Sunlight dappled gently through red silk curtains, beaming upon thick red sheets. There was a shifting beneath the covers, a squirming of someone beneath them. The sound of whispering fabric on fabric sounded out as long slender fingers grasped at the sheets, pulling them closer around the owner. The bed creaked ever so and there was a groggy groan audible from within. The lump beneath the covers tossed and turned as attempts to fight off waking up seemed to become more and more difficult. It was still for a bit before the birds outside started chirping incessantly.

The covers were slowly peeled aside and a pair of green eyes blinked open, long fingers wiping at their corners to rub sleep from the orbs. A mess of tangled black hair was strewn about the face of Essira Thrani, brushed back haphazardly as a yawn escaped her full lips. She sat up, stretching her arms above her head as she did before tucking another loose strand of black hair behind her long triangular ears. The elf looked towards the window, trying to will herself out of bed. Part of her wanted to go right back to bed and take a day off, however considering her job that wasn't an option. Her darlings were fulltime jobs after all.

After a minute she managed to shove the covers aside, her thin white nightgown doing little to keep out the morning chill. It did however display her curvaceous form very nicely, especially as she stood up out of bed and stretched high. Little pops were audible as her joints and muscles received use after the long night. Next she bent over and reached down to stretch to her toes, the tips of her fingers just barely grazing the red painted digits. She counted to ten before standing up straight again and rolling her shoulders.

Her room was rather large, certainly more that most common born elves could hope to have. A queen sized bed, deep and plush red carpeting, a massive and absurdly stocked vanity, and a huge walk in closet made up just this one room. Her business had been very kind to her she supposed. The tall elf walked over to the curtains and flung them aside, squinting as the sunlight flooded the room fully. Early morning from the looks of it so she still had some time to freshen up.

Essira rang a little bell next to her bed and headed over to her vanity, her bare feet sinking into the carpet with each step. She sat down and started counting in her head. The record response time was thirty seconds, impressive but she was very certain it could be improved. Of course it wasn't so much for her sake that she counted, more for the one responding. She seemed so proud when she managed to best her last time for some reason. Essira didn't quite get it but she humored it nonetheless.

"Twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two." The dark haired elf muttered under her breath, passing the time by toying with a strand of her dark hair.

Just after thirty-two there was a timid knock at her door. "Come in. Thirty-two seconds today. Close."

The doors in Essira's house had two 'doors' as it were. One was normal and suited for a normal sized person however built into those were little square flaps of wood that allowed entrance on pushing. It was too small for even a child to get through though for her servant it was just right. The bottom door was pushed open and through it crawled a human woman no bigger than two feet in height.

Like most of her kind in Elsira, the human was naked. She was quite a plain pale looking little thing and possessed and average build. Her brown hair was cut at ears and around her neck was a cute little pink ribbon. Her brown eyes were directed downward respectfully, just as she had been taught. She stood in the middle of the floor and seemed to ponder saying anything. Essira smiled warmly at the diminutive human and waited for her to get out what she wanted to say patiently.

Finally she spoke her voice little more than a timid whisper. "Good Morning, Miss Thrani. Sorry about my slow response"

"Good Morning to you, Liz, and don't let it trouble you. Sleep well?"

"Y-Yes. Thanks for asking, Miss. ...You?" Liz managed to get out.

Essira laughed, a lyrical and pleasant sound though it saddened her to see it made Liz wince slightly. "Yes I did, would have slept better with a certain someone at the foot of my bed."

The young woman flushed a brilliant scarlet at the suggestion. "I-I... that is... I didn't know-!"

Essira waved away her pet's concerns. "Calm down, darling, I was joking. You get so much cuter when you're all flustered!" She cooed.

Given how that left Liz looking Essira opted to have mercy on her and stop her teasing. At least for the moment. "Anyway. Be a dear and fetch my sandals and dress from the closet will you? The green one with peacock feathers again. I trust you've already set out my books down stairs yes?"

Liz nodded in confirmation before scampering off through the little door to the closet to carry out the order. Essira shook her head slightly. Honestly she would have just preferred having Liz be around to pet and cuddle with but she seemed to be more comfortable when given servants tasks. Naturally her diminutive stature limited what she could do but Essira found little things to assign to her. Fetching clothes, setting out her books, cleaning the floors. The elf knew well she had been born a slave in human lands. Perhaps this was just more comfortable to her.

Regardless the elf turned back to her vanity and produced a brush, setting about getting her hair under control. She winced every now and then as she worked on a particularly stubborn knot. Whatever humans held elves as being perfection didn't know what they were talking about. Oh certainly Essira knew well her angular and well-shaped beauty was the envy of many an elf, but it wasn't as though no effort went into it.

