The Hollow Part Two: Education (Mature)

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Sequel to the Hollow Part One. Content is very mature, with sexual explicit material.

Part One link.

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Two weeks since her incarceration and Avis was still not accepting of the situation. There was no willingness in her to partake in the sexual pleasures of the man she was forced to call 'master'. Nothing that he could say or do could persuade her heart to one time have a peaceful night with him. He was a man of ropes and binds, and that, she was told, would always remain - it was, after all, the style of the Hollow - yet fighting and cursing him was another part. Three times more in those two weeks had he beaten her back. Four times had he taken her on the bed. Once she had tried to run, and she had spent two days and nights wrapped in the bonds, without food. He had threatened a week before, but his lust for her flesh had weakened his stance, and six hours of pain and unconsented intercourse had been her final punishment.

The one thing that had happened, however, was that she had begun to respond to the name they gave her. Stare. It was a name that was for her surrounded in history. She had not been amused when they had told it to her, but the same memories of the many previous times it had been thrown around by the other members of the kegareta - the kenku outcasts who lived outside of the protection of the law - and used as a teasing name. As time had gone on, those children of thieves and killers had begun to use it more commonly, and so thus to some she had just become known as that. Stare. All to do with the way her eyes could pierce a man's soul, understand his deepest desires.

So the tales went. Really, she was simply excellent at letting her eyes portray her hatred and scorn and disgust; something that having a large beak take up most of your face disallowed the usual recognised expressions. Kenku, after all, conferred their feelings through body language, communal grooming, however backwards and uncivilised that sounded to some, and soft noises. Clicking on the inside of your beak could make a myriad of different sounds, and could communicate anything from distaste to anger to lust. Avis usually used it here to meant the former. It was all she had kept, really, of her richly feudal culture.

The day was a warm one, apparently. So had her porter told her as he brought in her meal. He was a kindly man, as kindly as the people here got. His name was Jared, and he was an elf from the northern Raiearan mountains. He had come to Beinost a pauper, and after looking for a job had somehow gotten himself into one of the Hollow's Brothers' (or 'hosts' as Vitruvion liked to call them) outside work. That had eventually led him to here where they had discovered he was an excellent cook. And after that ... Well. At least Avis was not underfed, not ever given poor quality food. According to Vitruvion if there was one thing he would do, it was to make certain his girls were healthy.

Right now Avis was making her way slowly through a large pork steak and a side of roasted vegetables. She had her legs drawn up underneath her. The thin one foot of chain, that permanently was fixed around her legs in her room when she was alone, dangled lightly to the floor. She sat on the now second chair in the room, for Vitruvion had decided he might one day wish to dine with her, resting her elbow on the table. She had been alone for most of the last two days, apart from Jared's visit, and she was beginning to like it. She enjoyed being lost in her own thoughts, planning her next revenge, and letting her eyes wander over the vast tapestries on her room's walls. It was a good time, a peaceful time, and would only have been better had she been allowed paper and a quill.

When she was half way through a rather large chunk of meat she heard the lock of the door begin it's familiar scrape. Quite alarmed, for Jared usually gave her far longer than this to finish her food, Avis prepared to stand and fend off whatever brutality was coming her way now. Tensing at that thought, and groaning because she was only part the way through her food, she prepared to do what was needed to protect herself.

Unexpectedly, however, was the face that appeared at the door. It was a young red haired female elf, beaming and entirely unbound. She wore hardly anything, just a thin scrap of a shirt that barely covered her breasts and behind. Behind her loitered two huge burly men, one the giant Avis had had that run-in the first time Vitruvion had taken her on the bed, and they carried large staffs - but they seemed to not be in any worry. Instead they were casual, leaning on their weapons and completely relaxed.

The red head stepped right in, smile (if it were possible) growing as she saw the very startled Avis, fork still halfway to her beak. Then the new woman took another step, tipped her head over her shoulder and winked at her companions.

"Thank you, boys. I think we'll be fine. I'll knock if I need anything."

The two giants seemed to blush under her gaze and one of them even had red rise to his cheeks - but very quickly they closed the door, and the lock screeched shut again.

There was a clunk as Avis' fork fell to her plate.

"Can I ... Help you?" She said, gazing at the, now she realised, very pretty girl, before her.

The red-head's sparkled as she nodded, her mass of twisting locks bounding as she did so. "Of course you can my darling," she cooed, starting to almost bound in joy over. "For we are sisters, really now." She extended her hands and Avis immediately recoiled in, not sure what was going to happen. The red head continued. "I am Blaze," she stopped before her, "Vitruvion's first."

Realisation flooded into Avis. Her eyes widened, knowledge amassing that here stood before her was one of Vitruvion's other 'guests'. And not only that, but here was a woman Ventrua had said had been with him for two whole years, his other unshared sexual fantasy, his other personal whore.

"Oh," Avis blinked a great many times, breathing out fast as she scrambled to her feet. One of her feet slipped a little fast, catching on her hobble chain. She had to catch herself on the table before she could properly acknowledge the girl before her.

Blaze seemed to barely register her stumble.

"I thought I should introduce myself. Finally. After all I've heard so much about you from Ventrua and Raevin that it felt strange not having met you yet." She stuck out a hand.

Avis felt overwhelmed at the fact Blaze was not having any negitive reaction to her looks. Glancing down at the hand she uneasily stretched out her own hardened skin one, claws in completion and took up the gesture.

"Right ..." She said slowly. "Uh ... Hi I guess. I'm Avis."

Blaze paused. "I will pretend I did not hear that."

Avis removed her hand and made a small disgruntled noise in her beak. "Sure. You never did."

The red-haired girl took a moment and then brought the smile to her face again. "Well it is lovely to meet you anyway."

Avis looked at her a while, her great black eyes blinking slowly. She looked the girl briefly up and down, taking note of the certainty of the lack of bonds. She also saw that the shirt was indeed very revealing, with the buttons done just to the point where her nipples were hidden. Close to naked, but not.

"Sure," Avis murmured, looking back up into her eyes. "Do you always dress like that? Don't you get cold?"

Avis for one, was a kenku, and that meant, even in her most nude of forms - like she had been the entire time she had been here - she had a warm layer of feathers covering her from head to ankle.

Blaze shrugged a little, "It can get cold, but if I ask usually it's fine that put on more."

"You have to ask to put on clothes?" Avis almost spluttered as a grunting chuckle note came from her.

"The easiest way around Vitruvion is asking him if it is okay to do things. As long as it is small, can be altered later or not what is on his mind at the time, he usually says yes." She seemed somewhat annoyed at Avis' laugh, but only let it show in her tone of voice.

"So asking to be free is out of the question," Avis growled in her undergone voice, and looked at Blaze once in the eyes. The elf girl just kept smiling. Heavily, the kenku sighed. "I guess you're staying here then to talk. There's a spare chair around the other side of the bed."

Pausing for the slightest of moments Avis collapsed back into her chair, pushing the food tray away. From her basic understanding of etiquette she knew it was rude to eat in front of someone. Not that she truly desired company right now, but Blaze seemed already the sort of person who would not leave her alone.

Before she went to fetch the chair, Blaze waited a moment, and then nodded before moving off. "Sure. I'll get my own seat, even though you're the host." The comment made Avis actually surprised, then she relaxed slightly. Finally she had found some spite in Blaze. Perhaps this meeting would not go as terrible after all.

"You're the one with literal leg room," Avis said after her.

"I'm not the one who is being belligerent to his face."

Avis held back another chuckle as Blaze returned. The elf girl was no longer smiling, but neither was there a fakeness in her eyes. Before the beams had seemed practised, overly polite ... Strained almost, and now Avis felt she was seeing more of the honest elf's character.

Blaze settled opposite her. Her huge breasts buldged.

"If I'm belligerent it's because I hate him," Avis answered as she sat down. "I also tried to escape again last week."

"Ah never do that. He hates that," Blaze told her.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that out."

After a moment's breath, Avis knew that Blaze was intending on being there for a while, so she took up her previous position, awkwardly tucking her legs back underneath her. Her short thighs and then high ankles that formed the natural backwards facing illusion of her legs seemed to confuse Blaze for a second. Avis blinked and then smiled with her eyes.

"I'm guessing you've beevr seen a kenku either."

Blaze shook her head, looking up to her. "And before Reign I had never seen a pixie. Technically I'm a rarity also."

"Oh?"

The red head nodded. "I'm from an ancient line of light skin high elves who merged with the bloodline of an old Fae community. We call ourselves the Ellenin, though our blood is so mixed now with that of the major elf races that ... Well."

"It thinned?"

