Haven City

"Freedom.." Alerie hadn't thought about that. Where would she go? She certainly wasn't sticking around with her father, not anymore at least. She had no other family, not that she knew of. Plus she had no money whats-so-ever.
Her eyes darted to the ground, swallowing hard she loooked back up. The only way out, to be treated as fairly as it could get was this. It took all of her strength to bow her head and drop her hands to her sides,"I will serve you obediantly my Queen.." She choked out the words squeezing her eyes shut.

Lithia smiled ever so slightly to herself before complety concealing her delight. She made her expression blank and regal. She got to her feet and nodded slightly in approval.

"That's more like it," she said, "But you mustn't tell Nicholas. I want his transformation to be a surprise. His birthday his coming up in a week. He'll be nineteen. Changing him will be the most splendid gift."

Nineteen, the number echoed in Lithia's mind. So young, so so young. She could hardly remember being nineteen. It was over two thousand years ago, the dawn of her vampire life. After a hundred years everything for a vampire was high noon. Because the sun never set on a vampire's life naturally.

She nodded and bit her lip hard remaining silent, she was only eighteen now and was becoming something she had feared. A tear couldn't keep away from rolling down her hot cheek.

"Excelent," Lithia said, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go get changed for dinner. Feel free to stay in here if you'd like. You could also explore the castle if you'd like, but don't even contemplate escape. Guards are positioned at all the possible exits. Not to mention that if you somehow managed to escape, I could have every citizen of Haven City hunt you down. And they would find you."

She leaned down to whisper in Alerie's ear. "And I show no mercy for traitors."
She pulled away, smirking a sinister smirk, before departing.

She walked down a few hallways before she caught scent of Nicholas . . . And Alex. She shivered and then shook her head to clear it. She rounded the corner to see Nicholas apparently having a conversation with Alex.

Holding her head up high she swiftly approached and grabbed Nicholas by his collar without pausing. She kept walking, keeping her eyes straight ahead, to avoid looking at Alex.

Nicholas allowed Lithia to drag him. It was painfully apparent that she was in a bad mood.
"I told you to go tell the cooks what I wanted for dinner," she said, her voice tight.

"I-I just stopped to talk to Alex for a minute," he stammered out his excuse.
"Did I say that you could stop and chat with Alex?" she hissed.

"Well um - no," he said, "But you didn't say that I couldn't."
"That's not the point Nicholas," she said, as she continued to drag him, "Unless I say you can do something, you can't. And from now on, I don't want you talking to Alex."

"Wha - why?" he demanded. He liked having other humans around to talk to.
"Because I do not find him a suitable companion for you," she snapped, "And that's final."

He huffed unhappily to express his displeasure. Lithia dragged him back up to their room by his collar, to irritated to think of just clipping his leash on. She brought him up to their room and closed the door behind them.

"Get in your cage," she commanded him. Part of this irrational anger was because of her leftover anger from dealing with Alex, but part of it wasn't. She was overly excersising her control over Nicholas recently, knowing that soon, she wouldn't have this kind of power. Once he was a vampire. Sure, she'd still be his senior by thousands of years, and she'd still be the queen. So she'd still be superior to him, but she wouldn't have this kind of raw power that always exhilirated her. She loved being in charge.

Confused and partially concerned, Nicholas did as she told him. He crawled into his cage and sat down on the soft pillows. Lithia came over to the cage and slammed the door shut, locking it.

"You've been so naughty today Nicholas," she said as she turned and paced away, "I'm beginning to wonder if being around all these disobedient humans is having an affect on you. Maybe I should just keep you up here in your cage for a while, keep you out of trouble."

"But Lithia I -" he began.
"Did I ask you a question pet," she hissed, cutting him off.

"No," he said in a small voice.
"Then why are you speaking?" she demanded, her voice fierce.

Nicholas cowered, confused. Lithia was usually never this . . . dictating around him. Unless he really fucked up.

