his hands on the pedestal, trying to hold himself upright.
My heart dropped in my stomach, my blood running cold as I watched the way Madam's lips moved against his, how she controlled his body, how he melted against her, his fingers curling around the edge of the pedestal.
The tingling on my lips intensified, the warmth of my skin turned into prickling heat, and I wanted to rip the feeling out of me, wanted to claw it out and stomp on it.
Madam pulled back and Skaris fell on his knees before her, his forehead pressing against her shoulder, breathing hard.
I returned to wiping her boots, needing to do something, anything to distract me.
"She's actually jealous," Michael observed out loud, "I was sure Baron would be the one."
"Me?" Baron asked, surprised, "I was sure Vick would have been."
"Tsk, why does it have to be Darling again? She has done nothing but bully Little Miss since she came here," Michael groaned dramatically, sounding like he was about to burst in frustration, "I'm fed up. There's no way I'm sharing Darling with another one."
"Can't even seduce a female in a male deficit world into falling for you," Madam taunted the owners, snapping her fingers again.
All four chastity belts clicked at once, making them wince in pain, their hands flying to their crotches.