The shackles around her wrists were starting to chaff. She glared hard out over the crowd. Her eye and head were starting to join the ache in her wrists. They, her and twelve other people, from the town were being auctioned. Auctioned to the highest bidder because once again taxes had been raised. She, being with no family, or ties to the town and suspected by most of being a witch, had fallen in with the worthy chosen.
'Can we hurry this up,` She either wanted to be sold or put back in her hole for the next round. The people, the ones who had used her skills, came to her in their times of trauma and need, had betrayed her.
"Next up we have this fine maiden of twenty-six years. Strong, healthy, and a witch!" The auctioneer finished her description with and eerie air to his voice. The crowd broke out in a hushed murmur.
"I'm not a witch." She rolled her eyes, kicking the chains of the shackles.
"Bidding will start at 35." The auctioneer ignored her in lieu of minding the signs already flying into the air. She wrinkled her nose.
'35 what? Hundred? Thousand? The idiots just want a pet.' Clicking her tongue, she closed her eyes, unable to deal with the sun's rays anymore. A familiar weight pressed down on her shoulder.
"Hello my darling." She smiled discreetly. A soft feathered head gently nuzzled the side of her face. She felt it softly nip her ear in greeting. "Come to visit?"
"LOOK! Her familiar!" Someone from the crowd called out. Again, a collective murmur spread, louder this time. The large corvid ruffled its feathers in irritation.
"I know my darling." Her smile shifted to a smirk. "They aren't very smart." As she was speaking the crowd suddenly went dead silent, save for the creak of wood. Someone had stepped up on to the platform. She cracked open an eye to catch the trail of the finest black material whip up to the auctioneer. The silence felt dosed with awe. She kept her eyes downcast but did her best to see what the new stranger looked like.
It looked like the man handed over something, but she wasn't able to see exactly what it was, instead her eyes fell on the crest embroidered on the black material in pure white and bold red. Everyone knew the crest. Only a fool wouldn't. Baited breaths passed as the auctioneer presumably read whatever the envoy had given him.
"It's your lucky day." The auctioneer's boots were a much heavier sound on the platform. She felt her companion flutter and shift on her shoulder again.
"The honorable and noble house of the Uchiha have paid for you and the other twelve in full, Miss. Takashi for 100,000." Without thought her eyes snapped open looking the auctioneer in the eyes. She glanced to the messenger, jaw a little slack.
"Hundred...thousand." She breathed. That was unheard of for any slave sale. That would be enough to cover the town well into the next year. Swallowing hard her throat suddenly felt painfully dry.
'Sold...even for a proposed witch...' Her shackles were jerked and she realized she was being prompted off the platform. People were starting to speak again. Maybe even to her but she could not focus on that. Her attention was still fixated on thet fact that such a prominent family dropped so much on a nameless town outcast. She was only shaken from her thought by her companion taking off from his perch. The person leading her stopped, and she again looked up through hooded eyes to see they had not stopped in front of the usual slave wagon. A compact, ornate, carriage waited for her instead. The messenger from earlier took hold of her shackle chains from one of the slave handlers.
'I feel like a damn horse.' She thought irritably. She heard her raven caw from above her. He was now perched on top of the carriage. 'Are you going to follow me?' She made eye contact with the corvid. He almost looked like part of the carriage's décor, if he wasn't bent over peeking into the open door.
The silent messenger, who she had only just noticed was wearing a mask, helped her into the dark compartment. She could not help but try to take in more details about him now that they were so close. The shock of bright blond locks looked so out of place in the sea of black. Without another word the man shut the door with a slight bow of his head, leaving her in darkness.
The sudden lack of light was almost as harsh on her eyes as the bright sunlight, but the adjusted quickly. Her eyes had always preferred the dark. She took a deep breath as details came into focus.
'This is not normal. Noble houses don't just buy one slave at 100,000.' She reasoned that other twelve could also be on the way to the Uchiha's but why was she the only one in the carriage? 'They definitely do not send their best carriages.' She scoffed, 'Okay this probably isn't their best but still!' The carriage gave a jerk telling her they had started to move. She couldn't pin down what she was feeling at the moment. Everyone had heard stories of the slaves bought as toys for the wealthy and noble. Play things used for sex and even sacrifices for their darker meetings. She had supplied enough ingredients to enough people dressed similarly to the Uchiha envoy. But could that really be what they bought her for? She tried to brush off a looming memory yet her heart raced anyway.
