"Where are you from?"Chesta asked quietly as he wrapped the girls arm in bandages. She looked up slowly, contemplating something, the look on her face showing how perplexed she was.
"Does it matter?"She said, her head cocked to the side, she was just being inquiring, not defiant.
Chesta laughed and shook his head. "No"He said quietly.
"Then why did you ask?"She wondered.
"Trying to make conversation"Chesta replied. The girl nodded. Chesta noticed that she wasnt like most of the other Cat-girls he had seen. She didnt have the usual stripes on her cheeks, and her eyes wernt quite so... cat-like. She looked as though she was mainly human, and would probably have been mistaken for a full-blooded human, if it wernt for her soft, grey, ears, noticibly placed on the top of her head, and her long, grey tail. Yet she acted extreemly like a cat, very gracefull, and adoribly curious.
"Why make conversation with a person who is going to be dead in a few days?"The girl asked, though not to be rude or mocking, she was just curious.
"What do you mean?"Chesta asked as he got up and filled a basin with warm water and set it on the nightstand beside the girl, who was sitting on his bed, contentedly watching him, and wrinkling her nose every time a hair fell onto it and annoyed her.
"I fear I will soon die, because Master Dilandau does not seem very mercifull"She said thoughtfully.
"You sound like someone reciting something every time you speak"Chesta commented as he sat down on the bed beside her and sponged her bloody forehead with a cloth dipped in the water.
"Nani? Oh, that is because most every thing I say, is something I have heard before."She shook her head slowly and sadly. "I do not know your languige perfectly, but I do try! I do!"Her head drooped and she looked down at her hands shamefully "I am sorry, please forgive me"
"Dont worry, Im not Dilandau, I wont get angry"Chesta said gently, and the girl scoweled.
"I hope you are not speaking rudely about him!"She said in defence.
Chesta laughed and held up his hands "No! I am just as loyal to Dilandau-sama as you are! But I was just saying that I am not him, and I wont get angry if you say something, Im not your superior"
"Yes you are"The cat-girl whispered. "I am inferior to all, including you and the rest of the Ryuugekitai. Espescially Master Dilandau-sama. I am not worthy to be within the walls of the Zaibach Floating Fortress!"She turned from Chesta to hide the shame in her eyes.
"Why do you think that?"Chesta asked gently as he slowly bandaged up her shoulder, he reached out his gloved hand and turned her face towards him. He looked into her eyes and she tried to look away. "You grew up thinking that, didnt you? What do you think you are? A servant?"
"I KNOW Im a servant. I was born to be a minion for higher lords, that is all I know"She said, still not looking into his eyes. He understood that that was what she was tought, and it was imprinted on her mind.
'That is why she fought so feircly when Nariya and Eirya spoke badly of Master Dilandau. All she knows is to follow orders, obey, and defend. But why has she chosen Dilandau-sama to be her higher lord?' Chesta thought to himself as he fluffed the girls hair. Wishing he could comfort her, but knowing a Soldier of the Zaibach empire should not show friendship or emotion towards anyone, especially someone NOT of the Zaibach empire. She looked up uncertainly and smiled, still not truly looking into his eyes. That would have been a sign of defiance or equality. She was just a drone. 'But theres something underlying in her eyes... either it will take her far, or kill her quickly'He thought as he gently washed her white-blond blood streaked hair and talked with her. Treating her in an almost younger-sister manner.
* * *
"Hey"A soft voice patted the cat-girls blonde head. She stirred in her sleep on Chestas soft bed, noticing imediatly that he was no longer in it, and blinked open her big eyes. They focused on the face in front of her and she smiled in recognition. It was Chesta. She sat up and flung her arms around his neck, suprizing him imensly. He laughed quietly and ignored the fact that the other dragonslayers would think he was a softy.
"Chesta!"The girl cried. She was delighted to see him, considering he was the only person she knew and trusted on the entire Zaibach Floating Fortress. She knew the other Dragonslayers, or more knew who they WERE, but didnt trust any of them, and especially not the ruthless Dilandau, though she still regarded him in an almost Godly way. She imediatly relized that she was showing much to much affection for a superior and pulled her arms from him and dropped her eyes to look at the sheets on the bed. Plain blue.
"Hey"He scruffed her hair and grinned. She glanced up and smiled. "Im glad you didnt wake when I got up this morning, sorry I left so early, its just that Migel found an odd carving on his Alseides, so I had to go and check it out"Chesta explained. The cat-girl nodded again, wondering why HE was apoligizing to HER.
"So why did you come back?"She furrowed her brown and looked a bit confused.
Chesta sighed and turned away from her. "Dilandau-sama has summoned you"He said. The girls eyes grew wide and she scrambled off the bed, quickly running to the door. "Slow down!"Chesta called after her as she flung open the door, and she ran off down the hall. She imediatly slowed her pace, but didnt stop. Chesta ran and caught up with her, taking her right arm, which was the un-bandaged one, and walking with her down the hall. Yet again he could feel the supiriority and felt guilty, knowing she could sense it too. But Dilandau wanted her, so Chesta would bring her. All that mattered was making Dilandau happy. Chesta looked at the girl, who continued to look straight ahead. "Are you scared?"He asked.
