Chapter the Fourth

Kuru did not immediately take advantage of the privacy granted him. He slept alone in his bed, and Feya on the floor; a situation he would have insisted on reversing, but for the fact that years of sleeping on rough surfaces made Feya more comfortable that way.

In the morning he woke to find a pile of freshly washed clothes in Feya's hands as she stood by, ready to dress him. He allowed it, but only after seeing her abject expression at his initial refusal. Somehow, he could not bear to be the cause of such keen disappointment. Her hands were quite deft and steady at their work, and she was not so very nervous with a task to perform.

"How did you have these washed and dried before I awoke?" he asked, impressed by the attention to detail she took with his simple shirt and vest, "Have you learned to use the machines, already?"

"No, master. The princess was kind enough to direct me to water and soap, and Anala let me use her to dry them. I merely woke early enough to ensure they would be ready."

Kuru wasn't sure which he found more astonishing; that Feya would brave speaking to the princess in order to have his clothes washed, or that Anala would permit his wet clothes to be placed upon her hide.

"Well, that was very thoughtful of you. Thank you."

His approval encouraged her, increasing her ability to speak. "Shall I ready your bedclothes for tonight, as well?"

"You do not have to do that. I am quite capable of washing my own clothes." Her hand fell away from his shoulder where she had smoothed a crease away and she nodded sadly. "Although," he amended, "I confess, keeping up with the princess's small duties leaves me less time to tend to my laundry. If you wish to, I would be more than grateful for your assistance."

This made her quite content, and the silence that followed left Kuru to ponder a relative and weighty matter.

Being that the princess wanted nothing to do with the troubles at hand, Kuru confided in Anala.

"I do not want to do this thing," he confessed. "I must do it tonight; else all my attempts at helping her have been for nothing. I have heard that such joining can be a pleasurable experience, and I've no doubt for the practiced it must be true. However, this is an unfortunate necessity, and I highly doubt Feya looks forward to the exchange." Anala snorted. "But if I do not perform the ritual, she will suffer worse things at the hands of my kin. What am I to do, Anala? Have you no advice for me?"

The magical elephant made no reply. He turned to scold her for being so inconsiderate, but found himself petting the air. His hand still felt the firm, rough skin of Anala's trunk, but she had made herself invisible.

Marcus came strolling through the garden gate just then. He stopped and looked at Kuru oddly. "Hey… Kuru. Um, what are you doing?"

Kuru was about to question his questioning, but he realised the motions of his hand must look strange to a person who knew nothing of Anala and her abilities. "I'm… calling upon the spirits of the wind! It is supposed to storm this week, and I ask them to be merciful." His eager smile was intended to give credibility to his words.

"Riiight. Have you seen Alex? I have something for her."

Kuru eyed the plastic bag in Marcus's hand with suspicion. "I believe she is studying for an essay at the dining table. Perhaps you should not disturb her."

Marcus disregarded his concern. "Thanks, man. Don't… let me interrupt you."

Kuru turned to Anala when Marcus was far enough away not to overhear. "I do not trust that man."

She trumpeted gently in agreement.

The hours flew by as Kuru tended to Alex's chores. He thought of bringing his own clothes for washing, then smiled as he realised it was in Feya's hands, now. He wondered if she was bored, hiding in his room all the time. It was nearing the end of her third day, and so far she only left their chamber to wash his clothes and relieve herself. She was alone now, and probably very lonely. Unless, perhaps, Marcus and Alex were conversing in the garage and she was entertained by their abnormal remarks. But what if she heard something she did not understand and was frightened? Or what if she emerged to use the toilet and Marcus stumbled upon her by accident?

Of all the people Kuru did not want discovering Feya, Marcus was foremost. Kuru ran to the garage, severely chiding himself for being so thoughtless.

Marcus was doubled over, fighting a bad case of nausea, it seemed. Alex rubbed his back in distress and spoke words of comfort close to his ear. Littering the garage were several empty cans of a potent beverage; it smelled like the sort of thing Kuru was often told not to drink in excess at festivals. Marcus suddenly stood upright, swaying, groaning, and clutching his head as he did.

