Slave To The Fang

7, Welcome

Gale's POV

Over my twenty of being a slave, I never looked forward to much given that it was always the same basic, get bought, go to a new master's or mistresses' house, do my duty and then get returned to the slave establishment. Nothing much thrilled me and most often I viewed life through a pretty much black and white looking glass. Nothing apart from my survival interested me and I did what I had to do to survive.

Despite this, something about this woman, Lady Karayan told me that this particular time would be different. That things would be more interesting that I probably bargained for. I believe in my life I had attempted and truly attained a behavior of wary neutrality. It kept me alive so I was not complaining.

But now, didn't feel the same. I was trying to be neutral. I really was. But things weren't going as planned. First of all, I had interacted with the doll that I had been bought with. Then I had forgotten even for a few seconds to appear meek to my new mistress. If she was as observant as I felt she was, she would be on to me. I hated it when my masters or mistresses were interested in me. That made them keep me longer. If the master at the slave establishment had been sincere and I was free after this time, then I definitely didn't want my new mistress interested in me.

We had ridden in the carriage for hours and for some part of the journey, the doll by me had fallen asleep but had been jerked back awake by the wheels of the carriage going over a bump in the road that indicated the changed between the dust road and the smooth gravel leading up to our mistress' mansion. I had been staring monotonously outside but at the bump my senses had been jerked as well, new found interest bubbling in me, curiosity that had been stifled rekindling, my senses trying to figure out more about my new mistress.

I glanced at her, Lady Karayan and I caught her watching us, waiting to see our reaction. I quickly bled out all the interest from my face and dragged my eyes down. The doll by me on the other hand, as this was clearly her first time being a slave didn't know better. Her eyes were wide and she was looking around with keen interest and naïve innocence. I really had my work cut out for me this time. The doll knew nothing about being of lower class and as time passed, I was more convinced that she came from riches.

I subtly hit her foot with mine, initiating the first contact between us, trying to subtly tell her to curb her excitement without actually talking. I indicated with my head for her to bend her head down in a submissive way but she was instead more confused. I almost face palmed. Of all the slaves I had to train it just had to be a soft, naïve, formerly rich brat. Great. Just great.

I slowly indicated again with my head for her to put her head down but before she got it this time, Lady Karayan laughed. I looked up to her in alarm.

"You're innocent and naïve doll. It's cute. But it will get you killed. You have to train her well Gabrielle..." She paused at my name, her voice melodic and testing as if measuring the weight of my name on her tongue. I perked up, feeling the hair on my body stand on end. Nothing she had said was exactly new but the way she said it just felt like something that she would really do. She was dangerous. I felt it with everything in me. She also felt ancient. Her energy was that of a really ancient vampire. Just how old was she?

"Or you both might just die and that would be a shame." She finished very calmly with a sly smile on her lips and a wicked gleam in her eyes. The doll by me shivered while my spine straightened even more. I was right in my initial assessment of her. She was dangerous and she was very influential in the southern regions. The respect she commanded, her aura, her language.... I had to be extremely careful.

The wheels of the carriage crunched on the graveled pathway through wide iron wrought gates with careful magical inscriptions on it pulled wide apart. The horses, those majestic beings pulled the carriage diligently as if encouraged by the fact that their journey was almost over already. I honestly don't know where my obsession with horses came from but I loved horses. I wondered if I would live long enough to ride one or if I would ever even own one. Those were fancy dreams to me. Very fancy dreams.