Blaze nodded. "Exactly." She took another moment. "Really I came here today to greet you and give you whatever advice I can."

With a glance to the door, Avis though
ht about what she wanted to know and what she could ask. What advice she wanted - like, how to get out of there - though, was likely beyond Blaze's know.

"How have you survived here for two years?" Avis asked her.

Blaze looked at her carefully for a moment. "By being wise. By keeping my independence at the same time as doing as Vitruvion asked. We have developed a good relationship, he and I, over the months. As good as it can be anyway. I remain level-headed and he treats me well."

Avis stared. "You mean he never beats you? He never uses those," she waved a hand at the room beyond the door, "Things on you. He never forces himself on you?"

Fixing her with a flat stare Blaze pursed her lips. "This conversation has gotten a little out of hand."

"You came here, I didn't come to you."

The elf-girl continued to look at her that same way. "I came to offer advice after I heard from Raevin what Vitruvion was doing to you. I came to be kind."

Avis laughed hollowly. "Nobody here is kind."

Blaze looked right at her. "Perhaps you are not allowing them to be."

The kenku stared right back at the Ellenin. Her heart thumped in her chest, trying to work this girl out. What exactly Blaze wanted was unclear - did she want out of this place, or was she satisfied with it? Her attitude was confusing, between calm and collected and rough and brutal. Still, what she was saying was true: Blaze was trying to make friends, and Avis was resisting.

The kenku finally looked away, a minor amount of guilt resting there that threatened to grow.

"Call it my 'issue' if you want, but I've never been good at making friends."

"Then maybe you should start."

Clicking her tongue on the side of her beak, Avis grumbled for a moment under her breath. As silence endured, she glanced back to Blaze to find the other girl waiting patiently for a reply.

Avis sighed. "I'm not very apt at such a thing. I lost the last of my family members two years ago. I've been alone mostly ever since. The only person who showed me kindness was a dwarf baker."

Blaze raised her brows. "A dwarf ... Baker?"

The kenku simply nodded. "Yes. I bake. He bakes. He is good."

"Are you ... Good?"

"My mother taught me," she shrugged in reply. "I was learning more from Skra before Raevin took me."

Slowly Blaze nodded, smiling at her. "I was found by Raevin as well. Apparently the elf found me arguing with a man who had tried to rape me, and thought I would do well here." She rolled her eyes slightly. "Raevin has the belief that one day I will end up like Hope and then he will be able to get his hands on my body for his own pleasures. I have told him rather sternly it will never happen."

There was a pause, as Avis felt suddenly confused and intrigued. "Vitruvion mentioned her, that she disappointed him or something."

With a small look of distaste, Blaze uneasily stroked a hand through her hair. "Hope failed. She became weak. She ... Submitted. Entirely, and thus became no longer of interest to Vitruvion. There was no fight left in her. It's what happens to some of us eventually. The others ..." She looked at the floor, and for the first time in the conversation Avis saw the elf's confidence waver, "We die. But better that than lose our fight. It is what they want from us. It is what will keep us here, at the top of the Hollow."

Avis narrowed her eyes, her heart thumping. She did not truly want to know, and she also had a horrible idea of the answer she was going to give, but the question had been left open. It had been left unresolved. And the idea, the notion of those who had suffered and had given up had a worse fate ...

"What happens?" She murmured.

"They get given to the lesser men," Blaze said with a sigh, a moan. "They get given to the lackeys, the servants and the ones who live to serve the Brothers, with no rules, and no protection, and they are never allowed to resurface.

They are never seen again."

With the beginnings of an acquaintance, if not a friendship, begun, Avis felt the days get somewhat easier. Advised, as she had been, to not give up the fight, Avis became even more determined. Though Blaze had also hinted at caution - the obeying of orders whilst keeping your attitude - Avis continued to strive to find a way out of the Hollow. The next two days brought more peace, with no Vitruvion and a brief visit from Ventrua, simply to see if Avis' fetters were chafing or not. Raevin also arrived, and, with reluctant loop of metal around her neck, allowed Avis some exercise to stride the rooms and corridors of Vitruvion's halls. She was allowed to see more of the long corridor, and was shown where Blaze and Reign lived. Avis was surprised to see her rooms were just as grand as the longer residents.

It was on the third day after meeting with Blaze, and Avis was enjoying a long bath, relaxing in the warm water. She had discovered that her bath was filled by an ingenious pumping design which was built into the wall, coming out of a small copper tap in the wall. Apparently a room that backed onto it was an engineering room, that kept both the airflow of the underground construction going, and provided water for the many bathrooms.

Avis waited until the bath was full and then slammed on the wall. Within a few seconds the trickle of water into the copper tub ended, along with a quiet hrrummm of noise. Pausing, she tested the water with a finger before slipping inside, letting her feathers soak, her body rested deep underneath the pool. She rested her hard-skinned hands over the sides of the bath, basking in the warmth and silence that she felt.

It was peaceful there, in her own thoughts and her own time. Though the constraints upon her ankles were a constant reminder of her imprisonment, she was at least given the time to relax. Thus she was taking it now, taking it for granted and the lush opportunity it offered. The time was hers, it was to be loved, it was to be enjoyed.

Her body sank beneath the waves, and she breathed deep through the nostrils on her beak, taking in the hot steamy air. Letting her eyes close she sank into a relaxed state as the minutes slipped into the hour.

Going by so gradually and so wanted.

Yet good things never last. And her four days of wonder could not be.

With a start she opened her eyes as she heard the sudden sound of the stone door being wrenched open. The rocky material scraped over the tiled floor of her bedroom, spilling the brighter light of the larger room into her quiet world. Her head was lolling in the water that was still warm, but not as gloriously hot as before, and she was feeling drowsy from it. Yet, the sound and the suddeness startled her into alertness, and she froze when she saw a face appear in the angry crack of the loud door.

One look. One hiss and growl. A streak of blonde hair, the curve of the perfect chest.

Roughly, the face turned from the thin gap that had been revealed and a haunting voice began to shout. "Get her fucking out of there. Now!"

Avis did a quick intake of breath as the voice of Vitruvion confirmed the fine featured identity. Silently she cursed her luck; just when she had been at the point of her relaxation he had to come back. She remained there for a moment, inwardly groaning that he had interrupted her when the door was forced open more. Men began to appear, faces. Wide eyes. Staring. First Bertran, then behind him her familiar giant. And an elf poking his eye around the door post.

"Do you mind?" She hissed. "I'm in the bloody bath?"

"I said 'get her out'!" Vitruvion yelled.

With a surge of energy, powered by their master's voice, the men began to come forward. Hands reached out, aiming to handfully drag her, soaking, from the water, and probably dry her in a harsh and brutal way.

"Oh no you don't!" She sat up suddenly, staring at them with her darkest of looks. As her black eyes narrowed the three front men - Bertran, the giant and the elf - seemed to freeze under her gaze. It was a gaze of such direst hate and horror that they became trapped, between wanting to touch her, obeying their master's order, and also respecting her privacy.

"What is taking so long?"

Avis felt a rage boiling inside of her. With a mighty splash of water she stood up, the droplets falling from her beautiful long feathers in rivulets and streams, flowing like the perfect meander. There she stood, naked as the day she was born and had been since she had been here, but covered with the feathers of her people to hide the embarrassed nakedness of a fleshy human.

"I am not having your men come in here and drag me from my bath, not when they have no idea how to even dry my coat!" She screamed back, pure fury within her. "You want my feathers fair? You want me comfortable, then tell them to leave and let me dry my bloody self!"

The men stood still, shocked into silence. At first it had been the anger in her eyes, now it was the venom in her voice. Vitruvion was angry, that was plain to see, and though it did not bode well for her she was not going to let his foul mood cause her extra pain, discomfort as the men dislodged feathers, brushed them the wrong way etc.

There was an ugly, brutal silence.

"Well?" She barked, moving her hand through her head plumage, combing them out. "Can you give me even that?"

Clack. Clack. Clack. He paced like a mad man.

"A deal then, bitch. You get to dry yourself, but then you come willingly when you are done. No stumbling, no arguing, none of the delays that you love so much to put me through. You will obey me."

"I wilk never be yours," she shouted back.

"Do we have a deal?!"

Her heart thumped. A deal. Giving up her night of freedom, of fighting and cursing in order to dry herself this time. It seemed a poor compromise for a single favour and his planning for the night. Which, after four days and in his mood she knew could not be favourable.

"That's ... That's a lot."

"You will come willingly," his voice spat. "That or I shall have my men rub sandpaper over your body to dry you, and after I am done with you tonight I will give you to them as a passion prize worthy of a prince."

