The Lady's Pet (Mach and HeyThereLittleBear)

[Machiavelli]

Anit was the descendant of what the Egyptians called a god, the spawn of Anubis, a Jackal-headed man, an anthropomorphic being of astounding impossibility. Native only to the strange plains of Egypt and almost never seen, he was the first to have ever been disgraced by capture by humans. He was tall, lean, and well-built, with a slim figure that had muscles where they were needed, but otherwise was slim and fast. His ribs could likely be counted under the light layer of dark black fur and the slight layer of muscle. His head was noble and angled, with bright, sharp, golden eyes. He stood at seven and a half feet, towering above men. But he had been caged in Egypt, shipped across water, and brought here, to a land full of hills and green spaces, strange creatures, and stranger structures. England was a land foreign to him and his kind.

He had been fitted with a collar and his sword, massive and golden, had been taken. He wore only a white loincloth around his hips and proportionately-enlargened masculinity, with a canine knot - his impressive length took more after his head than the rest of his body. He had been silent for the full trip, not because words were impossible, but because his noble silence had bored the guards and sailors that had attempted to antagonize him. One man, the explorer in charge, with white beard and blue eyes, had told him that he had been sold to a wealthy family, that he was to protect their daughter, a young woman just entering the world of adulthood. A task that was no doubt easy. He did not understand why he was needed.

Now he was delivered to the manor where this family resided, and the explorer peeked through the purple curtain around the cage. "Look impressive, creature!" Anit gave him a slow, almost irritated glance, and stood full, straight and proud inside the cage. The golden collar at his throat glinted in the dim light of the cage, and he prepared to meet what was apparently to be his life.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

“Three weeks, Elizabeth. It’s been three weeks!”

“Come now, John, you fret too mu--”


“Bollocks! I was promised that one would be on my doorstep in two months and that I would receive weekly letters detailing the creatures they have found. I’ll be damned if they get a penny out of me if this turns out to be sham.”

The man had taken to pacing in the drawing room, his hands fiddling with the white ivory buttons on his vest as he moved, his face turning red from his own anger and jaw clenched. The damned men had promised him a creature unlike any other to protect his child, a woman grown now truth be told, and yet they had not only failed to deliver, they had failed to communicate. He had grown weary of the fact that the latest letter - received just days ago - gave little information aside from the fact that today they would be giving him the beast he had already paid quite a large sum for.

The creatures, in their homeland, were viewed as gods and he had seen why after doing moderate research on them. Drawings had them at the size of a man and a half nearly, with lean bodies and leaner features that reminded him vaguely of dogs, though with bodies as sleek and slender as an alley cat’s. He’d been impressed with the power he’d heard of, stories telling of them able to lift massive stones to build the pyramids to being able to lift entire homes. He’d been impressed, and that was hard to say for the man. At the age of forty-three, John Gooding had made a name for himself in the business world for high expectations and blatantly underhanded dealings. He ran everything with an iron fist and was hated by many, namely those who dared to rent properties from him and found themselves unable to pay their dues.

He was a careless man, for many except two - the only two people in his life that mattered: Elizabeth, his still fresh-faced wife at thirty-eight, and Ruth, his daughter at seventeen. Unfortunately for the man, they were also his weakness, as his dearest Elizabeth had been assaulted at the market just months previous. It had been enough to make John seek out help, because he was coming to realize several things. First, that his daughter was not quite the child she had once been. And second, an even harder pill for him to swallow, was that he was no longer capable of protecting her as he’d thought.

Anit was the product of his fears.

John was just starting up on another rage-fueled tirade when a swift knock at the door silenced him just as he took in a breath, his eyes narrowing. He swept dust that didn’t exist from his front before answering, staring stern-faced at the man. “Your beast, sir.” The man was of few words, and that perhaps was his saving grace with John’s temper. He was quick to push past the man to get a glimpse of the thing, and he instantly knew it was the ideal choice. The creature stood well over six feet and had impressive muscle tone, his eyes moving over the black-furred skin and lean face. “Perfect. Elizabeth, fetch Ruth.”

He circled the cage much as the woman fetched their daughter, a girl that proved to be much gentler than one would think considering her father. Though she lacked his personality, Ruth looked quite similar to the man - the light hair that was close-cropped to his head had been permitted to grow into long, gentle curls that just barely brushed her waist and her eyes were the same penetrating blue. However, she took on her mother’s gentle jaw and oval face, her eyes almost reminiscent of a cat’s eyes when angled. Her skin was the color of cream, though one could scarcely tell as she was covered from neck to ankles in a dark-blue dress.

Elizabeth led her by the hand, the girl’s face neutral but mildly interested as they approached the cage. John was the one to initiate his idea of conversation, “You, beast,” He slapped the cage with a flat hand, “This girl is my world. She is more than gold to me. Your job is to keep her safe.” He motioned to the keepers to give him the key, which he proffered to Ruth, whom had remained silent and observant. Her hands trembled only slightly as she approached the cage, her eyes never leaving Anit as she unlocked the door slowly.

For her, there was no one else in attendance to this moment. Though she was ruled by etiquette that had been drilled into her head, she was spellbound. The ‘beast’ was a lovely thing of power and nobility, a creature born in the harshest of environments and brought to this sad, wet place. He was a god that had been knocked down to the status of a servant, stripped even of the dignity of a name. And she was transfixed.

“Hello… What is your name?” Her voice was low, hardly above a whisper and spoken softly as if she were asking him a secret, and perhaps for them it could be.

 

[Machiavelli]

Anit did not react as he was unveiled, nor did he even acknowledge the man who paced around his imprisoning chamber. His nobility rolled off in waves, despite his demeaning position. His head did not tilt downward from his impressive height to acknowledge this male who walked around him like a predator. Any other creature might have seen that like the actions of a wolf - a threat, a challenge, a danger. But he was borne of gods and titans, the earth and sky itself. Golden blood of gods ran through his veins and there was little in this world he feared. The one thing that prevented his escape was knowing he could not walk to his home, and that any attempt would mean his end. But this male, this challenger, did not frighten him. Nor would he let it bother him.

