**Narrator:**
Sai entered his chambers, the room bathed in the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the high windows. Behind him, the maid followed in complete silence, her presence almost ghostly. He could feel the weight of her gaze on his back, sense the tension that simmered just beneath her calm surface. Something about her unsettled him—something she was hiding.
His draconic eyes flickered with a faint glow, sharpening his perception of her energy. It was strange, powerful yet veiled. Sai's suspicion deepened.
**Sai (his voice cold, piercing the silence):**
"Who are you, really?"
**Narrator:**
The maid paused, her hands folded neatly in front of her. Her face was a mask of calm obedience, but her eyes… they were far too calculating for someone who claimed to be a simple servant.
**Maid (bowing slightly, her voice level):**
"His Majesty has sent me to serve you, Sir Sai."
**Narrator:**
Sai's lips curled into a faint smirk, but there was no warmth in it—only an edge of danger. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them with deliberate slowness, his draconic power radiating subtly from him.
**Sai (his voice low, filled with quiet menace):**
"Don't lie to me. I can see more than you think."
**Narrator:**
His eyes flared with a golden light, the slit pupils sharpening as he let his draconic sight take over. In that moment, the facade she wore wavered. Her energy flickered, revealing something darker, more dangerous, lurking just beneath the surface. Sai's eyes narrowed in realization.
**Sai (with a knowing smirk, his voice taunting):**
"An elf, hiding here… pretending to be a maid? Tell me, why would someone of your kind lower themselves to this?"
**Narrator:**
At the mention of her true nature, the maid's composure shattered. Her expression twisted into a mask of fury, her eyes flashing with lethal intent. In one swift motion, her hand darted to the small blade hidden within her robe, drawing it with a flash of steel.
**Maid (her voice laced with venom):**
"You dare expose me?!"
**Narrator:**
Before Sai could react, she lunged at him with a speed that would have taken any normal human by surprise. Her blade sliced through the air, aimed directly at his throat. But Sai, with his enhanced draconic senses, saw it coming. He sidestepped just in time, though the blade grazed his cheek, leaving a thin line of blood.
**Sai (touching the wound, his voice calm but dangerous):*
"Impressive. You would've killed me if not for these eyes."
**Narrator:**
The maid stepped back, her chest heaving with adrenaline. Her eyes locked onto Sai's, not with fear, but with the cold precision of a trained assassin. She spun the blade in her hand, her smirk returning as she assessed him.
**Maid (with a hint of admiration, but still dangerous):**
"You dodged my strike. So, you really are a dragon. But don't get comfortable—you won't be so lucky next time."
**Narrator:**
Sai's eyes darkened, his amusement fading. He could sense the raw power she was hiding, but it was clear that something was still holding her back. He had to know more.
**Sai (his voice turning cold, more commanding):**
"If we keep this up, the knights will be alerted. Do you want to attract attention?"
**Narrator:**
Her movements stilled. Her gaze flickered to the door, realizing the truth in his words. Slowly, she lowered her blade, but her guard remained up. Sai watched her, intrigued by the strange tension between them.
**Sai (calm, but with a sharp edge):**
"Enough. I want answers. Who are you?"
**Narrator:**
The maid hesitated, her eyes narrowing as if debating whether to strike again or retreat. But after a long, tense moment, she exhaled slowly and sheathed her blade.
**Maid (grudgingly):**
"My name is Hana."
**Sai (raising an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued):**
"Hana… but that's not all, is it? What's an elf doing here, hiding among humans?"
**Narrator:**
Hana's expression shifted, a flicker of something deeper passing through her eyes—pain, perhaps, or bitterness. She cast a glance at the floor, her voice growing quieter, the edge of her anger replaced by something more vulnerable.
**Hana (softly, her voice distant):**
"I wasn't always an assassin. Once… I was a child, just like any other. But elves are rare, valuable. Slave traders found me, and my village was burned to the ground. They killed my family in front of me. I was only a child when they dragged me into their world of chains and shackles."
**Narrator:**
Sai's gaze hardened, though he remained silent. He had heard of such stories before—elves were highly prized in certain circles, often sold to the highest bidder as exotic slaves.
