#finding the write time

Finding the Write Time Taglist: @eli-writes-sometimes, @keysandopenmind, @cocoamoonmalfoy, @scriptrix-eclectica, @darkluminosity

@faithfire-writes, @acelightningwhumper, @justnerdy15, @jacqueswriteblrlibrary, @tricksexual

@of-potions-and-blades-official, @kingragnarok-writes, @boonasaurusrex, @traderotales, @sodetectivefestival

@necromancywhump, @writingamongther0ses, @sapphire-writes-stuff, @thehungrycity, @willtheweaver

@purple-dinosaur27, @sometimesraven, @dontcallmepixie, @savvyminnow, @cheshire-castle-library

@skuwu, @i-do-anything-but-write, @seaglasswrites, @theghostofarbyrouse, @shadowswrite

"I told you we shouldn't have allowed her to hold it." Natalia said nearby.

Evangeline felt Agar's hand rest atop her head.

"Don't worry." his voice rumbled by her ear. "She won't remember a thing in a-"

The whole world went black before she heard the rest.

- - -

She came into in pain. Everything was foggy, heavy. She remembered going into labor then… Nothing. Did she pass out?

When she managed to open her eyes, she saw a healer sitting beside her.

"Is… what… happened…? Where…" She looked around. Her baby. She- where was her baby?! "Amber- I… did-"

The healer took her hand. Something was off about her smile. Why… why was she crying?

"I'm so sorry, dear." Her voice was so gentle for the knife that it felt like. "But your baby… she didn't make it. She was dead before she could take her first breath. I'm so sorry, dear."

No.

No!

Evangeline wailed.

Their Sacred Vow Taglist:

@melpomenelamusa, @writinggremlin, @lesbianwords, @whump-ohmy, @galactic-worm

Wolf sighed, leaning his head back against the rocky wall. He sat in a small cave in attempt to rest from all of his walking. He had been stalking for hours after a frostoxen that seemed separated from its herd. Frostoxen were interesting creatures; origin of the warmest hide in the Tundra, and snow resistant fur. Large as well, taller than even Wolf in most cases.

He had only hunted this calf because he had been short on food recently; and he was not going to ask for assistance from the nearby town, who would rather kill him for his supplies than hand over theirs. And so hunting was necessary. Wolf sighed.

Wolf stared at the small firepit in front of him, its flame casting dancing shadows across the walls. He sat up, leaning his spear against the wall—a reliable weapon, its shaft made of bone—and sat on his knees just outside the firepit. He gently pulled down the hood of his white coat, then closed his eyes and breathed deeply, straightening his spine.

Wolf reached out his hand, his palm upward, and opened his reserve. The world dimmed slightly to his senses, the flames' light dimming, the falling snow and wind outside the cave quieting just slightly. A chill blossomed within his chest, and the four Levels of his section of The Black became clear to his mind's eye. They were not something solid, instead like a spirit of a thought. When he focused on one Level, the others seemed to fade slightly, even moreso as he searched through specific slots.

Wolf searched carefully through the second of the four; the Level of Spark. In it was his flint and steel, the very one he used to light the flame before him. Beside it, however, was a small pouch, one that he had kept close for the past two years of his existence.

Wolf tugged mentally against the pouch, and his heart beat three times as a chill shot from his chest, to his shoulder, and down his outstretched arm. The dimness of the world vanished as he closed his reserve, and he watched black wisps explode above his palm, causing the pouch to appear and drop softly into his hand.

Carefully, Wolf opened the pouch, and began taking out the stones within, each slightly smaller than his palm. He placed them gently around the edge of the firepit until it was enclosed entirely, then sat back on his knees once again.

There were thirteen stones in total, but only five of them were decorated, each with a universal kon, with more curves and dots than anything in Blizori. The one in the center of the top of the circle meant 'The Black', and the other four each had a symbol of one of the four Paradigms. In the center of the left of the circle, Power. To the right, Energy. The two physical Paradigms. Beneath them, sharing the bottom quarter of the circle, laid the symbols of the Paradigm of Spark to the southwest, and the Paradigm of Will to the southeast. Together, the placement of the decorated stones made a five-pointed star around the firepit. From the stone of The Black to those of Power and Energy, as well as between Spark and Will, were each two blank stones. But between Power and Spark, and Energy and Will, were merely one, symbolizing each pair's similarities between them.

