Kaida (Kai)
The walk to the Masters room was silent and tense.
It was Ali, not Kaida, that led the way down the halls to their Masters chambers. Both girls new the way well, and Kaida's only job was to make sure that Ali got there on time. So she allowed Ali to take the lead, though it obviously made the girl uncomfortable to have someone who disliked her so greatly at her back. Kaida took some pleasure in the other girls discomfort, as she trotted along behind her, around the winding hallways and past the endless assortment of doors and branching halls.
The door that lead to the Masters room was larger than any other in the house, an ornate double door made of thick oak. There were beautiful patterns carved deep into the wood, and leafed in gold, making the whole door glitter and shine in the candlelight that emminated from either side. Dark, gothic looking sconces sat on the wall, holding thick, unscented candles, which threw dancing shadows across the hallway and door.
Kaida's fingers reached out to gently trace the whorls and curves carved into the door for a moment before she raised her hand and knocked gently. A soft rustling was heard inside the room before both of the doors swung wide open, revealing their Master.
He was still a good foot or more taller than Kaida was, with hair darker than a ravens wing and eyes to match. His dark eyes scanned the two girls in front of him, a small smirk spreading across his handsome face. He dressed well, though with a carelessness that immediately labeled him as spoiled. No one that had ever had to work hard to gain their position of power and prestige would ever had treated their clothes with such a careless air.
His shirt was soft silk, black and buttoned up only halfway up his chest, revealing the alluring dip of his collarbone and a small, triangle expanse of pale chest. His slacks were equally black, and flowed seamlessly from the end of his shirt to the tops of his well polished dress shoes.
Kaida stared up at him with adoration in her bright blue eyes, while Ali watched him with frank hatred and fear.
"Inside." was all their Master said, his voice soft and low in the candlelight, making both girls shiver for very different reasons. He stepped back slightly to allow them room to enter, and closed the doors behind them with a gentle click.
Ali and Kaida scanned the scene before them, both of them confused and suddenly apprehensive.
A bucket of ice sat on a tray next to the bed, a bottle of wine peeking out from the top of it. Candles sat one either side of the bed, littering the nightstands, and the covers were turned down, revealing chains on each of the posts that held the four poster bed up. Ali's eyes lingered on the shackles, while Kaida turned to look at their Master, questioning him silently with her baby blues.
"As you can see," he whispered softly, the amusement in his voice evident. "I have prepared a special treat for our little Firebreather tonight."
Kaida's head snapped around to look at Ali, and Ali stared right back at her.
"Kaida, you are dismissed." he said suddenly, producing a sharp looking pocket knife from inside his sleeve, which he began to flick open and closed methodically. The rythm was almost hypnotizing, but Kaida fought against it, finding her voice and unable to keep herself from speaking out.
"Master, please dont-"
The backhanded slap came out of nowhere, and made Kaida see stars when it connected with the side of her face.
"DONT?" Her master demanded. "You presume to tell me what to do, b***h?"
Kaida whimpered and cradled the side of her face, where one of the Masters rings had split a gash in her cheek.
"N-no, Master, its just that...she...I mean, couldnt you..." the woman wilted under her Masters glare and took a step back.
"Kaida," he said, voice soft once more but none the less dangerous for it. "you are to step out into the hallway. You are to stand there, outside my door, until such a time as our little Firebreather leaves this room, and then you are to escort her back to your room and tend to her until I call for you again. Do you understand me?"
Kaida's eyes fell and she nodded, turning away.
She managed a look over her shoulder, back at Ali. Her blue eyes held pity for the first time, for Kaida knew what it was going to be like for the girl. Not wanting it and having no choice but to accept it...
Her most recent punishment, the pain and humiliation, came rushing back in a flood and she felt a sudden spark of connection with the other woman that hadnt been there an hour ago.
Still, she walked away, leaving Ali standing there by the bed, red eyes alight with hatred.
Kaida closed the door behind her, and took up a guards position by the door, feet planted firmly and arms clasped behind her back. She tried very hard to focus on any details around her, away from the door. Anything to keep from hearing the cork in the wine bottle pop, the ice moving as he poured their glasses.
Anything to keep from hearing the violent sound of Ali's struggling, and the clank and rattle of the chains. Anything to keep from hearing the rustle of cloth and the sudden sickening smack of flesh against flesh. The cry of pain, of rage...the scent of blood.
Kaida's eyes closed with pain on the girls behalf, and with pain at this latest betrayal offered to her by her Master. She loved him! Couldnt he see that? She loved him, and still he chose to hurt this girl rather than to take his pleasure in her.
She waited for the scent of blood to go away...but it didnt.
It kept getting stronger, and stronger, and stronger....
Kai frowned and turned her head to the door.
All noise had stopped, and still the scent of blood welled up, death floating out from the room.
Her curiosity welled up with the blood, and she cracked open the door, hesitating, fearful of a reprimand.
"Master? Is everything allr-"
Slim hands grabbed Kaida's wrist and yanked her inside the door, closing it quickly behind her before anyone could chance by and see them.
A second slim hand, drenched in blood, came up and covered her mouth, to prevent the shout of horror that she tried to emit.
It wasnt Ali that lay bound in the chains, but their Master...or what remained of him. A broken wine bottle lay on the carpet next to the bed, covered in blood with strips of flesh hanging from the jagged ends of the glass. The comforter was soaked through with blood, dripping down to the carpet in puddles, leaking out of the matted hunk of meat that had, moments ago, been the living, breathing, love and terror of Kaida's life.
His face had been torn apart by the bottle, a few shards of glass sticking up from the flesh, the bones of his jaw gleaming out at them under the blood. A long gash spread across his neck, almost severing his head. His chest was carved open, apparently Ali had taken no chances and sliced him apart to stab their Masters own knife into his heart.
His hands were limp in the chains that Ali had managed to secure on him, completely lifeless.
Blue eyes looked up at the owner of the slim hands that held her and forced her quiet, locking onto bright red orbs.
"If you stay, they'll blame the murder on you." Ali whispered softly to her, ignoring the horror in the blue eyes before her. "You're coming with me. I wont have your death on my conscious as well. Lets go."
Stunned, and unable to force her brain to accept what it was seeing, Kaida allowed Ali to tug her over to the window, walking past the body on the bed. Kaida's feet squelched wetly against the bloodsoaked carpet, bubbles of blood rising up from it as she walked past the bed. The blood soaked through the bottoms of her shoes and coated her feet, and there was nothing she could do about it. Sightless eyes stared at them as the two women slid out of the window, fingers and toes finding handholds in the lattice that climbed its way up the side of the wall. They hit the ground in little time and were gone within an instant, dark shadows against the sand as they fled into the desert, away from their prison.
They were well away when the alarms sounded the next day, and their Masters body was discovered.
They traveled together for years, Kaida and Ali. They stayed together out of fear and necessity, Ali needing Kaida to charm their way out of tight situations, and Kaida needing Ali for the simple reason that she needed someone. She always had. And so Kaida clung to her, having no one left to cling to.
After a time, the girls hatred for each other was buried and dissipated, though their rivalry never did. They became sisters, of a sort, bound together by their similar experiences, and their unfortunate circumstances.
Their bond was forged from hate and fear, but it was a strong bond.
Not necessarily a good bond, but a strong one.
