I heard you fell into a rabbit hole
Covered yourself up in snow
Baby, tell me where'd you go
For days and days
Did they make you stay up all night?
Did they paint your face that pasty white?
You're thirsty but your appetite
Is chased away
- Bright Eyes

Foreword

Many people believe the Little Seer came to be so because she was always so. She was always a walking tragedy, spitting riddles and prophecy however she liked.

But this is not true.

Some say, she was a fierce warrior, and tell stories of the old days, of "The Slaver's Bane." Slowly, she changed, after meeting cruel fates and forces. The mind is a fragile thing.

But these people are old and frail now, and she remains unchanged.

So, what exactly is she? Not Vampire. Not Demon. Part Drow and Something More.

She was The Girl Who Escaped, but not with her mind, and not even with her own body.

And no one even realizes.

So listen now to the story of a spiraling. It happened long ago, and it happens still. Every night, something else is broken away, another bit of spirit, another piece of gray matter, and her riddles will grow wilder, and her mental faculties weaker still.

So let's see how the rabbit hole came to be so dark.

Introduction Written: 04/29/2001

Take with you your light,
For in the darkest night,
You'll be all alone.

Burn.
Burn out the stars.
Watch as they shriek with jealousy.

Reach for me,
I'm paper-thin.
Scream my name,
I'm deaf.

Save me from solitude.
Save me from myself.

Lanrette Written: 04/29/2001

When I was flesh, I lived a silly life, with silly things, and silly worries. That flesh is gone now, burnt and scattered to the winds. I exist on other planes, places where the mind of any being couldn't dare imagine. I exist in you. - A voice from the past.

Lanrette. Lanrette was the city of Tara - as she liked to broadcast to the world. Lanrette palace was a beautiful place. It was here Viki took refuge from the world and all the responsibilities she had acquired since Amadeo mended her mind(1). Tara was the closest thing to family Viki had left. They were cousins by marriage, as Tara had married into the LeVey family long ago. Viki, as you should know, was raised by Phydoux LeVey.

"Slav'ry. . ah, yes." Viki was supposed to oppose it now, and join forces with Hawke(2). She had done so for a time, reeking havoc on independent slaving guilds. But these guilds were silly and easy. They didn't hold a candle to what the SA had been. Why then, would she bother?

Viki had settled in Lanrette quite comfortable. Tara had made her dear cousin a duchess and given her many fine things. She ate off plates of silver, drank cappuccinos by the hundreds. She pestered Tara's slaves, and even added to the bunch, catching one for Tara herself! Yes, Viki had left the abolitionist life behind. She was even being courted by Gunner, mercenary for the SA.

But, eventually life styles of the rich and lazy bored her to tears. She sought out old friends, old enemies that, from the sheer loneliness of life, had become friends, and family members. She found Damian, the ole coot, and brought him to Tara's court. Viki wasn't so sure if either became friends, but they seemed to like each other's company. She had another fling with Kain, his son Shane, and almost his father, Mitru - but Mitru decided it wasn't very tasteful. He looked to Viki as a daughter. How sad.

One day, after many many hours of staring at the palace ceiling the thought came to her! She needed a new project! Her political skills were wasting away without something to do. She looked into her finances, calculated how much she would need, and how much she had in property. The Valir estate was crumbling, deserted, but in all other cases, in good condition. She herself had stayed there a while when she was homeless and helpless - before Amadeo came to her. As the only known living member of the Valir family, the estate was legally hers(3). She wouldn't dare let it fall in the hands of those claimed-cousins of that other family.

The estate would be transformed into a great library where hundreds of Rhy'Dinians could come and write down their own stories. All would be welcome, but Viki had to be careful of who-was-who in order to separate the old enemies. She would set up lectures and workshops for the kiddies. Cousin Tara promised to help fund the construction, but Viki realized she needed a few more investors and, perhaps, a staff.

