To a brighter future (BelleSoumis x Mini Magi)

[Mini Magi]

It's been a few hours since the sun rose up, and with it the daily business came to life as well. Sounds of wheels against the rocky roads, chatter among people, and in this particular part of town, also the rustling of chains. It was a big event. Once every few months, slave traders set up an auction to sell the finest wares to anyone who had the coin. Yes indeed. Everyone was welcome, so long as they knew how to behave. And for those who didn't, guards and mercenaries were hired. 

The theater usually had a more cultured use, but with its stage and backstage, it had the perfect layout. And it even gave an opportunity to make a bit of extra gold. The slaves were put into cages, their wrists and ankles cuffed. Some stood, some sat, but all of them could see the kind of people who would buy them. Some relatively fine people, some commoners... and the one person they would not want to be bought by. Don Vollino. An overweight man in his late 40s, still a full head of hair at least, but unattractive as could be, and trying to mask it with many jeweled rings on both hands. He didn't look for anything specific. If anything, he was making a shopping list.

But the trail of thought of one certain, white haired, cat eared slave would be interrupted by a presence. A feeling that someone was suddenly nearby. Turning her head, she'd see a demon! He chuckled at her reaction, then spoke up. "Sup?" Okay, maybe not a demon, but the thought wasn't too far off. There was definitely something strange about this one, and it was not just the eyes. "My hurt feelings aside, do you see that... gentleman over there? The one with the excess amount of jewelry? With how cute you are, how likely do you like your odds of having his thing in your mouth by the end of the day?" Yul worked best if he could find something to agree on with someone. In this case, that Don Vollino was a glorified pig, and not someone she would want to be with. "I ask because I am interested in you as well, and can spare you from that kind of treatment. I just have a few questions, which I'd like you to answer honestly, with a quick yes or no if you wanna keep this short. Can you read and write, or are  you willing to learn that if I instruct you? Or math? Can you wield weapons or magic? And most importantly: You want someone dead who isn't me, don't you?" That last one was a long shot, but with how good she looked, it was unlikely she was here out of her own free will. He assumed that she'd feel a certain stabby need towards someone, which would work just fine for him, IF there was a target for her for now calm wrath.

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by Mini Magi

[BelleSoumis]

Young Liz was by no means anything special. Or at least, that’s what she had been taught and conditioned to believe by her True Owners. She looked in any reflective surface and saw the thin frame of hers, the ears and tail, the strangely colored eyes… and she saw anything but beauty. Oddity, maybe, but not beauty.

She found her head tilting as she waited in her place in line to be shown, once again, as the ‘crown piece’ of today’s merchandise. Having lost count of how many times she had been put in this position, she had stopped complaining and resisting long ago. Besides, the abuse she had to suffer at the hands of her True Owners was far less than what she had experienced within the first few hours of being bought by some… less-than-kind men. One time a woman bought her, though, and she merely used Liz as a birthday present for her unfaithful husband, figuring it would satiate his cheating enough to keep him in the house. Liz only had to sit by and watch them argue for a few hours before she was reclaimed. That was a nice break.

The hand on her shoulder made her jump, and her breath caught in her throat as she whipped her head around to see… Wait, what was this guy? Who was he?

She heard him speak. She did. But for some reason words escaped her. In fact, she felt couldn’t even utter a single ‘yes or no’ reply like he was asking. Even the concept of nodding escaped her. Sure, it could be the shock and doubt of being encountered by some… guy, promising her better treatment than anyone else had given her. And for a split second, she entertained the thought, and she almost opened her mouth to speak; really, her teeth were visible between just slightly parted lips.

But at the mention of wanting someone dead, her eyes flickered open a tad wider, darted over to look at her True Owners on the other side of the curtain… And then she clammed up. 
 

Liz’s ears immediately went down, showing her fear, and she ducked her head, refusing to speak. Clearly she was terrified of these men. They must’ve really done a number on her for her to be acting this… pitiful.

[Mini Magi]

While his questions went by mostly unanswered, Yul was fully aware of what the little look to the side meant. It meant, he could motivate her~ "I get ya. Then here's my proposal." Yul got up, then reached for something on the inner side of his jacket. He went to her side, then let it hang at roughly her current head length. "I'm not a perfect owner, either. If I buy you, you will end up wearing this." Taking a peek, she'd see a collar. Not unlike the ones the slave merchants used, but thinner, with carvings along the sides. If nothing else, it would at least be more comfortable than those. "This is an enchanted slave collar. Whoever wears it can't hurt the owner willingly. Your body would just freeze up." Which was another difference already. Usually, these things delivered shocks. "And if I give you a possible order like: Get me that bowl, as example, refusing it will cause you electric pain." Nevermind. There it was. Still, it was at least not all pain. Before continuing, Yul put it away again, not wanting to give the guards weird ideas. "The reason I am telling you this is that I am giving you something not many, or even anyone, did before. A choice. You can go with that pig over there if you like. He looks virile at least, I'll give him that. But if you want to come to my place, where I will teach you to be smart, protect you, make you do light labor at most, give you your own bed, and actual meals throughout the day: When you get on stage, wag your tail 2 times, with your ears pointing up. I'll take that as your word that you will do your best under my care and take you in." 

The guards by now got orders, and raised their voices to announce that the auction was about to begin. Good timing. Yul had just finished saying everything important. "That's my cue. Think it over in the meantime, will ya?" And with that, he left the damaged little kitty to her thoughts. Not much else he could do for now after all. And hey. With some luck, he really did make her think. Her spark didn't seem completely gone after all. 

One by one, each slave was taken out of their cage, brought to the stage, and presented. The average price for a slave seemed to equal out at about 30 to 50 silver. Enough for a good sword, or at least some good food. And soon enough, it was Liz's turn. The guards were more careful with her, given that she was tonight's special item, but eventually, she'd find herself on the stage. The crowd reacted as she would have expected. Some awe here, some regret for already having spend money there... and a certain, odd eyed, white haired guy sat slightly off center in the crowd, watching her with a calm face, because now was the time, she made her choice. Quickly after, the bids began, and already started at around 20 silver, and kept escalating higher and higher. Don Vollino claimed the lead after a couple bids, and currently sat at a bit no less than 5 gold. Enough for a new set of plate armor.

[BelleSoumis]

Blinking slowly, as if not being able to process what was being said to her, Elizabeth again did not reply, at least verbally. At the sight of the collar, her ear twitched. She was not surprised by the enchantment, nor the promise of pain if she did not comply. However, her eyes only lingered on it for a moment before flickering back to stare at this strange, strange man. Who was he? Why was he speaking to her like this? As if she were... a person? It certainly made her wary, and she did not take her eyes off the man even as he walked away. A choice. The words buzzed around her skull like wasps swarming the perimeter of their nest. A choice? Liz had to laugh as she shook her head in disbelief... and contemplation. Sure, the prospect of a decent owner seemed nice. But even if she did go with him, it was only a matter of time before...

