Closed Defiance and Punishment (Edreina)

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna actually felt something as Edreina started to beg, her words losing coherency as her body started to convulse and become wracked with sobs. It was a sensation she was all too familiar with, regret and hurt as well as being forced to stare at a parallel between herself in the Nuit as she recalled the screams Cryptly had gained from his prisoner and compared them to Edreina’s own. Was that her fate then, to become passionless and a sad broken shell of a creature that merely existed and never really lived? Grey eyes grew distant as they stared down at Edreina’s broken form, Celeste’s words so long ago in the Dungeons reflecting back to her.

”It is far easier to define power as the ability to hurt, kill, and destroy, than to define it with honor or responsibility.”

”You don’t want power to a specific end. I can see that. You want it for the sake of having power. And you will always, only ever want more. You’ll never be sated. Might as well ask for the ritual now.”

Anna gritted her teeth as the girl’s words echoed in her skull, accusing her just as the girl did in her nightmares for abandoning her. The worst part was that she remembered the absolution the child had granted her, Celeste, perhaps the only one on Sahova that had seen Annalisa Marin the human woman in full. Yet here she was in the Dungeons, the ritual seeming to be the last step for her until there was no difference between her and the undead. The dark haired woman pushed away from the table, snarling slightly as she drew back into her own mind to think and that granted Edreina a reprieve.

It was far too late for her to have these kind of distracting regrets, but it was still happening and no matter how much Anna wished it what she did only made the nightmares worse. Every night they came to her, the moments were her sleep was grey and dreamless were blessings from the Defiler himself. Her mind was torturing itself, fraying and fracturing more and more and Anna feared for the day when it finally broke. She was a broken piece of pottery that had been hastily glued back together, rough, jagged, and unstable. Anna chuckled bitterly as she imagined that her slave, for as broken as she might become was more stable than the sorceress. More in control of her own destiny.

Anna drew a hand lightly over Edreina’s cheek, leaning down again and having her fingers travel over the other woman’s lips briefly. The sash over her captive’s eyes was wet, though that hardly mattered to the dark haired woman. Her hand traveled from the red head’s lips to her neck, and down from there to her collarbone and finally arriving over the other woman’s no doubt racing heart. This woman was alive, but Anna feared checking her own heartbeat if it had in fact had stopped a long time ago.

“Shhh… the iron is gone now, my beautiful Test Subject. I won’t burn you again if you don’t deserve it, I promise. It hurt didn’t it though? The price for disrespect and disobedience is steep, 1A. I can be kind to that which is mine, I can be gentle, but I can also be cruel and harsh when I need to be. If you submit, I promise you that you need never fear my hand being raised against you like it is today.” Anna whispered, kissing Edreina’s brow lightly and stroking at her face with one hand.

“Unfortunately, I need to show you that I mean what I say. That I never back down once I start something; that I finish what I begin. I’m sorry.” Anna said, her voice turning cold as she moved away from Edreina’s face and chose where to start.

Before this however the tall woman would move to the coals where the branding iron now rested and took it up again, pressing the needle up against the heated metal. Likely a bit more burning would give the other woman more perspective on the situation, increasing the pain most likely. Anna intended for this moment to be remembered by her slave. So she would literally burn it into the other woman’s mind for future reference.

The sorceress moved to the red head’s right hand once the needle was hot enough and gripped it with her free one, splaying it out flat and palm facing up. From there the tall dark haired woman took the needle and light, teasingly poked at the Svefra’s hand. After she tired of the Anna opted to press a bit harder with the thin needle, breaking the skin and continuing down a ways and kept it there for a tick before drawing it back up. The end was tipped with blood and a trickle would be found exiting a tiny prick on the red heads hand. From here she moved the needle to another spot on her hand and injected it into the soft flesh, repeating the same motion as before.

After another pricking from the needle on that hand Anna would move to the woman’s other hand and start to make similar injections, taking her time to draw this out. On the last injection on her other hand Anna twisted the needle a bit between her fingers, causing more blood to dribble out from the tiny wound left behind. The accomplished Anna wiped the needle on Edreina’s bare stomach, the crimson residue staining the woman’s freckled skin and also likely burning her slightly though it only barely touched the flesh of her stomach for a half tick.

“Hmm… that’s done. Now onto the feet, let see if we can’t get under the toenails.” Anna said, her tone lacking in any humor.

The sorceress drew around to where Edreina’s feet lay and gripped her right foot, attempting to keep it from moving as she held her big toe in place. Carefully Anna brought the needle down towards it, gently inserting it between the toenail and the flesh of the lower digit. With this the tall woman increased the pressure, breaking the sensitive skin underneath and digging the need under the nail for a slight distance and twisted it in her finger slightly. The tall woman would hold it like this for a moment before drawing it out and moving to the next toe over and repeating the process with that one with her heated needle. All the while she pushed aside her human senses telling her that this was indeed wrong and then arrived at Edreina’s smallest toe on her right foot, inserting the needle into it slowly as before with the others before drawing it back up.

Anna mercifully stopped with her right foot, only teasing lightly at her left foot but leaving her digits there unharmed. Each one on the right would be left with little trickles of blood flowing from beneath the nails, nothing permanently damaging most likely as the wounds were extremely tiny. The pain was what Anna had been aiming for through, if she had wanted to permanently cripple her slave the sorceress would have pulled a knife on her and severed her toes. The wounds were likely to heal as easily as any scratch or scrape. The tall woman then circled the table once again and pressed her forehead against Edreina’s, her pale lips curled into a bitter smile.

“Did you learn your lesson, Test Subject 1A? Are you going to disobey your mistress again? Or will you submit to her will and never attempt to leave her side? To devote your existence to pleasing her?” Anna inquired, whispering low.

