48 Hours (Kris/Naelona)

[Kristopher Roberts]

He hadn't been home in the past two days, he couldn't return to Dorm 2, his home sweet home. It wasn't because he didn't want too but simply that he wasn't allowed too, not right now anyways. His Master, Naelona Ezel, wished for him to stay with her for fourty-eight hours and who was he to tell her no? He was simply a human slave boy who had made a promise to never lie to her, to obey every command without complaint. He had made this promise in order to return to her side and leave the boogie that onced owned him, Sin.

He never ever wanted to return to that boogie, never in a million years would he want to go back to him. He would never wish that kind of evil even on his worst enemies. Sin had used and abused him to the highest level of mental and physical abuse known to happen to a human and lived. It had been Kristopher's darkest hour within Wonderland. He often wondered which was worse, his abusive parents or the boogie. It was a hard pick to be honest.

However, he pushed all those thoughts from his mind as he rested beside his Madam, his Mistress, his Master, Naelona. He wasn't looking at her, he hand his thin but strong arms resting around her waist, holding her close to him like the good boy that he was taught to be. His thin white shirt was laying folded neatly in a near by chair as well as his shoes, his pants however remained on his person. His colorful tattoos traveled up his arms like a pair of sleeves that intergrated into part of his biceps and stopped there. His colorful body held a mixture of love bites and marks that where well hidden within his tattoo's minus a few that where left on his skin from Corvus. Damn boogie, Kris would be carring those brusises for a week.

He shifted to get more comfortable with his Boogie, his blond hair falling over his red and green eyes. The said eyes was looking far off, past the boogie that he held. Ken, Kristophers feline, rested in a chair in the far corner, the cat was watching Mar like a wolf would a newborn lamb.

The blond let out a small sigh as his green glass earring shifted to fall down the side of his neck lazily. His mind was wondering towards Augusta and wondered how he had been without him these past few days as well as the events that happened. How was he going to handle this---cheating event. It was heart breaking really but there was little he could do about it he supposed and if Augusta really---didn't want to be with him---he wouldn't hold him to it---the marriage idea. Then there was the eye issue with hadn't been addressed yet---ugh so much stress.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind and shifted in the bed, resting his face against his Madam's black and white hair, breathing her scent in to still his nerves that where haywire as of late.

[Naelona Ezel]

For the time Kristopher had been there, Naelona had yet to stir much. Maybe she shifted a little in her sleep, or slipped a murmur of whatever was flittering through her mind. Naelona was never without her reasons, and this time was little different. There was a purpose behind her demands and mandates. To her it'd been astounding how many slaves before forgot that.

Of late, it was an accepted fact to the boogie that she didn't rest well alone. For as much as she detested most humans and boogies alike, and any physical contact with the lot of them, it was a bit of an irony that it was her closest slave here with his arms around her that she rested well. It was curious how the one source which they kidnapped, maimed, consumed, killed, mortified, tormented was the source they derived their sustenance, their livelihood, their entertainment ..and their comfort.

While Naelona had handled her space being invaded by Jou's familiar unusually well (with a resolved effort of determination) those things still set her off. She didn't physically react as she might have even a few months ago, but her mind and nerves were anything but restful from it. It bothered and irritated her both, that such an old event still undid what rest she could acquire, and even more so that something simple could upset it. For some reason, trying to 'rationally' think about it in her cliche black and white mindsets did little to alleviate the matter, either.

Creatures in wonderland and the threats they could possess were not limited to their physical size, or apparent capability. Rationalizing the gold eyes of those beasts were not the same as those who possessed similar shades in their own faces was to invite death. Like in the garden - it was the unassuming flower that had razors on the underside of its leaves, and drew blood with it's roots.

From across the room Mar shifted uneasily on it's perch, watching that damn cat, and probably wondering how much trouble it'd get in if it snapped the things neck. With a chatter, Mar fidgeted and stayed put. It wouldn't be such a good idea. The cat would probably smack Mar across the room before the creature had a chance.

Murmuring quietly Nae reached her arm about Kris' side and pulled him close, pressing to him and his warm body. Thus far she'd been unaware of his bruises, but seeing as her hand brushed from his back to his shoulder to pull herself a bit higher, she'd probably be finding a few in due time. Content, the boogie nudged his neck to bury her face by his, near his ear. Cracking one eye open, then the other she frowned and refolded her arms to her chest with a shiver. Blinking while her eyes focused, attributing colors to their lines as one of his tattoos came into focus slowly.