"Aaaand now, gentlemen and... not-so-gentle men," boomed True Owner Number Two, eliciting a round of sickeningly vile chuckles from the crowd, "the peace day resist dance!" Liz rolled her eyes. Seven years. Seven years they had been running this little scheme, and still the buffoon could never get that phrase right. She sighed, falling forward onto her hands and knees as the guards came over to open her cage. The crudely made collar itched even more so than usual as she was led, by a chain attached to the loop, onto the stage. The usual hoots and hollers did nothing to ease the thoughts of a certain, brand new, enchanted collar. Was she actually considering...?

"I'll give ye 20 silver for that beaut!" one farmer piped up before the man on stage could even say anything. There were nods of agreement nearby as he turned to elbow his friend in the ribs playfully. "Would make an awwwwfully nice present for me son, ye see?"

Snickering ensued as, one by one, the bid increased with appalling comments made. Liz felt herself blushing as one merchant described, aloud, in detail, exactly what he would do to her every day coming home from work. Her ears went down as she looked to the side, shamefully, as True Owner Number One pushed her back onto her bottom and forced her to spread her legs. Of course she was not given the dignity of wearing clothing, so everyone had a nice view of all of her holes. This evoked a roar of "oohs" and "ahhs" and "I'd fuck that well and good, yes I would!"

"Five. Gold."

Everyone went silent. The bid had currently been at 95 silver for some time, and so Liz' Owners were of course performing their usual tactics to provoke higher bids. But clearly no one was prepared for this. 

Liz suddenly looked terrified. Her eyes went wide, her ears went lower than they ever had, and her heart caught in her throat. She didn't even have to look to know who it was that had placed the bid, but she did. And oh, man, was he scary.

After recovering from the shock, True Owner Number Two sniggered as he visibly resisted the urge to rub his hands together greedily. "Well, well, well! We got us a big man wit' big ol' pockets in the crowd! Ahh, yes! Five gold: a mighty price to pay for a mighty beautiful and delicious specimen such as this... But c'mon, gents! Biddin's not over yet!"

"Thaaaaat's a good girl," True Owner Number One purred into Liz' ear as he rubbed her inner thigh and stroked her behind the ear. She tilted her head away from him and bit her bottom lip, clearly looking like she was about to cry. She couldn't believe the mess she was in. Where did she go wrong? "C'mon, luv. Put on a lil' show for the nice men, won'tcha? Show 'em how good you are wit' that pretty lil' mouth o' yers... Fuck, I can't wait to have you to myself later on. You can suck my cock as I count me gold..." The man's fingers slid up to rub her cunt, and his other arm wrapped around her from behind to grab and grope her bare tit. She was actually crying now, her lip quivering. She felt trapped. Like she didn't have...

Liz' eyes lit up. As discreetly as possible, her eyes fluttered across the crowd, searching, searching... Then she saw him. He was hard to miss. The strange man with the white hair and eyes even wilder than hers. A choice, she reminded herself. 

A flick of her tail. She made it as obvious as she could without raising any alarms with the man groping her. All the while she had her eyes locked on his, the strange man's.

"Aw'right, I guess that does it!" True Owner Number Two sighed. "Goin' once, gents, goin' once..."

Another flick of her tail. Her ears were still down as the man beside her continued to grope her. She had to turn away as he open-mouth kissed her on her cheek.

"Goin' twice..."

Liz yanked her head back to peer at Yul. Her ears shot straight up in the air, as high as she could manage. Finally, as if in fear she wasn't being apparent enough, she silently mouthed a single word:

'Please...!'

[Mini Magi]

Were these people actually for real? With every comment, Yul could feel his pulse go a little higher. Sure, he wanted to avoid that kind of attention, but maybe 2 or 3 corpses wouldn't hurt? "Sheesh. Have some class, you low lives." he thought to himself. The entire display disgusted him, bringing him closer and closer to just up and leave... until he saw her tail. Once... twice... and before the hammer could strike, Yul got up, and yelled. "For the love of god, 50 gold if you get his paws off her."

Yul looked thoroughly annoyed, his look sharp, his hands in his pockets. The auctioneer was in shock, just as the other bidders. "S-Sir? Did you mean fifteen?" Yul chuckled, now easing up since it seemed he made quite an impact. "Nope. Fifty. Ten fives, IF he can keep his hands off her." He made eye contact with the one groping her all over, ordering him non-verbally to get, the fuck, away from her. As far as Yul was concerned, she was under his protection now.

[BelleSoumis]

Everyone seemed to blink, slowly, in shock, at once. It was dead quiet for several moments. The man groping Liz had frozen in place. But then True Owner Number Two turned his head and motioned for his friend to fuck off. The look they exchanged told Liz one thing, at least: she had made a terrible mistake.

This man... This, kind, strange, wealthy man... was going to die.

Liz's ears went down and her gaze softened, even if she was grateful for the man beside her to indeed fuck off. She looked at Yul with pity in her eyes, then dropped her gaze to the floor. She felt ashamed of herself.

"Um... Okay. Sold, to... Uh... that guy," the auctioneer declared, tapping his little gavel lightly. A small, awkward round of confused applause ensued. Before Yul could claim his prize, the large man with the previous highest bid, Don Vollino, stomped forwards to look down at the stranger.

"Who the fuck you think you are, stealing my cat toy like that?" the man snorted at Yul. He clearly was not happy. "You're gonna regret messin' with me, fucker."

[Mini Magi]

Ah~ Finally some peace and quiet. Was that so hard? Sure, it put him 50 gold down, but that wasn't his entire budged anyway. With everyone quiet, Yul went through the row of seats to get out, only to get stopped by the pig of a man he already forgot the name of. And by his expression, this man could definitely tell that Yul was... absolutely bored by that intimidation attempt. "Oh no. Whatever shall I- *snore*. Guards!" In a zero care display, Yul pretended to be asleep then made sure the guards got the not so subtle que to earn their pay. After all, Yul was THE high paying customer. Even the auctioneer gave them subtle hand signs now to go and assist the one with the heavier wallet.

With him quickly out of the way, Yul went to the stage. Meanwhile, the other guards helped Liz up and guided her back to the backstage area. This wasn't like buying groceries, after all. There were papers involved, and Yul made it clear he wanted her to have some personal space. For that kind of money, she could gladly have it. She was given the usual rags, and after some time, Yul came to her, the papers probably in his pockets. "Now for your part of the deal." Once again, he took out the collar. But rather than just snap it on her neck, he held it to her. It was... oddly light. This wasn't simple iron. Something higher quality. The inner side was also padded out with something soft. A velvet like material. It was still a collar, but... If it was made from gold, it could easily be a fashion statement. He waited till she examined it, then went behind her, and held her hair up, waiting for her to be a good girl and put it on. "Ah right. Where are my manners? My name is, and I want you to repeat it in your head a few times: Yul B Allwright. A pleasure to meet you Elisabeth. Or Elly? Liz? Let me know which one you prefer once you feel like speaking again. But for now: I live in a comfortable little place just out of town. 20 minutes from here, so there won't be any guards to disturb our fun~" Oh and what fun they would have. He made sure not to be too obvious with it, but speak audible and loud enough so that curious ears would know the situation. 

