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To Disappear (kikora and Z.G.)

It was a surprise to Lorian that the vampire actually did enjoy music, and he smiled. "My tastes are of the old celtic music." He told the man with a smile. "It suits Elves, the sound and the beat... But I am eager to hear new things. By all means lord Abel, I would enjoy to hear this 'jazz.'

((Short sorry, brb gotta wait for my headache medicine to kick in.))
 
Celtic music, Abel had to suppress a shudder. He hated Celtic music with a fiery passion. The next few days looked as though they would be a harrowing feat of self restraint. Of course, he also wanted to see if he could push Lorian over the edge, make the scavenger do something less than wise. That would be best. Enough nudges and anyone would fall off the righteous path. He planned to suffer the rest of the journey to his compound in silence.

"Mm, Kaura, come hither." He unwound her leash where he had kept it about his waist, ready to affix it to her collar. "When we enter the Market you will have to get down on your hands and knees and crawl."

((Don't worry about it, dude. Hope your medicine makes you feel better.))
 
Abel actually ordered Kaura only her hands and knees, and the girl looked up at him in surprise, a look of embarrassment on her features. "Master?" She whispered. She swallowed slightly and looked at the leash in dread.

Briefly Lorian clenched his fist, a look of anger consuming his expression before he wrapped an arm around her. He pulled her close for a moment. "Just do as he wants." He tells her softly, and gives her cheek a soft pet. "Come now, I will crawl too. I wont force you to face humiliation alone."

Just to spite Kaura he leaned over, and stole a kiss from her lips. The younger elf looked startled but Lorian chuckled and smiled back, his expression soft. "A thank you kiss child." He told her and they both sank onto their knees. "Nothing more."
 
"I mustn't have a guest crawling!" Abel exclaimed, the very picture of the attentive host. Lorian was, after all, his guest. "Please, please; you must rise. It is not appropriate in any way for one of my guests to enter on their knees."

In all honesty, Abel did not really care either way. He just wanted to isolate Kaura, to play on what he assumed to be an elven preoccupation with custom and in the process leave Lorian fuming. He had succeeded, if just barely, though it had made Lorian somewhat more bold as well. You do not need to fight for the affection of a slave, the vampire reminded himself behind those half-dead eyes of his. Then something else caught his eye.

"Kaura, we must be careful of your new dress. Take it off and hand it to me--I will ensure it does not get fouled by the ground."
 
Lorian smiled up at the vampire slightly, trying to look as friendly as possible. 'He thinks himself so clever, humiliating Kaura alone, making her seem less than me' He thought bitterly. "Nonsense." He said cheerfully. "I can't look Kaura in the eyes when talking to her if I am standing and her is on her knees." He told him, and gently grabbed the bottom of her long dress.

"Master Lorian?!" Kaura gasped, and Lorian simply chuckled.

"Do not worry, I am simply protecting the dress." He told her, and tied it up around her thighs, off the dirt. "There! Now just keep your balance child, and do not slide into the mud." He tilted his head up to look up at Abel. "Of course, as her owner you have the final word, is this an acceptable condition for her dress?"
 
Abel levelly stared at Lorian, eye lids motionless as his dead orbs fixed themselves upon the elf's eyes. It took every ounce of restraint not to step forward and kicking him levelly in the face. If he moved just so he would hear the bitter crack of his shin shattering the other man's jaw, blowing the fragments of his teeth into his raw tongue. Of course, that would not be so useful if he could still teleport to that special elven healing. The vampire was resigned to the fact that he could not use massive blunt force trauma to permanently maim Lorian's stately face.

Another solution is necessary. "She will not be able to have full balance if the dress is tied at her hips like that. Retie it around her waste, if you would be so kind, Lorian. I am her master, after all."
 
"Of course." Lorian managed to force out without any bitterness. His eyes narrowed slightly. Then something occurred to him, and he eased the garment higher, exposing her bruises, and he tried it in place. "It looks like you took quite a beating." He told Kaura quietly, expertly forcing out any excitement from his tone. "Does it hurt?"

"A bit." Kaura responded evenly.

