Danarius
I try to never meet the master's eyes.
To do so, invites unpleasant consequences. Occasionally, he will demand it of me and I brace myself. It also carries unpleasant consequences when he wants it to happen.
He is angry at someone, a business partner who has done to him, what he's done countless times to others.
A kitchen slave comes to the study with refreshments for the master. I see the slave flinch upon seeing the master's furious expression. Danarius sees the slave and narrows his eyes. I see the sadistic delight flash behind his eyes and the faintest glimmer of pity goes through me for the slave. Mostly though, I feel relieved that I won't be the recipient of his frustration this time.
The slave sets down the food and tries to quietly back out of the room. Sadly the damage is done.
"Hold it there. What is this garbage?" Danarius looks over the pastries, cheese and wine that he had asked for previously. The slave looks at his feet.
Danarius gives a disgusted glimpse at the food and gingerly picks up a pastry. He stalks over to the trembling slave. I keep absolutely still.
"Does this seem edible to you?" he screams at the slave, waving the pastry in the slaves face. The terrified slave shakes his head.
The master jams the pastry in the slave's mouth without a warning. The slave coughs and tries not to choke. The master smacks the slave across the face hard enough that I see blood fly from the slave's nose. The man silently weeps as he continues to cough up bits of pastry. He looks at the floor and puts a hand to his face to staunch the blood.
I see the flash of metal in the master's hand and feel my body stiffen in anticipation. The master makes a swift gesture across the slave's neck and the lyrium in my veins reacts to the upswell of magic in the room. The slave's eyes open wide as his life-blood spills on the floor before him and the master takes the power from his life.
The dead slave lands across the food tray, spilling the remaining food across the floor.
The master practically glows from this unexpected infusion of power. Danarius looks around the chamber with distaste.
"Clean this place up. How the filth piles up, is incredible." Danarius says to me as he repairs to his sleep chamber.
Once again I am thankful that my lyrium brands make me too valuable to be killed as trivially as this poor sod. For how long though, I wonder, will that keep me alive?