The heavy footsteps and the jangle of chainmail echoing down the stone hallway roused J’arrin from his fitful sleep. He looked up, trying to determine the time, but there were, of course, no windows underground. And really, it didn’t matter, he could be called upon to work at any time. He took a deep breath, and immediately regretted it as the foul odour of mouldy straw filled his nostrils. Coughing, J’arrin sat up on his cot, seeking fresh air. He reached down and fumbled along the stone floor until his fingers found his cane. Pulling it onto his lap, he prepared to stand and greet his visitors. The wooden door creaked open on its rusty hinges and two guards shoved a young woman into the room ahead of them. Her shackles clanged on the stone as she fell to her knees. Ignoring the guards for the moment, J’arrin leaned closer and studied the newcomer’s face. She seemed confused and disoriented, as if she wasn’t really clear on what was happening to her. That was absurd, of course, it wasn’t like she had just been dragged here off of the street. The scar on her shoulder, peeking just above the collar of her simple grey tunic, showed that she had already been implanted with the security disc. Her clothes were all embossed with the Lady’s insignia. These things had taken time, preparation. J’arrin looked up at the guards. Had one of them struck her on the way here? J’arrin made a mental note to check her for head injuries once they were gone.
“Hey!” C’arren interrupted his examination.
“Yes, sir?” J’arrin replied meekly.
C’arren was not one to be trifled with.
“Got you a whelp for training,” he grabbed the woman’s short, mouse-brown hair and pulled her head up. Her grey eyes squinted at him in the dim light, as if looking for answers. “This one was a special acquisition. Watch her careful and make sure she don’t get into no trouble. Got it?”
“Of course, sir. What are her duties to be, sir?”
“Lady hasn’t decided, just figure something out,” C’arren snapped.
Releasing the girl, he turned to his partner,
“Give me the key to the cuffs so we can go, B’yern. I don’t want to spend all day in this festering, Void-cursed hole.”
His companion retrieved the key with an exaggerated eye roll. Even the other guards got sick of C’arren’s shit sometimes. C’arren grabbed the girl by the wrists and dragged her roughly to her feet. He unlocked the shackles, and they fell to the stone floor with a metallic clatter. The girl still didn’t react; her eyes were fixed on the floor, silent and distant. J’arrin was just moving forward to examine her more closely, when he felt his cane yanked away. His weak leg gave out and he collapsed to the stone floor.
“You don’t move in my presence, unless you are ordered,” C’arren loomed over him, cruel smile on his face.
“I’m sorry, sir. I forgot myself, sir,” he curled inward, bracing himself.
“Perhaps this will remind you.”
J’arrin closed his eyes, but the blow didn’t come. He opened his eyes again to see C’arren doubled over, blood gushing from his nose like a fountain. The new slave was looking down at her own bloodied fist, seemingly as surprised as anyone about what had just happened. C’arren recovered first and backhanded her in the face, knocking her to the ground. He would have done more, but B’yern grabbed his shoulder,
“The Lady told you to leave this one alone, C’arren. She’s off limits. We’ll both catch shit for this.”
“It would be worth it,” he snarled.
“Not for me it wouldn’t. Let’s go. You can come back on your own time if it means that much to you.”
Reluctantly, C’arren allowed himself to be led from the room. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving J’arrin alone with his new charge. With a trembling hand, he groped for his cane and pushed himself back to his feet. He hobbled over to her fallen form, noting the steady rise and fall of her chest and the trickle of blood oozing from her split lip. As he reached her, she opened her eyes, blinking up at him.
“Are you alright?” she finally spoke.
J’arrin couldn’t help but laugh,
“Am I alright? What in the Void were you thinking? You hit a guard! Why would you even think to do something like that?”
“He was going to hurt you,” she pushed herself to her feet and wiped the blood from her mouth.
“Of course he was. It’s what they do. It isn’t our place to question.”
“That doesn’t seem right,” she furrowed her brow.
“You must be new to this.”
She shook her head,
“No. I was born a slave.”
