Kathryn and Rachel were in the kitchen when I arrived. While the older girl was hard at work,  Rachel sat at the table, her head resting on her arms, eyes closed. The poor thing was exhausted. It didn't matter. I had to get them away from the kitchen immediately.

"We have work in the main house," I said, loudly enough to wake the child. She sat up quickly in surprise, her eyes heavy with slumber.

"But Alice," Kathryn protested, "We have yet to finish any of the preparations for Master Torvald's dinner. I'm not even."

"I will not be questioned, Kathryn," I answered testily, cutting her off. "I have given orders and I expect they will be followed. I hope that in spite of letting Rachel sleep you have done all the other chores you promised you would?"

"She's exhausted!" Kathryn said, a clear frustration apparent in her tone. "Can't you see that, Alice? I doubt the child has gotten more than a few hours sleep in days!"

Of course I could see it. It pained me that Rachel was under so much stress that she couldn't rest. But I had not been sleeping either. I was certain Kathryn was no different. Under a true sibla master, childhood was not a luxury granted to any. It had certainly never been granted to me in my youth. Rachel would have to make do to survive. Already I was coddling her more than I should.

"She must learn to adjust like all the rest of us," I answered coldly before turning my attention to Rachel. "Get up, girl," I said sharply. Rachel was quick to comply. I ignored the look of scorn Kathryn cast in my direction.

The two girls followed me as I lead them to Magnus's study. I knew Torvald would not return there until he had finished harvesting the "animal" as he planned and so I forced Kathryn and Rachel to spend the afternoon dusting the already immaculate room. Keeping my eye on the grandfather clock in the corner of the room I threw myself into the mindless task along with them, making the clean room shine with almost unnatural polish. When the clock struck three I knew I could delay the inevitable no longer.

"Back to the kitchen," I ordered. "Torvald has a guest coming for dinner and we must ensure the meal we prepare is perfect."

I saw Kathryn and Rachel exchange confused glances and as I walked ahead of them at a brisk pace, I could hear them whispering. I knew my behavior likely seemed erratic. They could not understand why I had dragged them from the kitchen. Why I was dragging them back now as I was. But I couldn't worry about that. I could only pray that Torvald had left the meat for the evening meal by now and was long gone. That the ramifications of Olivia's death would not come until later. As I put my hand on the brass doorknob my heart pounded, fearing what I might find inside, but nothing could have prepared me for what I soon faced.

When I walked into the kitchen I felt the breath knocked from my lungs. There she was, lying on the kitchen table. Her throat had been cut, her body scalded and dressed, but he'd left her head attached. Olivia's dead eyes looked blankly ahead and yet I could swear they were nonetheless staring at me in judgment. My mind flashed to the vision of my child hanging in Dulane's larder. How her glazed eyes had stared at me the same way....

From my side, I heard Rachel gasp, bringing my mind back to the present. Then the name spoken aloud.

"Olivia..." The pain in Kathryn's voice was palpable. "Oh my god, Olivia."

I watched as Rachel buried her head in Kathryn's skirt to hide from the horrible sight. The older girl pulled her close. I'd known what he had planned, but I never thought he would be this cruel. I was just as shocked as the girls by my side. He had left a human corpse on my table!

"Alice."

My eyes immediately snapped to the deep voice who'd called out my own name to find Torvald standing just beside the body. The surprise of seeing Olivia, not butchered as I'd expected, but lying there dead, a full human corpse in my kitchen had distracted me. It seemed however that Torvald had not simply been content to leave the body and go. He was not through torturing me and already I could already see the displeasure on his face.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"Forgive me, Master Torvald," I answered, all too cognizant of Rachel and Kathryn standing just behind me as I stepped forward to face him. "We were busy elsewhere with other chores."

"But you are late," he said, with no less annoyance in his tone. "Did I not make it clear I would have the ingredients to you by three? Here lies the meat for tonight's meal. "

He gestured to the dead girl as if her presence was not already all too apparent.

"We will make certain your meal is prepared in time for your guest," I said, keeping my voice as  calm and even as possible. I could not be emotional. Not with the two others watching. "Is there a certain dish you would like?"

