Eden had been ready to leave the room, sure that there was nothing more he could say to her, only to pause when Ben actually did speak. She kept her gaze impassive, her back to him, looking over one shoulder, freckled face neutral. Bennett spoke of slavery, of an Orc who Eden was supposed to marry, of food and money and sickness. And every word spoken had Eden's heart drop further, emotion well in her chest. Her tail whipped, and when he paused, the tiefling opened her mouth to speak, only to be interrupted.
He screamed at her, Bennetts voice loud and full of his anger, and it shocked Eden. More than that, it sent her into a panic where the tiefling froze in her spot, while he ranted on and burst into tears. Her brain told her to be quiet, to be meek and submissive, to avoid any further anger directed to her. And it worked. Bennett pushed past the smaller woman, and ran out, the door slamming behind him. Eden flinched, and swallowed, her hand rising to cover a rapidly beating heart. A minute passed, two, and then Eden slumped against the doorframe, her breath coming fast. The entire time Bennett had been shouting, Eden had held her breath, something she'd done ever since childhood, a hard habit to break.
He'd been right, that Eden didn't know what it was like to be a slave, or at least, not the way he was. She had her own struggles, her own troubles, but she was wrong to think they were above Bennett's. He hadn't brought her, but he'd been the one to appear before her, to accept the marriage to Eden Teivel. Once her breathing had calmed down, Eden padded towards the kitchen, the guilt rising up in her chest, and threatening to overflow. She reached up into a cabinet, and pulling out a bowel, Eden spooned some of the pasta into it, a large portion. Ben had had to fight for food, and that struggle, Eden understood well. Careful with the hot bowl, Eden walked outside, pushing the door open with her back, and looked around, spotting Bennett in a nearby tree. She sai