"Kristopher.." The name sounded with an ancient accent, and betrayed her disoriented waking moments. She started to speak again, but stopped as the words were old and he wouldn't understand them. "Open the curtains." she murmured instead, sinking deep into the pillow and the sheets until just her black and while hair and dark pair of eyes showed at the top.

[Kristopher Roberts]

A pair of discolored orbs glanced down at Naelona. Kristopher didn't move as Naelona stirred, he laid very still and kept her to him even though she pressed into him more, hungry for the warmth his body offered. A small smile slid across his face, one of fondness and care like one would give a child. Naelona wouldn't see it, she was far to busy nuzzling into his neck and working on waking up.

His hands shifted from her waist to her lower back, holding her as his one hand traveled to brush the hair from her face. He pulled back lightly to look down at her as those dark orbs of her's crack open into life. Showing she as inbetween being awake and deeply asleep. Cute really, if a boogie could ever look cute.

He waited a moment, watching her blink as her eyes adjusted to the dark room and what was going on in her bed. A soft chuckle resounded in his chest, a pale hand moving against her cheek. "Good morning, Madam." Kristopher spoke softly as he always did with that voice of velvet that he owned. It was really one of the only ways anyone could tell that he was male when he was dressed and working. He opened his mouth to ask if she had rested well but stopped at the odd sound of his name. He didn't question it, he was used to it really, she had sometimes spoke his name with that old accent when he was but a boy.

"Open the curtains."

Wordlessly, he moved from the bed softly, taking care and positioning Naelona on her soft pillows so not to harm her or move her to much as he stood. The blond ran his hands through his thick curls for a moment, as his eyes went to his folded shirt, wondering if he should put it on. He supposed not yet, seeing as he might have to lose it again later. Naelona always did like to look at his tattoo's even if she wouldn't admit.

Padded feet moved across the wood and carbet of the bedroom and to the windows where his hands grabbed the fabric and slowly moved it to the side, allowing some light to enter the bedroom but not enough to blind her or him. He waited a few moments before opening the window the rest of the way.

Today seemed to be a rather sunny day with a few discolored clouds here and there, outside of course looked like a nightmare as always. He could see a few familars walking around, looking for their masters slaves to carry out their daily orders. The garden that he could see in the distance looked inviting as always, minus the fact Kris never went their anymore---not since he learned how bad flowers could hurt a human body.

Tearing his vision from the window, he glanced over his shoulder, studing Naelona on the bed. "It's rather nice today." He smiled again, turned and came to rejoin her on the bed for a second time.

[Naelona Ezel]

The irony of the position they held didn't occur to Naelona until after Kristopher had left the bed to follow her order. Him being there holding her in his arms in a protective way, and her being curled into his chest and hardly looking anywhere else, nor from that position being much able to. It strongly reminisced to her of when Kristopher was but a child, freshly abducted from his own world. Naelona had had to hold him in a much similar fashion to keep him from running away during the night. It was something she'd forced him to accept, and what irony years later it was what she purposely sought it out from him.

"Good morning, Madam." That is what he'd said? The line re-echoed in her slow-stirring mind. That was one of the things she did like about Kristopher, from an aesthetic perspective if anything, was his voice. It was soft and gentle, it wasn't threatening, and obeyed well. It wasn't harsh, or rough upon the ears but rather drew a soul in. That made one wonder if boogies even had souls, and if they had perhaps he had already drawn it it.

Also amusing how he was so gentle with her, despite that boogies were the hardier race by far. To her, rationally, it made no sense. But bit by bit the old practice was beginning to slip. Part of that inflicted fear, though the emotion was still a nameless sensation to her. It made her feel open, exposed, bare.. and want her slave to be nearby again. Almost akin to a child and a favorite stuffed toy.

Blinking in the bright light, Naelona frowned and slowly sat up in bet, shielding her face from the light. "It's rather nice today." Perhaps it was. "It is a day, Kristopher" Naelona simply stated in return, leaning against her slave once he was settled again, resting her ear above his heart and listening to the stubborn rhythm that defied countless odds and dangers. Wordlessly taking one of his hands she looked at it in the light before wrapping her fingers around his. It was a slow morning. But so was time after a few hundred years.

