Valina returned home from the market to find her sister and the Lord curled up on the couch. They paid her very little mind, pointing her towards a table covered with dirty dishes while they continued their fun. This was just as well; she welcomed the chance to flee to the kitchen, so she wouldn't have to watch him woo her baby sister.

After the Lord left, Mridina fairly floated into the kitchen. "Isn't he wonderful?"

"No." Valina said pointedly, setting a dish down hard into a basin of soapy water.

Her sister shot her a glare. "You just want to spoil my fun."

"What fun?" Valina snapped. "Need I remind you that this is the man who has no problem whipping me?"

"That's not fun for you. We were talking about my fun." the younger girl retorted, sulkily.

"Well, I'm glad that you're so spoiled and snobbish that you can have fun no matter who else gets hurt, even when it's your own flesh and blood!"

"I haven't seen you since I was five, Valina!" Mridina pointed out, frostily. "Now I suddenly have to worry about your happiness over my own? I know what it's like to have to worry about someone else all the time! I know what it's like to constantly be thinking about somebody other than yourself! This is the first time in my life that I'm able to just enjoy myself and you will NOT take it away from me!"

The door opened and Valina's heart skipped a beat. Had the Lord overheard their conversation? She wondered how thick the walls were in the Lady's private quarters. Surely the punishment for speaking ill of the Lord to his own fiancee - and speaking ill of her as well - would be a painful one. And, a nagging voice in Valina's head added, what risk had she caused for her little sister? No matter how frustrating Mridina was, she was still Valina's baby sister. They'd taken the child when she was only around five years old. Valina ought to feel guilty about not being there to protect Mridina, not angry that the girl couldn't see things her way.

But the Lord barely glanced at the two women. "I forgot my coat." he said, grabbing the garment from the sofa.

Relief crossed Mridina's face. That was interesting. Had she been afraid of the Lord's return as well? But the younger girl recovered quickly. She gave Valina a pointed glance, as though she was about to prove something. Then she piped up, "Why don't you join us for dinner, my Lord?"

"Not tonight, Dina." he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Please?" she took hold of his arm, with a pleading look.

"No, Mridina." Now he seemed annoyed. The Lord shook her off like he might brush aside a gnat.

"But my Lord..." Mridina let her voice tremble a bit, sadly. "It would make me happy."

The Lord studied her for a long moment. At first, he seemed ready to comply. But seeing him ready to give in took the desperate expression from the Lady's face. Her tears and pouting lips had gone and so the moment passed. The Lord's face hardened and his eyes narrowed. He pushed her away from him and coldly snapped, "Brick house, Mridina!" And then he was gone.

Valina didn't let her sister retreat.

Mridina had a habit of doing that all too often. She fled to solitude when upset, hiding her tears and anger and anguish with only her own arms to give herself a hug. But when she tried to hurry away this time, she met her sister's embrace. "Let me go!"

"No." Valina held tight. She let her sister struggle, knowing the tears would come soon enough. Mridina's bravado didn't last long and she collapsed into sobs moments later.

The crying didn't last long. Both sisters had strength; Mridina soon wiped at her eyes and shook her head. "Okay, so he's an ass."

"No kidding." Valina pulled her close again. "I wanted it to work out for you, honey."

"I knew it wouldn't." the younger girl sighed.

"Well, why do you stay here then?" the slave wanted to know. If Mridina left, Valina could return to her friends in the fields. She'd be away from the Lord's constant attention. Or maybe her sister could arrange to take her. After all, Valina had been given to Mridina...

"I can't leave."

"Sure you can." Valina shrugged. "If you're worried about having somewhere to go, I have friends out there who could help you."

"No." Mridina shook her head. "I mean it, Val. I can't leave."

And then Valina understood. "The brick house?"

Mridina bit her lip and nodded.

"Mridina? Who's in the brick house?" Valina thought she knew, but wanted to be sure.

Her sister said nothing. Mridina had tensed, one hand picking at the threads in her dress while her eyes looked everywhere but towards her slave.

"Mridina." Valina gave the younger girl a quick shake. "Who's in the brick house?"

Mridina's tears returned, this time as soft crying instead of the hysteria of before. Her face buried in her hands, she gave the muffled answer. "Bella... Bella's in the brick house."