[Nexus] Saer's Manor

[orb_of_blood]

((...you're right. That was a terrible joke... ))

Nixa's eyes did not miss the flicker in his gaze. But her experience with other humanoids, especially those of the male persuasion, was extraordinarily limited, and she didn't understand. The only looks she's ever been used to seeing are ones of fear as her old master had 'cared' for the humans until he inadvertently killed them.

Although there was that time, with that young prince...

But, no, too much worry to delve into oddly pleasant memories. She continues to act subordinate and bury her growing unease. He couldn't hurt her. He couldn't. So it stands to reason that she shouldn't be worried. So why was she?

The irritated look she now throws at him despite her submission shows that she is anything but 'proud' of this. But she can no longer toss an insult this way, so she has to say it all in that look.

[kitcatk8]

((Unfortunately, I have many more. My best friend is ruthless with them.))

Ah, there it was, that look he'd been waiting for. It brought out some more of the old demon, the arrogance which had been with him the first day of his creation. His voice was a quiet purr. "I thought it might please you to try to be the best in even this. Perhaps I was mistaken. Perhaps Angele is still the best girl I own."

Another piece of black silk he showed to her, and this time offered no explanation. Simply, he raised it up, and so long as she stayed in place, he put it gently across her eyes and tied it behind her.

[orb_of_blood]

Before her eyes disappeared behind the cloth, she hit him with one last glare. Angele? What was Angele compared to Nixa? Nixa the red dragon sorceress! She'd be better then all of them. Or, she would if she could please him, and she doesn't seem capable of that, so maybe she wasn't the best in that area after all.

The world went dark, and it was soothing. She relaxed a little. Most often the harsh glare of lights or the sun hurts her eyes. Oh, she's used to it, but drow eyes weren't meant for the sunlit lands, and the darkness is just so soothing that she can't help but relax a little, despite the fact that she now can't even see and is completely at his mercy.

Is he done trussing her up yet? She was still eager to get to the lesson part of all this, although she really couldn't imagine what that would be now...

[kitcatk8]

Left to the darkness, Saer grew quiet as well, leaving her no indication as to where he might be unless she paid the utmost attention. One moment, he was in front of her, but then his voice came from behind her, next to her other ear. "I'm going to bind your ankles, now. Place them together for me."

((attempted actions)) Assuming her once more begrudging cooperation, he linked her ankles together in the same fashion as her wrists.

The final touch would come as a faint pressure over her hair and scalp as the linen sack was placed over her entire head, the pull-strings tied deftly onto the collar about her throat, sealing it in place.

Thus, he would allow her to stand for several quiet moments, absorbing exactly how many of her mobility and freedom she had lost.

Then, without warning, her weight would be lifted. One arm behind her knees, the other behind her back, careful of those wings. The demon's strong arms attempted to pick her up, and as such, she would be carried.

[orb_of_blood]

((So... much... homework... let's see how long I can procrastinate it for!))

Actually Nixa's half asleep already after the band was placed over her eyes. Groggy, slightly miserable and relaxed - an odd combination but not one sparking insubordination - she let's him complete tying her up.

When he lifts her she reminds him, albeit unintentionally, that she's still not completely immobilized. For as he touches her back her wings shift, stretching from her back a little bit before refolding. As he continues to lift her however they shift repeatedly under his hands, the drow not comfortable with having them touched at all. However he can't exactly place a hand on her back without touching them as they are folded against her, spread across her entire back.

Despite having wings, Nixa is not light (and he may be able to work out from this that she can't actually fly). It probably has something to do with all that hair that she seems to love so much.

However, aside from the shifting wings, Nixa continues to not struggle. She's quite docile as exhaustion begins to fog her mind.

[kitcatk8]

((lol. Procrastinate on. I will be slow because most posts will again be via iPhone between actual work, so hopefully that'll give you time you need. ))

While the shift of her wings against his arm may have been a more definitive reminder that they were, indeed, there, he had never forgotten their presence. She might be needing them shortly.

And this was the part he was sure she would hate.

He carried her for a long while. A few doors opened. Then came a feeling of descent. Followed shortly by bitter cold, all around, despite both their heats. Truth be told, it even sapped the strength out of him. But it was necessary, and he could recover quickly.

