For the love of all that is holy just...stop talking. [GoblinFae]

[Goldie]

@GoblinFae

Lenoryn had held her head high as her carriage left the city streets of Arca; her home for the last fifteen years. She had learned how to be independent, learned to trust her gut, learned how to grow and study. Her father had given her literally everything.

It was the least she could do for his wife, her stepmother, and her three year old brother.

There's had been a tearfull goodbye. Jeanine was a lovely, kind, and caring woman. She had loved Lenoryn's father despite their large age gap and the fact that Jeanine was only a few years older than her. They had grown close over the past years, but this was their home now. Lenoryn had no true place here. Not without splitting the household. She couldn't take that from them. They deserved to keep their home, to keep their titles without fight.

Truth be told, Jeanine hadn't wanted Lenoryn to leave, but she too understood the politics surrounding their noble house. A boy didn't have to inherit and so, Lenoryn was the natural next in line.

It took most of the ride through the riverlands towards her new home for her to collect herself. She hadn't seen her birth mother in years. Hadn't even heard from her since her father had whisked her away. She was about to meet a woman who was a complete stranger but whom had accepted Jeanine's pleas almost...too quickly.

She's after money, Lenoryn thought cynically. Why else would she want a 20 year old daughter she barely knew to come into her house?

The carriage clattered along the stones and the passed many decent homes. They were mansions to some, but were nothing compared to the rolling estates she had left behind. The horses began to slow in front of a perfectly manicured lawn behind an intricately carved marble gate.

Lenoryn absent-mindedly pressed at the wrinkles from her silk traveling gown. She reached up and tucked a few loose pins back in place, making sure her intricately plaited hair remained where it had been this morning. Jeanine had insisted on giving her her personal collection of solid gold and pearl pins, claiming they made her deep auburn hair look like a forest of autumn leaves tumbling over her shoulders after twining about her head.

The carriage stopped. She flattened her emerald and gold gown one last time.

The door opened and a hand reached out. With a deep breath, she blew out her anxieties and took it, stepping into the sunlight.

The marble gate stood open and she was greeted by a comly woman surrounded by servants. Her own red hair matched Lenoryn's almost perfectly if not for the streaks of gray that dulled the color without making her look old.

A large smile broke out across her overly painted face and she spread her arms wide as she stepped across the yard towards her daughter.

"Lenoryn! My dear dear daughter." She pressed her cold hands against Lenoryn's cheeks. They felt soft, like a child's. She had clearly never lifted a finger in her life, "Oh, just look at you! Shame on your bully of a father for keeping you from me. Come, come! Let us meet everyone!"

She gripped Lenoryn's wrist in a vice-like grip and practically dragged her towards the line of young men who attended her. Already it left a sour taste in Lenoryn's mouth.

"Thank you, Lady Heleane. For your hospitality. I know my coming must have put a strain on your....household..." she eyed the men. So many men. All in their twenties if she could wage a guess. All fit. All....haunted.

"Oh no no, that won't do. You must call me mother. That's who I am after all." Her grip on Lenoryn's wrist tightened, causing the young woman to wince before she could hide the instinctual reaction from her face. "And who would doubt it, what with that hair." Her smile was sinister, her eyes cold.

"I apologize, My Lady," Lenoryn smiled through gritted teeth, "but I would feel more comfortable addressing you by your title until we've gotten to know one another better." The grip tightened and the woman's smile faltered, "You must forgive me, of course, as all of this has been so sudden. I am still mourning the loss of my father and gaining my footing in this new world."

"Ah...yes...resthissoul" she rattled off much too quickly, but her grip relaxed as she gestured to her entourage. "Lady Lenoryn, I present to you my staff. Minus the maids and the cooks who are busy preparing for your arrival. You," she pointed to one of the servants, his dark skin stood out against the others and Lenoryn was immediately intrigued. He was a long way from home. "Take the Lady to her chambers so she can change into more....presentable....attire for our arrival feast tonight. The rest of you, collect her cases and deliver them to her room." She turned to her daughter, "I gave you one of our very best rooms. Only the best for my daughter."

[GoblinFae]

The fire in his eyes should have burnt the entire estate to the ground with the sheer volume of fury he felt for this woman, her household, and her family. He was a man of renown and pride back home. But here he was, an ocean and thousands of miles of land away from it all. To add insult to injury, not only had he been enslaved, but he'd been purchased by an Inima cursed redhead of all people!

