"Lady Sammee?" A servant asked as she opened the door to my room. I looked up from where I was sitting on the bed. Brunnhilde left a few hours ago and I... hadn't moved. I was in the same spot she left me at.

"Yes?" I asked, my voice hoarse from crying. I'm sure my face was bright red, too. I had finally stopped crying, but I couldn't shake the dread.

"Grandmaster would like you to join him for dinner." She explained. "Would you like help dressing?" She asked.

"Will you please tell Grandmaster that I am not feeling well tonight and won't be joining him for dinner." I said as kindly, but firmly, as I could. The girls eyes widened and she shifted nervously on her feet.

"Uhm- Grandmaster has i-insisted, my lady." The girl was looking down at her feet like they were the most interesting thing in the room. I was about to respond with a less than nice statement when I noticed something. She was shaking.

It dawned on me that, if I refused, it wouldn't be me getting punished, it would be the messenger. It would be her.

"Do you have a dress for me, then?" I asked. The girl looked up and smiled in relief.

"Yes, my lady." She nodded and fast walked over to the large wardrobe. "There were dresses placed for you in here." She told me, opening the doors to show about twenty different dresses. They were all different colors. "Which one would you like to wear?" She questioned and looked at me over her shoulder.

"Uhm, you-you pick." I didn't care what dress I wore. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to go to dinner. I wanted to lock myself in my room and morn.

"Oh, ok, how about this gold one?" The girl suggested and held up a short, gold dress. It looked to be made from small chain links. "It will match the grand hall colors." She exclaimed with a smile.

"Sure." I nodded, no emotion in my voice. It definitely didn't reflect what was going on inside of me. I felt way too much.

"Would you like help out of bed?" The girl asked. I quickly shook my head and lifted the covers. I was wearing some kind of silk nightgown. It was a mauve color. "Oh, my," she said once she saw the bruises, "maybe we should pick another dress..."

"No, this one is fine." I waved off before grabbing the hem of the gown and pulling it over my head, tossing the fabric on the bed.

"Are you sure, my lady?" She asked hesitantly as she prepared the dress.

"Yes, I'm sure." I told her. "And, stop calling me 'Lady'. I'm from Midgard. We only use first names, no honorifics." I explained. She looked mortified.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to offend. I'm not familiar with Midgard, but I'd love to learn." She rushed out. I sighed heavily.

"It's ok- what's your name?" I asked, realizing that she hadn't introduced herself.

"Myla, my- I'm mean, Sammee." Myla said. She was a cute, pixie of a girl. Short, brown hair and bright, blue, doe eyes.

"It's nice to meet you, Myla." I tried to smile, but couldn't. The thought made me physically sick.

Myla helped put the dress on me. It stopped mid-thigh, showing off all my bruises. Myla helped me brush my hair and style it in another updo. She then led me to the bathroom, so I could brush my teeth. I glanced at the bathtub, still half full of water. Myla nudged me out of my trance and I finished getting ready.

Myla walked me through the halls, making casual conversation. I never really added to what she was saying. I occasionally hummed to let her know I was listening, I wasn't really, but I wanted to be polite.

She walked me to a room a few doors down from the entertainment suite. The door slid open to show Grandmaster sitting with a bunch of people. He was talking, probably about himself, very animatedly. His robes today were a light blue and gold color, his dark eyes and white hair was the same, though.

"Sammee!" Grandmaster exclaimed and stood to walk over to me. "I was getting worried. Thought you were going back on our agreement." He chuckle grabbing me by my shoulders and leaning in to place a kiss on each cheek. "Don't worry, 142 came by and told me what happened. She's out hunting the perpetrator as we speak. She'll get them, 142 is good at he job." He assured. I looked at him in question. Hilde knew that no one attacked me, so who exactly was she hunting? "Come, sit, enjoy food!" Grandmaster said and pulled me to the single empty seat next to him. "Rica, get her some wine, would you?" He asked the servant holding the wine pitcher.

