Prying her eyes open, Caligo was barely able to look around before a tight blindfold was shoved over her eyes. Not that there was anything to see anyway. A fancy home, complete with a courtyard that immortal Lily would've loved. She didn't much care for it though, nor did she care for the smooth paved path. Both were signs that she was still in captivity, even if it was a nicer captivity than before.
She didn't make a single noise as it happened, just gritted her teeth and suffered silently, letting whoever had picked her up drag her towards wherever her next destination was.
Her bare feet scraped against the hard ground as she was pulled along, the iron grip on her arms almost as tight as the cuffs still tightly pinning her wrists behind her back. She shuffled along complacantly, hearing no exchange of conversation around her. Whoever was taking her seemed to want her to have no sense of where she was.
It wasn't all bad though. Even if she hated being led like a dog, she was at least able to hear the sounds of leaves rustling in the wind, and there was sun beating down on her back. This was better than before.
Fake Andre nodded at that thought, his imaginary self strutting alongside her without a care in the word. "Anything was better than that. At least now I'll only have to deal with listening to your panic attacks at night, not all the time."
She scowled at that, tripping and almost loosing her footing before the tight hands yanked her back to her feet, shoving her along faster. If anything, it brought her back to her senses, even if it did make her want to attack her guides and break free.
(I’m so sorry I haven’t responded! After I get back from work tonight I’ll have my reply up, if you’re still wanting to continue this? Again I’m so so sorry)
(It's totally, I would love to continue this! I forget to respond sometimes too so it's not a big deal!)
Andre was called to aid Marcus with the remainder of his bath, washing the man’s body and back with various oils and serums before helping him into a towel robe. His eyes fell to his master’s stomach where a twisted scar remained from the day Marcus was attacked in the town. A couple of thieves thought it would be funny to assault Marcus and take his money, if only Andre had been there in time…
“I do blame you, you know.” Marcus sighed, taking Andre’s hand and tracing his fingers over the ridges of the scar. “If you had been there then I doubt I would have been stabbed, but I suppose there’s no harm in a few battle wounds. We humans only have one life, so it’s best to obtain as many stories as possible to tell to the generations to come.”
Andre nodded silently as Marcus continued guiding his fingers over the scar; he didn’t dare look down any further than the injury as he knew the man was completely exposed, and for some reason he found it difficult to look at Marcus’ body at such a close distance when he wasn’t helping him clean.
After Marcus was dry and dressed, Andre had been ordered to take the dirty laundry down to the scullery maid. And so the Immortal did as he was told, carrying the small wicker basket of Marcus’ clothes down the hallway, where he caught the glimpse of someone familiar out of the corner of his eye and didn’t think to question if she was really there or not. It had been years since Andre had thought of her, even longer that he had last seen her, so it didn’t even cross his mind that there was even a small chance that one of his old friends was even in the same country and him.
Caligo was led along as she had been before, the grip on her arms loosening slightly when she didn't trip again. She couldn't tell where she was being led, but she could guess she was being brought inside, as the feeling of warm stone beneath her feet shifted to a feeling of cool tile. Where exactly she was going, she couldn't quite figure out.
Faltering slightly in her step as she was turned around a bend, the hands shoved her forward and she gritted her teeth, growling out in a scratchy voice, "I can walk on my own." Her voice sounded foreign even to her, the sound new to her ears. It had been too long since she had spoken, or really done more than scream to herself.
The hands didn't listen, even going as far as to shove her more roughly around the corner, simply grunting in response.
Fake Andre snickered in her head at her voice, "You should really talk more often, could help you sound more feminine, less like a teenage mortal boy."
This time, it was Caligo's turn to ignore him. She couldn't even think of a response, as her focus was brought back to the present when she was shoved through a door, the hands letting her go. The cuffs weren't taken off of her hands, and the blindfold was still on, but she was alone, albeit in a place she didn't know. It was progress.
(Hmm… Where should I take Andre from here? Do we want them to see each other again yet?)
( hmmmm it’s up to you, either Andre could see her, maybe talk, or ask Marcus about it? Or maybe Marcus could come see her?)
