"Master, who are they?" Elena asked in a small voice. Alara smiled gently, while Ivadra went over and looked at her with a bright smile.

"Master, she's so cute! What's her name?" Ivadra said. She saw how the girl held a doll to her chest, and how she seemed to act so much younger than her appearance suggested. This made her look more closely at her. "I don't sense dark elements, Master."

"Elena, this is Ivadra, and someone whom I am fond of. She was on the road to suffer a long life as an undead in Underground Black, thanks to their 'traditions'." Aila said through grit teeth. Elena looked at her, then to Ivadra, and nodded.

"Makes sense. Why leave them there for so long?" She asked with her head tilted. Aila sighed.

"I made a poor choice, Elena. Come on. Take her hand and show her to the others. Get Ellie to come take Alara here inside and introduce her too." Elena held out her hand to both women.

"I can take them, Master. Ellie's crying." Elena said. Aila grew concerned.

"Is she alright?"

"She's not. Twisted." Elena said, which made Aila understand. Ellie had something trigger her emotional trauma, and wasn't being reasonable due to her thoughts making things appear to be something else.

Aila brought in the few things she bought, and closed the door. They didn't take anything from Underground Black as both her girls decided to leave that life behind.

"You can't have her!" Aila frowned as she heard Ellie scream. "She's my mom! You can't take her from me!" Aila went inside and saw Nuri kindly hold Ellie while she curled up in her arms, but she bristled like a porcupine. She couldn't be soothed.

"Is she yours?" Aila's voice was cold, which made Ellie stop bristling.

"M-Master?"

* * *

"Don't be angry at her, Master." Nuri asked as she gently held Ellie in her arms, and the girl held the doll to her chest. She quietly sucked her thumb, and looked like she regressed even further.

"I'm not angry. I am confused as to what happened that she flipped her lid." Aila said.

"We discussed who would sleep in your bed, and when. When it came to me, they tried to find a way to make sure Ellie was not alone at night, but you can see how that worked out. No combination soothes her." She said quietly. Aila pursed her lips.

'Is it the time for tough love, or will that do more damage? She's latched onto my woman...I mean, she's latched onto Nuri like she's her mother now.' Aila thought for a moment.

"Ellie." Aila said quietly. "Do you think I would steal your mom from you?" She asked. Ellie slowly lifted her eyes.

"I...." She didn't know how she felt. Not two days ago, she refused to be anywhere other than with her sister. Now, she refused to leave Nuri's side. She felt confusion.

"Your birth mother left your side a long time ago." She could see the girl start to tear up, but she continued. "However, I saw a girl and her sister at the slave dealer, and saw two young women my age. I saw two girls who were desperate and lonely, and terrified. I wanted to soothe their terrors, destroy their demons, and kill all the ones who hurt them." She spoke in a quiet voice, so Ellie had to listen carefully.

"I put you in Nuri's arms, not to give you to her. I assigned her to take care of you, and she's grown attached, just like you did." Aila held out her hand, and used wind elements to lift Ellie out of Nuri's arms. Nuri let her go, as she was sure her Master had a reason. She pulled Ellie into her arms, and held her gently.

"You belong to me." Her voice started to vibrate, and within Aila's eyes, her water element became agitated. This agitated Ellie's natural water element affinity, and called out to her. "In the centuries to come, you will be my little water baby. You will guide the water element around our home, and scold the pythons in the river if they ever decide to come this way." Ellie lost the anger, and the desperation that had invaded her mind.

"You will be with me for centuries, little water baby." Ellie's eyes had flickers of water element within them, and as her Master laid her lips on her own, she felt her body flood with the element she was made to rule.

"I don't believe it." Ivadra said in awe. "Elemental bands of water? All over her body?"

'Control it, my Ellie.' Ellie heard her Master's whisper within her mind.

'How?'

'With your mind. With your will. Your element is water. Imagine your hands directing the flow. Guide it. Divert it. Route it through your arm and leg channels. Move it behind your heart, and form your core.' Ellie heard her Master's words.

'Too strong, Master! I can't!' Ellie cried out. She was so sad that her master gave her a gift, but she couldn't accept it.

'You may not be able to control it today, but look at your arms and legs. With your eyes closed. Do you see?' Aila's warm voice soothed her, as did her water element now that she had some within her body.

'What are those?' Ellie whispered. Within her arms, pale blue lines appeared where there were none before.

'Your elementary channels. You, my little water baby, my Ellie, you are an Elementalist.' Ellie felt a tap on her nose.

'Master. So mean.' Ellie whispered within her mind.

'My Ellie, you belong to me. Nuri is someone I have assigned to take care of you, but you belong to me alone.'

* * *

"She's calm now, Master." Nuri said as Ellie relaxed in her arms, and soon fell asleep.

"Well, she's the only one!" Ivadra said and stood up. "Kick a stone bear's balls! What did I just see?" She said and walked around to calm her nerves. Aila sighed a bit.

"You saw me helping Ellie. She is one of my girls, but she had a lot of things happen to her, as did her sister." She sighed, and hugged Elena's waist. After she handed Ellie back to Nuri, Elena came over and leaned against her. She also felt vulnerable, but was a lot quieter than her sister, and didn't know how to act out. Aila's warm hug made her feel a lot better though.

"But all that water element? How was she able to handle all that elemental essence?" Ivadra asked. Aila shrugged.

"Because I kept it from tearing her apart. I laid it on the surface of her skin so she could learn how it moved, and flowed. I didn't let it harm her because that would be incredibly cruel." She hugged Elena and inhaled her scent, which made the girl blush. "I love my girls. I don't want to harm them." She turned and lightly kissed Elena's cheek.

"Elena, get Kaala to help you fill the shower tank with warm water. Both Alara and Ivadra need to get clean in the shower."