'There's no windows in here.' She looked around, feeling the luxurious cushion, covered in the softest velvet depress under her hand, as she moved to try and find a window. But neither of the walls had any form of an opening, save the door where she came in. 'Maybe this is a carriage for servants and they are just really that rich.' It was smaller than average noble carriages, it wouldn't be unreasonable. She closed her eyes. Her head still hurt but now she attributed it to how tight and stiff her jaw felt when she tried to pry it open. It was a bad habit she always had. 'Okay, you won't know anything until we get to the castle so there's no use speculating.' She reasoned with herself, but she still bit hard into her lip. 'Go over what you know about the Uchiha.' That sounded like a safe stream of thought to keep her occupied from something other than the anxious pit formed in her stomach.
They were an old family. A large one too, though few, formed an almost legendary armed force. Even now despite the genocide that had happened, they were still strong in numbers, at least that is what she had heard. From what she understood the main family were all strikingly beautiful. It was not hard to believe when she considered the next piece of information, she knew to be very true. Like before she pushed a memory away not in the mood to deal with the past and her presence at the same time.
'Though they are noble so we'll have to discern just how beautiful they really are when we see them.' She giggled to herself, trying to lighten her own mood with images of all the other "Beautiful" and human nobles she had encountered before. None ever seemed to match up with their painted depictions. 'To keep the bloodline pure.' She smirked, pressing her lips together. Too much inbreeding was good for the linage if you wanted hideous children. Stretching out, she laid across the bench seat.
Some reports told her the family was steeped in tradition, as most old families, while others said they were more forward thinking. What was particularly odd was that one of the younger lords was going to one day take the place of the current head of the family rather than his own brother. That last fact had a lot of twists and turns depending on who told it.
Her train of thought was halted by the carriage's abrupt stop that almost had her tumbling off the seat. She opened her eyes, sat up, and strained her ears to listen closely for what was going on outside. The door opened to the masked blond
Already in a deep bow, an arm extended to the outside world. She realized after a moment he wanted her to exit the carriage. She gathered her chains and thin dress in her hands before stepping out carefully. There was a cool breeze that rustled the trees.
"It's night already?" She asked marveling at the expanse of stars above. When they had left the town, it had been midmorning, to say she was surprised that the day had passed in a blink of an eye was an understatement. 'Being in the darkness of the carriage skewed my sense of time.'
"We'll arrive by morning." The blond finally spoke from behind her. It nearly made her jump out of her skin. He patted one of the horses. She could hear him chuckle softly behind the mask. She realized if vaguely reminded her of a fox.
"So, he speaks." She smirked quickly regaining her composure.
"He does." He responded adjusting more things on the horses and the carriage.
"And might he be interested in conversation?" He was quiet for a moment.
"I think he is." He finally said getting things to make a fire from one of the bags he carried with him. His voice was nice. It was friendly with a rasp to it, she could hear the smile in it. He was quick in building the fire and soon they were both sitting around the small orange flame.
"What's your name?" He asked getting up to wrap his coat around her shoulders. She had tried to hide her shivers but clearly not well enough. She thanked him, pulling the very warm coat in tight around her. Even his scent was nice.
"Typically," She smirked, "one gives their name first than asks for another's. But I'm under the sneaking suspicion you cannot tell me yours." He chuckled again and nodded sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. She hummed, still smiling as she looked down into the flames growing silent for a moment. "Chi. Chi Takashi." His body language shifted once more. She could tell he was smiling again. He was surprisingly easy to speak to. It was like he oozed familiarity as they spoke well into the night. He was sweet.
"If everyone in the castle's like you maybe this won't be so terrible." She remarked, chewing thoughtfully on some dried fruit the messenger had given her.
"Mm, no one is quite like me. But most of them are nice." He started to bury the fire and prepare to make it as they had never been there.
"That makes sense." She reasoned. She got up to help him but he grabbed her hands.
"No, I got this." His playful tone took on a serious note. "I-uh" he glanced at something over her head. She turned to follow his line of sight. A familiar figure was like a dark spot against the clear night sky.
"Ah, my darling!" Chi light up, the man let go of her hands letting her extend an arm for the bird to land on with a caw.