While Andre was delivering the laundry to the scullery maid, Marcus had gone for a pleasant stroll down to the cellar. It was a drab looking hallway with only a few lights flickering about the place, but the man wore a warm smile nonetheless and presently came to a door with a hatch at the top. Two guards stood either side of the door, keeping their composure firm as they allowed Marcus to open the hatch.
There, as his eyes lit up with glee, he saw the woman.
Marcus had been searching for Death for almost a decade of his life, and now she was finally in his home. His eyes danced over her body but she wasn’t quite Andre; she wasn’t quite as beautiful or put together, but he was happy to have her despite that.
He gently cleared his throat before speaking in his usual firm, proud tone. “Caligo Black, yes?”
Caligo was still processing her new home as Marcus approached her. She couldn't quite believe that only minutes ago she had been outside, with the warm sun on her back and hot stone under her feet. Now she was locked away again, the sun replaced with cool shade and the floor even colder still.
The guards hadn't removed the blindfold from her eyes, but she wasn't completely helpless. She had managed to shimmy the cloth away, though her restraints still pined her arms uselessly behind her back. Still, being able to survey her cell made her feel somewhat less panicked. She had gotten to a sitting position after being shoved in, facing towards the door with her back pressed against the farthest wall.
Her head whipped up when she heard her name called, the focus on her situation long gone. Instantly, she was looking at some human, who she instantly didn't want to get to know. The glee in his eyes made her feel like a prize a small child had won, and she hated it.
She didn't speak in response, just narrowed her tired eyes and tried to hold onto what little scraps of dignity she had.
“Oh this is wonderful!” Marcus’ sing-song voice echoed throughout the hallway as his eyes softened towards the woman. “I’ve heard many things about you, and although you’re not quite the individual I had pictured in my head, it’s still great to finally meet you.”
When Andre had first come into Marcus’ possession, he had been forced to tell the master little parts of his past every day until the Immortal had started expecting it and already planned ahead the things he was going to tell Marcus. That was mistake number one; he shouldn’t have mentioned the names of any other Immortal he had been close with.
Mistake number two was mentioning Caligo. Period. Marcus had a hunger for power, and with both Life and Death under his command he figured he pretty much had it all. Not that Marcus would ever reveal that to Andre.
“I’m sorry that they threw you down here.” Marcus spoke firmly. “And I’m sure you understand that the blindfold and shackles were just a precaution?”
Caligo wasn’t sure how this man had supposedly learned so much about her, but she figured whatever it was, it had to be a lie. There were very few humans still alive that she had known, and whatever tales of her were spun largely out of proportion. The only way he would know anything about her was through an immortal.
“What did Death look like in your mind?” She questioned, the same quiet raspy voice as before showing, “Something grander, blown out of the water by centuries of tales?”
Caligo looked back down to her legs as she considered the man’s next words. No one would be sorry to put an immortal in chains, though she believed that it truly was a precaution. Not many believed her when she said she would do no harm. “I understand precautions, but I don't recommend treating all of your…toys, like this. It’s not a good way to gain trust.”
“Death, to me, looked a little taller and a lot less hateful.” Marcus spoke softly. “I expected the eyes to be wiser, more tired, and more peaceful.”
There was a brief moment of silence as he considered his next words.
“I do not think of you Immortals as toys,” Marcus tutted with the shake of his head. “More like allies. The chains were only meant for the travel, I had given the orders that they would be removed once you were secured in the room.” The man hissed through his teeth at one of the guards on standby, who quickly apologised to him. “Nevertheless,” Marcus continued, turning back to Caligo. “I believe that in order to gain trust, I must treat you well. So I’d like to have you at the dinner table tonight. You’ll be taken to a new room, in which you are free to do as you like, and then you are to attend the meal. I can think of someone who may be glad to see you there.”
Caligo shook her head at his description. He was describing her before she had been subjected to pain at human hands. Time wasn't something she bowed to, but it still ran it's course, even on her.
She didn't criticize him for his ignorance though, just simply stared at her legs, barely listening as she found herself wishing that he would leave. He wasn't horrible to speak with, he was just…human, which made it much harder for her to tolerate him being around.
