Don’t Look at Me That Way

Absinth observed the newly named Nila's struggle to maintain her composure, a smirk tugging  at the corners of her lips. She relished in unraveling that meek act the Saxe’s had forced upon the Sidi, she enjoyed peeling back the layers of conditioning to reveal the raw, defiant spirit beneath. It was the only reason she was still interested at all in the girl. "Nila." Absinth repeated the name, savoring the resistance in the way it was uttered. "Ah, but what's in a name when you're bound by chains of servitude?" She taunted softly, her words laced with a sharp edge that cut through the air like a blade. It wouldn't do if she let the Sidi speak however she liked to her, so the reminder was a necessary evil.

At the girl’s question, Absinth shrugged, her head cocking to the side as she considered Kaino's pet with a calculated gaze. Nila's tone hadn’t gone unnoticed by Absinth, who relished the challenge it presented. "You mistake the focus of my interest," She corrected, her voice dripping with delight. "I don't care what runs through Kaino's mind, but rather what runs through yours. It’s not every day you meet a slave with some fight left in them, after all." It was like a mystery to solve, just as it was when she questioned Sol and Khonsu.

As Nila's facade seemingly began to crack further, Absinth leaned in, her gaze piercing through the mask of submission she saw there. "Why do I care?" She echoed, a smirk playing on her lips. Why indeed? Why did Absinth do anything? "Because I thrive on excitement. I want to know if there is any worth in keeping my own personal plaything." What would that be like? She couldn’t imagine what her own preference might be, if she were truly considering it…

'If you tell me your name, I’ll be sure to let lady Kaino know that you were looking for her-..' Oh? Was that a veiled threat? With a predatory gleam in her eyes, she stared at Nila for many moments – mind full of possibilities. Off-limits. Remember what Aresenn said. Ugh. In the end, Absinth leaned back, her demeanor shifting subtly back into indifference as she responded with her name. “My name is Absinth. Remember it, because my loyalty lies with Sephiran, and we'll be seeing more of each other from here on out.” The monochromatic woman smiled impishly, her gaze flitting elsewhere as her limbs carried her away from this amusing little interaction. She needed to get away, cut her own tongue out, go find something else to thrill her – before she ended up crossing a line again.

[Exit Absinth]


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