Disclaimer: Drow not mine

Nariel: Haha noch ein cliffhanger! Ist aber nicht meine Schuld sondern die von der bösen Drowpriesterin die grad hinter mir steht und ihre Peitsche streichelt. An die solltest du dich mal wenden, allerdings hat sie's gerne wenn du leidest. g

Alhana: Don't worry they're not gonna die. At least I'm not planning to kill them (yet). But they'll suffer! Must be my drow-like mindset… well at least you'll still have cookies.

SilverWolf7: Well so much for Ayren…

C

Another slave

C

"Ok. You win. I'll stay."

Andy doesn't seem convinced but he relaxes slightly and I can't help but ask once again: "So what are we going to do now?"

His eyes narrow dangerously.

"Could you please stop asking me that when you already know that I have absolutely no clue! I was trained to obey not to make my own decisions. You're the one who brought us here, you should do something!"

I'm quickly becoming angry as well. So now this mess is my fault? No way!

"It was your stupid plan that we followed if you don't remember! You are to blame for this just as much as I am!"

"You're not helping."

"Neither are you."

"If you don't mind a suggestion," Comes a dry comment from somewhere behind me. "You could at least try to run away and provide a bit of entertainment. I've had some trouble setting this up after all and I would be dreadfully disappointed if all that effort had been for nothing."

"Master!" Andy gasps in horror after looking up.

Instantly I start to struggle, but despite his obvious state of shock Andy has no trouble keeping me down and I end up cursing vehemently, still lying helplessly trapped on my back. I don't think I've ever wished to be able to vanish by power of a mere thought just as much as I do at this moment. It's such a pity that I can't. I know that the dangerous mage is somewhere behind me, but everything else is up to wild guessing.

"You've been a very bad little slut. You will be punished and you know it, don't you." The silky voice says now and Andy's expression becomes even more terrified. He starts trembling, but still holds me down. The fact that I can't see what the other one is doing back there is positively maddening.

"Let go of me." I growl softly, already torn between anger and fear.

"You will do no such thing." Commands the voice, which is very close now. Before I have time to react something cold and hard is slipped around my neck and I can hear a soft click as the clasp is fastened. He has collared me! The bastard has collared me! I'm so fucked.

Suddenly two slender, black skinned hands come into my range of vision. One of them is holding another collar, which must be similar to the one that was just put on me.

"You know what to do slave."

Andy bows his head submissively and only when I see him reach out and take the collar to fasten it around his own neck do I understand the full extent of control the mage has over him. Did I mention that I'm totally and utterly fucked? Andy has released his hold of my arms now, but I'm still in a very vulnerable position in which I can't defend myself. I don't dare to move anymore. I have heard enough stories about cruel and bloodthirsty Drow to be totally terrified. Argh he's touching me. I think I would prefer to sit on an anthill anytime!

"Get your hands off me!"

Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said that, because now the fingers tighten their hold on my hair and I can feel Andy tensing on top of me.

"What was that?"

"Err, nothing?" I try. He laughs softly. Actually I think it sounds quite sinister, he's probably insane. Now would be the perfect time for some hero to come along and rescue me, but of course no one cares about my predicament. As always.

"You will soon be begging for my touch slave."

Somehow, looking in these merciless red eyes, I don't doubt him and if there wasn't this highly inconvenient thing called pride I would probably start pleading for mercy right now. I don't beg though, not yet. Instead I get up as soon as Andy lets me and send him an icy glare. I'm probably wrong in blaming him for my current situation, but I'm not in the mood to be reasonable when faced with the dire prospect of slavery.

Should I try to run? The distance I'd have to cross before reaching the first trees is one I could cover in less than ten heartbeats, but how long does it take to cast a spell? I hate to admit it, but I have no idea. And then all thoughts of flight are suddenly pushed away as a sharp burst of pain spreads from the collar through my whole body. I flinch with a startled gasp.

"That was just a beginning slave. If you don't want to feel more of that you had better do what I say."

Unfortunately for me it is this very moment that a stubborn part of my personality steps in and decides to say: "I'm not your fucking slave and just what did you do with my cousin you bastard?"

I regret the outburst as soon as the words have left my mouth, because this time the pain is much stronger and lasts until I find myself lying on the ground aching all over and with no idea how I got there. Ok, so maybe I am his slave now, but I still don't know what happened to Ayren.

"Get up slave."

I think this is a very good time to stay silent and just do what he wants without complaint. Why can't Giciel be here? He'd know what to do whereas I am very much clueless right now. Once I'm standing he grabs the collar and roughly pulls me close.

"Your cousin is dying and you my little fairy will follow her quickly if you should decide to be stubborn and disobedient."

He looks at me expectantly and for a few seconds all I can do is to stare at him before it starts to sink in, I'm his slave, and I have to do whatever he says, bow my head, kneel and grovel. Or I can consciously decide to die, but my survival instincts are simply too strong to do that. In the end I lower my gaze and say quietly: "I'll obey."

This earns me a stinging slap and a sharp: "You'll address me as Master or be punished. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Master."

If I do what he wants without much resistance he'll hopefully be less suspicious and I'll have a better chance to escape later on. But very soon even this thin sliver of hope is taken from me, when he opens a portal and orders us to pass through. The sensation of being stretched out of proportion, which comes with entering is sickening and I hope I'll never have to experience it again, because I almost throw up once I stumble out into a wide elaborately decorated hall. Andy follows shortly afterwards and nearly knocks me off my feet.

"Look where you're going damn you." I snap, but he only shrugs hopeless and resigned.

"It doesn't really matter, you know. You'll be lying down there before long anyway."

"Thanks for making me feel so optimistic."

He starts to say something but shuts his mouth and kneels immediately when the mage comes through the portal, which closes after him with a strange sizzling noise. I react with only a slight delay and imitate Andy's position, even though my version of a submissive posture is far less graceful than his. I guess it comes with practice. Not that I really want to practice something like this.

"Go to my quarters and wait there." He addresses Andy crisply, before he turns to me.

"Yes Master."

With a very bad feeling I watch Andy's quickly retreating back. In a few more moments I'll be alone with this guy! I know of course that Andy is probably useless when it comes to resisting his master or protecting me from any harm, but I've been around him for some time now and I'm already starting to miss his pleasant, unobtrusive presence. The mage, my master even though I desperately don't want this to be true, is watching me with a truly unpleasant smile.

"Now to you my pale and pretty one."