a hidden enemy

"She isn't a new friend for you," Eliot corrected, "she isn't?" they asked with a little disappointment in their tone "yes she isn't, She is my pet," he grinned.

Zoe didn't like the way he addressed her but she neither had the energy to fight him or to test his patience. She felt like an animal on display with the four pairs of eyes on her which made her uncomfortable. "It isn't fair, you promised a new friend after you killed the last one", 'what do they mean by the last one, did he kill their slave?'

"What!, I did you girls a favor you personally asked me to kill her and I did that by ripping her apart didn't I?, and here you girls are being so ungrateful to me", "we know, but she started it, she was so mean to us, and she never.., laughed at our jokes!, she even refused to play tea party with us and she always left us hungry if mom asked her to feed us…, with her blood, but we promise, this time we'll take good care of this one!"

Zoe had been tired from running with the shackles around her feet when she tried to escape, she had being flogged by madam Elisabeta multiple times. Feeling slightly feverish, she swayed back and forth. Her head began to spin, a light ache at the bottom of her feet.

Before the girl could fall down, Eliot had swiftly moved to catch hold of her in his arms. Her body turned lax in his arms as he held her with his hand around her waist. He saw her head lulled back and her eyes closed.

*GASP*

"Drusilla you murdered the lady with your words!" dawn said while trying to leave the blame on her sister, "how could you dawn, you backstabber! Don't try to pin this one on me, remember were in this together",

"Stop the fuss you two she's not dead, she's alright.., it must be the lack of food in her body", "ohhh", the both of them replied in relief, "so…, yay were not murderers", Eliot rolled his eyes at their silly words as he laid Zoe carefully on the ground, removing the chains that bounded her leg's together.

~ ~ ~

Zoe opened her eyes, finding herself flat on the ground to see the two little girls looking at her, "brother!" one of them said while tugging on Eliot's sleeve "what is it?", "The pretty lady's awake", 'what happened… I fainted again!?' Zoe thought as she looked up to see Eliot, the two twins, and the butler staring at her, "are you okay lady?" one of the little girl said while leaning in to check if Zoe was still unconscious.

Eliot knelt down in front of Zoe and stared at her closely, "and I was just about to call the doctor, what a waste of time.., can you walk?" he said still observing her 'what?' "Stop staring, I said can you walk!?"… "Y-yes I can walk… a little," "good! Get up it's time to introduce you to the whole house hold", 'I don't think I'll be able to walk in this condition but I'll try' Zoe thought while trying to stand, but fell back to the ground when she felt a prick in her ankle joint 'OUCH!, I know I can still stand up perfectly but… it hurts', Zoe thought to herself as she stared at her ankle that now seemed to have turned purple.

"What are you doing, I said stand up!" leaning in close to Zoe's ear he whispered "if you don't stand up from this place, I swear you will have no more legs to walk with, do I make myself clear", in hearing this Zoe quickly stood up, but with great effort 'oh my look at that it's a miracle I can walk again, hopefully'.

"Williams!" Eliot shouted for the butler to bow his head "yes my lord," "call all the maids and guards, so we can introduce them to my pet", 'all the servants? ' "Yes my lord" the butler turned around and ran on his heels to call all the household staff, so that they all could be introduced to Zoe. After some minutes Williams retuned with a long line of maids behind him at his right and another line of guards at his left, with their heads all bowed.

