Life in Hell (ATTN: Parina)

[Parina]

David grinned. "Excellent!"

Then a voice could be heard from down the hall. "David?" It was the sound of Adam's voice.

"Yeah, what?" David rolled his eyes. Couldn't a guy have some fun around here?

"If the girls are with you, send 'em to my study," Adam shouted. "Need to talk to them."

David sighed. "OK!" He looked at Amber. "You heard him," he said. "Looks like I'll have to catch you ladies later."

[Redemption States]

"Yeah," Amber said with a small pout as she pulled herself up off David's lap. "You don't think it's bad, do you?" The girls had been none too happy with their owner so far and got the impression the feeling was mutual.

Crystal shrugged. "No help for it." She led the way, with Amber and Padma following.

[Parina]

Adam was in his study, speaking with a number of other people including someone who looked like a chef and a maid. He saw the girls come in and motioned for them to sit down.

When he was done talking, he walked over and sat down with them.

"Girls," he began. "Tomorrow Baron Remur, the man who runs this island, is coming for a visit. This is very important to me, which means it's important to you as well. Now, Amber and Crystal, instead of cleaning tomorrow I expect you to help Padma with serving, and you will be wearing those leotards that you saw when you arrived."

He stopped. "Anything else...no, that seems to be it. Be on your best behavior tomorrow or you will be severely punished. Understand?"

[Redemption States]

Padma opened her mouth to speak but then closed it when he said that was it. All three women nodded.

[Parina]

Adam turned to Padma. "Padma, do you have something to say?" His voice had a tone that suggested whatever she had to say, it better had not be something disobedient.

[Redemption States]

"No," Padma said with a gulp. She took a deep breath at his stare and then got up to leave with the others. Their eyes spoke volumes although they didn't say anything back.

The three women headed back out to David. Amber sighed as she looked up at him, running a hand through her silky hair. "We're not going to be able to go with you tomorrow. Your father would rather humiliate us in front of some baron."

While Amber spoke, Padma crawled into David's lap and rested her head on his shoulder. Then she started sobbing uncontrollably. "I hate slavery so much! I wish the hand of God would just smite it from the face of the Earth! It's monstrous! Monstrous!" She didn't even care if Adam heard her in the other room. He probably could. If he hadn't realized how profoundly, how deeply, the women hated being here with him, now he did.

"It could be worse," Crystal said, tugging down on her skirt slightly as she looked to the door, expecting Adam to burst in any moment. "You've worked harder for longer hours and under harsher discipline," she pointed out.

"Yeah..." Amber said thoughtfully. "But it's not the same thing. Long hours, bad food, even the whip, their just hardships. It's like being stranded at sea. It's hell but you still get to be you. It's removed, like a force of nature. This kind of humiliation, systematic and casual, that's a lot more personal. In some ways, it hurts worse despite the comforts. Is that what you mean, Padma?" Amber was speaking gently, hoping to clam the other woman down, although, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to cry too. Cry or rush in there, attack Adam, and let what happened happen. The only reason she didn't was she found herself caring how David would feel about it.