Friends for "Life" (Celestine and Dakol)

Along a small, inconspicuous dirt road, two carriages painted black traveled leisurely towards the barren lands of Obe. Inside the back carriage, a young boy was sleeping inside, his head comfortably against the window. His light, gentle blue hair was shifted around his face, giving him a kind of pillow as he rested. He looked quite young, around the age of 15; he wore white and blue clothes that fit him nicely, though not they did not show whether or not he was muscular. The breathing was even, but it did not seem to effect his chest, as it was not rising or falling.

The carriage then rolled over a rock, jostling the carriage and startling the boy to awake. His eyes snapped open, the color of his irises the same as his hair; a soft aqua. He glanced around, wiping away a bit of drool that had slipped down his chin. He then looked at an old man that was seated next to him, and smiled gently. "Are we almost there..?" he asked.

The man smiled and nodded, "Yes, Master Dairiku. We are only two minutes away, it seems," he said, checking his pocket-watch to make sure of his assumption.

Dairiku nodded, the smile vanishing as he then remembered what he was going to the Outlands for: a slave. Though his father (and his two brothers) insisted that it was for his own good, the young boy had his doubts about it. They apparently had several different types: guardians, maids, or the more commonly used... sex slaves. He shuddered at the thoughts, knowing that one of his brothers - Caine - bought sex slaves frequently.

The boy licked his lips, and sighed; he was getting hungry. "Do you have food?" he asked the old man. The male rummaged through his bag, his eyes widening as he found it. The man brought out a bottle of dark red liquid, like blood...

Meanwhile, at the slave auction in the Outlands, a girl with black, silver-streaked hair broke free of her handler once more, taking hold of a staff to wallop him swiftly in the tender part of his stomach. Her wrists were bound together by a chain that she hadn't been able to free herself of. Apparently, it had been specially made in order to prevent slaves such as her from escaping the traders.

She twirled the staff over her head threateningly before pointing it at another handler - he'd been coming to the aid of his fellow.

"I," she spoke clearly, "Would rather die than become a sex slave." Lowering the pointed tip of her staff to the down trader's belt, she flipped his knife from his belt and up to her hands. She dropped her staff and unsheathed the blade, placing the sharp edge against her throat. Despite her young age, she was from a defeated warrior clan and the threat she made was very real. She had no intention of becoming a sex slave. She was a virgin and had every intention of remaining so.

They may have lost the war, but no warrior would reduce themselves to being some stranger's bed toy. Certainly not she, the daughter of their leader. If it weren't for her apparent looks, she would have been made into a guardian slave - perhaps even a maid slave since she knew all of the protocol associated with such a position due to her father's teachings.

The handler gawked at her for a moment before turning and fleeing. Within moments, he'd brought with him the leader of the train that had brought her there.

"What is it that you want?" the greasy man asked her.

"I will not be made into a sex slave." Her words were cool and the belt knife inched ever closer to her jugular.

"Then what sort of slave would you rather be?" the man asked her, his eyebrows rising.

Her answer was simple and consisted of only two words: "Anything else."

The man frowned before his eyes swept over her body. She could tell that he was calculating various profits and losses in his head, but she knew she'd win because she was worth more alive than she was dead.

"Very well," he said at last. "What can you do?"

As she listed off her uses, she thought of how odd it must seem to those watching. Typically, sex slaves were well treated and didn't have to work. It was, in other words, the job that the pretty boys and girls wanted most. She, however, found it degrading. She wouldn't spread herself at another man's bidding. She would work to serve her master because general slavery was still better than death and she might one day earn the right to be free.

She finished her list and looked at the man. His eyes had gone shrewd and she could practically see the gold in his eyes. "Very well," he murmured, "Very well." He looked up at her, his beady eyes filled with greed. "You'll be a special slave - multipurpose."

It meant that she'd sell for more than was typical of any sort of slave, sex slaves included, and he'd make more of a profit because he hadn't had to train her for any of the various tasks she was capable of doing.

Satisfied, she agreed. "Fine," she said coolly, letting the knife fall from her hands. It landed beside the handler that had lost her, blade first into the wood that made the floor.

Her goals met, she went with her new handler quietly when he led her to the 'special' string of slaves.

Dairiku quickly grabbed the bottle and smiled greatly, "Thanks!" he exclaimed, opening the cap and placing it on his lips. The thick liquid began to pass his teeth when he heard a commotion up ahead. His eyes widened and looked out the window, curious about the noise. He flinched at the sand that threatened to get into his eyes. He growled and rubbed his eyes as the two carriages entered the area.