[Edreina]

The woman's soft touch still caused Edreina to recoil, half expecting for it to burn if she allowed it. But, it was just a touch, simple and gentle. Breath was pushed and pulled quickly from between the Svefra's trembling lips even as Annalisa touched them. Her sobs were losing intensity, but there was a new depth of brokenness to them. To hear her sobbing was to stare into the mouth of a pitch black cave, to call out into it and hear only a whisper back.

“Shhh… the iron is gone now, my beautiful Test Subject. I won’t burn you again if you don’t deserve it, I promise. It hurt didn’t it though? The price for disrespect and disobedience is steep, 1A. I can be kind to that which is mine, I can be gentle, but I can also be cruel and harsh when I need to be. If you submit, I promise you that you need never fear my hand being raised against you like it is today.”

The redhead whimpered faintly, a plaintive sound barely human. At that point, she no longer wanted to defy Annalisa, only to please her. If she pleased the wizard, she would never feel this pain again. Edreina's eyes strained against the darkness, wishing she could see Annalisa's face, to seek out any sign of treachery. She wanted to believe her, to know that this would never happen to her again so long as she behaved a certain way. That was bearable, this pain was not.

In truth, it could have been so much worse. She could have been lashed or branded across her body or have her face torn. But, to a woman who did her best to see only the best in life, being forced to endure something so innately awful was the greater part of the torture. She longed more than anything to return to her life, but part of her had now accepted that it was dead. Dead, but not buried. It lay rotting in her mind, taunting her with all that was and could never be again.

“Unfortunately, I need to show you that I mean what I say. That I never back down once I start something; that I finish what I begin. I’m sorry.”

Any peace Edreina had gained was turned to ice in her veins, chilling her and sending a sharp shiver of terror racking her frame."Gods... Gods no! P-Please! Mistress, please!" She tugged at her restraints, hoping to move away from where Annalisa had just been, as if that would do her any good.

The woman's hand was on hers, and suddenly Edreina remembered the man and the creature earlier, the way he screamed as his nails were ripped from his finger tips. Even then, she could not summon the courage to defy Annalisa and close her hand tightly. Whatever was about to happen to her was nothing compared to what pain would be inflicted if she resisted, she was sure.

The pricks of the needles were not as bad as the branding in and of themselves but they left her hands angry and aching. As the needle entered her hand, she cried out once, hoarsely, each time, then whimpered and tensed as it was pulled from her skin again. The trembles that wracked her were no longer random. Instead, they came every couple of breaths and moved from her tense legs to her wrists as they pulled ineffectually at her bindings. The needle was drug across her stomach and the stinging it left reminded Edreina of the times she had accidentally caught herself with the whip.

“Hmm… that’s done. Now onto the feet, let see if we can’t get under the toenails.”

The breath she had sighed was quickly brought back into her lungs as the wizards continued to speak. Her toenails? Gods... That sounded just as bad as her fingernails. Wait... Under her toenails?

Time time, she found the strength to scream again. With each needle insertion, she screamed at the top of her lungs and thrashed to no avail. Between each, she whimpered and cried anew. These sounds were of pure pain, not what the pain implied as well. It clouded her mind and sapped away her humanity until she was a trembling, whimpering little creature. When her first foot was done, she started to beg again, silk restained a darker color by fresh tears. Upon the table, the redhead quaked and gasped like a hapless child.

“Did you learn your lesson, Test Subject 1A? Are you going to disobey your mistress again? Or will you submit to her will and never attempt to leave her side? To devote your existence to pleasing her?”

Through the tears, she managed to speak. "Yes-s ma'am... I will obey... I'm s-s-sorry..." This time, she truly meant it.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna stared at the broken and sobbing creature before her, her jaw set as she felt no pleasure from this in practice as she had anticipated that she might. The sorceress should have been happy she had broken Edreina on the table, pleased that she had forced her to submit to her will but strangely Anna hated herself for doing this. The torture itself didn’t bother Anna overmuch; she was perfectly fine with disciplining a slave if the need presented itself. The thing was… she hadn’t bought Edreina from a slaver rather she had taken her by force herself, in this essence that made her something of a slaver she supposed.

The tall woman moved her fingers to untie the sash from Edreina’s eyes, peering down into sky blue eyes with a stormy overcast crackling above the slave. The Svrfra was filthy really, then again so long in a single room was not exactly going to help one’s overall hygiene. Anna sighed slightly, moving her hands to unclasp the cuffs binding the other woman’s wrists one at a time. As she released her she would gently rub her wrists, lightly massaging at them to try and dispel some discomfort from the slave’s body though she knew it was a mere pittance. From there she moved around and did the same to Edreina’s ankles, rubbing them as well and wincing as she noted how raw they were from struggling against the cuffs.

The sorceress would offer her hand to help the Svefra down from the table, letting the red head take her time as needed to get situated. From there she would pull Edreina into a light embrace, encircling her with her arms and gently shushing at her as a mother might to a frightened child. Fear was useful but one needed to reinforce submission with positive things, to show that the benefits of giving in outweighed the draw backs.

“It’s over now, 1A; I won’t mark you again or do that to you again as long as you are respectful and obedient to your mistress. I want you to carry that mark on your leg as a reminder though, of whom it is that you belong to. Whom is owed your allegiance in this new life of yours.” Anna said, stroking the back of the other woman’s head lightly.

“Now then, you have obeyed and submitted to me, so I think you are due a reward for learning well this lesson. So you and I are going to leave the Citadel for a little while and take a nice warm bath. That sounds good doesn’t it?” Anna whispered, kissed the woman’s forehead before breaking apart from her and offering her hand to Edreina once more.

If the Svefra took it then Anna would start to navigate out of the Dungeons, the screams echoing out behind her once more as she intended to get them out of the place. She would slow her pace if Edreina needed it; likely with her injured toes Anna suspected she’d be a little slow going. The sorceress would move through the darken corridors of the Sahovan Dungeons with ease, ascending from the base floors and bringing her to the ground floor once more. From here she would start towards the entrance to the Dungeons, addressing Edreina once more.