Once the descent finished, Saer took a few more steps with her in his arms, and then spoke down to her. The tender voice of before was gone. His tone was strong and sharp. "Stand tall with all that arrogance I know you hold."

And then he put her, not gently, upon the cold, hard floor to her feet.

[orb_of_blood]

It may be cold, but Nixa has her own built-in furnace. She doesn't get cold. Ever. Although she feels a little... drained. So as she's placed back on her feet she takes a deep breath. Once again there's a rather loud CLICK! and some of the flammable liquids flow into her blood, immediately set aflame by the temperature of her skin, and she's toasty again after that. On the outside she appears to be glowing vaguely pink for a few seconds.

She does stand tall. So her mind is a little clouded. She's been asked to use her pride, and she certainly doesn't mind. It's a little awkward to stand on tied feet, but she manages her balance well enough.

She tries to talk, to ask him what's happening, and is sharply reminded that it's difficult to speak when you've been essentially gagged. So she makes an irritated, muffled sound that could be interpreted in many different ways, and stands there, dreading and exciting over what's about to happen.

[kitcatk8]

"Good." Saer spoke in seeming praise, though the word was clipped and didn't sound pleased at all.

But then she tried to speak, and Saer's voice answered immediately, cutting her off: "SILENCE!" it was not angry, but it was thunderous. Commanding. If she continued to make noises, she'd see exactly what he meant about no harm coming to her so long as she did what he said.

He allowed her to hear his footsteps as he stepped around her. They echoed. The room sounded large and mostly empty.

When next he spoke, it was quieter, but no more warm. He was somewhere to her left. "You have two more breaths to stretch your back. Then you will bend down and forward as far as possible. You will not make a sound. You may use your wings as needed for balance. Nod if you understand me, then do as I say."

[orb_of_blood]

Again Nixa wondered what the point of this was, as she could see no educational value in it.

As he thunders at her she falls silent, despising him just a tad more. In fact, she'd probably begin not listening to him if it weren't for the fact that this all sounded almost fun. She began to view it as a challenge, and she nods to him. Just how much can Nixa do while bound and gagged?

Pretty much forgetting he's even there she bends, and the wings come out, flapping as she steadies herself and reaches forwards with her claws. She turns it into almost a game, a smile spreading on her face as she tests just how far forward she can reach, while her wings flap again and again to keep her in place.

The wings are... odd. They're not black, but a rich dark brown. Leathery at the top, and fuzzy, covered in a very soft, short brown fur. They fan out when extended not as butterfly wings, but more closely resembling bat wings. However instead of fingers, at each juncture of the wings sits a rather nasty, sharp looking spike that folds into and is cushioned by the fur and leather of the wings when folded. They are not delicate at all, but powerful and strong, and they beat the air hard enough to send up any dust on the floor as she flaps them.

[kitcatk8]

There was no answer to her nod. Instead, he waited until she steadied herself. Then his footsteps could be heard approaching

"If you strike at me with those wings, I will strike back. Do not struggle ." It was the only stern warning she would get, his voice very near to her ear. Then, if she did as he said, the linen sack on her head was pulled such that her head was forced even further down. Not yet painful, but insistent. She would feel a light tugging at her feet as well as at her wrists.

When all was said and done, if she continued following his instructions, she would be bound further. Specifically, the loop at the top of the bag to her wrists as well as her ankles.

[orb_of_blood]

The wings began to flap more powerfully now as a protest, but that's pretty much it. She had actually been considering hitting him with the wings, but there was still little point. Right now, all he was doing was making the challenge harder, and she responds with a little more pride and a soft voice in her mind that tells her she can overcome whatever challenge he gives. She's much more awake now, but still she has to shake the groggy fuzziness from her mind or else if pain comes she may actually feel it, and that wasn't something Nixa wanted. So best to clear her mind now.

[kitcatk8]

Once he had tied the bindings tight, Saer's steps could be heard walking away, well out of range of those lovely wings. But his voice still found her ears. "Once you fall, a timer will start immediately. For every 5 seconds it takes you to return to the exact position you are in currently, there will be consequences. You are allowed to use your wings to regain position and maintain balance, but for no other purpose."

