After several hours of traveling in his transport, we arrived at his home. It was not what I expected to find a leader of the enemy to live in. While it was clean and well tended, it was considerably smaller than the home I spent my youth in.

He opened the door and ushered me inside. What few furnishings the home contained were sparse and dated. It looked like it had been abandoned long before the invasion. I knew for a fact that many, much more lavish, properties sat empty in the city we left behind. It brought to question why a leader would choose to reside in apparent poverty when their kind are so keen on displays of wealth. And how in Hades was I to learn their secrets so far from anything. I had no doubt that he was a leader, his dominant stance and air of command were definite leadership traits, but I couldn't fathom why, when the evidence before me contradicted everything I knew about the race.

His deep timbers disturbed my musings. "We leave at dusk for my vessel. Please dress appropriately it can get cold up there. There's clothing in the room at the top of the stairs." A little red light blinked at his throat as he spoke, indicating that his translator was working.

Appropriate attire consisted of britches and tunics, there were no other options available amongst the garments. Once I dressed, I realised that they were not male clothing as I first thought. The garments were made to accentuate the feminine curves.

By the time I returned to him, he had put together meat and bread in a rather unappealing arrangement on two plates.

"Eat."

Again he surprised me by not living up to my preconceived expectations. He purchased me as a slave, yet it is he who serves me...

I was so lost in thought, I didn't realise he'd asked me something until he waved a hand in front of my face in order to garner my attention.

"I asked your name," he said with a soft tone, so unlike the one he'd used earlier. There was no command, just a simple question.

"Bria. And you are?"

"Ah, so you do speak. I was beginning to wonder if you were mute." He smiled then, letting me know he was making a joke. "My friends call me Dave."

We chatted easily about our childhood experiences whilst we ate and I didn't notice the time pass. The second sun was just dipping below the horizon when Dave rose from his seat and, handing me a heavy jacket, ushered me out the door.

The teleport station was only minutes from the small cottage. I'd never used one before and found the experience a little daunting. I needn't have worried, the ride was over before I could blink.

A small child of around 5 summers hurtled into Dave's arms as he stepped off the pad.

"Daddy!" she squealed with obvious delight.

Dave caught her mid-leap and swung her around in a circle before enveloping her in tight hug. "I missed you too, Princess," he breathed fervently against her hair.

His grin was huge, making a remarkable difference in his features. Even his eyes crinkled around the edges. Who would have thought a simple smile would soften his appearence enough to no longer incite the fear I felt in this males company. Or perhaps it was the show of love he felt for his daughter that confirmed once again that this male was not like the others of his kind.

He set her on her feet with obvious reluctance, taking her hand as she tried to hide behind his legs.

"Amilee, this is Bria. She's going to play with you while daddy does his work."

"What? I don't know... " I let the sentence trail off when I realised the little red light at his throat hadn't flashed. The shock of his statement made me question him, only I wasn't supposed to understand the language.