"Considering you are going to be my servant, it's only right I prepare you properly." Kaida declares as she leads Ragu into her room inside her father's mansion.
The mansion itself is huge, filled with slaves and servants. The walls are all made of an ancient stone covered in carvings and runes. From what he understands, it's an ancient Sith Temple.
The girl's room is massive, spanning the size of multiple huts from his hometown. It is filled with well-made furniture and many Sith-like artifacts and weapons.
Upon entering the room, Kaida walks over to a wall covered in many different types of swords, all of which seem to be made from a material unfamiliar to the zabrak warrior.
Grabbing one of the more simple blades off the wall, she hands it to him. "Try this."
Taking the blade, he glances up at the girl. "Is this a gift or just being lent to me, Kaida?" He asks.
"It's a gift. As my servant, you're going to need to be armed adequately. I can't afford to have you dying on me because you lack a proper weapon." She replies.
Then, with an annoyed expression she responds, "Also, from now on you will either address me as Lady or Lady Kaida. If you're ever so rude as to address me by my first name alone again, then expect a long session with that shock collar." She says, warning him.
Ragu grunts in acknowledgment and annoyance.
After a moment, Kaida selects another sword off the wall. The blade she selects is a fine saber clearly of very high quality.
"These are the weapons that we will be using until we acquire our own lightsabers. As such, they will be our lifeline in the academy." She states as she turns to face him, raising her blade.
"I see," Ragu replies, with a sharp nod before raising his own blade.
If this is the case, it's exactly like his home world. Maybe a little more murderous, but the rules are the same. The strong alone survive.
Not waiting any longer, the girl blitzes forwards, slashing at his chest with a swift and precise strike.
Raising his blade, Ragu deflects the strike before whirling his blade around his head and slashing at her waist.
Kaida smirks, pleased at the skill of her new servant. His movements are crude and lack skill, but his instincts and talent for fighting are both good. The technique can be taught.
Flipping over the strike, she launches a series of powerful slashes toward him as she flips over him.
Raising his blade, Ragu is able to deflect most of them, only receiving a shallow cut on his cheek.
Upon her landing, she deflects a powerful strike coming for her neck. The strike was holding nothing back.
The girl can't help but smile amusedly. Even now Ragu is trying to escape. He is trying to kill her so he can remove his collar. How amusing!
Realizing that the boy thinks he can actually keep up with her, Kaida decides to crush his hope.
For now, escape is impossible. Reaching out with her hand, she reaches deep into her connection with the dark side before sneering and releasing a powerful blast of force energy.
Ragu, seeing her reach out, lowering her gaurd, lunges forward. Despite his admiration for her beauty, he thrusts his sword at her neck. 'Sorry, I don't care who you are, I'm not living as your slave for the rest of my life.' He roars to himself in his mind.
However, just as his blade begins to near her neck, a powerful, invisible, blast of energy sends him flying backward, crashing into the wall and causing him to hit his head.
Grasping the back of his head in pain, he groans before trying to reach for his weapon.
However, as he does so, he freezes as he feels sharp steel pressing into the back of his neck.
"Not bad. You'll be useful." She says with a smirk.
"I'm glad the lady approves," Ragu grumbles sarcastically, annoyed at his defeat.
Hearing this, the girl can't help but let out a small giggle.
"Your pretty fun." She says as she sheaths the blade.
Turning around, she begins to walk back toward the weapon rack.
Seeing his opportunity, Ragu grips the blade.
'Her back is turned. I can kill her!' He thinks.
Gripping the blade, he prepares to lunge at her but pauses.
'Should I really do it? If I kill her, I probably will lose my opportunity to be trained as a Sith. If I manage to escape this place with my life, there will be no way for me to join the academy.'
With this thought, he hesitates before sheathing his own blade.
As embarrassing and humiliating as it is to be a slave, he can't pass up on this chance.
At the thought of the possibility to learn the ways of the dark side, his blood boils. He feels a rush of excitement flows through him. He can't waste this chance. Even if it means being a slave.
Kaida surprised at the lack of attack, glances behind her to find Ragu sheathing his blade.
She can't help but to smile seeing this. 'So, he came to truly realize his situation hm.'
After placing her blade back upon the wall, she turns around and faces the zabrak.
"What is your name." She demands.
"My name is Ragu, son of Ragar." Ragu replies, introducing himself.
