Solo Declarations of Love

[Ayviss]

65th of Winter, 514 AV

Ayviss took a deep breath, her eyes closed, her body almost unwilling to move from her mattress on the floor. It was time. The day where her plan would either succeed or fail. If her constant watch, her constant smiles when doing things that would please Hollard the entire Winter, if all the things she endured and smiled through, to show she was pleased with her position, had been worth it, she would discover now. This moment was probably the most pivotal in all her plan. If she failed to convince him now, everything would be lost. She would still be able to escape, she was very sure of it, but her revenge wouldn't be complete.

But that was exactly why she was so afraid, so unwilling to get up and do what it needed to be done. Why couldn't she just curl up in a ball and sleep through everything? Ayviss knew the answer. She knew nothing would be done if she didn't do it herself, but she also didn't want all her effort to be for nothing.

"Having seconds thoughts, lass?" the shadow spoke, and Ayviss looked at Akrar. The shadow was still. It was always still. Another shadow, Malak, moved, approaching them, and Ayviss followed its movement with her eyes.

"She wouldn't have second thoughs, right, girl? It would be too boring. Imagine, locked in here, all eternity, with nothing new to do!" if she could see shadows pouting, Ayviss was sure Malak would be, right then. "Come on! Yesterday you were so restless, walking around your room! You can't promise something and then take it away!"

"I haven't promised anything. But no, I'm not having second thoughts." Ayviss answered, her eyes fixed in Akrar. The shadow seemed to look straight at her, and then made a small sound that Ayviss thought it was approval. Malak always saw things as a great adventure, a game it could play to have fun. The half blood suspected Akrar was more sinister than that. The shadow would encourage her, push her to do the things she wanted, but only when these things would bring harm to another. It was cruel, but Ayviss could certainly use the shadow's help. And, in exchange, Akrar could supply its thirsty for misery.

However, sinister or not, childish or not, the two shadows were right. Ayviss couldn't just lay down after everything she had done. With a deep breath, she got up, stretched, and bit her lip. The house was quiet, Hollard having gone early to work. She had all the time she needed to get ready before he got back, but still, even after all this time, she wasn't really sure about what she needed to do to achieve what she wanted.

She hoped Akrar was thirsty enough for Hollard's misery that it would help her.

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[Ayviss]

Ayviss stayed still for a moment, thinking. It was a plan based on her hope that Hollard would notice the effort she had put in receiving him. Of course, knowing him like she did, after spending her whole live being owned by him, she knew that it was very likely he would notice. Of course, he would be suspicious, but she would put his suspicion to rest. She had made sure that he would believe her. After all, the woman had worked on it for an entire season and a good part of other. She had made sure Hollard would trust her, even if he didn't know why he should. It was time to provide him with the reason she wanted him to believe.

Finally, she walked out of her bedroom, the two shadows following her, not wanting to miss a second of it, probably. Ayviss would have to disappoint them for now. They were probably thinking she would try to escape, but it still wasn't the time. No, she had to be patient. She had come so far, she needed to keep going, or else her resolution would be for nothing. Or else she wouldn't be able to avenge her mother and Dia's death.

She reached the kitchen, and searched in the cabinets for the cinnamon she had bough, days before. The half blood had initially planned to do the desert that day, but thought better of it. So she had hidden it, together with the recipe the girl in the stall had given her, and waited until the day she would need it. The day had come, after all, and Ayviss felt like she wasn't prepared for it. Not that it mattered. To leave questions unanswered for too long would only make Hollard suspicious, specially since he had said, only two days ago, that she could spend the whole day doing whatever she wanted, and she had returned home. Any slaver would think their slaves would run away, specially in a lawless city like Sunberth, but she had returned, and Hollard had no idea why. Even if she didn't feel ready, Ayviss didn't have much time.

"I'm getting impatient! Just do something! Enough thinking, I say." Malak whined, and Ayviss sighed.

"I won't run away today, Malak." from the corner of her eye, she saw the shadow that was Akrar shift places, abruptly, as if extremely displeased. "Today is the day that I'll set the way for what I'm planning. It'll only make him fall harder."

Akrar quiet down, probably its cruelty being big enough so that it was willing to wait. But Malak was just thirsting for action, no matter what kind, and Ayviss grunted to herself when the shadow began to whine again, complaining that it was bored. Fortunately, Akrar growled something, and Malak shut up, abruptly.

Shadows aside, it was time to begin the preparations.

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