Reaching the mansion, the coachman pulled the door of the carriage open, his head bowed as Damien stepped out of the carriage first and Penny followed his steps.
The mansion was white in color. Possibly clean making her wonder how the walls could be clean with all the rain that kept pouring day after day which had the ability to wash away the polish of the walls. It wasn’t as big as Damien’s own house but it was big enough than to be called average size.
“You don’t have to answer people in there if you’re uncomfortable, Penny,” Damien gave her a heads-up before they could step inside.
Penny looked his way, her face turning one of worry, “Okay,” she replied to see him smile.
“I am there with you so you don’t have to worry about anything. Just enjoy your time,” he said before urging her back forward so that they could get inside. Enjoy the time he said, she nodded her head mentally but when they got inside and she saw who was there, Penny wasn’t sure how things would turn out to be. Especially with people staring at her.
“Good afternoon, Damien. I thought you would skip my birthday,” the woman with brown hair and fringes that rested on her forehead appeared in front of them to hug Damien. Her lips were as red as the last time she had met. It was Lady Sentencia. Her smile wasn’t exaggerated but rather quite composed. She was a looker which made Penny wonder how Damien had not fallen for this vampiress. It would be hard to believe that he didn’t even have an affair.
“Apologies for my absence, dear. I have been busy with work that I didn’t have time to play with my own pet,” as they pulled back, a smile rested on Damien’s own lips, “Happy birthday to you.” Birthday? Damien had told her it was a tea party.
With the Lady’s eyes that fell on Penny, Penny bowed her head with her hands that held each other in front of her, “Many wishes to you, Lady,” in some society Penny was aware that using a person’s name was considered to be rude. With her being a slave, she tried not to be friendly.
As expected the lady didn’t respond to her wish with words but only hummed before looking back at Damien, “Please make yourself comfortable,” the lady went to greet them. Penny didn’t mean her eyes to wander off to look at people but unable to keep her eyes on the floor she started to look around standing next to Damien.
Unlike other slaves who trained over and over again with lashes until obedience to the higher hierarchy was etched and inked into their bones, Penny was a free-spirited soul. Someone who hadn’t tasted the burn of the whiplash or the hot burning iron on her skin.
Damien might have not have believed in luck but if one knew about Penny they would easily tell how luck had prevailed until now when it came to her. To not only escape punishment from the warden of the slave establishment who had assaulted the slaves physically and mentally while driving them to the point of death.
People who stepped inside the establishment never stepped out to be the same. Almost eighty percent of them had a soul that was damaged due to what they went through in there. The next percent were the odd people who enjoyed or wanted to be there, including people who had nowhere else to go while also wanting to support their family who in turn converted to another broken soul.
“Sir Damien, it is so nice to have you here,” came a voice from behind.
Penny forgot the name of the person but she remembered the woman very clearly. All thanks to her tearing the dress which she had thought was intended for her. Now that Penny thought back about the incident, she realized how childish her reaction had been. She was lucky that Damien had only made her pull out weeds, though, in the end, it was funny how the punisher was showing her how to pull out the unwanted plants as she had pulled out the good ones out of the land.
“You have been missing on a lot of gathering. But I am glad you are here,” the woman beamed like the sun. When her eyes fell on Penny, her expression turned sour as if someone had poured a glass of lemon into her mouth that the white witch noticed.
“The council has been occupying my time. Have you been doing well, Lady Ursula?” and though Damien asked her the question, his eyes didn’t bother to stay at her and instead looked at the man who approached where they stood at the moment. The young girl didn’t notice it and in excitement replied,
“It was a little sad but now I am doing well. Father bought a wolf but it didn’t appear to be healthy so they had to kill it,” she said with a little to no attachment to what happened to the animal, “Now that you are here, everything is so much better,” the girl then paused, acting a little coy, she said to Damien, “I missed you, Sir Damien,” which pulled Damien’s attention back to her.
Penny felt awkward standing there midst listening to their conversation, especially the girl’s words. Discreetly looking at Damien, she saw him smile, “I miss myself too,” Eh? What kind of strange response was that, thought Penny to herself.
“Damien!” another man appeared, shaking his hand with the pureblooded vampire, “Good to see you here. Is this the very slave you brought yourself along with you?”
“Why do you ask, Reverale?” Damien picked up a drink as well as a glass of fruit juice from the servant who was walking by.
Lady Ursula thought that the drink was for her and she raised her hand ready to take but instead, Damien passed the glass of juice to Penny and took a sip of the alcohol. Without bothering to look at the girl whose face fell in embarrassment.
