The Lord and the little bird.
When Althaia woke up from her dream, she felt like she had been dreaming for a long time.
She dreamed of her happy years.
Her father's kind face. Sitting on the floor with a heavy book while her father did the accounting for the fortress.
The sound of a little bird coming from a small ceramic flute shaped like a nightingale. Althaia smiled at her father playing the flute in her presence, her brothers applauding her. The lord of the fortress told him that he was the little bird of the fort.
Althaia woke up excited.
When she looked at her wrists, she wasn't tied. Instead, she was in a room she had never imagined for herself, on a soft cot wrapped in fine fur.
Sharp instincts made her get up. Her bare feet touched the wooden floor, and she ran to grab a floor sconce that she held as if it were a sword.
The door opened, revealing the sorcerer who guided the snakes and a boy in maid clothes.
"It's good that you woke up." The magician said, ignoring the fact that she had a "weapon" with her.
"Who are you? Where am I? Who the hell are you?"
"Calm down, Miss Althaia." The wizard made a gesture with his hand, and the maid opened a closet with many dresses, with long flared sleeves, for a figure filled in the exact places. "My name is Lord Salazar Slytherin, and you are in my fortress."
Althaia did not lower the sconce, remembering the posture of her brothers in their practices with the weapons master.
"No one will pay a ransom for me." Althaia declared. "I have no family, so don't expect coins for me."
"This is not a kidnapping." He smiled at her. Althaia thought he had a stupid smile. "On the contrary, I saved you from being pirate merchandise."
She narrowed her eyes. No one does things freely; they always want something in return.
"Just lower that and let the maid get you ready." He walked towards the door. "I'll wait for you to begin dinner. You must be hungry after three days asleep."
Althaia dropped the sconce at her feet. Three days?
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Althaia looked at herself in the mirror, unknowing of her reflection.
Her skin was cleaned with rags and now had no dirt stains from her days in captivity. Her hair was washed, brushed, and gathered into ringlets held in place by emerald-encrusted silver pins. Her body was wrapped in an emerald green dress embroidered with silver threads that accentuated her figure. Her gloves were silver silk.
Althaia was never exquisite like her sisters; she had more hips and a fuller chest. She listened to the boys in the fortress comment on her behind, although not out loud, because her father could retaliate.
"Why did Slytherin cover me in silk and silver?" She wondered as she ran her hands over her torso, enjoying the green silk.
After being dressed up, she was taken to a private dining room, where Salazar, with his idiot smile, was already sitting.
"Miss Althaia." He tilted his head. Althaia remembering her manners, also returned his greeting politely.
She sat across from him. "Why did you bring me?"
"You were a witch in danger."
"What will you do? Will you turn me over to the church, or do you want me for your amusement?"
"I could never treat a witch like that. You are a gift from Mother Magic."
"Mother Magic?"
"Don't you know anything?" He asked in shock.
"My parents were not like me." She replied, drinking her wine. "My beloved father died of smallpox, and he knew of my nature. He asked me to try to do magic. After his death, I had an accident, and I ended up sold by my mothers to those pirates."
"Pure filth, miss."
Althaia pursed her lips. Although she hated her mother for what she did to her, insulting her felt wrong.
"Do you have a wand?"
"No."
"Basic education in magic?"
"I know how to write and read."
"That's a start." Salazar responded as two small creatures arrived, long-eared and with bulging eyes. Althaia jumped. "There is nothing to fear, miss. They are house elves. They serve wizards."
"Servants?"
"Exactly." Lord Slytherin drank from his glass. "You have nowhere to go. No family, no connections, no money. Hunters would easily catch you."
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"Stay. You are a witch without a wand or knowledge of the gift you have been given."
"What do you want in exchange?"
"Let me be your teacher." He answered. "You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Follow the designs of Mother Magic, and you will be able to belong completely to our world."
"What did you get in return?"
"A stable future. I have allies who would be blessed to have a witch to call their lady, protect and care for. We are few in a wild world. You would have someone to cover you with magic, and one day, you would have children to educate.
Althaia considered it.
A future, someone to take care of her, babies.
She had nothing to lose, but a lot to gain.
"I accept." She declared, determined. "When do we start?"
Lord Slytherin smiled at her.