"Finally..." he muttered, remembering why he was there. Glancing at his servant, he slowly drank the rest of the bottle and sighed in pleasure. He licked his lips as he hid his mouth from view. The carriage stopped, opening itself for Dairiku and his servant. He hopped out, shielding himself from the sun. Luckily for him, it didn't hurt...

He looked towards the other carriage and waited for him to come out...

But no one did. Surprised, Dairiku shrugged and looked towards the stands, lined with heavy-steeled bars and inside, slaves of all races. He shuddered to think what had happened to all of them, and began to walk. His servant walked close behind as he waded through the thick crowds of slavers and buyers. As he walked past the cages, a few slaves ventured to reach out to him, but at the last moment drew back in fear.

He wondered why; looking towards the main deck where the auctioning was taking place, he waited nervously to notice someone, or for someone to notice him...

It wasn't long before she found herself atop the auction stage, manhandled by the idiots that ran the system. Despite the utter humiliation that came with the fact that she was being sold as a slave of all things, she refused to lower her head. She looked on at the crowd of filthy, greedy, boot-licking pieces of scum. They wanted nothing more than another servant to boss around. Oh, sure, she had no doubt some of them actually needed a slave - but she had no high hopes for decent treatment. She considered baring her teeth and acting like a difficult slave, but she crossed that off of her list when she quickly remembered the stories she'd heard about those who had taken on slaves merely for the pleasure of breaking them in. She most certainly didn't want to fall prey to any such sadistic master.

As scantily clad as she was, she had no doubt that she'd catch quite a few eyes. Her rough clothe that covered her was thin and small - it had been cut at the sides and under her arms to accommodate her hips and breasts. She had developed earlier than the other girls, mostly because of the excessive strain she'd put on her body in combat practice and weapons training. All the same, the curves were there and practically acted as targets for the greasier of men to eyeball.

She saw many vampires in the crowd, identifiable by their abnormally cold beauty and the way in which they held themselves - certainly, they felt themselves above the humans that mingled with them. For a moment, she wondered what it would like to have a vampire master but immediately rid herself of the thought. More likely than not, slaves to a vampire - particularly a wealthy vampire - ended up dead in a ditch, sometimes having been beaten and brutalized and other times not. Always, though, they'd be drained of blood. She'd heard of it happening far too many times to want one as her master.

The captured slave sighed. It seemed as though there was no ideal master for her in the crowd below. As the auctioneer began to speak ("This particular specimen was sold by a triumphant tribe after a victory. The princess of the defeated tribe stands here upon our very stage."), movement towards the back of the crowd caught her eye. There was a young man coming towards the stage at which she stood. ("She knows how to cook, clean, fight, sew, and is good for just about anything.") As he came closer, she realized he wasn't a human or a vampire. He was a dhampir. ("Don't forget, gentlemen - look at those curves! She wouldn't exactly be a bad bed-friend either, wouldn't you say?")

As he came closer, she willed him to look her in the eyes. She knew she would likely find cruelty in a human or vampire owner, but she hoped - she truly did - that a dhampir owner would be less so.

"And now, gentlemen, what say we start the bidding at five hundred gold Delusian crowns? For a special slave of this caliber, it's a deal!"

And then the bidding began.

Dairiku shot looks around as the man began to yell out what a new slave was capable of. He wasn't paying any attention to her stares, and instead wonder how much he had on him. He bit his lip gently, looking around once more and noticing his servant a ways away, most probably keeping an eye on him.

"Hmm..." he stepped forward, gripping his small bag by his left hip. His head turned every-so-slightly and caught the look of the slave, and for what seemed to be eternity... he was trapped. It was unusual; his heart - which was dead and gone - seemed to beat for a moment. Dairiku exhaled, relaxing his hold on his bag and his body going heavy.

But he stood there without fail, wanting to look at her forever... until the auctioneer's voice snapped him out of the daze. "Wha..?" he muttered, then looked at the man on the stand as he yelled out "1000 crowns! Going once, twice..!"

"Two thousand!" Dairiku exclaimed, raising his hand up as he shook gently. What the hell was he doing?! The eyes of many turned to him, and he flinched in embarrassment.

He slowly walked towards the stage, avoiding all gazes when he climbed the small set of stairs. "Uh... hi," he whispered quietly to the man and the slave.

