Yes, Master

Confused Conflict

- One week later -
When the lights go out, the curtains are pulled, and the house is silent, Master Raven sneaks into my room. I quake with fear in his presence, aware of his intentions. He nears my bedside, and breathes deeply, "I have been unkind to you, Rain, for this I must..." Master's words trail off as if he is unsure of them. He clenches his fists and strikes my bedpost, startling me as I lay in bed. It seems to me that whenever he approaches any kind of emotional reference he retreats to a demonstration of his ability to control and inflict pain. Perhaps this made him feel safer in manipulating others, rather than probing any deeper into feelings about himself that he could not accept with ease. Perhaps this is a brief bit of evidence of some conflict he has between his expectations and his reality. He has taken this retreat on several occasions, one being on the car ride home last week; I nearly died by his hand. The other being the day after my birthday when I retreated from him, he demonstrated his power to me in my very own sleeping quarters. Though it was punishment, he still came every night since then.

"I came into your quarters bearing different intentions, but because of the fear in your eyes, my intentions have changed significantly. I remember Xerxes' requirements, I haven't forgotten... Call me selfish, but I will not allow him to cast me into the Abyss if that you will call another, Xerxes Break, your master. I want you to care only for me and no one else, not even Vincent, do you understand?" "Yes, Master, I understand." The pale moonlight shining through my thin, white curtains allow for a charming glint upon Master's teeth as he smiles. "Good, I'll leave you now. Goodnight, Rain." Master Raven walks slowly to my door and reaches for the doorknob. "Master, wait!" He turns his head to face me, his golden eyes burning holes in my soul. "I have a selfish request." "Yes?" "Will you pet my head until I fall asleep?" "Pet you? You aren't a dog, Rain," he frowns. He again reaches for the doorknob, but this time I jump out of bed and push his hand away when he begins to open the door. "I'm serious, Master, please pet my head." He sighs, "I suppose it can't hurt. Very well, get in bed." "Oh thank you, Master!" I run to my bed and jump right into it. "Your wonderful, caring, master shall aid thy child in her journey to the land of sleep." I laugh at Master's strange comment, he smiles and laughs to himself as he kicks off his boots at the foot of my bed. He then climbs into bed with me. "How would you prefer I pet your head?" "Like you used to when I was a child." "Hm, let's see, like this?" Master pulls me closer to him and uses his fingertips to gently stroke my head from front to back. "Yes, I missed this." "You did? You told me when you were thirteen that you did not wish for me to pet your head any longer because you were too old. What made you change your mind?" "You hurt me a lot after that it seems, I thought you would punish me if I were to ask." Master falls silent, but continues to pet my head.

"Rain, are you asleep?" "Mhn..." I feel my body shift slightly and the warmth I felt beside me fades away. "Master?" "Rain, I thought you were asleep." "Not quite yet," I mumble, "Stay here tonight, please." I hear him drop his boots on the floor and feel him climb back into bed with me. I open my eyes and see him remove his cravat and unbutton his shirt. I cuddle up to him and rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Rain, do you remember the emerald necklace I bought you when you were fifteen?" "Mhm..." "I found it in the bottom of the fountain in the center of the maze garden yesterday. Do you recall how it got there?" "I threw it in there after you hit me Christmas Eve." "I hit you?" "Yes, though it is possible you do not recall the violent encounter because you were intoxicated." "Is that so?" "Yes, Master..." "Rain, given the times I have raised my hand to you I am still in awe that you have stayed by my side thus far." "I made an oath, Master; I am only your servant."

I awoke in the early hours of the morning to find Break sitting at the foot of my bed glaring coldly at Master who is still sleeping next to me. "Break?" "Ah, Rain, so nice to see you are alive. I was worried Raven may have killed you." "Killed me? What are you doing in my room at this hour?" I ask, yawning as I do. "I wish to have a word with you." "It couldn't wait till sunrise?" "No, as a matter of fact, it could not have. Now, if you would, please follow me." Break rises from his seat on the bed. "Are you mental? I'm not getting out of bed!" "You will come with me, Rain, even if I have to drag you from your quarters," Break threatens. "You will not," states Master Raven as he sits up in bed, "Rain isn't going anywhere with you, Xerxes, besides it is wrong for a creature such as yourself to enter a lady's quarters uninvited." "Invited or not I am confident that Rain will choose to go with me, after all, I am not the one who raped her late at night." My jaw drops at Break's accusation, I only wish Master wouldn't have been here to hear it. Master jumps out of bed and grabs Break's throat, squeezing tighter and tighter. "Master, please stop!" I hop out of bed and run to where they stand, shaking Master's arms as I plead for Break's safety. "Master, stop! Let him go!" "Be quiet, Rain!" Master lashes out and smacks me across my face with one hand. I stumble backward, gripping my stinging flesh. Break breaks free from Master's hand and unsheathes his sword; Break whisks the blade to defend himself from Master as he lunges toward him. Master Raven misses the tip of the blade by a hair's width, and quickly spins around to see Break swinging at him again, this time Break slices Master's chest. "M-Master!" Break kicks Master into the bedpost and stabs through Master's right shoulder, pinning him helplessly against the bedpost. "Aagh-gah!" Break leaves his sword in Master's shoulder as he saunters toward me, "Such a shame to watch a good love go bad, wouldn't you say, Rain?" "Pardon?" "You don't remember the days of your past life, child?" Confused, I look to Master who is grasping Break's blade with his bare hand to pull it out, "Master, what is Break talking about?" "Don't say another word, damn you!" Master shouts at Break, "You'll ruin everything!"