"You'll have to do much better than directing me to attend a meal to gain my trust…" She finally replied, trailing off when she realized she didn't yet know the man's name. It did make her curious about who was there that wanted to see her, but she assumed that it would be no more than a new buyer, maybe a cruel companion to this man.
“Oh I’m well aware of that,” Marcus nodded to the girl’s statement. “It took me months, maybe even years, to finally gain someone else’s trust. But now he understands that I am not the heartless man he thought I was, he understands he has a restricted freedom but a freedom nonetheless.”
He continued to stare at Caligo before releasing a soft sigh as he gestured to the guards. “Be gentle with her, take her to the allocated room,” his eyes drifted back to Caligo for a moment as a small glimmer lit up his eyes. “I think I’ll leave it as a surprise, I’d love for you to see his face when the two of you see each other.” With that, Marcus walked away from the cell and allowed the guards to handle Caligo, taking her up to a rather lavish room.
(I hate being that person, but bump..?)
(Shit, sorry for not responding sooner, I been completely spacing out on responses)
Caligo didn’t bother looking up to argue, just simply picked at her nails as she stared at the floor. Anything she had to say about freedom wouldn’t help her anyway, and she didn’t want to make her conditions worse here.
Opening her mouth to ask more about the mystery man she was going to meet, she quickly close it once more while he walked away. The guards didn’t bother clarifying anything about the interaction either, saying nothing as they helped her to her feet and led her away from the cell.
They were definitely gentler with her, she could say that, but they still treated her like a prisoner. Fittingly, since that was what she was. Led to a new room, they stopped once they reached it, opening the door to show her the new living space.
A gorgeous room sat in front of her, furnished and decorated beautifully. Even she could see that. Deep gray sheets decorated a large bed, and there was a matching chair tucked in a corner, next to a large bookshelf. There was even a small desk against the wall, and a dresser for clothes, all matching the dark grays and soft blues of the room. Her eyes widened when she took in the sight, and she was sure it was a dream, even as the guards let go of her and she was able to walk forward.
One of the guards turned to her while the other remained at his post outside the door. “If you require a wash, there is a bathing room through that door to the right.” He gestured to the mentioned door before continuing. “You will find soaps and towels already laid out beside the basin. Fresh clothes are kept within the dresser, you may wear them if you wish and I would advise that you do so as your own clothes aren’t exactly the most fragrant due to your travelling conditions. You have two hours before we take you down to the dining room, if you have any questions we will be outside to answer them.” With that, the guard closed the door and remained stood outside with his comrade.
Caligo's eyes followed where the guard pointed, but she stayed where she stood until the door closed behind the guard. Only then did she actually turn and take in her surroundings. It had been years since she had been allowed a room like this, let alone the privacy to feel some kind of calm. And as much as she knew not to fall for the facade of nice, she felt her guard drop for a moment.
Shaking her head, she cleared it of her thoughts and headed towards the bathing room, her movements cautious as she did so. Like the guard said, there was a stack of fresh towels and several soaps laid out for her, which she approached with slight curiosity. Smelling the soaps, she quickly picked her favorites and laid the rest aside, spending the next few minutes trying to figure out how to get water to fill the bathtub. The system wasn't horribly complex, but she took her time getting the water to the right temperature. All without speaking a word to herself, or even the faint voices of the dead.
As soon as the tub was filled, she stripped and slipped in, ignoring every instinct to look over herself and see just how injured she was. Instead, she busied herself with scrubbing herself clean and soaking in the water, knowing her time was ticking away.
Down at the other end of the hallway, Andre was so busy helping Marcus to look his best for the impromptu meal that asking what had been the ruckus earlier had completely slipped his mind. He bit his lower lip and squinted while steadily drawing on the master’s bright blue eyeliner, before he let out a soft breath of relief and set to work styling Marcus’ hair.