She'd been disheartened when he hadn't so much as turned - but when he did, it was sudden and took her by surprise... And she couldn't look away. It was an odd feeling - one she'd previously shared only with those on the battlefield. The look, though... She wasn't sure of what exactly it meant. She felt a shiver going up her spine, but was shaken from her thoughts - and that gaze - when she heard the auctioneer calling out what seemed to be her final sale price.

Suddenly, her thoughts sped up. A thousand crowns? That was double what they'd started with... It meant someone found her to be valuable indeed. She looked to see who it was and almost flinched when she realized it was one of the vampires... ("Going once," the auctioneer cried out.)A cold one would have been alright, but this one was smiling in a way that was a little too self-satisfied. She could practically feel the cruelty coming off of him in waves. This...? This was who she was supposed to go home with? ("Twice...!")

And suddenly a voice cried out. She turned with a sea of eyes to see who had claimed her, hoping almost desperately for the caller to have been the dhampir.

And it was. She was relieved... And suddenly nervous at the same time. Still, all the pent up tension in her body fell away with a grateful sigh. At least, until she learned what he was like, she would not fear whatever pains he might inflict on her.

Although she didn't see him flinch, she could tell from his gait that while he might be a dhampir and most certainly stronger than any human, he didn't seem to be comfortable. Her mind ran over many things, throwing out possibilities that ranged from distaste to presenting a false image to simply being unused to slave pens.

It was only when he'd arrived that she allowed herself a small smile, doing her best to push back her uncertainty. He'd been slower than most getting there... And he hadn't swaggered with the pride men had of having attained a new acquisition. Nor had he moved swiftly so as to get to said prize... She didn't know what to think of him. She did, however, know that he would be her master for sure. After all, having been auctioned up to a thousand in so short a time was impressive, but having what was essentially a 'dark horse' come out with a bid that doubled that was something that few, if any, would contest.

"Hi..." she responded to his greeting. She wasn't sure how she was to act or behave, but a greeting was the least she could do... Right? Still, looking at him, she could tell he wasn't of the feared sort. As she saw his nervousness, she decided that she would serve him faithfully. He'd saved her from what was likely a short life filled with quite a great deal of pain. She would, most honestly, rather serve a life dedicated to service than one of a whipping maid.

No other calls were made, as she'd predicted, and the dhampir was given the key to her chains.

Now, it was up to her master. If he intended to purchase more slaves, she might be placed in a pen for him to retrieve when he was ready to go home. If he had already purchased his other slaves - or if she was the only one he intended to purchase - he would be able to take her with him right away. Or, she supposed, if he wanted her with him as he looked at other slaves, he could take her with him then, too...

But as they moved away from the stage, she decided there was one thing of importance that she needed to set on the table immediately.

"Master, what name will you give me?" she asked, her head bowed so she didn't look at his face - it was proper slave decorum, no matter how distasteful she found it.

The young blue-headed Dhampir gently gripped the key that was he given, contemplating his next action. Not because thoughts were racing through his mind, but... because he had no idea what to do next. However, Dairiku was knocked out of his pensive stance by the young woman's reply. A darkened flush appeared on his cheeks, obviously a bit fluttered by the acknowledgement. This led to a roar of mocking laughter from the slavers and people around him, making the young Prince lower his eyes in shame. Hearing her question, he found that he lost the words to speak as he was continued to hear mocking words and sounds.

This made him retreat into a deeper part of his subconscious, rendering him unable to notice the large, heavily-built man striding towards them unsheathing his blade, raising it high above it head before swinging down. Dairiku looked up in fright as the blade swung down without hesitation, and he prepared himself for an early death...

But it never came. Instead, in front of Dairiku and the girl stood up a figure in a ragged black cloak, billowing in the wind as the figure held the weapon away with his right hand. Long black hair cascaded from the ripped hood, and air visibly puffed out from blackness where his face was, despite it being considerably warm. The attacker grunted, attempting to tear away his weapon as the crowd watched in silence, awed by the cloaked man's strength. "How dare you..." he spoke calmly, though his tone steadily rose to outrage, "How dare you attack one of the Princes of Delusia? For that... the penalty is death." he growled, and moved quickly.

Pulling the attacker forward, the figure grabbed onto his thick arm and kicked him under the limb, resulting in a sickening crack and yell as he pulled the weapon away with ease as the attacker writhed in pain in the dust. However, he wasn't finished. He swiftly swung down and stuck the blade in the man's neck, blood spattering as his body fell, abandoning the weapon in his body.