“Right, once we leave this place I want you to head to the place where we first met. Down on the rocky shore near the Harbor, I trust you remember it. There are no ships in and the Testing Grounds are not exactly the most hospitable of places so in case you are thinking of running…” Anna said, trailing off and tightening her grip on Edreina’s wounded hand ever so.

“I’m putting a good deal of trust in you that you have learned your lesson, 1A. Don’t make me regret that. I need to return to my room to gather a few items.” Anna said ominously as they crossed the threshold out of the Dungeons.

With this Anna would separate herself from Edreina, releasing her hand and heading out along the Courtyard towards the Quarters. The sorceress was confident with that lesson firmly in the other woman’s mind that she wouldn’t be quick to disobey any time soon, though one never knew. Anna was willing to let her do it on the simply principle that she had just learned what happened to disobedient slaves, as well as having no way off of Sahova.

The tall dark haired woman arrived back at her quarters and started to rifle through her own belongings, searching for a particularly valuable little item. Grey eyes glittered as they found a bar of soap, not oft used by her and well enough to give her a few uses and her slave as well most likely. Anna pondered on the razor and stuffed it into the pack along with a comb and brush, figuring some good grooming would do wonders for the both of them. It wasn’t often she used such items on Sahova, but she figured today was as good a day as any.

With these items in tow Anna slung the pack over her shoulder and also wrapped Edreina’s cloak around her arm, figuring the thing might be useful as binding for her small wounds when wrapped properly. They were small wounds, tiny, but Anna did not want to take risks in this place considering how unhealthy it was. So with this all accomplished Anna would then leave her room and start on her path out of the Citadel and to the place where she and Edreina had first met.

[Edreina]

The darkness fell away and Edreina blinked slowly, letting her eyes expand and contract as they adjusted to the dim and flickering light. Immediately, she was able to focus on the thunderstorm above her, though it lacked the lightning she had seen earlier. All was calm, for the moment. She did not move while Annalisa undid her restraints, remaining prone even as she was freed, staring up at the stones above her. The massaging hurt, actually, as her wrists and ankles were rubbed raw and sore; she dare not say such to the wizard, though. Some deep part of her appreciated the gesture, but it was buried beneath quavering fear.

Slowly, Edreina sat up and took the sorceress's disconcertingly soft hand and allowed her to help her upright; fresh tears flooded her eyes but refused to fall. The instant her toes hit the ground, she grit her teeth and swayed painfully as her thigh objected to being used. She was grateful for Annalisa's support, then. The human contact, despite who was administering it, was so sorely missed by the Svefra that she pressed closer to the sorceress, pressing her face flush against the woman's shoulder. Only when next to one so still did Edreina realize how badly she was shaking.

“It’s over now, 1A; I won’t mark you again or do that to you again as long as you are respectful and obedient to your mistress. I want you to carry that mark on your leg as a reminder though, of whom it is that you belong to. Whom is owed your allegiance in this new life of yours.”

The brand on her thigh out outlast the collar about her neck as the memories of this horrible place would outlast her time on the island. A scar on the outside to reflect the brokenness inside was only fitting, she supposed.

“Now then, you have obeyed and submitted to me, so I think you are due a reward for learning well this lesson. So you and I are going to leave the Citadel for a little while and take a nice warm bath. That sounds good doesn't it?”

Blue eyes fell to the floor as the taller woman leaned forward to kiss her forehead. She suddenly felt diminutive and many years younger. Salt flooded her memories as she remembered the time her father had kissed her forehead after scolding her, just to remind her that he still loved her and was only doing what he knew to be best for her. Something deep in her soul shuddered at the linking she made between the two, but another found a faint form of comfort in it. Annalisa did promise not to hurt her again so long as she behaved a certain way... Obedience could not be as bad as what she had just endured.

"Yes, mistress..." Edreina whispered, inclining her head once. She took the woman's hand and followed quickly, walking with the odd, uneven gait of one who was favoring one leg. The branding and the damage to her toes had thankfully been inflicted upon the same side, so she had one leg that did not pain her as she moved through the dirty corridor.

“Right, once we leave this place I want you to head to the place where we first met. Down on the rocky shore near the Harbor, I trust you remember it. There are no ships in and the Testing Grounds are not exactly the most hospitable of places so in case you are thinking of running…”

The Svefra curled faintly in on herself and whimpered as her hand screamed and protested and continued to throb long after the wizard ceased to apply pressure. Blue eyes rose, frantically to meet steely gray ones, assuring her that she would do only as instructed.

“I’m putting a good deal of trust in you that you have learned your lesson, 1A. Don’t make me regret that. I need to return to my room to gather a few items.”

For a tick, Edreina stood there motionless, swaying faintly on her good leg. It took a tick, but eventually she remembered the way back to the Ocean, as if she really needed it. Deep within her soul, something tugged and pulled at her, telling her where the deep blue waters were. Her deep blue dancing Gnosis now lay in plain display over her lower back, just below the unfinished black wings dominating her honey toned, freckled back. Those and the braid tattoo across her stomach seemed to be faded due to the sheer amount of filth covering her body.

When the docks came into sight, Edreina's heart dropped only half of what she had expected it to. No ship lay in the stony harbor, no Myrian waiting to rescue her and steal her away from this nightmare. Only the open sea lay before her. All the water in Laviku's domain could not fill the hole in her chest.

She was alone.

At a slower pace than before, the Svefra limped over the stony shore to the place where she had first met her fate. In the water lay the flattened stone, a testament to the sorceress's powers. Wincing as the motion stretched and pulled at her thigh, Edreina moved to sit cross legged upon the rough stone. Her face was to the ocean simply because seeing it and knowing all she could never again do upon it was less painful than looking behind and seeing the stone against which Razkar had leaned and watched her spar Annalisa. Out here, in the light of Syna and the smell of brine and the sound of the water and wind, she could almost pretend he was near.

