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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:03 pm
Opening the nect box, Haellara barely glanced at the black-bladed ceremonial dagger displayed within, but kept her eyes on Nuumia. "Is that right? That sounds rather.....uneducated of them. You may be a mere male, but you have just as much street sense as the rest of those dolts, maybe a little more, considering your charisma and ability to look harmless." She leaned in a little closer. "You may not know it, but you;ve a rare look about you; if anything, they should be taking orders from YOU."
She stood up straight then and shifted her robe so that her pearl-strung undergarment was partially covered. "Then again, that's just my way of thinking. I'm sure despite your gender you are more capable than most of your kind of thinking for yourself. But if I were you, I would take more drastic steps to secure your future, while you are still alive and able."
She saw the other drow approaching and felt a tinge of pure annoyance; she hadn't had this much fun conversing with a male in a good while, and she felt that it would be infinitely more fulfilling than any of the cheap little toys that this caravan offered up. The thought crossed her mind to demand that he return, but she shrugged it off almost immediately; much as she desired it, she must keep her top priority into focus, which was to complete her list of purchases and keep herself open for any contacts that would make themselves known to her. Perhaps later she could secure a young goblin or even a drow servant and play with him, offering the finished product to Lolth along with the humble request that she someday run into young Nuumia again.
Watching Nuumia leave and the other approach, she smoothly donned her expression of impatience. She nodded sideways at her bodyguard, who pulled out several coins, ready to plunk them down when the other drow returned with the powder.
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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:56 pm
Look harmless? Nuumia's black eyes kept finding themselves drawn back to Haellara whenever she spoke. Well..maybe it was just the excuse to be able to let them dart downwards to the front of her exposed chest. That was as good a reason as any to look at her. Nuumia was used to seeing females wearing revealing cloths, but that hardly made him tired of the view.
"It's rather generouse of you to say so Lady." Nuumia slowly replied. He was actually putting some serious thought into what he was saying rather then just letting his lips open and words tumble out. It sort of made his head ache inside when he put so much effort into something, hence why he did not often bother. Still, most of those he interacted with were the crew here, and they were normally a easy enough of a lot. That was the benefit of being in a caravan, things were more lax between drow when you had more concern with the creatures outside trying to kill you over your own people.
Not so in a city though. Particularly with the females, and this is why Nuumia was attempting to think before he spoke. He was certain, by the way Thalzoz was approching him, that he had most likely made some error.
At mention of rare looks, Nuumia placed a hand on his cheek and tilted his head a little in the manner a lizard might when it was faced with some sort of new creature that it had absolutly no idea whether it was a threat, food, or something undetermined. Her talk about securing his future, while he was alive, and the whole concept of taking and giving orders was mind boggling. Or maybe it was just mind bending. Nuumia felt a pinch between his temples forming as he tried to think just how he could possibly achive something like that...or perhaps more importantly just find something to secure his future with.
The resulting pinch was growing more uncomfortable. Reaching up, Nuumia rubbed firmly at his left temple. " My...future? I don't.... have any sort of....I mean..." His words were halting as he tried honestly to focus on what he planned for his future, but they slowed as he realized he really had no sort of plan beyond keeping with the caravan today and tomorrow...why was it so hard to think further then tomorrow?
Fortunatly, or perhaps not, Nuumia was saved from fighting with the question as Thalzoz would finish his approch. With hardly a moment of hesitation, he reached down, and jerked Nuumia up by the back of his vest. The black haired drows eyes widened comically and his lips dropped open as he felt his feet leave the ground. "Hey!" He protested.
Thalzoz choose to ignore him. Rather the muscled male bowed his head slightly to Haellara. "My apologies. Zelthi informed me that my little brother was being a nuisance. I hope he hasn't inconvineced you any." Nuumia tilted his head back a little to gaze sideways at Thalzoz as he squirmed mid air. There was no anger or frustration on his face as he looked at the large male. There wasn't even confusion or disbelief at the claim of being his elder brother. What there was, was a small bit of embaressment at being held off the ground in such a degrading manner.