"I have heard my brother rave about the loin chops you prepare," he answered. "That should be suitable as a main course I should think. The rest I will leave up to your discretion."

I nodded.

"Perhaps your culinary skills will make up for your tardiness and repay my generosity," he added.

I felt my body tense as his eyes scanned over Kathryn and Rachel. No, he wouldn't. He couldn't possibly be so cruel. But as a small smile appeared on his lips I knew that he would not keep his mouth shut.

"It seems from their expressions that your girls are ignorant," he mused. "They should thank you, Alice, for the protection you provide them in picking another for my table. After all, your two kitchen pets are the most appetizing of my brother's flock. But perhaps that is why he would wish to keep them for himself."

"I assure you that all of my Master's stock is beyond reproach," I answered through gritted teeth. "But we will, of course, do our best to please you, Master."

Rage coursed through my veins. I wanted to strike back for his cruelty. But what could I do? I was helpless. A slave. As I had been for my entire life. It was precisely his intent to remind me of my place and, in the end, he was right. I had no power. The only reason I still breathed was the presumed protection of my Master. In spite of anything I might do, even in his unconscious state, Magnus held more influence than I could ever hope to.

How could I have allowed myself to forget that for one moment, I wondered? To have bought into Magnus's lie of equality in any sense. I was nothing in this world. Torvald was only forcing me to face reality. For the first time since the accident, I found myself almost wishing that Magnus had not survived his fall. That his protection had died with him. That I had been ushered straight to death along with my friend and not had to endure this endless torture, praying for him to wake while destroying my humanity in service to a man determined to ruin me from the inside out.

Torvald's smile deepened at my obvious frustration and helplessness.

"See to it that you do," he said. "Though I find his methods of operation vaguely troubling I do respect my brother's business. It would not take much however for me to change my mind in allowing your reign as overseer to continue. Until Magnus is well it is I who must maintain his holdings. If the need should arise, I will assert whatever authority I deem necessary to do so."

"Then I will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure all continues to be managed smoothly," I replied, choking back my emotions and trying to keep myself in check. "But if you will forgive me, Master, we must work quickly if you expect us to finish in time for dinner."

His gaze sharpened slightly at my attempt to take control of the situation again. "I hope it is not a bother that the carcass is still intact?" Torvald said casually, his taunting bringing an unbearable heat to my cheeks. "Magnus has often told me that you are more than capable at all tasks an overseer might be employed to do after all. That being the case, I can't imagine that butchering would be too difficult."

"Of course not," I answered. I met his gaze directly as I spoke. He could take all of my power from me but I would not sacrifice my will. I could not let him take that as well. I would not let him break me. As brazen as it was to stand against him I refused to back down. Luckily, Torvald only laughed in response to my daring.

"You are a stubborn creature," he said with a shake of his head. "I'll give you that much. But I will leave you to your work."

I managed to keep my head held high until he left the room, but the minute I heard the door close behind him, I felt the overwhelming exhaustion overtake my body. I wondered how I could possibly remain standing. Still, I was determined to fight Torvald in the only way I possibly could. By doing my job.

"Kathryn," I barked. "Get me a large knife and a cleaver."

Kathryn didn't move. I turned to see the tears streaming down her face freely now, still clutching Rachel at her side.

"How could you do it, Alice?" she demanded. "How could you condemn her to die!"

Guilt coursed through me hot and raw, her words like daggers stabbing my flesh. But there was no room for such a reaction now. Torvald had been taunting yes, but there was a clear message in his threats. He knew how to make me suffer without causing death. Rachel and Kathryn were easy targets. I focused my terror at that prospect into anger.

"Did you not hear the man?" I snapped as went to a drawer and retrieved a large cleaver. "It was supposed to be you, Kathryn! If we cannot comply with his orders it still may very well be you or Rachel who next lies upon that table. Still you ask how I could do it? I can not stop him. Even with Magnus, my sway only goes so far. But with Torvald..." I shook my head. Kathryn had to understand. I couldn't lose her. I couldn't lose everything .She was the only one who had ever been able to look past my position. To see why I did what I did. If she had abandoned me I wasn't sure I had the strength to continue alone.

