Azure had a pressing issue to manage, one that could wait no longer - his children. The majority of his litter was underperforming, perhaps they were too distracted, or perhaps they assumed that because their brother was doing so well that they did not have to try. Calypso in particular had been overly disappointing, and begrudgingly Az was forced to place the blame on Basilisk. It was the only reasonable explanation he could come to - assuming it was her twin's exceptional natural talent that had drained her will to thrive. Abaven had been by to explain their restructuring seasons ago, but it wasn't until he faced the failures of his daughter that he began to take the offer seriously. At the very least, her burden would be off his shoulders and Basilisk would be able to focus harder on his studies. He had been scouting Abaven's borders before making his final decision, intent on determining the current size of faculty among other things. Sending a Fatalis child away for education was not something he'd decide lightly. Once he was satisfied with what he'd learned, the heavily scarred brute began his journey home through the bordering falls. The sun was still high in the sky when he paused, drawn to the nearby sound of wolves. Had a pack taken up residence in the falls, so close to Abaven, Habari, and the Armada? There was no hesitation in his paws as he redirected his route toward the voices, tattered ears swinging forward to better catch the noise. "Greetings." He offered amicably as he came into their view. The wolves here outnumbered him and it would not do to be seen as aggressive or dangerous while he assessed them. "I am Azure Fatalis, I lead a pack not far from here and I'm afraid you've wedged yourselves between us and two others. Do you need help finding your way out?" Diplomacy was not something Az excelled at though he'd begun to make more of an effort to placate his father. Perhaps if he was friendly enough he might find a recruit to take home, Sirius had mentioned their needing some new blood and from the look of them, any of these wolves would do nicely. "Speech"

Tense. Anxious. They always were after a journey. Such was the life of slaves. One never knew when their life would change. At any time someone could come along and purchase them and their whole world would be turned upside down. The rest of the bunch chattered anxiously with one another in their makeshift corral, but Lyre sat alone, off to one side. She wasn't like the rest, having been bred and trained for something other than menial tasks. It had been intended for her to serve a lady or care for a den for her master and so she had more poise than the rabble, a better sense of manners. Her looks were drastically different as well. While the other slaves were muddied greys and browns, Lyre had a more exotic look to her. Greyish brown with a peachy underside. Her body was covered in obsidian striping. Structurally, she was long and lean, whereas the others were thick and muscled, bred for work. Though they were all slaves and servants, she had always been treated differently and so she no longer even tried to integrate herself with them.

The fae's ears shifted as she heard the voices of the masters as they spoke to an outsider. Olive shaded eyes turned, looking through a gap between the carts to see a giant, earthen colored man speaking with the lead master. She listened as the man hinted that they weren't in the right place and listened further as the master explained that they were traveling traders with carts full of goods for sale. The hulking mixed breed leaned in towards the big brute and whispered in conspiratorial tones that they had more than just carts of goods. Lyre had seen him do this before as though he had been hiding his prize stock from others, but would allow the man to see his 'goods.'

Soon, the master waved for the brute to follow and as they passed the carts and came to where the slaves were held, Lyre got a better look at him. He was large, of course, with browns and teal. There was a bit of striping upon him and scars as well. She could see the hooks of bone upon his limbs and the breadth of his wide paws was far from canine. The master proceeded to give descriptions of what the slaves were good at and trained for, but she noted that he expressly avoided giving any explanation as to what Lyre was good at. Another tactic of his. Would the man bite? Lyre turned her delicate skull, looking to the side and out of the corral rather than at the master and his possible patron. She didn't care what happened, after all. What would be, would be.

"Lyre"

It would seem his day was turning out better by the moment as Azure fell into conversation with the traders and their guards. They had traveled a good distance to arrive here to sell common wares and initially, Az had begrudgingly retained the polite interest only to be considered cordial. In truth, the Armada had little need for pelts or meat or baubles or steel, and as far as the Champion was concerned they could take their sales pitch to Abaven where wolves were more gullible and ripe to be manipulated. It was then that the man whispered in his ear of his more 'prized' collection of goods and Azure's interest was piqued enough to follow the gesture to follow, deeper into their camp toward a series of pens. Azure kept his muzzle fixed towards the trader as he was led, though his gaze flickered across the makeshift camp. Wolves of various sizes worked, ate, sparred, and slept, though none appeared very concerned at the sight of the stranger in their midst. While their apathy confused him, it also reassured Az that here there was no threat - and he could focus upon this under-the-table viewing. Things became clearer very quickly as he laid eyes upon the hastily constructed corrals and the wolves trapped within them. While the slave master went on about their breeding, their training, their price, Azure cast his gaze out into the cluster of them in the middle. He let it linger quietly upon them before shifting to the fence where a lone she-wolf sat in solitude. Like a switch inside his mind, his decision had been made - though even a rookie trader knew better than to give in so easily. "So? The 'prize' goods?" Azure's head cocked to the side, regarding the slave master with indifference. "This is not a prize, those ones -" With his mutated paw he gestured half-heartedly to the cluster of women who were turned in toward each other, deep in quiet conversation. "- They haven't a sense in their minds to even realize I'm standing here. God knows how many breaths I'll waste explaining to them their jobs again and again." The bulky trader opened his mouth to speak, but Az continued, a cruel fire beginning to ignite suddenly within. "This is not stock fit for a King. Even the look of them, I can't tell where the dirt and grime ends and the fur begins. Stupid, dirty, and somehow uglier beneath the mud. Just my luck that the worst slave master in Boreas is the one who sets up outside my territory." The rant had begun to prod at the leader, whose impatience had grown the longer Az spoke. It was unfortunate how lightly he had to tread, to not risk tempting the traders into a fight and making acquiring her that much harder. He stood, sighed heavily, and moved in to the fence of the enclosure. The slave master followed close behind him but paused, seeing the alpha wave his paw towards the slaves whom he'd momentarily ago degraded. "Please enlighten me as to why I would want any of them." In the corner of his eye he saw stripes, though he paid deliberately as little attention to her then she did to him. "Speech"

