Trust

by **Ayviss** on February 9th, 2015, 5:20 pm

14th of Winter, 514 AV

Ayviss felt her heart jump with excitement as she walked towards the Market, her eyes taking the streets around her. She was alone. For the first time, she had left her owner's house alone. As she crossed the street, she smiled at the sight of the stalls of the Market that approached quickly. The half blood felt silly, happier than she had been since before Dia's death. Little by little, her plan was working. Little by little, she was winning his trust.

And this, she supposed, was her final test.

Ayviss had ten gold mizas in her hand, a warm coat (that Hollard had given her so she wouldn't freeze to death in the streets) and she was completely alone. Right now, if she wanted to, she could simply ran away. But she wouldn't, because if she returned, then Hollard would finally trust her enough. And then, the next part of her plan would be put in practice. Little by little, the day she would be free and get revenge on him was approaching.

She reached the first stall, and looked around to see if she could find somewhere to buy the vegetables Hollard had requested. She browsed for a while, looking around, thinking all the while in the entire season that had passed. It had taken the whole Fall and some very lucky episodes for her to win Hollard's trust. It had taken everything in her not to snap at him, or simply run away when she had the chance, but her persistence had paid off. Hollard no longer mistrusted her, and he no longer felt like she was just waiting for a chance to escape. Ayviss could see that he also didn't know what her reasons were, but she would make sure to forge a reason soon enough. One that would only make him trust her even more.

Chuckling to herself, and knowing, simply by observing her owner, that the next part would be the easier of all, Ayviss finally approached a small stall with some leftovers vegetables from Fall.

x

by **Ayviss** on February 12th, 2015, 3:29 pm

The vegetables were somewhat seared, although it seemed they still were edible. The Winter was already there, and Ayviss knew that she wouldn't find anything better in the Market. Maybe somewhere else, on a big city, Winter didn't mean seared vegetables, but it definitely meant so in Sunberth. As far as she knew, at least. Her displeasure must have appeared in her face, because the woman in the stall growled at her.

"Don't like, don't buy. There are other hungry people who might benefit from you leaving these for them."

Ayviss eyed the woman, her face completely blank. She just kept staring, until the woman shifted, uncomfortable, and looked away, muttering something under her breath. Ayviss ignored her, returning her attention to the products. There was very little that could be actually used, at least if she wanted to impress Hollard. She browsed the carrots for a while, before managing to take three very small ones that still were edible. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions... As she browsed the stall, looking, she allowed her mind to wander. Maybe, by the end of the Winter, she could carry on her plan. It was so close, so very close, that maybe Hollard would start falling for her, fast. It didn't even need to be a deep, profound love, as Ayviss was sure her owner was incapable of that. But if he trusted her, and loved her in his own way, it would be enough. The half blood fought the urge to chuckle, before looking up from her task and pushed the food she had picked to the woman.

"It'll be 2 golden mizas."

"For this?" Ayviss asked, surprised, looking at the not so great vegetables. They certainly weren't worthy that much.

"Look here, spoiled brat. You either pay up, or you leave. I couldn't care less."

Ayviss took the bags with her grocery inside, before throwing the money in the middle of the vegetables. The woman cursed at her, but she only pushed her coat away to show the dagger she had brought, and the woman shut her mouth, but still looked at her quite angrily. Ayviss didn't really care. True, Winter was there, and it would be hard for this old hag to keep selling her products, but the half blood had more important things to think about.

She walked away, wondering if she should also buy some seasoning. Hollard hadn't asked for it, but there was still a little money left, and she could always surprise him. This could backfire, terribly, as he could see this as a sight she didn't know her place anymore, but it could also make it look like she was thinking about him.

Ayviss debated with herself for a while, walking around the stalls, and stopping in one that had small vials of glass filled with different seasonings. Well, she could always play as if she had only bought them because she thought he would like it. Hollard would buy it, easily. He wasn't the brightest of the brightest.

x

by **Ayviss** on February 13th, 2015, 12:14 am

The half blood looked through the products of the stall, trying to find something that she knew Hollard liked. Pepper, but it was too expansive, and she doubted even Hollard would buy her excuse if she spent too much money into something he didn't ask. There was oregano, but it wasn't something that special. Ayviss sighed, before small brown rolls caught her eye. Cinnamon. She could make a dessert with it, couldn't she? Well, in theory, she could, but she didn't know any recipes for desserts. It wasn't a pleasure Hollard allowed himself many times.

