Alina

The girls sat around the large kitchen table, chattering excitedly while they helped Abby prepare for dinner. Alina sat alone at the further end of the table, chopping her potatoes loudly in an attempt to block out the annoying screams and squeals. Not only was she uninterested in their conversation, but she was actually avoiding it. Of all the topics in the world, they chose to chat about their love interests. And yet, no matter what she did, their words and squeaks still reached her despite her will, drawing out dark memories of her own. Julian...

"Well, he was hot! I couldn't help it," Nora whined as Maggie and her flock taunted the girl for kissing a blacksmith.

"Of course he's hot. He's standing before the forge all day." Maggie laughed and the other girls laughed along.

"But... he has the most gorgeous blue eyes," Nora defended weakly.

"That's what you think because it's the only thing visible in his blackened face," Maggie continued her ruthless taunts and the girls continued to laugh.

"Lord Tristan is hot!" Silly Lizzy interjected a bit too excitedly, as if she had made the most important revelation in the world.

"Oh Lord Tristan. Who can even compete with Lord Tristan?" Maggie sighed, and Alina rolled her eyes while she still continued chopping.

"Too bad it doesn't appear like he's getting over Lady Olivea's death anytime soon," Pipa, a dull girl with dull brown hair, pouted. "He wouldn't even take any of the entertainers. I heard Sir Edward speaking to him the other day."

Maggie's knife suddenly dropped onto the table with a loud clatter.

"What exactly did you hear?" She glared at Pipa and the poor girl flinched. "Speak!"

"Not much!" Pipa cowered beneath Maggie's dark stare. "Sir Edward was simply convincing Lord Tristan to take a woman to bed, so he suggested one of the entertainers. But Lord Tristan seemed angry about the suggestion, and I heard him say something about betraying the late Lady Olivea. But then I left so I didn't catch the rest of the conversation."

"You stupid girl," Maggie snapped as she picked up the knife and waved it towards a flinching Pipa. "When you hear a conversation like that you don't simply leave!"

"Come on Maggie, no need to get so worked up," Kat said as she calmly took the dangerous weapon from Maggie's hand. "It's unlikely that Lord Tristan would care to look at anyone of us anyway. We're just servants."

"Oh, and how would you know?" Maggie flipped her long black hair behind her back. "Lord Tristan is not a prejudiced man. There's no reason he wouldn't care to look at anyone of us, even if we're just servants."

Alina shook her head in exasperation. How silly could those servants really get? Dreaming of bedding their Lord like cheap whores.

"Personally though, I think I'd be more interested in one of Lord Tristan's guards," Kat said with a calm smile and the girls turned to her with great interest, "Sir Jared, to be precise."

A long moment of silence followed as the girls looked at Kat warily.

"Did you... did you say Jared?" Maggie asked, probably making sure she heard that right.

"Yes. I think he's quite attractive," Kat said, and all eyes stared at her in shock.

"Define attractive?" Maggie raised an eyebrow.

"Well he's big, and he's got warm hazel eyes," Kat said, in a serious tone, and the girls still remained quiet for a long moment, before Maggie suddenly burst out laughing.

"How could you even see... the color of his eyes?" Maggie cried between her laughter. "He's fucking scowling all the time... like this," Maggie gave a comically dreadful scowl, "and with those thick brows I bet you can see any eyes at all, let alone their color!"

The girls laughed out as Maggie continued counting Jared's flaws.

"And he's big you say? He's a fucking beast!" Maggie added.

"Girls! Watch your language!" Abby gasped, but of course she was ignored.

"Right, he's not called the Dragon for no reason." Lizzy squeaked. "I can't imagine any woman sleeping with him. He would probably snap her in two before even making it halfway inside."

"Well, thankfully he's not interested in our kind," Maggie said as she caught her breath.

"Our kind? You mean because we are wingless?" Kat frowned in confusion.

"More like because we are dickless." Maggie said and everyone looked at her in shock, except for Abby who gasped again and turned to her with a frown of reproach.

"Maggie!" Poor Abby was appalled, and again she was ignored.

"You mean, he's not interested in women?" Kat asked.

"Exactly," Maggie smirked. "Well, sorry to disappoint you Kitty Kat. Perhaps you should start looking for some other attractive guard."

Alina fed up with the ridiculousness of everything around her, dropped her knife and got up to her feet.

"Alina sugar, where are you going?" Abby asked. "I was just going to ask you to cut these onions and –"

"Sorry Abby, I'm done for today," Alina said and Abby's mouth hung open.

"B... but..." Abby stammered.

"I need a break, Abby. I have been working all day like a slave."

"Well, you are a slave," Maggie called out, and Alina realized that all the girls had left their tasks and turned to watch the anticipated trouble.

"Well, not all slaves are the same." Alina sneered at Maggie.

"Oh really? Look who's talking! The one who got sold into slavery for losing her virtue to none but a slave. How ironic!"

Alina's face paled at Maggie's words.

"Come on, you think we don't know? We all sleep in the same room and we all see the marks on your back every time you get dressed." Maggie smirked. "You had a slave lover. Admit it! Was his dick really good enough to pay for with your wings?"

Alina's guts twisted, her knees shook, and her chest heaved as a sudden wave of fury blinded her. And she did not feel herself until she was upon Maggie, grabbing her by the neck while straddling her on the floor. Screams filled the kitchen as Alina's arms flailed against Maggie, her hands tearing and scratching whatever she could reach.