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The slave master gave his spiel and tried to sell his wares, or slaves, in this case. He wasn't used to a tough sell and was usually incredibly persuasive. Compliments and the idea that he was showing a patron his 'prize stock' usually stroked their egos enough to have them buying one or more slaves. Today... this was not the case. The harsh words of the striped brute brought  much sputtering and stammering from the slave master. From beneath dark lashes, Lyre watched the exchange, though she didn't make it obvious. Just the faintest turn of eye, though her head still pointed away.

The pair of men went back and forth, the slave master trying to make up for his mistake in selling tactic by complimenting the intelligence of his possible patron. "You have a fine eye, sir! These other slaves are rubbish, beneath a king!" Lyre almost laughed inside as the bastard tried to backtrack. There was no proof that this man was a king, but the slaver had to take his word for it. If the man believed that he was a king, then he was a king.

"The woman with the stripes. Fit for a kings service," he assured the man. "Good breeding. Raised to serve. Very skilled, obedient." He proceeded to push all of Lyre's good points on the man, hinting at seedier skills as well, but never saying it outright. Something like this may have made another woman feel dirty and worthless, but Lyre knew what she was. She knew what she was capable of and what she could potentially be used for.

The slaver banged on the edge of the corral, calling Lyre over. The woman rose and obediently moved towards the pair, seating herself just inside of the corral. She kept her eyes downcast respectively. "Tell the man," the slaver said simply, reaching through the slats to grasp Lyre's chin, forcing her pale green eyes to look at the man. "I served as handmaid to a queen until her demise." The woman's tones were smooth and practiced. She would not offer more information than was necessary unless directly asked. Lyre also didn't move to extract her chin from the slavers grasp. She would stay in his hold until he decided to release her, staring straight ahead, eyes visible, but not fixed on either man. "What do you think?" the slaver asked of his potential patron.

"Lyre"

The slave master continued, desperate for his sale and throwing more compliments toward Az to try and regain his interest. It was typical behavior of a trader and only cemented further Azure's hate for the man. It was too reminiscent of the slave masters he and his father had killed, the ones who had raised and trained his fiancé. The more he spoke, the more the saber-toothed champion began to plot for the man to suffer a similar fate. "It's a poor mistake to keep your best servant in the same enclosure as the others, who knows how many bad habits she's already picked up on." The slave's muzzle was grasped and directed toward them and Azure looked on with indifference as she spoke of her previous station. Skilled, obedient, raised to serve - none of these were particularly uncommon in a well-bred slave and Azure made sure the slaver knew as much. There was a further skill hinted towards but not spoken bluntly, bringing Azure's muzzle to wrinkle in a brief show of disgust. This sale had to end quickly before Azure could no longer contain his urge to turn the camp into a cemetery. The slaver prompted him further and Azure lifted his paw to silence the man, sharp gaze still fixed upon the striped woman whose face the slaver held. She made no move to free herself from his grasp, nor did her eyes roam to find either of the men's. "This one is better." He admitted, breaking his gaze from the slave to look back at her master. "To be fair to us both, I will require you to accompany me back to my territory with her. It is from the trade goods there that I will pay her price, and if the bitch reveals herself to be useless on the journey then I'm wasting less of my time walking her back." The slaver seemed hesitant, though Azure was already turning away. Over his shoulder, the saber-toothed man called out. "Prepare her and meet with me at the edge of your camp. I have some business to attend to at home and can't linger here all day." "Speech"

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The slaver was overjoyed at the prospect of making a deal with the saber toothed man and could see the deal closing at the end of the line once the words "This one is better" met his ears. All the while Lyre stared straight ahead, blinking, breathing, but nothing else. She was a servant, a tool, and tools had no voice. When the earth and sea man agreed to the purchase, the slaver almost bounced with joy. From her periphery, Lyre could see the wide smile on his face. There were stipulations, however. Both she and the slaver were to accompany the man back to his pack so goods could be exchanged. A red flash of warning went off like a flare in the woman's mind, but still, she remained impassive, unmoving.

