Spirits of the Earth

"Where are we going?" she insisted, giggling at the feigned look of innocence upon Samuel's face.
"I have no idea," he shrugged, sidestepping to avoid a large hoard heading their way as he tucked her hand firmly against his arm.

"Really now," she persisted, eager to know what he'd brought her all the way to the market streets for.
"You'll see, Georgiana," he spoke softly, hoping he could hold her off for just a bit longer as he lead her towards the auction block at last, sure of himself that it was finally the time he had agreed upon. "I think this will be worth the wait." She certainly hoped so.

Strolling past the main event of the general auctions, Samuel took her towards the back where a small wooden building stood as a makeshift office. Opening the door for her and following her inside, his eyes searched the dim room and caught sight of the man he was looking for, his liaison between the seller for delivery of the special gift for his fiancée. "Hello Mr. Clark," he chirped with a flash of teeth. Georgiana, confused, looked between the two with narrowed eyes and a questioning look as he all but forced her to be seated in the single chair before the man's desk.

"Hello Mr. Belton and... Miss Whitley?" he said, nodding to the couple.
"Yes," Samuel assured him, though with a notably tense jaw and forced, nervous smile. "You've brought him, yes? We'd like to make a quick inspection before purchase, so long as the deal is still on."
"Purchase?" Georgiana gawked, glaring at Samuel now with crossed arms. "What's this all about, Sam?" Still tense, he gripped her shoulder tightly in an effort to refrain from giving it away so soon. He was bit hurt, too, that she would forget the occasion of today's trip.
"Just be patient, please."

The man before them gradually formed a smile upon his lips as he watched the potential fight unfold between them. It was clear the woman hadn't been told about this, but he didn't care so long as the man had the money for it. "Yes, he's here. Of course you may see him," he answered, trying to ignore what he'd just seen as he stood from his chair. "I'll go get him, give me just a moment."

Magnus Clark chuckled to himself as he sauntered along to where Ververes was keeping the merchandise. 'And what an attractive piece of property it is,' he mused as he caught sight of the pretty slave and his cruel master.

The toy was glowering, straight-backed and haughty despite the heavy chains manacled to wrist and ankle alike. From what he had heard from the slave's master, Clark knew that despite the delicate features the toy was quite a handful and had already managed to slip his bonds on more than one occasion.

He leered openly at the blue-eyed pet before turning his gaze to the severe man who stood behind him. "Gyles, the buyer is interested in viewing it. I trust there have been no more," a lascivious smirk curled the auctioneer's lips, "problems."

"None that a little animal hide kissing his skin couldn't solve," Master Ververes replied.

Looking closer Magnus could see the fresh welt growing on the dark skin of the slave's cheek. "They're not going to like the damage done to the property you know, Gyles."

"Ah you worry too much. A pretty one like him is enough as it is. Go on and take the whelp, but mind you don't give 'im too much leash. He's tame but not beyond being provoked. Off you go now," Gyles proclaimed, hooking a makeshift leash onto the slave's bindings before shoving him and Magnus back out.

Under his breath Clark growled at the impertinence while tugging none too gently on the slave's leash, causing the proud Thanati to stumble in his shufflings towards the expectant buyers. Head and eyes downcast, the man had yet to see the faces of those that could determine the fate of his future.

Georgiana didn't like having secrets kept from her, and she was too bullheaded to realize that her beau was trying to give her a gift. "Sam, what are we buying?" she hissed, tapping her fingers against her arm.
"You'll see, my dear. Please, don't spoil this," he pleaded, sighing as he felt the tensions rising between them. "This is for you. If you don't like him we don't have to buy him at all." This caused her to raise a brow at him.
"What, a person? You're buying an actual person?"

It was then that she heard the clanking of heavy chains and turned her gaze to the man being led out by Mr. Clark. At first she frowned at the sight, but as he was led closer it didn't take her long to be stunned by the man before them. He was dirty and unkempt, a stark contrast to her dress of fine silk and lace and Samuel's suit. As she looked up to her fiancé, Georgiana was confused and a bit concerned for the pleased look upon his face. He extended his arm in a gesture towards the pair as he met her gaze with a twinkling of hope.

"Georgiana, this slave is a Maoin. You remember those, right? They dance, they sing." The man was practically brimming with excitement now. "And he's for you, my love, if you find him acceptable. I'm sure he would serve you well entertaining for all of your little parties. I thought this...might be an acceptable gift to you for such an occasion." 

Occasion? Georgiana still wasn't connecting the dots on his grand speech, but as the slave was brought closer she stood from her chair. "Thank you for the ideas, but...if he is acceptable," she echoed, stepping closer with him to look over the shorter man.

The more she looked the more she liked the contrast of his darker skin and light hair, but she had serious doubts about whether he would actually dance if this was how he was normally kept. And then she saw the marks along his back. It seemed he noticed at the same time as he reached out to touch along the darker scarring. "I don't like these, Mr. Clark, he's damaged." Georgiana, however, was fixated upon the slave's hair again, as well as the jewelry on his ears.

"I can guarantee his continued ability to dance, Mr. Belton," the man assured. If he cannot or will not dance, you may return him to his current owner. No strings attached." Samuel seemed satisfied with this.

"You really think they would like him?" she asked, distractedly trailing her gaze along his body as she moved to stand beside the slave.
"Of course, my love," Samuel breathed, excited at the prospect of her accepting him as a present. "Do you like him?"
"He's very... Well, he doesn't look like he's been taken care of. He's dirty. And he's being sold like this?" She shot Magnus a puzzled look, certain that the seller hadn't bothered cleaning him up at all.

"You can treat him how you like, Georgiana. Clean him up, keep him pretty. Have him entertain, dance, or do any work you wish. He would be entirely yours. A gift for...our anniversary."
"Ah," she spat coldly, finally led to the reasoning behind this odd display. "Well, if he dances like the one we saw before did, that would be lovely. I'm sure most of our friends have never seen the likes of him." This sent Samuel in a beeline for Magnus as he reached into his pocket for his coin purse.

"Then it's a deal, Mr. Clark. If he dances. If he doesn't by the end of the week then you'll be seeing us again."

"Of course, Mr. Belton," Magnus spoke steadily, very pleased to see his buyer so eager and already showing off his money. Handing the leash off to Georgiana, the auctioneer turned towards the desk and pulled a paper closer to them. "Now this outlines his price, which is what we already agreed upon. This includes my fee and compensation for the buyer's personal time today." Samuel was already nodding, far too eager to part with his money at a shot at impressing his fiancé.
"That's fine," he said as he quickly counted the money in the purse to make sure it was still correct for him.

Georgiana held the leash attached to the man's bonds loosely as she continued to slowly survey him. Without knowing his history of escape she thought the chains were a bit much. "When did you last eat?" she wondered aloud. "And...what's your name? Or what do you want us to call you?"

The slave stood silent and impassive as the men and woman spoke of him as if he were nothing more than a piece of cloth to be sold on market day. It disgusted him to no end yet, he wisely held his tongue, knowing without a doubt that if he tried to run in this moment Master Ververes would tan his hide anew. There would be no escaping that man but there could be a chance of escaping this couple.

It was this thought that he clung to for without a doubt the woman's bratty attitude and the man's groveling one had done nothing thus far to endear them to him. He watched closely as she took up his chain so loosely that he knew he had but to yank to the side and from her startled fingers it would slip.

For Rene is a was an enormous internal struggle not to follow his basic instincts to run and to instead continue to bide his time, holding his ground. He bit his tongue to keep his initial comments to himself, unsure if he was permitted to answer. He had been trained into silence and as this woman was not as of yet his master and nor had his master given him permission to speak to the stranger he felt unsure of his place in this matter. He did not relish another beating when the stings of his last one still gave him plenty of reminders with every breath.

He bit his tongue and kept his gaze firmly held to the ground. There would be no mistakes this time. Just a little longer and he could be free again. He would see his sweet Lorelei once more and be free of this never-ending nightmare he had been enduring these past six months.

Georgiana was disappointed in his seeming lack of compliance. She worried it would be setting the tone for interaction with her, and she wasn't happy about that. Frowning at him, she sighed and shook her head as she turned to watch Samuel finish his business at the desk. Through each motion, paying the man, signing the bill of sale, and receiving the deed in his hand, she relaxed a bit more. Perhaps, she thought, he was unhappy to be parting ways with his previous master.

"He's all yours. A pleasure doing business," Magnus spoke, bowing his head to Samuel.
"Thank you for being so accommodating," the younger man said, turning to his fiancé with a proud grin. Sam handed her the deed, which she promptly pushed into her pocket without so much as a glance to it. "He's yours now, Georgiana. Would you like to...purchase anything for him while we're in town?"
"I didn't bring money. You said we were going for a walk," she complained, turning to lead her slave to the door. She was still displeased about his refusal to answer her questions as she thought nothing wrong with them.

Realizing his mistake, Samuel quickly moved to walk at her free side and open the door for them. "I'm sorry. I meant more with our- err, my money," he stumbled out.
"Oh..." She felt awkward accepting more from him, knowing it would only encourage him on the path he was heading down. "Well, there is one thing-"
"Anything you want."
"Right. Well... I don't like all of these chains," she explained, yanking on the leash gently to illustrate. "I want a collar made for...well, he won't tell me his name, but I want a collar and a nice leash made up for him. Can you take care of that for me?" Samuel eagerly jumped at the chance.
"Yes, of course! Is there....a color you want?"
"Something dark. Brown or black. It needs a lock, too. I can always get something else later," she shrugged. "If he works out well."
"All right. I can do that. Should I just go now and meet you later?"
"That's fine with me," she sighed, unhappy at the thought of having to see him again today after spending all afternoon together with him like this. Thinking about walking home alone with her gifted slave in hand, though, she tightened her grip on his lead and wrapped it around her wrist as well. "I'll be fine with him, just go take care of that. Chains are too crude for our lifestyle."

With Samuel finally away  from her and some road behind them, she was able to relax some. She wondered if the man would cooperate enough to get him home without incident. "I don't know if you're a mute... but if you're going to talk with me at all, I have some questions," she told him. "I am Georgiana Whitley and I suppose I'm your owner now."

Rene breathed a soft sigh of relief at hearing that he was finally free of his now former master's cruel hands and his underling's leering eyes. The hunger he had seen for pain and pleasure had both disgusted and frightened him. Even in his line of work it was still not something he had ever born witness to. It was for this reason coupled with the pain of a whip's kiss that had seemingly broken him so easily into learning the correct attitudes expected of him.

The yank of his chain, while light brought the slave back to attention. His head shot up for the briefest moments catching a glimpse of his new master's flaming mane of hair before he once more remembered his place and respectfully dropped it back down again. An ominous shiver ran up his spine though, causing the chains to clink and rattle as his mind swirled about in fear and disgust at seeing the curse of Inima on this woman that now held claim over him

'From pan to firepit. Oh dear goddess how have I displeased you? Have I not been punished enough already for my wrongdoing? Must you go on to place me in the hands of one who has already displeased you? Did I not follow your every command? Why have you abandoned me so?'

Stuck in a place of self-pity, Rene missed the conversation happening around him until suddenly his master was standing before him, speaking directly. His blue eyes widened nervously beneath his muddied blond fringe, as he once more found himself struggling to decide whether she was talking aloud or actually asking him a question.

Uncomfortable with trying to adhere to protocols, the shifted his weight about, causing the chains to once more clatter about and himself to wince regrettably in turn. Cautiously he peeked up through the fringe to see this Georgiana Whitley, his supposed master.

Stopping and turning to face him now, she watched him closely as he peeked up at her. Georgiana finally caught sight of the fresh welt upon the slave's cheek. Irritated with his lack of speech or any indication that he could not or would not speak besides silence she blatantly glowered at him. After giving him a few more moments, she reached out and grasped him by his cheek to pull his head up.

"I think it's rude for you to ignore me like this," she said, examining his face for any other marks. "You should know, though, that I won't hit you unless you wrong me or embarrass me severely.

"If you cannot speak to me I want you to show me. Shake your head," she explained while demonstrating, "and open your mouth and show me that your tongue has been removed. Otherwise, I want you to tell me what you did to deserve this mark on your cheek. And if you don't answer me I can promise you you will not be happy when we get home. You won't get the nice room I want to put you in, and the longer you decide to go without speaking to me the longer you will go without any clothes or baths or nice meals with the rest of us." She was fired up now, upset because she seriously doubted he lacked the ability to speak or understand her.

"Don't think for one second that I won't do it, either. I am a very kind and gracious person, but if you're going to be stubborn with me you aren't going to get anywhere with it. Now tell me."

Without hesitation Rene opened his mouth to speak, finally given the necessary permission to speak. Despite, his overwhelming urge to spit out the venom on his mind, the slave was able to keep his tone and voice to an acceptably respectful level. Yet, as he spoke of his master there was a definite trace of contempt hidden in his rumbling tones.

His voice was soft and raspy from a hoarse throat that had done nothing but scream and howl for the few months before falling into complete silence. It took him a moment to get his heavy tongue to move, speaking the common tongue with an almost musical quality, making his accent even more evident.

"The mark was suffered for not moving out of Master Ververes way fast enough," Rene paused unsure of how to address this woman as she had not told him what to call her. He finally let it go. If she found it disrespectful then he would bear the brunt of her wrath and know for next time. Not of course, that he thought he would be here very long. She certainly seemed like a woman from refinery and not one capable of dealing with an unwilling slave.

The only thing keeping him from bolting now was the stock of red hair upon her hair. She was a demon of which he knew he must take great care with. There could be strength hidden in that form that he knew nothing about. He dared not ruin his chances of returning home by acting rashly and too soon.

Finally hearing him speak caused her to relax her hold on his jaw a bit before letting her hand fall from him. When she glanced down at it, though, she frowned at the smear of dirt upon her pink palm. What he said wasn't all that satisfying.

"What do you mean you didn't move out of the way fast enough? Be more specific. Why were they  hitting you in the first place?" she pressured. "And they are no longer your master. You are mine now, so don't speak of them that way."

"He did not like how I was moving about and punishment was exacted to ensure I would cease," Rene stated without emotion through his slightly gritted teeth. He wish she would just let it go. If she knew that he had tried to run, he was sure she would put him under heavier lock and key. That was the last thing he needed right now.

The slave did bob his head though at her command, showing his understanding. With a heavy sigh he shifted his position again, nervously rubbing one very raw wrist. Rene licked his lips before gathering the courage to speak beyond what he had been given a right to do so.

Very softly, barely above a whisper he asked the she-demon in front of him, "might I ask a question?"

With his answer now she was finally satisfied, as she only assumed it had to do with his dancing. "I see," she replied. It did worry her a bit and made her question his abilities or obedience while performing. She didn't want to fight him tooth and nail to get him to perform the way they were promised he could. His nervousness was noted.

She was surprised that he finally seemed willing to speak with her, though, mistaking his question for interest in a conversation with her. Pleased, she turned one corner of her lip up in a small smirk of accomplishment. "You may ask. I might not answer it, though."

An icy glare flashed in his blue eyes before Rene had a chance to reel it back in again. His teeth gnashed quietly as he thought of how sure of herself the banshee was. How dare she smirk at him like that, she who was cursed by Inima, finding pleasure in his imprisonment. He was better than her. He had lived better than her. It galled him and disgusted him. Had he been a free man he would have spat in her direction.

Alas, he was her slave and could no such thing without fear of retaliation. So instead he swallowed the bile in his throat and voiced the question that seemed like acid on his tongue to even have to ask. It went against everything he believed in and all the laws of his people. But, for now he had to play the part of a perfect puppet. Just a little longer and he could at last be free of this strange land and its horrid people.

"How am I to address you?" he murmured, his gaze still trained towards the ground.

She caught the flash of irritation across his face but did not know the reason for it. Watching him as he asked his question, a twitch of tension caught her up. It bothered her like nothing else that he was being so disrespectful, in her eyes.

"When you address me you will first always look at me properly, when possible. Eye contact is key, unless you would rather I treat you as I would an animal of mine." Georgiana was slowing losing that smirk of hers, exchanging it for a pout as she thought about possible reasons why he might not be looking at her that were slowly working their way under her skin.

"You may call me Mistress or Georgiana. Or both. Or Miss Whitley. I do not have a preference other than for you to be polite and look at me when we are speaking.

"And what would you like me to call you?"

"As Mistress wishes," he half-hissed, half-whispered while finally raising his head to stare confidentially at the slightly taller woman before him. His jaw was set firmly and his lips pursued closer together, showing his evident displeasure and annoyance with the whole situation.

Here he had undergone for the past six months extensive training and punishment to break him into a compliant slave only to be purchased by a woman who was intent on trapping him into breaking the rules and earning him another beating. Rene was not amused. He was not going to be baited into faltering. If he did not know better he would say that she did not know how to handle a slave. But, given her appearance and her hellish attitude towards the man who bought him, Rene could tell she was an overgrown brat most likely born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

'No,' he decided, silently steeling himself. 'I will not be driven mad by your desires to cause me harm. I am stronger than you. I will not break for you.'

"My name is up to you Mistress. Slaves have no name according to your kind." To curb the acid of his words, Rene gracefully despite his chains yet somewhat mockingly, bowed to his new master.

'Let the games begin.'

His comments irritated her and his answer, while correct to some, only served to make her feel as though he was purposefully disobeying her. Staring him down, her expression grew only more pouty and miffed once it sunk in that he wasn't going to offer a name up after this second time she'd asked him nicely for one. As he bowed she tightened her grip upon his chain leash and pulled on his bonds to bring him closer.

"My kind is human. I may own you, but I was not raised to treat slaves much different than I do my house servants. I want to know your real name from birth, not something some previous owner called you by," she demanded, trying hard to keep a check on herself. "Unless you would rather be treated so disrespectfully by my household."

Rene growled under his breath as he was tugged closer, stumbling slightly from being pulled off balance. Deciding to take things a bit further, he proceeded to take an additional step closer to stand almost flush up against his Mistress.

"Where I come from a man is a man and not an animal to be ordered about at the whim of others. Men are not chained," he said shaking his chained hands before smirking and shifting his stance to a more relaxed and languid one, "unless of course it is for personal pleasure. Although I doubt one such as yourself," here Rene looked the woman up and down, "would be interested in anything like that.

"Mistress if you desire me to have a name then you must provide me with one. I do not wish to be delusioned into thinking that I am like a free man. Would only create problems for you further down the line."

Once more Rene bowed to her, barely concealing the smirk that danced on his lips. "I live to serve. I would not wish to trouble you, Mistress."

Scowling, Georgiana took a step back finally as his eyes raked over her. "You're disgusting," she spat defensively, her teeth gnashing as he continued to refuse her the answer she desired. To her it was personal now as she assumed he would have made something up if he truly didn't desire to give her his real name.

"If you knew my kind so well you would know that it is common for us to release slaves after some time with satisfactory service. Right now you are just taunting me and upsetting me, and I promise you that will get you nowhere in life or with me," she explained, her grip tight as she fought to hold her temper. It was not doing her nerves any good to not be getting her way here.

As he bowed once again she thought his words cruel after all of what she thought had been polite questions. Tugging hard against his chains, she turned on her heels and marched onward down the road. "You have already troubled me in this first hour of having you. I assure you you are not succeeding," she said grumpily. Staring ahead at her home at the top of a hill in the distance, Georgiana hoped he might commit to silence now. It had almost been better before he had opened his mouth.

The slave was unimpressed but also fighting to reply to her as he so desperately desired to. 'If your kind was so special brat then they would not need to enslave people to get them to do what you wanted. And as if I would even want to get anywhere with you she-demon. The touch of your embrace would most likely set me aflame with hell's flames.'

His smirk was quickly wiped away as he was painfully pulled into following her by the cursed chains that bound him. The secret pleasure he took in causing the spoiled little girl trouble could not not be topped. But, it quickly faded as silence prevailed and his own temper began to fade bit by bit.

Back home in Suna, Rene was known for his puckish nature and sometimes hot-hotheadedness. Yet like most boys, it was quick to fade. His mentor Sor had often warned him to take care he did not let his mouth get him in trouble yet, Rene had never heeded. Now though as he reflect on his old friend he felt his victory begin to tarnish. He missed his home deeply and wished he could return there quickly. If only this stupid woman had not bought him. If only Ververes had not stolen him. If only if only if only.

The continued silence finally began to soothe her as she led him up the steps of her home and into the quiet, echoing foyer. It was difficult for her to not let his stubbornness get to her, but she was convinced now that he just needed some time to settle down and understand that she meant him no harm so long as he behaved. "Please close the door," she spoke softly without looking back at him.

As soon as her voice was heard, though, Natasha came scurrying down the hall and around the corner to meet them. "Oh, you're finally back!" She gasped at the sight of the man with her for she had been expecting both her sister and Samuel. Her excitement turning to slight confusion as she surveyed the slave, and she winced at the sight of the chains. "Georgiana, where's Mr. Belton? I thought you left together."
"We did. He'll be here later, he's running an errand for me."
"Oh... Well, I took care of those letters for you that were on your desk." Natasha looked very pleased with herself, but Georgiana visibly paled.
"I never asked you to do that," she said slowly, approaching her sister who, at a glance, looked nothing like her with her petite form and bouncing brown mane. Even her daily attire was far less refined than her elder sister's.
"You needed to anyway, so consider it done now," the younger woman proclaimed proudly.
"Well... Thanks," Georgiana said awkwardly as a blush seized her cheeks and neck.

After sharing a few moments of tense silence with her sister, Natasha finally smiled and cast her gaze to the light-haired man. She was blushing, though, as she realized how little clothing he was wearing, if you could call it clothing at all. "Um, hello," she offered to him, nodding before looking between him and her sister. "Who's this?"
"I don't know." Natasha raised a brow at this, but Georgiana moved to walk past her with the slave still in hand. Glancing over her shoulder at him now, she explained, "I'm going to show you to your room now," before directing at her sister, "I'll tell you as soon as I find out his name, but he's a Maoin, supposedly."

Obediently, Rene turned and silently shut the door, feeling antsy and uncomfortable in his new surroundings especially with the bounding young woman coming quickly towards them. He curiously observed the newcomer, unknowingly smiling softly at her exuberant nature. She reminded him of his Lorelei which made him heartsick.

His shoulders slumped in sadness that nearly completely distracted him from the woman's order. "Yes Mistress," he hurriedly acknowledged. As he passed the new woman though he leaned close to her to whisper conspiratorially to her with a small smile and a wink.

"Definitely, Maoin."

Natasha's eyes widened upon hearing the man's answer to her sister and even moreso as the man leaned closer to her, but his smile and quick words calmed her. After a moment to take it in she cracked a smile herself and giggled, nodding as she watched them moving to the stairs. Thinking on his revealed "secret" to her, the young woman turned and headed back towards the office where she'd emerged from before.

Georgiana was satisfied with his obedience for now, but she chose to ignore the whispers and giggles she had heard behind her for the moment. After the first few steps she gathered a fistful of her skirts in her free hand to lift them out of the way as she ascended. Once the first flight of stairs was behind them she headed for the next to go to the third floor. "You haven't been very nice to me but you're filthy, and I can't have that," she explained, her voice dull as she led him right to her personal quarters and bedside table without a thought. There she retrieved a small set of keys on a necklace and placed it around her neck before heading back out and up even more stairs to the fourth floor.

Finally, she led him to the end of a hall and unlocked a door leading to a small but nicely furnished suite. "This will be your room. There's a bath behind that door there," she pointed to the one in the far corner as she walked closer to the bed, "but sit down so I can take off your bonds... What did you say to Natasha down there?"

The word "bath" quickly caught the Thanati's attention and had him snapping his head to watch his Mistress. "Natasha," he murmured, feeling the name out on his tongue before continuing on to answer her. "I told her that I am definitely Maoin, Mistress."

He sighed softly before moving to sit on the floor in front of the bed where he assumed she was headed. "After I bathe what would you ask of me next, Mistress? I do not wish to displease you."

Nodding and knowing she could confirm with her sister later, she was fine with his answer and his much-improved politeness now. "Maoin," she pondered, thinking back to the few trips she'd taken to Thanatos in the past. Those thoughts were cut off, though, by the sharp tug of the leash between them as he sat on the floor and she kept walking towards the bed.

Feeling awkward as she turned to stare at him in confusion, his question almost didn't reach her ears. "What are you doing? I...haven't decided yet, but I need you to sit up here for this to work. On the bed." She pointed with her free hand before patting the blanket atop it, confused as to why he had stopped short.

His eyes bulged with surprise that he was not where she wanted him. "But, Mistress I'm," Rene looked down at himself and motioned to his unclean state, "I'll dirty it and..." He sighed and felt his shoulders slump.

It was funny how such a simple moment could make one feel so entirely defeated. His heart ached with homesickness and despair. Six months of being denied the ability to sit on furniture and literally having the idea that it was a bad idea beaten into his head had left him nervous about breaking his training even for his new master.

Rene was still suspicious of Georgiana. He still felt that she was trying to get him to make a mistake so that she could punish him. It did not even have to be soon. All she had to do is make him feel familiar enough that later down the road he would overstep that tenuous line and suddenly he would find himself beaten grievously. It was one of the first and fastest lessons he had learned from Ververes. He was not about to forget quite so quickly either.

Now it felt like he was purposefully denying her, denying her answers and true obedience. She only wanted to feel in control now that she owned him, and the rest didn't really matter so it was truly testing her patience. She thought he'd been good since they stepped inside but his protests now seemed pathetic to her. She had no idea the training he had had to endure before her and only knew that he had been beaten before and was not well kept.

"Bedding can be washed," she explained with a slightly tense voice. "That's what I have maids for." Georgiana stared at him in silence for a moment. So many questions were swirling in her head about this strange man. It was bothering her that she couldn't really pin down his personality amongst everything she'd seen and heard from him so far. "And this will be easiest for me, unless you wish so adamantly for your mistress to sit on the floor."

Rene flinched at her tone. She was obviously not pleased which meant bad things for him. Yet, he was conflicted as she was demanding something of him that went against his training. Memories of his time with his previous owner surfaced quickly and painfully, a very real reminder of what he had endured since being stolen from his homeland.

"No, Mistress," he replied finally, nervously rising to his feet and shuffling forward to sit on the very edge of the bed. His head was lowered once more in shame and fear. While he did not think her strong enough to cause him harm, he was not so sure that there were others in her employment who could do so instead.

Watching him closely as he came forward and sat himself down properly, Georgiana finally relaxed again. She took to examining the thick metal cuffs upon his wrists. This closer inspection had her wrinkling her nose at the accumulated filth, though she had no idea what condition he might be in beneath them. "How long have you been wearing these?" she asked quietly as she worked to unlatch the pin holding the left cuff.

Once it was free she gently started wiggling the pin out to loosen the bite considerably. "When were you last fed?"

The questions startled him. For a while he did not know how to answer them, instead staring down in silence at her pale hands working so close to his own darker one. His lips parted slightly as if to speak before closing again as he struggled to answer her questions.

How long had it been since this hellish nightmare began? A week? Two? A month? A year even? He could not say for sure. Time had been stolen from him and a way to count the passing days along with it. It all ran together, feeling as if he had suffered an eternity of this hell from which there had been no escape.

At least he sighed softly, seemingly caving in on himself yet keeping his arm still. "Mistress I have worn them since I awoke from my capture," Rene spoke honestly, praying that the answer was enough for her, although he doubted it would be. "I had some broth yester-morn," he continued, grimacing as he recalled the single mouthful of vile liquid he had grown accustomed to gulping down the few days it was ever offered. It was the only sustenance he had been permitted to partake in, despite the lavish tables he had often seen Ververes feasting from on many nights.

"I see," she replied, a bit angry that someone trained in dance would be kept in such a way though she didn't know what kind of diet he might have normally kept. "I haven't decided the details of what you'll be doing here, but you'll need to be eating more and more regularly than that here," she continued distractedly as she struggled with the last of the pin holding his cuff together. Once it finally came free she let the metal fall from his arm and was immediately springing from him at the sight of what had been trapped beneath. When the stench of dried blood hit her nose she held her hand over it. "That's... Oh, I'm going to kill him," she growled.

"Can you even feel your hand?" she asked incredulously. And then it hit her. "It...must be on all of them. I can't believe you were sold like this... You're going to scar," she complained as she gathered her wits and continued undoing the cuff on his other wrist. She was disappointed to find it in similar condition. A short, angry "Wow" was all she managed as she quickly moved to work on the bonds around his ankles.

"Sorry, Mistress," Rene murmured, misunderstanding who she was threatening to kill. "Aye, I feel my hand just fine but if this displeases you so, I can handle the rest." He was already bending to reach for his ankle cuffs anyway, embarrassed that she was not pleased with his body.

It had always been a matter of pride for him that so many had found the sight of him pleasing. To see such a look of utter disgust from one who has actually paid money to own him, hurt greatly. He just wanted to get it all over with as soon as possible in order to remove himself from her sight.

Her comment on the scarring though, only made him shrug. Pausing to glance at his wrists he took in the damage and silently agreed with her. However, it did not bother him in quite the same manner as it did her. Rene knew in the future when he was free of all this that he would look down to his healed wrists to see the constant reminder of his imprisonment. His only consolation was that if they healed just right he could pass them off back home as permanent bangles.

Rene chuckled softly to himself. 'Bet Lorelei would love that.'

"It displeases me for other reasons," she started, though she was taken aback by him reaching for the ankle cuffs. Determined to finish the job, she reached for the last one and removed it before standing back up again. "I can handle this," she tried to explain, though it was more for her personal encouragement than his benefit. "I just hope that you heal quickly."

His chuckle was not lost on her, though, and she narrowed her eyes at him for it. "I don't know what you find so funny, Mister So-Stubborn-He-Won't-Give-His-Name, but if you have energy for that go get yourself cleaned up. There's water and rags. I'll...make sure some things are ready for you soon," she said bitterly, sure he was laughing at her. Turning sharply, she quickly removed herself from the room and locked the door behind her before scurrying back to her quarters. There she got cleaned up and scrubbed to remove the flakes of dried blood upon her hands.

Though she wanted him healthy for his intended purpose she was questioning her methods already. She wondered if she should have been harder on him or what he might even respond to. She didn't even tolerate her fiance laughing at her and she certainly wasn't going to let this slave do that again. It was embarrassing to even think about and had her blushing as she gathered the smallest of Samuel's clothes she could find and instructed a maid she caught on her way back upstairs to bring up a bowl of stew. She didn't realize, though, that the color persisted even as she reentered the room and set the clothes on the bed.

A well-sculpted brow raised in amusement at the name she had given, yet Rene was able to keep his laughter to himself for the moment. "Thank you, Mistress. I will be quick about so as to not keep you waiting."

Standing to give another graceful bow, he held his position until she exited the room. Rene breathed a deep sigh of relief as he straightened, finally allowed a moment to be himself, something he had not had in a long time.

Eager to wash away the pain and the filth, the slave shuffled his way over to the filled bath. He began his ritual of removing the pathetic loincloth he had been garbed with as well as the cheap metals that had been used to replace his former piercing jewelry.

Before, he entered the tub though, Rene knelt down on the cold stone floor to whisper a prayer to Inima in thanks for giving him the opportunity to gain a bit of his self back even though it meant still being a slave to on of the goddess' cursed ones.

Once he finished he at last allowed himself to slip into the small yet functional tub and to use the provided rags to cleanse himself. Incredibly quickly the water became murky from blood and dried blood that he vigorously scrubbed away. He scrubbed and scrubbed, as if to wash away more than the filth of the past six months but the memories as well. He scrubbed until his caramel skin began to glow red and tears formed in his eyes and still he scrubbed, wishing and praying that he would wake from this nightmare that his life had become.

A quick rapping at the door alerted her to the arrival of the maid. Georgiana hurried over and opened it for her, instructing the young woman to set the food at the bedside table. "Is Samuel here yet?" she asked, impatient for his arrival.
"Not that I know of, ma'am. Can I get anything else?"
"Do you know how to dress wounds?" The maid's eyes took on a startled appearance that Georgiana didn't understand.
"Did something happen to you?"
"No, it's for the man." She waved at the door in the corner and the maid nodded, calming now that she was assured her employer was not injured.
"I believe I can do that, yes."
"Good. Go get any salves and bandages you need. If it turns out to be too much I'll just have the nurse take care of it. And bring some bread for him, too, while you're at it."
"Yes, ma'am," the maid whispered, nodding with a small smile as she hurried to follow her instructions and retrieve what she needed.

Georgiana watched her leave before she approached the door to the bath where she knocked gently. "Whenever you're done and dry I do have some clothes for you here. Just for the night until I can find you other things," she told the crack between the door and the floor.

"Thank you, Mistress I will be out in one moment," Rene called out despite the frog that was lodged so firmly within his throat. Balling his hands into fists, he fought back his tears and painted on a calm expression. When he at last felt he had control over his emotions once more, the slave exited the bath and wrong out his now white-blonde hair.

He exited the bathroom, uncaring of his naked state nor of the few water droplets that still stubbornly clung to his form. Seeing Georgiana in the room still, he bowed low in front of her before making his way over to the offered clothes. "Thank you, Mistress," he repeated again.

Satisfied with his answer, she'd moved to stand closer the bed as she stared at the door waiting expectantly for the maid's return. As he emerged, though, she made the mistake of turning to look at him. Her face paled and she quickly averted her eyes once she realized he wasn't even trying to conceal himself. Still, his even brighter hair kept catching her eye. "You're welcome," she answered distractedly.

Stubborn, she refused to move away just because of his state. Instead, she tried to admire him discreetly now that he was cleaned up. "When you're done dressing, that bowl there is for you," she said, pointing to the table where a heaping portion of a beef stew sat gently steaming. "You'll be patched up and then... Well, I suppose you can rest for the day after that. Also...you don't need to bow so much. It isn't necessary."

Unconcerned about her covert looks, Rene slipped into the provided tunic and pants. The shirt was so large that the neck slid to the side revealing one bare shoulder and refused to stay re-situated for long so he eventually just left it as it was. The pants though were going to prove to be a problem as the waist too big and they hung quite low on his hips, threatening to fall off completely.

"Many thanks Mistress," he found himself once more telling her, although this time begrudgingly meaning it as he saw and breathed in the sent of the food. His stomach protested loudly at being so close to food and not immediately partaking in it.

Slowly he reached for the bowl and took a sip from it. The flavor was soothing and seemed the perfect balm to his sore throat and weak spirit. The large chunks of meat though were avoided as was the odd-shaped tiny, long-handled bowl.

"It is good Mistress."

It was odd to her that he wasn't eating the way she was accustomed to, but she wasn't going to dictate the way he ate unless he was messy or outright rude and embarrassing, which he was not. The sound of the door opening caught her attention, though, and she quickly turned to watch the maid reenter. The nurse was along with her, much to Georgiana's dismay. "Hello, Sir," she offered him, apparently unaware of his station or why he was in her employer's home. Gossip of the man in chains wasn't traveling fast enough for Georgiana's taste.