She set her hair so that her bangs were parted, tucked behind her ears to display the triangular appendages. The elf then set her brush aside and started putting her earrings on, little rubies in the shape of hearts. By the time she started adding green accents around her eyes Liz had returned from the closet and was struggling to hold both her dress and sandals up. Indeed Essira could only see the little legs of her pet. A squeak came as the weight became too much and she ended up buried beneath the fabric.

The elf sighed and stood, freeing Liz with little effort. "M-Miss, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" She whimpered, bowing low with her head touching the carpet.

"Calm down, darling. It's okay. Just don't overburden yourself too much. I've said it time and time again; you don't have to do anything if you don't want to or if it's too much for you." Essira said as she set out her clothes on the bed.

Liz sniffled. "I-I know... it's just... you've been so kind. I want to be useful to you."

The dark haired elf squatted down and gently started running her hand through Liz's hair. The human stiffened before relaxing as soft fingers trailed through her hair. "Shhh, it's alright. You aren't my slave, you know. You're my pet. It's my job to pamper and spoil you with love and affection so you'll return it in kind."

"B-But I do love you, Miss!" Liz protested.

"I know you do, darling. It's just..." Essira said, biting her lower lip as she thought over her words.

"Just... what, Miss?"

Essira shook her head, rubbing her thumb in circles on Liz's back. "Nothing. Don't worry about it, darling. Instead why don't you head down to the kitchen? I bet you're hungry."

As if in response the diminutive human's stomach growled, drawing a laugh from her owner. "Go on then, grumbly tummy. I'll be down in a minute."

Liz blushed brightly and scampered out of the room as quickly as her little legs could manage. Essira shook her head as she stood up once more and set about dressing herself. Her peacock feather dress was easy to slip on fortunately, one of her least finicky dresses. Once her nightgown was discarded and that was set on she slipped on her sandals and placed two peacock feathers behind her ears. She smiled at her reflection in her vanity mirror before heading out of her room.

Down in the kitchen she saw her books were set up on one of the chairs and found Liz standing near her bowl. The dark haired elf set opened her pantry and took out a few strips of dried meat and some bread, setting them in her bowl before filling up her water bowl beside it. The human happily started munching away at her breakfast while Essira set out a pot of tea to steep and helped herself to some bread.

She smiled as she watched Liz eat, the human occasionally pausing to lap at her water bowl. Hard to believe she had been free range rather than bred in Elsira, her mannerisms certainly would reflect in most elven bred. Her eyes lingered on the whip scars across her back and her smile died. Her fingers tightened around one of her books. The world was too filled with cruelty. Most elves saw her views on ownership as backwards but she knew what was right and wrong. She might occasionally raise her hand in discipline but that... that was too far. The word abuse came to mind to describe it.

Essira turned her thoughts away from the sad state of human protection in Elsira and instead opened her books as she waited for her tea to be ready. Inside was a list of names, ages, sexes, and prices. She took up a quill and dipped it in ink as she started making necessary adjustments. Yesterday had been quite a fruitful day for her business, quite a bit of patronage. That sale had certainly helped get a few new faces thinking about her and her services, faces she would likely see again. Building relationships was always important for any business owner.

"Let's see, Michael is gone. So are Fiona and Erik. Lord Seris said he'd be out of the city for a bit so need to make sure to watch Kali for him. Hmm... Helga is getting past her breeding years it looks like. Damn. Might have to put her up as a window item. Think Liosili said she was looking for older females..." She muttered to herself.

The tea started whistling and Essira stood, removing it from over the flame before pouring herself a cup. She inhaled deeply of the steaming cup before very lightly sipping at it, the mint liquid warming her belly. Too much to do today but then there was always too much. She really needed to start looking into taking on an apprentice. Not as if she'd be lacking for volunteers though an apprentice might bungle some necessary maintenance. She sighed as she sat down, rubbing at her temples as she considered the benefits and drawbacks.

As she thought she felt a little wet lap on her big toe. She looked under the table and smiled at Liz as the little human took timid licks at her foot. The smile was taken as encouragement and Liz set herself at the task with more gusto, going so far as to take Essira's big toe into her mouth. The dark haired elf sighed as she returned her attention back to her books. She might well be overly timid and a little over eager to throw herself at menial tasks but she certainly was good at showing affection.

Mostly it was just getting things up to date though the looming possibility of needing to expand was growing. Normally it was easily to keep her darlings at a manageable number but recent influx in her stock was making it seem like getting a second building would be a good idea. Which of course would definitely mean having to hire more hands. More hands meant wages needing to be paid. It also meant having potential unskilled hands handling her darlings, which could end very badly.

She leaned back and tapped the feather of her quill against her chin. At the same time she cooed slightly in pleasure as Liz started swishing her tongue skillfully around the digit in her mouth. The brown haired woman withdrew after a while and showed her adoration to the next toe. She was quite skilled with that tongue when she wanted to be. The sensation of her small tongue on sensitive skin was positively divine, helping Essira to relax a bit and enjoy her morning a little more. She set her quill down and lifted up her warm cup of tea, sipping at the minty liquid.