"We need to get going." The boy said watching her feed the creature a nibble of her dried rations and scratch his neck.
"What's the rush?"
"That." He pointed to a thick fog rolling in behind them.
"Oh." was her simple reply. She shifted to take the coat off but the man raised a hand.
"Keep it, you'll get cold in there. Rest for the remainder of the trip." The formal manner of speech, she'd learned through their earlier conversation, was not natural for him.
"Alright." She lifted her arm again allowing the bird to take off once more. It circled then flew off to do whatever he did when he was not with her. She watched the masked man out of the corner of her eye watch her. It was almost like he recognized the bird personally.
Once again, he helped her back into the carriage and they were off. She thought about the time she'd just spent with the messenger. It was strange. He did not come off as any kind of servant, not even a foot man. She supposed she wouldn't really know how the servants of the Uchiha castle really were until she got there.
She was not sure when she'd fallen asleep but when she awoke, she could hear the hum of people moving outside. Outside a room, she had no memory of being brought to. She sat up slowly, taking in the room. It was a simple stone, with a beautiful glass window, and the bed she was on, while simple was better quality than any tavern lump, she'd ever slept on. She looked down, hearing fabric rustle around her but there was a notable lack of chains clanking. She still had on the jacket from the messenger. Soft white cloth had been neatly tied around her wrists where the shackles had bitten into her skin earlier.
'This...is not how servants are treated.' She did not care how noble or rich they were no one of power were this kind to those they owned. Unless she was not going to be a maid. It was turning out to be some weird mix of "too good to be true" and endless questions.
A knock came from the door making Chi's eyes snap to it. There was a pause and then a woman with pastel pink hair slipped in quietly when Chi did not give a response. Green eyes noticed in an instant that Chi was awake.
"Ah, so you're finally up." Those bright green eyes smiled at her. Chi forced herself to pry her jaw apart. The headache persisted from the day before.
"Water, please." Chi had meant to greet the woman but her throat ached. The woman laughed softly and placed a large basket down at the foot of her bed.
"Of course." As she passed, she drew the curtains of the only window in the room, then poured out a drink for her from a pitcher on her bedside table. Chi noticed the sun was past the mark of noon. She had slept well into the afternoon it would have seemed. The woman handed her a cool glass which she took gratefully. She forced herself to sip it slowly feeling her throat unstick.
"I'm Sakura." The woman informed Chi as she moved back to the foot of the bed. She watched her start to dig around in the basket. This woman looked delicate but there was a power to her. "I've been told you are a healer." Sakura smiled, pulling a long black silk robe from the basket.
"I was." Chi failed to hide the sight bitterness in her tone. "Clearly, my status has changed."
"Don't worry you'll be allowed to practice again." She assured Chi with a wink. Before Chi had a chance to remark Sakura was behind her, pulling Chi's long, unruly hair off her neck, brush in hand.
"I can do it." Chi did not trust many with her hair and by the looks of it, Sakura did not handle long manes often. It was a petty judgment by the woman's short pink hair but her hair was one of the few things she was proud of. Sakura let go immediately, bowing slightly.
"Why did you do that?" Chi caught the action quickly. Sakura pulled a hair brush out from the basket.
"Well," She looked as if she was choosing her next words carefully, "You belong to my young lord's older brother so you are above me in status." She looked as if that was not quite the truth. "It will make more sense later, I promise. For now," She handed Chi the hairbrush which she took gratefully, "I need to get you bathed and ready to meet the young master." Chi nodded still mulling over Sakura's decidedly cryptic and vague response. As she thought she pulled her long hair into a neat knotted bun.
"Stand-up please." Chi decided as she was told. "Take everything off." Until she said that.
"Everything?"
"Everything. You're going for a bath." Sakura smirked, reminding her.
"Oh, right." Chi took a deep breath, ignoring the burn in her cheeks, and pulled her dress over her head.
"I don't miss that," Sakura commented as Chi undid her patchwork corset. Chi looked down at it, pulling at the lacing and taking a deep breath.
"I'm better at patching people then cloths." She defended her handy work. Sakura giggled softly.
"I don't doubt it. However, I was referring to the corset in general." Chi gave her a curious looked as she put it down on the bed. "We aren't typically forced to wear them here." Sakura continued. Chi looked at her hard.
"Really?" Sakura's smirked widened and nodded. Again, Chi moved to ask for more explanation but was stopped.
