Master Damien took my hand and guided me to feel the strange fabric. It was thick like wool, but soft


    as silk. They were right, it would probably be warm.


    “The weather here is colder than even the cabin, Ciara,” Master Damien told me.


    “Now stop disagreeing with us. It serves no purpose,” he scolded.


    “Yes, Master Damien,” I answered.


    The overwhelming desire was to go with the prevailing opinion anyway. Holding my own differing


    opinion was ufortable. It was easier to rx and be like them.


    I did get one piece of clothing that looked like clothes. Soft boots were produced and slipped onto my


    feet. They went up to my knees. Even if a breeze got underneath my dress, I would still be warm.


    After dressing me in my outfit and brushing my hair, we stepped back into the hall. I didn’t hear voices,


    so I nced around. The act infuriated Master Damien.


    I wasn’t to look at other men. The same rules applied as at thepound. They would find a way to


    punish me here if I did not follow the rules.


    Master Christof encouraged forgiveness for speaking with their Keepers earlier. They saw my


    memories and knew I didn’t want to break their rules. My thoughts had been desperate and scared. It


    would be considered a warning, my owners decided.


    The opaque blue fabric swished around my legs as I walked. It was remarkable how it kept the chill


    from my body. This had been a very wise purchase.


    I was so d I agreed with them. Disagreeing felt wrong and brought difort. My instinct was to go


    with themunal flow.


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    “You understand, Ciara,” Master Bane said reaching out and taking my hand, “good.”


    We walked briskly to the eating area, which was a moderate distance away. There was arge central


    fire inside and tables set around therge room. We were eitherte or early, because the ce was


    Largely unupied.


    “We arete,” Master Damien assured me as he put my kneeling ce by a table.


    I held onto the furniture and managed to get myself down to my kneeling ce.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Food in the mountains was different from thepound. Much of it would be inedible for me, luckily my


    owners knew that. They had trained themselves to care for me well. They were certain they would find


    something I could eat.


    Master Kein and Master Christof went to gather the food while the other men sat with me. My owners


    irritated the cooks serving the food they were so particr. One of the cooks snapped at Master Kein


    because he was being too demanding.


    It felt Like I was standing with Master Kein talking to the cook about what I needed. The experience


    was confusing, because that wasn’t what I was doing. My mind couldn’t seem to decide if I was talking


    to a cook about food or kneeling on a kneeling ce at the table. It seemed I was doing both at once


    and that wasn’t possible.


    Master Evan’s hand wrapped into the hair at the back of my head and he tugged on it until I Looked up


    at him.


    “We will guide you,” he said. “There is no reason for all this concern you have. We find it unpleasant.”


    The men didn’t find it distracting to be in two ces at once, or even five ces. They preferred to be


    together, but they could function independently also. I assumed it would be a skill I would have to learn.


    The food was brought back to us and the men dug in. It was surprising to realize I knew the names of


    the food now. I also knew where it came from.


    I had aparison suddenly. The meat the cooks prepared here was not the way we Liked it. This type


    of meat we Liked to roast over an open tire.


    I had never seen my Masters cook. It had not been apparent to me they knew how.