She would pause for a moment then slowly walk over and sat next to him. She would take a careful breath and looks to her hands. " A little scared. " she says though she was very scared not knowing what her other side might try and do while this was going on.

Master Tannow's green eyes closed for a moment, as if sympathy were passing through him. Of course, that would have been all but impossible. "Why are you afraid? If you do as I ask, you will be kept safe from any indecencies or harm." He opened his eyes again. "That is, assuming you are successful in the assignment I offer you. Otherwise... Well, best not to consider that possibility." He smiled. "As my mother used to say, 'always look upward.' Do you remember your mother, #74?"

she would sigh a bit. " she isn't the easiest to keep in line." she would look to him a bit scared and remember the letter. Slowly she would nod a bit. " i....i...We " she says and looks down a bit. " we will do our best" she says softly. What was she getting into. Thinking of her mother she shakes her head. " she died when i was 5" she says and looks to him. " The only thing i know is she had the same color of eyes as i do"

"Of course, I'm sorry to hear that. I lost my mother too, but I was a little older than you were. Still, even at nine years old, it was a... Terrible loss." Tannow lay his hand gently atop #74's head. "Have you thought more about a name? It would make things easier." Taking his hand back, he stood up and walked a few steps away from the bed, before turning back to address her. "Are you ready to hear what I need you to do? I need you to be strong, as strong as you had to be to survive the fights earlier in your life. I know you have two halves to you, but I need the whole person you are to be confident." He smiled, and it actually seemed genuine. "My friend, obey me and you will be the savior of your people. That must make whatever hardships along the way worthwhile."

she couldn't help but smile a bit when he touched the top of her head. " I thought a little bit about it but wasn't sure if you wanted both of us to share one name or each have our own. " she would stand up and shrug a bit. " I will do my best to be cofendent and strong even if i'm not as strong as my other half is. For it will make you the most happy." she says with a smile. helping the others was a plus but she really just wanted to make him happy.

When she mentioned making him happy, Tannow looked genuinely taken aback. "Wait... What?" He suddenly lifted his hand as if dismissing the idea. "Never mind. Just... This isn't about happiness, number 74, it's about about doing as I said earlier. Looking up, always rising higher..." He seemed truly shaken by what she had said. Tannow was used to, even welcoming of the false flattery of most of his staff. They all hated him, and he knew it, and he was fine with it. But this elf... This side of her, at least, seemed really eager to please him. Why? What possible profit was there for her in it? Sure, in obedience. In manners. But not in such blind devotion. She was... Strange.

"And the way you will do that is by following my commands. Now..." He looked over her as coldly as possible, trying to hide his earlier shock. "Tell me about your time in the pit. What weapons did you use? How did you kill?"

she would just watched him. Not to sure why he was surprised when she said only his happyness matter. He was her master why would she not want him to has happy. Closing her eyes she would think for a bit. " ahh...I was always handed a shield and sword. besides that i don't know. " she says and looks to him. " that was all her after that. i....i have never killed anyone."

With a frown, Master Tannow nodded. "You remember a sword, and a shield. I see. Well, it's something anyway. Unfortunate, though." His eyes locked with hers, and any shred of joviality in his voice was wholly absent. "I suppose you're going to have to learn how from scratch." He waited, to gauge her reaction. She was useless if she couldn't kill.

she would frown seeing the look in his eyes. " what about the other half....if...if we could find a way for her to come out easier?" she asks. she really didn't know if she could kill someone. she couldn't help but rub her arm a little. " though...if...if that is what will make you happy." she had to keep telling herself it was for his happyness. she had to keep him happy.

Tannow let out a sigh, raising a hand to his temple as if to brush away the stress of dealing with her. "Well, it's like this: I don't make empty promises. I can see to it that all of your people, every elf in the empire, is freed and protected. I can do that, but there are several men who stand in the way of that action." He shrugged his shoulders, uncharacteristically relaxed. "So what option do I have? As long as they live, you and yours will be the servants, or protectors, or playthings of this empire. Is that the fate you want for them?

"Because if not, then you'll follow my instruction. We'll make you into something greater than you are now." Tannow looked the elf in the eye. "Look upward, #74... Number, I'll call you, until you pick a name yourself."

She would look up at him and nods a bit. " As you wish master." she says though it was still clear she was a bit scared of what was to come. She would bit her lower lip a bit. " What do you mean by making me greater then I am now. Also when i'm greater will I still be able to make you happy?" one track mine and it was easy to tell what it was on.

This was a dangerous position. If he was too harsh, Tannow could tell she would shut down. If he was too kind, then Setrina might forcibly rebel against him as soon as she had the chance. This required a delicate hand, and Tannow knew he was ill-suited to this. Even so... He had to try. To take the risk. He couldn't afford another elf like her, and it had to be an elf for the realization of his final plans. An elf had the most to gain by helping. A slave was in no position to refuse. And a woman... Well, most of the targets he had in mind, if not all of them, would be likely to notice her in all of the ways that didn't matter, and ignore her in the ones that did. She was the perfect piece in this puzzle, if he only had her moving at her best.

