The Elder's lecture on proper posture seemed endless. 'Stand strait, carry yourself with dignity. Every step you take must demand respect.' The Wraith followed Amelia as she paced back and forth a crossed the room, practicing. He would grip her shoulders, occasionally. Causing her back to straighten, every time she slouched. The Wraiths innocuous plan seemed to be working. The more time they spent, physically close to one another, the more the tension between them, dissipated.
Most of the instructions the Wraith gave where about presentation and pride. The Elder's Concubine was not a worshiper. Amelia was to hold her head high, while avoiding direct eye contact with another male Wraith. 'A look, could give the wrong the impression. She should avoid that, eventuality.' The beast warned several times.
Any human she had contact with was to be looked down upon. The lost human's status among Wraith, had been elevated above, all other humans. Despite the marshmallow's claim, in this outpost, the Elder's Concubine should demand the same respect as the High Commander's human pets. 'You are a treasure and I will have you present yourself accordingly.' The creature's generous words and increasingly calm nature caused Amelia to return his curious expressions with a reluctantly accepting grin.
"What was that?" The high-pitched chiming sound startled the human and caused the Wraith to sneer pleasurably.
"Your food, has arrived." The Elder shrugged, maintaining his pleased expression.
"You know, before looking?" Amelia questioned the beast, as he turned toward the outer threshold. 'Why am I asking a telepath?' She kept the silliness of the inquiry, to herself. Then when the Wraith opened the outer door, she quickly ducked behind the inner wall.
The nearly naked female peered out from the shadows to see another large leather-bound beast on the other side. It was easy to identify the Drones; when their faces were hidden behind deformed mask's. The Drone held something in his hands, the Elder took without verbal confirmation.
Amelia caught a whiff of the new smell before she witnessed the beast take the tray to a nearby table. The scent was warm and caused a gurgling sound to stir in the human's bowls uncontrollably. She watched him closely when he set the tray down on the large central table. The flat mushroomed surface was grown right out of the floor, from a thick single stem. A permanent fixture located in the outer chamber.
"Mental confirmation, of his arrival, was given. Drone's do not speak, verbally. Once I have marked you, a-c-c-o-r-d-i-n-g-l-y. They will accept verbal commands from you, as well. Be, w-a-r-y, in your contact with them. Since all commands are shared with the High-Commander." The Elder Wraith turned to face the cowering female with a small grin. "Come. Perhaps you will find something, h-e-r-e, appealing?" The beast stepped aside to reveal a tray of assorted food items.
The smell was coming from a wooden bowl. The female could see the steam rising, as she slowly moved closer to the table. More fruit sat regretfully next to it. However, it was the bread that drew her attention next. 'Bread meant they had Bakers. Humans that lived long enough to learn a useful skill.' The crust was stiff yet soft, and it was warm when she picked it up.
"Y-o-u, a-p-p-r-o-v-e?" The beast questioned tone-fully, when the human seemed to enjoy her first taste of the offered meal.
"Bread..." She glanced at the Elder with an astonished expression. The Wraith nodded slightly in return.
"After the gathering tomorrow, you will be able to choose your own meals." The creature responded in soothing tones.
"Bread is, one of the best things. For an upset stomach. Thank you." The female's voice echoed softly as she started to devour the soft wheat filled item. 'Multigrain.' Her mind groaned pleasurably.
"As your protector, your wellbeing is of great concern, to me. Simple acts like providing nutrients, are expected. I-I-I-I..." The beast's soft words didn't continue when his hand grazed the dazzled human's cheek. She could hear every tone-full breath he took, and it caused her to meet the Wraiths yellow eyes with a questioning stare. "I will prepare a bath." The Elder broke the unknown connection, before it fully formed.
"Still, thank you." Amelia whispered as the Wraith moved quickly a crossed the room. When her words seemed to halt the creature's footsteps, she turned to look at him. She thought it was odd, he didn't turn to face her in return.
"The connection you are seeking is mere, c-o-i-n-c-i-d-e-n-c-e. Nothing more." The beast never glanced in her direction. He merely continued to move forward, when he finished speaking plainly. Amelia let out a small sigh, when Wraith disappeared into the bathing chamber. The starving human turned her attention to the food tray, perhaps there was something else she could stomach here.
