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Mine To Keep (Hat/Mafdet)

She could hear the laughter of the dragons after quite some time, which probably meant that they returned from the hunt with success. The only part of her that moved was her head as she lifted it from her knees, having hardly moved at all since being left alone, as Harumda entered the hut once more. With ears twitching as she heard the activities going on outside, she shook her head. She didn't want to be among the dragons, as it was she was only starting to tolerate Harumda. "No thank you." Likely she was going to be tied up or leashed somehow like one would do to a pet, which she was too proud to do willingly.
 
"I see." he said, beckoning someone. They spoke for a moment, and Harumda seated himself. "I shall take my food with you." he said, "Smaller portions for her, please. She seems to have trouble finishing." he added, and deliciously seasoned meat was brought forth. Festivities went on outside, and he sighed. "I'd like... to learn more about you."
 
"You don't have to." She was surprised that he would neglect going out to enjoy the festivities just so that he could stay with her. With the food delivered, she merely glanced at the plate set in the cell for her before looking back up to him when he sighed. Frowning softly as he spoke, she wondered why he bothered. She gave a light shrug. "Ask of me what you will."

{{Sorry I took awhile, was doing house chores.}}
 
"Don't have to - want to. They're all the same anyway." he waved his hand. "What... What are your holidays like? What are they about?" he asked, leaning closer. "The white apes thought they were about sex, but I doubt that. A silly association between cats and heat." he mumbled.
 
Giving a light nod as he said replied to her first statement, she watched him as he leaned closer while asking his question. "Holidays..? You mean like celebrations?" she asked, sort of tilting her head to one side. Hearing his last few sentences, she gave a small smirk - she had heard of that before, others assuming that they'd make some celebration holiday about heat. "Going into heat does happen, but we don't make that into a... holiday, as you say. They are just part of life." One of her legs slides out in front of her, her limbs cramping up from having sat as she had for some hours. "Our holidays.. we celebrate the come of growing season, the season of great hunting, many things we have holidays for. We only have perhaps five main holidays every year, but they are... were celebrated with a great feast of seasoned meat and fresh fruit. They were always... meaningful."
 
"As I thought." he said, pulling out the parchment and making notes. "I have always wondered about the celebrations, the parties of other cultures." he said. "It's why I wish to preserve them, so." he said, looking at the ceiling and setting aside the parchment. "... Would... you be alright if I drew you?" he asked softly.
 
Tilting her head in curiosity while he had pulled out parchment and started to write, she blinked lightly. Preserve them? What would be the point of doing so? As she pondered on that, she looked back up at him when he asked her if he could draw her. "Draw me?" she merely said in return, curiosity in her voice. "I do not see why you can't, I suppose."
 
"Please... Remain still." he picked up another parchment backed with wood, and watched her. His hands moved quickly, certainly. His smile widened as he looked between her and the paper, black writing utensil twitching on the page as he worked. He drew often, once he learned the art of it. It was engrossing, interesting, new to him. And so few things were. He finished, then thought.

"I... Still do not know your name." he admitted.
 
Holding still was no trouble, as being a hunter and a warrior meant that she had some years of practice to hold still when needed. Merely watching him as he smiled and glanced between her and the paper on a piece of wood, she wondered why it was that he seemed to be so graceful with it when his bulk merely suggested that he was good at ripping things apart. When he finally stopped, she blinked as he then admitted that he didn't know her name. It was kind of to be expected as she hadn't even bothered to give it out. ".....Talise Ak'asha," she finally said, telling him her name.
 
"It is a wonderful name." he said, pronouncing it a few times, then finishing the picture - which he showed her. It's often said you don't realize just how pretty or sexy you are until you see yourself in someone else's eyes, and Harumda had an eye for eroticism and beauty, clearly. He had drawn her on the hay in such a way... Inviting, somehow, in the angle and the lighting. Quietly alluring, without even trying. "What do you think?" he asked.
 
When he had finished the picture after commenting that she had a wonderful name, Talise couldn't help herself but move closer to the front once he turned it towards her. From what times she remembered what she looked like, she didn't quite remember herself like that. Then again, he drew her in a way she hadn't ever seen herself before. From the angle he gave her, she seemed to be a lot more inviting... "It's really good," she said, for some reason feeling a little self-conscious.
 
He nodded. "So few good subjects here." he said quietly. "Would you like to see the town? If you promise not to run..." he said, "I will not leash you. It can't be good for you to lay in a cell all day and night. Your sort is very active, I've noticed." he said, "I know a place I would like to show you."
 