"What's this?" The boogie pointed to a tinted patch of skin, a narrow darkened patch that lay in a gap between where one tattoo ended and another began. With a frown Naelona ran a thumb over the spot. Bruises were common when it came to Kristopher, but something about this one seemed a little different. And for some reason it bothered her.

[Kristopher Roberts]

The blond chuckled a second time as Naelona made herself comfortable on his body once again. He looked strangle amused as she listened to his heart beat in his chest. That very heart was impossible to break it seemed, he had survived so many attacks from so many different boogies. He had been a visitor to the Widows Trap many times in his life and survived the Labyrinth twice, as well as coming close to death at least a dozen times. But he always crawled back into his body, breathing and living on.

He had wondered once, if he was cursed to survive in this world or if some boogie kept dragging him back. It would be a sad day, the day Kristopher Roberts died---if it ever came. But so far out of nineteen years, it hasn't. He was still playing a dangerous game of chess with the grim reaper.

Who knew how many pieces he had left or which kind. Even if he had a single pawn and his King left, he could still win the game as long as he could gain a Queen.

He closed his eyes for the time being, resting his head against the doft pillows with one knee bent for comfort. A hand resting around Naelona's shoulders, he could easily go back to sleep if she let him.

"What's this?"

Once again, he cracked his eyes open slowly and looked down at his hand that Naelona held within her much smaller one. A tilt of the head and he could see what she was poking at, and feel it was well. A frown touched his lips, then he sighed softly. "It is merely a bruise, Naelona. I get them a lot from time to time. It will go away within a week." He reassured her, but knew where that small mark had come from.

His time with Corvus, as well as when Augusta had grabbed him before he had gotten drunk and stayed with his old flame. "Try not to worry. I can see a lot better now, thanks to you." His words where soothing, trying to distract her away from the markings his body held.

[Naelona Ezel]

Curse or no curse. Kristopher had long proven to be the best bet she'd ever maid. But how much of a bet could he be? Some things weren't worth wagering.. and perhaps because somethings weren't, it wagered all the trouble in the world.

Frowning Naelona pulled his arm a bit closer, looking at the bruise before resettling against him. But even as she did so, his assuring words didn't keep her eyes from wandering about the lines of color, examining the tattooed skin. "You do.." he bruised often. Very often. Became sick just as much. His voice had a strange soothing effect, but some part of her mind rebelled.

"Try not to worry. I can see a lot better now, thanks to you." Naelona blinked and looked up at the blond boy. Making a note in her throat she brushed her fingers lightly across the scars and about the eye. Her father had done a thorough job, and so had she. She watched the red eye move in tandem with the green. Save for the color, nothing else seemed amiss.

"It hasn't harmed you?" Naelona asked softly, brushing from his eye, to cheek, to neck. Pausing to look at the earring he often wore, tilting it lightly in the daylight. The eye was a boogie eye, within the head of a human slave. If it were possible - she was glad - that so far there didn't seem to be any complications from it.

Resting a hand upon his chest, something still nagged at her mind. There was a slight touch of teeth upon the skin before Naelona shifted, resting her forehead just beneath his collarbone. It was known certain emotions drew boogies in. Most drawn in by one negative trait in a slave, or another. Usually it was something they spent inflicting upon the child for the remainder of their life. Like moths to a flame. "If it is fine, then why do I feel pain..?" She asked, her dark eyes settling upon a spot on his chest, and pressing upon it firmly in a test. She was sure she'd found another.

[Kristopher Roberts]

"You do.."

Yes, he did. He had always gained bruises easily and sometimes people forgot about that. It was annoying really, but Kristopher often dealt with it on a day to day basis and so it was nothing more then a normal part of his life to have at least some kind of bruise on his person. Made either by an object or a person.

Seeming as if to escape the subject of his bruises, he smiled down at her gently and leaned his head into the palm of her hand. He never really minded her touch, as long as it was gentle like it was right now. His red eye locked onto her carefully, studying his master carefully.

"It hasn't harmed you?"

"No." He said simply, telling the truth like he had promised they day she took him back into her arms. "My body hasn't rejected it." That was something only Naelona knew, she had yet to tell him that the eye he had now was that of a boogies. He had a general idea of what it was but he never asked her to clarify it, he never would either. He was just happy that he could see once again and did not have to fear going blind.

