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We went into a nice, dry clearing and Evan sat my kneeling place on a fat rock. He motioned and I sat. The brush behind Evan was thick. He leaned on a tree across from my spot and handed me the bowl.
I took a bite and he watched me carefully. Feeling slightly unnerved at his attention, I raised the second bite slowly toward my lips. Evan moved quickly and leaned over. He sucked the bit from my fingers, chewing as he straightened up.
For a moment I was too startled to move. Evan just grinned at me. It was odd behavior, but I got the hint.
So he wanted me to feed him, I could handle that. I took a bite for myself and then offered a bite to him. He’d lean down and take it obediently with his lips. It was a funny way to eat.
While we had lunch I tried to talk to Evan, but he would give me a sharp look or shake his head. After a while I understood he wasn’t in a mood to talk. I listened to the sounds of the forest around us and fed him contentedly.
I wondered how long I’d get the silent treatment. Perhaps it was a bet or a game. Smiling up at Evan I wondered who was currently winning the contest. For some reason Evan looked wicked as he continued to grin down at me, maybe he was winning.
Soon the bowl was empty and we were just staring at one another. I wanted to speak, but Evan had already indicated I should not. However, I wasn’t sure how long I should just quietly sit here.
A branch cracked loudly from the way we’d come and I stood, turning toward the noise. Evan cooly guided me to stand behind him. I yelped when men melted out of the forest around me. None of them made a sound as they moved.
It was Damien and the rest of the family.
“Hush, little Sister,” Bane murmured, touching my arm, as he strode past to take his spot beside Evan.
Looking around Evan’s sides I saw men noisily stepping out of the forest coming toward us. One of them must have stepped on the branch I heard break. By their dress they were Administrators.
My hair was long enough to act as my shield again. With my head tipped down I looked through the veil it provided. Several families of Administrators stood staring at my family from across the peaceful glen.
“You let it feed YOU?” one of the men hissed.
“You let it feed ITSELF?” another of them sneered.
“Yes,” Damien said simply letting his arms hang casually.
I took in the stances of the men. I’d seen that form before. When Bane casually had me pinned against the General’s wall, he’d held the same pose. They were ready for an attack, but far too trained to look like they were.
“It is a slave,” one of the men across from us sputtered.
My family didn’t answer. They just stood silently, impassively.
“The women,” one man said pointedly, “will hear of this dishonor.”
Damien didn’t say a word, he just continued to watch the men across the clearing.
“They will MAKE you act correctly,” one of the Administrators threatened.
I sucked in a gasp and whispered ‘no, please not that,’ under my breath.
It would kill me if the women brainwashed Damien and his Brothers. I loved them. Their defiance of the rules to make me feel happy was such a magnificent gesture. To see their free will stripped because of it would crush me.
Kein was looking over at me with an irritated look and I quickly looked down, hiding my eyes.
“Do not speak to other men,” Kein reprimanded quietly.
“So,” Damien drawled addressing the Administrators, “you would call upon your Mistress to discuss our handling of our slave? We will be needing to sharpen our weapons tomorrow, would you also like to get her opinion on that?”
Evan snorted and Bane laughed.
Damien spoke with confidence. The women would not care how he and his Brothers handled me. As long as I was kept well and ready for my use, no one would interfere.
The Administrators tried to pull rank, but Damien didn’t budge in his position. My family took their orders from Nu-reeh directly, not the Administrators. Nu-reeh said keep me happy and healthy, which is what they were doing. How they chose to do that was no one’s business.
I listened to the conversation and heard the steel in Damien’s voice. He wasn’t going to change his mind. It didn’t make any difference how the rest of the world treated slaves. Damien had his own way.
Eventually, the Administrators came to the inevitable conclusion. Damien wasn’t changing. They made several more threats, but those sounded hollow. I breathed with relief when they finally left.
Christof picked up the empty bowl I’d finished before the other men showed up. He quietly complimented me on eating my lunch and picked up my kneeling place. The men took a tight grouping around me and we walked back toward the Keepers’ compound.
Damien quietly told me to follow his footsteps as I had done with Evan.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.
“Yes, Damien,” I whispered softly following his instructions to the letter.
The men were silent as was I for the remainder of the walk. When we exited the forest several groups of men stood staring at us. I jerked my head down, but not before taking them in.
They had leaves in their hair and their fine shoes were muddy. The Administrators weren’t trained to go traipsing around in the forest. Evan must have heard them following us the entire time.
Evan’s behavior now made much more sense. We were being watched and he was monitoring the Administrators. I grinned big realizing his show of me feeding him was designed to agitate. He really couldn’t resist being difficult.
My Warriors dropped me inside the walled compound. The Keepers approached and politely greeted Damien.
My care was handed off and my family left through the wall.