Wolf had been told that there were thirteen total stones to represent the thirteen natural Biomes of Dridon. The circle symbolized a unified continent, all tied together via the Paradigms that The Black chose to instill in all of them.

But if that were so, he'd wondered, against his better judgement, then why were there other beliefs? People that discounted the Paradigms as simple folk tales, and revered The Black alone? Did they not see the Paradigms echoed in each person they met? How even the elements themselves echoed them? Or did they not care?

Wolf shook his head, breathing deeply. He did not need to wrangle with such thoughts when no answer would come. Besides, his prey would not stay put for long.

Wolf sat for a few moments in silence. He felt the warmth of the fire on his face, saw its light flicker through his eyelids. He felt the warm fur on his coat, made of frostoxen hide, and felt the heat of the fire as he breathed in again.

Spark, give me hope.

The prayer solidified in his mind, before it faded, too. After a few moments, his fatigue melted away, and he hardly felt the chill of the outside frozen wasteland. Wolf opened his eyes, then smiled faintly, before he picked up the prayer stones and put them back into their pouch. He Stored that back into his Level of Spark, then smothered his flame with dirt before standing and grabbing his spear.

On with the hunt again, he thought, and marched out into the Tundra.

~~~

His prey had not gone very far, only forty feet from the entrance of his cave. A frostoxen calf, just a bit shorter than Wolf. Its fur was a gradient of black, to deep brown, to white from the hooves upward, the top half of its shaggy coat of fur as white as the snow banks around it. Sprinkled throughout the brown was more flecks of white fur, looking nearly like the same falling snow around them.

Most notably, its curled horns and hooves were made of ice, as blue as the sky above them.

This calf was alone, nudging banks of snow with its hooves, its ears and tail flicking as it turned in circles. It lowed anxiously, and loudly, calling for its family that had long since left it behind.

At that thought, Wolf felt guilt spark within him. He sighed as he crouched behind a snow bank thirty feet away. Wolf gripped his spear in his hands. You must, he thought. Or you will be the one dead.

But was there truly a consequence to that? He would come back. This calf would not.

Wolf groaned, hitting the side of his fist against his forehead. Reign yourself, Wolf! he snapped, but froze as the calf's loud lowing rang through the air. The wind suddenly picked up, blowing past Wolf and towards the frostoxen, picking up more bits of snow to tumble about with it.

Wolf stood and turned, his eyes wide. The calf was backing away quickly from where it had stood, lowing loudly and quickly in a panic, tossing its head around as if to stab with its horns. But nothing was there, simply the sudden breeze. So what—?

His questions scattered as the wind picked up, the suddenness of it nearly knocking him down. He dug the butt of his spear into the snow to steady himself and looked towards the frostoxen calf in alarm. Wind was not the element they controlled, though blizzards were. But this was merely a calf, incapable of that strength by all accounts.

But seeing how terrified the animal was, something told him that the cause was something much stronger.

The wind continued to rush past him, and in front of the small bovine. Bits of snow, almost like snowflakes, but larger, glittered in the sunlight as they spun in a tight, perfect circle.

Wolf froze as he saw the shadows within the circle lengthen, pulling from a nearby snowbank on the opposite side to the sun. Then, he saw them: black wisps of smoke mingling with the snowflakes in the column in the sky.

Wolf's eyes widened as realization dawned on him, before the calf startled him out of it. It reared back up on its back hooves, lowing almost angrily.

"NO!" Wolf yelled, and the calf turned to him as he signaled his presence. Then, it slammed its front hooves back down onto the ground.

Spikes of ice as tall as a person shot up out of the ground, stabbing upwards through the snow and rushing towards Wolf. He leaped sideways and narrowly avoided being skewered, grunting as he rolled back to his feet.

"Wait!" he cried. But calming the creature was now out of the question, with both Wolf and the column of snow and smoke appearing as threats. The calf reared again, and Wolf jumped out of the way of more of the ice it stomped into existence.

When he rolled up again, Wolf caught a glimpse within the column: bones, human ones, snapping together with masses of blood and fleshing swirling and settling within and against them. Soul, the green flits of light blessed by Energy, flickered in and out of sight, giving the body life.

Wolf breathed shakily, turning back to the calf. It backed away a few steps, mooing lowly. Wolf glanced down at his spear, then breathed deeply as the calf charged at him.