By the time they were finished, there was just little under ten minutes for Andre himself to get ready. Surprisingly, however, Marcus wanted to help him. After the Immortal had washed and changed, he found himself being forced to the vanity table Marcus had been sat at before a section of powders and products were applied to his face. “Just don’t rub your face or I’ll slap you.”
Andre knew he wasn’t joking, so he made a mental note to make extra sure that his hands went nowhere near his face.
The men made their way down to the dining room and Andre was told to wait until the guest was seated before he could sit down. Marcus turned to the nearby guard and asked for him to send for their guest, the anticipation of what would happen when the two Immortals met slowly eating away at his fluttering stomach. “I hope our guest thinks you’re as beautiful as I do, Andre.” He spoke softly, his eyes glimmering as he looked up at the other man.
“I think only you would ever find me beautiful,” Andre shook his head with a soft sigh. “I still don’t know why you think that about me, since I’m technically a slave to you.”
“Who ever said that slaves can’t be beautiful too? Now hush, our guest is almost here!”
It had been centuries since Caligo had last been allowed the pleasure of choosing what to wear, and so, as she watched the bath drain, she couldn't figure out what came next. What was she going to wear? She knew enough to figure out that brushing her hair was somewhere in the order. Did she need makeup? Was her hair supposed to be styled as well?
Grabbing one of the larger towels, she wrapped it around herself and stepped away from the basin, thinking back on what the guard had said. He hadn't mentioned anything about makeup, only clothing. And so she started there. Making her way to the dresser, she quietly selected and slipped into an outfit, trying to look for something neutral and dark. Eventually, she settled on a soft purple top, and a pair of black pants, searching for a pair of shoes to match.
Once she had given up on looking for a pair, she went back to the bathroom to finish getting ready. Looking into the bathroom mirror gave her the first glimpse of herself in quite a while, and she was a sight. Her hair had grown long, and it sat in a damp mess on her head, her pale skin was only accented by the lack of sunlight she had received, and her already thin frame looked skeletal from too little food. Even so, she didn't spend much time studying herself, just found a brush, dealt with her hair and left the room. The person she saw in the mirror was too different to be herself anyway.
By the time the guards came in to get her, she had resorted to using the rest of her time to try to actively ignore the voices in her head. She went with them willingly and quietly, not putting up a fight as she was led through the halls. Walking calmed her mind, leaving it open for her to study where she was. Nothing much stood out to her. It was a home, grand and spacious, lavish even, but it didn't make a single ounce of emotion appear on her face.
(Sorry this is taking so long, I’m a little stumped for how to reply >~< I’ll think of something!)
(No worries you’re all good!)
As the footsteps down the hall grew closer, both Andre and Marcus held their breaths in anticipation— although both were for completely different reasons.
In Andre’s mind, their guest was someone looking to potentially buy him from Marcus. That thought scared him the most because what if they weren’t as nice to him as Marcus was? What if they abused him and his power, like he had thought Marcus would do?
Marcus was almost drunk with excitement as the door rattled and opened, and he stood up from the table with a wide grin. “I’m pleased you decided to join us,” he spoke before anyone had even entered the room. “Please, take a seat, Miss Caligo.”
Caligo outwardly showed no signs of nervousness or excitement as they reached their destination. She already knew that her new owner was there, but she had no clue who the other guest would be. It made her gut twist to be unsure of who it was, even as the doors opened and she was able to see.
Her eyes locked first on her buyer, instantly noting the excitement in his eyes. She wondered what it was for. Until her eyes traveled to the other guest and her heart dropped.
Sitting next to her buyer, was the one man who she hadn’t seen in centuries. And he hadnt changed a bit.
Andre couldn’t be here. She refused to believe it. Frozen in her spot between the doors, her eyes never left the male. He looked like Andre, dressed however strangely, and his eyes held the same look they had when they had parted ways. Still, it couldn’t be him.
“No.” She whispered, her eyes never moving from Andre’s look-alike.
Caligo wondered if he recognized her. She had changed over the years, grown thinner, her hair longer than she ever wore it, and her eyes holding what she was sure was a different look than what Andre -if it was him- would know. If he did remember her…she wasn’t sure what it would do to her. All she could do was pray it was all a dream.