Since both Dairiku and the girl's attention were strictly focused on the death, they had just noticed that every single person in the area had bowed to the knees, making the Dhampir gulp in nervousness. But he turned back to his protector. "T-Thank you... I apologize... Father." he stuttered, though he allowed himself a small smile before seeing that the man walked away, gesturing to them both to follow. Without wasting any time, Dairiku quickly led the girl away and to the carriages, only taking a breather once her, him, and the man were safely in the carriage and began down the road.

Despite the sudden mocking roar of laughter around them, the recently purchased slave girl felt no shame. Instead she smiled gently at the Dhampir, doing her best to reassure him that there was nothing to be ashamed about. She hadn't expected the youngling to be entirely sure as to what to do with her, but she certainly hadn't thought he'd be completely at a loss of what to do with her. She was obviously his first slave. It was... reassuring, to say the least. It meant there was that much more opportunity for her. Certainly, he'd likely be less abusive than the general owner, if only from the lack of experience with slaves. Whatever the case, it would work in her favor.... At least, that was what she hoped. When the boy had lost himself in his thoughts, she'd sensed a malevolent presence.

She'd just stepped in front of her new master, her wrists raised to fend off the attacker... At the very least, she intended to catch his blade with the enchanted shackles. Certainly, the shackles would have been able to take the blow. What the girl with the silver-streak in her black hair hadn't been expecting was for another person to intervene. Her eyes narrowed almost speculatively at the person before her. She could tell that he was extremely strong just from the way he moved. It was rare that one saw fighters of such caliber these days... She couldn't help but five a slightly wistful sigh. He was what she had aspired to be as one of the warriors of her tribe.

This man's words, though, caught her attention and swiftly so. Prince of Delusia? She looked at her master sharply. This boy had some very strong titles backing him up despite his small stature. It seemed that her own work would be much less menial than she'd thought, too... Whatever the case, she remained silent as the blood splattered from the body on the ground onto her white clothes. She was, after all, between the body and the prince. It only made sense that she'd be the one to get bloodied.

As the man led the boy, she followed as she was required to, being the slave she was. She didn't know what was going to happen to her now, but she certainly hoped it was less unpleasant than the stories she'd heard... She really didn't know what to expect, after all. Once the proud equivalent to a princess of a warrior's tribe, she was now nothing more than a multi-faceted slave purchased to satisfy her master's whims.

Speaking of which, he still hadn't named her... She'd thrown away her old name - she wouldn't reclaim it until she reclaimed her freedom, so it really was up to him to name her.

It was completely silent inside the carriage as Dairiku's father gazed at both of them from the darkness of his hood. A golden tint shone lightly with each slow blink, and said nothing for quite a while. However, as Dairiku had somehow gotten the courage to speak again, his father spoke first.

"Are you all right?" the man asked, his tone slightly worried and wholly sincere. The boy only nodded before he looked at the girl. "Hm..." he studied her for a moment and let out a small chuckle. Dairiku was indeed lucky to have a person readily defending themselves for him... "And you? No harm has come to you, I hope." he added, then turning his head to look at the sunlight that shine through. But, as he waved his hand only slightly and uttered a few inaudible words, a black shroud covered the open windows and closed off the light, engulfing them in dim light before he slowly pulled down his hood.

Surprisingly, a calm, un-aged face was exposed to the girl. Pale, cold-looking porcelain skin and eyes that were a brilliant gold with long, raven-black hair that fell to his shoulders. His expression was not that of a cruel man, but of a kind and loving father. "My name is Damion Battosai, one of the Nine Vampire Lords that protects Delusia and, in extension, Obe' and the Outlands. He," Damion gestured to the blue-haired boy sitting next to her, "is my youngest son, Dairiku." the man continued with a smile.

At his introduction, Dairiku looked up and smiled demurely, glancing at her before respectfully bowing his head. "H-Hello, miss." he said, "What's your name?" the boy inquired curiously, hoping to get over his nervousness as the carriage rode on.

"I am well, my Lord," she said quietly. She hadn't been sure whether she should address him with 'Majesty' or 'Highness,' so she'd decided that 'Lord' was a safe enough term to use. She was very interested to see that he was taking to the time to introduce himself so readily to her. Most slaves that she had heard of were generally put to work immediately... Although she supposed her circumstances were significantly different from the typical slave's. After all, not only had she been designated a multipurpose slave, but she'd also ended up as the slave of the Dhampir prince and son of Damion Battosai. While her tribe had not gotten all of the rumors, they'd certainly heard some of them. He was a man who oversaw to the best of his ability and was as fair as he could be.