[Some time later]

By now, both Yul and his newly acquired slave arrived at a 2 story building, just a bit away from the main road. Yul himself seemed to be in a quite chipper mood. And why wouldn't he? Sure, it would be better if it was the middle of the night, but the weather was good, no travelers in sight, and it was just him, her, and the sense of something exciting about to happen in the air. What wasn't to love about it? "Home sweet home. Don't mind the aesthetic. It used to be an outpost." It did look a little odd to be fair. The fence was made from an assortment of bright stones held together by mortar, there was an open space behind the house that Yul used as a garden rather than training area, and the building itself had barred windows. What definitely set it apart from being a guard barrack was the green cross at the entrance. The universal sign of a healer. 

Once Yul opened the heavy door, he pushed something in the wall right next to the entrance, and right after a click, the inside lit up. Looking up, it turned out that Yul somehow put lights into his ceiling. Crystals? Regardless, she'd see that the first floor was converted to be a clinic. 3 Bedrooms, each with its own bed and currently unoccupied, a counter with many shelves behind it, and jars and bottles on and in the shelves full with various liquids, powders and creams. One door was closed and would have to be explored another time. The stairway had 2 ways, though the way down was barred by an iron cell door. The one up was free, and Yul took her there after turning off the lights again. 

Once up, Yul pushed... ah. A button it seemed, and the area lit up once more. "Just a bit further, then you can rest, so hang in there." On her way through the hallway, she'd be able to peek into the kitchen. It was quite big, had an oven even, and many cupboards... and a closet? Questions for later. For now he took her somewhere else. Through the next door, and... into a bedroom. Okay. So far so good. But half the room was also a cell. And not just any cell. It looked... fine. REALLY fine. A red carpet that stretched all across the room, red sheets and a red pillow on a white and big bed, a dresser with a big mirror at the front, a fireplace (where the carpet was cut out for safety), a small table with 2 cusioned chairs in the middle of the room, and a red drape behind which she would see a bathtub. His side looked more modest. Just a big table, modest dresser, bed, and what looked like a work desk with documents and writing utensils on it. Yul went to the door of the cell, opened it with a key, and simply said: "Get in. This is your room after all. And... no offense, but how about you go and try the bathtub out first? Red knob is for hot, and blue for cold water. Might take a while to mix it just right, but I believe in you that much at least."

[BelleSoumis]

As expected, Elizabeth was intensely quiet throughout the whole journey. She avoided eye contact, for the most part. But when he spoke to her, she was sure to look him in the eyes, as strangely colored as they may be. This was taught to her in her teens: Always look your Master in the eyes when he is speaking to you, unless told otherwise. Still, though, every time she was prompted to respond, Liz looked down at the ground. It might've appeared that she was simply unhappy being a slave, or maybe that she was frightened of her new Owner. But the simple fact was... Elizabeth felt guilty.

You see, for seven years now, Liz had been running the same scheme with Assholes Number One and Two. They did it all the time, and it always worked out in their favor, without a hitch. They were too strong, and they always outnumbered whatever poor sap thought they were bringing home a lovely little catgirl to play with. And that was it. The new "owners" were always so blinded by their glee that they never saw the attack coming. Her True Owners would ambush the men when they got back to their abodes. Sure, they would let the man have a go with Liz so they could watch through the window and get themselves fired up for when they'd inevitably bring her back to their caravan and head off to the next town before they could be found out. Truly, it was a lucrative gig. Very, very vile, yes. But lucrative.

And the worst part was the Silencing Spell that they had put on Liz. She had taken to warning the somewhat kinder men about the scheme at some point. The True Owners eventually found out, and so... Well, bye-bye, voice. And now, more than ever, Liz wished so desperately to warn this man. This... Yul B. Allwright. Which, as she played it back in her head a few times, sounded suspiciously like some sort of... anagram or something.

Never the matter. Liz followed the man through his strange and wondrous abode. The whole time, her ears were sunken low against her head and her eyes were shamefully downcast. Clearly something was bothering her. When she was shown her room, and told to get in, tears pooled in her eyes. How? Why? How could a slave owner be so generous and thoughtful? Why was he being so kind to her?

She had to warn him somehow.

Frantically, Liz's strangely colored eyes scanned the room. She was looking for windows. Secret doors. Anywhere from which they might be launching an attack. The longer she stood there, searching, however, the more she felt the prickling of electricity surging up her neck. It was gentle, more annoying than anything, at first. But as seconds turned to minutes, the tears in her eyes grew in magnitude and frequency as she sunk to her knees, looking up at the man pleadingly. Truth be told, she looked pathetic. But still, she crawled forward and wrapped her arms around his leg, hugging it tightly. Then, with as fearful of a gaze as she could muster, she looked up at the man and began panting. She had to warn him. Somehow.

[Mini Magi]

What was even worse, her attempt to warn him was interrupted by the sound of bells. The ones at the entrance. Someone was here. And while Yul could have told her earlier, it was... way more fun this way. And it also showed him that she was indeed a good girl. So when she reacted to the bells, Yul looked to the wall, then down... and grinned. "Well well well. It's Humpty and Dumpty. Let me guess. This is the part where I die?" Something was wrong. There was nothing at the floor at the direction he looked at. Wait... The angle... was roughly... no, exactly where the door would be if one went right through the floor like a spear. Yul chuckled, then looked back at her. His blue eye was glowing softly. "Did you really think I would just grab a random slave and pay 50 gold for her without a good reason? I did my research."

"Every time an auction has a main item, I dig around a bit. You've been sold many times, and almost all your past owners are dead." Yul moved his hand to her forehead, his middle finger behind his thumb, then flicked her forehead HARD! What the hell?! That felt more like a soft punch than a finger. "And I doubt you featherweight are the cause. Which means: Your owners basically sell lightning in a bottle. Am I far off?" The bell rang again, and it seemed like someone was really eager to speak with him. Fair. All the windows were barred after all, so a frontal assault would be the easiest way... usually. But before he got to them, he had probably a minute or so left for her.

[BelleSoumis]

Liz's eyes widened when she heard the bells. She looked towards the stairwell, then back at him, then at... Wait, what was he staring at?? Did he not understand what she was trying to...

His words made her blood run cold. With her frame going frigid, she slowly released his legs and tried to crawl backwards, and then he reached towards her and...

OW.

Liz flinched, ears sinking down again as her hands whipped up to protect her forehead. She gawked at him, amazed and wildly confused. She so desperately wanted to talk back to him. Ask him.

What do you mean?

How did you know?

What are you going to do?

And of course, the obvious:

THEY'RE GOING TO FUCKING MURDER YOU, YOU MORON!!!

Clearly Liz had no idea of just who the fuck they were messing with.