The day Mr. Cale came into her life was the day all of her plans seemed to fall into action. Mr. Arden Cale, lawyer for some strange, far-off place called Knew-Yourk City, was now her own publicist and all-around assistant. And to think, she found him wandering the marketplace a babbling fool! The poor dear must have fallen into one of those holes in the space-time-continuum - or something like that.

Investors were key to the entire operation. No money meant no interest. The project needed interest. She decided to bother, er, consult a few of Tara's lovers, as they were all very rich. Lord Travanix was doing well as an independent slaver with an estate of his own. Surely he would show some interest. Viki packed her blueprints, her pencil, and her little flowered stationary and set out for his Inn.

( Author's Footnotes:

(1) Amadeo was Viki's ex husband, who disappeared. A powerful shaman, he had made several attempts to stop her mental decay. The madness was already underway even before Travanix took her. He only made it worse as you will see.

(2) Hawke Wunjo was Viki's coconspirator in all things anti-slaving related. I am going to get her player here.. someday.

(3) The Valir family was the old LeFay family and they changed their name when they broke from Mordread, although recently, I heard whoever was left went back to LeFay. I use both because it suits me. )

Mind, Body, and Soul Written: 04/29/2001

Rage. . . ahhh. . . Help us.

She was held captive for at least two days when Travanix finally came to her.

"Well well...I see that you are finally awake... Or is that awake again?"

She stared at him, apparently bewildered. All this time in the dark did a number on her mental state.

"Perhaps, still awake, yes? In any case, you haven't noticed the new chemicals flowing through your blood stream. One more injection, and your body will override your mind. And you will enjoy it... To a point, of course."

Aquamarine orbs grew wide with terror. Her little body began to shake with fear. Viki didn't understand science, or magick, and to her, science was indeed magick. Her eyes remained on him, though they welled to the brim with tears. A small heat was beginning to build inside her body. It tingled through her pleasure zones. Little tears drizzled down those pale cheeks, forming small rivulets before dripping off her face. This wasn't natural.

"Even as we speak, your body grows with pleasure... Soon, that pleasure will be focused on serving me. Making me happy. Serving any master...any mistress."

Why her? Why now? She fought it as she could. Every tingle, every sensation, every whisper in her mind that told her all was right and well with the world. Viki sobbed aloud, shaking her head wildly. Images of her begging his dark form replaced her current vision of him. Her own "voice" echoed with moans of pleasure, as she begged for only a simple touch

Not natural. Not true. Her little screams were swallowed by the ball gag. Tara! Damian! Anyone? No one to hear her. No one but Him. She only continued to fight, though each act of defiance was met with white hot pain surging through her body. Every pain was met with a flinch, a whimper, a groan.

When she wouldn't resist, the pleasure would build, growing. . . The images changed to various services: she was used as a doll, a pretty little doll, her moans rolling in her mind building with the pleasure, the heat. Try as she might, she knew it was futile. The pleasure was worse than the pain, in a way. It seemed to take her, bend her body to its will and force her to submit. That loud, obnoxious, angry voice that urged her to battle grew into a soft whimper of a frightened child.

She knew of no mind techniques to combat this form of breaking. Quicker and quicker, her body seemed to relax, her breathing slowed. In her mind, her voice betrayed her. She begged to be used, to serve, to please in anyway.

Not right. . Not. . .Yes! Ah! Please Him. Viki's eyes fluttered open and closed, yet, she had lost sight of him. The images were much too strong. She existed in their reality now.

"Surrender yourself to the desire you've held back so long...the feelings...of a pet...a slave...You love being a slave..."

Further back, her mind took her. She remembered Sven, Decker, Vanyar. . even as far back as Thaluka. Slave. Yes. She was a slave.

"Such a pretty slave, You know your place, don't you, my slave. Beg to be a slave, like you always wanted to..."

Master. . help me please. . Her eyes fluttered opened, filled with tears. Fix me. I think I'm broken.

"Broken...you want to be fixed...made right...to be used, and abused...taught to obey."

