My Way To You

"I"m sorry Madm ugh!"

"Sorry will not cut it Rin, I paid good money for this child and if she doesn"t wake up you will have to compensate me."

"Ugh y-y-yes Madam."

"Why don"t we add this to the debt you already owe me. Let"s say $150 gold for the damages and another $150 if she dies."

"Anything you say Madam."

Ariana shivered when she heard the deadly tone Lady Zula gave Rin. She tried to open her eyes but the lids were too heavy for her so instead she groaned to signal her awakening.

A cold hand touched her cheek as she heard Lady Zula squeal in delight. "My little lady has started to stir!" Ariana was helped up and sat in a slumped position. Soon she felt something against her lips. It was curved and smooth. "Drink child it"s water." Lady Zula murmured as she tipped the cup upwards.

Ariana obeyed and swallowed the refreshing liquid. Ariana tried to open her eyes again but was immediately stopped. A flood of information started to pour into her mind, math, science, literature, dance, music and martial arts.

Ariana grabbed her head with both hands and clenched her teeth. She tried to bare the pain without screaming but couldn"t help but let out a stifled moan escape from her lips. "Child what is wrong?!" Lady Zula said in a panic as she placed her hands in Ariana"s shoulders.

Ariana"s eyes shot wide open and rolled back revealing only her whites. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water while a low growling noise came from the pit of her stomach. "You will hand over Rin to this child as compensation for damaging our vessel!"

Lady Zula quickly let go of Ariana and took a few steps back until she collided into Rin"s badly beaten body. Lady Zula let out a small shriek as she tried to stop herself from toppling over Rin"s body. "W-what if I refuse to hand the girl over?" Lady Zula said with a shaky voice.

Ariana"s head slowly turned towards her her mouth was open wide and her eyes were still white as snow. "If you refuse to hand over what we want we can not guarantee your safety. However if you do as we say we can guarantee endless riches in your future."

Lady Zula wrapped her arms around herself protectively as she bit her bottom lip. It was a tempting offer and there was really nothing for her to think about, the child was clearly possessed with something and she did not need to be cursed. "Do I need to sell my soul to you master so I am guaranteed these riches you speak of?" Lady Zula ask cautiously as she started to bend over and reached for Rin"s arm.

Ariana let out a blood-curdling laugh that made the hairs on lady Zula"s neck stand on end. "Nonsense!" Ariana snapped. "This girl"s parents were nothing but fools! They let go of a priceless treasure that has vast bounds of knowledge that can make anyone more rich than their wildest dreams!" Ariana roared as she started to lift her body off of bed and extended her arms into the air.

"Rin is yours!" Lady Zula yelled in excitement. "Be for warned mortal, if you are to ever double cross this child, we will return and unleash our wrath on you, your kin and destroy everything that you hold dear!" Ariana yelled into the room before her body toppled down into the bed and laid like a pile of rags.

Lady Zula hauled up Rin and threw the girl towards Ariana"s bed. "Yes my benevolent master I will do as you say." Lady Zula said as she walked backwards towards the door. When she got to the door k.n.o.b, she slid her hand behind her, too afraid to turn her back to Ariana and offend the great spirit within her.

The moment she pulled the door open a h.o.a.rd of women toppled into the room. Lady Zula"s face paled a deathly shade of white as her gaze looked over the pile of women on the floor. "Move! Get out of my way or you will die by my hands!" she yelled hysterically. The women on the floor started to scramble to make way for Lady Zula"s exit.

The moment the door closed Ariana opened her eyes. She held her breathe and strained her ears trying to catch the last of the footsteps leaving the area. The moment she thought it was safe she let out a large breath and placed her hand over her mouth to m.u.f.fle her giggles.

When she was done laughing she stretched out her limbs upwards and groaned with pleasure. She then sat up and stretched backwards until she heard her back crack. "Oh that"s good!" she said to herself.

Feeling refreshed she moved her gaze downwards. When she spotted Rin"s body hunched against the bed. A smile spread across Ariana"s face, she lifted up her hand and smacked Rin"s shoulders. "Oy don"t be so down in the dumps! Your new master is ten times more generous then your old!" she said playfully.

Rin brought her face upwards and locked eyes with her. "What do you know." she said remorsefully. Ariana gave her a big grin and hopped off the bed. She put her hands behind her back and took tiny, slow steps forward until she faced Rin properly. "Quite a bit actually, I have enough knowledge to change this brothel into something spectacular but I lack wisdom of this world. I will regrettably say I have only lived 12 years in this world and almost next to nothing about the intricate workings of the government, financial inst.i.tutions or hierarchy so I need you to be my guardian of sorts." she said bluntly.

Rin"s jaw dropped, she figured that what she had witnessed earlier was an act the moment Ariana started to laugh but she had no idea that this child could produce an aura of an elite. Rin bit her lip and debated internally over her options. Ariana gazed at Rin for a few moments, she noted how badly bruised her body and face were, her heart ached with a heavy sigh she dropped to her knees and looked at Rin seriously.

"Rin I will make an arrangement with you." she said softly as she watched Rin"s reaction. "I will no doubtably be tested the moment I go downstairs. If you find my performance adequate then pledge your loyalty to me and only me. I swear to you I will buy your and my freedom back from Lady Zula." Rin stopped biting her lip and stared at Ariana.