With it came another breeze, this time as cold as the ice frostoxen controlled. Wolf grit his teeth, squinting through the sudden flurry of snow batting against him, cursing his already hindered vision. He growled and jumped aside once more, narrowly dodging as the calf bucked its head upwards, trying to skewer him with its horns of ice.

Wolf panted, and the calf slid in the snow, turning back around. Wolf glanced back as the column of snow and black mist started to settle again, the heavy winds dying down. His eyes widened as he saw a form within them, lying almost peacefully in the snow.

It was a boy, dressed in various shades of blue layers, patterned in bright blue diamonds on his parka's sleeves. His hair was of a longer variety, in locs that draped over the left side of his face. The snowflakes from the clouds above now drifted uninterrupted, gently falling against his body.

Wolf stared at the new body in shock. The Black had Awakened someone so... young?

Wolf was snapped out of his surprise and wonder as the calf mooed loudly behind him, and a CRACK rang through the air as it slammed its hooves into the snow. Ice shot out of the ground once more, and Wolf yelled as he rolled away. He got up again, his eyes widening as he saw the ice shoot past the boy on the ground.

I must divert its attention, Wolf thought, then gripped his spear and yelled, charging the calf. The frostoxen shook its head, aiming its horns at Wolf's chest as it ran to meet him.

Wolf swiftly raised his spear sideways, grunting and digging in his heels as the horns clacked against it. The calf strained, grunting and huffing, then yanked its head to the side. Wolf went with it, grunting as he hit the ground, spinning onto his back as the calf reared back above him.

A scream echoed through the air, and Wolf rolled out from under the calf as it slammed down, summoning more ice spikes. Wolf turned, his eyes widening as he saw the boy scrambling away, yelling. His words almost sounded like Blizori, but were mixed with strange gibberish syllables as he struggled to fully grasp the language.

The calf snorted, running towards the boy, another cold wind picking up around the animal. Wolf forced himself to his feet and forward, pushing himself, yelling as he thrust his spear sideways into its skull. He grimaced at the CRACK of bones being broken, and the sickening squelch of flesh and blood.

The breeze stopped, and Wolf forced himself to watch as he tore his spear out of the frostoxen's head, guilt rippling through him even as the threat was eliminated. He panted, his heart knocking against his ribs, the end of his spear dripping in red blood. The frostoxen crumpled to the ground, and Wolf tapped the butt of his spear against the body thrice—a signal to The Black for it to let it remain for just a while longer.

Wolf turned as he heard a whimper. The newly Awakened was crouched behind a snow bank, peeking out at Wolf, but when he looked over he ducked again in attempt to hide.

Wolf breathed deeply, then Stored his spear into his Level of Spark. The weapon melted into its own shadow, which burst apart into black wisps of mists, fading amidst the falling snow. Slowly, Wolf raised his hands. "I will not hurt you," he said, trying to speak clearly. He knew that the newly Awakened struggled to grasp the native language at first, even with The Black to help them along.

"Who you?" the boy asked. He looked at the dead calf in the snow, and Wolf saw fear in his eyes at the sight. "W-What?"

"It was going to hurt you," Wolf admitted, "but it will not anymore."

The boy frowned, tilting his head as he processed the words. Wolf took a small step towards him, and when he did not move away, he took a few more. He stopped a foot away, crouching in front of him. With a start, he realized this boy's eyes were not the same color. Instead of both being a deep brown, his left eye was an ice blue, bright against the rest of his appearance.

"Do you know your name?" Wolf asked, his voice soft.

The boy's eyes widened, as if the thought had not yet occurred to him—and perhaps that was true. He frowned, looking down at himself for a few moments. Then, his eyes lit up.

"Coder," he said softly, and the word was in perfect Blizori. Wolf's eyes widened.

Coder? he wondered. Such as the very Codes of the Paradigms? He frowned, then blinked as the boy pointed at him.

"Who you?" he asked again. "Name?"

"My name is Wolf," he said. Coder nodded, then frowned at the frostoxen corpse behind Wolf.

"...Name?" His voice became quieter, still shaking slightly with fear.

Wolf glanced back at the body, wincing as he saw the blood soaking into the snow.

"It did not have one," Wolf admitted. "Or rather... not one that I know." It likely did, given to it by The Black. But Wolf was not privy to such information.

Coder continued to stare at the corpse, frowning as if struggling to process what he was seeing. The concept of being alive was new to him; Wolf did not expect him to know much of death.