Something in her screamed -- wake up! She wasn't listening. . Oh yes Master

"Why do you want to obey?"

To please you, Master, her mind whispered. Pleasure grew again, finding new spaces to fill. Her little body swayed with the pleasure, growing hot.

"You're a slave, you aren't anything, a doll...a doll with no name, unless Master give it to you...Isn't that right?"

Another scream. You are Viki! Another surge of energy. It wasn't enough. Yes Master, that's right.

The pleasure rolled across her mind now, doubling across her body. Intoxicated by this pleasure, she moaned and purred like the slave she'd always been. The images slowly returned her to another reality. She found that the gag was gone, and she had said those words out loud, but the images remained clear, as did the feeling. She was lost in another world he had created for her. For now, and her mind would continue to break down, preparing his way to retrain her.

Her eyes were glazed over, as if she had indeed been drunk. They flickered down and remained at her feet. In this fantasy world, she saw him before her.

"What are you?"

"A doll, a pet, a slave," she whispered.

"Again."

"A doll, a pet, a slave, Master."

"Beg for it."

Beg. Her first command. It sent shivers down her little spine.

"Master, please take in this doll for your pleasure. . Please break and train and use this girl. . For, she is nothing without you."

"Do you wish to be played with...then thrown to the side like a doll?"

She nearly swooned before uttering a sweet reply, "Yes Master. My only wish is to please you."

"How does a slave act?"

"However the Master wishes," she moaned aloud. The sound erupted from her throat and bounced off her lips.

"Beg like the slave you are..."

"Ooh Master. . Take this girl as your own. . make her your doll, your toy. . Allow her to worship and please only you. ."

The chains released in the fantasy, and for the first time in days, she was free. But, she didn't budge. It was forbidden.

"What does a slave do?"

"Please her Master."

"What are you going to do to please me?"

"Anything."

"Kneel..."

She sunk to her knees with an uncanny grace -- she had much practice in her past. He reached over in the fantasy, combing his fingers through her hair.

"Do you have family, pet?"

"You are my family, Master." He had definitely awakened the old, whimpering, obedient little girl that had fallen victim to so many before him.

When her breaking was complete, he returned her to reality. She was still chained to that wall, however, and a tube had been inserted into her mouth. A white fluid was rolling down her throat, and down her body.

"The final chemicals have been ingested... Pet...You have nothing to fear..."

He removed the tubes and leaned in, speaking sternly.

"In a few days, some people are going to come to you and say that you are not a slave, that you are their cousin, or sister, or a friend... What will you tell them?"

"That they have been deceived. I have no family. Only you, Master."

"Very good... If they try to force you away from me, what will you do?"

"Run away to you, Master."

"Excellent."

And so ended the day that Viki was lost to the world.

Ghostly Visions Written: 5/30/01

I beat my machine. It's a part of me. It's inside of me.
I'm stuck in this dream. It's changing me. I am becoming.

"Viki! Hi!"

The blond child approached the busy slave with a joyful greeting. Bewildered, the slave spun around, quirking a chestnut brow.

"Excuse me young Mistress, I dun believe we've met. Are you lost? Did you wander from the Inn?"

She slipped to her knees, carefully setting down the cleaning rag. The child crossed her little arms, frowning. She rolled her lower lip into a dramatic pout and stared down at Viki.

"Yup-yup, if you would only remember."

Sooty lashes fluttered with quiet concern. If the child did wander from the Inn, perhaps her parents were looking for her. She was dressed well enough: she wore a blue dress that accented her lovely eyes, her hair was spun into soft gold curls. All in all, she looked about eight years old.

"We should go and find your parents."

The girl giggled. "Yes, lets. I have a brother too. Me and him are ancients."

Confused by her response, Viki inquired, "What is your name, Mistress?"

"They called me Kit Kat." And with that, the child disappeared.

The me that you know, he had some second thoughts.
He's covered with scabs. He is broken and sore.
The me that you know doesn't come around much.
That part of me isn't here anymore.

