The Alpha Twins and their Runaway Witch

19

The meal was lovely. The chicken was overloaded with spices and flavours Ariel did not have the words to explain. The meat was tender, fall of the bone and delicious. Binh told her her rice was yellow because of saffron and explained that little red gen coloured berries were barberries. Ariel was trying to hear every word while she ate. Probably too quickly.

Binh was easy to talk to, and seemed to anticipate her fears and steered around them all. Ariel felt her body practically start to melt into the upholstered seat of their booth. Muscles and nerves she had held tight for years in anticipation of the next blow, the next insult and threat started to slowly remember what it was to not be ready for pain.

She wasn't Tuesday. She had never been Tuesday.

As they finished their Persian tea and dainty little bite of desert, a flakey layered pastry that tasted of honey and a nut Ariel couldn't name. Binh finally revealed his last gamble. "I wont make you sign a lease if I can know your real name?" He proposed. Names had power. If he had hers, he could find all her nightmares so much easier in the dream world. Otherwise he would need to be near her to find her dreams.

She was no Jenny, no matter how well she sold the lie to the humans working in the diner. He was breaking his own rule hiring her, letting her in. The key to his little nightmare farm was to only allow in humans. Nothing complicated. A wild witch on the verge of manifesting, with a dedicated familiar and a past that should have killed her was a walking complication that could manifest into a problem as explosive as acetylene.

Ariel looked at him. A beautiful complication with dreams he was hungry for. She didn't trust Binh. Did not trust anyone. He would need to bargain for everything he wanted from her. Thankfully, so far he was striking deals so well Rumpelstiltskin himself would be proud. Ariel wanted all he was offering her. "Ariel." She told him, their trade completed. Absolutely nothing more did she share. Binh smiled. A first name was enough along with the bargains already struck between them. Each deal tying her more to him. He would be able to find her nightmares in the dream world now.

Meal complete, and now with a second location to travel towards, "Let's get you into your new home Ariel." Binh told her. Savouring her name on his own lips. Her true name, part of it. Offering his hand across the table to help her up. She was beyond tired, she was exhausted. Binh held her hand and led her back to his car. She was beginning to fall asleep in the seat before they even made it to his apartment building.

The century year old brick building, was a well maintained beauty. Not that Ariel was able to appreciate it while full of a heavy rich meal. She had eaten more meat than she had tonight than she had the past year all together. Her stomach was overwhelmed. Binh led her through the locking vestibule entrance, towards the elevator. Up to the third floor, unlocking her new door. Handing her the key he had always intended to give to her as soon as possible.

Binh opened the door, "It's not much, but it has everything you should need." The rectangle open space had the walls painted a soft gray color. There was one large window looking out onto the street from what could be considered the living room across from the door. There was a small couch, a little table and a Tv on the wall with all the wires hidden in the wall. There weren't any decorations or anything personal, not a single piece of art was visible anywhere. This was a space that been assembled to be practical.

The kitchenette area was the first thing you saw as you entered the space. Bold teal coloured cabinet and drawer fronts, Square black pull handles. One bank of drawers and one cupboard on bottom, black counter top with a small sink and two cupboard doors above a small fridge on the end.  A dining nook was tucked in under a loft bed opposite the kitchenette, hidden behind the door as you entered.

There was a door to the small bathroom with a stand up shower, pedestal sink and toilet just past the loft sleeping area. There were several towels and washcloths neatly folded on a shelf in the washroom, a small bath mat, There were already toiletries in the shower, and a new in package toothbrush and paste waiting in a glass cup.

The apartment even included a narrow closet between the bathroom door and the loft. A shelf to put shoes, hangers waiting for clothes to hang on them. A second shelf with even more storage above the bar. Ariel had been so full, and relaxed. Lulled by the motions of a car. She looked around the apartment in awe.

Binh showed her where everything was, there were some dishes in the cupboard, and laundry was in the basement, a gym on the first floor. The window was European and could tilt inwards at the top for a little ventilation, or open wide like a door, Ariel had never seen windows like it before. "I hope it's acceptable for you, I did warn you it was small." Binh worried he might have oversold the calculated line- or that he had misjudged her. He had other apartments, one with a separate bedroom, more space. 

He briefly worried he had judged her wrong. Ariel looked at him, her eyes wild, the fire inside her burning bright. "Its amazing," She was trying to hide her excitement. Binh had to keep himself in check. He was so glad his planning and scheming was paying off so well.

"Feel free to decorate however you like, if you want to paint, let me know and it can be arranged." She had been starved of making her own choices for so long. Ariel looked around the room as though she indeed saw the micro living suite as a palace. "I'll let you settle in, see you at work tomorrow." He said aloud  while thinking to himself 'Tonight I'll have your nightmares completely'. Both Binh and Ariel were smiling as Binh made his exit from her new apartment. The door automatically locking behind him.

Leaving Ariel alone. Behind a locked door, several stories up from the street, in her very own apartment. She took herself on another small tour, savouring absolutely everything. All the furniture felt well made and expensive under her hands. No sign of any wear or stains on the couch. The bed on the raised loft looked inviting with a fuzzy looking blanket that matched the cupboards in color. Several fat looking pillows at the head of the bed, waiting for her to fall asleep on them.

The bed looked good. The shower, with hot running water with everything needed to have a perfect bathing experience. looked better. She undressed letting her clothes fall where they may. Moving directly to the shower stall, turning the single tap up until the water began to warm, inching it up to the perfect temperature.

There was no rush, no one leering at her while she tried to bathe. Or worse. Just her, hot water and clean smelling shampoos and soaps. There was a new razor still packaged in the shower. She did not make use of it. She was not going to be taking her clothes off in front of anyone ever again. Ariel felt nearly high on her current circumstances.

She put on a stolen cotton nightgown from the cabin in the woods. The cedar smell stored in the fabric was comforting. She wrung her hair out as best she could and braided it for the night. She left the bathroom, screaming out in fright when she heard a tap on the window.

She went and opened the window like a door, her raven swooping into the space. Binh had not specified no pets or animals. She was generally aware that no pets was a thing for landlords to say. Flying up to perch on the safety rail around the bed. "You'll wake me up if something is outside the door or window right?" She asked the bird, who bobbed his head back to her.

Ariel drank a glass of water, setting the empty glass on the counter. Knowing no one would beat her for leaving a dish out. She found she liked wearing the cotton night gown. It was loose and billowy, tied at her neck, long sleeves and the hem was nearly brushing the floor. She crawled up the short ladder to the bed, made her way to pillow, and tucked her body under the covers.

Everything smelled softly of herbs and freshness. The blanket had weight, the sheets were smooth high count cotton. The pillows were perfect. Ariel smiled as she let herself lay out like a starfish. Still smiling towards the ceiling as she drifted off to sleep. Limbs reaching out to the four corners of the bed.