Hunter's POV:
As I come round the corner I catch sight of Rosalia leaning heavily against a wall. I approach slowly, remembering her fear last time we were close, and watch as she blinks slowly and grips her stomach. Watching her I feel a headache forming and I'm puzzled until I look over at her again. Theorizing that she was in pain - and that I could somehow feel it - I move towards her. Just in time to.
No sooner had I moved then I saw her start to faint. Speeding up I race down the corridor and manage to catch her just before her head hits the floor. Her eyelashes flutter and I hear her mumble something. Straining to hear her, I caught the word "Sorry" and could guess what she was saying. Though why she was apologising was beyond me as she hadn't done anything wrong. Carrying her with me I manage to slip into my room without being seen. Or so I thought. Making the mistake of glancing over my shoulder I see Ash staring at me with a frown. Guess I've got some explaining to do. I think to myself with a resigned sigh.
That you do brother. Ash's reply is neutral but I sense an unidentifiable emotion behind the carefully constructed wall of calm. I sigh in defeat and lie her down to sleep before closing the door and walking down towards Ash. He meets me halfway and I find that the closer I get to him the less I can understand his feelings. He's hiding them carefully and I do the same.
"Brother." My greeting is polite and I can tell he gets the game we seem to be playing with each other. "I didn't see you there. Did you need me?"
"What are you doing with her Hunter? I thought I made it clear about a certain piece of my property and your lack of interaction with it." He arches a brow and waits for my reaction. I can tell he wants to get under my skin but I refuse to let it show. Instead, I keep a neutral face and respond calmly.
"She isn't yours anymore Ash. I own her now." A look of surprise flashed across my brother's face before confusion. "She was re-sold last night. Scavengers picked her up in the middle of the night and brought her back to be re-sold. I happened to be around and took the chance to save her."
Now Ash looks thoroughly confused. "Save her from what? Or whom?" He fixes his golden gaze on me but I refuse to be intimidated. Standing tall I keep my gaze locked on his and wait for him to figure it out. Eventually, the look of realisation dawns on his face for an instant before fear replaces it. "From me. You wanted to protect her from me." He looks down, seemingly ashamed of his actions. Good. Let him be, he deserves it. When he looks back up the same fear I had seen in his eyes before looks back at me and I feel some of my anger falter. What's going on? I ask mostly to myself before I hear Ash's answer.
Not here. None of us are safe to talk about it here. Come with me and I'll explain. He pauses for a moment before I hear something else. Something that shocks me. And brother, about what I did to her....I'm sorry. I just hope that when I explain you'll understand and stop condemning me so harshly. I pause for a second before nodding and gesturing for him to follow me back to my quarters.
"What's going on Ash?" I ask when we're alone. From where I'm standing I can still see Rosalia's still form, luckily not troubled by nightmares as her sleep usually is. Ash looks uncomfortable and I sense he's stalling. "Ash?"
"It's her. It's all about her." The words tumble out of Ash in a rush and when he finishes he suddenly stops, almost afraid he's going to get caught. I frown again in his direction when I catch him watching me intensely, his gaze shifting between us. "It's true," he breathes after a moment of silence and I respond with another puzzled frown.
"Ash, what's true? What do you know about her?" I unconsciously glance towards her in time to catch a restless moan. Closing my eyes I can see a nightmare starting to take shape in her mind and think of lending her my strength to push it away. Almost instantly I feel the nightmare recede and she sighs, turning over and smiling in her sleep. I smile in her direction before a flash of fiery pain hits me. I can feel a mirror pain coming from her and I tense my muscles involuntarily. Seconds later the pain dies out and I look down at the back of my hand. There, faded against my skin, I could make out a strange runic looking mark that seemed to shimmer purple for a moment before fading into my skin until it was almost invisible. Making a move towards her she moved her hand in her sleep and I could see a mirror marking. Freaky.
I glance back to Ash whose eyes are even wider than they were before. He looks between us and focuses on the lightly shimmering purple marks we both bore. I shoot him a look and he gives a resigned nod. "How did you do that? Pass her your energy? Or know that she even needed your help?" His questions astound me but I try to form an answer.