**Hana (bitterly, her eyes darkening):**
"They tried to break me. I was passed from one owner to another, each one worse than the last. But I never gave up. I swore to myself that I'd escape. And one day, I did. I killed the last man who owned me, slit his throat in his sleep. I've been on the run ever since."
**Narrator:**
Her voice wavered slightly as she spoke, though she tried to mask it. Sai watched her with a quiet intensity, his expression unreadable.
**Sai (calmly, but with a hint of empathy):**
"And you ended up here? In the palace of all places?"
**Hana (with a small, humorless laugh):**
"I thought I could hide here, blend in. No one would suspect a lowly maid, especially one bound by this."
**Narrator:**
With that, she pulled back her sleeve, revealing a dark, glowing mark seared into her skin. Sai's eyes immediately zeroed in on it, recognizing the curse at once.
**Sai (quietly, studying the mark):**
"A slave mark. It seals your power, keeps you hidden."
**Narrator:**
Hana nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of hatred and despair.
**Hana (bitterly):**
"This mark is a curse that binds me. It makes me weak, keeps me invisible to those who should be able to sense me. But it also keeps me trapped. Every time I use my power, it burns like fire inside me."
**Sai (after a moment of thought, his voice firm):**
"What if I removed it?"
**Narrator:**
Hana's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. She stared at him as if he had just spoken something impossible.
**Hana (disbelieving):**
"You… you could remove it?"
**Sai (his tone matter-of-fact):**
"Yes. I can see every detail of the mark with these eyes. I can break it."
**Narrator:**
For a moment, Hana stood frozen, her mind racing. The thought of freedom—true freedom—was something she hadn't dared to dream of in years. But there was a hesitation, a wariness in her gaze. Trust didn't come easily to someone like her.
**Hana (her voice cautious, trembling with hope):**
"If you did… I would be in your debt. But I have one condition."
**Sai (nodding slightly, intrigued):**
"Name it."
**Hana (her voice firm, though her hands trembled):**
"You must never reveal my true identity. To anyone. Not the king, not the knights, no one."
**Sai (his gaze unwavering, his voice steady):**
"I have no interest in exposing you. You'll be free, and your secret will be safe."
**Narrator:**
Sai stepped closer, his hand reaching toward the mark. His fingers hovered just above her skin, glowing with draconic energy. Hana stiffened, her body tense as the power in the air thickened around them.
**Sai (focused, his voice low):**
"Stay still. This won't take long."
**Narrator:**
Sai's hand began to glow brighter as he summoned the energy he had inherited from Zaroth. The mark on Hana's skin pulsed in response, fighting back against his power. But Sai pushed forward, channeling his draconic energy into the mark, unraveling the dark magic that had bound her for so long.
**Hana (her voice shaking as the curse began to fade):**
"I've lived with this mark for so long… the pain… you have no idea…"
**Narrator:**
Her body trembled as the last remnants of the curse burned away. A surge of raw power flooded through her veins, the strength she had long suppressed bursting forth. Hana gasped, stumbling slightly as she felt the full weight of her abilities return.
**Hana (in awe, her voice breathless):**
"You… you actually did it."
**Narrator:**
For the first time in years, she was free. The chains that had bound her, the curse that had shackled her power, were gone. Tears welled in Hana's eyes, though she quickly wiped them away, refusing to show any weakness. Her body trembled as the raw power she had been forced to suppress for so long surged back into her. It was overwhelming, intoxicating.
**Hana (her voice trembling, her hands shaking as she clutched her now unmarked shoulder):**
"You have no idea... no idea what it's like to have lived with that mark. It... it was agony, every moment. The pain, the power it stole from me... I thought I'd never feel this strength again."
**Narrator:**
Sai watched her silently, his expression unreadable. But beneath his cold, composed exterior, he couldn't help but feel a flicker of understanding. He knew what it was like to have power, to be bound by something greater than yourself. Yet, he remained distant, unwilling to let emotion cloud his judgment.
**Sai (calmly, his voice steady):**
"Now you are free. But remember, I am the one who gave you that freedom."
**Narrator:**
Hana's gaze flicked up to meet his, a strange mixture of gratitude and wariness in her eyes. She understood the weight of his words—her freedom came with a cost, a debt she owed to this dragon before her. She straightened herself, the assassin's mask slipping back into place, though there was something different in her stance now. Strength, confidence.