More guilt burned in his chest at the thought. He should not have stained this boy's Awakening with such a sight. Especially not one so young. He could not have been made twenty years old. Such people were rare.

Wolf breathed in, then stood, leaving Coder to have a few moments to himself. Wolf walked towards the calf, nudging it once more to make sure it stayed in the realm of Body. He crouched beside it, sighing. He needed the food the calf gave, but his home was quite a ways away, and the sun was on its path of descent. He could not simply Store the corpse, as reserves were designed for inanimate objects.

I will have to drag it back, perhaps to my previous cave. He did not have a sled, but he did have a tarp, used for these occasions. Wolf started to stand, but jumped as he saw Coder, suddenly standing to his left. The boy stood frowning at the dead animal, his hands at his sides.

Wolf stood. "We must leave from here," he said, looking down at the boy. He was so small, a head shorter than Wolf and only coming up to his chin. "It will become night soon, and the snowfall now may became harsher."

Slowly, as if entranced, Coder nodded his head, though Wolf wasn't sure if he understood what all he had said meant. Wolf summoned his large tarp made of reindeer skin, one side covered in polar bear fur. Shadows lengthened from his hand, forming the tarp's vague shape, before it appeared in a burst of black wisps and dropped into his arms. He grunted, then laid in out beside the body, then got to work dragging it on top.

All the while, Coder simply stood, his eyes glued to the corpse as Wolf folded one side of the tarp over it. When it was hidden, the boy looked to Wolf.

"Go?" he asked. Wolf pointed towards the cave nearby.

"Yes." He nodded. Coder turned to look at the distant cave, then looked back as Wolf grabbed a section of the tarp. He grunted as he pulled on it—while he always tried to hunt for the lighter game, they still always tended to be rather heavy.

Coder suddenly moved forward, then grabbed a section of the tarp beside Wolf. He groaned as he pulled on it, and Wolf's eyes widened before he did the same. Together the two dragged the body towards the cave, taking Wolf's prize and seeking shelter from the coming night.

〘――――――――――――――――――――――――――――〙

I admittedly wanted to continue this scene further, but figured that was a good place to end it for now since it's already nearly 3k words. I may very well use this for a flashback scene though in Souls of Black, so we'll see!

She shrugged off the rest of her coat then unbuttoned her black tunic, dropping it to the floor with her coat. She turned on the shower before the rest of her clothes, as well as her knife belt, followed the coat and tunic, and she stepped in, sighing as she warm water hit her skin. It felt more relaxing than painful against the purple bruises across her pale skin, but she couldn't revel in it. Her Death Burning would only last so long. Instead, Ruby got to work cleaning the wound with soap and water; she didn't need any infections in her new body.

Ruby scrubbed the blood from her abdomen and legs, and even as she tried to avoid getting her hair wet, some of it still got caught in the shower's spray. Five minutes later she stepped out, drying herself off diligently before pulling her bottom layers of clothing back on with one hand, using the other to press a cloth to open wound. The problem with altering Chaos, and Death Burning in particular, was that it didn't heal wounds, only stopped the Chaos wielder's pain from them. Well, it was more likely holding the pain at bay, because a sudden drop of the Burning would slam the pain back into you in a condensed state, taking all the pain you should have felt and making you feel it in a single moment.

So while she worked on wrapping the wound in gauze, she hesitantly, and slowly, ebbed away her Death Burning, grimacing as pain spiked from the wound and the bruises across her body. The headache hit her the hardest, her head suddenly light as her vision started to blur.

Fuck. Had it really been this bad? Ruby finished wrapping the gauze, but as she reached for the bandages, her headache spiked. She doubled over, gripping the sink counter, reaching out with her other hand to snatch up the bandages. However, faintly, she heard a word echo in her ears.

...uby..?

No, not just hear ears. Her mind. But as the realization struck her, the voice only got louder.

Ruby? Ruby—!

Ruby slammed her mental wall up, exhaling shakily. She groaned as she unrolled part of the bandages, starting to wrap it around her midsection. But the voice still echoed in the back of her mind, and a warmth started to bloom in her chest. It was a presence, creeping closer to the surface of her chest and mind. One that was dangerously starting to split off to become active against her mental barriers.

Ruby breathed deeply, but her mental walls still shook. I cannot deal with her right now, she thought. Either of them. They'd just ask questions, too many questions that were all none of their business. She had her own physical form, now. It didn't matter what she did with it, because it didn't concern—