As the pale hand traveled down his head to his neck, he kissed the hand gently when it past near his lips. He had to tilt his head to do so, but he had no issue in performing such an action to his keeper. He flinched only slightly as the teeth grazed his skin. It wasn't uncomfortable, just unexpected.

His eyes glanced down to watch her then, curious and slightly shaken. Not in fear but what might be going through her mind. Naelona was a hard book to read most of the time. "Naelona?" He called her name softly.

"If it is fine, then why do I feel pain..?"

A push on that certain spot made the blond grunt in pain and close one eye out of response. The spot on his chest was tender still, stupid Corvus had too much fun leaving his mark on his body. This wasn't really a good thing either, if Naelona asked he would have to reply honestly to her, as went their contract if you will.

It seemed he might be caught red handed.

[Naelona Ezel]

"No. My body hasn't rejected it." So far. Nae's lips curled slightly for a moment. As long lived as they were, she wouldn't be horribly suprised if it took years before something set in. But by then whatever it was would probably be well on it's way to destroying his fragile body. Naelona halted the thoughts, slaves possessed short lives as it was. There was little point in considering how long Kristopher's might last, save for how well he possessed it for the moment.

"Naelona?" Hearing her name Naelona's frown stayed, but she looked up at her slave, searching one eye then the other. Hearing his grunt of pain she moved closer, moving to sit upon his lap while her fingers searched across his chest for any more, minding she didn't accidentally start tickling him. Not like that hadn't inadvertendly happened before.

Leaning close she sniffed at his skin lightly, but whatever she was checking for she didn't find. The fact her slave wasn't answering her right away bothered the boogie, pressing her fingers into another place. "Kristopher." she stated bluntly, giving him a hard look.

From across the room Mar started chattering loudly in a way that almost sounded like laughter. It would be wise if the boy started talking, and he probably knew it. "I don't believe a wall or a table can bruise like a hand." Oh hell and high water. Nae was as protective as she ever was, and if someone was laying their hands on Kris she'd have their hands on stakes. But if the boy was crossing lines.. it could just as easily be his hands instead.

[Kristopher Roberts]

"Kristopher. I don't believe a wall or a table can bruise like a hand."

Kristopher looked into the eyes of the woman that raised and protected him as well as tortured him more then once. He knew better then to lie and try to hide the truth from her. Slowly he let out a sigh and leaned into the pillows as she poked around at him like some demented doctor. The sniffing he ignored. The chuckling monkey on the other hand, he glared at and Ken started to move towards the beast, stalking slowly.

Best to bite the bullet.

He twitched again when she found a few others hidden in his tattoos. "I had gotten upset and went to the study to have a few drinks in private." He started, looking up at the ceiling. "In short, I hadn't handle my liquiour very well and Corvus had found me." The blond ended at that and gestured towards his body as if it explained the rest and it did.

"More my fault then his, I suppose. It wasn't meant to happen, I thought I had locked the door and was alone. I apologize if it displeases you." The blond said honestly and lowered his gaze to meet Naelona's. He rolled his tongue about in his mouth for a moment.

He looked towards his arm and sighed, there a bruise was fading away. That one had not been made by Corvus. His two colored eyes went back to his Mistress and realized he shouldn't stop talking yet as her eyes demanded to know the rest of the story.

"The arm was done by Augusta." He sounded defeated at admitting it. He didn't want to get either man in trouble, but once again, he was bound to tell the truth. He really had no choice, it was either speak or be given away to the boogie he hated once again. That made him sick in the stomach to even think it.

His strong hands rested on Naelona's waist, as if it would give her some comfort. Which he doubt it would. So instead, he looked back down at her, his right hand rose, gently he ran it across her cheek and through her hair on the right side. "Don't be angry...please." He requested softly with a tired look reflexing in his eyes. The blond was honestly tired and he would love for the morning to be pleasant and not suffer his madam's rage.

[Naelona Ezel]

Mar screeched and scrambled out of the room the moment the cat started to approach. The familiar knew what would happen if that damned feline got close enough. It knew very very well. Some finally-healed scratches on the creatures backside were testament to that. And the bite of it's ear.

Naelona's shoulders drooped as her gaze hardened. Corvus was a name she'd hadn't heard in a while. Not purposely at least. The demented sticky fingers had possessed an eye for Kristopher ever since he was young. Naelona sighed, letting her hands sink from his sides to her lap instead. "More my fault then his, I suppose. It wasn't meant to happen, I thought I had locked the door and was alone. I apologize if it displeases you." By then Naelona wasn't looking at him but off down at her knee instead.

