Ad Astra - The Alagore War

AA V0 Prolog, Chapter 5

2/10/2069 (military calendar)

Cornot (Capital), Verliance Aristocracy

Dreotan Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

Finally, able to leave the dining room, the little-known slave girl named Assiaya quickly entered the kitchen and stopped at the metal door. Closing her eyes, she took the moment to take a deep breath while releasing the built-up tears. Being a slave to the mighty Kallem Verliance, she learned to keep her emotions in check during family dinners, as showing them to one master could have disastrous consequences. And hearing the son, being out of there, was the only relief she could get, at least just for a moment.

As the slave girl stood by the door, recollecting form, she felt, without warning, the freezing chill hit her ear skin because her body was used to the warmth from the dining room. She was wearing a conservative servant dress in dark purple, with overlapping shoulder pieces, and the rim's colors were almost like a rainbow. While purple was a rare color, her master enjoyed ensuring that his servants were well-dressed and mannered, believing it directly reflected on his status. While she found the dress beautiful and comforting, the fabric did little to retain heat.

It did not help that the ugly, gray, solid stone that made up the kitchen walls only helped contain the cold, unlike traditional kitchens, which were warm. This was a vampire's kitchen. Unlike in a typical kitchen, where food was cooked before serving, the sustenance needed for vampires was blood. That meant there was a strong need to keep stored blood and blood-rich organs cold to maintain their flavor and longevity.

"What do you need this time, Lat?" the J'avais chief demanded.

Seeing what looked like a giant man, a shiver of terror rippled through her at his towering height. Being a j'avais. A human with a long, low skull, heavy brow ridges, long legs, but a giant, fat belly twice her size, maybe more.

Assiaya had always hated dealing with this man, as he took joy in intimidating her at every opportunity. While he had always treated others disrespectfully, the j'avais always made an extra effort to insult her. It could be because he was stuck in this freezing kitchen all day, but the attacks always felt personal. Always stating her race over her name.

"My master wishes for three more drinks," she said. "Two Brashes blood and one Nroon blood for him. Oh..., and he asked for his special twist within his drink."

"Stupid twist," the J'avais annoyingly said. "How could you almost forget something as important as that?"

Feeling a sudden shame from the outburst, the Duel-eyed girl glanced down as she questioned herself. While she had grown used to the hatred toward Lats by most races, it always hurt as she struggled to understand why.

"You must remain strong."

"I know.... It is so hard, though."

She knew that her mental thoughts were correct. Everyone seemed to want to bring her down, but she hoped she would be safe if she did well.

With some grumbling from the j'avais, three drinks were placed before her. The first two were orange blood with a lime-like flavoring added. Her master drink was red blood with a blue tint. She placed the drinks on the tray and headed toward the metal door. As she exited the dining room, she heard the man grumble in his language, which she couldn't understand but figured was another insult.

She was forced to stop momentarily as her body adjusted from the freezing kitchen to the warm dining room. In the distance, in the massive room, was a grand fireplace, consuming the raw wood within its mouth; the actual heat did not come from it. Ventilation throughout the room brought in the necessary heat from pipes running through the walls.