Sam crossed his arms over his thighs, carefully scrutinizing his environment.  He had to be alert, certain that nobody would get close to Thorn.  He had to make sure she stayed in control, that she stayed protected.<br/><br/>It wasn't very hard to attune oneself to the sounds of a restaurant.  Such places had a certain rhythm, a flow of life.  There was a regular clinking of silverware on plates and a dim glow of conversations, individual threads which Sam carefully avoided chasing, aiming instead to understand the whole.  With a more careful examination of the sounds around him, Sam could pick up the somewhat languid pace of the waitresses, the somewhat tired way they placed dishes on the tables, and the strangely hopeful way they sometimes picked them back up again.<br/><br/>Sam picked up his fork and knife, and gave a slight bow to Thorn, thanking her in his own way for the steak before him.  Like a true gentleman, he cut methodically through it, drinking a glass of his favorite sweet tea on the side.  His Master was up to something, that much was obvious.  Yet, his first concern for the moment was eating.  No reason to worry about what was barely in his control on an empty stomach.  Sam couldn't protect Thorn from the people she contacted, but when they came close, he was her guardian, her aegis.<br/><br/>And he also always got Thorn excellent service.  Sam leaned back and placed his hands on his stomach, sighing with contentment as the waitress picked up his empty plate.  He gave her a grin and a little noncommittal wink, just enough to make her blush a little bit.  His next duty was cleaning, and most likely preparing the dungeons for another victim.  The cleaning wasn't his favorite job, but he positively relished the dungeons.  Sam sighed and thought of plastic wrappings, polished handcuffs, and well oiled leather straps to distract him from the grim reality of the bed making, toilet scrubbing, and dusting he'd likely be doing.<br/><br/>Perhaps something would change, but in Sam's world, the only thing that mattered was Master.  And Master never changed...