"It is very nice to meet you," she said in response to the introductions. Admittedly, she wasn't sure if the words she'd spoken were a stock phrase she'd pulled or something she'd actually meant. With the way things were going, though, she thought there was definitely potential that it would become the truth.

To Dairiku, though, she bowed her head. At his query - and wording - she realized that he might be considered weak for any kindness shown to his slaves. She wasn't sure how he fit into all of the politics of the land, but she certainly didn't want to be the cause of any trouble for him. "Master," she said slowly, "You have yet to name me."

Dairiku was honestly surprised; he hadn't heard her call him Master once before, and that he had to be the one to name her. Looking towards his father, he blushed. "Fa-Father?" he inquired, hoping to get some answers.

"It's true. Most slaves do not carry names as their buyers usually call them something else, or nothing at all. If this young woman did have a name..." Damion turned his head to look at her, "I'm sure it is precious." the man explained. His son would learn, perhaps in time, her true name. But for the moment... Dairiku needed to give her a name.

Precious... the word resounded in his mind when he cleared his throat, straightening himself up as the color in his cheeks vanished, somewhat regaining any posture he might have had before. "I see. Then, um... for now, you can either be Lilith, Allura, or Amelie. Or, you can choose your own." he told her with a soft smile, clasping his hands together as he waited for her to reply to his suggestions.

She smiled softly as she watched the two interact with each other. It almost mad her miss her father. Almost. He had more brutish moments than the culture man before her, that was for sure. After the brief explanation, she turned her attention to her new master, awaiting his christening of her new identity. It was, she thought, something she'd have to get used to, especially since she didn't know if she'd be getting shuffled around or not. While he held the key to her shackles - which made him her owner - he might always pass her off to someone else upon returning to his home. It wasn't unheard of, after all, to purchase slaves as gifts... Of course, that likely wasn't the case here since the Lord Damion seemed to be educating his son in slavery... And it was the boy that had purchased her and not his father.

When he gave her options, she started a bit. She hadn't been expecting that at all... She didn't know the backgrounds between the second or third name, but the first name caught her attention. Lilith was a woman who had left the Garden of Eden on her own terms and had lived the rest of her life - and afterlife on her own terms as well. It was, she thought, a good name for a slave aspiring to earn back her freedom and life.

"Please call me Lilith, Master," she said, making sure to form her choice as a request as opposed to a decision. While she doubted that he would be upset about it, she still needed to break herself of the habit. She shouldn't be using declaratory speech any more. Not as a slave.

Dairiku's face lit up at her decision, and allowed himself a pleasant laugh and smile. "Okay. Lilith it is," he replied. Of course, he was a bit uncomfortable with her - well, anyone - calling him Master, but perhaps he could change that later. Leaning forward, he took her hands gently and unlocked the shackles and chains on her arms. However, his body shivered gently as the palms of his hands ran against her, a new sensation running through him that cause a light blush, which vanished quickly.

Once the bonds were off, Dairiku smiled once more and sighed, leaning back as he looked out the window at the passing scenery.

His father, however, studied Lilith's movements. Due to the speed at which she moved to protect Dairiku, the Lord could have guessed that she originated from one of the original warrior tribes, which - according to his sources and library - did not have the knowledge of controlling the Nine Elements.

"Lilith, tell me..." Damion began, resting his head on his right hand, "Are you familiar with using any magick? Or one of the Elements?" the inquiry reached his son's ears, and prompted Dairiku to turn back and look at Lilith curiously.

She smiled at him, pleased because he was pleased. He was such an innocent - it would be hard to see him enduring the real world's hellish games. Still, as long as she was with him, she supposed, she could work to protect him from such things. It was the least she could do, she figured, considering that he hadn't left her to be purchased by the others at the auction. "Thank you, Master," she murmured quietly as he freed her of the shackles. Immediately she felt the surge of energy that came with being in one's natural state... Although she would definitely admit that she felt another jolt that had nothing to do with it.

"I..." she started, a bit embarrassed. "We were told it was dangerous in the village, so we were not instructed in it." She bit her lip. "I... I would watch sometimes, when the merchants came through..." She'd tried a trick one, when she was a child - she'd been told that she had an affinity for it, which was rare in most of the warrior tribes. The man had spoken to her father about getting proper training for her and he'd turned the man out and angrily forbidden her from ever trying use her magic again. He'd been thorough about protocol and teaching her what she needed to know about being a warrior and more, but he had absolutely forbidden that she interfere with anything that could be viewed as magic.

