rp: main topic Craethiel Kingdom

[Aura]

29 minutes ago, Neptune said:

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Luckily, Rowan her been paying attention when Natia had leaned forwards to give him a kiss. He had been about to return it, but noticed that she had shifted her weight a little too forwards which caused the stool to slip out from underneath her. His quick reflexes allowed him to catch her before she fell onto the floor and hurt himself. He held her securely in his arms, looking amused as he looked down at her, “Careful, love.” He told her gently.

“Oh, goodness!” Glenda said in surprised alarm. She stood up, looking over Natia with concern but quickly saw that she was fine. She put her hand over her chest where her heart was, “Goodness, dear. You gave me such a fright!” She said, shaking her head with a small smile as she pulled the stool back up. Rowan chuckled as he placed Natia back on it, making sure that she was standing upright before he looked down at her, “Don’t fall off this time.” He told her. He gave her a small kiss on her cute little nose, reaching up to stroke her cheek before standing back once again, hoping she wouldn’t lean forwards to kiss him again. After all, he didn’t want her to hurt herself. He would hate himself if he allowed any kind of harm to befall her.

Glenda clicked her tongue softly, shaking her head a little with a small smile before she came forwards to begin taking measurements. She wrapped the string around Natia’s waist, pressing one end against a knot that would give her a comfortable fit before pulling it away and muttering under her breath as she remembered the measurement. She then measured the length of her torso and legs, before measuring her hips, bust and chest. Glenda then asked, “Arms out straight, please.” When Natia had done as she had asked, she measured the length of her arms as well as their circumference. Once done, she stepped back and said, “Right… I can certainly have something done for you before you leave the shop, if you wish? The rest…” She trailed off.

 “How much for the rest to be done by tomorrow morning?” Rowan asked. She turned to look at him with a thoughtful look, “That will cost you, dear. At least ten gold.” She told him.

“I have the money.” Rowan said with an uncaring shrug. Glenda nodded with a smile before she turned back to Natia, “We already have an idea for your fancy dress… but why don’t you look at the material I have here, and take your pick as to what you want for your three other dresses?”

If Natia was embarrassed before, she was certainly embarrassed now. Still, Rowan's act of catching her only renewed Natia's love for him. As Rowan placed her back on the stool, she glanced back at Glenda and bowed her head. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..." She smiled a little up at the woman. "Thank you for being concerned, though!" She beamed at the woman. Like Rowan, she'd somehow started to see this woman almost like a mother. She was very motherly in her mannerisms and was also very pretty like one... She had to wonder if she had any children of her own and that was why she was so concerned about others? Regardless, she definitely appreciated the hospitality in this trying time. 

When Rowan kissed her on the nose, Natia just smiled up at him. "I won't, I promise." She giggled a little. She figured leaning forward for another kiss wasn't particularly worth it. The kiss itself would definitely be worth it, but she wouldn't think Glenda or Rowan would appreciate the unnecessary risk when they can kiss at any time, anywhere else. She listened to Glenda as she was asked to move her arms for measurements and she hopped off of the stool to follow closely behind when told to look at the materials. She didn't quite understand what "10 gold" meant to Rowan, but it didn't seem like a bit deal and, if she had her magic, it would be more than easy enough to conjure up. Currency was such a strange concept to her... 

As she looked at the rolls of fabric, she lowered her hands to brush along each one with thought. "I want something really soft... and I also want something that won't get cut up very easily..." She blushed again and glanced up at Rowan. "But... most importantly, I want them to be whatever he wants." She skipped over to Rowan and hugged him. It really would be no surprise for Glenda to assume she was his daughter or niece, but Natia didn't mind. 

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Rowan chuckled a little when Natia bundled over and hugged him. He returned the hug, stroking surprisingly soft hair, “Then I guess we should pick together, hmm?” He suggested. Glenda smiled at the two of them before asking, “So when is the big day?”

Rowan looked up for a moment before he replied, “We haven’t quite decided, yet. There are a lot of details we would need to sort out, first.” 

“Well, if you need someone to make your wedding clothes…” Glenda trailed off suggestively before chuckling. Rowan smiled a little at her, inclining his head a little before saying, “We’ll consider it.” He then looked down at Natia’s beautiful purple eyes before he looked up and at the material that surrounded them. He figured that light colours would be more suited to Natia, with her pale complexion and hair colour. While dark colours would make a lovely contrast, they wouldn’t mesh well with her sweet personality. 

His eyes were drawn to a roll of light blue material. He moved over to it, running his fingers along it. It was a similar shake to what he usually wore, and he figured that it would be a little fitting if Natia had a dress that was a similar colour to what he wore. It was a soft material, clearly suede. It was tough, and durable. Expensive, but to Rowan, Natia was worth the expense. He turned to Natia and said, “I have clothes of a similar colour to this. I think it would go very well. What do you think?”

[Aura]

Natia was confused for a moment when Glenda asked about the "big day." What exactly was she referring to? The day she'd have her collar removed? Then she heard Glenda mention wedding clothes, causing her to blush. She thought the "wedding" the two of them would have was just been that simple bite he gave her the other night. Did Rowan really plan for more than just that? Was that normal for Keza or was he making a special exception for her? Either way, the idea of marrying into Rowan's family left her feeling ecstatic!

Natia walked over to the fabric Rowan was feeling and brushed her hand daintily along it. It was surprisingly soft to the touch, almost feeling like an animal. This brought joy to her face as she began to pet the roll of fabric as if it were one. "Hehe," she giggled. "It's really soft and really pretty, too. They can make clothes out of something like this?" Natia didn't know much at all about the process outsiders used to make much of anything at all outside of the cooking she'd seen Rowan do out in the wilderness. She couldn't fathom how humans could take a roll of plain-looking fabric like this and fashion into any sort of clothing. Especially not without magic... Was it really possible? "When it comes to creating clothes with our magic, we just form it around our bodies from the elements surrounding us. I can't even fathom creating clothing without it..." She trailed off and her fingertips wandered up to her collar once again. If this was possible without magic, then perhaps she wouldn't be entirely hopeless even if she'd lost her magic abilities after all! Perhaps she would return to this shop at some point and ask to see the process of designing a dress... but for now, she didn't want to bother Rowan with unnecessary details. They seemed to only be here for a quick stop to set things up. "Well, if clothing can be made from this thing, then I would love to see it!" She smiled brightly up at Rowan, knowing very well that the two of them would match if she wore a dress like this. Staring up at the Keza, she then got an idea. She slowly walked over to Glenda and spoke softly to her, hoping Rowan couldn't hear her.

"Um... so, you know Rowan, like, really well, right?" She blushed slightly as she spoke as she knew she was going to be embarrassing herself. "Do you think there's anything here I could walk out with that he would find... you know... attractive?"