"Stop!" Abby cried out while the girls interfered to pull Alina away from Maggie.

"Miss Klara!" Lizzy screamed. "I'm calling Miss Klara!"

***

Alina stood in Lord Tristan's study, doing all she could not to cry. She didn't care that Tristan sat before her at his desk, his eyes narrowed and dark with fury, or that Klara stood behind her with an angry glare and folded arms. She didn't care that Klara had just filled Tristan in with a long list of complaints and that he was currently planning how to punish her. All she cared for was her urgent need to go back to the kitchen and smash Maggie's face until her mouth was damaged beyond repair, so that she could no longer speak out words she had no right to. How dare she!

Unshed tears stung Alina's eyes as Julian's image kept creeping back into her head despite her will. Her sweet Julian, who had never even touched her. And how much she longed for him to touch her now. She wanted him. She had always wanted him. But she couldn't have him. And when he was finally hers, it was too late. She quickly wiped away tears at the corner of her eyes before they fell in front of Tristan. She didn't want to appear weak or scared. She was not scared. She was furious, oh, so furious.

"Fine Klara, if she's that troublesome as a servant then let her join the entertainers," Tristan finally said.

"My Lord, I specifically bought her because we had a shortage in our servants. And we don't exactly need any more entertainers in this house. Unless you want to turn it into a tavern."

"As if I will agree to be an entertainer in the first place," Alina hissed, furious at the absurd idea of her serving as an entertainer. A whore in disguise!

"Hey!" Tristan snapped, pointing his finger at Alina. "No back talk."

Alina was a little unsettled by his dark scowl. He was a little scary after all, but not as scary as Bernard at least. Tristan sighed and shook his head in exasperation.

"What is your name, girl?"

"Viki –" Klara barely said.

"It's Alina!" Alina instantly cut in, glaring at Klara who still insisted on naming her such a ridiculous name. She took a step forward towards Tristan and frowned with determination. "My name is Alina," she stated defiantly.

"Alright, Alina," Tristan sighed. "What do you want?"

Alina was confused for a moment. She didn't expect him to ask her that.

"What do I want?" She blinked back.

"Yes, what do you want? You don't want to work as a servant. You don't want to work as an entertainer. What do you want then?"

"I just want... I want... I don't want anything!" she snapped, rage still eating at her heart. "I don't want anything to do with this place."

"Very well." Tristan said as he rose off his seat and turned to Klara. "Klara, head out to the Slaves Square first thing in the morning. And take her with you. Any price would do, just get rid of her."

Alina's heart fell at his words and all her fury disappeared at once. That was a very fast decision to make. And suddenly it seemed that working as a servant or entertainer didn't seem like a very bad idea compared to being taken to the Slaves Square.

"You're going to regret this," Klara sneered as she grabbed Alina's arm and pulled her outside Tristan's study.

***

"Are you stupid?" Mira gasped as Alina told her what happened. "Most slaves would kill to get an opportunity to serve at Lord Tristan's household! And you throw it away just like that?"

"What difference does it make?" Alina said, timidly though. "I would still be a slave all the same, Tristan's household or any other."

"Definitely not the same," Kat interfered. "Do you know what kind of owner your next one would be? At least here you're never hungry or cold."

"Yes, talk about owners who discipline their slaves by starving them," Mira shook her head.

"Or flogging them," Kat added.

Alina suddenly remembered how Bernard indulged in whipping the slaves back home. Well, he used to beat her and his own little brother as well. And she shuddered at the possibility of ending up with someone like that again.

"Or worse, using them as sex toys," Mira continued. "Imagine being sold to one of those perverts who like to tie up naked young girls and –"

"Alright, I get it!" Alina snapped at once, not wanting to hear any more details, and she shuddered as she recalled that creepy old man who had almost bought her before Klara snatched the deal.

Of course she was stupid. She was far off better here than anywhere else. And even if she got lucky enough to get sold to someone who wouldn't hurt her or let her do much work, going again through the whole ordeal of being displayed at the marketplace and getting her naked body inspected by leering strangers was enough to make her never want to leave this house.

"He gave you an opportunity to join the entertainers, for fuck's sake!" Kat said, exasperated. "I would sell my soul for something like that." It was the first time to see Kat so worked up.

"What shall I do now?" Alina said in a low voice, almost speaking to herself. "Klara will take me to the Slaves Square first thing in the morning." Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized her stupid, stupid mistake.

"Ask Lord Tristan to forgive you. He might give you another chance if you persuade him," Mira suggested.

Alina found the idea quite difficult, having to ask Tristan for forgiveness. But still, it would be better than being taken to the Slaves Square and put on display all over again.

"You might want to catch him at the castle though," Kat said. "He just left a little while ago, and given how dark it's grown outside, he's likely to spend the night there."

Alina's heart fell and she quickly looked out the nearest window. It was indeed quite dark already.

"No way could I go to the castle all alone now. Besides... Klara wouldn't even let me leave the servants' quarters to begin with." Alina panicked.

"You can go with the first morning light, before Klara wakes," Kat assured Alina, holding her trembling hands. "It's going to be alright."

Alina's heart hammered against her chest, dreading what would happen if she failed to catch Lord Tristan. But she couldn't fail. Klara would be very happy to get rid of her, and Alina had to do all she could to sneak out and reach Lord Tristan with the first light of morning, before Klara would wake...

******************

So, as usual, Alina has to get in trouble. Do you think she will be able to catch Tristan?

If you like this chapter don't forget to leave a comment and vote.