"There's no need to address him that way," she corrected her with soft words but a forced, angry smile upon her lips. "I own him now, so there is no reason for formalities. I didn't expect you to know so soon, though. This was very much a surprise for me today. Samuel is so very kind and thoughtful." The maid bowed her head and the nurse, who quickly realized her mistake and the offense Georgiana had taken, mumbled a quick apology and they hurried along towards the bed. There they began to prepare bandages to start their work as soon he was done eating.

Georgiana quickly settled, her tension melting away as she watched the women in silence. Just as she was getting used to the quiet, though, her eye twitched as she heard muffled steps thundering up the stairs and her sister hollering. "I didn't mean it that way! She's fine, Sam! It's not that, really!" Poor Natasha unfortunately had no idea where her sister had gone off to or what she really might be up to.

"What am I supposed to think when you say that?! Is she even safe?! Have you even gone to check on her once?!" The door to her room on the floor below was slammed and there was running up and down the hall and more doors slamming shut before Sam finally thought to check the next floor. Georgiana wasn't pleased with him at all, especially with the way he was yelling at her baby sister. She moved away without a word to meet them at the door.

Once Sam finally caught sight of his fiance he froze and fell silent save for his labored breathing. His worried eyes raked over her and, once he was satisfied, he shot a glare to the slave anyway. "She...said you'd gone upstairs with him by yourself," he complained in a much more normal tone, as if that would excuse his behavior. Stepping inside the slowly crowding room to make way for her sister, Sam pulled the newly fashioned collar and its matching leash from his coat and handed it over to Georgiana. Natasha eyed the pair's awkwardness with interest before moving further into the room to wait for Sam to leave. She was happy to see that the Maoin was now free of the chains he'd walked in with.

Sam pulled a small key from his pocket and placed it in Georgiana's hand. "See if it fits him. If not, I'll get something else for you."
"Thank you, Sam. This should be fine for him. I'll...join you for dinner in a little while if you'd like to stay and wait for me downstairs."
"Are you sure?" He glanced to the slave worriedly despite the three other women in the room with them.
"Yes," she answered simply, already distracted and fiddling with the lock and key to ensure they functioned properly together.
"Very well." He paused, hesitant to leave despite her obvious mood. "I can't just wait outside?"
"Wait downstairs or go home. I do not care which you choose. It is no matter to me, Sam." The man hung his head at this, disappointed with her answer though he accepted it with a nod and quietly left without causing any more of a scene than he already had. The moment his footsteps could no longer be heard Natasha was sent into a fit of giggles while Georgiana shot her a look of annoyance.

"Why would you say something like that, Natasha?" she pleaded.
"It was fun. He's very insecure."
"And you knew that already. Why make it worse?"
"To watch you squirm. I was being honest anyway." She only giggled more, though, the more she thought about the trouble she'd caused for her sister.

Rene bowed his head slightly with a gentle smile in greeting to the new women, uncaring about Georgiana's pointed remark to his status. Having fed and bathed now he was at least feeling more human than he had in a great many months.

He quickly finished the stew save for the meaty bits that he had managed to eat around without complaint, before slowly and somewhat flirtatiously striding over to the women who were still fussing with the bandages and salves. The slave was just about to offer his injured wrists when he was startled by the loud shouting come from outside the room.

A brow arched at the poor excuse the man named Sam gave as he once more allowed the ladies to assist him, offering them warm smiles in thanks. However, his eyes were once more staring over to the conversing pair as he took in the obvious collar and leash resting in his Mistress's hands.

His shoulders tightened and his lips pursed to think that he would now be forced to wear it for his enslavement much as he had worn the abusive cuffs. 'More scars to bear, I knew I should not get to feeling too comfortable. She is just as bad as Ververes and twice as deceitful. Pity little witch that you think me so stupid. I will be free of you soon enough. Food and rest will do this body well. You'll see.'

Georgiana tried to ignore her sister, though she did appreciate her at least being available to calm Sam. "I think it would be best if we spoke at dinner as well. I have some things to wrap up with him once he's bandaged up."
"Suit yourself," Natasha chirped, winking at her sister then the slave before she turned to leave. "I don't need to be told twice."
"Yes, I know," she grumbled, still in a bad mood from seeing Sam like that.

The other women worked efficiently together and had his wrists wrapped up by the time Natasha left. The maid did not try to hide her interested looks, fascinated as she had never seen someone like him before. Both women gathered the rest of their supplies, though, and knelt to lift the legs of his pants a bit to examine what they could only assume were the last of his physical marks. The nurse grimaced, however, and quietly left the maid to finish the job.

Standing, she smiled sadly at him. "Can you walk freely with your ankles like that? How's your pain?" she asked, concerned for him as she'd caught sight of the cruel cuffs and chains beside the bed though she hadn't even seen him before he'd bathed.

Georgiana was watching them quietly now that she was satisfied with the collar and leash. Wandering over, she peeked into the bowl and scowled at all of the meat he'd left to just sit in the bowl. "Do intend to finish this?" she asked him.

He covertly returned Natasha's wink, chuckling to himself. He was finding he really did like his Mistress's sister. She was far more fun than her brat of a sibling. Rene did wish though he could handle his injuries himself. As grateful as he was to the women, it did not change the fact he still saw their looks of disgust at having to deal him. They were kind to him but he was sure just their duties and nothing more.

"Thank you kind ladies. It is all quite better now. I hardly feel a thing. I am sure that it will be all healed in no time thanks to your tender care." His words were kind and quiet and his smile warm, yet sad. He was missing home more and more every day, especially now that he was in safer surroundings.

His Mistress's words quickly caught his attention and while her eyes were focused on the bowl of food, his was set on the collar still resting in her hands. "Forgive me Mistress but I am afraid I could not eat another bite. You were very generous in your proportions for me and with...what I had been eating before I do not think it would be wise to push it right now," Rene bowed again despite her telling him not to, "with all due respect."

The nurse nodded and tried to give her best encouraging smile as she turned to pack up the things they'd brought while Georgiana spoke with him.

The lady of the house watched her slave closely as he responded, taking in the words and their meaning. It upset her that he had been so neglected and poorly fed. "Very well, that's fine," she said as she grabbed the bowl off the table. Moving closer to the others, she gave it to the maid once she'd finished her work at his ankles. "I won't be needing that bread after all," she reminded her with a glower. The maid paled a bit before blushing and glancing between her employer and the man.
"Forgive me, lady," she whispered, backing away with a bowed head for her embarrassment about forgetting something requested of her.

"I know it is not entirely my business, ma'am, but I would advise you to keep him off of his feet as much as possible. He needs to heal and-"
"I am aware of that. Thank you," Georgiana cut her off. The nurse smiled at him apologetically as she'd given her best shot and quietly made her way to the door.
"Is there anything else you desire?" the maid asked softly, hoping she would not hold a grudge.
"No. You may both go. Thank you for your work." The ladies nodded and left without another word.

Once they were gone Georgiana breathed a heavy sigh of relief before she turned to face the slave as she lifted the collar a bit in indication. "You will wear this out of this room only until it is properly broken in. Then you will wear it at all times. One day I will get you something more...stylish." She reached out to place it around his neck to check that the fit wasn't too tight but it was removed just as quickly.

"I think this will work," she continued. "Tomorrow or the next day I will take you to get some proper clothing and jewelry, if you would wear it without complaint. I saw your ear piercings.

"You are not here to be punished," she said, glancing to the mark upon his cheek. "So long as you behave reasonably. You are here to dance for the most part and you will be provided with everything you need to do that well: Food, rest, outfits, and perhaps a few small luxuries as reward. Do you understand?"

Rene had been distracted by the women's leaving and did not notice his Mistress approaching with the dreaded collar until she was checking its fitting. His eyes bugged out as he made a strangled squeak. A heavy sigh escaped him as it was removed just as quickly though. He had not even realized that he had been holding his breath until the sound escaped him.

As much as he was beginning to think he would despise the collar and fear the mark it would leave, he could not help trying to avoid the situation entirely by resorting to his defense mechanism of flirting and teasing.

With a teasing wink he replied, "I have more than just ear piercings, Mistress." Rene smirked playfully. "I understand you, Mistress. I understand."

A bit taken aback by his sudden shift in attitude, Georgiana tilted her head to the side as she tried to understand the meaning of his words. "What do you mean 'more than just ear piercings'?" she asked, entirely taking the bait.

Liking having her attention this way, Rene wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I mean exactly what I said Mistress. I have more piercings other than just those found in my ears. My people take great pride in our body modifications, piercings being only one of the ways. I therefore have several. Would you care to see, Mistress?" he asked, already beginning to undo the ties at his waist.

"More piercings," she echoed, trying to remember if she'd seen anything else on his body. With the filth he'd been covered in earlier, though, she was sure it could have concealed something from her. As he began fussing with his clothes her eyes widened and she took a step back to give him a bit of space. Her gaze wandered down his body slowly and warily as she swallowed tightly. "I suppose it's only right for me to know," she justified, the slight color coming to her face unknown to her.

To be honest, Rene was feeling a bit put out. It was not in the least the type of reaction he was looking for from her. The Maoin knew that the majority of the mainland countries tended to not be as accepting and open when it came to sexuality as those from Thanatos.

He sighed softly, resolving to work with what he had so far. A blush was certainly a start. Perhaps he could even manage to get more out of her. Now that was a pleasing thought. Rene resolved to give his Mistress a bit of a show to start since she seemed so interested in making sure her purchase was in top condition.

Schooling his features into the mask he used while performing, Rene began to sway himself slightly side to side as if listening to a beat only he could hear. He slid his arms down over his front to cross at his stomach and grip the opposite ends of his tunic bottom. He inched each side up a bit at a time before pulling it completely over his head. For a few moments he began to use it much like he would one of his scarves before releasing it to the bed.

Once more he allowed his hands to come to rest on his chest, this time running slowly down his torso to rest at last on his pants' ties. Teasingly he tugged them out of the knot he had tied them into, glancing up through his lashes to see how his audience was handling it before letting the pants slip down his hips and thighs so he could dance-step out of them completely.

Raising his hands out to the sides, palms up, Rene smiled cheekily. "As you can see I also am capable of wearing adornments below the waist, Mistress."

It took her quite a while to catch on to what he was doing exactly and by then it was too late to really stop him. She had no idea why he would want to put on a show of it. Perhaps he was stubborn or mocking her, but she had to admit that he was succeeding in distracting her. It came entirely as a surprise to her, though, when he didn't stop at his shirt.

When she felt his eyes upon her she looked away as if to politely let him reveal the area he was so eager to show her. It was difficult for her to keep her eyes from wandering back to him, though, as he was right in front of her and she was stubborn and wouldn't move just yet. As he removed his pants completely though and stood naked save for his bandages, Georgiana's cheek immediately took a scarlet color. "What are you doing?!" she squeaked in surprise, clearing her throat as she struggled to keep her gaze averted in modesty as she finally took a couple of steps away from him.

In her few quick glances she could find no indication of his announcement to her. She thought, perhaps, that he was trying to indicate that his skin was a blank canvas save for his ears. "I...don't understand what you mean by that," she admitted, hoping she sounded stronger than she really did. It was a real struggle for her not to further acknowledge his nakedness or how it bothered her by asking him to cover up.

"Why here of course, Mistress," he stated, hiding his chuckle as he splayed his hands just under his belly. "I feared infection so was forced to remove those crude pieces but I'm sure you can use your imagination. If you look closely you can see the hole where it's meant to be.

Rene was far more pleased now by her reaction than he had been earlier. None of it had escaped him. Rosy cheeks and downcast eyes, yes even underfed, battered, and imprisoned, he still had his gifts and charms. Given a bit of rest and good food it would not be long before he could just charm his way right out of her life and on his way back home.

'You wanted me to dance and so I dance. Yet, I don't think that's what you wanted at all, now is it Georgiana?'

Though his words lured her to look at him again, she stubbornly kept her eyes trained upon his waist even as he indicated a bit lower. "Just... Tell me. I don't wish to see it anymore," she said hurriedly. Finally breaking free of her frozen state, she stepped around him to snatch up the shirt he'd dropped on the bed.

Turning quickly, she thrust the shirt out towards him to hide his front from her sight. Georgiana had seen naked men before, and she was no virgin, but there was something about his confidence in it that disturbed her. "You've fulfilled your...duty now," she conceded, thinking the words enough to stop his teasing.

Rene chuckled softly, feeling that he had won this round in a landslide. "My bellybutton, Mistress. I have an additional piercing there," he sighed, giving up on his game for now. It had served his purpose and now he went back to slipping into the proffered shirt.

His movements were still though at the last words he heard coming from her mouth. Wide-eyed, with arms akimbo and his head barely through the proper hole, the slave stared in awe at the red-haired demon before him.

"I'm free? I can go now?" the soft voice asked.

Of course. It made more sense as she thought about it. She found it easier to relax again as he took the shirt, though her cheeks were fading at a much slower pace. His questions, though, immediately chilled what small bit of charmed warmth she'd gained for him.

At first she stared at him blankly, unsure if he was entirely serious. She figured he had no idea the great sum of money that had been paid for him. Surely he didn't think one little dance for her privately would be enough, right? She locked eyes with him, studying the look he was giving her. His lack of more words beyond it made his meaning apparent to her, and she sighed heavily as she shook her head.

"No. You will still stay here and you are still mine. I'll need you to stay until you've at least earned with me what we paid for you. I will properly release you from service when the time comes. And I will make myself very clear at that point that that is what is happening," she explained, her shoulders stiff as she braced for him to lash out at her.

If you even cooperate with me enough to succeed, she thought, sure there was a good chance he would be too abrasive to work with her on that.

All laughter and joy drained from his face in that single moment. With the ease of a practiced performer, Rene threw up a stoic mask to hide his disappointment and heartbreak as he straightened his tunic and bowed to reach for his pants.

"Thank you, Mistress," he whispered, all the while cursing his stupidity.

'How could I let my hopes get so foolishly high so quickly? I knew better than to trust that she-demon. Her and her dirty tricks, making believe that I could be accepted. No, Rene you must never forget who you are, where you come from, and that you're going to be going home and leaving all these demons behind all in good time. You will survive. Just hang on.

She was pleased that he wasn't getting upset over it. His quiet acknowledgement left her feeling as though she was once again in control of the situation. Sighing and adjusting the collar and leash in her hand, Georgiana gave him some space as he retrieved the pants she'd lent him. "In good time," she reminded him, brushing her free hand along her skirts to fill the space.

"Well, I think this has been enough excitement for one day. You may rest now. I will come for you in the morning." And with that she was turning and heading for the door. Once she was out she locked the door behind her with an odd, weighty feeling on her shoulders about this new person in her home. Heading downstairs, she dreaded the overly curious pair she knew would be waiting for her.

"Good night, Mistress," he called softly after her, waiting for her complete departure. The sound of the key turning in the lock though was like an executioner's drum resounding by his head. He felt hollow and forlorn inside.

Rene knew it would be better for him if he curled up and got some rest yet his heart was heavy and he wanted so desperately to just leave here and go home to his lovely lady Lorelei. How he missed her so. What would she even think of him if she knew the mess he was in? He hoped that she could forgive him all this. He hoped that she would still love him.

With a heavy heart and a pained sigh, the slave cast one last hate-filled glare towards the locked door before pulling down the pillows and some blankets off the bed to make a nest on the floor beside it. He was not about to get in trouble for sleeping in the bed, nor was he going to allow himself to forget who and what he really was to these people. He was a puppet, a slave, an animal meant for entertainment. He was not going to let them disillusion him into forgetting again. For now though he would sleep and in the morn, he would begin his plans for escaping this hellhole.

Her meal was mostly spent in bitterness as Samuel lectured both her and her sister. It mostly concerned his embarrassment earlier. "If this is your idea of an anniversary, Sam, you are a very sad man," Georgiana told him pointedly, sending her sister into little giggles for calling him out. Surprised by her words, Sam stared at the two in silence for a long while before he came to the conclusion that he should have been picking his battles.

"Is he to your liking?" he asked, trying desperately to change the subject and distract her with his big gift today.
"I believe he will be. I'm confident he is Maoin, I just need him to come out of his shell. He seems to hate me...mostly."
"Why?"
"He wants to be free," she answered, shrugging. Sam chuckled darkly.
"I don't blame him. But you are the best person he could ever hope to complete his service with. Such a sweet, gentle soul."
"Yes, I know. Thank you, Sam." Natasha rolled her eyes at this, finding her sister's fiance gross in his continued and blatant groveling.

"What are you going to do with him?" the younger woman asked.
"Well, dance mostly. Entertain at our parties and outings. I think he'd be quite fun to dress up."
"He's so short and cute," Natasha encouraged, winking at Sam. He wasn't very happy hearing this, and Georgiana just shrugged and avoided acknowledging anything.
"He's certainly quite exotic. I do like his hair, though it's messy."
"You could always cut it," Sam suggested.
"Maybe, but I think I'll wait on that decision."

Once their meal was through she allowed Sam to walk her to her door but not a step further. There he awkwardly tried to talk his way into her bed, but she was having none of it. His expensive gift did not make up for his other shortcomings, and she didn't want to encourage him. After several minutes, though, he grew quite somber.

"Georgiana, I am very happy with you. I hope you know that," he said, reaching out to gently touch her arm. It didn't have the desired effect on her, though, and left her standing there stiffly waiting for him to just leave her alone.
"I am aware, Sam. I've told you before that I just don't think I'm ready yet."
"It would be best to move forward sooner rather than later, my love. For the sake of our children." Georgiana nodded, but his pressure wasn't helping her. "And it has been a very long time already. I feel like we're ready. I'm very happy with you, our families are happy with us together, and I want to continue making you happy."

It was soaking in, but she still knew she wasn't ready. She couldn't envision her life with him in that way. He was far too overbearing and she simply was not ready for all that he was. "I understand, Sam. You've given me a lot to think about," she replied, not wanting to hurt him after all the effort he'd put into her day. Luckily for her he was willing to let it go at that.
"If you change your mind about anything you know where to find me. Good night, dear," he bid her, letting his hand slide away as he turned and left her.

Georgiana retreated to her room. She was tired and unhappy. She felt cornered by Sam once again and she didn't have it in her to tell him that she wasn't going to fit into what he wanted. As she drifted to sleep, though, she thought on what he'd said, that he was still waiting and ready to move on with his life. He wanted everything she didn't want with him and more. It was unsettling, but she knew something would have to give eventually. For this, she slept restlessly.

Oblivious to the conversation going on downstairs about him, the slave slept fitfully. His dreams were filled with memories and horrors that twined together to form the worst kinds of nightmares, ones that were so realistic that the dreamer awoke frightened and unknowing what was reality and what was not anymore.

He saw himself returning home, beaten and broken to friends and family that scorned him, blamed him, cursed him for consorting with the red-haired demoness. They spat at him and struck out at him, forcing him away, casting him aside for his sin. Sweet Lorelei and gentle Sor stood at the front of the angry mob, being his loudest and most cruel of his discreditors.

Rene woke feeling as if he were drowning and unable to breathe with tears flooding his eyes. Dawn was on the horizon but even as he went to stand before his window there was no warmth that could heal his disquieted soul. He prayed to Inima that his nightmares would not come to pass, for he would rather spend an entire lifetime suffering under the cruel hand of Ververes than to be rejected by those he loved.

"In the Goddess' name I pray."

As Georgiana went about her morning routine she wondered how long she could truly hold off Sam. Surely the time would pass where her own family wouldn't tolerate her stalling any longer. She knew she would dread that day. Sam was good to her but he was also very, very far from perfect in his treatment of her. He did not see her as his equal but as a means to gain for himself. For her it all just didn't feel right to go down that road with him.

For many years she'd thought she wasn't ready, that she had growing up to do still. In the past several years she'd finally been able to recognize what feelings he had for him as a close friendship and nothing more.

Her servants already sent to prepare a carriage, Georgiana gathered what few items she would be bringing along before she exited her room. She was pleased to see a small tray beside her door with the bread and waterskin she'd asked for. Taking them upstairs she finally went upstairs to retrieve him.

Turning the lock in the door she was half expecting him to be gone if he'd found some hole in her plan. "Good morning," she greeted as she entered, quickly shutting the door behind her. "I have some bread and water for you, if you're hungry or thirsty. Can you be ready to go in a couple of minutes?" she asked, having no idea what else she expected of him than to say yes.

The opening of the door caused the slave to turn to greet his visitor. Reservedly, Rene offered a half-bow to the woman. "Good morning, Mistress. Thank you for your generosity," he added as he moved to take the tray from her and place it on the table.

He smiled with his back to her at her tentative question. He could think of several responses and most of them were sure to begin another round of making her blush. Rene however chose one of the tamer ones, not wishing to get himself into hot water quite so quickly or so early in the day.

"Well Mistress, what did you have in mind?" A caddish smirk and quick wink followed his statement. "I can of course be ready when my Mistress wishes but some things are easier to be prepared for than others, namely those with," his brows wiggled suggestively, "those with fewer clothes."

At first she didn't understand what he was getting at, but that smirk made her think on how he could have taken her question. She didn't have to think very much, though, as he led her straight to the answer, sending her face a nice touch of color. "I would prefer that you refrain from speaking that way in front of others. Your words could be misunderstood and be embarrassing for everyone," she said, hoping that a gentle reminder would be taken seriously. It was encouraging that he seemed in such high spirits compared to the previous day, no matter how suggestive he might be.

"I was thinking of taking you out today to at least get you into some clothes that fit," she said, glancing to the door. "Unless you have something better in mind."

"As you wish, Mistress," was the quick reply, although Rene had no intention of changing who and how he was, especially not for her. He took a sip of the water, feeling its soothing coolness work on his healing throat. Already after the stew last night and now this drink, it was beginning to feel better and he was very grateful for that. He would hate to learn that his ability to sing had been marred like the rest of his body.

"I am at my Mistress's disposal," Rene announced while picking up a bit of bread. "You would not like plans I came up with anyway....Mistress."

Georgiana raised a brow at his statement and wondered if he thought himself clever for saying such a thing. "And why is that?" she asked. "Are you actually some hardened criminal?" She doubted it from the look of him, but she knew one could never be entirely sure.

"Or do you think you can scare me by saying something like that?" she continued, pondering the possibility with a smug smile.

Rene snorted, nearly choking on his food. After coughing to regain his composure he shook his head. "Hardly. I am not pretender. I am exactly what your beloved paid for, a stolen entertainer from Thanatos. As for your other question, Mistress, there were no intentions behind my statements, only truth. As I've said, I'm no pretender."

He took another drink from the skin, before placing it back on the tray. Much of the food had been left untouched, as the man's anger had completely suppressed his appetite. "Is my attire acceptable to you Mistress for what you had in mind?"

To her it sounded like he was speaking to her with sarcasm again. Though his words seemed true enough, she really didn't like his attitude at all. Nodding at his explanation, though, she figured it wasn't worth being petty over.

"Of course it is," she shrugged. "I merely meant for you to eat some breakfast before we leave. You would be useless to walk around all day in the sun without it." Georgiana stepped further into the room and it didn't take her long to realize what felt off about it. Staring at the blankets and pillows upon the floor brought a scowl to her face. "Did you sleep on the floor?" she snapped, turning angrily to face him again.

His eyes flashed and lips pursed in displeasure. What right did she have to get angry with him for sleeping where he chose? It was not like he had damaged anything or torn the place apart. He had not tried escaping as of the moment. Yet, there she was getting angry over something incredibly stupid, in his opinion.

"Yes, Georgiana," he growled, showing his displeasure at being questioned so angrily.

Crossing her arms defensively, she lifted her chin and refused to look away even as his expression soured further. "Well, I would prefer that you slept in bed. You don't just need sleep, you need rest and that is the best thing for you right now. Why would you even want to sleep on the floor?" she asked, confused about what was even remotely comfortable about it. Her stubbornness was making it difficult to see things in any other way.

"I understand my needs. I will see what I can do about appeasing you, Mistress," he returned, coolly. Rene knew he had every intention of sleeping on the floor whether she liked it or not. He just resolved that in the future he would not allow himself to get caught. He had already been awake before her. In the future he would just have to make the bed before she came in. It would not be hard to handle. Nor, he believed that it would be long he would be forced into doing it.

Today would be good for scouting the city and finding out possible hiding places and escape routes. Over a few days he could glean enough information to plan his actual escape from this place, to be on his way back home. He just needed to hang in long enough to succeed.

She wasn't entirely happy with his response but she decided to just leave it at that. "Good. Now come here. Come closer," she ordered, her voice much calmer now that she felt in control of the situation. Reaching around, she took the collar and leash out of her bag to have ready for him. She had no idea of his plans.

"Today is supposed to be a good day. You'll get new things to wear and have some time to practice. Maybe we'll get your hair cut shorter, too," she mused.

Rene took a tentative step forward before being beckoned closer, to which he obeyed. It was only when he caught sight of the collar and its leash. He froze in place giving it a dirty look. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with the offending contraption that he was positive was going to cause him further injury, especially in the hands of the cursed one.

The slave took a step back, hoping she would not force the issue. "My hair? You can't take that form me! That's my identity. It's part of what makes me Maoin. Isn't that what you want out of me? A perfect little puppet to look and act the part?" he spat out, practically vibrating with anger and fear.

As he took a step back Georgiana merely closed the space again and stepped forward, securing the collar around his neck as he protested. Making little adjustments here and there as he made his claim, she shrugged, secured the lock at his throat, and quickly attached the leash to the collar. "You're right, maybe I won't, but I do wish you'd quit with that. I don't want a puppet. I do want you to look good as a reflection of myself. I do want you to perform beautifully.

"However, I want to utilize your talents not force them into conformity. The only thing I will demand from you is your obedience with me and politeness with all in our company," she stated, turning to lead him towards the door.

The slave struggled and whined as much as he could to not be fitted with the collar yet it made no difference. In no time at all he was adorned with the cursed material and its attachable collar. "If you didn't want a puppet and wanted something normal," he growled, yanking on the collar, "then you shouldn't have bought a human being! Get this thing off me! Off! Off! Off!"

With each punctuated "off," Rene yanked harder and more desperately to remove the offending shackle. It disturbed him, reminding him too much of his time with Ververes and we he would be damned if he allowed this woman to abuse him in the same way.

His struggles only served to irritate her. "Stop that!" she hissed, turning sharply and trying to smack his hands away from his neck. "You're going to damage the leather pulling on it like that," she scolded. "And if you break it you're going to be sorry. I can promise you that."

Georgiana huffed angrily, pouting for his tantrum. "I don't know how many times I need to tell you, but I did not buy you." Though she knew her approval of his purchase was pretty much the same thing. "The more troubles you cause me the longer you'll be mine. Do you understand me?"

'That's what you think witch! I will be free of you soon enough. Just you wait!' Rene thought, glaring daggers at his Mistress and sneering. He was breathing heavily, on the verge of hyperventilating as he fought to not start clawing at the leather again.

"Please just take it off," came his request through gritted teeth. "Please, Mistress."

His request wasn't even considered. "Absolutely not. Calm down and please relax. It's a collar. It isn't going to hurt you and I'm not going to yank on you. Behave and you'll be fine," she repeated, irritated with him still.

"I told you before and I'll tell you again, Stubborn. You won't be leaving this room without me or without this collar and leash. Now, shall we go?"

"Do we have to?" Blue eyes began to fill with tears as the Thanati shifted his weight back and forth from foot to foot. His breathing had not settled at all and instead was getting more and more labored.

He could feel sweat beading his brow and the leather becoming tighter around his throat. "Just take. It. Off. Please, Mistress! I can't wear this. I just can't. It's too tight. I can't breathe," he bemoaned, already beginning to turn red in the face.

His desperation was getting on her nerves, but his claim that he couldn't breathe finally broke through her firm stance. "We are going to go out today, but I'll loosen it just a bit. It's going to take you longer to break it in that way," she complained, moving closer and making the necessary adjustment and relock the collar to leave it a bit looser but not loose enough to remove without unlocking it.

"Is that any better? Will you calm down now?" she asked, frustrated and feeling as though he was only doing it to defy her.

He squeezed his eyes shut and held still while Georgiana finally loosened the collar enough for his tensed muscles to expand and allow air through his windpipe. Still keeping his eyes closed and fists balled, Rene struggled to take slower, deep breaths.

A whispered, "thank you, Mistress," passed throw Rene's tight lips as a final tear slid down his hot cheek. Unconsciously he began to vigorously rub his bandaged wrists, had he had often down in his captivity while wearing the cruel manacles that had continuously sliced into his tender skin. "Thank you."

She nodded, watching him closely as he began to calm his breathing. Studying his face, she finally noticed the moisture there from his tears. "I'm sorry it was too tight," she apologized, unsure what else she could say about it as she moved to prompt him again. "I need you to come with me now. You can rest on the way into town."

"Yes, Mistress," came another soft whisper. Rene hung his head in shame. Panicking, crying, and failing to win had all humiliated him. The stress and pain of his ordeals left him feeling as exhausted and weak as a babe.

The idea of rest sounded better than he thought it would and so he nodded his head meekly to Georgiana. He stepped forward to stand at her side, ready to leave with her. No tricks. no games. For now he would work on getting himself physically better. Later he would work on escaping. He needed to do this one step at a time. It would not do to push it.

Pleased that he was finally cooperating with her, Georgiana didn't question his obedience now and walked him out of the room and downstairs. Opening the front door to the bright sun she was relieved to see the three-horse carriage waiting for them just beyond the front steps. The driver hopped down to open the door for them once he noticed them coming, and Georgiana headed inside first to get settled on one of the seats.

"You can sit wherever you'd like," she told him as she tried to decide if she was going to hold onto his leash along the way. On one hand it seemed a bit ridiculous, but on the other she knew she couldn't trust him yet.

Much like the shamed puppy dog he felt he was, Rene trailed behind Georgiana, hating the leash more and more with every second that passed. He continued onward with bowed head, not out of respect for his Mistress but to hide the tears that still threatened to fall from his eyes. She had already seen his pain. He could not afford to allow anyone else to see his weakness.

Once told he could sit anywhere, Rene made the decision to sit next to Georgiana. He had no intention of trying to escape until he was both in better health and had a better understanding of the city so being close to her was not a problem. It also meant that by sitting beside her he did not have to continuously look at her. He could just as easily turn to look out the window and not have to even see her from the corner of his eye. It was a perfect idea, as long as she did not take back her invitation, that is.

Surprised by his choice, Georgiana settled in and nodded to the driver who promptly shut the door and got them on their way. For a short while she was silent as she stared down at her lap where her hands rested and his leash was looped around her wrist. Finally she turned to look at him and stared thoughtfully at his collar. "I hope you'll come to see that I'm not a bad person," she told it. "I will not keep you in cruel conditions or mar you. Your success is my success.

"That being said, could I please know your real name? I don't want to call you Stubborn forever, unless that is what you're going to be with me."

Rene held his tongue, keeping his thoughts to himself. Her insecurities meant nothing to him and he did not quite trust her as of yet to not cause him harm. Being a slave meant a life of pain. He knew this and he was not about to believe otherwise for quite some time.

"Oh? But I was starting to like Stubborn. Seemed to suit me well enough. You don't like it?"

Her lip twitched and she took a slow, deep breath. She wasn't going to play another game with him. "Not really. It's a placeholder. I allow you to call me by my name, and I would like to be able to do the same with you," she insisted.

"Mmm," came the slave's musing response. Feeling drained and worn out he allowed his eyes to close and his head to rest on the back of the seat. He held his silence, uncaring of her opinion in that quiet moment as the carriage swayed his recovering body back and forth.

As easy as breathing though his name came out sounding like a prayer upon the wind. Feeling defeated by giving up his most precious self he finally let down one of the greatest walls around his soul. "Rene."

"Rene," she repeated, letting it sink in for a moment. It certainly was pretty, but it wasn't what she expected. She supposed it was better than having nothing at all. "Thank you, Rene. Is that your only name? Do you have a surname?" she pressed, wondering how much information he might share with her now.

Rene let out a heavy and aggravated sigh. "Is not knowing my name enough for you? Must you take more and more from me? You have my name, my freedom, and my body. How much more do you want? Would you leave me with nothing else to call my own? You say you want to treat me nicely and give me things but then I am slave and we truly have nothing of our own. Which is it?"

A despairing croak escaped his throat and he quickly fell silent once more, wishing he could curl in on himself and disappear. "What more do you want of me? How many other parts of me must be broken before I am exactly as you want? Am I not damaged enough, mind, body, and soul? Is it not enough? Is it Mistress?"

She was taken aback by the stance he was taking now and she almost regretted asking for more information. Listening to his troubles and questions, Georgiana frowned and turned her head to face forward instead where she stared at the floor of the carriage. It wasn't quite shame she was feeling but the emotion in his words were definitely affecting her.

"Whatever is bought for you will be yours to keep and you will be able to take it when you are released. Once you are gone I will not have any use for any of it. You are the only slave in my household anyway, and I'm not trying to break you or harm you. You can keep that information to yourself if it means so much to you. Rene will suffice," she said with a sigh, not wanting to engage in a conversation about feeling trapped. She understood that it must be dehumanizing to wear the collar and leash, but she wasn't currently comfortable exploring other alternatives.

"If that is your wish, Mistress then so be it," he tiredly replied. Rene did not care about possessions. All he wanted was his freedom and his dignity. Both had already been stolen from him, without them he believe he was nothing but a weary, empty shell of a man.

He curled his feet up under him and to the side before turning his body slightly to tuck into the corner of the carriage, facing Georgiana. His eyes remained closed as he let himself be rocked about like a babe in a cradle. "Is it far, Mistress, to where we are going?"

Georgiana wasn't quite sure what to think of him now. He flipped so quickly from calm to distress and back again. When she noticed his movements she scooted towards the opposite side of the carriage to allow him more room. "I don't consider it to be far. Just further inside the city than we were yesterday. We probably have another half hour if you'd like to sleep."

She fell silent in thought for a moment, glancing to him a few times. "Is there anything that would make you feel more comfortable in your time here?"

The slave made no move to speak or acknowledge her question. He feared another outburst that had no energy for right now. Rene wished he could sleep a thousand years only to awake back home and far away from the curse of his enslavement. But, wishes were like stars in the sky, too numerous to count and too far to ever touch.

"There is nothing you can give me that would change my views, Mistress. What I desire is no longer mine to take back."

The lack of a real answer was uncomfortable for her, but she didn't want to fight him for it. "I don't wish to change your views," she muttered, a tense frown stuck to her now. "But you don't have to say anything, that's fine." You will just get nothing more from me than I intend to give, she acknowledged to herself.

Having nothing more to say, she remained quiet and still as she stared off at the fields they passed by.

Rene nodded his head, not really listening as he came closer and closer to falling asleep. His nightmares from before while keeping him locked in sleep had not allowed him the peace of mind to actually rest. His body now demanded what had been denied it and was quickly dragging him down into peaceful darkness.

In no time at all he was fast asleep. He shifted about some to get more comfortable, accidentally coming to curl up against Georgiana's side. A bump in the road sent his head sliding off the back of the seat right onto her shoulder. Like a kitten he snuggled in close and breathed a soft sigh of contentment.