"Be glad he listens at all," I said, trying again to plea for her understanding while refusing to back down and beg forgiveness. "The man despises me. That he sees my weakness and seems to have identified you and Rachel as favorites does not work to your benefit. If he wishes revenge on me he will take it out on you now and I don't know if I can do anything about it. I have all of Magnus's slaves to think of. Can't you see that? I do not need your judgment, Kathryn, I need your help! I am doing everything I can to protect as many as possible until our Master returns."

Kathryn's expression remained unchanged and in that moment, true anger overtook me. "You do not have to agree with my actions," I said, "but the least you could do is trust that I am doing my best and obey my orders without question."

I walked to the corpse of the kind, loving girl who was no more and raised my cleaver. I had dealt with human carcasses before, though I had hoped to never again to so in my lifetime. All of Dulane's main kitchen staff knew how to butcher a human body. This was what I had to do now.

If Kathryn could not forgive, so be it. I had existed for many years with no true friends and if she abandoned me, I would survive it. If Torvald wanted to break me? He could try. He could taint my humanity and push me to my limits. I had been tortured by crueler men before and lived. I was strong and I would not give in to either of them. With as much force as I could manage, I brought the blade down upon Olivia's severed neck. I did it again and again until, on my third attempt, the head detached from her body.

"There," I said triumphantly, my momentary rage relieved enough to feel like I could breathe again. "This carcass laying here is Olivia no more." I picked up a clean white cloth and cradled the head in it carefully. I closed her eyes and covered Olivia's face. "We will grieve our loss later," I said more gently. "We will bury her head and give Olivia her due respect, but for now we must focus on the task at hand. Do you understand?"

When Kathryn still did not respond I hardened my tone. Having calmed myself enough to not be overwhelmed by emotion, I once again settled into my role of control. I would make my girls obey. I had to if I hoped to save more from the same fate as Olivia.

"Kathryn, that is enough!" I said more forcefully. "I need you to focus now."

My words seemed to finally reach the girl as she came back to herself and untangled her arms from Rachel.

"Yes, Ma'am," she answered.

I had to think quickly. Torvald had requested loin chops. I pictured the various recipes in my head, trying to keep my mind focused.

"Rachel," I said, addressing the child. "there are vegetables I collected this morning. Begin chopping. We will need mushrooms onions and potatoes."

Rachel shakily nodded her head. Eyes still fixed on the table on the headless corpse. Again, I felt sympathy with her plight, but I could not grant her compassion. Not now. Not until we had finished our task well enough to satisfy Torvald and keep him at bay for awhile longer. Still, it would not help if the girl was immobilized by her shock and fear.

"Keep your back to us and you will not have to watch," I said in response to her distress. "But I need you to work quickly."

The girl nodded her understanding.

"What about me?"

I sighed at Kathryn's question. I knew what was necessary. I could not protect her from it. The hesitation in her voice as she'd asked made it clear however that she already had guessed at my answer.

"I'm sorry, Kathryn," I answered, "but I will need your help making this a more manageable task. I cannot handle the entire carcass myself. In any case, this is a skill you ought to learn. Knowing how to butcher a complete animal is something that may come in handy and you should fully understand the different cuts of meat you might be asked to prepare for your Master. Though I should hope you will never again have to deal with a human body ever again."

I stopped for a moment taking in the significance of my own words. If Magnus did not recover, Kathryn might very well face more bodies. Or perhaps she would be quickly slaughtered herself. Though I had worked so hard to spare her that fate I couldn't help but wondered if it would be for the best. Under Torvald, death might indeed be preferable to life.

"Try not to think too much about it," I added as Kathryn wiped back tears from her eyes, cementing her resolve. "You have work to do. That is all that matters for the moment. Olivia would not have wanted you to put yourself at risk in your disobedience."

The younger woman nodded.

"Besides," I said, raising my cleaver again, "the less this carcass resembles a human being, the easier the task will be." I let the blade fall at the dead woman's hip to cement my point as I worked to separate the leg from her torso. "Our friend is gone, only meat remains."