"No"The girl replied. "I was ordered, and that is all that mattered. I shall obey."the tone she said it in, made it seem like it was a PRIVLEDGE that she was getting to be ordered by Dilandau.
'I suppose she does regard it as a privledge, after all! Dilandau is the greatest master, and its good she realizes that' Chesta thought as he brought her into the large throne room. Chesta let go of her arm and bowed down to Dilandau, the girl following exactly. She kept her eyes down and as soon as Dilandau ordered him to, Chesta stood up, leaving only the girl, who remained on her knees, her forehead to the floor, willing to obey, no matter what it was that was ordered of her.
"I am sorry for the delay Dilandau-sama!"Chesta said imediatly. Dilandau regarded him coldly, but showed no signs of punishing him, and Chesta was secretly glad that the girl had ran so much. They had not exceeded Dilandaus expectations, but had followed them nearly exactly. Dilandau waved Chesta to the side.
"Stand up"Dilandau ordered. The girl scrambled to her feet as quickly as she possibly could, which was very quickly, and stood before Dilandau, her head lowered, her eyes focused on the floor. "Your a very interesting... thing..."He said, smirking. The girl remained motionless, it wasnt even visible that she was breathing. "You are very loyal, you know that?"
The girl bowed "Thank you Master Dilandau-sama! That is the highest compliment I am ever to recieve!"She said quickly.
Dilandau started laughing. "Stand up!" He ordered. She imediatly stood. "Look at me"The girl looked up, and unfocused her eyes, looking more at his forehead. Dilandau continued to laugh. "Your amusing, though slightly blinded"He said thoughtfully as he stood and walked slowly to the girl. "Do you still not have a name?"He demanded.
"I have never had a name, master Dilandau-sama"She said, her eyes following Dilandau obediently.
"Dont contradict me!"Dilandau reached out his hand and smacked her cheek harshly. She fell to the ground, her knees hitting hard on the stone floor. She looked up at Chesta, through her hair, he continued to look forward, and she fought back tears. She scrambled to her knees, begging for forgiveness.
'Ive angered Dilandau-sama, oh now there is no reason to live!!' She thought in distress as Dilandau walked over to her. He leaned down and tipped her head up, his hand under her chin. He stroked her bruised and bleeding cheek and she fought to keep a sob from escaping her throught. "I am sorry Master Dilandau-sama!"
"Does it matter?"She said, her head cocked to the side, she was just being inquiring, not defiant.
Chesta laughed and shook his head. "No"He said quietly.
"Then why did you ask?"She wondered.
"Trying to make conversation"Chesta replied. The girl nodded. Chesta noticed that she wasnt like most of the other Cat-girls he had seen. She didnt have the usual stripes on her cheeks, and her eyes wernt quite so... cat-like. She looked as though she was mainly human, and would probably have been mistaken for a full-blooded human, if it wernt for her soft, grey, ears, noticibly placed on the top of her head, and her long, grey tail. Yet she acted extreemly like a cat, very gracefull, and adoribly curious.
"Why make conversation with a person who is going to be dead in a few days?"The girl asked, though not to be rude or mocking, she was just curious.
"What do you mean?"Chesta asked as he got up and filled a basin with warm water and set it on the nightstand beside the girl, who was sitting on his bed, contentedly watching him, and wrinkling her nose every time a hair fell onto it and annoyed her.
"I fear I will soon die, because Master Dilandau does not seem very mercifull"She said thoughtfully.
"You sound like someone reciting something every time you speak"Chesta commented as he sat down on the bed beside her and sponged her bloody forehead with a cloth dipped in the water.
"Nani? Oh, that is because most every thing I say, is something I have heard before."She shook her head slowly and sadly. "I do not know your languige perfectly, but I do try! I do!"Her head drooped and she looked down at her hands shamefully "I am sorry, please forgive me"
"Dont worry, Im not Dilandau, I wont get angry"Chesta said gently, and the girl scoweled.
"I hope you are not speaking rudely about him!"She said in defence.
Chesta laughed and held up his hands "No! I am just as loyal to Dilandau-sama as you are! But I was just saying that I am not him, and I wont get angry if you say something, Im not your superior"
"Yes you are"The cat-girl whispered. "I am inferior to all, including you and the rest of the Ryuugekitai. Espescially Master Dilandau-sama. I am not worthy to be within the walls of the Zaibach Floating Fortress!"She turned from Chesta to hide the shame in her eyes.
"Why do you think that?"Chesta asked gently as he slowly bandaged up her shoulder, he reached out his gloved hand and turned her face towards him. He looked into her eyes and she tried to look away. "You grew up thinking that, didnt you? What do you think you are? A servant?"