J’arrin raised an eyebrow, that seemed very unlikely, but he didn’t press the matter. People were sold into slavery for many reasons, in Esrasea, and it was generally considered impolite to ask too many questions about why. If she didn’t want to talk about it, it wasn’t really his place to insist. But he still suspected that he would need to be thorough in his instructions.
“Well, your previous master must have been… more forbearing than the Lady and her staff. In future, just remember to stay out of their way. Especially C’arren’s. He will hurt you, simply because he enjoys it. Don’t give him an excuse.”
She nodded but didn’t seem happy about it. Although, who would be? Still, J’arrin made a mental note to reinforce the point later. It would save her a lot of pain to learn it from him, instead of from them.
“We’ll consider that your first lesson, then.”
“Lesson?”
“Of course. I am J’arrin,” he offered his hand. “I will be instructing you in the ways of the house. Allow me to welcome you to the estate of T’emlin and Avrinly Carayan.”
She took his hand,
“Jade.”
“Pleased to meet you. If you are feeling well enough, I can show you the grounds.”
Jade nodded and offered him her arm to lean on. He was surprised by the kind gesture, but he took it anyway and guided her to the stairs.
The sun was peering over the horizon as they reached the main hall. Sunlight streamed in through the stained glass above the entrance, casting splinters of color over the floor. J’arrin blinked, eyes adjusting to the first natural light he had seen in days. Jade held out her hand, playing it through the light, the purples and blues streaking her skin. J’arrin took her hand and pulled her closer, angling her head towards the ground as a guard passed them.
“Keep your eyes down when the guards or the Masters pass. It is never appropriate for you to look them in the face.”
“Why?”
“Because you are property. And they demand it.”
Jade frowned,
“Very well.”
J’arrin guided her through the main house, instructing her on the places she would need to recognize to navigate.
“The most important thing for you to know,” he explained, “is that you are to remain in the corridors that I show you, on the main floor and in basement. Do not stray from these areas. And never go to the upper floor of the manor.”
“Why? Don’t we need access to those areas to clean, serve meals, tend to the family?”
“There are some of us that perform those duties, but even they are only allowed in those areas during specific hours. The lord and lady value their privacy and it is as much as your life is worth to be caught where you do not belong. Until you are more familiar with the house and the routines, do not wander off, and ask me if you are unsure of how to get somewhere.”
J’arrin paused to open a heavy door,
“So, may I ask what your duties were for your previous Master?”
Jade shrugged,
“Nothing unusual. Very ordinary.”
“Care to be more specific?”
She frowned,
“Why?”
“It is my job to find you a place in the household staff. It will be easier if you give me some idea of your skills and experience.”
“I can’t really think of any skills that would be helpful. It wasn’t… I didn’t do much, really.”
J’arrin sighed, trying to keep the irritation from bleeding into his voice.
“Very well. Let’s continue.”
It wasn’t unusual for new staff to give him a hard time. Small acts of rebellion were often the only power available to them. J’arrin had long ago given up on taking offense. He studied her closely, trying to discern what her ‘ordinary’ tasks had been. It was often possible; burn scars from the cooking, calluses from cleaning, sun weathered skin from outdoor tasks. But he saw nothing. She was… ordinary. Utterly, almost remarkably ordinary, as contradictory as that sounded. No real notable features at all. Lost in his thoughts, J’arrin didn’t notice that they were in front of the kitchen until the smell of roasting meat intruded on his reverie. He paused, licking his lips, he glanced at Jade. It was as good a place to start as any, the kitchen always needed someone for something. And they might need someone to sample the dinner preparations.
“Can you cook?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged.
“Well, let’s introduce you to the Chef. He can assess your skills for himself.”
Jade nodded hesitantly and followed him through the door into the hot, smoky interior.
