Alina

The morning sun was hiding behind white clouds, and late summer winds blew against the grey castle walls. Alina watched from her terrace as Kaya stood crying and hugging her father Sir Maarten down in the courtyard. Dressed in a dark travelling cloak with a sky carriage waiting behind her, Kaya was finally leaving the castle. 

Alina smiled. For the first time since she had come to this dreadful place, she was finally feeling a sense of justice. And for the first time, she felt that Mikal really cared for her. He had promised that he would make Kaya pay for what she had done to her. And here, he had kicked Kaya out. 

Alina watched as Kaya gathered her black skirts and got inside her carriage. And next her Pegasus leapt to the sky, pulling behind the small carriage that went floating above as its domed sails caught the wind. Alina continued to watch with glee until Kaya's carriage finally disappeared beyond the high castle gates. She closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh morning air, her smile growing wider. This is going to be a beautiful day... 

She was just about to turn away from the terrace wall and go find Hilda, when she noticed two strange figures down in the courtyard. A winged man and a wingless woman whom she had never seen before, approaching the keep. 

***

Juha the slaver, a curious looking winged man with olive skin and pitch black curls, stood smiling smugly in the middle of the guest hall. He was dressed in a sky blue silk tunic that was heavily embroidered with gold florals. His fingers were covered in multiple rings of gold and silver and various stones, and a thick gold necklace with a large ruby pendant hung down from his neck. No doubt his business in the slave market was quite prosperous, as he stood proudly displaying his good fortune through the blinding disarray of mismatching clothes and accessories. He was apparently quite pleased with himself, not only because of his extravagant wardrobe, but because he made Alina, Hilda, and the old Lady Greta stand staring wide eyed at the exceptionally beautiful girl he had brought with him today.

"She is not suitable at all!" Lady Greta, Bernard's own aunt, snapped at him. "Look at her. She looks like a trashy prostitute."

Alina frowned. Lady Greta was right, yet Alina was hoping the girl would not be turned away. She was so, very, beautiful! She had a delicate small form, curtained by deep red hair that fell to her tiny waist, and full large breasts almost spilling out from the low cut opening of her tight black dress. And along with her sweet face and the translucent paleness of her skin, she looked as soft and fragile as a porcelain doll. Alina noticed that she was not the only one staring at her with awe. Hilda too was completely absorbed, leering at her breasts.

"Mikal dear, please join us!" Greta called in frustration. And Alina turned in alarm at the mention of Mikal, where she found him standing at the hall entrance behind them. "Look what Juha dared bring to our castle."

Alina's heart thumped as Mikal approached them, yet she couldn't help but feel a little jealous when she noticed how he, who never displayed any form of expression around strangers, raised his eyebrows in admiration as his eyes fell on the sultry young woman who stood meekly next to Juha.

"Sir Mikal!" Juha greeted with a wide grin that revealed a gold tooth at the corner of his mouth. "It is such an honor to meet you in person. Lady Greta here was trying to send me away," Juha pouted sulkily. "But I am glad you have come yourself. I am quite sure you will be able to appreciate the true value of the extraordinary subject I have –"

"Bring her close," Mikal cut him off.

Alina could tell that even Mikal was unable to keep his eyes off the young woman. He raised his hand to feel her long hair, before he gently touched her cheeks, carefully inspecting her face that was adorned by beautiful hazel eyes and small pouting lips.

"She is not suitable at all," Greta said, her arms folded in disapproval. "We certainly cannot have someone like her among our slaves!"

"What is your name?" Mikal asked the young woman, ignoring Greta's objections, as he continued his inspection, leisurely checking her hands and fingernails.

"Daria, My Lord," the red haired beauty said through quivering lips. Mikal suddenly grabbed her by the jaw and she gasped. 

"Open your mouth," he ordered. She obeyed and he lightly passed his thumb over her teeth which were neatly placed in her small mouth like unmarred pearls. Alina felt another surge of jealousy.

"Oh come on, take her to bed already!" Hilda scoffed impatiently, and Mikal turned to her with a long stare. 

Alina was horrified. Perhaps it was rumored that Mikal took pretty girls to bed. And perhaps some even went to the extent to say that it didn't matter to him if the girls he bedded were winged ones or not. But to mention such a thing publicly was beyond appalling. For a winged one to bed a human was a grave and unforgivable sin.

"Perhaps you would like to take her first?" Mikal said with slightly raised eyebrows.

"Oh, why would I? I have told you before I am not interested in girls."

"Is that so? Then why couldn't you stop leering at her?" 

