This Is The End

The boy laughed and said that he wasn't her new master. It made her heart jump up into her throat and she panicked anew. If she didn't belong to him, then she still belonged to the one that had done this to her. Valtiel curled her body more tightly atop the horned boy, a frown of concern on her gilded features. She was young, but servitude was all that she'd known. Maybe... maybe she could serve him without him saying that he was her master?

They arrived at the falls and he asked if she could stand. Valtiel slid into the water and her legs were shaking a bit, but she stood. With his help she moved out into slightly deeper water, then lay curled on her hip in the pool of cool liquid. It felt amazing against her heated skin and she could instantly feel her temperature lowering. Perhaps it was the mixture of the tonic and the cold water. She didn't know. The boy shocked her with further kindness by gentle scooping water up onto her shoulders and neck, working to cool her faster.

Valtiel opened her mouth as though to speak, but closed it again. She looked at the boy for a moment, then her lids dropped and she looked at the ripples forming in the water around them. "I can't go back to him," she spoke softly, midnight ears tipping backwards. "If I don't belong to you, then I still belong to him. Please... don't let him take me again." The young fae's voice never raised above a whisper as she spoke, yet her tones were pleading all the same. "I'm a good servant, I swear. You wouldn't be sorry. I can do whatever you need me to do." The girl's slender ribcage rose and fell as she fought to maintain control of her emotions. If she wanted to convince this boy to take her as a slave, then she needed to conduct herself accordingly. No one wanted a servant that couldn't control herself.

"Valtiel"