"More tea, my lady?"
With my right hand holding a kettle, and my left a cup, I offered its content to the stunning beauty sitting before a fine-crafted wooden desk.
"Thank you Domi, I was getting sleepy" She answered me with a sweet smile influenced by the fatigue.
I proceeded to serve the tea from a safe distance, I didn´t want to stain the documents on the desk, much less burn her tender skin.
With the cup at the reach of her hand and a refined move, she took the edge to her shiny lips. I felt how my heart bumped blood quicker with the resultant silence.
"Fuuu~. Delicious as always. Thanks, Domi"
I didn´t let her notice, but I was invaded by the greatest of happiness.
To maintain the serenity on my face I continued making small talks as the tea was running out.
"You passed magnifically your last general knowledge test, I´m sure the masters will be pleased"
The papers on the desk were mathematic problems and texts of literature. Those were didactic materials that she studied every night to obtain the wisdom that her family constantly showed to their servants.
A little time ago she was put to test with a writing exam.
As expected of a studious person like her, she aced it with a magistral precision.
There weren´t any big celebrations since it was a regular test of her school, but neither the servants nor I let pass the opportunity to congratulate her for that achievement.
"Haha, even if it was like that, I must improve. If I remember correctly, you passed the test with a perfect score when it was your turn"
For a moment my movements stopped. The modesty that she used was not something I could call pleasant, however, I did not dare to say that to her face.
It would be troublesome for me if I let her keep talking about this, so I decided to lure her attention with a humble and a bit silly act.
"It was like that? It must have been my good luck or just a casualty"
A pair of rubies looked at me. Their shine was both beautiful and intimidating.
The tiny light of the candles was replaced with a vivid fire.
"Dominique, you know I don´t like lies"
That was a warning that I would take a lot more seriously from now on.
Though her expression was soft, her words were all the contrary. My spirit was strongly afflicted, I felt as if my night was about to become very large due to the constant self-criticism that would occur inside my head.
Gosh, this guy was way too sensitive... I thought disgusted by my volatile feelings.
Manipulating the shadows I created a hand that held the utensils on my palms. Then I did a deep bow in a perfect 90° arc.
"Certainly... Please, forgive me, my lady. As you know, it is complicated for me to talk about myself, but I´ll do it if that is your order"
Her expression changed once again, now the softness of her lips took the shape of guilt; her eyes went back to the paper under her hands, and the fire of the candles came back to normal.
"... N-No... If you don´t want to talk about it it´s fine... Forgive me Domi, I´ve been studying for a long time and... Haaah... I´m a bit irritable... Please, lift your head"
That noble and dignified voice talked to me with the greatest of kindness.
My happiness saw itself in conflict with the sorry that surged from those words.
A servant is not supposed to let his master do a face like that.
That thought flew through my mind as quickly as the flash of a camera. Nonetheless, its impact was the same as a clutched fist.
I got frustrated again by the sensations running through my body. These quick changes were something that under any circumstance I could leave without care.
"...So annoying..."
"Hm? Did you say something Domi?"
Once the cup was empty, I took it off the desk and walked back to the tiny cart I had brought with me when I entered the room.
"Ah, it´s nothing, my lady... I was just remembering some things..."
"... I see... Please don´t force yourself... As I said before, you don´t have to speak if you don´t want to..."
A knot took place in the middle of my throat. I searched for a way to explain what had happened without leaving a window to look up through my facade as fast as I could.
"Regarding that... I learned about arithmetic and lecture before meeting you. I thought that if I acquired a bit of that knowledge I would have better possibilities to survive..... The rest you already know it..."
The tranquil mood was completely dissolved. Now there was an awkward pressure between both of us.
"... I-I´m sorry Domi I... I didn´t want you to recall such bad memories..."
Her eyes fell, I was only able to think that she was lecturing herself with the face that she was showing unconsciously.
Somehow, it was me who suffered the most from this scene.
Thump.
"D-Domi?"
Unable to oppose the demands of my body, I hugged the girl in front of me.
"I beg you, don´t worry about it" With our young bodies close enough to feel the warmth of the other, and with my hands holding her artistic face, I sunk in the depths of her eyes.
"Even if it was a hard time, I don´t regret having gone through that... After all, it was thanks to those circumstances that I got to meet you... My lady..."
"Domi..."
Tough she seemed surprised, she didn´t move my hand off her skin, neither rejected my gentle touches to her long golden hair.
"I don´t mind if I have to go through that chilling hell another million times... If with that I can meet you once more... Be at your side and be useful for you..."
Chu.
"Huh?"
"I would happily expose this body to danger... If it´s for you, my lady... No... My savior... I would be willing to do anything... Even offering my life..."
"....."
Before I could notice, my lips had landed over her hand, I was kneeling, and I was holding her hands as if they were the most precious of my treasures.
She was astonished, the look on her face had petrified with a red blush painting her cheeks and ears.
She tried to hide her face in noticeable panic with her free hand.
My heart accelerated its beats to incredible rhythms, there was a tickle sliding in my body that I could only describe as pleasant.
This feeling... What is this?... It´s the first time I´ve experienced this so I don´t know how to call it...
Luxury, happiness, realization, sadism.
It wasn´t clear which was the name of the heat embracing my body.
I want more...
The breaks of my mind were disappearing. This wasn´t supposed to be happening in this place and time, but it was little what I was able to do against the desires filling my thoughts.
Just a bit more... It should be fine if it´s just a bit... The story shouldn´t change that much...
One of my hands moved away from the treasure, now it was suspended in the air and on its way to her lips.
They were calling my name.
I had to answer.
"No... You can´t do that..."
"!!"
As if was bathed with a bucket of cold water, all my being petrified in an instant. It was like if all my biological functions had turned off for a moment.
I regained my senses a second after.
The softness I was looking for found me and embraced me in a mantle of sweetness.
"M-My lady?" I asked from the tights that she let me use as pillows.
My heart trembled once more, but the sentiment and sensations emanating from it were completely different from the previous.
"... You can not die, Dominique. I didn´t take you out of that forest for that to happen"
She was still blushing, but it was impossible for me to see her as the prey, now she was a divinity, an existence that overcame any predator.
The smile on her face was like a sedative, and the strokes to my head were a strong punch of sleep coming along with a voice filled with kindness.
I was under her control.
"You know... When we picked you up, it was not just a random act of kindheartedness... I saw something special in you... Something that without a doubt I had to keep close to myself..."
"....."
I didn´t have words left; all of them had faded in my head or got stuck in the knot of my throat.
"With how much you´ve improved, I´m certain that the decision I took that time was correct, and I´m very glad of that. My days have become more enjoyable with you by my side"
My sight started to get blurry. The borders of my eyes were bothering me with a humid sensation.
"That´s the reason you are forbidden for dying... No matter the circumstance, you can´t die before me..."
Her eyes were serious, her worriedness was almost palpable.
"Was I clear?"
I had no questions about it.
This person cared for me enough to act like that.
It was... Weird... Nice... Warm...
"... Yes, my lady..."
My voice was a whisper, I was sure that she couldn´t hear me, but the smile on her face made me change my mind.
"Promise me, Dominique. Do it while calling my name"
It was such a simple task, and yet, so sturdy.
I had to use all the composture left inside me to reproduce the sound that this imponent woman demanded.
"I-I promise... My lady... Verónica..."
"... Well done..."
Her lips landed on my forehead, stripping me of all strength and stamina that my body could have had.
Before I knew it, I fell asleep on her lap.
Dreaming about how I got here and how it all began.