RUBY! The mental voice shouted suddenly, and Ruby jumped, slamming her leg against the cabinets under the sink. She cursed loudly as the pain from the hit spiked through her. It hurt more than it would have normally, due to her Burning—and the resistance it caused—now slowly winding down.

"What?!" she demanded, and the word left her before she could stop herself. The presence surfaced fully as it slipped past Ruby's mental block, manifesting as a warmth just under the skin above her sternum. Half of it split off, and Ruby felt the presence shift to that half. To her eyes alone, the half floated as a glowing golden orb, with its side pulsing and stretching out as it tried to fully form into the alter's mental image. Not that she'd had much practice, or much of an image in the first place.

Ruby grit her teeth as the orb flitted closer to her, her voice all too loud for Ruby's liking. Are you okay?! You're hurt—you were stabbed?! Who stabbed you?! Oh jeez you're—you um, don't have clothes—

"I do have clothes on," Ruby snapped, and smacked the orb away. Or rather, she tried—her hand went through it partially before it moved backwards again.

You're missing your top-half-clothes, Sapphire's voice said, and Ruby swiped at her soul again as she tried to peer at Ruby's bare torso again. I think there's supposed to be some covering the top half of your body.

"It's none of your business," Ruby spat, then groaned and held her head. Sapphire's voice wasn't helping her headache, or the worsening lightheadedness. She finished her bandages just as the roll dropped out of her shaking hands, bouncing across the tile floor.

Don't tell me now is when I go into shock, Ruby thought distantly. She stood shakily, grabbing the counter for support. Sapphire's orb finally stretched out, forming a golden silhouette of a young woman, with glowing eyes and flowing, wavy hair. She floated in the air, curving around Ruby and frowning at her.

Oh, you need to lie down, Ruby, she said.

"I'm fine," Ruby growled. She turned, grabbing her bra, tunic, coat, and knife belt off the floor. She stumbled out of the bathroom, and towards the single bedroom in the apartment.

Sam says it's good for us, Sapphire said, and it almost sounded argumentative. Sapphire, as long as she's existed these past few months, hadn't been known for her anger. Now what happened to you? I don't think Sam said being stabbed—

"I don't care what Allen says," Ruby snapped, spinning to face Sapphire's form gliding behind her. Seeing Sapphire flinch back almost made the nausea worth it. Ruby glared at her. "Now get out of my head, before I make you."

Why? Sapphire frowned more.

"Because I enjoy my privacy, damnit!" Ruby shouted. "What I do in my free time is none of your business!"

And you get stabbed in your free time?? Sapphire sounded even more confused. Ruby growled and stepped into the bedroom, slamming the door shut and turning as she finally put her bra back on, followed by her tunic. But Sapphire simply phased through the door and followed.

Aren't we supposed to help each other? Sapphire asked, as Ruby threw her coat and knife belt onto the bed. Sam said that's maybe what I'm here for.

"You can't help me," Ruby said. She leaned forward with her hands on the bed, breathing deeply to try and clear her head. But as she put her mental walls back up, Sapphire was still inside them. And Ruby didn't have the energy to try and actually shove her out. She'd already nearly lost her target and failed tonight. She didn't need this.

Because you don't let us! Sapphire cried. Ruby's eye twitched, before she turned, glowering at the golden form hovering behind her.

"What could you possibly do to help me, huh?!" Ruby grabbed one of her knives from her belt and yanked it out of its sheathe. She gripped it, reaching for anything familiar, anything unintrusive. "I'm nothing but tied to you two, I can't do anything but cling to the time I have here in the physical world! I've done nothing but show I don't want your help, or your advice, or anything to do with you two, because all you do is hold me back!"

Ruby's voice rose as the words tumbled out of her, hot as the rage bubbling in her chest as she stalked towards Sapphire. Sapphire shrank back, and for a second her form flickered, starting to shrink to the orb it'd first appeared as. Ruby stopped in front of her, Sapphire's hands raised in front of her face. Ruby's voice turned cold.

"Why do you still insist on helping me, when I've done everything to show I don't need it?"

Sapphire hovered for a moment, before slowly, she lowered her hands, clasping them over her chest.

"Because I love you?"

The words were confused, and quiet, like a child's hesitant confession. But it was earnest. Ruby stumbled back a step as if Sapphire had struck her.

"I—what?"

