<div class="floatright">(http://www.sugarsugar.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/asian-sugar-baby.jpg)</div><strong>Name;</strong>Serenity Sun Kwan<br/><strong>Occupation;</strong>Companion<br/><strong>Location;</strong>The Line, Companion Shuttle, currently heading to Shadow.<br/><strong>Tagged;</strong>Elfi.  Open.<br/><br/>Serenity silently watched Elfi work after she had gotten her tea done in an ornate pot given to her by a former client several years back.  She had had one before but even the Companion standard paled in comparison to the one she used these days.  Hand crafted on Osiris she had been told, and given that she had been on the planet at the time of receiving it she didn't doubt it much.  Still, that wasn't important as she sighed but nodded to Efli's thanks, offering a little smile to the poor thin as a rake young woman.  Too many people suffered as she did in Serenity's opinion and if she could have, she'd have done something about it ages ago.  But she was just one woman.  "You don't have to thank me for anything Elfi.  Despite what you might think or what Braxton has tried to feed you, I honestly enjoy your company Elfi."  Serenity replied, a little too sternly perhaps but her less than happy thoughts and feelings weren't directed at the young girl herself.  Watching her, trying to decide to sit or not did make the Companion wonder if she was ever allowed any personal freedom and decided it was probably best not to dwell on it overly much lest she wanted to end up with a really bad headache since she'd have bet her last bit of coin that Braxton treated her as badly if not worse than what she currently looked now.  She didn't exactly smell all that pleasant either but that wasn't any of Elfi's fault she figured.  Still, when the offer of tea was gently denied by Elfi, Serenity nodded once more and didn't press the issue as she helped herself, needing the soothing taste and smell of her brew to calm her nerves a bit either way as she took a slow sip from the equally ornately decorated cup she held between her delicate fingers.<br/><br/>Setting it down for now after almost draining half of it in one shot, Serenity admired Elfi's quick work at the shine job she had done on the mirror and smiled in approval even though again she felt a little guilty having to come up with a reason for Elfi to be here at all.  "Mmmm, you are most welcome Elfi, and I can understand your hesitance after the whole thing in the galley earlier.  I am sorry you had to be in the middle of that Elfi, truly I am."  She offered in way of apology to the girl since if Braxton had had a mind to, he would have probably taken his anger out on her if things hadn't turned out as they had and it would have been Serenity's fault by proxy if not downright association in a sense.  Either way, it would have been just as hard on the Companion as it would have been on Elfi herself if he HAD taken his anger out on the poor girl, and she didn't need anymore abuse than she got already on a daily basis.  Still, she was distracted by Elfi's more or less enthused ramblings about Phil and his attempts at teaching her how to read.  Serenity smiled, glad that she had distracted the older woman with tales of his less than satisfactory student at present.  She didn't think for an instant that Elfi could drive Phil crazy enough to the point he'd give up trying, but who knew what might happen tomorrow out here in the Black.  "I don't believe you can fail him Elfi, as long as you keep making the honest effort to learn I don't think you can ever drive Phil off darling girl.  You'll get it one day, and even if he does despair of it, you can bet your last coin that I'd pick up wherever he left off Elfi, and that's a promise."  She said to the slave girl before her as she sat down after completing the chore she had set out for Elfi as an excuse to get her here without Braxton getting suspicious hopefully.<br/><br/>When asked about keeping a secret and all however, Serenity cocked her head to the side in curiosity as she sipped a little slower from the cup before her, honestly wondering where this was going but there was no way she'd ever tell whatever it was that was on Elfi's mind to another, Companion silence or not.  "You obviously don't know much about Companions Elfi."  Serenity giggled lightly, smiling warmly despite her little laugh she had had at Elfi's expense in a way.  "We never kiss and tell, is the saying we Companions share.  Even to others like us, we never talk about what it is we do for our Clients to anyone else unless they have broken one of our few rules or have disrespected us to the point that they are black marked.  The point being is that if you wish to tell me something, know that it will never leave this room Elfi, but to answer your question, we all keep secrets Elfi.  Some are harmless, others not so much, but overall we all have things we don't share with anyone, even our most trusted friends or family.  So yes, it's perfectly natural for you to have your own and yours alone Elfi.  Why do you ask?"  She let her sea green eyes go up and down Elfi's face, curious to see what would come next since that had been a bit unexpected even for the Companion, but maybe that was the point?  Either way, Serenity would listen and see what it was that had brought this on if Elfi decided to share of course.