For a long while she let Liz work her magic, the brown haired human coating the digits of one foot with her saliva and even going so far as to lick the sole down to the arch. Essira finally giggled and reached down under the table, setting Liz onto her lap as she wriggled her toes in pleasure. The human almost looked a little put off by the interruption but made no comment, simply letting out a sigh of bliss as her owner started petting at her back.

"When I get back you are getting an extra big meal for that, darling. I'll even throw in a sweet for you!" She promised as she spoiled her pet with affection.

"Love you, Miss Thrani." The human said, her voice muffled as she buried her face in Essira's dress.

"I love you too my little darling. But I've got to go in soon. Work to do."

Tiny arms tried to wrap around the elf. "Take me with you, please. You always leave me at home."

Essira sighed. "Not today, darling."

"But, Miss..."

"Elizabeth."

The gentleness left her voice at the full use of Liz's name and she felt the human stiffen. She meekly removed her arms from around Essira and the elf picked her up under her arms before setting her on the ground. Pleased that she had obeyed the elf gave her a loving stroke on her head before standing and getting ready to head. The dark haired elf hummed as she picked her satchel off a hook on the wall and set her ledger inside of it. Her eyes then turned to Liz and she waved.

"Well, I'm off, Liz. I'll be back later. Behave yourself."

"Yes, Miss Thrani."

With that Essira stepped out of the front door and into the cool morning air of early fall. She riffled through her satchel and produced a silver key, sliding it into the lock and turning it into place. Little danger of robbery in her part of the city really but better safe than sorry she always said. That done she set off towards the Merchant District of the city. If the rest of the day was as pleasant as her morning it would be a high point of the week.

The city itself was waking up as merchants started manning their stalls and hawking their wares. Travelers were out sightseeing, citizens loitered about here or there with friends, and guards patrolled the streets for signs of crime. Very few dressed as... distinctively as her though elven fashions tended to shift like the rising and falling of the tide. Looking around she noted that the recent craze in robes was still quite popular. No doubt the more conservative wings of the mage community despaired.

The peacock feather clad elf frowned as her eyes passed over a food stand nearby. Oh, there was the normal fair available of course, fruits, vegetables, though there were also tiny cages filled with squirming bodies inside. Inch high humans, pressed together in the tight and cloying spaces. Disgust welled up in her as she turned her gaze away and continued walking. The jewelry stands she passed were little better, as the more popular styles currently involved using humans as well in them.

An elven woman she passed was currently getting a fitting done on a new anklet. The poor man being set into the silver chain by the jeweler was placed in restrains on the wrists and ankles, squealing bloody murder the whole while. Bracelets, anklets, and necklaces were most popular. Rings and earrings were very difficult and required access to mages or magic to shrink the subject to a proper size. Hence they were typically only seen in the mage class or very, very well off nobility.

Humanitarian, she supposed that was a perfect description of her. Often the word was accompanied by sneers from more conservative or traditional branches of elven society. Humans were still living creatures. They were capable of at least rudimentary thoughts and feelings. She was fully behind the idea of bringing the race under heel, but certainly not with eating them or turning them into cheap baubles. She just thought of Liz trapped in one of those bracelets or in one of those tight cages and felt her blood boil.

Of course, as a merchant herself, Essira dealt with customers from all branches of society. For every kindly owner there were times when she knew some of her darlings would be going to a horrid one. There were zero laws protecting normal humans, even the ones protecting human mages were flimsy. It was a sad fact of life at the moment though who could say what might change once the last human was claimed by Elsira? Ever the optimist, Essira held out hope.

Soon enough she arrived at her shop. The establishment was pretty much impossible to miss and any who knew her even passingly understood it fit her to a T. The entire building was painted pink and had little red and pink flowers in front of the windows. The sign hanging from above had hearts painted all over it and read 'Loving Arms: Human Breeder, Tamer, and Pet Shop'. Better to be distinctive than common in her opinion.

The woman produced a gold key and slid it into the lock, turning it before stepping inside. The room itself was a deep crimson color, possessed of fine portraits of flowery meadows and vibrant forests hanging on the walls. Plush chairs were arrayed here or there for some to wait on especially busy days. The floor was fine and smooth marble and a few flower pots hung here or there from the ceiling. Essira set her satchel down on the counter and let out a sigh as she took in the pleasant floral smell. This was her home away from home as much as her place of work.

Thinking of her work the dark haired elf took her ledger out and set it on the counter before heading into the back, kicking off her sandals as she did. She tossed open the back door and threw open the curtains on the far wall with a loud sigh. The sunlight flooded the large back room, revealing row upon row of very large and spacious cages. Their bars were quite thin and inside each one were little inch high humans either milling about or just rubbing the sleep from their tiny eyes.

"Wakey wakey, darlings! It's a bright and wonderful day, no time to just laze about and waste it!"