Beneath The Alpha

lk pillow muffling her face. A skein of silver hair had slipped from the loose ponyta

ed in, the creat

ud enough to muffle out the pe

er stirrings, falling back in plac

eath for the voice, th

en my blind mama would kno

an standing with hands akimbo at the foot of her bed. Reli

rro

ris

scare

brow rose in sardonic

Parisa began to backtrack,

irility with arthritis, disease and the inevitable rush of age. Parisa watched as she reached for the curtains and drew them b

but the lie could not rise. So she sat abashed while

y yonder

innocence as she could muster, demurely peer

e, "I ain't no fool child... forget i w

unsure of the word and

her head, "

across the vast expanse of mattress towards the woman

mace, regret clear as crystals

ris

t the bunched material around her knees as she gazed up

now, first we g

so so narrow and pure with white skin that seemed to glow with a light of its own from within. Stark ribs shifte

notebook and pen from the front o

tape went around her neck. "They arrived

the futile anger rose dully in her voice as the tape

rea

in her notebook with a shaky hand, "one in

. will he

ring at the numbers on the paper as Parisa reached for the measuring tape, a

t pleased her, for she did not understand the concept of w

sole purpose of pleasing the man

tape around each thigh, speaking aloud new numbers. Parisa straightened and opened her mouth reflexively as Yarrow leaned in to ins

f reluctance at her caretaker's words, "I know yo

e grating file against her teeth, blood spilling from her sensitive gums watery and bright red against her chin

g towards the bathroom. "I'll see what I can get you afte

the bathroom and hovered by the door watching as the old lady tried to reach across the bath's bread

'bout the woman... tryin find w

hat w

h, she lowered herself onto the toilet lid wiping at the beaded sweat crowding her fore

rro

sayi

he comm

n't that

eyes

up her bare body. An assortment of scented oils and perfumes brought in from merchant ships decorated the

each scent that pleased him carefully c

and salt and cold suns. Such a simple smell of the sea elicited a yearning she could not

she worked it into her hair and body with methodical stro

e penetrated the rush of water, "they make you feel all sorts of feels... I been chasin' boys like a bitch on heat back then," a rough chuckle, her heav

iscing over the male that stood outside her wind

nversation with another? Or was it simply the

lf, she stepped out of the bath with steam rising

e happen, i ain't sure what though... guess

or her hair to dry as her caretaker ran a brush through until a quantity of fair curls formed, dressed without powder, and threaded by a blue riband a

cended a short flight of stairs that led to the

ve while you w

s they walked do

the sight of servants moving about the rooms in quiet apathy as they aided each other in making th

her with a carelessnes

he hallway's end, a look of

inal flight onto the main ground. The mansion could only be described as opulent and decadent

d, Parisa could only assume that the costs

g room, Parisa halted a

ea

da breads and flatbreads... the heady scent of baked pastries still hot

so cold condescension had beaded along their walls, rivulets

e crossed Yarrow's

ing for the maids on-duty but Parisa did no

undering moment of wanting to help clear the table, when Ya

cold beneath her fingertips, still holding a half-eaten blue

t hit her, she began to stammer abashedl

d grimly, "I

ow... I only

that, why don't you go and get sit as I brin

while averting her gaze to the floor as maids streamed in without so much of a glance in her direction

d should

re a velvet red cushion had been placed. Carefully adjusting her dress abo

luminium cloche atop it shielding her breakfast from sight

the deceptive joy in her voice as she lifted the cloche to reveal a small bowl of

centre lay the

contain her smile at the si

h a unique sweetness she could alre

d, looking up at her caretaker wi

w, eat i

eat it

if one of 'em walk in on you

ng delicately over the fruit as it turned to mush, a burst of sweet savorine

ow walked out of the ro

down her throat, slow as dripping molasses. She ate silently, sitting back on her heels when the ache on her knees made it uncomfortable

hands held something behind her back. "What is

. you did

hand, "I ain't stealing nun but f

rcel was presented. A narrow box wrapp

t gotta

ed it to eye-level and turned it about as

stured at the parcel, clearly curious to

er ear and gave it a shake as the corners of

s eyes

the bow then the wrap, cautious not to tear the piece of

eet under by t

heads leaned over, peer