But then something changed. The male's demeanor became slightly softer as two females appeared from the grandiose structure ahead. A dwelling of some kind, similar to the palaces of Pharaohs. And these, perhaps a daughter and wife? Yes, from the next words from the male, indeed, a daughter. Evidently she was to be the protected one. An interesting prospect. A human had heard of his kind, the great powers of Egypt, protectors and servants of gods, and wished to have his lovely daughter protected in the same manner. While Anit remained unimpressed and motionless, his eyes grew softer. While unkind, this male had a noble goal. For now, Anit could respect that desire. A slow, comprehending nod issued from the jackal head atop his shoulders, and his eyes watched the key as it passed from keeper to male to daughter. Her hands trembled as she approached him. Fear? Awe? Nerves? All were possible, but he knew not which. He could not yet smell her, what with the strange scents and excess water clinging to the air. This place was wet and green and filled with much more than the land of his people had been.

The door of his confinement opened slowly, and the girl instinctively stepped back. With infinite grace, the being within stepped down, still towering slightly over all of those present. For a long moment, tension hung in the air, and he heard several of the keeper's guards tighten their grips on their weapons. Slowly, deliberately, the muscular, sleek titan knelt before the young girl, bowing his head slightly. Her whispered words caused his ears to flick slightly, and golden eyes caught her face. A kind face. A kind voice. She had a bearing unlike the male, one of quiet gentleness and softness. Intriguing. How different these two were. How strange the bond of family.

"I am Anit, Guardian and Soldier of Ra." He intoned, his voice quiet but deep, humming with a power and intensity unlike any. "I am yours." The last three words carried no implication of submission or humiliation, but instead were stated almost as an oath, an allegiance and promise to protect and serve. There was an instinct driving him now - nothing like this ever before had occurred to him or his kind, and now he was trusting in the gods and the fate of the world to guide him. And he felt that, for now, his place was here, serving her, defending her.

He stood, clasping his arms behind his back, decision made. His eyes affixed on her with razor-sharp accuracy, golden glinting like the dull light off his collar. "Who do I serve?" He inquired, his voice now raised slightly, but no one had his focus but her. He too had begun to ignore all others present. They were unimportant to him now. If she wanted them killed, it would be. If she wanted him to serve one of them, it would be.

But for now, she was his focus, and she was the god he was to protect.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

The girl’s first thoughts upon seeing the creature in full were that of his appearance - though she was stricken by his quite obvious physical power, there was something to him that was more than that. He was so very unlike anything that she’d ever seen before in her life - all hard angles and contrasting colors with thick but long muscles and a sleek face. He was a creature that had been born in a world that was much harsher than England, nurtured by the stinging sands instead of gentle, tickling rain. He was as strange to her as she was to him, she was sure.

He seemed to be just as enthralled, or at least interested, as she was, their eyes connecting and unwavering. It made her chest feel tight as if she could scarcely breathe and her body tremble just a bit with excitement. Her pulse was like a butterfly against her skin and her heart beating fast like a bird trapped in her chest. There was no way to describe the way that she felt besides a new form of excitement. His words were not hard to miss, spoken in heavy accent but his tongue was undeniably English.

“Anit.” Even his name felt different on her tongue, though her lips were able to find an easy smile soon enough, “I am Elizabeth.” Decorum led her to follow customs of her own, her fingers daintily grasping her dress to fan it out as she gave a small but polite curtsy, “I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” Her father cut the greeting short, his loud voice cutting through what had been a relative silence, “Yes, good. Now,” He turned towards the handlers, whom had done their job, “I’ll speak with your employer about the pay. You’ll get your due but you need to remove yourself from my property immediately.”

John approached the pair now with confidence, his eyes moving from his daughter, with a softer and more affectionate gaze, to the creature that stood tall and far too proud before him. “Your job, beast, is to protect her. Your kind were hailed as protectors of the gods so I feel that there is no one better than one of you to protect my angel.” He gave Elizabeth’s head a gentle pat, which warranted little reaction from the girl though she was being treated quite like a doll, her eyes following the man as he left.

Her breath, which had been held for moments before out of irritation, slid out between her teeth. “I don’t need protecting.” She commented to Anit, though she wasn’t sure all of what he could understand of the English language, “But I am curious to learn about where you’re from. Care to educate me while I show you our home?”

 

[Machiavelli]

"Elizabeth." The foreign creature murmured, as if tasting the name on his tongue, the consonants slightly warped by the mouth with which he spoke. His eyes watched her as she curtsied, a slight twitch of an ear indicating a confusion of some kind, clearly unaware of the traditional action or how to respond to it, and so he simply did not react. The unpleasant male spoke once more, and Anit considered him with heavy gaze. "I will serve Elizabeth as she desires." He responded, neither confirming the male's obvious belief that she needed protection, nor refusing the assignment. Part of him wondered whether the man understood that Anit had no intention of following any instruction unless the girl gave it, but he cared little. He had chosen the one he was going to serve.

The slim female muttered as her father left. "Your father does not seem to agree." He replied quietly, his odd accent still present, his tongue obviously used to speaking a language different from English. "But my sword has not been returned to me, though I am capable of serving and defending without it." His eyes widened slightly as she inquired about his background. He was obviously surprised as she led him toward the house, a curious structure that he was obviously going to have to get used to ducking and crouching inside, lest he smash a hole through the ceiling with his head. The young female lived here, evidently. Curious. There were many more rooms here than people, much like a palace. How noble and royal was his charge?