"She moaned in her sleep. Closing my eyes I could see a nightmare starting to form in her mind so I - I thought of lending her my strength. I didn't think it would actually work. Next thing I knew I could feel the blinding pain and opening my eyes I could see the strange purple marks on both of us." His silence, coupled with the shocked expression, worries me. "Why Ash? What did you think it was?"
"Your Linked." He breathes the word softly and I frown. I knew that already, Eris had confirmed it. "She's Linked to you and you to her."
"I know, why's that so bad?" I feel like I'm missing something crucial and that feeling only intensifies when Ash shoots me a more shocked look. "Ash, what is it? If you know something, please tell me. I need to know."
"Remember I said you're Linked." I nod. "Well, I was wrong. What's between the two of you goes way deeper than a normal Link." I give a puzzled frown and Ash shoots me an irritated look that's soon replaced with raw fear. "Hunter, you're not linked to each other. Your Bound."
I hear the words Ash says but they don't register with my brain immediately. There's no way I'm Bound to Rosalia. Is there? Suddenly Ash's warning looks and worried questions make more sense. "How did you know?"
"I suspected it after Eris called the other day but after what I just saw the two of you do now I'm certain."
I sit on the edge of the table and put my head in my hands. "What do I do? You and I both know what that means." I glance back at my brother who's wearing a lost expression. Yeah, I know how he feels. Sighing dejectedly I look back to the wild, free-spirited girl sleeping soundly in my bed.
Ash is silent for a few minutes before he answers my question. "Nothing. Don't do anything out of the ordinary or you'll draw attention to the two of you and you know what our parents will do to her. And you as well," Ash's eyes hold regret and sadness and I can feel my own past threatening to reappear. Ash keeps his gaze on me and I nod. When I keep looking at him I hear him sigh. "I guess you now want the explanation I promised you, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do. Especially considering I suffered it all with her." The words leave my mouth before I can take them back and he shoots me a wide-eyed look. Guess he hadn't guessed at the magnitude of this bond then. "So?" I prompt when my words are met with silence.
Eventually, he answers. "I was trying to protect her." I glare at him and he recoils. "Hunter, come on. You've smelt her scent. It's not human, at least not fully. If our parents found out she'd be interrogated and probably killed. Not to mention that if they got hold of her they'd find out about your Bond with her and that would make her punishment worse. I was trying to keep her quiet and in line so they wouldn't suspect." Ash speaks in a rush and finishes with a pointed look at me. "So...." He sounds less than hopeful.
I sigh again. As much as I want to hate him in light of a recent discovery, and his explanation, I can't find it in my heart to hate him the same way. He must sense my change of attitude as he offers a tentative smile. I smile back and hug him. "I forgive you just don't do anything like that again without warning me ok?" Ash pulls away and nods, slipping out the side door towards the main palace. I watch him go for a second before turning back to see Rosalia waking up.
Rosalia's POV:
As I become more conscious of my surroundings I feel a silky material against my bare calves. Taking a deep breath, the smell of mint and burnt cinnamon assault my senses and my eyes snap open. Memories of before I passed out flood my mind and I feel a gripping terror.
Taking a deep breath I push back the covers and stand on shaky legs. Walking two steps I see my Master in the doorway and I nearly shrink back with fear. Looking at the floor I feel a blush of shame colour my cheeks and I avoid eye contact. "I'm sorry Master." I hear my voice and want to recoil from the quiet whisper. I tense, expecting a beating but am instead faced with a gentle hand under my chin.
"What on earth for?" He asks, forcing me to look him in the eye. My thoughts scatter like autumn leaves when he forces my eyes on his and I have to remember to keep my heart rate steady.
"I failed to complete my chores on time. Or at all." My voice remains small and after my admission of truth, I expect a beating. When I failed Master Asher he would beat me until I could barely stand before leaving me to sit and think about my 'laziness' as he called it. Instead, Master Hunter merely smiles at me sadly.
"Why on earth do you think I would punish you for that when you clearly aren't well Rosalia? Am I that much of a monster?"
Another violent blush spreads over my cheeks. "No Master, I just expect to be punished when I don't do as I am told," I reply in a monotone voice, shutting my fear and confusion behind a wall in my mind. I wait, tense in expectation, but nothing happens. Eventually, I feel my muscles relax and some of my tension leaves me.