"Let me take care of it." Lorian whispered, and placed a hand directly on her bottom, his fingers dancing across her as he healed the bruises fading away into creamy skin again. "There now... Let's go!"
 
When Lorian's fingers skittered over Kaura's rear, even to heal her of those bruises, Abel very nearly gave in to desire and kicked the drow in the face. Very nearly. However he managed to hold himself back and not maim the man. But this was better, wasn't it, to slowly drag Lorian across the rocks before he could take the time to bash his skull in.

I have had an odd fascination with bashing skulls in as of late, the vampire noted. "Yes. Let us be off." With that, Kaura's collar in hand, they moved towards Abel's home. Soon they were at the edge of the Night Market, the quick music of the humans wrapping around them like a comforting blanket. There was a boy balancing on a rope strung taut fifteen feet above the ground on one hand, legs nearly horizontal above him. It was an impressive little feat, that.

Laughter and ribald jokes returned, loud suggestions made about the Striped Whore and her new dark skinned companion, both of them crawling on their hands and knees. The vampire preferred it that way. He would linger in the Night Market to see just how much of this verbal abuse Lorian could take, just how thick his skin truly was.
 
Lorian could tell there was a dark monster hidden just below the surface of Abel's gentlemanly attitude, and a part of him wanted to bring it forward. After all he had done to hurt and humiliate Kaura he wanted to goad the man, taunt him to attack. Kaura was no longer a part of Elven society, and the laws that should protect her don't. Even if Lorian wanted to there was no way for him to help the girl now. If he was attacked though, the tides would change to his favor. Abel would have struck an Elven representative, and he could strike him down then.

So he taunted, be crawling close to Kaura, and keeping her eyes on her. He could hear the taunts coming, and see how red Kaura became to them. It almost brought him to shouting to the humans, but he held his anger and crawled, flashing Kaura occasional smiles. "Do you want anything?" He asked. "I have gold on me, it would buy any trinket you desire."

"I'm fine, Master Lorian." Kaura murmured, giving him a weak smile in return.
 
Abel absently reached down and affectionately petted Kaura's head. "Good girl," he murmured in response to her denial of the gift Lorian had offered her. Something niggled at him--did Lorian not know what bad form it was to offer another's slave a gift? He let it go for the moment, chocking it up to the older elf trying to win over Kaura. If only the drow knew how transparent he really is, the vampire thought.

The vampire's pace was slow and meandering--he stopped to watch the performance of the artists who showed up to the Night Market. At first it had just been his way of creating a pool for the herd, but then after that he had been pleased when performance artists started arriving, then painters and sculptors. For all that Abel had that cruel, sadistic streak deep within him, he adored art, as loathe as he would be to admit it.
 
Kaura gave Abel a questioning look when he praised her, and tried to get the answer from Janek, but the man was too busy chuckling to pay much mind. Was this vampire so possessive that he would not even allow a simple trinket to his slave from a past mentor?

They paused to look at the performance artists, and Lorian examined a few paintings. "Do you still work with colors?" He asked Kaura softly.

"No, I haven't so much as seen an art brush in months."

"Pity." Abel murmured, staring at a sculpture before he sighed and smiled some. Humans had an odd way of working rock, in his opinion. Not better or worst than the Elven way, but very different.
 
Abel looked down at Kaura sharply. "You paint?" He asked, looking at the young elf in a new light. That would be wonderful. It had been so long since he had a slave on hand with any sort of talent for art.
 
"I did once." Kaura responded slowly, arching a brow as she stared at Abel.

Lorian laughed softly, and leaned back. "She was a glorious artist, for her experience. As I recall you enjoyed paining a contrast between bold and dark colors, sunsets, mountains, and flowers when the light was low."

Kaura smiled and nodded slightly. "Yes, I did enjoy that. And you, have you touched a chisel?"

Lorian smiled again, and ran a finger across the smoothed surface of marble. "Yes, it helps relax me. Perhaps one day Lord Abel would allow me to lead you back to see."
 