"I am young, for my race, as I am only three hundred and eighty four years of age. I never knew the great civilization that my ancestors and elders knew. Still, I guarded the most sacred places in the desert, forgotten temples and long-lost ruins of great wealth and power. The god Ra commanded me, and those like me, and I served him as I could. And until I can do so again, I will serve you." He paused, eyes examining the sights and ears twitching at every sound, nose taking in the foreign smells. "Anubis was one of my kind, favored by Ra. If you know what humans now call mythology, you know him. He was gifted with freedom and power beyond us. Still, my abilities might surprise." He gave the girl a slight glance. "I do not know if you believe in the things I am telling you. Few of your kind do anymore." His command of english had to be admired, despite the slight difficulty he had in speaking it. "Much like few understand my natural language. Yet Egyptians have always respected us when they found us. My captors did not. I am an animal to them, to your father. Perhaps it is because they do not believe."

He let out a soft sound that could only be compared to a human sigh, and looked at her. "Why do you act differently? Why do you want to know about me? I am trapped and must serve you. Why are you so kind?" His eyes narrowed slightly, as if suspicious. It was not unusual for humans to be tricky and deceptive. Perhaps there was something else here. A trap of some kind. But his instincts, his signals from the gods, told him that nothing backhanded was at work.

These humans were strange. Paler than those of his homelands, softer, somehow. They lived in different dwellings, spoke a lilting variety of the English he had heard and learned. Even some things here were different, strange creatures, structures, clothings, smells. Their food smelled beyond foul and he could not understand why the sky dripped incessantly. Everything was so different, all he could do was rely upon his instincts and his gods.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

The creature was a fascinating thing, for sure, undeniably foreign from everything she had ever seen or been around. Elizabeth had read about his kind in books and had seen the drawings that had been procured for her father, but there was nothing to compare to what he was. There was nothing that showed how out of place he was more than the way he had to walk in her home, bent through most doorways and stooped when he walked through. She was mostly quiet as she showed him the home - it was a large manor even for someone of her status in life, and beautifully decorated to her mother’s taste.

The rooms were large - wide, but not tall - and had prizes from around the world that were small signs of her father’s wealth in the world. He was quite obviously a collector of sorts in things foreign - tapestries from China and rugs from Persia, porcelain from Japan, and ivory from Africa. Anit was just another piece of the collection to him, another exotic thing that had its place in his home as a sign of his ability to purchase anything in this world.

She lead him through the main areas of the home first - the main entryway, which lead into a spacious living room, then to the formal dining room, the kitchen, before leading him up the stairs where all of the bedrooms were - five in total, with two full bathrooms and a half bath off the main room. The house was by no means humble, though not as lavish as the man could have gone if he’d truly wanted to. “To my father, anyone below the upper class is an animal.” She commented, a statement that was true because the man had lost all perspective in what it meant to be ‘poor’ or lack money.

Anit’s question was a good one, because he had every reason to be cynical of her reasons behind wanting to know more about him. To him, she looked no more different than anyone else that had caged him and treated him as dirt, but yet he was still putting faith in her beyond reasoning, “I act differently because…” She fought with the way to word things, her brow furrowing as she struggled with her train of thought, mostly because it was something she rarely admitted but also because she wanted no ill thoughts towards her father by a creature that could split him in half as easily as one could slice through a stick of warm butter, “Because I know what it’s like to be caged.”

Her lips formed a smile, though it was by no means a happy one, with her lips thinned and her eyes strained. “A cage, even when decorated beautifully, is still a cage nonetheless. I have shown you the cage I’ve been put in.” She said, motioning around her in general referencing the home. Though she wasn’t bound as he was, she was still every bit as trapped, stuck in a life that she feared would have no more excitement than what her mother offered - she would live a life that while she lacked for nothing, would leave her every bit as dead inside as most of her status.

Riches could buy many things, but happiness was not among them.

“I have spent my life in this town, in these walls. I know little of the world around me aside from the books I’m permitted to read. You were something of fiction to me, I admit, until my father paid to have you brought here. I thought he was mad as a hatter when he paid such an amount to bring a creature that was surely false to our home. I thought the people had swindled him and left him with nothing but hopes. I’m sure you can imagine how I’m feeling now, looking at something that I had thought to be just a fairy tale be true.”

The smile turned from false to truth now, her eyes moving to look at him now, admiring and almost a bit starstruck, “You are a thing of legends.”

 

[Machiavelli]

Anit did not respond as she told him of her own imprisonment, describing how she too was trapped, in a way. His eyes gathered in all the different items and artifacts from across the globe - some that he recognized, others, totally foreign. More evidence of the adult male's obsession with collection of rare things, including himself. He doubted that he would be the last prize brought to these chambers. He listened quietly as Elizabeth spoke of how she had read of his kind in stories and in myth, and how until he had arrived, she hadn't believed in such wonders. The corners of his mouth twitched in what might have been interpreted as a smirk.

"Legends... Perhaps." He mused, a tone of pride in his accented voice. "But once my ancestors stood beside human guards at the entrance of the Pharaoh's Palace, and served him and his queen in many ways." He paused, looking down at her for a long moment. "I believe that, somehow, you will be just as important as they were. My kind have only ever served the noble and the great." He paused, examining her with those metallic eyes. "I would take you into the world if you wanted me to, or die in battle for you." It was simple for him, really. His instincts drove him to her, and fate brought them together, and so there was little for him to do except accept the will of the gods. Clearly, this was meant to be. "I will be your servant and soldier, as the gods have seemingly ordained. Whether you treat me like one or not, that is my purpose in life. I am not truly caged here, not in the way you perceive. Now that I am not physically bound, I could walk through these walls and escape. But I feel... compelled not to."

He doubted his explanation made much sense to her. In the past, he had found that newer, more modern humans has a harder time understanding what divine mandate felt like, and how the gods communicated with his kind. Often, he had heard dissent amongst his own race that the gods did not speak to them, but rather it was all merely survival driven instinct. His race, however, did not tolerate such ideas easily.