She literally disappeared. Poof! Vanished! One minute, she was there, the next, gone. The slave girl nearly fainted. She stretched her arms outward and waved them about in the air in front of her. She felt the faintest warmth in the air. The girl blinked away the image, fearful of what Master Travanix would say, or do.

Just when she thought the entire visitation was over and done with, later that day the child appeared again. This time, Viki was in the slave quarters, busying herself with cleaning.

"Viki!" Kit Kat chirped.

The young thing spun around, her brows knitting into a small frown.

"You, Mistress Ghost, should leave me be, 'fore Master comes."

"I am not a ghost. I am Kit Kat. Do you remember yet?"

"I remember yer last visit." The girl caught a glimpse of the new girl, Candi, slipping down the hall. She nearly bolted for the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Viki." The child appeared within inches of the door. "She can't see me. Only you can. Do you really want your Master to think you're crazy?"

Viki gulped and retreated from the doorframe. "What do you want ghost?

The child rolled her pretty blue eyes skyward and stepped closer. She caught ahold of Viki's hand, lacing her tiny fingers about the girl's.

"Only for you to remember," she whispered.

The blond child, Kit Kat, skipped merrily along down the hall with Viki in tow. The slave girl gulped and followed with reluctance. Her stomach filled itself with wild butterflies. Her heart beat itself against her chest.

"This way, it's not far now." The child pulled Viki down another corridor - the Towers were so big.

"Stop!" The slave pulled back, her mouth gaping open in shock.

"What?"

"This door, it's not supposed to be here..." Viki yanked herself away from the child and moved toward the door. It was solid, wooden, not very extraordinary as far as doors go. But it should've led to nothing. Windows adjacent to the door provided a view of the outside. There were no walls to keep a room. Nothing should have been there.

"Oh, but it's been there for almost three and a half years." The child smiled. "Why don't you open it?"

All pain disappears. It's the nature of my circuitry.
Drowns out all I hear. No escape from this my new consciousness.

Viki frowned and took a step back. If the door led to anything, it would be the open air outside - which meant a fatal drop for anyone who fell from such a height.

"Oh, nevermind. I'll do it." The blond one skipped up to the knob and turned with little difficulty. She pulled the door open and slipped inside...

Inside. There was an inside. It opened to another room. Viki stood frozen, stunned. Kit Kat poked her head out momentarily and motioned her to follow. With a gulp and a sigh, Viki did.

The room was dark. Viki inched her way in with the blond child happily skipping by. Five figures occupied the quarters. Two men, one quite larger than the other, a young boy, and two women, one blond, one a red-head. Viki gasped in surprise.

"Dun worry. They can't see or hear us," Kit Kat piped up.

"Brutin is getting a addition to his slave chain... Decker, if there is any SPs awarded, you get half," said the larger male to the slighter one.

"He will let her go again," the red-haired woman snorted.

"Cristi, Kurt," the larger man ordered.

"I think we should beat her now anyways," said the other male.

The red-head, Cristi, approached with a horrible looking whip.

"Kill me now if you are going to kill me at all," said the blond one, a girl of perhaps sixteen. As Viki approached with growing apprehension, she could see the girl was bound by her wrists and ankles.

"What are we doing here, ghost?" Viki whispered.

"Just watch," the child whispered back.

"Strip her," commanded Cristi to the men before her. "Kain...salt?"

The larger male, Kain, responded, "I got better." He slid out a bottle of what looked like acid.

"Melts flesh on contact," he grinned as he poured it on the whip.

"Don't damage her too much."

Kain let the kurt unfurl and then snapped it back, slashing down on the blond girl's back. The acid and the blades melted and cutt the flesh of her back in the process. A scream filled the room. Viki closed her eyes and drew away.

The me that you know used to have feelings,
but the blood has stopped pumping and he's left to decay.
The me that you know is now made up of wires,
and even when I'm right with you I'm so far away.