She could almost pretend that the wind was the brush of his fingers, moving her filthy hair from her face. Edreina could nearly see the pained look on his face, seeing her like this. The rushing tide was the air that left his nose whenever she did something foolish, the resigned sigh that came when he realized he could not stop the free spirited young woman that once was. The warmth on her skin were his arms around her, protecting her, assuring her that everything would be okay. Edreina could almost see the silver lining to this thunderstorm when he was in her mind. Almost.

How long had it taken for him to give up on her? Had he done it on his own, or been forced to do so? What did he think happened to her?

All would be unanswered, she knew somewhere deep down. Her chest heaved with the force of a sob, and Edreina pressed her face against her palms, hoping to damn the tears, only to find her eyes dry. One woman could only handle so much in a single day, and Edreina had been dealt enough for a lifetime.

It was strange, really. Her whole life, Edreina had held pride in her ability to look past any misfortune and find the bright side of it. Nothing phased her; water rolled off of a sea bird's back. But, she had never known true suffering. The Svefra's life had been easy and happy and so much better than many others. Two parents loved her, an entire pod supported her and siblings to play with. She had found love, and been able to keep him when odds were against them. But a life time of tuning herself to see only light had not prepared her for utter darkness. Blind and terrified of the shadows her mind conjured, Edreina could not face her fate without balking, without floundering and finding herself falling to fear. Yahal gave her strength, but she lacked the experience to take this situation as anything other than dire. Things could have been worse, but she did not wish to think of things more awful that what she already faced.

Naivety was her true enemy.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna’s steps led her out of the Citadel through the Vestibule, her mind perusing a few idly Glyphing combinations and Voiding applications. The tall woman strode past the broken down TAR, arriving to the long stairs that led out the main gate of the Citadel and into the world beyond. Syna’s rays shone upon the land around her as Anna made her way down the ancient step, back slung over her shoulder and cloak wrapped around her arm. Grey eyes gazed around as her feet finally hit the dirt path leading out of the Citadel proper and towards the harbor.

The Harbor was empty today; though it was hardly her end destination as her gaze found the path she had taken on that fateful day when she had met the red head. A flare of indignation shot through her as she remembered Edreina handling her with ease, a smirk creasing her lips as she knew it was her handling the other woman now. The woman simply walked along her path, her eyes searching all around for any sign of her headed slave girl. When she arrived she zeroed in upon the other woman, allowing a loud sigh to herald her entrance as her pack hit the ground.

“Ahhh… a bath should do the both of us some good, eh 1A? Can’t have you getting too filthy now can I, I’d be a poor mistress then. A beauty like yours shouldn’t be so marred.” Anna said, smirking lightly at Edreina and her voice carrying its normal smooth honey.

This accomplished Anna sized up a good wide space of ground away from the shoreline itself, her mind separating it into a circle ten feet in diameter and about 4-5 feet deep. That sounded like it would be serviceable for their needs here today, well within the abilities of a master like herself. Anna rolled her shoulders and sighed a bit as she prepared for a bit of casting today in regards to reimancy, the control of the elements being useful for little tasks like this.

The tall woman focused upon the pool of her Djed, reaching deep within herself and tugging at that tapestry that made up her very being. She willed her Djed to push outwards from her flesh, to seep out from her pores and be brought about in the natural world. Translucent purple liquid started to bleed out from her arms and legs and drip down from her body onto the ground, slithering outwards towards the spot she was focusing upon. The substance seemed to seep into the ground itself, more and more being generated from Anna as she filled this space as needed and her mind filling with a haze of pleasure.

The dark haired woman made a waving gesture of her hand, willing the stone to directly transmute to air and so it did. A gentle breeze puffed outwards as the ground that had once been where the res was transmuted directly to air, vanishing and leaving a hole. The sorceress coated the walls and floor of this pit with her purple res, fusing it into the stone before willing it to condense and harden. The res then formed smooth purple stone rather like Edreina’s earthen shackles, making the bath made of reimancy look a bit more civilized.

Anna moaned lightly as she drew yet more res to fill the tub itself, a throb starting to fill her mind as heat pulsated from her body. Pleasure lit her senses on fire as she worked the weaves of complex casting and generated much res to fill this construct, though it was still well within her abilities. Once the res filled the bath she willed a direct transmutation to water, the res shimmering and changing color to a clear quality as the pure water came into existence at the sorceress’ direction.

Now came the finishing touch as Anna gathered four spheres of res in the air before her, shaping them into layers. The middle layer she willed to condense and transmute directly to stone, while the outer layer she agitated and willed to combust into brilliant purple flames. The innermost layer was kept as res in order to keep control over the casting, the haze growing slightly by this smaller casting. Anna would hover the stones over the water for a bit, waiting for them to heat up due to the flames before slowly lowering them into the water. Steam rose and the flames hissed as the water extinguished them, the rocks and flames heating the water by degrees.

Anna would hold the stones beneath the water for a few chimes, concentrating and noting heat starting to visibly rise from the water itself and thus the sorceress would remove the stones from the water. With a casual flick of her wrist they were sent flying off into the waves beyond, leaving both Anna and Edreina with a nice warm bath to enjoy. Anna felt rather tired for the casting and a buzz of pleasure still hazed over her mind, the urge whispering sweetly into her skull to draw more res from her body. The sorceress resisted the urge and instead walked over to her pack.

The soap was produced quickly enough and tossed to Edreina casually, the tall woman already starting to slip out of her clothes and place them off to the side on a nearby rock. She unbound her long dark hair to let it fall freely about her head and then smirked at her slave, nodding towards the warm water. It had been a fun little casting session, all the more worth it to be able to partake in an actual bath with a bit of grooming to boot. She stood naked fully and without much shame, stretching idly and smirking at Edreina.