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Seeing Natia petting the material caused Rowan to smile slightly, as it looked like she was petting Baellator. It was an endearing sight. He reached out and ran his own fingers along the material again, liking how soft it felt against his fingertips. She seemed to quite like it, so that was at least one dress chosen for, not counting the white one. His fingers dropped down from the fabric as Natia explained that they created their clothes from magic. He smiled slightly at her before saying, “It takes a lot of skill to do it, but the results can be breathtaking.” He looked back at her, seeing her touching her collar for a moment. He couldn’t wait to get back to Selil and have Daedrin have a look at it, and with any luck, get it off. If anyone could do it, it would be him. While he thought she looked quite nice with a collar, he would prefer one that didn’t restrict her the way this one did. 

He noticed when she moved over to Glenda and spoke in a low tone. He could easily hear what she was saying, but he deliberately turned his head and tuned out her words. He figured that she wanted a little privacy for what she wanted, otherwise she wouldn’t speak in such a low tone. It was either something for herself, or a surprise for him. Either way, Rowan had no intentions of ruining it for her. Instead, he continued to inspect the other materials to see if there was anything else that could be made into a dress for her. There were some other colours that might be good, such as a light cream colour or even a light pink. 

Glenda looked down at Natia in slight amusement before she leaned closer and said, “I don’t personally know him, but I know what a man likes. I could make you something very nice… like partially see-through nightwear. No doubt he would love that.” She took Natia’s hand and drew her towards a corner where she picked at a corner of a material reel, lifting it up and showing Natia that it was white in colour but she could easily see through it, “I think I could do something with this… with a nice flower design. Nothing heavy, but just enough to be teasing.” She said with a slight smirk.

[Aura]

20 hours ago, Neptune said:

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Seeing Natia petting the material caused Rowan to smile slightly, as it looked like she was petting Baellator. It was an endearing sight. He reached out and ran his own fingers along the material again, liking how soft it felt against his fingertips. She seemed to quite like it, so that was at least one dress chosen for, not counting the white one. His fingers dropped down from the fabric as Natia explained that they created their clothes from magic. He smiled slightly at her before saying, “It takes a lot of skill to do it, but the results can be breathtaking.” He looked back at her, seeing her touching her collar for a moment. He couldn’t wait to get back to Selil and have Daedrin have a look at it, and with any luck, get it off. If anyone could do it, it would be him. While he thought she looked quite nice with a collar, he would prefer one that didn’t restrict her the way this one did. 

He noticed when she moved over to Glenda and spoke in a low tone. He could easily hear what she was saying, but he deliberately turned his head and tuned out her words. He figured that she wanted a little privacy for what she wanted, otherwise she wouldn’t speak in such a low tone. It was either something for herself, or a surprise for him. Either way, Rowan had no intentions of ruining it for her. Instead, he continued to inspect the other materials to see if there was anything else that could be made into a dress for her. There were some other colours that might be good, such as a light cream colour or even a light pink. 

Glenda looked down at Natia in slight amusement before she leaned closer and said, “I don’t personally know him, but I know what a man likes. I could make you something very nice… like partially see-through nightwear. No doubt he would love that.” She took Natia’s hand and drew her towards a corner where she picked at a corner of a material reel, lifting it up and showing Natia that it was white in colour but she could easily see through it, “I think I could do something with this… with a nice flower design. Nothing heavy, but just enough to be teasing.” She said with a slight smirk.

After speaking, Natia glanced back at Rowan to make sure he hadn't heard, and she was happy to see that he had wandered off to look at other materials. She giggled excitedly when Glenda suggested that she knew what she could wear for him. "I would love that~" She eagerly responded before Glenda led her off and pointed out a soft, silky see-through outfit. The material fascinated her. "I love it! You can put flowers on it, too? I do think Rowan would like a dress made out of this very much..." The idea of wearing a see-through dress was a little embarrassing for her, but she figured Rowan would love for her to wear it out... of course, her imagination was quickly captured by the idea of being in Rowan's arms wearing such a dress, riding his cock and screaming with pleasure... the lewd thought brought a bright blush to her face that she quickly shook her head and tried to hide. "Ah... but... I guess I don't have any money, so Rowan would still have to pay for it..." It would take away from the surprise a bit, but she didn't mind too much. Besides, if Rowan had any objections, she wouldn't want to disappoint him by having already purchased the dress.

"I think it would make for a beautiful dress, I think I'll suggest it to him. Thank you very much, Mrs. Glenda." Natia bowed her head respectfully toward the woman before turning to look back at Rowan, still blushing somewhat subtly, especially as she stared at him. She could feel her blush growing along her face. Perhaps she hadn't noticed the more civilized part of Rowan out in the wild. But here, watching him walk around the shop with purpose yet still so relaxed... he looked so elegant, so regal... "He's so... handsome..." She spoke softly, not really sure why she said it allowed. Perhaps she just wanted to gush about the perfect man who'd literally wandered into her life. "I still can't believe he loves me as much as he does, especially as I am now." She was crushing for this man hard. Yet she wouldn't change a thing. "I want to give him everything I can, you know? Compared to him, I feel so... inadequate..." 

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Glenda saw the slight blush on the young woman’s cheeks and she smirked slightly as she knew what was going through Natia’s mind. She smiled down at Natia and said, “I’m sure I can convince him to pay for it without revealing to what it is you want.” She assured her, resisting the urge to reach out to pet her like she would any of her daughters. She watched as Natia glanced back at Rowan who was inspecting a light grey material with a slight frown before letting it drop as he moved onto another roll that had a light pink material with a white floral pattern. As he was inspecting the material with one hand, his other was held behind his back, his fingers loose in a relaxed manner. Glenda then looked back at Natia when the young girl began to speak, admitting her feelings of inadequacy.

Glenda smiled as she reached out and gently cupped Natia’s chin and turning her head to look back at Glenda, “What a sweet child you are…” She said affectionately. She smiled down at the white haired girl and said, “You shouldn’t feel like that, my dear. I can assure you, he’s absolutely smitten with you.” She looked amused as she glanced at Rowan again before she leaned closer and said in a conspiratorial tone, “Men like to think that they don’t show their emotions much. But there are always small tell tale signs. He thinks the world of you, dear. Just look at his eyes when he looks at you again.” She glanced at Rowan before looking back at Natia again, “There are some… other kinds of outfits I can do for you, dear. Ones that… you can’t get on the shelves, so to speak. Outfits that will have your man drooling and chasing you around the bedroom.” She couldn’t help the slight giggle that escaped her before she added, “Special corsets that really show off your assets and underwear that a lady would not wear in normal circumstances.” 

