It starts well

The walk to the apartment is uneventful. No one seems to be awake in this part of the city, and the ones that are not sleeping are certainly not out on the streets. Pausing a block away from the door you go over the plan one final time. Leaving your helmet, shield and spear in the alley where you are standing you tell Adriana to wait until you have reached the doorway before she tries to wake Anatole.

"You two, wait here but be ready to help me as soon as you hear me yell." Moving as quietly as possible you make your way to the doorway and sit on the ground pressing yourself against the door. The lack of hinges on this side of the door means the door most likely swings in; that should make this scheme work a little easier.

Soon Adriana moves to a grating at the side of the street. Leaning down low over the iron bars she calls out softly but earnestly.

"Anatole! Anatole, it's me Adriana." After a brief pause she tries again, this time a little louder "Anatole! Please WAKE UP!" This time you can hear a muffled response from the grating. "Anatole it's me Adriana, please I need your help. Can you let me in?" Another muffled response and then Adriana gets back to her feet and moves to the door. So far your plan is going perfectly. Gripping your gladius in your hand you get ready for the sudden ****.

You hear footsteps approaching the door, but instead of hearing the latch turn you hear a new voice through the small opening in the door.

"Let me handle this Anatole." The voice is musical and sweet sounding, it must be one of the sisters.

"So sweet little Adriana needs my brother's help?" The young woman sounds amused. "Didn't my brother offer you his help last week? And you were very rude to him."

"It's OK Pelagia, she didn't mean it." Anatole's voice sounds hesitant and weak, compared to his sister.

"It's not OK, Anatole, Adriana needs to understand how badly she hurt you, rudeness should never be acceptable among the elite."

"Please, I'm really sorry about that." interrupts Adriana "Let me in please; I'll make it up to you. I will be your bride Anatole." Sounds of movement from behind the door end when Pelagia speaks again, her tone is still sweet as an angel's and the words roll off her tongue eloquently, but the actual content confirm Adriana's opinion of her as a snake.

"That was before, Adriana, the offer is not so rich now." You hear more hushed whispering from behind the door before Pelagia continues. "Now, you will share my brother's bed as his mistress, he should never have proposed to you in the first place - he can do much better than a minor lady from a impoverished family." Adriana gasps in anger, but then looking fearfully around she agrees.

"Yes, yes. OK but please let me in before a patrol finds me." Any doubt you had about her acting ability have disappeared completely as Adriana pleads for mercy.

"And one final condition" Pelagia adds on, clearly she is enjoying seeing Adriana humiliate herself in the street. "You must serve me and Phaedra as well." An intense argument between Anatole and Pelagia ensues, but it is clear who has the dominant position in the family and less than a minute you hear Pelagia at the grating again

"So do agree Adriana?" She asks "We will offer you protection from the **** mercenaries and slavers; we will feed you and shelter you and in return you will be our servant. You will cook and clean for us and you will serve us as a pleasure **** whenever one of us feels the need." Silently Adriana nods her acquiescence and you hear a vindictive chuckle from the other side of the door.

"OK, you may enter - once you've taken off all your clothes." Ignoring Adriana's and her brother's protests Pelagia insists "If you are going to be our ****, then you should not be dressed as a free woman."

Stepping back Adriana drops her bag at her feet and for the second time in fewer than eight hours slips her tunic from her body so her naked body could be examined. Pelagia must have liked what she saw because as soon as Adriana disrobed you hear the sounds of bolts and latches being released.