Chapter Two: Cruel Intentions and Strange Happenings
The demons dragged Brie down the hall to a bigger bedroom. "Master Trenton instructed that you clean this room."
"B—" Brie was, once again, cut short by the slam of the mahogany door. She turned and realized that the room was spotless. 'It looks as if he doesn't inhabit this room! It's perfectly clean! Aw, great! Now what am I supposed to do?' Brie looked around the room, and spotted a stained-glass window. She ran to it and lifted the latch. "Maybe I can escape and find a way home—"
"You wouldn't be able to get home, ningen, you're in Makai." Brie jumped in fright and fumbled forward, pushing the window open. "H-Hiei...you scared me...what do you mean, 'You're in Makai?' What and where is Makai?" Hiei sat on the bed and blankly stared at the wall, but in a gruff voice, said, "Makai is the Spirit World, and it's just another dimension, just like Ningenkai."
"Oh." Brie shifted uncomfortably and shivered as the chilled breeze blew into the room. She pulled the window shut and walked to the bed. "Why does it look as if no one's ever been in here?" Brie sat next to the fire demon and waited for an answer. "Hn. I don't like sleeping indoors. I prefer sleeping in the tree just outside."
"Oh...seems like a waste of space, if you don't mind me saying m...Master Hiei." She almost threw up saying it, but she once again swallowed down her pride and gritted her teeth.
"Hn. Don't call me that. And just stay in here if you don't like the fact that it's being wasted." Brie was afraid to get him angry, but was relieved she wouldn't have to call him 'Master Hiei.' "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you angry." She hadn't noticed before, but she seemed to be getting closer to him. She stood up, feeling embarrassed, and made up for it by asking, "Where's Ann?" Now Hiei seemed uncomfortable as well. "I don't know who or where she is."
"Would you mind if I went and looked for her?" Hiei just shrugged and laid against the bed. She turned, giving up on him talking to her, and walked into the dimly lit hallway, glancing every now and then at the stone floor to avoid looking at gruesome portraits or battlefields glorifying the victor. After nearly vomiting from the last portrait of blood and guts, Brie was glad to reach the dining room. Brie opened the door quietly and found Trenton sitting alone, staring out the dome-shaped window. She listened in as he began muttering to himself, "Now she is securely in my grasp, and soon the powers she harbors will be drained from her weak body and at my disposal." Brie held down her fear and quietly tried to inch out the door. Suddenly the door creaked. "Who's there?" 'Damn door' Brie thought as she made her appearance known. "Oh, hello Brie." Brie only bowed, as slaves were supposed to behave. It took all her stamina to not scream at him for purchasing her and Ann for his personal gain. 'But isn't that just like saying I'm worthless and I'm their toy?' Trenton broke through her thoughts. "So why are you here?" Taking this as a signal that she had permission to speak, Brie replied.
"I'm looking for Ann. Do you know where she is?"
"Ah...I think you forgot to say something." Brie swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "S-sir?" She had said this in a harsher tone than intended, and to her dismay, Trenton had noticed. "My, where are your manners? You must know that you shouldn't talk in that tone to someone who's superior to you. Or are you just stupid, onna?" Brie's face seared with embarrassment. "I'm not stupid!" Her right cheek turned a brighter red when he slapped her with such force she stumbled back and sat in the chair behind her. "Get up!" Brie tried doing as she was told, but apparently she wasn't fast enough, because Trenton had slapped her again.
"That's enough, Trenton. Brie, return to the room now. Don't come back out 'till you're told." Immediately Brie walked past Hiei and out into the hallway. She kept her head down while holding her cheek, letting a few tears slide down her face. "Brie!" Brie quickly wiped away the tears and looked up to find Ann running towards her. "Ann! Thank goodness!" Brie grasped Ann and hugged her tightly. "Where have you been? Where are you staying?" Ann wiped away the last tear from Brie's face and answered, "I've been in my room as I was ordered to do, and it's just over here." Ann led Brie down the rest of the hallway and pointed to the door at the far right. Delighted, Brie realized Ann's room was next to hers. "Brie, what happened to your cheek?" Ann's cool little hand reached up and soothingly stroked her raw, red cheek. "You needn't worry. Just my big mouth spilling things out before I think." After saying goodnight to Ann, Brie hurriedly walked into her room, and decided to slip into something she could sleep in. She strode over to a wardrobe in the room, and was surprised to find clothes just for her. Interestingly enough, everything was in black. Brie found a nightgown and began to unbutton the dress she was already wearing. She was about to pull it off her shoulders, when Hiei shoved the doors open and strode over to the window. "Jeez! Would it kill you to knock?!" Hiei glanced over his shoulder and smirked as Brie quickly pulled the clothing back over herself. "Hmph. As I recall, this is my room, and I can do anything I wish, including coming in without knocking." Hiei turned his head back to the window, opened it, jumped on to a branch of the tree outside, and sat on it. Brie briskly walked to the window and closed the curtains so she could change. When she was finished, she drew back the curtains and asked, "Do you want me to leave the window open for you?" Hiei didn't move or answer. Brie rolled her eyes, but left it open and walked towards the bed. The minute she laid her head against the fluffy pillow, she fell asleep almost instantly.
A/N: What ya tink? Sowy it took so long. ; Had trouble figuring out ideas, I wouldn't blame you if you don't stick around to find out what happens. But for those who do R&R pweeze! in background No! Koji! Not the bottles of ketchup! Oh yeah, I'm thinking about having Ann meet her demise. No, I'm not trying to be evil, but I did put angst in the genre. So tell me what you want, k? By the way, "onna" means "woman".