Adria stood in the master chamber and a cold shiver ran down her back. She inhaled and the faint scent of blood wafted into the air. Her eyes scanned the room in search of the source of the foul odor. Danarius watched her from the door; his eyes were afire for the sweet girl that had seemed to have wrapped him around her finger the moment he laid eyes on her.

Hadriana had left on an errand for her mentor all too willingly. As much as she balked at the request, she submitted with very little resistance. The boy leaned in the doorway and watched her meticulously peek around the bed and fall to her knees. She pulled the bed skirt up and snuck under the bed.

"What are you doing?" Danarius asked.

Leto shook his head at the girl. He shared the same amusement that his master had, but was reluctant to show it.

"Hiding?" her voice murmured in more of a question than an actual response.

"Whatever for?" the magister asked. "Come out from under there."

The elven boy looked at their master and knew that his patience was being tested. He watched a small hand emerge from under the bed and then another. Leto slipped past Danarius and dropped down to see what she was doing. He was met with those large dark eyes and radiant pale skin. Her lip trembled and a small tear drop slid down her face.

"It's okay," he said in a soft voice. He held out his hand for her.

She pressed back further away from him. She looked at him confused and then it dawned on him. She didn't understand a word he had said to her. The language barrier was thick and his words probably frightened her more than the imposing man who was glaring at him.

"Leto!" Danarius growled.

The boy turned to him and rose. He looked at the floor and followed the stern point of the finger out of the room. He glanced back and saw her start to appear at the foot of the bed. She stood up and finally dusted herself off. Lint and dust fell to the floor and her hair had a greyish tint to it from the dirt. She wouldn't come near him. Of all people, she was scared of him. Not Danarius, not Hadriana, not the guards or servants and slaves, but him.

Danarius gave him a final glare and slammed the door behind him. She was alone with him now. Adria was in the vipers' den and all her thoughts drifted away that the choice of resistance was now out of the question. He eyed her, examined the stocky human and for brief moment she thought he was going to beat her to death. He was angry at her. Her feeble attempt at escape only brought doom to her.

She finally looked up at him and waited for the onslaught to take place. She had failed herself and consequentially made life all the more difficult for herself. Maybe the mage was right: she would die quickly. Her young life snuffed out because of her fear that she had failed to contain.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked.

She arranged herself in a more proper position. His eyes were piercing hers and the want that she had come to expect managed to find its way out of the man. He knelt down to her level and took her hands in his. His fingers rubbed the tops of her petite hands. He appraised the texture, the softness and slight glow that had seeped from her pores. Her hair matted to her head, leaving chunks of bangs clinging together in front her face. He brushed her cheek with his palm.

He wasn't angry anymore, not with her. She was submitting to him. It was the only way she knew she was going to endure whatever plans he had for her. He didn't have to say anything; she had deduced what he was thinking in the way he looked at her.

"I'm going to take care of you," he answered. "As long as you take care of me, we'll be fine."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not to be discussed right now," he said with a sigh. "How old are you, my child?"

"Six. I'm going to be seven soon," she remarked.

She beamed that she was growing older and rapidly accepted that she might not see eight at all.

"Well, that's exciting isn't it?"

He poked her in the nose playfully and hefted the girl onto the bed. She flopped onto the bed spread and sunk into the mattress.

"You're not going to hurt me, are you?" she finally questioned.

She shuffled up to the head of the bed and leaned against the board. She pulled at the frayed hemline of her shirt and glanced up at him. She flicked small threads onto the floor. Her nervous tick showed through the more she did it. Her piercing eyes and pouty lips quivered in anticipation of his answer.

He turned from the girl and started for the door. He stopped briefly and forced the door open.

"No. Not now. Not till you're ready."

"Ready for what?"

She crawled to the foot of the bed and watched him step through the threshold.

"When I know for a fact I'm not going to kill you the first time I do anything to you," he answered. "Just stay here. Hadriana will be back soon to see to your needs. I have a matter to attend to before dinner."

"Can I come? Please? I don't want to be left alone. Not again."

Adria slid off the bed and ran up to him. The magister turned to her and smirked at her inquisitiveness. He ran his fingers through her hair and chuckled to himself. His head rolled in the opposite direction as he thought to himself.

"You're all too willing to please your new master, aren't you?"

"I'll do whatever you wish of me," she chirped softly.

His eyes returned to hers and he frowned. The corners of his eyes wrinkled deeply into his face; licking his lips he placed his hand on her head.