"It is strange to me. You are young, but not too young to marry. In fact, in many cultures, you would have already. Why do you still live here, with your father and mother?" He questioned, his inquisitive nature once more revealing itself as they explored the house.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

He seemed amused in how she viewed him, perhaps because he was from a land that still believed in the creatures of old (how could they not? They still walked the earth), but she knew that he was also amused by the wonder in her eyes. Those eyes hadn’t left him for long after a moment and she was interested in watching the golden orbs gleam as his mind worked, her lips curling just a bit. He was a handsome creature, even if he wasn’t of her own race, and that she could tell without being from his land.

“Just as important?” Now that was hard for her to believe, because she had read about the men and women his kind had once served and they had been royalty, worshipped by millions and some even seen as demi-gods. She was a wealthy woman by blood but that didn’t make her anything close to royalty, and she doubted that she would ever do anything of merit that would put her to that status. “I think… You must be mistaken. I’m just a girl.”

But maybe he saw something in her that she didn’t, as he was a creature that viewed the world in a much different manner, driven not by the forces that pushed man into its endless pursuit to fill the empty void in their hearts, but by the instincts that lead their kind en masse to be subservient to mere mortals. She found it hard to grasp that something so powerful would remain such a gentle creature simply because he felt the need to serve her and protect her, as if she were something more than just another mortal like the others. He was several times her age and so many times more powerful… But yet she was his “ruler”.

His next question caught her somewhat off guard, as it was one she’d heard so many times from those that didn’t know of her personality or her demeanor behind closed doors. In public, she presented the face that her father had trained into her - quiet and reserved, soft when spoken to and pliant as most women ought to be. Her true personality was anything but, as she had learned that though she was an animal caged and put on display, that didn’t take away any of her nature. She was in truth a creature born from fire and flames, with the passion of man in her heart and the will of something so much more than the meek woman John Gooding had hoped a young woman of good breeding would be.

“My parents would greatly love for me to wed, they however do not approve of me living on my own without a spouse to care for me.” She said, glancing out one of hte windows to the world below, where she could still see her parents having a discussion in the front lawn, “My mother was attacked in the marketplace when seeds for her garden. My father is not known for his tact or for his compassion towards those of the lower class and it has bred hostility into the people that rent from his other properties on the lower end of town. There’s rumors of someone planning a way to force my father to have mercy on his tenants but nothing specific has come forth. Maybe with you in the picture he’ll permit me to find residence of my own.”

Elizabeth turned her attention back to him, away from the windows she’d been looking out her entire life, to examine the creature that was so very new to her still, “What do you think of England and our people?”

 

[Machiavelli]

Anit made a sound that could be described as something akin to a chuckle, a sort of rasping clicking in the back of his throat, a sound of amusement. "Just a girl." He mused, looking down at her. "You might be able to fool mortals, but not me. You're stronger, more passionate, and more fiery than your kin. And those kind of humans are the ones that control my race." He said, examining her for a long moment.

As she described the various reasons for her being neither married nor on her own, he gathered the instigating event that caused her father to seek him out. An attack in the market, for her father was not a man loved by the people. There was little surprising about such a statement - in fact, Anit likely could have guessed. She mused over the possibility of getting her own place of living, now that she had a mythical guardian, and the jackal-headed man nodded slightly. He would certainly find it easier to serve her fully if he didn't have to worry about pretending that he also served her father, something he never intended to actually do. "Whether or not you remain in this residence, all of me is yours." He responded softly, head stooped slightly to avoid the ceiling, though his ears still brushed it.

"This place... England. Its climate is very different. There is no sand, and so much water. And so much green. It will take time for me to adjust to it. Your air is so damp and heavy... It feels very different here." He concluded, neither indicating pleasure or displeasure. "As for your people, they seem... distanced. As though they don't want to acknowledge humanness. Yet I know from my elders that human desires are even more powerful than ours, yet your people pretend to lack them. They seem unhappy for that reason, and I do not comprehend it." His brows furrowed slightly, as if struggling with a puzzle. "But while my captors were unpleasant, others I encountered were not so. Perhaps I will adjust to them as I will adjust to this climate."

He caught her eye, noticing how she looked at him, and he lowered himself to a kneeling position. "You seem intrigued by my physicality." He commented, and made a brief, open-armed gesture, as if welcoming her to touch him. "It is unlikely you will harm me, if you should desire to touch me."

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

His keen eyes were able to see far deeper than just the front that she put up towards everyone in the world. He was intelligent enough to see that she was not the meek young woman that she had to pretend to be in order to be viewed as a decent person in this world. Though England was far more advanced in mechanics and technology than his home was but it was still so far behind in the way that its women were treated.

Anit was able to observe far more than just her true nature, as it seemed that he had seen much in his trip to her home. He had been given a chance to watch the people of England through the bars of his cage and his conclusion on both the people and the place were very apt. She nodded in quiet agreement to what he said, though she was curious on just how he felt about them, though that could be saved for later. He was a brilliant thing for her to be around, every bit as interesting in his mind as he was in his body, which he was apparently taking note of her interest in him physically.

His offer to her made her cheeks ruddy with blush, but she didn’t shy away from his offer. “You are an interesting creature, I can’t deny that.” She said before reaching out, her trepidation showing finally as she came close to touching him. There was only a small hesitation before she made the first contact, her hand resting on his chest gently, enjoying the soft warmth of sleek fur and the way it felt against her palm. Her face was full of awe as her fingers slid from his chest towards his side, tracing over the ridges of his ribcage and down towards his side, her thumb brushing over his hip bone slowly before moving towards his stomach.

Her heart was racing in her chest at the contact and her body thrilled, because he was more than just soft and warm, he felt every bit as powerful as he looked. She could feel the muscles beneath his skin and she enjoyed feeling them work beneath her hand as he breathed in slowly. A smile came to her lips slow before she lifted her gaze from his body to his eyes once again, not pulling her arm away from him yet.

“Does it bother you that I desired to touch you? You are such a novelty to me, truth be told, and I can’t deny that I’m curious about you.”