The butler stopped in front of Eliot while the maids and the guards continued walking to the start of the entrance before they all halted. Zoe looked at the long line of guards and maids, from the start of the line at the entrance, to the end of the large hall, some maids had on the color brown and some wore the color white, but the white was more elegantly designed 'judging by the color and designs of their clothes, there must be a rank, but how many servants does he have?', Zoe thought to herself as she marveled at the line of maids and guards

"My lord" all of the servant's said while bowing their heads, Eliot didn't reply their greeting's rather he left them bowing their heads, "GRETA!!!" Eliot shouted at the top of his voice, for a girl to come running out from behind William's

"Yes my lord", "come forward" Zoe could tell the Disgust in Eliot's tone with the way he spoke to the maid, as the girl walked closer, when Zoe saw a hidden smile underneath her face, and zoe wondered why, or does this maid have feelings for her master? Zoe thought to herself

"Now that you are here, do you mind introducing yourself", the girl's smile got even wider, Zoe could see a tint of pink that showered on her face 'is she… Blushing?' [Zoe thought to herself]

"It is an honor to introduce myself to yo-" Eliot immediately cut her off from her speech, "not to me you low life servant, to my pet!" the girls smile immediately dropped, looking shattered by his harsh words 'Wow… Such rejection, I'm sure by now her heart must be broken… Poor thing I wonder who she is. But master is Undoubtedly really attractive, even for this maid to fall in love with him(sigh) she doesn't know what she's in for' Eliot's heart was as cold as ice and he had no time to involve himself with love.

The servant's hair was brown, so was her eye's, and judging by her clothes she was someone higher than the servants and slaves who stood behind her, and it was much different, it was red in color, designed with gold. She was pretty but certainly not prettier than Zoe was, "but my lord she's of low rankings and it is below my status to talk to a…", "to a what!" Eliot said as he glared down at her in rage "T-to a pet", she said but the last part came out in an inaudible tone, 'how dare she call me a pet! I'm no one's pet and I belong to no one' Zoe hated the way people addressed her as someone with no value, a pet and it made her blood boil. "Who do you think you are, do you think you have any other option? Don't make me repeat myself" Eliot said as his gaze shifted from the maid and then towards Zoe.

Before the maid continued her sentence, she raised her head high as if wanting to maintain her composure, looking down at Zoe proudly, as she posed in superiority, before speaking, "I am the head maid, Greta!, the only one allowed into the royal room's, and I am the queens personal help, and you are not allowed to look at me or even-"

"Are you that imprudent, I asked you to introduce yourself!, not to give us the information of your status or position… you can get out now", "…yes my lord", after those word's she gave Zoe a malevolent look before walking back to her former position, from where she came. "Williams come here" Eliot said, his eyes, still on Zoe as he gestured the butler to stand next to him, "introduce yourself Williams"

"As you wish, my lord", after those words William's turned to face Zoe's gaze, introducing himself as the mansion's butler, "I am the mansions most trusted butler, and I am always at your service, if there is anything you need you can ask me, and if you are hungry I am always willing to show you to the kitchen, for a proper meal" turning around he faced the maids and the guards "everyone this is Zoe and from now on she will be in charge of serving lord Eliot his meals and washing of his clothes and other things that were taken care of before she came" Zoe's eyes went wide after the statement the butler made 'I'm not free and I have to serve someone like a maid!?', Zoe could feel Eliot's gaze on her but she kept her head down to avoid getting punished.

"Thank you for the Proper introduction Williams, unlike some dogs who try to show their superiority", a faint smile formed on Williams face, because of the praise he got from his master, bowing his head in respect, he said "thank you my lord", before he returned to stand in his original position.

"As you guard's and servant all know, I'm am the soon to be heir of this mansion including the dark empire, and because of that there is a respect that is passed unto me, so that same respect is to be passed unto my pet", he said as he held Zoe by the wrist, drawing her closer to him.

'Oh God, ouch! That hurt's. He's hurting me on purpose' Zoe didn't like the way he touched her, and it made her feel uncomfortable "so I will only say this once and not twice, no one and I mean no one is to touch or lay their filthy hand's on what is mine, no one is allowed in my room unless you are told to. Do I make myself clear", "yes my lord" they all answered at the same time with their head's all bowed down "you may all leave," 'it might not be easy as I thought, I'm going to get stuck in Eliot's room but… I might have a route of escape' Zoe watched as the guards and maids walked out of the hall and returned to their various duties.

~ ~ ~