Miles Farrow

Some things never changed within Krovs Castle, like how quickly gossip spread down the halls. It hadn't taken long for the word about Miles Farrow attempting to steal from a master to reach his office. It was his job as Chief of Staff, after all, to know just about everything so that he could keep the castle's operations running smoothly.

Miles wasn't told where he was going, but didn't argue with the guards when he was led out of the undercroft. His only gripe he had was that he better still get his hour outside. The shoves came every now and then because he was too busy taking in the hallways and what went where. He'd not made it much past the foyer prior to his little meeting with a couple masters and then when he hung with Deke that was a different spot than where he was heading now. Direction was something he was good at; mapping places out, remembering the way he came, and small details. What he wasn't good at was playing nice to people he didn't like, which was most everyone at the castle. His jobs were short lived, literally, and whatever role he had was temporary. This temporary little role as slave was already playing on too long.

"Unfortunately, has to happen." The vampire looked at Miles for a second, his eyebrows raised slightly but then he shrugged. Mordecai remembered very well what it had been like to be trapped in the Undercroft day after day, so he was more than happy to give someone a break from it. "Alright. If you just want to follow me the rest of the way, I can send in a rental for you once we get to my suite. It shouldn't take too long to get approved." He carried on then, figuring that Miles would follow along behind him. Once they reached his new suite, Mordecai dropped his things near the door and straightened, taking his phone out to do as he'd said. "Mordecai, by the way. None of that 'sir' and 'master' bullshit that so many of the others insist on."

"Don't worry Deke, none of that other 'bullshit' was ever on the table." Miles said pushing past Mordecai once they arrived at his suite inviting himself in and taking a look around since he was rented. Of course he started going through this and that, whatever wasn't nailed down. Hard to say if anything was going to leave with him just yet. He'd yet to figure out what was valuable at Krovs. Money didn't seem to be it. Had to be something.

It didn't hit him right away just who the guy reminded him of. It took him most of the day to come to the realization that he was the asshole who left him with the figurative bag. it was his luck that the asshole would wind up here yet not at all surprising, either way. The bird looked at him with barely concealed rage as the other pretended not to have known him. He had to attempt to control himself lest he bring the guards on them which was not what he wanted to be doing.

Though he wasn't expecting to hear someone else yet there stood a face he didn't know. Not quite, he figured in time he'd know every face that came down there with them. "Unforunately it is choosing to remain silent." He said, shrugging, wherever the book came from it was not going to give up how it got down here. Or how to get back out, unforunately for them, getting out was at the whim of whoever came down to look at them. "I suspect if your plan is to leave you will end up failing. Unless someone takes you out, then maybe, but unlikely." He wasn't one to judge, in the small amount of time he'd been here he had seen a variety of emotions. While keeping his own as hidden as he's always kept them, emotions only ever got in the way when he did his job. Now seemed prudent to keep them away until things decided to shift in his favor. "Might keep you entertained if you find sleep difficult."

"Color me fucking shocked." He deadpanned at the book not giving up its secrets. "Aren't you a ray of sunshine Debbie Downer." He said grabbed the book to look it over before handing it back. He'd already ready it and it wasn't one he cared for. "Accepting fate is for idiots who think there is such a thing as only one fate, I don't buy into that paradigm. Stabbing someone's eyes out is also entertaining. The night is young."

"You've clearly never stolen from a dragon before," Henri said. He smelled the familiar scent of faerie upon inhale. He personally had no issue with the species, but he knew most of the council here probably didn't feel the same. Many elder supernaturals liked holding grudges for centuries. "You're in no position to get away cleanly with this. Return it now or I'll find a way to get it later." He didn't need Miles' name to find him the slave directory. It'd be the first thing he'd do once he settled in his suite. That, and stop by the magic staff wing to get some anti-theft protections on his belongings. "I bet the Enforcer here would like to know about your little habit. That'll go well for you."

"Clearly." The sarcastic response left him before he could stop himself. Really hard to keep that in check and made even harder at the other's ludicrous demand at being asked to run around without a shirt. Not an issue usually, but Krovs wasn't a normal place. "You can find a way to pick it up later." Because he wasn't about to give it up without a scene. The last got a scoff out of him and his mouth immediately running. "That how you deal with all your problems? Tattle? Bet you were the popular kid growing up. Makes sense why you are where you are. Still kissing asses aren't we?"

There were few people he did not recognize in his long life Miles was not one of them. How could he, their shared history was something that had been a big event in his life. What lead him to the castle as it was, though he had not been expecting to see him down in the basement with him. With the same collar firmly around his neck just as the dragon had his own. There was something comforting about someone he knew being here even if that entire thought was awful. He let out a huff as he shook his head, arms firmly crossed over his chest as he looked away from the other.

"You saying I don't look good? I thought that's why I was here." He said not getting up from where he was sitting. Ryker wasn't someone he respected. "What I wouldn't have given to see the leopards eat your face." The grin still keeping his lips thinned though the amusement didn't reach his eyes. Just a touch of cruelty there. Ryker picked his side as did Miles, switching didn't change what was already done. "Granted, would have been happier eating it myself, but...here we are."

Manny noted that the new guy, Miles, was still outside for longer than he should be. He'd been there for the first hour, taken a break, and then picked up his second shift just now. Course he didn't say anything about it. Not yet. If this was the worst thing a slave did life was pretty fucking easy. He understood the need for sunlight while being trapped in the dark and depressing Undercroft so he couldn't blame the guy for wanting a little more fresh air.