"Soon." Sakura hushed her, holding up the black roe once Chi was fully undressed. Sakura gathered the basket and opened the door once Chi was ready. The simple stone work continued out into the hall. The hall itself was narrow with polished wood floors. It was a nice feeling under her bare feet. She heard the click of Sakura's heals but she preferred the silence of her own footsteps as they walked.
'This must be a servant's passage.' She noted how bare and understated it looked. They came to a door that Sakura pushed open and wood turned to cool polished stone. Sakura led her down several other hidden passages. The castle still sounded like it was bustling but it was a distant noise. No matter where they turned the corridors all seemed to be empty.
Chi watched Sakura ask they walked. She noticed the quality of her clothing, it was extravagant and clearly, the best quality like the messenger's cloths had been. The Uchiha seemed to dress even their help to the nines. Her dress was a long flowing, nearly sheer dress that was a similar pink to her hair but ended in a lovely shade of green that she was sure matched her eyes.
"Ino's prepared the bath for you." She said pushing another much larger door that brought them out to what finally looked like a main corridor of the castle judging by the sheer high of the ceiling. A large tapestry with the red and white fan hung between a set of massive windows that had beautiful black drapes pulled over them across from them. Chi turned her head to find Sakura standing in front of another large door. This door was covered only by a set of drapes similar to the windows that Sakura held open to for her. It led to a steamy room dimly lit by torches and candles only.
'Pretty romantic for a future nobleman's whore.' Chi almost snorted. She took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of roses and sandalwood. The scent comforted her almost as soon as it hit her.
"Just in time." A new voice said coming from a doorway further into the room on the left. This new woman had shockingly blue eyes and long blond hair pulled into a high pony tail that swished almost as much as her dress as she walked. It was similar in style to Sakura's but in a deep purple rather than pastel pink.
'Is this dress style going to be the uniform because I don't think it's going to look very good on me.' Chi almost laughed to herself. She reasoned she had to make the best of being here even if she was sold into it. The anxious knot she had felt earlier in the carriage had not gone away but her curiosity and the scent from the bath was keeping her occupied just enough to keep it at bay.
"We shall leave you to your bath and return for you before the water cools," Ino stated. The two women turned to Chi and bowed slipping out the door the blond woman had entered. Chi looked around, breathing in the aromatic steam, and deciding just how alone she really was. Her thoughts began to race again as she wandered over to the edge of the deep-set bath. The water was murky and dramatically she was reminded of her future at the moment.
'Whatever they have planned can wait until after the water cools,' She thought, shedding the robe before stepping into the heat of the water. It felt soft and she knew it would leave her skin feeling just the same. They were really pouring everything into preparing her for this "Young Master." She was curious to know which Uchiha it was exactly. She had never seen any personally. She relaxed into the water until it hovered below her nose, closing her eyes.
'How did I wind up like this?' She took a slow deep breath trying to find anything to distract her mind again. She knew she could not just give her body to someone she had never met nor thought they owned her because they simply bought her. But how could she fight against a family known for their battle skills. She had to think of some alternative, some plan to get away. "Whatever demon they offer me up to at least they have taste in scents." She laughed out loud to herself. "Thank god no one heard that." She giggled again at how silly the sentence was, looking around just to be sure she really was alone. She was hard pressed to believe there was not some form of a guard outside any of the exits to the room but all the same, she was not sure she cared if they heard her laugh. She nuzzled herself into a corner of the bath.
"I belong to the elder brother." She bubbled into the water after a few moments of still silence. She kicked off the bottom of the bath to float on her back, she pulled her hair free of its bun letting the water soak in. Closing her eyes again she did not notice curtains fall around the bath, forming a sheer barrier around her.
"I wonder," she hummed her thoughts drifting again to who this 'older brother' was.
"If he'll be cruel?" A smooth deep voice echoed off the walls sending Chi splashing into the water instantly. She peaked out from the edge of the water, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"No!" She snapped out "Who are you?" She demanded, she couldn't hear any food steps but she could see a lithe figure moving behind the curtains.
"You don't need to know right now." The voice replied. "We'll meet soon enough but the others will return in a few moments." Chi frowned glaring at the figure.
"So why intrude on a lady's bath!" The voice, who had been circling her, chuckled. It was a deep, but soft sound and Chi was sure if she didn't feel thoroughly violated by the man just being there, she would have enjoyed the sound.