Thalzoz turned, and began to walk back towards the caravan, still holding Nuumia by the back of his shirt.
"How many times do we have to tell you. Stay away from the females." Thalzoz quietly scolded Nuumia.
"Oh come on Thalzoz! She talked to me first, what should I do? Ignore her?" Nuu returned with a small twist of his shoulders.
"No. You should just do your damn duties instead of being a child, or stay in the back at least." Thalzoz continued to quietly berate Nuu as they walked further towards the back.
"I'm bored of sitting in the wagons while everyone get's to.." Nuumia found himself cut off mid sentence though.
"Doesn't matter. Your staying in the back until busniess is done for the day." Thalzoz finished with a small shake of his hand, causeing Nuumia to bob in the air like a sack of limp cloths.
"Thalzoz put me down. I can walk on my own." Nuumia switched from his complaining to a sinple demand. to which Thalzoz shook his head.
"Forget it. I'm not putting you down just to have...hey!" As Thalzoz would deny Nuumia's demand, he found the little black eyed boy's squirming to grow a bit more intense. It was humilating to be toted around like so much rubbish, and added to that to be carried off like a misbehaving child from the presence of company. Nuumia acted, as he often did, with very little thought.
He loosened his shoulders, so that he dropped a few inchs from the sleeves of his vest. With a twisting kick, he kinked his vest around Thalzoz's hand, and turned himself upside down in his grip. Thalzoz came to a halt, as Nuumia's feet came dangerousely close to smacking him in the face. His own brows furrowing in muted anger.
"Nuumia stop fussing you little..what are you....Goddes ********! You little b***h!" Thalzoz's frustration and confusion turned to outright anger and embaressment. In the position Nuumia had managed to twist himself, he had easily reached 'behind' him and grabbed Thalzoz's belt. His nimble fingers easily unclasped the buckle...and with a 'overhead' jerk...he brought pants and briefs down to his knees.
With his bare a** faceing towards the street, and full frontal nudity exposed to the caravan crew, it was to be expected that he'd drop Nuumia. The only thing saveing the small drow from landing on his head was the fact his hands were already down from pushing the pants down. Nuumia caught himself, and curled his knees under so he could fall fowards and land in a crouch, his little black eyes crinkled with laughter.
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Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:07 pm
Unaware of the drama which was about to unfold before her, Haellara made ready to claim her purchase and be on her way. She couldn't help but notice the strain on the young male's face as he had undoubtedly attempted to ponder her words, but she suspected that it was not purely the inability of the common male to think beyonjd the scope of his intellect. No, this seemed more like a deliberate denial; a spell perhaps, placed upon him by the caravan leader to ensure that he does not question any fabricated story that they might tell him regarding his past? If so, why was it there? To keep the young one in check? If do, what was he hiding behind that inoffensive persona?
As her fascination grew, she started as the male that she was beginning to regard as rather oafish scooped up Nuumia like a cat caught lapping up cream and apologized to her. She honestly didn't know what to think. She was used to apologies being told to her, sobbed to her or screamed to her for all kinds of real or imagined wrongs, but now an apology came tainted with taking something away that she would rather have, something that she can't remember ever having occured before. Should she acknowledge the apology, since being a male he ought to be apologizing for every little action, or should she reject it and demand that Nuumia stay?
Before she could make up her mind, Nuumia apparently made up his, and as Haellara's eyes widened in shock at the male's thoughtless swear, she found herself facing a hugely offending piece of a** on display for all of Undrek'Thoz to see. Rergaining her composure as quickly as she could, her eyes narrowed to slits and she leaned as far across the counter as she could, weapon out and pointed right between the male's shoulder blades. "Insolent male! How DARE you profane the Goddess?! And in the presence of a female! You deserve every bit of gooseflesh your despicable backside can gather!"
