The Serpent's Servant.

[ShadowKnux372]

Joven looked up when he heard the unmistakable crashing sound of a door being slammed. Sure enough, in the doorway was his Lamia employer, Lady Kaliro, looking rather aggravated. Her lithe body moved past him without a second glance towards him, brushing her silken red hair out of her face, before she stopped and stared out the window in silence.

Joven was already anticipating the angry burst to follow, pouring a fresh cup of tea and waiting.

"Men!" Lady Kaliro burst out. "Why is it none of the prospects that I'm sent are worth anything?!" she demanded, less like a lady and more like the young woman she really was.

"Tea, Milady?" Joven offered. Lady Kaliro took the cup and sipped from it, while Joven bowed. "I take it today's suitor did not, well...suit you?"

"Ha!" Lady Kaliro derided. "Some prospect he turned out to be. A total slob, and not even that great on the eyes. A complete and utter...." she trailed off.

"Milady?" Joven had never known her to stop in mid-insult like that. Something must have particularly upset her about this one.

Sure enough...."Fool!" she spat. "Has the nerve....the absolute gall! To...To tell me that I'm not...." She looked over in Joven's direction, and forcefully composed herself. "Thank you for the tea, Joven. It was as relaxing as always."

"I would consider myself a failure if it was not, Milady." Joven replied, bowing again as Lady Kaliro slipped past him and headed back to her room. As she left, Joven looked out the window and saw what he assumed was the most recent failed suitor, still loitering amongst the grounds....

---------------------

Lady Kaliro laid her back against the closed door of her room and sighed. "Am I really that....unattractive?" she mused. She had been through so many prospective husbands that had been set up before, but none of them were acceptable.

Granted, she had turned most of them away for various reasons of her own. In particular, she didn't want to just throw herself to someone she just recently met. But, with what she was told by today's suitor....had they all been glad to get away from her? Did she really not entice them at all?

Lady Kaliro shook her head, forcing herself out of this pitiful stupor. "No. No, I won't believe that. I am a vibrant young lady, and one day I will be allowed a love like no other! I care not for what that...that fool said to me! In fact, I'll let him know just how much of an opportunity he shall never have!" she said, exiting her room, and making her way back to the grounds.

As she passed by the kitchen, she noticed Joven was no longer there. Perhaps on a small break, she assumed.

The door the the grounds was there in front, but strangely, it stood ajar. A voice wafted through the open crack.

"...quite the fool, you know."

It was Joven's voice. What was he doing out there? Lady Kaliro moved aside to peek and see, and found him talking to that fool of a suitor from before.

"Look, I made myself perfectly clear that she wasn't my type." the suitor spoke.

"From Milady's actions, I assume you were tactless in this informing."

"Hmph. I just told her that I could never fall for someone like her."

"....I see. And just what are the qualities of 'someone like her?'"

"One glance was all it took for me. She's high-strung, spoiled, and couldn't care less about anyone but herself. Completely selfish, and no matter the beauty on the outside, there's an ugly inside."

Lady Kaliro's grip on the door tightened. Those words stung something fierce, perhaps even worse the second time.

"You are a fool." Joven chided. "You judge too much by initial impressions. I grant you, she may appear the way you have described. But if you had the foresight to look beyond, or even attempt to, you would see she's more beautiful inside than outside....a feat incredibly difficult in itself."

"Ha. The ramblings of a whipped servant."

"....Indeed, I am just a servant to Milady. However, I would not trade my servitude for anything. She is kind, she is astute, she, unlike so many other nobles in the world, treats a lowly one such as myself with the same equality she resides for all others. Such a policy is only one of her unique and beautiful traits. I have served her faithfully all these years. To her, I am like family. And to me, she is....."

"...Have you finished your ramblings, servant boy?"

"....I see no point in trying to dissuade you any further. I have made my points. You have long since been dismissed by Milady. See yourself off the grounds before I must inform the police of a trespasser."

Lady Kaliro saw Joven making his way back inside, and quickly rushed herself away and out of sight. She quietly and rapidly made her way back to her room, shutting the door behind her and processing what she just eavesdropped on.

She had a lot to think about....

---------------------------

Later that night, after dinner had been finished, Joven placed the last of the soiled dishes away to dry, when Lady Kaliro's voice rang out.

"Joven, come to my room. I need you for something."

"Of course, Milady. I shall be there with due haste." True to his word, Joven took no time at all to reach her room, rapping his knuckles lightly upon the door to announce his arrival.

"Enter, Joven."

Joven pushed the door open and made his way inside, and was immediately set upon by Lady Kaliro, who had him in her arms, gripping him tightly. "Milady, what are you...?" he said, before an open bottle at her nightstand caught his attention. "Milady, you are inebriated." he observed. "Come, let's get you back to your bed." he advised, gently taking Lady Kaliro by the shoulders and moving her to her bed, though her grip on him never lessened, making movement awkward. "Milady, you know you do not handle liquor well, so why would you--?!" He was cut short when Lady Kaliro sank her lips onto his. He tasted the liquor that was only recently drank, and pulled away quickly. "Milady!" he exclaimed in shock.

