In A Lonely Place

[Desten DuPont]

Desten was in so much pain she didn't dream. Not at first, anyways. When she did, they were violent, and she would wake up for brief moments before  passing back out again. It was horrifying, the change of events. 72 hours prior she had been free, and now? She folded her wings neatly, unsure of the time, or how long she'd been asleep. She reached back with an arm which had finally stopped hurting. The marks on her back were still sore, but not as fresh as before.

Her leg was mostly healed, now, and she expiramentally rolled onto her side. It hurt to move still, but not as it had before. She sat up in the dark, and felt around until she found the edge of the bed. She was scared to put her foot down, because that sadistic bastard might have put scorpions on the floor or something.

She didn't even know where he was, come to think of it. Or anyone. She didn't know what was going on, actually. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to find him or if someone was going to get her, or...?

"...Master?" she called softly into the darkness. She hated that word. A lot. But it worked for now. Now that she was cognizent there was a lot she didn't like, but she wasn't going to comment on it ever again. Not... not after that.

[Stefan]

He could feel her mind stirring, as he'd been closely monitoring her so that he could be there when she woke up, and he slipped into her room silently to take a place beside the lightswitch.  He didn't move until she called out for him, though.  He was more interested in her thoughts.  He hadn't expected her to be perfectly tame and broken after just that little bit of progress, but she was learning.  That was what he needed to see.

"Hello, Desten," he said, flicking the lightswitch on.  He'd changed his clothes, but they were still dark colored and sophisticated, with that whip at his hip again.  It was mostly for show right then, since he didn't truly intend to repeat the last session so soon, but a reminder that he COULD was useful.  

"How are you feeling?"

Now, the question was whether she'd make the same mistake again in not greeting him.  

[Desten DuPont]

Ah. She was glad to see him, because she didn't like being left alone much these days. She didn't force the smile, though, because he would know. She fluffed her wings a little - he did like those, right? He hadn't told her to put them away, and so she hadn't. It felt amazing. She'd never had a reason to hold her demi form for so long. She felt... whole.

"Master," she said, inclining her head. She had no idea what time it was. At all. No windows, no clocks, and her watch had been broken when he dumped her in that cell. Her sense of time had been destroyed.

"I feel... " she trailed off. How did she feel? Did he want a real answer, or did he want her to feel fine? She didn't feel fine, not really. She was still in pain, even though she'd stopped twitching. She was hungry, too. She didn't really want to make a bunch of complaints and demands, but... fuck, was this a trick question?

"Bad."

She felt emaciated, actually. Her throat was like sandpaper and her back felt like she'd been attacked by pygmies with pitchforks.

She reached for a pillow and held onto it tightly, more than she should have. Desten was a fidgeter by nature - she was a bird, for fuck sake. She rubbed her fingers alongside the soft fabric, just to move, to feel something that wasn't cold and dark. She'd decided she wasn't liking this dark thing, actually. She wasn't liking anything that left her alone or in the dark.

She looked back up at him, brows raised as she was surprised to realize she'd totally wandered off in her own thoughts. And he'd probably just heard them all.

Well, that was just ducky.

She awaited punishment.

[Stefan]

"Good," he answered, walking towards her and leaning down some to be on eye level.  "You're supposed to feel bad at this point.  You misbehaved, and you were punished.  That's what happens to pets who misbehave.  If you do as I say and please me, then I won't hurt you."

He listened to all of her thoughts as they passed through her mind, taking note of the fact that she didn't like the dark.  He wasn't going to drag her down to the dungeons again right then, so he wouldn't make her bleed, but there were things that needed to be addressed.  For that reason, he took hold of her face at the chin, jerking her head to ensure that she made eye contact.  No vampire tricks, just pure threat.  "You're doing better now, but when you woke up your thoughts weren't so kind, Desten.  You do not want to make that mistake again," he told her firmly, squeezing just enough to hurt, but not enough to leave any sort of mark or damage behind.  He was letting her off easily, given her good behavior and condition.  She needed to eat.

Bring that tray of fruit, the bread and the water, now, he told Madeleine, the blonde woman, catching her mental nod and awaiting her knock on the door.

"You need to eat.  Then, we'll get you a bath and talk some."  Meaning, he'd tell her the way things were, and she would adapt to it, or they would be back at something resembling square one.

[Desten DuPont]

Desten looked away, ashamed. He wasn't meant to hear that. It wasn't that she didn't... she didn't know. She was so confused.

"I forgot myself. I'm sorry," she said. She was definitely not going back down there, and she wasn't going to invoke anything in him that would make him put her there, so if this was all he asked her to do, than she could do it. Right? Right.

A bath. Now that sounded good. The food, not so much - she was hungry, but it hurt to even sit up. She didn't know what he'd to do her if she threw up, now. He'd probably be cross; it wouldn't be very greatful to throw up her food. She'd have to find a way to hold it down. She concentrated very hard on bubbles and cleaning her wings, because god they were disgusting.