[Aura]

As Glenda tried to give Natia encouragement, she only found amusement in her words. Though the gentle, motherly touch of her fingers certainly helped to soothe her stress. She gave Glenda a small smile and nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes, I know he loves me. He's proven it time and time again, it's just... I don't get it, myself." She sighed as she touched her collar. "Without my magic, I'm completely useless except for my body... this collar is designed specifically for that to be my only purpose and it's supposed to be impossible to remove except by my 'owner'" She bit her lip and shook her head. "I just don't get what he sees in me... But... thank you for listening to me." She smiled at Glenda. It was almost like talking to her mother again. This was certainly not the sense of community she had expected from a place filled with people who lock their doors at night. Perhaps Rowan really was onto something after all. 

Glenda soon began to take the conversation in a different direction, however. Her descriptions immediately made Natia blush hard. "Th-that... I-I.." Natia could feel her whole body growing hot and steamy from her descriptions, but... could she really see herself wearing such daring clothing? More importantly, would Rowan really like to see her wearing such clothes...?  She bit her lip as she glanced up at Rowan. If those clothes really would make him go as crazy as she said, she would genuinely love to see that... Before she could give Glenda a genuine response, she nodded to her silently and walked over to Rowan, gently tapping him on the shoulder. "U-um... Mrs. Glenda said that there were... more... options..." Her face only grew brighter as she spoke, if that were even possible. Her heart was already beating out of her chest and she hadn't even seen any of these clothes. "Do you want to maybe...?" She glanced back at Glenda, realizing she hadn't actually gotten any sort of okay to see them.

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Glenda only chuckled more at Natia’s bright red face as her imagination went wild. She then said, “I think I can see why he likes you. I think you have a lot more to offer than just your… ah, magic.” She said the last part in an uncomfortable tone as she didn’t seem to be sure what to make of that. The only magic she heard about, were from witches but Natia seemed too sweet and beautiful to be a witch. Still, it made her feel a little nervous and she chewed at her lower lip a little as she watched Natia move over to the Keza.

Rowan was more than aware that Natia was approaching him, but he pretended not to hear her as he was inspecting a rich purple material which would no doubt cost a lot due to how rare purple was. At the tap on his shoulder, he turned around and smiled down at Natia before he raised an eyebrow a little when he saw how furiously she was blushing. She was redder than one of the rolls he had been looking at earlier. His ears twitched a little forwards in interest as he glanced over at Glenda before looking at Natia once again, “Other options? Well, that certainly sounds interesting. I think we should perhaps have a look.” He said, reaching out and wrapping an arm around Natia’s shoulders, his fingers brushing against her smooth neck although he was mindful to avoid the collar. 

“This way.” Glenda then said, motioning them to follow. She picked up her basket of tools before she went through a door behind the counter. Rowan gently lead Natia around the counter and through the door where they found themselves in a larger room that had more rolls of material stacked against the walls, often wrapped in simple cloth. There were a few mannequins that had dresses that were in the process of being made. There was a blond woman, who looked a little similar to Glenda, working on a yellow dress. She looked up when the two of them entered and gave them a smile. Glenda told her, “Mary, dear, could you please watch the shop floor.”

“Of course, mother.” Mary said with another smile as she quickly put away her needle and thread before she stood up. Giving the two of them a small curtsey, she moved around them and left through the door they had come through. Glenda motioned with her hand for them to follow her where she lead them through another door. This room had several cabinets that were closed, hiding their contents from view. There was a screen that cut off one of the corners, as well as a measuring stool. Glenda closed the door behind them and smiled at them, “This is where the… more interesting clothes are…” She said, before moving over to one of the cabinets and opening it up. She pulled out a corset that was primarily black in colour, with red lace. It looked as if it would only barely cover the nipples of Natia, it was that small. She also pulled out what appeared to be undergarments but they looked to be more pieces of strings than actual garments, “Feel free to browse through the cabinets, dear, and look for something you like.” Glenda said with a small grin as she put the items back. 

Rowan raised an eyebrow before he grinned a little and commented, “Well, I had no idea you had such an interesting back room, Glenda.” The woman had the grace to blush slightly before she said, “I meet a lot of woman who want to please their husbands. I just want to provide them a service. It makes them happy, it makes their husbands very happy and it puts money in my pocket.” This caused Rowan to chuckle softly before he squeezed Natia’s shoulder a little, “Alright… pick out something very sexy then, Natia.” He told her, interested to know exactly what she would pick. 

[Aura]

Natia was delighted by Glenda's compliment, although her hesitation on the word 'magic' seemed to imply the woman didn't believe her. Still, she was glad to know she had other desirable traits even without her magic. Perhaps she just might return here even after getting her magic back. "Thank you." She spoke with a bow before turning her attention to Rowan. When he agreed to look at the back room, Natia was ecstatic. Especially when she felt his arm around her. Her heart fluttered with joy and she just pressed her body against him, Glenda's compliment still swimming in her mind, making her feel giddy and excitable. 

When they went through the door, Natia was surprised to find another woman working in the back. She looked over at the dresses that were being made, fascinated by the progress the girl had made with absolutely no magic, all with such simple tools? Now wasn't the time to inspect such complexities, though. She was far more excited to see the finished products in store for her. Sure enough, the blonde woman 'Mary' left to the store front while Natia and rowan followed Glenda more closely. At first, Natia thought the fabrics in this small area were what Glenda had in mind, but instead, they were led deeper into the building into a discreet, unassuming room. However, as Glenda opened one of the cabinets inside, Natia was shocked to see such daring clothing. The corsette, especially, as she'd never expected to find clothes her size, much less seemingly too small for her...

Natia's face turned a bright red again as Rowan suggested she pick out something sexy. She had no idea where to even begin... what was it that Rowan would like to see her in? She perused the cabinet and found a lacy, see-through purple lingerie babydoll dress that caught her attention. However, she decided to start with Glenda's first choice, trusting her judgment as she picked up the corsette from the cabinet and held it up to her body. "I-It's so small... Do you mind if I try it on to see if it'll fit?" With such a small dress, Natia wouldn't be surprised if it would be difficult to sell... She wasn't sure if the colors fit her, but she wanted that to be left up to Rowan.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Aura

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

“Go ahead, dear.” Glenda assured her, indicating the screen, “Just pop behind there and try it on. If you need any help getting it on, just let me know and I’ll pop behind there with you.” She then smiled at Natia and said, “I’ve got several daughters so it isn’t something I haven’t seen before.” She then chuckled a little. Rowan quirked an eyebrow at her slightly before he looked down at the corset in Natia’s hand. He could imagine her in it, and it caused his cock to twitch. There was no doubt in his mind that she would look just as good in the corset as she would in his imagination. He just hoped he would be able to keep himself under control, especially in front of Glenda.