Instructions were given and her potential new owner stalked off. Lyre was removed from the corral and one of the slavers took her to the falls to give her a proper scrubbing. The striped fae kept herself as clean as she was able under the circumstances, but it was impossible to stay completely clean when forced to reside in a fenced in area full of mud. She was cleansed and they actually spared a dish of soap scented with smoked vanilla. She was informed that the scent was exotic so it was fitting. Lyre said nothing, simply stood still while she was manhandled. Once clean, she was given a rough toweling and that was good enough. She would dry on the way to wherever they were going.

The slave master slid a leather collar around the fae's damp neck and attached a rope to the circular loop at the front. He made a show of parading her to the camps entrance where the man waited. This close, Lyre could see just how big he was and again those warning bells tolled in her mind. He was big. He was clever. He had run circles around the slaver and the man hadn't even realized it. He was dangerous. And... she now belonged to him.

The trio made their way across the land, Lyre having to move quickly to keep up with the longer strides of the two men. She didn't make a peep. Never opened her mouth, never turned her head from the path. The slaver didn't even have to jerk her chain to make her keep up. She was exactly what a slave should be. Obedient and silent. They traveled for quite a ways and eventually Lyre began to smell the scents of other wolves crisscrossing here and there. She wondered if they were close to the mans home or if this was just a crossroads for the various packs in the area.

"Lyre"

Azure waited impatiently at the edge of the camp while his purchase was groomed, bathed, and prepared for travel. It did not surprise him that the slaver had taken the bait so readily, and by the time the merchant and slave resurfaced all Azure could do was nod. He spared a glance to the new 'accessory' upon the woman's neck, already knowing he'd need to get rid of it before presenting the bitch to his father. She would not need a symbol to remind herself and others of her station, not once she was under Az's care. The walk was uneventful, a fact that both frustrated and soothed the sabered man. The longer he remained in the slaver's presence the more he yearned to hurt something - though he would not lay a paw upon the servant until rules were understood and her purchase price was 'paid.' By the time he reached nearer to the Armada borders his blood lust had reached its peak. The slaver had noticed their arrival as well and had stepped up alongside him to speak, snapping the last of Azure's resolve. His head turned sharply, his elongated fangs piercing deep into the wolf's tender throat. Arterial blood sprayed as he withdrew, a mask of red splattering Azure's scarred face. The slaver dropped quickly, his paws reaching feebly towards his neck to staunch the flow of blood. With the threat negated Azure acknowledged the servant for the first time since she'd been released from her corral. He sat - his back to the dying wolf - and regarded her. It occurred to him that the woman had likely been discouraged from speaking freely, a ruleset that would need to be adjusted for her life within the Armada. "You may speak freely to me and to my wolves for as long as you can maintain some semblance of intelligence." He began. "I expect you to use this freedom to serve me and mine better - if you cannot anticipate our needs it is your responsibility to ask for clarification. You may ask whatever questions you feel are appropriate to ask. So long as you are respectful, I am capable of patience." The gurgled sounds of suffering from behind him had begun to quiet, leaving only the slave and her new master on the border. The striped woman was still wearing that damn collar, and Azure paused in his lecture to slip a curved caw between the leather and her skin, tugging on it. "You are capable of remembering your rank without this silly thing, yes?" He gave her only a moment to confirm before tearing the symbol from her neck, chucking it into the river that made up one of their borders. "What do they call you?" Taking his seat once more upon the grass, he opened the floor for the servant to speak. "Speech"

Silent as the grave, Lyre barely even made a sound as her paws moved over the changing terrain. Every natural sound seemed loud as thunder against the trio of canines. The silence didn't bother Lyre, but the slaver was fidgety and anxious. He'd agreed to follow the man for payment, but he didn't think he'd have to go so far away from the rest of the caravan. When they finally arrived, he was greatly relieved, rushing forward to speak to his client so that he could ask if he wanted them to stay here or follow him into the territory. He never got the chance.

Blood sprayed from the wound in the slavers throat, a few droplets finding their way onto Lyre where they proceeded to drip down the curve of her muzzle and one cheek. The woman didn't bat an eye and remained staring straight ahead. Internally, she panicked a little. Was she next? Did it matter? The striped fae didn't move, not even to wipe the blood from her face. She wouldn't do so until the brute gave his permission.

The slaver gurgled from a crumpled heap on the ground, then fell silent. Suddenly the man was sitting in front of her, addressing her. His initial statement may have been seen as an insult, but Lyre saw it as nothing more than her new master laying out the rules. She did not meet his gaze, but nodded once to let him know that she was listening. He gave her permission to speak freely when necessary and added 'to me and mine,' so Lyre assumed that she would be a family servant.

A claw found its way against her throat and Lyre reflexively raised her head, giving the man access to the long length of her neck. He gave a rhetorical question and the fae answered clearly, "Yes, My King." He had called himself a king, so she would use that title unless he gave her another that he preferred. The collar about her neck was quickly removed and was deposited in the river to be swept away by the current. The man then asked her name. "Lyre, My King." She wondered if he would order her to push the dead slaver into the river as well so the current could take away the evidence. Whatever he wanted, she would do.

