Scarlet's Awakening

Before Scarlet successfully bought Ishid from the auction, the owner advised her to establish a slave contract to bind him for her own safety. It was a very strict protocol of the auction house- a rule that they can't ignore, or else Scarlet's purchase will become invalid.

Scarlet didn't know what a slave contract was at first, but after she asked the obediently silent Navy inside her head, she found out the effects of being bonded by a slave contract. With it, the slave cannot deny his or her masters orders; they cannot leave or betray them or else the brand on their ċhėst will react and then kill them; and when their master dies, they die with their masters. However that can be avoided if the master grants the slave to a new master and they can live the rest of their lives serving another one.

The only way to break the slave contract was to gather 3 very rare ingredients. When gathered it will be enough to make 2 potions; one for the master to drink, and one for the slave to drink. Scarlet doesn't know what these ingredients are, obviously, but after Ishid accepted the slave contract after being talked through it by the auction house owner- much to her dismay, he didn't stop them from doing the contract until it was complete. Scarlet was angry at him on the inside for making such a decision without her approval but the contract was done, and she had no choice but to accept it. Now, she has to know those ingredients to break the contract to free him from her.

"Scarlet, I did it for a reason..." he said but Scarlet just shook her head, not getting his intentions entirely.

"And what was it exactly? Your reason?" she asked, the anger in her voice was now evident.

Jasper sighed. "I did it so that your subordinates won't be wary of me..." He finally said, making Scarlet go silent for a while. "You know I had to do it or else they'll think I can hurt you behind their back. It's better for us if they think I'm not a threat..."

"..." Scarlet became silent even more. Just thinking about it, she now understands a little why he did it but still... "You know that a slave contract is hard to break," she said, reminding him of the facts. The former Scarlet Rose even decided not to forge any kind of binding contracts with her subordinates because of its effects and she didn't want that.

"I know..." The simplicity of his reply made Scarlet a little bit frustrated inside.

"How are you going to keep living like this when your soul is bonded to me?" she asked. Because as much as she wants Ishid to stay by her side, for some reason, she didn't want to chain him down like this. She respect his choices and his decisions, but being bound to her with a slave contract is just...

Seeing the internal conflict she was having within herself through her ever changing expressions, Ishid softly took her hand and held it within his hands. "Scarlet, listen to me." He said as he started rubbing his thumb against her knuckles, trying to gradually console her, "Think of this contract as my promise... between the two of us ..."

She blinked, "What promise?"

"A promise that I won't leave your side until the day I die..." His words made Scarlet blink in surprise.

"Ishid, what-" her cheeks reddened like a tomato as she inelegantly swallowed, "If you say it like that, it'll make me think that you wanted this..."

A smile slowly appeared on his handsome face as he continued to ċȧrėss her hand, slowly and gently with his thumb, "Right now it doesn't matter..." He said, his eyes burning with so many emotions but Scarlet wasn't able to see them because she was looking at both of their hands that were intimately clasped together.

"Ishid," she called his name again and looked up. "What am...?" She paused as their eyes met. "What am I to you, Ishid?" she asked, the confusion etched on her face. She doesn't get why he's being like this.

Ishid opened his mouth but then closed it shut.

Scarlet's brows furrowed at his silence, "Ishid, tell me." She insisted, but again, he didn't reply. There was a reluctance in his eyes that she can't understand why. He was hiding something from her, and he was afraid to tell her what it was...

"Ishid-"

"Will you believe me when I say that everything I did was for your sake... and mine?"

Her expression was confused by this, "Ishid, what are you talking about?"

"I will tell you everything you need to know..." .

"And when is that?"

He stared at her face, "When you're ready..."

When he said that a mocking laugh escaped from her lips, "Ishid, when are you really going to tell me? Give me a day!"

He didn't reply....

"What are you hiding from me?"

He slowly reached for her cheeks and she didn't flinched when his fingers grazed the warmth of her skin, "Scarlet, what we have right now is young, and fragile." He said seriously, looking into her eyes. "I'm afraid that the moment I tell you everything. You'll leave…"

Scarlet sighed. "Is that what you're really afraid of?"

He nodded solemnly, "Yes..."

She sighed again, "Fine..." she gave up, raising her hands in the air. "I won't force you to tell me anymore."

"Thank you."

"But," she injected, "you have to promise me something..."

"What's that?"

"Promise me that you'll tell me everything… soon. I don't have the patience to wait."

He grinned. "So am I."

Scarlet nodded in approval to this. "Also, why didn't you tell me about your plan?" she then asked. "You only told me you had a plan but I never thought you would actually sell yourself in an auction as a slave? What were you thinking?"

He chuckled at her reaction, "I was thinking of an easy and reasonable way to stay by your side."

She raised an eyebrow at his, "As my slave?"

"Yes." He said, he didn't even blink when he said that.

Scarlet shook her head in disbelief, "What would you do if I wasn't the one who bought you then?"

"I won't let that happen…"

"Why not? You can't predict the future."

"Actually, I already predicted what's going to happen." He said with an arrogant smirk on his devilishly handsome face.

"Oh really?" she crossed her arms in front of her ċhėst in irony.

"Yes. I knew you'd win the bidding and becoming my owner."

"You don't look like a submissive type of guy though." Scarlet unconsciously blurted out and she blushed at what she just said.

Jasper laughed. "You're right, I am not docile or subservient. But for the right person, I could be one." That brought a smile on her face.

"And the right person you're talking about is me?" She asked and he immediately answered.

"Yes."

"What if somebody else bought you?" she asked and he silently contemplated her question,

"I'm was certain it would be you."

"But I'm asking you what if?"

"I'm still confident it would be you."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because I know you won't let another person own me…"

Talk about making her scream inside.