Hey everyone, sorry it's taken me such a long time to update. I have been super busy, but hopefully I can get back to things now. I would like to thank my proofreaders: John Blackhawk and curiousvisitor
for all their hard work.
Anyway, I know I've left you waiting long enough, so please enjoy chapter 8.
— — —
Dan
To my surprise, both Rose and Emily have not only managed to stay out of trouble with the housekeeper -- a feat in and of itself --, but apparently are now close enough friends to share an armchair in front of the view screen, wrapped around each other in a confusing tangle of limbs; I guess the desire to cuddle must just come naturally to them.
Both clad in their nightclothes, the girls are incredibly cute and I find myself wondering if male Lower Vil enjoy physical contact as much as their female counterparts? Obviously human definitions of masculinity don't apply to them, at least not until they leave their compounds and are bent to their owners will. I wonder if Jezebel would let me talk to Zack about it.
"Those are zebras," Emily murmurs, her voice strangely distorted by her contented clicks.
Rose nods slowly. How she heard anything above her own purring is beyond me, the pair of them sound like some kind of strange vibrating bird. Despite her friend's obvious enthusiasm for the subject, Rose seems more interested in Emily's collar than in the animals, though I notice, she pays attention to everything she says, clearly not wanting to hurt her friend's feelings; yet her fingers never stray far from the soft black leather of the collar.
I turn my focus back to the view screen before either girl can catch me looking again. Emily has been giving me guilty looks all evening, as if I'm about to tell her off for spending time with Rose, which is obviously nonsense, but I don't want to give her anymore reasons to worry. This is, after all, her weekend off from her Master.
My parents are away on some romantic break at one of the small lakeside towns that have shot up around the hub leaving myself, Jezebel and the three slaves to fend for ourselves.
Yawning I lie back on the sofa feeling the effects of a long day, made all the more tiring and stressful by the stupid early morning train ride and my run-in with the enforcers. All in all though, today didn't end up being a complete disaster. On my way home from school the enforcers didn't even acknowledge my existence, giving me some hope that this morning's events were a one off, and I actually managed to hand out some leaflets to people who seemed genuinely interested, including the same train nerd I met this morning. He seemed a nice enough guy and keen to give his black-haired slave a little more freedom. I got the feeling that the girl was his only real friend.
Across the room Rose coughs, this fit lacks the intensity of some she has had. But the effect on her already aching body is clearly visible. She hides her face in her friend's neck as Emily gently rubs her back; a worried look on her face.
"I'll be back in a second," I say, getting to my feet.
"Yes, Master," both girls say together, though for Rose the answer is more or less a wheeze.
Leaving the room I head swiftly upstairs.
Damn it.
Rose isn't getting better. If she is kept warm the fits seem to be less severe, but even wrapping her in blankets is quickly losing its effectiveness, not that it was anything more than a stopgap measure to start with; what she really needs is treatment.
But I have no idea what's wrong with her, yet alone how to cure it. Stars, I can't even give her cough syrup, all those medicines have clear warnings not to give them to lower Vil without consulting a doctor. I wish I could convince myself, I am just being paranoid, but it's too much of a coincidence. Whatever is wrong with her isn't going away; it is getting worse.
Entering my room I can't help but take a moment to appreciate how spotlessly clean it is. Years ago mum banned her slave from tidying either my or my sister's room, apparently in an effort to teach us responsibility. In reality, what it taught us was how to live with a healthy level of clutter.
Grabbing the comforter from the bottom of my immaculately made bed, I head back downstairs. As I suspected, the girls haven't moved much, both of them start when I enter the room but settle down quickly, eyes stilled fixed to the view screen.
Gently I cover Rose with the blanket, Emily helping me to tuck the soft material snugly around her. Purring happily she nuzzles my hand when I fold the comforter around her neck.
Smiling I return to my place on the sofa.
— — —
A whale shark, despite being called a whale, is actually the world's biggest fish; who knew? Rubbing my eyes I sit up, it is getting late and I am not sure how many more amazing animal facts I can take. Nature isn't really a subject I have spent much time on, but I am glad that the ark project was there to protect it. Seeing me rise, Emily pauses the credits on the screen with a sad smile.
"Rose is asleep, Master Dan," she says softly, "She missed the last program."
I can't help but chuckle softly at the indignant look on Emily's face. "She's had a long day, Em's," I say, "This cough is really taking it out of her."
She nods, "Will she get better?"
"I hope so," I reply, before quickly changing the subject, "She likes your collar huh?"
"Yes, sir," she frowns, "She probably wants one of her own, Master Dan."
I groan softly into my hands, "Why? You don't honestly like wearing that thing, do you?"
"Oh yes, Sir!" she replies earnestly, "Master giving me my collar was the happiest day of my entire life!"
"Why though?" I ask, sitting up a little straighter. Rose hasn't mentioned getting a collar in quite a while; I was kind of hoping she had forgotten about it.
"Every Lower Vil wants a collar, Master Dan. It means your owner intends to keep you and look after you." She pauses, "I think, it's a little like the wedding rings my Master and Mistress Abigail wear."
"So Rose thinks I'm going to get rid of her," I say in disbelief, "just because I won't make her a wear a symbol of slavery?"
"It's not my place to speak for Rose, Sir," Emily replies, looking down at the girl sleeping comfortably and for the moment cough free, in her arms.
Rolling my eyes I get to my feet. Emily has already spoken for Rose. But apparently she won't do anything to purposely get her friend into trouble. For someone who has spent most of their life in isolation, Rose manages to make friends faster than I do.
"Well, it's something to think about," I say, gently stroking Rose's hair until she stirs.
My sleepy slave girl blinks at me confused.