With a huff of impatience, she said, "I have go bathe before dinner. You will stay here. After I'm done with my shower and have properly prepped myself for dinner, I will let you out of your cage. And then I shall give you a bath before we eat. If you behave yourself, I'll let you eat at the table with the rest of us, instead of making you eat on the floor like I've been considering. Understood?"

He nodded obediently, still not sure what he had done that was so wrong.
"Good," she snapped, turning on her heel and heading for their bathroom. She smirked to herself. She really wasn't mad at Nicholas. She just craved the thrill of bossing him around. How it made her feel superior. She had to take of advantage of it while she still could. Because soon Nicholas would be a vampire, almost her equal.

Alerie watched the Queen dissappear out the door, without another word Alerie moved to the window sil to pick up the clothes she had tucked away for safe keeping. She called on a maid and smiled politely,"May you wash these quick please?" The maid nodded and scampered off. Shutting the door to the lounge, and locking it for good measure, Alerie slipped from the frilly fancy wear of clothing the Queen had put her in, of course though she was stuck with the stubborn yet beautiful collar.
She folded the clothes up aner heard a light knock at the door. She cracked it open and let the maid in, handing her the Queen's clothes and taking her now clean ones. She gave the maid one last thank you then got dressed quickly, pulling on her more comfortable clothes and shoes. Sighing happily she stood and went to find a mirror in the nearest bathroom. She gazed into her reflection, seeing her hair might as well stay up, she actually kind of liked it. But her eyes..oohh her eyes were dazzling now that the sparkling jewels of the collar lit up her face. Her hand touched her cheek and she smiled before turning from the bathroom to wander the halls of the castle.

Lithia adjusted the collar of Nicholas's shirt and then adjusted his other collar. She had just finished giving him a bath and grooming him for dinner. She always liked for dinner to be an elegant event. For tonight's meal, she had picked out for Nicholas to wear a blood red button up shirt and black dress pants. His hair wasn't quite dry but it would have to do. She was hungry.

She attached the leash to his collar and led him from the room, completly over her earlier fit of random malevolence. Nicholas had been quiet though, seeming wary of her moods. She understood why. And he would understand the reason for her strangness soon enough . . . Just a week to go . . .

"So Nicky . . . What shall we do for your birthday?" she asked.
He shrugged. Still quiet.

She sighed inwardly. "Well we must do something special mustn't we?" she went on, "After all, you'll be nineteen."
"So?" he asked.

She was surprised. It was unlike him to be so . . . nonchalant. Odd.
"Don't you think we should celebrate?"

"If you want to," he mumbled, not particularly caring. He didn't like parties. Just a chance for Lithia to parade him around. He didn't like being the center of attention when he was collared and leashed, naturally.

"Well I do," she said haughtily, "And so we will. It'll be splendid party. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself very much."
She was quite sure.

When they entered the dining room she said to the servant attending the meal, "Go fetch the human girl, Alerie. She should be about here somewhere."
"What about Alex?" Nicholas wondered.

She clenched her fists but otherwise hid her lack of contempt. "Yes. Fetch him as well," she said tightly.
The servant nodded and dissapeared as they both took their seats.

Alerie found the Queen and the boy, knocking on a nearby wall to make sure it was ok to enter.
Bowing her head she adressed the Queen,"You sent for me M'Lady." She hoped the Queen didn't mind her changing clothes but she found herself liking her own clothes better.

"Yes," Lithia said, "I hope to have a proper meal together. Come, sit, sit. Right next to me now."
She decided then that she had to come up with some excuse for Nicky to explain why Alerie would be hanging around so often.

"Alerie and I have a sort of an agreement Nicholas," she told him, "She's going to be another pet of mine. I figured that surely you would like some more suitable human company."

"I already have Alex to keep me company," he said, not understanding why she suddenly wanted to get him a friend.
"I said suitable human company," she hissed.

Alerie nodded without another word, slipping into a spot next to the Queen, the idea still made her gag that she would be treated like a blood bag. Plus the collars and cages made her feel like a dog. Thinking silently she wondered what kind of dog she would be. Maybe a golden retriever, or a yellow lab.