Swept up in her thoughts of what she hoped to accomplish today, Georgiana was firmly entrenched in silence and had all but forgotten about him beside her. As he came to rest against her, though, she tensed considerably and eyed him in her confusion. It was strange for her to be so close with someone in such a place.

She tried to squish herself into the corner but the bump that jostled them and left his head resting upon her shoulder had her feeling trapped. The snuggling confused her and thoroughly convinced her that he was asleep. It was an odd place to be, but she thought he must have been very tired to fall asleep so close to someone he must hate. "This is the extra you get, then," she whispered, more for herself than anything. While she wasn't thrilled to be used as a pillow she was willing to let him rest for what remained of their trip.

Oblivious to his surroundings, Rene continued to snuggle gently into his Mistress's side. In contrast to his nightmares of the night before he was dreaming pleasantly. Lorelei was sitting on the beach at dawn waiting for him like she always did after one of his nights of working. They would sit there eating plantains and talking about their future together.

In the dream she was telling him about wanting to have children and what they might name him. It caused a smile to form on his lips in the real world and to nuzzle Georgiana with his cheek. "I'd like that, Lorelei," her mumbled under his breath. "Like that a lot."

Tolerating him, Georgiana allowed herself to drift back to her silent planning. The side he was resting against gradually felt warmer to her, but other than that and feeling like a bed replacement she had no complaints. The nuzzling was an odd touch of intimacy to her, but it was clear to her that he was having a dream when he spoke. She wasn't sure who Lorelei was, but the name definitely caught her interest. Stashing that bit of information away, though, she let him rest and was still until the carriage slowed to a halt.

Even as her driver opened the door for them she sat there staring at him gently shaking her head. After giving Rene a few more moments, she slowly started to slip out from under his head. Using one hand to hold up his shoulder so he wouldn't fall, she carefully stood up and kept her head ducked for the roof. "Rene, we're here now," she spoke softly, not wanting to startle him awake.

He groaned hearing the voice calling out to him. In his mind he saw his beloved Lorelei's face hovering above his own as she tried to rouse him. Rene shook his head. "Not yet. So tired," he sighed, trying to curl up more on the seat.

"Please Lorelei I-" his eyes opened as he tried to look up into the face of his sweet angel only to be confronted with that of a demon. His jaw clicked shut with a resounded snap moments before he settled himself in the seat properly. Rene's whole face was a mask of stoic indifference, hiding away his vulnerability in the face of his owner.

"After you, Mistress," he offered in somewhat colder tones than he had wanted. The shock of waking up though and remembering his reality had left him shaken and feeling emotionally raw. He did not want anyone to see that kind of weakness in him, least of all Georgiana.

When he didn't respond immediately she looked to her driver who only offered her a shrug as he stepped away from the door. Rolling her eyes she faced her slave again and gently shook his shoulder. "Rene!" she called. "Rene, wake up!" There was that name again. She certainly wouldn't be the one to mention it just yet, but it was obvious to her that Lorelei was someone important to him.

As soon as he was awake she let her hand fall from his shoulder. The tone he took with her had her raising a brow. After what she'd done for the sake of his comfort she thought she deserved a bit better from him than that, even though he had no way of really knowing it. She decided it would probably be best if she refrained from telling him anyway, to save them both the awkwardness.

Shaking her head, she moved away from him and stepped out into the light. "We're going to start with jewelry," she announced. "Since you can wear it immediately. I want to see how a few things look on you, but I might have to commission the things that I want to get for you."

Rene exited the carriage quickly after Georgiana, partly because he just wanted to get this over with and partly because he was still not trusting her with that leash in her hands. He felt so entirely humiliated by the whole situation, that he would have to go out in public not only wearing a collar but a leash too. To be dragged around like an animal was like the ultimate disgrace for him. Not even the beatings he had endured at the hands of Ververes had been as degrading as being lead around by the red-haired demon spawn for all eyes to see.

"Understandable Mistress. Is there anything in particular you had in mind?" He could already think of several horrible things she could force him into wearing and each one was worse than the its predecessor.

Georgiana looked to him curiously to study the ear she could see as she led him towards the markets. "Not really, no. I just want you to look good. I just want something...flashy. I'm sure you could make almost anything look good anyway. What kinds of things would you normally wear? Or what kinds of things would you wear if you had the money for them?" she asked.

"Flashy," he repeated, rolling his eyes some. Rene could understand wanting to catch attention but, he also understood the art of doing it. He would bet that she did not. Most people believed that to garner attention one had to be fully adorned from head to toe in extravagant garb. However, his mentor, Sor, had taught him otherwise.

'Less is more,' he had always said to Rene. It was about what the wearer chose to accent and not about how much they were wearing. Granted, Sor was certainly much better at following this practice than Rene. Yet the slave had his own style of combining both extravagance with accenting. He knew what would be best for him, but if he would get it solely depended on whether Georgiana understood the principles of the matter as well.

His lips pursed and his head whipped around to glare at her. "Before I was stolen from my own home Mistress I wore the finest and most expensive silks and imported fabrics money could buy. I was favored enough to be given many gifts of precious gems and jewels on top of the ones I had already bought and specially commissioned just for me by our city's finest craftsman as well as those abroad. So to answer your question Mistress, yes where I come from, I did have money, more than you in fact."

Muttering for his sudden attitude, Georgiana looked around them. It was too late to go for something discreet as it was clear that they'd already been spotted. She would not be seen disciplining him in public. She was a refined lady, dammit, and she would rather die than be seen putting her hands on him. "The finest money could buy, huh?" she hissed, tightening her hold on the leash. But then she relaxed considerably in her confidence.

"I don't believe you," she said simply, shrugging one shoulder as she threw her head up proudly with the smuggest look on her face. "Wealthy people don't get stolen, Rene," she said ignorantly, chastising him as if he were some child claiming to be rich as the king and chuckling to herself. "There's simply no such thing. And I bet you know nothing about these things that you claim you had.

"If you want your fine silks, precious gems, and expensive metals all you had to do was ask," she said with a smirk, glancing to him. "You'll find I am a very generous mistress.

"And besides, Mister Showoff," she dismissed, waving her free hand in her displeasure. "I only asked what you wore or what you desired to wear. I never asked you to gloat, but I'm glad you feel better for it now."

"With all due respect, Mistress," Rene hissed meaning anything but respect, "but who's the liar now? You cannot tell me that wealthy people are not stolen from their homes and held for ransom. Humans have their faults and greed is one of them. You cannot honestly think that I became a slave willingly. I do not believe you that much of a fool, Mistress.

"As for more knowledge, would you care to test or are you too afraid to find out I'm right. I was highly respected where I come from, one of the best in all of Suna, our mainland city. I am no fool and am well-versed not only in my trade but all that goes with it. I may be your slave but I do not wish your charity," he spat, his chest heavy with the passion of his anger.

Rene cared not for the attention they were gathering. After all he was accustomed to it and often sought it out back home. Here though he was just trying to prove a point. He may be a slave but he was a man first and he was damn sure he was not going to allow this spoiled brat to walk all over him by treating him as a dumb animal. While he may have stretched the truth of just how wealthy he was in comparison to her, he had not lied about any of the rest. Sor had taught him well in order to use attire as a weapon to conduct his business. Now it would be his shield against her tyranny.

She glowered at him as he continued to speak of the issue at hand. His tone and attitude were abrasive and her irritation was slowly building for all that he said. "I have never heard of such a thing with the people I know, so I really don't think it happens," she said, stubborn in her stance about kidnapping. "I don't think anyone becomes a slave willingly, no, but I think you certainly did something to deserve your enslavement.

"I see no proof of your wealth and I will refuse to believe anything of the sort until I see proof for myself. You have nothing to show me, and I have never heard of you before, if your name really is Rene. You must not be that respected if nobody speaks of you here." Georgiana was choosing to ignore the fact that they were such a long way from Thanatos and it wasn't really fair to compare his reputation here to his homeland. After a moment she continued.

"And you mistake my pride of ownership for charity, Rene," she hissed, glancing beyond him where she saw a pair of eyes staring at them. "Believe me, I stand to benefit just as much as you do. Now quit being so rude and behave," she demanded in a hushed, angry whisper.

"I don't think you know anything about the things you claim you do, but even giving me specifics will prove nothing," she remarked, growing a bit smug again. "For all I know you could have been a very snobby thief."

Rene could not believe his ears. He had never in all his life met anyone so unbelievably close-minded. She would not only not see reason but came up with every possible excuse she could to bury the truth in her own web of falsehoods and fairy tales.

For a moment he stood there in silence, eyes blazing with fury and disbelief. But, he could not help himself. She had gone too far. It was one thing to call him a liar but to outright insinuate that he was dishonorable and a thief, that he deserved the hell he had been through was too much.

A mighty howl of rage bellowed from his lips moments before the slave once more began to claw furiously at his collar, yanking on the leash and pulling her closer to him. "How dare you insinuate I deserve to be made a slave, to be beaten and bloodied, to be starved and denied sleep. Even an animal is treated better than I! You who are so set in her bigoted ways are too blind to see the truth staring you right in the face!

"My people do not believe in slavery, we abhor it! We would not sell our own, especially not a Maoin who is respected and desired. Only an outsider would commit such an atrocious crime against the Goddess. Just because you do not know something does not make it a lie! Do you know the herbs that a healer gives to ward off sickness? Or do you believe those too to be as poisonous as the lies the healer must be telling as you have no knowledge in them and therefore they must not work? What a fool you are!"

Yanking again on the leash, Rene raised a fist as if to strike his Mistress in anger before snarling instead and pushing her back away from him. He looked at her with pure disgust and hatred. "Keep your precious jewels and clothes to yourself Cursed One, I will gain no benefit from fraternizing with your devil-dealing."

She was stunned by his sudden rage and turned to watch his tantrum with complete embarrassment. This wasn't what she'd wanted at all but she knew she did not have anything close to control over the situation right now. Dragging him out of the middle of the street while he continued his tirade, she prayed nobody would recognize her like this.

He did have a point about healers, but she wasn't making the connection of its relevance to their situation. Startled as he yanked her closer again by the leash, Georgiana's stoney anger turned to alarm. As he raised his fist she genuinely grew fearful and was frozen as she had never in her life had a man come so close to hitting her. Wincing as he snarled and shoved her, she stumbled. This was it for her, this was her breaking point for the day. She would rather die than let a man, especially a slave and especially her slave put his hands on her.

"You are as much a bigot as you claim I am," she snapped, touching her shoulder instinctively with her free hand. "I am no fool and I have treated you better than some animal. You have privacy in my home. I would never be so inconsiderate as to starve you or deny your needs of water, sleep, or shelter either. And here you are just shitting all over your chances and your good fortune." Tears of anger welled up in her eyes. This was something she could never tell Sam about, and she had no idea how she could ever admit to her sister that such a thing had transpired, in public no less. "I have not beaten you, but I certainly won't hesitate to sell you off to someone who probably would if you don't stop this nonsense.

"The more you act out like this the less I want to help you, and you are doing nothing to shorten your length of service, either. In fact, you're only prolonging it with your little outbursts. You will either learn to be an absolute model of good behavior with me or instead of some months you will remain here for years or even your entire life simply because of your stubbornness. If that is what you desire then so be it. I am not cursed and I do not make deals with any devils, Rene, and if you ever suggest such a ridiculous thing again. Ever. I really mean it. If you ever say such a cruel thing to me again you can forget about your freedom. I will see to it that you never have it again."

"Would you not?" he persisted. "How then would you punish me from wrong-doings then if those are not the things you employ? Or perhaps you have far worse tortures than those I have already endured. This," Rene grappled with his collar again, "humiliation not enough for you? You have absolutely no idea what it is like to be forced to live this way. I tried to understand you at least, but there is nothing to see past the spoiled little doll all dressed but without the perfect toy she wanted. My freedom should not belong to another person to take or give away. Had you been in my position you might actually come to understand that!"

Furiously he yanked and pulled, twisting to try and loosen the leather about his throat in an act of spiteful defiance. Everything he had suffered up until this moment at others' hands and now at hers was boiling up to the biggest temper tantrum of his life.

Rene knew that if his mentor or worse yet, his beloved, were here to see him they would be horrified and ashamed to see what had become of him. His status was disgusting and his behavior, worse. Yet, pain, grief, and despair clouded his mind to these realizations, narrowing his thoughts to one detail. He had to get the collar off and it had to be done now.

The ultimate symbol of his enslavement was going to be removed one way or another he concluded. She would not remove it therefore he would have to be the one to do so. No longer caring about protocol, his former punishments, or even his own cultural upbringing, Rene was lashing out verbally and close to physically at everything that he felt was a threat to him.

"Get. This. Off. Me. NOW!" he howled once more, viciously pulling on collar and leash alike. "Inima help me if you don't!"

His outburst was completely out of hand now, at least for her. "I don't need to understand it," she protested through her teeth. Watching him throw his fit and holler as he clawed at his neck left her entirely disenchanted with continuing the trip any further.

"Fine!" she snapped at him, scowling. "I'll take it off you once we're home again. You have completely ruined this." Turning sharply, Georgiana marched back up the street where the carriage was parked, yanking on the leash viciously as she went and refusing to let him hold her back. "I hope you're happy with yourself because every day you give me trouble like this is a day closer to returning to whoever gave you those scars. I would find them -and I would find them-  and I would gladly pay them to take you back," she declared. "Since I treat you with such cruelty."

Rene stumbled, nearly falling to his knees as he was suddenly tugged in the opposite direction they had originally been moving in. A chocked breath escaped his throat as he finally stopped his attempts to remove the offending collar.

Her threats to return him kept him silent but he did not really believe that she would go through with it. He had been a gift to her from her own beloved. Rene doubted his return would go over well with the other male.

Yet, when they at last entered the carriage and he was seated across from her he could hold his tongue no longer. Just as he had in his youth, he had to have the last word. Glaring at her with fire in his azure eyes he sent off his last parting shot. "Well when you do sell me off Mistress, just make sure you ask the bastard what egregious crime I committed to earn the punishment of bondage.

The driver had been completely surprised to see them again so soon. One look at Georgiana up close, though, and seeing how angry she looked told him all that he needed to know for now.

Once settled inside the carriage again, Georgiana just glared at Rene as he opened his mouth and spoke out. Shaking her head and turning to look away from him, she refused to acknowledge that he'd spoken. As they got moving again she stared out the window and tried to ignore her unhappiness and the tense anger that remained towards him. She was struggling to understand why he'd acted that way, why he insisted upon embarrassing her like that.

Leaning her head against the inside wall, she decided upon silence for the rest of the trip and wondered if she should even disclose the disaster of an outing to Sam or Natasha. She just didn't understand how he could go from a nuzzling kitten to an enraged lion in nearly no time at all, sleeping or not. The thought of marking this as a failure saddened and stressed her, she was sure Sam would see it as weakness in her. Slumping forward a bit, she held her face in one hand as she let the other hand with the leash looped over her wrist dangle below. Studying her arm, she was worried that the red marks she saw now from his pulling on her might turn to bruises. Now that was something she wouldn't really be able to explain away.

He watched her cruelly from where he sat, plotting and planning his short future in her service. Rene was determined to be free of her, the sooner the better. He had had enough of this life and was ready to return to his old one.

It had not been wise on his part to goad her so. This he recognized and in part regretted. But, he would not suffer his pride in the face of her own. He was not going to let her accuse him of falsehoods. He was neither liar nor thief. Rene was not going to let himself be dishonored so deeply as to allow such atrocities be said of him.

He would be free of her, this he knew. It was just a matter of when.

Georgiana sat in stony silence for the remainder of the trip. By the time they'd arrived she'd made up her mind about him. Before they even stopped she moved closer to the door and opened it herself. Waiting for the right moment as they slowed, she stubbornly stepped down and out and was committed to dragging him out with her. The driver was confused, unsure what had transpired to have her so angry. "Should I...put this away, my lady?"
She muttered a short "Yes" as she hurried up the steps to get back inside. Once in, she made a beeline for the stairs and started climbing with a fiery determination.

Rene had not been expecting to be dragged out of the slowing carriage. As such, he stumbled out of it, missing the step and falling awkwardly and rather painfully into the dirt on his side. He paused to catch his breath but it was not to be had.

Georgiana continued onward without him, effectively chocking him lest he move to follow her immediately. Rene hurried to his feet once more in an attempted effort to follow. He was unable to keep his footing up the stone steps easily as she continued her brutal pace, uncaring whether he kept up or choked.

Uncaring for what was going on behind her and his stumbling along, Georgiana marched right up the four flights of stairs to take him back to his room. His appearance didn't matter to her now as she had it set in her mind what she would do with him now. Once they were inside and the door was shut she turned to unlock the collar and yank it off of him.

"There," she snapped at him, taking care to fold it up as she glared at him. "I hope you're happy now."

"Immensely!" he spat at her, backing away form her as quickly as possible. Rene's confidence was dwindling fast. Now, away from neutral turf and back on her property he was getting the first pricklings of fear.

He realized now, although most likely too late that he had pushed Georgiana too far, too fast. On her terms, in her home he was quite literally her prisoner as he was her slave. He was hers to punish and now he was truly begin to believe that she would to put him in his place. Rene did not want to make that easy on her and was therefore determined to stay as far out of her reach as possible.

"Good, because you have embarrassed me, Rene, and I don't know that I can forgive you for that," she huffed, crossing her arms and standing her ground as he backed away from her.

"If you ever push me like that again you will not be spared physical punishment. It just won't be me doing it, but you will not get away with that ever again. Do you understand me?" she asked, her voice gradually raising as she thought back on the events leading up to it.

Rene could not believe his ears. He was not going to be punished for his actions. Stunned, he just stood there watching his Mistress with wide eyes and slacked jaw. It just could not be that good. She could not be saying that he would not be punished and yet, she most certainly was saying that.

He just could not believe his luck. 'Such a fool woman! Oh Inima how you smile down upon me. Thank you gracious Goddess for your support. By your grace it will not be long lest I am free of his banshee. Listen to her howl, you would think the sky was falling!'

"What was that Mistress?" the slave asked, realizing she had finished speaking. "I wasn't listening," he admitted, blushing.

At first she thought his question was a joke. There was no way he could not have been listening. Right?

Slowly, though, her surprise turned to anger. "You don't deserve the kindness I treat you with," she screeched, lunging forward grab him by his hair. "I know exactly what kind of person you are, Rene. You're lazy, you're a bully, and you have no sense at all! If you would just behave then your problems would be gone soon, but no! No, you have to cause me trouble, and embarrass me, and make an absolute, childish fool of yourself in public!"

She tightened her hold upon him. "I will not repeat what I said!" she declared, practically screaming at him now. "You will learn obedience, Rene, or you will have none of the comforts I provide you with, and you will be here for a very long, hard, and bruised time. Or with someone who will make sure you get the poor treatment you seem to beg for if you push me to the point of being disgusted with even seeing you. Don't think I won't do it!" Georgiana yanked his head back by his hair, tightening her hold further to the point of constantly pulling on it.

"Do I make myself clear? Do you understand me now?"

He back away as quickly as he could in surprise but was brought to a quick stop by the bed post behind him. Cornered, he was unable to flee as she latched onto his silken hair and gave it a mighty pull.

Rene reached back, trying to pry her hands away from his person yet her grip was too fierce. "You think I care what they think? I'm a slave on this Goddess-forsaken land! I will always be seen that way. But, when I'm free of all you and I go home, that'll be a different story."

A howl rose from his throat as she gripped him tighter, ripping his head back. "Yeah, yeah I understand you. I understand you're just as much a fool as I thought you," he growled, twisting and pulling his body about like a fish on a line. "Let go harpy!"

Her nostrils flared as he continued to insult her. "I. Am. Not. A. HARPY!" she screamed, pulling on him harder with her firmly-entrenched grip. "And the Goddess has not forsaken us! I don't care what you think!" she snapped. "You quit with your nonsense! I have had it with you today! Do not insult me! Especially in my own home you selfish, spoiled man-child!" It didn't even occur to her that she was doing just the opposite of what she demanded of him.

"I bet if I gave you no leeway you would behave!" she pondered angrily. "You seemed keen to obey when you hardly spoke a word. If you want to go back to that, to those ridiculous, horrible chains then so be it! You are not above me here, and you will not be going home until you have fulfilled your duty to me! So shut up about it! Unless I ask you, I don't want to know what you're going to do once you're free! If you continue to act like you have today it might be never!"

"You're not doing a very good job of proving your point," he mumbled to himself as she continued to screech in his ears. "Since when is it spoiled to want freedom? Is it not a basic human right?! Or are you mainlanders so foolish as to willingly give that up as well as everything else important in the name of progress and wealth?"

Letting his body go limp, Rene dropped like a rock to the floor, uncaring of the pain racing across his scalp from his hair being pulled in the opposite direction. "I have no duty to you! Do what you want with me but you will pay later for it. Inima always takes care of her own!"

Georgiana was furious, and his unwillingness to let her get her way only fueled her more. As he dropped away from her her arm was yank down sharply before she finally let go of him with a yelp. Holding her smarting wrist, she glared at him there upon the floor before she turned and rushed out the door without another word. Locking him inside, she fled to her room to cool off.

Rene laughed after her even as he rubbed at the pain in his head. He was going to have a severe headache for the next few hours, of that he was most certain. But, as long as her shrill voice was not shouting in his ears, he knew that it would not be as bad as it could be.

First order of business now that she was gone was blocking the door. He wanted at least some warning that she was coming back as well as delay her re-entry. Crawling to his feet, he hopped over to the two chairs in the room. Grabbing both he dragged them over to the door and propped them up to block the door for a while. It just would not do to have him getting caught in the midst of planning his escape.

After that he scooped up the remaining amount of bread from his morning meal, wrapped it in a pillowcase, and then placed it under the mattress to save for later. It was not like he would be sleeping there anyway. Rene was going to take as many precautions in terms of his survival as he could. Living with Ververes had taught him the value of every meal and making assurances that there would be a next.

He took a break to sip some more water while replacing the now empty bowl on the nightstand. It was a start but he needed to calm himself down more in order to think clearly. Rene had let his Mistress get the better of him and he had more than lost his temper. The wild animal approach while garnering him his peace for now, would most likely get him into trouble later down the line. He needed to meditate and the sooner the better.

Once more settling into the bed on the floor, Rene closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly and letting his mind go. He needed to relax and pray. Inima would know what to do. She would guide him as she had always done. He just had to keep his faith and he would be safe, he was sure of it.

Shutting herself up in her room, Georgiana threw the collar and leash to the floor in her spite, though how that would affect him was beyond her. Never in her life had she had witnessed someone so hellbent on such unruly behavior. How someone who claimed to be wealthy could lose all sense of propriety was beyond her. "If I was ever enslaved, as if such a ridiculous thing could ever happen to me, I would never ever never act like such an animal!" she told herself, though she seriously doubted she would ever find herself in such a situation since it hadn't happened yet.

"I would keep my dignity and I would keep my head," she told herself even though she had absolutely no experiences to base that way of thinking off of.

Settling herself on the edge of her bed, Georgiana examined her wrist with more angry tears welling up. There were several indents and red marks across her light skin, accenting them even more. She was sure there would be no discreet way of hiding such a thing from Sam or her sister, and it almost felt like a mark of shame and defeat. She saw it as her doing; her own slave should not have been allowed to do such a thing to her.

It slowly dawned on her that she had actually been doing something wrong. She came to the conclusion that she'd done too much too fast with him. It was clear that he had been pushed too far, though she didn't doubt he had quite a temper all on his own. "It might be worth it to give him some time to get settled," she thought aloud, though she was frustrated that she couldn't get what she wanted from him immediately. "And heal up. If he feels safe he'll have no reason not to trust you."

After giving those thoughts some time and serious pondering, she decided that that was exactly what she was going to do. She didn't have the energy nor the patience to fight him every step of the way, so she wouldn't do it. She would let him heal, let him eat, and let him rest, but she would be damned if she wouldn't get him to work with her instead of against her.

The following days passed rather uneventfully. Rene was not bothered with Georgiana's presence anymore although he could swear that from time to time he could hear her in the house. He always held his breath in those times hoping that once more she would just pass him by. Perhaps she would even come to forget all about him. What a blessing that would be.

In the meantime though he worked on healing up and recovering both his strength and his composure. After re-assessing his first day as a slave to Georgiana, Rene had come to realize that he had acted quite rashly. He certainly had not endeared himself to her and for that he could potentially have ruined his chances of her trusting him and thereby giving him too much freedom. He would have to work on that once she finally did remember him again.

For now though he flirted with the healer and the servant-girls when they came to see him. They were gentle and kind in their efforts as they redressed his bandages and changed his food bowl. Every day the bowl would be empty of the provided foods as he continued to stow the fresher things away and eat the day old food instead so that he would always have a fresh supply should the food stop coming. He also continued his habit of sleeping in his nest on the floor, although most days he was able to tidy it all up before any of the ladies entered his room.

He would have no ill reports of him to his Mistress if he could help it. This would show her that given kindness he in turn gave kindness and adhered to polite standards. Already she was proving better than Ververes though, making Rene itch to test her limits. He truly wanted to see if it was all an act and she was going to snap or if she truly was so naive. Only time would tell.

Her days transitioned back to a sense of normalcy fairly quickly. With no reports of Rene falling ill or escaping, she hardly had to think of him at all during that time. From what she had heard, though, it seemed he was being very polite and civil, something that came as a surprise to her. However, it did make her think that he was purposefully acting up with her.

After about a week of leaving him and letting him heal and rest up, though, Georgiana decided it was time to establish herself with him again. With collar and leash tucked into a pocket of her dress skirt, the noblewoman walked with a servant who had his breakfast for him. The girl had nothing but good things to say about her slave, so she had high hopes now for an improved attitude. Georgiana unlocked the door for her and watched her walk in, purposefully hanging back so she could see how he was now.

"Good morning, I hope you slept well," the girl greeted cheerfully. "There are some fruits for you today."

Unaware of his Mistress hanging back, Rene rose fluidly from his cross-legged position on the floor to greet the young woman entering his bedchamber. "Good morning Ms. Clara. My just look at you. I do say you get prettier and prettier every morning I see you."

He reached out with both hands to take the proffered food before placing it on the nightstand. "Oh my favorite! How did you know? Oh sweet Clara it's a wonder a dashing man hasn't swept you off you're feet yet! Perhaps I still have a chance yet," he flirted, winking playfully.

The young woman had a healthy blush to her cheeks for Rene's compliments, though she only nodded in happy acknowledgement of them to keep from saying something Georgiana might not want to hear from her. "Thank you," she'd said, nodding eagerly as she let him take the bowl from her.

"You always seem to eat all of your food!" she said playfully, still worried of saying anything about his chances lest her employer catch on to her affections and assign her to other duties away from the beautiful, flirtatious slave she was keeping locked away. "So I thought you must like it. I asked them to put some in for you," she tried to explain, quite flustered as he showered her in sweet words. "So I suppose I'll keep doing that," she finished, clearing her throat and wringing her hands on her skirts.

Georgiana, satisfied that he seemed quite stable, quietly stepped inside and eyed him curiously. "Which one is your favorite, Rene?" she asked calmly. Upon hearing her, Clara stepped back with a forlorn look as she smiled at him. She knew it was not her place to speak and carry on a conversation above Georgiana.

"What man would not eat all his food when it has been prepared by such a gracious and beautiful lady such as yourself?" he questioned back, happily moments before Georgiana entered the room. It was like a goose had walked over his grave. His muscles tensed and he stood straighter, his eyes guarded and face blank.

Effortlessly he swept into a low, straight-backed bow. "All of them are wonderful. Thank you for your generosity, Mistress," Rene stated formally in his quiet tone. "I know I am lucky to be given such good food given my place in your household. I find the dragonfruit especially pleasing. Thank you."

Surprised at his bow, Georgiana adopted a guarded expression as he praised her. She could feel the tension in the air just as she expected he could as well. "I'm glad that you like it," she said, noting his preference. "But it is not luck or generosity on your side. Clara," she interrupted herself, turning her head to look at the girl. "Please wait outside." The girl's eyes widened in surprise. She nodded in respect of Georgiana's wishes, though, and left to stand in the hall instead after casting Rene an encouraging smile.

Georgiana fully expected him to drop the act she believed he was carrying for the young girl. "We don't have to be so stiff around each other, you know," she remarked. "I feed you well because you are a person in this house despite my ownership. Even so, I can promise you you eat better than most of my servants and help. But... I've been thinking about you, Rene.

"Perhaps I was wrong to assume before that you would just...perform whenever it was asked of you. I don't know why you seem to only dislike me." This struck a sensitive part of her, the notion of being openly disliked. "But if this is how it's going to be I think I would rather keep you on as a companion instead. I can't force you to do anything, Rene, and I won't. You aren't a puppet. Perhaps...we can just talk or you can be an extra pair of eyes and ears for me.

"Either way, I think it would be best for us both to not have to deal with the headaches of relocating you elsewhere. Is that something you can do, that might interest you instead? Or shall I just cut my losses with you now?" she asked tiredly.

Rene wished that Clara had not been sent away. He feared what his Mistress had to say to him or worse what she wanted to do with him. Perhaps his friendliness with the servant girl had displeased her. The slave hoped that it would not result in too harsh a reprimand for the girl. It was his fault after all. She certainly did not deserve a chastising on his behalf.

He kept his manner the same, hoping that it would please his Mistress even as she spoke of her care for him despite ownership. Wisely, Rene held his tongue though, unwillingly to cause more trouble or further displease her. The fact that he was supposedly fed better than others in the house made him feel guilty. He almost revealed his stash of hidden food by looking at while wondering whether or not Clara was able to eat as well him. 'Perhaps,' he reasoned, 'the next time she is up here I will share with her. A slave should not have more than the hired help after all.'

"Companion, Mistress?" he finally questioned, his brow furrowed in confusion. At home with his profession that meant something very specific. Rene was not sure he liked the idea of sleeping with Georgiana, especially as she seemed to be tied to the man that had purchased him for her.

"I do not understand. You want me to sleep with you?"

His question, while honest enough, was embarrassing for her. She glanced to the door nervously, hoping she wouldn't hear any girlish giggles from Clara. The last thing she needed was false information getting out about the lady of the house. Gulping and suddenly feeling quite vulnerable, Georgiana stared at him and shook her head as she took a few deep breaths, an effort to calm her nerves.

"Rene," she said his name slowly, a distinct blush rising to her cheeks. "That isn't what I said. Think of it as... A friend?" She wasn't really sure how she should explain it to him, or what she should reveal to him. "I want to trust you. Really, I do. I just can't have you losing your temper with me in public. It's embarrassing and I can't have others seeing you that way.

"I need someone to spend time with. Someone other than my family and Sam. And most of my friends live so far away... It just seems practical to have someone right here instead of visiting so often. Does that make a bit more sense?" she asked.

He was just not getting the point she was trying to make. Staring at her warily, he licked his lips nervously and chewed on his lip as he pondered what she was asking, or rather what he believed she was asking of him.

"Mistress I can understand your desire to be with someone more familiar to you," he stated slowly and earnestly. "However, would your Sam not be concerned with my attentions to you? Do you not feel comfortable with him? Does he hurt you?" Rene asked worriedly, taking a tentative step towards Georgiana out of concern.

"Or is this just a matter of convenience? I would understand if that is all," he continued with bowed head and sinking heart. He did not fancy the idea of becoming a pleasure slave.

Assuming that he understood her, Georgiana shook her head. "Not convenience, no. My servants have nothing but good things to say about you," she tried to explain, wringing her hands nervously. "And I thought that maybe we've just been misunderstanding each other.

"Sam would not be concerned, no. At least, he should not be. He understands that I wish to spend my time differently than he does. Truthfully... I don't always feel comfortable around him. He's a bit of an aggressive personality, but he hasn't hurt me. I just...don't wish to spend my time with him," she tried to explain, not wanting to bore him with details.

"I'd like to start over. With you. If you're willing to try, of course. The girls say that you are very kind and friendly with them... Is there something you dislike so much about me? Would you not be willing to act that way around me?"

It shocked him that Sam was not concerned with what she was suggesting. Yet, he did have to remind himself that he was purchased by the other man for Georgiana and therefore it must have been known what his purpose would be. 'He wishes to spend his time differently? Is that to say he prefers the company of others? Does that company include men as well? Poor Georgiana, to be betrothed to one who sins so deeply, she must be really hurting.'

"Start over," he repeated slowly, letting the idea bounce around in his head. 'She wants to be courted like my clients on the island. The least I can do is be honest with her. She is no different than the other women I have worked with. Perhaps after some companionship she will free me quickly for service rendered.'

"May I speak freely, Mistress?"

His lack of many words had her wondering if he really wasn't going to be cooperative about it. It had her feeling vulnerable, to be asking a man for a favor, and a slave at that, and not receiving the immediate response she desired.

Confused about what he might possibly have to say, Georgiana sighed and hung her head thinking that he wanted to let her down gently. "Yes, Rene," she answered wearily.

"Honestly Mistress it is not a matter of disliking your person. You are quite a beautiful and wholesome woman in every way. From what I have heard you are also quite sweet. I know now from having lived here for a few days that you are also generous and caring. My only reservation is my unfortunate status. Your assurances have been numerous and magnanimous. Yet, I do confuse confusion. I had no other master before Ververes. It was he that trained for lack of a better word in such fine company, into submission. To go from cruelty to kindness, I reacted much as the kicked dog does when offered a handful of food; I bit down hard."

Rene looked ashamed of himself and bowed lowly, feeling flustered. "I ask your forgiveness Mistress. I find myself at a loss in this strange world away from all that I have known. I think now though I understand what you desire of me, the same services that I provided in my homeland. If my talents are what you wish, then I can try my best to meet your expectations Mistress," he murmured hopefully, praying that he at last understood and that the Goddess was once more on his side.

His explanation sounded well-planned to her, but honest. It at least served to clear up her confusion about his behavior and gave her hopes that he might be capable of acting "normal" after all. She didn't understand how he could see her world as strange, but she was willing to let it go as his apology had been much more than she had ever expected to get from him.

"I forgive you," she stated simply, breathing a sigh of relief. "And really, if you earn my trust, you won't have to worry about your status for long.

"I'm not going to ask you to work yourself to death. That isn't me and that isn't my style. I just want obedience and more than anything I would just like to be able to relax in your presence," she told him. "But if you understand...then I hope we can have a better relationship now." She paused, wondering exactly what he meant. "What...talents do you have anyway?"

He kept to himself that as long as he was in her employ he would be concerned about his status. Slaves could not forget their place. Unless she freed him which he doubted she ever would, he would forever worry.

Shifting uncomfortably to assume a more relaxed posture that had always set his clients at ease, Rene began to list some of his accomplishments. "As a Maoin I am trained in the arts of entertainment. This includes dance and music. I am also a bit of an artist," he informed her with a shy shrug. "I am told that I am rather good at holding my own in a conversation and also have a magic touch as it were with the ladies."

Bowing low with respect before rising to stand perfectly straight with his hands behind his back, Rene addressed Georgiana formally. "I am at your disposal Mistress should you but need my services."