J’arrin savored the scraps of crispy duck skin that had been left behind on the platter, crunching it with his teeth, letting the fat coat his palate. It was too rich for him, really, too much would certainly make him ill, but he’d had nothing but weak broth and bread for weeks, so he couldn’t pass up the opportunity. It was heavenly. He smiled up at the young roast chef. He’d placed her here only a few months ago, but he could tell by her quick, precise cuts as she prepared the roast duck breast that she had taken to the work. She seemed content enough. As if to agree with his thoughts, she grinned and passed him another scrap from the cutting board. The tender flesh was just melting on his tongue when a burst of light drew his attention, and he turned to see the stovetop aflame. Hungry orange tongues licked at the ceiling and even from across the kitchen, J’arrin could feel the heat. Over the din of the kitchen, he heard Chef cursing as he pushed Jade aside to deal with the situation.
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“Get her out, now!”
J’arrin knew better than to argue with the man. He was staff, one of the few paid staff, other than the guards, and that meant he had certain privileges. J’arrin took Jade by the arm and pulled her back into the hallway as the rest of the staff rushed in with water to quench the flames. He closed the door and stepped away.
“Well, it looks like we’ll have to try something else.”
J’arrin watched Jade attempting to press clothing and added it to the list of things she probably shouldn’t be doing. The laundry supervisor was starting to give him the side-eye, at this point. He could tell what she was trying to convey- don’t you dare leave her here. Jade lifted the iron to reveal another nasty scorch mark on the garment.
“I’m sorry, I don’t seem to be terribly good at anything,” Jade sighed.
She wasn’t precisely wrong. He had never seen someone so uniquely unsuited for such simple tasks. This wasn’t the first thing she had set on fire today, or even the second.
“I suppose you’ve never done laundry before, either?”
“I suppose not. But is this not the sort of thing that people could train me in?”
“In theory,” J’arrin rubbed his jaw, leading her down the hall again. “But it is… more complicated than that.”
“How so?”
“In truth, there are far more people in the service of the house than are strictly necessary. The household could run with half the number.”
“Why do they keep so many, then?”
“Status, mostly. The more staff, especially the more slaves, they keep the higher their social standing. So, they keep buying, even when there is no real need. We could train you, but there is no point. No one wants to waste time on an amateur when there are plenty who can easily do the work, already. It is my job to find something to keep you busy, without inconveniencing others. Understand?”
“Mostly.”
“We’ve tried all the usual positions where help would be appreciated. Now we move to something that will merely make you look useful. It will give you less to do, I am afraid, but sometimes that is how it goes.”
“Is having less work… a problem?” she asked.
“It can be. If you don’t look sufficiently busy, you will earn a punishment from either the guards or the Lady herself.”
“Even if there is nothing to do?”
“Yes. You begin to see my problem.”
Jade frowned, considering the idea, and J’arrin pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn’t have her in the stables, too much contact with the guards, given her recent run in. Certainly, she would have to learn to watch her temper before he would let her near them again. The instinct to protect him may have been noble, but she would only make things worse for herself, and for him, by indulging those impulses. She needed discipline, not a kind heart. J’arrin furrowed his brow. Where could he put her where she would stay out of trouble? Something easy, a token position, perhaps. There were plenty of those, in truth. That gave him a thought.
“Come with me.”
Jade nodded and followed him, seeming a little dejected.
“Don’t worry,” he put a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find something that works for you. It’s a big estate.”
J’arrin sipped his tea contentedly, enjoying the silence for the moment. He should go down and check on how Jade was doing, but he needed a break. Honestly, he had never attempted to place a slave who was so uniquely inept. How was it possible? What could she have even done for her former master? She certainly wasn’t telling, for whatever reason. Privately, he suspected that she had perhaps been ‘favored’ by her owner. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that a rich man had purchased a mistress for himself. It would explain how she had somehow managed to learn no useful skills, and how reluctant she was to speak of it. Though, she was a bit… plain for that. She was, in fact, almost aggressively average looking. Still, there was no accounting for taste, was there? Perhaps the master’s wife had chosen her in an attempt to prevent just what he was considering. J’arrin shook his head, there was no point speculating. Whatever she had been, she was here now, and it was his job to make her useful. The hope that he had done so already evaporated when Jade entered the room, with the Lady of the house at her heel. J’arrin swallowed hard and scrambled out of his chair, dropping laboriously to one knee.