"Because I'm an impatient man." He replied simply stopping across from her. She narrowed her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something in rage. Call him a letch, ask if he was her new "master." but before she could do any of that he turned and disappeared.
"I'm quickly realizing this new life is going to be a strange one." She gurgled into the water. There was a swish from the side of the room Sakura and Ino had exited through earlier.
"Time to dry off." Sakura offered a large folded towel.
"Then we'll get your hair styled and looking nice!" Ino held up a basket similar to the one Sakura had carried earlier.
"But first we need to do a full examination." The new woman snapped at Ino, pushing a pair of glasses back up the bridge of her nose. Her hair was dull red and also wore a similar dress to the other two women but hers was a lavender purple. Chi was going to comment on the matching dresses but she was too distracted by this new promise violation to her body.
"An examination?" She raised both eyebrows. She huffed wrapping the towel tightly around herself noticing how none of the women turned to give her some privacy to dry off. She supposed it would have been more unusual if they had since it was more in women's nature to be free with their bodies. However, she hardly knew the women and after her strange visitor, she really was not in the mood for this 'examination'.
"It's just to make sure you don't have any untreated injuries," Sakura informed.
"We'll give you a salve for those too." The new woman spoke again looking pointedly at the irritations from the shackles. Chi looked down at her wrists. She didn't think they looked that bad but she figured this prissy prince couldn't have his new toy looking used.
'Oh that was bitter.' She thought to herself.
"And we'll get cream for the rest of your skin." Ino smiled chiming in between Chi's thoughts. She suddenly felt the need to hide inside the plush towel.
"That sounds gross." She grimaced. Ino rolled her eyes.
"Come on the sun is setting and the young master will be expecting you around night fall." The new woman said grabbing one arm and Sakura the other, dragging her out the way they had come in.
"I'm Karin." The new woman said suddenly as they entered yet another room. Chi nodded as she was forced on to a stool and the woman began to fuss about her. Karin conducted her highly thorough examination but she supposed it was reassuring to hear she had nothing wrong with her. This was followed by a lot of primping and preening by Ino and Sakura. She quickly found out why Sakura and the other ladies around her apparently did not wear corsets. Her dress fit her snuggly and she was crossed between marveling at the beautiful black and lace dress and wondering how someone got her exact measurements. Her dress was entirely different from the three ladies who helped her put it on. Its neckline cut low and was lined with the same lace that flowed into the sleeves, one side of it slit up to her hip, the dress cinching where it stopped with more delicate lace detailing. Despite the form fit it was still a very comfortable dress. She turned in the mirror looking over all their work. Ino had done her hair simply letting curl over exposed shoulders and she hardly had any makeup on.
'This young master has put thought into style.' She hated that she really like the dress. It was hands down one of the loveliest things she had ever worn. The ladies took a step back admiring their work.
"Where do you think he'll mark her?" Ino wondered to the other woman.
"Mark me?" Chi whipped around to face them. "What do you mean mark me?" She reasoned in her mind that she was to be some sort of slave or concubine so a mark was not unheard of but it was not in any way a reassuring thought.
"Of course!" Ino flashed her wrist where a small flower bloomed in black on the pale skin. "Each of us have one." Karin pulled back the fabric of her dress to reveal a flower on her collar bone and Sakura lifted her hair showing the same flower on the woman's neck. Chi breathed out slowly. It was a tattoo.
"Well...at least it's not a branding." She sighed with relief.
"The Uchiha are not too barbaric." Karin rolled her eyes. Chi shot her a look. Sakura stepped away from the group to peek behind one of the curtains.
"We need to go. It's time." She said as she turned around. Chi's heart started pounding. She wasn't ready. She did not want to deal with this. But once more she was taken by the hands and still barefoot let out to the main corridor. All three woman seemed to buzz with excitement that she could not find in her heart to identify with. All the servants they pass as they walked stepped quickly out of their path, bowing lowly. They were all busy pulling any of the drapes that were closed back so as to let in the moonlight. The sun was sending its last orange rays over the horizon which blended with the indigo of the night sky. It would not be much longer until night spread fully over the sky. The placement of the castle was perfect for star gazing, was far removed enough from the town lights and she could not see any of the other castles that were up in the cliffs from where they were.