"What's wrong Rosalia?" My Master's voice is kind and that immediately puts me back on edge and my eyes look away. Memories of kindness and cruelty race through my mind and for a moment I struggle to answer. "You can tell me what's on your mind, I won't get angry. I just want to know." I swallow softly and fix my eyes back on him.
There are a million things I consider telling him but the only thing that comes out of my mouth is a question. "Aren't you going to punish me, Master?" Holding my breath I want to look away again but for some reason am unable to. He sighs and I wait for the answer I dread but know I deserve.
Only he surprises me with a soft laugh. "Oh Rosalia, why do you think I'd punish you when you clearly aren't well? I'm not mad at you, I simply want to help. Why can't you see that?" His tone is sad and I try to formulate an answer in my mind. After creating and discarding several versions of half-truths I sigh and settle for the whole truth.
"I'm afraid of you." My quiet admission slips out unwillingly and I look to the floor in shame. He's silent and I stop for a moment before I continue with my explanation. "I - I've had issues with trusting people my whole life and your brother was very cruel to me." A few tears slip out as my barrier chips slightly. "I'm sorry. I will try to learn to trust you but...but it's going to take some time." Or never happen at all. You may just be too damaged. My subconscious mocks cruelly and I feel more tears threaten to spill over. Sighing shakily I feel Master move away and return a few seconds later with an apple. My stomach growls with hunger pangs but I refuse to give in, instead watching him holding the apple in his hands.
Master catches me staring and gives a small, reassuring, smile. "It's safe to eat. I promise." When I still don't move to take the apple he gives another small laugh and places the ripe red fruit in my hands. My stomach growls fiercely and I have to wrap my arms around myself to keep the pain at bay. Although my hunger chips away at my defences I maintain a calm facial expression and keep the apple in my hands. "Eat Rosa. or you will make yourself ill." Master's voice is kind.
"But I shouldn't" I mutter without thinking, As the words leave my mouth I blush and look down, hiding my embarrassment. I catch my Master looking at me with concern and I wish I could take those words back. I hadn't even meant to say anything! I wish I hadn't since the last thing I needed was the sad looks he was giving me now.
He senses my unwillingness to elaborate and gently leads me over to a chair. I sit obediently and watch as he stands by the door, clearly giving me space. "Why do you say that?" He eventually asks to break the silence that stretches between the two of us. I keep my lips sealed until a concerned look settles in his eyes. "Rosa, whatever it is you can tell me. Please don't make me, I don't want to...." He doesn't finish and I hollowly laugh to myself. He doesn't mean to make me? Doesn't he know that his repeated show of kindness is causing a tug of war inside me? I take a deep breath and compose myself, turning the apple over in my hands. "Why don't you think you should eat Rosa?" Again with the difficult questions that poke at old scars I would rather leave alone to heal.
Sensing he won't drop the question I decide to answer truthfully. "I shouldn't eat as I heard someone say that my last Master thought I was fat. So I learned not to eat and move past the pain." I shrug slightly. "I guess now I've just learnt not to." I glance from the apple in my lap up to my Master's face and he wears a forlorn expression that makes my insides tighten with nausea.
He catches my restless eyes and moves slowly towards me. When he reaches me I wait for a blow but all he does is lift my arm so I can see my hand where it rests in his. It's shaking. One of the signs that I need to eat or I'll faint again. My eyes shift restlessly again until he drops my hand and steps back. "Eat Rosa. Please, you're making yourself ill." His voice sounds pleading and I give a resigned sigh.
Picking up the apple I hold it in one hand and take a small bite. The sweet juice instantly quenches my thirst and makes my stomach growl louder. I keep my head down as I eat slowly, never once looking up at him again. Even when we speak.
Hunter's POV:
It kills me to see her so miserable. I didn't know that Ash had said that and knowing him he probably did. Just to help with his plan of hiding her? My subconscious suggests and I give a small sigh. Maybe.
I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. She's eating the apple slowly but I can see that she's holding back. The look of bliss that crossed her face as she took the first mouthful causes me to have to fight a smile. She looks so hungry that I'm surprised she doesn't wolf it down in about three mouthfuls. When the apple's half gone she makes a contemplative expression and stares into the distance thoughtfully.