Rica moved to fill my glass, but I laid my hand over the top, blocking her.

"I don't drink." I lied. Hilde told me not to drink the wine, I was trusting her. "I will take water, if thats available." I told her. Rica froze and glanced at Grandmaster, who nodded at her.

"Get her some water, Rica." He said, waving her off. Rica bowed her head before placing the pitcher of wine down on a small serving table. She then walked out of the room. Apparently it wasn't common here to drink water instead of wine at dinner. Or at any meal...

"Thank you." I muttered just loud enough for the Grandmaster to hear.

"You need some fun." Grandmaster told me. "To relax, let go of the past. Be free." He said and then sighed deeply as he pretended to think. "I guess, as your host, I have to arrange that for you."

"My idea of fun is much different than yours, but what did you have in mind?" I questioned and wiped my mouth with the napkin. Tonight's dinner was some kind of meat. It was good, but the texture was strange.

"What about a- a- oh, what's it called? Singing, music-"

"A... concert?" I tried to help, but Grandmaster shook his head, bringing his thumb to his chin.

"No, no, that's not it. It's something like carols- no, Uhm, karochee!"

"Karaoke?" I asked, supplying the word.

"No, no, I think it's pronounced karochee." Grandmaster said. I didn't even fight it. I didn't care that much.

"Well, I'd love to, but I only know Midgardian music." I explained, setting my silverware on my plate in an 'X' form to show that I was done. One of the servants took the plate away as the door opened and Rica scurried back in, water pitcher in hand.

"That's perfectly ok. We have some midgardian music. Well, I- I think we do. Vessa, do we have Midgardian music?" He leaned over to ask a servant.

"I believe so." She told him. Rica filled up my water cup while they spoke. I immediately picked it up and sipped it.

"Then, go check. Make sure we have it." Grandmaster told her. The servant bowed her head in respect before hurrying out of the room.

Just before the doors closed behind the servant, they slid open again and Brunnhilde walked through them. She was dragging a man in filthy clothes. When she was fully in the room, she threw the man to the ground. He slid a bit before stopping himself with his hands.

"Ah, 142, is this him?" The Grandmaster asked her. She glanced at me before turning her full attention on him.

"Yes, Grandmaster."

"Good work!" He clapped. "Let's prep him and put him with the fighters."

"Wha-" the mans eyes went wide. "No! No, please! I'll do anything!" The man pleaded.

"Five million work for you, 142?" He asked Hilde as two guards took the man away. She crossed her arms.

"Ten." She negotiated. Grandmaster started laughing, holding his stomach.

"Bargaining, I like it." The Grandmaster told her. "Topaz, transfer her ten million units, please."

Topaz stepped up, glaring at Hilde as she did, and lifted her arm. She tapped on a few things before lowering her arm again.

"It's done, now someone take the trash out." Topaz grumbled, sneering at Hilde. Hilde just smirked at her, but she didn't leave. Instead, she kept her eyes on Topaz while walking over to me and taking a seat. "No one asked you to stay." Topaz growled.

"No, stay." Grandmaster exclaimed. "The more the better! Plus, she can join us for karochee."

"What's karochee?" Hilde leaned over and whispered to me.

"It's pronounced karaoke and it's when you're given the instrumental of a song and have to sing the words." I explained in a hushed tone. "Who was that guy?" I asked, curious about the man she dragged in. Hilde grabbed my plate and started to fill it up with food.

"Your attacker." Hilde told me, nonchalantly. My eyes went wide.

"What?" I whisper shouted.

"What are we whispering about?" Grandmaster leaned in closer to us. Hilde and I both straightened up.

"The filth I brought in. I tracked him to another couples home. He had killed them and was using there place to crash." She explained and sent a glare at me, silently telling me something. The Grandmaster wanted someone to kill for my bruises. She, keeping my secret, went and found someone horrible to put the blame on. I understood and gave a slight nod.

"Then, it's a good thing we have you, 142." Grandmaster clapped his hands and stood from his seat. "Karochee time!"

😏