Alien Pet (mxmxm)

.5

BENNETT

       I wasn't long in the felines embrace before I was placed back onto my feet and into the clutches of my very displeased looking guard. In the midst of the impromptu gathering, one of the more extravagantly styled aristocrats pivoted gracefully, their ornate attire shimmering with jeweled embellishments. The subtle rustle of luxurious fabrics accompanied the turn, and in the ensuing silence, my guards long-fingered grip clamped even more firmly onto my arm than it had been before. A jolt of unease shot through me as I found myself swiftly guided away from the assembly. The main hallway loomed ahead, its dimly lit expanse an ominous path leading to an uncertain destination. With each hurried step, the anticipation of impending events cast over me like a heavy weight and as I was ushered into the study, the setting for my evening lessons, a palpable sense of foreboding settled even deeper into my marrow. The air in the room seemed charged with an unspoken tension, and I could tell that the trajectory of events was taking a troubling turn for me.

The lesson chamber, with its unyielding stone construction, emanated an atmosphere devoid of warmth or sentiment. The walls, devoid of any adornments, bore the unmistakable marks of craftsmanship, telling tales of skilled hands carving them into existence, despite the blandness of their artistry. Suspended from the ceiling with strategic precision, artificial lights cast a consistent glow, enveloping the space in a constant, albeit artificial, radiance. However, despite the pervasive illumination, I found myself constantly seeking out the solace of natural light, yearning for the presence of windows that would bring a touch of the outside world into this otherwise austere chamber. The absence of those portals to the exterior left the room feeling somewhat sterile, lacking the connection to the world beyond its stone confines that I so deeply craved.

At the core of the chamber, settees were arranged to create a central gathering space. These stone-carved benches, not inherently designed for comfort, were adorned with generous cushions and vibrant fabrics piled high to compensate. The plush accouterments served a dual purpose—infusing a hint of opulence into the cool stone environment while offering a soft perch for those observing what they dubbed as my "lessons."

I had hardly made it three steps into the room before I was brought down to my knees so hard my teeth clacked together. As I struggled to regain my footing, a sense of disorientation and confusion overwhelmed me. Attempting to voice my objection to this severe punishment for a mere attempt to bypass a guard—a deed I had accomplished before without resistance—I found myself repeatedly forced onto my knees. My protests were abruptly cut short as my guard briefly entered my field of vision, at which point he pushed a black leather strap between my lips and fastened the buckle around the back of my head. I let out a startled and ashamed cry as I tried to remove the leather from my mouth and stand up, only to be forcefully shoved back into place once more.

The faint sound of them entering had been drowned out by the sound of anger rushing in my ears. But now as my face burned and my eyes blurred with tears of bitterness I refused to let fall I could hear them as clearly as I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. The desire to cry, to scream, and to throw a fit at my mistreatment swirled within me, but it seemed that all my protests fell on deaf ears. As I sat in turmoil, on the opposite side of the opulent chamber bathed in the glow of artificial lights I was coming to detest more every second, the group of regal figures gathered once again. I remained their captive audience, pushed off to the side like disregarded inconvenience.

The aristocrats, with their stoic and regal presence, reclined on their lavish stone benches, each one a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Draped in rich fabrics and adorned with jewels, I had initially thought the aristocrats were exquisite upon first seeing them, but now I felt they only looked somewhat ridiculous grandstanding in the presence of actual royalty. The new alien species before me, with their sleek elegance and feral grace stood unmatched by anything else in the room. They lounged in the midst of the aristocratic gathering, as if this was their home and they were not merely visitors. Their presence, exotic and predator in nature, commanded an attention and respect I had never felt toward the aristocrats.