"Joven, I overheard your little...discussion with my ex-suitor." Lady Kaliro said, her face flushed.

"I...I see..." Joven replied, still trying to gather his bearing again.

"You were right, Joven. I have always seen you as family." she explained. "Tonight, however.....shall we become more?" she offered.

Joven's face quickly turned a deep red, but he cleared his throat. "Absolutely not!"

Lady Kaliro was shocked. "What?! Why?!"

"As I said before, you are inebriated. It would be callous of me to do something like this while my employer is drunk."

"Is...Is that it? Am I just your employer to you?"

Joven sighed. "Of course not, Milady. Would circumstances be different, how I would love such an opportunity. Alas, the circumstances of reality are too much."

"What are you talking about?"

"The inebriation, of course, but that's not it. You are of high-class society, Milady, and I of the gutter-trash. You treat me equally behind these closed doors, but should word reach the hungry ears and scathing tongues of those outside....I could not bear to have your name besmirched because of these feelings."

"....Joven. How long? How long have you felt this way?"

"....Since shortly after I was purchased to be your servant, Milady."

"What? Joven, you've been here for ten years! And you've kept these feelings repressed all this time?!"

"And I would gladly do so for ten more, would it mean I could stay by your side, Milady."

Lady Kaliro just sat there in silence. She was already sobering up from the single sip of liquor she had taken for a bit of courage tonight, and this revelation had bolstered her all the way back to the land of sobriety.

Joven bowed to her. "Milady, I believe this discussion has created unnecessary tension. I shall take my leave, and we shall forget it took place." Joven made to take said leave, but a length of serpentine torso wrapped around his waist and yanked him back to the bed, where Lady Kaliro placed himself under her, holding him tightly in place. "Milady, it's not right!" he pleaded to her.

She placed a finger to his lips. "My life is my own. What I choose to do with it, with whom, and to my name, is my decision. Joven, I do this not because of intoxication. I'm quite sober now. You've stood by me so long, I was blind to the real reason why I turned away many a suitor. The one I wanted was keeping himself from me, for my sake. Well, no more."

"Milady...."

Joven lost his will to struggle. Lady Kaliro lost her last sense of restraint. And after she kissed him as passionately as she could, Joven lost his. The two had finally crossed an nonreturnable chasm, consummating their relationship, and cementing themselves as more than just a servant and his Mistress....

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The next morning, when Lady Kaliro awakened, she was once again alone in her bed. She looked around for any sign of Joven there, but it was not to be found. When she left her room, a sweet smell wafted to her, and she recognized the smell as her favorite dishes, all cooked at once. Joven only went this far during great celebrations.

Sure enough, Joven was just finishing setting up the last plate for her when she came in. He bowed to her. "Good morning, Milady. Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Lady Kaliro smirked and looked at him with a sarcastic gleam in her eye. "Yes, but I could have woken up better. Preferably in the arms of a loved one, don't you think?"

Joven blushed slightly, and bowed again. "Forgive me, Milady. I fear it may take some time for me to get used to our current...relationship. I fear I may never quite grow out of this habit." he said bashfully.

"Well, if it meant I'd get to partake of a meal like this everyday, perhaps you shouldn't grow out of it."

"You tease me, Milady."

"....Kaliro, Joven. You can call me Kaliro."

"....I'm not sure I can."

"You are my 'servant,' are you not, Joven?" she said, smirking slyly again. "You will do as I say, and I say to call me Kaliro."

"Yes, MIla--Kaliro."

"Very good." Kaliro said, wrapping her serpentine body around Joven and pulling him close to her, kissing him deeply. "And because you are my servant, I can do whatever I wish with you." she said. When Joven gave her a confused look, she continued. "That includes making you my husband." Joven's eyes widened. "And as my servant, you can't say no!" she chided happily.

Joven returned her smile with one of his own. "I would be a fool to even think of it as a consideration."

[Hood]

I believe this was your first story ever, right, Shadow?
Correct me if I'm wrong.
By the way, do you have any plans to post the Echidna Next door here?
And...How about a oneshot focused on Nuru? I really would love to know more about her

[ShadowKnux372]

This is one of my earlier works, but no, it's not my first. Siren and Silence was actually my first story I posted, but it took longer to finish. I'm....not sure what my first oneshot was, actually. XD

Oh, wait, yeah I do, it was the one about the Kappa, that I had to eventually remake. "The Greatest Catch."

As for Echidna Next Door? ...Take a look at the Continuous Fic section now.

As for Nuru...who knows?