"Can I help you decide, miss?" the owner of the stall, a young girl who would be very pretty if not for a missing teeth, asked, smiling sweetly. Ayviss controlled the urge to snap at the other. No, she didn't really want any help. In fact, she was starting to regret her decision to buy something 'special'. But it was for the good of the plan. She had taken much worse, so why not endure this?

"Yes, I... I wanted to make a dessert. For someone, someone special." she looked down, trying to hide the fact she wasn't getting red with embarrassment. Ayviss let her hair cover her face, and smiled to herself when she heard the girl squeak with excitement, knowing she had mistaken her gesture.

"That's really, really sweet! So what's the problem, dear?"

"I don't know how to make any." this was painful to admit. She had just allowed the girl to know one of her weakness. It wasn't nothing too serious, and it was for the greater good, but it still felt wrong. Very wrong.

"Oh! Don't worry. Wait a second, I have just the tastiest dessert you can do with cinnamon!"

Ayviss waited for the girl to bend down, take a paper and scribe something in it, sometimes furrowing her eyebrows, as if trying to remember something. Finally, she handed the paper to the half blood, smiling.

"Here. It'll be nine silver mizas."

Ayviss nodded, murmuring a thank you, before she handed the girl the payment and took the cinnamon and the paper with the recipe. As she walked away, finally leaving the Market, she read what the other had written. It seemed simple enough, so she doubted she would have much trouble with it, and she didn't need to buy anything else, so this was a bonus, too. With a sigh, she folded the paper and put it in the pocket of her coat, trembling a little when a gush of cold air passed through her.

x

by **Ayviss** on February 15th, 2015, 8:12 pm

The streets were mostly empty, the cold scaring people away from them. Ayviss liked it better this way. So she just enjoyed the walk back, the cold wind sometimes making her stop to adjust the coat around her frame in a better way, until she reached the front door and opened it with a small push.

The house was empty, Hollard probably working right then. Ayviss went straight to the kitchen, putting the bags down and washing her hands, ready to start cooking. It was better that she made her best for the house to look clean and the food to be ready before Hollard came in. The hardest part was behind her, but now, it was when she had to truly make an effort. And she was ready for it.

She saw the shadow that was normally under the living room's table watch her, and she felt its eyes - did it have eyes? Ayviss didn't really knew - on her back the whole time, watching quietly. It was a quiet shadow, and Ayviss didn't have to worry that it would interrupt her. Besides, she had already grew used to the watchful shadow, that seemed to follow her now, searching for something.

Separating the ingredients, Ayviss decided to make a tomato soup. The tomatoes she had bought on the Market were still good, but soon enough they would rotten. It wasn't the best meal option, but simple soups were still the only thing she was able to do well enough.

So she took the appliances she would need, send a last look towards the shadow, and began to work.

x

by **Ayviss** on February 15th, 2015, 8:34 pm

Ayviss filled a pan with water, putting in on top of the oven, that was already lit. While the water heated, the half blood took the tomatoes she had bought and carefully made a X on the base of each. Grabbing a bowl, she filled it with water, and placed it on the sink. Now she had only to wait until the water boiled. It would take a while, because of the cold, but still, it wasn't too long before the water began to boil. Ayviss took the tomatoes and placed them, one by one, inside the pan. She counted to ten, before taking the tomatoes with a big spoon and placing them on the bowl. She waited another ten ticks, so the tomatoes would have time to cool down a little, before taking one of them and pealing the skin from the X.

After all the tomatoes were pealed, she cut them all in half, and, with her finger, took off their seed. She could use them later, for herself to eat or anything like that. It would be a waste to simply throw them away, so she stored them on a bowl, closed, and put aside so she could store them later.