Watching him as he spoke, Georgiana found herself taking a step closer to him. If she was going to close this gap she was going to have to do it slowly. "So you would dance? If I asked it of you?" she wondered, thinking him not quite fully at her disposal, at least so far as he had proved in her presence.

"You say you're at my disposal...but I don't want to put any faith in you again if you're just going to burn me," she admitted, shaking her head a bit. "So please, if that's going to be the case, be honest with me so we can work something else out."

Rene eyed her warily now that she was closer. She was not the only one lacking faith in this moment. "Truthfully, Mistress I would do whatever you asked of me. If you wanted me to dance, I would. As another human being though I would like more than an instant demand of it. Being prepared makes a better performance than dancing like a monkey on a box. I no more wish to humiliate you, than I do myself. I would do my people a disservice if I allowed my behavior to represent us all."

The slave held his ground firmly, choosing to selectively forget their moment in the market earlier in the week. If it was anyone's fault though it would have to be hers. She was the one who had insisted on dragging him around like a puppy after all. Not even sweet, respectful Sor who smiled in the faces of his foulest critics would have been able to stand such debasement. Rene buried the twinges of guilt that questioned whether that was really as true as he kept insisting it was.

She flushed a bit at the thought of ever demanding such a thing of him instantly. It made her cringe, to think of the comparison to an animal, and she knew she did not have it in her to treat him that way. His comment about humiliation, though, made her frown. She wasn't going to taunt him, but she wouldn't be forgetting the way he had lashed out at her anytime soon.

"I will respect your art, Rene. But.. If you will truly do whatever is asked of you, will you quietly wear your collar?" she wondered, staring at him with a firm look of challenge in her eyes. "Or are we going to fight about it forever?"

"Thank you, Mistress," he replied genuinely grateful towards her. That feeling of relief though was quickly staunched along with his heartbeat at the sound of her questions. Unconsciously his came in front of him where they rubbed nervously against the now healed scars upon his wrists.

He did not like for one second the idea of being chained up like an animal. Yet, after taking a deep wholesome breath and letting it out slowly he was able to wrap his mind around the idea that it would be just like wearing another costume for a performance. This whole experience was just another elaborate performance. If he could pull it off it could be his greatest accomplishment.

"I will behave while wearing the collar, Mistress," at last came his demure reply. "However, might I make a small request?"

She was tense as she waited for his answer, but even when she got it it didn't seem as satisfying as she'd hoped it to be. It felt like such an empty victory, somehow. He would really need to prove it before she would be willing to believe him, and that would require trust and giving him a chance. "You may make it, but I might not agree to it," she reminded him, though she was plenty curious what he wanted.

Rene nodded lightly, feeling himself stumble over his words despite his years of extensive training in the art and ease of conversation. "I understand now that you do not trust me but, possibly when you do could we forgo the," he paused, swallowing drying, "the leash," he half-hissed, half-whispered.

"I can understand your lack of trust in me now as well as a desire during a performance or showing me at some event or something but," Rene trailed off to look up at Georgiana with his tear-filled eyes. "I can take the collar and bear that humiliation but the other part." He shook his head mournfully. "Please Mistress, I beg you to find it in your heart once you trust me to forgo that. I am made enough of an animal as it is without it."

The vulnerability he was displaying to her now startled her. It made her uncomfortable to think she was solely responsible for his discomfort surrounding it and the weakness he was showing her now. "Perhaps." She spoke the word slowly and with uncertainty, not wanting to make any promises she could not keep, especially on their first day of seemingly good communication.

"I don't mean to make you an animal at all, Rene. I want this to be a positive experience. I really do. But... Well, why don't you just keep that in mind and ask me again when you think we have enough trust here? I need to think on it... There will need to be some alternative in place regardless if that's going to happen and I need time to think about what that might be.

"However, I can see that, yes. So long as you're behaving well and we have another system in place for you." To her, brands were barbaric and cruel. She didn't want such a thing for him, it would have to be much better than that in her eyes.

"I understand, Mistress. I will be patient wait for your decision. Whatever alternative you think of, is best." His eyes were downcast as he said it and in an even quieter voice he added a nervous, "I hope." He did not much like the idea of what an alternative method could mean. Rene only hoped that it did not mean something even more degrading that what he was already being expected to endure.

Looking about to try and find something different to talk about, the slave's eyes came to rest on his forgotten bowl of breakfast. "Forgive me, Mistress, have you eaten? I would hate to keep you. I'm sure you're quite busy. I do not wish to trouble you further."

Georgiana watched him quietly, a bit disturbed at this raw side of him that seemed so vulnerable to her. It was strange for her to see such a thing in a person as she was used to that kind of behavior in her sister and fiance only before him. Thankful that he was choosing to change the subject, though, she forced a small smile and shrugged. "I knew she was bringing you your breakfast, Rene, don't worry. I intend for you to accompany me today, so I'll be staying here until you've finished with your fruit," she explained, looking to the corner and wondering if he ate at the chairs, the bed, or sat on the floor like she'd seen him before.

"I haven't eaten, no. But it's nothing to worry about. I generally don't eat this early in the day," she lied, not wanting to delay the day more than she already had. "Would you go to the markets with me willingly to get you some things? Or would that be a waste of my time again? I can always have my seamstress come pay you a visit, but... Either way you need clothes that fit."

Rene shifted uncomfortably. Had Georgiana been anyone else but his owner, he would have urged her to eat. Feeling conflicted about whether he was crossing their freshly laid line or not, he resolved to hold his tongue and yet felt even worse for doing so. She wanted them to be comfortable with each other and yet the relationship between master and slave also had to remain. He just did not know what to do about it or how to view it. He prayed that he would not have to endure it long enough to really know.

Her other question though sent a flash of vulnerable uncertainty crying out from his glassy eyes before he was able to once more lock it away and throw on one of his many masks. "Whatever is your desire I shall obey, Mistress," Rene told her confidently, abandoning his demure act that had gotten him in trouble several days prior.

The lack of sarcasm or snarky tone gave her pause to seriously consider him. It seemed for now that his attitude about her had completely changed, which only made her wonder why he had snapped at her so terribly the previous week. If he was capable of doing that, of feeling like some trapped animal and lashing out at her, she wondered if it would really be wise to venture out again with nothing to protect her from him. At the same time, though, she didn't want to just not acknowledge that he was her slave for now. She had to assert herself, if gently, and she couldn't let him walk all over her like that again. She also couldn't live with him around and schedule her life around his moods. But, she had confidence that he was changed and that he would obey and behave for now at least. It was the later she was uncertain about.

"Good. Thank you, Rene," she answered simply before gesturing to the bowl. "Now please eat. If you're hungry, that is." After eyeing the fruit for a moment she stepped around him to go sit on the edge of the bed. Gently running her hand along the top of the blanket, she asked, "How is your room? Are you comfortable here? Is there...anything you want that you don't already have?"

His eyes widened in slight horror at seeing Georgiana seat herself upon his bed. He could only image how squished his day-old bread was getting under her rear. He acknowledged her quickly while flitting about towards the nightstand where he snatched up a piece of fruit, nervously.

He did not partake of it though as he was still feeling unsure as to whether or not he should be standing or sitting in her presence while he was eating. In the past he had enjoyed his meals in his nest on the floor or by the window. Rene did not wish to be seen as a heathen for standing, nor insulting for sitting in her presence.

"Are you uh, comfortable there Mistress? You could join me if you wished," he offered weakly, sweeping his hand out to bring attention to the room's two chairs.

Unaware of his distress, Georgiana tensely observed his odd behavior. She thought that it might have been a cultural difference, that she had done something he was perhaps not accustomed to. It was easy for her to notice that he wasn't answering her questions. Raising a brow suspiciously at his offer, the noblewoman wondered why he was changing the subject.

Feeling awkward that she had already taken a seat, she stared at the chairs for a moment in silence and contemplated how odd and disorganized she might seem for simply switching places so suddenly. "I suppose it would be easier to talk that way," she told him as she stood up and quickly moved across the room, though her comfort was no different as she chose to sit on the edge of the cushion instead of leaning back into the chair. She wasn't quite sure how to handle their situation, and it was causing the nervousness to settle in.

After smoothing out her skirts she lifted her eyes to look at him directly. "Alright. So. Would you...rather not talk about it, then?" she asked, blushing a bit in embarrassment as she thought discomfort with the topic was the reason for all of this. "You can be honest with me, Rene, really," she tried to assure him.

Rene blushed darkly, realizing that he had inadvertently ignored Georgiana's questions. "Forgive me, Mistress! I did not mean to insult you and brush your questions away. I can talk about it if that is your wish. I um," he trailed off, looking to the side to try and remember what she had even asked him while one hand gripped the back of his own chair and the other manipulated the piece of fruit in his hand.

"The room is quite um, nice. Thank you for such pleasant accommodations," he hurriedly thanked, bobbing his head in acknowledgment. I'm fine with what I have been given. There is nothing I would request for here. Thank you very much for asking though."

Relaxing a bit as he apologized, Georgiana nodded and let him speak. "Are you sure?" she finally asked, looking about the room and frowning a bit as she personally thought it was a bit plain. "You are not a doll nor is this a dollhouse, but are you honestly happy with this?"

She paused for a bit, contemplating the room as well as a few others she'd been wanting to redecorate. Turning to look him in the eye, she shrugged. "What did your home look like? How was it decorated?"

"I am as happy as I can be so far from home, Mistress. I mean that as no insult to you but I do miss my own lands very much. I had never been away from Thanatos until I was ki-made a slave," he amended, refusing to start that argument with her again.

While reminiscing about warm rains and lush greenery, Rene finally took a seat in his own chair. His breakfast remained forgotten as he addressed the rest of her questions. "It was very open. Our buildings are tall and made of a plant called bamboo. They alone one to see far out across the landscape with ease and the view is breathtaking. My brethern's home and mine are all grouped very close together and in the mornings we often call out to each other in greeting and jest as we begin our days. It is," the slave trailed off feeling homesick, "lovely."

Listening to him brought many questions to the forefront, but she held her tongue to let him finish. Smiling some, she found it odd that someone who claimed to be so wealthy would live so close to his neighbors on a regular basis. That was the sort of thing reserved for homes in the city. And even the home she maintained there separately was not situated in such a way that she would think such a thing easy or even welcome with her neighbors. She was glad that her home in the country was much quieter. "Do you live in the city, then?" she asked. "Or are all of the houses like that?"

Rene smiled at the question, thinking of backwards the people around here seemed to be with their desire to live far away from each other. "Both, Mistress. My home is in our capital and great city, Suna. And as a rule our people traditionally do live close together. We enjoy the closeness of family especially among the Maoin as our brethren become our only family."

At last he took a bite of the apple in his hand, relishing in the crisp crunching sound it made as well as the small trail of juice that ran down his chin. He blushed slightly, quietly apologizing as he discreetly wiped it up with his thumb, not wanting to get yelled at for being disgusting or impolite.

"Have you ever been to Thanatos, Mistress?"

"I see," she said quietly even though she was not entirely sure what he meant about his fellow Maoin becoming his family. She thought he might have meant it only in the sense of familiarity if he had worked with others frequently.

Drawn back to him as she heard him taking a bite of the apple, Georgiana watched the thin line of juice that escaped his mouth to run down his chin. A small smile sneaked to her lips as she saw him wiping it away and the blush that accompanied it. She was glad that she still found him very agreeable to look at. Though she would likely not tell him, she found the gesture endearing and the color in his cheeks quite adorable. But, it didn't last.

Realizing that he was asking her a question came slowly to her. Blinking a bit as she forced herself to look up at his eyes instead she blushed a bit as well. "I... Well, of course I have. Once. It was several years ago, though. Um... I'm sorry, but I don't really remember very many details about it. Just that...Sam took me there." She was frowning at the thought of him now. He clouded most of her memories of the trip.

"Did you grow up there?" The noblewoman blushed darker as her eyes flitted to his hair. "You were born there? You're... Err. Everything's natural about you?"

The slave hummed. He was not exactly pleased to hear she and her partner had been to his homeland. He could only imagine how she must have been treated given her appearance. A surreptitious glance to her fiery hair before taking another bite of his apple.

"I was born on one of the smaller islands but, was sent to the mainland to study as a Maoin as a small boy. I've lived in Thanatos my entire life, born and bred," Rene stated proudly. He blushed though at the comment about being "natural."

"I've never undergone body-scuplting if that's what you're asking Mistress. I think it's quite obvious though I've gotten several piercings," he added waving to his body. "I certainly didn't pop out of my mother like this." A soft chuckle was quickly stifled by a bite of food.

She thought it odd that he was sent away like that, though she still didn't really understand his culture. "Body-sculpting?" she mused skeptically, though she was drawn back by his comment about piercings. A smile and small laugh was his reward for the joke. It startled her, though, and she quickly turned her head away as she composed herself. She wasn't accustomed to laughing outside of a purely social setting or the occasional jabs of her sister. "Of course not," she finally said.

"But... Well, I was wondering about your hair," she continued slowly. "Is it really so...light like that? Like it is now? Is that normal for you?" It had her thinking about the day he'd been bought for her and how dirty he had been. She was still having trouble wrapping her head around the idea of him being such a light blond naturally, though she truly admired how it looked on him. "What I suppose I'm asking is... Do you use magic?"

"The art of shaping and re-arranging the flesh into a desired appearance," he explained quietly. "Many of my kind partake in such practices as well as many others to achieve certain appearances. I myself though have not done undergone any altercations save those made of metal that you have seen."

Rene smiled faintly, amused that she found him unnatural despite him being anything but. "Oh!," he blushed shaking his head. "No, no, no. I have not been gifted with any magic, Mistress. I am only me, pure and simple," he told her with a big smile.

Having never heard of the art before, Georgiana was more skeptical than anything still. She smiled in thanks for the explanation, but all it screamed at her was that there were so many possibilities for things going wrong with that sort of thing. "Interesting," she'd offered nervously, though she did have to admit that she would probably like his piercings if only he had the proper jewelry to put in them.

Interested in his lack of magic, she took a few moments to look at his hair again. She almost felt bad for having taken a rough hand to it already. His smile, though, was quite infectious and she gradually found herself sitting back a bit more in her chair instead of remaining perched on the edge of it. "Well, you are very lucky with the hand your parents dealt you," she said, though she hoped he didn't think she meant his enslavement as well. "At least in your...appearance? I must admit you are very...pretty," she finally said, her cheeks flushing when she realized just what she'd said. "But don't say anything to Sam," she muttered bitterly.

"Did you...have any questions?" she wondered. "For me? Or about anything?"

The slave raised a brow but otherwise kept his silence. He did not exactly agree with Georgiana's comment concerning his parents given his current slavery as well as his being sold to the Maoin as a young child. While he had come to terms with that fate many years ago after meeting Sor, he had never completely stopped resenting the parents he barely remembered.

"Thank you, Mistress," he finally replied though, almost preening under the compliments concerning his appearance. "I assure you, your secret is safe with me. Perhaps though one day you may get to see me in performance garb. Then I think even he would have to admit to such things," he chuckled. "But of course that is all up to you, Mistress.

"As for questions well," Rene trailed off in thought, not really knowing what to ask. "I suppose I could ask if you are feeling up to answering, do you have any magic Mistress?"

"Perhaps so," she mused, shrugging and wondering if Sam would be interested in seeing such a thing again. She wondered what he even wore for performances, but she figured she could ask him more about that while they were out.

"Magic? Me?" she repeated back, her eyes widening for a moment before she snickered. "I wish. Or maybe not, depending on what it was. Unless there is magic in being unlucky, I'm afraid I have to say no," she told him, the idea quite amusing to her.

Rene chuckled in amusement. "Oh Mistress you're not unlucky. Don't be silly. However, if you could have any magical ability, which would you choose? Is there anything specific you would desire to be able to do? Something you would like to change about yourself?"

Despite what he said thought, the slave could not help but mentally laugh. 'Of course you're unlucky, you're one marked by the goddess as cursed. Much trouble has probably befallen you already and much more is headed your way if I know anything.'

She giggled at his questions at first, but then she got very quiet. The more she thought on what she wanted, what she would make of her ideal self, Georgiana realized how little she'd thought about it before in terms of her own potential actions. She hummed to herself quietly, fiddling with her hands.

Finally looking at him again, she gulped and hoped he would not think any less of her for what she wanted to confide in him about. "It's not really a magical ability, but I would like to change my circumstances. If that counts, I suppose," she admitted with a nervous smile. "I like what I have, but I've yet to really feel fulfilled in my life, in my happiness. Sometimes I feel like it might be nice to just be someone else."

He looked at her quizzically. What could she possibly want as a woman with everything she could possibly desire. Rene recognized money when he saw it and Georgiana certainly had it. He found it childish to be so incredibly selfish and self-centered while others struggled to live let alone live such comfortable lives.

Choosing his words carefully, Rene began to form a reply. "Well Mistress, if that really is how you feel I'm sure you could make it happen. It doesn't sound like an impossibility. Even for a day you could pretend to be someone else, see what it's like. Live a little, wildly," he jested, giving her a wink.

She blinked at him in silence for a moment as she processed just what he was suggesting. "Wild wasn't exactly what I had in mind," she began nervously. "There are certain things I dare to do and certain things I do not. Some things just aren't proper for someone like me. No matter what there are still expectations and duties."

Georgiana shrugged and stared at the half-eaten apple. "Maybe one day," she said thoughtfully before trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. "What do you like to wear, Rene? What kind of fabrics? ...I suppose it's safe to say you'll be here through the winter at least so we might want to get you a few heavier things as well. Or we could wait until it gets a bit colder."

'Isn't that the point of pretending to be someone else though? The idea of doing what is believed to be improper because you are perceived as someone else? Foolish woman.' He ignored the statement though, deciding that it was in his best interest to let the topic go and move on to other ones.

"I can wear whatever you choose, Mistress. It is your money, your slave, and therefore your choice. As for the matter of winter," Rene chewed his lip as his brows furrowed in thought. "I would not know what is best. Where I come from it does not get very cold. I trust you to make the best choice for me, Mistress as always.," he conceded.

His answer displeased her. Any progress she'd thought they'd made felt like one big lie now, to her overdramatized thinking. "You keep dodging this type of question, Rene," she grumbled, upset that she couldn't seem to get a straight answer out of him. "I know that it is my money and I will not spend it foolishly." What kind of a person did she think she was? She was wealthy for sure, but she was hardly wasteful, at least in her own opinion.

"I want you to tell me what you like to wear. What style. What kind of fabric. I'm not promising anything, I just wanted to talk about it and get ideas. You don't perform in a full suit, do you?" she asked mockingly.

"Mistress please, I mean no offense. To be honest, I feel uncomfortable talking about things like this. For you it is easy to know whether you want to buy something or not. It's your money and you can do what you want with it. However, Mistress for what it's worth, I'm your dependent. I have no money. I am your slave but I also have my pride. I don't like no longer being able to provide for myself. It's," he shifted about uncomfortably and hung his head.

"I don't mean to cause trouble, Mistress. Honest!"

His answer certainly wasn't calming Georgiana. In fact, it only served to further irritate and anger her. "Rene," she hissed, gripping the arm of her chair firmly as she tried to keep her voice from rising at him over such a silly thing. "I understand your anxiety. However, you are causing trouble by disobeying me." She furrowed her brow in thought, marring her usually soft expression.

"Would you cooperate with me if I let you earn money for things?" she asked, feeling quite bitter that he wouldn't just tell her what she wanted to know. "Or will you just refuse everything I ask of you? I'm just trying to better our situation here. I want you to have more than...those," she said, waving her hand at the oversized borrowed clothes he had. "And I want you to be comfortable. I can't read your mind. I don't know what you would be comfortable in," she tried to explain again.

Rene winced and hung his head, letting the hand holding his apple go limp at his side. He was torn between honesty and what she wanted. He recognized that Georgiana just wanted him to tell him that things were fine and he would accept anything. However, Rene honestly was uncomfortable. Given the chance to earn money he would not use it to buy fine things. Instead he would be saving it to buy back his own freedom. While it was true that at home he was known for his extravagant costumes and expensive adornments. It did not also mean though that he did not take great care with managing his money. Once he had built a clientele he had saved money, squirreling it away so that he could provide for his beloved once they were wed. Rene had dreams of providing only the best for her and yet, here in this far off land where everything was Topsy-turvey, all Georgiana seemed to wanted to focus on was what clothes he should wear regardless of how homesick and miserable he was as a slave.

He gave off a heavy sigh, slumping some in the chair and refusing to look at her. "At home I traditionally wore silks. Our weather is quite warm if you recall from your travels so the lighter the fabric the better. Frankly though, I am comfortable in anything that is of a looser variety and soft to the touch. I don't like feeling restricted in any manner," he informed her pointedly. "But, whatever you choose is fine, Mistress. I would be grateful for your choice as I know that you are not a monster and would see to my best interests that despite my station I be treated as a human being. You have already made that abundantly clear to me and I thank you, once more for that."

Rene inclined his head in gratitude, feeling sick to his stomach. He no longer had an appetite even for his favorite fruits that still sat in the bowl on his nightstand. "I am ready if you wish to leave, Mistress. I am sorry to have troubled you. It won't happen again."

Though she was still quite irritated, Georgiana remained quiet and listened to what he had to say. It made sense for a dancer to want looser-fitting clothes. Yet it felt that as soon as they were making progress he would close back up again, and she didn't understand that she was most of the reason why it was happening. She thought she was being quite compassionate, giving him more than enough to sustain himself, even having her own servants wait upon him.

Her face softened a bit as she thought about what he was telling her, though it did bother her that she'd wanted to wait for him to eat yet he'd hardly touched his food. "Such a waste," she said lightheartedly, meaning nothing by it as she smiled. "Alright, we'll get going, then." Standing slowly, she plucked the collar from her pocket and carefully unlocked the lock upon it. "Come here, please," she asked quietly as she fiddled with it.

It felt like his heart dropped into his stomach as she lightly mentioned his lack of eating. He felt guilty for being so wasteful and having it brought to attention only made it worse. Rene softly apologized even as he watched her pull his collar back out, reminding him once more of his humiliation to come for going out today.

Obediently, he stepped forward until he was close enough for her to place it around his throat. For a single moment he met her eyes, his own blue pair expressing the haunting pain he felt at his situation before he was able to shutter them and raise his chin to make it easier for her to do what she needed to do.

Watching him cautiously, she was surprised he was actually coming forward with the collar right there in her hands. Locking eyes with him, she saw his sadness and pain and it bothered her to see it so plainly. It made her uncomfortable to know she was really the only source of his suffering. As he exposed his neck to her her eyes flickered down towards the task at hand. Stepping forward, she gently placed the leather collar around his neck and put it at a looser setting to allow him more comfortable breathing room but not give enough for him to squeeze his way out of it.

"It will not always be this way," she whispered, struggling to find the right key to lock the collar upon him. "Some day I won't see a need for this. I just need to know that I can trust you. And I promise you you will not be here forever so long as you earn and keep that trust, Rene. One day you will be free again and you will be able to return to your home. I will promise you that and swear it upon my very life, but you must give me reasons. Sam would not allow it otherwise," she admitted to him.

Finally securing the lock, she tucked her keys under her dress again and pulled the leash from her pocket. Securing it to his collar and holding it loosely, she held out her hand to him. "Let me have that apple. I'll leave your food here for you to have later."

His mind world with contradicting thoughts. If he had not already convinced himself that he was not going to fight her again as he had the week before he would have angrily spoken his mind. Instead he was forced to voice it only aloud for his own mental ears to hear.

'Of course it will not always be this way. I won't let you always rule me. I will be gone and free long before you decide I should be. The goddess is on my side. I doubt you can say the same. What reasons can you need to free a man wrongfully imprisoned? Is that not reason enough? How I pity you, a woman with such strength letting a man rule her decisions. Is this continent so backwards that you let your men rule your women?'

Rene's thoughts were brought to an abrupt end though with the sudden appearance of the dreaded leash. He flinched slightly, gripping the apple in his hand tighter unconsciously. Once she was done, he wanted nothing more than to step away but knew that would only mean tightening the confounded piece of leather.

"I would not wish you to dirty your hands, Mistress. I could take care of it for you, if you prefer," he offered weakly.

Georgiana wasn't surprised at his disobedience, but it disappointed her. It seemed his attitude had barely improved, and things really weren't looking good to her to work out as Sam had assured her they would. "Believe me, Rene, my hands have already been dirtied plenty. An apple is nothing." With a blank, bored expression she snatched the apple from his hand and turned to leave the room, yanking the door open as she went. Without another word she handed the partially-eaten apple to the young servant who still waited just beyond with just a nod as her instructions to take care of things for her.

Taking slow breaths she quietly tried to talk herself down in her head, tried to tell herself that he wasn't worth being upset over and that she should just ignore his antics if he insisted on continuing. Leading him down the hall and down the many flights of stairs, Georgiana finally came to a sort of peace with herself. "How are your wounds?"

Rene snapped to attention, gratefully taking the offered question as a means to distract himself from the discomfort of his own wilted pride and growing humiliation. "They are healing quite nicely, thank you Mistress," he replied calmly. He was trying so hard to keep any attitude out of his tone as the last thing he wanted was to give her any excuse to punish him.

'Although if her punishments are to ignore me and let me be I could live with that. The less time around her the less likely I am to feel attached to her. The sooner I can leave and get home, the better.'

The slave sighed unconsciously, wondering what the others in his homeland were doing in that moment. It made him sick to think they were worried for him. It would be the last thing he would want for them. He missed them dearly and knew he too was missed in turn.

'I will return home soon enough. They will not miss me too much longer. I will make sure of that!'

"That's a relief," she sighed, mindful of her gown as she began descending the stairs. "I know I've said it, but I'm sorry that that happened to you," she apologized, uncertain why she was personally doing so. "Nobody deserves wounds and scars like that," she sighed, hoping that Sam would not try to impose any continuation of such practices.

"For today, though, I'm going to have my seamstress take your measurements. I'll have her make up some things for you, but we're going back to town to get you some proper jewelry. And...I trust you know better than to embarrass me this time," she sighed, shaking her head as she led him to the seamstress's quarters.

"Yes Mistress," he murmured quietly, letting his head lower as he felt it should. He felt some shame in having embarrassed her as he had outwardly brought insult upon her. However, in turn Rene felt she did not deserve even his attention given that she herself was shamed by his great deity.

He entered the new quarters quietly, making sure to keep his head lowered so as to not cause any more unwanted trouble for himself. Rene desperately needed to have a chance to see the outdoors in order to begin on his escape plan and he could not do that if he was locked up for another week within his room.

Georgiana called for her seamstress and the plump older woman appeared with a look of surprise once she was told it was not the Mistress of the house needing work done today. "This is Rene," she introduced. "The new addition and...he's in desperate need of some clothing," she explained, wincing as she struggled not to talk about him as if he were property. The older woman nodded and set to work on getting his measurements, completely unwilling to question Georgiana's motives.

"Anything in particular, madam?" she asked quietly, squinting as she made small marks on some thread she'd wrapped around his chest.

The redhead glanced to her slave, remembering what he'd told her. "Not really, whatever you feel suits him. He's an islander," she explained. "Silks will be perfect of course for the basics, but please make them a bit on the loose side. He'll be working with me so just...nothing too bright," she giggled. "Don't need him outshining me more than he already will." The seamstress chuckled and winked at Rene, paying no mind to his collar and leash and thinking their arrangement much more playful than it actually was.

The two women chattered on about nonsensical things while the seamstress finished her initial work. With her promise to have at least a change of clothes ready for him upon their return Georgiana said her goodbyes and headed back out and informed a passing servant to have a stable boy prepare a carriage for them as she leisurely led Rene along towards the front door of the house. "So you really don't mind me dressing you up?" she wondered once they were finally alone again, curious as to just how much jewelry she could saddle him with before he started destroying property.

Rene behaved appropriately and remained silent through the entire affair. He was not ashamed of his body and found the act of being fitted one of the most normal experiences he had had since leaving home. It was therefore with some sadness that he left and was forced to return to the reality of his new life as a slave to a real bitch of a woman.

"No, Mistress I do not mind," came his soft and even reply. "Your desire is my command. Is there something more you wish of me?"

She chuckled her delight, though she was uncertain of his sincerity still. "Wonderful. No, I was just thinking. Just some jewelry ideas," she answered vaguely. "I want you looking your best while you're my...companion. And I assure you, you'll look the best you ever have as long as I have a say in it," she finished, hurriedly but proud. What she could not design she was sure money could.

"But I'll worry about that once you're bettered recovered." Bouncing with ideas, she opened the front door to lead him out and into her carriage once again. Once settled she folded her hands quietly in her lap, though she made a point to loosen her grip on his leashing as she cast him an apologetic smile. She tried not to stare but made no attempt at hiding her sideways glances at him as she sat in silence on the road.

He could not help himself and snorted at the idea that she could dress him better than he had ever clothed himself back home. Rene hurried to cover it up with a cough though, pressing the fingers of one hand to his lips to cover it.

"Whatever Mistress requires," he replied while sitting stiffly in his seat. He still was not comfortable with the collar and leash though he was grateful for her remembering to loosen it as he feared she would have a tight hold on him all day.

Just as soon as her guard was lowered she was raising it again and getting a bit tense. She sighed, leaning back slightly and resting her shoes on the plush cushions on the other side of the carriage to get comfortable on their ride into town. From the last time they were there she was very worried about what might transpire as the horses stopped and she got up to lead him out. "Please behave," she asked gently as she opened the door, fearing that he might run.

"Of course Mistress," he murmured once more, waiting for her to exit before following. Every muscle in his body screamed to fight, to flee, to live and yet with the ease of the performer he was, Rene remained still and outwardly calm. If he was to gain her trust enough to release him of his leash then he could consider truly fleeing. Until then he needed information about where he was and perhaps even find a sympathizer that would be willing to assist him when it came time.

She didn't relax her fisted grip on his leash until he was out and standing beside her. The calmness she observed was enough to assure her he wasn't going to run. For now at least. "Thank you. I think you'll like this place," she chirped, lifting her chin proudly as she studied his ear. "I'll get you something... Something nice for your piercings," she promised, happily stepping forward to cross the road and enter the small jeweler's shop that housed a rainbow of shiny metals and gemstones. "Just the ears then?" she wondered, smiling to the familiar owner before beginning her browsing.

Rene looked at her confused for several moments as she led him into the shop. He pondered her question before realizing she was asking him if he had other piercings and with a small chuckle he shook his head. "No, Mistress I also have a stomach piercing. Does that displease you Mistress?" He cocked a brow at her daring to say it did, knowing it was unconventional for this strange land. Many a foreigner had either been intrigued or disgusted by his adornments and he always enjoyed baiting the disgusted ones.

She was perusing a box of earrings when he'd finally answered and it took her a moment to gather herself for her surprise. Turning to look him up and down with slight worry she exclaimed, having never seen one herself. "A stomach piercing?! Oh my I hope that didn't hurt... No, no... It doesn't displease me. I just wouldn't know if there's...jewelry for that here," she admitted quietly.

"No more than any other piercing Mistress," he replied, thoroughly amused with her reaction even if it was not the one he desired. "Would you care to see it Mistress?" Rene reached for his tunic even as his lips curled in a half-smirk. "Perhaps you would get a better understanding of the jewelry necessary for it."

Georgiana blushed and moved to stand between Rene and the shop's owner, as if fearing she would be told to leave should he see even a glimpse of Rene's belly. "I would, actually..." she responded tensely, her hand tightening on his leash as her eyes wandered down his body and fixated on the small bit of skin that was already peeking out for his efforts.

He smirked as he tugged his top up teasingly, trying to entice her as much as possible with his well-learned tricks. As he finally got it up to the middle of his torso, Rene arched his back to allow her to view his adornment better before rippling his stomach to cause the dangling bit of jewelry to dance and jingle softly with his efforts.

She watched his shirt creep up, trying so hard not to be inappropriate or lick her lips for the sight of delicious skin that was certainly not Sam's. Staring at the small bit of jewelry, she studied it curiously. "What a rare thing," she admired, smiling softly at him before reaching to tug his shirt back down again, as if suddenly aware of him being partially exposed. "Maybe there's something like that here," she pondered aloud, turning to once again look over what was on display in the shop. "Unless of course you are content with just that."

"I leave the choice up to your more capable understanding, Mistress," Rene diverted while bowing slightly. "Unless there is something in particular that Mistress is looking for," he was quick to add. "Is there something definite you have in mind, may I ask Mistress?"

Georgiana shrugged, fussing with her lip as she lifted a few pieces with her free hand, watching them shine from the sunlight through the window. "Not really, I just want you looking your best while in my care," she explained. "And especially when you'll be performing." The noblewoman held onto a few sets of earrings and one particularly intricate piece to adorn his belly once she'd explained to the shopkeeper what it was she was looking for. "Do you see anything that just screams 'you'?" she wondered, cocking a brow in challenge, daring him to not find anything in the shop suitable at all.

Rene nodded his head in silent understanding while glancing at the jewels in her hand to see what she had even picked to start with. The fact that she wanted him to perform filled him with pleasure despite his dislike of being held captive as it at least was some normalcy once more in his life.

"Perhaps may I suggest that we take a turn about the room together, Mistress," he suggested unsure how else he would see anything while still leashed or how the shopkeeper would take to a slave loose unsupervised.

"Of course," she shrugged, having no idea his predicament as she set her already picked purchases at the counter and stepped away to walk around with him. Studying him, she silently reached out to touch his brow as she remarked, "You know... One right there might look nice as well. Ever thought of that?"

He flinched back, startled at the sudden contact before realizing it was not her trying to strike him but point something out. Embarrassed and ashamed he murmured a quiet apology for his actions before nodding his head. "Yes Mistress on occasion. Would it please you for me to have more?"

Rene was not entirely sure how he felt about being made to get modifications on the whim of someone else. While it was true his people were constantly modifying themselves to appear how they wanted and fit the newest trends, the idea of being property still soured his mood and the idea of getting yet another piercing, no matter how much he had thought on it in the past.

"Perhaps," she purred, studying his features as she imagined what adornments she could place on him with another piercing. "Or perhaps the nose," she pondered, squinting at him but then shrugging. "We'll see. I'm sure you'd look lovely in almost anything," she admired, unaware of his reservations as she continued walking with him, glancing at the various jewelry about the shop.

"The idea of modifying me pleases you Mistress?" he asked with a bit of surprise. Rene wondered if it was because he was her property or if there was something more to it than that. "May I be so bold as to ask if you have ever considered such modifications for yourself Mistress?"

"I...don't really know," she answered truthfully, blushing slightly for his other question. "I just thought you might look nice with other jewelry because... Well because your earrings suit you well," she explained. "I have thought about them, yes," she said, though her voice was lowered some. "But never gotten anything besides these," she told him, gesturing at the small hoops at her ear lobes.

Rene puffed up slightly with pride, his ego stroked by her appreciation of his adornments. "Well they suit you too, Mistress," he told her boldly, reaching out a hand to stroke the shell of her ear before dropping it away nervously and staring tensely at the floor. "It all looks good, Mistress. I believe you have made the best choice for your slave, Mistress."

