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Not only did Gaved know nothing about Stygg and Lena's arrangement, but he was in a particularly foul mood as he stomped towards the den. If Gunnar hadn't been so stupid and Thorgrim hadn't been so ... so bogged down by family ties ... then Gaved would have a fine new thrall by now. A lovely thrall that would do as he said and not mope around lithping and thimpering.

The all-too-late realization that he could have claimed the darker lioness as his instead of dumping her off with the rest of the thralls made Gaved's mood even bleaker.

Catching sight of Stygg waiting at the mouth of the den, Gaved snarled. "What are you doing, you lazy little slut?" Gaved rasped, storming up to Stygg and glaring down at her. "What've you been doing while I was gone, eh? Hanging around outside all day, trying to lure some other males over? Trying to get one to claim you as a wife?" Gaved raised a paw to strike Stygg.



Luckily for Stygg, Lena chose just that moment to approach the den as well. "Nephew," she said softly, walking up to stand beside the blond lion. Lena spent as little time with her nephew as she possibly could, but she could tell that he was furious. Whatever he was angry about, it wasn't Stygg's fault, and she didn't want to see him hurt the poor lioness if she could help it.

It wasn't Lena's place to tell Gaved not to discipline Stygg, but she could at least distract him.

"I told Stygg I'd come to visit you both, Gaved. I'd love to see your den, I know Stygg has worked so very hard on it." She smiled gently up at the lion, ignoring his extremely disgruntled expression.

Poor Stygg, Lena could just tell that the lioness was about to burst into tears. Stygg had always been frightened by Thorgrim, but she had never seemed this utterly, wretchedly miserable. Lena felt a wash of sympathy for the poor thrall and something like hatred for Gaved. She stepped on that anger quickly, though. Gaved was a good son to Thorgrim, and she couldn't hate him. She wouldn't. He had been rather sweet as a cub, always kind to her daughter Pia. Things had gone terribly wrong somewhere, but she would do her best to remember that sweet cub.

"Poor dear, you must have worn yourself out working so hard," Lena said gently, not wanting Stygg to have to speak while she was getting herself under control. She shot a look up at Gaved, stern but not aggressive. "I'm sure she was waiting for you as any kind and loyal thrall might wait for her master. Will you show me in, Gaved?"



Gaved had been rendered momentarily speechless by the arrival of his meddling aunt. It was difficult to wipe the look of baffled anger off his face when he replied to her. She was his father's wife, his family, and she was to be respected ... but she was interfering, in such a soft and typically female way that he couldn't think of how to stop her.

"She wasn't waiting for me. She hates me," Gaved said flatly, fixing a cold eye on Stygg as he spoke. He hadn't realized until he said it that he had paid any attention at all to his thrall's feelings, but when the words were out he knew them to be true. Stygg hated him. It was a sourly pleasant knowledge. He turned abruptly and walked into the den. "Come in. I'm sure Stygg will get you something." If that lazy Stygg was going to cry to his aunt to come over, she might as well look after Lena. Gaved threw himself down onto a pile of hides huffily. Females!

Lena followed Gaved in and settled herself down. Truth to tell, she was relieved that Gaved seemed to be cooperative. Her nephew was like a stranger to her these days, and she didn't know what she would have done if he started shouting at her and threw her out. Maybe there was hope for him yet.

"Mint would be lovely, thank you, Stygg," Lena said politely. She wasn't much for the mint herself, but she thought it would be good for Gaved to see how attentive and obedient Stygg was. There was no way Lena could get Stygg away from him, but maybe she could soften his heart towards the poor thing. "So Gaved, I hear you're a fine reaver now. A bold warrior." Flatter him and wait for Stygg to bring him some mint, that would ease him. As it was Lena was worried about going home and leaving Stygg alone with the lion.



Gaved grumbled to himself as his aunt came in and settled down. If she had fussed at Stygg for anything, anything at all -- the neatness of the den perhaps -- he would have been overjoyed at the excuse to lash out and beat the thrall. But instead she just sat there looking all neat and nicey-nicey, oh-isn't-this-swell, what-a-happy-family-we-are, when all he wanted to do was hurt something.