“Go ahead and hop on in, 1A. Clean yourself up as much as you can, then once you are finished you can turn your attention to washing my body. Don’t be too shy about where you wash, in fact I want you to wash every inch. Just standing near those walking corpses all day is enough to warrant it. Also there is a razor, a comb, and a brush inside the pack so utilize those if you desire. Make yourself look pretty. Well, more pretty.” Anna offered with a wink as she settled herself into the warm water.

An audible groan of bliss escaped her lips as the warmth enveloped her body, shivers coursing down her spine as any chill of the air was dispelled. She leaned back on one side of the bath and ducked her head under the water for a moment to soak it up, coming back up with a light laugh. That felt glorious, wonderful really in most every possible way. Most pulsers had to make due with streams or small pools, but not Anna, a master of the four elements should be able to use those powers to relax and unwind a bit. This done her grey eyes would open to trail over her slave’s form, planning on enjoying the show with that arrogant smirk of hers on full display.

[Edreina]

“Ahhh… a bath should do the both of us some good, eh 1A? Can’t have you getting too filthy now can I, I’d be a poor mistress then. A beauty like yours shouldn’t be so marred.”

Edreina laughed once and it was entirely devoid of humor, shaking her head so that her filthy hair swayed lazily. Shouldn't be so marred? And what did you do only chimes ago, Mistress...? With that out of the way, she continued to sit, staring out at the ocean as the reimancer went about preparing a bath. Edreina did not even want to watch such a display of power, even to learn from it, for she did not feel like being reminded of just how helpless she was. It was a strange, new feeling. It was as if the world around her had grown so much larger in the span of a day. Earlier she had felt close to her god and a future, strong enough to face anything Annalisa threw at her. But, in a matter of bells, she was alone again and so very powerless over her own future.

Rocks sailed over Edreina's head and crashed into the water, snapping her from a spiral. It was obvious that Annalisa had not been intending to throw them at her, so curiosity peeked from beneath the deck and Edreina turned to see what it was the wizard was doing. It did not surprise her to see the woman nude. It also did not interest her, anymore. Once she had thought the thin, dark-haired woman to be beautiful. Now, she saw only the vicious line of her shoulders, the sinister angle of her hips. The woman was still physically attractive but only as beautiful as a gladius held by a Myrian; she was a weapon of pain and destruction.

“Go ahead and hop on in, 1A. Clean yourself up as much as you can, then once you are finished you can turn your attention to washing my body. Don’t be too shy about where you wash, in fact I want you to wash every inch. Just standing near those walking corpses all day is enough to warrant it. Also there is a razor, a comb, and a brush inside the pack so utilize those if you desire. Make yourself look pretty. Well, more pretty.”

The compliment was lost on Edreina as she stood and walked over to the edge of the bath - As if she would have had to have watched Annalisa to be stunned and humbled by her power! Slowly, she sat on the edge and crossed her ankles beneath the water, doing her best to keep from sighing as hot water soothed her soles.

The comb was first. It moved swiftly and ruthlessly through Edreina's hair, destroying knots and tangles and forcing each of the burnished strands to move more freely. It took several chimes and, by the end, Edreina looked more ruffled and unruly than she had before. In a single, swift, practiced motion, Edreina pushed off of the edge and disappeared beneath the surface of the water.

Bubbles rose slowly from her lips as she emptied her lungs and sank to the bottom, rolling onto her back with her legs and arms stretching out comfortably. The brand on her leg seemed to object to the heat, screaming out its frustrations in her mind. Blue eyes flashed open and danced dimly in the refracted light. If she tried hard enough, she could imagine that the water above was the water around Syliras, or Zeltiva... Sunberth's was too dirty. Any minute now, Razkar would flail into the water after her, and she would chase him from beneath the water while he scrambled and did his best to kick the water into submission. A bit more thought and the pain her leg and foot would fade until she could almost pretend they were sparring injuries.

Her lungs began to convulse in her chest from lack of air, but she fought it, holding onto the daydream like the last little crumbs of a grand meal. When finally she gave in and surfaced, another organ in her heart was fluttering and trembling painfully. Whatever look Annalisa was surely giving her for staying under for so long was ignored as she strode over to the side and moved the comb through her wet locks once again.

Top to bottom, she had always been taught. Her hair faced the soap, first and had to be done twice before she was satisfied. Next came her arms. She ran over them with the soap, then her finger nails, the water and her knuckles, then the soap once more. Reluctantly leaving the warmth of the water, she hopped onto the side and set about scrubbing the rest of her body. Without looking up at Annalisa, still, she cleaned between her legs quickly and efficiently, moving back into the pool when her toes were cleaner than before as well.

"Your turn, Mistress." There was no warmth in Edreina's tone, but no ice, either. Simple little words betrayed the depth of her fracture. She had lost her passion for life to the heat of the iron. What was the point in trying to defy Annalisa to any extent when it was so easy for her life to be stripped away bit by bit. Her god had promised her freedom, but not provided it. If she hoped to be free and go on with her life, she would have to survive. Survival meant that she had do her best to keep from giving Annalisa any reason to rob her of her life or, worse she had learned, give her away to be tortured and tested upon. A lifetime of seeing silver lining had not prepared her for the bowls of a thunderstorm; lightning could strike at any moment.

A pale, slender digit twirled in the air, signalling for Annalisa to turn about. If she did, Edreina would be able to go about washing the taller woman's hair with a bit more ease, taking the same care with her ebony locks as she had her own. Faint fingers trailed over the woman's throat and were, in a tick, wrapped about it ever so lightly while the other hand continued to work through each strand of hair. The last of Edreina's defiance was showing itself subliminally as she gathered forth an ounce of her Djed, scraping power off of the top of herself so that the sensation channeled through her palm into the woman's neck was faint, but present. Instead of applying pressure, she sent the barest trill of fear dancing through the wizard's subconscious. She hoped that the woman would be reminded of the time it had been her foot, not her hand on her throat. The instant she allowed the magic to fade, she moved her hand and whispered, "Just keeping your head still, Mistress."

