The Unsuitable Slave. (NC-17) Part 11/34
Alona was silent on her feet. “Aw. He’s absolutely fast asleep. What did you do?”
Jared blushed.
“Oh! That! That’s good. Fantastic. Everyone was starting to wonder.”
“How do we do this then? Is there any way we have to be? I mean I don’t really know the rules. Do I call you something?”
Alona’s laugh was delicate and pretty. It matched her looks. “You and I are equals. When we are alone we can relax and be ourselves. What is your real name, Child?”
He ignored the question. “How can we be equals? You are, well,” he pointed his finger up and down at her. “It doesn’t feel that way.”
“Child, the only difference between you and I is training, and, I suppose, temperament. It is unusual for one slave to train another, but then it is unheard of to take a new slave in these circumstances, especially a boy from the Realm. Such boys are uptight and have ingrained views of sex.”
Jared opened his mouth to protest and she shot a sharp look his way. He closed it again.
I have heard this life has been difficult for you to accept.” She gestured for him to sit and they kneeled together on a rug in his Master’s room. She put her hand on his knee and rubbed his thigh. He startled and tensed.
“Hmm. See?”
“How do you cope with it, the touches and the requirements?”
There was that tuneful giggle again. “How do I cope with the appreciation and the sex? What is there to cope with? I enjoy it. Who would not want to be admired, cared for and touched. Sex can be a revelation and I am lucky to belong to Ethan. Even with others, the sensations, the feeling of connection and belonging is amazing. The moment you give someone that high, the look on their face and the satisfaction afterwards. The knowledge you fulfilled your Master’s wishes and he is pleased with you. There is nothing like it.”
Jared could not disguise his shock.
“You think I’m a slut.”
“No. Of course not,” he said, overly fast “I’ve just never met anyone like you.”
“Well, Child. The like can be said of you. You know, the intimacy will prove to be a small part of your life. It is exciting at first, with much to learn of each other, but it settles.”
“How did you come to be here?”
“It is where I always wanted to be. My mother was a general slave in a Lord’s House.”
“I thought that children could not be slaves?”
“Hush! You have to learn to listen without interrupting. It will prove important. You should practice with me.”
Jared let her continue.
“When I was young I would watch the Lords and Ladies arrive. Sometimes there would be a Court Slave with its Master or Mistress. I would serve at banquets to assist my mother, I was never required to do so, but I adored the etiquette and the fuss. The Court Slaves, the way they were with their Masters, it was something else. The relationship seemed so very proper and glamorous, yet the interaction was affectionate and tender, it was so romantic. I wanted that from the age of ten. I observed all the training I could and I yearned for more. When my mother’s tenure was complete, I was sixteen. Her Master offered freedom which she wished to take, but it is costly to find a home. Of course, everyone knew I had ambition to be a Court Slave and I am lucky her Master thought I had potential. A good price was paid to my mother and I was sent for training until I was ready to be presented. My mother has her freedom. I have a life at the Palace.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yes.” She could see the doubt in his expression. “I’m not unusual. Many aspire to this. It is an accolade. This is not the only Land in the region which keeps or deals in slaves. It is a way of life for many and nothing to be ashamed of. It is one of the few nations which values its slaves and offers the chance of freedom. There are many who would wish to be here. Some will cross into Adomisa to sell themselves into slavery rather than wait to be taken in their homeland.”
Jared’s stomach growled loudly, “Excuse me.”
“You should eat.”
“I am to fast, it is a punishment.” He dropped his eyes with the shame.
“Oh, Child! You are lost in this strange way of life. The expectations are onerous. My training was extensive, yet I knew the basic rules and commands before I was twelve. I have never taught another, but I will try my best. I am instructed to train you to walk on leash and without leash and have you familiar with all the basic commands, especially the wordless ones because Master will never use a voice command at a Royal function.
There will be other tasks to show you, but it will become clear what you need as we work. For this to succeed, you shall need to ask questions and make sure you absorb the answers. You will have to continue to practise when you are alone. Do you understand all that?”
“Yes, of course,” He grimaced, “I may not be very good at it. I tried to walk on leash once and I almost knocked Jensen over.”
Alona laughed, “Ethan warned that you may need a training leash, he left it here, hang on.” She pushed herself up without effort and reached to the dresser. She showed him the chain and rubbed the solid wooden insert. “It cannot slacken too far, while you get used to distances and stopping.” She gave a cheesy white-toothed grin. So we’ll start with the basic positions and a bit of walking then. Up you get.”
