Chapter One: Laid down rules

A whimper evaded her lips as she tried to get up. She strived to fight the pain that her legs elicited, but it appeared impossible. She knew she had to stand up eventually or it could end up very hazardous for her. Staring up at him with a grimace on his face, she couldn't hate him, she just couldn't. She wasn't trained that way. She was trained to worship him, all her life, to do whatever he asked her to do, to obey all the rules. He was her master after all

"Get up" he authorized in a deadly whisper. His eyebrows furrowed in resentment, with bits of sweat on his forehead as he gazed at her. He was ready to finish her off there and then and Aanya loathed how he had the power to do so. No one could query him and absolutely no one could protect her.

Aanya exhaled deeply as she struggled to get up. She finally did it, she was on her feet again with her fist clenched as she stood inclined to fight. The pain the felt in her ribs was excruciating as a result of the persistent assault on them, but she couldn't show it. She had to finish training before tending to her injuries. That was the rule and breaking the rules equaled death. 

Aanya ambled over to where he was and spread her legs, ready for a fight. She stared at him for a while, trembling in fear. He was going to hit her again, she knew. He was too good at it and she was just an amateur. Nevertheless, she attacked first, charging toward him. She flung her legs in the air and went in for a kick, but just as she suspected, he was too fast. He held her by the leg and hurled her around, impacting a great force on the leg. She cried for help as the pain he inflicted on her, agonized her body. He finally let go of her and she fell to the floor, legs already wobbly. She crawled away from him. She wasn't ready to go through another episode of that because she knew that no matter how hard she aimed, there was no way she could fight him. He was just too fast and calculative for her to decipher.

"Too slow" he noted, beckoning on her to get up. Aanya gulped, staring at him with fear inscribed on her countenance. She couldn't do it anymore but knew he wasn't going to quit until he had ultimately crushed her. He walked over to her when he discovered she was still finding it difficult to get up. He bent down to her level and roughly grabbed her hair causing a wail to escape Aanya's lips. She looked at him with a heavy breath, glaring at the sly smirk on his face. 

"You forgot rule number one Aanya" he whispered closely to her ear, causing a cold shiver to run down her spine. "Never show weakness" he left her hair and walked slowly away from her. He stopped a few meters and turned back to her. "You are going to the outside world and you are already forgetting your basics. Pathetic!"

"No, Master I did not" she cried. She knew the outcome of insubordination and she wasn't willing to face it."I can never forget the rules"

"Really?" He narrowed his eyes "Why don't we do a recap? I won't have you lagging in the outside world because if you do, I'm sure you know the consequences that follow.

"Yes Master," she said, nodding incessantly. He strode back gradually towards her and stooped down to her level once more. He brought his hands to her chin and caressed it slowly

"Rule number 2, never let anyone find out about your identity," he said, and just as Aanya had suspected, she was given a resounding slap on her right cheek. This was her punishment for being reminded of the rules. She tasted something metallic in her mouth. Blood! she gasped.

"Rule number 3. kill anyone that finds out about your identity before your master finds even out," he said with gritted teeth and another slap followed

"Rule number 4, never look down on your prey, they could strike when you least expect" her face had been already bruised up, preparing herself for another strike. The metallic ring on his finger made things worse for her as it kept on creating injuries on her fragile pale skin. He smacked her again across the face and that compelled tears to well up in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, she couldn't show her weakness. That would only make things worse for her. She gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain she felt, and looked up to him, emotionless.

"Rule number 5, no friend allowed" he placed his index finger under her chin and lifted her face, swaying it to the side, accessing her. She didn't fail to notice the look of pleasure on his face as he accessed the injury that he had inflicted on it. He whacked her again and she fell to the floor, groaning in pain. She coughed out repeatedly with blood proceeding out of her mouth.

He grinned, getting up from where he was, and walked away from her. She could finally breathe. Her hands adjusted her black hair that had already stuck to her face as a result of the blood and sweat present on it, tucking it behind her ears. Her training clothes were messed up with dust, sweat, and a little bit of blood. She looked up at him again as he walked away from her, but suddenly stopped and turned to look at her.

"The most important rule of them all. Rule number 6" he spoke. "NEVER FALL IN LOVE"