Vile, despicable, godless foreigner!

How dare she covet him! How dare she lay her hands on him! How dare she cage him and order him about! He was Maoin! He was better than the old hag in every way! SHE should be the one worshipping him, not the other way around.

Yet, lined up on the front path like a row of crabs in the sand, he and the other slaves stood for the arrival of the house's young lady. Because that's what Rene needed, another spoiled, vile, red headed brat to defile his person with her presence.

He did visibly sneer at the direction for the briefest of moments, only moving forward when a servant shoved him forward to obey. Rene understood the trader's tongue near perfectly, he also however absolutely refused to speak it or acknowledge that he understood at every available opportunity.

Without even looking at the young woman, Rene turned on his bare heel and began to shuffle towards the main doors. The gentle clinking of chains announced him wherever he went. There had already been too many escape attempts to allow him out of the ankle and wrist manacles for good behavior and everyone knew better than to get close enough to be within biting range. Perhaps this new one would provide entertainment by being unlucky enough to not know of the newest slave's viper bite.

[Goldie]

Lenoryn followed silently, taking in everything she could as they walked past the entourage and into the house. Despite it being smaller than her previous estate, her mother's home was still quite sizable and decorated in a way to scream wealth.

She found it....gaudy. Tasteless. Much like the woman who met them at the front. Gods she hated this place already.

They passed an extremely intricate display of crystal miniatures that had been placed near a window so the sun could shine directly onto them. Even now, prisms danced. A display this extravagant would cost an absolute fortune! Lenoryn recognized the artist - she had had the pleasure of meeting her once long ago - so she stopped, and gently picked one up in her hands to examine it.

An unladylike snicker burst from her lips as she looked, "Fake." She determined before placing it back. "Gods this whole place is fake."

Then she turned and continued to follow the servant....no....slave, who was showing her to her rooms. If her education served her, he looked to be Thanati. The chains around him made her heart ache as did most of this barbaric practice. No one should be forced into servitude.

The chains were confusing to her, however. They suggested he was possibly new? Possibly "unbroken" as the worst kinds of people would say. But here he was being chosen to escort her through the house like a trusted servant which suggested he had been here for some time. It also was clear that her mother wasn't about to waste her better workers on her despite the insistance that her daughter deserved "the best."

Lenoryn watched him closely, her heart breaking with each clank of the chain. This is wrong. she told herself over and over Gods this is so wrong. But what could she do? Owning slaves wasn't illegal and she had no power to do anything at all.

On a whim, she dug into an almost decade old memory when one of her tutors had been from Thanatos. Her skills were limited and her memory cobwebb-filled, but she sputtered out a few words in awkward Thanati, "I am sorry....for the bitch. Great bitch."

Naturally most of what she remembered were curses and poorly constructed sentences that made teenagers laugh but, hopefully, it got the point across and she doubted people around them spoke it.

[GoblinFae]

It was a good thing that Rene was unaware of her assessment of him otherwise he would have taken great offense to being appraised as less than the best. The man still had his pride after all, especially in this hellish nightmare of a current existence.

As it was once she started speaking his native tongue, and very poorly he might add at that, his eyes slid over to her in silent contemplation. It was a trap. It had to be. The Mistress was indeed a bitch but this guest, her daughter wasn't it, was surely cut from the same cloth and perhaps even worse. What games were these? What new horrors would she rain down upon him when he finally slipped up?

Rene ignored her and opened the doors to her rooms, glaring silently at the gaudy lavishness the other slaves and servants had spent the last few days grueling over to meet the Mistress's ever-changing whims. 

[Goldie]

She wasn't exactly surprised when he didn't answer, but she couldn't help but feel disappointed. Maybe she had insulted him instead of her mother? She chewed on her tongue and silently mouthed the Thanati a few times to herself to see if she possibly just pronounced everything incorrectly.

Obviously she would need to take a trip to the library to rectify it. It might not do much by way of pronunciation, but if she could find a Thanati dictionary or something she'd at least be able to try. And if there was one thing she enjoyed, it was a project to study.

Lenoryn was about to attempt another conversation with her limited knowledge of his tongue, but they had arrived. The doors to her room opened and...

Her jaw dropped. "Oh." She stepped into the room and took a slow turn to take in everything.

"It's..." she bit her lip, "Pink." A tiny snicker bubbled in her throat that she tried to cover, unsuccessfully, by clearing her throat, "I...it's...wow. Um...."

