Wake up.

Cook.

Clean.

Cook.

Clean.

Cook.

Clean.

Sleep.

Day in and day out. The only thing that broke the monotone days were when the good "doctor" took a look at her arm, re-splint if needed or to tell her the same line of, "Don't use it till told. Anything happens, send for me." But even that started to become monotone. It was welcome the first time but soon became nothing. Though she had figured out that he was not really a doctor in more than a name, he just had a better track record of people not dying under his care. Like getting an award for not being an idiot, sure it was nice but hell it didn't mean much.

Second was slowly being driven mad. Feeling her mind slipping. Is this what happened to wild animals? Growling softly she was starting to feel more and more crazed as she just seemed to stare at the flap. This was it. She had to get out. She had to escape. She would not die like this. Planning would be easy, his routine was simple and the same day in and day out, she figured mostly to drive her more insane. Tonight she would let him sleep first.

Once breakfast was done and over she would have a few hours to work out everything she needed. Watching as he left her as normal and gave her time to herself and to hunt down the supplies needed to make the powder the "doctor" gave her. The powder always made her sleepy and she had watched the Doc make it a few times, knowing somewhat what she was doing. Quickly finding what she needed, it wouldn't take long to grind the root and the flowers together to make the stuff. Just had to work on where she was going to hide it and how she was going to give it to him. Slipping it into either his food or drink, the two best and easiest ways to do this.

Why not both?

While she didn't know if giving him too much could kill him, it didn't really matter to her. Live or dead was the same to her as long as she had her freedom, what did she care.

Lunch passed quietly, nothing much happened, well nothing more than she seemed pleasant. Though one could chalk that up to her starting to crack under the stress the brute was applying to her. Fixing his food as his nose seemed to be into whatever it was that he did here. Which left her time to gauge how much powder she would need to put in his nightly meal. Always waiting to clean up after he left.

His final returning to the tent she had kept up with her normal routine, no reason to blow this all now and she knew falling too far away from routine would ruin her plans. His nose as per usual was to his work, she could have been standing there naked as the day she was born and the man may never know. Smirking she silently fixed his food and drink adding in her little bit of magic. Heart pounding in her chest she had to fight her excitement, had to stay in control of herself, stay ahead of this game. Setting down the food and drink next to him she retreated back to her regular spot. Eyes fixated on him as he off-handedly drank and ate while she gave quick smirks and half smiles.

A yawn here.

A yawn there.

A set of heavy eyes.

A head shake.

A dipping of the head.

It didn't take long for him to be snoring on his desktop, papers moved and pushed off the desk. Getting up she hunted for her blades, he kept them in his boots causing her lip to curl in annoyance. Darting for the flap of his tent, she stopped at it, fear washing over her as she stood still as a shadow in the night. There could be anything on the other side of this damn piece of material; a three-headed dog who could breathe fire, like the stories the mean one told her about as a child. A small glimmer of hope sparked in her thoughts as they seemed to began a spiral into a void of nothing but fear.

Freedom.

Freedom was most definitely on the other side of this damn thing. That little spark of hope was on the other side and who really knew what you could do with that tiny bit of hope. Fingers grasping the coarse material she pulled the flap over and the cool night rushing passed her skin, goosebumps forming on her arms. Chest tightening as she looked out at the world that seemed to stand still. Like someone pushed pause on an old world holotape to take a breath from the emotional tide the words or music caused them to feel.

Pushing her fear back she forced her feet to move, scraping them across the ground as she found her hope. A brilliant flame in the darkness of her fear. Even though she didn't know the way out she picked a direction and followed it. It was all she could do, not thinking she would have gotten this far in the first place. Darting and dashing through the tent paths she was going to do her best to avoid being caught and taken back to that fucking beast. Hiding every so often she listened to the words the men used as they passed by. Part of her wishing she could understand what they were saying. Mostly to find out useful information but that wouldn't be her luck. Sighing as another patrol passed by where she tucked herself away from them. More footsteps heard behind those not long after they passed. It became clear that she needed to get away from the main footpaths of the tents, too many men, too little time.

Darting again she rushed for the furthest tent line, wanting to be away from these men, away from the chance of her freedom to be taken again. Chest heaving as she tried to get more air to her lungs, like hot iron. Hot iron. Arm throbbing, though that quickly faded as her adrenaline began to filter through her system, her panic and pain jump-starting the high she would feel off her own body chemistry.

Turning behind a tent she didn't see him till she was already falling into his lap. Eyes wide as her worst fear hit her. Here was a Legion man sitting behind his tent surrounded by chems and she was just desperately trying to escape this place. For a moment it seemed rather ironic, she wanted an escape from this place and on some level, this man did too.

Seeming like hours had passed as she sat there till her mind caught up that he was holding her. If she screamed she would bring more of them. She might handle this one as long as it was just him. Panting like some wild animal she finally began hearing the words he was speaking.

