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 Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:17 pm
Captain Kondo's hauteur won him friends and made him enemies. Love him or hate him, the impression he typically instilled was one with too much brawn to have any brains.
That incorrect notion was not one Kondo had ever made time to contradict. He could be as manipulative as he was brutal when his reputation was on the line, but only certain aspects of it. To be thought as more vicious than intelligent did not bother him.
Shamefully, Freyja was better at deceit than he could ever hope to be and he was paying the price for his sins. He had no respect for her trickery and looking her soon-to-be thrall in the eye made him want to maim the both of them.
The purple lioness he'd brought back was smart enough to be afraid of him, but... Gods, she was still dumb. Giddy about being here despite the circumstances.
A lunatic fit for a lunatic.
Kondo escorted her silently to his home, expecting to either find Freyja there or be bitten by a certain tetchy snake.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:42 pm
The wounds that the lioness had abstained from scratching had finished healing days ago. Kondo had been gone long, no doubt with the blood of pirates stenching his dark paws.
Life for a lioness without children was a boring affair, and Freyja had already socialized, and reorganized all the small ornamentals surrounding the den. There was nothing left in her day to do but stare longingly out towards where the ocean should be, if Kondo had wanted a view of the ocean.
Instead, there was a view of Kondo. It was a fine view. Even at this distance, Freyja could pick apart the handsome features in his proud face. One that held a monster that she. . . admired? respected? obsessed over? lusted after? Not, she bitterly reminded herself, loved.
With him, a purple lioness. Freyja had not expected to be noticing the beauty in her jaw from far away. That b*****d had actually found himself a mermaid. Was he bringing home his own personal thrall to ********, right in front of her? That whore of a man. Freyja's lip curled briefly and then she silenced it.
Calm.
And so, once she closed her eyes and opened them again, she was.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:07 pm
Kondo had spared no effort when he cogitated this scheme. Freyja's initial opinion of her thrall or him for bringing her here wasn't worth squandering thoughts on when his mind was working overtime to compensate for her as it was. She was a creature swayed by whim and her reaction only proved her to be of a vacuous mind.
"If you've forgotten how to breathe, allow me to see you outside so your corpse can be dealt with by someone who has the time." Kondo jerked his head toward the purple lioness and in growling words told Freyja she was her new personal servant. "And don't break it," he added. "Most of what's out there is hideous and I'm not finding another like this."
He wasn't lying. Either the rogues were intentionally spawning ugly cubs in the hopes they'd be spared this very situation or he had s**t luck. He'd spent days finding one this pretty that didn't squeal and screech so much he ripped their throat out.
Sheska had come with him quietly and rather enjoyed the time they'd spend together. Kondo had been good to her once she'd proven she had no intent to run or make too much noise. He fed her, led her to water, and explained to her what would be happening.
He had called his wife, quote, "A stupid, unruly b***h with nothing to say. Even as a rogue you're probably smarter."
Sheska smiled at her without using her eyes.
Kondo must have forgotten to mention she was also prettier.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:19 pm
Gold eyes, pupils wide and dark, moved from male to thrall, and back again. There was an overwhelming tug from the back of her throat that tried to lead her towards Kondo. In a public situation, she would have followed it, and bumped her head underneath his chin.
They were not in public.
Still, her foot stepped forwards before she forced it to stop. Kondo would not like her touching him. It seemed the agreement was only he was allowed to decide when, and where, they had any contact at all. Freyja watched him with her eyes, instead, moved them along his mane, and then finally back to the lioness.
She was much less interesting.
"You've done. . . very well." There was honest surprise in her voice. Pleasure had begun to replace the anger which had been in her mind only moments ago. Freyja began to move around the slave, surveying her from head to toe. If she ever caught him taking this girl, she would rip out his eyes.