Damion frowned, though he wasn't at all surprised. The tribes had unfortunately rejected their offer to learn of the Elements. In any other place it wasn't needed, but... Lilith had to learn to control one if she was to survive. "Hm... I see. Then we will have to talk later," he told her, "The Battosai family, as well as the other eight families, have enemies. Powerful enemies. You will not survive, nor will you be able to protect my son without learning one..."

A while later, the young man leaned out the window and allowed himself a wide grin as the gigantic city of Delusia quickly rose into view. Tall concrete walls spanned the perimeter of the location, and tips of houses and apartment could be seen over the ramparts, with a sky-reaching tower situated in the middle. They soon came upon the gates, where pale soldiers stood watch until they came close, at which point they bowed and opened the gates, leading into Delusia.

"We're here!" he exclaimed happily, waving at the citizens that ran up to the moving carriages, shouting out praises and greetings. Dairiku did his best to greet them back, while his father leaned back and let a smile on his lips as he kept out of sight, mainly because of the sunlight. It wasn't until a few minutes later that they came upon an expansive garden in the northern area of the city, where ten separate mansions stood. Well, nine. There was a house before in the corner of the garden, but all that remained were burned cinders.

Dairiku and Lilith got out and went to the black-colored mansion, knowing that his father would not follow just yet; he needed to prepare some things.

Lilith was surprised... But at his words was able to deduce that protecting the boy would be at least one of her new duties. If that were the case then she supposed it only made sense that she be taught something more effective than the what she already knew... After all, anyone that knew of the elements would easily be able to toss her aside, perhaps whilst she was blazing or caught on fire.

When they finally entered the city, she couldn't help but give a small smile at the prince's reaction to all the outcry around them. She, however, acted much like his father and remained carefully hidden in the carriage. There was a large part of her that wanted to stick her head out of the window and see everything - she'd never been to a big city before - but she felt that it would be inappropriate... And she still needed to be at least somewhat attentive to her surroundings. She would have time to gawk later.

When they arrived, she looked at the father speculatively before exiting the carriage. It made sense that he'd stay in the carriage, but she'd thought he would have at least something prepared to exit from the carriage. When the carriage rolled away, she gave a mental shrug. He probably had other things to do.

In the meanwhile, she supposed she'd merely follow her master until he gave her his instructions.

With a simple push, the Prince opened the door to their home. The interior was much different than what was portrayed outside. White marble floors and columns that held up the firm roof. Spiraling around said columns were thin golden wires that seemed to be moving about, vanishing into the ceiling, only to protrude from the floor once more.

A twin set of stairs rose to the next floor, separated only by a door that led to the kitchen and, in extension, the basement where his father conducted his research. "Here we are, Lil. Your new home." the boy said, turning around to look at her with a soft smile. "Are you hungry?" he asked curiously, brushing a blue strand of hair behind his ear as he awaited her answer.

"Afterwards, we can get you to your room, okay?" Dairiku hadn't a clue as to whether or not his brothers were home; but, if Caine was, then... he frowned at the thought.

She followed obediently as he led the way despite the lack of order. She supposed it was more of an assumed order than anything else, but it was still, nonetheless, an expectation. She was very impressed by the building as they entered it. It was large and very intricate. There were careful patterns and plentiful space. Quite frankly, the one room that he was showing her could easily have housed her entire tribe.

Lilith was amused to hear him introducing it to her as her new home... And just the slightest bit surprised. She supposed he meant the servant quarters, wherever they were, or a room attached to his own, if he had one. It was, after all, traditional for slaves to be able to attend their masters' every whim and that was hardly difficult if he had to come looking for her. "I am," she admitted to being hungry when he asked, having been reminded of it at last. She'd had minimal portions of stale bread and stagnant water while in captivity and before that, they'd been down to rations to preserve food for the young and the elderly.

Wondering what her room would look like, she merely nodded "Yes, Master," as she observed his frown. "Is something wrong, Master?"

Dairiku gave her an enthusiastic nod, glad she was hungry, and that she had admitted to it. The Dhampir didn't want her to be the slightest bit scared, and she wasn't. "Great! Follow me," he said, gesturing towards the door that lay between the stairs.

He began to walk towards the door when he heard Lilith's inquiry, and made him look down towards the floor. "Um, sort of. It's just one of my brothers, he... never mind. Let's go." he said, changing the subject as he opened the door. What it revealed was a short hallway that led to two places; immediately to the right was a great, expansive kitchen that contained four or five cooks, making food, while another was at the corner, carefully hovering over a large mixing pot as he slowly poured in liquid.