Still, Elizabeth was so clearly at a loss for words even if she could speak them. Finally, her gaze softened, and she sunk to her knees before him. Her head bowed, she placed her hands in her lap... Then she slid her arms forward, extending herself until her nose was touching the floor beneath it. She was kowtowing to him, showing him her complete and utter submission and acknowledgement of her inferiority. Whatever happened from here on out--whoever inevitably ended up dying in the bloodbath that was to come--Liz wanted, no, needed to show him... that she desired forgiveness.

"Uhhh... Delivery!" came a familiar voice from outside the home. Clearly the buffoons were struggling to get inside and had resorted to possibly the most pathetic attempt at entry possible.

Still, as pitiful (and rather humorous) the attempt was, Liz seemed shaken. She shot up to sit on her knees again, looking at the direction of the call with one ear raised. Then it fell again as she looked back at Yul. Her gaze was pleading. She was clearly frightened, not only for herself, but for Yul as well. She shook her head, begging him not to answer the door. 

[Mini Magi]

Did she think he was going to blame her? Funny girl. As if she had a say in anything that happened. But enough was enough. Now being a bit annoyed at her attempts to stop the events he was gladly setting in motion, Yul grabbed her by the arm, pulled her into her room, tossed her forward (albeit carefully so that she didn't hit the table or anything else), and turned around, closed the door behind him, and locked it. Clearing his throat, he yelled out. "Just a minute!" And quickly, back to her. "You still don't get it do ya? Thinking this all is about to take a bad end. But there is one thing you just keep not noticing." With a flick of his hand, a knife came out of his sleeve. It was well taken care of, small, single edged, and had a few scratches along the blade. "I'm the bad guy~ And if you'll excuse me, I'll go get myself a piece of these two idiots, and then make us lunch." Yul turned around, went for the door... stopped..., and turned around once more. "Okay, that came out wrong. We're not going to eat them. I'm not THAT far gone, sheesh. Now go take a bath before I get back, or I'll hold your lunch hostage until you do." Having cleared that up, Yul went into the hallway, down... and was not heard from for a while. 

At least this gave her some time to explore her new room a bit more. Her ceiling had the same lights she saw everywhere else so far, and taking a careful look, there really was something bright in many holes. Questions for later. There was no window to get out of, but the fireplace... also not. It was leading up as one expected, but there were bars higher up which she definitely could not squeeze through even if she somehow managed to climb up the smooth surface. The bed was... as soft as it looked. And it looked expensive. The pillow was also soft, and the sheets had proper covers. And as for the bathtub, it was big. No doubt about it. It was big enough for two for a reason. And lastly, the dresser. Sadly, it was completely empty, but that was probably fair. He had no chance of knowing if he would take her in given this was her choice to make. Ah well. It was at least big enough to be filled with something later. 

About an hour later, Yul came back, looking as if nothing happened. "Guess who~" And with him, he had a pot in one hand, holding it by the bottom, and in his other 2 stacked bowls, with 2 spoons in the topmost one. Yul went for the bars, then held the bowls close to them. They would easily fit through the bars. "Be a dear and take these to the table, eh? I need a free hand." This definitely needed improvement, but that was for later. Regardless, Yul then went for the door, unlocked it, went in, closed the door, and put the pot on the table in her room. "Look. I know you are probably brimming with questions, but let's do things in my order for now. Which means-" he took the lid off, and if the smell didn't get to her before, damn would it do so now. There was not just actual food in that pod. It was cream stew. Hot and fresh cream stew, with bits of meat too. Yul picked up one of the bowls, filled some stew in it by tilting the pot carefully, put the bowl down, and looked at her once more. "Here's how we will do this: You will eat slowly, and carefully. Look at the pot. There are seconds, and you can have them once your bowl is empty. The reason I say it like this is because you have been underfed, and if you rush, you will throw up. So take your time, and I'll pour you more if you want. Think you can do that?" Seemed like she got the idea, so okay. He pushed her bowl to her, then started pouring some stew into the other bowl for himself.

He kept his word, and refilled her bowl if she made it known that she wanted more. And as for the stew itself, it was really good. Yul definitely had access to spices, which really brought out all flavors to their maximum. And if it wasn't obvious before, he also was a good cook. And by the time the pot was empty, Yul reached into his pocket and took out a small notebook and a pen. "So... What I understand is that you can't speak. What I don't know is why so... any chance you can write?" They needed a way to communicate more clearly. Or at least it would be more convenient than yes or no questions, which sure, he also could do. 

[BelleSoumis]

The catgirl blinked at him. Mostly in shock, but also to show that she was listening. And after he had gone, she sat on the floor for a few moments, digesting what she had heard and seen.

I'm the bad guy~.

The words made a tingle run down her spine. Whether it was from fear, discomfort... or something else entirely, she would probably never know. But the electric prickling of the collar around her neck was becoming unbearable, so she decided to do as she was asked, albeit slowly and cautiously, and take a bath.

It was heavenly. The idea that cats don't like water is... not untrue. But Liz was only half-catfolk, and she was visibly (and aromatically, apparently) filthy. Due to only being half-catfolk, physically, she had no barbed tongue and no paws to clean herself. So the bath was nice. Very, very nice.

If she could moan, she would have as she sunk low into the water. Her eyes slipped shut as she submerged herself in the lukewarm liquid (she wasn't used to hot baths, so she went with a lower temperature). This, she decided, was the good life.

By the time she got out of the water, her fingers and toes were pruny. She marveled at this, having never been submerged for so long as to see this phenomenon happened. Briefly she worried this was some effect of some other spell that her 'True Owners' (could she even call them that anymore?) had put her under. But then, as she lay sprawled out on the bed, naked with her limbs spread, she noticed her appendages slowly going back to normal.

Curious, she thought to herself as she combed her fingers through her long hair. She would be needing a proper grooming, but... She supposed her new Master would help her take care of that later. Her eyes slipped shut again as she felt content at the sound of the phrase in her head.

My new Master...

She was free. Well, not completely free... but at least as free as she cared to be. She didn't think she would be able to survive on her own, anyhow. Not after having spent her whole life in slavelihood. The idea of being with Yul, though, as strange and as new and as dangerous as he seemed... excited her. Absently Liz's hand fell to her breast, which she held in her hand as she thought about Yul... What? Sex... It was all she knew in life. In her mind, it was all she was good for. Her fingers twisted her nipple as she imagined pleasing her Master Yul, kissing him all over and then trailing down to...

"Guess who~!"

The words yanked Liz out of... What, had she fallen asleep? She sat up in bed, clearly bewildered as she looked around. She had no idea how long ago she had dozed off, or how long Yul was gone for. But the smell of food made her forget these notions. Her eyes widened and she rushed over to the bars, clinging onto them tightly, desperately. Greedily she snatched up the bowls and obediently set them on the table. She was about to sit on the floor and wait patiently for her meal, but then she got the notion that she may be welcome at the table... And when she cautiously took her seat, and he did not chastise her, her ears perked up. She settled in, licking her lips at the sight of the food. Just as she was about to tear into it, she heard his words and deflated, glaring at him disappointedly. She looked like a child who had been told 'No candy before dinner!'