"You could make the Warlord jealous with a gift like this." Freyja paused, and turned to look at his expression.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:34 pm
Scowling, Kondo steadied his paw of its anxious tremor. Freyja's company made him want to react physically, but not in an amorous way. Only in public could have gotten away with her displays of affection. She was smart to keep her distance when they were hidden from prying eyes and loose lips.
Whether it was an act of obedience or she was subtly declaring Freyja not worth the effort, Sheska did not move anything but her eyes as she was examined. Though she preferred jealously admired.
Predictably, "The Warlord has a respectable wife and respectable sons and daughters," said Kondo. "He's not in need of her."
Freyja was. This was her engagement gift and the only friend she'd ever have as far as Kondo was concerned. He had found her a lovely one in the hopes she might take good care of it.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:43 pm
The answer made Freyja laugh in quiet delight. Her muzzle peeled back over her teeth, and there was a light shake of her head. For a moment, the way she looked at him was almost an endearing Oh, Kondo.
Then, it passed.
Freyja took good care of her things. She'd taken care of Kondo's home when he had left it, and in her opinion it was in a better state now. When it was around, Freyja even offered to share her meals with the snake. Freyja did not actually know what a snake ate, but it was a matter of politeness, and taking care of one's things.
How she took good care of them was another matter entirely. Do you even believe in respectable daughters? She wanted to ask him. That, however, might leave her struck in front of her new thrall, and. . . hm. Hm.
"Respectable daughters, Kondo? It sounds like an oxymoron from your mouth."
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:53 pm
Kondo's sire hadn't been a seer and couldn't see the future that awaited Freyja. If he'd known, Kondo swore he never would have asked the impossible of him. How could he not smack her when she got out of line? She lived to irritate him, to find where his patience was hiding and gnaw on it. It wasn't his fault and the deceased would forgive him.
Speaking of which.
"Your father had a respectable daughter once," he reminded her with great disdain.
From the sidelines, Sheska furrowed her brow and couldn't decide which of them to keep her eyes on.
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Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:58 pm
It silenced her. On a good day, she might have had enough self worth to combat him. Today, she swallowed and cast her eyes away from him.
They landed on Sheska.
"What's your name?"
Let Kondo dance on his small victory. He had brought something to occupy Freyja's mind. It was a more important gift than he knew.
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:10 am
That was true where Freyja was concerned; however, Kondo was acutely aware this present was vital to his own well-being. Freyja needed a companion, a servant, and a two-faced liar that could report to him her misdeeds. The right kind of thrall served as all those things.
Sheska was the right kind of thrall indeed. "It's Sheska, miss," she replied. Horror of horrors, she had a voice to match that pretty face. Ballads had been written for lionesses that spoke half as sweetly as this one.
"Do what you will for tonight," Kondo said. "As of tomorrow, she spends the days with you and every other night with the mate I brought back for her." Not with. For. "Discipline her if necessary, but this is not an invitation for you to have a tantrum whenever you please."
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:15 am
Talk. Talk. Talk.
"Sheska, hm?"
He was still talking. Freyja was thinking of ways she could keep that voice from being heard again. Then, she was debating all the other ways she could keep it singing at her own will.
Kondo could order her all he wished. When he was not here, this Thrall was entirely hers. Freyja owned something.
"You must be tired from a long walk, Sheska. We should find you something decent to eat and drink." Whether not Sheska was hungry didn't seem to be up for debate. Freyja was already slipping down the pathway, pausing only briefly to give Kondo a subtle, not-so-well-meaning smile.
"Thank you."
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:25 am
Sheska didn't know how thankful she should be that when she caught Kondo's eye and their gazes intermingled Freyja had not seen it. There was no need to fear her putting her paws on what was not hers -- and him being male made it even more unlikely. Such relationships weren't exactly encouraged where she was raised.
None of this would matter if she pushed her luck.
Kondo looked down at them in more ways than one. "I won't get you another one," he warned one last time. He left after that, and as he walked away, Fira slithered from his mane and whispered in his ear.
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