"Shh." Placing two fingers upon Kris' lips, they lingered only a moment. A boogie had any right to a slave, that was lawful, but the thought that it was her slave. That stirred something, and made her want to hit Corvus, but her fists were nowhere close to him and so stayed clenched by her sides.

"The arm was done by Augusta." Something flashed into being within Naelona's eyes. She was angry at both of them, Augusta and Corvus. But neither were here, only Kristopher. The thoughts of the two were slowly churning, building in her mind. The lines already forming of what she would say to them, what she would demand, do - she'd..

"Don't be angry...please." The soft voice cut the anger and reached her ears as gently as it'd left his lips, and the boogie even flinched from it. Scowling at the blankets, her expression was one of contempt and anger. As he brushed her cheek and hair, Naelona bit her lip with a shiver, while her fists shook. But with all her ills, the gentle gesture and pleading look, the boogie sat a little straighter. Anger was an emotion, a senseless thing of nonsensical color. It had no place in the world. It didn't fit in a box, like any other emotion..

"Why shouldn't I be?" Be angry? But anger was nonsense.. The words came forced between her teeth anyway, her expression sinking into more confusion looking upon him than rage. What was it they did in such strange times? There was no retribution her mind conjured that Kristopher deserved.. and he'd remained true to his promise and told her.. Hesitating a couple times, Naelona leaned in haltingly, watching her slave conflictingly as though some sudden terror upon his face might tell her her whole perception of what to try to do was distorted. It felt awkward, and strange, but Naelona eventually leaned against the boy, putting an arm behind his back to press him to her in a sort of hug. The gesture was awkward for her and it showed, but she did so anyway.

Her mind whirred trying to recall what such a thing supposedly meant. Why did she care? - what was there to care about? Caring was an emotion, a senseless thing o-.. too much thinking. Tightening her arm she pulled him close, protectively, with a low hiss. "And what did Augusta do?" He'd better have been saving Kristopher's skin, to justify a mark like that.

[Kristopher Roberts]

The blond slave remained silent, staring down softly at his boogie, watching her and gauging her reactions to his words. The fingers on his lips was oddly comforting if not strange to him. She rarely put her fingers to his lips to make him go silent. He took note of her clenched fist and his look softened.

The hand that had been resting near her waist moved to touch the fist gently, trying to get rid of her rage and whatever else she could be feeling at the time. He personally did not want to be hit anymore, but if he was to be smack, then so be it. He would live with it like he always had growing up. Pain was a part of his life. He looked at her questionably for a moment, afraid of what she might say or do, but also concerned.

"Why shouldn't I be?"

Finally, she spoke to him but her words came out in anger, the words forced from between her teeth. A frown touched his features, deeper then it had moments ago. He didn't sigh this time, instead he laid his hand upon the one on his face and moved it to the side after giving those two fingers a small kiss. It wasn't one of love but out of compassion and for his own safety as well as others. He had to try and keep her from becoming a raging monster if he could help it. He knew how obessed she was with him, he knew that many years ago, but he never spoke of it to anyone.

This was something between him and his Master, no one else. "Naelona..." He said softly, "You have every righ to be as my owner, but I wish for you not to be...for my sanity, even if it means very little, I don't want to see you upset." Nor did he want her to lash out at him or anyone else for that reason.

He expected to be hit at any moment, but nothing came, no pain no nothing. Instead she leaned forward and rested against his body, hugging him tightly. He looked baffled with his arms out streched, then slowly those arms lowered to wrap about her carefully. Resting his chin on the top of her head.

"And what did Augusta do?"

Another subject he didn't want to touch on, thankfully, she could see his face right now as he looked uncomfortable and pained. But the expression would be gone if she looked at him. "We had gotten into a fight, it's not uncommon for us to argue." He paused, his arms tightening round her as he shifted uncomfortably. "The fight got heated, I turned to leave wanting nothing to do with him at the time. Augusta, he wasn't ready for me to leave and took hold of my arm a bit too forcibly and pulled. He didn't mean to harm me, it was merely an accident. He feels horrible for what he did..." Kristopher stopped talking then, trailing off on the sentence. He was no longer wanting to talk about their fight.

