When last we left Magnus and Alice in the past they were finally beginning to trust each other a bit more ( well at least Alice was finally starting to trust. hehe I think its more clear that Magnus has trusted her since the moment she saved his life;-)). But might we be able to find out a bit more about how thier working relationship began?....

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30 Years Earlier ~

Magnus

It was the routine that developed between them. Magnus would wake to find breakfast already prepared for him, Alice having risen well before dawn to complete his meal in spite of his assurances that he did not require such care.

Each day, he would go to his work and the human would busy herself around his home, keeping the main house far cleaner than his sibla maid ever had. On occasion he would spot her around the estate, wandering more freely now that she had forgone the crutches. Every night he would return to the house to join her for dinner. But when he tried to engage her in conversation he could still sense her reluctance in opening up. Slowly he began to coax details of her arrest from her lips.

The story she told was chilling.

"There was no light in the cell," she explained. "The chains around my neck, legs, and arms were never removed. Every day they would grant me three cups of brackish water along with some thin soup with a piece of stale bread in the morning and evening."

Magnus was horrified at her treatment. No wonder she had become so ill. They had practically starved her to death.

"Truly I believed every morning that it would be the last. That whatever protection your words had granted me would run its course and they would see me truly tortured for my crimes. When they finally led me from my prison that last day I was certain the time had come."

He was filled with anger to hear so. Why had such cruelty been necessary? Magnus felt his fists clench in spite of himself.

"You did not deserve such treatment," he said with frustration. But Alice met his gaze, her expression unfeeling.

"I murdered my master and his entire family," she said, her voice entirely devoid of emotion.

Magnus didn't answer, looking away and turning back to his meal as he tried to ignore the chill he felt travel along his spine. It was the truth. She had murdered a sibla man in cold blood. She had aided in the death of many more. Somehow he had almost forgotten the fact. The rest of their meal continued in silence.

The next night she did not show at the table for dinner, nor the next. As it had been since her recovery, a sumptuous meal was waiting for him when he retuned from his work, but Alice was nowhere in sight. Though she had never been particularly talkative at their meals together, Magnus found himself missing her company terribly, and he worried what he might have done to drive her away.

Was she afraid that her admission to the crimes she'd committed had changed his opinion of her? He knew what she'd done. He'd watched her do it. But those acts did nothing to alter the care he felt towards the woman. Alice had had reason to kill her master, he was certain of it. Moreover, in doing so she had spared his life. He wanted her to understand his gratitude for that fact. For Alice to fully accept that as long as he lived she would be safe under his roof. But it seemed she would not come to him again.

It was a full week before Magnus finally worked up the courage and decided to approach the human woman to truly speak with her.

"Alice" Magnus said, as he knocked on the door to the guest room. "Might I come in?"

He heard a small chuckle as he cautiously opened the door to listen for her response.

"But of course, Magnus Kendrick," she answered. "This is your home after all. I am quite certain you can do whatever you wish."

Her words upset him, though they were the truth. He shook his head as he entered the room. "Please don't speak so," he said, pulling up a chair beside the fire where she sat. "I fully intend to build you your own quarters, Alice. A home that will belong to you."

"I belong to you," she answered.

Magnus looked down at his hands in frustration as he shook his head again. "I wanted to give you freedom," he said. "That night by the fire, that's all I thought of. I wanted to see you released from slavery!"

Magnus was entirely taken aback when he heard a genuine laugh from her lips.

"Freedom?" she asked. "What would I do with that? I am a slave, Magnus. I was born a slave and I will die a slave. I never asked for freedom."

Magnus stared at her, incredulous. "But you and you fellows rebelled against your master," he protested. "You burned his estate to the ground. You personally stabbed him in the heart!"

"I did all that," she agreed, her expression sobering, "but not for freedom. I wanted revenge. I wanted Cedrick Dulane to pay for his crimes. The only reward I anticipated was the chance to see him suffer. The only freedom I expected was that which death would offer in releasing my soul from this existence of suffering. Now that you have spared my life, I know well enough it now belongs to you entirely."

"You owe me nothing, Alice," Magnus replied. "If not for you I would be dead twice over. Don't you see? It is I who owe you. And though I would've been willing to let you live out the rest of your days idly in payment for my debt, in the short time you have been here you have proven yourself indispensable and clearly shown that an idle life is not one you would enjoy. Thus I humbly entreat you to work for me, Alice. In return, I will compensate you."

"Compensate?" she asked incredulous. "I am not certain there has ever been a sibla willing to provide compensation to a human being for anything. You do seem to have quite a bit of faith in me. I am not certain I am deserving."

"I know I am not mistaken in my judgment," Magnus answered. "But if you are to remain on my estate, I do wish to make one thing clear."

Her face quirked up in confusion. "And that is?"

"You will never be as a slave to me, Alice. You will have free-reign here as if you were one of my own kind. Is that understood?"

"If that is your command, Master, then I have no choice but to obey," she answered, a slight hint of a grin playing at the edge of her lips as if she found his words the most amusing thing in the world.

Magnus frowned. "I am sincere," he insisted. "Why do you mock me?"

