Yes, Master (Original)

Savior

-Airum-

I groaned softly, opening my eyes slowly. What had happened? The last thing I remembered was being in town with Lex. Now, all I could see was darkness. I growled as I realized my hands were bound behind me.

"Ah, good," a familiar voice floated past me, my eyes widening as Annalise turned on a light. "You're awake."

I struggled with my bindings, terror piercing through me as the girl produced a knife. "Father couldn't get you back from that horrible Mr. Cantrell, so I had to take matters in my own hands."

I cried out as she cut a gash into my arm, staining the fine white shirt I was wearing. The cut wasn't deep, but it bled immediately.

"If I can't have you, no one can." She decided, exiting the room. I was once against bathed in darkness.

-Lex-

As soon as Airum had gone missing, I knew something terrible had happened. Rage boiled in my blood, and I couldn't help but tear out of there like a vengeful spirit. With the speed of something ungodly, I flew back to my estate, rallying the staff and sending out anyone who would go to find my Airum. I would not allow something bad to happen to him. I just wouldn't.

Unfortunately, it was slow going. No one had seen anyone fitting Airum's description, and the shopkeeper from before simply shrugged, his language skills very limited. By the end of the week, I had become psychotic. I'm fairly certain that everyone believed I had gone mad. I didn't care, though. All I cared about was finding Airum. It was almost three months later when I finally got a break.

Mary Kate, the girl who had bandaged Airum's wounds that first day, had seen young Miss Larcroft wandering the woods alone, armed with a knife and a canteen of water. Mary Kate had followed her to a tiny cellar in the woods and run straight back to Cantrell Estate to share the news.

As soon as I heard, I handed her a gold piece - she almost started crying - and ran out to the stables, leaping on top of a horse. One of my staff, Mason, followed suit, vowing not to let me face the witch alone.

"I'll find you, Airum," I vowed, "no matter what it takes."

-Airum-

I had lost track of time long ago. My world simply revolved around the few instances where I was given food or water, and the pain of the many cuts that now adorned my body. Annalise came once a day to give me water and add another knife wound to my collection. Every third day she gave me some sort of cold stew that dripped down into my hollow stomach and threatened to come back up. But somehow my body seemed to know that I needed it, because I never threw up.

Annalise had just left less than an hour ago, however, when the lock on the door rattled for the second time. I raised my head, steeling myself. If it was Annalise, I wasn't sure what I would do. I had already lost so much blood, the cuts growing deeper and deeper over time. I wasn't sure how much more I could survive.

Light flooded the small room as the door opened, the silhouette of a person outlined by sunlight. I blinked, realizing suddenly that this person was far too tall to be Annalise.

I whimpered in fear as the person suddenly ran towards me.

"Airum!" Lex's voice breathed close to me. Lex? Lex! I couldn't choke out the words, but I leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around me gently, undoing my bindings and lifting me bridal-style, carrying me out of that dark room. I closed my eyes, the bright sunlight hurt. The cold breeze blew over my half-naked body, causing me to shiver. I could hear Lex and another voice talking. "Grab that blanket. Yes, that," Lex growled. He set me side-saddle on to his horse, wrapping the blanket around me.

"We need to leave," another voice said softly.

Lex got up on the horse behind me, wrapping his arms around my torso. "Come on. We need to get him back."

"What will you do about Miss Larcroft?" The second voice asked as Lex urged his horse into a fast trot.

I felt Lex's voice rumble behind me, an angry growl from an unhappy dragon, "they'll all pay."

***

I was barely conscious as we arrived back at Cantrell Estate. Lex carried me inside, Mary Kate already ready and waiting to receive me. I felt Lex lay me down on my bed, Mary Kate's cold hand replacing his and beginning to patch me up. Lex refused to leave my side, his eyes blazing with bronze fire.

As soon as Mary Kate had finished tending to my wounds, she gave me something to help me sleep. As I closed my eyes, the last thing I saw was Lex's worried gaze.