Gaved drew in a deep breath, struggling to calm himself, and let it go in a gusty sigh.

"Mint," Gaved said shortly to the thrall. He knew Lena wouldn't upbride him for calling Stygg names, but it would still feel strange to curse at Stygg in front of his gentle aunt. "I am a good reaver, aunt. Father taught me well." The brief surge of pride was smothered when Gaved remembered exactly what had happened earlier.

He glared sullenly at Stygg as she brought him his mint. He wanted to shout at Stygg to leave, but he had the dark suspicion that Lena would call Stygg back so that she could praise the thrall like some sort of obedient pet. "Sit next to me, thrall," Gaved grunted. "Lena says you were waiting for me. How nice."

Lena's smile felt a little strained, but although Gaved seemed irritated he was no longer as menacing as he had been. She took a piece of the mint and chewed it delicately. If one was careful to only take a little, it made one feel very pleasant. "This mint is excellent, Stygg. Well done," she said, smiling at the darker lioness.



Stygg was instantly obedient, which was somehow aggravating. Gaved took the mint and tossed a couple of leaves in his mouth, glaring at her as he chewed it. "Very nice. I love seeing family," Gaved said darkly. All of his family but Gunnar, that thrall-stealing b*****d. Wife indeed. He sneered at Stygg. "I'm glad you were waiting for me, Stygg. You must like me. I assumed you were trying to seduce some other Reaver." Another sneer. "Your people are usually like that. Treacherous." Your people meaning females in general and outlanders in particular.



This conversation was getting a bit intense in a way Lena didn't quite like. She cleared her throat. "Stygg is very loyal, Gaved. And very sweet. You would do well to treat her with kindness."

He hated how whimpery and whiny she was, even when she was agreeing with him. Her weakness was blood in the water to him. It infuriated him more than soothed him.

But Lena was here, soft little Lena, and tomorrow she would have Stygg back for a time and she would bawl to Thorgrim if Gaved beat the thrall. Gaved had promised Thorgrim not to be too harsh. He sighed.

"I suppose she's loyal enough, aunt Lena," Gaved grumbled. "I won't punish her tonight."

Tonight.



Lena nodded slowly. She didn't trust Gaved, and didn't believe he wouldn't hurt poor Stygg once she was gone. Still, she had seen that agonized look from Stygg. Stygg wanted her to go. Lena hoped that Stygg had some trick ready to sooothe Gaved. Maybe she was planning on feeding him mint until he passed out. That would work.

"All right, Gaved. Thank you," Lena said. She rose, giving Gaved a half-hearted smile. "It's growing late. I'll leave you to get your rest. Goodbye, Stygg. I'll see you tomorrow." With a last sad glance at the two, Lena left.



With Lena gone, Gaved turned the full force of his glare on Stygg. His rage had cooled somewhat. He wanted to hurt her, but he no longer wanted to beat her senseless. Baby steps towards calmness. He would be within his rights to lash out at her now, but Gaved tried to stay true to his word where family was concerned. He wouldn't send her home to Lena battered and bleeding.

"Why are you so cowardly, thrall?" Gaved said finally, staring at Stygg. "Why are you so weak? It makes me want to hurt you."

She was right, of course, which somehow annoyed Gaved even more. He huffed to himself, extending his claws and picking at the hides below him. She was right, and he did want her cowed and beaten ... but he couldn't stand her cringing and whimpering. To a lion who valued strength above all and despised weakness, it was a constant irritant. He liked beating others into submission, but he had never before been forced to deal with one of his victims on a daily basis.

"Well, I don't like it," Gaved said finally. Normally he hit things that annoyed him, but the mint had lulled him into a kind of stupor. Besides, there was that promise to Lena to keep.

"Pretend to be Freeborn at least for tonight. I'm in no mood to see you skulking around my den like a jackal," Gaved grumbled. With that, the lion settled down to enjoy another pawful of mint and hopefully slip into blissful intoxication.