When Phiona awoke in the morning, she headed straight to her desk and reached groggily to open the laptop lid. Her hands fumbled in empty space. Confused, she rubbed her eyes and took in the empty space on her desk. The laptop was missing. The extra monitor was also missing. In place of her keyboard were a legal pad and quill pen. Instead of her mouse, she found an inkwell.
“CHARLES! Where is my computer!”
“We’ll discuss that after breakfast … Phiona,” Charles replied with softhearted sternness. “But for now, come eat with me, please. I made your favorite,” he finished much more sweetly.
Phiona stubbornly walked into the kitchen to find Charles putting the finishing touches on a plate of made-from-scratch breakfast burritos. “Thank you, Charles. I’ll eat while I wrap up the end of the final chapter,” she said as she reached for her plate.
Charles smacked her hand away with the spatula, “No. We will spend some time together, enjoying this breakfast. Then we will discuss the terms of your punishment for not listening last night. Your novel, even as delayed as it is, can and will wait.”
Phiona acquiesced and sat politely at the table. Every time Phiona attempted to steer the conversation toward her work, Charles redirected the conversation back to the mundane trivialities of everyday life.
As they wrapped up their meal, Charles mentioned, “I do have a play date tonight with Diane, so I imagine you will have plenty of time to work on your book then. If you finish your lines, that is.”
“Lines? Really, Charles? Lines? Like I’m not writing enough as it is already?”
“Yes, Princess, lines. You will write, by hand, with the quill & ink provided, ‘I will not sass Sir when I am too tired to play.’ one hundred times. You will also write, by hand, with the same quill & ink, ‘I will not allow work to push my body beyond my physical limits, for that is Sir’s job.’ one hundred times. I think 200 lines is a mild enough punishment, though perhaps not quite fitting enough.”
Phiona lowered her head, “Yes, Sir,” and began clearing the table of dishes.
Charles gently reached under her chin and lifted her head until their eyes met. “Little One, I just worry about your health and your well-being. Nothing is more important to me than you are. As your partner and Dominant, it is my job to take care of your health and happiness. Just as you take care of mine. I love you.”
Phiona’s expression softened and warmed, “Thank you, Charles, I love you, too. I’ll do my lines, and I’ll work on learning their lessons. Will you, please, tell me where the computer is so that I can work on the book when I finish writing my lines, Sir?”
“Come find me in my office after you finish the first set. I think taking a break between the two sets to work on your novel is fair. I do understand how important it is.”