Armana's Gift

LIAM/ZEVAN

Weeks turned into months after that night with Vera and he couldn't forget her. He couldn't ignore her and his own bodies response to her tranquility since that night. He didn't want ignore it but they both knew better then to become a couple even if it was what Lornak intended. Their owner had wanted them to get together, be a little 'happier'.

They slept next each other in bed and cuddled every night, they couldn't help it. He enjoyed her softness, her supple curves. He was going mad with it.

"Zevan!" A male called to him and he turned from his work and personal thought. The young male was running to him, panting from it. He was a seagull winged who was an orphan, taken from the streets and brought here an purchased. Lornak was his second owner, and the first was awful comparatively. Lornak wanted his pets healthy but Gerald's first own left his slaves scarred. Lornak bought him before the young Avium could be ruined since he felt it was a waste of the rare Avium slaves to be treated that badly.

Not that Lornak really cared about them, he was just more into psychological warfare against them.

"Yes, Gerald?"

"Lornak's mate wanted to see you, the lady Nazani." He was panting through the words and Liam jumped up and began moving to her quarters, offering a quick thanks to Gerald. What could she possibly want with him? She hated the slaves though he never knew why. She wouldn't even let them attend her rooms for cleaning, hiring her own personal servants.

Finally, he got to her door and waited for her servant to announce him.

"Come in," her clear voice called out.

He stepped in and took her in for a moment before dropping his eyes and standing before her.

She was a beautiful woman for a dragon shapeshifter. She had pure white hair and eyes the color of the tropical waters around Krilos. She was tall, lithe and he knew, dangerous. She was a woman that was not to be toyed with.

"My mate and I were discussing something recently that I felt you should be aware of," she began, ignoring him and pouring herself a glass of wine. "He and I have disagreed on this many times but I have finally convinced him to my side on this. Would you like to hear it, Zevan?"

"I will hear whatever the Lady wishes to tell me." He responded, keeping his head and eyes down cast.

"You and the other Avium slaves are to be given more freedoms." She walked over to him and pulled his face up to meet her eyes. "I never agreed with his need to purchase you all because there isn't a country on this earth that doesn't know how strong your warriors are and if we are ever caught, then I want you all well taken care of. I don't want Mon' Avium as an enemy."

"Of course, since we have you as collared slaves, it's a long shot but keeping you all healthy is an important and needed step in that direction. So he and I have finally made a compromise. It's taken centuries but we finally did it."

He didn't breath. This must have been a trap. It must have been.

"This isn't a trap, Liam." She grinned. "I can read minds you know. It's because I'm a white dragon and why Lornak wants me on his side. I can do many things most over Krilosi can't. So he has to deal with my wants. It's how I know who you are."

He was stiff, shaking, tense and terrified. She knew who he was. What did that mean for him? Did Lornak know?

"Lornak doesn't, I haven't told him. He would have killed you years ago. And I can't allow that, since one day people will figure out where you are and come looking. If he kills you, we would give ourselves a war that we don't really want to fight. We don't want Krilos invaded by Mon' Avium in revenge for your death."

"So, he and I agreed that all Aviums will be pulled from the fields. We only have about two hundred of you and all the bats in the household will go into the fields. I care much less about them and they breed like rabbits. We've been buying salves from your country for a thousand years and have yet to have one child born here, so you're a bit more expensive and a commodity."

"None of you will be beaten physically but shocks are still free game. If you are disobedient, we will shock you until you pass out, wake you up and do it again. "He was sure why she still smiling at that. He pushed the thought away as she laughed at him.

"I'm telling you, because even if you are keeping your little secret, you lead them. You will all be given a small monthly amount of money to buy things for your personal needs. This amount is shared between you all and is meant to help your little community. You have a Priestess now, I've heard. A pretty thing. If you all wish to take lovers and marry, do so. We will respect it. It's never been in Lornak's or my taste to force slaves into breeding pairs and we buy our bats from others who do."

"But," she hissed finally, a glint of mean in her eyes, "if anyone tries to abuse this new freedom and privilege, then that person will have their wings removed without a second thought. I have set the terms. You are still slaves, just better treated. Our guests will no longer abuse you and we've made it clear they will never be allowed here if they do and that includes Lornak's idiotic brothers."

"When someone comes for you, I want you to remember this conversation. It was the best I could get you," she finally released his chin and let him stand untouched and shocked. "Do you have anything you wish to ask me or just say? This is your chance."

"I thought you hated us," he whispered.

"I'll be honest," she took a sip of her wine. "I don't. You are a proud people, it's obvious even as slaves. Hearing of the Priestess Lornak bought, I realized that your gods are also still very much active in your lives. And I might not pray to your gods but I don't want to be the one to anger them. I can't free you, he refuses to lose that investment, but I am not my mate. I don't have the taste for slavery. The bat clan once tried to overthrow us as the the leader of this area and we punished them in kind but what have you Aviums ever done to us?" She shook her head slowly. "I don't like it, because you have done nothing to us. Now keep it that way and I will remain on your side to keep life a bit easier. You've been a long time, Liam and you know how bad it can get."

He nodded slowly.

"Thank you, Lazy Nazani," he whispered. She nodded to him curtly.

"You may go, Zevan," she said it loudly, so that others in the hall would hear. He wondered how long she'd known. "I've known since the moment you showed up. I kept Lornak from removing your wings when you tried to revolts those centuries ago because of it."

He nodded and turned away, nearly bolting from the room. So that was why she seemed to hate them. She didn't agree with them being Aviums and how they weren't being punished like the Bat Clan. He still wasn't sure he believed it but when he got to Lornak's office, Lornak waited for him.

"So, my mate told you," he grunted to his Butler.

"Yes, Master Lornak," he responded slowly.

"Good. I can't say I disagree with her but I think she can be a bit paranoid." He picked up a pouch off his desk and tossed it to Liam. "You have forty eight hours to tell the other Aviums as they change shifts and such. This is your first monthly community allowance." He looked over Liam for a long time. "Zevan, if this backfires on me, I'm going to remove your wings first, is that clear?"

Liam nodded and offered a few courtesies to Lornak. Seemingly pleased with them, Lornak dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

Liam hit the hall running, a new hope in him that their lives could be better. While they still wore the slave collars, this meant they were now more of servants in the eyes of the house. They would have benefits, could openly have lives if they kept up wit their duties. All because one white dragon didn't want to make more enemies then they already had.

They had enemies, many of them, Liam knew. Lornak for his arrogance and cunning. Nazani for her magical abilities. Together, other clans and even other dragons, thought that they were too powerful and dangerous.

He stumbled into the male barracks.

"I have news," he whispered and everyone was silent.

He'd never seen happier faces.