Seven Seas

One

Ella smiled as she approached the table of men awaiting their fresh meal. The smile was one entirely falsified, so much so that the corners of her mouth trembled with the effort to keep the unwilling expression upon her tanned face. Still, she managed. Still, she kept her hands steady through her nerves as she sat the steaming plate of food in the middle of the table.

Whistles from the men sitting around the table sounded as they took in the sight of her breasts trying to push their way out of the leather corsage she wore upon bending slightly. The woman's face reddened to an extreme that there was no sense in trying to hide.

"Ella," her master's voice boomed from the head of the table, "You are being incredibly slow today. Go fetch our drinks before I lose my patience."

Ella swallowed heavily as she finished the arrangement in the table's center and stood back to her proper height of five feet and three inches. The twenty-six year old Caucasian woman ran her hands through her red-brown hair and focused her blue eyes back the way she came for a moment before hurrying back in that direction.

Grabbing several bottles of her master's so called brilliant champagne, Ella cradled the glass against her chest as if it were a small child. Again, she put on a painfully false smile as she entered the room with the men.

Upon her second entrance to the room in their specific company, she noticed that the men sitting at the table were different than the individuals whom were usually there. She darted her tongue across her chapped lips and tried to divert her gaze from the man sitting at the head of the table opposite her master.

Her eyes did not seem to want to be compliant with her mind's commands. The lad was incredibly large in size, not overweight by any means, but thick with muscel. His hair was long and dark, almost coming down to the middle of his chest in gentle waves. His full beard was of the same color and she felt her heart jump violently in her chest as his dark eyes met hers.

Her master's voice again cut in, distracting her from the sharp-dressed stranger who screamed authority. "Ella!" The bark was enough to cause a wage of fear to shoot through her. She swallowed, turning her attention to him as she  sat three champagne bottles on the table, "Are you going to stand there and gwak at the man, or do your job?" He shifted in his seat, a sly smile spreading upon his face, "Do you need to be taught a lesson again?"

Ella shook her head, denying the suggestion, "No sir," she uncorked the bottle she still held in her hand and walked around the table, filling glass after glass to the top with the highly sought, bubbly, amber liquid. Her hand shook a bit as she poured the toxin for her master. The woman jumped upon feeling his unwelcome and callused hand grasp her rear.

Nicholas chuckled, moving his hand from her and leaning back into his chair. He spread his arms wide after stroking his grey moustache in amusement. "What can I say? You fine men get you one of those and you'll never be without company a day in your life."

Ella moved onto the next man whom she wasn't acquainted with either. He was a younger man, around her own age and dressed nearly as sharply as the first new guest she took notice to. There was strangely warmth in his green eyes which met hers briefly. This man was different. He didn't seem to care that he wasn't to show respect to the help.

What came out of the young man's mouth shocked her, "Yes, well," his eyes flashed with something that Ella didn't notice, "We prefer our company to be in our presence willingly."

Everyone at the table fell silent momentarily at the man's words. Ella could see the tension building in her captors facial expression. His hazel eyes darkened as he tapped harder than necessary on the wooden table.

It was, however, the man with the long, dark hair that spoke up, "Eli," it was the first she had heard him speak, his voice a low rumble of warning, "Why don't we act as guests and respect our host's lifestyle."