I love you, Sapphire repeated, as if it was the simplest thing in the word. She hugged herself. At least...I think I do. I don't think it's the kind that Sam has for Valerie...but it feels similar. I don't like seeing you hurt, I don't like not knowing what you're doing, because you could get hurt. I... Sapphire looked up at her. And for a moment, her face seemed more defined, her eyes gaining pupils that locked with Ruby's.

I care about you, Ruby. A lot. Ever since you helped me when I first formed.

Ruby stared at her, reeling. Then, her body tensed, her emotions shutting down before Sapphire had the chance to read them for what they truly were.

"If you really care, then leave me alone," she said coldly. Sapphire's eyes widened, before she looked away. She shrunk back, before she shrunk into an orb again, before disappearing completely. Her presence deepened further into Ruby's chest, before vanishing entirely.

Ruby exhaled shakily, staring at the spot that Sapphire had occupied. She closed her eyes, turning Sapphire's words over in her head.

I care about you, Ruby...

I love you.

Ruby shook her head with a growl. She didn't have time for that. She had a job to do, still. Ruby breathed deeply, then walked to the bed, laying down onto it. Her Burning finally shut off, and she grimaced as her body struggled to adjust to the wave of pain that washed through her. It was the best idea to sleep, now that it was off. She was always more sensitive to pain for a few hours following that.

Ruby curled up, checking her mental walls. Sapphire was really gone, on the other side of the barrier, cut off from Ruby's thoughts, experiences, and emotions. Ruby was finally by herself again.

For once, she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Ruby sighed, closing her eyes, shoving Sapphire's words out of her mind. She had to call Eris later. Take up a new assignment, a new target, and confirm that her current mission had been completed and dealt with.

She didn't have time to deal with what Sapphire had said. She was never going to have time for it.

That's why it was better for both of them if she stayed away. They were just too different from each other. Sapphire, so full of care and love that she didn't seem to think of who she gave it to...

Princess’ chin was a comforting weight on her shoulder. “Mistress is in the bath. She won’t see.” Her breath tickled against the skin of Maid’s neck. “And I missed you.”

A twinge in her heart made her chest ache. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s hers.” Princess’ voice had done the thing again. Where it got less sultry, more… soft. Rougher. Her nose nuzzled into Maid’s neck as she mumbled, “She does it on purpose. Keeping you busy. Me with her. We’re always too tired to just be together at night anymore.”

Maid made a face. She didn’t want to talk about this. If Mistress heard them, they’d only be punished. She’d made it very clear to Maid that Princess was hers first, not Maid’s. Not that Maid wanted to own her Bonded. Not like Mistress wanted them. Was that wrong?

Before she could think anymore, she took a clean spoon and scooped some soup out of the pot. She turned around to Princess, holding it up carefully. “Can you try this?”

Princess tilted her head, her eyes twinkling with that sparkle Maid had only ever seen directed at her, never at Mistress. And Princess new it flustered her, she had to, because her smile grew before she leaned forward, opening her mouth towards Maid.

Blushing harder, Maid brought the spoon forward for Princess to close her lips around it. Her breath caught as she saw Princess’ tongue dance over the spoon before she pulled it away.

“Is it good?” she asked, trying not to chew on her own tongue again.

Princess hummed, her eyes bright. “It’s delicious! What’s in it?”

Before she could say a word, a voice came from the doorway.

“What is going on here?”

Both of them jumped, shifting into their positions. Five feet apart. Maid with her posture straight, head bowed, and hands folded on her apron. Princess she knew had sunk into a curtsy, her expression demure.

Mistress stepped into the kitchen, her bare feet making little noise against the floor. “Maid, explain.” Her voice was sharp, a knife that hit Maid in the chest. “Now.”

“I was making the soup, as you requested, and-”

“It was my fault, ma’am.” Princess cut her off. Maid watched through the fringes of her hair as her Bonded stepped forward, taking the cord of Mistress’ robe in her fingers and fiddling with it. “She was worried it wouldn’t please you, so I offered to try it. I should have asked you first. I’m sorry.” She watched as Princess looked up at Mistress with soft, wide eyes. “Can you forgive me?”

Mistress put her hand on Princess’ waist, pulling her forward so their hips were flush. “That depends, my Princess. How will you make it up to me?”

Maid couldn’t look away as Princess’ hand went up to touch Mistress’ face. She heard her Bonded purr, “It’s still on my lips. On my tongue. Would you like to taste it?”