"Lyre"

Azure kept a close watch upon the slave, absorbing her movements and manners and analyzing what needed to go, what could afford to say. He nodded in confirmation at her respectful reply, though there was still much work to be done. Eventually, a patrol would catch wind of the corpse he'd left and Sirius would be called, and while Azure did not fear retribution for the murder of a slaver, he did fear the Warlord's response to this meek, conditioned, clearly purchased servant. "I told him I was a king." His crown gestured half-heartedly toward the body behind him. "We don't use such terminology, here." If Azure had it his way, he would be called a king, though he'd been forced to learn very quickly how firmly Sirius stood against it in his youth. At even the mention of a mere throne the man had been furious, it was not a topic Azure wanted to bring up again. "For now you may call me by my name, Azure. We have a lot to discuss before we figure out formalities." Too much to cover, too little time, and Azure would need to think about which of the many titles would be respectful enough to please him yet humble enough to please his father. He sighed, already dreading the amount of work he'd forced upon himself. "This is the Armada's territories." He gestured once more, this time with a paw toward the tall grasses behind the river. "Should one day you earn my trust, you may be allowed to roam outside the borders. That day is not today, and it will not be tomorrow, so settle in." Perhaps that was where his last servant had gone wrong - too little supervision, too much freedom, the man had vanished under the chaos of the Long Night and Azure was determined not to let another escaped slave reflect poorly upon his ability to control a wolf. "Your life here will be slightly different than you've grown to anticipate. My father - our other alpha - has grown softer with age, he treats his servants like small children, nurtures them, encourages them. Do not allow his backward ideals to corrupt your pretty little head, you belong to me." His paw turned inwards, one long curved claw touching his own chest to emphasize his words. "I assume they taught you some semblance of secrecy for you to have been appointed handmaiden to a queen; I dearly hope you've not forgotten how to act, how to lie. I don't care if you forget everything you've ever learned, so long as you maintain your discretion." Already the blood upon his face was beginning to dry and Azure wrinkled one side of his muzzle, irritated by the tightness beginning to form. He paused to rub his paw pad against the crimson mask, cracking it in places to lessen the discomfort before continuing. "My father will expect you to be polite and respectful to the wolves around you, though you must be careful not to be excessively submissive. He or another wolf of importance might make requests of you, though they will mostly be menial tasks.  There may come a day where you almost feel free, respected, and encouraged to strive higher - you will not let that feeling take hold of you." He paused again, considering his next words carefully. "As far as anyone here is concerned you were not bred, trained, and molded into a slave. Perhaps that was to be your future, but I arrived in time to rescue you from it. You are grateful for my intervention, consenting in your continuing captivity, and owing to me a life debt." Azure knew he had to tread lightly, if Sirius caught wind of the way Lyre was raised he would likely start some sort of wild rehabilitation program for her. He'd try to break her of her habits deliberately, he'd be more watchful and with softer expectations. The safest way to proceed was to emulate Sirius' tenancy to rescue and rebuild but on terms of his own. "Lucky for you, this will allow you a few more mistakes. After all, no one learns to serve in one day." Azure noticed she still had not met his gaze, stepping forward from his seat to touch his paw heavily upon the underside of her muzzle to force it upwards. It was a firm but kind (for Az) reprimand; he gained no enjoyment from a punishment that had not been truly earned, and he'd already released his frustration upon the slaver who'd instilled the habit in her. "This no-eye-contact thing has to go. Look at my eyes when I speak to you so I know you understand." Posturing had a place but it was all a show - an unnecessary expenditure of energy when in the comfort of one's own home. "It is not the last of habits we will be breaking you of, either. If I catch wind that you've been offering to 'satisfy' any one of my wolves, I will take from you whatever body part of yours that you dared to relieve them with." While it was a cruel threat, Azure knew that the punishment to the offending rapist would be much worse. Sirius would not tolerate such blatant abuse of a servant, and his slave-turned-queen mother would surely guide his hand if he hesitated. Above all else, Azure needed to protect his pack. Time was advancing on him quickly, and Azure had taken to glancing behind him every few moments to ensure no wolf was within distance to interrupt them. "Above all else, you are to protect my image first, the image of the Armada second. Do you have any questions? Think hard and think fast, your survival is on the line." "Speech"

Lyre received correction as to the manner in which she addressed her new master. He did not wish to be called King as he apparently was not one. He was, however, an alpha of this pack. Azure. He wanted her to call him by name and Lyre internally cringed. She didn't want to call him by name, not at all, but if that was what he required of her, then she would do so. Would he permit her to use honorifics in private, when it was just the two of them?

Azure went on to explain the territory and the fact that she was bound to it. She would not step over the border and into unclaimed land as that was not what her master wished of her. Lyre would be content to stay within Armada lands. Even bound to one territory, it was much more spatial freedom than the striped woman was used to. It was more space than the mountain palace that she had worked in prior and it was much, much more space than the corral that she had recently been trapped within. Having so much space to possibly explore was... daunting. Did he expect her to explore or would she be permitted to stay close to his home?

