The next morning, Erik woke early, as he did most mornings. He looked over at the sleeping boy on the floor, thinking.  'The entire court will think I've taken a concubine,' he thought dryly. Though, if that thought were be to be held, at least it would be shown that he had good taste.

He rose from his bed, moving towards the window to pull aside the curtain slightly.  Most of the castle was still asleep. The servants believed their King slept much later then he did, and he liked to keep up the belief. It was good to have some time alone without worry of attempts on his life, and when he could let down most of his defenses, unobserved.  He gave a small sigh.  Being King was difficult. Especially when the people you ruled thought you despisable.  He gave a small scowl. It wasn't HIS bloody fault he had been born looking more angelic then demonic. The fact that he had that limitation only made his achievements more impressive.

He stretched slightly and rotated his shoulders, slowly shifting to his 'demon' form.  Large white feather wings grew out from his back, magically bypassing his sleep clothing without ripping, and his hair grew long and pale.  Once he had fully shifted he concentrated on changing his appearance once more.  The feathers on his wings turned midnight black, the bone structure arching and curving to try and resemble gnarled bat wings, and his hair turned a jet black, similar to his human appearance. He stood before his mirror, examining his changed appearance, scowling. No matter how he tried, he never could get himself to look properly demonic with the idiotic feather wings he had been cursed with.  "How on in the seven hells am I to strike fear in the hearts of the masses when I look like a bloody ANGEL?" he muttered to himself.

"Master?" Nikita said in his soft voice.  "Do you need me?"

Erik turned, "Eh? What for?" he asked, blinking slightly.

There was a pause and Nikita turned away.  "I don't know, Master."

"Quiet all right," Erik said, turning back to the mirror. "I tend to mutter to myself in the morning. Good to get some personal time in, away from all the idiots in this place.  You'll get used to it."  He adjusted the look of his wings slightly and scowled. "Tell me, Nikita, what do you think of this form?"  There was a brief pause. "Be honest. I won't harm you for any truthful answer.  I get enough garbage from my staff about things..."

"It's beautiful, Master.  A form that could call the world to do its bidding."

"How so?" Erik asked, still tweaking his appearance.

"Beautiful people can mesmerize others to do what they want them to.  Like how they say the elves control the humans?"  The gold eyes looked at Erik questioningly.

Erik gave a small chuckle. "Demons are not humans," he smiled, turning to face the boy. "Beauty in this world is not respected as in the elf lands.  Here, strength of body is what rules. That and being able to bully, scare and threaten others into submission."

"But it isn't all," Nikita offered hesitantly.  "They all fought for me and said I was beautiful....  And I--"  He broke off, looking at Erik warily.

"And you...?" Erik prompted. "Do say all that comes to your mind. I will not punish you for true speech," he restated. "And that covers matters of mind and heart as well."

Nikita's voice softened further.  "I have destroyed some because others wanted this beauty for their own, and then had others come to 'rescue' me from these.  Beauty can be power."  He lowered his eyes.  "Sometimes."

"Mmm, such is true..." Erik agreed. "But beauty's power is not one which you can rule a country with very well.  Especially not one such as this where anything that is seen as weakness is instantly attacked and torn to shreds," he said with a mild bitter tone. "Sometimes I don't know why I wanted this role...."

Nikita curled one of the blankets around himself and rose, moving to where Erik was and kneeling in front of him.  "Master does well," he murmured.  "Master knows things others don't."

Erik gave a light laugh. "Very true, very true..." he smiled. He stretched slightly, expanding his wings some. "It's a shame, really... to be given wings that you can almost never show," he mused. "The only people who see them are the fools who I convince to hand me their souls on a platter." He gave a small snort of disgust. "Ah well. Thus is life, I suppose." He looked down at Nikita and lightly mussed the boy's hair. "You are a good servant," he said in a slightly soft voice.  "Maybe with some care you'll out shine...." he trailed off a moment and shrugged. "But we must see to your training first. I will be keeping you in my company constantly, except for when I bathe." He paused. "Oh yes, that is another thing. One thing I very strongly believe in is cleanliness, therefore you will keep yourself in good condition, understood?"

Nikita's eyes glowed at the praise and he nodded eagerly.

Erik smiled. "How much do you know of hygiene?" he asked. "Do you need instructions on how to operate the bath?"