Mistress met Maid’s eyes before she took Princess’ chin, pulling her into a rough kiss that made Princess whine softly.

Her eyes went to the floor as Princess’ moans and pants filled the kitchen. The sound of tearing fabric made her want to flinch, but she remained still. Skin on skin. Gasping, whining. Sounds that shouldn’t bother her. She was used to this. Princess belonged to Mistress. She was meant to please their Mistress. That was her duty. Her purpose.

The soup next to her caught her eye. It was on the verge of boiling over. She should tend to that.

Quickly, she took it off the stove and onto the counter. Turning off the burner, she took out bowls and more spoons. Dinner would be served soon.

As she began to ladle it out, the noises ceased.

“It is acceptable.” Mistress said, her voice silkier than before.

Maid’s shoulders relaxed as she heard Princess sigh.

A hand on her head startled her slightly, but she relaxed again as she felt the familiar feeling of Mistress’ fingers in her hair.

“You always do so well for me, Maid.” she crooned. “So well.”

“Of course, ma’am. I live to please you.” she murmured, reaching for another bowl.

A hand closed around her throat as the other yanked her hair back. She heard Princess cry out as her airways were cut off.

“Did you really think I would be okay with this?” Mistress snarled, the roses in her perfume becoming thorns in Maid’s windpipe. Her grip only tightened when Maid tried to speak. “You’ve been encouraging her bad behavior. Did you really think I wouldn’t know of your disobedience?”

Maid whined as black spots danced in her eyes. “S- s- ry. S- s-”

Someone was crying. Pleading. Hands clutching at her.

Princess. She was upset. But Maid couldn’t comfort her. Could barely hear her as blood rushed through her ears.

Suddenly, she could breathe again. Her body dropped to the floor as she gasped, a hand moving to her throat.

Mistress and Princess were talking. Their voices kept cutting in and out while she tried to get a hold of herself.

When she could breathe again, she stood as Mistress spoke to her.

“Did you hear that, Maid?”

She froze. Should she be honest? That was probably best. “No, ma’am. My apologies.” she croaked, bowing her head.

Mistress sighed. “Typical. Well, now that you’re paying attention, you will be bringing my meals directly to my room until a week from today. Princess’ will be brought there as well, but half portions from her usual. We need to watch her figure. She’s getting fat. Give the extra to Rusty. He’s been a good boy.”

“Y- yes, ma’am.” Maid whispered.

She felt a kiss on the top of her head before fingers lifted her chin up. As Mistress kissed her cheek, she saw Princess by the counter. Her heart clenched.

Her Bonded’s face was red and splotchy. She didn’t even look at Maid, her head down, her hands curled and shaking. Mistress’ robe cord was now threaded through the leash loop of her collar.

Mistress kissed her other cheek, her eyes cold as ice, voice soothing. “That’s a good girl.” Her hand cupped Maid’s cheek. I know you won’t disappoint me, precious.”

Then she stepped away, grasping the cord to lead Princess away as she walked out of the kitchen.

Princess didn’t even look back.

But that was the proper thing to do. What she was trained to do. Princess’ purpose was to please Mistress’. As was Maid’s.

That was their purpose.

Their wants didn’t matter.

Pets don’t have wants.

They-

They didn’t-

---

Rusty found her on the other end of the hall to Mistress’ room an hour later. He didn’t say anything, just hugged her tight.

The two bowls of soup on the tray outside Mistress’ door had grown cold.

They probably hadn’t even heard Maid knocking. After all, Mistress preferred it when Princess screamed.

Back to my "Bound to Her" Masterlist

---

I don't want to be here. Skywalker insisted that I need to "bond" with Changeling, and the only way that I can think to do that is through training him; I saw him try to fight Archangel yesterday, and it was pitiful, so I know for a fact that he needs the help.

I throw a hard glare in his direction and he cuts himself off. 

"Where are we going?" he asks as I lead him through the brightly-lit halls of the A.R.A.

"The training room."

"Training?"

"You're part of the band now, you need to know how to defend yourself."

"I know how to-"

He's silent for the rest of the walk. A couple of minutes pass with only the sound of our footsteps echoing down the hall for company, until we reach an unassuming door labelled only TRAINING.

As I punch in the password for the door - W-W-L-S-D - Changeling looks from the floor to me to the door to me, before clearing his throat.

"Changeling." I call his codename just as he walks past. He jumps at the noise and stops, turning back to me. "In here." I nod my head towards the door.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Uh- by the way?"

I tilt my head slightly to show I'm listening.

"Why are you calling me Changeling? You know that's not my real name, right?"