You have the power to do so much more... Something deep in Edreina whispered, bringing the golden glow of her Djed to mind in the most tantalizing manner. An image of breaking Annalisa's mind and robbing her of her own hope without laying even a finger upon her flashed through the redhead's mind. But, she pushed it away. There was no guarantee she could succeed and, if she failed, she doubted the slender woman whose shoulders she scrubbed would take kindly to having her mind muddled with. Those that did it to others rarely appreciated the favor being returned, in her experience.

Taking a deep breath, Edreina ducked beneath the surface of the water to continue her work. On one breath she did her chest, paying no mind to the gentle swells there as she continued. The second breath saw her stomach and back cleaned. On the third, she ducked to do the left leg, and then the right on the fourth. Finally, on the fifth, she moved to the bottom of the pool, hooked Annalisa's leg over her shoulder and cleaned her more intimately. With that, she moved across the pool rather slowly before surfacing again. "What now, Mistress?" It was then that Edreina realized she was not broken, not entirely, only doing what she had to in order to survive. Submission in the name of survival, it seemed.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna smirked as Edreina quickly went to work grooming herself, her method rather vicious but considering how filthy she was the sorceress didn’t blame her. Grey eyes trailed over her as she worked her own body, amusement playing in her gaze before her eyes then moved up as she simply relaxed. The sky was rather clear today and the air was nice and warm, the sound of the crashing waves nearby was soothing and beautiful. It almost made her desire to meditate but instead she simply leaned back and sighed, allowing herself to pretend for just these few moments that she was not actually here.

The sorceress didn’t exactly possess a remarkable capacity for self-delusion, however she thought of places far away where she could just be away from Sahova. Away from the horrors that haunted her dreams, from the other wizards that sought to leave a knife in her back, and away from needing to use magic itself. Surprising as it was Anna had gained perspective upon the price of magic, perspective that had embittered her towards the very art she practiced. It was a drug really, magic, it made one feel so very powerful for manipulating the natural world and make it bend to ones whims.

The dark haired woman imagined she was in some bathhouse, surrounded by beautiful women and was in fact some higher class lady. Far away from this place, a place where she could be pleased and happy and just forget everything she had experienced here. It was a wonderful fantasy that was exactly that, a fantasy, an illusion she crafted for herself as a form of escape. It wasn’t real and honestly it could probably never be real. She could never forget Sahova, never forget the nightmares and the terrors and the number of times she had either taken life or failed to save it.

Anna returned to the world with a trace of melancholy as Edreina moved across the bath and started washing her hair, drawing a sigh from the sorceress. The words had possessed a bit of hollowness to them, not exactly bothering the sorceress though it didn’t bring a smile to her own lips. This was what she needed to be, to do to others in order to exist upon Sahova. She needed to be feared, to be hated, to be that shadow other wizards feared seeing out of the corner of their eyes. On Sahova there could be no other alternative, Rhysol’s dominion was to expand to the island per Anna’s oath. To do that she had to make sacrifices.

Edreina’s fingers trailed over her throat and in the haze of enjoyment at this act a strange thrill of something approaching fear came unbidden to the sorceress’ mind. At this point she merely brushed the odd emotion aside, thinking it perhaps an irrational emotion that perhaps Edreina could harm her. She had nothing to fear here, she was the one in control and she very much intended to stay that way. The little incident was insignificant thus the suspicion that the woman touching her was the same as that man who had so violated her never entered her thoughts.

Finally the red head started on the rest of her body, through it all Anna merely allowed Edreina to do her work and didn’t speak or lay a finger on her. The sorceress merely allowed her to work, figuring that since she had given her slave a job it was best to just let her do that job. True to the command the Svefra worked on every inch of her body, intimate or not and for her part the sorceress felt a slight amount of approval go through her thoughts. The woman was far better when she was a bit more submissive and obedient.

As to the Svefra’s question Anna shrugged slightly and leaned back again, her grey eyes locking upon the other woman as she pondered. The red head knew a bit of reimancy, a pitiful amount all told but enough that Anna pondered teaching her something. Teaching slaves magic seemed a poor idea, but the sorceress was pondering if her abilities couldn’t be made to service her in ways beyond those of chains. Edreina had the same potential Anna herself had possessed, which meant it might avail her to foster it to some degree.

“Next? Next I want you to draw your res as you mentioned no knowing what attraction was. Your instructor was clearly either a fool, a manipulative bastard you, or a foolish manipulative bastard. My Miza are on the latter since you are a woefully pathetic reimancer.” Anna said, her tone casual as she inspected her nails.

“Now listen carefully because I won’t repeat myself, when you draw your res I want you to use a phrase, any phrase in order to help you keep focus. I noted that when I first saw you utilize reimancy you used neither gestures or incantations. Either of these assists in keeping focus when using magic, the fact you used neither is another detractor from your effectiveness in casting.” Anna explained, dipping her hand into the bath and cupping her hand so that a small amount of water was in it.

“Once you draw your res move it across the bath to my hand here, focus upon making your res attractive. Focus upon drawing the water towards your res, to enforce control on the natural elements.” Anna instructed, holding out her hand a bit and simply staring at Edreina as she then waited for the slave to make her move.

[Edreina]

“Next? Next I want you to draw your res as you mentioned no knowing what attraction was. Your instructor was clearly either a fool, a manipulative bastard, or a foolish manipulative bastard. My Miza are on the latter since you are a woefully pathetic reimancer.”