“My lady.”
“You had her sent to my chambers?” Avrinly pointed at Jade with a manicured finger.
“I… I placed her doing tea service, my lady, yes.”
“Perhaps my people were unclear,” she narrowed her eyes. “I do not want her anywhere near me. I certainly do not want her near my food. Find something to keep her busy and keep her away from me, and my husband. Do you understand?”
J’arrin carefully kept the surprise from his face.
“Of course, my lady.”
She turned on her heel and marched out.
J’arrin watched her leave, blinking in surprise, trying to process what had just happened.
“What did you do?” he demanded.
Jade raised her eyes from the floor,
“Nothing, I swear. I brought her the service tray, set it down next to her bed, like I was told. She looked up and saw me and just… I don’t know. All the color drained from her face. She seemed… afraid.”
“Of you?” that made no sense. Still, J’arrin couldn’t remember the last time Avrinly had even spoken to him, let alone came down to his room. Whatever Jade had done, it must have been serious. “Did you say anything to her husband?”
His suspicions about her previous role returned to him. What could she have done to anger Avrinly, other than pursuing the Lord of the manor?
“Husband?” Jade seemed genuinely confused. “I don’t even know who that is. I haven’t met many people here yet.”
J’arrin sighed and put his tea down. He couldn’t tell if she was being honest or not. There was a time, when his eyesight was better, that he would have counted that amongst his skills, but those days were long behind him. It didn’t really matter either way. He just needed to do what he was told, he didn’t need to understand why. He frowned deeply. Now, on top of everything else, he needed to find her something that kept her away from the Lady. A job away from everyone. A job no one else would want. J’arrin bit his cheek, pondering. Finally, he nodded,
“Follow me, there is one more thing we can try.”
The room they entered was cavernous and dimly lit. The air was stale and smelled of dust and mildew. J’arrin lit one of the torches on the wall and then crossed to wipe the grime from one of the windows and let in more light.
“What is this place?” Jade asked, casting her eyes around a room filled with shelving and draped with cloths.
“This,” J’arrin yanked a cloth up, exposing a large stack of books and filling the air with a blizzard of dust, “is the library.”
The fact that it was also the deepest, darkest hole he could stick her in went without saying. The Carayan’s didn’t use the library, they just felt obligated to have it, for social reasons. They hadn’t even bothered to unpack and shelve the books. They tossed them in a fancy room, called it a library and went about their lives. No one came here. Not Avrinly, not the guards, not even the other servants.
“It doesn’t look much like a library.”
“Not yet. That will be your job. Clean, dust, shelve the books. Whip it into shape.”
“There are thousands of books in here. It could take years to do this on my own.”
“Do you have other plans?”
She didn’t have an answer to that.
“Good,” J’arrin clapped his hands “You can get started immediately. I will come by later and show you where to go for meals and rest.”
“Wait, I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to be doing. How should I even organize the books?”
“I’ll be honest with you, no one will care. Just make it look nice, don’t burn the place down and you can do whatever you want. Void, you probably don’t really even have to do anything at all. Take up knitting, ballroom dancing. Whatever you want. Just stay here, where you are out of the way.”
Jade blinked,
“So, I am just here to mark time. To stay out of the way. Forever?”
“Until circumstances change. Until there is something else for you to do. This is an easy job. What more could you want?”
“I don’t know. Meaning, maybe?”
J’arrin raised an eyebrow,
“Well, you aren’t going to find that here. If you are lucky, you’ll find a way to get through the day. Maybe try working on that,” he turned to leave. “I’ll be back to get you for dinner in a few hours.”
Then he closed the door and left her alone in the grimy, abandoned room. At least she couldn’t possibly upset anyone in there. Maybe now he would get some peace. But even as he closed the door behind him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. That girl was just… off, in a way that troubled him. She should have been happy for an easy job. That she wanted more concerned him. Try as he might, J’arrin couldn’t shake the feeling. With a sigh, he turned back towards the library. He was probably going to have to watch her for awhile, just to make sure she was settling in, and nothing went wrong. It wouldn’t be pleasant, but it was better than what would happen to him if anything went wrong. He swung the door open to find Jade, frozen halfway through the now open window. J’arrin cursed colorfully.