"I KNOW Im a servant. I was born to be a minion for higher lords, that is all I know"She said, still not looking into his eyes. He understood that that was what she was tought, and it was imprinted on her mind.
'That is why she fought so feircly when Nariya and Eirya spoke badly of Master Dilandau. All she knows is to follow orders, obey, and defend. But why has she chosen Dilandau-sama to be her higher lord?' Chesta thought to himself as he fluffed the girls hair. Wishing he could comfort her, but knowing a Soldier of the Zaibach empire should not show friendship or emotion towards anyone, especially someone NOT of the Zaibach empire. She looked up uncertainly and smiled, still not truly looking into his eyes. That would have been a sign of defiance or equality. She was just a drone. 'But theres something underlying in her eyes... either it will take her far, or kill her quickly'He thought as he gently washed her white-blond blood streaked hair and talked with her. Treating her in an almost younger-sister manner.
* * *
"Hey"A soft voice patted the cat-girls blonde head. She stirred in her sleep on Chestas soft bed, noticing imediatly that he was no longer in it, and blinked open her big eyes. They focused on the face in front of her and she smiled in recognition. It was Chesta. She sat up and flung her arms around his neck, suprizing him imensly. He laughed quietly and ignored the fact that the other dragonslayers would think he was a softy.
"Chesta!"The girl cried. She was delighted to see him, considering he was the only person she knew and trusted on the entire Zaibach Floating Fortress. She knew the other Dragonslayers, or more knew who they WERE, but didnt trust any of them, and especially not the ruthless Dilandau, though she still regarded him in an almost Godly way. She imediatly relized that she was showing much to much affection for a superior and pulled her arms from him and dropped her eyes to look at the sheets on the bed. Plain blue.
"Hey"He scruffed her hair and grinned. She glanced up and smiled. "Im glad you didnt wake when I got up this morning, sorry I left so early, its just that Migel found an odd carving on his Alseides, so I had to go and check it out"Chesta explained. The cat-girl nodded again, wondering why HE was apoligizing to HER.
"So why did you come back?"She furrowed her brown and looked a bit confused.
Chesta sighed and turned away from her. "Dilandau-sama has summoned you"He said. The girls eyes grew wide and she scrambled off the bed, quickly running to the door. "Slow down!"Chesta called after her as she flung open the door, and she ran off down the hall. She imediatly slowed her pace, but didnt stop. Chesta ran and caught up with her, taking her right arm, which was the un-bandaged one, and walking with her down the hall. Yet again he could feel the supiriority and felt guilty, knowing she could sense it too. But Dilandau wanted her, so Chesta would bring her. All that mattered was making Dilandau happy. Chesta looked at the girl, who continued to look straight ahead. "Are you scared?"He asked.
"No"The girl replied. "I was ordered, and that is all that mattered. I shall obey."the tone she said it in, made it seem like it was a PRIVLEDGE that she was getting to be ordered by Dilandau.
'I suppose she does regard it as a privledge, after all! Dilandau is the greatest master, and its good she realizes that' Chesta thought as he brought her into the large throne room. Chesta let go of her arm and bowed down to Dilandau, the girl following exactly. She kept her eyes down and as soon as Dilandau ordered him to, Chesta stood up, leaving only the girl, who remained on her knees, her forehead to the floor, willing to obey, no matter what it was that was ordered of her.
"I am sorry for the delay Dilandau-sama!"Chesta said imediatly. Dilandau regarded him coldly, but showed no signs of punishing him, and Chesta was secretly glad that the girl had ran so much. They had not exceeded Dilandaus expectations, but had followed them nearly exactly. Dilandau waved Chesta to the side.
"Stand up"Dilandau ordered. The girl scrambled to her feet as quickly as she possibly could, which was very quickly, and stood before Dilandau, her head lowered, her eyes focused on the floor. "Your a very interesting... thing..."He said, smirking. The girl remained motionless, it wasnt even visible that she was breathing. "You are very loyal, you know that?"
The girl bowed "Thank you Master Dilandau-sama! That is the highest compliment I am ever to recieve!"She said quickly.
Dilandau started laughing. "Stand up!" He ordered. She imediatly stood. "Look at me"The girl looked up, and unfocused her eyes, looking more at his forehead. Dilandau continued to laugh. "Your amusing, though slightly blinded"He said thoughtfully as he stood and walked slowly to the girl. "Do you still not have a name?"He demanded.
"I have never had a name, master Dilandau-sama"She said, her eyes following Dilandau obediently.
"Dont contradict me!"Dilandau reached out his hand and smacked her cheek harshly. She fell to the ground, her knees hitting hard on the stone floor. She looked up at Chesta, through her hair, he continued to look forward, and she fought back tears. She scrambled to her knees, begging for forgiveness.
'Ive angered Dilandau-sama, oh now there is no reason to live!!' She thought in distress as Dilandau walked over to her. He leaned down and tipped her head up, his hand under her chin. He stroked her bruised and bleeding cheek and she fought to keep a sob from escaping her throught. "I am sorry Master Dilandau-sama!"