Manipulative was a word Edreina definitely considered to be a description of Ignotus Everto. Foolish? Not so much. He was a Nuit and, from her brief experience on this Island and the way Annalisa spoke, they did not function as normal humans did. Edreina could imagine that their thought processes moved much more slowly - unhurried by time as they were - and Ignotus had seen fit only to teach her the first part of Reimancy until she better understood the art. But, once again, perhaps she was thinking too much of someone she barely knew...

Gestures? Incantations? What did these have to do with magic? And wasn't it a mage's job to be discreet? Someone would surely notice if she started running around, waving her arms and speaking in Tongues. But, then again, Annalisa had been at this far longer than she had. Despite her more unsavory qualities, Edreina could not deny that the woman was a far better wizard than she would be for many years to come.

With a deep breath, Edreina closed her eyes and searched her mind for words powerful enough to center her while still giving her soul power enough to bring forth. An incantation, in her opinion, should be something that reminded her of why she was casting. 'Razkar' was too obvious and, as she thought of it, rather pathetic. The thought of living without him by her side was terrifying, but she knew that the Myrian would not help her escape any more than Yahal would. He could be motivation, but the strength to do this had to come from within, in the end. Although she was afraid of her future, petrified by the possibility of what may come to pass in days nearing, she knew...

"I... Will... Survive..." The harsh Myrian rolled from her tongue easier than they had seasons ago. It was still growling and more guttural than her native language and even clumsy Common, but it seemed to fit her mood. A harsh language for a harsh new reality.

"I... Will survive..." She focused on the ebb and flow of energy within her body. Her throbbing leg and foot helped to keep the pattern of movement steady and truly rhythmic. It started in her heart, moved through her body, down her leg, into her foot, and then back up.

"I will survive..." Ever so slowly, she allowed her consciousness to enter the stream of Djed, feeling it wash over her psyche like the warm light of Syna. It was a clear and glittering gold, she always imagined, like the light that always seemed to surround Yahal and pervade his very voice. Gold like the color of the tips of her hair under the sun and dancing in the wind. Gold like a strange little Miza. Gold like the sound of the wind as it moved between mainmasts in the Anchorage. Gold like the taste of freshly grilled fish. Gold like the smell of the ocean on a hot, still day.

"I will survive..." Her hand started to move, then. It was raised just above the water, palm facing herself as if she was trying to read a note written upon it. Wrist, knuckle, finger, tip. A wave of motion went through Edreina's hand, then, slow and steady as the beating of her heart. Now that she was immersed in her Djed, she had a greater awareness of it. Slowly she started to push it through her body, displacing it as easily as if it were a net of fish and she a grand ship.

"I will survive..." The Svefra forced her Djed into her hand and, with each motion of her fingers, it started to slip from her pores, taking the form of a wispy mist about her hand. Though she could not see it, she could feel it as truly as a fish could feel its fins. Once she had pulled forth all she dare and a small cloud of it moved with her fingers, rising and falling in a horizontal wave, she ceased to push it towards her hand. Her lips parted unconsciously at the faint rush of pleasure drawing Res gave her.

Blue eyes opened, determination filling the void her defiance had left. It was not so bad, she would realize, when she was given a task. "I will survive..." Like taking a step forward, she pushed her Res forwards slowly, feeling it as she did, becoming familiar with how it moved.

After about a length as great as her height, there was a sensation in Edreina's soul like reaching for something too high and having her arm strain ineffectually. Gritting her teeth and pressing her lips into a firm line, she forced the magic forward a hair further. Something strange happened, then. The front edge of the stream of her Res glittered and faded into nothingness. Perhaps... Perhaps she could not reach very far, yet.

Flushing slightly, her eyebrows dented her forehead and she took a step forward, pulling her Res fractionally closer so that no more would disappear. Her hand formed a flat claw, then palm out and fingers curled tightly as she held it. Though she would not admit it, the small gesture helped her maintain her focus ever so slightly.

"I. Will. Survive..." With each of the three words, she took a small step forward - limping on her right leg - until finally her Res was above Annalisa's hands.

"I will survive..." With all she had, she pictured the water rising from the wizard's hand and meeting her golden Res. The clear liquid wavered, but did not budge.

Frustrated, Edreina's face crumpled with renewed focus and her hand started to make a gentle swirling motion as she focused less on holding it in place and more upon it doing her bidding. Her fingers were loose and pointed towards Syna as her wrist rotated slowly. "I will survive..." The cloud of Res then began to turn slowly as she imagined it was a whirlpool, pulling the water from Annalisa's hand into the air. A tick passed as she cemented the image in her mind.

Faster than she had expected, the water rose in a slender line to mingle haphazardly with her Res until it was saturated. The shock of it caused the young captive's concentration to falter for an instant and a layer of the Res to slough off with a splash as water went with it. "I will survive..." Freckled fingers made a tight fist, forcing it to stay in place. "What now?" Dancing blue eyes met stormy gray again as Edreina sought instruction, silently reveling in the task assigned.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna watched and listened, noting how Edreina worked the weaves of her own Djed and frowned ever deeply as she noted the sheer amount of effort just generating res took. The dark haired woman had reached the stage where res generation was near effortless, as easy as breathing or blinking. It was inexcusable for someone like Edreina to be walking around without instruction; she needed a proper guide to assist her through this. Since she was her slave the sorceress figured that responsibility then fell upon her, a sigh escaping her lips silently as the novice concentrated on the act of pulling the res from her body.

The incantations were spoken in a tongue unknown to Anna, it was rough and guttural but was repeated in much the same fashion. The words sounded harsh and almost violent, a contrast to the ancient sounding tongue of the proto humans. Most of Anna's incantations were in the Ancient Tongue, figuring it rather appropriate since it was the de facto language for wizards. Perhaps Edreina could be better served by learning it, however the sorceress merely pushed the thoughts aside and watched the slave's efforts.