The boy shook his head.  "The harem keeps cleaner than others, because of our duties, and I have always had... many duties."  He looked down, lips pursed, and when he looked up again his eyes were clear.

Erik made another disdainful noise. "Harem..." He said the word as if it were something untouchable. "Despisable... fear not, you will no longer be given any such... 'duties.'"  He retracted his wings back into himself, reverting to human form.  "I am going to take my bath now. You will stay here until I emerge and then you shall bathe." He walked over to the closet, loosening his clothing.

Nikita nodded, remaining in place and pulling the blanket tighter around himself.
 
 

Nikita pulled the blanket around himself tighter as he left the bathroom, eyes darting around to look for Erik.   He moved to stand slightly behind his Master, visible in the mirror the man was looking in.

The man didn't appear to notice him a moment, intently concentrating on something.  Finally, with a long-suffering sigh, he turned. He gave a small smile at Nikita. "Very good. Now to see to your dress."  He walked over to the closet.  "The best dressmakers in the realm made these, which means they're not very good, but they will have to suffice until I can get over to a realm where they believe in quality...." He pulled out an outfit made from a soft grey cloth that matched the decoration in Erik's own outfit. "Do put it on," he said, handing it to the boy.

Nikita hugged the clothes to him, looking at the blanket that wrapped him for a moment.  With a minute shrug, he dropped it.  He pulled the grey clothes on, smoothing them fastidiously into place.  He looked down at himself, then turned his head to peer over at his back.

After a moment he bowed deeply.  "Thank you, Master."

Erik smiled. "You are welcome. I believe you will be the second best groomed individual in the idiotic world. Now, the cooking staff should be awake, so we shall go to breakfast. While we are eating, I shall instruct you on rules of behavior for when we are in public. Anything you do not understand, do ask for clarification. Appearances are important. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Master.  I will not embarrass you."

Erik smiled once more. "Come them," he said, walking to the door.

They arrived at the dining area. A sleepy servant quickly set the table settings and rushed to inform the staff of the Kings appearance.

"Now, am I correct in assuming you do not know how to properly use eating utensils?" Erik asked.

Nikita looked at the table.  "I am to eat at table?"  He looked down.  "I never have."  His shoulders tensed as he began to fear that he would quickly break his word to his Master.

"Mmm. As to be expected." Erik said in a neutral voice. "Do be calm, I am not going to harm you for not knowing something that you would have had little possibility to learn. Now pay attention."  He gave a brief description of the uses of each utensil, holding each up in turn. "Now, the best way to learn is by watching others, so when the food arrives, pay attention to how I eat, and seek to emulate it, understand?"

"I will, Master!" Nikita said eagerly.  He began to sit and paused.  "Where do I sit?"

Erik gave a small laugh. "The setting at my left side," he gestured with a smile.

The boy lowered himself into the seat, sitting demurely with his hands in his lap.  He looked at the table and settings through his lashes, and then turned his head slightly to see the servants coming in and out of the room.

Erik watched him and nodded. "A very good idea to watch the comings and goings around you. Another thing you must quickly learn is that I am the only one you can trust."

The food arrived as he said this.  He waited patiently for the servants to leave again, then held his hands a half a foot over his food, casting a small spell. Taking his hands away, he sighed. "As my point is proven. Do not touch the food on your plate," he instructed.   He snapped his fingers and a servant hurried to his side. "Who cooked this meal?" he inquired.

"Chef Tairounum," the man replied.

"Bring this dish to him and ask him to sample the eggs. If he refuses, have him imprisoned. If he does not, escort him from the castle instead.  Either way, have a new meal prepared."

The servant bowed and took both Erik and Nikita's plates and left.

Erik sighed. "What, is that attempt number 272?" He shook his head slightly. "Either that or just horrible cooking... Now I ask, how am I to rule this realm if I must execute half it's inhabitants for trying to kill me!" he exclaimed, voice frustrated.

Nikita slipped from his seat to kneel at Erik's side, resting his head in the man's lap.  "Master is better than them all," he said softly.  "Any Master wants gone, I will remove."

Erik blinked at the boy's action, then gave a small smile, placing his hand on Nikita's head and gently stroking the hair. "Thank you," he said softly.
 

A short while later the servant reappeared with two fresh plates.  "Tairounum took his own life when confronted, my lord. This food was prepared by Chef Raiiloul."