His steps carried him to the other side of her as he continued to explain. "I will decide upon exactly what the consequence will be depending the the degree of the offense. If you recover, only to fall again, this process starts over. And the entire exercise shall end..." He paused in speech, then a hint of a smile and the self-same arrogance could be heard as he finished, "...when I feel we are done."

He had walked in a full circle and ended in front of her. "Nod if you understand."

And assuming she did, it began.

The demon could wait forever.

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa nods enthusiastically, accepting the challenge.

Well, if the demon could wait for a long time that's good, because her wings are powerful and for about twenty minutes she manages to stay in that position just by the rhythmic beating of her wings to maintain balance. And there she stays. And stays. And stays.

But after twenty minutes her wings miss a beat and she loses balance, having depended on them completely. Before she can fall however she twists her torso and pulls herself back and up. And it begins again.

Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!

Another ten minutes pass before she skips another beat. This time she really does fall. The wings collapse to her sides quickly and the spikes dig into the ground. Using them for support, she pushes up and regains her position and the process begins again, less than three seconds after falling. It's actually kind of fun!

Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!

As she gets the hang of keeping herself in position she's fine for even longer, around half an hour. But she begins to tire. Not physically, not yet at least as her wings are powerful, but she misses her beat as her mind slowly recedes, and again the clawed wings push her upright, but she pushes one spike too far into the ground and has to tug extra hard to get it free again. Yeah, that one took more than five seconds...

[kitcatk8]

Who knew what the demon was doing while she followed through with her task. He could have been anywhere, including far away from the room. Yet, still, his growl of disapproval was there to greet her as she failed to stand in the allotted time on her second fall. It was quiet, but it was foreboding.

She received no other warning.

((attempted)) One of those wing's giant talons was suddenly grasped and shoved harshly against her body, folding it. If she fought him, he forced the movement, using himself as the anchor so she didn't fall over. Impossible to see, it was anyone's guess how he managed to simultaneously hold her and bind the wing against her body, attaching it to the collar around her throat so if she pulled, she'd gag herself.

One wing left free.

The demon growled against her ear. "Strike one. Start again."

[orb_of_blood]

Well Nixa most certainly did not like that. She hated even having her wings touched, so having him grab one and force it against her causes a full scale struggle. Even as he fought back and hooked it into her collar, the other wing tried to pound against him, but he was behind her and not close enough.

As soon as he moved away a little, she's off balance with only one wing. It causes her to fall again, rolling to the side, over the other wing which rips a gash in her arm. Suddenly her blood is covering the floor, but Nixa doesn't appear to feel the wound. Her caught wing tugs at the collar, harder and harder. Even while she can't breathe properly it continues to pull, every muscle straining.

While on her side and on the ground she lashes out with her wing again and again, especially if she can hear him coming closer.

A loud growl starts in her throat. Muffled by the ball, but still audible as Nixa's unhappiness. She is *NOT* going to play this game anymore, and she's simultaneously floundering, beating the air with one powerful wing, and choking herself slowly with the other as she tries to tug it loose.

If Saer comes towards her the chances of him being hit by the wing is quite high. Yes, that would hurt. But it would hurt even more if a spike hit him, as that would almost certainly tear a nice deep gash in his flesh.

[kitcatk8]

As she fell over and the chaos broke free, Saer's harsh laugh could be heard echoing over it all. "There's that fire I was waiting for!" The blood wasn't concerning to him. She'd caused it herself, he hadn't foreseen it. Unpreventable, and therefore, not his problem.

He stayed well away of her thrashing, though his voice could still be heard within the room. But with her struggling and the echoing of the room, it was difficult to ascertain exactly where it came from. "I could do this all day, Princess. You were warned of consequences. Now get to your feet!"

So long as she growled, she could still breath. If she passed out, the choking would stop. The demon waited, content to let her wear herself out, to let her begin to see the true purpose of this exercise, no matter how long it took.

He was Master here. Not she.

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa coughed once, twice, and the thrashing stops. Her second wing, the one which had been beating, suddenly ends and settles down over her gently, like a blanket.

Nixa's catching her breath. She's steadying. But she's also lieing motionless and may appear to be passed out.