"Get me out of here, ghost!"

"No, we're not done yet," replied the child.

"It is usually five for when you get a new Kajira. Were going to ten for punishment. I might just keep her myself and put her though hell with training," said Kain.

"She's yours Kain," replied Decker.

"No!" Viki scrambled toward the four and positioned herself in front of the bound girl. "Leave her alone!"

The figures didn't seem to notice her. They didn't regard her in the slightest way. Kain reared the awful whip again and snapped it against the side of the girl. Viki braced herself. Instead of the expected impact, the whip went through her. The bound girl screamed.

Viki cried out and fell to her knees, watching in horror.

"I told you Viki, they can't see or hear us. You can't change anything here. All of this, it happened already," said the child, softly, kneeling by her side.

"Kain I must go," said Cristi, who looked a bit faint. She backed out of the room and disappeared from sight.

"Kat, do you got anything to say?" Kain whispered.

Through her tears, the girl spoke. "Wha' kinda man allows a seven year old to watch this sorta stuff?"

"A seven year old that wants you dead."

"A seven year old who was let go first and never should have been involved," retorted Kat.

"You got him involved," Kain said.

"Xavier did," Kat argued.

"What did Xavier say?"

"Ask Shane."

Decker turned to the young boy, Shane. "What does Xavier have to do with this?"

"Shane?"

Voices. They were everywhere. They spoke of things long past, things Viki had nearly forgotten, though she didn't understand all of it. Viki crept closer to the image of the bound blond girl, Kat. Her eyes flickered from her to the child-ghost. She frowned in recognition.

I can try to get away but I've strapped myself in.
I can try to scratch away the sound in my ears.
I can see it killing away all of my bad parts.
I don't want to listen but it's all too clear.

"She is you and you are her?"

Kit Kat rolled her shoulders into a small shrug, "Shh, just watch."

"How is Tent a contact?" Kain inquired, toying with the whip.

"Wha' are ya talking about? Tent's no contact."

"Tried to get a ABYSS roster from him?"

"Huh? Who me?"

"Uh huh."

"Nuh uh!"

"Girl, answer him," ordered Decker.

"The Abyss can go to 'ell! I dun care about them anymore! I nevah asked anyone fer a roster!" Kat yelled.

"Anti-slavers," Kain hummed, then approached. "Kat, who do you work for?"

No response.

"Me," Viki whispered. "She did it for me, right?" Her eyes searched the child's. Kit Kat shrugged and remained silent on the floor.

"What about the Others who helped? What did they have to do with it?"

"I made them do it."

The interrigation went on. Viki, through the muffled voices, heard her name once, twice, and then another. Her face dropped with sorrow. When she finally did look up, the young boy had retreated and a new man joined the group.

"Do you like what you see?" Kain smirked as the man approached. He wore plastic gloves on either hand, and held a needle and thread. Kat, the bound girl, screamed.

"Press info about the anti slavers out of her...do what is needed to persuade her.."

Of course," replied the man, slipping out a knife. He held it to Kat's body before making an incision. With the needle and thread, he sewed the skin back into place. Kat was frozen in pain and fear. Viki found herself screaming.

Hiding backwards inside of me I feel so unafraid.
Annie, hold a little tighter, I might just slip away.

"Talk."

"This has nothing to do with the Slavers Bane."

"You got a Slavers Bane roster?"

"No I don't."

The unnamed male took out a rusty, dull carrot peeler from his right inside pocket, and looked her up and down.

"I swear!!!!!! Gods! I don't have one!" cried Kat.

"Start spilling it all. Why do you seek ABYSS rosters?"

"Did did! No do!"

"Proceed Doctor."

"Very well," replied the stranger, now the "Doctor", as he moved the carrot peeler, covered in acid, toward her flesh.

"I swear I swear!" Kat repeated.

"What do you know then?" asked Kain.

"Viki wants an Abyss roster... Phynch ran. And they want me in the Slavers Bane. Tha's it!" whimpered Kat.