Golden res rose up from the other woman, a small amount and with the way her face scrunched up in concentration Anna could tell she was trying her hardest. The res reached out to her but as it drew closer slowly the tall woman noted it reached the end of the red head’s zone of control. Anna shook her head slightly and watched her slave limp a little closer, trying to extend the control to just a little bit further. The sorceress smirked then as the red head focused upon willing the water up, a steam of it rising from the tall woman’s finger.

Her pleasure at her students success was replaced by annoyance as the golden res and water dripped on her fingers, the slave’s concentration having wavered. Anna placed her hand beneath the water and washed it, narrowing her eyes slightly at Edreina. When she spoke next her voice cracked like a whip, the tone of an experienced instructor in the ways of magic. Sometimes she felt like the professor again rather than the Sahovan Wizard she was now, the instructor of students at the University.

“Concentrate, 1A! Don’t waste your breath or focus on asking for instruction, keep to your incantations! When I see you have finished the task I will tell you what is next.” Anna growled, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

“Hmm… your control is sloppy. It needs work. Reimancy requires extensive mental discipline and control, as well as the confidence to believe you can use the magic. If you don’t believe in yourself and your own abilities, then you will defeat yourself before you even begin to cast. Do not think you can control your own magic; know that you can control it.” Anna instructed.

The tall woman paced around the res Edreina had used in attraction, her eyes flickering over the substance and the attracted water. She was judging her slave’s abilities and right now she was not pleased with what she was finding, that the other woman was extremely poor. The control was shaky and Anna had no doubt it required the woman’s full concentration, it could likely only accomplish simple tasks so perhaps it was time to test her abilities to handle disruption. Yes, that sounded like a fine idea to enforce that control was the key to success in any given situation.

“Your next task 1A is to place your res under the water of the bath; then you will enforce attraction upon it and start to draw it around in a small circle. Move it closer to you, your zone of control is tiny at the moment. The further away from your body it is, the less control you will have over it.” Anna commanded, moving across the bath to stand right next to Edreina.

She wouldn’t touch the other woman, didn’t bring herself too close for comfort but instead simply stood beside her with her arms folded and her eyes watching. The red head herself was seemingly of no consequence to the sorceress, only the briefest of glances being spared to her to look for signs if Edreina was reaching her limits or not. Other than that the grey eyes were fixed upon the golden res, looking for the control and how powerful it could be.

[Edreina]

“Hmm… your control is sloppy. It needs work. Reimancy requires extensive mental discipline and control, as well as the confidence to believe you can use the magic. If you don’t believe in yourself and your own abilities, then you will defeat yourself before you even begin to cast. Do not think you can control your own magic; know that you can control it.”

Frowning slightly, Edreina nodded once sharply in acknowledgement of the wizard's criticism. It was not unexpected, nor was it unwelcome. This challenge was keeping her from allowing hr mind to empty and her soul to wither within her breast. Each challenge was a breath that sustained her inner flame for a short while, allowing her to continue on though it was but a shadow of who she once had been. This shadow, at least, had her shape and her heart and her mind to be challenged if not her willpower nor her defiant nature.

The Svefra's fists remained still as she focused upon holding her Res in place. Blue eyes remained locked upon it as it moved faintly within the space she confined it to. Little wisps of golden res and flickering water would whirl and spin about the surface slowly, tendrils slipping away gently and then returning, as if testing the world around them. It was so beautiful that, for a moment, Edreina had trouble resisting the urge to bring more beauty into this world from within herself.

Magic is more addicting than any substance found in any plant... You'll do well to remember that, if nothing else I teach you... The words echoed in Ignotus's sonorous, drawling voice within her mind. He had not been the best teacher, but the few lessons he imparted had been well taught. The image of the mad bird-man in her mind's eye was enough to silence the tempting whispers in her mind.

“Your next task 1A is to place your res under the water of the bath; then you will enforce attraction upon it and start to draw it around in a small circle. Move it closer to you, your zone of control is tiny at the moment. The further away from your body it is, the less control you will have over it.”

Nodding, Edreina turned her fist so that the palm side was facing Syna and pulled it towards herself, the Res moving instinctively with it. Without a physical representation of her connection to the Res, it truly was easier to think of it in terms of her hand. She then slowly turned her fist over again, pushing it beneath the glassy surface of the water. It moved without even a ripple, unnerving the naturally waterborne creature.

Once beneath the water, she was suddenly possessed by the knowledge that she could attract far more water than she had. The only thing that had been stopping her before was her own mental qualms, her worries over what was and was not possible instead of the instinctive knowledge of such.

The Svefra started to focus on her breathing again, to level out her state of mind and regain some measure of concentration. It took a handful of ticks but, eventually, she was able to steady her mind enough that she could be fully focused on the task at hand. Literally at hand.

Her fingers uncurled and relaxed while she kept the thumb and palm in place. Ever so slowly, she started to move the Res in a circle, moving her fingers in a small circle at the same time so that there was a relation to the motion in her mind. Once it started to move, she started to attract the water to the Res as it moved. The sensation transformed to one of swimming through muddy water; Edreina could feel the water resist motion as she moved her Res and it was pulled along.

Water followed her Res like a tail, and began to make a small vortex in bath. But, it would not last. The redhead's brow furrowed as she battled faint waves of exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm her determination and her will to accomplish the task assigned. She clung to it nearly desperately, knowing that once she failed, she would be treated with disdain and that she would not have anything else to distract her from the sharp pains in her leg and the bleakness of her situation. Sweat broke across the freckled woman's brow as she continued the exercise, trembling faintly as she fought the urge to draw more Res and to maintain control of what she had.

The swirling of the water faded away as blue eyes stared, unblinking. Furrowed brows rose near the center as her breath began to heave. She could not stop. Not yet. As soon as this ended, she would be forced to... A sob rose in Edreina's chest as she reached near hysteria. Her Res was deteriorating, but she refused to acknowledge it. Instead, she moved her hand a hair more quickly, hoping Annalisa would not notice.