The explanation of her station and expectations continued and Azure reminded her that she belonged to him first and foremost. Lyre knew and understood this. Unless expressly given to another, Azure would be her master, her god and her judge. Apparently his father had lighter ideals and was 'soft'. She would not let such niceties go to her head as Azure's father was not her master and, though she would listen to him if he gave her an order, Azure would have the ultimate say in all things that referred to her. Everything that he said so far was easy to accept for a wolf raised to please, so she said nothing, merely nodded here and there, still letting him know that she was listening and that he had her full attention.

After the brutes paw dropped from his chest, the manner of secrecy was brought up. Could she be secretive? Of course. She worked in a palace alongside a queen and other royals. If one didn't learn secrecy, they weren't long for this world. Azure demanded discretion and Lyre gave a very firm nod on this front. She could be very discreet, though mentioning it made the woman wonder what sort of actions he would be performing that would demand discretion? Had he "purchased" her for breeding? Was he carrying out acts that his co-alpha would find less than acceptable? She supposed that she would learn in time.

More expectations were laid out and Lyre was a little surprised to learn that he didn't want her to be an overly submissive slave. In fact, he didn't want other to know that she was a slave at all. This... took Lyre's brain for a loop, but she continued to stare straight ahead, not reacting to the words. Not until he mentioned owing him a life debt. "I am grateful for your intervention," she assured him in soft, clear tones, "And I do indeed owe you a life debt," she agreed. Any slave owed their master a life debt as the tether of existence for Lyre was firmly grasped within one of Azure's wide paws. He alone could decide to keep that tether or wrap it about her neck and snuff her out.

Azure stepped forward to grasp her chin, forcing her pale green gaze to abruptly meet his own. Eye contact from lesser beings was seen as a challenge where she came from and so she fought her own practiced nature to not look away. Her master demanded that she look him in the eye, so she would break herself of her former habit. The conversation shifted to another 'habit' of hers and, since he had given her permission to speak freely, she waited for him to finish his threat before speaking. The slender beauty maintained eye contact with her master. "Satisfaction is one of my skills," she confirmed, "It has never been my choice or my will." Not that she had a will, but Lyre had never been taken by consent. If she never had to please a wolf again, man or woman, she would be only too happy. Lyre hoped that her words would alleviate that worry in the man.

Protect his image. That was her prime directive. She would do so. Working by his side would allow her to fall into a routine. Once she learned him, his mannerisms and unspoken expectations, Lyre was certain that she would be the perfect servant for her new master. Once Azure was finished speaking, he asked if she had questions. "Would you like me to put the body in the river, Azure?" If she was to worry about and protect his image, she imagined that this would be a very important issue to take care of. It wouldn't do to have someone come upon the dead body and both of them bloodied. Lyre's green gaze stayed fixed upon blue as she awaited his response.

"Lyre"

While the slave master was many things, it turned out he was not a complete idiot. He'd done something right in the way Lyre was prepared and trained and had somehow provided Azure with a competent, unflinching servant. It seemed there may even have been some semblance of intelligence laying in wait between those black-rimmed ears, though it was still too soon for Az to know for sure. He nodded slowly as she repeated the words, convincingly enough that the sabered giant did indeed feel reassured. "You do indeed. We'll get to your debt and how you shall repay me later, once you've mastered how I need you to appear." There was no need yet to approach the topic of the inevitable abuse she'd face until he knew she could hide it appropriately. It had been nearly a year since he'd been able to slip away to find something to bleed, he could wait a few more days. On the topic of satisfaction Azure's muzzle wrinkled once more, his head shaking slightly in disbelief. The idea that any respecting wolf would ever consider bedding a slave was repulsive and almost comical, as ridiculous to Az as mounting a rabbit might be. "Good. If any wolf of mine tries to request it of you, you bring them to me." He paused, head tilting to the side slightly as he considered if he needed to reaffirm anything. What sort of things did a pre-trained slave know and not know? Surely she understood too that even a consensual relationship would be off-limits for her - her pleasure was nowhere near worth the risk of having a litter of servant-blooded puppies. Her question broke through his train of thought, his gaze hardening as he met her eyes once more. It was a surprising question and not a bad assumption, and while he did not need the body moved it did beg the question of how much more this female was capable of. "Not currently." He answered. "His body is vital to your story... as is your body, in fact." Azure lifted one mutated paw, turning it over so she could see the curved claws upon each toe. "Tell me your story, Lyre. Where did you come from? Where did this slaver find you? How did he subdue you? You are remarkably clean and uninjured for one who's just been rescued from the likes of him." There was an unspoken question lingering in his eyes - a challenge. How far would this female go, to maintain his image?   "Speech"

The man seemed almost pleased with her response and it soothed Lyre somewhat. She didn't know him yet, but was learning a great deal about his character from this interaction. His mind was dark, darker than the slaver whom he'd just murdered. She would have to tread carefully to save her skin, but had no doubt that he would mete out punishment if she stepped the merest claw out of line. Surely she was less valuable than the slaver that he's killed, so why would he bat an eye to hurt her if he thought she needed it? It wouldn't be the first time that she'd been punished and, if she was right in her assumptions, it wouldn't be the last.