Still, though, she obeyed, because that's what she had been trained to do. And even though her True Owners were no longer her True Owners (allegedly... whatever did happen to them, she wondered?), their teachings were engrained within her. And so she ate, dutifully and slowly.

The sight of the notebook and pen made her blink. She looked at him stupidly, as if to say, 'A slave? Taught to read and write? Are you mad?'

But then she got an idea and her eyes lit up, making grabby hands for the paper and writing utensil. Apparently she decided he wasn't fast enough, because she yanked it out of his hands and got to work, huddled over the paper. Unfortunately her hair, in its matted and untamed state, formed a curtain around the paper, so he could not see what she was writing.

Only she wasn't writing. She was drawing. It took her a good ten minutes and several crumpled up pages (which she threw behind her carelessly; clearly she was at least determined), but finally she held a page up to the light, tilted her head, and nodded. It was satisfactory. She slid it across the table.

It... was actually quite beautiful, and very skillfully made. Clearly she had taken up some form of art at some point in the past. But as to what it was, exactly, was anybody's guess. It seemed to be some sort of magical sigil...

 

[Mini Magi]

So THAT was what it's like to be on the receiving end of that glare. He shrugged, deciding to just accept that it was not the smartest guess. "Worth a shot." You never knew whom you dealt with these days. This also meant he would have to teach her how to read and write, but that was for later. For now, he observed how she tried to... do something? He peeked occasionally, noticing that it was at least not writing, and left her to it. And look at that. Eventually, she was done, and handed him a picture of... something. Yul took it, gave it a closer examination. "Hm... I can tell that it's a curse to... limit? Restrain? Given the context, dare I say this is why you can't speak?" He waited for her to respond, and fortunately, this meant that there was no psychological barrier. In his situation, that would have been the bigger issue. "I have good and bad news for you then. The good news: I know how to lift curses of this level. The bad news: I can't cast magic." Watching her go from happy to stumped~ Ah~ He could do that all day~ It gave him a good chuckle too. But after clearing his throat, he moved on. She definitely needed an explanation. "I'm not kidding. I have an extensive knowledge on magic, martial arts, weapon arts, you name it. But because of THESE-" he pointed to his eyes as he continued, "I can't actually use any of it. What matters for now is that I can teach YOU how to undo the curse, even if it might take a bit. Too bad you can't write, because now would be a good time to take notes. Here the simple explanation:

Magic works by controlling mana, making it move and shift according to your will. No matter what method of spellcasting you use, you always need to use mainly your mana to start the process. Think of it as kicking a ball down a mountain. You still need to kick it. My mana is unsuited for that, and we'll get another time to why exactly. So getting right to it, you have to choose which way you wanna cast magic with. The possible options are:

Finger signs." Yul pushed his chair back, then made small movements with his hands, forming... something. It was difficult to put, but what was easy to understand was that a chain of signs was required to do anything. After his signing was done, he took a deep breath, exhaled... and a tiny flame came out of his mouth. He chuckled at himself. That little puff of flame was ridiculous. "Definitely the coolest style, can be used while you move, and I swear this would have been a bigger flame if things worked out as they should. Great if you wanna miltitask.

Next up, spellcircles." Having prepared for this, Yul took out a piece of chalk and began drawing an elaborate circle with intertwined patterns onto the table. He then held his hand above it... causing it to glow very briefly. "This one takes the longest, but there are ways to shorten the drawing process if you invest enough time into it. From my experience, it could be the strongest casting style.

Then there is also classic casting, which involves staffs or wands and incantations. Sadly I don't have the tools around since... well, you see how much I suck with magic, so use your imagination. Being a classic style, it is the most researched and fleshed out one, making it the easiest to learn. 

And one style that is very new is miracle casting." This one he could demonstrate. Yul held his hand forward, like holding an apple, focused... and a couple sparks wandered from the tip of his thumb to the tip of his pinky. "Casting without tools or formulas. All I did was focus and recall a story, and it really depends on the miracle if the spell is difficult or easy. Interpretation is key, and it's the critical part. I mean, language changes over time, you know? Take the word peruse as example. It used to mean "To examine in great detail", but nowadays has shifted to "roughly look over". Interpret a story wrong, and either nothing, or a very weak effect happens. But do it right, and you can fling around spell after spell after spell, without twisting your tongue or having to rely on magic tools. But focus is key.

There are a couple twists and variations, but let's keep it simple and say that these are the main styles. Which one interests you the most?" He could of course just choose for her, but motivation was key when it came to learning anything. The more he worked WITH her, the quicker they would achieve results.

Edited July 6, 2022 by Mini Magi

[BelleSoumis]

Elizabeth nodded rapidly at his remarkable guess. She then listened intently, hanging onto every word as if her life depended on it. And, in a way, it did. At least, her shot at a 'normal' life depended on it. Magic always fascinated her, and the concept of her, casting it herself?? Insane. But she was excited.

The kitty's tail wagged in the air behind her, and her ears stood straight in the air. At least Yul would always be able to read her emotions fairly easily that way. At the mention of drawing in order to cast magic, Liz's ear twitched. The whole time he spoke after that, her eyes were glued to the chalk. As he focused on casting his little spells, she peered up at him casually, as if she was up to nothing, nothing at all. Meanwhile, her hand snuck around the table, going for the chalk. Once her hand was close enough, she quickly snatched it and held it in her lap. Once he finally stopped blathering about whatever it was he was saying, she grinned at him with the sweetest, most genuine and innocent smile. Her full two rows of teeth were shown, and it was very clear, for the first time, how sharp her canines were. This, more than anything, confirmed her half-catfolk identity.

The young woman held the chalk out to him, beaming. Her tail was swishing happily and regularly now. Her whole body looked more relaxed than it had all day, actually. Clearly she felt at ease in this man's presence. He had treated her more kindly than anyone had before, after all.

[Mini Magi]

Heh. Just look at her. Excited like a little kid that heard a good ol fairy tale. Some good mood on her face really suited her. And with her choice obvious, Yul nodded and smiled. "Alright. Spellcircles it is then. Let's go over how exactly they work then. Oh and if I notice you drawing on the carpet, I'll force you to clean it with your tongue, got it?" And he damn well could do it actually. She had a nifty collar on her after all. With that small warning out of the way, explanations were in order. "Spellcircles are essentially instructions for your mana. What others would do with words, you do by drawing patterns. It will take some time until you understand it all, but I'll buy you a few books on that, and teach you how to read while we are at it. But to save us some time, let's try undoing your curse right away." Yul held his hand out, wanting his chalk back from her. And when he eventually did get it back, he went to the wall, which was fortunately just about smooth enough. No cobblestone or brickwork. Most likely, mostly mortar and sand. 