 

[Machiavelli]

Anit noticed the little blush, but understood little behind it, nor did he pay it much mind. Humans managed to turn all kinds of strange colors depending on so many different things that it was so difficult to read any meaning from it. Yet somehow they did - a characteristic that he and his kind did not share. Yet despite this blush she did not move away from him as he knelt, and cautiously reached toward him, confirming her interest in his body. The corners of his mouth twitched upward as she called him interesting, again signifying something that might have been a smile on his canine lips. "I am glad you find me so." He said, voice quiet. "Many might find me too frightening or horrifying to call me interesting." He observed, but it sounded less like a sad reflection or displeased complaint and more like a statement of fact. It, in fact, seemed like he had little in the way of feelings, as of yet, still trying to get his bearings before relaxing any.

As her hand roamed his torso, his eyes slid shut slightly and his ears almost relaxed, moving from being full vertical and instead angling downward slowly, relaxing. As she spoke again, his ears twitched up at the very sound of her mouth opening, though his eyes were a second behind. "I see no reason to be bothered by it." He said, a note of humor in his accented voice. "It is a pleasant sensation, and, I understand, most of your kind enjoy the same sensations." As she admitted her curiosity about him, the curl in his mouth returned as his eyes locked with hers, the corners relaxing to complete the best facsimile of a smile he could create without bearing sharp teeth. "You are more than welcome to satisfy yourself, in whatever manner you choose. I am bothered by little." He stated, that same sound of humor and amusement in his tone. Of course, he was not quite aware of how his words might be interpreted, given his limited actual understanding of the language. Despite his ability to speak it, the more complex parts of the dialog - like quips, puns, flirts, teases, and the like - were beyond him for the time.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

The creature was by no means opposed to her touch, if his body language was anything to go by. No, he seemed to enjoy the way her hand felt as it moved across his silken fur, her hand pulling back so that just her finger tips moved lightly over his chest now. “Yes, we humans too enjoy being touched, though it’s not quite the same.” She admitted, her eyes now avoiding his as that was something that she was not supposed to know of. Her parents had been strict in her schooling, and what they had taught her of romance and intimacy was full of falsities and untruths. Her true education on sex and things of the like had come from girls her own age that were wed already to not very handsome suitors and gossiped quite openly about what happened behind closed doors.

His next comment caught her off guard, perhaps because it was spoken in such a way that was innocent but also had meaning beyond mere touch in her own language. She could tell he wasn’t quite aware of everything that English had as far as the nuances, but he couldn’t know that his words meant… So much more than what was said. “It’s not just about what bothers you.” She murmured, but she did step closer to him, close enough that she could feel her body press against his, the proximity something that she had shared only with her parents. WIth him kneeling like this, she was close enough she could have easily let her head rest upon his shoulder. “You have the ability to like things as well. What do you like?” She asked, her voice hardly above a whisper, as it was quite forbidden for her to be like this with a person, much less a pet.

Her hand slid up his chest and onto his shoulder, coming up so that her fingers brushed his fur around his collar, a heavy gold thing that looked borderline painful. “Do you like this?”

 

[Machiavelli]

Something about the tone in which she talked about the intimacy and touching clued him in that it was an uncomfortable topic, and he pressed no further. He had observed that humans seemed rather particular about contact and touching, a concept which he did not grasp. There was not precisely mating amongst his kind, though they were fully equipped to have sex and desire in similar ways, they could not produce offspring. This led to sex being a sort of intimate entertainment, when a male and female happened to both desire it, but with the rarity of their species these days, the occurrences were few and far between.

"I am capable of liking things, but I am naturally more inclined to consider the desires of another over my own preferences." He told her quietly, seeing no need to speak loudly now that she was close, pressed to him. Despite the difference in their natures, she was... attractive, in a way, but so small and fragile. She touched his collar, asking what he liked, and whether he liked the thick ring of gold around his neck. He paused for a moment, considering. "The collar is... unpleasant, much more restrictive than others I have worn. While it is grand, and a valuable object, I do not like it. As for what I like... I lack the skills in this language to express clearly. I enjoy servitude. To provide and please those that I have been assigned to. And I enjoy their affections. Material things interest me little." He paused, giving her a long look. "I do not know if that is simply what I like, or what I was created to like, but it simply is."

"What about you, Elizabeth?" He asked, still sounding as if he were tasting the name on his long tongue, his head cocked slightly to one side. "What is it you like?"

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

Anit was an interesting thing, most definitely bred to enjoy to serve those that he felt worthy of such treatment and praise. It was an honor to feel that he held her to such a high standard, though also intriguing that he chose someone so weak physically and small in demanor. In the grand scheme of things, Elizabeth was truly no one other than the child of a man who happened to possess a great deal of wealth in this world. She wasn’t influential and by no means did she consider herself special, merely more priviledged than other women of her ilk, as she had been afforded the luxury of fantastic education and parents that wanted a daughter to dote on as opposed to a son to carry on the family name.

Her fingers circled the collar as he spoke, a soft frown coming to her lips. Of course he wouldn’t like such a thing, it was an awful heavy thing that dug into his skin noticably. She slid her finger beneath the edge of it and lifted it slowly, looking for the weak spot. It was a small thing, a clasp that looked too gently made to hold together such a heavy article of decoration, but it was more secure than she could imagine. She fumbled with it, finally managing to unhook the clasp with a soft click, the gawdy thing falling from his neck and hitting the floor with a heavy thud. It really wasn’t made to be worn, more to be used for decoration on statues than for an accesory on a creature, even one as strong as Anit.

“I like…” She pondered how to word it, as there were many things that she liked, though few that would concern him, as it wasn’t pertinent for him to know she enjoyed fresh strawberries on a cake still warm from the baker, “I like this.” She said finally, ‘this’ referring to their close proximity, her head leaning down softly to rest in the crook of his neck, her eyes half-closing, “Father doesn’t approve of being close like this. He says it is very improper for a lady.” But even so, she couldn’t deny that there was something special to enjoying the closeness of another living creature and feeling their warmth against your skin.

