Valna'a woke up and immediately knew something was wrong. It was later in the day than she usually awoke, but more than that, her instincts were screaming an alarm. Reaching under her pillow, she pulled out her personal pistol before getting out of bed.

Lying on the floor, face down, was a naked human female. Limbs splayed like she had been just dumped next there, her short hair dishevelled, the rest of her body totally devoid of hair. A slow rhythmic rise of her chest and a cute little snuffle showed the creature to be alive.

Feeling pressure in her bladder she went to the toilet, leaving the creature on the floor. Once she had relieved herself she cleaned her teeth and tried to sort out her own unruly hair.

Just as she was coming out of the bathroom there was a knock at the door.

"Enter." She commanded expecting one of the family's servants to be bringing in her breakfast, she was surprised to see her much despised older brother.

"Good morning, my beloved sister." He greeted her, with total insincerity. "I see you found my little present." Kicking Zahra's defenceless body.

"What are you up to, Korsan?" Valna'a asked, using a contraction of his name that she knew he hated. "Unlike you I don't need servants to do everything for me."

Zahra, who had been awake since the knocking, let out a grunt but managed to not react to the blow any more than that.

Rolling Zahra onto her back Korsephan pointed at the scar visible directly over Zahra's heart. With a shocking realisation Valna'a looked down her own top to see a matching scar on her chest.

" I can take it away, maybe put it in the arena. How long do you think something as pathetic as this would last against a Blade Champion. We could have a wager on it. If it wins the two of you can leave here free and clear. If it dies, then.. well you won't need to worry any more about me.

"If it yields, however, you are mine to do with as I want."

"Fegg off, you bastard. You know we're exempt from the rite of soul fusing."

"Actually we're exempt from someone of lesser status doing it to us. However, dearest sister, I am senior to you. And the look on your face is worth every penny it cost, and every favour I had to call in."

Valna'a lost her temper. It did not matter if her brother had broken the rules. If he had gotten someone to perform the rite, she was doomed to a chronically shortened life. Especially as her life force was now bound to that of a human.

Launching herself at her brother, she rained blows and kicks at his face and body trying to get some revenge on him.

Initially laughing at her, Korsephan soon realised that his sister, especially angry, was actually the better fighter. Still laughing he went to back out of the door only to trip over the human that had managed to get in his way.

Seeing where this was going, even though she didn't understand why, Zahra decided to help the female of the two, especially as she reminded her of the guardian angel that had saved her life in the Hall of Klartius. Though if it was the same elf she might be regretting her intervention now.

As the prince retreated from his sister Zahra rose to her hands and knees and got behind his legs. When her tried to retreat through the space she was occupying the prince fell over her, crashing to the floor. At which point Zahra collapsed to the ground, so as to not impede the female combatant.

With Korsephan down, Valna'a leapt over the falling human and brought her foot down on a perfect stomp onto her brothers chest. The sound of breaking ribs was clearly audible, as was the cry of mixed terror and pain as the older elf realised that he was in a position so bad that it might soon be terminal.

The cry had, however, made it out into the hall causing the prince's bodyguards to rush in and drag him out. A task hampered not only by them being forbidden to lay hands on the princess, who was successfully rearranging his facial feature, and by the young human who had hold of the back of his trousers, in an attempt to keep him in the room.

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Being unable to harm the princess did not prevent the guards from hurting Zahra, however, and a boot found her face followed by a painful blow to the side of her head removed her contribution to the struggle.

With Zahra out of the equation it was even more of an unequal struggle, and the guards managed to drag their charge out of his sisters bedroom, though his trousers did get left behind in the struggle, tangled in the stunned human's hands.

"You know I should execute you for laying hands on the oldest child of the Clan-Father, don't you?” Asked Valna'a closing her bedroom door before bending down to look at the damage done to Zahra's face. The right side swelling up quickly and the eye already closed.

"That looks unpleasant."

"I've had worse, Mistress." Replied the still prone human. And then with absolutely no sincerity. "I didn't do anything intentionally, I was trying to get out of the way when he fell over me and got these hideous trousers caught up on me."

Valna'a laughed at the cheek of the feisty young human.

"I like you. I might not hate having to keep you around. However, I feel I know you from somewhere. Did your hair used to be different?"

"I think we might have met in the Hall of somebody famous where I was assigned to clean it but was initially too ill. You, or someone who looks like you, prevented the primacae from killing me."

"Ah yes I remember. You certainly look a lot better now."

"What's your designation?"

"I have been given the designation of 06ADH1072, Mistress."

"You don't seem overly happy with it." Commented Valna'a with a smirk. "What was your name before you came to Cas' Mak'l?"

"I am only telling you this because you asked directly, but my name is Zahra Wellson." The name odd to say. " I don't know what Cas Mackle is, though."

"Cas' Mak'l is the name of the planet you are currently on. It is my clan's home. And yours now."

"For now, Mistress. I'll get home one day."

"Maybe, maybe not. But if you do I'll probably have to go with you, and I don't fancy living on a cattle world."

"We are not cattle, Mistress. We are sentient beings, hence this conversation." Said, perhaps a bit too forcefully.

"Okay. I don't want to live on a human world, Zahra." Even the elf's pronunciation of her name was the most beautiful she had ever heard.

"Anyway, seeing as I have a pet human now I might as well make use of you. Let me get a good look at you."

Zahra got up and did a playful twirl for her new mistress. She did not know why she felt comfortable doing so. These creatures usually elicited fear in her, but this one felt like an old friend already.

"You need longer hair. I don't really like this look on you."

"I live to please, Mistress." Then realising she may have gone to far, by the look on Valna'a's face she knelt down.

"I apologise, Mistress. I don't know why I felt I could speak to you like that."

"Accepted, Zahra. I like that name, it's beautiful, like you.

"Now I'm doing it. The fusing seems to have messed both of us up.

"Anyway, get washed and dressed - you can use that bathroom there." Valna'a pointed to a closed door next to the bathroom she had come out of. "Then we need to find some food, and get that face looked at."

"Yes, Mistress." Zahra scuttled off to the indicated room. Expecting a basic set up she was startled to find the most opulent bathroom she had ever been in. There was a shower large enough for three people, a double sink, with a huge mirror over it; a, rather tacky, gold toilet with matching bidet. But the jewel in the crown was a massive free standing bath that looked big enough for four, though it looked shaped to accommodate only two.

With a longing look at the bath, Zahra decided on a quick shower. Checking around her, she realised that there was no shower gel or towels. Leaving that bathroom, she approached Valna'a's.

"Mistress, there's no cleaning material or towels in there."

"There wouldn't be, thinking about it. I don't share my quarters and therefore don't need a second bathroom.

"You'll have to come in here and share mine."

Obeying without question, Zahra walked into a room that put the other to shame. Everything here was bigger and more ornate. Though the toilet and bidet were much more tasteful.

"Over here." Called Valna'a summoning her to a shower cubicle that, while no bigger than the one next door, was decorated much more beautifully. As she got to the cubicle door, it opened and a long, graceful arm snaked out and pulled her in.

Inside Zahra found the most beautiful woman, she had ever seen. Everything about her was perfect. From the swell of her breasts to the graceful way her waist gave way to her hips, to the long shapely legs. Zahra was in awe. The only blemish was a scar over the elf's heart, and even that seemed to accentuate her other attributes.

Having not had that sort of company in months it was all Zahra could do to limit her contact with the princess to that of a hand maiden washing her mistress. Especially when the seemingly naive elf started washing her back.