Commensalism
I
I did not really have a choice of being a part of this unknown world; this world that has few humans enslaved by our precious Overseers. We were the humans that saw them kill. We were the ones who took an oath to never voice what saw, and in return for them spearing our lives, we were taken by them to do what they ask of us; to serve eagerly, and that is what we do. We take pride in what are masters ask of us and we crave to be ruled by them. We find our happiness in theirs.
My master never asks much of me, only to provide him a clean house and a peaceful environment when he wants his alone time. I am also a source of food when it is truly needed. These types of days usually come when my master spends a period of weeks in deep depression and reoccurring thoughts. He is quiet and rarely speaks, and when he does, it is emotionless and cold. However, his words never are. He is sensible and sometimes kind. He is my master and I am his servant.
"Master Sasuke," I mumbled as I stepped into his barren room. He was lying in a tub in the middle of the room. The tub held nothing but water and small amounts of human blood.
After a moment, he rose out of the tub, wiping his wet, black hair from his unusually pale face. His onyx eyes held my emerald ones for a moment before they closed and reopened to look at the wall in front of him. His skin glistened and when his muscles twitched, droplets of water slide quickly down his toned body. He was a beautiful being in the most sinful way; a way that I knew he deeply wished to escape.
"Sakura," he called, my name rolling off his tongue almost out of habit.
"We are going on a trip," he continued. "It will be long, so I advise you to pack clothes and supplies that will last you about three weeks. If we stay longer, we will stop and I will buy you some more supplies. You may leave now."
I nodded and turned to the door, but I didn't leave immediately.
"Master Sasuke," I said quietly, almost hesitantly. "Why… is it that you lay in that tub?"
He did not answer for a while and I was starting to believe that it was a signal for me to leave him. I heard him take a breath and I was thankful that he wasn't angry with me.
"I find it soothing," he explained. "Being submerged in something that I love and also something that is a part of my existence seems to make me feel peaceful and I feel like I can think."
I took in his words slowly, savoring his wisdom and genius.
"I am sorry for prying, Master Sasuke," I said as I exited his room. I walked down the long corridor to my room. I slipped quietly into my room and took care in shutting the door, not wanting to disrupt Master Sasuke. I went to my closet and grabbed my thick, hard suitcase. I grabbed my dresses, undergarments, brushes, combs, make up, hats, and any other trivial thing that I know I might like to have along and stuffed it all into my very large suitcase. After I was finished packing, I took out a clean dress out of my closet and laid it on my bed.
The dress was beautiful and I absolutely loved it. The dress was a shimmering royal blue and the corset was decorated on the right side with flowers made from black thread. The bottom was puffed out because of my petticoat but not to an outrageous size like many of the women of this time, but it did have a type of flare. The hem was decorated in black lace and small beads were set in here and there.
I slipped on my dress and was ready to try to tighten the corset when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it and it revealed Master Sasuke leaning on the door frame, his long coat covering his dashing black suit. He looked charming.
"Are you ready to depart?" he asked as he walked into my room.
"Almost," I replied as I reached back and tried to tighten the corset.
I suddenly felt cold, gentle hands grab my arm and turn me around. I could feel them move briskly as they tugged harshly and quickly at my corset.
"You seem frightened to ask me for help, Sakura," Master Sasuke's voice sounded in my ear. I could feel my cheeks flare in embarrassment.
I cleared my throat and brought out the courage to state an intelligent remark.
"It is because of the fact that I am your loyal servant that I will never ask you for anything," I said quietly with a small smile.
For a moment, all that could be heard was the zipping of strings being pulled and my uneven breathing. When Master Sasuke finished with my corset, I turned and looked him in the eye. He rested his forearm against the tall bed post and leaned down so that he was inches from my face. I hesitantly reached up and rested my hand on his soft cheek. His skin was frightfully cold and as a person and a woman, I found it unnerving. Not for the fact that it was cold but because it made me worry for it was not normal.
He closed his eyes and I could see the sharp teeth grow out from under his lip as a soft growl echoed from his chest.
"Master Sasuke…"
In a blink of an eye, he grabbed my hand and pinned it down to my side. His eyes shot open and they were a beautiful dark purple. They were fascinating beyond belief. Those eyes were the most wondrous thing besides Master Sasuke's existence. They were addicting. They displayed his wants. His desire.
"I cannot," he whispered. "It is against the rules, and I would not be able to stop. You are my servant and it must stay that way, my love. For if I took you now, we both will regret it later. The pain for you will be too hard for you alone to handle and I, my darling, would not be able to assist you."
I felt pain gather in my stomach as I pondered his heartbreaking yet tender words. I tried to deny the fact that I really wanted him to have me and that I wanted to make him feel the pleasure of a woman that he has not felt in a long time, but the burning tears behind my eyes refused to believe it at all.
I nodded and grabbed my suit case. I avoided his eyes as I walked past him and out the door to the extensive corridor of his large house. No matter how much I fought, the hot tears tore down my face. I wanted him more than a master and it was highly unusual for the servant to love the Overseer. Of course some type of affection was needed in serving your master well, but the affection I unfortunately felt for my master, was frowned upon and was against the most vital rule in this unseen world: do not fall in love with an Overseer.
The consequences were unknown, for no one has ever defied that rule, and if so should ever happen, the Overseers were in fact supposed to go forth to The Selected and inform them of what was being shown by the servant. Then, it would be decided by The Selected on what would be done to the servant.
Master Sasuke was beyond someone to confront The Selected on my feelings, and I know that I am being unfair, but my feelings are impossible to halt. Even though I know that his feelings for me are not mutual. I crave for his touch, his love, his heart, while he desires the thick, hot crimson liquid that runs deep within my veins. He is a creature; he is not human.
The butler opened the door for me and the cold air stung my cheeks like tiny needles toying at my skin. I handed the bag to the carriage driver and, as he bowed and opened the door, I sat down with my black gloves in hand and my head held high. Master Sasuke walked out of the house with a look of frustration on his face. One hand was in his pocket behind the opening of his while the other hung loosely at his side. He nodded to the driver and hopped in the carriage, sitting across from me.
My eyes never left the window beside my head. I watched as the carriage departed from the house and as the large mansion disappeared out of my view. Even then, I did not look away from the window. My eyes focused on the forest that looked even more depressing in the mist of the dark, dreary day. I could feel Master Sasuke's eyes bore into my head and the anger growing from me not turning and acknowledging his attempts to grab my attention. I reached back and pulled my thick braid over my left shoulder so that he could not see by face, but I was careful not mess up the clips that decorated my hair.
"Sakura," he hissed, making his voice low so that the driver could not hear him. "I cannot do anything about this situation so act like your age! You are so ungrateful!"
"I am acting like my age but I am also being a human," I hissed back, leaning forward and looking at him for the first time since the beginning of the ride. "I have feelings and I have desires; the same as all humans do! It's who I am and I apologize if my affection is not what you ask of me, but this is one situation that is impossible to avoid! So do not ask me to change who I am because you do not think much of me!"
His face did not change at all, but I could feel my face twisted in anger. His face was irritated.
"You are so selfish," he retorted. "After keeping you from any punishment that I may bring to you, you keep pushing your luck. Why is that? Are you not happy being around me, because if you want to leave, then I urge you to kiss me!"