Her eyes glanced down to the men on the other side of the bath tub. Lips parted and looks were exchanged as the very thought seemed to run through them like a passion of delight. Looking to one another they shared the joy and Avis began to see the lust within them. Swallowing, she tried to understand if this was just a ruse. It was against standard rules, after all, as far as her conversations with Blaze had told her, for an underling to a brother. As far as Avis was concerned. But the actual gift of one night, by a master to a lackey ... One night, one dark night ... Avis did not know.

And would Vitruvion actually do such a thing? It was a horror to consider. The sandpaper part - she could almost see him agreeing upon. However, when he had found out that Raevin had jntiay touched her he had been enraged. Avis' chest rose and fell with anxiety as she tried to understand if Vitruvion was merely bribing her, or if he was truly meaning it. If he was the latter, then he had to be very angry indeed, as he had that one first night when she had experienced the rage that lay within the half-celestial. What fury, what power could lie within someone so apparently born of an angel baffled Avis, it properly made her wonder what was going on here ...

Then his face came into view once more. Clink, clink, and he was framed in the doorway of dim light behind the three stunned men. And his face - it was a contorted mess, a thing of terrror to behold. Eyes, black as the night, black as Avis darkest feathers, started at her with unfathomable rage residing within. Heavily, her heart sank and in that moment she suddenly knew that he was not lying, that he was not faking, not exaggerating. That everything he had said had been perfect truth and he was willing to let his men take her. All, at once.

Her voice became stuck in her throat. Eyes becoming softer, less powerful, she felt herself look away as she dared to give up. Heart sinking, she realised that Vitruvion's path was the lesser of two evils, the better of two hellish outcomes.

"Fuck," she whispered to herself. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

Still with the darkness raging within, Vitruvion turned his back, a sneer forming on his lips. With a gesture of his cane he ordered his men out, and they sheepishly, and disappointedy followed.

Leaving Avis to her fated decision.

"Fifteen minutes," the half celestial said. "Then you will be ready and done."

She looked back up to him with maddened eyes, and met those that were equally maddened back. Both cheats heaved. Both hearts beat.

"You break this deal at any point and I will give you to them straight away. I promise. Like a bitch given to dogs."

What was better? To be at the mercy of tens of hungry men at once, or to give oneself over to a singular? On one side there would be rape. There would be horror, there would be at least one night of being reduced to nothing. And on the other side there would be pain. And there would be terror, but it would be for one man, who would leave her alone at the end, who would send his sister, in the morning to heal her broken body. Vitruvion would be cruel, she knew, but his promise to look after had, for the past few days, proved to be true. All she had to do was this one night in a few. This one night ...

"Fifteen minutes," she agreed, finally in a low voice, turning and reaching for a towel.

Vitruvion looked at her for a moment longer, then he was gone and the stone door closed.

"Fuck," Avis whispered as she began to massage the damp from her feathers. "Has it really come to this?"

After her best estimate to fifteen minutes had past, Avis dragged in a long breath through her beak. She told herself to stay strong, to stay herself. What Blaze had said - to remain independent at the same time as doing what he advised, to be wise - the thoughts flooded around her head. Gulping in slower breaths she tried to remind herself who she was, and why she was doing this. Perhaps she was allowing Vitruvion to bribe her, perhaps she was giving in to his threats, yet she knew what he was. She knew what he was capable of. She knew just how this could get worse.

"Stare?"

The voice. The call. The command. It was a voice rich in control and power. A voice with a line of warning.

Now. She had to go now.

Going to the door, she pressed her hand against it, careful to keep her steps small to keep up with her fetters. With a quick prayer to the spirit gods of her people, the Kami, Avis paused just long enough for a second to slip by before she pushed the door opened. Just as a second, warning, "Stare?" Slipped from between his lips.

"Yeah, I'm here," she replied, moving into the room. Her room, with the bed and the men. Five of them were there, including those who had come into her bathroom. They circled around the room roughly, at their centre a sixth man, fashionably dressed, of perfect skin and fine form.

His eyes were on hers, still filled with the fury of the day's struggles, but calmer than before. The fire had faded enough.

With strength she gazed right back at him. Her claws lightly clacked on the tiled floor as she moved her way out of the bathroom. She tried to ignore the uneasy lackeys, who were ready to attend at any point that the deal was broken.

Slowly Vitruvion nodded, not smiling but not frowning either. He watched her as she slowly came to a halt two metres away, not wanting to be near him but knowing she could not be far for long.

A tongue slowly moved across his lips. "Good." He spoke in a haunting, silky voice. "Slightly delayed, but you will get better at that."

"Maybe," she instinctively replied. "Or maybe not."

"I would advise the former," he answered, finally moving out of his tense stance. He raised his chin slightly and rolled back his shoulders.

She lifted her chin also, gazing back with the same intensity.

Slowly, despite the rage, Vitruvion gave the smallest of smirks. He gestured and one of the men that Avis did not have a name for as yet came forwards. He had a half ear and she vaguely recognised him from before. Half-man did not go to Vitruvion's side. Instead he turned his path to head straight for Avis, and as he did so he raised his hands. There was a shimmer, a small glinting, and as he came closer Avis felt sickened to see a pair of finely embellished, expertly made and etched shining steel manacles, joined together by a short chain, complete with golden filigree.

Her eyes immediately went to Vitruvion, narrowing.

"They're a gift," he shrugged. "One host to his guest."

"I really don't want any presents," she said in a quiet, pensive voice.

Vitruvion sucked in his breath quickly, in such a way that Avis immediately felt on edge. Eyes like daggers, she knew that this was all part of the evening, his plans.

"I have a meeting with the other brothers in half an hour," he said with a snap to his voice. "I came here to very quickly fuck you, Stare, and then leave, but you caused me to wait. Now we have our bargain for the evening, I will have you accompany me to this meeting, where you will be as silent as the grave. You will come as my guest, as my symbol of status, and all will see that you are loyal to me, no-one else, alright?!"

Avis felt the anger in his words. Clearly something had happened that day to make him feel another who was traditionally loyal to him was not seeking so anymore. Her mind jumped to Blaze, but after their words Avis couldn't think that Blaze would deliberately anger Vitruvion in such a way. Else, others could have been Raevin or the other underlings. Touching Blaze or the other one, Reign. Suggesting something where there should be none. The fury of the half-celestial was fast becoming legend.

"Well?" He asked, incredulous.

Avis breathed in slowly, knowing exactly what the question was. Pressing hard the edges of her beak together she felt disgust for herself grow from the acid pit in her stomach, before she extended her wrists out willingly, right in front of her and towards hslf-ear.

For a moment she stood there, absolutely hating herself. Then a cool voice whispered.

"No. Put them on yourself."

Instantly she recoiled, letting out a chatter of irritated Avian.

"Stare! This night I want this. I want you to prove that you can follow orders. Now do it!"

His threats of earlier hung over her like a naked sword. The man before her seemed of two minds - one of them wanted her to take the beautiful manacles and place them onto herself. For her own good. But there was also a hesitancy. Bidding her not to. So he could be one of the ones to have her.

Cursing herself in the name of the Kami, Avis made the movement. Hands working fast she picked up the ornate, but disgusting pieces of metal. As she slipped the first ring of metal over her first wrist, she noticed they fit perfectly. They were also joined by the shortest of chains - five links at most. With the smoothest of actions possible in the circumstances, she fixed the second loop over her other wrist, then pressed it closed, the soft 'clunk' of the lock drawing home.

Her eyes stared at what she had done, in horror. Hardly could she believe it. A lump in her throat she glared at her handiwork, until other hands glided into view. Perfect and pale, they slid over the manacles, checking their locks and even pinching one more tightly closed.

Avis' jaw set. What the fuck had she just done?

A soft and confident voice. "Good. You see it can be easier."

She shifted slightly as his hands moved. Tearing her look away from her cuffs on her wrists she glared at the bed. Vitruvion moved around her.

"Bertran," he said, simply, but she didn't see what he gestured for the man to do. Instead she just stayed still, detesting herself all the more.

Figures moved around her, and Vitruvion seemed to relax somewhat, his anger disappating, slowly. Perhaps if this was the way, he would ease his pain dealt this night. Possibly. As feet moved and bodies whirled, Avis felt her eyes wandering, looking nowhere in particular but catching sight of images in the tapestries. Her hands fell to rest in front of her and she felt thin but soft ropes beginning to weave around her torso.

Not too tight, but stable, secure. Intricate knots of perceptible art.

With a soft sigh she saw the manacles being released from her ankles. At least that was a blessing. The hobble had made her irritated and uncomfortable over the days. Easing her legs apart she stretched her feet and claws, tapping on the floor tiles.