"You will be taught many things, Number. Taught how to hide. To listen. To kill. You will be able to dance, to flirt, and to disappear when the time is right." Tannow smiled as gently as he could. "And, when you have done all that is necessary... On that day I will be happy with you."

she would smile at him and giggles a bit. " I will work hard then. Not cause you be happy with me but cause it will make you happy." happiness was happiness in her eyes and no one desvered it more then her master. pushing back a bit of her hair behind her ear. " as to hiding i'm already pretty good at moving around unnoticed "

That seemed to be working. Good. Tannow had to keep from showing too much joy, but he *was* happy in that moment. She was willing, and now all he had to do was sell Setrina on the same plan - probably from the opposite perspective. "I'm sure you can. And you'll make a lovely dancer besides, you are quite beautiful." The master approached his elf and took one of her hands. "I need you to make sure that when Setrina is next present, she knows to come speak to me. In the meantime, I can let you get back to your work, unless there's anything you'd like to tell me."

He very rarely gave any of his staff, let alone her the opportunity to speak without being addressed or asked to. This was a rare privilege, one he was affording her very intentionally. Kindness was going to be more useful with Number than fear was - in that way she was unique amongst his slaves.

she would smile and blush a bit when he took her hands and said she would be a good dancer. she would not think but softly squeezes his hands. " as of right now i can not think of anything to tell you right now. though I will do my best to make sure she comes to see you when she is out. " she says very happy now. Besides the killing of someone she was excited to do her new task for him.

"I know you will not disappoint me."

* * *

As the day wore on, Tannow went about his own preparations for the task he was undertaking. He thought, even though it was probably untrue, that he had more work to do with this scheme than even #74. Hopefully her other side would be ready to accept this plan when they spoke about it, then nothing would go wrong...

Kagan, on the other hand, seemed to keep his distance from the elf throughout the day, taking up inspections to the stables and other outdoor tasks. Internally he was thinking, trying to piece what he knew together, but the wild theories he was coming up with couldn't have been true. Tannow couldn't be aiming for the crown, could he? That would be a very impressive reach, even for one as powerful as he was now. It would be all but impossible without the support of others, key opposition removed, all sorts of complicated maneuvering.
Even though it was ridiculous, however... Kagan couldn't shake the thought that it was indeed the master's plan. And a plan like that put his entire household in mortal danger, slaves included. It may have been time to seek escape, or to become a thorn in the side of the scheme before it could start.

After all, if that was the scheme, the orc had a way in. #74 was involved.

Both men now waited to see the elf. Tannow awaited Setrina in his study, and Kagan made his rounds through the grounds hoping to stumble on her if she left the manor.

74 would watch her master leave the room before going over to the paper and write a very small note. once she was done she would roll it up carefully and tie it to the piece of twin they use to hold her hair back. She would then go about her normal day duties. thinking about everything that happened the last day. she was very happy that the master seemed to need her for what ever he had planed a lot coming up. as the day goes on she noticed that kagan wasn't around a part of her was glad. she didn't want to get hit by him again. It was about the time to make supper when setrina would get control of the body.

going to tie her hair back she noticed the small note and read it quickly before putting her hair all the way up. frowing a bit she would then head to Tannow's study. Not careing to knock and just walk in. " What?" she says crossing her arms like always. making sure not to take her eyes off of him.

Tannow looked almost amused at the discourteous elf. As if he had been expecting her, he pushed a glass towards her, with a small amount of wine in it. "Not quite enough there to ruin any more books, I'm afraid. It's good, though. Drink up, will you?" He waited expectantly. Everything seemed so close, this last detail would either seal the deal or force him to re-strategize in a very small amount of time.

she would raise a eyebrow and look to the glass of wine. Something was up she destroyed his books and he offers her some wine? not even reaching for the glass she looks back to him. " if all you wanted was for me to drink some wine you could of had her do it. what do you want?"

"You're not stupid, Setrina. Stubborn, but not stupid." With a shrug, Tannow emptied the glass he had offered to the elf. "But whatever. I needed to keep you updated. I have your other half working on something for me. The project we talked about yesterday. Of course, the only way this works is if you both agree on it. Otherwise you'll be making an embarrassment of yourself. Well... More than you already do." He smiled for a moment, then it was gone.

"Setrina, I already told you what will happen if you do not listen. And what will happen if you obey. What you don't know yet is what I need you to do. And I think, if you're willing to listen, you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised. But go ahead, take a guess first. Get all of that negativity out of your system."