Rolling her eyes at herself she shook her head. No she would just be a human dog.

"Now Alerie, what would you like?" Lithia wondered, "We have an extremly vast selction. Anything you want."
She motioned for the servant at the door to come over. "Yes I'll have steak with caviar and a baked potatoe," she told him.

"I'll have steak and a baked potatoe," Nicholas said plainly.
"And you Alerie?" Lithia asked.

Alerie thought a moment,"Two slices of ham, a ring of pineapple, and.." She bit her lip,"A salad." She smiled lightly to herself then gave a thanks to the servant.

Nick gave Alerie a look out of the corner of his eye. "Random much?" he asked in refrence to her certainly random food selection. Ham, pineapple, and salad?
"Now Nicholas," Lithia rebuked quietly, "That's not polite."

"Why do I have to be polite to her?" he demanded, glaring at Alerie. He didn't understand why he had to be polite to another human. Plus he wasn't happy about having to share Lithia's attention. He knew she wouldn't replace him - He wasn't just Lithia's pet, he was her lover too. But he didn't like having to share Lithia's affections or time. Lithia was so busy all the time, and all her free time usually went towards him. He didn't want to give any of that up.

"Because I said so Nicholas," she said frimly, "And that is final, alright. We're all going to get along here, understood?"

"Pineapple adds a fine taste to the meat, the salad is just a side order." She smiled and blushed a little, seeing his obvious dislike of her. Alerie didn't care, either way she was going to have to do this, even if she didn't like it. She didn't think he saw that. She did know though that he to hated the collar and being hauled around, it was just a matter of time until she was exactly like that.

Nick wrinkled his nose in distaste. He was not in a good mood. Lithia's random mood swings had gotten him all confused and now, finding out that he had to share her affections, he was getting slightly angry.

"I just had a splendid idea," Lithia said, "How about we go on a little outing tomorrow? We could go to the plaza, maybe the park. And afterwards we could go to Lady Keket's dinner party. Would you like that Nicky?"

Nick's eyes lit up and his anger dissapated. He loved going on outtings. Even if it meant he had to be walked around on a leash like a dog. He didn't care if he got to get out of the palace. He hadn't left this place in months.

He nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes I would," he said excitedly.
"Splendid. And Alerie can come with us," she went on, "It'll be twice as fun."

The excitement immediatly drained out of Nick. He hated sharing his Lithia with anyone. Outtings had always been the only time when Lithia paid complete attention to him, without any of the distractions of queenly life. And now he had to share his special time with her with this outsider.

"No," he said, "She can't come with us."
"Now Nicky, if I decide that she is, she is," she warned him not to challenge her.

"No!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet in outrage, "She can't come with us!"
"Use your indoor voice Nicholas," she said quietly, tugging gently on his leash to remind him of his place. He swayed slightly at the pull but didn't stumble.

"No!" he ranted on, "She's not coming with us! It's not fair! I don't want her to come!" He knew he sounded like a child throwing a tantrum but he didn't care. When you were the queen's pet, you were used to getting your way on most matters. It made you pretty spoiled. Nicholas knew he was spoiled and he knew that Lithia wouldn't approve of his yelling and being impolite. He didn't care though. She had punished him early for no reason so if he was gonna get punished again, he might as well deserve it.

"I'm sorry about this Alerie," Lithia said to her, "Nicholas is such a child sometimes."
Nicholas seethed at that. Here was his love, his queen, his mistress, talking about him to some other human like he wasn't even there.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," he growled.
Lithia felt her eyes steel over. She would not tolerate this kind of defiance from anyone. Even her precious baby Nicky. If he needed her to send him a message - she would. She would teach him who was the boss around here.

"Do not tell me what to do Nicholas," she snarled, forcefully pulling his leash. The force pulled him towards her and down to the floor. He hit the floor hard on his hands and knees, right next to Lithia's chair. He looked up at her angrily, panting.

She looked down at him with a superior look in her eyes. She roughly grabbed his hair to force his head back so he would have to look her in the eye. "In case you've forgotton whose in charge around here little whore, allow me to remind you. I am. For as long as you're my human, you obey me. Got it, pet?