The wooden bowl contained something that resembled vegetable stew. Some of the contains looked almost familiar, so Amelia grabbed the wooden spoon and tried it. 'They have cooks too?' her mind remarked when she tasted the pleasing blend of spices. The portion was small, and Amelia couldn't help but finish it all, quickly.
The stuffed female glanced around the sparsely decorated room. The meal made her tired, that was a good sign, it was settling. The medicine the Wraith had used, made her flesh itch, endlessly. The impulse to scratch was almost impossible to resist. The strange substance crumbled and flaked off in her hand, when she touched it.
~*~
The Elder leaned against the inner wall of bathing chamber and hissed quietly. All he could smell, in that previous moment, was the female's alluring scent. It permeated his nostrils and he needed to make it stop. Isolating himself, while she was distracted, was the only logical option. There was a time, when he enjoyed sharing the bed of female, but those days had long since passed. The human's effect on his physical nature, remained unpredictable.
It did not take long before the Wraith found himself peering at the female from the shadowed distance. Something about her fragile form drew his inquisitive gaze. Her mind was a curiosity, he had yet to fully discover. 'The females mannerisms, however, were lacking in their skillful resolve.' The Wraith's mind hissed when he witnessed her digg aggressively, at her previously marred flesh.
"Digging will only increase the risk of infection. If you have finished, c-o-m-e, with me. There is an, e-a-s-i-e-r, way, to remove the irritation." The Elder stepped out of shadow's, so his calm demeanor could easily be witnessed by the reluctant female. "If you will allow me, to aid you, A-m-y?" Soothing tone's echoed throughout the chamber, drawing the human's reluctant eye.
The shy female knew, she didn't truly have a choice in the matter. If she refused the beast, there was no doubt, he would force her into the water. Amelia slowly got up and moved toward the Elder with a heavy sigh. The Wraiths next request was silent, when he motioned for the resistant female to enter the water-filled indentation in the floor.
Amelia thought it was convenient and polite, when the beast turned to move a crossed the room. He gave her just enough time to drop the sheer cloth shirt and slip unseen, into the water. She huddled foolishly against the edge of the pool with her head bowed between her arms. Or she might have noticed the Elder's subtle approach.
The indentation was deep enough to submerge her entire body in if she curdled up. The fragranced water was hot enough, to turn her skin red, without burning it. The cowering human stayed close to the pools edge, so only her arms and shoulders where exposed in her huddled and defensive position. The Wraith's subtle movement hardly disturbed the still waters. The fearful human released a starling gasp, when the beast appeared waist-deep in the water. He stood inches behind her and his flesh emitted a continuous soothing hum.
The Elder had a small cloth in hand and said nothing when he dipped it into the water. Amelia nodded 'yes', and she hid her face from the Wraith's inquisitive glare. She could feel the soothing liquid on her back. The beast squeezed it from the cloth, effortlessly. Whatever miracle substance had been applied to her back, seemed to be water soluble. 'No wonder the Wraith wanted keep it dry and exposed. Sweet could wash it away.' Amelia started to understand the logic in the Wraith's unexplained decisions.
Once her back was saturated, he used the small cloth to wipe the flesh of the humans' back clean. It was difficult for the Wraith to remain focused on his task, the curves of the human's flesh continually drew his wandering eye. 'She is Atlantean. Those humans cannot be tamed.' The tempted male, used memories of Sheppard and the other annoying humans to bury any uncensored impulses, relating to this female.
"Are you, in pain?" The Elder questioned the human's odd behavior, when she seemed to bite the soft flesh of her own arm. The aroused female just closed her eyes and used her teeth to drown out, the Wraith's sensual and tender touch. "A-m-y?" The confused beast leaned closer to the female's tense flesh, with a calming whisper.
'Don't stop.' The females mind howled, as she fought the hidden urge's rising in the depth of her gut. This creature caused emotions to swell in her flesh, that shouldn't be possible. 'He was her enemy, yet she wanted more. Far more then she was willing to admit.'