Alice's smile faded as she shook her head. "I do not mock you, Magnus Kendrick," she answered. "I only wish you to understand reality. I can't imagine why you have chosen to be so kind to me, though I am grateful for it, but in this world I am an animal. I know and accept that fact and all the realities that come with it. If you are sincere in all you pledge however, I will make you a promise in return. I will serve you faithfully for the rest of my days. As long as you will it." She paused.

"From what I have gathered, you intend to expand your holdings, yes? Venture into the human trade?"

Magnus was taken off guard by her comment. He nodded, though he felt guilty doing so. To speak to a human about raising others for their meat seemed an uncomfortable topic of conversation.

"You needn't look so ashamed," Alice said, amazingly guessing at his thoughts exactly."I have no delusions that you see others of my kind as any different than a cow or pig. Perhaps one day your vision towards me will clear again and I will seem the same."

"That is not so," Magnus protested. "I..."

Alice held up a hand to stop him. "Regardless," she said. "The trade in human meat is profitable, and the use of slaves is exceedingly helpful in alleviating financial burden. You are not responsible for the world and its workings and have every right to take advantage. Why should you not become as successful as your brother?"

Magnus stared at her in shock, but Alice only smiled.

"As I told you that night," she said, "I am observant. I have garnered an idea of who your brother is. A truly powerful man, yes? You could be as well, Magnus. Though my master was an evil creature, he was quite adept at making money and I have observed him for many years. I can help you.

"I have seen the lands you have here. The potential you have. Let me care for those you purchase. I will watch over your human slaves and home, you can focus the aspects of your farm you already successfully manage. The Kendrick name is great, but you will soon claim just as much of its prestige as your brother. I will help you. That is how I will repay my debt."

Magnus stared the small human woman in awe. He had done nothing to deserve this creature who appeared to be sent by fate to not only save his life, but to increase every fortune he had ever been slighted for in the past.

"And you will not grow to resent me for keeping your fellow humans as livestock?" he asked. It seemed impossible that she would not.

"That depends," Alice said, pursing her lips in thought. "Do you intend to become a cruel master? One who might abuse his slaves with no provocation and maliciously slaughter their children and friends as punishment for whatever you deem a worthy offense? Make your livestock live in fear every day of their lives and come to belief that death would indeed serve as welcome escape from the horror of life."

Magnus was dumbfounded. "Is that what he did?" he asked, quiet certain he knew the answer already. The level of abuse was unimaginable. He had seen slaves beaten within an inch of their lives for various misconduct, but even that seemed to pale considering the emotional pain it seemed Dulane had inflicted on his animals. The venom anger with which Alice spoke of the man's actions was palpable.

Alice's gaze remained hard. "Answer the question," she said.

"I could never do the things you suggest," Magnus insisted. "Please believe that! The idea that any could is unimaginable to me and..."

But Alice was laughing again, her gaze no longer intense but filled with what appeared to be true mirth. "Of course not," she answered shaking her head. "You are a good man, Magnus Kendrick and I will be grateful to serve you, for already I can see in your distress that you could never be the sort of master Dulane was. If you can make a successful business treating your slaves with respect and dignity you will help prove the viability of such practices. That in and of itself is an endeavor I will be glad to aide. The sibla are unlikely to abandon their taste for human flesh, but perhaps the world could be made a kinder place for my species."

Magnus found himself momentarily at a loss for words. She was remarkable. There was no other term for such a creature. That she could be so wise, so motivated to make a difference in the world, it seemed unfathomable that a human might speak so. Her words inspired him as well. He could not imagine a more committed ally with whom he might finally see his goals of farming reform finally realized.

"We will work together," Magnus agreed holding out his hand to her. Alice stared at it in confusion.

"This is a pact," Magnus said. "My father taught me that a man was only as good as his handshake. It seems fitting that we might seal our partnership."

Her face screwed up in some inscrutable expression for a moment, but then she smiled slightly and shook her head. "You are a fascinating creature, Magnus Kendrick," she said.

He smiled back at her as she extended her arm and their hands wrapped around one another's. "As are you, Alice," he replied. "May our partnership be long and true."

"Partnership between a sibla and a human," she laughed. "No one will ever believe it possible."

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So, now you should have a far better idea of how Magnus and Alice's working relationship evolved. Thoughts? I personally love how much initiative Alice took in forming a position for herself that might do good for others and take full advantage of the position she wound up in. I mean a greatful sibla seemingly dedicated to keeping you safe? She could have chosen to spend her days doing nothing at all. Or perhaps opted to not get involved in an idustry that was bound to bring her so much pain? But I personally have a ton of respect for Alice in how she chose to take advantage of the oportunity fate granted her.

That's just me though. I would LOVE to hear how people's perception of Alice has evolved in this story Or not? Are there still those who don't look upon her super favorably? I mean she still DOES benefit from Magnus's bloody trade and we now know that she was entierly willing to participate in it. She besically sugested it! ( though im not sure she could have kept him from the industry entierly even if she'd wanted to. He WAS struggling financially and there was a reason he had chosen to invest in human stock...) In any case, the story 30 years in the past is now complete. On monday we will be back in the present again...