Grinding his teeth in irritation, he did his best to nod while she was still gripping his hair. "Good," she hissed, releasing his hair, "Now you're to stay here for the rest of the meal. Just like that."

He bowed his head in humiliation and submission. This was just like when he'd first become her pet and she'd treated him exactly like a dog. Not allowing him to speak. Making him eat on his hands and knees on the floor next to her chair at dinner.

"I told you if you were naughty you'd be eating on the floor tonight," she said mildly. She didn't like having to disipline Nicholas but if he was going to be disobedient, then she would punish him and teach him who was the boss around here. She'd lighten up a bit after she changed him, but she still wouldn't tolerate any of her subjects speaking to her in such a way. And if she wouldn't tolerate it from any subject, she certainly wouldn't tolerate it from her human pet.

"I'm sorry about all that Alerie," she said, turning her attention away from her defiant little human, "I'm usually not like this with my humans. But Nicholas here seems to think that he has some sort of authority around here. I can't imagine why. But perhaps it's good that you saw that. Now you know firsthand how I punish disobedient humans."

Alerie's temper boiled, her cheeks turning hot as she watched the Queen. Even if the boy hated her guts she didn't approve one bit of how he was being treated. The defiance in her eyes returned, after almost atleast 5 hours of this she was sick of it. I will not let this happen to me.. Alerie told herself, turning her head away from the scene.

While the Queen's back was turned she had stood and sauntered over to the window, crossing her arms and staring out into the light of day, of freedom. She stood there thinking, listening to the words the Queen hissed and snarled to the boy, it all disgusted her and she flinched when she had used the word pet.

Lithia looked over at Alerie where she stood by the window. She had her old clothes back on, although she hadn't asked Lithia for permission. And she had her arms crossed over her chest defiantly. But still, she wore the collar symbolizing who she belonged to. This Alerie girl was never going to be as fully submissive as Nicholas usually was, she knew that. But at least she was driven. Lithia knew she would keep herself in line for the next two years - just for her freedom. That was alright with Lithia.

The food arrived after a long silence between the queen and her two boiling humans. The servant placed Alerie and Lithia's dishes on the table in front of them. But he put Nicholas's food on the floor in front of him - as he was expected to.

"Come and eat Alerie," Lithia said in a pleasant voice. She ate her food daintly, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Nicholas wasn't eating. He was just glaring at his food angrily.

"Aren't you going to eat pet?" she asked him. When she was feeling affectionate towards him, she called him Nicky. When she was angry with him, she called him Nicholas. When she was punishing him, she called him pet because she knew he hated it.

"No," he muttered crossly.
"I suggest that you do. Because you'll be spending every meal on the floor until you do," she told him.

He really was hungry. But he refused to eat on his hands and knees like a dog - without the use of utensils or even his hands. He'd done it before but this was different. Because at the table sat another human. Someone that should've been his equal. Actually she should've been below him - seeing as he'd been the queen's pet much longer. It should've been her on the floor instead of him, so she could be trained. But no, it was him on the floor like a dog. While the two women sat at the table and ate like civilized dignified creatures.

Lithia hesitated for a moment. Remorse filled her. She shouldn't be treating Nicholas like this. If she did, he would grow to hate her. And then after she turned him into a vampire, he would leave her. She couldn't have that.

"Oh fine you little wretch," she sighed lovingly, "You know I can't stay mad at you. Go on then, get up."
Wary of her insane mood swings, Nicholas cautiously picked up his food and sat down at the table next to her.

"See?" she thought, "I can be merciful and reasonable."

Alerie's hand scrached at her throat below the collar, an actual tiny growl escaping her lips. Even though she was human she remembered playing house, and she was always some sort of animal. Of course she never thought it would come true. She let out a sigh through her nose, looking at the food, thinking about how so many hungry people would die for that food, and how she was given it without even working.

