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    My hands and body were filthy. I was slightly hungry and I ached all over. I missed being clean andfortable. Overall, I felt awful. As I wandered


    back inside to sit with the skeleton I thought about what I had done to end up here.


    I wanted to be free, so I pretended I was. This was not a to pretend on. It was harsh and I was not suited for it. Without the protection of my


    Masters, I was as good as dead.


    It pained me to realize how much I needed my owners. I didn’t know how to find water or which foods I could eat. The inhabitants on this


    obviously thought I had only one use. If they didn''t own me, it didn''t matter if I was happy about that or not. My survival was only important to one very


    small group of men and they had disowned me.


    I watched quietly as the sun travelled across the sky. Transports flew by quietly in the distance, but they never stopped. Eventually the fear waned


    some and I started to recognize the pattern


    The transports were watching the vige. There were six different transports as far as I could tell. They did regr sweeps in a set series. Someone


    was monitoring me. keeping me safe, with the exception of the near rape.


    I watched the sky and pondered that horrible experience with new eyes. My owners had said they disowned me and I was being left to fend for


    myself. Someone fed and watered me twice a day, though. They sent someone to tend my wounds. Master Damien and his brothers had not left me.


    ‘Too bad,’ the man had said when he was over me. There was movement at the window and no one else ever came in. Someone had stopped him.


    My owners had stopped him. They were here somewhere, still protecting me


    I smiled and leaned against the rough wall. My body ached, I was dirty, and I couldn''t rest well, but there was a reason to be happy. I had not been


    left. I was just on a longer leash to demonstrate a point.


    It was a strange train of thought, but I suddenly wondered how far out in the ocean I had been. If I had to guess I''d say farther than I was from the


    vige now. I wondered how my owners had found me way out there. Perhaps all that tasting Master Evan loved to do really did have some purpose.


    I remembered the times he''d tasted me, everywhere. I''d never seen him taste his brothers, except the one time. He''d probably done it long ago.


    A transport came close to the building, but didn''t stop. I was getting used to the pattern; it wasforting now. There was just someone watching me


    Iy my head back against the wall and continued to think about Master Evan and his sense. He had to be good to have found me. It was dark by the


    time they located me in the water and he obviously knew exactly where I was.


    A thought niggled in my brain. He hadn''t been able to find Master Christof in the mountains. It was a shame. If he had they could have avoided all of


    that stress. One day when they were in the mood for my questions I''d have to ask them about it. When the men cameter that night I got in my


    corner again. One came to stand over me, but I didn''t look at him. It took them longer to leave this time. They started a fire in the firece before they


    left. Once they were gone, I found a new clean jug and food.


    Privileges, it felt like I was earning privileges.


    I slept in front of the firece and that seemed to keep the flies away from me. The floor was still ufortable, but I slept more than I had the night


    before. Every time I rolled over I felt a nagging soreness from sleeping on what was essentially concrete.


    "Itis amazing humans manage to keep an entire to themselves," I heard Master Evan say.


    I thought I was dreaming and groaned as I sat up. The first thing I saw was several sets of boots standing around me. Shrieking, I dove to cower in


    my corner.


    "Ciara,e here," Master Damien said.


    As quickly as my sore body could I rose to stand trembling in front of him. Out of habit I looked at his feet. I''d spent thest two days learning not to


    look at anybody.


    "Look at me," hemanded


    Iplied quickly and saw the deep frown marring his features. He looked as tired as I still felt. Evidently they weren''t sleeping well either.


    “You have seen what happens to ves that try to escape repeatedly," he said gesturing to the skeleton along the wall


    "Yes, Master Damien, I won''t try to escape again. I promise.” I said meekly.


    Master Christaf ced my cor


    back aroundymy neck. The ornate


    cuffs were reattached to my wrists


    and ankles. Master Evanid a


    kneeling” ce at my feet and ?


    gestured. I knelt down and took a


    a


    a


    loag drink from hi


    m. They also fedThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    riié arge portion of the worms.


    Once I was done


    and wrappedne I


    o


    hey stood me up


    n the bulky brown


    tunic. Master Damien motioned for.


    me to follow him. I did, but the <<


    woundon my foot gave me a nasty


    limp-Master Evan slung me into his


    armas and carried me to thewaiting


    transport pad.


    Once we were home they took me


    straight ta the shower. I panicked”


    when théy removed my cor and


    cuffs;but they just wanted to clean


    underneath them. As they s￠rubbed


    anc washed me Master Bare spoke


    up.


    "We know you did not try to escape from us in the way most ves do, but it seemed that way. Thepound demanded punishment for you. Don''t


    ever do that again.” he said seriously.


    "I won''t Master Bane. I promise," I said quietly.


    "It is not safe for you outside our care, Ciara. We will take you to explore if that is what you wish to do, but you cannot go alone," Master Christof


    advised.


    "Yes, Master Christof.”


    “You understand we treated you better in the vige than any ve has ever been.” Master Evan said pulling through knots in my hair.


    "Thank you, Master Evan,” I said automatically.


    "We were very upset when Randolf struck you and more upset when he tried to..." Christof didn’t finish and his eyes closed for a moment. He had


    looked horrified.


    "Although you did speak to him,” Master Bane reminded me, "we had not given him permission to strike you or to use you. He overstepped your


    punishment. Damien beat him for that infraction.”


    "Thank you, Master Damien,” I replied watching the dirty water drain away.


    "We would not let them handle you after that," Master Kein exined kissing my shoulder. "We could not bear to see them touch you. Your pain


    affected us deeply...”