She removed her traveling gloves and left them on the fluffiest pink comforter she had ever seen. It was satin with tufts of white....puffs...was the only way she could explain it. The windows were open and a gentle breeze blew intricately gold embroidered pink curtains.

Her trunks were being brought in as she took it all in and she was overcome with a desire to be anywhere but here.

She turned to her escort, "Does Lady Heleane have a library?" She asked, "Could you take me there, please?"

[GoblinFae]

More eyerolling; more displeasure. Of course she wasn't satisfied with keeping out. Of course she had more demands of him. What next? She would demand he kneel to be used as her step stool to reach the books on the higher shelves?

Rene waved her out of the room, a sneer briefly curling his lips once her back was turned. She certainly seemed the type. He grimaced as they began to walk, his ever footstep shuffling and clinking as he wound them through the halls and festered in his ill thoughts of her and her people. Without him realizing he had managed to walk them in a circle of halls, twice and not only that but had managed to get himself turned around enough to be lost. By the time he realized it was too late, so in a third circle they went. Maybe she would find something shiny and get distracted?

[Goldie]

It wasn't until their third lap that Lenoryn realized that they had passed the same tapestries. She frowned, wondering if this was some kind of subversive plot to make her annoyed, or if maybe this man truly was new and just didn't know the lay of the land yet.

Up until now, she had been shadowing him just taking it all in. All of its gaudy splendor that Heleane decided was a good style. Despite growing up with money, her father had been one of simple taste and let nature lead by example. This...excess was new for her.

Once it became clear they were lost, she took a few larger steps forward and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder only for a brief moment to get his attention.

"It's ok." She said softly, "I'm sure you have more important things to do. I can look around and find it myself, I don't mean to keep you."

[GoblinFae]

Rene openly flinched at the touch, shying back as he turned to face her, eyes showing the whites on three sides before he was able to compose himself once more. There was no sense in earning extra beatings just for having reacted to the potential of one. Her words though made him scowl something fierce. He was not lost! Okay, so he was but he wasn't about to admit it!

The slave lifted his chin some, eyes shifting beneath a furrowed brow as he looked at the halls around them, wracking his brain to remember the way. He was saved from further discussion on the matter though as a servant came to his aid just in time to box his ears. The briefest of winces crossed his striking features before he was able to bury the outward pain the ringing in his ears, saving him from the berating that followed. Otherwise he remained as still and unfettered by the assault as stone before rain.
"Forgive this useless slave, Little Miss," the servant hurried to beg. "It seems Lady Heleane's trust and opportunity at redemption was misplaced again. Where is it you're looking to go? I can better assist you."

[Goldie]

His reaction startled her and caused her mind to race. She could sense the fear, could see it before he was able to adequately compose himself. What kinds of horrors had this man seen? How much if it had been at the hands of her mother and her trusted circle?

Before words even formed, another servant was there actively beating hands against his face. But she was too slow to stop it. Never in her life had she seen someone treated this way in public. She was not naive enough to believe it didn't happen, but the blazeness made her nauseous and her heart beat wildly in her chest.

She could make his life so much worse with one misstep.

"Oh! No no, he's not to blame here." She forced herself to smile and laugh like a silly girl, "There's just so much to see and I keep changing my mind. First I wanted to see gardens, but then we passed My Lady's beautiful glass figure collection and I insisted we stop. It's just so silly and I'm embarassed I've lead him around in circles." She hid her mouth with her hand and sighed absent-mindedly before turning back to the slave, "The library maybe? I promise I won't change my mind again."

[GoblinFae]

The servant looked between the pair in clear skepticism before gently pulling Lenoryn aside. "Little Miss with all due respect, this particular slave is a known troublemaker. Allow me to come with you so he doesn't lead you astray or worse attempt another escape when you're least expecting it. You really can't trust people like him after all."

[Goldie]

She smiled sweetly at him and took her free hand to delicately remove his fingers from her arm.  "And I assure you," she continued with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "That the next time you wish to discipline a servant under my care you will check with me first to see if it is even necessary."

She didn't break his gaze for a few very uncomfortable seconds. "I believe we are finished here? Unless you have other recommendations that I did not request?"