She looked down at Nuumia's crouched form, anger still blazing in her eyes, but not at him. "I've a mind to take him regardless, to appease my offended senses. In fact, I insist upon it." She prodded her weapon once before withdrawing it. "And when the day is done I will decide whether or not to return him to your miserable band." She turned to her brother and nodded. "See that he follows. We shall look elsewhere for Devil's Foot. Come." She whirled on her heels and strode away with her nose in the air, knowing that Nuumia had the ability to dodge any blows that might come his way for botching a sale.
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Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:44 pm
Thalzoz concerned himself primarily with jerking his pants back up and covering himself quickly. His face burned with a furious embaressed heat, which was transferred to the angry glare he leveled upon Nuumia. However, hearing Haellara's exclamation of offense, and feeling the unease presence of a weapon at his back, he was quick to step forwards, and twist slightly at the hips to peer back at Haellara while he rebuckled his pants.
"I!" He started, then paused as Haellara would declare her intentions. His red eyes quickly snapped down towards where Nuumia was slowly riseing. The laughter was gone from his black eyes. Replaced by a slight wide eyed surprise at the order he had recieved.
With Haellara quick to turn her back, she would miss the small start that rippled through the crew. A few of the males that had been busy unpacking the boxes, who had stopped to watch the exchange, stepped towards Nuumia and herself. However, the stern male's hand flicked by his side in a single commanding gesture, which halted any more advancement.
Still, Thalzoz barely halted himself from grabbing Nuumia again. His face was turned downwards into quite the scowl...but he only needed to look at Haellara's 'guard' to reconsider his actions. Despite the lost sale, there was more alarm and concern over her descion to take Nuumia away with her. Even he seemed a bit uneasy. Thalzoz bit down upon his tongue, turning his expression into a sour grimance as Nuumia slowly crept around the table. Much like a animal discovering a entier new cave outside of it's own familar territory, Nuumia was hesitant to simply bound after Haellara. Particularly after her less then reassurance that he'd be returned to the caravan later.
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Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:47 pm
Not really caring about any stir she might have caused within the caravan, Haellara continued to walk away with her head held high. Protocal be damned; no matter how foolish her mother might have been, surely she would have never tried to establish a contract with such an insufferable lot of bumbling, addle-brained idiots! The only reason she had even been drawn to their pathetic excuse for a caravan was the only member among them who might possibly be worth the air he was consuming.
Speaking of which..... She turned her head to look sideways at her bodyguard, her red eyes registering the unspoken question. Catching on at once, the burly drow nodded. "He follows, though hesitantly," he said in a low, barely perceptible tone, and Haellara smiled. She knew that one would have little trouble escaping that overgrown lout. All in all, it had been rather fun asserting her authority.
But now that she had him, she wasn't entirely sure what to do with him. Whether she chose to keep him or return him when she was finished with him, he represented a trove of possibilities that she could use in so many ways. Her mind reeled with the task of choosing. Of course, it remained to be seen just how much level of discipline the young one had. Amusement notwithstanding, he seemed to have a bit of trouble with authority, and if he was to be of any use to her whatsoever, he needed to learn that such foolishness was most unwise around her. She might offer him an incentive for him to be good; young ones could often be persuaded so, but first she would need to know the nature of the tidbit she would undoubtedly have to dangle in front of his black eyes.
She stopped in her tracks then, and turned her body until she was looking back with only one eye, her profile clearly visible against the background of the street, from her shapely legs to her ample bosom. She fixed her red eye upon Nuumia and waited, letting him know without words that no matter what qualms he might have, he was expected to follow.
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:03 pm
So...so...So now what? Nuumia felt his feet dragging relculantly after the pair. Chatting with the female had been enjoyable enough. Nuumia had hardly even registered the large male hovering as her shadow. It wasn't until he realized that the male was looking at him that the tingle of alarm began down Nuumia's spine.
Thalzoz had almost stopped him, he had seen that too, and he knew that really did mean something. It's just...as far as he could remember, the members of the caravan always made things difficult for him when they entered a city. Outside on the roads of the tunnels they never came down on him half as hard as they did inside of the city. Nuumia normally didn't recall this, it was only when it started up all over again that he remembered. Today was perhaps the first time he'd actually interacted with someone outside of the caravan. Well... look where it got him.