"All my fault..." Viki stretched her arms out to Kat, attempting to brush her fingers across the girl's tear-stained face. Blood covered her young body. Blood. Everywhere.

One by one, each of the figures disappeared, all but the blond child and Viki.

"Kain collared her afterwards, don't you remember? She was a slave for the Abyss. They wanted to punish her for crimes you helped to commit."

Viki shook her head, sobbing hard. The girl began to rock back and forth, beating out the memories. "No... no..."

"Come on, Viki. There's more to see." She stood up and began pulling the broken girl to her feet. "We have to go visit my mommy now."

Racked with remembered guilt, Viki pulled away and ran for the mysterious door.

"Viki, no!"

Her bare feet sped across the floor with all the fury of a wild animal. She pulled the door open and shut it behind her, shutting out the room of torture, shutting out the cries of the child inside. When she turned around again, she found nothing but an ordinary wall in its place.

It won't give up. It wants me dead.
Goddamn this noise inside my head.

(The Original Author's Note from 2001: This scene was from an old log of mine, and many of the more gruesome parts were cut to keep the scene in good taste. The child ghost is merely a manifestation of Viki's memories and guilt and is in no way real.. or is it? The room existed only in Viki's mind. For those in the Towers who interacted with her, she was staring at the ordinary wall the entire time. Lyrics are from Nine Inch Nail's "The Becoming.")

Searching Written: 11/01/01

Arden's newest profession seemed to be that of a mountain climber, or an acrobat. All those large bookcases were filled to the top with texts, and he often had to climb to a great height in order to reach them. Sometimes he found himself swaying back and forth on the only ladder they owned. He was surprised he hadn't broken his neck as of yet.

"Miss Chylde?" His jaw dropped, and the poor man nearly fell to his death. He grapped ahold of the large bookcase to steady himself and the ladder beneath.

"I.. I hadn't expected you back so soon," he managed to stutter as he made his way down, abandoning his search.

"Oh, well, yano me." Viki quipped, cocking her head to the side. "You dun seem very surprised, I mean, with the state I'm in."

"Miss Chylde, please, let me take your cloak. It's raining and you'll catch your death." Always the gentleman, Mr. Cale removed the soaking-wet garment from her shoulders and accompanied her from the main room toward a smaller parlor with a roaring fire. Viki knelt in front of it, wringing out her hair.

"Explain yerself Arden," the child grumbled, not bothering to turn toward him.

"I.. well, I received word from your brother, Jonathan. He told me of Luka, the sprite he sent to you. Apparently, he saved Luka from a horrible death of some sort and she owed him dearly. The life debt was repaid when she took your place and your body as Lord Travanix's slave."

"That still doesn't explain how I'm like this! If she owed muh brother so much, I did nuh have to give her anythin'," the girl stammered, turning toward Mr. Cale with a glare.

"Oh, if only I had been able to reach you, I could've warned you. Luka and her kind, sprites that is, are tricksters. They aren't the most honest of creatures. She repaid the debt to your brother rather relunctantly I suppose. She probably threw some story together for you, in order to get you and your brother back. I bet she made you think that reversing your age was payment of some sort."

"Ten years of my life," Viki murmured. "Of all the dirty, rotten.."

The man sighed, and silently approached her, dropping beside her on the floor in front of the fire.

"I will do all I can, Miss Chylde," Arden said softly.

"I dun know what there is to do, Arden. I've searched all over for someone with Luka's magick, and I came up empty handed. So I'm here now. Do yer thing. Research. Educate me. Per'aps you'll find a way around this yet." The girl stood slowly, straightening her soiled clothes, and moved away from him.

"Miss Chylde? Where are you going?" Arden quickly persued her.

Viki turned abruptly. "For a change of clothes, and then I'm off. I'll hit every tavern, spar ring, and club in this realm until I find someone. Until then, you be book guy."

"But, I thought you tried searching already..."