***
Jared held his head high and placed his feet delicately on the imaginary line. He took paces, not too short, not too long. He remembered to keep his eyes in line with the leash and his face relaxed with a slight upturn on his lips. He wasn’t faking the smile, he was doing better than he had all afternoon, and for the first time he felt poised. Then Alona stepped left and stopped abruptly, he continued forward, the stiff leash poked into his neck, his feet tangled and he crashed to the ground.
A quiet snigger started and grew until it became a snorting laugh and Jared turned to see Jensen folded over with laughter. Alona had dropped the leash to prevent harm and Jared untangled himself and curled miserably on the floor. Alona crouched by him and rubbed his back. “You did great. You’re just tired and hungry. We should stop.”
Jensen’s face sobered. “You have improved so much, Child. I’m sorry I laughed, but truly, you had to see your swan dive from here.”
Jared wondered at the shocked expression that flitted briefly over Alona’s face. Jensen saw it and rubbed his hands over his eyes. “and now Ethan’s perfectly correct Girl has caught me in incorrect behavior and I am going to have to beg her not to tell.”
“Jensen.” She dropped to one knee and bowed her head, “If my Master does not ask, then I shall not offer the information.”
“Good Girl, but do not make things awkward for yourself. It is no more than everyone expects of me.” He looked over at the crumpled shape on the floor. “An owner must not make apologies to its slave. It weakens his position and sets a precedent. You see, it shouldn’t matter if I am wrong, it is my issue alone. It is important you know that.” His tone had an appeal and urgency to it.
Jared moved gracefully to his Master’s side and placed his hand over Jensen’s. Alona nodded her approval at his movement and position. He took a breath for confidence and looked up directly into his eyes. “I understand. I think I already understood even that day.”
Jensen’s eyes closed briefly and then opened, fresh and wet. “Good. That’s good.” He patted the bed and Jared moved swiftly to sit there. “I was awake awhile. Both of you worked hard, I can see the progress. I think Alona should return to her own Master and we shall have some time together. I would thank the sweet Girl, alas, that would flout convention as well.”
“Alona smiled as she closed the door. “Thank you, Jensen. Be comfortable.”
Prince Jensen eyed his slave thoughtfully, “Do you play chess?” He didn’t wait for an answer, “Of course you do.”
***
“So come in.”
The study was larger than Jared had imagined. In fact it was huge. There were cases of leather bound tomes and maps, tables of scaled models and an enormous oak desk with space for eight heavy oak chairs about it. There was a large open space, off to one side, with a timber rail separating it from the main space. Aside a gap in the rail an assortment of blades were held firm in a purpose-built sheath.
The hearth was proportionally large but there was no fire lit. Jared shivered in the chill air as his gaze returned to the openly stored swords. Jensen followed his stare and crossed the room. He unsheathed a shining blade with a swish through the air. “Come here, Child.” He flicked the fingers of his other hand, walk straight ahead.
Jared tried to remember the day’s training as he approached, but ice green eyes turned on him and the weapon was held directly toward him. He swallowed as he attempted to contain his fear.
“Do you trust me? Keep walking.” Jensen’s face was unreadable. His slave slowed and worked to overcome his body’s overwhelming desire to run, to stop or step to one side.
Jensen made a faint movement with his other hand, palm out and Jared halted, without hesitation, on the ball of his foot and with his body straight, a mere hands length from the tip. His Master nodded appreciatively but the sword remained poised. “So, now you know where I keep my favorite blades. It would be easy for you to reach them, to touch them, to take them.”
The older man circled with the cold steel, the fragile distance to Jared’s flesh was unwavering. “Would it feel good to run me through, to have your revenge? Where would you go? How far do you think you would get? How warm would your welcome home be?” He reached full rotation and reached back to the rack. With a smooth action he retrieved another blade and Jared had seconds to register its arc through the air. He caught it reflexively by its hilt, testing its familiar weight and gripping over its sparkling ruby. Jensen withdrew his own gleaming metal. He retreated two paces, bent his head and turned his back to slide his own weapon into the holder. Jared drew breath. His hand shook as he lifted his trusted steel.
“It would be swift justice,” Jensen spoke calmly and remained with his back to Jared.