Minutes past and she let the men twist their patterns into the ropes around her. She only hissed when they pulled it too roughly, snapping her beak close to an ear, grazing the soft skin. The man gasped with wide eyes, and Avis did not look back, twisting her neck to stare at the other men weaving, warning them.

All of them.

A low laugh came through, one that sent a shiver up your spine because of its chilling handsomeness. Cold, yet warm. Soft, yet harsh. Eerie, yet charming. Exotically charming.

A hand on her shoulder. A hand she uneasily tried to shrug off with a shift of her muscles. But it remained, gripping tighter as he moved to her side. His height compared to hers was distinctive, well over a foot, but somehow he made it work, pulling her with his strong hand to stumble into his side. Furiously, she looked down at her body, the mesh of her torso wrapped in the spiderweb of beautiful knotwork. It had been improved upon this time, and mostly seemed to be tied for design more than anything. Only her upper arms were constrained to her sides.

"That's my girl," he whispered, words pronounced and heavily richened in flavour. "This is how we work together. Remain like this and you will go far. You will last long."

"You threatened me," she hissed, as the rest of the men began to filter away.

"If that's what it takes, then I will threaten you every day," he murmured back voice still sweet. His grip upon her shoulder tightened - painfully so. "With your dignity, with your freedoms, with your life. You are mine, Stare, and there is nothing you can do to change that now."

Her neck arched slightly, proudly and defiantly and she did not reply for a while. Instead she gazed around the room, watching the men as they looked at the two of them, supposed master and subjugate, a pair of oddities within the room of rest and intercourse.

"You are a heartless bastard, you know that?" She finally answered, and like him she kept her voice low, her mouth barely moving. For they were in a display now, a show, and it was him and her acting out the roles of the hero and his conquest.

"And you are my arrogant bitch," his hand slid to the nape of her neck, catching her there briefly so his fingernails dug into the soft flesh and she shivered in horrible stress. "So we make quite the pair, don't we?"

Her eyes flickered up to him, and he smirked slightly as he caught her gaze. Though her hate was plain to see he did not falter, nor fade underneath as the men had done in the bathroom, instead he held on. His eyes glistened, remarks of the previous anger having apparently gone and now he was still, malcious but joyful.

Steadily he used the pressure of his hand on her upper spine to push her forwards. She used the stumble to turn it into a graceful step, not quite willing, in this day, to be seen as an undercut. Eyes blazing with fierce darkness she stiffly let him guide her, giving as much resistant as she dared, his fingers dangerously close to pinching the nape of her neck once more.

"Good," he remarked, in the same quiet tones, "Now follow me thus all night and this will be easier than you know. I don't want to have to parade you around my colleagues with a collar."

"Not wanting to flaunt your 'possessions'?" She muttered, accusingly.

"Not in public, no," Vitruvion waved and the front door of her bedroom was opened. "It is not my way. It is others, but it is not my way. I will only ever use the collar on you if I need to."

He continued out, his hand remaining rested on her neck, the other holding his cane. It tapped, clink-clack, on the ground beside her claws that clunk-clicked, as he moved her from the room into the next. When they got to that one she faltered in her step a little, siezing as she saw some of the crueler devices. At her momentary relapse his fingers clenched, fingernails digging in once more to her skin, and she hissed right at him.

"No more noise, my girl," he told her, "No more of your tongue. At least for now, for this meeting you will remain silent, because it is what I want."

Her mind thought about what he was taking her to, the constructed meeting. About the men who would be sitting there, the prizes they might flaunt, as Vitruvion was clearly flaunting her as his. The words, the voices, the drama and elaboration, if Vitruvion was anything to go by ... She imagined it all and it felt sickening to her stomach simply thinking about it.

"You understand?" He hissed like a snake close to her ear.

His fingers squeezed. Avis bit back a shriek. "Whatever," she muttered as a response. Another moment of tension. Pain. Bitterness. "Fine," she answered, bitterly. "Fine. Yes. I won't make a noise."

It was a five minute walk down the long down-winding corridor that presented itself as the major avenue for the Hollow. Vitruvion eventually let his hand fall from Avis' shoulder, preferring instead to let her walk of her own accord beside her. It was a little service, however, as Raevin appeared from seemingly nowhere to stride in pace at Avis' heels, a long polished blade worn at his belt. With him strode the giant, as tall as he could get with his stature over seven foot, his massive club switched for a mace. Avis kept her eyes glancing over at Vitruvion, watching him, curious as to why he was so determined for her to keep quiet, but she said nothing, owing to her promise. Whatever his reasoning, she knew that forsaking his wrath had dire consequences that night, and besides, she had seemed to lighten his mood from its previous perverse dark fury.

The corridor eventually opened into a vaster area, blossoming out into a chamber that fitted better with the idea of it once have being ancient catacombs. A slightly domed ceiling, grey stone walls and vestibules big enough for stacked coffins made up the place. Opposite the entrance the corridor continued, curving downwards and away. The entire place was lit by a myriad of candles, tucked into the places where the coffins had been - long thin shelves in the walls. It uplit the scene in an spectacular glistening fashion, shimmering as the many lights danced their white and golden glow.

As Vitruvion entered, he stretched out a hand and calmly but surely took Avis' upper arm. She gasped, very lightly, as he pulled her closer to him, so their hips butted and his long coat could be felt against the edge of her leg.

"Vitruvion!"

A voice full of glee and uneasy brightness.

Looking up, Avis saw they were not alone in the room. Edging his way up from the opposite corridor was a short but handsome man, his body rippling with muscles. Wearing only a pair of loose trousers and a short jacket, the man raised one hand in greeting as he strode fast towards their group. His other hand was tightly clasped around that of a surprisingly young female human - Avis could have sworn she seemed just fourteen at most, an age she understood was under majority for humans - who stumbled with him, the majority of her body draped in imitate raunchy chainmail.

Vitruvion's mouth quirked up in a disgusted but smirking smile, "Frendir," he said in a low voice, his eyes spinning with broiling darkness. "How lovely to see you."

Frendir waved his free hand, coming to stand a few feet away from Vitruvion. His eyes briefly glanced at Avis, sweeping in her form with his eyes, then he turned back to the half-celestial. Behind him, half-jogging, two men of similar short stature came, both carrying short halberds.

"And lovely to see you," the man Frendir said.

It did not take long for Avis to figure out he was another brother - or, as Vitruvion called them, a 'host'. Frendir pulled his young female companion suddenly closer, with a jerk of his arm, causing the mail to chink. Aside from that the girl had no bonds and no cover. And she looked entirely down-hearted, not even bothering to raise her eyes to meet Avis' gaze.

"I see you still have Silence," Vitruvion spoke with obvious dislike for the man in his voice.

The other man seemed to not notice. He merely beamed and nodded, raising his spare hand to grab one of the girl's - apparently Silence's - breasts. The girl hardly reacted, only taking in a small breath and emptily continuing to watch the ground. Avis get confused. After all, Blaze had warned her above all not to lose her fight, for she had said that was what disappointed the brothers of the Hollow the most. But it seemed this girl had given up so long ago, yet still was in the hold of this man Frendir.

"Yes, I do," Frendir grinned. "And you have ... A new one?"

Avis felt the short man's eyes suddenly upon hers. She met them back with an intense burning fire, a heat and a power. She told him, in her glare, what she could not say - that she was a kenku, that she hated this place, and him, and she would make all attempts to escape when the opportunity arose.

Frendir's smile wavered, and fell somewhat.

"This is Stare," Vitruvion said slowly, the smirk on his lips growing. "A being known as a kenku."

"Stare indeed," Frendir murmured, and as Avis continued to gaze at him, she saw out of the corner of her eye his two lackeys become engaged with her also.

"Indeed," Vitruvion raised an eyebrow, watching the other man. "Any problems, Frendir?"

"No, none," Frendir said in a quiet, haunted voice, but he was still captured in her eyes.

Amused, Vitruvion let out a chuckle, and tapped Avis lightly on her arm. "Come, my girl. Time to cease and take our places."

As soon as she felt his touch, Avis looked away from Frendir. It was a reactionary process but as she did she realised she was obeying Vitruvion's direct command. The half-celestial just nodded at Frendir, who was standing there, still stunned, and then grabbed the join of her manacles. He twisted sharply to the right before setting off, pulling her in tow, heading for a door. He soon let go of the manacles, letting her follow of her own accord as he pushed through the door. His cane resumed its common thump on the ground.

The wooden door was set into the wall by a pair of brass screechy hinges. They screeched loud as Vitruvion opened it. As Avis followed him through, close behind her Raevin and the giant man, she let her eyes widen as she saw what lay beyond.