She was to alert Azure if any wolf of the Armada propositioned her for pleasure. Lyre nodded and added after, her gaze still focused on his own per his request, "I am barren. It was... seen to." So even if she was taken against her will, the union would never be fruitful. When she was a child, the slaves always talked about dreaming of some strong, righteous brute whisking them away to safety and starting a family together. She was more than a little upset when she learned that this had been stolen from her. By now she'd mostly come to terms with it, but every now and again, seeing a mother and child together, a pang of sadness and jealousy struck like a snake.

Azure denied the offer to take the slave out into the running river. Again, Lyre nodded. The man continued, stating that this would be part of her cover. She understood once the sabered man began speaking again. He questioned her and she turned her full attention to him, eyes going just a bit wider, but not drastically so. She understood the underlying question and quickly put together a suitable answer.

"I was a maid servant to an elderly woman of high status. When she passed, I left the kingdom in search of a new mistress to serve." Olive colored eyes cut to the dead slaver. "This man waylaid me, subdued me with brute force, then intended to take me back to his people to sell me into slavery. It was only by your noble and just act," Lyre looked back to Azure with admiration in her gaze, "That I'm not on a ship, heading to a foreign land to be sold to the highest bidder." The life that had been in Lyre's gaze while she told her story drained away once more into the sterile, clinical expression. "Is that suitable, my lord? If so, we'll need to make it... physically convincing." He would know what she meant. Lyre imagined bruising, perhaps a split lip. In the end, it would be up to Azure.

"Lyre"

The woman was learning fast, something Azure appreciated as time ticked on and the body behind him grew stiffer. Sooner rather than later his new underling would have to graduate and prove she'd learned as well as she'd seemed to. They'd covered most of the important information and yet barely even touched upon what her new life would look like. It would be a journey for him as much as for her, and already he was exhausted with the pre-planning stage and yearning to move forward and benefit from his 'purchase'. At the news of her being barren Az shrugged, indifferent. Whether or not she could bear children meant very little to the man, especially without a way to confirm the information himself. "Barren or not, my expectations remain the same." He stated. There was little doubt in his mind that she'd fight the statement and thus he did not elaborate further. Lyre began her story and Azure listened intently, nodding occasionally in approval as she spoke. It was the most he'd heard her speak so far and it pleased him to know that she wouldn't be irritating to listen to. Her voice was soft but clear, easy on the ears, and fitting for her role. "It's suitable." He confirmed, made more pliable by the honorific and admiration. "And you are correct, we'll need to make it convincing." Azure rose from his seated position, stepping toward her with a soft hum in his throat and a fire in his eyes. "How might I subdue a woman like you?" He thought aloud, arching his neck across her form and inspecting carefully as he circled her. "Try not to fight back." Like a flipped switch, Azure sprung. His jaws came down upon her scruff - tight enough to maintain control of her but carefully to avoid puncturing her skin and leaving the mark of his sabers - and his weight urged her to the ground. One oversized paw came over the top of her head and Azure used the pad of it to tilt up her muzzle and press it firmly into the dirt. "This is where I would have collared you, if I were the type." He commented casually, using his other paw to gently smooth down the fur upon her exposed throat. "A sane wolf likely would have fought it, perhaps even scratched at their own neck to free themselves." As he spoke, his smooth strokes upon her neck changed. While they maintained their soothing motion and frequency Azure's toes flexed, curved claws slicing small rivets through the skin there. It was over relatively quickly, and with reluctance, Azure retreated. It would not do leave wounds too noticeable, too fresh, too... Azure shaped. Besides, it's not like they were enjoying any sort of privacy this close to the border. "Get up, nearly time to go in." His low voice bordered between impatient and frustrated, a clear shift from the formal conversational tone he normally used. "Speech"

Azure didn't seem to care that she was barren and expressed that his expectations remained the same. The striped woman had no problem with this. Her sexual interactions with others had left her with a foul outlook on the whole ordeal. At this point in her life, she would be only too happy to never provide such gratification to another again. This was a command that she was happy and willing to follow.

Once Lyre had crafted her story and asked whether or not it was suitable, Azure agreed that it was. He also agreed that they would have to make her appearance convincing. One that had been abducted with the intent to be forced into slavery should appear disheveled, shaken up. There was no doubt in the woman's mind that Azure was capable of providing her with that appearance.

The hulking man rose and she could see the gears working in his mind as he inspected her. The purring hum of his outward contemplation did little to ease the anxious feeling that rose within her. He told her not to fight and a moment later his jaws were locked around the back of her neck. Lyre gasped from surprise, but she made no move to stop him. As he threw her to the ground, the force brought a small grunt from the fae involuntarily. One massive paw came up to lift her chin, but Lyre was already presenting her throat to him, her conditioning showing through.

How could one simply lay there and take such abuse? When one didn't have a choice, it was easy. Azure's gentle stroking of her throat did little to soothe her and soon those stroked brought pain. Tiny, biting, burning wounds traced across her flesh and there was a little hitch in Lyre's breathing, but she remained unmoving, though her verdant gaze had widened some. The woman was doing her best to be a good slave. This was her masters wish and so she would do her best to be what he wanted her to be. At this moment, he wanted her to feel pain, to be scared, to be convincing when the members of his pack would inevitably arrive.

