Hey guys, Ice again. Hope you all have been doing alright. Me, I've been sucked back into Skyrim. Haha, I just love that game. So finally I sat down and typed out this chapter. It's actually MUCH different than what I had written down, so Seven ~ you're right, sometimes its better without a script.

Thank you all for the reviews ~ it's encouraging especially since Fable isn't a big fandom anymore. Any who enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: As always

Chapter 16: Treading Dark Waters

Early rays of twilight filtered through the window and the room had gone silent. Ebony hair curtained a tear stained face as the teenage girl lay her forehead against her arms crossed on bent knees. Those fiery green eyes had lost their glimmer and all energy had drained from her body. Heavy eyelids blinked as she sat there numb. Jet had finally cried all that she could; her eyes red and puffy and tear streaks made her cheeks feel crusty.

Now all that was left was to kill any confidence she had left.

Her first thoughts went to her younger sibling, Jack. She failed; absolutely and utterly failed. How…why…what was she thinking in all of this? Was this Ruler's big plan in the first place? Did he know? He seemed to when she first met him.

'Or was that a ruse?' The young pale woman immediately dismissed that thought. She hid it too well, her fighting. Those beasts of his did not find her katana when they first searched her home…Ruler could not know. Not only that but it could have been a way for him to pull the truth out of her by acting like he knew. Clever.

Her next question was how did he end up at the Arena? The same way she did? Happened to hear it through the grapevine? Sure she did not know how honed his skills were but it was unlikely that anyone would actually say something like that around him…would they? People are stupid…Jet kept the thought to the side and her mind began to wonder back to the arena.

She felt proud of herself for pulling some quick moves out there. If anything, Jet was learning and that is the important thing. Now she was more worried about getting out of this alive.

Outside the room the black haired woman started to hear metal clinking. That sound could be one of two things; either one of those monsters are patrolling the halls or Ruler was coming back. She sat there with her head to her arms listening and after a few tense moments the wooden door creaked open.

The god-like man strolled back into his room taking note that the girl sat curled up against the southern bed post. Rays of evening sunlight hit her skin just right and made her glow beautifully. His eyes lingered on her form for a little longer before returning his attention to grabbing a torture device. There was one he kept close to his bed that he favored.

A drawer opened by his mana and inside held a little machine that suited his needs to what he was going to do. Jet happened to look up and see the piece in his hand. Her heart dropped and Ruler must have noticed her paled expression. His chuckle chilled her to the bones.

"This is not for you, or at least not yet. It will depend on how well you behave and so far you are being a good little girl. This, girl, is for your friend Aviela." Jet's eyebrow's scrunched together not so much in anger but in worry and confusion. What had she done to deserve that? In a quiet voice Jet finally spoke to the monster before her.

"What has she done…?" The sound of her voice so weak and helpless thrilled Jack of Blades. Nothing had been done to the girl and yet her spirit was already breaking. She would be her own downfall if she did not think the wiser. He had also noticed the dull color in her eyes. A laugh threatened to escape but he decided that a taunt later would better suffice.

"Nothing more than any normal prisoner would. I see that curiosity, would you like to know? Ask for it." Dumbfounded Jet searched his masked face; more like scrutinize his eyes and sure enough he was demanding her to pretty much beg for answers. Her blood boiled, not only was he just wanting for her to ask him but he was degrading her! She kept that feeling to herself and calmed down. With a soft and quiet sigh she asked for answers. He chuckled again and she shivered lightly. His figure faced her with hands grasped behind him.

"Most prisoners I capture still have their fighting spirit and try to crawl under my skin at every possible moment. Unfortunately for them my skin is thicker than any Hobbe. You though on the other hand seem to have already lost your fighting spirit." He came closer and Jet's heart quickened in pace tenfold. Talking to him normally was far more than enough and he had invaded her personal space enough times today. She shied from him lightly and he took notice of that.

"You're getting better about reacting to me but not as good as you should be." He bent down to one knee. A free hand came forward and grabbed her chin and weakly her eyebrows knitted in anger. Jack chuckled and leaned towards her. In a low and husky tone close to her ear he taunted, "I was hoping to see you fight back better than this." Pushed over the edge Jet ignored her fatigue and shoved his hand away from her face and pushed his form away. He did not go far but enough to keep Jet comfortable.

Before her hand could retract his hand that was just holding her chin grabbed her wrist. Whilst standing back up he pulled her along. The pain in her shoulder made her stand with him. It did not take long for her to notice that not only was he just warm, their bodies were touching. She cursed the handcuffs, not only would one arm go up but both. He kept her arms high in the air making her feel vulnerable, well even more so. She grunted in pain and in discomfort of the touching and regretted looking up into his eyes.

Jet should know better by now never to look into his eyes, there was something in them that entranced and kept one looking into them. She could not help but blush and the heat rising to her cheeks only made her redder from embarrassment. Jack noticed her face had become flushed and felt odd. There had only been a few other times since living that he remembered feeling like this. He stared her down and in his mocking tone teased the teenager before him.

"That's better, but you're being a naughty little girl. You'll have to be punished." Jet of course thought of being bedded, which she did not want or have an interest in…at least for now. "I will take care of you later because for now your friend misses my lovely company." He let her go and strolled out of the room casually without a glance back.

Shaking she fell back to the floor flabbergasted. What had she done? She was practically inviting him in! The worst part of it all was that he wanted her to act like that. Jet was being a good little prisoner and he loved torturing his captures. Her forehead hit against the bed post and she flinched in pain. The stupid cut Ruler had given her stung like nobody's business. For the next few hours she sat on the floor watching the window go from light to dark.

/)^3^(\

When the night sky had been completely painted with the stars was when Ruler decided to return. Blood did not coat him and his little mechanism was clean. Jet assumed that he cleaned up before coming to see her. As he was putting the torture machine he broke the silence between them.

"Get on the bed." Immediately she went back to earlier and worried about what that meant. She warily looked at him and his eyes turned to her. Shrinking back she sat up on the bed turned away from him. The end table drawer closed and Jet felt the bed shift on the other side. Her heart began to beat rapidly as she worried about her purity.

"Turn to me." The organ inside her pounded so hard she thought it was going to beat itself out of her chest. Despite her fear she turned more to him which he accepted.

He was lying down with a book in hand and Jet thought he looked rather comfortable. As both of them relaxed Jack started in.

"You have a choice to make girl - "

"My name's not 'girl' Ruler; it's Jet. You should know that." Her heart pounded painfully in her chest and adrenaline made her feel light. His golden eyes shot over to her and she stared back at him just as he did her. He chuckled; he was waiting for her to say that.

"Very well, Jet, you have a choice to make." The man paused for dramatic reasons and Jet watched him intently. She berated herself for her rollercoaster emotions. One moment she was weak and helpless and another she was brave and strong. He continued after a moment or two.

"Either you serve me or go free."