"Oh, I did, didn't I? Then, I guess I'll just have to have some fun while I'm in this body." She wrinkled her nose. "Goodnight, lover."

If Ever So Humble Written: 6/5/02

"God damn bloody 'ell!" The eight-year-old stammered, reaching up at the eviction notice on the great wooden door of the Rhy'Din Historical Society.

"They can't do this to me! They can't!" She tore the notice from the door and stomped past a rather depressed Mr. Cale.

"We gave it our best shot, Miss Chylde. It would seem that Miss Valir had the legal rights to this place," suitcases in hand, Arden trailed after her.

The teary-eyed child took a long look at the library, her library, her home. Sure, she wasn't exactly blood-related to the Valirs, but she had the adoption papers somewhere, and while it was true that she was a last-name-collector-of-sorts, it didn't mean she wasn't family! But, unfortunately, her story didn't hold up in court, especially since she was a minor. She would appeal her case should she ever break the spell that held her in a child's body, but that seemed unlikely.

"Where are we to go now, Miss Chylde?" Viki was halfway up the road by now, and Arden was struggling to keep up with her. The amount of clothing she owned was outrageous, especially since most of the garments didn't even fit her anymore.

"To find my cousin," was all she said, and Arden fell quiet behind her.

Musings Written: 6/18/02

Viki was all ribbons and bows and banana curls these days, and she hated it. Yet her strange predicament did have certain advantages. She went underestimated by her foes, whomever they might be - Wait. Stop. Like she really had any enemies anyway...

"Arden, do you know what he did then? He was ranting and raving about identification! I tell you, it was horr'ble. Alls I had with me was an old document, a roster from the Slavers Bane years ago... Well, that seemed to work right quick when he saw the date with my name right above in golden script... Arden?"

Chestnut brows dipped into a frown as she caught sight of her snoozing publicist /lawyer/ all-around-pin-cushion. Well, the poor man had listened to her angry tirades before, and perhaps this time he could be excused for sleeping on the job...

"ARDEN!" Perhaps not.

"Bar! Identification! Bastard of a tender! Wouldn't give you vodka!" He stammered, adjusting his glasses over the brim of his nose while a free hand swept across his forehead.

"You weren't listening to me," the little girl murmured, crossing those slender arms over her chest, pouting away.

"Ohhh, Miss Chylde, I'm so very sorry... All the paperwork in the last few days, the move, it's all been very taxing. Your cousin, Queen Tara, has graciously allowed the two of us to stay in Lanrette Palace again, and frankly, I'm having a hard time organizing your wardrobe."

"Bah!" Viki snorted, leaning across the small table the two were settled at in her sitting room. "She's muh cousin. She's family. She'd always take me in. An' if she weren't around, there's always my Damian."

"The leader of the Slavers Association? Lord Brutin's successor?" The man chuckled. "I don't know about that."

"Sure you don't. What do you know about love?" Viki kicked her feet up, sending one satin slipper flying across the room.

"A retired slaver, heck, leader of the slavers, with a retired abolitionist, correction, a retired abolitionist child?"

"It's all very romantic, isn't it?" She said, dreamy-eyed, giving a glance to the ceiling.

"Don't ask me about romance. Ask me about facts and figures, legislature, and maybe the occult, since I'm finding that particular subject a necessity to know all about," the lawyer mused, reminiscing about his time spent in the library, with that very cute boy historian...

"Fine. Since we're on tha' topic..." Before the poor man could blink, she was on top of him. "Necromancy. Particularly Drow. And the Drow language. Need it. Need to know about them. Need to brush up on it."

Arden gave her a look. "Just what are you getting me into this time, Miss Chylde?"

Viki grinned impishly. "We're going to make a pact with a devil, a devil who knows me as a girl-who-isn't-a-girl."

"An.. And then what?" Arden stammered.

"And then I get married."

Before anything else could be said, Viki was already out the door, leaving her beloved publicist to his books.