"You're my servant! You obey me!"
The words hung thick in the air, heavy as a judge's verdict. Guilt seized Melona's soul. She tried to say something else, to walk back her statement, but fear had closed her throat once again.
Chantress blinked and cocked her head almost imperceptibly. "Is that all?"
"No!" said Melona, gasping out the word. "I mean--I mean--oh no, I just need some help so I can--"
A look of concern crossed Chantress' face. At least, Melona thought it was concern. It could have just as easily been irritation, ennui, or a reaction to a sudden foot cramp. "If I may."
"Yes?"
"I think it would be best if your obeying your desires were my most fundamental drive. I cannot disobey you, and will defer to you in all things, unless deferring would cause me to violate another command."
"Okay. Um. Could you keep going?"
"Of course. Now, naturally, I think that your well-being, followed by my well-being, will be my secondary and tertiary motivations, respectively. Those are a boilerplate set of rules for automata, so I think it could be adapted for my new status in life. Other than that, I will behave as I did before you took me."
Melona shifted uncomfortably when she heard the word "automata." What had the spell done to Professor Chantress? "Sure, yeah, um--could you maybe have a bit more independence? I don't want a mindless slave."
Chantress narrowed her eyes in what Melona hoped was thought. "Hm. I could, I suppose, but giving me the possibility of having ideas above my station could be dangerous. I think a compromise would be that I can question orders that may be harmful to either of us, or violate another of your desires or ethical stances. Or, I can ask for clarification. Should you insist on your orders, or refuse to clarify, I will obey you as best I can. How does that sound?"
"G--good," said Melona.
"Excellent. Is that all?"
"Yes." Melona felt defeated. It was ridiculous, she knew; after all, she had just dominated one of the most powerful mages that she knew. If this were a fairy tale, it would be a moment of triumph. But--
"Very well." Chantress actually smiled. Melona was shaken from her self-pitying fugue. "I take it you found the record of the spell I had been sent to destroy?"
"Um--"
"It should be a simple spell, capable of altering a person's core drives and personality."
"Oh. Yes. Almae Cam--um, well it starts with 'Almae.'"
"I thought so," said Chantress, nodding. "One with as little talent as you wouldn't be able to cast such a dangerous spell, otherwise." She sees the look on your face. "No offense. We can work on that if you like."
"Maybe later," said Melona, once again dejected. "Why'd you come back here?"
"Like I said, to destroy the record of the spell." Chantress leaned forward, reaching for the paper in Melona's grasp. "I would suggest that I do that--wait, what's your name?"
"Melona," said Melona.
"Very well. I would suggest that I do that, Melona. It's an extremely dangerous spell, as you've just demonstrated, and to my knowledge this is the only known record of it. Letting me complete my task would ensure that I am beneath suspicion, and that you have sole access to an immeasurably powerful tool."
"Um--sure? Go ahead." Melona offered the paper to Chantress.
"Very well." Chantress plucked the paper from Melona's hands, whispered a quick incantation. The paper crumbled to dust, falling between Chantress' fingers and dissipating before it hit the floor. "With that out of the way, I would like to propose a course of action."
"Yes?" asked Melona. A small, petty voice inside her noted that for being an enthralled servant, Chantress seemed to be the one taking charge in this relationship.
"You may follow me back to my office. There's less of a chance of eavesdroppers."
-----------
A few minutes later, Melona and Chantress were sitting in the professor's office. Melona couldn't help but notice how, despite her ramrod-straight posture, Chantress' breasts were resting on the desk. Behind Melona, the office door closed.
"There. Now it's safer to talk." Chantress nodded. "Now, should you have no other desires of me, I would suggest that--"
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