She was surprised by the gesture, not expecting him to ever voluntarily touch her like that. A blush rose to her cheeks that rivaled the color of her mane of hair but she averted her eyes from him and returned to the counter to pay for what she'd picked out already. "Well, no reason to buy out the store yet. I'm sure we'll be back soon enough. Thank you for your time, sir," she bid the shopkeeper before leading Rene out with her purchases tucked into her pocket.

Climbing back inside for the short trip home, she sat tensely as she thought on them, wondering if it had been a mistake to voice her intentions.

The trip back to her home was uneventful and Rene had to admit that he was relieved to finally be away from the public if only it meant he could be free of his cursed leash. He followed Georgiana eagerly out of the carriage and into the house all the while mentally counting down the seconds to when he would be free of woman and collar both. If he had heard her correctly though she seemed to have mentioned having him try on her purchases first and he could hope that it would be a quick, painless, and satisfying task to complete for them both.

Georgiana fetched a small pile of neatly folded clothes for him from her seamstress before leading him back upstairs to his room. Closing the door securely behind them she cast him a slightly nervous look before reaching up to untie the leash from his collar for now and exchange it for the jewelry in her pocket. Setting down the new articles of clothing and the jewelry on beside them. It was only then with her hands freed that she reached up to unlock the collar from his throat.

"There," she sighed, wincing slightly for the light lines she could see on his skin before going to sit across the room to give him a bit of privacy. "Try on what you like, but I'd at least like to see the earrings," she explained, averting her eyes and staring at the door.

He instantly reached up to rub at his throat while nodding in response to her. At last free of his collar, Rene could not help but roll his neck and enjoy the freedom of having it as his own again. Wordlessly he began to remove his earrings with care, placing them each neatly in a line on his small table then moved to stand in front of her, his hair pulled away from his ears as he held out the box of jewelry she had bought out to her.

"I leave it up to you Mistress. Please place them where you would like as much as you need to until it meets your approval," he directed quietly.

That he approached her to do what he described she was surprised for. She thought she'd been clear about what she wanted but she wouldn't fault him for wanting to make sure she was entirely happy with it. "Very well. I'll do the work for you," she teased with a wink as she rose to stand before him, her fingers fluttering over each of the beautiful pieces.

Carefully lifting them one at a time to secure them to his ears, Georgiana was fully engrossed in her task as she made minor adjustments here and there. She furrowed her brow when she swapped the order of two of the smaller rings on the left side as an accident but then realized she preferred them that way. "There," she finally exclaimed with a smile of pride as she glanced to make brief eye contact with him. "Take a look. Do you like it?" she wondered, reaching to hold a small hand mirror up for him.

Rene was practically vibrating at her touch, finding it incredibly soothing and sensual though he doubted she meant to be unless it was a new form of punishment and torture. At last though he was free of her touch to gaze at his own visage and it was then that he was truly horrified. The face reflecting back at him was far from the one he remembered. It was thinner and more hollow, though he was sure it was better now that Georgiana was feeding him properly. His eyes were still sunken in the lack of makeup and proper adornments depressed him.

"They are quite tasteful, Mistress," he informed her woodenly. "Thank you for your interest in my appearance. Shall I try the clothes on for you now, Mistress?"

She noticed the way his expression changed but thought it had something to do with the new jewelry. She frowned in disappointment, wishing now that he had just put them on for himself if he was not happy with how it looked. "Of course, I wouldn't have you any less than beautiful as long as I have a say in it," she shrugged, returning the mirror to the table with a crestfallen look.

"I would like that, but it isn't necessary. I'll just return for you in the morning. You can show me then, you've earned some time to relax," she insisted, turning to leave and taking the key from her pocket.

Wincing at her abrupt attitude, Rene warred with himself as to whether or not he should dare question her. To not do so could result in unwanted punishment but then to do so might bring about more of the same.

Balling and unballing his fists, he finally worked up enough courage to clear his throat just as she reached his door. "Have I upset you Mistress? Done something wrong that needs correcting? You seem...displeased."

She looked back at him, surprised he was speaking up and even moreso for his topic of choice. "Oh... You haven't upset me," she assured him, feeling bad that he thought he might have. "You just didn't seem all that happy when I showed you the mirror," she told him honestly, turning slightly to face him so she would stop fussing with the door.

"And I felt like they weren't really to your personal liking so... I just wished you'd said something at the shop if that's the case. I would have happily gotten you something you're more comfortable with," she explained, smiling sadly as she thought back on her questions to him earlier about his preferences.

"They please me much, Mistress," Rene hastened to assure her. "I have other things on my mind. Please forgive me for causing you such distress. I would not dare insinuate you had wasted your money or your time on such a lowly person as me." He bowed again to her, unsure of what else he should do while mentally rolling his eyes at all his bowing and scraping.

"If Mistress has changed her mind, I would be willing to try on the clothes she had made for me today."

Though she knew he meant well by it Georgiana's eyes still flashed with anger for him calling himself lowly. "That you think I would accept a lowly person as a slave is upsetting, Rene. I have enough of those in my employ," she sighed, shaking her head in disappointment but returning the key to her pocket and going to sit down again with a muttered, "bumbly idiots.

"Show me, then, please," she asked of him calmly once she was again settled.

He tried but he really could not help himself. Rene's snarky attitude was back in a flash. "Forgive me Mistress but I was under the impression that a slave was hardly the position of honor your society. Was I mistaken then?" The man at least had the peace of mine to not stand there and stare at her in challenge like he would have weeks before. Instead her busied himself with removing his shirt, already preparing himself for the parade of clothes he would have to try on for her.

"No," she snapped back, a bit troubled by his attitude again. "It is not. However, to be my slave is," she told him haughtily, pointing at her chest as she prepared to defend herself. "I suppose you haven't yet realized it, but it isn't your fault. You've been here for so little time. But you will see," she told him definitively, nodding in confidence.

Rene hummed in response but otherwise held his tongue while shimmying out of his trousers, wondering just how Georgiana was going to react as he bared himself before shamelessly. "Is there any particular one you wish me to try on first, Mistress or a certain combination?"

"I didn't realize there were combinations," she muttered, refusing to look at him as she heard the unmistakable rustling of shifting clothes. "Just show me what you wish to wear of them," she told him, waving her hand in his general direction. "It is not the end of the world to have unworn clothes if there's something you don't like. She will make many more for you."

"As you wish Mistress," addressed her with a hint of disappointment. A Maoin's body was meant to be displayed and her apparent lack of interest was yet another sinking reminder that he was not at home amongst friends.

Sliding into the first set of clothes he found them acceptable if a bit plain compared to what he was used to but they seemed like a good quality. "Does it meet your approval, Mistress?" he called for her attention while dancing around slightly to see how they handled movement.

Georgiana turned to watch him, taking in the look of his new clothes. To her, coupled with the jewelry dangling from his ears he looked quite beautiful in them. Much more fitting than borrowed clothes that dwarfed him. A bit of color rising to her cheeks as she watched him move about, she cleared her throat before answering him. "Yes, that looks very...nice. How do they feel?" she wondered.

Startled by the sound of her voice, Rene immediately moved to pour some water for her and hand her the drinking cup. "They are satisfactory, Mistress. I believe I will have most if not full range of motion though if in the future you wish for more elaborate performances then I will requite less material as it all starts to hinder in the end."

Confused, she took the glass and sipped from it, eventually thankful for the distraction even as her eyes roamed his body. "Well...wonderful. I'll keep that in mind... Perhaps you could draw up what you have in mind with my seamstress," she suggested, still struggling to clear her throat despite the water as a blush seized her throat.

"Are you quite alright, Mistress? Should I send for help or get you something else? You shouldn't suffer in silence is something is bothering you Mistress. I can show you the clothes later. They seem more than fine. Perhaps a lay-down will do you good?"

"I'm fine," she croaked, coughing to try and hide the sound as she sat in utter embarrassment that he'd noticed her struggles. "It's nothing to worry about, I'm fine. Please... I'd like to see," she urged him, emptying the glass of water and setting it aside before folding her hands nervously on her lap.

Still keeping a careful eye on her, Rene hurried to obey. He used each outfit as a means to showcase his best attributes and hopefully distract her from whatever was bothering her. He liked that the variety in cuts allowed for different styles and types of performances, going so far as to demonstrate a few moves for each outfit, giving Georgiana a taste of his potential.

"Does it meet your master approval, Mistress?" he asked after donning the final outfit.

She watched him as a woman entranced, a bit ashamed of the way she admired him and thinking it a bit shameful for her mind to wander about him. Georgiana was very aware of the little bit of show he was putting on, thoroughly distracted by him and only causing her to squirm in her seat that much more.

"Yes, of course," she finally answered him, wincing at the tightness in her voice. "They look...very handsome, don't you think?" she hurriedly asked of him.

"Yes Mistress they most certainly will do. Shall I change out of them now?" Without waiting for an answer, Rene began to remove his top and fold it nicely along with the other discarded clothes on his bed. "Is there anything else you wish me to do for you Mistress? You look very...uncomfortable. Would you like another glass of water or something paining you, Mistress? Perhaps I can...be of assistance?" He was hesitant to offer but it if meant she stopped looking like she was chewing on nails then he was more than willing to pass the time.

She stared at his exposed torso, swallowing tensely as she drank in his much darker skin and the beautiful contrast his hair made against it. "They are yours to keep, do with them what you will," she sighed, carefully rising from her seat and fussing with her own clothes to try to occupy herself even though there was nothing wrong with them.

"Thank you, Rene... Really. I'm fine, though, I'm sorry. I never meant to make you uncomfortable," she assured him, guessing he'd noticed that her odd behavior was due to him. "Just... Well, you are a very beautiful man. And I find myself having...indecent thoughts for a betrothed woman," she admitted in a whisper, afraid of a passing servant betraying her loose lips. Trying not to look at him anymore, Georgiana headed for the door again, feeling entirely betrayed by her tongue.

Rene blinked rapidly, completely caught off guard by her admission. He had no idea he was affecting her quite so much and was even more surprised that he took a great deal of pride in that. He saved the information for later though as a possible means of seducing her in order to gain his freedom one way or another.

"I understand, Mistress. Have a good night then," he called after her softly, choosing to say nothing regarding what she had, for fear of overbalancing the delicate situation she had provided him with.

She was not really herself for the rest of the day, unable to put her mind at ease about the new addition to the household. Her sister noticed it plenty, pestering her for answers she would not give.

She slept peacefully at least, something she was incredibly thankful for in the morning to see her complexion unmarred by the thoughts that plagued her. Trying to carry on as normal, though, she dressed for the day as she would any other and went to fetch the seamstress before she would return to Rene. Enlisting the woman to carry more of the new clothes for him, she knocked at his door and called to him through it, "Rene? Are you awake? I have a gift for you."

He was already up and dressed in one of his newer outfits when Georgiana sounded at his door. A few quick strides across the floor and he was opening the door for her with a bow. "Forgive me for keeping you waiting, Mistress." Rene stepped back to allow her into the room. "Please do come in, ladies," he added bobbing his head to the seamstress as well.

She was pleased to see him up and about and was a bit surprised that he did not try to keep her from entering. "Thank you. You're rather...pleasant," she commented, stepping in to lead the other woman inside. The pile of clothes was set aside and Georgiana watched as the older woman began putting them away in the wardrobe, sorting them by color. She made no move to help her but simply flashed a smile and approached him excitedly, as if proud of something she'd done. "Don't they look lovely?"

Wordlessly, he raised a brow at her comment, not understanding how opening a door made him pleasant but held his tongue nonetheless. "Of course they do, Mistress. You have as good taste as the lady seamstress as talent. You are quite pleased with them then, Mistress?"

"Yes, they look heavenly," she admired, reaching out to run her hand along the soft fabrics as the seamstress tutted happily for the compliment.

"Let me know should you need anything else, Lady, Sir," she bid each of them on her way out, purposefully addressing Rene as a superior in her understanding of his place. Georgiana did not find it offensive and simply continued to study the row of clothes with pride. "Hopefully you won't run out of new things to try for while yet. Lots of things you could mix in... Layer when it's cooler..."

The "sir" made his brows shoot up into his hairline as Rene cautiously gauged Georgiana's reaction from the corner of his eye. When she neither said nor did anything he was even more confused though and his brows scrunched together unconsciously.

"Does it get very cold here, Mistress? Layers has never really been a thing where I come from."

"Yes, it can be. In the winter," she explained, sighing with pleasure as she finally let her hand fall from the clothes, not wishing to mar his new garments with her fussing with them. "But you will mostly be indoors anyway. Feel free to wear what you wish," she encouraged him, not wanting to stifle this aspect of him at least as she'd already found she quite liked what he'd come up with.

He nodded his head silently, already in deep thought about color schemes and styles that would better suit living there in the winter. Rene gasped aloud though at the realization he was getting sucked into the idea of staying all for the sake of performing in a new environment.

Trying to distract himself from his discomforting thoughts he turned to Georgiana instead. "If you prefer I wear something else though you need only say. I will understand if there are certain outings where you would prefer I dress more to your people's standards, Mistress."

Missing his bit of alarm, she shrugged, thinking the idea of him wearing something "normal" a bit dull. "I don't really want to...stifle your creativity. I would love if you could perform often and... well, the style here is not very conducive to dancing. At least not how you dance, I'm sure.

"But perhaps. On occasions where I may not need you for it. Something more...serious." Pondering for a moment, she added, "What would you normally wear for something more...formal?"

Rene agreed with her, making sounds of it even as he thought on how to answer her question best. "Formal in what sense? I don't believe Mistress that you and I have the same concept of it. In my culture, Maoin wear very little in a tasteful fashion of course. Is that similar here?" he asked with a great deal amusement.

Vaguely aware of what he was talking about, she nodded but averted her eyes from him with a blush. "Well here we usually dress to cover most things. Often by many layers of clothing," she explained, gesturing at herself as if that should be obvious. "But, well... what would be acceptable to wear in your culture if you were to say... be meeting an important person? Or conducting business?" It did not occur to her, though she knew it existed, that he might have a very different idea of business than herself.

He could not help himself and actually chuckle aloud. "Definitely the most tasteful arrangement I could manage that showcased all of my assets while revealing the most skin possible. Would that be a problem then Mistress?" Rene smirked as he tested baiting her, wanting to see how she would react to both the idea of him dressed in such a way and in public like that.

"No, I..." She could not deny that she struggled with the idea -or at least just with the foreignness of the idea- but she could also not deny its appeal. "Well... What is there to showcase if you are revealing so much?" she wondered, genuinely curious of the thinking behind what he was telling her. "Would it not be boring for people to see you...offer yourself so openly? Then there are no secrets," she justified.

"That if you don't mind me saying so Mistress, is the art of tasteful attire. Even with so much to see it is never enough, never what one truly wants. It ignites the blood and leaves one wanting so much more. Perhaps I can show you one time if you're willing," he added slyly, his lips pulled in a knowing smirk. "I'm sure you'd enjoy yourself."

She was almost regretting that she'd asked. Color rising to her cheeks, Georgiana gasped for his implication and lowered her head instead of arguing it, knowing quite well that she would like to see for herself. "Well, perhaps. I suppose that makes sense," she told him hurriedly.

"But...with the style I am used to more is covered, but it not made a secret what is being covered," she explained, running her hands from her waist to her hips before rubbing at her stomach self-consciously. "And the same with the men," she assured him, nodding confidently. "But...I do think you would look more...handsome if you were confident in what you are wearing," she admitted.

Rene smirked wickedly. "I am comfortable in whatever pleases those who wish to see me perform most. Even," he purred, leaning towards her ear to whisper, "if that is nothing at all. Your desire is my command, as always, Mistress."

She was shocked by his admission but she did not doubt he of all people would do such a thing. "Well I would not ask you to do something like that. Certainly should not be exposing yourself like that in public," she scolded gently, though she thought privately it might be something she would consider.

"My desire is for your comfort while performing and living and working with me. You may wear what you wish but I must insist that you wear something, anything, when in the company of others. That is all," she sighed, blushing a bit more.

He could see that he was getting to her and he had to admit if only to himself that he was enjoying every second of it. If he could make the cursed red-haired woman suffer for what she had done to him then he was more than willing to face the repercussions later.

"Of course," Rene murmured softly, still quite close to her. "Will you be wanting a private performance at some point to ensure I am able to meet your expectations? I would hate to embarrass you."

Not willing to show weakness and be the first to move away, Georgiana stood her ground even though she could not confidently meet his eye. "Thank you for your concern. Perhaps that would be smart, it hadn't occurred to me before. I figured people of your...skill would prefer to practice in privacy."

"People of my skill, are not kept as slaves to entertain their masters with the risk of disappointment leading to failure and punishment...Mistress." Rene backed down from her and bowed low before her instead. "When am I expected to perform Mistress? I have the clothes but I will need the time to prepare. I would hate to embarrass you with a lacking performance."

It stung and she did not like hearing it, but he was not wrong. "I prefer the term companion. It is what you are to me," she explained gently, sighing and stepping away to sit in her preferred chair once he'd backed down. Still refusing to look at him, she rested her chin in her palm as she thought on his questions.

"I would not punish you for some accident or a lacking performance," she tried to assure him, though she was sure her word meant nothing to him. "Perhaps you can perform in a few weeks, if you would be well enough for it and prepared. I think...I would like to take you to a party then, but I would not pressure you to perform if you are not ready by then.

"I'm sure I couldn't be a much worse person to work for, could I?" she snipped angrily.

Rene said nothing while he mentally fumed. In his mind companion was just another fancy noblewoman's way of saying slave to try and sugar coat the truth. He was not so stupid as to believe it for a second especially not when she was engaged and had a man in her life. The notion was simply ridiculous, not that he would mouth off and tell her that.

"I shall be ready by then Mistress," he promised stiffly. "Though I am afraid I do not understand the question. Worse than whom?"

She stewed in silence, though her face was showing her displeasure. Pinching at the bridge of her nose and shaking her head, Georgiana just sighed and gave him a disappointed look. "And here I thought you were so smart.

"Worse than... Worse than. Well, you know," she exclaimed, gesturing in exasperation. "Myself. I'm saying I won't be any worse than I am right now. Not that you ever seem to appreciate your good fortune. I didn't choose this for you."

"I see..." he replied, sounding thoroughly unconvinced. How could he believe her anyway when she continued to keep him trapped in slavery no matter what she called it. "Well perhaps you expect too much of me."

"Perhaps I do," she conceded, sighing and shaking her head in disappointment. "I suppose this... This whole thing must be as painful as possible." She gestured vaguely between them. "I assure you, though, Rene. I will make your life just as difficult as you make mine. And I would also make it as pleasant as you make mine. The choice is yours. Continue to be a stubborn ass if it suits your fancy." With that she rose from her chair to smooth out her clothes and head for the door, her task of seeing the clothes delivered complete and feeling no further obligation to monopolize the time of a man who was not only mouthy but extremely rude as she saw things.

Rene snorted and rolled his eyes. Under his breath he muttered about how it would be impossible to make her life pleasant with her behavior and prudishness. He had no doubt he could bring her a lifetime of pleasure if they were both willing to accept it. "Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out," he muttered darkly as he moved to close the door after her.

Georgiana did not return to him the next day or any day of the following week. Still, she saw to his care from a distance, ensuring he was provided with good food, clean water, and even fresh linens for his bed. Clothing was cleaned, the room that was his "prison" was dusted and kept neat and presentable, but she did not go to visit him.

She did not break from this until Sam came to visit her and insisted upon seeing him for himself. Georgiana was anxious, trying to talk Sam out of it, but her betrothed simply took it as embarrassment, thinking that perhaps she did not wish to share what he had assumed she'd done with him as her gift. "I haven't seen him much lately," she insisted honestly as she led him up and carefully unlocked the door to his chamber though she did not go inside, trying to keep Sam back and urge him to just leave instead.

Sam was disappointed to hear that, worrying that she did not like him after all. "Is there...something wrong?" he wondered.

Wary that they were just outside of Rene's door, she kept her voice low. "I just...do not agree with everything he says. And he does not agree with me. But I suppose that can be worked through with time."

"He should not be disagreeing with you at all." Sam furrowed his brow with concern, touching her shoulder awkwardly even as he craved to comfort her. Georgiana reactively shrugged off his hand, taking a step back. "I allow him that liberty," she explained, not seeing a problem with it. "I would like just one friend who can speak freely around me. Most would never dare it and you know how I hate being lied to.

"We should see him," she sighed. "Please do be civil. He is still...learning." With that she gently knocked upon the door, once again not wishing to intrude upon him unless he was willing to have visitors.

The slave had not been idle in his time left alone. With a good diet and many restful nights, he was back to dancing if in private. His body first clumsily, then more and more easily resumed the old patterns of their ways, allowing him to once more strengthen his body and calm his mind. The movements allowed him to forget about the troubles of the world outside his door for a time.

Unfortunately though it was not meant to last. A knock at his door summoned him quickly from his routines. A light sheen of sweat glistened on his bare chest as he only wore a loose-fitting pair of trousers that hung low on his waist and his feet were bare.

Upon seeing who awaited him, he schooled his features into a neutral expression and bowed his head slightly. "Mistress," Rene said by way of greeting before adding hesitantly, "sir?"

Sam had thought it quite odd that his betrothed would not simply enter the room her slave was housed in without knocking and being allowed into it, seeing as it was her own home and all. He was pleased at least to see the young man looking healthy and clean, despite the sweat upon his skin. At least she had the consideration to provide for him, which gave him hope that she would not want to be rid of him any time soon. "Hello," he greeted him simply, bowing his head slightly out of habit though he quickly regretted the implication Georgiana might see in it.

Luckily she had not seen him for her attention was fixed upon Rene, her bright eyes wide in surprise as she didn't yet realize what he had been doing. Her mind was only able to focus upon the fact that he'd answered the door half-dressed while she had another in her company and she averted her gaze for that, her cheeks flushing as she stared at the door and cleared her throat. "Sam wished to see you," she explained gently, stepping forward to lead him inside, her eyes alert as she scanned his quarters, wondering what he could have possibly been up to.

"Are you alright, though? Are you ill? Feverish?" she guessed, a touch annoyed that if he was she had not been informed of it, though it would explain his lack of dress, she thought.

Sam chuckled at her obvious discomfort, casually taking a seat that he did not yet realize was the chair Georgiana preferred in Rene's room. The noblewoman certainly noticed that, though she could not fault him for not knowing. Annoyed, she sat in a different spot and awkwardly fussed her hands on her lap as she mentally braced herself for what she assumed would devolve into some heated scolding, and in front of Rene, too.

Rene nodded his head as he shut the door behind them, not really knowing what to say if anything to the fact he was to be observed like an animal in a cage. He did however notice the issue with the chairs and took minor amusement in it but his bowed head thankfully kept his small smile to himself as he stood before the pair.

"No Mistress not at all. On the contrary I am quite well," he hastened to reassure her, standing tall and proud before her. "I have been working is all. If my state disturbs you Mistress I can put a tunic on. I would not wish to embarrass you in front of your...guest."

Relieved, Georgiana nodded in understanding. "I guess that means you were... practicing, huh?" she guessed, blushing at the way he brought up his state of dress all on his own, as if it were obvious how it affected her. "You may stay as you are if you're comfortable, we shouldn't be here for long," she assured him, casting a pointed look to Sam. The nobleman was not taking kindly to Rene's choice of words for him, though, not liking his assumed idea that the slave saw him differently than he saw himself.

"May I remind you who paid for you, boy," he told him calmly, a brief and empty smile upon his lips before he turned to glare at Georgiana for not correcting Rene herself. "So am I just a 'guest' now?" he mocked her, scoffing and crossing his legs with his insecurities. "You certainly haven't trained his tongue."

Startled but not surprised by Sam's negative reaction, she cast Rene an apologetic look. "Forgive him, please, it's been a while. He's been busy here, I'm sure you just slipped his mind."

Sam accepted that, relaxing slightly though it pained him to see his betrothed defending a man in such a lowly position as he saw it. Assuming he knew what she was referring to, Sam smirked as he gave Rene a once over. "Do you enjoy your work here?" he wondered. "Do you enjoy my lady's company?"

He nodded again while murmuring a quiet word of thanks. Rene found Sam's attitude likewise amusing as it seemed he had ruffled feathers unintentionally. That too was saved for further reflection that he might possibly in the future use it to his advantage in his efforts to free himself.

"I have not had the opportunity to work yet," Rene admitted evenly, his eyes meeting those of the other man. "But the lady's company is as it should be."

Sam just stared back at those blue eyes with shock, not believing she'd kept him there and so well cared for without utilizing him for the purpose he had intended for her. "Really, my dear?" he asked her, though he continued to stare at Rene, quietly wondering if something was wrong with him. "By all means if he is not...of interest to you you should sell him," he scoffed.

Not really catching his meaning, Georgiana simply gave him a puzzled look and shook her head. "No, it's not that. I just... I asked him to perhaps be ready in a couple of weeks. Please don't forget the state he was in when he arrived. You can hardly expect a man to perform at his best if he is not healthy," she defended him, though Sam simply rolled his eyes.

"How noble of you. Don't put it off for too long, he looks plenty healthy to me. He is for your enjoyment. And in my opinion you should not be waiting on him."

"I understand," she sighed, hanging her head slightly and refusing to look at him. "But this is still my home and I will conduct my business as I please. I am not going to break my word to him for the sake of your preferences," she hissed.

"Well with how it's been weeks it makes me wonder about his preferences playing into it, my love. I'm sorry for stepping out of bounds here, I simply wish for your happiness," Sam tried to soothe her, his eyes once again studying Rene. "You are not purposefully denying her, are you?" he challenged him.

Rene cocked his head slightly, not understanding the question for the implications that Sam was trying to make. "I do not know how that would be possible when she is the master and I the slave. As far as Mistress has made me aware she has not had need of my services. She felt it best that I have the proper health and costume in order to best entertain her and her future guests."

"That's right," Georgiana agreed, glaring at Sam and shaking her head in disappointment. She should have known he would not have just left her to make her own choices. Gifts always seemed to come with strings attached, or at least his overbearing presence to tell her how she should be enjoying them, where to display them, and in this case how to use Rene. "And my instructions to him are none of your concern, Sam. He is mine, not yours." She said this with a smile, her tone calm and her eyes expressionless as she hated being forced to assert herself.

Sam scoffed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "For now, yes. I'll butt out, but I truly am disappointed you've yet to do anything with him. But I'm glad he seems healthy... Let me know if you change your mind and decide you want someone else." With that he stood, smoothing out his clothes and left her there as he quickly departed.

"Always an appointment with him," she sighed, leaning back once he was gone and casting an apologetic look to Rene. "I'm sorry he disturbed you. Well, we disturbed your practice. Would you rather I left you to it?"

"Who am I to deny you, Mistress?" Rene jibed in reference to Sam's earlier comments. "Whatever you desire though, as always," he added quietly with a submissive hanging of his head. "If you wish to observe you may or you can be surprised. Whatever you feel is best."

Georgiana winced for the way he said it, her eyes falling to stare at the floor. With the way he spoke she couldn't tell if he cared one way or another, though. "I see," she sighed, glancing to him out of the corner of her eye. "If you don't mind or wouldn't be embarrassed I'd like to stay awhile and watch.

"Would be something to do at least," she muttered, feeling he would not take kindly to a noblewoman exclaiming her boredom with her privileged life.

Rene raised a brow in confusion. "Why would I be embarrassed?" he sputtered, forgetting to even address her properly as he stared at her like she had four heads. "You are more than welcome to stay. I don't see why you couldn't though," he continued in a hesitant tone, completely unsure of what was really going on at the moment.

"It just seems like such a private thing," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It's normal to see the prepared performance, not all the work and practice and maintenance that goes into your...skills.

"I just wouldn't want to throw you off or make you self-conscious to have me here watching you," she explained, wincing slightly at how inconsiderate and selfish she thought she seemed.

"There is nothing for me to be self-conscious of," Rene told her firmly. "It is no different than seeing a performance other than it being a more private setting. I leave it to you to decide," he added with a shrug that turned into a neck roll.

Despite what he said about it being her choice, he was not going to wait any longer and play the waiting game when he could feel himself already cooling off from his workout. It was necessary in his mind to warm up once more before resuming his more complicated routines.

His movements were slow but precises as his eyes relaxed into the barest of slits and he waved his arms with exaggerated gestures that became tighter and more fluid as he felt himself falling back into the familiarity of it all. As he allowed the passion of his trade take over, he quickly lost interest in what Georgiana was doing as he let the moment reign free and unhindered.

That he had no lack of confidence was not all that surprising to her. She knew he could be very stubborn and standoffish and he spoke so highly of himself, so why would he be embarrassed about something that was his job and life in the past? It was all just a bunch of projection that she could not see in herself.

As such, she watched him as though she was embarrassed to even be seeing him, as if she was peeking at something very private. She kept her head down and only glanced at him occasionally to be careful not to be rude and stare.

When at last he found himself ready for more complex maneuvers, Rene allowed his eyes to fall open only to find his audience was not paying him enough attention. Determined to not disappoint, he tried harder to draw her undivided attention by dancing closer and closer to her, while even going so far as to reach for her without touching. He not only feared touching her for drawing her anger but also for cursing himself with his goddess' ill-favor for touching the red-haired woman.

Not aware he was with motive, Georgiana was still trying not to stare at him for more than a few seconds at a time. As he came closer she pointedly turned her head away. Not in disgust but what she felt was politeness as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye only. She fussed with her hands on her lap and fidgeted her legs, crossing and uncrossing them at the ankles as she wasn't really sure what to do with someone dancing so close to her that she was not dancing with herself. It was a situation she had not found herself in before. "That's beautiful," she said softly, a smile tugging at her lips as she allowed herself to look at him a bit more directly at last. But now she tried not to watch one particular part of his body in motion more than any other, her eyes darting all over as she admired him, "You're very gifted."

His lips curled in a half-smile as he relaxed with victory. She was not so disinterested after all. "Thank you Mistress. It is a high compliment if you approve. Is there something in particular you would like to see? To do perhaps?" Rene's eyes glittered knowingly, pleased with the way he was affecting Georgiana.

"No, not really. I'm here to observe. Please don't let me disturb whatever...routines you have," she insisted, briefly admiring the way his chest glistened before looking up to catch his eye. "I was just curious about you, is all."

"And are you still curious," he purred while continuing to sway his hips sensually from side to side, his hands dancing out at the sides as if made of water. "Would you care to learn Mistress? I could teach if you'd like."

"Well of course, or I wouldn't be here," she told him, relaxing into a bit of playfulness as she watched and was thoroughly distracted by his movements. His offer, though, caused her to blush. "I don't even know if I could learn. It looks so... Well, different than anything I've ever done.

"If you're confident in your ability to teach, though... I could try. Would be something for us to do at least. But you'll need to be patient with me," she warned him, a bit worried he was only offering out of compulsion.

Rene laughed and stopped dancing. "Of course you can learn, it's easy!" He reached for her hands in order to pull her to her feet. "But the one who must have patience is you Mistress. Things take time and I will not appreciate punishment for your frustrations," he told her with an air of authority that no slave should have over their master. But truth be told, Georgiana was asking to do something that was within Rene's domain and as a teacher she was indeed giving him a bit of power no matter how small. He was not about to relinquish that for the world either.

"Well you make it look easy. I don't know that I could be so...flexible? But we'll see." She took his hands and stood up, though she struggled to make eye contact for the cruelness he was suggesting she would be capable of. "I don't think anyone could say they don't like getting their way, but this is not a debate. I wouldn't punish you for my own slow learning. I also wouldn't have the time to devote to it that you had and do have now."

She felt then that she was missing something, perhaps that she should have said something to him about the way he'd spoken and given his opinions in the first place. But she reminded herself that what she ultimately desired was a friend, and what kind of friend is a person who censors themselves out of fear? At last she raised her head to meet his eyes and offered an honest, well-intentioned smile. "What's something basic, then? Could you show me?"

He nodded his head calmly before taking her and turning her so that her back faced his chest. Rene then slid his hands down from her forearms to her wrists so that his larger ones cupped her smaller hands.

"Your hands should be relaxed as if you're holding a delicate glass ball in them that is just the right size. If you grip too tightly you crush the ball so you must be relaxed and allow your hands to do what feels natural and effortless for them. Do you understand?"

She tried to take his instruction in stride but she was worried she would be too tense for his standards as he described what she needed to do. Cautiously she adjusted her hands, trying to mould them to the shape he wanted her to accomplish. "It doesn't feel natural," she admitted, wincing slightly and feeling a bit awkward as she lifted her hands slightly to study them. "Do hands really matter so much for this? Most dances I know are more about footwork."

"This is not most dances," he countered before trying to massage her palms and wrists to relax her more. "If you do not feel relaxed then you won't look it. No one wants to see someone moving like they have burrs in their skirts. Now try again."

It made sense, but thinking about being relaxed did not really have the desired effect. She could not help but think the way he touched her hands and arms was intimate, if unintended, and it was much more contact than was normal for her to have with any one person. Georgiana took a few breaths, trying to soothe her nerves before she tried again, watching her hands intently as she attempted to mimic him. "Like this?" she asked, uncertain but hoping she was on the right track.

Rene chuckled softly, pressing more into her back so he could reach around her and adjust her slightly. "There, much better. See it's not so bad after all right? You can be taught. Now bring your arms out to the sides," Rene directed them out before helping her to raise and lower her arms. "Like a bird rising up the mountain, smooth and graceful."

"Maybe. Still time to fail miserably," she teased, though she fell silent and nodded to seriously try to do as he asked. Trying it out, she mostly just flapped awkwardly as she struggled to relax herself fully, her joints still quite rigid. She tried to smooth it out, though, the noblewoman stubborn and determined to show that she could take instruction and gradually becoming more fluid.

"Hush and relax," Rene chided her softly. His hands continued to direct hers as he allowed his body to sway slowly from side to side causing her shoulders to follow with him or else she would fall over. "A reed in the wind. Your body is water flowing on a lazy summer day. Imagine it. Do you see it?"

The seemingly abrupt movement caught her off guard, her body leaning dangerously far before she was able to correct herself, with feet stubbornly planted on the floor even as she allowed her upper body to move with him. "Water," she repeated, trying to envision such a sight and certain it was supposed to have a calming effect. Instead, she was struggling to grasp it. "How does water dance? It just moves," she argued, not seeing that that was the entire point of it. Georgiana did try to follow along, though, her body more rocking in a set pattern instead of allowing herself to sway so fluidly with him.

Rene smiled, remembering how his mentor had given him the same advice and he had responded in a very similar manner. "It flows," he informed her simply as he moved his hands down her arms and sides to rest on her hips.

"Keep these still and just move your upper body. Relax and flow."

It was far more challenging with the additional restriction, but she gave it an honest try. Rocking slowly gave way to a more gentle swaying, though her movements were much more subtle than she had wanted in her concentration. Being unbalanced as well she found herself leaning into one side or the other with her hips, cheating his directions a bit. "This is better," she praised herself, confident that she was improving already despite all the details she was unaware of.