Nuumia slipped his hands into his pockets and continues his creeping step behind the Lady and her guard. She hadn't actaully -told- him to follow her though. He supposed he could just conviently wander away. That wouldn't be too smart though. Nuumia was pretty certain it would get him in a lot of trouble. Trouble....was he going to be in trouble when he got back to the caravan? He was going back, of that he was mostly sure. Surely surely.
Nuu had glanced down at his feet as he walked, his black eyes watching the strange care that he put into his steps. Heel to toe...Heel to toe, walking as silent as a winds sigh. Where had he heard that term before? The sudden non-movement ahead of him disrupted the eddy of thoughts clouding his mind by drawing his attention to it. Nuumia looked up at Haellara. His black eyes blinking a moment at her pose. It really was terribly hard to avoide glanceing up and down her pose. She made quite the presence in her posture. Though the look in her single eye seemed to hold more of that presence then any other part of her body. Nuumia began walking again, to close the distance between himself and the Lady. though...still...he felt a unease. Why? Ah...well...
"Where are we going Lady?" Maybe that was it... normally he knew where he was going. Even if it was as simple a destination as 'Down some tunnel somewhere'
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:45 pm
Raising her eyebrows in amusement at being called 'lady', Haellara allowed him to catch up before turning back around and continuing her walk. She knew her guard would keep the boy from wandering off, and she doubted he would anyway; after all, where would he go? Not back to his caravan, where a thrashing surely awaited him. And she doubted he had any friends in the city itself who would take him in.
But where to go now? She still had some ingredients to get, and remain out of doors long enough to give any old contacts the chance to make themselves known to her. Having a tag-along child would certainly help pass the time.....or he would get in the way and foul up everything the way he did with his caravan. Although, she mused, he might act differently knowing that she would let him get away with less. That's it; what this child needed was a female's guiding hand; it would serve to be......beneficial, and at the very least give her some practice for when the time came when she would have to teach her male offspring their proper place.
Without turning her head, she addressed Nuumia. "We are going to the marketplace; I have errands that need to be completed that require my own personal touch. You shall accompany me and assist me in any way I see fit, no matter what the cost it may be to you. Do your tasks well, and I might consider letting you go free when my tasks are complete. Fail, and I shall have a time deciding what to do with you, though I assure you that it will be something you will not enjoy."
Haellara did stop then and turn to face Nuumia fully, leaning down and looking him straight in the eye. "Your first task is thus: my name is Haellara Torlyl, and most certainly not 'lady'. Being a male and for now, my errand boy, you shall refer to me as 'Mistress.' Is that quite understood?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:42 pm
Nuumia kept pace with them now, so that there would be no need for Haellara to slow down...or the guarding male to take action against him. After being hefted by Thalzoz he had the unpleasent feeling that this male would be the sort to do the same thing. Nuumia honestly disliked being carted around forcefully.
As Haellara would inform him of her current plans, Nuumia felt a bit better. He had a vauge idea of what kinds of errends were to be run in a marketplace, though he couldn't ever remember actually performing them himself. Though... "Cost?" He questioned. His black brows furrowing as he tried, and failed, to imagin what sort of cost could possibly come of him from her shopping.
The uncertainty of whether he would be allowed to return to the caravan made his head ache a bit. Pressing the heel of his left hand to his temple, he tried to squash the throb away so he could try and wrap his mind around the situation he honestly had somehow gotten himself into.
It was eaiser just to accept that he had to help with the errends so that he could go back to the relative familarity of the caravan. Simply accepting that made his head clear. He had no problem recogniseing the threat for what it was though, and he came up short as Haellara would turn around to face him again.
His black eyes widened a bit when she leaned down to meet him eye to eye. Her order was quite...to the point in how he should address her. Nuumia parted his lips, intending to respond with a 'Yes lady'...but he caught himself, and instead nodded his head in a pair of short jerks. "Ah...yes...Mistress?" The word felt a little...sour on his tongue for some reason. It was different then just the typical respectful 'Lady' title. Though he currently was unsure just why it was he disliked the word.
