The frown on Taen’s face formed very slowly, ‘Whoever heard of a coward with courage?’ He chewed that thought, and his tongue, while he thought over the matter of Priceless’s unexpected defiance.
“Really?” Taen asked, looking at the trembly face. “I prefer to make people happy to get what I want. But we can ask you painfully if we need to.”
Priceless felt her face flush with shame as her body answered his threat with a growing stain on the crotch of her fine clothing. “Really...master.” She hung her head and kept her eyes squeezed shut.
“She’s just an owner. Why suffer for her? It’s not like she has any loyalty to you, you’re just a tool that works.” Taen replied to her with a very interested, curious voice and a long, interested look that she could not see.
“It’s true… she’s scary, her breath is as cold as the grave. Her eyes are like a blistering winter… she nearly killed a boy over Kaiji without even blinking.” Priceless slumped dejectedly, “But there’s more than that. She hasn’t touched me to hurt me, and you know what… she named me. In that warehouse, I was just the number zero. I’ve been a lot of numbers, so many you could have taught me to count just by reciting them, if I didn’t already know. She could have just left me that way. Left me as a nothing number, I know how low I was. She got me for free, not even a coin, a giveaway to flavor a deal and so the seller could make more money. But she gave me this wonderful name…” Priceless blinked rapidly, so tightly had she shut her eyes that even the low light of the candles on the bookshelf hurt for a moment.
“With just one word, she made a nothing into a treasure. And she lets me stay with my Kaiji, she could have kept us apart, she could have used us against each other. But she didn’t! She lets us stay together! I know… I know, we’re just her possessions, that much is obvious, but she lets us love one another without mockery or torment. If we’re happy, she doesn’t take that away from us just to make us hurt!” Slumped over, Priceless could not meet his eyes, but she stared hard down at his boots.
“So I’m not going to help you...Sir. I won’t. I’ll never hurt you, or anyone else, I’ll never fight. I’ll be good, I’ll obey, except for that. I won’t tell you anything… anything that could hurt my mistress or my Kaiji! Do whatever you’re going to do, whatever it is… I’m used to it.”
Priceless knew she was lying, the faint ghost of courage she’d roused from within her breast was already broken down by the time she trailed off, she couldn’t even raise her head to make her defiance clear by looking into his gentle brown eyes.
“I see. I see. That makes sense, and… I’m sure you’re quite used to it all. But I have one more small question for you, slave?” Taen said, and began to stroke the soft brown hair that hung limply from the slumped over head.
“Master…?” Priceless whimpered.
The hand, soft as it was, gentle as it was, was like a snake winding through the strands of her hair. “Do you think ‘Kaiji’ is… how did you say it? ‘Used to it’? She’s a noble woman, how much do you think she can take before she breaks?”
Priceless flung herself around in her chair, the rattling of her chains beat at her arms. Her head went back and forth, whipping her hair around. “No! You’re lying! You’re lying! You’re lying! Not my Kaiji! Please don’t hurt my Kaiji! Please! Please! Don’t hurt her! She can’t take it! I can’t take it if you do it! Please! Do it to me! Don’t hurt her! Hurt me! Please don’t touch her!” The chair went back and forth as she struggled to get up and shook back and forth, until it toppled over with a loud, hard clatter. Priceless felt the snaps when her wrist and fingers took the brunt of a fall on her left side. She kicked her legs like an angry child and wailed in futility until her voice became hoarse.
The boot of the man in front of her came down over her face, her wild brown eyes that had been looking up at him, were now cut off. He hadn’t stepped on her, but the grimy bottom of his boot could come down and crack her jaw. She flung her body faintly forward, ‘hopping’ her face closer, so that he could feel her head under the sole.
“I submit… I’m under your boot, I submit… let me do anything… but please don’t ask that, and please don’t hurt her… don’t hurt her because of me… please master… please…” She wailed and rubbed her cheek against the grime, the foul smell and slimy muck wiped off on her pale cheek, her wrist throbbed with agony, and though she couldn’t see the fingers she’d sent lightning pain through, she was sure several were bent the wrong way.
“I’m going to have my people go pick her up. Most slave collars are enchanted to suppress the magic of casters, she’s probably not good with hand to hand combat, they’ll get her even easier than they did you.” Taen explained, drawing back his boot and placing it on the floor, a tiny bit of dampness on the floor squished under him, and a faint bit of dark, moist, foul smelling grime splashed over Priceless’s nose.
“We’ll have her in an hour. You’re going to go free unharmed, all you have to do, is listen to what we’re going to do to her, and we’ll make sure she knows, it’s happening because you fear your mistress more than you care about her. You’ll get a nice long look at whatever’s left of her, if you hold out before we toss you back out into the street.” Taen wheeled about toward the door and took the first step.
“Wait… wait please…” Priceless whimpered. “Please, master. I’ll talk. I’ll talk. Just please… please don’t go. Don’t go get her.” Priceless stared up with cracked red eyes that were puffy from her crying. Taen stopped before the second step.
“She’s going to kill me… mistress is going to kill me for this… what a pathetic end…” Priceless whimpered, while Taen returned, took the back of the chair in hand, and sat her back upright.
Priceless let out a hopeless, keening wail that was beyond her control, while Taen smiled savagely. ‘Got you.’ He thought to himself as he 'won' again.
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Kaiji didn’t knock on the commander’s office door this time, she opened it like she owned the place. He recognized the horned demon elf with ease, how could he not, given the rarity of her race. But before he could speak a hint of outrage, he caught sight of the purple tag, and it stilled his tongue. Even more than that, the sight of the expensive armor of her escort set him at even greater unease.