[GoblinFae]

The servant while accepting the removal of his hand, did not either recognize or accept the dismissal of his person. "Right this way, Little Miss. The library is much as your late father kept it, Kia rest his soul, save for a few minor adjustments of course. Would you care for some refreshment? I can see to it that some delicacies and tea are sent over to tide you over before dinner. You must have had such a long journey," he battered on while briskly marching them in the correct direction. 

Poor Rene was helplessly dragged along as the man had made absolutely sure to keep a crushing grip on his forearm to prevent any bubbling thoughts of escape. The dove himself remained deceptively docile, with lowered lashes, silence, and zero resistance to his own man-handling as he was all but shoved out of the way so that Lenoryn could take in the breath-taking sight of the library as both doors were thrust open before her. 

[Goldie]

"Thank you," she forced herself to reply despite the crippling annoyance that bubbled within herself. None of this was wanted nor was it needed, yet here they were. The poor slave had even less choice than her and even she felt trapped. She was regretting the decision to come here by the minute. Not only was Heleane possibly the worst person she had ever met, but it seemed her servants were under her thumb as well.

She would have no friends here. But she couldn't go back. Her father's estates back home properly belonged to her brother. Lenoryn would not be the reason they were turned out on the streets or thought of as "less" simply because they were from a second marriage.

The library was, indeed, impressive. The bookshelves rose high into a ceiling that was at least two stories high and were accessible by tall ladders and a few balcony-esque walkways that circled above their heads. The servant had mentioned it had been mostly kept the same, but despite trying to pull from decades old memories, it all seemed new to her.

"I can't say I recall much from my time here." She admitted, "My father and I left when I was so young, as it were."

But how to get rid of him?

She strode forward a few steps and made show of looking through a number of books before pulling three heavy tomes down and handing them to the slave without so much as a glance. She had to play the character, as much as she hated simply treating him as property.

"Over to that table, if you could." She waved towards some ornatedly decorated tables where there would be enough room to spread out as she perused.

She turned towards a stack of paper and a quill and began quickly scribbling the names of some texts making sure her handwriting was just barely legible and the list extensive. Then she returned to the overbearing servant and handed him the list.

"Food won't be necessary. However, as you probably know, I spent much of my time studying at the college in the city and I was in charge of my father's estate for years. I would hate to see this incredible home fall prey to miscalucations and fraudulent hearts. I will need these texts as well as the ledgers from the last year just to make certain all is well. If you need credentials, I'm sure we can procure them from the city and the numerous masters who can vouch for my qualifications. I will also need a Thanati dictionary. I need to draft a letter to Lady Cordalé - she was my tutor for many years."

If this man had any intellect, he would know of Lady Cordalé as she was the single highest ranking professor of arithmetic in all of Serendipity.

[GoblinFae]

Rene's eyes narrowed as his body sagged under the weight of the books. There's her true colors after all. Sure her mother was a 'Great Bitch' as she had poorly tried to proclaim but she was the snake. 'That's right, viper, look down on me. Treat me like the dirt beneath you feet, see where that gets you,' he angrily thought while letting the texts slam onto the table, and immediately regretting his actions as a plume of dust sent him into a coughing fit.

"With all due respect, Little Miss, as commendable as your qualifications are, you will have to discuss such changes with the lady of the house. Your mother is in charge of the running of the estate but I'm sure she would be more than happy to hear any ideas you may have for changes around here. Now will that be all?"

[Goldie]

"No, that will not be all. I would still like to have those books on the list. If you can't procure the ledgers, fine, but you can still help by collecting the ones in this list, yes?" She paused and rethought her current course, "I apologize." She added with a sigh and rubbed her temples, "You are doing a wonderful job making sure I am comfortable and I am just making demands. I've always been critized as jumping before I think."

She walked to one of the chairs and sat down delicately and closing her eyes as if in exhaustion, "Of course I should check with...my mother." Calling that woman by the title she didn't deserve made her stomach turn. "Thank you for everything...would it...be too much to ask for some tea and perhaps some biscuits? You are right, of course, it has been a long journey."

[GoblinFae]

"Of course, Little Miss. Although I'm afraid we do not possess a Thanati dictionary. I believe the language texts were a favorite of your father's and thus taken in his separation. I will see to the rest of this though. Please just rest and should you need anything, send it," he pointed at Rene, "to get it for you. Please don't strain yourself climbing up and down. I shall return shortly," he continued, bobbing up and down in a series of awkward bows as he shuffled out of the room.