They have far to many fights as of late and his love was a ticking time bomb. Maybe Cor was right...Augusta wasn't good for him at all. "He won't do it again." A hand ran through Naelona's hair once again as he thought about the subject. he had said the same thing to Kyle and yet, Kristopher kept getting hurt either emotionally or physically.

It was a tough time for him and Augusta...but he wouldn't leave him, he loved him after all. Right? "Augusta." He paused, "Is normally very nice towards me with no ill intent, this was just something out of the blue...he's a good lad."

Just with a few issues.

[Naelona Ezel]

The kiss to her fingers, though small, still drew her attention. Or at least her eyes to the gesture. That was the second time he'd done that since she'd woken. Perhaps she should've understood what the sort to thing meant by now, but once again, it was Naelona. And so watched uncomprehendingly.

"Naelona... You have every righ to be as my owner, but I wish for you not to be...for my sanity, even if it means very little, I don't want to see you upset." The boogie shook her head with a frown. Feeling that odd blur that rested in her chest that - for all she knew - meant everything was screwed up and she was of little mind to soundly be going anywhere. Language had become a dead art to her for the moment, and resigned to holding him tight.

Perhaps she couldn't see his face, but she could sense the confliction in his being from her question. "You're still around him.." Naelona muttered hushly, a little hurt. "He still hurt you." Feelings were an aftereffect. They were null and void in the reason of things.. "He won't do it again. Augusta. Is normally very nice towards me with no ill intent, this was just something out of the blue...he's a good lad." She shook her head what she could, turning her face into his golden hair. One thing that never had changed about Kristopher was his hair, and the gorgeous curls in it.. "I believe you once said the same thing of your mother." It was simple, but it was true.

"You don't understand the nature of Wonderland." Pressing her lips together, Naelona frowned into his neck before speaking. "I don't expect you to understand it all, with as young as you are. Even I am still young, but.. you're younger still. This is a feral world, Kristopher. A land of beasts and monsters." Naelona took a moment to pet one of his stray curls. "If one isn't vigilant, even the land itself will consume you."

Peering up at him, she focused on one green eye. "It doesn't matter what he's like, Kristopher. He may be human now, but all slaves go one of two ways. You either become subservient to Wonderland, or in the end you consume the world with it. Dont think ill of my motives and what I do. Pay heed to where he is going." She rested her hand gently upon his heart. "Please."

[Kristopher Roberts]

"You're still around him..He still hurt you."

The blond sighed softly and ran his hand through Naelona's hair once again and kept at it at an easy pace. He needed her to stay non-violent for as long as possible, no matter what. But her words stung him as much as a slap in the face would do. He closed his eyes, hand pausing only for a brief moment.

"I don't think he will hurt me again, it's not his nature..."

What was Augusta's nature? Did Kristopher even know what he was like? He used to be a nice young man, caring and strong. He often smile and laugh even if it was just a little bit. He was normally more cheerful then Kris, but now...now it seemed he's changed little by little. But was it for the better? Kris really didn't know, but he was sure Augusta would work through his issues and then everything would return to the way it was...the way he loved it to be.

"I believe you once said the same thing of your mother."

This statement did make Kristopher freeze, as well as stop breathing for a second. His body grew tense, then slowly relaxed as his heart pounded in his chest by the mere thought of his mother. "H--H--He isn't like...my mother. She said she lo--loved me but...she didn't. She hurt me every night---A--A--Augusta hasn't. He hasn't do--done what she had..."

The boy had truly been startled and taken out of his comfort zone. He pressed his lips together tightly. "Don't compare him to her, they are nothing alike."

"You don't understand the nature of Wonderland. I don't expect you to understand it all, with as young as you are. Even I am still young, but.. you're younger still. This is a feral world, Kristopher. A land of beasts and monsters. If one isn't vigilant, even the land itself will consume you. It doesn't matter what he's like, Kristopher. He may be human now, but all slaves go one of two ways. You either become subservient to Wonderland, or in the end you consume the world with it. Dont think ill of my motives and what I do. Pay heed to where he is going. Please."

The slave said nothing for a long moment as he listened to her words, he didn't completely understand but he got the main idea of what she was meaning. He reopened his eyes, slowly looking down at her with a tired expression. She was concerned for him, it was a small shock but nothing he wasn't used too. She had always gave some sign of concern but he never could tell if it was honest or not. Today, it seemed to be.

"I will, for you." He stated simply, not sure what else to say from what he had heard.

