Chapter Trigger Warnings: References to Dubious Consent

A few questions are coming in about the bond. Instead of answering the same thing each time, I've chosen to write some of those questions into the chapter. Hopefully this will help clarify a few things (even if you may not like some of the answers).

Chapter 131:

Adjusting to Azkaban

Draco's prediction came true. They were escorted back to Azkaban the following afternoon. It was a different cell than last time – one deeper inside now that they were…staying longer. Their hosts were being…mildly accommodating due to there being two of them in the same cell, by giving them a slightly larger one.

Still, the cell – the place – was not meant to be comfortable. It was dank and cold and dreary. It was easy to tell when it was raining because the cell's conditions grew worse.

"Dr - Sir, have you heard from Theo at all?"

He looked up and over to where she sat against the opposite wall. There wasn't much space, but it was…mostly enough. Though there certainly wasn't privacy.

"Before I answer your question, I think we need to…officially lay down some rules for while we're in here."

She just nodded, waiting to see where this would lead.

"First – Draco is fine. I should have said that earlier. You will continue to gather the meals and…pass them to me when you are able. If your scars begin reopening or hurting more, I want to know about it immediately. In terms of privacy, we'll do the best we can, but I'm not overly concerned – there isn't much to do at any rate; they're certainly not going to let us wander about. I don't anticipate being able to punish you much while in here, but if the bond truly decides to demand it, I will. I doubt it will demand anything sexual while we're imprisoned, but if you feel that request – any request – the bond starts making, let me know. Is anything I've said unclear?"

She shook her head, her brown hair knotting just a bit more at the motion. "No, Sir."

"To answer your earlier question, no. I haven't heard from Nott since we were locked up. I was able to make contact while we were under house arrest though. He's fine. His father is here, too, but Theo isn't. He never took the Dark Mark and didn't attend any meetings. If Azkaban allows it, he says he'll try to visit, but we both doubt they'll allow it. He rather hopes – and I agree – that despite the conditions in here, you'll be able to heal during the year. Once we're out, we can go visit him, catch up properly."

"Thank you. I don't expect they'll allow visitors."

"He's not going to abandon you – or me – just because we're incarcerated. That I can promise you," Draco continued simply, knowing by now she was worrying about it.

Ariella flashed him a weak smile, nodding slowly.

"On a similar topic – I'm aware Potter spoke to you during the trials. Did he say anything about visiting?"

"Yes. That he'd like for me to do so once this is over. If you'll allow it."

"I will. Most likely with some conditions in place – more for Potter's sake than yours. I know you won't betray the bond – but yes. I'll allow it. The same will go for Longbottom if he were to ask."

"Thank you, Sir."

Draco cracked an eye open as he heard mumbling, sitting up straight as it grew worse – and more importantly, as he realized it was coming from his cell mate. With a glance at the door, he shifted over to where she lay.

Ariella was shaking her head, tears in her eyes. She was begging someone. He gently touched her shoulder, but it grew worse.

"Wake up."

Her body was acting out whatever nightmare she was in. And he had to get her out of it fast. Before the guards came in. They didn't mind low talking, (thank Merlin) but everything else was off-limits.

"Ariella, wake up!" he repeated with urgency, moving a hand to her bond mark, pushing into it. She sobbed as it pulsed, but her eyes opened, darting about.

"Get your breathing back to normal," he instructed, backing off just a bit, helping her to sit up against the wall. She brought her knees up to her chest as her master's direction took effect.

"Alright?"

She nodded shakily and he moved to sit next to her.

"What was that about?"

"No – nothing important, Sir."

"I thought you couldn't lie to me."

She winced as the bond stung. "It's over, Sir."

"That doesn't mean it isn't important."

"Greyback," she finally admitted. "The time he 'officially' borrowed me."

"Ah." Draco winced. He knew how vicious the werewolf was. How often he'd tried getting his claws into Ariella. Into himself, even.

"Do you want to talk about it? I won't force you, but it might help with the nightmares. Not to mention, we aren't exactly going anywhere any time soon."

She snorted in response.

"There isn't much to tell that you can't guess at."

"I'm sure that's unfortunately true. But I'd still like to hear it."

"I couldn't fight him this time. Not that I really could in the past – I don't hold the strength to do so, nor to fight someone above my rank, but it was different this time. This time he had your father's permission. He held me down, did what he wanted to do, more or less. He didn't bite me, thank Merlin. He could have done far worse, but I – the threats he made…"

"I'm sorry I – "

" – there was nothing you could have done. But thank you. I'm okay. Really."

"Except that you're having nightmares about it."

"And you have none thanks to the war?" she shot back, causing the bond to burn. Draco recoiled, even as Ariella flinched back on her own.

"I'm sorry," she said after a brief pause. "That wasn't fair."

"You aren't wrong," he admitted after a tense moment. He saw her tilt her head towards him, though her gaze was kept downwards. "Things got nasty and it's left marks on all of us. I doubt anyone came through the war unscathed. It's what a war does."

"That doesn't make what I said right."

"Perhaps not the way you said it, but I should have told you. We've been through enough together and I'm sure to wake you a few times before we're out of here."

"You don't owe me anything, Sir."

"That's certainly not true."

She felt the bond sting.

"Do you know what happened to him?"

"I don't. He's here, I would presume, but I don't know for certain."

Time dragged. Even with having conversations with a cellmate – a privilege not many Azkaban prisoners could speak to – the prison wasn't meant to be a happy place. It was grey and dreary and monotonous. More importantly, it was draining. Time ticked slowly by.

Since they were considered "lower-risk" inmates, they were allowed out once a week, to a quick, cold wash-off and to stretch their legs. Other than that, they were required to stay put within their cells.

"I will say," Draco commented upon return from one of these 'outings', "even with the lack of cleanliness, your back is looking better."

"It's feeling a bit better, Sir, if a bit stiff."

"Understandable."

"Draco? May I – "

"Yes. Whatever it is, yes, you can ask."

"Why does the bond require us to have sex even when you don't want it."

Draco let out a sigh. "I was wondering when you were going to ask, to be honest."

"I'm sorry. I don't understand. I know you're under the bond's demands, too, but if you are that against one of its requests, it doesn't make sense that you would still be forced to comply."

"I don't have a full explanation. But I have my suspicions. It has to do with control and dominance and…proving it."

"Proving that you can force me? Doesn't the bond do that already?"

"Overpowering someone sexually is different than forcing them to serve domestically. There's another layer to it. Don't misunderstand me – all parts of the forced slavery of this bond are bad, but these particular acts – "

" – there's another sense of being overpowered. Of being…owned," she finished.

"Precisely. The bond does demand certain things of the owning family. Taking care of your basic needs. Administering the proper punishments when needed. And sexually claiming you – sometimes in front of an audience – or even with that audience's participation. Almost just to prove we can. That we still hold – and wield – that power. That particular form of – in this case, toxic – dominance over the servant…over the slave."

"I still don't understand why it forces you though, when you can't stand doing…that with me."

"It's an ancient bond, Ariella. For the same reason it requires more of the male owners than the female owners, some things are just so entrenched in it that it doesn't matter what we want. The bond is its own entity. And while the owners have a majority control over it, we don't have total control."

She supposed she knew it, even if she didn't want to acknowledge it, that some things were simply out of her owning family's control. There was more than reason Mr. Malfoy chose this particular bond.