[Goldie]

Lenoryn kept her head bowed until she was certain he was gone and then let out a long breath, "Oh thank the Gods. What an insufferable, boot licking, incorrigible," she added a few extra more colorful descriptors under her breath before leaping to her feet and taking a step towards her mother's slave.

"I am sorry." She began softly, eyes full of regret, "I don't agree with any of....this." she gestured around to the entirety of the library, but her intent was the household itself, "I especially don't agree with what they're doing to you." She frowned and looked at his head where he had been struck, but made sure not to get closer. After his reaction to being touched earlier, she did not want to risk frightening him more.

"Are you alright? I...think it's clear there isn't much I'll be able to do, but please know I will do what I can to try and ease your suffering. None of this is right. It's disgusting. It's inhumane. And if I had even an ounce of power I'd have you freed."

She sighed again, "I'm sure you don't believe me - you have no reason to trust me - but please at least remember that anything within my power is yours." She turned to the table and took a look at the tomes she had selected and immediately deemed them unimportant, scooped them up herself, and returned them one at a time back onto the shelves while balancing them precariously on one arm. A plume of dust tickled her nose and she sneezed. The books almost toppled from her arm, but she was able to steady them and avoided disaster.

"I'm Lenoryn, by the way." She added with a smile towards the slave after the books had been returned, and then she disappeared into the stacks searching for a section on world history. She may not have access to language books, but there had to be something of use.

"Ah! There!" She stood on her toes and her finger tips barely brushed the shelf. A quick step or two and she had managed to move a table over to the shelf and promptly climbed up to pluck the book before sliding down with it tucked under her arm. She didn't even move the table back or move to find a chair, but sat on the edge and opened the book in her lap with the tip of her tongue peaking out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated.

[GoblinFae]

The man jerked back at her quick movements towards him before resettling back to where he had been standing. Did this woman ever just stop talking? On and on she went, talking to him as if she actually cared, as if she actually thought he was human, as if she had not just proved otherwise.

Her words, as many as they were, were met with a dead fish stare as if he did not understand a single word she was saying. 'Lenoryn? Try Little Bitch.' Rene quietly snorted to himself at the thought before realizing he'd made a sound and glancing her way in wide-eyed apprehension.

'Now, what is she doing?'

[Goldie]

Lenoryn didn't register his sound at all. Books were her happy place. The library was her home. How many years had she spent falling asleep amonst piles and piles and piles of books? Too many to count, that's for sure. She'd often wake up with a blanket over her shoulders when her father had found her but chose not to disturb her sleep. Dust and ink were a part of her blood.

So she sat, silently flipping through the pages of History of the Eastern World.

It was unhelpful, but she kept the book open to the chapter about Thanatos before deciding to search for another. How could she refresh herself on a language she didn't fully comprehend without a book about that language? Truth be told, she almost wasn't sure that man even understood her when she spoke to him.

But he had tried to take her to the library when she had asked....

Hmm....

"I'm going around the corner," she called out to him without even looking his way. He could have been right next to her and she wouldn't have noticed. She had a mission.

Leaving the history book behind, she circled her way through the library muttering under her breath until...ah! Yes! There! Nothing she wanted was within reach and she couldn't see the titles well enough from the ground.

"Ladder....ladder ladder ladder....." she looked around but nothing was connected to this particular shelf. What the hell....who had organized this place? Was it supposed to be a deterent?

She groaned and muttered to herself, "Fine. You won't get me a ladder, I'll desecrate your shelves." She hiked her skirts around her knees and began climbing up the book shelves.

[GoblinFae]

Rene sighed heavily as he shuffled along behind her. Aaaaand now she was...climbing? In those skirts?! Now this was going to be good. Surely she didn't expect him to catch her when she inevitably fell?

He allowed himself to bask for a moment in how good the thought of her falling and getting hurt was. Just one sudden fall and SPLAT! She's just be laying there skirts akimbo, covered in layers of books and dust. Hilarious...riiight until he got blamed for it. 

And therein was the rub. If he let her fall and get hurt, it would be his hide that was beaten for it. If a worse fate befell her as delightful as that might be in the moment for him, it would be his own life on the line. Why was the goddess so cruel today?

Another deep, heavy sigh and he stepped closer to stand directly behind her. There was a slight problem with his plan to support her in that as he raised his hands in a catching motion, his manacles prevented him from expanding them apart enough to support properly around the waist or arms. Instead he could only manage to firmly cup her rear. Eh, close enough.