Can a caged bird sing? (Nepharian - Vega)

[Vega]

Alice
1458.9-FL
​

This was not the first time she had been allowed to join her master evening event. He was a huge fan of expensive spirits and card games. It did not always end well and those times resulted in more drinking and Alice wished she could stay out of reach. More than once had she woke up with a swollen eye, broken lip and bruises. There was very little she could do against it. The collar around her neck marked her human - property. With the new feature within the collar could he control more than just keeping her close by a leash. No, he could make her stay completely frozen. It had become one of her worst nightmares lately.
Alice held no voice of her own. A collar malfunction made it quiet. She didn't know if anyone could fix it since none of her previous owners had ever bothered to look it up. They didn't need her to speak nor answer. It had become a nightmare with this new collar around her neck. What if he made sit still and a fire would break out. She would never be able to scream for help. Fear always remind her of how very little control she had over her own life.

Alice let out a soft sigh from where she had been placed. Hidden in the dark did she watch her owner drink quicker and quicker. Either he did have a good hand or he was nervous. The other players around the table told nothing with their face and no other had brought their human along with them. Alice didn't like that fact. Why was she here tonight?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

The world had a long time ago been divided in three. Superiours, Middle and Low. The ranking was first created to get the order but that order had become something else. Something that the politic had counted with. Suddenly was that well-known politician in the chain and his status had changed to Low. Alice did not know the life before the Order. It was not always how it had been. She had been born in a Middle family and when she turned 18 had her status mark appeared at her ankle. Low. She got send to a training camp and that was the last time she had seen her family. Alice sometimes gave them a thought. Wondering if they were alright, but she knew better. They had been glad when Order came for her. To have a Low in your family was a disgrace.

 

[Hara]

Eran Matthews had been born into a High family, and thus, he had known the good side of life since he was a child.
On his twentieth birthday, however, he had suddenly cut all ties to his family, and gone abroad for years.
No official information had been available as to where exactly he had gone, though he retained his status as a High wherever he did go.

Six months prior to this fateful gambler's evening, he had suddenly returned to the country, servants in tow, and had started a business.
Rumours would claim that the workforce in this business consisted of Lows, and only Lows.
And why not? If the man could afford enough Lows to run a business, then that was a great way to earn a good profit, right?
That, at least, was what the world saw.

---

Clad in a black suit and dark red buttoned shirt, Eran sat by the table, holding his cards almost casually.
He seemed less serious about the game than the others.
"Well... to be honest, sir, I'm not the best at this game, but I do like to spice things up a bit."

He leaned back in the chair and smiled.
"Why don't we make a little bet...?"

He glanced towards Alice, and then to her master.
"I'll chance one of mine, a very beautiful Oriental, if you bet the little blonde over there."
He had been keeping an eye on the other man's drinking, and this just might be the right timing!

 

[Vega]

She couldn't believe what she was watching. Her owner did really agree at the offer. How could he do that? He was not even that good at the game.... Drinking like he did this evening was no good sign either. It made her cold sweaty to know that she was most likely going home with another owner this evening. A new one that she somehow needed to explain to that she couldn't talk. What kind of pain would he do just to try it out...

Alice decided she could no longer watch her future change against. Instead, she looked down at her hands in her laps. Not that it was much more interesting but it felt slightly better for a while. Suddenly there was a loud crash and angry voices. Alice was about to look up when she felt her being dragged up from the seat. She stumbles and fell against the sticky floor. Her knees landed at something sharp and Alice could feel her hands starting to bleed. Broken glass. A hard kick against the side made her bend down and she barely heard her owner's angry screams anymore.
Apparently, did he lose.

 

[Hara]

Eran smiled as the bet was accepted. This man in front of him was an arrogant idiot... and from what he had heard, also a piece of absolute shit.
It would feel good to take something from him - and especially a girl like that!
He glanced at the blonde girl, and then set his gaze on his opponent once more.

Thirteen minutes later, Eran won the game.

And the result was chaos; the floor was wiped in an angry motion, and the girl was dragged, thrown down and kicked - and Eran acted faster than one might expect.
Momentarily, his fist connected with Alice's owner's jaw, the strike making his head swivel in a not unfunny way before the man came crashing down onto the floor next to Alice, knocked out cold.

"Beating a girl who isn't yours...? Tsk tsk..." said Eran and rubbed a little at his fist.
He then looked to Alice, and held out a hand for her to take.
"Come. Let's get out of here."

 

[Vega]

Alice's eyes went wide as her owner... the previous owner landed beside her. The whole situation felt very surreal and she was had a hard time focusing on the thing around her. The pain, the change and the new man. She saw a hand being held out for her to take and Alice just stared at it for a moment. It could be a trick! Take it and get punish for touching your owner... it could also be a test. Refuse a direct order... Alice barely touched the hand as she got up from the floor.
She tried to hide the whimper of pain as she could feel the tiny piece of glass piece her skin underneath her feet. Alice felt a bit unsteady and yet walked away from the man on the floor. At least she could breathe slightly better when standing up.

Alice followed the man out from the basement. The cold night air felt fresh against her skin for a few seconds. Then did the cold hit her and Alice felt very awake. She turned her attention toward her new owner. Did she dare to ask what was going to happen now? Alice put her arms around herself. Maybe it would be for the best if she stayed quiet for now?