"You are learning fast, my dear girl. But it is too soon for such wishful thinking on my part."

Adria sighed heavily and sniffled. She didn't want to be alone. Not ever again. It didn't matter who was there, just somebody. Even if this dirty man had to be her company she was willing to accept it for just a little while. She'd been locked away for so long that she wanted to cling to anyone as long as she knew there was something or someone there.

"Can I play with the little boy?" Her voice perked up when she noticed him standing beside the door.

"No," her master snapped. "You will learn your place as will he. You are mine and will be treated as I designate." He exhaled at the fearful girl and smoothed his robes out. "I will explain everything to you later." He looked towards the front door and back at the trembling girl. "Hadriana will set things up for you. Just listen to her and all shall be fine."

"Is she that mean lady?"

Danarius laughed and nodded.

"Yes, she can be. Just do as she says the first time-as you would me- and everything should be fine."

He shut the door behind him and left her alone. She barely had time to snoop around more before the devil of a woman came in. Adria knew the type all too well. Hadriana had reminded her of a traveler that had passed through Lothering. She had a certain air about her. It was cold, calculating and full of loathing.

The traveler was with a band of men who while on a drunken conquest doted on the female. If they dedicated their attention to someone else, they were usually lashed verbally by her. She was self-absorbed and completely hypocritical to the people under her. She took many a man to bed with her. The only way that she knew of it was the town gossip that made a point to practically yell from the rooftops that she was a whore.

Hadriana dropped boxes onto the floor and huffed at the girl.

"Here's your stuff," she muttered.

Adria opened up the boxes and found all assortments of clothes. Her face contorted at what they were. Dresses. All dresses. No pants or anything.

"Can't I wear something else?" she bleated.

"Spoiled shit!" the woman spat. "Pick something out so we can get you set up for dinner. Danarius is expecting you to be cleaned and ready in an hour."

The girl rummaged through one box and tossed it aside. She didn't want frills if she had to wear the blasted things. She was glad to be out of pinafores and was able to make her own intelligent decision as to what she could wear. It was her father's prerogative to give her the power of choice, which to her mother's chagrin meant he was trying to turn her into a boy by letting her dress like one and play like one, instead of learning to just be a child.

Father. Mother. Gone. Bethany. Carver. Gone. Alone.

She pulled a purple dress out and showed Hadriana. The woman stared at her, disinterested in what she had been forced to put up with. It wasn't frilly, it was knee length and more mature than she thought she would have had to wear. The white petticoat that went under it made her nauseas- ruffles, lace, and tulle. She was going to be fluffy.

Ick.


She scratched at the dress through the appetizer. The itchy fabric burrowed through her stockings and stuck her fragile skin. Her feet swung in the dining chair as she anticipated the first course to their meal. The feast was aromatic and her stomach growled hungrily. It was empty and had longed for a decent dinner. Her hair was neatly piled atop her head. Small spirals framed her face. Yet, her bangs still remained resting just above her eyes. The more she fidgeted, the more they fell into the way the usually did. Off center and over her eye. She liked it that way. And as long as she wasn't in braided pigtails, she was content with the girly flim-flam she had on her crown. Her scalp hurt from how tightly they had fashioned her hair and the servant that had been ordered to do it made sure she felt unwelcome.

As soon as the first course was placed in front of her she inhaled it and gasped. It was delightful. She couldn't wait to taste it. She resisted the urge to devour it as quickly as possible. The boy handed her a napkin and glared at her. Hadriana watched their interaction and snorted disapprovingly at the two of them. Adria scarfed at her food regardless of proper table manners. Her stomach filled to near bursting as the adults discussed what had been going around the city.

She tuned them out and watched the boy work from a distance. He eyed her food and frowned only to resume his work. Every few minutes he'd look at her and back to the dishes on a small buffet. She smiled at him but promptly stopped when one of the girls nudged him in the shoulder. He avoided any more contact with her and solely made eyes at the female. They smirked and flirted, giggling once in a while at each other's jokes.

Adria felt so lonely that she didn't fit in with the others. They spoke their language and left her to sit inquisitively. She was only acknowledged by Danarius who smiled at her when there was a break in the chatter. She was growing restless just sitting there. She shifted continuously in her chair. The boy came up to clear the table. He leaned over her and squinted contemptuously at the docile girl. She bit the inside of her cheek nervously and glanced away from him. He remained, slowly heaping cutlery and china on top of each other. She would have loved for him to leave. He was making her uncomfortable with the way he was looking at her. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw only his eyes. They were expressionless and yet she couldn't help but turn her head to stare him down.