Elizabeth let her head rest there for a few more moments before she pulled it back up, offering him a small smile, “I’m curious as to what you think of our people… Would you like to make a trip into town? Father would approve of me being seen with you publicly to send the message that I am well guarded now.” It would also get her out of the house, away from her father’s scrutinizing eye and her mother’s piercing stare. “What do you say?”

 

[Machiavelli]

Anit's eyes widened slightly in surprise as she removed the collar, something he had attempted to do many times when left unobserved, never with any success. It seemed that it required a great deal more finesse and coordination that he lacked with his larger hands and the awkward angle as he attempted to reach his arms behind hiim to remove the heavy weight around his neck. His body shifted slightly as she removed it, as if invigorated by the lack of an oppressive metal band around his throat. His muscles shifted under his skin, causing a soft ripple in the dark fur that coated his surface.

Despite having asked the question, he found that he lacked an adequate response to her answer, and merely enjoyed the several moments of contact. It had been a while since he had experiences intimacy of any kind himself, and all contact he had experienced as of late had been more unpleasant than pleasant. He was confused about how being close to someone could be considered improper, but this variety of humans seemed to have a great many strange rules about strange things. Things that didn't seem to need rules! But it was not his place to question the way their weird world worked. Then she offered to take him into town, something he was indeed curious about, and he wondered how it would differ from what he was used to. Probably a great deal, if the town was anything like what he had already seen and been exposed to.

"I would certainly be curious to see the town." He stated, easily able to read that she also wanted to escape out of this house and be a little more free. He wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to protect her, as he was not armed - traditionally, his kind had carried the khopesh in a scaled up size, sometimes as large as young man is tall, but his weapon had been taken from him upon his capture, and he had not seen it since. Perhaps in this world, his mere existence was enough to dissuade any threat of violence. It did seem that these people were afraid of him, with the exception of Elizabeth. So far, however, she seemed to be the exception of a lot of things. "There seems to be a great deal that is... improper for a lady." Anit commented, still trying to adjust to this culture and how it worked. "What is gained by so many restrictions?"

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

It was easier to think of things that she could do in town than to think of the odd new range of emotions that she was feeling currently. Her chest felt heavy and her stomach was in knots as if she were going to speak in front of a crowd, and even her most intimate of parts was reacting… Curiously. Not to say that she hadn’t ever been aroused before, but it had been on very rare occasions enough that this was… An oddity, namely due to the cause of her body’s confusion. She didn’t know how to feel emotionally about how she felt physically, and had fewer ways that she could have adequately expressed herself.

Instead she focused on his words.

“Gained?” She wasn’t sure how to word things, as he did come from such a different culture as she did, though she did know of one specific thing she could reference. “Think of our manners like a ritual of sorts. We have our own rituals for how a lady is to act and how she is to present herself. It isn’t proper for a woman to do many things, and as such we have to follow a set of rituals that keep us presentable and…” She almost said the word that came to mind, which was ‘obedient,’ as that was her true sentiment towards it all, but she didn’t trust her father not to be listening. “Proper.” She finished after a long pause, unhappy with her choice of words.

It wasn’t the best comparison in the world but it was all that she had to reference from his world and she didn’t dare try to break down the complexities of their social status as well as economical status that dictated how she was to behave. It all got rather complex when she put her mind to it, especially when describing it to an outsider such as Anit.

Elizabeth offered him a small smile before leading him back down into the house where they had come from, this time out a back door that lead toward stables located near the house. A young man could be seen in the stalls, carefully brushing out a stallion’s mane so that it looked as fine and lovely as Elizabeth’s own hair. “Jared,” She called for his attention, “Can you get the carriage? I’d like to show my companion his new home.” The man was of few words, only waving vaguely in Elizabeth’s direction before disappearing reluctantly behind the stables.

“Have you ever ridden in a proper carriage, Anit? Not in a cage?”

 

[Machiavelli]

The Anubis-like head turned slightly toward her, observing her closely as she spoke, but something else caught the attention of the large creature. A scent on the air, ever so faint, emanating from her. It was very much like the scent of arousal on others of his kind, musky and sweet, alluring. With a slight twitch of his nose, he did his best to ignore it. Spending too much time dwelling on that and not keeping his reactions in check would lead to a physical reaction of his own, one he doubted anyone in this dwelling would react positively to, given their emphasis on proper behavior.

Anit's expression, though hard to interpret based upon his canine nature and facial features, did not seem to reflect any further understanding of the rituals involved with being proper and presentable, but he was keen enough to detect when someone what not pleased with the topic at hand, and so he let the subject go, knowing that there would likely be plenty more chances for a discussion of this kind. After all, it seemed they would be spending a great deal of time around each other, though she seemed concerned that a lot of that time would be supervised by her father, a man who very clearly liked having things a certain way. Anit had yet to decide how that man ranked with him. After all, it was he who was chiefly responsible for the long and rather unpleasant journey to this damp and grey island, yet he understood the simple desire to protect one's young, even if he had never sired children. And, admittedly, the gods had never made better protectors than his kind.

As she stood and led him out of the house, Anit took great care to avoid bumping into any of the objects throughout the abode, feeling much like the metaphorical bull in a china shop, what with all of these items placed on ledges and shelves, no doubt valuable and delicate. He straightened up, relieved, as they stepped outside, once more free to tower at his full height. He observed the horses, not unlike the steeds that the people in his land had ridden for centuries, though these were impeccably groomed and beautifully presented, obviously well cared for. "I have not. My only experiences with being in a..." He paused, unsure of the right words. "chariot or ship of any kind have been on my journey here. My kind are creatures of the land, and often times we run faster than your steeds, though yours would likely give our best sprinters a challenge." He explained, the corner of his canine lips turned slightly in that amused expression.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

It was disheartening to know that his only experiences of her land were unpleasant ones so far, namely because of her father’s ill treatment of him, though she knew all too well that her father wasn’t the kindest man alive. “There’s a first for everything, then.” She said, watching as the boy brought around the carriage, a fancy thing that was gilded to glitter in the sunlight. It was pulled by two large stallions, both chestnut in color with healthy manes to show that they were not just a symbol of their status, but were taken care of better than some people were. Jared brought them to a stop and stepped down from his seat, pulling out a small set of stairs that would make it easier to step inside and opening the door to reveal the interior.