She breathes deeply, steadying herself. and continues to lie there. She no longer cares for lessons, teachings or the like. Whatever she needs to learn she can learn from books. At this stage she wants to be untied and left alone. And the fastest way to do that, she supposes, is to ignore everything he says, ignore his 'consequences', 'orders' and the like, and just wait. Eventually he'd have to give up. If the lesson here was that he ruled her and there was nothing she could do, then he was wrong. She could just refuse to do anything at all.

[kitcatk8]

He waited long after she'd finished thrashing, then the soft chuckles started. If she'd passed out, she would have woken by now. The demon had been doing this a very, very long time.

"You are clever, Princess. I'll grant you that." There was a shuffling, almost like he was making himself comfortable, settling in for the long haul.

Thus far, she'd acted exactly as he expected. First, there was always denial. She refused to believe she belonged to him, despite the knowledge the collar bestowed. She had a strong will. He'd anticipated as much.

Next, had come her anger. And oh, was she ever angry.

Third, and currently, she bargained. She waited until he would make a move, until he would let up, so that she would feel justified in her actions. So she could continue to pretend she held a small amount of control here. 'If I do not move, then he does not own me.'. Bargaining at its finest.

The next was depression. Despair was the fourth, logical progression, until the final, inevitable outcome.

Acceptance.

[orb_of_blood]

Ah, well then that's probably where she stops conforming then. Depression is not an emotion that comes naturally to Nixa anymore. Unless he plans on breaking her will completely, her showing depression isn't likely to happen for a good long time.

Eventually, just lying there, Nixa feels thoroughly exhausted. It's been over a month since she's properly slept. And it would give her a break from this. And show that he didn't really own her. Would he stay there for the entire time she slept? She doubted it, but perhaps she'd be surprised. So Nixa closes her eyes after his comment and sets something deep inside her mind, something wonderfully draconic.

Dragons from her planet work in specific ways. Their sleep patterns are strange. Generally they need about three weeks of consecutive sleep every four months. During this time they seal themselves inside their caves, and cannot be awoken, no matter how much prodding is given. However, if they wish to prolong this to stay awake for longer periods of time, they can 'doze' which is exactly like their sleep except that they can be woken.

Now, Nixa's only part dragon. She needs roughly three or four days of consecutive sleep each month. During this time she cannot be woken. Earlier, when she was aware that Saer would need her attention, she 'dozed'. Now she sets her mind to properly 'sleep', and she drifts away as he just sits there. She prefers sleeping when she knows well and truly that she's safe, but now she accepts it simply to prove that he cannot break her, that she can escape somewhere where he cannot follow.

While she sleeps, she can be godmoded for any reasonable purpose (trying to kill or seriously maim her is not a reasonable purpose. Just about anything else is though.)

[kitcatk8]

It took Saer the better part of a few hours before he’d recognized what she’d done.

He knew she’d fallen asleep. As to the degree of sleep, that was what took some working over. And while he knew little about dragons from her planet, he had seen dragons in their slumber before.

Once recognized...well...it had him well and truly rolling his eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. Were he religious, he might have uttered a short prayer for strength. As it was, he sighed, rubbed at his forehead, then ran that same hand back through his hair and curled it at the back of his neck, a gesture he sub-consciously made when he was in deep thought.

He allowed himself two breaths, then shook his head and knelt down beside her. Thinking would have to wait.

He didn’t untie her, didn’t release any of her bonds, but he did try to place her in a position which would at least allow her blood to flow through all her extremities. This turned out to be partially on her side with the unbound wing facing the ceiling. Then gently, he curled a palm under her bleeding arm. It had slowed to a stop a few hours ago, but the injury was still present. It needed proper care. And he always took proper care of his girls, even amidst such exercises.

Pressing his other hand atop the wound, he pointed his two forefingers and glided them along the ragged tear in her flesh, starting from one end and working his way slowly to the other. Blood boiled and spit as he forced heat into the wound. The ends knit together, almost like melding metal. Normally, it hurt mortals when he healed them as such. Her...well...it might actually feel good to her, were she awake. The only mystical thing Saer could do with his heat was heal. He didn’t know if it was an extension of his own ability to heal himself through fire, and he’d never questioned it. And while it usually hurt the recipient, they never complained once they saw the end result.