Talise frowned softly as she looked to him, his words registering but not really understand why he'd offer to show her the town... without being leashed. "Why would you believe me even if I did promise I wouldn't run? I could very well lie," she said to him, her ears twitching lightly towards him.
 
"Because if you betrayed my trust, you are in the literal centre of a town full of very strong and capable guards, and you will leave me very upset." he said softly. "You would not be so stupid as to think I would take such a slight laying down as a bald lie."
 
'Like it should matter...' And yet it did. She shook her head some before sighing softly to herself. "I promise not to run away..." Talise said after a minute, making it her word as a princess would give. In the back of her mind, she wondered if somewhere in this village was her sister or if she was free with the ones that were spared. Talise rather hoped for the latter, at least she'd be safe.
 
He unlocked the cage and held out his hand for her - and if she took it or not, he lead her out.

The town in the light of day was interesting. Great domes peppered the area, homes of clay with small windows. Children ran in the streets, wide-eyed as their mothers chased. It was...

Normal. Remarkably like home. Harumda was bowed to as they passed and he lead her through the town, ending up at a long pool, where he sat. It was still, the water reflecting the sky like a hole in the ground that was looking into another blue sky.
 
After a minute of looking at his hand, she frowned a little bit as she took it, being helped back onto her feet.

It reminded her of her own home... the children being chased by their mothers, the homes around that held family. She had been entertaining the thought that they didn't live in such nice homes, though that's only out of vengeful spite in her own head.

Upon coming to a long pool after walking for some time, Harumda sat down next to the water that had the clearest blue. Stretching her tail and limbs, she looked to the pool. "Water?" she said with a questioning tone.
 
"Reflecting pool." he said. "Some say it lets you see the truth. Others say it lets you see what you want." he said, "Still others say it's a portal to another realm." he chuckled. "I just think it's beautiful, though bringing you here makes it seem a mite pale in comparison." he nodded to her. "I have treated no other prisoner like this. Most I teach what I intend and release. You are... different."
 
Slowly making to sit down she stared into the waters. All she could see was her own reflection. "Was I that different in the beginning, or just now?" she asked without looking up to him, wondering what he had taught other prisoners and why would he release them.
 
"None of them were defiant like you." he said, "None of them had such fire in their eyes. Dragonkin, like us... We cannot breathe fire. But we live it. The fire, the passion, of fury and defiance. We were once slaves, and now we are free men." he said, "Seeing that fire... In your eyes, it was something that I have never seen before."
 
Talise gave a soft snort of disbelief; no other slave before were defiant? Had it been only her that had any sort of will to at least stand back up after being thrown down? She shook her head lightly. "I see. Though why would you release the slaves from before? All part of the... big plan of yours?" she asked, looking to him and at least not saying out loud what it was that she knew thus far of it. She was defiant and openly curious rather than afraid to ask. Then she thought more upon what he said. "It is... hard to imagine your kind having been slaves before."
 
"It is hard for us to imagine as well. We were smaller then. Meeker." he shrugged. "Believe it or not, your rebellion was unique. And that drew me towards you." he said quietly. "I do not have long before things swing to completion. A month. Two. Maybe three at most."
 
The curiosity stayed even as he had answered her, and she looked to Harumda as he spoke about how long the plan would take effect. He had done much to see about making it come through, though she wondered if things could have been different... Not that it mattered, she couldn't make a difference for this race, and so far only this one earned any respect she had. Strength should be admired, but on how it's used, not just because one had much of it. That was how it was for her people. "...What had you intended to do with me?" she asked, as the question had been mulling around in her mind for some time now. She still have yet to ask for clothing, but mainly because she wouldn't ask for any favors from the other dragons, so she sat on the side of the pool with her knees to her chest, effectively hiding her front even though it was more for modesty than embarrassment as her tail trailed its tip across the surface of the water.
 
"I will keep you for a week. Then I will say I have garnered all information from you I can. On the eighth night, you will mysteriously escape." he said quietly. "I will count on you, to tell tales of my brutality. Of your escape. I want you to lead them. If I am to fall to anyone, I can think of none better... than you." he said, staring into the water.
 
".........." In a way, this made her a tool to this dragon, carrying out what he wanted in the first place. But this... this doesn't anger her. If he had said this the day before, she'd probably think of it as a trap for herself and those she'd have gathered had she escaped early. Or think of it as an insult, since she had fought against him before and had lost. As he stared into the water, she went into her own thoughts, looking over the thoughts and his words. "I believe you," she murmured softly to him, still staring into the water.
 
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