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Azure · 04-06-2022, 06:04 PM

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"

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