Amelia moaned trying to keep her thought's, secluded. Then when she finally turned to look over her shoulder. The Elder leaned over her hunched form, to meet her inquiring stare. "Elder..." Amelia paused to place one hand to the beast's chest. Then he carefully placed his hand over hers, gripping her finger's tightly as she pressed against his exposed flesh. The enthralled human gasped pleasurably, unable to speak another word.
"Our Covenant does not permit..." The beast's declaration was halted by a loud high-pitched chiming noise. The Elder hissed coldly at the air around him, when the interruption slipped past his notice. 'Whoever was here, did not announce themselves? Go away!' The angry Wraiths mind growled loudly, when the chiming sound echoed, again. "I cannot ignore this." He sighed heavily and moved to exist the pool.
Amelia raised an eyebrow, when she noticed the beats waterlogged pants splash water over the surrounding floor. She had tried to swim fully dressed once, it was not something she would recommend as comfortable. The confused female stopped to watch the creature shake the excess water free from his tethered clothing, like a wet dog. Thankfully, the Wraith was more interested in the outer threshold, then her uncontrolled amusement.
After draping a towel around her exposed flesh Amelia cautiously looked out into the forward section of the room. The angry looking Elder stood half exposed in the hall. He glanced back and forth down the empty hall several times, before he finally stepped back inside the room. The beast released several tone-full sounds as he stepped over a large box placed just inside the threshold and closed the door.
"When you finish your cleaning ritual, you should rest. Tomorrow will be a long day, for both of us." The creature continued to ignore the newly arrived object, when Amelia held a second towel out in his direction. Unfortunately, the human couldn't keep her curios eyes off the box. "I believe the gift, i-s, for you." The Elder released a defeated sigh, as he took the humans offering.
"How?" The timid female only had the courage to verbalized one-word. Yet, her mind raced with more questions then she could keep up with. 'How does he know? Why would anyone give her something? Is it a trap? Why doesn't anything feel real?'
"That b-o-x, bears the Maker's mark..." The Wraith wiped his abdomen with the small cloth and tossed it aside. "...T-o-m-o-r-r-o-w, is the gathering." The beast tilted his head and sighed. The humans eye continued to dart past the box, randomly. "I can see your curiosity cannot wait...O-p-e-n, i-t. Let us see, if the Maker has meet your approval." The Elder nudge the female to take the strange box.
There was a Wraith symbol carved into the large rectangle shaped box. Amelia didn't pay a lot of attention to it, after the Elder explained it's meaning. The confused female picked up the awkward object and placed it on the nearby table. It had brass hinges on one side and a silver metal clasping lock on the other. The Wraith didn't seem to be interested in the contains. when he choose to retreat to the inner chamber, leaving her alone to investigate.
Inside the finely crafted wooden rectangle, the stunned human found a mass of sheer black ruffled fabric. Nestled into the center of the cloth was a small glowing pad, that Amelia picked up curiously. The object was of Wraith construction and she could read the letter's printed plainly on the glossy screen.
"Peace offering?" The female muttered the words out loud, as she set the small pad aside. There was something hard buried in the fabric, that caught her attention next.
"What have you found?" The Elder reappeared in the threshold, with a cloth shirt half over his head. The humans mutter peaked his interest and he appeared before fully dressing.
"There's a message." The suddenly blushing female kept her eyes focused on the box. The Wraith wasn't wearing his familiar leather pants at the time. She could see his smooth, muscular legs clearly. Only a small dingy cloth cloaked his midsection from her sight. The Wraith allowed the thin shirt to fall, as he moved forward to inspect the box for himself.
"You can read this?" The Elder hissed tone-fully when he picked up the small pad. The female didn't seem interested in his stunned expression, in the slightest. Instead, she pulled several crafted leather pieces free, from the black ruffled mess.
The first item was easily identified as a tightly-woven under-bust corset. It was constructed, using hundreds of small fragments of dark leather and cloth, stitched together like Frankenstein. The large purple stitching accented the garments stiff features. All the mismatched patches where the same similar dark shade. Except a few, much lighter colored fragments centered on the front.
"Elder." Amelia remarked when her finger followed the lighten shape. The pattern did look more like a star, without the Wraiths eye to break up the structure.