'You know,' Chi felt her jaw start to lock up again, 'I did not expect a town slave auction to result in me becoming some noble man's whore.'
"What's wrong, my lady?" Ino asked knocking Chi out of her thoughts. Chi snapped her head up to look Ino in the eyes. The three women stopped giving her looks that varied between concern and curiosity.
"It's nothing." She waved them off with a slight smile.
"The young master is kind, Lady Chi," Sakura reassured her.
"Yeah he's disciplined but he's honestly got the softest heart." Ino giggled.
"A straight push over for anything Lord Sasuke wants." Karin rolled her eyes.
"Yes, well kind or not it seems he still falls victim to the average carnal desires." She nearly spat. Chi was almost taken aback by the venom in her own voice. "I was—am a healer not some common-" Karin cut her off. Searing eyes burned into her as she spoke.
"You will not be treated as such." Chi bit hard into her cheek curling her tongue behind her teeth to keep the vicious comments from slipping out. She didn't want this. She wanted her shop, the practice she worked so hard for, her freedom and her darling raven. She looked away from the three women. The four of them stood as if frozen in the middle of the corridor.
"Let's go." She said softly, she fought off a numb feeling starting to grow around the anxiety in her chest. The other three shared a look then started to walk again. Chi followed mulling over the myriad of emotions she was going through. Earlier that morning at the auction all she had wanted was for it to be over. Now she was ready to throttle her younger self.
Again, they stopped but this time it was in front of an open stone arch way. The arch way door was kept open by a carved black stone raven. Chi looked around and noticed there was another raven carved above the door, a candle sat in front of it casting a soft light over the creature's features.
"You must procced by yourself from here," Sakura explained. Chi swallowed a scoff.
"Of course." She drawled. She decided not to hide her displeasure as she walked through the doorway. This "young master" would not have her so easily. He'd have to deal with a feisty slave. She smirked to herself as she lifted the hem of her dress as she walked up the winding stairs. But her confidence waned just as she pushed the door to his rooms open.
'Okay maybe we shouldn't push too hard.' She sighed to herself inching the door open. 'We don't need to get whipped your first night here.' She blamed the dizzy feeling she had on the spiral stairs pushing the door fully open to reveal a large sitting room. The room was lined with massive arching windows that let her see the night sky with a nearly 180-degree view. They had their drapes pulled and tied the same way she had seen in the corridors down below. It was elegantly decorated but still felt cozy almost homely. Her eyes wandered the room as her feet carried her further in. Where there weren't windows, the walls were lined with books and paintings of sceneries. A dark fabric sofa and a few arm chairs sat in the middle of the room facing a large yet simple fire that smoldered with low burning embers. To the right of the room, she spotted a desk that faced a set of windows. She walked up to it and was impressed with how neatly arranged every small thing was on its clean surface. She laughed softly. This lord almost felt boring.
"Well they did say he was disciplined," she muttered.
She returned to the middle of the room to look closer at a large painting above the fire. It was the only one with a figure in it. A woman sat at a counter like she had had in her shop, smiling at a large dark raven whom she appeared to be giving a bite to eat. The painting looked like a moment taken straight out of her life. It gave her and odd feeling. She turned away from it leaning on the back of the couch.
It was then she found two doors. "One of them must be his room." She frowned still wondering what kind of man he would turn out to be. The other three women seemed to genuinely like him. She pulled on the handle of the left door first instantly finding it locked. 'Round two.' She thought, pulling the other door open easily. This doorway led to another set of winding stairs. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves as she started up the stairs. She was halfway up them when it occurred to her that maybe she was supposed to wait for him in the sitting room or at least knocked on the first door.
'Whoops.' She bit her lip wondering if she should turn back. Wringing her hands, she hurried back down the stairs and sat very neatly on the edge of the couch. She took long slow deep breaths clinching her jaw. She decided to look up at the painting trying to find more details and once again a distraction while she waited for the man.
"You could have come up." A familiar voice spoke from behind her suddenly. It was smooth and so deep. She gasped softly.
'The man from the bath!' Her heart began to race and her eyes widened. She pushed aside the momentary feeling of violation and braced herself as she turned to face him. All the snarky thoughts, all the feisty confidence she had been trying to instill in herself halted. She wasn't sure how to describe the man in front of her but he made her heart want to race and stop at the same time. 'Oh come on.' She pouted mentally. 'Stay firm! Don't let his pretty face fool you!'
