Premise: Instead of rediscovering her humanity Daine was captured by the hunters of Snowsdale and sold. (This story contains MATURE CONTENT, if this is a problem, turn back now!)

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Chained

Part One

by Kimra

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She stared at her reflection, wondering what it was she was staring at. Thick brown curls tumbled about her face, framing it and accenting the nicer of her features. There was a sadness in the eyes that stared back at her, a hollow acceptance of the world around her, and she wondered how no one else saw them. Her face was pale, her lips pouty and dark, and scattered across her neck and below was an assortment of bruises from the night before. They rarely touched her face, so few of them could afford to damage her face.

She brushed her fingers against her bruised throat, her hands shaking as she fought the angered tears that welled in her eyes. She felt the anger twist inside her belly, crying out words she could never mutter. A tear slipped down her check and as quickly as she could she brushed it away. Her face suddenly didn't look as attractive as it had, her eyes red, thick lash's mated with the escaping tears, and the sorrow radiating from an expression no one could decipher incorrectly.

She raised her hand to the mirror, wanting to trace the tear lines of her reflection but her hand never made it. As always the chains binding her wouldn't let her reach the glistening reflection. She strained against the restraints trying to break through her boundary's.

The rattle of keys made her jerk back, fiercely brushing at the tears collected on her checks, the chains rattling vindictively as she did so. She sniffed quickly to try and hide the evidence of her emotions but knew it was impossible.

A small red head popped into the room, a bright smile across her face when she spotted Daine.

"We're expecting a big lot of important's this afternoon, so the healers doing rounds, and his being told to fix everything we ask!"

Daine watched the girl enter the room, always keeping beyond the reach of the chains. She might have been happy, but she knew the rules just like everyone else in the building. Daine remained perfectly still as the girl walked about the room keys in her hand and bobbing about. There was something simple about the short red head, something that Daine accepted but that did not make her safe.

A taller man followed the girl into the room, looking carefully about the room, before eyeing Daine suspiciously.

"Will she bite?" He asked uncertainly.

"I'd be doing the healing from over here, if that's what your asking." The red head nodded her head to the comfortable bed across from her, out of the chains reach.

"It will make it more difficult." He probed as he fanned his dress robes out to sit on the edge of the bed without crinkling them.

"And by that you mean more expensive." The red head replied flippantly. She smiled quickly at the still bland expression of the healer. "You can approach her if you want." The smile became dangerous. "But we ain't paying your healing bill."

A sniff was the only reply the red head received before the healers eyes closed. Daine tilted her head, staring at the man as he muttered strange enchanting words, a low growl escaping her control as a stream of azure light flickered from his hands and twisted across the rooms distance towards her.

"None of that!" Came a sharp command and something heavy landed near her feet.

Daine's eyes turned to assess the pillow in her reach, and snatched at it before the reprimanding red head could react. She glared down the girls scowl as she hugged the pillow to her crouched body, relishing the softness in her grip. Her attention so fixed on staring down the challenger for her prize that the healing washed over and away from her without complaint.

The red head took a step closer, and Daine allowed the growl in her throat to erupt. She would fight for her prize, she would kill for it, and she certainly wasn't going to let go of it without being beaten into submission. When the red head took a step closer, still beyond the chains reach Daine dived forwards fingers poised like claws, the girl jumped back in place beyond Daines circle of movement. Daine retreated to her pillow, clutching it again, eyeing the two humans in the room, ready to pounce, but doubting it would come to that.

There where important customers on the way, they wouldn't risk a beating for a pillow. Maybe latter she would be charged with blood, but not today. She kept her gaze threatening and possessive all the same, not flinching as the tall man looked her over assessing and left, nor as the red head gave one last futile glare and left.

The door clicked closed between the two, and forgetting about the mirror Daine scrambled to the rickety bed that was hers and tucked the pillow beneath it, nestling it amongst the rotten pieces of linen that were hers alone.

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