[Naelona Ezel]

"H--H--He isn't like...my mother. She said she lo--loved me but...she didn't. She hurt me every night---A--A--Augusta hasn't. He hasn't do--done what she had..." His heart sounded like a drum within his chest, beneath her ear. His mother was a delicate topic, and one Naelona rarely brought up into conversation. Rarely had she need to, but for this situation it seemed most fitting.

"Nor does a rebellion occur overnight, Kristopher." Perhaps a weak comparison, but a true one. "Things to not become fact suddenly, or without cause. The fact alone she allowed you to live until the age I stole you is testament enough." 'Love' was a hazy concept, one Naelona associated more with ills of mind than anything, but the fact his mother never killed him at least said she didn't hate him. "Sometime's it's what is not done that poses the more potent evidence. He may not do such things to you now, but he never harmed you in the beginning either, did he?"

"To survive in this world, one must mind where things are going, not only where they have been." History may predict the future, but neither were useful without the guidance of the present. "Don't compare him to her, they are nothing alike." Naelona's frowned at him, but stayed rested against his shoulder. Her slave had changed a bit as well. She didn't appreciate the order, finding it a bit presumptuous of him to say, even if he was merely being frank.

"I will, for you." The words hung in the air for several moments. Eventually they were met by a small kiss to the side of his neck, it was about all she could reach without moving. "Thank you." she murmured softly. "Mar will keep an eye upon you, if you come to serious harm - or fear it, send him. I'll know of it quickly." Reaching up she took a few of his blond curls, toying with them.

"Tell me, where can that boy this time of day?" It seemed there were a few things of which he needed reminding. The boogie didn't trust him, and never had. It was high time she took care of a few matters.

[Kristopher Roberts]

"Nor does a rebellion occur overnight, Kristopher. Things to not become fact suddenly, or without cause. The fact alone she allowed you to live until the age I stole you is testament enough.Sometime's it's what is not done that poses the more potent evidence. He may not do such things to you now, but he never harmed you in the beginning either, did he? To survive in this world, one must mind where things are going, not only where they have been."

He couldn't say anything to that one. Not at all. He sighed softly as he leaned his head back against the bed, an arm moved to rest tightly around Naelona's middle. It would not be uncomfortable for her, but merely something he did to make sure she wasn't going to up and leave him suddenly, just something for him to hold on too.

"You are right on those matters, but she would of killed me soon enough if you hadn't stolen me from her. Augusta could do the same to me now, but I don't believe he would. He has a heart unlike my mother...she...only wanted her drugs, she never wanted me to begin with...but Augusta does." A pause suddenly happened as his green and red eye turned towards her slowly in a glance. "And I think you do as well..." He did not enlighten her anymore on that subject, instead he closed his eyes.

"Thank you. Mar will keep an eye upon you, if you come to serious harm - or fear it, send him. I'll know of it quickly. Tell me, where can that boy this time of day?"

He answered with little thought to the question, "At this time? Often either asleep, in the Fun House working or with his Master. Either of those three."

The blond shifted slightly but not enough to distrub Naelona from toying with his curl. He never admitted it, but he liked it when his hair was played with, of course she knew this as she knew many more things about Kristopher that others had not. Naelona had sent thoughts flying through his head then, things came together and formed, tonight he was being rather bold to her and he hoped it would not come back and bite him.

"Naelona," He said softly, his voice rumbled through his chest as his heart settled back to normal. "Why have you kept me alive all these years?" It was a simple question but one with so much meaning in it. "I'm not meaning to step out of place, but I always wondered. I wasn't the strongest of your humans, nor am I very useful beyond medical care of others. I can't read that well, nor can I write as good as most. I should of died many times over by now. You came for me when I was tossed into the Labyrinth twice. Rather then letting me die when I was lost last winter and hurt, you came for me and took care of me."

"You kept me away from other Boogies, took me back from Sin, and gave me a new eye to see with. Naelona, what am I too you other then a slave? I have wondered this for a long time, I am not complaining, more so curious like a child. You have gone outside the way of your people a lot for me. I do not tell others what you do for me but I can't help but wonder. Why you keep me when most others would have used me for their dinner." his voice was soft the whole time, speaking cauaslly yet with a serious/curious tone in his voice. But he never once meant to make his madam uncomfortable or angry.

His gentle hand came to stroke the pale cheek of his master softly.