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16.1: Morning

"Wake up, my beautiful little slave girl," Master Synn's silky deep voice ushers me out of slumber. I stretch and open my eyes. My back is turned toward him but I feel his fingertips running through my hair, petting me.

"Good morning, Master Synn," I whisper, turning around to face him. His red hair cascades around his face and falls onto the bed, fully dried and handsomely disheveled. His pale eyes are only half-open as if he's also just awoken.

He gives me a half-smile. My eyes trace over his pale pink lips and across his grayish skin, feeling amazed at how well the two shades complement one another. He looks so unique. His half-smile twists into a smirk and I blush, looking away. He must have noticed me looking at him like that. How embarrassing.

"Don't give me looks like that, little pet." He bites his lower lip and stares at my lips, sending a wave of heat through my body. He inches closer, spreading heat through my body, and hurriedly pulls away.

"Let's have breakfast." He looks away, clearing his throat. "Be a good slave girl and cook something for us, will you?"

I nod and zoom out of the bed, terrified of my own racing heart and strange feelings.

Master Synn follows me to the kitchen but keeps his distance. I'm happy that after what happened yesterday he wants to keep an eye on me like this. Re-entering the kitchen sends a tremor of fear through my body and I glance back at Master Synn for reassurance. He gently smiles back as he settles against the doorframe.

I think of my attacker, still sitting in his cage, and wish Master Synn had left his limbs broken after what he tried to do to me. Did he have to heal him after he treated me like that? The man deserved far worse. I'd love to go back in there and hit him with that metal a few more times.

I pull out a chunk of meat and begin trimming and flavoring it. I use seasonings that look as if they may have been native to my area of the forest and smell as if they'd go together.

When I have it how I think Master Synn will enjoy it, I toss it in a stone cooking bowl and place it in his fire cooker. I stare at the device, piecing together in my mind how it must work. It seems to have the same concept as my tribe's cooking flames but made much easier.

While I wait for the meat to cook, I turn around and notice Master Synn has left briefly and changed into a dark woven outfit. I look down at my own robe and feel silly. Perhaps I should have changed, too. I'm not in uniform like I'm supposed to be. As my eyes wander over Master Synn's new outfit he tilts his head at me, noticing my interest, and I hastily look away.

I pace around the kitchen and look at various trinkets until the meat finishes cooking. I pull it out of the cooker, cut it open, and arrange it on a plate for Master Synn. As I do, he takes one of the meat strips and tosses it back in the cooker. I furrow my brow but don't complain. After a few minutes, he pulls it out and sets it on another plate. He pushes the plate toward me.

"Don't forget to feed yourself, too. I doubt you enjoy it raw as I do." He grabs his plate, exits the kitchen, and I follow.