Part Two - 01 | Drowning

Dearest daughter of mine,

I do hope things are going well with your studies. Knowing you, you're probably sticking your nose into trouble at Linia's side, but that's just who you are. As long as you are keeping your grades off the ground and keeping out of harm's way, I'm satisfied.

I'm writing this letter to inform you that the slave owner who goes by the name of Augustus is readily awaiting bad news from your end. He, alongside a number of other folks related to him, are counting on the possibility of you failing to find marriage before your birthday.

This scares me. I am not willing to let you go, but by law of the tribe, there is no other option. I do not wish to let this man take you, for I fear what will become of you. Some say I shouldn't worry over your safety, as you are becoming an adult of your own very soon, but this does not change the fact that you are still my daughter.

Please, don't give that crooked man the satisfaction. I want you to be happy, and happiness is far from those who lay down their innocence to become slaves of Augustus.

I love you very much, Pursena. Make me proud.

- Father

...

Pursena clutches the paper tight, threatening to rip it with how her emotions easily leak into her palms and rile her fingers with vibrating rage. There's no sense in acting out, she thinks. What's done is done. The words are already on the page and she has already read them in her mind.

The girl then begins to realize.

Her fate is sealed. Now, she only exists at this school simply to bide her time. In only a few short months, she will become a slave, be stripped of her pride and joy and dignity.

Just a helpless beast-kin, repurposed to become an obedient lapdog...

She crumples the paper up and tosses it violently to the wall.

Not even an act of anger such as this can quell her neverending desperation. No matter what she hits or how ever loud she yells, it will still feel as though she's drowning in the deepest pit built of her own hopelessness.

* * *

Lately, you've been feeling rejuvenated. After all that has transpired, you have emerged a brand new kind of person, one with their priorities set straight and their head on their shoulders. On top of that, you're once again excelling in your studies — not that you ever doubted yourself; you are among the elite, and you certainly have the brains to back up that fact.

Pursena and Linia are no longer hostile toward you. Every time you see them around campus and in class, Linia will holler, "Hey, Boss!" while wearing a toothy grin. Her sister will grant you a small smile and a "Hey" as she strolls by every so often.

Even the students around you acknowledge you for being on the Doldias' good sides. Every now and again you'll catch someone unfamiliar to you gawking at the sight of Linia looking delighted to be around you. You'll hear the faintest gossip about you and the sisters being on good terms.

Just like that, you've gone from the bottom of the barrel to way on top. If you're lucky, some strangers might even start referring to you as Boss just like Linia does. You've really earned a name for yourself.

Now that it's nearing the end of October, you start to think. You haven't really gotten much out of the girls yet. You told them they'd be your servants from now, and while it does seem like they'd be willing to lay down whatever they're doing in the moment to cater to you, you haven't actually ordered them around.

You accept the fact you've just got a soft side and can't yet bring yourself to turn the girls into your maids.

Today is a windy day. Not even the warmth of the academy walls keeps out a slight breeze. You're sitting in class, kind of chilly, urged to hug your shoulders when Pursena takes a seat beside you. You jump a little, not expecting her.

"Sorry," she says. "Did I startle you?"

You calm yourself enough to shake your head. "No, you're fine. What's up?" You look toward the snack in her hand. Well, less of a snack and more of a portable dinner. Pursena's signature meat-on-the-bone. You like to wonder if she ever gets sick of eating these.

"I was wondering, Y/N..." Pursena trails off, focus switching briefly over to the front of the classroom. It still lacks a teacher.

She takes a moment to continue, speaking while only glancing at you from the corner of her eye. "Could you... feed me?"

You blink slowly. Pursena reads the disappointment on your face and immediately stops glancing at you. "Nevermind," she stutters.

"Why do you want to be fed?" you ask. "Again."

She can't bring herself to stare straight at you. Instead she looks down at her snack and softly shakes her head in a negative. "It was nice, okay? The first time." Is she blushing? "Forget I said anything."

"I mean," you start to say, doubting even your own words, "I can do it. I guess... it won't hurt. Already did it once."

Pursena faces you, this time brandishing a very faint smile. From the corner of your eye you catch sight of her tail struggling to wag against the chair upon which she sits, but it manages to wiggle nonetheless.