"Yes, much better," he said hoping it would encourage her. Rene was feeling completely within his element. For a moment he completely forgot he was the slave and she the master as he shared his art and his passion with another human being.

"Now if we can just get you to keep your hips still, we'll be set. Keep trying, you're close on this one."

"I thought I was," she sighed, suddenly painfully aware that she could not keep them still. Trying to focus on it, she lowered her arms slightly and practiced bending at the waist instead as she swayed. It did wonders for her posture and suddenly made it easier to do the movements he'd shown her, though she was still a bit hesitant and lacked the confidence practiced by a more skilled dancer.

Silently, he readjusted his hands so that one splayed across her belly and the other snaked across her spine to help direct her swaying. "Let your whole body get into it. You're free from everything. No chains bind you. No winds can stop you. You're free, now prove it and show me," he murmured in her ear, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the feel of the swaying as he joined her.

It was a far more intense feeling than she was willing to let into her soul just yet. The noblewoman was a good student, though, using his guidance to her advantage and doing her best to move in time to an imaginary song that played in her head as she became more relaxed and open in her dance. Subconsciously she began tapping her slippered feet in time with it as she at last closed her eyes to try and envision it and feel it for herself.

Rene recognized the moment she allowed herself to take it all in and let go. He personally loved that feeling when it would overtake him. Briefly he wondered if she felt the same. A few more beats of their unheard song and he was pulling away from her, his hands remaining in contact with her body though as he moved so that she would not falter. He entwined one of his hands with hers, using it to spin her away from him gently to twirl before he was once more beside her and directing her hips to now join in their little dance.

The added movement had her faltering a bit, her eyes opening as she found herself twirling momentarily, but she settled back into a rhythm once he rejoined her. That he was dancing too was encouraging, thinking it meant she at least wasn't messing up too terribly if he was willing to join her. "This is...kind of fun," she admitted quietly, smiling to herself as she added her hips into the mix with his help being very careful to let them move independently of her upper body as she shimmied around the room.

"And you were worried," he chuckled, twirling her a bit more before letting her go to see what she would do while he likewise continued dancing, never more than a step away from her. "Enjoying yourself then, are we?"

"Well it's new, and new can be scary." Being released to continue on her own, though, Georgiana hesitated at first before seeing he was still with her but just not guiding the way he had. She tried to maintain the dance for herself, her movements a bit slower than she would have liked as she was very aware of herself and trying to do it "properly."

"I understand now, what you meant about the clothes," she chuckled, gesturing at herself. "These were definitely not meant for this kind of dancing. But yes. I like it a lot actually. Not conventional at all, but that makes it special." She continued to dance for a time, adding a bit here and there as she experimented, but it was not long before she was twirling away from him and climbing up onto a chair to catch her breath. "Don't let me stop you," she prompted, smiling softly as she loosened the ties of her dress a bit to allow herself room to breathe. "I haven't properly danced since last winter."

Despite what she said, Rene did stop. He had done enough workout he believed for the morning and unless she ordered him to continue he would not. Seeing her sitting once more in her chair had brought back the reality of who truly had power in their unfortunate relationship and Rene found himself wanting to shake her because of it. He could not believe he had shared with her such an intimate part of him only to fall back into old ways as she was the master still and he the slave. Rene was sure she had not forgotten her place in this and he was kicking himself for being so stupid.

"Are you alright, Mistress?" he asked her as some of his joyful light left his eyes. "You are not hurt?"

"No, no, nothing like that," she tried to assure him, waving in a dismissive gesture. She was a bit disappointed that he'd stopped dancing but said nothing of it, certain she'd have the opportunity to watch plenty in their time together. "Just not in good enough shape to do that for very long," she explained, noticing how down and distracted he suddenly seemed and frowning slightly for it. She thought, perhaps, that he was unhappy with her for some reason.

"Are you alright?" she asked, sincerely curious and hoping none of it had been too taxing on him.

"Yes, Mistress. There is no need to worry," he answered quietly with his hands clasped behind his back. "If I may though Mistress is it still your intention to have me perform in a few weeks? You should not hesitate because of me. I do not wish you to believe I am holding you back as he said."

"Yes, if you're feeling up to it. I would not embarrass you by forcing you into it if you didn't feel prepared. Don't worry about what he says, though," she sighed, frowning slightly for the reminder of Sam and his pushiness. "He's a bit...overbearing and pokes his nose into things that really are none of his concern."

His return to the repeated use of "Mistress" to address her was almost annoying now, the noblewoman regretting that she'd even given him the option of calling her that. But she had allowed him and it wasn't really something she would feel right to scold him for. "You don't always have to be so formal with me, you know," she reminded him, personally feeling that the title would hinder any chance of forming a friendship with him. "I would prefer if you called me by my name. Almost everyone else does."

"I do not wish to forget my place as your slave, Mistress," he reminded her with a bit of a bite in his tone. There was an expression of deep hurt in his eyes though as he was greatly pained by his lack of freedom. His words were truthful though and spoken from his heart for Rene truly did fear forgetting and becoming complacent. He wanted nothing more than to return home to his beloved and leave this nightmare behind. He swore he would not forget but every day that passed made him feel more and more like he was losing his grasp on what mattered.

Though his sentiment didn't surprise her she was a bit shocked that he would voice it again. She was certain he did not see it but she felt just as trapped in their situation as he did, not wishing to release him before Sam seemed satisfied with the work he'd done as she didn't like the power he held over her socially if she did not accept Rene graciously. "I see," she sighed, genuinely disappointed that he seemed so against the alternatives.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. I wanted to help you not feel like one while you are here." She adjusted her clothing, finally feeling cooled off as she rose from her chair, a bit down that it seemed to be the only pattern of communication they were capable of. "Thank you for the lesson, though, that was very kind of you," she told him sincerely as she went for the door, her head hung slightly in defeat as she didn't really wish to waste any more of her time on it.

Rene was lost as to what to do or what to say. He did not know why but part of him felt like he had to explain himself to her and accidentally his reasoning blurted out from his lips before he could stop himself. "Fooling myself won't change the facts. It'll only make me forget home," came his whisper that was rife with heartbreak.

The pain in his voice was startling to her. Briefly, she was sickened in knowing it was her responsibility. Yet she also felt empowered by it, knowing that his destiny was truly in her hands. She stopped, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room as she thought over it, refusing to look at him for the pain she feared seeing in his face. "I'm not asking you to forget your home or forget yourself."

She sniffled, fighting the urge to cry out of frustration as she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. "I just don't want you to hate me. I didn't ask for this either," she defended quietly.

"Do not play the victim here, Georgiana," Rene all but spat out with barely-restrained fury. "Not when you and you alone that holds full responsibility for the continuation of the situation and keeping me here. A cage is a cage no matter how you guild it!" His eyes blazed with passion that had not filled their depths so fully since he was first stolen from his island. "You have a choice and as long as that is the case you are to blame."

"Do not speak to me that way," she warned him, tense and refusing to face him still for fear she would not remain strong even as her voice trembled. "I have tried to show you kindness, as much as I can in this situation. I have told you very clearly all I wish for you to do and you continue to act as though I have given you no way out. It is your behavior that will determine when you are released. Don't even try to put it on me, there are certain things I simply cannot do.

"Do not scold me like I am some child," she hissed, her fists balled at her sides now as she felt awkward and didn't quite know what to do with her hands. "I get enough of that already."

"Then perhaps you should stop behaving as one!" He found himself shouting at her, even taking a step towards her before he was able to stop himself. "You forget I am a man! I am a human! I am not an animal or one of your little dolls that you can take out to play with before casting aside again whenever it suits your needs! You have absolutely no regard for my person beyond my health or what I can do for you! You expect cooperation from a man who was stolen from his home due to another man's greed and no fault of his own! Have you even spared a single thought for those that suffer at my absence? I have a family! I have friends! Do you think they don't miss me or worry after me? Do you think this situation only affects one meaningless person? If this is really so hard for you to understand then maybe you need to take a moment and consider what it is like to be in my shoes before you dare beret me for wanting what you take for granted! You talk of things you cannot do and yet you are the one who holds another man's life in your hands woman! Chew on that, why don't you!"

She only winced for his shouting, seemingly unable to take action against him as she had warned. She didn't like the reminders of his past or that he had loved ones waiting for him. "I am not naive, I know what is in the balance. I never denied that," she answered coldly, hurt by his words and not wishing to argue anymore. "I never pretend to not know any of this. You should be grateful that you are not in a worse place than this. You were neglected and dirty and a shell of a man when I came into owning you. This is not what I asked for but I am trying to make the best of it and you seem intent on reminding me that I am the most vile woman to ever walk the earth for my efforts.

"You could be in a much worse situation than this. You could be beaten and hungry and thirsty and cold and still someone's property, but I am not treating you poorly and I will not hear your insults, Rene. I am not so cruel as to dangle the idea of freedom over your head. It was a promise. A promise you seem to want to squander.

"I will offer you your freedom. But it is not the time nor place right now and I don't see that changing anytime soon if you continue to insult me so." With that she was leaving at last, upset that an interaction that had seemed so promising not long ago was now ruined and left her licking her wounds. How things always turned sour between them she did not understand but she was certain she would do everything she could to avoid him for now. She couldn't remember a time she was ever so disturbed or moved by something and it was deeply unsettling that her slave was causing her so much frustration and heartache.

He breathed like a man who had run a marathon and every muscle in his body bulged with the effort to remain still. There were so many things that he wanted to shout at her or throw into her face but she was gone before he had gathered enough of himself to do so.

He had tried being good, really he had. But he was right or so he felt. She was never around to see him behave. She used him like a doll to be picked up and set down when she felt like, to be dressed and made to dance about like a puppet on a string.

Rene had nothing from her to prove that she would uphold her bargain. His good behavior was never rewarded. His poor behavior was only ever met with her long absences to do as he pleased and part of him was complacent enough to accept that if he continued to push her away then maybe she would leave him alone long enough to disappear altogether.

However, some of her words had likewise stroke a chord in him even if he was unwilling to admit it. He had been a shell of a man when Sam had bought him. She had at least had the mind to care enough to bring him back to life and health. But, for the life of him he could not understand why she could not see him as human, why she persisted in enslaving him like a wounded bird that she no longer wished to set free in the wild.

With a growl and a shout, he overthrew the chair she always claimed as her own while pacing about the room madly, reverting for a moment to the days of his youth when he was a vengeful and wild child without the care and discipline that his mentor Sor would later teach him. Let her come and yell at him now, he would be ready for a second round if she dared.

For their arguments recently she almost did not want to bring Rene before her friends, worrying that he might decide to completely embarrass her. But that was what punishment was for, right? She would not allow herself to be seen as weak in her social circle, and she was also too stubborn to allow that fear to excuse him from performing at all.

She kept herself more isolated from him than ever in the weeks to come. It was not out of boredom but the sting of being burned too much already. His few moments of kindness or gentleness had left her quite confused.

In the days before their departure for the other end of the province she had sent him a note with his breakfast that he was to pack what he needed in the bag that had been brought with it, the noblewoman not wanting to bother showing her face to tell him personally because she assumed they would just get into another argument over it. She never even gave a thought as to whether he could even read or not.

It was only when their carriage was packed, attended, and ready to go for the short trip that she finally returned to retrieve him and his belongings, as she saw them. Her sister, however, had insisted on coming along to meet him again. Nevermind that they were all about to be confined in close quarters for the next few hours.

Georgiana didn't bother to knock, thinking the turn of her key would be enough to alert him to their presence. As soon as it was open, though, Natasha was bounding inside. "Hi! Good morning!" she greeted excitedly. Georgiana just blinked, standing still in the doorway for a moment as she watched her.

"Good, uh, morning," she mumbled as she closed the door gently behind herself, not wanting to appear cold if she'd chosen to say nothing at all. "Are you ready to go?"

Rene received the note and could not help but roll his eyes at what he perceived as childish cowardliness. The fact that she could not even face him said much and helped to assuage some of the guilt he had begun to feel over letting his temper rule him. It had affected her after all which to him meant there was at least something he had said that was true and she knew it. That was a win enough for him and he opened the message to the letter, ensuring he had several options to wear in case she decided to throw a fit and change what he was wearing to suit her needs and those of the rest of the audience.

The turn of the key did not surprise him as he knew someone would come to collect him. The presence of someone unknown to him though did surprise him and he found himself greeting the exuberant lady with as much warmth as she had him. The sight of Georgiana however, sucked all the warmth away in the blink of an eye. The only greeting she received was a stiff "Mistress," and a curt nod of his head in response to her question. He was all but waiting for the other shoe to drop and her to say or do something nasty. After all he was not wearing his dreaded leash yet.

She did not miss the difference in his greetings, frowning slightly for how unfriendly she felt he was being towards her. Everything was so backwards and it was beginning to give her a headache. Without ceremony she approached him and silently took his collar from her pocket and reached up to loosely secure it around his throat. Natasha smiled sadly, disagreeing with her sister's methods but not wanting to speak out against her right to do it anyway. "I'm excited to see you dance!" she praised, trying to distract him with friendly chit-chat as Georgiana secured his leash. "She speaks so highly of you," the younger woman mentioned, giggling slightly for the glare shot at her by her sister.

"Thank you," he quietly replied while keeping his gaze facing forward above Georgiana's head. "Though I don't see why she wouldn't. To do otherwise would suggest her gift was not well-received," Rene continued, though his face had taken on a look of mild surprise that he hurried to meld back into neutrality.

"Well there are certain things I don't appreciate," Georgiana muttered, not letting the innocent look fool her as she went to grab his bag to carry it herself in her stubbornness as she held his leash anxiously in her other hand, as if worrying over whether it was the best choice even though it was what she wanted. Control. Authority. At least a physical representation proved that, or so she thought.

Natasha, however, did not let her sister's sour mood rub off on her, her smile kind as she nodded for Rene's answers. "Sometimes she struggles to use her words," the younger woman teased for her mumbling, the jab only earning her a pointed glare.

"Let's go," Georgiana prompted them, clutching the bag tightly as she headed out so that they could be on their way. She wanted the cramped ride to be over with as quickly as possible.

"Does something bother you, Mistress?" he asked innocently. The leash only seemed to make Rene stand taller, his entire body tensed in defiance as if expecting an impending blow. Even when one did not come and they were walking, he remained the same. He knew he probably should try and take the bag from Georgiana given his station but her mere presence combined with that of the leash only made him want to rebel more. If she wanted to be stubborn and carry it then who was he to stop her.

Yes. "No, of course not," she sighed, watching with slight irritation as her sister hurried down the stairs and ran for the door in what she considered an unladylike fashion. Georgiana took her time, despite her rush to be over with their travels quickly. Once outside she handed Rene's bag to their driver and climbed inside the carriage, being very careful not to accidentally yank on Rene's leash. She slid into the further corner from the door, slightly grumbly for the fact that Natasha had chosen to take the seat across from her.

While Georgiana was fairly withdrawn and staring out the window to avoid them Natasha did her best to try and talk normally with Rene. "Is your hair just...natural like that?" the young noblewoman asked in awe, a slightly gaping smile there as she had the chance to finally stare at him up close.

Rene sat down beside Georgiana though he worked hard at not turning his head to look at her. He was grateful for his seat as it meant he would not be forced into staring at her for the whole ride. The other woman's voice though snapped him to attention and out of his funk as his breast swelled with pride.

"Yes it is, Little Miss. It is rare and highly valued among my people. Many try to replicate it but few are born with it. My Goddess honored me with her gift."

Natasha giggled, smiling easily for the name he'd used for her. "Well, it's gorgeous," she praised, blushing slightly as she found herself staring at his face, those blue eyes especially. Trying to be polite, she tried not to make direct eye contact over her fascination. "And your eyes, too," she gasped slightly, glancing to Georgiana as if to signal her in a "Are you seeing this?!" fashion. The redhead was trying to ignore their conversation, though, her body stiff as she braced against every bump in the road. "You look so...stunning," the younger sister complimented, hurrying to clarify, "Good stunning. Beautiful stunning. I'm sorry, is that weird?" She laughed nervously, the young woman not having too much experience around men she found attractive.

"Thank you," he chuckled, clearly amused. "Not at all, Little Miss. You have paid the highest of compliments to me. Thank you my dear. It is nice to know I have not lost everything over these past few months."

Georgiana was listening but only winced for the emphasis she heard, not willing to place herself in their conversation over it.

Natasha, however, was quite thrilled that he received her compliments so well, though she frowned slightly for hearing what he'd said. It did make her sad thinking that he probably had family that was missing his absence, that he was probably missing out on things in his homeland. "Not truly lost," she tried to comfort him, having no idea what to say to him with his owner and her sister right there.

"Please, Natasha," Georgiana sighed, finally speaking up with a weary voice. "Rene will be okay." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, trying to discreetly observe the beauty her sister had been fawning over.

Rene shot Georgiana a glare but otherwise fought to hold his tongue. There was no point in arguing with her. He could not win against her and he did not wish to risk his so-called "chances" for freedom if they even existed at all. Instead he nodded his head to the woman across from him in thanks while offering her a shy smile.

She did see it and it bothered her more than it probably should have. Why could he not just accept that things would work out for him? That he wanted to be immediately freed still bothered her a lot, as if she was supposed to do nothing with him at all, as if she should reject the gift that had been given to her.

Natasha mirrored his shy smile, the younger woman nervously playing with her hair as distraction from a handsome man giving her any sort of attention. She had seen him glaring at Georgiana and she worried that they were not on good terms. That certainly wouldn't turn out well for either of them. "Are you nervous about dancing?" she asked, trying to keep the mood light and steer their conversation to something Georgiana might not be offended by.

"No," he replied easily. "Should I be Little Miss? Is there a nasty monster behind a curtain ready to ruin me if my performance goes poorly?" Rene teased as he chuckled softly. "No, this is what I am used to from back home. There is nothing to be afraid of once the music starts playing."

"Of course not!" Natasha laughed, liking his sense of humor. "That's good, though, I'm glad you're confident. I don't know what I would do if everyone was looking at me! It's one thing to dance while everyone else is dancing. Quite another to hold a captive audience," she shivered, suddenly realizing she really didn't know all that much about him. "How long have you been dancing, then? All your life? Or only recently?"

"Ah but that is the secret Little Miss. You dance like no one is watching," he informed her sagely. "But yes I have been dancing since I was young. My people train from young children on to adulthood if they're good enough." He cast a glance towards Georgiana to see if she was listening before continuing, "which I am."

"That's amazing," the young woman admired, giving him a fond smile while Georgiana only offered an acknowledging grunt. "Is there anything else you were trained in?" Natasha wondered. "If you were so good? Or did you focus on dance?"

Privately Georgiana was curious about his past but she did not voice it, choosing to continue to listen quietly. It was something to pass the time and they could not arrive soon enough as far as she was concerned. She mindlessly fiddled with his leash on her lap as she did her best to appear distracted even as she cast glances his way every so often.

"No I was trained in many things. The Maoin caste are the entertainers of our society if you will. We are taught all the arts whether those be of song, dance, paint, or even conversation. A proper Maoin is well-balanced in all these areas. You'll have to tell me Little Miss how I do," he teased, offering her a little wink.

"I will!" she chirped, blushing slightly for the wink as she bit her lip to stifle a giggle. "I'm sure you'll blend right in," she told him sincerely, trying to be encouraging.

It wasn't much longer until they were entering the estate of Caroline Carter, the afternoon light slowly melting to evening. Georgiana had the small worry in the back of her mind as she stepped out of the carriage that Rene would try to flee in the night, something that had not crossed her mind before but she hoped he would not go through with. It was certainly not her own home but it was still well-guarded. Handing his leash to Natasha once her sister had exited so she would not be yanking him, Georgiana rushed to greet her friend, the two nearly toppling each other as they met in a tackle of a hug at the doorstep of her grand home.

"I'm sure you remember my sister, Natasha," Georgiana prompted her after they had said their hellos, gesturing at the younger girl who waved shyly and hurried to hand Rene's lead back to Georgiana, feeling uncomfortable holding onto it. "And this is Rene, my slave. The one I told you about."

"Of course, of course!" the blond woman said excitedly, looking Rene up and down and paying no mind at all to the fact that he wore a collar and leash. "I'm happy to have you here. Welcome, really. All of you," she assured, giving Natasha a friendly wink as the blushing girl took her bag from their driver and hurried for the door.

"Same rooms?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, make yourselves at home," Caroline encouraged, watching with a giggle as Natasha quickly squeezed between them to go through the door. "Is there anything special he'll need for tonight?" she asked, though her eyes were distracted by the sight of more of her guests arriving.

Georgiana could only open her mouth without any sound, realizing she didn't quite know what he did even for his warm-ups. "Rene?" she prompted nervously.

His hands balled up into tight fists at his introduction. However, Rene was thoroughly amused that Georgiana had not thought ahead to see to him and in his eyes at least was making a fool of herself by having to ask a slave his opinion. "No, Mistress."

"No," she repeated tensely, bowing her head humbly for having to have him answer it at all, an embarrassed blush rising to her cheeks. "We'll see you tonight," she told her, releasing her friend to continue greeting her guests. Georgiana grabbed both her bag and Rene's before heading inside with only a glance over her shoulder to be sure Rene was still with her and following. She was headed down the hall for the room she remembered was "hers" when visiting.

Rene tagged along quietly, still surprised that Georgiana insisted on doing all the heavy lifting while she tugged him along on a string like a little lost puppy. He was not offering to help her though as he still felt resentment for her part in his captivity and therefore did not feel that she deserved his help. While she struggled he admired the layout of the manor around him, comparing it to things he had seen at home as if being there was nothing to bat an eye at.

"You seem awfully comfortable," she sighed, grumbling slightly as she struggled with and finally opened the door to her temporary quarters. Unceremoniously she dumped the luggage on the bed and sat down to rest, as if the journey down the hall had been strenuous. "Come closer," she prompted him, waving her hand in gesture at the collar around his throat. "I'll take that off."

"Should I not be?" he asked snarkily while sauntering over to her with a slight graceful sway of his hips. "Is there something else you wanted me to be other than comfortable Mistress? Have I displeased you?"  Rene dropped to his knees in front of her so as to allow her to reach his collar but his eyes never left hers. "Should I make it up to you Mistress?"

Georgiana glared at him, finding his overly-polite way of speaking insulting. She frowned and shook her head, trying to let it die in silence as she fumbled with the collar. She set it aside once it was off, not bothering to undo the leash attached to it. "I was just saying," she growled defensively, rolling her eyes that he even dared question her reasoning. "Be as comfortable as you like," she said, voice tense as she held eye contact until it was no longer bearable and she turned her head to stare at the door instead. "All sweet and smiles with everyone else. I can't believe they don't see through all that, see how cruel you are," she grumbled, knowing she was digging herself deeper but not caring if she hurt his feelings anymore. "Why can't you just accept what I say? Why do you have to challenge me on everything," she snapped grumpily.

"Ah like you?" He volleyed back, not ready to back down to her over this. "This is what happens when you cage a man born free! You reap what you sow, Mistress. What they see is what they give returned and the same can be said of you. If you don't like what you see Mistress change it or stop looking before you find something in me you can't turn back on," he warned cryptically before pushing himself back to his feet. Rene made sure that as he stood he leaned his body as close to her as possible to caus her a bit of discomfort.

"How long before I am needed Mistress?"

"No. It doesn't work like that," she grumbled stubbornly, crossing her arms in front of herself in silent defense as she watched him stand and lean in uncomfortably close. She swallowed tensely and fought the urge to show her discomfort otherwise. "That is my concern, not yours," she answered, unwilling to give up the information now that he'd shown he couldn't possibly be civil with her.

"All you need to worry about is being ready. Now kindly get out of my face you disrespectful mutt," Georgiana hissed, not really thinking that true and only saying it to try and hurt him. To make her point she finally lashed out to push at his shoulder.

He recoiled under her touch and his face completely shutdown of emotion. "I asked out of a desire to know how long I have to get ready Mistress," Rene half-hissed, half-spat. "I cannot work miracles and I doubt you would wish for your slave to embarass you by not being able to showcase the skills you want him to display."

Without waiting for her response he stepped away from her, snatching up his bag as he went and storming to the other side of the room to open it and withdraw what he needed. His motions though were blind though as he fought back tears and anger. Having such volatile emotions within him would ruin his performance for sure and so he tried to squelch them but was finding it very difficult.

Georgiana glowered at him, her mouth a tight line as she watched him in silence. Her body was tense, ready for a fight that she did not really want.

"An hour. No, two hours at the earliest," she finally told him, giving in to the reason of letting him know ahead of time. "I trust that will be plenty of time. I don't know what to say if you need longer than I do to get ready." With that she rose from her seat and took her own bag to be as far away from him as possible while getting ready. Despite her short fuse with Rene she was meticulous and taking painstaking care in her own grooming as she pulled a brush from her bag and ran it slowly through her hair as she tried to decide how she wanted to wear it that night.

She'd brought far more clothes than she would have ever needed for the event but she finally settled on a green dress. She spent the rest of her time mostly primping her hair, taming it into a side ponytail before she squeezed herself into her dress and began donning her ears, neck, and arms with jewelry. She said not a word to Rene and childishly decided to pretend he wasn't even there.

Rene was glad for the peace of her silence as it meant he had time to focus on his own thoughts and self. From the bag he pulled the several sets of outfits he had thought about wearing before coming to the conclusion that less would be more. If Georgiana wanted a show then she would have one whether she liked it or not.

He brushed his own until it was smooth and shone before styling it in a traditional arrangement from his homeland. His makeup was kept dark and exotic with kohl rimming his eyes and shadowing his eyelids. He even used the dark paint to place dots under his eyes in the same pattern as those that his mentor Sor had tattooed upon his skin. Everything he did was to remember home for that was what would be his strength to continue on through the night.

His forearms and and neck were adorned with bangles that stacked one on top of the other like rope that coiled around and around. Rene did not dress himself yet though and worked at practicing some warm up stretches and moves as he wanted Georgiana to be unable to change his outfit choice at the last minute.

Returning to the middle of the room and settling herself on the bed to watch him, Georgiana was slightly surprised to see how he looked already. "That's pretty dark," she commented as she stared at his face, neither approving or disapproving as she studied him but determining for herself that he did look quite beautiful. "You're not going to...dance in those clothes, are you?" she wondered, wincing slightly in disappointment for she knew she had had much nicer things made for him in his time at her home.

He gave her a look as dark as his eyes as he cast a backward glance her way. Rene soon returned to facing away from her again as he resumed his stretches before deigning to answer. "Would you have me look less than my best because I need to prepare before performing, Mistress?"

"No," she hurried to answer, furrowing her brow at her own thoughts, kicking herself for not realizing before and not trusting him to prepare himself in the best order he could. "I guess I'm just nervous," she admitted, though she certainly thought she had nothing to be worried about, her confidence in his abilities the reason she had not insisted on watching his every preparation for this day. "Is there anything else you need? Anything you forgot to pack?"

'And what do you have to be nervous about?' He found himself thinking cruelly. "I forgot nothing," Rene replied aloud though, keeping his answers short as he tried not to growl at her for interrupting his warm up again. His concentration was broken though and he found himself bouncing on his heels with pent-up frustration and energy. He wanted to shout at her to leave but knew that it would not go over well. Instead Rene was forced to hold his tongue and continue on even if it was not as fluid or as relaxing as he would have liked.

"That's good," she sighed, watching him with a quirked brow for his stumblings and poor balance. She certainly didn't take him for a clumsy person and a brief thought crossed her mind that he might have been ill. "Are you...feeling alright?" she spoke up again after a bit of silence between them. "I would understand if you weren't feeling up to performing tonight," she offered, not intending it to be a challenge as she spoke with some tension.

"And why wouldn't I?" he asked before he could stop himself. "Or rather why do you think I wouldn't, Mistress?" Rene huffed and shook his head. "I feel fine. Although I have been better," he added, having to throw in one more dig at her.

Georgiana was tense for his answers, feeling almost burned by the way he lashed out at her with his words. "You just seem pretty clumsy," she told him honestly, huffing and shaking her head in disbelief at her rudeness. "And would it kill you to nice for once? You're such a bitter man," she hissed.

Rene lost his temper and whirled on her, moving to stand directly in front and over her as he practically shook with rage. "Perhaps I would not be so clumsy and bitter," he spat, "if I was not constantly criticized and interrupted by an Inima-forsaken woman who controls a man as if he were nothing more than a puppet on a string!"

Georgiana was leaning back reactively, momentarily fearful that he would put his hands on her as she stared up at him stubbornly. She didn't understand what he meant by Inima, not knowing his goddess as he did, but his tone gave her enough information to understand that it was an insult.

"How dare you speak to me that way," she hissed, a snarling growl of frustration escaping her as she reached out to firmly grasp him by his jaw. "No puppet acts as you do. How dare you accuse me of such a thing. You are mine," she spat angrily, squeezing a bit with her hand. "And how I choose to speak about you should be none of your concern. Your job is obedience, something you seem amazingly incapable of no matter how much slack I give you." She was nearly screeching at him, her nails digging to redden his cheeks before she released him, her hand winding back before it sprang towards him again to connect in a sharp slap against his cheek.

As soon as she had done it, though, her hand fell away and she stared at him in disbelief, not wanting to believe she had actually done it. Her pride wouldn't let her apologize, wouldn't let her acknowledge that she may have hurt him, something she had told herself she hadn't wanted to do. But it was clear from his marred makeup and the smudges upon her hand what had happened and she folded her hands in her lap as if to hide it. "Finish what you started," she told him, no emotion in her voice as she averted her gaze. "I won't interrupt you again."

Her nails stung but not enough to cause him any lasting pain. When he was at last free of her, Rene silently withdrew as if nothing had happened and worked at reapplying his makeup to perfection. He tutted softly as he examined the puckering red marks left by her hands as he attempted to hide them. His mind though was spinning with what had just occurred and he could not help but smugly think that at last the cat had shown her claws. It made him feel better in a perverse way that she was cruel to him as it kept him grounded in a world that was not his own. The pain was a reminder that not only did he not belong, he would never belong.

Georgiana was surprised and disappointed to find she did not feel any more in control of their situation than before. If nothing else, she felt out of control and embarrassed that she had lost her temper with him. It felt like a caged animal provoking its master, something that should have never occurred.

She was silent for the rest of the evening. The knock at the door announcing that it was time to go had her almost dreading the festivities ahead. She hopped down from the bed to slip into her shoes and was slightly fearful as she did not reach for his collar this time. "It's starting, are you ready?" she asked, glancing in his general direction but not really getting a good look at him.

"Yes, Mistress," he meekly responded, falling into step behind her. While Georgiana had been ignoring him he had finally finished his warmups and changed out of his day clothes into his performance attire. Rene had chosen to forgo a tunic entirely and was wearing only a pair of loose-fitting pair of pants that he had altered without anyone's knowledge to have a pair of slits from his hips to ankles on the outsides of his legs that could only be seen when he was dancing or bending his leg fully. The act of walking, if done carefully would not readily reveal the amount of skin he was intending on exposing until it was too late for Georgiana to stop him. With the knowledge of the last sting he was going to stick to her, he ventured onward, a semblance of obedience when he was anything but.

Georgiana didn't notice the alteration in his clothing, but his lack of a top was already making her tense. She knew it was quite normal for him but she hoped others understood that and didn't pass judgement on him, or her by extension. She led him through the halls, intercepting her sister along the way. Her body relaxed with every step, every moment he did not bolt without the restriction of his collar and leash.

She felt quite at ease once they entered the ballroom, the sight of so many people giving her a sense of calm and certainty. She noticed the looks she was getting but more and more she realized Rene held quite a lot more attention as they crossed the room. There were several couples already dancing as the loose grouping of musicians at the other side of the room slowly teased a song to life.

"It may be a little while," she paused to tell him, her eyes sweeping the room. "I don't see Caroline, but a few people are still coming, so... Make yourself at home I suppose," Georgiana told him distractedly as she reached out to pluck a glass of wine from the table of refreshments. Her sister couldn't help but giggle as she picked up her own.
"You're allowed to have it, you know," she teased her, though the younger woman was soon soaring across the room to join the friends she'd spied.

Georgiana forked the other way, making her rounds and saying her hellos, introducing Rene as if it were the most normal thing in the world and all was right and well between them.

Rene trailed Georgiana about the room, feeling quite bored but not allowing it to show on his face. He was well-trained in the art of conversation but he was not even permitted to use it as most of the other guests talked of him rather than to him. Eventually though he slipped away from her to stand on one of the balconies of the room where he could enjoy some fresh air. It shocked him that this small freedom eased such a deep-seated ache within his chest though it made his heart hurt more. The air was not the salty spray of home and the room behind him was not filled with friends and family that he knew. Part of him wished that he would be forgotten there in the cool darkness of the night. But the greater part feared even more that he would lose himself in the strange new world and never be able to return home. His fists clenched tightly as they rested against the rail of balcony and fought his long-suppressed nature to just throw himself over it and disappear somewhere between the stars.

Georgiana was wary as he wandered away, watching him from the corner of her eye before deciding that, ultimately, he wasn't likely to run if he hadn't tried to already. She busied herself with more wine, catching up with friends, and checking in with her sister before wandering over to the musicians to ensure they were aware of and prepared for Rene's performance.

At last she spied Caroline across the room and weaved her way through the throng to join her friend. She finally gave her a time, assuring her that it was flexible and the dance floor could be cleared in a moment should Rene need a delay. Grateful for that, she spent a bit more time catching up before crossing the room to look for him, saying a few more hellos along the way. She finally spied him through the open doors that led to a balcony and silently stepped out into cold air.

The lack of sound suddenly hit her, almost startlingly so once she was past the doorway, but she stopped there and went no further, not wanting to corner him. Leaning against the door and tilting her head to watch him, she finally broke their silence. "Could you be ready in about an hour? She would prefer something around the middle of the party, but you can have more time if you need," Georgiana said, her tone all-business even as she sipped at her wine.

He flinched at the sound of her voice, his head dropping in despair as his entire back and shoulders tensed. Rene could feel the bite of the railing as his clenched it so tight that his skin became pale with the strain.

"Whenever Mistress desires," he murmured, the heat of his earlier anger quenched by his own grief for home.

She hardly noticed the tension in him, her eyes wandering to the sky and stars instead as she awaited his reply. She was disappointed, though, sighing heavily and shaking her head to signal him so. If he wished to squander any chance he had at small freedoms with her then so be it, she wasn't going to force him. "Then an hour," she agreed, turning slightly to head back inside but finding herself pausing instead to watch him in silence.

Georgiana studied him as she drained her glass, her foggy senses still managing to pick up on how miserably mopey he looked. "I forgot to say you look nice," she finally blurted out, though she did so with a thoughtful frown before returning back inside to socialize until it was time, the vibrant hum of life far more appealing to her than the silence of her seemingly depressed slave.