A great room. Bigger than any she had seen so far in the catacombs. Larger even than the hallway in the corridor now behind them. It was a high ceiled chamber, roughly octagonal in shape - Avis did not have time to count the sides. On each wall a different tapestry hung, in rich colours of red, purple and blue. Some were hooked back to reveal dark tunnels behind them, distant passages that spiralled into infinite, pointing each to the centre.

Ten chairs stood in a rough circle. Ten thrones laden with cushions and velvet. Each was made of a rich wood - teak, beech or elder oak - and each looked the seat of a king.

Two of the seats were currently taken, one by a proud man with grey hair and a large forehead. By his feet was curled a small, quaint little woman, older in age than most and with a small golden collar around her neck. This led to a gold chain, which was held limply by the old man.

Beside him sat a large creature that was clearly a half-orc. His huge form, heavy set eyes and small tusks made him a formidable sight. For him, there was no girl, instead he held his own and was speaking with the greying man with grunts.

As the door screeched open, they looked over to the company. The greying man smiled ever so slightly, and the half-orc inclined his head.

Vitruvion slowly regarded them with a slight smile as suddenly the room began to fill with life. From the dark tunnels beings began to emerge - strong willed men, some with beautiful women, and other men with weapons.

"My dear gentlemen!"

A familiar voice came. Avis tilted her head around to see Frendir, apparently having recovered from his moment of shock, creeping in behind them. With him he pulled the young girl, Silence. He strode straight past Vitruvion who curled his lip in distaste.

"Frendir," the greying man nodded. But his recognition was brief. Soon he was captured into new conversation by another, younger elf who took a seat.

Avis watched as various others, the majority of who were accompanied by females of various shapes and species, made to take their seats. Their various women either stood before them, sat on their knees or rested against their thrones. The guards, as well as the men Frendir had brought, took places behind their respective masters, leaning against the wall and else standing.

Slowly all took seats, placing themselves around the circle. Avis kept her eyes flickering over them, drinking into her memory all the faces of the ten wretches who ran this world. If she had a lip she would have curled it. As it was, instead she clacked her tongue against the inside of her beak.

A sharp rap onto her thigh. Painful, sharp. With irritation, she turned to glare at Vitruvion, but he was already moving. Forwards, onwards. It was at that moment that Avis realised he was the only one not sitting. As he moved the loud hum of conversation began to die.

"Gentlemen," Vitruvion coughed loudly. He raised a hand in abject greeting, a broad sweep of his eyes taking in all the men. "Gentlemen ..."

Silence fell. All eyes turned to him.

A slow smile grew on Vitruvion's face. Letting his hand fall he turned his face purposefully to Avis, catching eyes to her. Blinking, she looked back at him, confused and entirely uncertain as most eyes then turned to her.

With a dramatic gesture Vitruvion swirled his cane and pointed the end at the floor before the final, empty throne. Avis shifted uncomfortably, and wanted to spit right at him, but she knew ... Something told her that to even hesitate in this particular order, when all of Vitruvion's co-workers were staring at her, would mean instant and certain terror.

Therefore, she urged her body into movement. Fixing her eyes on Vitruvion's, she carefully picked her way forwards. She only dropped his gaze when she needed to, when she finally got the front of the final seat, and then could truly gaze around the people seated there.

Seven of the ten men, including Vitruvion, had girls with them. All seemed to be of various races and sizes, and some were there without bonds. Others, like Vitruvion, had clearly made a point of their bindings, either creating a 'matching set' of it, or turning it into art - much like that of the fake armour of Frendir's juvenile. Avis could now see the young girl's chainmail had thin chains from it twisting to constrain her movement of arms and legs. There was another man who clearly loved leather. He was a bearded fellow, and his beautiful female was draped in matching corset, manacles, collar and headpiece. She was scantily clad, but her face itself was covered with a dark veil so only her eyes appeared, and she wore long gloves along with thigh-high leather boots. Avis was concerned slightly, but knew these men were all wretches so did what they wanted.

The room remained in silence as Vitruvion took his final seat. Relaxing into it he grinned as he flicked up his cane and pressed it on Avis' shoulder. She rolled her eyes slightly but took a slow seat under his guidance. Then, with a smooth movement which she presumed was more for show than anything, he raised his legs and rested them over her shoulders. She let them sit there, her chest rising and falling slowly, her eyes keeping moving over the men, never dying in her vehement stare.

"It is good to see you all here," Vitruvion glanced at each one of the men in turn. His cane he rested on the ground, so in general he looked like a lounging princeling, lording over his people, whilst his slave concubine - Avis - bared the brunt of his demonstration of power. Slightly, she shifted, moving so it was easier to sit, and just as she did so he swung one leg up, balancing the ankle in the hold of the other.

Avis felt her heart race slightly as she came to the understanding that Vitruvion was the chair of this community. He bore it in his stance, in his attitude. He was proudly the speaker, and perhaps even more than that, as all were silent in his presence. It put her in a particularly strange powerful position, even despite her dislike of the situation.

"Last time we all met was three months ago. And we had ... Shall we say a pleasant conversation regarding the situation of various chambers of us. Since then we have gained a new brother," he looked over to a pale demon with fiery red eyes and a row of scale-like protrusions running down the centre of his skull. He smiled a fanged grin. "Tethion, who took Harik's position with ease. I trust, Tethion, you are taking to your inheritance well?"

Tethion's clawed hand, not dissimilar to Avis', curled around the hair of a surprisingly strong woman who sat on his knee. Her lips were pursed and she looked at nowhere with a strong purpose.

"I am thank you," Tethion spoke with a hissing, spine-chilling voice. "And I am delighted to be called a 'brother'."

Avis felt there was a myriad of stories within the man's words. When he said 'delighted' he pronounced​ each syllable with distinct pleasure.

Vitruvion continued, however. "To begin, then, we must vote if we all are satisfied with Tethion as our new brother." He looked around. "I for one am aye."

Everyone looked around the table to his right, where Frendir sat. The short, happy man seemed to glow with happiness that he was next.

"Aye, of course!"

Vitruvion nodded, and focus turned to the man right thereafter. A balding human with a scar down one side of his face.

"Aye," he gruffly said.

The turn order continued then. Avis learnt a few name: the half-orc was called Dru Blacktooth, and the older man beside him Gravelle. There was Pride, an unbound standing woman who spoke for her 'host,' Tongueless Tinash, after he gestured a little. After she was done he smiled and squeezed her butt. There was also the bearded man, with the leather clad and veiled female, who was close to Avis and Vitruvion but one to the left, and as his name got spoken, Avis felt herself drawn with interest.

"Hugin."

So far they had all votes aye. But as it came to this man who was the one who had angered Vitruvion so - and now jointly shared, if Blaze's words were anything to go by, the pixie princess, Reign - there was a long, uncomfortable pause.

"I vote nay, but we've got around so far, so it counts for naught, hmm?"

A freeze in the room. Some eyes remained on the bearded man, Hugin, who spoke with an air of arrogance, and some looked over to Tethion and still more to Vitruvion.

Utter silence. Hugin just stared at Vitruvion with a smirk and glistening eyes.

"Bah. Summim?"

The final person, a dark-skinned warrior from Fallien, spoke his agreement. It was left to Hugin to be the purposeful odd one out, something which clearly had altering motive, if his expression was anything to go by. Avis let her eyes wander over the man, tilting her head slightly as she felt Vitruvion adjust, sitting further up and pulling one leg off from her shoulder.

"Tethion, you join our brotherhood with a majority vote. Welcome."

The demon didn't seem bothered by the nay from Hugin, which seemed to have caused a great amount of consternation within the room. Even the lackeys and women were glancing at one another. But Vitruvion went on, nevertheless.

"Wonderful," Vitruvion faked a cheerful tone. "Now to other business."

One could just feel the tension in the room, it's tight tentacles of stress and ire twisting a suffocating hold.

"A petition has been filed by Tinash to move closer to the surface."

The murmur that rose then caughtAvis off guard. Frowning slightly, she tilted her head partly to catch Vitruvion's eye. He didn't look at her, however she did see the consternation crossing over his face.

Concern. Anxiety. What could the petition 'to move closer to the surface' mean? True, Vitruvion, her and the others had come down a sloping path today, the single corridor that led a spiralling path deeper into the earth. But did wanting to gain rooms further upwards just mean that?

"Talish, you already live in the centre of the Higher Level. Be content with that," one voice barked.

Another joined. "Your proposal means the rest of us need to move down, pig," the half-orc, Dru Blacktooth grunted.

"For those of us who would have to move," a sour tone came.

"Rich coming from you," the scarred man muttered.

