Please forgive the short chapter and any mistakes it holds, I woke up at four a.m and didn't get to bed until four thirty a.m, the next day

Deathbringer

Deathbringer awoke the next morning to the warmth of sunlight on his skin, and soft fingertips running delicately through his hair and along his cheek.

For a moment he just lay there, as he did when he was at home, in the soft early mornings of winter, when he and Glory would just lie still, and she would whisper to him the things which she never dared to say when others were around.

But then, the words whispered now were so very unlike what he was used to hearing, that he thought for a moment that he really couldn't be at home.

He opened his eyes, and instead of looking into those of glittering green, he found himself looking brown eyes in an unfamiliar face.

That's when he remembered where he was.

Deathbringer sat up, startled, and the brown eyed girl withdrew her hands from his hair.

He reached for the knife that hung from his belt, but it was nowhere to be found.

"Forgive me Lord, I had not meant to startle you," she said.

"Who are you?" He hissed. "And what in the seven Kingdoms are you doing?"

She stood up and folded her hands neatly in front of her.

"Forgive me Lord, I could not help myself. Indeed you did look quite so heavenly sleeping and hallowed by the sunlight. I had not meant to give any offence."

"Right." Deathbringer said, still keeping his distance.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

She bowed her head, brown hair swinging down to hide her face like a curtain.

"I am your maid servant Lord. If you need anything, you may ask me."

Deathbringer inched even further away, until his back was pressed up against the wall.

"What is your name?" he asked.

She looked slightly surprised. "Why would you need my name Lord? I can serve you very well without it."

"Nonetheless" Deathbringer said, annoyed now. "I asked you to give me your name."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked away, a small blush blooming on her cheeks.

"Pepper my Lord. My name is Pepper" she mumbled.

"Pepper?!" Deathbringer repeated.

The amount of odd names in this place was strange. Ginger, Sarai, Pepper.

"Yes. Do you have any commands now my Lord? If you are hungry, they are preparing food downstairs, or I could bring some up to you so you may eat alone. Or if you're thirsty-"

"I'm not" Deathbringer said. He stood up and looked around for his cloak.

It was not folded on the wooden chest by the window as it had been before he went to sleep. In its place was a very different cloak. Black as his had been, but stitched with golden thread to make intricate patterns.

"Ginger said that your old cloak was not fit for a man of a Lord's status, he has given you this one, and says that it shall wear just as well, though with more beauty." Pepper said, noting the confused look on his face.

Deathbringer reached for the silky material, before stopping, hand merely inches away from it.

He felt disgusted that he had even considered wearing it.

As though he had actually accepted the monstrous plan that was to bring down the one person he cared about.

It didn't matter if he was faking. He would not willingly allow himself to appear of her stature.

He turned to look at Pepper who was watching him with a curious expression.

"Very well. I have several tasks for you to do." he said.

She looked almost relieved.

"Yes Lord?"

"First, please refrain from calling me a Lord."

She looked surprised, but nodded her head.

"Second, please return my cloak to me."

She opened her mouth to protest but he glared at her and she snapped it shut again.

"And lastly, please tell me where to find Ginger"

Now she protested.

"I'm sorry my Lor- I'm sorry, but Master Ginger is unwell this morning, and cannot see anyone" she said apologetically.

"I didn't realize your service was not unconditional.' he said coldly.

"Don't worry about that, Ginger has sent me to bring you into the great hall, I'm sure you'll find that whatever you wish to discuss with him shall be taken up there."

Deathbringer and Pepper turned.

Standing in the doorway was another young woman.

Her pale skin was freckled, her plump lips were red, her blond hair fell down all the way to touch her waist, and her black eyes littered brightly in the sunlight"

"Who are you?" Deathbringer asked.

She strode into the room and bowed.

"Aphrodite. I am here to do whatever Pepper cannot do, and is not allowed to do. Now if you'll come this way-"

She led him out of the room and walked swiftly beside him.

"You're a Sandwing" Deathbringer said after a few moments of silence.

"Yes I am. And you are a Nightwing. Do you have a problem with me?"

"No" he answered, frowning. "However, you seem different from the other girl."

Aphrodite laughed.

"Yes, well I suppose I am. You see, unlike Pepper and all the other useless bats in this establishment, I was born here. Raised here. Really I wasn't even meant to be born. My mother was a prostitute. I happened by accident. The man who impregnated my mother allowed her to keep on condition that I would be brought up like her, like many others. Pepper wasn't brought up here, she was kidnapped so that's why she doesn't really understand or have the right personality."

Deathbringer took a few steps away from Aphrodite, feeling uncomfortable and guilty somehow.

"Are you saying that this is a brothel?" He asked, disapproval lacing his voice.

"No, but we do have one. Third hallway to the right of your room, second door on the left, down the stairwell and then the fifth room on the right. It's not easy to miss, but I can show you the way if you like"

"I think I'll pass" Deathbringer said, wondering how in hell he got himself into this mess.

"Do you wish to be free?" he asked suddenly.

Aphrodite laughed. "Nothing I'd love more. Unfortunately though, there's no chance of that ever happening. You see, the women here are all prostitutes, or slaves or something like that. We have to stay within the walls of the stronghold, free to roam about and do what we like, but any man who takes a fancy to us is allowed to nab us and do what he likes. The only way we can be free of that is if we are bought. Bought women can only be used by the man who bought her. So you see, either way it ends up the same. In some dirty lustful man's clutches."

Deathbringer felt a fresh wave of horror when he thought of what would happen if the Rain and NightKingdom fell. How many innocent people would be forced into this horrible life? And Glory-

He shook his head, refusing to go there. He was here to stop this from happening

"So, how do you like it in the New Age?" Aphrodite asked.

Deathbringer contemplated what to say. She didn't seem like the sort who would spy on someone, but all the same, you could never be too careful, especially here.

"I don't know yet" he said.

She snorted.

"We'll that's a first, most of the men love it here. I mean why wouldn't they? Power, feasting, money, riches, jewels, Brothels, slaves, women. It's just like everyone says. This is a man's world."

"Well if you had been raised elsewhere, you would see that quite differently. Only women are allowed to rule." Deathbringer said.

Aphrodite raised an eyebrow. "You don't seem very upset about that."

"Not at all" he said. "It's how things work best. Kings have only ever caused havoc and chaos."

She smiled. "Well, I guess at least on man in this establishment has his head screwed on right."

Deathbringer smiled back at her, but kept his distance. The guilt in his chest grew.

Stop it. He thought. You aren't doing anything wrong.

But you could. His consciousness told him. You could fall prey to the seductions of this world, and before you know it, everything would be ruined.

I won't let that happen. He argued with himself.

I will never let that happen.