The inside was every bit as luxurious as the outside, with plush seats in a deep purple color, the sides lined with linens so soft it almost felt like fur. A small light was on the far side to accommodate a candle if one wished, but the spot was currently empty. The carriage could have easily held six adults, but with Anit’s size he would take up one side of it, his long legs surely in need of room. Elizabeth was used to the luxury of the carriage, grasping Jared’s extended hand gently to lift herself up into it and take her seat, smoothing out the skirt of her dress.

“This carriage has been in my family for generations.” She commented, her fingers touching one of the felt walls, “My great grandfather purchased it with his first large paycheck and since then it has been improved by each generation. I have been told when it was bought it was hardly a moving box at all. My father was the one who made it the beauty that it is today, though. He completely reconstructed the interior and had the exterior painted with gold. God forbid that anyone forget my father has money…” She made the last comment with a hint of bitterness to her voice, speaking low so that Jared wouldn’t overhear her.

“Where you’re from - do you have carriages or do you walk everywhere?”

 

[Machiavelli]

Anita eyed the vehicle, something akin to a chariot of a Pharaoh. He was no doubt impressed, though it was difficult to read that, given his inhuman features. He eyed the horses with mild concern however, edging around them to enter the carriage, careful not to spook the large beasts. Despite his own strength and prowess, it would be better to avoid an incident with such creatures. He entered behind her, sinking into the seat of the cart and bowing his head to avoid banging the ceiling.

He listened to her story of the large contraption, slightly surprised by her tone and attitude. But he made no comment, instead glancing out the window at the estate around them, taking in the strange land and strange terrain.

Her question caught him slightly off guard. "There are carriages, at least of a kind, but they are more of simple wooden carts than this luxury. The humans are the ones who ride them, however. My kind can often beat a cart in a footrace, and so there is little point. The people of my world have not had a carriage such like this since the time of pharoahs, though the design was different. More chariot-like." He eyed the closed compartment warily. "I do not know how you could travel for long like this. My cage was..." He struggled for words, unable to reach one that described the tight confines of the vessel he had been conveyed in. "Tight, but this is only marginally better." He paused, then reconsidered slightly.

More comfortable, at least." He said, the corner of his lips twitching upward. After a long moment, he considered her once more. "With all your rules and properness, what do you and you people do for fun? How do you fill time?"

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

Elizabeth’s lips twitched with amusement at his observations of her world, something she was sure was so different from his that he truly didn’t have ways to compare them. It was almost as if he had stepped into a different universe, as it seemed his people were still rather primitive not only in their technology but also in their social structure. What kind of people didn’t have morals and codes to live by? That was, of course, one of the more close-minded thoughts that had ever crossed her mind, as it was too large an idea to think of a world where she wasn’t bound by the laws of decorum and rules of being ‘a lady’.

“We don’t travel horribly long in these. We don’t travel far by land here, but we do travel by sea. We have large ships that are at the harbor, far larger than just the carriage. They can carry… Well over a hundred Negros below deck and fit several families comfortably above deck… Plus all the supplies and deck hands, too, I suppose.” She never really thought about the luxuries that she had in life, never really had to put much of thought into any of it, really. It was all a script that she had to follow, either reluctantly or willingly.

His next question made her take pause, as she wasn’t sure what it was that she was wanted to do for fun, but what she was supposed to do. “Women my sing and dance, we are permitted to crochet and knit, as well as learn to cook and bake. Men may partake in drinking as well as smoking.” She paused, “I can’t say I enjoy any of that, though. Most women adore singing, but I couldn’t carry a tune with a water bucket.”

It made her really think now, because though she enjoyed things she couldn’t say that any of the things she did because they were proper were rather fun, “I’ve had fun with you.” She admitted, “You’re an interesting thing and I’m enjoying knowing you better. I have fun when I read, and when I’m permitted to learn about other places. Perhaps you can teach me what your people do for fun… Or we could find fun things to do together.” She wasn’t even thinking on the implications of it, but she reached out a hand, absently stroking his arm softly. “What do you think would be fun, Anit?”

 

[Machiavelli]

Anit was admittedly fascinated by these other vehicles she described, and supposed that those ships she mentioned might be responsible for a good deal of his travel, given that there had been far too much sway to have ridden in a carriage the full journey. He made that strange chuckling sound as she mentioned her singing ability. "I'm sure you'll find something to entertain you." He mused with a slight smile, wondering what else in this world could possible interest her. These people seemed to have so much, but also seemed to enforce rules that denied them the pleasures in life.

As she queried him, he pursed his lips, musing. Her accidental insinuation was lost on him, for the most part, but it did leave a strange desire in him, something he could not place or explain at the time. Perhaps subconsciously it placed the idea of sex in his mind, as he replied, "Admittedly my people, and the humans of my home, find entertainment in the more basic of desires. Food, drink, exercise... And, admittedly, mating as well. My people can't breed, and so there's no risk involved. But my people are rare, and so that bit our culture has died down." He was blunt, and had no intention of being anything but. Perhaps it would disrupt the "proper" behavior, but he cared little for decorum and social conduct. "But I find running to be a freeing and exciting activity, as well as combat or competition." He paused, gazing out at the window, briefly missing the sandy dunes of home. But he was brought back quickly by her touch on his arm, her fingers absently playing through soft fur and across muscles under dark skin. "I enjoy crafting with my own hands as well, though I don't suppose it's likely you have a forge I'd be permitted to use." He said.