"Gentlemen!" Vitruvion spoke in a louder voice than them all. Immediately the majority of them fell silent. Only the last one, the scarred man, remained speaking. He kept mumbling about the 'darker depths' and 'damp'. He leant forwards, moving his feet off Avis' shoulder.

The scarred man was still nattering on, and more began to continue joining back in. Vitruvion scowled deeply, tried to cough loudly again to get their attention. But the arguments were flying once more. It made Avis curious to know what sort of status being closer to the surface gave you.

Vitruvion grasped her shoulder suddenly and spoke whispers into her ear. "Look at Grund there. Give him your best hateful state."

Avis froze slightly, tilting her head so she could catch him out of the corner of her eye.

"You telling me who to hate now?" She murmured back.

Vitruvion's hold on her shoulder tightened to the point Avis had to bite back a wince.

"That was an order, Stare. And today you swore to obey my orders."

"I didn't-"

"Now!" He hissed, his teeth cracking.

Avis took in a breath and turned her eyes onto the scarred man. With her gaze she bore into him, thinking off all the hurtful times she had ever been through. The hurts and pains, the horrors and strifes. She thought of exactly how much she destested Vitruvion, and threw that into her glare. This, she centered towards Grund, locking her jaw, willing her strength into it.

It took a few seconds for the scarred man to see her stare. When he did, however, his eyes widened and he suddenly fell silent. Jaw still working, he looked like a fool, gazing back to Avis with absolute horror. Very similar to what she had done to Frendir out in the corridor - her stare, weaponised, used as a tool, a guard, an ability more powerfully than she had ever been able to use it before ...

Slowly the rest of the room quietened, all slowly noticing the way Grund was watching Avis, and vice versa. Movements stilled, gasps that escaped filtered to nothing, echoing into the void.

"What is she ...?" Whispered a voice.

"She is mine," Vitruvion was moving again, and the hand that was on Avis' shoulder pressed lightly before it moved up and over to balance on the crown of my head. She kept her breathing steady and sure, her gaze still. Grund was still captured by her, not able to look away. Not able to do anything.

"This is Stare," the half-celestial​ said with pride in his voice. "With an ability that is not magical in any way it seems." He leant back, his fingers tapping her skull. "That is enough, I think, my dear."

It took Avis a couple of moments to come to terms with what he said. With a blink she broke the eye contact and titled her head to watch Vitruvion. She could see him smirking, proud and content. He was not looking at her, but rather all around the room.

"Any petition for any of us to move is not to be taken lightly. But I shall remind you all of my take on where we are situated," he lifted his chin, looking at all the men one by one. "Where you are is nothing of import depending on your status. There are reasons that I hold place as both the chairman of our meetings, and being closest to the surface. We are ..."

He went on, but Avis didn't hear. For her heart began to hammer as she realised what he had just said. His chambers were near the surface. The nearest to the surface, of all the brothers in that room. That meant the day and the city of Beinost was far closer than she could ever hope. It was just above her head the entire time, and that meant she wouldn't need to try to get through all of the various rooms. She just needed to get to the entrance, to the door that led down here and that was now easier than anything.

If an opportunity presented itself, Avis would be sure to take it. If she was clever tonight, if she managed to keep Vitruvion satisfied at least, then perhaps security around her would be reduced. No more hobble, no more locked doors. She would have him believe of her loyalty, and come to the position that Blaze was in, with her two guards and no bonds. Carefully Avis could tread until all she needed to be was in the corridor, just a guard or two, and then ... Well. Whatever was happening with her eyes ... The power they seemed to have with the weaker willed of the world, everyone but Vitruvion ... Couldn't she use that? Whatever it was. Certainly things like this hadn't happened before but whatever was happening ...

"Madam?"

A sudden loud voice caught her attention. Blinking out of her thoughtful stupor, Avis looked over to where the word had come from. Her right shoulder, where a young woman, suitably dressed, bent down towards her baring a tray of brass goblets.

"Wha - what?" Dumbfounded, Avis replied.

The gorgeous woman smiled a dazzling smile. "You must be new. I am Desian, I work in the kitchens with my cousin Demer. Here," she gestured forwards with her tray. Avis caught the dark colour of swishing wine. And the stench.

"Ah," Avis paused, one eye dropping down to her bonds. She took a moment before realising she could get enough leeway with her upper arms only tied, and fairly loosely, to drink. Eyes locking with the kitchen girl Desian, she slowly took a goblet, if partly awkward.

Desian nodded and stretched up to continue offering drinks around the room. As Avis held her drink in her bound hands she noticed that other people in the room had them, and enough females were likewise precariously hoisting their drinks through the various bindings.

Apparently the conversation had moved on. There was less anger now, and the conversation was going through some form of apparent cleaning problem. Evidently the same people who cleaned for one set of chambers did them all. Avis had come back once from her voyages through Vitruvion's rooms to find her place tidied, the bathroom polished to sparkling.

Carefully she sipped her wine, able to cup the goblet and keep her eyes wandering around. She half listened to what was going on, only realising a few moments later that Vitruvion had returned to rest his feet on her shoulder. He was laughing a little, which bode well for her in terms of him being in a good mood. According to causal comments people were impressed by her, and Vitruvion was flaunting his capture of her.

"I am lucky in the fact that none of my three girls are messy. Kenkus hardly shed, if one wishes to know. They are extremely rare, and possess untold powers ..."

Untold powers. I have no idea what is happening, what you are doing to me, Vitruvion. It was a good conclusion to come to. After all Avis had only, from today, been able to freeze a man completely on the spot with her eyes. Before - well she had sent the fear of the Kami into some but not to such an extent as this. This was crazy, it had to be some form of influence of Vitruvion working through her.

Avis drank her wine, tilting her head back to rest it on the seat of his hair. She kept her eyes wandering, finding herself not the only one. The other women were conciously either watching the speakers or watching each other, a fair few of them intrigued in her. Naturally, of course, none spoke, but there was great emotion in some of the looks. Despite this, none stayed gazing at Avis for long, apart from the lady with the leather and the veil. Attached to Hugin. Avis held what she presumed was eye contact for a fair while several times, according to the light shimmering from under them.

"Of course," came a voice. Avis was drawn to it by the fact Vitruvion physically recoiled at its sound. It was also the voice that had refused to agree with the appointment of the brother Tethion. She looked around to see Hugin grinning.

"Of course Vitruvion, you shall be saved from having to worry about as much mess, and as much cleaning to organise. For, as we discussed two hours ago, Reign will be moving into my chambers." He paused, looking down at his leather tethered and veiled companion. "Won't you my dear?"

Suddenly the room fell deathly silent. As silent or nearly as so silent as when Avis had stared at the man. Used her apparent power or some such. All eyes focused onto Hugin and his girl who nobody could have known the identity of until now. Apart from him.

Avis' heart thumped. She knew the name Reign. Reign was the girl that Vitruvion and Hugin now owned, the one Vitruvion had recently allowed to he shared, owing to Hugin's interest in her. The one Vitruvion had had first, and now Hugin was daring to say that he wanted her to move into his home. Two hours ago apparently they had discussed it. No wonder Vitruvion had been so mad.

And now, Hugin had done the unbelievable and brought her with him. Dared to spite Vitruvion in his face and show him that he was now the one to hold onto the majority of the pixie princess. Bending down he gently tweaked the veil back and over her head to reveal the kind, gentle face of the fae royal.

Blonde hair. Blue eyes, elvish features and long tapered ears. Definitely some form of fairy. Tall, but elegant, if her skin tight corset, boots and gloves were anything to go by. All dressed in the leather that was very likely Hugin's pont-chant and not Vitruvion's ropes.

Avis' heart sank. Out of realisation that all she had managed tonight would now no longer help Vitruvion's temper. Here he was, the chairman of the Hollow, dishonoured and disrespected, though through legal ways since he had been the one to make the agreement to share Reign. Perhaps making it all the worse.

Clang!

Suddenly, the goblet previously in the half-celestial's hand was thrown across the room. It slammed into the wall, narrowly avoiding a man with a hatchet. Luckily he ducked. It smashed across a tapestry and bled it red with the wine.

The goblet in Avis' hand was then siezed, ripped from her hold. This was then chucked to the close right of Hugin's throne. Vitruvion stood, anger and hatred flooding his system - Avis could feel it writhing through him. Heart racing she began to hope, wish, that Hugin would suddenly beg for forgiveness and hand Reign back over. Reign at least looked apologetic, sad.

"This meeting is OVER!" Vitruvion roared. "NOW!"

And he, full of fury turned. His eyes dropped down to glare at Avis, and once more she saw the ire, the disgust, the horror from before.