He had noticed the dress that Natia had spied. He shifted to get a better look at it and smirked a little when he saw that it was a purple babydoll dress. He would love to see her in that as well. It would not only allow him to get an appreciative look at her body, but purple was his favourite colour. It was why he absolutely loved her eyes, because of their unique colour. He opened up another cabinet, finding more babydoll dresses in various colours. Another cabinet he opened, he found an interesting article of clothing. It looked almost like a dress, that would come down to Natia’s knees. It was made of a white material, and it was translucent which would allow for an uninterrupted view of her body. It was open at the front, looking more like a coat than a piece of clothing. But it seemed too inappropriate to be worn like normal clothing. Perhaps it was supposed to be worn as is, in the bedroom, or with simple underwear. 

He remembered once seeing a woman in something a little similar to this. She was a rich man's wife, who clearly didn’t mind her moving around in clothes that would be shocking to most people. She wore a dress that was see-through like this one, except it was a full blown dress that she had adorned with various jewels. Rowan had figured it was being used as a means to display her wealth, not to cover up her body. It was obvious that she wanted to show herself off, to attract various men. Rowan had enjoyed her company from time to time, and she was always grateful for it. As he closed the cabinet again, he doubted that Natia would wear a dress like that. Not with jewels. It wouldn’t suit her. However, he could picture her wearing a dress like that with flowers on it. That would certainly be a sight to behold.

[Aura]

On 4/28/2019 at 3:44 AM, Neptune said:

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

“Go ahead, dear.” Glenda assured her, indicating the screen, “Just pop behind there and try it on. If you need any help getting it on, just let me know and I’ll pop behind there with you.” She then smiled at Natia and said, “I’ve got several daughters so it isn’t something I haven’t seen before.” She then chuckled a little. Rowan quirked an eyebrow at her slightly before he looked down at the corset in Natia’s hand. He could imagine her in it, and it caused his cock to twitch. There was no doubt in his mind that she would look just as good in the corset as she would in his imagination. He just hoped he would be able to keep himself under control, especially in front of Glenda.

 He had noticed the dress that Natia had spied. He shifted to get a better look at it and smirked a little when he saw that it was a purple babydoll dress. He would love to see her in that as well. It would not only allow him to get an appreciative look at her body, but purple was his favourite colour. It was why he absolutely loved her eyes, because of their unique colour. He opened up another cabinet, finding more babydoll dresses in various colours. Another cabinet he opened, he found an interesting article of clothing. It looked almost like a dress, that would come down to Natia’s knees. It was made of a white material, and it was translucent which would allow for an uninterrupted view of her body. It was open at the front, looking more like a coat than a piece of clothing. But it seemed too inappropriate to be worn like normal clothing. Perhaps it was supposed to be worn as is, in the bedroom, or with simple underwear. 

He remembered once seeing a woman in something a little similar to this. She was a rich man's wife, who clearly didn’t mind her moving around in clothes that would be shocking to most people. She wore a dress that was see-through like this one, except it was a full blown dress that she had adorned with various jewels. Rowan had figured it was being used as a means to display her wealth, not to cover up her body. It was obvious that she wanted to show herself off, to attract various men. Rowan had enjoyed her company from time to time, and she was always grateful for it. As he closed the cabinet again, he doubted that Natia would wear a dress like that. Not with jewels. It wouldn’t suit her. However, he could picture her wearing a dress like that with flowers on it. That would certainly be a sight to behold.

As Glenda suggested Natia try the outfit on behind the screen, Natia smiled and nodded in agreement. "Thank you very much!" She happily reached into the cabinet and grabbed the purple dress she'd spied earlier. She figured that would be something Rowan would like to see her in. She then walked over to the screen Glenda had pointed her toward and hid herself behind it, hanging the two dresses on a nearby rack before stripping out of the tunic Rowan had gifted her. It was bizarre being naked so close to a complete stranger and not being bothered by it. Something about Glenda was just that relaxing, she supposed. Perhaps if it had been anyone else, she would be nervous about being seen in such an intimate way. However, Glenda had offered all sorts of advice to her already, so it almost felt like they were childhood friends. 

The first outfit Natia grabbed was the see-through babydoll dress. Putting on clothes like this was a bit of a foreign concept to her as, again, she was used to simply having the clothes form around her body. Rowan's tunic wasn't so hard to put on as it was significantly bigger than her. It was mostly just a bag over her head and finding the holes. Plus, she had Rowan's help putting it on. Here, though, she had quite a bit of trouble finding out how to even put the dress on. She blushed in slight embarrassment as she slowly spoke up. "U-um... Mrs. Glenda? Could you help me a bit...?"

Back in the main room, a garish, plump older man stepped through the door. The man appeared to be exceedingly wealthy, with all sorts of gems and jewels embroidered into his red vest. He wore several golden necklaces, rings, and other gem-encrusted jewelry. His pants were baggy and shoes made of rare animal leather. On his face, the man wore an unamused expression on his face. He scanned the room and immediately locked eyes with Mary, who seemed to be running the front. With a growl of frustration, he walked over to her at the counter and dropped the bag in front of her. "I want to talk to the owner." He spoke curtly in a gritty voice.

Edited May 1, 2019 by Aura

[Neptune]

(By the way, feel free to control either Glenda or Mary)

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Rowan could hear shuffling from behind the screen, but he continued peering into the cabinets curiously as Glenda watched him with amusement. She turned her head back towards the screen when Natia spoke, asking for help getting dressed, “Coming, dear.” She said to warn Natia before she moved behind the screen. She then smiled when she saw Natia and the perplexed expression on her face as she tried to figure out how to put the dress on, “Oh dear. I take it you’ve never worn anything like this before?” She asked with a kind, understanding smile as she took the dress from Natia, “It’s easiest to put it on over your head. This is the frontal part, so make sure that it’s the correct way around. It would be a good idea to lift your arms as you’re putting it on, to allow them to slip into the armholes.” She instructed gently.

She shifted the dress so that the front was facing towards her before she gathered up the dress from the bottom and held it up to Natia, “You should see the arm and head holes, yes? Just slip yourself in, dear and the dress should just roll down with ease.” She said, holding it out to her. By now, Rowan had stopped looking in the cabinets and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest as he waited to see what Natia would come out wearing, his fingers tapping impatiently on his arm. 

In the main room, Mary looked up to see the wealthy customer enter the shop. Her eyes roamed up and down his visage as she took note of his rich clothing and the amount of jewelry that was dripping from him. She gulped a little before she gave him a deep, respectful curtsey, “Of course, sir. She is in the back right now, dealing with other customers. Please, this way, and I will let her know that you’re here, sir.” She said, bowing her head a little before she opened the back door to lead him towards the room that was in the back of the workroom.