"Why are you so kind, Master?" Her question appears mostly to herself until I catch her looking at me with that same expression. Huh? I don't know. I try to rationalise why I care so much about her but come up blank every time. Eventually, I manage to come up with a half-decent explanation.
"Because I care about the health and wellbeing of my slaves," I reply softly, my gaze locking with hers for a moment before she looks down. Seconds later her gaze flashes back to mine and I sense another question coming.
"Why aren't you going to punish me, Master?" SHe asks, returning to her earlier puzzlement. She keeps her gaze on me and I think for a moment before the answer presents itself to me.
I watch her puzzled expression with a small smile. "As you have done nothing wrong." At this, she looks bemused before returning her gaze to the half-eaten apple. Taking another mouthful she chews slowly for a second before her brow furrows and she looks at me with a confused expression. "What's wrong my pretty flower? " I ask, making use of the pet name I called her before.
"I am just confused, Master." Is all she replies, her emotions locked behind a wall in her vibrant eyes.
"Why is that?"
"Have you no rules? No instructions that I must obey or else be punished for?" She fixes me with an unwavering gaze. I shake my head and her eyes widen slightly for a second before she speaks again. "But Master Asher had so many...."
That sentence catches my curiosity. "And what were these rules, Rosa? Can you tell me?" She looks frightened for a second, her hands clamped tightly around the remaining quarter of the apple she hasn't eaten. Looking in her eyes she appears to me like a frightened animal ready to bolt. "It's ok, you won't get in trouble for telling me this." My honesty seems to calm her slightly as her eyes lose their panicked look and her hands slowly release the apple slightly.
She starts talking instantly, rattling off the rules like she leant them by heart "Rule one, do not look at me or any others of higher status than you. Rule two, you also are not permitted to walk next to me or anyone else like me. Behind. Always. Rule three, if you are to eat or drink it is not at a table but sat on the floor. Likewise with a bed. Rule four, You sleep on the floor. Or else." Her voice shakes slightly at this and I think about helping her before she composes herself and continues. "Rule five, not talking back, or at all unless given direct permission to speak. Rule six, if you misbehave in any way I am allowed to punish you. Any way I choose. Rule seven, you do as you're told when you're told to do it. Rule eight, no taking what doesn't belong to you and no asking for help." She shakes slightly and I see tears trailing down her cheeks. She hiccups slightly and takes another bite of the apple to calm herself.
"Any more?" I'm almost afraid to ask. She nods, her eyes going glassy. Giving a concerned look she holds up one finger. "One more rule?" I guess and she nods, taking a deep breath and drying her eyes.
"He said rule nine was the most important." I wait for her to continue and moments later she does. " Rule nine was that I had to remember who I belonged to. He made me remember that I was his to do with as he pleased until I died." She bursts into tears at this admission and I want to help but know that she'd shy away from my touch until she trusted me.
"I'm sorry to hear that Rosa," I replied after a silence stretched between us, broken only by her quiet crying until her tears ran dry. She sniffs once or twice before looking up at me with glassy bloodshot eyes. Only when we lock eyes I don't see sadness in her gaze. Merely curiosity.
"You're different." is all she says before looking back at her lap and continuing to eat the apple silently. Once she has finished she stands and looks at me once. "May I go now? I have chores to finish." She sounds unsure, almost as if debating with herself whether to go or stay. I remain silent for a moment before I answer her.
"If that is what you truly want then you may go."
Rosalia's POV:
"If that is what you truly want then you may go." My master's reply shocks me. Never in all the time I've been a slave has my Master once asked what I would like. Hell, my last one didn't care if I lived or died considering he basically gave me an eating disorder and worked me to exhaustion. I had come to my new Master expecting him to be like his brother but he wasn't. He was different.
I stand next to the chair, a shocked expression on my face. Did he really just ask me what I wanted? I can hardly believe it. I should be running for the door now but for some reason, I can't find it in me to move. I grip the apple core in my left hand as the room starts swirling around in circles again until I'm dizzy. Swallowing heavily I try to locate which way's forward but in my sleep-deprived state, all I manage to do is trip over my own feet and land on my knees on the floor. Black spots wink at me and I slump until I'm lain on my side and fighting the fuzzy blackness at the edge of my vision. I guess I'll stay. I think as I pass out. Again.