"Why did you drink so much?" she accused."That's a lot of beer, even for you."

"Alex, please. Could you keep your voice down?" He took a few steps, and then leaned back against the wall, unable to bear his own weight.

Alex hadn't noticed Kuru, but her face turned from worried to determined as she raised her hand in preparation for a spell. Kuru opened his mouth to warn her not to act rashly, but he could say nothing without arousing Marcus's suspicion. She drew in the air, the symbol for what Kuru thought was meant to be a transference spell, and then the one for destroy.

Good. She knew a destroy spell on its own was far too dangerous to use on a person's ailments, due to the likelihood of it destroying the very person it was intended to help. And a transference would only send the same affliction to the closest living thing—that thing being the princess. The most likely way to rid one of an illness or unfortunate state of being, such as Marcus's drunkenness, was to first transfer the illness outside the body, and destroy it before it had time to settle on another victim.

So she had been studying the notes. Kuru smiled proudly.

All at once, it hit him. A wave of sickness like nothing he'd ever felt before, taking over his senses and mobility. His head was light and throbbing, his eyes heavy, and his limbs tingled delightfully. He was not certain if this was drunkenness, or something like it, mixed up with the princess's magic. He stumbled past Alex and Marcus as soon as their backs were turned, and headed to his room.

"Yeah, I feel loads better. I think your back massage really helped."

Those were the last words Kuru heard from Marcus before closing his chamber door.

Feya was waiting for him inside.

"Good evening," he said, and hiccupped. "I do apologise." As was usual, Feya did not meet his gaze, but something almost like a smile formed on her lips.

"Is it not too warm in here for you? I find it distressingly warm." A burning sensation from inside his chest—or perhaps his stomach—was spreading all over his body. He did not feel feverish, yet his clothing was heavy and oppressive.

"I have come to the conclusion that the warnings in the Book of Akimbo regarding excessive consumption of fermented beverages were based on some level of experience."

He fumbled with his vest, but could not undo the strings in the haze he was under. Some part of the unfortunate spell made his hands feel like they were not his own. Feya's deft and slender fingers closed over his, and she took it from there, first unlacing his vest, then untucking his shirt and removing it completely. Kuru thought almost nothing of it when she loosened the drawstring of his pants to let those slip away as well.

"Thank you." He rubbed his eyes with his palms, not able to tell if he had the beginnings of a headache, or if, perhaps, he was starting to enjoy the lightness of his head. "I am far more comfortable, now."

She began to remove her own clothes, then, and something he was supposed to remember came to the forefront of his mind. Along with that, the affects of the spell loosened his tongue and he found himself unable to stop talking.

"It seems you are aware of what is commonly called the Ritual of Transference. I must warn you, I have not experienced any part of this. I know only what I have read in the Book of Akimbo, and I did not get very far as Omar took the book away before I had quite finished section fourteen of the first chapter. I do not think he believed I read purely for scholarly merit. Perhaps you will be disappointed by my lack of proficiency."

Her tone was ever gentle and her face hid behind a curtain of hair. "It is not for a slave to judge such matters."

"Your hair is quite soft at the moment. Have you washed it?"

"I saw the device you use to water Anala. Forgive me. I took liberties and did not ask your permission."

"You do not need my permission to wash your hair. Though perhaps the shower would be better, as water from the hose is quite cold. Are you cold, now? I find I enjoy the night air, and though we are indoors, our lack of clothing makes me feel almost as if this were a summer night in a Manjipoorian garden." He grinned at the thought. The palace reminded him that there was something he was meant to do, and soon, before midnight. "I had not considered your comfort. I apologise."

"We will be warm soon." She stood waiting, but Kuru did nothing to begin.

"That is a relief, then." His dizziness was overpowering for a moment, and he swayed slightly on his feet. "Do you know the ballad of Sarius? She was a princess of Manjipoor in the old days. You remind me of how her beauty is described in the song. 'Docile, sweet tempered…' the tune was quite catchy!" He tried humming bits of it, and a most astonished sound emitted from Feya.