[Aura]

Natia blushed in slight embarrassment as Glenda had to come over and help her get dressed. However, it wasn't totally humiliating to the point where the girl would question her ability to survive without the help she was receiving. Even though she was sure it wasn't common for someone to be unable to do something as simple as putting on a dress, Glenda was more than supportive and didn't make her feel like she was strange in the slightest. When Glenda lifted the dress over her head, Natia just giggled slightly and raised her arms up. "Yeah, I see them!" As the dress was lowered onto her, it fit pretty easily over her thanks to her size. The dress was perhaps a bit too big for her, but it still hung onto her body tight enough to stay on, albeit looking somewhat awkward, especially considering her small breasts. With a little more help from Glenda, 

She glanced down at her body. The dress was almost completely see-through. It didn't so much cover any part of her body as it did tint it purple. It was more like a curtain that was draped over her. The arm holes were significantly large so, instead of straps, the dress seemed to only wrap around her neck to hold itself up. Just under her small breasts was a silky purple sash with a beautiful small ribbon on the front. Underneath the ribbon, the rest of the dress parted around her stomach, leaving her belly completely exposed. 

Natia was about to step out from the screen before she was stopped by Glenda. "Just a minute. You can't let him see you without completing the look, sweetheart. Just a second..." She spoke with a grin before stepping out from the screen and retrieving a pair of black pumps and fairly plain-looking white underwear along with a few extra supplies, she returned to the screen. With a few adjustments, Natia was able to put on the innocent-looking white bra and panties, neither of which she'd ever worn before. However, the bra certainly did wonders in pushing her breasts together and not only making them look larger, but actually giving her cleavage! Natia wore the pumps over some cute knee-high socks. It was quite difficult to stand in the shoes, but this outfit was clearly not exactly meant for travelling, so she figured she'd be okay. "You look wonderful, darling~"

Natia blushed again as she looked down at herself, but with Glenda's encouragement, she just giggled and stepped out from behind the screen so that Rowan could finally see his prize. For the first time in several days, Natia smiled brightly and confidently as she placed her hands on her hips and bent her legs, twisting her body around so that Rowan could see the whole outfit. "What do you think? Do you like it~?"

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Rowan was usually a patient man. He needed to be in his business, and yet he found himself waiting impatiently for Natia to step around the screen so that he could see what she looked like. He could hear Glenda gently instructing her in how to put on the dress. He almost pushed himself from the wall when Glenda came back out, but he remained still, watching as she picked out a few new items before disappearing again and leaving him in the dark as he heard material rustling before it stopped and Glenda remarked on how wonderful she looked. Rowan straightened off of the wall, eager to see what Natia looked like. Every moment she remained behind the screen was akin to agony.

When she did step around the screen, Rowan knew he was staring with a rather stupefied expression. He felt a stab of arousal so strong that he twitched slightly, the blood rushing to his cock so quickly it made his head spin. It took a few moments for him to get a hold of himself, and even then he had to cough as he blinked at Natia, “Oh… wow. I… am robbed for words.” He stated. Glenda came around the screen, smirking a little, “I told you, you look wonderful dear. You’ve completely robbed his silver tongue of speech.” Rowan nodded, unable to tear his eyes off of Natia. He really wished he could just throw her to the floor and fuck her hard right now, but he knew that in current company it would not be terribly polite.

There was a soft knock on the door and Mary’s voice filtered through the thick wood, “Mother? There is a customer here that requests your presence.” Glenda looked up with a slight frown, “They’re going to have to wait, dear. I’m with other customers at the moment. I’ll be with them in a bit.” She replied. Rowan shook himself out of his stupor, his head twitching slightly to look at the door before his eyes moved back to Natia again and he was finally able to say, “You look absolutely beautiful, my love.”

[Aura]

To see the dumbfounded look on Rowan's face delighted Natia, who was smiling brightly from ear to ear. For the first time since she'd been abducted, she finally, genuinely felt beautiful. Rowan had made her feel loved and even sexy before, sure, but she'd never had him stunned and at a complete loss of words before. Had she not been wearing the pumps, she would have skipped right into her man's arms. Instead, she just walked up to him, albeit somewhat awkwardly as she was still getting used to the shoes, and draped her arms around his shoulders again. The shoes made her just a tad taller, so it was easier to bring her lips up to Rowan's and kiss him, giving him a bit of a tease with her tongue. "You like it, my big lion~? Buy this for me and it'll only ever be worn for you~" She whispered softly with a playful giggle. 

On the other side of the door, Mary glanced up at the increasingly frustrated customer. She tried to avoid letting him notice her sigh. "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to wait a little while... While you're waiting, maybe I can help you find something you might be interested in-" she started, but the plump man raised his hand to silence her. Mary stood upright, puffing herself up in response. "Excuse me? I'll have you know, sir, that we do not take kindly to folk without any manners here." The man simply refused to acknowledge her, however, and walked over to the door right past her. Mary crossed her arms in frustration. "I told you, you're going to have to wait-" 

"Shut up." The man responded curtly with a low growl, causing Mary to gape in surprise. She was about to speak up again when he began to speak. "You do not interest me and I do not have time for this." The man reached up and tried the door handle. He was a bit surprised to find that the door hadn't been locked but was somewhat relieved that he didn't have to bang on the door and demand someone open. 

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Rowan found himself unable to tear his eyes away from Natia, admiring just how beautiful she looked in the baby doll dress. It suited her perfectly and he couldn’t help but to smile when she slowly moved over to him. He could see that she was a little unsteady on her feet, but there was still a grace to her movements that the shoes couldn’t rob from her. He couldn’t wait to see her able to walk properly in those shoes. Even a Queen would be envious of how much grace and poise she would have. As her arms wrapped around his shoulders, his smile deepened and he looked at her with warm, golden eyes. His arm wrapped around her, gliding across the soft material as it settled on her slender waist. He pulled her against him, feeling the warmth of her body through the thin material. He couldn’t wait to get her in bed like this. He smiled at her, “I’ll definitely get this for you, my little white lily. I can’t wait to drag you into the bedroom.” He growled softly at her, a sound filled with sexual lust.

His ears then twitched as he could hear the voices outside talking in an irate fashion. He turned his head towards the door, frowning a little as he felt a little annoyed. His grip on Natia tightened a little, feeling the urge to push her so that she was hidden from the door. His eyes shifted to the door handle, seeing it shift which caused his free hand to twitch with the urge to pull out one of his numerous hidden daggers. His reaction was caused by his highly strung nerves, as most of the time, even when he seemed relaxed, he was on alert. Glenda moved forwards and said through the door, “I am already with a customer. You’re going to have to wait until I’m finished. Then I will be more than happy to see to your needs.” She sounded a little annoyed herself, clearly not liking impatient or rude customers that just couldn’t wait their turn. 