Her aquamarine eyes were unwavering and proud. Rin could not help but nod her head in agreement. "Well now that is settled I dare say that I am starved! Rin let"s make our way downstairs and we will discuss the finer details of our arrangement tonight."

She quickly got up and extend a hand towards Rin. "Please allow me to a.s.sist you. Oh please do pardon my rudeness, my name is Ariana Ivy Thistle but you may call me Ariana." Rin looked at the young girl"s shinning face. Even though she had a bruise that was slowly fading from her left eye she still looked angelic.

Rin sighed and took Ariana"s hand. She didn"t use it to haul herself up but didn"t want Ariana"s gesture to go to waste. "Rinera Bloom but I prefer Rin." she said solemnly. Ariana nodded "Rin it is! Now Rin let us go downstairs and give them a show that they will never forget!" Ariana said enthusiastically as she pumped a fist in the air

Rin"s eyes widened as she watched Ariana change her demeanor. She couldn"t help but feel amused and accidentally allowed herself to smile. Ariana turned and caught her smile and beamed at her in return. She took a few steps closer and reached out to touch Rin"s hair. "You know I can help you tie back your hair if yo-u ... ?!"

Suddenly an array of white light started to shine from Ariana"s feet and light shone upwards. A gentle, gust of wind started to encircle her body causing her dress to gently flutter and her hair to flow gracefully around her. Rin backed up and stumbled onto the bed, her silver hair slipped out of Ariana"s small hands and she watched little, fluff b.a.l.l.s of rainbow coloured light danced their way around her body.

Rin watched in awe as the scene before unfolded. Her eyes then traveled to Ariana"s face. "Ariana?!" Rin shouted in a panic. Her face was void of emotions as her eyes were glowing white while her bangs were gently fluttering against her forehead.

It only lasted a minute and soon the wind stopped blowing, the lights were gone and Ariana was standing in front of her with a smiling face. "Fascinating." she whispered under her breath. Rin got off of the bed and slowly approached Ariana. "So can I style your hair?" Ariana said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Rin scratched her head and shrugged. Ariana jumped in glee, she pranced towards Rin and patted a spot on the mattress for her to sit. She then looked around the room and spotted her little messenger bag in the corner. She dashed towards in and looked inside.

She quickly became disappointed and turned to face Rin. "Did I get robbed?" she asked pitifully. Rin sighed as she she looked into Ariana"s puppy dog eyes. "Your belongings are no longer yours... the moment you walk through the main door whatever was yours becomes the Madam"s and is then rewarded to her favorites."

Tears started to spill over Ariana"s soft, white cheeks. "How can they do something like that!" she cried as she fell to her knees. "Why would they be so mean! It was just a brush and compact mirror that my grandmother gave me!" she cried softly as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hands.

Rin sighed and walked over towards Ariana. She placed a gentle hand on the top of her head. "I have a brush in my room... we can go in their and you can do whatever you want to my hair." she said shyly. Ariana looked up and saw that Rin was slightly blushing, she gave her a quick "mmh" as she sniffed back her tears.

Rin stretched out her hand and melted when Ariana slipped her small hand into hers. Earlier she felt nothing as Ariana was speaking to her as an equal but now she looked like a little girl that needed protecting. Ariana curled herself around Rin"s arm as they walked out of her room and traveled down the hall towards a door that was decorated with fine golden leaves.

Ariana gasped as she walked into Rin"s room. Her eyes grew with excitement, she let go of Rin"s arm and started looking at the various stuffed animals she had decorating the room. "Are these all yours!" she shouted with admiration.

Rin nodded and watched the girl zip around the room and cuddle every plushie she could get her hands on. "Do you still want to brush my hair?" she asked with a chuckle. Ariana nodded and placed the plushies onto the bed as Rin looked through a drawer and pulled out the brush.

"I believe this belongs to you..." Rin said as she handed a small bra.s.s brush to Ariana. The bristles where soft while the back of the brush was decorated with aquamarine crystal flowers and small, white pearls making the initial "A".

Ariana extended a shaky hand and gently touched the brush. After a few seconds Ariana grabbed the brush out of Rin"s hand and hugged it against her chest. She peaked up from beneath her eyelashes. "Thank you." she said softly.

After a moment she wiped a few tears away and straightened her back. "Alright Rin I need some hair ties." She said excitedly. Rin laughed as she fetched the ties. "Now to make you look beautiful!" she shouted as she cupped her hands and stretched her arms up into the air.

Rin grabbed her sides and laughed even harder. "Ok ok stop laughing I need to work." Ariana said seriously. She quickly started brushing Rin"s hair and then separated it into three sections. she made corn rows on the left side of her head, she made three medium sized twists on the right giving the illusion of sweet curls and finally tied it all together into a ponytail.

She gently pulled the twisted hair slightly apart, especially where she made it into a comb over. "Done!" she announced proudly. Rin walked to her dresser and pulled out a hand mirror. She gasped as she looked at her hair. "How did you do this?!" she questioned with wide eyes.

Ariana sat on Rin"s bed and started to swing her legs back and forth. "I don"t know it just came to me after I touched your hair." she said nonchalantly. Rin looked back at herself again and grinned she put the hand mirror back into her dresser and closed the drawer shut. "Well Ariana let"s go downstairs, I dare say I can"t wait to see the show you will perform."