Anit, like the others of his kind, knew many things. Most of these things were needed to protect oneself and the person the gods sent you to protect. An essential skill was weapons making, and in this case, smithing. But despite simply knowing how to do it, Anit truly enjoyed the art and activity, and could produce masterpieces, both weapons and not. He had crafted his own sword, now lost, but he could do so again. And this time, do so even better. "I'm capable of making a great many things, both for you and your family. I could also teach you, both crafting and other skills and entertainments, if you so desired.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

Anit was far more fascinating than her people ever were, perhaps because he wasn’t restricted by the same rules of decorum and etiquette that ruled every aspect of her life from her home life to her private life. She tried to imagine how wonderful it must be to not have to worry about the stress of acting proper and acting like a ‘lady’. He talked freely of sex as if it were something that was appropriate conversation, her cheeks warm as she let her mind wander to it. Sex was something that wasn’t talked about in her culture, her people very conservative when it came to discussions of really anything that had anything to do with a woman’s body.

“You have such interesting hobbies,” She commented, because she wasn’t sure of what the ‘proper’ response was to someone mentioning that they enjoyed mating. His kind likely didn’t think much of it as her people did, but it was something she thought of only in the darkness of her bedroom as she slowly pressed her fingers against herself in slow exploration of her body. She was thankful that he changed to subject to crafting, because she could feel the stirring in between her legs that told her she felt the desire that was supposed to be saved for when she was engaged properly to a man that would take her and make a true woman out of her.

The thought of him teaching her to craft things such as jewelry and weapons was interesting, as that was so much a man’s job but she didn’t want to damper his spirits about it. His comment about teaching her ‘other skills and entertainments’ only brought her mind back towards the previous conversation. The words spilled out of her mouth before she’d had a chance to stop herself, “I’m sure you’d be very inconvenienced to teach me about mating.” It was said with dry humor, her lips pursing before her hand covered her mouth, as if she wanted to catch her words and shove them back into her throat. “I’m sorry, that was improper of me.”

 

[Machiavelli]

Her response caught him off guard, a thing not easily done. He hadn't been expecting her to suggest anything related to mating, and he wasn't quite sure if this was more of the strange humor the humans of this land had, or a serious inquiry. Her reaction that followed seemed to imply that it had been serious, no matter how dryly she had delivered the statement. The corners of his mouth twitched upward slightly. "I'm here to serve, miss. Whatever you desire." He simply replied, averting his gaze from her for a moment to glance out the window at her world. "I don't particularly mind breaking these rules about being proper, if you so desire. Besides, at least where I come from, what people do in their own home is not something that others are supposed to inquire about." He finished. He assumed it was better to address the issue by broadly stating that he was willing to do whatever she wanted of him, and not simply say that he would teach her about sex. The idea, despite it being hers, seemed to perturb her slightly. Or, at least, the fact that she had suggested such a thing surprised and embarrassed her. He did his best to appear unbothered by the situation.

He wondered if she had actually been serious about suggesting that her father might allow her to live away from her parent's home, now that she had him for protection. He knew that she was unhappy in her current place, that much could be read by any imbecile with eyes. But such a suggestion would not be any easy one to propose, he imagined, given the rules and regulations surrounding everyone in this strangely regimented society. Her father seemed like the kind to want to have control over everything, always, and that was just read from Anit's brief encounter with the man.

But as the jackal-headed creature gazed out the window, a collection of buildings came into view, the town he assumed they had been headed to. "So, miss, where are we headed?" He asked, wondering if, perhaps, she would like a change of topic.

 

[HeyThereLittleBear]

Elizabeth was still visibly regretting her decision to say anything in response to him when he mentioned that he was willing to do whatever it was she wanted of him. She couldn't make herself look at him, instead looking out the window because it was such a terrible thing of her to say. It was awful for her to suggest something so improper and worse still for her to be thinking of it even in her head. She tried to picture how things would work between the two of them, as she was still a woman untouched and he was... Well, quite obviously not of her own species. He was surely designed to pleasure a woman of his own kind than a woman of her kind... His member would surely be made to please someone whose body was... Larger

She had to quite literally shake those thoughts out of her head, as her body was responding in a way that was unpleasant for her to think about sex or mating or whatever he wanted to call it. Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her seat and was thankful for his change of subject, jumping on it quickly. "We've been invited to a luncheon in town. It's... It's a sort of party, with food. There's a possibility that there will be dancing involved and possibly a good deal of people. It is being thrown in celebration of my father's achievements. He would like for you to attend so it is a good thing that we are going to town."

Her lips pressed together slowly and she licked them, finally looking back at him, "Do you know how to dance? You very well may be asked to dance if a young lady wishes for you to lead her in a dance." She said, trying to imagine Anit performing the waltz with someone as tiny as the daughter of the man hosting the event, Lydia. "You won't have to dance if you don't like."

 

[Machiavelli]

The little shake of her head did not go unnoticed, but it went unmentioned as she gladly took the conversation elsewhere. Anit made the little chuckling sound that resembled a laugh at her mention of dancing. "I am light on my feet, and I do know how to dance, although somehow I imagine your dances are not like what I am used to in the least. But I can certainly try and learn." He said, leaning back slightly. "I can't imagine a young lady choosing to pursue the bodyguard and not a more reasonable suitor for a dance." He teased softly. "After all, I could be quite frightening, you know." He said, the corner of his lips twitching upward, his expression amused.

It was clear that in this case he was making a joke of how gentle and open their relationship had been in the last hour or two since meeting, and how quickly she had dismissed his animal and beastlike nature. It was peculiar to him, as most of her kind did not ignore such things so easily, and many were terrified by a thing that had not explanation, which certainly included him. And so he wondered if he would be an object of wonder or terror in this gathering, and how that would reflect Elizabeth.

He also hadn't considered what food might be like here. What kinds of things did these people eat? Surely their foods and dishes were different from the food he was used to, as they had such a different climate in which to prepare and raise the meat and plants to put in it. He still had a great deal to discover about this strange place.