Abel strongly doubted the day would come when he would let Lorian lead Kaura back to anything. Fah, another sculptor. A dime a dozen. It was perturbing, though, to think that he and Lorian held any sort of thing in common. Well, they held two things in common; art and Kaura. While Lorian's feelings towards Kaura could be termed love, Abel's were more complicated, a tangled skein of possession-affection-lust-disdain all at the same time.

They moved on through the Night Market, the vampire strolling and the elves crawling. This was an incredibly unprecedented thing for the humans in tow. Most had only ever seen one elf: Kaura. Now they saw two, both of whom crawled on the ground on their knees as though they were Abel's dogs. Did the wonders never cease? An increasing number of the jibes were directed at Lorian in his silks and armor, he seemed to have gained a nickname in the chattering cant of market people; Black Dog.

"Would you like to paint again, if given the opportunity?"
 
Lorian was years older than Kaura, and unfazed by the human taunts. Black dog, striped whore, he let them roll off his back like water, and simply smiled at Kaura, waiting for her answer. "I would." She said after a moment, grinning up at Abel. "It's been too long, I miss painting."

Lorian nudged her lightly. "Why not paint a portrait of your Master?" He suggested, his eyes flicking up to the man. "If he would allow."
 
Abel ignored Lorian. The old man was merely trying to rile him up. There was no reason to acknowledge him when he did not need to. The vampire strolled to a stall and murmured with the proprietor. He was handed a burlap sack fill of paints and brushes, with canvases to be delivered to his castle. For Abel negotiation was an easy task. None of the herd wished to be eaten or to have their arms torn from their sockets and then beaten to death with it, so they tended to operate on a system of credit and incredibly low rates if not pure gifting. This had been the latter, though he had promised to have his servants pay for the canvas upon receipt, as that was somewhat more expensive to procure than the inks had been.

"Good, Kaura, then paint you shall if you can mind your master," Abel told her, absently reaching down to pat her head. Though it sounded as though it was on the condition she would mind him he would most likely let a few things slide and push the brush into her hands anyways.
 
Kaura gave Abel a brief smile when he patted her head, and she nodded slightly. "Of course, Master. I promised I wont run again, and I will do my best to obey." She told him with a smile, "And you?" She asked after a second of thought. "Do you enjoy art, Master? It always seems to draw you in."
 
"Do you remember the tower you escaped out of? That is where I keep my sculptures," Abel slowly admitted, almost as though he thought he were remiss to. It almost seemed to ruffle his otherwise unflappable demeanor. He looked discernibly uncomfortable for a moment, unable to look Kaura in the eyes for a second, as though he were embarrassed. The vampire patted Kaura's head again, squeezing her neck affectionately before he lead them on towards the castle. They had passed most of the Night Market by then and they were finally at his keep.

"You may stand, Kaura."
 
Kaura was a little surprised by the admission, but she smiled slightly. "Those were yours, Master? I am glad I didn't damage them, you are a talented sculptor." She told him, smiling sincerely, nuzzling up into his hand some. She was grateful when he told her to stand, and her and Lorian rose at the same instant. He helped her let down the dress, before smiling at her kindly, not saying a word.
 
Abel looked at the young elf by his said, somehow gratified that she had deigned to rub back against his hand. Not to mention she had managed to massage his ego by complimenting his art. He shared that with very few people. The vampire largely considered it a weakness; people can only hurt you if they know the things you care about.

"Lorian, are you feeling hungry? I would be glad to have the kitchen prepare something for you two."
 
Lorian smiled slightly, and bowed his head to the lord vampire. "Yes,I am quite hungry, and you, Kaura?" He asked flashing the smaller girl a slight smile.

"I am a bit." She admitted, smiling up at both of them.

"My lord!" Came a deeper voice from in the castle, and a young page hurried forward, bowing deeply at the waist. "My lord, I am sorry to disturb you." He huffed softly. "Your slavers have returned two days early and bring with them another rare slave for your pleasure... They would tell me no more than that, lord."
 
At the very least Abel had the good manners to appear as though he were torn between two things. He looked at the young man--he could never remember this one's name, "Please get the major domo for me and have him lead Kaura and our guest Lorian to the dining hall, as well as take their requests for food. I will go and meet the men."

