Master I entered the female's chamber. Roughly fifty females were sitting around the location chatting with one another. What had been a great deal of noise slowly died down as I furthered my presence in the location. At the far end of the room, I was able to find Puabi sitting beside four hundred and seventeen. Puabi was not the only one that was around this female. Each of them displays a sense of understanding of the current situation that four hundred and seventeen found herself in. The female was non-responsive, what caught my attention was the way Puabi was responding to this human born. This was more than sympathy; there was something else that I could not put my finger on. I observed how Puabi glided her hands up and down the arms of this creature. When Puabi would tire of this pattern, she would float up and down the human borns legs. Regardless, Four hundred and seventeen would not respond to Puabi's touches. I felt an emotion of anger rise inside me. I will admit that the encounter Puabi and I started with was unpleasant. I treated her unfairly! Maybe this was the reason why I was reacting this way. The human born was not responding with affection in return to Puabi's efforts. After the birth of Ashur, I slowly came to realize that I did have a strong understanding of respect for Puabi. I expected everyone who lived in my castle to show Puabi the consideration that she had earned. Lifting her head, directing her site to me, I signalled for Puabi to come and follow me. I smiled at the female who had her left ear missing. Cowering, she lowered her head to me. The females knew better not to eavesdrop on our conversation. I gave the female a toothy grin, the last female that did I cut her right ear off as punishment. As Puabi neared, the females soon moved, heading to the location where four hundred and seventeen sat, glaring at her feet. Glancing around the area, “Where is two hundred and nine? She was to be ready for me!” I reminded Puabi of the reason why I was here. Fiddling with her fingers! Puabi appeared as if she did not like the thought of telling bad news, I could understand why. I was not surprised by Puabi’s hesitation, “Let me guess …” I started to say. Clearing the back of her throat, “It is in the ice bath! I thought her temper would be gone by the time you got back. It has more fire than I thought at the beginning. If I had known it was this feisty I would have gotten Ashur rate away!” Puabi seemed distracted. I nodded my head in understanding, "is she that spirited?" Mimicking my actions, "I am afraid so!" Puabi took the chance to get her breathing under control. "I will continue with the behavioural modification ... I have to be honest, my king ... I think she is too spirited for me to deal with!" “I will send Ashur to deal with it!” I directed my attention towards four hundred and seventeen. “Do not get attached to this one, I plan on selling her. I don’t need any more girls for pleasure!” I gauge Puabi's reaction to my words. There was indeed something Puabi was not telling me. “I do not mind getting our son, but …” Puabi was fidgeting with her fingers, “Master, she is like me!” Puabi was hinting at the fact that her sexual preference was female. I gave her the look, “She?” “Forgive me Master!” Puabi lowered her head into a bow. “You can not show it any favour, I will not have her!” I kept my voice low. Puabi kept her head low, “I know Master but could I not have her until you sell Camile … I mean it!” I lifted Puabi’s chin with my fingers, “send it to Ashur to break it in, then you can have four hundred and seventeen.” I watched Puabi’s eyes widen as my words sunk in. She knew what this meant! “I …” Was all Puabi could stutter out. “You want it do you not ? I named my price for what you are wanting!” Our eyes were locked. ‘Or is there something you need to tell me Pu.a.b.i?’ I gave her one last chance to tell me the truth. Her eyes shifted back and forth thinking about what she was going to say. “I gave birth to our children, seven daughters and two sons. I have never questioned a thing, never asked for gold or gems. I was honoured to serve you. Just this once ... could you not give me one small thing for a short time!” She hissed the words low knowing that if anyone heard her she would be punished. Few can talk to me in this fashion, Puabi, Ashur and to a minor degree Sadragon. ‘And Merna!’ I thought to myself. Puabi continued, “Look over my shoulder … the child is broken!” Puabi pleaded. I could see the desperation in her eyes. Looking over my shoulder at four hundred and seventeen. She was lost to the world around her, she would be like this for a long time. “If Ashur gets a hold of her, she will be further lost!” Tears were starting to form in Puabi’s eyes, “besides setting a dwelling on your land, what has she done in her life that was so horrible. She is hard working, caring and … she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” I may have no heartfelt feelings for Puabi but she has been loyal to me and has caught more than her share of spies for me. I took my thumb and wiped a tear off her cheek. “Come to my room! I promise you this, I will not sell your pet … for now! My dear, do not get attached to her, when I need the gold, she is going on the stage for auction!”I held Puabi’s chin, glaring into her eyes. I could not see what she was hiding from me. It must mean a lot to her. The last time she did this was when she was pregnant with Zefer, fearing I would kill our unborn child. ‘Could she be pregnant again?’ I thought to myself. Puabi bowed in respect. “When do you want me in your chamber?” “Tell Jasmine that she is to get Merna ready for my sibling!” I gave Paubi a tooth smile. “See if she can get Merna to eat something while getting her ready!” “My dear master, I think this task is better suited for our middle child, Anatu! She has a way of getting the human borns to do what it is that you wish.” With a nod of agreement, “My chamber!” Puabi smiled, “as you wish!”Merna The Master took me to my chamber and told me that he would send someone soon to help me get ready for the evening event. I tried to tell him that I was more than capable of getting ready for this even on my own. Yet he would not hear a word that I was saying. The way he spoke about this situation told me a lot about his relationship with his siblings. He was not happy about it at all. I could not understand his grumbling as he left me. I paced the room after the door had been locked. Everything replays itself in my mind. The necklace was hidden under the garments. The sudden surge of energy. And the lack of communication between me and the land. Then there were the other issues: the cat-and-mouse game that seemed to be going on with the Master and myself. As much as it was amusing I had to keep my head in the game and my sight not on what was hidden behind his cloak. Sex is sex, it is a way to relieve stress, and there is no commitment at all. When it comes to the Master, my mind has gone to the gutter more times than I care to admit. ‘No different from the Master!’ I snorted as I thought to myself. Next issue, his siblings are going to try to feed me! I want my freedom, it is my final goal, and how I get there depends on each action I take. I started to pace the area faster to the point I was starting to get dizzy. Stopping the pacing, “What the hell am I going to do?” I spoke out loud. My hand went to the charm that was around my neck. I had made sure to keep it tucked under the cloth so no one could see it. I thought briefly about the lack of communication between the land and myself. “The Master’s wards could be preventing me from speaking to the land?” I spoke out loud about another possibility. Speaking to the land was one of my first talents as a child I had learned. It didn’t matter what realm I was at, I could hear or see pictures in my mind. Not being able to do this bothered me more than I had realized. My mind was starting to race with several thoughts, jumping from one problem to a different problem. Not one issue was I able to focus on and come to a solution. Pacing around the room, the crackling of the fireplace was my only source of light. I tried to slow down my thoughts, ‘There had to be a crack in the laws that I did not know about.’ My vision started to blur, ‘I need to sit down!’ Once I had been sitting on the fur blankets my sight was fully gone. Darkness was my companion for the time being. I used my hearing to be my sight. ‘You are not alone!’ It was but a whisper but it was a voice I was familiar with. The entity has been with me since I can remember. I closed my mind off to everything and focused solely on the voice.‘My dear precious …, do not eat … of the … only … I provide. … not expect … and … of … do not make any … with … my brothers or sisters.’ The message was distant and broken up. With the information that I could hear I was able to understand what I was being warned about. ‘I … always … to protect … as long … do as … say!’ I held onto the charm as my vision started to clear up. Knowing fully well now who gave me this charm, mother! I sat there for a while thankful that she knew where I was. This was the advantage that I needed. The only ace up my sleeve that I am sure that even the Master here did not know about. My creator may show up here and there, though when I have screwed up as badly as I have now, she has always aided me out of sticky situations like this. I lay on my back fiddling with the pendant emptying my mind of all worries and fears. I knew in the end I would have my freedom, it was just timing. I always get what I work for. After a while the door to my chamber opened and a female walked in. “You must be the one that father wants me to prepare for this evening's event!” She glared at me up and down as I stood up. “My name is Merna!” I announced to her. She snorted at me, “all human-bones are weak. Once my father gets what he is wanting, you will join the ranks with the others.” Her words were cold with a bitter frost to add to it. ‘Half eternal the other part was fae with a few drops of other species in the bloodline!’ I studied this female even more. She was naturally gifted. ‘What are her dominant skills?’ My eyes did not leave hers, ‘mind control … moving objects from one place to the other … natural gift to ward off spells that are directed to her personally!’ I smiled sweetly at her, “so you say!” There was no question who her father was, she had more of the Master's characteristics, her eyes, energy, and mouth but her fae features would be from her mother, her frame ears and lips. In every sense, she had the perfect combination. ‘Anatu!’ Was the name I heard being said in my ear. She gave me the one over and scowled down at me. I didn’t need her to say anything to know she was not pleased that I was here. More than anything she didn’t want to be here and that was the cause of her rise in attitude. Our eyes were locked, and neither one was willing to break eye contact. I smiled sweetly, ‘I am not like the others!’ I bit down on my tongue knowing that if I was going to survive this evening I needed to play a role I hated the most, acting stupid. “Well I am not getting ready while we stand here having a stare down, so let’s get going then!” I said as I motioned towards the door for us to leave. Anatu clicked her tongue, “obviously!” She pivoted.I felt a spark in my hand as I clenched my fist, ‘shit not now!’ She snarled at me one last time, “follow me!” “Lead the way Anatu!” I strolled over to her. “Lower your head, it!” She tried to force my head down. I smiled when she realized she could not force my head downwards. “I bow to no man or woman, you have no power over me!” We had full eye contact. My demeanour scared her, though she would not allow it to show. “Follow me!” Anatu snarled at me. ‘Round one … One for me, zero for Anatu!’ I started to keep count in my mind. I was strolling a few feet behind her when I felt it again, the spark of energy, this time it was both hands. ‘Shit not again! I need to get my emotions in check!’ I started to feel my heart pounding in my chest. ‘She is just rubbing me the wrong way!’ I acknowledged the cause of my irritation. Anatu opened the door to the bathing room, “we need to get you ready for my father for his approval.” Her pace had picked up as she snapped her finger. I picked up the energy of three female serfs before I saw them. They had tried to take off the garments I was wearing. Without hesitation, I told them I would do this task myself. “You are wasting my time, IT!” Anatu raised her tone of voice at me. I smiled as I started to lift the dress over my head and dropped it to the ground repeating myself for the white undergarment. “The more you try to have a conversation with me the longer things will take. And I clued into one thing, your father does not like it when I am not on time.” I tilted my head to the side with my hands on my hip, “this time I will stand like a statue if you try to come near me! You will not have fun explaining that one to your father!” Anatu wrinkled her nose! ‘Pathetic human born!’ I heard her think. I was going to say something but decided that things would move faster if I just bathed myself. While I was in the water I unbind my hair, ducking under the water I could feel a hand on my head pushing and holding me down. In my mind I pictured myself grasping a hold of her wrist and pulling her into the water. If given the choice to fight or flight, I will always choose to fight. I grasped her wrist while my head was still under the water. A spark of energy went from my hand to her. It was Anatu who tried to get away from me. Holding her wrist I brought my head back out of the water, while holding her hand. I could feel the energy bubbling up to the surface of my skin, turning I released her wrist. She was backing away as I brought my body out of the water, “never touch me!” I hissed at her.I was not sure who was more surprised, myself or Anatu. Water was dripping from my body as I slowly strolled over to the visibly shocked Anatu, “NEVER touch me again! No one touches me without my permission!” I screamed at her. This was out of character for me, it was my thoughts, my words, my voice but something had changed in me. The darkness that I had buried deep down inside of me was coming out. All because Anatu was irritating me. ‘I have been irritated before and this has never happened, why now?’ I thought to myself. Slowly I did my breathing exercises to bring my temper back to normal. Taking a step backwards, I glanced at the girl who was holding a towel. I walked over to her and took it from her. While I was drying my body, I could hear Anatu sending a message to her father. ‘Father you told me that it was a human hybrid … you need to get here once you are finished with mother!’ I could hear the confusion in the tone Anatu had spoken to her father. ‘What the hell is wrong with me?’ I could feel my self-control slipping. ‘Conceal, don’t feel, let no one in!’ I spoke my mantra several times to calm me down so I had control. I glanced at the girl who was holding a white silk garment. “Is that white garment what I am expected to wear?” “Yes!” Anatu’s voice was stern. I took my eyes off the serf and glared daggers at Anatu. ‘It is her demeanour that is bothering me.’ I took a couple of deep breaths calming myself down before I exploded. Bringing my attention back to the female serf, I took the garment from her. Placing the garment over my head, I allowed my mind to fasten up the back. While I was doing this I kept my eye on Anatu. A corset was provided, again I used my mind to fasten up the garment. Adjusting my breast with my hands I allowed my mind to smooth out the garment so that there were no wrinkles. A male entered the bathing room holding a plate of food, placing it on the vanity table he bowed to Anatu and lifted it as quickly as he entered. A nasty grin was placed on Anatu’s face, “you will eat!” Anatu’s energy was being pushed onto me. The charm hummed, letting me know Anatu was the one who was trying to command me, bending me to her will. Internally I was laughing my arse off, “I told your father no! And I will say the same to you!” I kept my expression flat and emotionless. “EAT!” Anatu was starting to lose control.I grabbed the silk gown, I could feel my energy was starting to go back to the way I like it. Hibernate in the pit of my belly. Playing stupid was the worst plan I could have come up with, there is going to be no way I will be able to pull that off. Friggin I failed drama class! Who fails drama class … me apparently! Plan B is in action now! I did not have to say a thing. The fact I was not walking over to the plate and eating was enough for her to be fuming. “I order you to eat!” Anatu stomped her foot on the floor. I blinked my eyes three times, ‘That would take away the free will aspect, breaking the law of natural order.’ I thought to myself and continued to glare at Anatu. I turned my attention to the three females, each of them held up a forest green dress, each different, all of them gorgeous in their way. I motioned with my hand, “I take it the Master would like me to choose one of those dresses to wear?” Anatu strolled over to the first female to the left, “Of course!” Anatu said with her arms crossed in front of her, her head wiggled back and forth with attitude. I cleared my throat and decided not to say a thing in response to her attitude. As I ran my hand over each dress I could hear Anatu muttering words in a different language. I was not sure if she was aware, but I was, each girl had their head lowered with a grin on their face. This was more than enough for me to realize that Anatu was not used to having anyone define them. ‘Something she has in common with her father!’ I thought to myself as I smiled with this newfound knowledge. I walked from one dress to the next admiring each one of them. “I will only consume what the land naturally provides for all creatures big or small.” “The land is owned by my father, the land does not provide anything that he does not own.” Anatu pointed out her truth. I did not turn my head, I glared at the third dress, “Does your father tend to the waters that run in the rivers, lakes, streams, seas, oceans? Did your father create the lands on which we stand on? Did your father own the seeds that produced the landscape here?” I kept my tone just above a whisper yet clear enough for her to hear each word I spoke. I took the dress from the girl, “I favour this one, it is elegant yet simple!” My back was still to Anatu when I felt a new energy in the room, ‘he is here!’ “I will help you!” The girl told me.I took a step backwards with the dress in my hands, “no one touches me without my permission.” “As you wish!” The girl lowered her head and was back to her ordered position. I kept my back to Anatu, ‘conceal, don’t feel, let no one in!’ I could feel Anatu trying to dig around in my mind. I built up a barrier around my mind to keep others out. The only one that seemed to break the walls down was the Master. I pictured in my mind energy drifting from my fingers, taking hold of the material and slipping the garment over my head. I blinked once and realized what I had pictured in my mind was happening. ‘Conceal, don’t feel, let no one in!’ I breathed in and out a few times as I got my heart to stop pounding in my heart. I turned and faced both the Master and Anatu. “See what I was telling you about!” Anatu was giving her father the puppy dog eyes that said, ‘See she was mean to me Daddy!’ The Master strolled over to me without making a sound, “yes!” He held on to the s for a couple of seconds. The Master was about to touch my face when I backed up. Grasping my upper arm he pulled me closer to him, placing two fingers under my chin, he directed my face upwards. “Rare indeed!” He turned to look at Anatu, “finish with Merna! I have a few things that I need to do.” 'What was that all about?' I thought to myself. Again I tried to tell him that I was capable of tending to myself, like the last time, he would not listen to me. He was about to turn away from me when my charm started to humm with energy. Turning back towards me he lifted the charm, “interesting!” I was expecting to see the Master walk out of the room, nope that is not what he did. My mouth was gaping wide open as he disappeared from my sight. At the same time, Anatu and I huffed out in frustration. My back was turned to the three females when one of them spoke up, “would the lady consort like us to do her hair?” Anatu roared, “did anyone ask you to speak?” Her question was followed by Anatu getting ready to strike the girl across the face. I froze Anatu in mid-action, “the female asked me a simple question!” I positioned myself between the serf and Anatu. Again we were in a lockdown of eye contact, “keep your hands off of her. A simple question does not deserve to be punished.” It was at this moment I got a picture in my mind of why she is behaving the way she is. “I know you want to get back to Steve, so let us stop this bull shit and finish getting me ready. Okay! No more trying to get me to eat, no more questions, no more talking … alright!” I spun on my heel and sat in the first spot that was closest to me. Picking up the brush I held it up for one of the females to take, “simple style and only touch my hair … please!”