With a soft breath, Saer blew off the remaining, charred blood, leaving behind a faintly pink line which was difficult to see on her so-dark flesh. It would not scar. It would feel like new when she woke, whether she even recognized she’d received the wound in the first place.

Then, there was not much the demon could do but wait.

In his world, Saer had been alive before humans, before dragons even existed. The only things older than he were the angels, and the Grandfather. A few days mattered little to him.

He waited on the first sign from her that she had woken. A change in her breathing, a movement. He’d been watching her sleep for a few days already. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to sense the change in her.

And when she did, and he was certain she’d be able to understand his words, he spoke.

“Welcome back to the real world, Princess.” It wasn’t vindictive nor angry. It was simply as it was spoken -a salutation. She would hear him take in a full breath before he continued. “You’ve given me ample time to reevaluate this relationship.” There was a shifting sound, as if he went from sitting to standing, confirmed by the gentle sound of him patting and straightening his slacks. “Truth be told, you did not stay up for the longest out of my previous girls, though you’ve certainly set the record for staying down.” There was a smirk in his voice, but it was an ironic one. “Basically, we stand thus.” His feet moved in a slow pace off to her right side. “You will not yield. I cannot afford to not have you yield. This is a predicament.” He paused, and his feet stopped for a moment. “Unfortunately, this is incompatible for the way I run things. Which had me wondering, for the first time, if I had made a mistake in choosing you to carry my mark.”

He didn’t sound happy when he said it, and he allowed the words as well as the implications of them to settle in. Truly, he’d considered simply removing the collar in those days when she slept and tossing her out, letting her wake where she landed.

Yet, for some reason he hadn’t.

There was a shuffling sound as Saer turned and began slowly walking the other way. “You claimed to be a willing pupil. I warned you of this first lesson. I told you that you would not like it, that it would be difficult for you. By all accounts, I believe the warning I provided was fair, and you submitted to the lesson without question. Every step you went along with willingly, until,” He paused a moment, then finished very quietly, “--until you failed.”

The demon’s footsteps curled around until he was in front of her, closer. She would be able to reach him with her unbound wing if she wished it. He was hopeful she was listening to his words instead. She was intelligent. She obviously had a burning desire to learn. If she didn’t listen to him now, when it was of the utmost importance, perhaps he had chosen wrongly. He was hoping that wasn’t the case.

“This teaches me a few things. Firstly, that when you are faced with failure, you react in a toxic fashion. Again, this I cannot allow. Secondly, it showed me how disturbingly stubborn you can be, which is admirable under some circumstances. Except when it exceeds all other priorities- for example, your own health and well-being.” For the first time, a hint of disapproval seeped into his voice. “I wonder what Draaxar would say if he knew you left yourself to my mercy, to anyone’s mercy by choice in order to win an argument. I know he certainly must have taught you better than that.”

With a soft growl, the demon’s feet could be heard turning away again, once more walking. “Be that as it may, something in me still understands why you did it, even if he wouldn’t.” He sighed, and it was a heavy sound. “And that was all that kept me from tossing you out. I will not lie though, Princess. You pushed the limit with that stunt. But I am willing to offer you a choice.”

His voice grew louder as he turned back to face her. “Choice one: Remain laying there. Do not move a muscle, and I will know your choice is to leave this place. I will untie you, I will remove your collar, and I will be rid of you. You may take your freedom wherever it is you wish.” He paused, letting it sink in before continuing. “Choice two: You try to stand for me, if you still can, and I will know you’ve truly heard my words, and that you wish to remain under my care. There will be no further punishment from this lesson, but you will recognize that there will be more, and that you must approach these lessons with an open mind rather than a closed one. I will untie you and take care of your aching muscles and joints. You will still be mine.”

He waited then, for her answer.

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa slept for four days.

The first day was her healing day. She relaxed completely and the blood massaged her muscles, calming them, unclenching and soothing until she was completely and utterly relaxed. This was a deep sleep and she did not dream.

The second day was purely relaxation for her tired body. A light sleep, calming, and she dreamt of everything sweet. She had no room for imagination so her mind pulled away memories and set them runinng through her subconscious. Draaxar, curling his tail protectively around her. Saer catching her with large black wings in a surprisingly gentle hold. Beren's look of utter gentleness as she tends to his wounds. Draaxar teaching her Bind. Saer's hand cupped under her chin as their eyes meet, a faint smile of amusement and appreciation showing on his face.