"Fuck," she murmured to herself.

"Up," he commanded her. Heart thumping in her chest, Avis did not move, frozen in shock. Eyes full of darkness, Vitruvion slammed the end of his cane on the cobbles of the floor and screamed. "Stare. Get UP!"

He began to raise his cane again. She winced. And pulled herself to her feet, eyes dropping away from him. Remember to keep him happy, she tried to remind herself. Remember your new plan to escape.

But keeping him happy tonight, she knew, was going to cause her agony. Physical and mental. Harshly he gripped her shoulder and began to shove her forwards. Taking her own initiative, however, Avis moved, coming out of the shove with a quiet controlled step and she started heading for the door. Eyes down, self-control alive and reigning she went where she was sure he wanted her to go to.

Make him happy, she thought. Do as he expects tonight, heal his anger. Then he will trust you more. Then your time to escape will come.

Raevin raised his brow at her stride, but he said nothing. Going before her he opened the door to the chamber, letting the squeal enter into the world of stunned silence. Without looking at any of then other brothers once, Avis stepped out of this world and into the corridor one, pausing long enough for the giant of a man to take a place beside her. Then she set off.

There was a relatively long time before the clink clink of Vitruvion's cane told them he had caught up. When it did Avis said nothing, but paused enough to show she was waiting for him.

She told herself again: keep him happy. Let him take out his anger. Encourage him to trust you.

What had been before five minutes was three this time. As they got to what Avis knew was Vitruvion's chambers, she paused, before watching Raevin take charge and head towards the door. He opened it onto a small room, filled with a chaise Lange and a desk - Vitruvion's personal study that was clear. Then he went to open another room - a massive bedroom not unlike her own. Except grander. Orange instead of red. Gold flashes, furniture of mahogany and mystic objects.

Still they went on. Into another room, with another bed. Except this one was barer. Objects that were more at home in a medieval dungeon than here. The bed itself after all was perhaps as comfortable as the one in the other room (four poster and laden with cushions) but had so many short chains, manacles and circles cut into its structure that it could only be for the desire to show power.

Avis came to a halt just beyond the entrance of the room, eyes staring haphazardly around. At all the equipment, comforts and rope that would surely be the doom of her day. Raevin turned to look at her, an effort of a smile appearing on his face, then he nodded and turned to stalk back to the door.

Turning to follow him with her eyes, Avis saw Vitruvion enter the room. And she froze with the pitiless torments she saw in his eyes. The very same she supposed others saw in hers sometimes. Hatred, rage, tempestuous malicious intent.

Now she was the one gazing in a mixture of apprehension and fear. Of what he was going to do to her. Of what she had agreed to.

"You swore to me that you would do everything I wanted you to tonight," Vitruvion's voice was heated and passionate, his eyes embers. "And now I hold you to that. And to my promise of punishment. Any hestiance, any hint of disobedience from now on until I am finished with you and I will let Raevin have you directly. Right here, in front of my eyes. And he will then give you to the others, for one whole week, even longer until I am satisfied. Do you understand Stare?"

No hesitance. Her breath was fast, but she found herself nodding slowly, trying not to begin crying. Trying so hard.

Vitruvion seemed to develop from that. Arching out a sweep of his arm he gestured over to what could only be described as a piece of exercise equipment, found in the great gymnasiums. It was a piece of padded wood, formed into a form of seat with large heavy iron and wood legs holding it up. Clear metal cuffs were attached to the legs.

"Go over there," Vitruvion hissed, "And I want to see you lash your own ankles in."

She breathed in sharp, and her eyes dropped pointedly down to what she was already trussed up and pacakaged in. The half-celestial ground his teeth together and angrily gestured. Raevin came forth, a small blade out and cut through her bonds as fast as he dared. The frayed ends of rope fell to the ground like sorrowful rain, cascading around her crow feet. All that was left was her manacled hands and those she could still work with.

Her eyes closed partly before she took in her breath. Looking up to Vitruvion she held eye contact with his livid gaze and knew that he was entirely serious with his promise. Twisting her head away she began to make her own slow and apprehensive steps towards the adapted device. As she got there Raevin held out fresh coils of soft rope. Her hands shook as she stared at them for a while before she pushed her will to overpowering and stepped up onto a block which Raevin pushed into place. With that in place she bent down and began to weave the rope around her ankle, her heel and her leg, and lash it gently to the hoop there.

"Tight," Vitruvion ordered, as he moved behind. "Tight, so you cannot escape."

When she was done her own legs, spread far to either side, Raevin had lashed her elbows - keeping her hands still bound in favour of the filigree manacles - to the front legs. Vitruvion had then released his anger, thrashing her beyond belief and not just with his cane, but with a horse riding crop. What followed suit was only flashes of memory as Avis drifted in and out of realisation, trying to balance the pain with obeying Vitruvion's word.

She remembered being removed from the table, crying out when hands had brushed her sores. She remembered seeing flurries of feathers bursting into the sky. She remembered being on the bed, unable to move because of the pain. She also remembered being strung up, hands high into the sky, Vitruvion moving against her as she cried out in agony and him ignoring her. She remembered sobbing, hating herself and hating the pain but still doing as he asked. Over and over, once more, barely able to stay concious at times.

When she awoke the first thing she noticed was the agony. It rippled through her like a river of fire, lancing from skull to foot claw with the wrath of Hadia. Gulping large amounts of air was all she could do to not fall back into unconciousness. Eyes rolling back into her skull she chomped back an eternity of screams, shaking and spasming as her body realised it had been so abused.

As her body fell still, collapsing her form back upon whatever surface it had begun from, she swallowed hard. And tried to be as relaxed as possible, for moving meant muscles tensing and flesh contorting and that meant pain. She found a place to rest her head, warm, smooth, formed by the gods.

Her eyes flashed open. Unable to properly move it was all she could do to gaze around her, stare around, taking in the situation by sight only. Her hand she tried to move, but that too seemed to cause fearful trembling when she did so it was up to her eyes to find the source of this warmth.

It was just as she feared. Disgust came into her chest as she saw she was sprawled across the same bed as the night before, and had her head resting on the brute who had done this to her. Her cheek was on his chest - hence the perfectly formed part, her hands were curled by his waist. And his arm - well it was around her, holding her, horrifically cuddling her, dare one believe it.

Nausea came to her throat, and not just because of the pain. Because of him. Still here. With her, clearly having rested the whole of the night with her as his anger was satiated. Her beak opened with a shiver of unhealthy horror and she found herself letting out a strangled, coughing quiet cry of despair. Which led to another cough. Then a splutter. Then a wretch which wrecked her whole body, causing her to convulse as she screamed out, the acidic taste rising. Turning over, twisting achingly she rolled to the side of the bed and vomited right onto the ground.

Shaking, she stayed there, her whole body screeching at her that there was something very wrong.

Very wrong indeed.

Seconds past. She did not move, only gasped for breath. Behind her she felt the second person on the bed begin to waken. Then pause, and move.

The balance of the bed changed various times, but Avis kept herself there, at the edge, prepared for any more sick. Behind her came a sigh, the sound of footsteps and then a whisper.

"You did very well."

She didn't answer. She didn't want to answer him.

More seconds passed, and it felt as if the world was wanting to drown her, pulling her into the deep black void called despair. Longingly, she let it come this time and melted into a less concious state.

Time passed. There were feelings and there was none. But when Avis swam back to full conciousness she was back in the red usual room. Her room. On her own bed with cushions and comfort surrounding. And as far as she could tell no bonds, at all.

That at least was all good.

Though the same could not be said for her splitting headache.

Raising a hand she cupped her temples, letting out a slow moan. Headaches were something she had always hated, always detested. They were horrid things that deserved to suffer and die.

She groaned, closing her eyes and digging her head back into the cushions. Bringing up her knees to her chest she prepared to be a very birdy foetal ball for the rest of the foreseeable -

Then it struck her. The pain. The agony. The nasuea ... It had gone.

Well mostly gone. What she had felt earlier, in the other room, in her moments of fitful sleep, that had gone. To be replaced by tenderness and begrudging ache. It still felt horrible, but she did not need to scream out anymore, yell and shriek. It was gone.

Her hand fell from her head. Then headache still thrummed like a drum but in no way was it even comparable to what she had felt before. Sucking in her breath Avis dared to open her eyes once more.

Yes. The right room, her room. The right bed, her bed. And the cushions - there was more than plenty to go around, thank the gods. And on one of them nearby was an open piece of paper, crinkled slightly in one corner.

"Stare. I have healed you as best as I can at my brother's request. He says you are to rest until you are fully recovered. Ventrua."