He began by drawing a somewhat small circle, about the size of a platter, and continued by drawing symbols around that, then another circle, and more symbols around that one. Whenever it looked simple or complicated highly depended on which detail one looked at. "The instructions I am giving this spellcircle are "Reflect to caster", and "Uncurse", with the small part here being the reflect part." It wouldn't help her much yet, but why not explain a bit here and there anyway? Yul eventually finished, then stepped aside. "Now all it needs is enough mana. Specifically, more than was used to cast the curse, so don't get your hopes up too high. Put your hand into the center one, and mind the chalk." Once she did so... nothing happened. Noticing a sad reaction, Yul continued. "We're not done yet. This isn't a bomb circle after all. So? Chin up, and focus, because I'm about to teach you a cheat on how to channel mana~ Ready?" One confirmation later, Yul stepped away a bit more, not wanting to disrupt the spell, and began talking. 

"Close your eyes. Take a deep breath, and pause. ...I want you to imagine complete emptiness. A world of white, no sky, no sound, no floor even. You're hovering in an endless nothing, with nothing but my voice around. Yet your hand... it's touching something. A black orb. A core of red in its center. Feel it, it's bitter and cold touch, its shell as black as darkness itself. And... a light reflecting from it. A light that comes from you. Your body. Gather it. Focus it. Let it flow into your chest, breathe, and move it to your shoulder, then your arm, into your hand, and turn the black orb bright!"

By the time she opened her eyes, the spellcircle was glowing, shining even... and eventually faded. On the bright side, the spell was activated. But how much? Yul by now was standing a few steps behind her, his arms crossed, waiting patiently. This would be the moment they would know her initial potential.

[BelleSoumis]

Liz's ears drooped at the mention of 'no drawing on the carpet.' She looked at him with a look that simply read, Really? How old do you think I am? Though she'd be lying if she said she hadn't been excited to do exactly that once her Master left her alone with the chalk...

As Yul drew on the wall, the silky-haired woman watched intently. She tilted her head this way and that, almost like a real curious cat would. And, in this situation, she hoped that curiosity would indeed not kill the cat. When prompted to stand in front of the circle, she did so, albeit nervously. Biting her bottom lip, and looking to her Owner for reassurance, she nodded and turned to the circle. This was it. The moment her curse would be lifted. Oh, and she had so much to tell her new Master! Curiously, her tail swished a bit as she reached out, her fingertips grazing the smooth texture at first. Then she pressed her palm firmly against the surface and waited.

And waited.

...And waited.

The half-cat's ears drooped once again, this time in disappointment. She looked over at Yul, pointing at the circle as if to say, It's broken! Fix it! But at his words, she exhaled sharply through her nose as her frown deepened. Turning back to the circle, she rolled her eyes as he went off about some mumbo jumbo... but she closed her eyes anyway. And she did as she was told. Indeed, she was rather good at visualization. Her many years spent slaving away, having to sit through the most awful and traumatizing experiences one could possibly imagine... Well, they forced her to learn to fantasize. She had an entire world built in her head. A castle and subjects to call her own, a lovely and loving King and husband, some children... But aghhh! Why was she thinking of this now?!

With a twitch of her ears and a scowl forming on her face, Liz forced herself to relax. That's not really how relaxing works, but... Yul's voice soothed her. Her face relaxed. Her shoulders visibly fell. Absent-mindedly she took a deep, calming inhale. And then she was there. In that white void of nothingness. The words of her Master echoed around her. And just as he said it would, she felt her hand touching something. Almost on instinct she yanked her hand away, but then quirked her spiritually disembodied ear at the words. Feel it .... Gather it .... Focus it.

Liz closed her eyes even in the void and saw blackness now, and when she opened them, the orb was changing. Slowly but surely, the black and crimson darkness that emanated from the core turned... golden. The sight was so beautiful, and yet, she knew she couldn't stay here. She had a job to do.

Now returning to her body, Elizabeth opened her eyes, a newfound sense of determination present within her form that wasn't there before. There was definitely... something about her. She almost looked like a natural, casting her mana into the spellcircle and causing it to glisten and gleam. She stood back, in awe of what she had done, and not quite sure what she had done in the first place.

Then she felt it. A pressure, lifted all at once from deep within her throat. It felt as if her vocal chords had been cut free from invisible, tiny shackles that had previously been holding them down. All at once, she felt freedom. The overwhelming feeling caused her to keel over, and her frame shook as she tried to process the intense sensation of... being able to speak?

Liz stood up straight, throwing her head back, a great smile on her face as she tried to say, Thank goodness, what a relief; I'm free!

...Buuuut instead, all that came out was: "Haaaaaahn~!"

Liz' eyes shot open wide. She ducked her head and covered her mouth with both hands. Looking at Yul, she warily gauged his reaction. Had she made that sound?... Even with all the years of sexual torture she had been put through... Not ever once did she make a... moan, that... sexual.

[Mini Magi]

Okay. He expected her to make a sound at best. After all, who knows how long she didn't get the chance to speak. But this? This was... an invitation. Grinning, Yul approached the downed Liz. "You know. I just noticed that I'm doing quite a lot of good things for you. I feed you, give you your own bed, undo your curses." Shifting his shoulders and arms a little made his jacked drop behind him, revealing his muscular, clearly defined arms. Two more steps forward, and he even managed to get out of his shoes conveniently. And before she could process just how tall he looked now, Yul was already standing in front of her. "Show me what a 50 gold, good girl can do." With one more grab, his belt opened, and... something wanted out to the fresh air. Just from an accidental moan, Yul got seriously aroused. The beast awakened, bulged his pants. And when she got past the pants and boxers, it reared its head. 

It was... big. Ridiculously, almost comically big, thick, and cast a shadow across her face. Was it some kind of toy he put over his actual thing? Like a sleeve? A touch and... nope. It was really warm, hard, pulsated mildly with his heartbeat. Even Yul began to wonder just how deep it would reach into her when it came to it. Would she try taking it all in her mouth and literally cock choke? "Careful. It bites." Chuckling internally, he waited for her move.

Edited July 6, 2022 by Mini Magi

[BelleSoumis]

As Yul approached, Liz's ears drooped. When he spoke, her tail tucked between her legs. She was terrified, clearly. But when he did it--when he set himself free--her entire frame... sank.

She didn't look scared anymore. Goodness knows what she had been expecting. But this... She had no idea Yul would do this to her. Not you, too... she thought to herself, her heart aching.

Every time. Every. Damn. Time. She got to know and trust someone. She let someone through her walls. She let her guard down and was truly, fully, vulnerable...

A memory flashed at the forefront of her mind... It stung...

~~~

"GO!!!"

Liz's voice rang out against the otherwise silent midnight sky. It was shrill and desperate. The women and children in the room hurried out the front door, some of them carrying crying infants against their chests. Unfortunately she, Elizabeth, happened to have been 'sold' to a homeless man that was currently staying at the local inn. God knows how he got the money to purchase her. All she knew was that this was no home: this was an entire establishment. There were people here. Families! But she knew it didn't matter to them. 

Her True Owners. They would be here any minute. They always sent one or two goons, usually a corrupted, unassuming woman, to scope out the place. Then she would return home, report her findings, let them know when and where would be the best way to strike. And then... the slaughter would ensue.

Liz would unwillingly bathe in the blood of anyone in the same building as her.

So that was why she had to stop it before it started. She had to save the people. The women. The children. The innocent lives at stake. That was 3 rooms down. 1 to go.

Liz ripped open the door to the last room, relieved to find it unlocked.

"C'mon, c'mon! Get the hell o-..."

Silence. Liz fell silent. Her shoulders dropped. So did her ears and tail. She knew the man sitting across from her, in a chair placed in the middle of the floor. True Owner Number One. Waiting for her. He did not look amused.

"Elizabeth," the man murmured lowly, and Liz winced. He never called her by her full name, or even a shortening of her name. To them, she was merely 'cat.' This was not going to be fun.

"Y- Yes... Master?" Liz uttered quietly, wringing her hands into the nice dress in which she had been sent home with the homeless man... whom she now realized was in on it. They all were. Every last one of them. The would-be victims... They were all just bait. A choice. A test.

A test... that Liz had failed.

"...Come here."