Straight down the hall was yet another, darker door. It led down into his father's workspace, though the young boy himself had never been down there. All he knew when he asked about it was that it "held very important secrets for the city". Afterwards, he never pressed on the issue again.

"Hello, my Lord!" one of the human cooks exclaimed, giving the boy a slight bow with a smile. "I've prepared some fantastic sauced chicken for you this evening. Would you like to try it?" the man asked curiously.

The young Dhampir shook his head and waved him off, though it was clear that he was restraining the urge to drool at the thought of chicken. "No, it's fine. I'll wait. But can you prepare something for Lilith, please? Anything she would like." Dairiku replied, looking towards the young girl as he waited to see what she wanted.

Lilith filed his response away carefully. It seemed he had... some sort of situation or discomfort in regards to one of his brothers. She'd have to watch for more information. She didn't know what exactly was going on, but the least she could do is watch, learn, and act accordingly.... Which was really all she could do, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?

She took mental notes on all of the little details of the hall they entered as he led her to the kitchens. It was... an interesting house. One with, she instinctively knew, many secrets, though of what nature they were she couldn't divine.

When they entered the kitchens, Lilith nearly stopped short in surprise. Not only had one of the cooks immediately come to Dairiku, but he was human... It was an interesting form of coexistence, one not generally seen... Especially since the human didn't seem to have any concerns about working for vampires and a Dhampir. It was obvious they weren't generally fed upon - something else that was noteworthy.

At the chef's offer towards her master, she couldn't help but want a taste herself... It sounded delicious and the smells in the kitchen were working towards making her drool. When her master redirected attention to her, though, she made a simple enough request: "Anything you have handy for a hungry girl would be most welcome," she said politely.

Dairiku chuckled pleasantly at her response, and looked towards the cook. "Get her a plate of it, okay? And rice." he told him, and the man in question nodded and began preparing a dish while Dairiku scanned the room curiously.

"Lord Dairiku!" once voice called out over the noise and chatter of the cooks. It was the man in the corner, sitting on a stool and bent over the pot. Now, however, he gestured towards him to come near. As the two of them did, it was clear that this man wasn't human. Pale skin and dark red eyes signaled him as a Vampire. He wore tight leather gloves as he nodded towards the boy, holding a small vial of red liquid. "I think I might have made a breakthrough for the new flavor; why don't you try it?"

The question transformed Dairiku's expression from that of happiness to nervousness. A light blush came on his cheek before he gulped and glanced at Lilith. "I, uh... I suppose." he whispered, taking the vial. He rose the container to his nose, inhaling it softly before he made a soft gasp. The blush became even deeper, and his heart began to thud in his chest as his body heat rose. He then hesitantly drank the liquid, sighing gently as he tasted sweet nectar. Then, an unfamiliar noise rose from his throat as he covered his mouth, closing his eyes as he allowed the sensation. "U-Uh... wait for f-father to come. He'll know the difference..." he breathed. He looked over at Lilith for a quick moment before looking away, biting his lip gently.

A soft clatter was heard on the table. "Here you are." the cook said, placing the plate of carefully-made chicken and rice on the table for Lilith. "Eat up!" he exclaimed, glancing at his employer. He stayed silent about what was happening, though a soft chuckle came from him as he knew what was going on.

((If you want me to edit, just let me know.))

Lilith all but drooled when she realized that he was ordering a plate of the chicken - with rice - on her behalf. Poultry, unless they shot it from the sky, was rare in her tribe... There were a few women that had kept chickens, but few were ever cooked - at least, not until said chickens stopped producing eggs amply enough for the owner's satisfaction... Then said owner would get to eat chicken, offering some of the meat to the tribal leader - her father. She'd often prepared such foods for her father, sneaking tidbits, but was never officially allowed to partake... It was a meal for her father, after all.

When another called her master over, she followed curiously, wondering why a Vampire was messing around in the kitchen holding out what looked like a vial of blood. When he spoke of a new flavor, though, Lilith's eyebrow went up. Were they experimenting to alter the flavors? Were they perhaps able to formulate a sort of substitute for blood? It would certainly explain why the humans weren't uncomfortable at all...

She giggled softly when she recognized his reaction to the vial. Absolute bliss, hmm? It was, she thought, cute. And the way that he'd immediately detained a reply until his father came? Even more adorable. It was obvious he liked the taste.