The third day she became restless, and her unhooked wing flapped several times anyways, whapping the floor with incredible strength. It was a day to remind her of her troubles, give some subconscious thought to them, and she lived through the Draaxar burning her to a cinder, Beren being pulled away from her, Saer hooking the wing into her back (he actually touched her wing!) over and over again.

The last day her mind replayed her memories of lessons from her childhood. Draaxar telling her not to ever give up, never to allow herself to fail.

Nixa slept for four days, and when she woke she half expected to not ever have even left Draaxar and have all this be a dream. She was quite surprised to find herself on the ground still.

She flicks open a drowsy eye, then another. Then as she twists a litle to test the bindings once more, Saer begins to talk, and Nixa listens with a half-smile. Had she not just slept she would have voted to remain on the ground.

In fact, she almost does so anyways, but something makes her decide otherwise. It's not her pride, she could live with it even if admitting defeat here, (she'd just tell herself it was not accepting him as a good enough teacher), it was not that she liked the lessons, quite the opposite in fact, she despised these. It was more a case of... well, of that second day of dreaming. Of the sweet memories of Draaxar and Beren that she couldn't ever have again. Draaxar would never take her back, and Beren would have to execute her if she stepped foot in his castle. So Saer was really all she had left to fuel those pleasant memories.

With muscles that didn't ache at all actually, she twists herself back up to sitting position, then uses her free wing to help her stand straight and tall, and proud.

[kitcatk8]

Saer waited for several long moments, almost holding his breath, and each moment that she didn't move, he felt something in him...Something he didn't have a word for and he didn't feel comfortable putting a word to.

But then she started to move.

With an amazing amount of grace he wouldn't have expected for a girl sleeping on hard, cold ground for 4 days, she stood.

And he was able to let out the breath he was holding.

His feet carried him to her side. He hesitated a moment, then gently laid a hand on the edge of her bound wing. He did it with the lightest touch so she might know he meant no harm. He had learned within the first 15 minutes of meeting her that she did not like having her wings touched...but it was necessary to release the binds.

It was probably unnecessary, but out of habit, to sooth, he pushed a gentle heat into his hands as he slid them along her wings and removed the silk ties.

When her other wing was freed, she was fully within her power to lash out at him with them. He paused a moment, as if waiting for it.

[orb_of_blood]

When he touched her wings again they twitched with annoyance, and the folded thing jerked and spasmed until he released it.

Instead of lashing out the wings pulled into her back very, very quickly. Damned if she'd keep them out a moment longer for him to touch again. She was not part of a petting zoo, no matter how 'fuzzy' and 'soft' the wings looked.

She continued to wait for him to finish untying her. THEN she'd have a good long rant, beginning with the words 'I will NEVER submit to that again.' She may stay, but she would never allow him to tie her up again as long as she had her strong willpower and could fight it.

[kitcatk8]

He could tell by the way she snapped the wing in that she was well and truly irked.

He couldn't blame her. But then, she'd still stood. That counted for something.

The next binding to go was the one tying her ankles and wrists to the linen sack on top of her head. He showed her it was safe to stand by putting soft pressure under her wrists and helping her to fully stand.

[orb_of_blood]

He showed her it was safe to stand by putting soft pressure under her wrists and helping her to fully stand.

She showed him she was incredibly annoyed at him by jerking away from said pressure once he untied her a little more. The soft growl in her throat returned. It was obvious she was resenting the ball prohibiting her speech more than any other binding.

[kitcatk8]

He let his hands drop and fought not to react to her growl with one of his own. Instead, he rolled his eyes while she couldn't see, then reached and untied the linen bag in two swift tugs. The bag was pulled off the top of her head, then one more tug pulled the silk tie from around her head which held the ball in place.

Then he stood back, folded his hands, and waited for the coming storm.

[orb_of_blood]

((Okay, thought a little insight into the Command Word might be useful. And it might not be, but whatever, here it is anyways.))

