"Hey! Wake up!"

A nudge on side of my back woke me up from pleasant sleep. I didn't want to open my eyes and see a person who will be a hell of me.

It was an odd feeling. I had not had such a good night for a long time. My sleeping place was comfortable and soft, warm. Quite a contrast of all the previous ones - floor or a dirty haystack were places I used to sleep. Despite the comfort, my mind was working nonstop whole night around. If it wouldn't be for that, I would have the most wonderful sleep in my life. Worry and anticipation were eating my mind away, making me wake up again and drift back to darkness time after time. It felt like a little nightmare but made by my own conscious thoughts.

Who was this person who poked me again?

"Come on! Get up! We don't have time." a young voice ringed in my ears again.

My thoughts drifted back into reality and now I had a clear knowledge of a person behind this voice - Edmund, my new master.

"Do you want to sleep for a little longer?" he was looking down at me and poking me with his naked feet to shake me up again.

Edmund was holding hands on his hips and a look on his face suggested he was not pleased to see me all drowsy and unresponsive. Last night's meal and a rather comfortable fur rag were doing its work for me, making me tired and sleepy.

I pulled myself up and with one hand rubbed sleep off my eyes. I had to get up and see what he was up to, most likely Edmund will be introducing me with my work duties.

I felt weak, there was no strength in my limbs. Why did he chose me from all the other slaves, more healthier and stronger and most likely more obedient? The thoughts which I had in the marketplace were still in my head. I did not want to be a slave anymore. This was not a life for me, all I wanted was to not exist and see an end to my nightmares.

"Come on! Snap out of your little world!" Edmund grabbed both of my shoulders and pulled me up.

If the temperature in this room would be lower, most likely you could see a puff of breath coming out of his mouth and nose. He was getting annoyed and again I was a reason for it.

"You are a bigger problem than I thought. No wonder you were so cheap. Who would want to take someone so difficult."

His words hurt because they were true. Nobody wanted to keep me.

"For this I won't give you breakfast. You have not earned it. Come! I will show you the house."

Edmund put his naked feet in his expensive-looking slippers. He wore a white shirt, but his outfit didn't look so formal as a day before. His brown hair were messy today too. Edmund must have woken up just minutes before me.

I walked behind him keeping quiet as I watched the beautiful house he lived in. The floors were shiny as a mirror, smooth and very clean. Some paintings on the walls of various people and fine carvings decorated the long hallways. I saw some other people around, servants I guess. They all had that ash grey outfit as Fiona.

I looked at myself and saw, that, till this moment, I was dressed in the linen nightgown. Will I receive an outfit like servants?

"You do not wander around the house too much. Your place is by my side most of the time. In case I need anything." Edmund walked forward without looking back at me and it seemed he was the true master of this house.

"On that side of the house are guest rooms, a living room for them, garden a dining area as well. Here on the left is the library, lounge, my parents room is at the far end in that tower." He gestured towards the tower on another side of the garden. We were standing in some kind of half balcony type structure, which overlooked the garden. His parents lived so far away from his own room.

"Do you see them often?" I asked quietly. I didn't know if I was allowed to ask.

"What?"

"Your parents?"

"Not really. They are always busy. Sometimes my father accompanies me on some trips, but my mother is too busy with her own things, whatever those things might be."

"Then...who takes care of you?"

He looked at me strangely. "I do myself." A long pause dragged as he was watching me. "And from now on it will be your job."

Edmund's usually snobbish and confident face looked sad for a moment. I was wondering what he was feeling right now. Is it because of his busy parents? Or something else?