Well at least that explained the pain. And it was a blessing. Avis wondered if Vitruvion was one of the more brutal of the brothers simply because he had Ventrua to clean up after himself. Or maybe the others were as brutal. They just had more females to get through on a rotation.

She sighed and slumped back onto the bed. Holding her head she decided that it was good time to let her current peace be used to its fullest extent, and thus she lay there, turning her head to have eyesight on the door. Keeping a look out, when she was awake.

Food and water came soon, brought by the usual young man. He smiled very briefly at her before leaving the meal on her table. She grumbled that she wanted it on the bed but he wasn't so placating. Instead she had to lie there until she had the energy and will to get up, then wolf down the food.

Later on she tried the door. And found it to be locked rather firmly. A glance around it, through the narrow window told her that the giant was now her familiar, and sat in a chair right outside, humming to himself.

Downing water and eating managed to quell her headache. After making enough noise the steward who came to get the empty plates took hint. He brought her a selection of pain killing herbs and plenty of water. As the day went on her headache waxed and waned but by the next day it had gone.

Her tense muscles remained, however, and it took several days for anyone but the steward to come and talk to her. Eventually the giant of the man himself made eye contact with her as the door was eased open and he smiled. And spoke to her for the first time in a deep, rustic voice. His name apparently was 'Brer.' He wasn't actually entirely a giant. In fact he was half-giant on his father's side and hailed from somewhere near Kachuk. His conversations with her were brief, but comforting and it turned out he was rather a friendly man. He had been assigned to her as her full-time escort and favoured the mattock and the hammer. He had come to Beinost seeking work as a mercenary, and had been found by Raevin. His few morals and his strength made him an excellent bodyguard. He also liked romance novels.

It was from Brer that Avis managed to beg a couple of books for entertainment. He gave her ones he said 'he would not miss' and that 'she could keep for a while'. After all, according to him, they would be together for quite some time, hopefully even years. Avis couldn't help but disagree with the giant on that point, but she knew she was starting to grow fond of him.

It was through the books she began to consider her own position. True she was trapped here, at least for now, but her plan to escape was still in formation. All she needed after all was a way to be in the corridor, mostly alone and preferably unbound. Ropes might be manageable.

Her thoughts also drifted to what else she could do. What it seemed she had managed earlier. The way she had caught Frendir's and then Grund's attention with her eyes, captured them with her stare. She always had known her stare was powerful, hence the nickname, and now the name but not so powerful as to instill pure fear and horror. To freeze a man to his post.

Running a hand through her hair she felt uneasy as she tried to read and think about her gaze at the same time. It was hard to concentrate on the words as they swam around in the common tongue and her mind was elsewhere. Unsatisfied she closed the book and threw it down onto the bed. Grumbling, Avis lay back, staring at the ceiling.

She didn't bother moving when she heard the door opening. Presuming it to be the steward bringing her food or another person of the Hollow coming to clean her bathroom - it had happened before - she continued lying there. Her grumpiness extended as she heard footsteps come and stop, then start again, turn, pause, stumbke -

"Hello?"

A female voice. And not one she easily recognised. Not Blaze anyway. Quickly, Stare sat up, folding her legs in their unique forms beneath her and turned her black eyes until she found some one in her room she definitely was not expecting.

Short, but elegant. Blonde, with dark roots. Blue eyes, gorgeous body. Form hd proud, tapered ears like a goat's ... What the fuck?

"You should definitely not be here," Stare looked at Reign seriously, her hands folding into the cloth of her bed. "For your sake as well as mine."

The royal girl frowned a little, and there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes. Yet, she seemed to understand precisely what Avis was talking about. Letting out a small sigh she folded her arms loosely across her corseted chest which had a thin edge of material to cover the bottom.

"I only came to apologise," she said in a voice as posh as anything but as humble. "For the trouble you went through."

Avis almost laughed. It came out as a single sarcastic note. "'Trouble'? Trust me it's not the first time. Your Hugin seems very adept at making Vitruvion furious."

"It's their internal politics," Reign sighed. "Men can be so noisy and petty. They argue and they are brutal, messy and cruel. It's just the way they are."

"So what, your back in this area because Hugin's fed up with you?"

Reign blinked, rubbing her shoulder. "Well I am technically an agreement between the two. Having them both want me grants me more power, extends my estate."

She really does speak like a royal.

Having grown up as part of the kegareta, the outcast class of the strict fuedal kenku society, Avis knew of royal power, and what it could mean. She understood the protection of a lord or a king, but also did not fully have the experience of negotiating every part of life around one. Being one of the kegareta was knowing the benefits of a liege-lord (shogun in the kenku tribes) but being aware of the benefits of living out with their control.

"And what, you plan to expand your empire further by seducing more of the sick bastards?"

Reign stared at her for a long time in silence.

"You're not very polite are you?"

"I've been told it's not one of my best attributes, no." Avis shrugged. "If you've spoken to Blaze at all you'll know I'm not apt at making friends."

"What? Little bird you doesn't want them?" The royal spat.

"No, more like I've never had them so I don't know how to get them," Avis retorted, staring at her.

That made Reign go quiet for a short while. She seemed stunned. And her attitude changed, becoming suddenly less abrasive and more open.

"Oh."

Avis blinked. "What?"

"Oh nothing," the pixie said very fast. "It's just that ... Well. You'll fit with Vitruvion well then. He hates everyone, most of the other men, most of us. He only really likes his sister. And Blaze sometimes."

Avis looked away at the thought of that. Suddenly she felt very uncomfortable, at the idea of her being just the sort of personality Vitruvion adhered to.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath.

Reign paused (apparently she liked pausing) yet again and then smiled very slightly. "So how long have you been here?"

It took a moment for Avis to answer as the thoughts continued around her head. "Almost three weeks. Still hating it. Still planning to escape."

"And I wish you the best of luck there. None has ever managed to get far."

The kenku shrugged. "Perhaps they just weren't trying hard enough."

Her conversation partner looked at her rather surprised. "No, they have tried. Believe me. I have, others have, but it can't be done."

Avis looked at her confused. "You are not making sense. Anything can be done. What about situation, power, strength..."

"Look, I am supposed to be able to do magic but I can't here, okay?" Reign suddenly said, furiously.

The comment then caught Avis off guard. And she was then the one to be dumbfounded​, pausing and silent. Very still, very staring, but not with malicious intent, but rather shock, awe, horror ...

"What?!"

The royal sighed and looked away. At anywhere, the ceiling, the tapestries, the furniture. Just not at Avis. The kenku was astounded. She herself had never had any hints of being able to do magic, and stories of kenku mages were very few and far between. Not common. But she knew magic was alive and resounding, the lifeblood of other races. It made sense that a Fae would be able to do magic ...

"As a royal I'm especially powerful. But yes, since I came here I have found I have no ability whatsoever. It is something to do with the tiles in this place, the atmosphere. Many of the girls here could do magic but now they cannot. It is what binds us."

Looking at the girl's face, Avis could see tears clinging at the corner of her eyes. They hung as diamond droplets from her long eyelashes. For to lose something that was an integral part of yourself, to have it gone, never to be accessed again, Avis believed that that would be near death. The closest thing she could imagine for herself was to lose her warming, cosy, precious, proud feathers.

"The kami above," Avis murmured. "That's crazy."

Slowly, Reign nodded. "After talking with the other girls here we think it's to do with Vitruvion. He often talks about how he is responsible for the security of the Hollow, and he and his sister are still able to do magic."

Avis' mouth fell open as she realised. The time he had placed that collar around her neck. The times Ventrua had healed her. The comments at the council, about why he had his place at the closest to the surface, at what it meant, why he was chairman, him, his, it had to be.

"So he's behind it?" Reign swallowed, then nodded. "... How?"

"I honestly don't know. But it might be too do with the fact he and Ventrua are half-celestial​. Maybe divine intervention?"

"There's nothing divine about him," Avis scowled.

"But he's a half-celestial."

"He's half a bastard and half a ballsack as far as I am concerned," Avis grunted. She didn't really care for the man at all and she was trying to relay this to Reign. In case it wasn't obvious enough.

"Hmm," Reign pursed her lips and watched her for a while. "Well, anyway, I came to apologise and apologise I have. We're not getting anywhere on the friendship point so I'll leave now."

Avis shrugged. "Sure."

Reign narrowed her eyes. "You're not going to stop me?"

The kenku shook her head. She didn't care much for this pixie princess either. "Nope. I'm good being moody by myself."

Quote:

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Part Three, The Last Part (for now) in the works. Will be coming very soon.

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Thread: The Hollow Part Two: Education
Author: Stare
Type: No Judgment

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