I had no recollection of time after being stuck in the catacombs for so long; Honestly some days I couldn't remember what the heat of the sun felt like or the night sky looked like. That idea in itself was damning; that aside I was summoned to master's room and with fear in my heart I unwillingly bowed my head like a good slave.
"Mm.. Ann perhaps? Hmm.. no.. Dora; Yes Dora works just fine don't you think?" I looked up to see him, my unholy master; wearing a mocking smile as his bone chilling gaze looked down on me without emotion. This bastard... I wanted to be mad; I really did but the moment Anger rose inside me from his blatant belittling it was instantly taken and twisted into this indescribable feeling of joy. The sudden desinence of that feeling and disconnect between my mind and my emotions left me winded and sick. I shook briefly before responding.
"Master I don't understand." I said in a small voice. My thoughts were scrambling and self demeaning without reason. The more I wanted to mentally retaliate the more self defeating the thoughts became; as if being in his presence alone was causing me to fight against myself. seeming Amused and waving a hand as if to dismiss my comment he said.
"It's a great pet name is it not?" My mind focused on one word: PET. This thing saw me as a pet! I had the sudden urge to scream and unwillingly swallowed it back; an unanticipated wave of tears of joy began to stream down my face. I was given a pet name! Master has given me a blessed name! My thoughts seemed to override my anger and again I felt unexpectedly sick. Why was I like this? it was wrong to feel joy over this! So why was I so happy? No, No I am not happy… I chided myself.
" Hooo, what a display of emotions; you like it that much?" My head nodded before I gave consent and I began to hug myself; my demeanor started to resemble a desperate huddle rather than a kneel. I looked up and saw the scariest diabolical grin I'd ever seen in my life; No politician or scam artist could ever come close to the corruption that oozed out of its very existence. ignorantly or uncaringly he continued on.
"What's your name again?" He said it playfully however my first thought wasn't to say Andorra; but instead the terrible pet name Dora. I resisted the revolting urge to reply.
"Hmm?" he tilted his head and I closed my eyes to avoid meeting his gaze. I could feel it, that if I gave in I would lose and I would break; my will was already battling against the horrid thoughts that paraded around like so many harlequin dolls in my head. The cold sweat that was now covering my body did little to aid me and in a heartless voice he continued.
"Andorra you know as well as I that your family will never take you back, That your country would sooner forsake you and put you up on display as you burned, that the small flame you call your quiddity could go out at any moment and no one would bat an eye." his deep and low voice rampaged through me like a ghostly wave.
He wasn't wrong in his statements; even if I did get away from these catacombs I'd have nowhere to go, I would be killed or locked away out of loath no matter where I went. I could hear a haunting chuckle in his voice as he said with sarcasm
"What's your name again?" my lips trembled; there was only one way for me to live. with an uncontrollable urge and tears of joy trailing down my face I said with a shaky smile.
"My name is Dora, Master." I could feel my will crumbling into sand. my mind kept screaming these emotions were unreasonable until my mind was quiet; so quiet I couldn't remember why I was angry anymore. I continuously looked into my master's lovely eyes entranced and a pleased smile bloomed upon his perfect face.
"Dora I have a job for you; you who can see through the facades of others; will be tasked with serving my wife. You will treat her as if she were your master." The word wife came as a bit of a shock to me; I thought master was a swinger but it made since a guy as powerful and skilled as master would have both a mistress and a wife. I bowed my head low and gratefully accepted my new task.
"Yes master." I could hear him rising from his chair but I dared not move until I was dismissed.
"You may rise." I stood up to find master directly behind me despite not hearing a single foot step. as I stared up at master I could see the true extent of his will; it was suffocating like being pressed under water. how could I ever go against something so immense?
He grabbed my hand and we were pulled into what looked like a mass of black ink. The next thing that was in front of my eyes was a wonderfully bright clearing with houses close by, a cool wind was playing through the withering flowers and creased the skin pleasantly, the slightly grey sky seemed to scroll on forever; and after being stuck underground for so long the openness of this clearing felt so spacious. before I could speak and ask where we were I heard soft laughter in the distance. A girl was running from what looked like a winged kitten; as she pretended to fall over she looked beautiful. her white hair fluttered gently in the breeze, her exquisite blue eyes radiated life and stood out gorgeously against her dark skin. I was at a loss for words; So I looked up at master for direction but he seemed to be just as transfixed as I was.
"So very lovely." it was probably the first time I had heard master refer to someone or something in such a light hearted tone. And then he was gone; in a fraction of a second he had made his way from my side and over to the girl and her kitten. she seemed surprised and a bit flustered but she wasn't scared at all; great another weirdo, I thought thinking back to Lilly.
With a gesture from master I was brought out of my thoughts and to his side, he then introduced me to Eva, his wife.
"Uh, Amos I never agreed to being..." she didn't finish that statement, the look in master's eyes seemed to stop her in her tracks.
"Erm... I'll think about it okay! but I never agreed!" she said it quickly and then ran off. how weird, did she not understand she could be killed? I cautiously looked up at master and found instead of an angry defeated face a happy and hopeful one; what was going through his head right now?