She giggled. It was a short, simple giggle; more like a squeak, but Kuru was delighted.

"You have a most catching smile."

"You are not required to flatter me."

"Flattery is an insincere form of manipulation. I was speaking what in my eyes is the truth. The Book of Akuma says, 'Never unsheathe the sword of lies, lest you cut the delicate thread of trust.' It is a rule I have learned to keep since childhood."

"I'm afraid I do not feel myself tonight," he confessed, and her eyes captured his with their concern. Kuru noticed with some shock that his body was reacting strangely to the sight of her nakedness. The warmth that radiated from that mysterious somewhere intensified.

He wanted her. And not in a way that was fitting for the kind of master he wished to be.

"I am sorry," he murmured, and quickly kissed her lips before he could think better of it. She was surprised. No less than he. The Book of Akimbo had no advise in regards to kissing. It seemed more descriptive in the joining. Kuru hoped he had not upset her.

She did not seem upset by it. More like the princess looked when she listened to her favourite music with the small devices she put in her ears.

"I am not sure I can do this," he said aloud. "Are you certain I should?"

Her gaze was focused on his chest, as her natural height allowed. Mistaking his words for an entirely different meaning, she drew him to the bed. "I will help you, master."

He did not like being addressed in such a way while preparing to do what he was. Not when her previous master had done so, and in no kindly terms.

"Not master. Kuru."

"I cannot…!" she worried, and then asked, "Master Kuru?"

"If you wish."

-x-

When he awoke before dawn, his head was clear and the tingling in his limbs was gone. His arms were full with large, soft mounds of blankets, but Feya was gone. Frantic, he tried to recall the details of what had passed between them. The clock read two in the morning; hours past the dreaded midnight, but he was certain the ritual had taken place and was not worried in regards to her future. What worried him was the present. Why was she not still in bed with him?

But of course. It was absurd of him to think that anything more than a transference of ownership had passed between them. Feya could not have been happy to spend any longer with him than she had to.

Kuru sat up to see her sleeping on the ground in her thin clothes with no blanket. He pulled two from off his bed and covered her with them, feeling very ashamed for both his actions and assumptions.

Her steady breathing lulled him to slumbers.

The next morning, he woke again to clean clothes and an awaiting Feya. She was not as nimble as before, dropping his tunic twice, and finding difficulty in even the simplest of things. Kuru attributed it to his own clumsiness, and her fear that he would try to repeat the ritual again.

"I hope the Book of Dreams revealed only its most pleasant pages during your slumber." The tunic slipped from her hands yet again. "I apologise profusely for my behavior last night. I promise I am not usually drunk. The princess is still learning magic, and one of her spells did not go as planned. If I have hurt you even the slightest, I am more sorry than I can say."

Feya stood breathless. Her eyes were wide and watery, and her hands were drawn up to her chest, as if she was unsure of what to do with them. Finally, she swallowed and found her voice. "You are so kind."

"But last night, I was not myself. I was afraid that my erratic behavior might have harmed you."

"Even last night. You were very kind." Her voice wavered, and she suddenly remembered she should not be looking him in the eye. "Thank you," she said to Kuru, though she looked at the floor.

"You need not fear to look at me. I find it slightly unsettling to be spoken to as the floor or the wall," he smiled. "Unless I am too ugly to look upon."

Feya looked up at once. "No! That is… your features are most pleasing!"

Kuru's smile widened. "Then you have my permission to look at me as much as you like, and especially when we are speaking to each other."

Her head was down again, but this time it was to hide a blush, and perhaps the hinting of a smile.


A/N: I maaay be posting this a tad early out of sheer laziness. I worked early this morning, went Christmas shopping all afternoon, and although I intended on writing a lot, my eyes are already closing of their own accord. Sadness. I don't want to chance getting home late from work tomorrow and forgetting to post out of exhaustion. That would be very bad. Very bad, indeed.

We're about to get into chapters that draw heavily from the show's episodes, so for anyone who's been waiting for the plot, your time has come! *triumphal Manjipoor music*