The vampire turned and nodded to Lorian. "Excuse me, I am sorry to abandon you, this is not . . . quite normal." Which is to say the slavers never really withheld information from him like this before, so it meant one of three things; the page had taken the initiative to in front of strangers would could be very well, Abel was going to be lead into a trap or the slavers really were withholding information. The third possibility bothered him the most out of all of them. "My major domo, Alfonse, will be along momentarily and he will see to your needs."

He turned to Kaura and put a hand to affectionately brush against her cheek. "I expect you to show the proper respect and courtesy to Alfonse, as he is your superior." Before that had left his mouth the page was already off running for Alfonse--the servants here knew that Abel viewed efficiency as key. The vampire turned and left, quickly striding towards to the open court yard where he would meet the slavers.

On the way he passed Alfonse, a rather fussy fellow dressed in silks of royal purple and gold. Alfonse was portly, short, with intelligent eyes that seemed to dance with humor. The little fellow made a flourishing bow when he came upon Lorian and Kaura. "Ah, my dear guests, what may I do for you?"
 
Kaura and Lorian starred for a moment as the page ran up, and quickly delivered the message. They stood still, trading looks, as if knowing full well that this would pull the host away, and Lorian did not seem to mind at all. They waited as Abel ran off, and spoke quietly between themselves for a few moments. Kaura was laughing softly when the major domo arrived.

Lorian stepped forward and bowed, giving the man a kind smile. "Hello, Lord Alfonse. It seems there was a matter of great importance that Lord Abel had to attend to." He told the man with a smile. "We were being taken to the kitchen for a meal, would you be so kind as to accompany us?"




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In front of the castle the slaves were being led away, all except one teenage girl with cropped black hair. Those around her held thick leashes around her neck to keep her trapped a few feet behind them. The sight was almost comical, a small and petite girl in an over-sized dress held between nervous men, frowning deeply as they pulled the ropes taunt. She couldn't have been more than five foot six, a hundred or so pounds, and young enough to still go to the crude schools that littered the country side.

One man ran up to Abel. "We captured her easily." He whispered. "But when we did the routine magic check she came up positive, and powerful sir. We ran out of restricted a moon ago, there's no way to contain her, should she wish to fight."

The young woman looked up then, her grey eyes meeting Abel's cloudy vision. She didn't struggle against her bonds, kneeling on the ground with her elbows and wrists tied together tightly. "I told them I wont attack."

"We didn't believe her, Lord."
 
The major domo politely laughed behind a hand and bowed again at Lorian. "Sir, sir; I am not a lord in name! I merely run the household. Entertain honored guests such as yourself. It would be my pleasure to accompany you, my absolute pleasure!" The major domo turned with a flounce and began slowly walking towards a stair case. "I am sorry, sir, but I am unaware of the eating habits of the Fey. Perhaps you would like to inform me of some choice delicacies you prefer?"

Outside Abel stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the bottom of his gray tunic rippling in the night's wind. He beheld the slavers with one quirked eyebrow. They were fools. Clearly their logic had run afoul. But someone so powerful as this newly captured slave not resisting? That was odd. If she had wanted she could have already blasted them and freed the rest of the caravan. If she had so desired. Why she had not, Abel did not know.

The vampire knelt down in front of the young woman, moving himself to her level. His mostly faded orbs looked into her's, the obscured windows to his spirit almost searching for something within her eyes. She looked so familiar. So much like... Miranda. "Do you promise not to fight if these men release you from your bondage?"
 
"Sir Alfonse then." Lorian said as if the matter was settled, and bowed slightly, Kaura following right behind him while giving the portly man a grin. "Yes, our people eat less meat then yours." He told the man, "We do enjoy fruits quite a bit, it is the biggest part of our diet, and some cider for the little one, please, wine for me."


Teyha looked up in surprise as the man knelt down before her, and she frowned, not even trying to pull free. "I said I would not fight before they put me in chains." She told him bluntly, "I'm a white witch. WHITE." She said the second part louder, glaring at the men. "Spirit and water are my strongest elements, and are not commonly used in battle." She sighed softly again and shook her head. "I promise not to fight, if you untie me."
 
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