"What pretty little brooder falls from Mar's grace," he stood with her in his grasp, "So who do you belong to? Because we should speak after this encounter."

The way he spoke sent chills up and down her spine. Every part of her screamed that there was something wrong. That he was wrong.

"You can scream. You can cry. You can hate me. Hate your masters. But in the end, it won't matter. You don't matter. You belong to the Legion of the glorious Caesar. Meaning I am allowed to do as I please with what spoils the lands that have rendered unto Caesar provides me."

Closing her eyes she gave up. The constant isolation. The Pain. The torment. Losing her simple freedoms. And now this monster had her, part of her mind thought about how the Brute she left wasn't that bad. What could she do? Because like the man said, in the end, it doesn't really matter. The noise of a tent flap didn't seem to phase her as this was it. Knowing this was it. Second was sure this was the last face she was going to see. The last voice. The last touch. Even now his grip on her left forearm tightening. It hurt only enough to keep her in the here and now. Closing her eyes she didn't want to see what was coming, knowing it would be the end of her hope.

Falling through the tent flap she made little noise. Lip bleeding, new bruises, and slave rags. Crawling to her sleep spot she sat and watched the monster wake the beast. Emotionless dark brown eyes watched as the beast woke up angry and trying to fight while orienting himself, nearly hitting the monster.

"Centurion Barbatus, ave true to Caesar!"

Still watching as the beast seemed slightly submissive and it didn't take her long to understand her "master's" position on the grand scheme of this place. Now she wanted to fix this. Needed to get her own revenge on the Centurion.

"You will take fifteen lashes in the morning, an extra detail, but I will allow you to keep your house pet. Though only if you swear your loyalty to me when the time comes. Doing this you will be rewarded. But if that does not work for you, you will be lashed till death and I will keep your spoils."

He seemed to comply and this Centurion left. The beast moved to her, hand moving to touch her only to watch as she recoiled away and the look of panic and fear filled her eyes. Leaving her be he moved to his bed to sleep. Allowing Second to slowly drift into darkness and nightmares. What little sleep she did get was rudely disturbed with two men grabbing her and dragging her out of the tent. If she didn't die last night she knew she was going to die now. Glancing over her shoulder she saw men leading the brute behind her.

'At least he is going to die too.'

Hitting the ground she glanced around her, this was not what she expected as the beast was moved passed her to a post. A man was checking over a few whips. Having forgotten what the Centurion had spoken about last night but it didn't take her long to figure out what was going on and what was about to happen. He was being punished for what she had done. Thoughts interrupted by the Centurion stepping forward and opening his big fat mouth.

"Fifteen lashes, makes sure the slave watches."

Listening to the sounds of the whip cracking across his back, she stared at the beast as he made no sound and seemed to be staring back into her soul. For the moment she felt pity for the beast, had she stayed in the tent and never left he would not be being punished. Smelling the coppery scent in the air as the fifth lash cracked across his back she shut her eyes and waited for it to be done.

"Start your count again. The slave closed her eyes."

Eyes quickly opening and moved to the Centurion. There was no joke in the man's face. No hint of sarcasm or even a lie. The count started over again. Cursing herself as she had closed her eyes. Gaze back onto the beast as it seemed he never stopped staring at her. Though he took it a step further as he seemed to just not blink. Shuttering with each hit she couldn't tell for certain that he hadn't blinked.

Ten.

Eleven.

Twelve.

Thirteen.

Fourteen.

Fifteen.

It was over. There was silence. Even the noise of the chains being undone seemed to be distant and dull. He slumped against the post for the moment. Though Second would not be able to watch or follow him back to the tent. The two men who had brought her grabbed her again. Dragging her back towards his tent. Glancing over her shoulder she watched as the two men with the beast pushed him after the Centurion. This panicked her more. She was sure one or both of them would end up dead.

Yelping sharply as she hit the ground inside of the beast's tent, quickly trying to scramble to her normal spot to sleep. Laying there she curled up and kept her eyes on the tent flap waiting for it to open and for the beast… Or the monster… Staring at this dirty stained tent flap she started picking apart how it could be fixed or made better even though she hated cleaning, it seemed normal to fall into the idea of playing the domestic house slave. Days seemed to pass even though that was a false sense of time, though she laid there through lunch and well into the evening.

When the flap finally opened, chest tightened and air caught in her throat as she stared at him, as he didn't stop to pull his armor free of his body. He didn't stop to look over the papers on his desk. He didn't stop to even speak or touch her. The bed groaned as his body limply collided with it, while his chest released a large sigh of air.

"You won't be getting a doctor."