When she refused to look away from him again, he took a step back and hoisted the stacks of dishes into his arms. She was familiar with this game. It was something that she and her brother had played when they were trying to get under each other's skin. In her mind: she won. It was as simple as that. She leaned back in her chair, legs still swinging to and fro and smirked in satisfaction.

Dishes clattered to the floor and it startled her. She jumped from her seat and started towards the noise. Danarius threw his napkin onto the table and grabbed the girl by the arm.

"It's not your place. Take a seat," he ordered.

Adria began to protest but a sudden jerk into her chair stopped her. She folded her arms across her chest and sighed. Hadriana glared at her again and sipped her wine. They continued their conversation over the noise of the slaves cleaning up the broken plates.

"Can I go outside?" the small girl asked.

Danarius turned his attention to her and smirked.

"Outside? It's dark out. Why would you want to do that?" he questioned her with a perked brow.

Adria saw the boy stop and look at her perplexed. She bit her lip nervously and ignored the glares that she was receiving from the servants and Hadriana.

"Walk? With me?"

Hadriana snorted and shook her head in disgust at the odd girl's request.

Danarius shot her a glare and she stiffened instantly.

"Is that what Adria wants?" he asked.

She nodded and hopped out of her chair. She waved at Hadriana and beckoned the magister to follow. She gave the boy a final glance over her shoulder as she led Danarius from the room. Two guards saw their approach and went to attention. Their conversation ceased long enough for the magister and the girl to pass.

The night was sprinkled with stars. The air was still sticky and the heat radiated from the ground. Crickets chirped their courtship tunes and fireflies floated about the green grass. Floral accents flitted in the air and carried its way over the wall and off into the surrounding yards. The grating of metal on metal from passing guards on patrol made the whimsical thoughts that Adria had about a princess in a castle seem all the more real to her.

"This is really pretty," she stated. She held the magister's hand tightly and looked at the statues and flowers. She bent down and sniffed a pale pink flower. It tickled her nose and she rubbed her face. "I like your home."

Danarius unsheathed a small dagger and plucked it from the bush. He handed it to her letting his fingers grace hers gently. She inhaled it again and continued walking.

"I'm glad to hear that," Danarius said. He led her around to the far end of the path and sat on a bench. His forehead was drenched with sweat. He wiped it away and shook it loose of his hand. It sloshed to the ground in droplets. His greying hair was slicked back and the cleanly trimmed beard reminded her of her father's when he went days without shaving. "Do you like it here?"

The little girl nodded slowly. He took he hands and held them as she leaned back on her heels and bent down to her knees. Her black slippers pointed to the sky as she stretched and shook the tension from her muscles away. She straightened up and plopped onto the bench next to the man. She looked up at the night sky that had spread on to infinity.

"I'm scared," she admitted. She looked down at the beautiful dress and white stockings. Her hands shuffled back and forth along her legs as a biting chill coursed through the garden.

"Whatever for?" he asked. "You look more tired than anything."

She pointed to the sky in a spark of curiosity and smiled. She avoided his question intentionally. She didn't want to admit her reasoning to him let alone herself. All those angry people inside made a point to tell her what she was going to be to the man. She argued with them as they called her names. "Len'alas lath'din." They spoke in their foreign tongues to each other. She knew they were talking about her. Even the boy, when he past her on the way to dinner uttered words of discontent in her direction. "Furandi scortum."

The more she listened to their biting words and snide insults the more she realized that they had been waiting to sink their venom into her long before she arrived. She had not a friend in the world. All she had was the magister to protect her from their glares and remarks. Even then she didn't care what they or Hadriana had to say. Danarius made a point to all of them when he overheard them that he would fix them without remorse if they continued, starting with their families.

"I am tired," she admitted.

"You look really beautiful this evening. Hadriana's completely jealous," he joked.

"Good for her," the girl grumbled with a frown. She yawned and leaned into the man's arm.

He pulled her close and let her head fall forward. She hadn't realized how tired she was. Her hand tightened around the stem and placed the bloom on her lap. Her hand fell into his lap and she felt him flinch when she touched him.

Getting him on my side will be easier than I thought…

…who's really in control here? Because it sure isn't him.