When the chef set the platter down with a cheerful directive, Lilith obeyed, practically floating from the scent alone. At the first succulent piece of chicken touched the sensitive buds of her tongue, she found it was her turn to cover her mouth as a moan of absolute bliss slipped free. It was delicious! Well flavored, extremely tender, and so, so, so very delicious!

"This is... amazing!" she said between small bites and the occasional moan of delight.

Dairiku breathed in deeply, opening his lips to show his fangs, which quickly retracted into a normal set. The insane beating of his heart died down, and turned towards Lilith as she tasted the food. A large grin came onto his face as she commented on it, giggling softly.

The cook bowed and held a expression of beaming pride. "Great! I am glad there is another who will enjoy human food." he said. Specifically, only Dairiku had chosen to eat this sort of food. Caine only drank blood, while his other brother and father consumed a synthetic sort, or blood from vampires.

Dairiku sat down next to her, watching her with interest as she ate. However, his gaze quickly switched to the entrance of the kitchen, and watched it carefully as he sensed a presence nearing them.

Just then, a tall man walked through the door. Long, flaming red hair that fell over his ear and part of his face, making him stand out. He wore a set of black leather clothes, cinched tightly up to his collarbone, where a white string necklace was tight against his throat, two white wings at the center. But this wasn't the most unique thing about him; instead, his eyes were the fascinating part. In the depth of his pupils, a pair of actual flames rested behind them, crackling silently as they burned with an everlasting strength. Unlike Dairiku - whom was partly pale -, this man had skin very similar to Lilith, and exuded heat that was slightly above her own. In short, it was very difficult to tell that he was a Vampire.

"Hello, meddhma uha," he said calmly, smiling as he walked around the table. His eyes were focused on Dairiku, ruffling his hair before looking at Lilith. "Hm... and this is your first slave, Dai?" he inquired, leaning over to take a hand and placed a gentle kiss on her finger. "It is an honor to meet such a beautiful young woman. Dairiku is a lucky man indeed."

Dairiku blushed gently at his older brother, embarrassed by his subtle insinuation. "I... I haven't..." he muttered, then decided to change the subject once more as the cook quickly walked away. "Lilith, this is Malacai. One of my brothers. Malacai, this is Lilith."

Malacai's eyes rose in surprise. "Lilith? Interesting... is this your original name, or did Dairiku give it to you?" he inquired to her politely, giving Dairiku a glance before returning to the young slave.

"I don't see how anyone could not want human food with the way you cook!" she exclaimed, her bliss obvious in her face. "I see I'll have to befriend you as soon as possible," she said with a smile. "I wouldn't want to miss out on even a bite of your food, especially if they even half as wonderful as this."

Despite her words and apparent ease, though, Lilith was still paying attention to her master. When his eyes moved to the door, hers followed.As a result, she found herself seeing a tall man with fiery hair that made his pale face and dark clothes stand out rather strongly. She might have thought he were human if not for the fire in his eyes - a literal flame that seemed to crackle and dance as his eyes roved the room.

At his words and actions, however, she found herself blushing. He was warm and his words were neat. Still, her mind whirred as she considered the words that he had spoken. What had he said? What language was that? She tried to match it to any phrases she'd heard before, but she couldn't be sure... Still, he at least recognized her position as a slave despite his obvious moves to charm. "Thank you, Lord Malacai," she replied carefully. "You honor me with your actions and your words." After all, she knew firsthand how messy politics could be.

At his query about the name, she watched his face attentively. "It is one of a selection of names my Master offered me," she responded. She'd found it fitting - but she hadn't thought of what others might think of it.

Malacai straightened back up, smoothing out his clothes as he nodded. Oh, she was good. Very polite. Honestly, he was surprised that Dairiku had found a non-rebellious one. The man's own first was very difficult indeed. Took him months to get her to talk. But now, she was loyal only to him. And for good reason...

"I see. Well, we will see just how coincidental it will be..." he replied vaguely, and looked towards Dairiku for a moment. "I'm sure Caine would love to see you, brother. A word of advice..." this was directed towards Lilith, "Never look Caine directly in the eyes."

At this, the red-head bowed and turned to walk away, saying his good-byes to the servants as he left.

Dairiku hoped that she would follow that advice. Caine didn't actually mind that slaves look him in the eyes. In fact, he preferred it. But there was another reason for this...

A short while later as Lilith finished, both of them left the kitchen and made their way up the stairs, Dairiku being quiet as they walked down the hallway. "Lilith... I have a favor to ask of you..." he whispered quietly, not making eye contact while they walked down the hall.