Silf could see much better here. The lights were much brighter. The room had tiled walls and floor. The bath was built into the floor. It was large. Larger than most she'd seen. Larger than any she'd ever been allowed to use.
"Sir, you said I can ask questions?" Magnius didn't answer. He let the question hang a moment. A test to see if she would ask without being given permission. She would. "Do you know what he will use me for?" Magnius froze. Use her for? The thought disgusted him.
He stood allowing the water to continue filling the tube. "He won't. We intend to free you." He turned to face her. She was looking at the floor or maybe her feet. No reacting to her impending freedom.
She didn't believe him. He didn't blame her. How could he? She'd probably been given that line before. A carrot dangled on a stick always out of reach. Promised to her if she just did one more thing. Obeyed one more command. Always just one more day away. This day was different.
The room had fallen silent until the bath was almost full. "Will you need assistance?" He asked. "I can have Aryzath help if you need it?" He ended the flow of water watching as steam rolled off its surface.
Silf shook her head. "No sir. I can manage." She replied attempting to get down onto her good leg. Magnius stepped in to lend her aid. "Careful"
Magnius took his leave, giving Silf her privacy while he tended to the other matters of the day to come. Returning to his study to prepare a Chain Breaker. A blade designed to cut through the magical bonds that held all collars in place.
No ordinary blade would do. But due to his previous attempt the night before it would seem even an ordinary Chain Breaker wouldn't suffice. He would need to handcraft a new one.
One build to cut through the links of reinforced Runes. How reinforced was the question. He'd advocated there be laws set in place controlling what sort of Runes could be used for enslaving new captures.
It made freeing slaves easier but as a result, an underground market for collars crafted with more complex runes had emerged. Finding the difference between the two was always difficult and made up the majority of those brought to him to be granted freedom.
Once free, he grafted a Rune to each former slave to protect them from re-enslavement. Silf would be no different.
~~~
Magnius made his return to fetch Silf nearly an hour after having left her. Having spent the majority of the time gathering his tools and books in preparation. Crafting a Chain Breaker took time and a considerable amount of mana.
No small feat even for an experienced magic-smith. Without a proper understanding of her collar Magnius instead opted to cover every possibility. Anything he could think of that could rebuke his blade, he set a countermeasure into effect. He left no stone unturned. Nothing was left to chance.
Magnius knocked on the bathroom door announcing his return. "Are you finished? Breakfast is ready" There was no sound from inside. He considered barging in to make sure she was already. That she'd not attempted to take her own life.
He reached for the knob but the door swung open revealing Silf standing in the doorway. The towel wrapped around her frame as she moved back to allow him entry. He stayed by the door observing for a moment
"Yes sir, I did the best I could." He gave her a once over. Her feet and hands looked much cleaner. Her skin was almost neon white now. Her hair was still matted and tangled, however. It looked like she'd given an honest attempt at combing it but it was far too gone to be saved.
He smiled. "Much better"
Magnius stepped closer to pull gently at a strand that hung by her intact horn and beside her face. "We'll probably have to cut your hair." There was no response.
Her eyes remained locked at her feet as she held the towel tight to herself. She was scared. He could tell. He thought of all the things that could possibly be going through her head. Nothing good.
He wasn't sure how to comfort her. To reassure her he didn't mean her any harm. That his words were the truth. Was there anything he could do? He frowned, "You should get dressed now." Silf nodded letting the towel fall away as she turned.
Magnius tried to look away but found he couldn't do it fast enough. He'd already seen her. The creature before him suddenly wasn't quite female, nor was it truly male.
Everything about Silf had appeared feminine up to this point but now Magnius was facing a stark realization. She was a hermaphrodite. While her frame, figure, and voice, had been truly feminine, what lay below was clearly male.
It wasn't until Silf pulled the robes over herself that he even realized he'd been staring. A mixture of confusion and shock clouded and gripped at his mind.
Was there a reason for that, he thought. Was that her way of provoking a response? A way of protecting herself from something other than death? Had she been sexually assaulted before and this was her way of guarding against what she might view as an advancing man?
Should he say something, apologies, act like he didn't see anything? "Is this good sir?" Silf's melodic voice broke through his momentary stuper.
She'd done the best she could with the robes. They were large enough to cover her entirely. Thankfully he thought. "Umm yes, sorry I uhh-" He cleared his throat and gathered his thoughts. A short pause as he fought to find the right words.
"Should I refer to you by male or female pronouns?" He looked away feeling rather embarrassed with himself now. Had he known from the start ... "I wasn't aware of your umm-" He motioned towards her legs. Sensitive ground was being walked here.
"Does it matter sir?" Silf replied, tightening the robes around her waist. Her eyes still locked at her feet.
Magnius crossed his arms taking a heavy breath. "Personally I couldn't care less." He answered. "But you're entitled to be treated with dignity." He looked back to see Silf now struggling to roll up the sleeves of the oversized robes.
Approaching, he motioned for her arm. She complied. "I can't imagine you've been treated with much of that though." Magnius continued first folding then rolling the sleeve. "Enslaved, starved, beaten. Your life's been one of suffering and indignity."
His tone of voice had turned cold. "So yes, it does, or at least it should to you." He finished rolling the sleeve and began with the other.
"I can't undo what you've endured but I can ensure you won't go through it again." He continued. "You can continue to doubt me but what will you do when I cut that collar away? Will you return to a life of servitude or forge ahead and find your own reason to live?"
Magnius cupped his hand to her chin and forced her to look up at him once he'd finished fixing the sleeves. "Her eyes were emotionless. Starved for something he couldn't put to words.
He thought he sounded rather corny and Silf seemed as unmoved as ever. He gave no thought to the words he used. He simply said whatever came to mind. He hoped that would be enough to change her mindset.
Silf fidgeted uncomfortably against his gentle grip but didn't pull away. "Then female sir."