<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/SociallyToxicBeauty/4491fcb8-f42f-42b6-bbd6-b1f08a1002fa.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FF40FF"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">Paislee</span></span></div><br/><br/>Moments of tense silence passed, though Paislee showed no obvious discomfort. It seemed her previous words had upset Orca—as she had suspected they would. She should have known better than to say what she did, but she had never been good at holding her tongue.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">“You know, it always starts a little like this,”</span>came Orca’s cold voice.<span style="color: #0080FF"> “First, they clean you up and inspect you. They tend to your injuries so that you can heal quickly,” </span>a spoon full of broth and meat made its way to Orca’s mouth while his eyes remained fixed on hers. Paislee paused in her eating once more to examine Orca. He seemed calm, however it was obvious to Paislee that something was building up—pent up rage was threatening to explode. She recognized the signs, could see them as clear as day…and yet she did not move.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">“Then comes words of how your life will be different. Some claim to be different…leading you to feel like maybe their words are not just lies…But they are,” </span>Orca hissed through clenched teeth. He began to snarl, dropping his spoon to the floor and standing suddenly, gripping the edges of the kitchen table.<br/><br/>His azure gaze burned into Paislee as he spoke, the rage reaching new levels with every word,<span style="color: #0080FF">“And just when you think that maybe your life could change, they show their true nature.”</span>Orca had forgone personal space and leaned forward threateningly towards Paislee.<span style="color: #0080FF">“They all have their own method to their madness…and you live to suffer another day,”</span>by the time Orca was finished speaking, his voice had reached shouting levels and the table between them cracked under the pressure of Orca’s abuse. His hands began to bleed, but Paislee made no move to help him for the moment. Instead she stared at him with calm eyes that had no pity in them.<br/><br/>When Orca sat down, he seemed to pull in his rage—though it was clear he was still holding onto it. Paislee did not seem to care nor mind the outburst.<span style="color: #0080FF"> “No matter how strong your desire is to change my life…It will not happen. The rage stored in my chest cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love,” </span>he finally said. Paislee pushed away from the now broken table, momentarily mourning for its loss. She stood, only to kneel down and begin cleaning up the mess Orca had made. She did not say a word as she did this task.<br/><br/>Quietly she stood, taking the dishes to the sink and rinsing them very quickly and with as little water as possible. She then grabbed some rags to clean the spilled stew. Once everything was cleaned up, aside from the splintered table, she stood to look at Orca.<span style="color: #FF40FF">“I do not expect that giving you a home without abuse will change what you have endured. There is no such thing as justice, and love is sometimes more painful than healing. The only thing that will help rid you of the rage in your heart is yourself. I cannot do that. The only thing I can do for you is to make sure no one hurts you again—and even that is not a promise I am sure I can keep…” </span><br/><br/>Calmly Paislee left Orca sitting in the chair, only to return a few moments later with a medical kit. She sat down across from him, pulling her chair a little closer to him and grabbing his larger hand into her small, delicate one. She ignored any possible resistance, her eyes looking into his with defiance. While Paislee was certainly intimidated by Orca, she had long ago learned that fear was not something she could afford to slow her down in any way. As she cleaned and wrapped his hands carefully, she began to speak,<span style="color: #FF40FF">“You demanded that I be honest with what I am—who I am. That’s a difficult demand, as I tend to lie to myself every day. The only truth I can tell you is that I want to help you. I cannot fix you—you are no some broken toy or item on a shelf. I cannot make you hatred free or forgiving, nor do I believe those who mistreated you deserve your forgiveness or kindness. I cannot convince you that your life will be better, because I doubt it will be. The damage has already been done, I can only keep you from suffering more abuse and I am not sure that I can even promise that much.”</span><br/><br/>Paislee gently sat Orca’s hands back in his lap, though she did not let go immediately, instead resting her own hands on top of his as she looked at him.<span style="color: #FF40FF"> “Marqu is a terrible man and I doubt you haven’t heard of him. He’s a terrible creature with a terrible appetite for pain. He did this to me,”</span>Paislee let go of Orca’s hands and gestured to the scar that wrapped around her shoulder and went further across her chest.<span style="color: #FF40FF">“I was not going to allow for him to hurt another. The way he looked at you was all too eager. He did not want to keep you for long, just long enough to break you—then kill you. That is just who he is and that is why I bought you. But my purchase only allows for a temporary protection…he will come after me for challenging him, and he will come after you because you are the prize he lost.”</span>