She cut the tomatoes in small cubes, paying attention at the movements of the knife. Her hand moved slowly, still unsure about what she was doing, and it took some time before she had finished. Placing the cubes aside, she took some garlic and proceeded to cut it, as small as she could, with the same care and attention she had spent on the tomatoes. Throwing the water from the pan away, she put a small amount of oil inside, growling when it started to hiss and when one drop fell on her hand. Ayviss cursed at herself, not believing she had forgotten something as basic as not to put hot oil together with water. After a while, though, the hiss disappeared, and she put the garlic inside, still cursing.

Mixing it with a spoon, she added the tomatoes, and took a few steps back. It would take half a bell before she needed to add the water to the pan, so she could do something else in the meantime. What she really wanted to do was to go inside her room and train with her dagger a little, because she definitely needed training, but it would waste time she didn't have. No, she needed to set up the table, and clean the dishes, all before Hollard came back. With a sigh, she took the only table cloth in the house, a plain, white one, and left the kitchen.

x

by **Ayviss** on February 23rd, 2015, 5:10 pm

The woman placed the cloth on top of the table, smoothing the wrinkles that formed naturally on it. There was a small dot on the tip of the cloth, the color a mix of red and brown, and Ayviss supposed it was probably dried blood. She carefully twisted the cloth before the dot was on the opposite side of where Hollard normally sit. Ayviss then returned to the kitchen, grabbed a plate and a spoon, and placed it carefully in the table. It was good enough. There wasn't flowers nor vases in the house she could use to decorate the table, but still, it probably would only raise questions if she took so much care in receiving him, and questions wasn't something Ayviss was looking for. Yet.

Returning to the kitchen, Ayviss began to wash the old dishes that were still in the sink. Hollard normally let those accumulate for when he would bring a new slave in the house, to aid in his or her training. However, it had been a while since the last one had left, and Ayviss knew from experience that, in Winter, he rarely ever brought anyone. She suspected it was because he was always afraid the food would be scarce, and he didn't want to share food with more people than necessary - and have a slave starve to death was a waste of money.

So the half blood began to clean, rubbing the sponge forcefully to get the old pieces of food out. It was a task that demanded both patience and strength, and she could see why it was a good training exercise. The food seemed to have been glued to the plates, and it required her to put strength in her arm in order to take it off. Luckily, the more recent dishes weren't so hard to clean, and she managed to finish before the tomatoes were ready, despite the painful discomfort in her arm. It would go away soon, though.

Drying her hands, she grabbed a thick cloth to protect her hands and, taking the pan, she put it under the sink and filled it with water, before placing the pan on top of the oven again. Now, she needed to wait until the water boiled.

x

by **Ayviss** on March 2nd, 2015, 1:13 am

When it was ready, Ayviss took the pan away from the oven, added salt, and tasted it. Although it was a little watery, it was tasty. Good enough for dinner, all things considered. The alternative would be a tastless bread in some cheap tavern, if Hollard's complains were to be believed. Considered it was actually a compliment to her, it was safe to belive it.

Ayviss then considered if it would be worth to make a desert as well. She had the ingredients, but maybe... Biting her lip, she decided against it, hiding the cinnamon in the back of one of the drawers. The desert would raise questions she still wasn't prepared to answer, not so soon. It was better to save it for later. It would make a better impact.

Nodding to herself, Ayviss filled a bowl with the soup, cut some pieces of a kind of old bread and put them on a plate, and carried both of them to the table. Ayviss could feel the inquisitive stare of the shadow below the table, but ignored it. It would understand, in time.

It wasn't long before the half blood heard the sound of door opening, and she forced a smile into her face, turning and facing her owner, that hung a wet coat and hat on one chair. He then raised his eyes, and looked at her, looking a little surprised, but satisfied. Ayviss' smile turned into a true one, as she noticed everything was working perfectly.

"I made you a soup."

"I'm not stupid. I can see that." he growled at her, but her smile only widened when he sat down and started to eat, clearly enjoying the meal.

Yes, everything was working perfectly.

x

by **Khara** on April 5th, 2015, 3:47 am

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Ayviss :

Please don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions/comments regarding your grade. I'll be more than happy to take a second look if you think I've missed something!
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Also, please don't forget to edit your post as 'graded' in the request thread.

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