"Don't threaten me with a good time." He said facing the wall at the mention of solitary confinement. Didn't sound too bad really, all the other shit did, sans the alone time. He shifted his head from side to side like he was considering a few things because he was before he faced the guard again. "One day at a time and all that trash and something about coping. Suppose we'll see what tomorrow brings." He arched his back stretching rocking his head from side to side again this time cracking his neck. "Really hate this fucking collar, though. Someone will make a mistake. They always do." He winked. "Then we'll have some fun won't we."

"I don't know if you can call them just rumors when someone's accusing you of stealing their shit," Seth said. "Which, by the way, not cool. So, uh, maybe don't do that again while you're here?" This was going so well. He definitely expected that to work. He remembered Cairo saying some shit about "brethren" or whatever. But even Seth didn't really feel wholly fae given he wasn't born one from the start. Or faerie. He remembered Gwyn got all huffy at him once for using "fae." Whatever. "Look, you're half fae, right? You're already deep in the middle of a shit sandwich for that and as a slave. I can attest these vampires –– especially the council –– won't tolerate that kinda shit around here. Might even get yourself killed." Seth could speak from personal experience on that.

Miles, poorly, feigned interest in whatever was being spoken at him because that was all that was really happening was him being talked at. This wasn't a conversation. Had a lot of those through the years. "Ah, so that's the problem. Here I thought it was everything else." He tapped himself on the forehead with his palm mock hitting himself. "Stupid me. Thanks for the insight. Would have never figured all that out on my own. Really appreciate you, man."

"I'm more than happy to make it up to you. Just not by taking that collar off." Mordecai responded, shrugging slightly as he straightened and looked back at the slave. "I don't know you, I don't know how smart you'd be if I were to take that off. The council would not look kindly on me if I let a slave potentially escape."

"Already putting stipulations around our relationships." Miles rolled his eyes. He was happy the younger didn't know who he was. It wouldn't last. Eventually it would all come out; what he did, who he did it to, why and just how many, but for now the games he could play would be played.

There was only a low hum of voices now as the slaves still down with him settled down. It must be getting late by the way they reacted which the reaper found interesting. Though he never grew tired in the same way as the beings around him, never had a need for it. Suppose that came with the ghost he used to be there was no such feeling nor as the reaper he is now. He's standing, leaning up against a wall with a small book he found on the floor not far from where he was standing. "Curious how you got here." He said to no one in particular, mostly aiming the question to himself. He hadn't been in the castle long enough to know the ins and outs just yet. No doubt he will be learning much more about the place in the days that followed.

Sleeping came easy to Miles in the undercoft mostly because his energy level was down with his power cut off and his time outside limited. Dark wasn't his thing not without the balance of sunlight. He was the type to get seasonal depression. The undercroft was just depression. He slept a lot when he wasn't either getting in trouble or being rented meaning his sleep schedule was just a fucking mess. Most slaves were asleep and he was aware he should be, but his body wasn't sure what it should be doing other than not being locked in a basement.

A single brow slowly rose at this slave's boldness. Henri paused, then lifted his phone back to his ear. "I'll call you back." He hung up and strode right towards Miles, easily catching up to the man who stood at the same height himself. He grabbed him by the front of his shirt to stop him in his tracks. Dark eyes ran over the slave deliberately from head to toe, Henri's expression calm. For now. That could change in an instant. "I don't allow my clothing stolen unless we've slept together," he stated, meeting Miles' gaze. "Bold move stealing from a master. Is that how you wound up a slave here?" Seemed a solid guess considering he knew the staff here wouldn't dare try such a thing. Or at least they wouldn't be so careless getting caught.

"Shit." He muttered when his body reacted out of pure habit once the other ended his call, but nothing happened because of the stupid fucking collar around his neck he forgot about. That meant the master got a hold of him by the front of the shirt. He kept the forced smile on his lips and held his hands up in surrender like he hadn't just tried to set the other on fire. Wouldn't that have been nice?

Seth sighed loudly as he approached the top of the stairs to the Undercroft, once again unsure why he agreed to this. And on his birthday, too. Oh yeah, cause Cairo told him to deal with the problematic new elf slave since he was "very busy with other matters" and something about shared fae heritage or whatever. What he was supposed to do about the little thief, Seth had no clue, but he'd figure it out. Maybe.

Miles was laying down mind mulling over what to do next because they really did give him too much free time to think about things and his mind didn't know how to be idle. He wouldn't say he'd been in worse spots. This was currently the worst. Everything about this place went against his nature. The damp, cold, darkness of the place itself sucked the life out of him without the collar. He felt weaker the longer he stayed locked away in it. Shouldn't the vampires be down in a place like that.

"Ah. No. No, I don't think so." Mordecai might be more sympathetic toward the slaves than many of the other masters, but he wasn't foolish enough to take any of their collars off. Particularly someone he'd just met and who Mordecai had a suspicion was older than he looked. Given the master had only been a vampire for a few years now, that seemed like a terrible idea. "That collar of yours would need to stay on."

"No? Thought you wanted to make it up to me? So you're a liar. Good to know. Should have expected that." He said shifting his head back looking down at the master with disappointment. "Got my hopes up. You treat every slave like this or do just have a problem with me?"

"I'd really like it if you didn't do that." Mordecai was well aware that there were masters who liked the whole groveling thing, but he personally cringed away from it. Likely a result of once being a slave himself. He recognized the sarcasm, of course, and the vampire couldn't help but feel a little amused. He took a slight step back from the older man, bending down to pick up some of his luggage that had been left behind. "Oh? And just exactly how would you like for me to make it up to you?" Mordecai asked, straightening up and raised an eyebrow.

"Generous then." His smile sardonic. There was no offer to help the master with his bags, that wasn't his job. So he just watched the other gather a few of his things. "You could take me to your room and take off this collar. It's really cramping my style. Bet I could surprise you with what I can get up to when I'm not restricted."