“Where, exactly, do you think you are going?”
Jade stared at him, wide-eyed. He could see that she was still considering bolting right then.
“You don’t want to do that,” he reasoned calmly. “You’ll never make it off the property. Not with the disc they implanted in your shoulder. Surely, they explained that to you.”
It took a long moment, but finally, she nodded and drew herself back inside, sitting down heavily on the frame.
“I can’t stay here,” she stated matter-of-factly. “I won’t.”
“I know this is an adjustment, serving a new master, but you just need to give it some time. You’ll adapt. Don’t throw your life away by trying to run.”
“And if I don’t want to adapt?”
“What choice do you have?”
“I can leave. I’ll figure out a way to get past the barriers. There has to be a way.”
“There isn’t. You can’t get out. And even if you could, where would you go? Do you have friends on the outside? Family? Anyone who would help or support you? You don’t seem to have any real skills or talents. What would you do?”
Jade met his eyes, defiant, but wavering,
“I don’t know, I…”
“You need to let this go. People don’t escape from this household. If you were going to try that, why didn’t you leave your last master?”
Jade shrugged,
“I guess I never thought about it.”
“Then stop thinking about it now. Trust me, it’s better for you.”
“I’ve been trying. I can’t. I’ll figure something out once I’m gone. Don’t try to stop me.”
J’arrin took a deep breath. He hadn’t expected this problem. Usually the new purchases were broken before they ever reached him. This was bad. If she bolted, whether they killed her or dragged her back, he would be the one to take the blame. He was supposed to be supervising her, she was his responsibility. What he needed was a way to keep her here, to stall. She would get settled in, with time and even if she didn’t, eventually she would stop being considered his responsibility. He just needed to keep her from bolting until that happened. So, he smiled his most grandfatherly smile and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Are you really serious about leaving?”
She nodded firmly.
“Then let me help you.”
“Help me?” Jade raised a skeptical eyebrow.
“I understand how you feel, you know. If you are really determined to take that risk, who am I to stand in your way? But you’ll never make it, as you are now. You’ll need to take some time, learn the rhythms of the house, the lay of the land. You’ll need to prepare physically for a difficult journey. I can teach you how to fight, to defend yourself, if you are interested?”
Jade bit her lip, thinking it over,
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but what do you know about combat?”
J’arrin laughed, it was a fair question.
“When I was your age, I was widely considered the greatest fighter in the country. I served with distinction in the War of the Diamonds and when the war ended, I retired early from the soldier’s life and opened my own military academy. Over the years, I built a very distinguished clientele. Earls, Dukes and Barons waited for years to get their children into my academy to learn the martial arts. So, you can trust me when I tell you that you will be trained by the best.”
J’arrin hadn’t trained a student in a long time, but she wasn’t going to be fighting in any grand tourneys, so what did it matter?
“How did you end up here?”
J’arrin should have seen the question coming, should have been prepared, but even after all these years, it was still like a knife in his chest. He grimaced.
“It’s not important,” he said flatly. “And the first thing you should learn is never to ask that question. Of anyone.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“Forget it,” he muttered. “So, do we have a deal?”
Jade considered for a long moment. Finally, she nodded,
“We have a deal,” Jade extended a hand. “Where do we start?”
J’arrin handed her a stack of books from the table,
“Let’s start getting this room tidied up.”
“Seriously?”
“It wouldn’t do for people to get suspicious about what you do all day, would it? A bit of work here will keep up appearances. You need to bide your time, practice being invisible. And remember, always keep your eyes on the ground, never speak unless you are spoken to and never turn your back on your master. Never do anything that might draw attention to yourself. Once you have mastered what you need to survive, then I will teach you what you need to escape.”
Jade nodded, thoughtful. Hesitantly, she picked up the books and began shelving. J’arrin smiled. This was going to work out just fine. Maybe he’d been worried over nothing.