Valeria's mind spun with the weight of Margaret's words. "Copulate?" The single word reverberated through her thoughts, sending a shudder down her spine.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing, couldn't fathom that Margaret would propose such a drastic and personal solution.
Her trembling hand tightened into a fist, her knuckles turning white. She mustered the courage to speak, her voice barely a whisper. "Master, is there no other path we can take?"
The idea of copulating, of bringing a child into the world, was a staggering burden to bear at this stage in her life. She looked into Margaret's eyes, desperately hoping to see a glimmer of understanding or a flicker of doubt.