He told he to get up and she could hear the frustration in his tones. It was a skill that all servants learned quickly. The striped fae got back to her paws, her pelt now a little disheveled and dusty. Her throat was a little sore from the scratches, but her thick fur hid the wounds. Ears slicked backwards and her heart beat hard in her chest. "I... don't think this is convincing enough, my lord. I would have fought back if I was not a slave." Was she really asking to receive more damage? If it was her duty to show her new master in a pleasing light, then yes. Yes she was. Lyre inhaled deeply. She had seen those who fought back and she had seen the ways that they were subdued. "A blow to the head. A strike to the face. Wounds heal and a slaver will keep a wolf from sale until they do so. He wouldn't have thought twice about protecting my appearance." Still her heart hammered. Would he see the logic in her statement or would he punish her for it?

"Lyre"

Azure began to pace, running over the scenario in his mind carefully as the deadline loomed. He cursed himself for his lack of preparation, since Theron's disappearance he'd not even begun to think of bringing in a replacement slave or how to best sell the story. Once upon a time things were easier, he'd had a favor in his pocket from Recluse - an alpha who did not share Sirius' mindset on what you could and could not do to an inferior wolf. Why had he ever thought it worth it to spend the favor on anything other then housing for his eventual slave? Lyre spoke once more and Azure's head whirled toward her with an expression of disbelief. There was still a polite undertone to her words, something that lessened the frustration of being defied and allowed the surprise to come through. "I think you overestimate how much fighting back would have mattered." He counseled darkly. Az had requested her to not fight back to avoid any telling marks upon his coat, not because he presumed she had any ability to stop him. "I appreciate your initiative, though I don't think we'll have to try quite so hard to sell the story. If one of my patrols came upon us while I was wounding you... well, I'd be forced to finish you off, and we don't want that, do we?" He lifted a paw to dust the recent accumulation of dirt from the other side of her neck, feeling the way her pulse hammered and finding his own beat harder in return. "After all, you had a competent rescuer. You're quite lucky I arrived when I did, before more damage was done." Truthfully he did want to take her offer, to craft his story carefully upon her body like a canvas. Taking her this close to the borders was a mistake, but there would be more time for pain later.   Skipping his gaze across her striped form he could see evidence of a struggle. The thick fur upon her neck was disorderly and flattened in places, it was clear a collar had sat tightly there. The slaver's blood upon her face had collected dirt and dust from the ground. The woman was clearly roughed up, but not so much that might be suspicious or might earn an urgent trip to a medic. Secrecy and deception worked best when the event was an unexciting one, one unworthy of gossip and suspicion. His head tipped back and he bellowed a low, commanding call. The first instinct for most wolves would be to call Sirius, to ask permission, but Azure swallowed that urge. He was an alpha too, and it wasn't as if Sirius was seeking Azure's opinion on which wolves joined and which wolves were allowed to leave the Armada. His loyal companion arrived swiftly, cutting through the air on thin obsidian wings and landing carefully upon his master's shoulders. Azure shrugged the bat off, who paid little notice to the striped slave. "Tell Sirius there's a body out here that needs disposal and to meet us at the communal area." The bat obediently sped off back through the plains and Azure turned to look back at Lyre. "Let's go, it's time you met my father." With a gesture of his head he encouraged the slave onward. "Speech"

The Warlord wasn’t accustomed to cleaning up the messes of his son. The bat sent him to the border, and he made quick work of the distance. His long stride swallowed the earth beneath him, until he found the mess the boy had made. The body was that of an unknown wolf. A careful scent of the scene told him the man was not of any pack, but had been a part of a group or band. None he had smelled before, new or passing through.

The Warlord called the bear forward, and barked a few rough commands to her. She picked up the body, throwing it over her shoulder and lumbered off. She would ensure it never came to light. Bast, meanwhile, tossed some strong scented herbs over the area. Covering any sign that blood had been spilt here. If the man's family came looking for him, they would find no evidence of his demise.

Tracks covered to offer some protection to his son and pack, the Warlord turned, and made his way briskly towards the edge of camp. He looked a little darker around the edges, more peeved then he had been in a long time as he took in Azure, and the girl beside him. The girl looked roughed up, and damaged. He glanced her way, and then gave his son all of his attention. “Is trouble coming our way?” there was very little trouble that he and Azure couldn’t handle together, but preparation was key.

"Sirius Fatalis"

Azure didn't seem to agree that she needed more damage and all the woman could do was nod in agreement. He added that she'd been rescued in time and Lyre nodded again. "You're right, my lord. You've surely saved my life." Saved it for his own benefit, but she wouldn't split hairs. Internally, the striped woman prepared herself for the acting that she would soon be taking part of. Had she been able to make her own decisions, Lyre would have simply gone off somewhere, lived on her own, stayed silent forever. As it was, she would make the best of her current situation.

Lyre lifted one paw, swiping at the drying blood on her cheek, smearing it a bit, but also getting some on her claws. It made sense since they were feigning that she'd struggled and scratched at her own throat to rid it of the slavers grip. As she did this, Azure released a call and soon the pair were joined by a large bat. Lyre's ears shifted forward as she inspected the strange beast. She'd never been up close with a bat before. The winged creature flew off after its master gave the order and Lyre blinked olive eyes, watching it go with a contemplative hum.