"I was not leering at her, I was reading her. But because you are a total airhead, you cannot see anything else beyond her breasts."

"Please stop that!" Alina interrupted, embarrassed at Hilda's crudeness and her constant fighting with Mikal, even before their guests. 

"And because you are a total airhead," Hilda added, ignoring Alina's reproachful look, "I truly wish she is sent to kill you!" The next moment, the young woman gasped and her eyes widened in horror.

"Why would anyone send her to kill me?" Mikal chuckled in amusement. "Perhaps she was sent to kill you."

The girl suddenly broke into sobs. Having enough of their never ending silliness, Alina scowled and stepped in between Mikal and Hilda, grabbing the girl away from Mikal's hands.

"Stop it! You are scaring her," Alina said, before she turned to Greta. "If you allow me, Lady Greta, I am taking Daria as my slave."

Without waiting for a response, Alina quickly pulled the trembling girl along, leading her out of the guest hall amid speechless looks.

***

The earlier clouds had cleared and the winds grew into a soft breeze. Alina sat in her terrace for tea while Daria stood meekly by her side, waiting for instructions. Alina didn't really have anything to ask, and it only grew awkward as Daria kept standing in silence, her head lowered and her hands behind her back.

"Sit," Alina simply said, and Daria turned to sit on the chair facing Alina. "Not on the chair!" Alina scoffed. "Slaves do not sit on chairs."

"Forgive me, my lady," Daria said as she knelt down to the floor. "I did not know."

"How could you not know such a basic thing? How long have you been a slave?"

"Today is my first day, my lady."

"Oh... And what happened?" Alina asked curiously. It was quite uncommon for a human to be sold into slavery at such an age, as most slaves were taken when they were little children. And with Daria's ripe body, Alina could tell that she was at least a couple of years over twenty.

Alina listened carefully as Daria narrated the unfortunate story of how she ended up as a slave. But their peaceful conversation did not last for long, for Hilda suddenly entered the room, and all thoughts of peace were gone.

"Hello little doll," Hilda smiled, but Alina only turned to her with a frown. "Oh come on, I did not mean to scare off your new pet earlier. Alright I apologize," Hilda said as she approached Alina and landed a quick peck on her cheek. Alina sighed in surrender. No matter how annoying or infuriating Hilda could get, Alina surprisingly found it impossible to hate her.

"So tell me little pet," Hilda smirked as she turned towards a timid Daria. "Why did you leave the whorehouse?" Alina noticed how Daria looked up at her with troubled eyes and she could sense that the girl was too intimidated and too shy to speak. Having told her the story already as they got acquainted earlier, Alina decided to answer in her stead.

"She didn't want to sleep with customers anymore, so her employer sold her off."

"Oh Alina, I wanted to hear the story from her!" Hilda sulked. "I am sure there are many interesting details."

"I see nothing interesting in hearing stories about being forced to sleep with men you don't want," Alina said bitterly. "But of course you wouldn't know."

"Seems I am about to know soon though, right?" Hilda though smiling, her tone had grown more serious, and Alina could tell there was a hint of real sadness behind her smile. She couldn't possibly be that upset about marrying Mikal! No normal girl would ever be that upset about marrying Mikal. But apparently, Hilda was no normal girl. 

"I don't understand why you hate Mikal that much," Alina said as she walked towards the dressing table, followed by Daria. 

"Oh trust me little doll, if I start talking about why I hate him we might stay here till nightfall!"

"That's quite too much hate." Alina sat before the tall gold framed mirror, securing a burgundy hairpiece that matched her dress. "There must be a good reason then."

"Alright then, if you must know, I hate him because he hates me."

"That's not a good reason!" 

"It is good enough for me."

"You are unbelievably annoying!" Alina groaned in frustration and Hilda only laughed. 

"Alright I might tell you, if you let your new pet teach me how to use these," Hilda said as she gestured towards the toiletries that sat on Alina's dressing table.

Alina was baffled as she looked down at the face powders and paints that lay before her. Knowing her only to be so tough and solid, comparing herself to strong men, Alina never pictured that Hilda too could have common girlish interests such as caring about her looks and wearing makeup.

"I believe I can find no better than Daria to teach me," Hilda added with a smirk. 

And she was right. Prostitutes were known to be experts at using makeup. Their profession required them to look beautiful and attractive at all times, so they were known for their abilities to transform their ugliest features into the most inviting. Hilda was not even ugly to start with, so with a little help and a few touch ups, Alina was sure she would look irresistible. 

Wondering how she would turn out, Alina smiled in excitement as she got up and pulled Hilda towards the dressing table, pushing her into the chair before the mirror.

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