---------

The girl kept her back to us as we worked. I guided Kathryn through the process of extracting the limbs, halving the carcass, and carefully procuring clean precise cuts of meat that would be suitable to satisfy Torvald's request, trying to tune out the intermittent sobs I could still hear her fighting to suppress.

Once the body was dismembered and butchered, I focused on the meal itself. Torvald had left the organs for us. I chose the liver, which I had Kathryn sauté in chicken fat and then chop into a fine paste as an hors-d'oeuvre. I prepared thin slices of grilled thigh steak as well. For the main course, I prepared loin chops as he'd asked, in a wine reduction I knew Magnus favored, sautéed with mushrooms and pearl onions, mashed potatoes on the side.

I did not force Rachel to handle any of the meat, but I had no choice but to continue to employ Kathryn's aid. There was limited time after all. Though I could see the tears in her eyes throughout the task, I was glad she seemed to have mastered herself enough to remain focused.

By eight twenty the meal was complete. Each dish I had prepared, save the dessert, contained a portion of human flesh and was plated impeccably. Torvald would be pleased, even if I knew he would never give me credit for my hard work. It gave me a certain sense of accomplishment having been able to rise to the challenge in spite of the circumstances. Moreover, I have made certain to make the best use of Olivia's body as I could, taking as much meat as possible to ensure Torvald would have a plentiful supply should he find himself craving human flesh again. Perhaps that would spare the others just a little longer and grant Magnus time to recover before I lost any more women to Torvald's greed.

"I will serve him," I said to Kathryn. "I need you to store the rest of the meat in the freezer. Keep the larger bones for stock. You know how to mark it?"

Kathryn nodded. She had helped me prepare human flesh before after all, though it had never been so clearly human. Magnus would never have subjected me to that level of horror. He seldom asked for human meat at all, and when he did, it always came to me in its butchered state... But the most difficult task had been completed now. There was no sign of Olivia left in the red flesh that remained.

"Rachel can help you," I added.

Rachel opened her mouth to protest but my glare stopped her. I had spared the child as much as I could. She had not been forced to touch the body nor cook with human flesh, but enough was enough.

"I have been exceedingly patient," I said, "and I do not mean to be cruel, but Kathryn needs aid now. I think you will agree she has done far more than her share of unpalatable work today. My request of you is not unreasonable."

Rachel looked down at her feet ashamedly. "Yes, Ma'am," she answered.

"There are leftovers you and Rachel can prepare for the others if they come looking for food," I told Kathryn,"but I would advise them to avoid the main house for now. I left enough bread and cheese in the slave hall that none should go hungry.

" I have no idea who Torvald's guest may be, but it would bode poorly if any of you caught his or her eye. Torvald might believe himself noble in securing a profit for his brother. If our guest's taste for one of our flock was keen I fear Torvald would not hesitate to sell." I shook my head and frowned. "If only Magnus would wake again."

I felt despair fill me even as I spoke words of hope. I knew the truth, the faith I'd had that he would rise from his unending sleep grew less and less by the day.

"Then he is still unconscious? Kathryn asked, the despair in her tone far less disguised than my own. I forced myself to rally again for her sake as I nodded.

"There is still hope," I told her, though I was having trouble believing it myself at the moment. "From what I have overheard The doctors seem to think he is improving. It all depends on whether or not he will open his eyes within the next few days. If not, they think there is little chance he ever will." It was all I had been able to glean from my surreptitious attempts to spy in spite of the fact that Torvald was doing his best to keep me from Magnus's side.

"I will be back as soon as I can," I told them, taking the tray Kathryn and I had prepared and hurried up the stairs to serve my new Master.

So... this segment might actually end up breaking into 4-5 "chapters." Hopefully people would rather more than less? hehe. I will keep releasing quickly until it is done since these chapters are meant to be read all at once. Look for the next bonus chapter on Wednesday! It contains a scene that Rachel would not have seen...Who was Torvald's guest? What happened at that dinner? Might Torvald be a bit more complex than Rachel gave him credit for? From her eyes, he was a clear villain. Does Alice feel the same way? She has dealt with a lot worse than Torvald... Hope you are enjoying the bonus chapters!! <3