One month. One whole month of her lying through her teeth to a man because he owned her like most people owned brahmin. Siri's day now revolved around pleasing Titas as best she could, including in bed. She'd managed to not cry the next time he forced himself on her and to fake moans of pleasure throughout it.
The worst part was the it was getting easier to lie. Not because the lies got easier, but because they were becoming lies less everyday.
At the beginning she could barely stand to hold him without vomiting when he had cried into her shoulder, now she embrassed him almost instinctively. Even sex was slowly getting less terrifying every day.
Since he had been staying in camp due to Starved dog's training, she spent most of her time with him instead of at the medical tents. Her days consisted mostly of following Titas around and nodding along with whatever he said.
He was... Strangely careing.
Every few minutes he'd look over his shoulder to make sure was still there as she stood there quietly. Every time they ate together he'd ask repeatedly if she wanted any extra food. When he thought she looked lonely (which she was) he took her to where the slaves ate and let her eat with Arcade and Melody. Of course he didn't leave her alone with them. He sat next to her with an arm constantly around her shoulders as he gave other legionaries dirty looks if they so much as glanced at them.
Then there was the logical side of her brain, the side that hadn't forgotten what her life was like before the legion. She never would've called this a healthy relationship before being enslaved. What was wrong with her?
None of this had escaped Arcade's attention. "It' Stockholm syndrome", he'd whispered to her during meal time while Titas had gotten up to talk with Starved dog, who had come to see Melody, about his training.
Stockholm syndrome, she'd read about that once. Where a victim begins to feel affection towards their captor.
Was that her? Part of her hoped so, desperately so.
But there was another part that didn't.
...
Starved dog walked over to where his three squad mates were eating their lunch. Titas's slave stood several feet away quietly watching them as they ate.
The other three looked at him as he approached them. The black and grey feathers atop his helmet were worn as a mark of rank. Starved dog was a prime decanus.
"Congratulations!", Julius cheered as he got up and lifted Starved dog off the ground in a bear hug.
Eventually he was let down and could breath again.
"Mars has smiled upon you", Burning ant nodded.
"We all knew you could do it.", Titas said as he patted him on the back.
"We have a new mission.", he said plainly, "we are to help reinforce Decanus Dead Sea and his men who have recently taken the town of Nelson."
...
Melody dumped the shovel full of brahmin manure into the wheel barrow. Her small arms were tired after three straight hours of cleaning out the pin by herself, but she had to continue or else.
A man entered the pin. Nearly half his face was covered in horrible burn scars.
"Mr. Dog!", Melody cheered as she ran over and hugged him.
The hug reminded him of a different, more painful hug early that day.
She looked to see his helmet decorated with the feathers of a prime decanus.
"You did it!", Melody cheered as she looked up at his face, "I knew you could! You're so tough and cool, no one can stop you!
"I will be leaving tonight on a mission", was all he said to her, "stay safe and do as you are told."
"You're leaving? But you just finished your training!", Melody said with a frown now on her face.
"I have my orders."
"Promise me you'll come back safe!", Melody demanded as she barried her head in his tunic.
"Why? I can not promise what I do not know to be true."
"Because you're my bestest friend!", Melody said as she hugged him as tightly as he tired child muscles could, "I'd get lonely without you!"
"I promise"
(Please leave comments and reviews)
(Sorry for the shorter chapters recently. The next few should be longer.)