Her wings. Her wings! She looked up suddenly, wondering if she was supposed to have put them away. He hadn't said, but then, he hadn't been around. Had he expected her to? Oh, this was so HARD. He was simple with his requests but she was sure she was fucking it up somehow.

"Are... are my wings okay, Master?" she asked hesitantly. Was she even allowed to speak? She didn't know. But the only thing she could pluck from him was that THOSE pleased him, and so she was going to do her best to make sure they were pretty and fluffy and neat.

Unless he told her to put them away.

[Stefan]

He smiled, actually satisfied with her level of progress thus far.  That had been quick.  She wasn't yet perfect, but she was on her way to being tamed.  A bit more work, and she might be suitable to escort him out into the halls.  He wouldn't take anything less than a tame pet out into public for any period of time.

"I accept your apology.  Don't let it happen again," he told her, opting to be lenient this time.  Her food was coming, and he wanted her to eat before anything else happened.  He'd caught her concerns about throwing up, so he'd have to ensure that she didn't eat too quickly.  She could start with a bit of water and work her way up if her stomach accepted it.  

"Yes, keep your wings visible unless I state otherwise, Desten.  You may address me when you like so long as you use the proper manners, particularly in public," he answered both of her questions, spoken and thought.  There wouldn't be much more time for questions at the moment, though.  Madeleine had arrived with food.

"Thank you and leave us, Madeleine," he told the woman with a nod as he took the tray and moved to set it on Desten's bedside table.  He poured her a glass of water first, and handed it to her with a warning look.  "Take it slow and see how your stomach reacts."

He didn't want to get puked on.

[Desten DuPont]

Desten accepted the water. "Thank you," she said. She was hearing a lot of this manners rap from him, so she figured she might as well go ahead and start now. She lifted it slowly, and took a small sip. It was like heaven. She tried not to drink too fast, because she knew he was watching her. She supposed it would be unbecoming if she suddenly began tearing into everything. The water was her main concern at the moment, but she didn't want to overdo it, and set the glass down halfway through.

She looked back at him.

Her stomach didn't... feel bad. It just hurt a little. The water was going to hit like a ton of bricks no matter what, so thank god it wasn't ice cold. She sank back into the bed a little, and sighed softly. She never had any idea how much she'd taken it for granted until she had gone without it.

At his gesture she picked up a slice of a peach. She nibbled, slowly, because the taste was foreign to her, and she couldn't figure out why. She stared at the floor as she ate it, and it was a long process. Her stomach, though, protested even that, and she inhaled deeply, willing her body to calm itself down.

She was afraid to eat anymore than that right now. She wanted to lay back down. But then he'd leave, and she wasn't sure how she felt. She supposed if he wanted to go, he could, but... did he have to?

What the hell was she thinking? She shook her head. She had been trying to find herself, trying very hard, but she'd lost herself somewhere, back there, and now she was gone. She didn't know who this new girl was, this quiet, scared Desten... but she didn't really know any other way to be.

She looked helplessly at Stefan. She didn't know what the hell she was supposed to be doing.

[Stefan]

Yes, this was going quite well so far.  He would have to see how she fully took being healthy again, but she was currently reacting just as he'd have wanted for a pet early on in training.  Really, she was ahead of schedule for most new pets, considering how stubborn some could be.  She was smart to give in rather than struggle through it all.

"Take your time, I'll be here," he informed her easily.  He would make his presence a pleasant experience so long as she was behaving, as a way of showing her just how much better it was to do as he told her to, but also to counteract her punishments.  She would come to hate him if he only hurt her, and he couldn't have that.  Not with her, since he intended to keep her.  Anyone else, and he'd have simply done as he pleased with them.

[Desten DuPont]

All of this motion and thinking made her head ache, and her back started to throb again. She lowered her head for a moment, eyes closed. She wondered... no. If he said he'd stay, he'd stay. He had done absolutely every single thing he said he'd do thus far, and she had no reason to doubt him now. As a small avian, she was naturally distrustful, and so she had to work through a few things before he could finally sense that she'd accepted his words for absolute truth.

"May I rest my head against you a while, Master?" she asked. Her voice was soft and tired. When he moved to accomidate her, Desten curled up and rested her head against his hip, blonde hair carefully braided out of the way of her back. Little soft feathers could be seen between her hairline and her neck, and it was there that the colour was a rich golden hue, not like the rust-and-gold of her wings. Speaking of which, she'd managed to fold them in a way where they didn't get in her way, that task she was quite proud of, too, actually, but she didn't say.

She closed her eyes and situated herself for a second, but she had already drifted away. This time, she did not dream.

[Stefan]

He wasn't surprised that she didn't trust his words as absolute truth at first, since she was very new to this, but he WAS being honest with her.  The fact that she did think it over and come to the conclusion that he wasn't lying though, was a bit of a surprise.  A pleasant one, as well, though not nearly as nice as having her ask for contact.  