Ears tipped back as Azure informed her of their destination. Again, a nod before she rose and moved along with him. Lyre kept herself a step beside and behind her new master as was her way. Not only was he a king, but he was leading the way. The long legged woman kept pace with the large man, obsidian dipped paws touching ground in her natural, bouncing gait.

The pair came to a wide open area with a large stone and a bonfire. They weren't there terribly long before another giant wolf joined them. Lyre fixed olive eyes on the man, another rugged beast, and she could see the resemblance. She didn't need to be told that this was Azure's father. The fae dipped her head in a nod of respect, then looked to Azure as she had not been the one addressed. She kept her gaze wide and surprised, the effect making her look as though she was in, or had been in, shock. She would wait until it was her turn to act before speaking.

"Lyre"

The slave did not push him further, making only a few extra adjustments to her roughed-up form before following him past the threshold and into her new home. Azure paid little attention to her as he walked, giving the wolf no more and no less than he would any other stranger whom he plucked from the border to recruit. Sirius arrived quickly, a look upon his face that Azure assumed was meant to display how little the warlord appreciated the discarded body. "No trouble." He reassured his father, his tone clipped with what was almost annoyance. Trouble? When had he ever caused trouble? It was almost worth elaborating on, but there was enough pressure for this meeting to go right without pushing his father's buttons. "This is Lyre, my newest acquisition. She'll be replacing Theron." With a nod of his massive head, he gestured toward the striped woman. "I stumbled upon her kidnapping, thus the corpse." His words were matter-of-fact, apathetic, and - most importantly - on character for Azure. "Lyre, kindly explain to my father the circumstances that brought you to us. I'll go find something for us to eat." Az was not incredibly social, nor did he get invested in the life stories of the typical wolf. It would bring up fewer questions and less suspicion to allow Lyre to explain herself to Sirius, as he would for any other loner. Crossing past the slave on the way to the cellar, he shot her a passing glance. Behave. It spoke, though he did not linger. From within the cellar he hurried, selecting a random assortment of meats before pausing at the stacked pelts. Surely Sirius would expect him to provide one to her. Azure frowned down at the various hides, poking through them with an elongated claw to try to find one that best suited the situation. Returning to the pair, he chucked to the woman's paws an appropriately sized chunk of meat as well as his chosen rolled up pelt. Not too soft as to risk Sirius thinking he cared for the woman, but not so tattered and worn that the warlord might think Azure was being intentionally insensitive to a wolf who had already been roughed up, kidnapped, and enslaved. He settled down with his own meal, reclining casually on his hip. "Eat." He commanded her. "Speech"

He frowned at his son as the boy promised there was no trouble. The body had not had the scent of a loner. He twitched an ear, still considering the situation as Azure switched to an introduction. He nodded his head to Lyre. “Welcome to the Armada, Lyre.” He rumbled as Azure went on to explain the kidnapping. The Warlord leaned over gently, cupping her muzzle in his hand, and turning it this way and that. The blood of her cuts was still fresh. “Increase patrols, and send out a scout to find the group he belonged to. We’ll keep an eye on them until they move on.” He ordered Azure.

Pausing as the other wolf moved into the cellar, and releasing the girl's muzzle from his gentle grip. He would hear her story, and then call for a healer to ensure her wounds would not get infected. Azure's words on being Theron’s replacement were not lost on the Warlord.

"Sirius Fatalis"

Azure spoke with his father and then left the woman in the company of the equally large man. Olive eyes followed the man for a moment, then looked to Sirius as he welcomed her. As Sirius cupped her chin, Lyre allowed him to do so, letting him turn her head this way and that, no doubt inspecting the wounds upon her neck. There were still specks of blood on her face as well. If allowed, she would need a moment to wash up.

The striped woman had been ordered to share her story with the sabered alpha and she did so. In clear, soft vocals, the fae spoke. "The elderly wolf that I once served passed away," she began, a bit of sadness creeping into her viridian gaze. "As I was traveling, searching for a new mistress to serve, that man attacked me. He overpowered me and put me in a collar." Lyre's ears slicked back against her delicate crown and one paw rose to lightly touch the wounds at her throat. "He told me that because of my looks, I would fetch a high price." Lyre's large, green eyes rose again, meeting the blue pools of Sirius. "If Azure hadn't come across the man dragging me back to his camp, I would surely be on my way to a slave auction." Thankfully, Azure was returning as her story drew to a close so that he could hear her final comment. "I truly owe him a debt for saving my life," the woman spoke sincerely. All slaves had to learn how to act and, as the servant to a high born lady, Lyre had learned quickly and well.

A rolled up skin and a piece of meat were given to her and Lyre settled down upon her slender stomach, holding the meat between dark paws while she ate delicately. As a slave, food was usually scarce and she wasn't sure if she would be able to eat the entire piece, but she would consume as much as she could. Who knew when she would eat again?

"Lyre"