Rene nodded his head solemnly while still staring at the land below him. "Yes, Mistress." Her compliment did not surprise him and he found himself thanking her automatically out of reflex rather than emotion. The hour seemed to pass too quickly for him and he could tell by the sounds of the crowd that it was drawing closer though he still refused to move as if his minor act of stubborness would grant him that much more peace in his solitude.

She did give him a chance at coming back inside on his own. As an extra minute turned to several with no sign of him returning from the balcony Georgiana finally slipped away to check on him again. Half expecting him to not be there, she raised a brow in surprise when she saw him still there just as he had been when she'd left him. "Rene?" she called gently, or what she thought was gentle. Her voice came out much louder for the humming filling her ears. This time she approached him, sliding in beside him and leaning on the railing as he was.

Briefly she looked down, wondering what was so interesting, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Aren't you cold out here?" she asked, lifting her head to look him up and down. "Are you planning on coming inside or is this all a no-go-waste-of-time?" She giggled at that, though she wasn't sure what she found funny about it at all.

"Yes," he answered, finally coming out of his thoughts to note that his numbness was not solely emotional. "It is time then Mistress?" Rene turned to look at Georgiana skeptically as she began to laugh. "Are you well?" he found himself asking, already wondering if she had gone insane.

"Yes! Everyone's waiting for you," she told him excitedly, glancing over her shoulder at the path that had been cleared through the crowd and the emptying dance floor she could see just beyond them. His question and the look he was giving her, though, had the noblewoman realizing she'd been doing something strange. "Uh... Yeah? It just... Would have been funny if you spent all this time just to not perform, but it doesn't matter," she rushed to cut off that conversation, her cheeks flushed and not wanting to delve any further into her thoughts on it as she turned to head back inside. "I'll be watching," she called a little too loudly over her shoulder before she rushed to join her sister at the inner circle of the room.

He cocked a brow at her before gliding past her and through the quickly parting crowd to stand in the center of the flow. A deep breath, a close of his eyes, and a raise of his hand was all it took before he was flowing to the music.

Rene jumped and shimmied across the floor as if he were no lighter than a feather and as delicate as a willow branch. For the most part his routine was completely improvised based solely on how the music made him feel. The theme though was of fiery, passion. It empowered him to spin faster and faster as he vaulted himself about the floor with flips and twists and in ways that were nearly humanely impossible. Through it all he worked to emphasis every sensual aspect of his body, displaying his complete control of every individual muscle.

As he began to move about the floor it was quickly obvious the alterations he'd made to the one article of clothing he'd chosen to wear. There were so many oohs and ahhs rippling through the crowd she was thinking those in attendance didn't mind his state of dress, though. After all, it was a performance.

Georgiana settled into watching, her sister excitedly clinging to one side of her as she herself was completely captivated by him. If someone had ever said a man could be as beautiful as he looked she would have flatly denied it, but he was graceful yet sturdy and his dance was something entirely of fable and myth as far as she was concerned. She could only stare at him in amazement and wonder, her eyes never wavering and watching him completely own his craft, his passion.

Rene began to wrap his dance up by making his way steadily to Georgiana. His eyes never left hers as he silently demanded her obedience with his gaze alone. Once more in his own element, he was the master and she would be his perfect, little, obedient slave. He stalked her like a predator before the kill, in a slow, seductive manner until he was at last standing before her.

For a moment he stood frozen before her, small but mighty with the heart of a warrior before letting his gaze flicker to her sister beside her and gently reaching out to caress the younger woman's cheek with the back of his hand a gentle smile. Rene then snapped back to attention on Georgiana, his hands moving to clasp her back and hip as the music reached a crescendo. As the final notes played, he allowed his body to fall, his hands sliding down her body as he came to his knees with one leg back and the other resting between her ankles. His hand that had been on her back now rested on the back of the top half of her thigh and the other rested on the back of the knee of her other leg, his cheek pressed against the front of the same thigh.

She'd been swaying gently to the music as many others had, but she froze once she realized her stare was being answered. There was such a strong urge within her to look away, to appear distracted and pretend she hadn't been staring like that, but the confident demand of his gaze pierced her, held her pinned against the throng and left her sister giggling with delight once she noticed.

Georgiana let her eyes sweep his body in open appreciation as he drew closer, the corners of her lips drawing up slightly for the gentle playfulness he showed her sister, though the younger woman drew away from her to give them space. She thought the sensual familiarity he showed should have been off-putting, but it wasn't at all. That he showed any acceptance of her at all, act or not, she appreciated.

Even through clothing she felt her skin flush for his touch, something she found both curious and mildly embarrassing. Briefly, she hoped he could not feel it as well. Her golden eyes burned with what she did not realize was open desire, her breath hitching slightly for their closeness. Even as all eyes in the room were upon them she felt as though it were just the two of them standing there as the music hummed in her chest.

With him at her feet and the song finally ending Georgiana found herself well and truly entranced. She felt no shame in his closeness or the intimate placement of his hands, but the gentle chime of knowing giggles followed by a wave of roaring cheer for him around them alerted her to the presence of others once more. "Beautiful, Rene," she praised gently, her compliment sincere as she lifted a hand from her side to carefully brush against his exposed temple with a gentle caress that contrasted her earlier temper.

The rest of the room was quickly resuming festivities with a vibrant energy, the crowd thinning as couples returned to the dance floor as conversations began anew all around them.

He remained still under her touch, neither tensing nor pulling away from it, simply remaining where he had finished as if waiting for something. Rene continued to cling to her though it was more out of possession than a need to steady himself. His breathing quickly began to settle as his chest rose and fell with his deep, calming breaths.

She realized quite quickly that she was stuck there, that he had her locked in place with his arms snaked around her like that. She felt in the way, like an island blocking the swirling storm of people that flowed around them. Georgiana glanced around them anxiously, uncertain what she should do in such a situation. Was he still in the moment? Was he hurt and couldn't stand?

As her attention settled upon him again she ran her hand against his hair cautiously, her fingers venturing down to brush against the outer shell of his ear and run along the earrings that adorned him. She could reach no further without bending but hoped it would be enough of a signal to coax him up. "We're blocking people," she pointed out, though she felt far more inconveniencing than they actually were. "We should move. Are you alright?"

Rene finally rose to his feet, his hands running back up her body to finally rest upon her hips as if to steady himself. "Did you enjoy the show, Mistress?" his whispered as he allowed his thumbs to rub gentle circles into her sides and the bottom of her ribs. "Have I pleased you?"

She was acutely aware of where his hands were, of every little move and twitch of his fingers. She fought the shudder that threatened to sweep down from her tense shoulders, determined to remain as unaffected as possible with her outward appearance. Her cover was sloppy, though, in her daze.

Georgiana nodded eagerly, unable to look away from his face now that he stood before her. "Yes. Of course, yes. That was beautiful. Well, you were beautiful. Um. Are beautiful. You looked nice.

"I only regret I did not insist on seeing such a thing sooner. You are very gifted. Talented. An artist," she praised, "Very pleasing to the eye," she insisted, trying to lead him backwards and away from the middle of the room with small, careful steps. She did not entirely trust herself to be steady. "Did you enjoy it? Well, I don't know if I'd be able to tell if you didn't. You're a very passionate dancer."

He was greatly amused by her babbling, finding it refreshing that she seemed so uneasy in his presence and was steadily backing away towards a wall as if she could so easily escape him. "Of course," he purred softly, never taking his eyes off hers. "It is always a rather freeing experience to become a master of the dance. To control a crowd with your body alone. I'm pleased you enjoyed yourself Georgiana," he whispered her name.

"Well you certainly did. You-" She paused and her eyes dilated slightly for hearing him speak her name so naturally. Was he mocking her? He had to have been. He had been so stubborn about it before and she would not forget that so soon.

Realizing she was nearly to the wall and he was still with her she stopped in her steps, unwilling to cage herself. The hands at her waist had her squirming not in discomfort but for the simple awareness that he was purposefully touching. "You're a natural," she finally finished, clearing her throat as she looked down at him, gesturing to his pants with a slight frown. "You should have...asked me about that," she insisted, lifting her chin once more to meet his eyes. "That was very risky of you. You are lucky nobody took offense."

"Let them think what they will," he continued quietly. "All they see is an exotic, heathen slave, nothing more. Isn't that right, Georgiana?" Again, he used her name let it roll off his tongue as he allowed one hand to release her hip to run a thumb across the line of her jaw.

"No, it's not," she protested quietly, flinching slightly in surprise for the unmistakable way he touched her and the use of her name again, though she did not even lift a hand to push him away. Certainly he had to be testing the limits of her patience and she would not give him the satisfaction. "You reflect on me and we are fortunate those gathered here are fairly young and understanding. Else we would both be in trouble for...your," she gestured at him again though her voice was faltering, "Lack of clothing." Yet not a word was said about openly allowing her slave to touch her, it speaking much more than his choice of costume.

"Are you going to punish me Mistress Georgiana," he purred huskily with a lazy smirk. "Or is it you are jealous so many eyes enjoyed that which you deem solely yours? Would you keep my performances only for your eyes so that I may lavish you with the sight of my body...and more?"

"I am not jealous," she scoffed defensively, her eyes narrowing slightly though she was not really mad so much as embarrassed that she so obviously had enjoyed it. "And there is nothing to punish you for, your judgment was...sound, much as it pains me to admit you made a better decision than I would have." Georgiana leaned back slightly knowing deep down her authority was being threatened in public, but it was not an honest try for she did not actually wish to part from him.

"It would be wrong to limit you to private performances, I think. It...remains to be seen what will happen. I think they quite liked you and would see you again in an instant, should you be...willing. And cooperative." She breathed a shaky sigh, her skin feeling hot again where he was touching as an uncomfortable ache distracted her.

Rene continued with his caresses, going so far as to allow the hand touching her face to slip down to stroke the side of her neck and column of her throat delicately. "And is that what Georgiana truly wants?"

"I couldn't possibly be so greedy," she answered, knowing full well she wasn't fully answering his question. Despite the heat she felt her shoulders shivered slightly as the skin at her neck carried a wave of gooseflesh. Licking her lips nervously she tried to back away again even though she had very little room left to retreat.

"But is it what you want, Georgiana?" Rene purred, pleased to see the moment she bumped her back into the wall and had nowhere left to run from him. "Or would you prefer something more tailored to your needs?"

"I don't know. Perhaps we could find a compromise?" she suggested, now trying to slide along the wall to side-step him. "If you wished to dance so frequently I would not mind a few...more private performances," she finally admitted.

Rene placed a hand against the wall on either side of her, effectively walling her in. "And how soon did you have in mind for such a private performance? Perhaps I can show you some other movements that I felt too risky for here. Or if you are willing maybe I could show you a few more of your own to use. You seemed to enjoy it so much earlier, unless I am mistaken."

Georgiana stopped immediately, her eyes widening in shock. There was no mistaking what he was doing now. And really, she had no care to stop him. "I did," she agreed, risking a glance down his front as if she needed reminding of his body. "I would like that, but," she winced, remembering the explosive argument they had had the last time he had served as her instructor. She had half a mind to hope, though, that his meaning was different from his words. "Don't you need rest? That looked very taxing."

"On the contrary, it was invigorating. You should really try it sometime Georgiana. It gives you stamina for hours and hours of fun. I have dance and preformed much longer and with far more strenuous acrobatics than tonight. If anything I am desiring more."

"I see," she answered thoughtfully. There was really nothing to ponder, though, no question in her mind that she wanted to stay with him if the mood continued between them. "Then who am I to stop you? If you are as skilled as you say I would love to see more. Do more," she admitted with a shaky exhale.

Rene leaned in towards her face as if to kiss her. "You're the mistress," he breathed against the shell of her ear, before withdrawing completely from her, leaving her where she stood pressed against the wall as he disappeared back within the crowd.

Georgiana could only hold her breath, staring blankly out at the rest of the room once he had left her. She tried to remain emotionless, but there was a nagging pull within her that would not let her forget what had just happened and left her aching. It smouldered within her belly and she felt uncomfortably hot even with him gone.

Natasha had been watching from a distance and approached her sister once she was alone once more, a knowing smile there as she handed her a glass of water. It was thankfully gulped down but did nothing to quench her real thirst. "That was spectacular, was it not?" her voice broke through her haze and the elder sister finally met her eyes.

"Brilliant," she praised softly before clearing her throat and letting out a shaky sigh. She straightened clothes that were not wrinkled and tried to appear normal once more as she took her sister's arm and began circulating the room with her. There was no person she talked too nor any subject that could erase the images and thoughts that plagued her, haunted her.

After taking a few moments to compose himself in the cool outdoors of the balcony, Rene returned to the dance hall, feeling completely confident and in control. Georgiana's lack of reprimand had only spurred him on and he was more than ready to raise the bar.

Easily locating the pair of sisters in the room, Rene returned to them and bowed respectfully to them once he had reached them. "Might I have the honor of a dance Little Miss?" he asked, offering a hand out towards Natasha without even a glance in Georgiana's direction.

She had not noticed him until he was upon them, the noblewoman watching their interaction with a bit of regret that he would not ask her. She clung to her sister, though, turning as if to lead her away but the younger Whitley girl was having none of it. Making a big, giggling show of keeping her feet planted she unhooked their arms and nodded eagerly as she shot him a winning smile with not a glance to her sister. "Of course!" Natasha cried excitedly, taking his hand and bowing her head to him in kind. "It would be my honor, sir."

Georgiana was determined not to let them see her mope, but the sparkle was definitely gone from her eyes as she waved them off. She turned her back to them and focused her attention on other company instead so she would not need to watch.

Rene easily whisked the woman away towards the center of the dancefloor where he began to dance with her, slowly swaying their bodies as he held her close. "Don't forget to breathe," he warningly teased her before beginning to guide her in a dance of his own making. The more he danced, the bigger the crowd around the dancefloor formed until it was once more clear except for him and his partner.

The Maoin dancer easily manipulated Natasha about the room as if she was nothing more than a leaf in the wind. He whirled her about gently until her back was to his front and used his own body as a mold that would direct hers in the dance, his legs moving hers, his arm twirling hers until they moved as one. Any mistake she made was easily covered and made into a move entirely of its own.

Georgiana tried not to notice the way the room shifted once again, the attention of many obviously focused on what was happening behind her. It wasn't long before she could not even hold a proper conversation, receiving apologetic glances as people watched their dance over her shoulder.

Natasha knew not a thing about his style of dance but he made it easy to follow his lead and the young woman was soon brimming with confidence in her steps. She let out a short laugh once she noticed they were alone, blushing a bit for the attention but thrilled that they were putting on such a good show to deserve the space. Looking for her sister she noticed that Georgiana seemed to be the only person ignoring them.

Determined to get her out of her funk the younger woman teasingly brushed her hand at her sister's shoulder as they passed, laughing as she jumped and tensed. Natasha smirked confidently as her sister finally, reluctantly turned to watch them. She noticed the flicker of jealousy that broke through before the elder sister was rolling her eyes and mumbling something about her being childish.

Catching what passed between the sisters and willing to raise the ante as well, Rene switched dance tactics. He moved to a less playful and more sensual dance, allowing his hands to run open-palmed across Natasha's body, narrowly missing the truly taboo areas while still worshiping the borderline ones. Rene made their dance like a foray between lovers as he tossed and tugged the woman across the floor, never keeping them apart for long as if to do so would tear his very heart from his chest. His eyes though often strayed from Natasha's to try and match Georgiana's as if daring her to stop him or to even join in.

It was beautiful, they were beautiful, she could not deny. The spark of jealousy was spreading quickly, burning and aching in her chest as she tried again and again to look away. Something kept her coming back every time, unable to miss it despite how intimately he danced with her sister.

Georgiana raised a questioning brow once she noticed him looking at her. There was no mistaking it and she certainly felt it was a challenge. Yet, she could not bring herself to answer it in front of so many other people, could not bring herself to punish him for having fun at a party she'd brought him to no matter how it tortured her.

Natasha was blushing for the whispers she heard but she did not stop Rene from touching so openly. In turn, she let her hands meet his arms, chest, and back when they were close, her fingers gliding along muscle and silently praising his physique, practically worshipping it in return.

There was a brief moment when they twirled closer again that Georgiana found herself reaching out, her fingertips brushing along Rene's forearm before quickly retracting. She turned her head away in shame, hoping no one had seen her. She did not yet realize the normalcy of an owner calling out for her slave but she was embarrassed to be doing so now.

He felt the brush and slyly smirked in the midst of twirling Natasha away from him again. Feeling the close of the dance coming, Rene sped his movements, knowing that it would cause a dizzying effect for both his dance partner and himself before suddenly clutching the woman close to him dipping her over his knee as he hid buried and hid his face in her neck.

"Thank you for this dance," he breathed in a whisper against her skin. "You are amazing!"

Natasha was indeed quite dizzy from their spinning. The young woman gasped and gave a breathless laugh as her chest heaved for her efforts. "Thank you. You are far too kind," she praised, pressing up against him to try and right herself again. Her cheeks flushed brightly from her excitement and exertion and she cast an excited look to Georgiana, though she only laughed more for it.

Her sister did not share her enthusiasm and instead had taken to sipping at yet another glass of wine. The redhead watched with a heatedly jealous glare as several other ladies seemed to be approaching the inner circle around the dancefloor, as if trying to work up the courage to ask for a dance with the Maoin.

Rene remained still, wishing to steady Natasha after he had used her against Georgiana for his own devices. The gathering throng of women though was easily evaded as he firmly but politely informed them he belonged to another and it was not him but another whose permission they required. For the moment though he begged rest while escorting Natasha back to her sister, his mistress.

Natasha was beaming with pride as they returned to Georgiana and she resumed her place at her side. "Did you see?!" she asked her, excited still from their dancing.

"Of course," Georgiana scoffed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "And you are lucky you did that with Rene. Don't dance like that in public with other men," she warned, pinching her sister's arm playfully. "You don't want them getting ideas."

"As if any other man here could dance like him, right?" Natasha quipped. Georgiana only shook her head, not wanting to stroke Rene's ego nor squash those of any nearby men.

"Have you had your fun, then, Rene? Had your fill of dancing?" she finally addressed him, a brow twitching slightly with her irritation at him being approached, though she did not realize the reasoning why he had turned away other ladies.

He looked at her with confused innocence as if he did not understand what he had been doing to rile her up so. "Have I done something not to your liking, Mistress? Should I continue dancing? Or was I only supposed to dance with you? I told the others I was only yours. But, I can dance again for you or with you if that is your desire," Rene continued, deepening his voice some from feigned concern to seductive knowing. "I am fit enough for more."

His string of questions bothered her more than it probably should have. After all, he was only trying to be an obedient slave, right? A part of her knew he was being anything but with the way he'd whisked her sister away without any firm confirmation that she was alright with it. The suggestion in his words was not missed upon her, but she swallowed back the shiver that rose up her spine.

After a few moments of tense staring Georgiana finally let her gaze shift to other things as her lips drew a tight line of annoyance across her face. "You may do whatever you wish, Rene, whatever catches your fancy. We are here for the night and will return home in the morning. It is only fair you are allowed a bit of fun for yourself. I believe it was you who asked for a bit more free reign while in Serendipity," she told him, the truth of her words stinging her pride. She truly wanted nothing more than to drag him back to the room with her to keep him for herself, but she was wary of his behavior around such a large crowd. Part of her felt it was all a show from someone who thrived on attention, and she really could not forget their earlier argument despite the copious amounts of alcohol blurring the lines of her inhibitions tonight.

"If that is the case Mistress then I shall bid you both an early evening. I desire to retire after such a performance," he shot a smile towards Natasha as he bowed to the pair. "Enjoy your evening Mistress, Little Miss."

Gracefully, Rene withdrew without another word or a chance for Georgiana to tell him off or stop him. Making his way through the crowd though he quickly located a pretty maid and sheepishly begged her assistance in locating his room, making her blush and giggle as she eagerly moved to assist him, even going so far as to link arms with him along the way.

Georgiana's eyes bore into Rene's back as he departed, a scowl souring her face as she held her tongue. Seeing him speaking with a maid and leave the ballroom with her spiked another pang of jealousy. How dare he not even ask her to dance! Of course he'd suggested it, but she was not going to be reduced to asking her own slave for his attention in front of so many she knew.

Her sister's chattering in her ear went unheard, the poor girl's excitement completely lost upon her elder sister as a box of silence closed in upon her. Her thoughts were quite enough noise on their own as she came to her own conclusions about what she'd seen. She realized quite quickly that she was not alright with him doing just anything he wanted. Georgiana Whitley would not be sleeping with tousled sheets on a bed smelling of sex knowing her own slave had used it for a tryst with her friend's servant. No! It was preposterous, it was scandalous, and needed to be put to a halt before it even started.

The noblewoman was much less graceful than she would have been without having consumed copious amounts of alcohol throughout the night but she was quick as anything to weave her way through the crowd and follow them down the hall. She kept a bit of distance, her tongue seemingly sticking in her mouth and keeping her from speaking up until they were nearly to the door of the temporary bedroom. The maid seemed so bubbly, so kind, so sweet, and it only served to fuel her jealousy further. He'd flung all sorts of insults her way in their time together and suddenly in the company of others he was being such a gentleman to everyone besides herself. It was his fault her mood was so sour.

"Rene," she finally managed to hiss, a small smirk of satisfaction at her lips to see the maid visibly jump. "This is not what I meant when I said you could have a bit of fun," she scolded him, gesturing at the girl with disgust.

Rene's eyes widened with confusion at the sound of Georgiana's voice. "I am sorry that you find the act of sleeping to be lacking, Mistress however as I said earlier I find myself quite finished with dancing for the rest of the evening. If this does not please you then you need only command me Mistress, as always."

"Sleeping," she scoffed, her hands on her hips as she eyed the young woman. "I have no issue with you getting your rest, but you don't just leave with some girl to just sleep." Georgiana wasn't even aware how much she was reading into such an innocent situation. The poor maid looked quite flustered and seemed like she was struggling with how to address it and defend herself without making a complete fool of herself.

"I do when I require someone to direct me back to the rooms I am meant to sleep in as I am not equipped with your amazing sense of direction, Mistress," he deadpanned, completely unamused. Turning back towards the maid he continued in a softer tone. "Thank you again for showing me the way. You should probably get back before your Mistress comes after you as mine did."

"It's called instinct," she retorted haughtily, shaking her head as more assumptions spilled from her lips, though in a hushed voice as if she were sparing him embarrassment. "And I know what you were planning with that poor girl. Lucky I was here to save her."

Rene snorted and shook his head. Stepping up into Georgiana's space again so they were toe to toe, he crossed his arms over his chest. "And what pray tell were you exactly saving her from? And if you really are so concerned then shouldn't you be more concerned about yourself, Georgiana?"

"I saved her from the hardship of being taken advantage of," she answered confidently, unfazed and unmoved by his posturing and closeness. "But I don't have to worry about that. I am not helpless or weak or naive. And besides, you hate me, so what's to fear?" she slurred angrily.

He did not reply with words but with actions. Rene shot a hand out to tangle with the hair at the nape of her neck even as his lips crashed hungrily into her own. Pent up frustration flooded into the kiss as he released all of his feelings of anger and insecurity into the touch of flesh upon flesh. But it was not enough and Rene was soon snaking his free arm about her waist, yanking her hip into his so that the full length of his body pressed firmly against hers.

Georgiana gasped in surprise, her reactions slow as her limbs felt heavy, like they just didn't want to move. As soon as she'd given a thought to backing away, though, he was pulling her in. And yet, she didn't resist.

She gave half a thought to push him away, but she couldn't. His kiss was overwhelming and demanding, not at all what she ever would have dreamed to expect from him. The smouldering, dormant heat in her belly spread like wildfire as she became increasingly aware of how they touched, where they touched. Still she yearned to be closer despite her frustrations with him, and perhaps because of them.

The tense, unresponsive noblewoman slowly became unraveled as she dared to reach for him, to hold him, to let her hands run up his back. An appreciative hum rumbled at her throat. Everything about him screamed forbidden, yet thinking about that only left her wanting more. In her hasty, clumsy reciprocation she soon found herself hungrily nipping at him. The sweet, warm flesh of his lips left her greedy and wanting more. She wasn't sure what would be enough as she grew increasingly demanding in their kiss, remembering what her societal place was in their relationship.

Rene responded eagerly to her love bites, providing some of his own as he nipped and sucked on her bottom lip. The hand around her waist dipped lower, clutching and squeezing her rear before cupping beneath it and lifting her up so that she would be forced to wrap her legs around him or fall. To assist with balancing her weight, he forcefully pressed her against the wall closest to the door while he continued ravishing her mouth.

A squeal of surprise escaped her for his touch. No, she was quite certain now that it wasn't a mistake. Somehow that only spurred her on. She clumsily wrapped her legs around him, the movement unexpected but certainly not unwelcome. Her hands fell from his hair as she raked over his throat and shoulders with increasingly desperate touches. She wanted it, wanted him, wanted more. She knew she was losing control when she felt the pressure of the wall at her back, but she was caring less and less with every passing moment.

He ground his body firmly up against her own as he growled with pain and pleasure. Rene gladly took control as he took what he felt he was due. One hand pinched the back of her neck, gripping it as he remembered his own dissatisfying collar. The other fumbled with the door before he was able to throw it open and whip them both inside and slam her back against it once he had shut it again from the other side. His mouth continuously fought to devour hers for his bid at dominance. He was not about to relinquish his control now even if she whipped him raw.

A startled, defensive hiss escaped her for the pressure at her neck. She didn't like the pinch and dug her fingertips into his flesh in reaction, unaware that he felt the same bite from his collar. "Rene," she warned, though her protest was quickly drowned in their feverish, angry kisses. In the privacy of their sleeping quarters she felt even more unwilling to relinquish control, to submit to his silent demands. There it was somehow different, something she was conscious of rather than something she could dismiss as a slip of judgment in the hall.

Even with the firm pressure of the solid door at her back, a reminder that she was at a great disadvantage, Georgiana fought to control the smaller nuances of their heated frenzy. She adjusted her legs around him, crossing her ankles around his rear to pin him against her just as much as he pinned her to the door. She trembled as her hands struggled to remind him of the slight pains he was causing without directly asking him to stop, the occasional squeeze or push at his shoulder not even close to matching the way he was surely bruising her. Georgiana didn't want to admit it but she quite liked his firm hand and the way that it had started with a stolen kiss. "You are mine," she breathed possessively through a break of lips, her brow furrowed in frustration and concentration as she tried to assert that claim with action.

Rene easily ignored her clawing as if it was nothing more than an insect's bite as he kept his focus trained on possessing and dominating her. He smirked smugly at her words, knowing exactly who was really in control and confident enough to challenge her on it.

"Is that so, Georgiana?" he purred darkly, as he drawled out her given name and roughly pulled back her skirt to reveal her bare thigh that he gripped with a bruising touch of fingertips that turned into a teasing caress that trailed closer and closer to her core before abruptly sliding away to once more grip her rear unhindered by cloth.

His use of her name, though an improvement upon "Mistress" in her eyes, was still quite infuriating. It was the defiance, of course, that he sullied her name with sass and venom. It made her blood boil in more ways than one and she wasn't sure if she should punish or reward him for it. Yet, somehow, the choice was not her own to make.

The touches under her skirt left her frozen in shock. She was very much aware of the touch of flesh against flesh and the dangerous slide of his hand along her thigh. The kiss of open air upon skin that was always covered sent a thrill of shivers up her spine as gooseflesh followed his touch like a shadow.

Though she was certain he was merely being a cruel tease for the hammering in her chest Georgiana's lips curled in satisfaction to see, to feel that he didn't seem unaffected by her. "Yes," she answered confidently, the word quick upon his lips as she tilted her head to claim them for herself once more. "Do you deny it?" she challenged, squeezing him closer and not shying from his hand in the least.

With a growl the hand gripping the back of her neck swiftly slid up to latch onto her hair and twist it about his hand to then pull back, forcing her to expose her throat or give herself a headache. He then slowly lowered his lips to her jaw, kissing his way to her ear to whisper darkly.

"Doesn't look that way, now does it Georgiana?" His sweltering kisses turned to nips as he made his way down the length of her throat to her collarbone where he sucked and bit at her skin to leave a rather impressive red ring, claiming her as his own.

There was a moment of fear for the pull of her hair, but it was quickly replaced by a shivering thrill once she realized why it was happening. Georgiana had expected a bit of opposition from him, especially with the way he tended to explode at her, but it was already far and above what she had ever imagined would become of it.

She opened her neck to him without a struggle, though she told herself he wasn't really leaving her any other option. "It looks-" Just as soon as she'd begun to speak she stopped again, gasping and bucking against him in a moment's struggle for the way he was marking up her throat and shoulder. The movement made it hurt more than it had to, something she quietly blamed him for anyway as she glared out of the corner of her eye. "You can't just do that!" she protested, pushing at his shoulder in a scolding way as she did not make a move to get down or leave. "I am your Mistress, Rene!" she slurred. "And you! You are my... My." The words weren't coming to her, though, and she knew, despite the haze of her drinking, that she sounded like a sorry mess.

"This doesn't mean you aren't mine," she defended, not wanting him to get the wrong idea about the bit of control she felt she was allowing him. "You think any of this would be happening if I didn't want it to?" she taunted, though she realized after she'd already blurted out how that must have sounded.

"Exactly," Rene purred. "You want to be controlled. You want me to do these things, to," his words trailed off as he kissed down her chest to her cleavage where he used his teeth to tug down part of the top of her dress. "To set you free." His words were further punctuated by the hand at her rear giving her a surprise slap that would sting a bit but nothing more.

“This is hardly freedom,” she hissed, jumping slightly for the slap but privately excited by it. She stubbornly refused to vocalize that she liked what he was doing to her, even as she squeezed him close. When she had the passing daydream about her beautiful slave it was hardly what she had fantasized about, but it was thrilling nonetheless.

For a moment she helped him, squirming desperately to slide her dress down her shoulders to relieve some of the pressure and kick off her slippers. She managed the latter before she realized how dangerously low the front was dipping from his efforts and scrambled to pull it back up again. She pressed a hand firmly to her chest to try and keep it there. “That’s low enough, don't you think?” Her voice was soft, a whisper of regret as soon as she’d said something she didn’t mean at all. It was completely void of the firm tone she’d hoped to empower those words with.

Georgiana could not honestly say she didn't want him in that way. She couldn't say she didn’t want his attention, his kiss, even the rough touch he'd seized her with. None of it would have been true. It had already gone too far and she wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. At the very least, she knew she could not hide her excitement or arousal from him.

Knowing that, she stared at him with open longing. Her golden eyes shone brightly with lust as a whimper of frustration finally escaped her lips. "Please, Rene," she finally begged of him, not at all ashamed of what she was doing. "I want you."

His eyes narrowed as he smirked at her trying to cover up for he recognized in her tone she did not fully mean it. "I'll decide what's low enough, Georgiana," he informed her, using his hands to capture hers and hold them above her head.

He leaned in and stole another kiss from her, brutally taking from her while transferring both her hands to one of his so that his now free hand could slide down her body, tugging the front of her dress down fully again before bunching her skirt up around her waist. Rene was captivated by the throes of lust as she was but he wanted to make her suffer a bit first as payment for his continued enslavement.

His words filled her with dread but also a particular excitement that he was still firmly in control. And damn, he showed it. She didn't fight the way he pinned her hands, didn't even really want to, but she shuddered at his touch elsewhere. She whined between kisses for feeling so exposed, even though it was only for him. It wasn't exactly embarrassing, but she felt vulnerable to him.

For the somewhat awkward positioning of her hands she held onto him even tighter with her legs so she wouldn't fall. That she could at least depend on him for that she was glad. "Are you scared?" she taunted, noticing his delay as a wave of excitement raced through her to leave gooseflesh in its wake across her newly-exposed skin. "Don't know what else to do with me?"

Rene snorted, ignoring her taunting as he lowered his mouth once more to her chest and began to rain kisses and love-bites on the tender flesh, proud of the way it flushed crimson beneath his touch. His free hand continued its exploring of her backside as his hips rolled against hers shamelessly. He was intent on taking his time, drawing out the pleasure and the lust until she was begging for him and then he would consider sating them both.

The lack of a response unnerved her. He was her slave, he should answer her! She felt that should extend to their current circumstances, too. The lack of words amplified all of his touches and the ruffling of clothes, and the noblewoman was increasingly aware of just how exposed she was to him. The bunched dress around her waist wasn't any help to shield her, she knew, and it really only made it worse.

"Rene," she whispered, her voice slightly strained as she spoke out of desperation rather than for a specific purpose. She watched him exploring her and tested her hands against his grasp cautiously, wanting so badly to touch him but unwilling to ask his permission.

He gave her hands a firm squeeze, making his intentions known that she was not going to get herself free if he did not want her to be. By pressing her more firmly into the wall with his own body, Rene was able to use his unoccupied hand to at begin working at the ties of his own pants. In the back of his mind he did wonder what the consequences of his actions would be but with frustration and lust being the prevailing emotions washing over it, he allowed himself to be drowned in them, effectively silencing the little voice until another time when he could come to regret his present choices.

The pressure at her hands was signal enough, but she was still apprehensive about "letting" him have control. She squirmed a bit to readjust for the added pressure at her back, the movement enough to press her shoulders back against the cold door. Everything else was distractingly warm, though, enough to counteract what discomfort there was.

Once she realized just what he was doing, though, she stopped her struggles. She hung her head, leaning forward as much as she could comfortably to watch him in silent fascination. Georgiana stared at him pleadingly, nuzzling his hair gently in hopes he would look and see and understand the desperation in her face. The last thing she wanted was to keep asking.

"Something bothering you, Georgiana?" Rene asked airily, knowing exactly the effect he was having on her but still desiring to push her a bit further before he gave her what she seemed to wanted. Denying them both was painful for him too, yet he could not help it, knowing what was soon to come.

"You," she grumbled, not so much angry as frustrated that he was dragging it out. She bucked her hips against his and ground against him without shame with the hope that she could spark even a little desperation within him. "Have you not tortured me enough? Is that what this is?"

Rene snorted as his lips came back up to rest at the shell of her ear. "If you think this is torture than you have a lot to learn Georgiana. Are you enjoying yourself though? Does it please you to writhe like a common whore in the arms of your exotic slave?"

Not waiting for an answer, he gave her what she sought, plunging roughly into her as he bucked repeatedly so that her back slid up and down the door behind her. "This is what you wanted isn't it? To be taken?" He released her hands so that he could grip her hips tighter and speed his rhythm up as well.

She couldn't help the shiver of anticipation even with his crude way of putting it. She wished she could have denied him an answer, but she trembled with the strain of holding hungry words back from her lips. Yes, she wanted him. No, it didn't matter that he was her slave. Was it normal? She had no idea. It was a point of etiquette that had been left out in her years, one she'd never had a need to confront before him.

Georgiana couldn't help the gasp of surprise that escaped her nor the strangled groan for the sharp buck of his hips. She refused to back down, even choosing to cling to him tighter for his bruising touch. There was certainly nothing gentle about it, no love-making. Perhaps that made it easier to justify. She didn't steal from an innocent, helpless man. She wasn't throwing her passionless betrothed a bone. There was no plan, no careful consideration, just the thrill of spontaneity and freedom.