How could he refuse her?  She'd been polite, she'd used the title of 'master' and she was asking to touch him.  Of course he moved to allow her that contact.  She was very beautiful, and he was suddenly rather happy that he'd been the one to acquire her, considering the others she could have found herself with.  Celeste, Jeshickah, or God Forbid it, but Morfeus.  The only one of those three that Stefan had any respect for was Jeshickah, and that was merely because he couldn't deny that she was powerful and intelligent, much like Adolf Hitler had been.  Both had been born with the barbaric darkness that wasn't befitting of them.  He pitied her just as he'd pitied his Fuhrer at the time.  He somehow doubted she'd come to a happier end, as well, but that wasn't his concern.  Her downfall wouldn't destroy him anymore than Hitler's had.

Personally, Stefan thought that Desten had good reason to be proud of herself for her manner of folding her wings, though it was a small thing.  She was smart, and he liked that.  He wasn't terribly fond of stupidity.  As she drifted off to sleep, he found his fingers running over the feathers at the back of her neck.  Brilliant.  Simply beautiful.  

[Desten DuPont]

Desten awoke some time later, again with no real grasp for hours or days. She had been missing nearly a week now, and to her, it felt shorter - like a day, maybe two. Her eyes opened slowly as she stirred back to reality, and she felt the softest touch of warmth against the back of her neck, where her feathers were hidden. She started, but then realized where she was.

Slowly, she sat up, tilting her head to Stefan curiously. He had stayed. She was confused again, but she didn't want to speak her ignorance on the why, and simply focused on the what - he said he would, and he had. Just like every other time. Her blank facial expression faded into a small smile.

"You stayed," she said. If there had been any doubts before, the positive reenforcement had been pushing them away, and this seemingly solidified it for the time being. She wasn't sure if he'd be mad because she spoke out of turn, or didn't greet him, but it wasn't the first thing on her mind. The first thing on her mind was happy.

[Stefan]

((Haha, here I go, just faor you, angie! ))

He wasn't going to meet her happiness at seeing him with a punishment for speaking out of turn, especially since a simple peek into her mind told him that the feelings were genuine.  That was always desired for a trainer, especially so quickly.  She was progressing at a marvelous rate.  Even Jeshickah couldn't hope to get this sort of a reaction so quickly.  And they said he was too violent to really accomplish anything.  They were wrong.

"Didn't I say I would?  I won't lie to you, Desten," he said softly, enforcing it into her mind.  He wasn't going to lie to her.  That was something she could count on, unlike some of the trainers, who preferred a good mindfuck instead.  He liked his own methods.  

[Desten DuPont]

((SWEET DRUNK POST!))

She nodded, wishing he'd not stopped messing with her feathers. It felt so nice he did that. She didn't want to ask him to, though, because if he had stopped, it meant that he was done, and she didn't feel it would be in her best interests to pester him about what -she- wanted.

She sat back a little, mind rocking back and forth. She couldn't really remember what she'd been doing a year ago, let alone a month or even... Her apartment was hazy in her mind, just some place in her head. She watched him intently, all of her movements curious, birdlike. The more awake and alert she became, the more she seemed to brighten.

"Before, you said we would talk. What did you want to tell me?" she asked, suddenly remembering what he'd said prior to her passing out. Whatever it was, it was obviously important, because he had mentioned it. Right?

[Stefan]

Of course what he had mentioned to her was important, otherwise he wouldn't have said it.  It was good that she remembered, though she'd left off his title.  He wouldn't attack her for that so soon, but he'd warn her.  He shot her a dark look, one that promised punishment if she wouldn't behave properly, and responded.  "Don't forget your manners so soon, Desten."

He didn't want to discourage her current reactions.  She was pleased to see him, though he could tell that it was for her own reasons.  She didn't want to be alone, so it probably wouldn't have mattered who the company was.  He needed to get her to the point that she was happy because it was him.    

"We need to address your thoughts, now that your outward behavior is improving," he told her, looking at her pointedly.  He owned her thoughts as much as the rest of her.

[Desten DuPont]

He could make her feel very small with that look, very small and bad indeed. She covered her mouth a little, looking stunned. What had she forgotten? She ran back the conversation a few times, and then bit her lip in shame. She lowered her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Master. This is very new to me. I... I'm trying." She was trying. She -was-. She just... she was confused. He told her he'd never lie to her, and that meant more than anything anyone had ever told her, because most of what they'd said? Lies. She folded her hands in her lap and sighed a little. Being a "Pet" was hard.

"My thoughts?" she asked. She was confused more, now. Could he hear her thoughts? Maybe that's why he'd been so displeased with her. But she didn't mean to think bad things! She willed herself not to cry, because he didn't respond well to that. She made a small, helpless noise.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice breaking. She just didn't know what to do. "I don't know what to do. Will you tell me so.. I can make you happy?"

This seemed to be geared towards keeping him happy. That had to be it. Desten wasn't good at making people happy, though. Obviously she'd made her entire family miserable, so why should her Master feel any different?