Nixa spat out the ball the moment she was able. NEVER again! She hisses. But that's all. No loud rant, nothing else. Hey, she's surprising herself that she's not shouting at him. But really, what's more to be said than that? Oh she could go farther, warn him that touching her wings again would mean a good strong clout, that even trying to tie her up would lead to a full-scale rebellion by her, but why bother? At this point he probably knows that.

Oh, hey look at that. It appears that Nixa's little nap has done her the favor of resetting her back to stage one: denial. Because she's shaking her head, resetting her mental defenses, and glaring daggers at him. Obviously she still thinks of him as 'master' and 'teacher', not 'owner' or 'lord'.

She takes a good look around her at whatever horrible place he's dragged her, and stretches out the last few minor aches in her legs, although really, her sleep had worked most of them out already.

If he even thinks about touching her again...

-----

You know Nix, none of that might have happened if you'd just been obedient. It was a timid voice, gentle and soft. A small suggestion tossed into her conscious mind from the cell deeply inset.

See, that's why Nixa doesn't like her sleep, preferring dozing only. She has to reset all her mental defenses, and it leaves her vulnerable for a few moments. Shut it! She snarls mentally, building a wall around the cell and the horrible wyrm within.

Skel'iim places his head on his paws, silencing as she'd told him, and waits as Nixa blocks him again. Soon, very soon he would escape. Nixa would eventually annoy Saer enough for him to use the Command Word, and Skel'iim would break free. It's only a matter of time...

-----

Nixa stands as tall and proud as ever, every sense alert and she's on defense, watching Saer with mistrusting eyes the color of Skel'iims scales.

((It just occurred to me that I'm talking to someone from my past! Funny how that works, huh?))

[kitcatk8]

((Very helpful actually! I've been thinking of an appropriate situation to pull it out...I didn't want it to happen too soon. But I think I've come up with something this morning which might work well later on.

Now, the other question is will it actually work, or will the exact opposite happen, like she shifts into a red dragon which has little to no interest in following orders? If that was the case, I'd like to be forewarned.

As for you being in the future, please do let me know when the flying cars come out? I'd like to be ahead of the game.))

Saer could tell by the way her brow was furrowed that she must have been glaring furiously behind that strip of silk. And when she lifted her head to try and look around, then she might realize the blindfold was still in place. Even if it wasn't, the room Saer stood in was pitch black. He could see by virtue of his heat-sense, and she glowed like a white-hot beacon down here.

Wow. She was mad.

With a smirk finding its way back to half his mouth, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth in a chaste, but very warm and soft kiss, and he tried to speak into her ear, hoping he'd stunned her enough into remaining still for his purring words. "I am a man of my word when it is important to be so. The lesson is over, but I must carry you back to the office before I finish untying you."

[orb_of_blood]

((Actually the Word would be remarkably effective. I've designed it very... specifically.

Oh and they actually have flying cars. Didn't you know? They're just incredibly expensive and haven't been distributed to the masses because there are many problems associated with them, not the least of which is logging flights in advance so as not to meet a plane or something while flying.))

Nixa's shocked. She's completely shocked. She's so shocked she can't even speak. Wh- what in Andaress' name brought him to do such a thing?

All she can hear is a single name flying across her mind over and over and over...

BerenBerenBerenBerenBe-

She nods dully, still trying to find words. She's not out of anger, no, she has plenty to spare. But right now the anger is having trouble worming it's way past half set up defenses and a not-inconsiderable degree of shock. Oh, and there's the memories too. Those always take a little bit of anger out of her.

[kitcatk8]

((Sounds good! Now that you mention it, I have heard about the cars. For some reason I remember them just being hovercrafts more than anything. Hrmmmm))

When she simply gave that bewildered nod, the demon fought the urge to chuckle. Not at her, but at the effect his proximity and actions had. It was nice to know he could still elicit that response even when her anger was at its height.

He took the nod as permission and bent down to slide one hand behind her knees, and the other he attempted to put at her back under her wings so they wouldn't be held captive by his arm. If it didn't work, however, he simply carried her as he had done before, so long as she allowed it.

With her blindfold still on, she would be able to sense the change in temperature as well as see a lightening of the surroundings behind her eyelids. She'd be able to feel him ascending stairs, opening doors, and when he got back to his office, he placed her -gently this time- back to her feet. Then, without any further words, he started untying the ankle binds.