He was tall, the ember's light case a dull glow over his almost perfectly smooth pale skin. It was almost perfect save two strikingly deep lines the ran from the corners of his eyes. She recognized the lines as fatigue lines. Her eyes flicked to his long black hair that was held in a loose pony tail over a slender shoulder and his face was framed by a set of sharply cut bangs. She looked him over taking her time to look him in the large black eyes. Everything about him felt refined, elegant but there was an air of sad kindness about him.
"Sorry, I...felt rude just barging into your room, my lord." She said quickly, bowing low. He offered her a soft smile that still felt so sad but it was so beautiful.
"I appreciate that." He stepped closer closing the gap between them. Chi was not sure what to do now so she kept her head bent. "Please, you don't have to bow to me like that,"
"My lord you bought me so I must," She kept the grit out of her teeth. She caught him wince at the mention of the fee he paid for her to be there right now. He rounded the couch and sat down.
"Would you sit with me?" He asked patting the space next to him where she had been sitting. She did as he asked and sat stiffly on the edge of the couch once more. They grew silence. It felt so tense. Like he wanted to say more and she just wanted to run away.
"You like ravens?" It was a dumb question but she needed to say something didn't she?
"I have always had a soft spot for corvids but ravens are my favorite yes." He replied never taking his eyes off her.
"I used to have a raven. He was sweet and followed me everywhere." She smiled fondly at the thought of her darling raven.
"Used to?" The young lord questioned.
"Well, I'm not sure if he will know where I am now. Or if you'd let me keep him." She said the last part softly. The young lord suddenly reached out putting his hand over one of hers. She was shocked by how freezing his hand felt.
"Of course, I would. If it would make you happy. Beside ravens are smart he'll find you."
"My lord-"
"Itachi," He cut her off. "Please call me Itachi,"
"My lord I could never use your given name,"
"We are in private and you are to be my bride of course you can," Her eyes snapped up to him.
"Your what?"
"Did...no one tell you?" The sadness was stronger in his voice. Chi ripped her hand away from him.
"You bought me to be your bride," She could not help the hysteric laugh that slipped from her mouth. It was confusing. Was this better than being a concubine? Was this worse? How could he just buy a bride! "No! No one told me," The newly named lord seemed to deflate when she pulled away. "I am sorry my lord I cannot marry you. I am of no noble birth,"
"That doesn't matter to me,"
"My lord I—how can you...don't you want to be in love!" She was trying so hard not be rude but she just did not know how to react to this. "I'm a simple common healer but I'll make an excellent servant,"
"No." His voice was still kind but there was a command behind it now. One that sealed her lips. "I am in love. But I will not force you to take my hand or even wear this ring," he pulled out a small wooden box, "until you are willing. Our union must be mutual," She shook her head. This was more than she was prepared for. She should have expected it with all the pampering. In hindsight, the strange way the women were acting with her. She stayed silent, not sure what to say. After a little while in the silence, she felt Itachi pull his hand away. "I should let you rest. Today must have been harsh," He said softly, standing up. Chi finally glanced up at him as he walked over to the previously locked door. "This room is all yours. I hope in time we may sleep together but until you are ready you have your own space where I shall not disturb you." She nodded bowing low once more and crossing the room silently and slipping behind the door he held open for her.
She did not care to take in any more details. She rushed up the stair case, past the second door and found her way into the large plush four post bed. She buried herself in the overstuffed pillows and cried. She cried hard until the warm salty tears caused a wet spot on the pillow and she had to move to a new section to dry her face. She sniffled pulling the dress off her body carefully and tossing it to the end of the bed feeling exhaustion take over. She would deal with all her thoughts later. She would address what just happened to her in the morning. She could not handle it at the moment. Her mind raced but she ignored it in place for sleep.
The next day started rather earlier despite the late hour she went to sleep. She rolled over in the softness of the bed and stared out the window. She had two options for the day. She could wait out the day and mope until she had to face her new Lord or she could get to know the terrain. If she knew where she was living now, she would have more places to hide. She pulled herself from her bed and looked around the large round room. It was mostly empty save for a few pieces of furniture and several trunks stacked on top of each other. She had a sneaking suspicion her personal belongings were in them. She could worry about that later. She wondered over to the wardrobe and found a number of black, red and a few emerald dresses. All her favourite colours, all beautiful and made of the finest material. She wasn't sure how she felt being given this kind of luxury.
