The blood you bleed Is just the blood you owe

She took another sip, and he wondered what version of her she would become once the drink was flowing through her veins. Would she become more timid, more meek? Or would she toss aside some of the chains around her soul? He regretted how much of her personality he had stripped away to shape her. More of it had been lost than he had expected. Assuming she had any personality at all beneath her fear.

He grinned with a hint of bared teeth, the liquor already starting to affect him. He felt light headed, and the bruises and cuts were fading from his awareness. “The strength to hold it, first and foremost.” He said, mildly amused. “After that? Likely training and shaping of the wolves that need the experience. I haven’t had the rundown yet, that will come later. First, I had to prove myself.” Only the strong took power in this world, and he had proven to his Sultan that he had the strength. He took a long sip of his glass, and refilled both of their cups.

"Speech"