~~~

Coming back to reality, Liz's breathing became pant-y yet again. She looked up at Yul as he made the remark, then back down at his... monstrous thing. 

Tears pooled in her eyes as she felt the small prickles of electricity once again trickling up and down her skin from the collar. Reluctantly, slowly, she reached up a shaky hand to wrap her fingers around the base of it.

Do as you are told.

Those words stabbed at her heartstrings as she leaned forward and opened her mouth...

Edited July 7, 2022 by BelleSoumis

[Mini Magi]

Okay. What THE FUCK was going on? Leaving the price he paid for her aside, wasn't she trained to be a sex slave? Just when she was about to put his thing in her mouth, Yul put his hand on her head, then snapped with his finger, cancelling the order and stopping the shock spell. The next thing she'd hear would be a sigh. Yul was... troubled. Killing people was one thing. This was another. "Alright, alright. I get it. Your former masters suck." The touch of his hand on her head was also quite different. He didn't force her to back off. Just gave her a little push, then held her there. "Save me at least some dignity and hide it away properly." Pulling up his boxers and closing his belt couldn't be too much to ask for. Once she got in motion to do that, Yul took his hand off her head, went back to get into his shoes, and picked his jacket up.

So... that sucked. And also, what now? Well. Since she seemed troubled, might as well provide some moral support. "Just so we are clear, we WILL do that someday. But I'll be so great and not rush you with it. Take my word for it. Sex feels a lot better if both are in the mood for it." What now though? Yul looked over to the table, thinking he might as well do the dishes. Then there was also the issue that he was still aroused and that had to be taken care of. And of course, there was some shopping he would have to do with her. The room had the very basic needs, but it didn't go by unnoticed that her hair was a bit messy. Clean, but messy still. There was also no soap, no clothing... He went through a couple things the room now had need for, gathered the dishes, then looked over to Liz again. "Tell you what. I have some things to take care of, and you look like you still need to adjust. So? Do whatever. Drink some water, go to bed, roll around on the floor. I don't care. I'll be seeing you later." And without much care left, Yul went out the door, and locked it behind him as usual, which now left Liz with a few hours to herself.

[BelleSoumis]

At Yul’s hand placement, Liz froze in place. She peered up at him, clearly looking confused. At least the tears had stopped.

Blinking at the order, Liz didn’t move at first. Clearly, she was trying to digest what she was being told to do. Then her eyes lit up with a sense of sudden realization and her ears slowly rose to stand up normally. A flick of her tail told him that she was curious, yet cautious, as she quickly and carefully did as she was told and put the man’s cock away. How was he to tend to that on his own, she wondered?

As her Master looked around silently, Liz was silent as well. She obediently sat in place on her knees, waiting. For what, she wasn’t sure. Was he deciding a good place in the room to bend her over? Maybe she had failed him somehow and wanted to punish her?

Liz’s ears slowly began drooping as her mind ran wild with awful possibilities, the longer she waited. But when he spoke, they shot straight up in the air.

….

’Do whatever’?

Was that… an order?

Elizabeth’s head tilted to the side as he left her, alone in her cell. Clearly she was… perplexed, to say the least. When she was alone, she sat there, unmoving, for quite some time.

Had she done something wrong? Why had he left her when his cock needed servicing? Surely that would be painful if left unattended for so long. Liz scrunched up her face in deep contemplation as she stared at the ground, concentrating.

Think. Why did he leave me? I did everything I was supposed to. I obeyed, I didn’t complain, I was about to service him… Why did he stop me?

Her answer came in the form of a single droplet of water that streamed down her rounded cheek and onto her bare thigh. She blinked. Her finger went to swipe away the liquid, and she rubbed it between her fingers, feeling the moisture as she finally arrived at a conclusion.

He stopped me because… I was crying?

Elizabeth was as confused as ever, now. First of all, why would he give a fuck? Who ever gave a fuck if she was sobbing while they used her? Hell, some of the men even made it their goal to ensure that would happen before fucking her! So Yul… Why did he care if she was crying?

Second of all, his final words on the subject echoed in her head all of a sudden. Sex feels a lot better if both are in the mood for it. Did it? Liz couldn’t be sure. That had never once happened to her. And it was hardly sex that was happening, anyway. It was getting fucked, sure. But wasn’t actual SEX something that two people who loved and cared for each other did?

A sharp inhale through her nose, and Liz froze up. Sex… He wanted to have sex with her? He wanted to make her feel good just as she made him? He didn’t see her as just a hole to fuck… did he? The thought made her head hurt. This was too much to think about right now.

Absently her gaze trailed to the bed. Maybe she could afford some shut-eye. That bed was really comfortable, after all… Fuck it. Yes. Sleep was what she needed, she told herself. And so she did. She curled up in the bed (on top of all the covers and pillows because she had no idea what they were for, as she had never used them before) and passed the fuck out. And she remained that way for a long, long while, snoring lightly.

[Mini Magi]

For some time, Liz was left to herself, to catch up on some much needed rest. Yul was busy with quite a few things after all, and in her current condition, she would be no help to that. So? Time passed quietly. But she would wake up, she'd notice a few things. Foremost, that Yul covered her with the foot end of the sheet, making her look like a taco... a cataco. There was also food on her table, as well as a big bottle of water. A moderate platter with a lid, under which Yul put 3 meat buns. He himself was not around if she woke up, but his scent was somewhat fresh in the air. She probably missed him by a few minutes, and he didn't return until she went to bed again.

"Wake up!" But at some point, Yul had plans for her again, so the time for rest was over, and so was her nap. Upon looking around, she'd see that she indeed was in a comfortable and expensive looking room, albeit with bars, and that Yul was filling up the bathtub with water. He also left a bowl of something on the table. He himself was still at the tub, holding his hand into the running water, trying to get the water just warm and not hot, assuming cat-folk were more temperature sensitive. Or at least more so than him. "Rise and shine sleepyhead, because it's morning, and yes, you slept... give or take, 18 hours." He'd blame her former owners for that one. He also stopped after the tub was half full, which would give her plenty of room to pour in more to adjust the temperature. "Now get into the tub, and DON'T try to eat what is in that bowl. It smells a lot better than it tastes." The mentioned bowl smelled... fruity? Flowerly? Very sweet at least, but not like sugar. "I'll be right back. And I'm serious about that bowl." And with that, went out to get one more thing that slipped his mind. 