"I think having you feed me made it taste better," she admits as she hands you the meaty snack. "Don't ask me how. But it was, like, totally better than eating by myself."

"Alright, alright..." You dismiss her little fit of anticipation. It's at moments like these that her inner canine really shines through, casting aside her humanity to bring light to an animalistic side instead. With a wagging tail, a blush on her face and an anxious yet all the more excited glimmer in her eyes, Pursena looks no different from a domestic dog awaiting their well-earned treat.

Before holding the meat out to her, you glance around the room. At the very front, of course, sits the lone boy who always keeps to himself. Never once does he turn around or look away from his books and papers in general, so you're sure you're in the clear.

You hold out Pursena's treat and watch her nibble on the tender flesh. Unlike last time when her eyes were wide open and glued to you, this time she's got her eyes shut — thankfully — as she savors the luxury of having you feed her.

Why... why does she enjoy this?

Of all things to ask me, she wants me to feed her. Weird girl.

"Oiii! The hell's goin' on here?!" Linia's voice. You instinctively whip around to face the girl, ultimately tearing the block of meat from Pursena's mouth when you spin.

"Nothing!" you blurt. As expected, Linia isn't buying it. She lifts a brow, crosses her arms, stares the two of you down like a hawk.

Pursena, still beside you, licks her lips and meets her sister's eyes. The look on her face is scarily casual. "I made Master feed me. Nothing special."

You turn to her. "Quit calling me Master!"

Linia snickers. "Yeahhh, it's 'Boss,' not Master. Careful, sis, you might end up turning 'em on."

You sigh and throw down the stick of meat, launching yourself out of your chair. The two girls watch you begin to leave. Linia still snickers on about how easy you are to tease.

"Relax, Boss!" she says. "I'm only playin'!" She stops you from going too far, taking a hold of your shoulder. It doesn't take much out of her to bring you to a complete halt — and then pull right back next to her.

Linia slings an arm around your shoulders, holding you close. "Wipe that salty look off yer face, Boss. Nya... can't take a joke?"

"I don't know about you, but getting called a pervert again and again isn't exactly charming," you say blandly.

"But it's funny!"

"Not..."

Linia squeezes you a little in the grip she has you in. "Forget it, nya. Listen, I wanna hang out with you today, Boss! So—"

"Hold on," Pursena's voice cuts in. Both you and Linia fix your sights on the girl still seated at the desk. She looks upset, strangely, but it's clear she's trying to hide it. "I wanted to hang out with Y/N."

Linia cocks an eyebrow at her sister. All the while she keeps holding onto you. "Well, we can't both go. Someone needs to hang back and clean the room later."

"And you were planning on making me do it." Pursena's voice drops to a vicious growl, shaking even you to your core though she's not speaking to you.

"Come on, I never got to hang much with Boss before. Plus, you just got 'em to feed you!"

"That's different! I was already planning on hanging out with Master—I mean, Boss, whatever."

"Well, ya didn't say so yet, did you? First come, first serve, nya!"

There is yet another shift in the atmosphere as the girls begin to bicker. You feel it and you don't like it.

Here I go again... listening to them flapping their lips...

"I'll go with Linia today," you tell the dog-girl. "I'll go with you tomorrow."

Pursena's angered expression turns swiftly into a childlike pout. "But Boss...!"

"It's not the end of the world," you say. Pursena shuts down, slouching moodily in her chair.

"Whatever," she huffs, crossing her arms and looking away. "Just don't try anything funny, Linia."

Linia scoffs. "Hush up. I'm not weird like you — I don't make Boss feed me."

Pursena locks eyes with the feline girl again, brows furrowed, eyes narrowed. "I will bite you," she growls.

Linia's eyes narrow as well. "Do. It."

At this point you start ushering Linia away from her sister. Otherwise the two might lash out and start clashing. As you push Linia toward the classroom doors, she glares past you at her sister, who is glaring back all the same.

"Go, go, go..." You keep pushing her. "Move it, Linia..."

You do eventually get her out of the classroom and away from her sister. Luckily, crisis averted.

...

One of these days though, they're really gonna go at it. It's going to be brutal. You can feel it coming.