Jared swallowed and found his voice, “So, turn around. I don’t stab anyone in the back.”
The Adomisan Prince turned to face him, a reverse of their previous situation. There was something dead in his expression. Jared lifted his arm and tensed but could not meet the green-eyes. His gaze fell instead, on the model by their side, a scale model of the Plains of De’ith. He looked back to the man before him who was closing his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he held his head high. Jared relaxed his grip and lowered his arm as he spoke, “I am not going to do that for you Jensen.” He held the ruby studded handle out to his Master “This belongs to you.”
There was an audible release of breath as Jensen accepted his offering and replaced it in the stand. “You will never touch these without my permission.”
“Of course not.”
“Good Boy.”
Jared’s eyes were drawn, yet again, to the model of De’ith. Jensen watched with interest as he ran his fingers over the contours and lifted a cavalryman. “What?”
“It is wrong.” Jared was perplexed.
“You would give your version of events?” Jensen regarded him, curiously.
“I did not say that. Would it shock you? Would you even trust it?”
“I would listen, but this is accurate.”
“There was a skirmish to the North. We were defeated there and we retreated on the Plains. You were to outflank us.” Jared moved pieces on the reconstruction.
Jensen picked up the pieces and returned them. He spoke gently, “There was no skirmish to the North. There was only a battalion hidden in wait. Your forces lost good men while they delayed. It was a mystery why you should have done that.” He didn’t comment any further but he was thoughtful as he studied the reconstruction. His next question was unexpected. “Child, when precisely did your mother first ail?”
Jared’s brow knitted as he calculated the answer, “I would have been seven or eight. It was not long after we met.”
There was no more said on the topic.
***
Two armchairs stood beside a chequered table, at the side of the hearth. Pieces carved in rose quartz and onyx stood to attention in neat files. His Master flicked three fingers and Jared sank to the floor by the nearest armchair. The floor was cold and his teeth chattered. Jensen reached out to him as he sat in the comfort of his chair. “You’re frozen, Child. We should light this fire.”
Jared moved toward the hearth. He was startled as Jensen removed a fur from his shoulders and placed it on him. “Let me help.” His Master crouched by his side with the bellows.
“I should do this,” protested his slave.
“Honestly, who do you think did all these tasks before I brought you home?”
“You have slaves to undertake these things.”
“Is this how it was at your Palace?”
“There were no slaves, I had servants, a maid. It was not permitted to take their tasks.”
“To have others frequently poking in my rooms is annoying. Maybe I am not regal enough for you?”
“I am here now. You can let me help.”
Jensen gave a wry smile. “You have a skill with tact, Child.”
***
Jensen ate a light meal as they played. Jared’s belly ached and grumbled but he looked away from the food and reminded himself that this was not a hardship. There were many who did not get proper nutrition in days, sometimes weeks. This much he had observed since Captain Kane had first taken him outside his Palace walls.
Jared’s skin glowed in the firelight, his hair shone and his eyes were multi-coloured with reflection. He chewed his lip in concentration as he considered the board and Jensen let his eyes roam over the view. Jared’s rook took Jensen’s bishop and his Master's hand dropped to his slave's shoulders shucking the borrowed fur from him. Fingers massaged the top of his spine and the bishop dropped from Jared's grasp and clattered to the floor.
“I frighten you.” Jensen stilled for a moment, then his fingers tightened around the back of Jared’s collar and pulled on it. “You are young, alone and horny. You are easily aroused and desperate for release. You let me touch you because you have no other option and it feels good in that moment. You don’t even like me, do you? My beautiful slave would have used that blade if there had been a true opportunity.”
The collar pulled against his throat and Jared fought for air and struggled for reason. “I hardly know you Master. I want to know you. I think I could, if you let me, I could care for you.” I already care too much, want too much.
“And if I wanted you to love me?”
“It was my decision to return to you.” I’m not sure what love is but sometimes when I look at you my emotions overwhelm me.
The green-eyed Prince inclined his head pensively. “You can leave me now. Put your cuffs on and secure yourself.”
Jared backed out of his Master's presence in the appropriate manner. He banged his fists against the feather mattress of Jensen's bed in frustration before he crumpled to the floor at the end of the iron bedstead and clicked the locks shut between his ankles and wrists. In one final fit of temper he lobbed the keys against the main door and they bounced back to the floor with a noisy metallic echo.
Part Twelve
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