[Aura]

Natia was overjoyed when Rowan responded with such lust. She found herself having to fight the temptation to place another sloppy kiss on his lips and tongue right there, but she knew such an act would probably make Glenda uncomfortable. Having sex in a public store, even a backroom like this, just seemed wrong. Still, her heart was racing all the same and now she couldn't get the idea of letting Rowan take her in this dress out of her mind. That was when she heard the bang on the door and immediately cowered behind Rowan, poking her head out like a startled child. Was somebody going to come in here? She did not want to be seen by some stranger like this! 

As Glenda tried to calm the man down, he again ignored the request and simply twisted the knob all the way and stepped inside. He scanned the room, noticing Rowan but he was only able to see Natia's small legs behind Rowan. The shoes she wore were certainly attractive but he wasn't in the mood to take notice just yet. He walked up to Glenda and held the bag out to her. "I don't have time to wait, my girls need tending to. I need this dress fixed by tomorrow morning. I don't care about the price, I'll pay double." He huffed, turning away from her, straightening up his  vest as he scanned the room again.

The presence of the man made Natia tremble. She didn't like this one bit. She didn't want anybody to see her in this dress but Rowan. 

Out of curiosity, the man smirked as he noticed Natia's trembling legs and stepped to the side. He was actually running quite low on girls at the moment, and if those slender legs were anything to go off of, this was quite a young girl, possibly even a virgin. Yes, it would certainly be a valuable investment. People pay good money just to touch a pretty young lady. If this girl fit the description, she would certainly make an excellent addition to his little harem. He pointed to Rowan. "You, step aside. I want to see her." He spoke clearly and concisely, as if commanding Rowan.

Natia was already in tears as she clung tighter to Rowan's tunic. "No... I don't want him to see me. I don't, I don't!" She practically whimpered behind him. This man, the rude way he spoke, his impatience, the way he carried himself like he was the king of the world... It was all way too similar to the men who had stolen her away. "Rowan, help me..."

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

As the door swung open, Glenda was forced to stumble back to avoid being hit with it. Her eyes were wide as the man stepped in as if he owned the place. She opened her mouth to scold him however he thrust the sack towards her which forced her to take hold of it. She blinked a couple of times before saying, “Fine. But please, leave. I am with other customers.” She looked towards her daughter, who was hovering near the open door with an unsure expression. She was clearly too scared to try and step in to resolve the situation. 

Rowan watched the man very carefully, not liking his attitude. There was something about him that the Keza found instantly repulsive. His hand did not stray far from one of his daggers as he watched the man, shifting when Natia ducked behind him so that she was hidden better. He did not want this man to see his Natia. He was not worthy to see her beauty and perfection. His golden eyes narrowed slightly when the man turned and seemed to see Natia’s legs. There was a certain light to his eyes that Rowan really did not like and he had to resist the urge to growl at the man. At the order, one of Rowan’s eyebrows shot up. There was only one person in this entire world that Rowan took orders from, and that was his father. 

His ears twitched back a little when he heard Natia’s soft, whimpering voice. He reached back with one hand, gently taking her hands from his tunic. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, silently letting her know that he would protect her. However he couldn’t have her holding onto his tunic if he needed to move quickly. She would either slow him down, or get dragged along with the ride and thus possibly hurt. He straightened to his full height, causing him to be staring down at the human who was at least a head or two shorter than he was. A slight smirk curled at the corner of his lips as he looked down at the man with the kind of arrogance that only those that spent time in a Royal Court possessed. Glenda seemed to shrink back from this, pressing herself up against one of the cabinets as Rowan told the man firmly, “No. She is not yours to see. She is mine. You have come for what you were here for. Now leave.” He said, hoping that this man was not stupid enough to attack. He had numerous advantages over the man such as height, and the superior strength that Keza’s had over humans. Rowan had also been training in martial arts since he was a young boy which he had created himself, and most of his weapons were not visible. While he was dressed like any normal peasant, he seemed to be carrying himself with far more confidence than a simple peasant. It was a silent warning to the man to not step where he was not welcome.

[Aura]

On 5/14/2019 at 10:45 AM, Neptune said:

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

As the door swung open, Glenda was forced to stumble back to avoid being hit with it. Her eyes were wide as the man stepped in as if he owned the place. She opened her mouth to scold him however he thrust the sack towards her which forced her to take hold of it. She blinked a couple of times before saying, “Fine. But please, leave. I am with other customers.” She looked towards her daughter, who was hovering near the open door with an unsure expression. She was clearly too scared to try and step in to resolve the situation. 

Rowan watched the man very carefully, not liking his attitude. There was something about him that the Keza found instantly repulsive. His hand did not stray far from one of his daggers as he watched the man, shifting when Natia ducked behind him so that she was hidden better. He did not want this man to see his Natia. He was not worthy to see her beauty and perfection. His golden eyes narrowed slightly when the man turned and seemed to see Natia’s legs. There was a certain light to his eyes that Rowan really did not like and he had to resist the urge to growl at the man. At the order, one of Rowan’s eyebrows shot up. There was only one person in this entire world that Rowan took orders from, and that was his father. 

His ears twitched back a little when he heard Natia’s soft, whimpering voice. He reached back with one hand, gently taking her hands from his tunic. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, silently letting her know that he would protect her. However he couldn’t have her holding onto his tunic if he needed to move quickly. She would either slow him down, or get dragged along with the ride and thus possibly hurt. He straightened to his full height, causing him to be staring down at the human who was at least a head or two shorter than he was. A slight smirk curled at the corner of his lips as he looked down at the man with the kind of arrogance that only those that spent time in a Royal Court possessed. Glenda seemed to shrink back from this, pressing herself up against one of the cabinets as Rowan told the man firmly, “No. She is not yours to see. She is mine. You have come for what you were here for. Now leave.” He said, hoping that this man was not stupid enough to attack. He had numerous advantages over the man such as height, and the superior strength that Keza’s had over humans. Rowan had also been training in martial arts since he was a young boy which he had created himself, and most of his weapons were not visible. While he was dressed like any normal peasant, he seemed to be carrying himself with far more confidence than a simple peasant. It was a silent warning to the man to not step where he was not welcome.

