Typical disclaimer - these characters are not mine.

Enjoy

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"I will deal with the witch myself," she heard a voice hiss as it resounded louder through the hallway.

He was coming for her and surely he would not be kind, the raven haired girl began to worry. She looked around her surroundings but found that there was nothing she could use to shield herself from him. The cold room was made of stone walls and contained little more than a thin flat mat in one corner and the chains that bound her hands, keeping her trapped where she knelt. Her once pretty red dress had been torn in her struggles with his corrupt guards leaving her to look like some common prostitute they had pulled off the streets. The men had not been gentle when they held her down, nor had they been when their greedy hands had groped at her. Her wrists hurt from the binds that were wound tight around her wrists so much so that her fingers had long since become numb. Tear streaks still scarred her face, marring her normally calm, beautiful features.

The heavy wooden door with metallic trim opened and shut with a resounding bang. She looked up to find the one man she feared standing above her. A dark blue and black uniform covered his toned body; the pants of his uniform were tucked into a pair of shiny black leather boots that rose to his knees. Behind him hung a dark cape with red lining that fell nearly to the floor. At first glance his shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes were deceptive to all those who did not know the cruelty that lay beneath them. A thin smile spread over his lips as she attempted to rearrange the tatters of her dress to protect her modesty. "So here we are, my beautiful little witch. I promised you that one of these days I would finally capture you," he stated coolly.

"You did not capture me, you coward. Your thugs abducted me and molested me, leaving me here to kneel before you. Although that would not be by choice were these chains not restricting my movements."

He walked closer and bent down onto one knee before her, staying just far enough out of her limited reach. "It matters not how you got here. What matters is what I will do with you now that I have you."

"You would not dare to touch me when you well know what I am capable of," she spat.

"As charming as it might be to have a golden statue made in my image, I must admit that I would prefer not to become that golden statue myself. What a shame," he spoke softly clucking his tongue, his eyes looking her over. "Such a beautiful face, but with your poor breeding it's no wonder you lack the proper manners to know when someone is trying to help you."

"You wish to exploit me."

"I wish to share in your gift." He spoke to her as if they were old friends. "I believe you call it alchemy? A dark word for a heaven sent gift. You are lucky that it was I who found you before they had you burned for being a witch. Perhaps you should thank me for having my 'thugs' pull you from the pyre you were standing on." He slowly rose from his kneeling position and walked around her, eyeing her from every angle. She struggled against the chains that held her hands to no avail. In one swift movement he was kneeling behind her, his hands gently caressing her arms and his warm breath against her cold cheek. "You will make me a rich man, my dear, and in exchange I will personally see to it that you are properly taken care of." His voice came across as being gruff and she instantly understood the ulterior meaning of his words.

"I do not wish to have your attentions. Now release me," she responded firmly.

"Rei," he breathed into her ear, and she froze as his hands moved to rest on her hips, her back pressed against his chest. "We can do this the nice way," his right hand travelled slowly up her back and his fingers tangled in her hair, yanking firmly, "or we can do it my way. I will give you time to decide whether or not you will willingly submit to me, but I advise you to make things easier on yourself. I can be quite persuasive when I need to be," he said, his voice remaining smooth and silky as he carefully released the tendrils of her hair and rose to his feet. "I'll be back for you in the morning, and I expect an answer from you by then. Don't disappoint me, Rei," he cooed, now seeming to be completely harmless, a master of deception.

She felt a shiver travel through her at his words and waited until he left the room to release the breath that she had been holding; fresh warm tears started streaming down her cheeks over the hopelessness of the situation and her frustration of being left so completely helpless in his custody.