Erik nodded. Once the servant had left again, he once more cast his spell. He gave a small smile at the results and nodded once more. "This food is clean. Resume your place at the table, Nikita, it is time to eat."

The boy rose, taking his seat again.  He looked at the food, licking his lips slightly at the scent, then looked at Erik for instruction.

"Follow my lead," Erik stated with a small smile.

Nikita watched the man eat, gingerly picking up the utensils.  Watching Erik's hands like a hawk, he attempted to copy their movement.  Slowly, he managed to eat the food set in front of him.  He smiled up at Erik.

Erik returned the smile, gently correcting Nikita's actions. "Much cleaner then eating with ones hands, don't you think?"

Nikita nodded.  "Thank you, Master," he said softly.

After eating, they returned to the room. "Now, though I feel it is unnecessary, when we are in public for the first few times, I will have to show physically that you are now my possession." He walked over to his drawers and picked up a leash and collar from on top it, holding it as if it was a dead rat.

Nikita took the collar gently, buckling it around his neck under his hair.  He stretched and bent his neck slightly, testing the give.  Satisfied after a moment, he turned his attention back to Erik.  "Am I to have public duties, Master?"

"You are to do as I say, and not speak unless spoken to." Erik was quiet a moment, then knelt down, taking the boy's arm in his hands. "I am going to mark you astrally now. This will be a mark that only you and I know of, and will enable to me find you if the need arises." He held his hand over the boy's upper arm about an inch in the air. "Now, this should not hurt, and if it does at all, it should only for a short moment."

Nikita looked at Erik trustingly, holding his arm tensely.  Master knew best.

"Just try and relax," Erik said in a slightly soft voice. He closed his eyes, etching his symbol into the boy's aura.  "There." He let go, standing back up. "Can you feel that?"

The boy felt a tingling on his arm and nodded.  "It's like light," he offered hesitantly.  "Light above my arm."  He looked at Erik, trying to see if he'd said something right or wrong.

Erik blinked. "Truly?" he asked, voice intrigued. "Most interesting... can you tell me more of what you see?"

Nikita moved his arm slightly.  "It moves with me," he said.  "It's like you put the light in me."  He looked confused.  "But it's above me.  But I can still feel it."  He stopped, retreating to silence, face confused.

"That's wonderful! You can sense the change in your aura!" Erik exclaimed exuberantly. "Tell me... do you see this... light, or just feel it? Can you see the light around others?"

Nikita's eyes widened in mild distress.  "I've never looked before.  Sometimes, when people do things to me, I can tell it.  Like an itch or something.  I've never tried before...."

Erik put a calming hand on the boy's shoulder. "Be calm," he said, voice holding a hint of gentleness. "I'd like you to try. See if you can see the energy around me."

Nikita let out a breath slowly, letting Erik's touch calm him.  "You have light all around you.  Like the light you gave me."  He held a hand out to the air almost two feet away from Erik.  "It ends here.  It's around me too."  He looked down, adding in a softer tone, "It's warm."

Erik smiled softly. "Thank you..." he said in a soft voice. He leaned down and kissed the top of the boy's head.

Nikita looked up, eyes wide with wonder.  "It's strong," he continued softly.  "Like it could eat something whole."

Erik gave a small laugh. "If only that were physical as well," he smiled.  "Ah well. Thank you, Nikita. When we are at court, do try and see if you can perceive the aura's of the others as well, if you can do so unobtrusively. Any information you can gather at all will be most helpful to me." He paused a moment. "Do you have any other powers or abilities that you know of?"

The boy thought a moment and shook his head.  "I didn't know I could do this."

Erik nodded slightly in disappointment. "We will have to explore this at a later time. Perhaps I shall get a book on elves and see if we can figure what type your blood is from." He looked out the window a moment. "It would appear the court is assembling. Come Nikita." He walked to the door, opening it.

Holding out the leash that attached to his collar, the boy approached.

Erik looked at it a moment, then sighed, accepting it. "If I'm pulling too tight, signal somehow. Sneeze or something. Cough politely, something small and not very noticeable. They see cruelty as a virtue for some deranged reason. I mean, how are we to keep our slaves loyal if they're in pain and unhappy?"

Nikita held the leash loosely.  "Master won't hurt me," he said trustingly.

Erik smiled. "Very true. As long as you are loyal and obey me, I will not hurt you."