I wasn't about to end up as a puppet, just like with that bitch Tiana… I can't believe I ended up turning into her daughter.

I already had a desperate plan to escape which was to try and trap the Empress by biting down on her and forcing her to release the chains… but I didn't even get to use it as she entered the prison with a warm smile.

"Alright, babe, it seems you don't want to give it up, right?" She asked, and suddenly, the chains binding my limbs were undone.

My body limply fell onto the cold, hard stone, and before my mind could even comprehend the present situation, the Empress suddenly pulled me into her warm embrace.

"You like to be praised… comforted… and loved, right?" The Empress whispered into my ear, causing my consciousness to slip through my fingers.

…

When I reawoke, I was on a slightly familiar bed, changed in some comfy pajamas as the warm blanket and pillows caressed my body.

It felt like all the built-up stress, exhaustion, and pain slowly faded away, leaving me to relax so much in the bed that I almost fell asleep again.

"You sure took your time napping," A familiar voice said, and when I looked up, I noticed the Empress walking through the door of my room given to me by her.

My body quickly tensed up, and I subconsciously began to release a bloodlust that held the Empress at the edge of the bed.

"No need to be such an aggressive sweetie… I just came to check up on you,"

"I don't believe you. I know people like you… taking advantage of the weak-minded people. Don't think I have no idea why you suddenly released me," I responded with a harsh glare directed straight at the Empress' head.

"Stare any longer, and you might burn a hole through my head… fufufufu. Okay, you caught me… well, that was my initial plan until I saw that you still wouldn't give up. I did consider doing a few things… but I felt that's a bit too harsh. I don't want to see somebody like you break under the lewd hands of a hundred men… or possibly orcs. Who knows?"

I shivered under her few words, and it seemed she took a bit of pleasure in seeing my face grow pale.

"What? Aren't you going to say thank you? I could've made you a broken doll for all the gladiators to use… I would be thankful if I was you,"

"Shut the hell up and just leave me alone… You already did so much damage," I muttered as even though I could resist the physical part of the torture, the mental part that she put me through nearly broke me several times.

She would restrain all of my limbs to the point that even flexing them was hard and then blind me with a blindfold… leaving me in complete, pitch-black darkness.

That was pretty fucking scary, even though I wasn't very afraid of the dark.

"So, what's it going to be? You either go through some more torture, or you become my pet," The Empress suggested, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

I thought she would be a bit more lenient and possibly feel a shred of empathy towards me, but it was clear she still had her sights on me being her pet.

"Why do you want me to be your pet? Can't I just be a regular servant? I would be fine with that,"

"I know you would be fine with that… but I wouldn't be. Having you as my pet would mean I could make you much more obedient. Plus, I would get to sleep with you right beside me, like a comforter or warmer for myself at night… Being the Empress of ice is pretty chilly,"

"Then, why me? I'm sure there are others much more suited for this job,"

"Cause I want you as my pet. You drew my attention, and now you don't like it? What a hypocrite…." She muttered, and I bit down on my lip hard.

"I thought we were equal in power… psh…."

"HAHAHAHA! Equal in power?! What a funny joke!" The Empress burst out laughing, and my face just deadpanned before I rolled over in my sheets and tucked myself into the warm blanket.

"Oh man, Lucy, you're too amusing… okay, I won't make you my pet. How about I make you my student. I'll teach you the ways of the sword since you're so interested in it," The Empress said… but I didn't believe her words.

"Please stop joking…." I muttered as I slowly heard her walk around the bed to where I was facing.

"Lucy, I'm not joking. And as proof of that, I'm not teaching you how to control and increase the power of your ice skills,"

"How does that even make sen-... Ah, well… I still don't believe you," I muttered as I slowly looked up at the Empress as she leaned over the edge of the bed and moved a strand of hair away from my face.

"I'll let you think over your answer. I'll come here every day until you agree anyway… so have a restful sleep," The Empress said before tickling my neck and my head scrunched down.

"Y-You bitch!" I shouted, but the Empress had already waved me goodbye and slammed the door behind her.

There's no way in hell I'm believing her… no way in hell.

…

(Unknown POV)

"Are you serious about making her your student, or is it just, so she warms up to you because I feel like she is never going to break. She clearly has deep trust issues, so I feel like you're just wasting her time… Plus, the drug is coming in soon for the gladiators, so you can just feed it to her,"

"Watch your tone,"

"Forgive me, but I feel like everything that you're doing is severely unnecessary,"

"Shut your mouth and just watch.

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