As Rowan pulled her hands away from his. Being unable to stay in physical contact with him made her nervous, and in the moment she didn't quite understand. Somehow, she hadn't even considered that this could turn violent. She just figured Rowan would just talk him out of whatever he was trying to do or something. After all, people had to resolve conflicts in a place like this somehow, right? They couldn't possibly be a functioning society if anyone who got mad at anyone just killed them... Then again, this man clearly had the same aura as the slavers who'd abducted her. She stood back, hugging herself as she nervously watched Rowan stand, ready to fight just like he would when approached by a monster in the forest. "Rowan..." she muttered to herself, still trembling slightly. The last thing she wanted to see was Rowan hurt another person, even if it was someone who probably deserved it in his eyes...

The man just grinned with amusement up at Rowan. "I like your moxie, boy. I can't tell if you've got balls or you're just stupid, but I like you either way." He chuckled to himself. "I have no interest in getting any blood on this vest, though. Nor do I want to pay for any damages to the store." As he spoke, he glanced behind Rowan and could see more of Natia's small body. By this point, his eyebrows raised and he immediately knew what he was looking at. "Still, that servant you've got there is very small... she reminds me of my favorite little new recruit... and she seems just as shy, too. People love that."

Those words turned Natia's heart to lead. Perhaps she was overthinking, but it was clear now that he not only was a slave owner, but there was a very distinct possibility that his 'favorite little new recruit' was none other than another Aequu... "Wh-what...?" She stuttered from behind Rowan. "New recruit..." She gulped slightly and raised her hands to her collar. Her heart began to race against time as, without Rowan's guidance, she stepped out from behind him and raised her chin. "Tell me. Right now. Does this collar look familiar to you?"

The man's eyebrows raised even more with surprise at the sight of this slave girl in her sexy dress. But more amazed was the site of the collar. Yes, it was quite a popular mark among the underground slave market. Although many would take advantage of the extreme demand of aequian slaves by just slapping an inhibitor collar on a normal human child, someone with a trained eye like himself could easily see through that. This girl was a genuine Aequian... Something big must have happened as many slavers went their whole lives without ever even laying eyes on a single one. This wasn't an opportunity he could pass up. He completely ignored Natia's question and immediately met eyes with Rowan. "Tell me, boy, how much do you want? I will buy your servant off you right now for two million! You will never get such a large offer again, I guarantee!"

Natia just blinked, absolutely appalled by the blatant vulgarity of the man's demands. He didn't even care that he was making such a horrible demand in front of the store owner! She was at a complete loss of words and just stepped back, crossing her arms over her minor cleavage. "R-rowan..." She began to hide behind him again, her suddenly finding herself choking on air and unable to breathe. "M-make him leave! I-I don't want him here! Please, he's scaring me!"

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

At Natia’s voice softly uttering his name, his soft tail flicked so that it brushed up against her leg a little in a manner he hoped bring her some kind of comfort. His eyes narrowed slightly when the man said that he wasn’t sure if Rowan had big balls, or was stupid. He certainly wasn’t the latter. To Rowan, the only stupid one standing in this room was this human. It was obvious the man didn’t deal with any royal clientele, otherwise he might have actually recognised Rowan. A part of him was relieved, but at the same time he knew that this man likely wouldn’t be so brazen if he knew who Rowan really was. His frown deepened when the man brought attention back towards Natia, before he stiffened a little when he mentioned that he had a favourite new recruit. 

When Natia stepped out from behind him, Rowan had to resist all instincts to grab her and push her back behind him. Instead, his ears twitched, swivelling around them before focusing completely on the human as his body tensed. If he made any move to touch Natia, he would instantly pull out a blade on the man and due to the fact that Keza’s had faster reflexes than humans, this human wasn’t going to know what happened until he had a blade at his throat. He would not this man lay so much as a finger on Natia. She was too beautiful and pure for him. He didn’t even like the fact that the man could see her. He remained completely still, watching carefully. He saw a glimmer of recognition when the man saw the collar, which suggested that the man had seen it before but that would not be a surprising fact if this man dealt with slaves. His lip twitched a little when the man made an offer for two million for Natia. 

He heard Glenda gasp in disgust and horror before he felt Natia hide behind him again. His tail shifted, rubbing up against her leg before it curled around the slender limb, almost as if he was holding onto her hand. He tilted his head a little at the slaver before he shook his head. Even if he wanted to have a dealing with this man, he wouldn’t. The man had simply mentioned ‘two million’ which suggested that the man could be attempting to scam him because he didn’t state how that two million would come. It could be two million copper coins for all he knew. His long fingers twitched, itching to curl around one of his blades. Instead, he shook his head, “She is not for sale. Now leave this shop. I don’t need, nor want your money. Don’t bother approaching me ever again and if you even come near her again, I will ruin you.” He said, his voice dropping to a whisper towards the end. His threat was not empty. He had contacts throughout Craethiel and if he wanted to, he could bring this mans empire crumbling down.

[Aura]

The man just offered up a chuckle toward Rowan's infuriated response. Clearly, he had struck a nerve. However, what he was more interested in was the young Aequian's response to his words. It would seem he had struck more than just a nerve with her. He didn't care much for the outcome of this particular encounter. If he did, he certainly would have acted much more polite from the beginning. To a man like him, women were nothing more than assets yet they still had to be utilized carefully. 

The man shrugged after his offer was refused. "Very well, normally 2 million gold pieces would be an offer anyone would jump to. But I see you are certainly much more than just some street rat despite your clothing... Otherwise, why would you be in a place like this in the first place? Anyway, I can't be getting too greedy. Still..." He started to turn around before reaching into his vest to pull out a small card, turning it over in his hands. "It may be best not to turn me down so lightly." He gestured over to the bag he had thrusted into Glenda's arms. "My little friend has certainly been having some issues. You see, her kind are very high in demand. She doesn't get very many breaks. Perhaps with a little help..." 

After he finished speaking, he tossed the card he was holding toward Rowan. Whether he caught the card or watched it fall to the ground would be up to him, but the card itself depicted two naked people, a man and a woman, standing in a field under a god with spread wings emerging in front of a sun with the roman numeral "VI" at the top of the card. The caption "The Lovers" was written along the bottom in bold print. On the other side of the card, if inspected, lay an address and a date, in case they'd want to meet with the man again. The man left the building through the door he'd entered from, leaving Natia with a heavy heart and an unbreakable shiver. Behind Rowan, she'd been trembling and crying with her hand over her mouth the entire time. She picked up on every not-so-subtle hint that man had dropped. He had one of her friends... There was indeed someone who hadn't been as lucky as she...

She couldn't speak. She couldn't find the words. What the hell? Why did that man have to barge in? Why did he have to call attention to exactly what she was trying to forget? Why was fate written to fuck with her like this!? She suddenly felt like the whole world was crashing down on top of her and she was powerless to stop it.

