welcome to hell

Chapped and cracked lips part in a breath.

His shoulders are shaking and his head is bowed. He did not swallow and it was his fault, his fault, his fault that they hit him like they had. Purple and red blooms in his cheek. Residual crimson slides down the curve of his neck and dips over the satellite of his collarbone. Head lifts then, Min Li offering a final bow of his head before rising to his feet. He had such a kind master, he thinks, to leave him with marks of his love etched into his body. He had been so rude to offer so little service and even ruder was the fact that even such a simple coupling of the words 'goodbye' or 'thank you' could not escape. (Though, he must remind himself not to speak out of turn.)

Shoulders are pulled back, hands are dropped to his sides and despite his body's protests; he continues. He wonders what this new person must be like. If they would like him or if they would treat him just as kindly. (Perhaps if he was lucky, then maybe he would be given the opportunity to walk farther than the grounds.) A noble, he has been told. Perhaps they would be like the people in the fables that the other livestock had learned in their youth. He had never been so inclined himself to learn how to read, but that was fine. Good boys don't learn to read.

He washes his face and quickly makes his way out of the household, though retreats to the door when he catches sight of the other.

Still, he bows. Forgive him for his tardiness, Mademoiselle.


hyde sylvia laboi

She brought Sylvia along with her. Hyde wasn't sure what she was willing to accomplish with this - make the poor guy feel better, help him assimilate, maybe. Then again, she wasn't sure how her little pet was going to react, though she had a few guesses. Some more amusing than others.

She never set eyes on this supposed livestock, though his previous master had said great thing about him. Submissive to a fault, well-mannered. Which was all good, because Hyde didn't have to deal with talk-backs and other undesirably things. Plus, this was technically a gift for Sylvia. Someone for her to talk to, become friends with. Hyde had the feeling she had gotten lonely over the year.

And he was also there to ensure that she didn't break Sylvia. "You don't have to understand. He's a livestock, and we'll be taking him home with us." With that she motioned for him to come forward, to follow.

min li sylvia laboi

Another livestock? Really? For Sylvia she never really expected this day to come, after all she thought that she would be the only one. Still at the same time she knew better, there was no way Hyde could live off her blood alone, not without killing her.

Sylvia had met other livestock before, normally ones that were being shared by other nobles as temporary gifts, but this time Hyde would be keeping one. Sylvia was not really sure how she felt about this, after all she was Hyde's main livestock, would that change? How much would things change? Sylvia was worried, she wasn't the best when it came to change, but still she wanted to trust in Hyde. "I see."

Sylvia only watched as Hyde called the new slave over, and continued to watch as he bowed, as he kept his eyes low. He was strange, at least to her. She never acted in such a timid way with Hyde and now she wondered if this was how she was meant to act. She took his hand, hook it and then stepped forward so that she could get a better look at him.

"And what is your name? Mine's Sylvia, and this is Hyde, my owner." She made sure to point out who was in charge, and that she was going to be the favorite, not him, never him. And yet she still did her best to give a smile and be friendly.

hyde and min li

He wonders if he is intruding.

Not on a foreign land, but a foreign conversation. The blonde, whom he has come to denote as Sylvia, speaks as if he is a trespasser. Sylvia is a lovely name for a lovely person. A bluebird that had not yet caught the tailwinds that it needs to carry such a lovely thing away from this place. Wings that have not been clipped. A bird that has not been caged and he can only wonder what it must be like to be given such freedoms as to speak out of turn and to speak as if she had ever been given a choice in the matter.

She must have, he thinks. In which case, he can only wonder why one would have chosen a life as cruel as this. Who has hurt her enough to make her want to destroy herself?

Such speculative thoughts are not typically smiled upon. (Briefly, he wonders if she can read his mind.)

He gently closes his hand around her's, offering a small shake. He does not answer when she asks for his name. Hyde. His master's new name is Hyde. Mistress? Did she prefer mistress to master? Owner? He does, however, lift his hand to sign out his name. M. I. N. Min. That was all that his master had taught him to spell because people grew quite frustrated when Min was loaned out. (There was no point in having a name, they said, for someone with no voice but it was nice to have something to shout and moan.)

He offers a small nod in confirmation that was indeed his name before he gestures towards Sylvia to follow behind Hyde.

sylvia laboi hyde

She'd spoken before she thought.

Min's previous owner had mentioned something like that, as she looked through the corner of her eye. She simply forgotten, though now that she saw him sign, it came back to her. He wouldn't speak.

And she wasn't sure if Sylvia knew how to read the signs. But she had read the books in the library thrice, and there were a few books on it, if she recalled.

Hyde could, but only because it was convenient. It seemed like a lot of strigoi knew, anyhow, and she refused to be inadequate compared to them. Especially lesser ones. Well, she'll have fun coaxing the voice out of him in cruel ways. She smirked to herself - Min would definitely be a welcome addition to the house. She'll leave him be for a few days, though, let him get accustomed before breaking him in (not that she'd have much to do).

Maybe Sylvia could entertain herself with his presence.

min li sylvia laboi