Granted Second was rather unsure of what he meant, as it looked like he hadn't seen the good Doc and needed too. Today she didn't want to kill him as she got to her feet and approached his bed and started pulling off his sandals and leg armor. A deep growl came from him and all she did was growl right back at him, silencing the deep noise coming from him. Slowly and tenderly she tugged at straps and undid buckles from his legs inching up to his back. Pulling off his back piece she tossed it to the side, as it would need to be cleaned and she hoped he wasn't attached to his cloth shirt they had put him in. Grabbing the blade from his hip she felt a hand snap around her wrist. Looking at him she growled softly, "Listen, I have to get this shirt off. I promise I won't kill you today. I… I want… Just let me work."

Sighing as he let go of her hand she took her time to try and peel the cloth from the deep cuts on his back. Having listened to the "doctor" when he was working on her arm, it gave her a little more information to help him. Needing clean water, bandages, and cloth, which was quick and easy for her to find. Working on his back made her use a rather delicate touch, slowly cleaning his wounds with the cloth. She was trying to make herself feel better, she could handle taking her own punishment for her own stupidity. When it came to someone else paying for her mistakes, well that was a hard pill to swallow. Once she had cleaned him up she quickly moved for bandages and that healing powder she had used on him.

"What did you use?"

Stopping as her hand touched the pouch of the powder she looked at him with a smirk, "The powder stuff. Made me sleepy. So I thought enough would make you sleep or kill you." Moving back to him she had picked up a glass of water along with the other items she needed. "Will you sit up?"

Groaning as he shifted on the bed till he was up right and on the edge of the bed. Arms raising with his face twitching and contorting as he dealt with pain in silence. Eyes looking at her in judgment as she played nurse. Though there were points where his eyes drifted to the new marks and new wounds and they softened for a moment before seeming angrier. Not with her but with the fact that another man put his hands on his property. Something that amused him was the amount of concentration she used on trying to do a good job or well even a better job than that of the camp doctor. That's when he noticed a single moment and he took it. Pulling her close his lips found the crook of her neck, soft kisses till a sharp pain was felt in his thigh. Letting her go was easy for the moment and it amused him to know she wasn't fully broken.

"Who is the asshole?"

"Centurion Maximus Canas Barbatus. He leads this camp for Caesar. He is my commanding officer."

"And a junkie. Likes his Buffout and Jet, Stimpacks too, which is kinda funny to be wanting."

As his expression shifted when she spoke about the chem use of his leader, this clued her in rather quickly this was a no-no, this was not allowed. Smirking she moved from the bedside and crossed over to the stew on the fire. Quickly filling a bowl with stew before heading to his desk and setting it down. Falling back into her routine as she seemed a little more invested in playing the good slave. Moving to her spot and sat, debating about murdering him over the kiss or just sleeping till the pain was gone. She didn't watch him walk to his desk and sit to eat, instead, she laid down and tried to rest. Even though her body groaned and complained about any pose she took. Tossing and turning this way and that till she finally gave up and rolled to her side with her back to him.

Then something new happened. Feeling something soft and warm drape over her along with something being dropped on her head. A pillow and a blanket. Smirking she settled in with her new gifts, resting as best she could, mind ever working on how to fix her standing and seek her revenge.

Morning came and went while she was allowed to rest through breakfast. Even with his shift in kindness began to paranoia her. She wasn't sure if she should worry or take it at face value. Though for now, she wasn't going to look a gift Big Horner in the mouth. Waking up she rolled over to see him eating silently at his desk. There was a feeling at the back of her mind said today was going to be a day. Eyes darting to the tent flap as it moved and men stepped in. Half expecting for them to pick her up and take her to the monster for another encounter. Breathing became hard as if someone was winding a tight cord around her chest and every breath that escaped the cord was tightened quickly. Even as one of them spoke to the beast she could feel it become harder and harder to breathe.

"Legionary Bastardus, you will be leading a small cohort of men to an NCR camp they are building up."

Sitting up she stared at the small group of men, mind drifting to thoughts and moments at the start of this journey to hell. She had called him a bastard at the start of this and now the irony of how she had been so close to his name when insulting him. Ears picking up the words of 'the slave will be staying here,' pulling her from her daydreams she focused on the men. Soon her mind was racing with thoughts, questions about what was going to happen, how long was he going to be gone, and most importantly… What about the monster?

"You have no more than two days, Centurion Barbatus' orders are clear. Take out the camp and remind them the power of Caesar's Legion. That the bull will always conquer the bear." A salute and then they were gone.

Getting to her feet she crossed the tent over to him. Clearing her throat to draw his attention to her, starting to push her boundaries yet again. "How long, Bastardus? What am I suppose to do? Sit-" The expression on his face silencing her.

"You will stay here. Take care of my tent and keep your head down. When I return everything will be the same."

And that was the end of it. He wouldn't give her more. Now was time to start planning her work and to start her day.