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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:48 pm
"Yes dear, cost. As in, if I ask you to strip naked and serve as a diversion while I kill an offending merchant, you shall do so without hesitation, as you ought to do." She had little intention of asking him to do such a thing, but it was good to let him know just how much was expected of him. She was used to having her males serve her totally and unconditionally, and just because he wasn't related to her, he wasn't going to be given any special treatment and he was expected to do just as much as if he were hers, body and soul.
She did know one thing that she wanted to do that she hadn't intended to when she set out this morning. Her curiousity had been aroused as to just what it was that was keeping this male from remembering beyond the moment, and she wanted to know what it was. Perhaps if she found out that the caravan had no real claim to him, she might officially confiscate him and make him a member of her house.
Haellara smiled as Nuumia used the proper word, though for some reason she found herself missing him calling her 'lady'. Maybe it was just the way he said it; without any of the sarcasm or disgust that any other drow would surely use when addressing her so. It seemed a bit...refreshing. Still, this was for his own good, and she must be strict with him if it was to benefit him at all.
"Very good. Now, you will stay close to me and when I have need of you, I will be sure to let you know. Do not worry; my instructions are always ver clear." Beside her, her bodyguard/brother made a barely inaudible grunt. Thinking that he had better be agreeing with her, Haellara reminded herself to ponder about how many more grunts she might be able to draw out of him during her next round of play.
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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:57 pm
Nuumia's eyes were already a bit wide, but now his jaw had dropped a bit. Instinctively his hands went to his vest, fingers cinching closed over the buttons at the mere mention of stripping down publicly. Distraction or no, he really didn't like that idea in the least!
"I don't know if I could do that without hesitation." Nuumia ever so honestly responded. "I don't pay no mind to stripping down others for distractions but I prefer not letting anyone see my dangle. I'm pretty shy about things like that." Still he kept his hand tight into the material of his cloths, his black lips tilted upwards in a uncertain smile. "Couldn't I just randomly stab someone as a distraction? I'm better at that."
Haellara's instruction for him to stay close was, again. To the point. Nuumia had no problems grasping the simple and clear order, so again his head bobbed in a affirmative nod. He was still a touch concerned over the whole situation, but when he tried to think a bit too much on it the throb began to start up in his head again. Well...it was reassuring to a degree that she would be clear in her instructions. The less he had to think the less likely his head was going to hurt. He really disliked that...
"Okay Mistress." He responded shortly after the guard made his little grunt sound. Nuumia glanced up at him, his head tilting a little to one side curiously.
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Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:26 pm
Just imagining the look on the young one's face as she elaborated, Haellara resisted the temptation to turn around and see for herself, preferring to keep her focus straight ahead. Danger and profit often shared shadows, and she didn't intend to miss a thing after being inside her House for so long.
Upon hearing Nuumia referring to his anatomy in such a way, she allowed a small titter of laughter to escape; not that she hadn't heard nearly every name there was for such a thing, but just hearing it from a drow that was actually conscientious about displaying himself was entirely new. Her brothers in their rather boorish manner had no qualms about showing off their gleaming, sweaty bodies. In fact, she preferred them that way when they were just meandering around the house; plenty of eye candy AND less chance of them being able to effectively turn on her, if and when the thought occurs to them.
Nuumia's silence caused her to turn her head slightly, and seemed to notice the slight discomfort. "You look strange. What ails you? Speak; I do not like having ones such as you marred in any way when I have potential use for you." Her bodyguard's eyes widened and his lips formed into what would have surely been a rather loud protest, but one glance from Haellara's eye was enough for him to sensibly swallow his words.
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Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:49 pm
Again, the guard seemed to make a motion that...Nuumia was certain it meant something. Something he was supposed to understand. It may have even been important. Sadly though he was unable to determin what it could be. His black eyes were still looking up at Haellara's brother inquisitively when she turned to address him again. Once more Nuumia turned to look up into her face unflinchingly. His small black lips pressed into a thoughtful 'o'. Lifting his left hand, Nuumia pressed his three middle fingers tips to his temple.