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

Rowan tensed slightly, the motion unseen by others, when the man reached into his pocket however all he pulled out was a business card. Rowan’s eyes never left the man, his lips thinning at what he was suggesting. It appeared that Natia wasn’t the only Aequu to have fallen into the hands of slavers, except this one had not been as lucky as Natia. He wondered if Natia even knew the one that the slaver had? If they were from the same tribe, then it was quite likely. He was relieved when the man moved to leave. His golden eyes caught the card, and he almost allowed it to flutter to the floor. But at the last moment, he snatched it from the air in a blur of motion. He looked down at it, before turning it around. He then tucked it into his belt pouch, so that he could look into it later. He wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to glean some information about this man and even this meagre information was good. While he couldn’t do anything right now, he fully intended on returning and looking into this man.

He heard a muffled sniffle from behind him and he turned around to see Natia crying with her mouth covered. Glenda went to move towards the girl to try and comfort her, but paused when Rowan glanced at her. He shifted a little closer and knelt down on his knees before her. He reached out, gripping her shoulders gently, his thumb stroking against her soft skin, “Natia…” He said, his voice soft and kind. A sharp contrast to the kind of tone the other man had been using. Glenda looked a little uncomfortable, clearly wanting to do something but instead of saying anything, she moved to the door and slipped out to give them some privacy. She closed the door firmly, leaving them alone. When she was gone, Rowan said, “I heard what he said. He has one of your people…” He trailed off, not sure what he could say to comfort her. He knew that, right now, there was literally nothing he could do other than perhaps check out the address and gather some information. He sighed before saying, “I wish I could rescue her the way I did you, but I don’t think that is going to be likely. Due to her value to that man, they will be heavily guarded. I wish I could do something for you… but right now, all I can really do is go and look around the man’s place to try and find her, to see if she’s relatively alright.”

[Aura]

"I-I want to go..." Natia found herself saying. "I have to. If he has one of my sisters... I-I have to take responsibility, right? I have to be there for her. I can't let any of my brothers or sisters suffer because of my own ineptitude. I have no right to leave her!" She was scared, confused. She really had no idea what she was saying and yet she still knew the gravity of it all. She gripped heaps of fabric on Rowan's tunic and pulled herself firmly against him with the sound of her ugly sobs filling the room. "It should have been me!! It should have been me, Rowan! I should be the slave! Nobody was supposed to go after me, it's too dangerous... even for me, father would never send anybody... he values life far too much..." 

The more she thought, the more her heart ached as she slowly pieced the puzzle together and the image of the poor victim who took her place came to light. The darkness of despair visibly began to spread to Natia's face. There was only one Aequu she could think of that would venture out in search of her... The same one who'd always retrieve her when she strayed too far. The one who always warned her not to go too far and really only put up with it because she knew how trapped she felt...

"Oh... goddess..." she gulped as she slowly raised her trembling hand to cover her heart before the mouth on her tear-stained face. Her whole body was trembling uncontrollably now. She may as well have murdered her best friend... "Rowan... I-... I hope I'm wrong..." She shook her head and clung tighter to his clothing. "Tell me I'm wrong! Tell me he doesn't actually have one of us! Tell me he's bluffing and just trying to get in my head! Tell me something, please! I want to be wrong!!"

[Neptune]

Location: Village of Ryn’tur.

The sound of Natia’s sobs broke Rowan’s heart, and he wished he could do something to wipe them from existence. But his hands were tied in this situation, which only made him feel even worse about the situation. When she pulled herself close, he wrapped his arms around her and held her just as firmly. His fingers went up into her hair, stroking along her scalp as he nuzzled his lips into her hair. He rocked her very slightly, trying to calm her down. He shifted her head so that it was tucked beneath his chin, his body curled around her protectively. He had no intention of allowing her to run off on a ill-planned rescue attempt. That would only result in her own capture. His fingers moved down her head and brushed against her cheek before his thumb gently wiped away her tears,

“Natia…” He said, his voice incredibly soft, “I wish I could tell you that he was wrong… but I can’t say that with absolute certainty…” He paused, hating himself for saying it but he refused to lie to anyone, least of all Natia. His fingers moved to her chin and tilted her head up a little before he said, “And I can’t let you go running off to try and rescue her.” He pressed his thumb lightly on her lips to stop any protest that might arise as he continued, “If you try anything, without having any idea as to what you’re doing, all you will do is end up getting yourself captured and enslaved right alongside her. That won’t help her, and will only end up hurting you. As I said; she is likely very heavily armed. No rescue attempt will work, not without very careful planning. And the first step to that is to collect some information. I will do that, later when I have you safely secured in a room at the inn. I can do it without being noticed, and I can do it quite quickly.” 

He then paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him, “Besides… it could be the case that he doesn’t actually have your kin… he could have said what he said to trick you into attempting a rescue with the full intention of capturing and enslaving you. It would be best if I went to investigate this, alone. I can confirm whether or not he has your kin. If he does, then we will talk about possible options… it will be entirely dependant on numerous factors. If she is heavily guarded then she might be hard, if not impossible, to rescue…” He trailed off with a wince. He knew that he could only stay here the night before moving on, as he had pre-existing obligations. He wanted to make it clear that while he was willing to help Natia, he was making no promises. 

[Aura]

Rowan's efforts to comfort her did not go unnoticed. Natia was relieved to have her master taking care of her when faced with such a heavy burden. Still, his words only left her with a sense of unease...The moment he forbade her from running off, she opened her mouth to speak out, only to be silenced by his thumb. She listened intently to his words, yet somehow they only seemed to break her heart more. Their roles were supposed to be reversed. If it had to be anyone, she was supposed to be the one to be rescued, not Amare... 

After listening to all of Rowan's words, he'd managed to restore a fraction of hope inside of her. It certainly was possible that the man had been lying. Though she seriously doubted that it was a bluff for many reasons, not one of those reasons was something that she wanted to focus on at the moment. She genuinely wanted to believe that Amare was still comfortably at home... Still, there was no fooling herself. She knew deep inside that, given everything that had just transpired, the fact he was bluffing was extremely unlikely. Not only did he know about the Aequu to begin with, he recognized her collar and seemed to know exactly how much she would... make him... That idea alone made her stomach twist. She was just a product in his eyes... How awful must that life be...? 

"Rowan..." Natia mumbled softly and shook her head. "I know I asked for that, but..." She sighed. "I think it's too late... I already know I'm not wrong. And I think I know who it is, too..." She bit her lip and continued staring into Rowan's eyes, a certain desperation could be seen in her own as her pupils shook. "Rowan, I... I want to talk to her at the very least... If she's being... er... p-prostituted... do you think we could get some time alone with her? As... customers...?"