**Hana (bowing her head slightly):**
"You have my word, my lord. I will never forget what you've done for me. From this day forward, my blade and my loyalty belong to you."
**Narrator:**
Sai gave a slight nod, satisfied with her response. His eyes, still glowing with draconic energy, softened slightly as he took a step back. He knew the power she now held, and while she was dangerous, having someone like her at his side would be invaluable.
**Sai (with a small smirk, his voice lowering):**
"Good. Now that you're free, you'll no longer wear that maid's uniform. You're an assassin—dress like one. Something more suited to your true self."
**Narrator:**
Hana glanced down at her simple maid's attire, her lips curling into a small, amused smile. She had spent years hiding behind this disguise, playing the role of a docile servant, all the while suppressing her true abilities. Now, that life was over. She had no intention of going back.
**Hana (nodding, her voice filled with newfound confidence):**
"Yes, my lord. I will wear the garb of an assassin, as I should."
**Sai (raising an eyebrow, curious):**
"And tell me... now that your power has returned, how skilled are you? Can you move unseen, even among the highest ranks?"
**Narrator:**
Hana's smirk deepened. She lifted her hand and, in an instant, her entire presence vanished. The air around her shimmered as she blended into the shadows, her energy masked so thoroughly that even Sai, with his draconic sight, struggled to sense her.
**Hana (her voice echoing from the shadows):**
"I was trained to kill without being seen, my lord. Stealth is my greatest weapon."
**Narrator:**
Sai's smirk widened slightly, impressed despite himself. Her abilities were more than he had expected. He turned his head slightly, sensing her movement behind him as she reappeared, standing silently just a breath away.
**Sai (coolly, turning to face her):**
"Good. From now on, I want you to stay close to me. Hidden, but always near. I don't trust many, and I need someone like you watching my back."
**Hana (bowing her head, her voice soft but unwavering):**
"Yes, my lord. I will be your shadow, always by your side."
**Narrator:**
Sai nodded in approval, though he could feel the weight of her words. An assassin bound to him… this was a dangerous alliance. But if she kept her word, she would be an invaluable ally. And if she didn't, well... he would deal with her accordingly. He had no illusions about trust, especially when it came to people who had been forced to survive in the shadows.
He turned, dismissing her with a casual wave of his hand.
**Sai (nonchalantly):**
"That will be all for tonight. I need to rest. Tomorrow, I have… other matters to attend to. A date with the princess."
**Narrator:**
Hana's eyes flickered with something—perhaps surprise, or maybe something else—though she quickly masked her expression. A date with the princess? She had heard whispers of the royal family's interest in Sai, but hearing it confirmed stirred something within her. Still, she bowed respectfully, hiding her thoughts behind a mask of obedience.
**Hana (with a sly smile as she turned to leave):**
"A date, my lord? How fortunate for her. Rest well, master."
**Narrator:**
Before Sai could respond, Hana's form shimmered and disappeared into the shadows, her presence completely erased. He chuckled softly to himself, running a hand through his hair as he looked toward the window where the moon hung high in the sky.
**Sai (to himself, smirking):**
"An assassin with no chains… things are about to get interesting."
**Narrator:**
The night was still, and as Sai stood alone in his room, the events of the day ran through his mind. Hana's story, her sudden freedom, her fierce power—everything about her intrigued him. She had lived through hell, survived against impossible odds, and now she was bound to him. It was almost poetic.
But there was something else, something lurking beneath her loyalty, something he couldn't quite place. He had seen it in her eyes, the flicker of emotion when he mentioned the princess. He didn't dwell on it long, though. Tomorrow was another day, and there were other matters to deal with.
**Sai (his voice low, amused):**
"Well, this should make things more… entertaining."
**Narrator**:
With a final glance out the window, Sai lay down on his bed, closing his eyes. His thoughts lingered on the strange, dangerous bond he now shared with Hana. She was powerful, unpredictable—and in his world, that was exactly the kind of ally he needed.
As the night deepened, shadows danced across the room, and somewhere in the darkness, Hana remained—silent, watchful, ready to strike if need be.