"Y-Y-e-e-s-s." The Wraith purred in astonishment. The human wasn't calling to him, just then. She was interpreting the Wraith symbol imbedded into the fabric. 'Who taught you to read our language?' The beast feared the answer to that question. Instead of speaking, he continued to look dazed, as the human continued to inspect the remaining pieces.
"It's not hard to figure out." Amelia looked up and grinned. She then pointed at the Wraiths facial mark and shrugged. "What?" She asked when the Wraith grunted tone-fully. The creature's mood was difficult to interpret, when he could shifted gear's, without any warning.
"You should w-a-i-t, until the morning. Give your flesh, as much time as possible to recover, before you bind it again." The Wraith purred tone-fully, in response to the human's innocently confused expression. 'She learned his behaviors, quicker than expected. Responding to his mental question was coincidence, nothing more.' The Wraith tried to push the situation aside, the humans strange understanding of his language went with it, for now.
"Is this supposed to be a belt?" Amelia picked out a thick piece of rounded leather, with a single silver clasp attached to it. She had seen complicated dresses from earth's past before, the pieces to this one, reminded her of those. Unfortunately, she had no clue how to put them all together, properly.
"Your flesh is free of infection and mending well. You should not need my direct aid, to complete your task. Once you have finished, the cleansing ritual. I insist, you rest. We will continue this, conversation, in the morning." The Elder groaned tone-fully. He remained calm, with a soothing disposition, but Amelia could tell the Wraith was done conversing, with her.
"Yes." She answered plainly, allowing her excitement to dissipated quickly. The captive female left all fragments of the newly arrived garment on the table and turned quietly toward the bathing chamber. 'Time alone away from this unusual Wraith, might help clear the mind.'
~*~
The Elder allowed the human her privacy, by retreating to the comfort of his own bed. It had been days since he had proper rest and tomorrow, he would have to present his new Concubine to the High-Commander, like all the rest. The presentation gathering was a distasteful ritual, and his brother took great pleasure in enforcing it.
Newly acquired females were brought before the Queen for her approval, in the past. However, since this outpost had been placed in the care of a male, eons ago. The glorified Wraith had modified the old tradition into a ritual performed purely for his entertainment. Getting through the next twenty-four hours without drawing unwanted attention, seemed like a peerless task.
The soft bed cradled the Wraith's flesh, as he pulled several blankets over his midsection and closed his eyes. 'A few hours of rest... was all he needed to maintain a clear mind. A few hours of rest... if the female would only permit him that.' The Wraiths mind tried to push all other thoughts out of his mind. 'A few hours of rest...'
~*~
Amelia stood in the threshold of the bedchamber for almost and hour, after she finished her 'bathing ritual'. The beast didn't move, or response to her subtle whisper's, 'he was asleep'. The human sat there wrapped in only a towel, debating her option's.
Leaving the room was probably the stupidest thing she could think of doing. The lost human had no idea what was beyond the outer threshold. 'What where the chance's she would meet another generous monster? Leaving was out of the question. That also meant killing the beast, in his sleep, was off the table. Even if it were possible, she would make some other Wraith a tasty meal.
That doesn't mean I trust him. But do I take him, at his word? There's more to this, situation. I just know it.' The humans mind continued to analyze her situation uncontrollably. The beast was testing her, she could feel it. Would she leave his offered protection, given the opportunity?
"I'm not that dumb." The trapped human groaned at the outer threshold. "I'm not that desperate, either." She glanced at the sleeping Wraith with a subtle whispered breath. Amelia sighed and started to examine the outer chamber. Tucked in the far corner, was a small wooden structure she hadn't noticed before.
Four wooden posts where tied together with rope, forming a small bed-like structure. The small cloth that covered the structure, caused the curious female to cough, when touched. The dust was so thick, she had to move away from the visible cloud. The structure itself made a terrible cracking noise and Amelia sighed heavily.
The Wraith wasn't awake to demand, she sleep in that deathtrap. The ingenious human had no intention of joining him, in his own bed, willingly. Instead she smiled as she creeped back into the bathing chamber. 'There was a mass of cloth stacked on shelves', she thought to use them, as bedding. The human grinned as she pulled each small strip of cloth off the wall and stacked it neatly in a pile. 'It was softer than the floor', Amelia tried to rest, using a few bits of cloth as meager blankets.