"I am not sure La...Mistress. I think.... I think I've missed something. Normally when I miss something though, someone gets mad at me for some reason or another. So...so I'm trying hard to figure out what it is before I do something wrong. That's all Mistress."
Thus said, Nuumia dropped his hand, and spread his palms upwards at her with a faint half smile.
"I think I'm slowing you down too. Should I be quiet now? I can be quiet, Thalzoz taught me a way to keep from forgetting or getting distracted..well..sort of...it only works half of the time..."
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Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:09 pm
Noticing Nuumia's hesitant look at her brother, Haellara stopped and turned again, trying to fill up as much of Nuumia's vision as she could. "Pay no attention to my brother; he has little control over himself sometimes. Be assured I am trying dutifully to break him of it." She looked at him quizzically. "Missed something, you say? Does this happen to you quite often?"
She was quickly coming to a conclusion that Nuumia was under some sort of enchantment; perhaps one of those delightfully complex ones that forbids you to tell people that you're under it. Maybe it was constricting his mind, locking the memories away that would otherwise lead him to some revolutionary conclusion that would change his life forever. Perhaps that lunkhead of a caravan master had placed the spell on him, to make him moer compliant. It would explain why despite his rough treatment of the young male, he would be so agitated to part with him. Such spells did not come cheap.
She allowed herself a reassuring smile and aimed it at Nuumia. "It is good that you strive to be perfect in your servitude, but take heed; trying too hard usually ensures mistakes. As it were, you are not slowing me down nor do you need to be silent. I find your chatter to be quite fascinating and would insist that you continue it. I am quite curious to see what you are able to say without this strange phenomenon hampering you."
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Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:42 am
Haellara's reassurance of 'breaking her brothers' bad habit was hardly that. But Nuumia did not register it as anything more then one more thing that he could not quite understand on his own. Thankfully the pointed question posed to him saved him from trying to puzzle it out. His features pinched with slight distress and his head bobbed twice.
"Yes. It does. Xee used to say a blind goblin caught more things then I did. I'm pretty sure she meant it in a nice way though, she usually said it when she was taking over my chores."
The strange advice that Haellara gave to Nuumia was not lost on him. His lips quirked upwards, breaking the distressed image he had been portraying and turning it into a genuinely pleased one.
"Thank you Mistress. I will try to remember not to try so hard then. Though I really don't think of you as a 'strange phenomenon' at all. And your certainly not hampering me. I don't have to feed the lizards now and I get to see the city a bit more beyond the caravan."
((XD I -love- Nuu))
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Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:23 pm
Listening intently to Nuumia, Haellara worked her mind to follow the young male's prattle. He could apparently talk about the ramifications easily, but she noticed that he didn't make any direct remarks about the cause itself. Maybe if she pried it out of him...... She was quite unused to using gentle means of persuasion, but she was certain that she could. "So it does happen quite often. Have you ever considered........that it might be a spell?" There; it was out in the open, and now she would just see what he would say and see if he could say anything at all in response; at least it would show her somewhat just what it was she was up against and might show a means of breaking it.
Haellara blinked a bit as Nuumia took her phrase entirely the wrong way and referred to her as the phenomenon. It showed her right then just how much she was interested in this diminuitive little male; any other male calling her such a thing would have been sans his tongue faster than you could say 'disembowelment'. But she couldn't deny, she was having plenty of fun allowing him to tag along, if to sense the obvious discomfort radiating from her brother at her pardoning the constant faux pas of a male less than half his size.
She found herself momentarily pondering just what it was like to have a life like his; feeding lizards and carrying boxes. She honestly couldn't do it. She had been treated like a piece of fine bone china since she had been born, and hadn't been allowed to do anything strenuous. Even now, her most strenuous form of activity was the occasional romp between sheets of satin and matresses stuffed with exotic bird feathers. Anything beyond that, well, that was what servants were for.
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