"Ragu son of Ragar, I assume the fact that you didn't try to kill me just now means that you understand the situation." She states with a smirk.
Realizing that it was a trap set by the devious girl in front of him, he mentally breathes a sigh of relief. He made the right choice.
"That's right. The only way I become Sith is by serving you." He replies with a hint of bitterness in his voice.
Kaida smirks and nods.
"That's right. I understand that you hate being enslaved, but I need an ally whom I can trust. One who I can't worry about betraying me." She says.
"And? Even with this collar how do you know I won't betray you when you're not looking?"
"Because the collar has a built-in audio and video recording function. I can not only listen to you speak in real-time, but I can go through past recordings of any conversations or interactions you have." She replies.
"I see."
She then smiles before continuing, "Besides, even without those functions I doubt you would betray me."
Ragu nods. "If you die, or I become useless to you…."
She nods, "That's right. You'll be killed. The collar functions are more of a safety measure."
After a moment of silence, Kaida smiles, her soft and luscious lips curving upwards, giving her an enchantingly beautiful look before she begins to speak.
"However, despite this insurance, I want something more."
Confused, Ragu asks, "What more do you want from me?"
She answers saying, "I want your loyalty. Not because you have to. But willing loyalty."
Hearing this, Ragu can't help but to audibly laugh, his voice filling the room.
"I'm sorry what? And why the hell do you think I would give you my willing loyalty? You enslaved me!" He asks with a dangerous glint in his eye. His fury bubbling over at this statement.
He has already been lowered to a mere slave. He already sold his pride for a chance for power the moment he sheathed his blade. Now she wants for him to throw aside the little pride he has left and willingly submit to her?
"And, to do that I will make you an offer." She says, interrupting his thoughts.
"An offer?" He asks.
"That's right. I wish to make a deal with you. In exchange for your willing loyalty, I promise you power, and in the future, your freedom."
Hearing this, his anger dissipates. Freedom? Now this is not something he can ignore.
"What do you get out of this? What benefit does my willingness have for you?" He asks.
Hearing this, she nods before replying, "I plan to rule this empire. I wish to kill my father, overthrow the Dark Council, and become the Empress. To do that, I need followers. Willing and powerful followers."
"You want to become empress?" Ragu asks shocked. However, after a moment, his blood begins to boil…. To overthrow the Emperor and the Dark Council…. How…. Interesting!
"That's right." She says, her expression is dark and foreboding. She knows how difficult the path ahead of her will be. It will be filled with war and bloodshed. That is why she is making this offer to the slave in front of her.
What she needs is not a useful slave, but an ally who she can rely upon.
"The deal I offer you is this. Swear your loyalty to me. Swear to make me empress and to be my supporter. If you do this, I promise to help you grow right beside me. I will help you access power, unlike anything you can possibly imagine. And... After I feel you have proved your loyalty to me, I will set you free."
Hearing this, Ragu can't help but to look at Kaida in a different light than before. While yes, she is the reason he has become a slave, she is also the reason he is being given the chance to become Sith. To become a powerful warrior famed throughout the galaxy. And.... She is offering him freedom.
"Lady Kaida.... Is what you say true?" He asks.
She nods, "It is."
Upon hearing this, the duo stands in silence for a few moments. Ragu makes a decision.
Bending his knee, he bows his head.
"I, Ragu son of Ragna, swear on my honor of a warrior, that as long as Lady Kaida upholds her oath to grant me power and freedom, I shall be her sword and cut down all her enemies." He states, swearing his loyalty to the beautiful sith woman in front of him.
"Do you accept this oath and swear to uphold your part of the deal?" Ragu asks.
Kaida nods. "I, Kaida, swear to grant you freedom and power in exchange for your absolute loyalty."
Taking Ragu's blade from him, she gently taps the blade on either of his shoulders, ceremonially sealing their oath. "With this, our oath is sealed. Rise, Ragu, Hand of Kaida."
(I hope you all enjoyed this! I am really loving this fanfic! I just have a few questions for my readers.
1. How does the writing quality feel? Is it good? Where does it need improvement?
2. How is the pacing? Does it feel to fast? Too slow?
3. Are you enjoying this? Do the chapters leave you wanting more? If not, what do you think is missing?
4. Thank you for reading! have a great day.
Please remember to comment as much as possible! Your comments and interactions with my story are really what keep me motivated to write!)