Just being submissive of course. Alerie didn't sit just stared at the window, then after awhile looked down at the floor contemplating on what to do. Whether she would fight for her right to be free, or submit and serve for two years. Biting her lip she scolded herself. No! I will not give in..

Taking a light breath Alerie spoke,"I'm not hungry, I don't deserve it, I don't need it." She stated in a flat but truthful voice.

"Whatever do you mean Alerie darling?" Lithia inquired, tilting her head curiously to the side. Nicholas looked up at Alerie in confusion. He was curious as to what she was going to do next but didn't want it to be obvious that he was staring. He had decided to stay completly silent for the rest of the meal - just watch. He was beginning to suspect that Lithia was bipolar and figured that if he didn't say or do anything that she didn't tell him to do, she wouldn't snap at him. He usually wasn't so . . . cautious around her. But today Lithia was acting strange.

"I'm not hungry.." She repeated a little more hotly then she intended, her eyes clsoing in frustration,"Can I go now?" She spoke in an exasperated voice, lifting her hand to rub her temples as if she had a headache. She didn't need to look at them to know they were staring, and she knew if she acted how she wanted she would probably be punished into being a pet, like the boy had been. And she did not plan on eating off the ground, no matter what they said.

"Oh that's too bad," Lithia said, "Well alright, go on then. If you'd like to rest I can have someone show you to your new room. Would you like that?"
Nicholas let his eyes drop back to his food. He was expecting more of a spectacle but was kind of glad there wasn't going to be one. He didn't like seeing Lithia when she was being cruel. It made his stomach do nauseated flips.

Alerie's eyes flicked over to the Queen, studying her silently before sighing,"Ok.." She mumbled, wondering if her room was even a room, or just another one of those dog cages.

"Nicky darling, why don't you show Alerie to her room," Lithia said, "It's right next to ours. And after you've done that, we can have a nice dinner alone. And perhaps afterwards we can do something you'd like. Watch one of those movies you like so much. Would you like that?

Lithia was offering to watch a movie with him, that was almost unheard of. Lithia hated TV but when she was in a good mood, she would put her distaste aside to make him happy.

Nicholas nodded eagerly. "Yes. Of course."
She smiled and leaned towards him to whisper in his ear. "And perhaps afterwards we can do something I like."

Nicholas shuddered slightly in anticipation. Lithia had been so busy lately he'd hardly had any time alone with her anymore.

"Alright?" she said pulling back and unclipping his leash, "Now go show Alerie to her room."
He nodded and got up, gesturing for Alerie to follow him from the room.

Alerie followed silently, leaving the food behind, the cogs in her mind starting to turn and plan as she had before.

Nicholas gave Alerie a look as he led her upstairs. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing," he said, "I know you're planning something. That look on your face says it all. It may surprise you to know that I'm not just an ornament. I do, in fact, have a brain. I even use it sometimes. Which is how I know you're planning something. My point though is that I know you're planning to escape or whatever. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell Lithia. Not because I like you - actually, it's quite the opposite. I dislike your presence in general - it's nothing personal, I just don't like to share Lithia."

"Anyway, my point is, that there's no way you can escape from Haven City on your own. You'd need help from somebody on the inside . . . Somebody very close to the queen. Somebody who could keep her distracted for an extended amount of time. You know where I'm going with this, don't you?"

"I propose to help you escape. Don't be flattered. I just want to get rid of you - but I'm not cruel enough to trick Lithia into executing you. So this way . . . everybody wins. I get Lithia all to myself and you get your freedom without having to be a pet anymore. So what do you say? If you're smart you'll say yes. Because if you say no, I'll have to go with my Plan B. Which is falsely accuse you of doing some crime and have Lithia execute you."

Alerie studied him mumbling some things to herself then speaking,"I don't care if you like me or not, I'll be out of here in two years. Don't worry, I have no intention of stealing your Queen away, that's another reason I left the food. Be happy I'm being nice, she could be spending her whole time torturing me into being a pet, but I act willing." Alerie tugged at the collar uncomfortably,"I can't leave anyways because I care to much." She didn't explain why.