"Yes," she whispered repeatedly between panting breaths, her head lowered to his shoulder in a weak effort to get some traction against him. Her fingers dug into his back, her grip tightening in rhythm with each buck of his hips, each jostle against the door. Her clawing grew merciless as he sped up, her hips rocking in time with his as she caught on. Her lips rained a trail of quick kisses along his shoulder and up his throat, growing bolder the more skin she covered. The kisses grew fewer on her way back down, and soon they were shallow love-bites leaving a delicious trail of flushed skin that she gazed upon with a hazy admiration. Thus far she'd tried to keep fairly quiet, but her care of who heard grew weaker and weaker until it was nonexistent and she was babbling her whispered praises and taunts at his ear and shaking with the effort to keep herself together. "I want more. I want everything. I'm at your mercy. Is that what you want? Is that what pleases you?"

He growled softly at goading but fought not to answer, lest he find himself unable to finish what they had started for he fully believed she was as much to blame for their antics as he. "Everything?" Rene asked instead. He gasped as she bit a particularly sensitive area and he was forced to buck sharply. "Aren't you enjoying yourself, Georgiana? Is your gift not enough?"

"It is, it is. You are," she chanted hurriedly, clinging to him and worried such a question meant he might take it all away. No, if the choice was between what he offered and nothing at all she would take what she could get. Confident from his reactions to her, though, she brushed more kisses and bites across his shoulder, trying so hard to coax more from him.

Rene paused in his ministrations to whisk her into his arms and take her across the room in a few short strides to the bed where he dropped her onto her back, once more pinning her into place by her wrists as he crawled over her and resumed his efforts of pleasurable dominance in earnest. Despite being on the bed though he was equally as if not more rough than when he had her trapped against the door. It was still all about getting what they wanted and relieving the tension that had been steadily growing between them for weeks.

Georgiana whined and pouted for having her hands pinned again, but she didn't struggle to free herself at all. No, she was quite liking this side of him and she was getting exactly what she wanted, what she needed from him. Being on the bed made her far more aware of the intimacy of it all. She found herself staring up at him with a particular longing as she lifted her hips and rocked against him in time with his own movements. She was taking what she wanted, but she didn't feel guilty because she was certain he was doing the same.

She wasn't shy about taking her pleasure and let the room be filled with the sounds of it. She didn't stifle anything and let every gasp, moan, and whimper be heard loud and clear as he drove her mad with it. Her legs trembled with her efforts as she writhed and bucked beneath him. Occasionally she twisted her wrists in his hold to remind herself of the pressure, of his strength, but she did not try to free herself from him. "Please," she begged him, quietly at first, her voice hesitant and distracted as she struggled to even speak. "Please, Rene. I need. Need it."

His own grunts and groans mingled with hers albeit somewhat quieter than her own as Rene continued to bring them towards the edge. He set a brutal pace while continuing to restrain her. Rene used his other hand to grope her chest even as his mouth worked at leaving his own red marks upon her pale flesh wherever he could reach. It was with a guttural shout that he found his end, once more bucking forcefully into the woman who had dared name herself his mistress. His eyes fluttered closed as long strands of pale hair fell into his eyes and clung to the sweat-soaked skin of his face and chest.

She trembled with her efforts to find her own release while being restrained so. Golden eyes stared at him pleadingly even as he closed his own, but she was already on fire and it didn't take long as she squirmed beneath him. A shuddering sigh was her final sound before a gentle panting took over as she tried to calm her drumming heart. Georgiana let her head fall back to the bed, turning it to the side for the effort of keeping it upright was too much.

There wasn't really a need to talk about it, she knew what they'd done she was no innocent. Still, she found herself waiting in silence for him to lash out at her, perhaps with regret or anger over it.

Rene's chest heaved with the effort to fill his lungs with much needed air after their antics, yet he too refrained from speaking. His body remained slightly tensed in anticipation of the blows he was sure would come as a result of her realization of what they had done or more specifically whom she had done it with. He refused to look at her, keeping his head lowered and his eyes closed even as he rolled off her to sit on the edge of the bed with his back to her.

She watched and waited, studying him in the darkness for a few tense moments before finally sitting herself up. The faint sound of rustling fabric was the only noise she made as she readjusted her clothing to be worn properly again. A cautious, shaking hand ran through her hair to check that it wasn't too unkempt and, satisfied, she turned over to lie back down with a bit of space between them that was really just for him.

A light thrumming coursed through her and light aches already sparked where he'd left marks along her body. Georgiana breathed a satisfied sigh and scooted herself to the other edge of the bed, making a few silent gestures at the empty space left on the bed as she settled herself under the covers. "Sleep?" she asked of him, not really having the energy to demand it.

The seconds ticked by slowly as Rene all but held his breath in anticipation of a punishment that was not forthcoming. When she called for him to sleep, he viewed it as a command and quietly moved without comment to lay beside her on his back, his eyes focused on the ceiling but unseeing as he was lost deep in thought. Briefly, he wondered if the punishment would be delayed until morning when she was sober enough to realize what had happened.

Sleep found her quickly, her own suggestion to him something she hadn't been sober enough to ensure. When morning came she was all but certain the night of unusual fun had been a dream. If it hadn't been for the slight smarting of bruises, she might not have thought twice and wracked her muddled brain for details. With her eyes downcast in thought instead of shame she rose quickly and quietly went about cleaning up to face the morning.

Where Georgiana slept easily, Rene slept anything but. For hours upon hours he laid upon the bed in anticipation and worry until at last as the first rays of dawn clawed their way up over the earth, he fell asleep out of pure exhaustion. He was so deeply asleep that not even the waking and movement of his bed partner disturbed him, for had she he would have once more been filled with the dread that plagued him all through the night.

She was silent as she moved through her motions, her mind far removed from her rituals as she watched him sleep out of the corner of her eye. That they'd been sharing a bed was highly unusual, but as she stumbled upon more and more evidence of their night the facts and memories became clearer as she emerged from her sleepy haze. Of all of it she only hoped no one would remember she'd stormed off in jealousy over her own slave.

Her bruises became more obvious the more she moved, the more "awake" she felt. Georgiana moved stiffly, wary of causing herself unnecessary pain as she busied herself with covering the blemishes upon her skin and brushing the kinks from her hair.

Rene was dragged from the arms of sleep slowly. His eyes lazily blinked away the fog that clouded them until his mind caught up with his previous worries. He silently snapped to attention, noting Georgiana across the room even as he slid from the bed. He found himself unsure of what to do or say and the confident dominance he found in their situation the night before had faded as if it was all a dream. Yet, the evidence of their tryst still remained throughout the room and he felt as if the executioner's axe was poised over his head, awaiting the signal from his mistress to fall and damn him for good as he gazed upon through lowered lashes.

His initial movement was lost upon her, not quite breaking through the intensity of her distractions. Once she was done and her mane of hair was pushed back over her shoulders Georgiana gingerly tilted her head this way and that. Staring at herself in the mirror, the noblewoman was a little fearful she'd missed a spot with her hasty cover-ups.

It was there she spotted him again, this time moved from the bed. Turning to look back at him she furrowed her brow at the anxiety she read as disgust. "That bad, huh? You can be honest with me."

He raised his head slowly and apprehensively to gaze upon her fully and clearly. A portion of male pride warmed his heart to see the marks of his passion upon her person. It helped stave the icy, cold of his fear. Rene shrugged one shoulder, not knowing what else to say. While the marks did not look horrific, they looked bad enough to draw attention if seen and that he was sure would result in him getting in a great deal of unwanted trouble. "Does Mistress require something more of this slave?" he finally asked, falling back into the old facade as if nothing had happened the night before.

Georgiana could only feel disappointment at the obvious distance that seemed to still be between them. Why he should have changed anything was not something she could speak to, though. She was still the wretched woman that kept him a slave.

"No, Rene, I do not," she answered finally. Setting her brush down she moved slowly toward her things to rummage through for something a bit more conservative to change into for the day so that she might have no need to explain her bruises.

Looking to him once she'd chosen a dress she realized that she truly had no need to feel any shame or embarrassment in his presence over their situation. Without a word she got changed, though the occasional hiss of surprise escaped her for the smarting of a strained bruise she was not previously aware of.

"We return home today," she announced, uncertain if she'd informed him properly of their plans the previous day. "You may wear what you like to breakfast, though."

Rene bowed slightly at the waist at her instructions but was slow to move to dress himself. It was not that he had an interest in seeing her change her attire nor was it that he was shy of his own body. It was more out of self-preservation. While at the moment it seemed obvious to him that she was unable or unwilling to mete out a punishment upon him for his deeds of the night before, that did not necessarily mean that they would not catch up with him later. Such things always did, it was only a matter of time after all. The clothes he did select for himself though covered more than the previous night but not by much. He donned another pair of harem-styled trousers, these without slits though, and a gossamer tunic that left him all but naked from the waist up.

It was impossible not to admire him while he concealed so little of himself, but she only allowed herself a few moments to greedily drink him in. Rene was a beautiful man, she could not deny that.

"You did well yesterday," Georgiana praised, though whether she meant more the dancing or the sex she wasn't entirely sure of herself. Would it offend him either way to be given praises from his mistress? She would allow him to see it as he wished. If he did not want to acknowledge their tryst she would deal with that another time and in another place.

"I'm sure you might have a few...admirers. I expect you to be on your best behavior, though," she warned him. She could only hope the mild threat would be taken seriously enough until she had him back under more strict 'control' at home. "When you are ready we can go."

She was already heading to the door, her hands wringing absently. The noblewoman would not admit to herself how nervous she was putting herself at his mercy socially. Of course she would deny anything damaging if he tried to say it, but he was still an outspoken man and it made her uncomfortable to know he still held such power.

"Thank you, Mistress," Rene replied quietly, feeling a bit more relaxed now that it seemed he was in the clear for the moment and free of her ire. His shoulders relaxed and his overly stiff posture melted into a more fluid one befitting his own natural grace that bled into the way he walked, only a few steps behind her.

"Yes, Mistress I understand," he replied again, nodding to her that he was ready and would behave. Had he known her worries, he would have been more cocky and sure of himself with something to lord over her. However, he did not and was resigned to remain the perfect docile little slave for fear of what she could do to him not only for the previous night but also any additional transgressions incurred in the interim.

"Right," she sighed, rolling her shoulders a bit and fussing over her dress and hair for a few more moments before she opened the door to allow for their exit.

They were not late, exactly, but certainly some of the last to file down to the dining room where breakfast was being served. The distant, muffled sound of Caroline's voice and laughter reached her ears as she led him through the halls. Natasha's also rose above the hum to reach her ears and Georgiana was cringing at the thought that they in particular would likely know how she had left the hall the previous night to disappear after her slave. Yet, she knew that she would be throwing herself to the wolves if she dared show any weakness about it. She paused at the door to take a deep breath and cast one last warning glance to Rene before entering to the chatter around the table.

Several pairs of eyes turned their way but few lingered on her as most were drawn to the man she'd entered with, to her surprise. Natasha waved them down with gestures to their seats, and once Georgiana was seated she immediately began drinking from the glass at her setting to keep herself busy between picking at her food.

Natasha leaned closer and reached a hand around her sister to rest warmly on Rene's arm for a moment to try and catch his attention. "Rene you really were so lovely last night," the younger girl praised, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed to be giving him such open compliments. "You really must dance for us again soon," she pleaded, glancing to Georgiana as if to ask permission even as the elder sister all but ignored her.

Rene remained poised and respectful as they moved through the halls and into the dining room. His eyes remained lowered yet his posture definitely reflected how much in his element the felt. The stares did nothing to deter him from going forth with confidence all the way to Georgiana's seat. There he did what he thought was expected of him and moved to stand behind and to the side of her chair.

When Natasha reached for him, he turned his head enough to look at her from the side, wary of drawing his mistress' ire or of insulting the younger lady. "Thank you Little Miss," Rene replied softly with a gentle smile. "I intend to dance when it pleases my Mistress again," he acknowledged with a nod to Georgiana before he resumed his position behind her.

Georgiana listened to their conversation and while she was pleased with his answer it was getting to be more and more unnerving that he was not in the empty place beside her as she had silently wished him to be.

Clearing her throat she turned slightly in her seat to look back at him. "Rene. Please sit down with us," she told him evenly, though there was quite a spark in her eye and warning quirk to her brow as she felt he was purposefully standing to defy her.

"You are welcome to breakfast, too," she explained.

The slave flinched in surprise at Georgiana's voice in addition to her expression. He knew he was in trouble now and for the briefest of moments he wondered if he was about to be publicly punished for his transgressions. Unwilling to give her cause to unleash her wrath upon him, Rene soundlessly and gracefully as if made of fluid, melted into his seat beside her. He sat there tense, back as straight as it had been when he stood behind her, and unwilling to so much as breathe too loudly for fear of her snapping her attention back his way. As long as he remained as virtually out of sight, out of mind as possible the safer he felt he would be. The scents and smells of breakfast though called to him and he felt his empty stomach rolling and begging to be filled. But as a slave who had been ordered not to embarrass her, Rene did not know what was the correct protocol. In hopes of not shaming Georgiana, he made no move for the food and instead trained his gaze into his lap as if the food held no sway over him.

Georgiana relaxed a little once he was seated at last but turning back to the conversation with her sister wasn't enough of a distraction from him either. The younger woman kept glancing at her slave with the saddest eyes and pitiful pout and she bristled to feel as though others were staring as well.

Looking over at him again she observed the way he stared at his lap and, seemingly, denied himself the food she'd told him he was welcome to. Now it was not so much a freedom as a demand. Clearing her throat she set her utensils down with a soft clang. "Rene."

She reached out to snatch one of the small pastries off the tray nearest to them. She almost set it on the empty plate before him but thought better of it and sat back in her chair to offer it right in front of his lips instead. "Must your mistress feed you as well?" she asked in a whisper, amused more than anything at his suddenly docile behavior.

His head snapped up to attention the moment she uttered his name with a quiet, "yes, Mistress?" He did not recoil as she placed the sweet-smelling pastry before his lips but he did look at it somewhat warily, as he was unsure whether she was teasing and tempting him or if she truly wished to feed him by hand herself. Taking a breath to strengthen his patience and his resolve he finally worked up the courage to answer her without hurling venom her way as he desperately wanted to. In his eyes it was nowhere near his fault for not knowing what she wanted and expected of him nor was it his fault desiring to escape punishment. "If it is my Mistress' desire to do such things then that is her privilege. It is not the slave's place to say."

Several pairs of eyes had been drawn to them once more, though they mostly lingered on Rene. She paid no mind to them, though, and continued to hold the food before him in offering. "I said you are welcome to breakfast. Is that not permission enough for you to eat? Or does the food here displease you?"

Her eyes flickered to their hostess, a cruel smile curling at her lips to see the slight hurt in the young woman's eyes for it to even be hinted that some of her guests were not happy with breakfast. Leaning in she whispered at his ear, "Eat."

"On the contrary, Mistress, if the food is as delicious in taste as it is enticing in smell then I am sure it is quite a treat," Rene placated, hoping to assuage the hurt to their hostess that Georgiana had created. "I simply am unaccustomed to the expectations awaiting me in such refinement. It is not every day after all that I am honored with such privileges as to sit at my Mistress' side and dine of her food."

He bowed his head slightly again as if in apology even as he fought not to shiver with the way her breath puffed against his ear. His mind drifted back to the prior evening when other sounds made by her had echoed in that same ear. As delicately as an expertly trained pet, he leaned forward enough to lightly sink his teeth into the pastry hovering at his lips. Before he drew back to slowly chew on the bite though he made sure to allow his tongue to teasingly lick Georgiana's thumb. If she was going to play such games then he would play his own.

While it seemed clear enough to her that the ladies gathered around the table were quite fond of the Maoin's delicate manner of speaking Georgiana was not so easily convinced of his sincerity.

He'd been damning her as his jailor since the day he'd arrived. Even though she'd cleaned him up nicely and bestowed him with all manner of luxury and the freedom of expression within the confines of her home she'd still yet to feel an ounce of gratitude from him and at this point she expected it would just never come. It didn't even seem like the sincere promise of eventual freedom would be enough to please him.

The unexpected touch sent a jolt through her that nearly caused her to pull back her hand, her eyes narrowing accusingly as she studied his face. "Very good," she praised softly, lips still at his ear as she perched on the very edge of her seat to afford them as much privacy as was possible in a social space.

Turning the pastry over in her grasp, though, she presented the other, unmarred side of the tiny morsel to him. "Another," she prompted him once it seemed he'd more or less finished with the first bite.

With the next proffered bite, Rene did not hesitate to partake as he did before although he did lean in with the same unhurried slowness. He met her gaze in a bit of a challenge as he gently sank his teeth into the pastry. To continue with his teasing efforts, the slave allowed his teeth to graze her index finger enough for to feel it without causing her any pain or damage. "Thank you, Mistress," he breathed almost imperceptibly once the second mouthful had been savored and swallowed. "You are indeed most kind."

She hadn't missed the light, almost pinching sensation of teeth. Georgiana raised a brow but didn't question him about such an obvious thing in front of mixed company. Even with the light chatter around the room resuming she heard him speak, though. A smug little smirk played at her lips as she hummed, leaned away to right herself in her seat, and carefully popped the remaining center of the pastry between her own lips.

It certainly got her a few looks and she heard the moment of deafening silence that followed that told her all she needed to know about how many had been eavesdropping and observing them as a pair. Once she was finished she merely smiled, quite pleased that she'd gotten him to "behave" in public for once.

"You may eat more if you wish," she prompted him, gesturing at the rest of the choices upon the table. "Anything you like. Speak with whomever you like so long as you remember who your Mistress is." With that she returned to her own plate to continue speaking quietly with her sister.

"My Mistress is most generous," he praised her aloud all the while internally mocking her. His grin though was as sweet as spun sugar as he watched Georgiana through innocently lowered lashes. Only then did he at last claim a few morsels for himself to slowly and delicately savor.

While Rene did make some small talk with his neighbors he mostly held his tongue in favor of listening and observing. He knew quite well from his experience at home how powerful such actions could be as words held a power few truly mastered. Any knowledge he could gain about anything could potentially one day be used as a weapon or a shield in turn for his own existence.

Bored with most of the flighty conversations of the morning he soon found himself a new opportunity to torment Georgiana. After careful and meticulous observation of her food choices he daintily lifted up a pastry that seemed to be her favorite. Holding it aloft with a smirk across his lips he waited patiently to draw her attention back to him before proceeding to raise it in front of her lips. "Mistress," he murmured softly in offering.

Once she realized he seemed he would actually listen to her instructions, at least in part, Georgiana began to relax and let her guard down once more. The flow of quiet conversation around the table was a balm to her nerves, pleased that none of the ladies around the table found occasion to make Rene's presence awkward. In fact, they seemed quite eager to welcome him judging by what looks and attention she noticed he was getting.

Natasha seemed eager to regale her with what had occurred throughout the rest of the night, graciously not mentioning how she'd noticed her elder sister and the Maoin disappearing from the party, though it was obvious in the way that she spoke of things.

It wasn't very long, though, before Georgiana sensed the movement before her. She was smart enough not to visibly startle from it, but her eyes went wide as they snapped to focus on Rene instead of her sister. The younger noblewoman slowly let the conversation fade once she realized what was happening, her mouth slightly ajar as she watched in both awe and amusement. Several other pairs of nearby eyes also settled upon them, curious how their fiery-haired friend would react to such a thing.

Georgiana studied him, eyes narrowing slightly in skepticism of his sincerity as she looked between his face and the offered pastry. For the sake of shared company she mustered up a fake, sweet smile of praise that didn't reach her eyes in the slightest. She understood a challenge when she saw one and it seemed clear enough he was vying for control over her yet again.

"Thank you, Rene, how kind of you," she murmured sweetly, leaning forward slightly to daintily eat from the offered food in his hand. She was tense, though, her movements rather rushed and jerky as she fought to remain the image of composure at the table with so many eyes upon them. It was of the utmost importance, after all, that she maintain the facade of a perfectly kind, gracious, and reasonable woman who could not fathom the slight her slave was dealing to her now.

"Delicious. What a fine choice," she praised softly, flashing a brief smile after she'd eaten her bite. She leaned slightly away from the remainder lest he force her to finish it, but she was desperate for him to release her from his attention so she might return to the chatter around the table like it never happened. Of course, by the time she realized she was waiting for his choice to come it was far too late to hide the fact that she was at all from anyone else in the room, showing a glaring weakness alongside her obvious obedience.

"Only the best for my Mistress," he replied softly with a slow blink as if intoxicated by her mere presence. Rene did not force another bite on her, allowing his hand to lower slightly so that she could pause and chew before he raised it again invitingly. "Would Mistress care for another bite? Your humble slave would not wish Mistress to become unwell because she did not eat enough because she was too concerned over such an undeserving as myself." Rene bowed his head as if out of humbleness rather to hide the smile he was fighting. He found he quite enjoyed this battle of wills when there was nothing Georgiana could readily do to stop him.

"How thoughtful, Rene, thank you," she sighed, forcing another smile even as her eyes burned dangerously. She bowed her head to take another bite, chewing hastily and hardly tasting the treat at all in her simmering rage.

Lifting a hand to reject the rest, though, she settled it upon her stomach with a light pat and rub. "Thank you, I truly can't eat another bite." She was willing to feign fullness for the sake of not exposing herself to any further embarrassment at the table, being at his mercy as she was. Perhaps it had been a mistake to have him sit so near, but Georgiana thought it equally as dangerous if he was allowed to freely choose his breakfast company among her inner circle.

Of course she would never admit it, but she didn't want to open herself up to jealousy like that over a slave she already had enough trouble getting the attention of. Blessedly Natasha took pity on her then, drawing her elder sister back into their conversation even though she clearly saw how openly distracted the redhead was.

Years of maintaining a facade of poise and discipline was all that kept Rene from allowing the bubbling mirth beneath the surface to burst forth. It was as obvious as the fire in her hair that she was highly displeased with him. If looks could kill he knew he would be with his Goddess a lot sooner than he ever hoped to be. Blessedly though that was not the case and Rene basked in the knowledge that he had managed to innocently perturb his Mistress publicly and there was nothing she could do about it.

With an unfazed shrug he slowly nibbled on the rest of the pastry. It was all innocent fun as he focused intently on the sugary treat as if it was the most amazing thing he had ever eaten. Rene licked his lips between each bite, not wanting to miss a single morsel now that Georgiana had decided she had had enough of it. When at last it was gone though he begin to meticulously clean each sticky digit, his eyes fluttering with pleasure as the last vestiges of sweetness were savored and devoured.

Natasha's words fell on deaf ears as Georgiana watched the slave from the corner of her eye, in shock that he would clean his fingers of crumbs in such a way while at the table. He seemed young but not young enough for it to be excusable. More than that, though, she loathed the looks he was getting for it and the distinct lack of disgust coming from the rest at the table.

"Rene," she said suddenly, cutting off her sister's unknown words as she cleared her throat and pointed to the napkin before him at the table. "We use those here."

Rene startled slightly at her voice, having been so focused on what he was doing that he did not realize when he had once more gained his Mistress's attention. Slowly he glanced back and forth between Georgiana and the square of neatly pressed fabric she was pointing to. He could guess her meaning but far preferred to innocently annoy the living daylights out of her.

Gingerly, he picked up the cloth, careful to not sully it with his hands. Then with a wide-eyed gaze, Rene offered the napkin to Georgiana, holding it out gently in front of her. "Did you need this, Mistress?"

The noblewoman immediately recognized the gesture for what it was, a forced smile with far too much sweetness oozing from it plastered to her face. She gently refused the small piece of cloth, waving her hand softly and shaking her head before gesturing at his person.

"I do not, thank you for your consideration, though. I only meant it is proper here to...use one yourself. No matter how small the mess," she explained, lifting a hand to mimic the action of modestly patting at one's lips. Her eyes flickered to stare into his own, a sudden sharpness there that dared him to try disobeying her now.

"For...what?" he asked slowly and quietly, looking at the white cloth curiously as if it would suddenly provide all the answers to the universe. He attempted to copy her action with his own hand as the other continued to hold the napkin limply. While Rene understood her look, he was being mostly serious about his question. Dining in his homeland was a vastly different experience than dining in Serendipity. He hardly knew what to do with himself especially when dealing with such a fickle Mistress. One moment she was as sweet as sugar and the next as bitter as coffee.

Her eyes widened in shock before narrowing questioningly. Did he really think her that stupid? She didn't realize he was genuinely confused, too taken aback by the fact he was even asking. But there was nothing else to do at a social table besides humor him and show kindness.

"To clean the crumbs from your lips," she offered gently, her smile as sweet and innocent as anything as she reached across to carefully guide the hand holding the napkin towards his mouth. Lightly pressing her thumb against his lower lip with it she wiped gently at the tiny flecks of pastry that remained upon him.

"That's better," she murmured cheerfully, smiling proudly for her bit of "work" and patting his cheek lightly before she would lean away again.

Rene recoiled slightly before controlling himself to be still for her ministrations. Her gentle and almost motherly touch was completely unexpected especially in the face of what he thought would be a potential slap. "Thank you, Mistress," he whispered quietly and without any of his usual vinegar. His cheeks had even flushed in surprise for the gentle pat that followed.

"Is there anything you require, Mistress," the slave floundered to ask. He hoped that by focusing his mind on her orders would allow him to settle back into his original feelings for her. Rene did not particularly enjoy the warmth that came from her kind ministrations.

"No," she answered gently, smiling with a warmth she'd yet to bestow upon him privately. It was easier somehow when they could be at least vaguely civil with one another and not at each other's throats.

"Only that you enjoy your breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us," she reminded him gently, smiling some even though mentally she was dreading the ride back. At least on horseback she could see and anticipate the road conditions. In a carriage she was blinded and at the mercy of every bump, slope, or obstacle they might encounter along the way.

Catherine suddenly called to her across the table, smiling as she looked between them excitedly, "Georgiana you should bring him along next time!" A wave of excited, mumbled agreement followed in her wake and the red-haired woman lifted her eyes to look at her friend with a nod of acknowledgement.

"If he is well and feels like performing," she promised, though privately she never wished him to stir such jealousy in her ever again as he had the night before. "Art cannot be rushed."

A few giggles bounced around them and their host let it lie with a nod, satisfied that she at least had a verbal promise.

It was only an hour or so later that the energy at the table dissipated, the young women excusing themselves and saying their goodbyes one after another to return to their families and homes. Georgiana eyed her sister questioningly and with Natasha's acknowledging smile as her blessing moved to stand and do the same.

She hurried around the end of the table to give Catherine a hug goodbye, sharing a short exchange of words that spoke of friends who knew they would see one another again soon enough. Then, she turned to beckon Rene and her younger sister.

Rolling her eyes Natasha gestured for the slave to follow her with a whispered, "Come on."

The slave ate in silence, completely on edge though in anticipation of Georgiana's sudden change in good humor. She was not acting normal, certainly not in a manner he considered normal for her at least. He wondered if she was even being extra sweet because of what had happened the night before and she had finally planned out her punishment for him and was just biding her time for when they were in private again.

It was therefore with great dread and trepidation that he followed her sister Natasha in excusing himself from the table and slowly trudging after her as if to a death sentence. Rene's eyes remained trained on the floor as his feet shuffled soundlessly across the polished floor. The earlier sweets sat heavily in his stomach like a great, big ball of sticky, unwanted mud.

Try to keep appearances normal, Georgiana didn't hurry as she made her way back out to the hall. She waited at the door for the others, eyes lingering questioningly upon Rene even though she said nothing of what was on her mind.

"Natasha, have our bags fetched, would you?" She smiled with perhaps a bit too much sweetness, her sister glowering at her request. Georgiana, as the elder, seemed to always assume her younger sister would gladly do whatever she asked. Which was correct, Natasha didn't like denying her sister no matter how annoying her request might have been.

"Of course, sister," she agreed with a sigh, offering Rene a smile and a playful roll of her eyes towards Georgiana. "I'll meet you out front."

"Perfect," the red-haired sister purred, reaching out to lightly pat at Rene's shoulder, turning to usher him further down the hall and away from their hostess and the others. "Did you enjoy your meal?" she asked gently. "You didn't speak of it."

"Yes, Mistress. Thank you, Mistress. Forgive me for not saying so earlier. Next time I will be sure to do so, Mistress." Rene could not stumble over his words fast enough in hopes of appeasing her and deflecting attention from himself. At any moment she would surely unleash her fury upon his hide.

Perhaps she would sell him off or make him do hard, manual labor. The very idea made him cringe inside. Rene's soft skin had remained unblemished for years. He was a soft creature, accustomed to pampering and leisure. He would not survive long days spent pushing his body to the brink on little food and sleep.

"Is there something more I can do for you, Mistress?"

His nervousness was quite clear, much to her disappointment. Georgiana studied him curiously, his rushed politeness somewhat unusual in her eyes but not so much that she wanted to call him out on it.

"You don't have to lie to me," she clarified. "If you don't enjoy it then simply tell me so. Would make things much easier." She rubbed at her temple briefly, moving to lead him towards the front hall that would lead them out to their carriage.

Instead of directly answering him she chose to change the subject. "Tell me why you were showing off at the breakfast table," she demanded gently, glaring out of the corner of her eye, cautious that they were still in someone else's home and could be noticed by others if someone were to round a corner at an inopportune moment. "I can't even begin to imagine a reason that was entirely necessary."

Rene bit his tongue to keep his thoughts to himself. It would not do him any good to argue with her at this dangerous state of affairs. He had no way of knowing after all what mood she was in and when the punishment he was so sure he was owed, would be brought down upon him.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean, Mistress. Did I displease you, Mistress? Did I bring you shame in front of your...acquaintances?" He swallowed drying, his jaw set for a strike he was prepared to accept even as he kept his eyes faced forward. He could almost feel the fire of her gaze upon his skin and hoped that if he only kept himself in check he might escape the inferno with only a slight bit of singeing.

Georgiana furrowed her brow, frowning at his counter-questions. "No, nothing like that," she muttered."Did you not see the looks you were getting?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes in disbelief, though at least half of them had been imagined by her.

"You were putting on a show," she accused in a hushed tone, her own insecurity and possessiveness finally showing her claws. "They were loving it, Rene. They would have been dying for a man even half as handsome as you to treat them like you were treating me! But it was just a show. You're giving beaus and husbands across the country a bad name and an impossible standard to live up to now!"

"People always look at me, Mistress. I don't exactly fit the mold of your people after all. Even among my own I am considered special. I am used to such looks. I assure you there was no show, Mistress. I cannot help if your men do not meet the standard the rest of us do, Mistress," he added smugly with a tiny bit of a smirk. "Have you not already pointed out, Mistress that your own gentleman is not good enough for you?"

"It's not about the mold." Her eye twitched slightly as she fought a scowl and instead simply pouted at him petulantly.

Georgiana glanced around to ensure they were still alone before answering in a hushed tone, "Yes. I have said that. But it's not him, think of the others! These women will be jealous of what they...can't have," she explained, gesturing down the hall with her hand.

"They see you acting like that and- and they'll wonder why they can't have something like- Well, back there!" she explained with a huff, rolling her eyes as if it should have been obvious.

"And besides it's all a ruse. You're only nice to me when people might be watching you. That was definitely a show," she accused.

Rene froze at her accusations. He suddenly realized that perhaps she was right. If people liked his perfect attitude then they too would want slaves and perhaps would even work to steal more of his unaware people to fulfill their selfish needs. He felt his stomach turn violently at the implication as all his fire was extinguished as if a mighty wind had blown by. His heart ached fiercely in shame at his own foolishness.

"Would you rather I was terrible in public so you can beat me and lock me away? Is there no way for me to behave that would end your anger with me? If I behave poorly you blame me. If I behave properly you curse me. Either way I damn myself. I did what you wanted and still you are not happy! And now because of my perfect behavior you tell me I may be the reason that many more of my people will be forced to suffer and share in the same fate as myself. What would you have me do? There is no answer here where I please you. I pay the price either way!"

Georgiana furrowed her brow in confusion, uncertain where he'd drawn that assumption about his people from. After thinking on it and how difficult it had seemed for Rene to be secured for her she doubted such a thing would be possible on a larger scale. And besides, she didn't want it to become a trend at all, she truly wanted to free him once the fires had settled and his newness wore off among her circle. Then he would be able to return to his home, it seemed a simple enough plan to her. Yet Rene continued to antagonize her, it felt as if he didn't trust her sincerity and that thought...stung somehow.

"Please, Rene. I didn't mean it that way I only- I just hate seeing that you can be that way. Nice. But with me alone you aren't nice at all. I only meant that others might show interest in you and...I want exactly the opposite so that they will not miss you once you're free again. I don't wish to beat you and lock you away at all."

She scoffed at the idea, her brow furrowing with hurt that he couldn't seem to find it in himself to trust her, not even a little. Wasn't she all that he had? Wouldn't it be in his favor to go along with what she asked? Did he simply not believe her promises? "I'm sorry it's just...difficult to see you that way. Kind and charming and gentle...when you're so cold towards me. Which is the real you?"

"If you don't want me to be memorable then stop parading me around like your little pet," he hissed back. "They will forget what they do not see, especially when they find a new toy to amuse them. No, Mistress, I do not believe you. I find you selfish."

Rene gritted his teeth as his lips pulled back across his teeth in disgust. "You don't want to know me. You just want a performance. You don't deserve my kindness. You take everything and you make promises. But what good are those when I am still your slave? What then Mistress? What kindness do you expect of me? What more do you demand of this worthless one?"

He fell to his knees beside her though there was no submission in his posture or gaze as his chest heaved with his angered breaths and his eyes burned with his fury. "Is this how you would have me? Shall I beg for the existence and freedom of myself and my people? You hate what I can be? Well I hate what you make me!"

The Maoin bit his lip hard then, his head dropping to glare at the floor as he fought back angry tears. The vile poison that had been tugging at his heart had been let loose again along with his fears of punishment for their earlier actions. The fact she had said or did nothing about it still had him on edge and if she was going to delay then he might as well force her hand, or so he thought. The anticipation would be the death of him. Rene dug his nails into his folded knees as he remained completely still and quiet before her at last. He cursed himself for being the fool though everything he said was stated in fearful truth. All he wanted was to be free, was that so hard to understand?

Georgiana stared at him, trying hard to keep the hurt from her expression as her lips drew into a tight line. He was wrong, but how could she convince him of it? He didn't trust her and had no reason to believe her promises. It stung that her care of him so far was not convincing enough, that he would rather fight her every step of the way when he could have very easily landed in the hands of an abusive master.

"Please stand up," she finally muttered, setting a hand to his shoulder. "I will not have you beg. I am sorry that things are this way but for now they must be this way. If you choose not to believe me that is your own burden to carry. I have no reason to lie to you and I swear that I have been honest with you and will continue to be."

She breathed a heavy sigh, her brow furrowing in frustration as she turned her eyes to peer down the hall. "I do want to know you but you refuse to let me."