"Yes, of course I know." I turn to face him, and he wilts slightly. "We're working, alright?" I try to make my tone softer. "When we're on the clock, it's codenames only, okay?"

"Oh, right." His eyes suddenly widen and I feel a wave of anxiety spill out from him.

He shakes his head and follows me into the training room as I hold the door open for him.

"My codename is Siren."

He sighs in relief. "How did you- oh. Of course."

I think they've remodelled it since I was last here - it seems brigher, cleaner, somehow, and the targets and mannequins that line the walls don't look nearly as worn and beaten as I remember. Changeling, for his part, is taking it all in like a child in an art gallery - staring at everything in fascination, but scared to touch anything.

I walk to the middle of the floor, far enough from any windows or screens - just in case - and beckon for Changeling to join me.

I remember it well - the grand opening, when they got all the A.R.A.'s best fighters to test the facility to its limits. It held up well, for the most part - assuming you don't count the incident with Archangel and the flamethrower... I still shudder to think about how much it would have cost to replace that skylight.

"This is... cool." His voice wavers slightly, but I take his small smile as a sign that I'm doing something right.

"Yes, the faculty were very proud when they put this in."

I think about it for a second.

"Now." I turn back to Changeling. "We're almost certainly being sent on a mission soon, and you're going to need to know how to hold your own in the field. Have you ever fought before?"

"Uh- no. I've tried, but-"

"I saw your- attempt to get that sandwich off of Archangel yesterday - is that your definition of trying to fight?"

"Yes." He casts his eyes downwards and his cheeks color slightly.

"Right." I try not to sound too disheartened. "We have a lot of work to do."

"What do you want me to do?"

He raises his arm and looks at his hand for a second before it falls limp to his side.

"Hit me."

"What?"

"You heard me. I need to know what you can actually do. So hit me."

"I- I can't. I don't know-"

With a sharp inhale, I consider my options. I could calmy talk him through what to do, maybe try and rile him up by making a jab at his hair or his confidence, or- the easy option.

I'm going with the easy option.

"Did you just- hit me?!" Changeling reels back from my punch clutching his face, and I can see the tears beginning to form in his eyes. His cheek looks even more red now, even though I didn't hit him that hard.

"You see what I just did? Do that, but to me," I say calmly as I shake my fist. He doesn't need to know that it hurt me just as much as it hurt him.

I know he doesn't trust me, but maybe he appreciates me asking.

"So, you just want me to hit you? What, in the face?"

"If you want. I don't mind where, just do it, and I can tell you what you're doing wrong."

"You're just assuming that I'm going to do it wrong?"

"Everyone gets it wrong first time. Trust me."

"Fine..." he mutters. Finally.

He takes a small step back, raises his fist, and swings it towards my face. His form isn't too bad, considering he's never done it before, but the punch itself is weak. It barely even stings.

The two of us stay in the training room for another hour and a half, me explaining how Changeling can improve, and him - for the most part - doing what I instructed. By the time Incendium's voice crackled out of the radio to tell us we had to come back to the lair for movie night, he was almost capable of properly hurting me with a punch. As long as I didn't block it. Or dodge. Or see it coming. All of which were very likely to happen in the real world.

"What do you want from me? Everyone gets it wrong first try, right?" He responds with an eye roll when I tell him as much.

"Well you just proved me right, then."

I try not to be too harsh with my criticism, but by the time he heads for the door, even I can tell that he's upset.

"Hey, look." I jog to catch him before the door. "You- you were good. Very good. The way you improved, it was- impressive."

"Thanks." He doesn't look at me.

"I was- I was thinking. Maybe, if hand-to-hand isn't working, you could try a ranged weapon? We've got an archery range, if that sounds..." I trail off, unsure how open he is, but when he finally turns to me, his eyes are wide in excitement.

"Archery?" A smile creeps across his face. "Like, bows? Arrows? That kind of thing?"

"Yes." I try to return the smile. "For what it's worth, I think you've got a good eye. You might be a good shot."

His eyes widen.

He looks down sheepishly, before glancing back up. "You think?"

"I do." I nod. "Phoenix."

He rolls his eyes again, before laughing and wandering off towards the lair. As I watch him leave, I catch myself smiling, and I wonder if I might be able to properly get on with the new addition. Only time will tell, I suppose.

"What? It's the end of the day, I can call you that now."

"You're strange, you know?" He laughs, and I reluctantly smile too.