[BelleSoumis]

And indeed, Liz woke up. And she looked around. And she eventually ate. And she immediately went back to sleep. Probably used the toilet, too, at some point.

Being startled awake was not a good thing for a cat, however human they may be. This much was apparent in that Liz shot upwards, back arched, ears straight up in the air along with her tail, which was frizzy and stiff. She looked ready to attack.

But, once she saw that it was merely Yul, she smiled softly and visibly relaxed. Though her tail was still puffed out… That would resolve itself over time.

18 hours…

…

Liz blinked at him. She obviously didn’t believe him. She had never slept that long, let alone gone that long without someone shoving their cock in her face or in her cunt. The prospect of being left alone, in peace, for 18 hours… It was an absolutely foreign concept.

Yul left her again. And of course, Liz went straight to the bowl in question. She leaned down, closed her eyes, and sniffed. It smelled… decadent. She hummed a pleased, “Mmm~,” then opened her eyes and blinked. She had made sound. Oh, right. The undoing of the curse. That was a thing.

Briefly Liz, looking into the bowl intensely, contemplated breaking an order and tasting the thing. Whatever it was. Because how could she be expected to be put in front of something so sweet-smelling and NOT be allowed to taste it? But at the prickles of electricity that started up from the collar as she stuck out her tongue, she quickly retracted the muscle and pouted.

Fine. Tub time it was.

The water was… warm. Liz was cautious. She had never even encountered warm water before. Except for one time, her owners, drunk and angry with her, threw boiling water onto her back to punish her. She still had a few scars from that one. Some burns that never quite healed right.

Gulping, Liz remembered one thing: she could trust Yul. Right? Yes. He had shown her so far… more than anyone had before… She could trust him. And so she obeyed, getting in the tub, and immediately purring at the sensation it gave her. Just as she did previously, she fully immersed herself underwater, holding her breath and enjoying the floaty feeling of being fully submerged in a warm bath. It was an odd sight, especially considering her hair was a knotted mess that floated above and completely obscured her face. She actually kinda looked dead, honestly. 

 

[Mini Magi]

Just a few minutes later, Yul came back, but had nothing in his hands. Whatever he forgot earlier was probably in his pockets by now. And since some work was left to be done, he went to the bowl, got it, and went with it to the tub, where his cat seemed to have quite some fun. So much for cats not liking water. Then again, she was smarter than one. Reaching inside, Yul tapped her shoulder to get her attention, and as soon as she surfaced, he grinned. "Having fun? You can do it again if you like, but first, lower your head forward a bit and hold still. Something tells me you have a much harder time getting things out of your ears than me." And as soon as she did, Yul took the bowl, tapped her head with the bowl once to prepare her for the feeling about to come, and then slowly poured the content of the bowl over her head. It was a bit chilly compared to the water, but could be a lot worse. And at least, SHE smelled like flowers and fruits now. 

Yul took care to not simply pour it on her, but actually cover as much of her hair with the stuff as he could. "Okay, there we go. Now rub it into your hair, and over your body too. Once you have done that, wash it out again. This is one of my best products~ All in one shampoo. For your hair and body." And it would do wonders for her hair right away. All the grime she had collected softened up, then washed out really easily when she rinsed herself. Yul even gave her the now empty bowl to pour water over herself easier. Her body went through the same change, with her skin stopping to feel sticky. While she observed this effect, Yul also examined her as a whole, trying to take note of every scratch and scar he could peek at.

[BelleSoumis]

The first thing that came up from the water was Elizabeth’s ears as they stood up in alertness. Then she herself sat up slowly, enjoying the feeling of the water rushing over her face as she did so. Rubbing her eyes, Liz then peered over at Yul and listened to him quietly as he spoke.

At his command, she obediently leaned forward. Clearly she didn’t understand what was happening, but she still trusted him all the same, and so she indeed obeyed. When the feeling of the shampoo hit her scalp, a full-body shiver ran through her. Still, she didn’t complain, as she continued to trust that Yul knew what he was doing.

When he was finished, she peeked up at him again. And when he finished giving instructions, she nodded and gave an affirmative “Mm!” Then a smile crept across her face that she couldn’t hide when she once again remembered that she could actually make noise.

Instantly as she began massaging her scalp, Elizabeth seemed to completely forget Yul was there. She began humming to herself: a tune that sounded like a lullaby reverberated through her lips and filled the otherwise silent room with the sound of music. Then, the further she got into feeling the sound leave her throat, she got braver, and she got more lost in the music. And then, she began to sing.

It was clumsy. The words were slurred together as well as being barely above a whisper. But what more could you expect from someone who couldn’t utter a sound for an unknown extended period of time? The song itself, though poorly executed due to lack of vocal training, was soft and sweet. It sounded to be in a foreign language, which added to its hard-to-understand nature.

And, despite all that, Liz had quite the beautiful singing voice.

As for scars and marks, her body was disgustingly littered with them. Aside from the apparent huge one on her back from being burned, which obviously did not heal properly and therefore looked very grotesque and made her skin appear rather disfigured… the poor girl had lines where she had previously been cut, marks where she had been hit with something heavy, and bruises that never seemed to heal quite right from where she was beaten. In fact, the only part of her that seemed untouched was her face, and that was probably because that was her main selling point. The whole sight was pretty tragic, especially with how blissfully unaware (or accustomed to) the cat-girl seemed to be as she continued to sing.

[Mini Magi]

As much as he wanted to comment on the cute song, it seemed like she was relaxing. Nah. His curiosity could wait till later. 

Some time later however, it was about time they moved on. "Alright. Time's up. You can bathe more later." Yul took a towel out of one of the nearby cuboards and handed it to her. Assumig she was not as used to bathing as him, it would probably not hurt to point out the obvious. "Dry yourself off with that. You know, rub it against your skin until it is at least somewhat dry, and your hair too. And get used to it. We're going to make more shampoo, and this will be the start of your daily routine." The thought to rub her down did of course come to mind, but small steps. Baby steps. Once she was dried off, Yul took the towel off her, and threw it over the mirror of the dressing table. "Sit." And as soon as she did, she would learn a new feeling. Something going through her hair. Yul stopped at the tips of her long hair, then worked himself up. Given how long her hair was, it would be dumb to try going from top to bottom, since it would knot up her hair and pull some out. "Almost done. Just try to relax a bit longer." 

Given how long her hair was, it took him quite a bit through work through it all carefully. As for him, it felt quite different to try and be this gentle. Sure, he had patient and all, but this was something he wanted to do. Not something he was paid to do. And as a result, he could slowly see how the mess of a hairdo slowly started smoothing out, looking tidy. An oddly satisfying transformation, as far as he could say. "There. And now..." Taking a few steps past the chair, Yul took the towel off the mirror, and let her take a good look at herself. It was not perfect of course. But a good round of sleep, food, a bath and a good brush did change her up quite a bit as far as he was concerned.