Deciding on a shorter emerald she pulled it on and descended the stairs of her room. She opened the door holding on to the door frame, hanging from the last step to peak out into the main living room of the tower. When she was sure no one was there she bounced out into room and bee lined for the stairs that led to the rest of the castle. It was day and despite not want to interact much with the occupants of the castle she did want to see the beautiful structure. She slipped into the main hallway she had first been lead up when she arrived at Itachi's tower.
Her footsteps were silent on the runner. She couldn't stand heels and it bothered her that Itachi's footsteps were silent. She felt so noisy in their little shared space. She never liked shoes anyway. So, her adventure was to be taken barefoot. She took her time walking down the hall looking at the beautiful sculptures that represented Itachi. She turned the corner that led to the rest of the house. She wasn't sure where she was going.
Each hall as she gravitated towards the center of the castle felt grander and more detailed than the last. Her fingers ran delicately over stunningly carved obsidian that served as banisters to the grand staircase.
"Are you lost?" A voice echoed down to her. Her head snapped up to try and see into the dark high-pitched ceilings. A stain glass window let in some light but there was still room for something or someone to hide up there. She remembered that most vampires were able to walk on walls, and generally defy gravity when they felt like. "Because your room is that way." A man with dark, unruly hair and a wicked smile suddenly floated in front of her. He was inches from her face, their noses almost touched. Chi's eyes went wide but she made no noise, simply scrambled back away from him.
"I was just out for a walk." She stammered quickly. "The sun does not bother you, my lord?"
"Ew, 'my lord?' How old do I look?" The man pouted, it was cute Chi admitted to herself. "I'm not even 300 yet," He whined floating around her. Chi stifled a giggle.
"Parden me," She cracked a smile curtsying lowly, "you don't look a day over 126."
"Oh god, I'd never want to be such a young teenager again. So much angst!" He laughed floating down closer to the ground, finally landing next to her. "Just call me Shisui." He gave a grand bow to her.
"Nice to meet you, Shisui." She smiled at him, he had a friendly air about him. "And since you know where my room is-"
"You must be Chi, my little Itachi's first bride." He smirked. "Yes, he hasn't stopped talking about you for ages." Chi raised an eyebrow.
"Ages?" Shisui's expression face was friendly and seemed to have a constant under current of mischief running through his ever muscle.
"He's so bad at anything social." Shisui sighed heavily. "Has he told you anything about himself?" Chi still eyed him warily and with confusion.
"Well since I've only just met him last night and I was not too keen on a man suddenly buying me and telling me I'm his bride to be, no not much." Shisui ran a hand down his face heavily.
"He didn't buy you per se." Shisui started. Chi felt an argument start to push at her lips, but Shisui continued before she could speak. "He paid the city tax off so you could all go free, and requested you be brought to us unharmed."
"That's all well and good, Shisui but I hardly understand how paying for the tax of the town abstains the fact that he still used me as a trading piece." Shisui looked at her hard, behind his smirk she could see the clever vampire he really was. "He seems sweet, awkward even but I can't marry a man I do not know nor feel like the property of."
"You say you have only met him just last night, right?" She nodded. "Could you consider giving him a chance? His first impressions are usually better but...I think he might have a crush on you." Shisui winked. "Your judgment of character is strong, I can tell, but give him a shot. He's been so excited." Shisui whispered loudly behind his hand. Chi sighed, it was her turn to rub her face. She noted the mention of his anticipation of her once again. She thought for a moment to ask about it but she was not sure if it was wise to grill this vampire she had just met in the middle of the main hall of the castle.
"You're a strong wing man Shisui." Chi patted the man's arm smiling. Her smile faded after a moment though. "But you vampires always have the strangest perception of humans. He will have to work hard." Shisui was quiet for a moment, just looking her over.
"May I take you on a short tour?" He asked offering his arm.
"Are you not tired?"
"I'm usually up late, we might even find your betrothed in the library." His eyes glowed with hope. He offered his arm to take. She looked at him than his arm.
"Fine." She relented. "I'll allow you to entertain me."
"My pleasure." He smirked leading her back up into the castle in a very different direction than where she'd come from.