She was in no mood to give him a chance to speak. The words pumped out from the expression of her mistress that she did her best to imitate. “My Mistress is displeased with your unit, commander. Duchessa Nua Calen Aiwenor sent two slaves here, one of which waited on your grounds while I did business with you, and that slave has disappeared. She holds ‘you’ accountable.”
He paled. ‘Duchessa? I recognize the name from the stories, but didn’t know she’d gotten a title…’ He swallowed hard and kept his eyes centered on the purple tag.
“I can assure you, my unit would never abscond with a…” He stopped and stared at her collar.
“She was a bronze, and was slated to receive the purple today, alongside myself. You understand, don’t you, commander?” Kaiji’s hand rose up and pointed at him, “She brought down the criminal band of Bracer. She has the favor of the Prince, and her purple ranked slave went missing on your grounds, around your soldiers. Do you like your job, commander? Do you like your office? Your career? Your reputation?” Kaiji asked each question, emphasizing the key words like hammer blows without making a single threat.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The previously lewdly inclined commander shrank under her finger like a child being warned by his mother, each question like a swat to his behind for disobeying the rule of a parent. His head went lower toward his shoulders as he tried to compress himself to get away from her words.
“Obviously we can’t have this stand… not here.” He said with as much boldness as his now frail voice could manage. “I’ll have the entire barracks inspected at once!”
“And?” Kaiji asked, raising her eyebrow.
“And the brothel too!” He added urgently.
Kaiji folded her arms in front of her breasts. “And?”
“And form every soldier up on the field and demand that anyone who knows anything, give up information pertaining to her disappearance!” He added with a slightly higher pitch.
“And?!” Her voice rose and her foot began to tap.
“And I’ll allocate an entire squad to your mistress to assist in the search!” He all but shrieked it as he saw his career slipping through his fingers like water in a fist.
Kaiji stopped tapping her foot and let her hands fall to her side. She gave a slow, approving nod, and he let out a deep sigh of relief under the extension of the Duchessa’s will.
“Yes, very good commander, we appreciate your offer of a regiment, and as the voice of my mistress, I convey her gratitude for your understanding of the gravity of the offense done to her noble name.” Kaiji said with the calm, tranquil trace of a smile across her lips.
“Get started immediately, the mistress wishes it all done before the theft of her property happened, and the battalion questioning anyone and everyone, five minutes ago.” Kaiji watched the grave emotions washing over his face, his parted lips, to the goldfish motions as she upped his last offer several times over as if he’d made the one she accepted.
Finally, he began to stand up, slowly, uncomfortably, he grabbed his helmet and slunk, defeated, towards the door without another word.
The bearded commander reached over to a hook beside the door from which a brass wind instrument hung, a simple small hole at one end, and a wide and rounded one at the other, he exited the door, took three steps, enough to allow the pair within to follow him out and take position behind him.
He stood straight with his feet together and one arm rigid at his side, his entire body stiff, the instrument came to his lips in one hand, and he blew. A long, high pitched noise split the air and spread out far over the field. He took another deep breath, and blew it again. He then repeated the gesture, blowing until his lungs deflated and he had no air left.
It had the desired effect, to Kaiji’s eyes, hundreds of cavalry soldiers dismounted their horses, tossed reigns to stable boys and attendants, or rushed out of various buildings. Doors slammed shut and the shouts of various ranks barking orders, began to shape the chaos. ‘Like kicking over an anthill.’ Kaiji pondered and wondered how many were veterans of the campaign that destroyed her city.
Her eyes drifted to the building where soldiers were buckling belts on their way down the steps. ‘How many of our women are in that building? Did someone drag my Priceless in there?’ She gritted her teeth and showed no emotion at all, following at Vargas’s side a step behind the commander, closing in on the forming squared ranks of horsemen.
“They are assembled.” The commander said with some glumness to his words, he didn’t meet her eyes as he spoke, briefly being reminded of a time his mother forced him to redo some chores he’d neglected.
Kaiji did not respond, she folded her hands behind her back, and began to yell out over the formation, she spoke with slowness, but clarity, explaining the missing girl. Who she was, what she looked like, and then the words that really got their attention. “...And whosoever finds the property of my mistress, or provides information that leads to her discovery, will receive a reward ‘beyond price!’”
The commander’s voice boomed out and sweat dripped down his face like rain as he contemplated what impossible reward might come from so profound a promise. “You heard the woman! Fall out! Tear apart the brothels, tear apart the barracks, check every building on these grounds, and if she’s not here, third regiment, you get first shift assisting the voice of the Duchessa in her discovery! Bring any information straight to me!”
When she uttered the beautiful promise again, Kaiji felt her heart pound, ‘If there are any lucky slaves, when I think about those words, I think it must be me… my goddess. My mistress…’ Moved for a moment beyond measure, she covered her face with her hand, pretending to rub her temple while she wiped her eyes.
She began to walk away, saying without looking directly back to the commander, “Send the regiment to the hotel Notilion if you find nothing here. My Mistress does not like to be kept waiting, do not offend her.” Kaiji uttered the words as her owner might, with an unblinking side eye, before she and Vargas turned away completely, and headed toward the street to summon a carriage.
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Freyjin stood in front of the simple wooden building. It wasn’t bad, as homes went. About ten paces deep and thirty paces wide, the door was slightly ajar, but in good condition. The outside was painted with a bright splash of colors, reds, greens, blues… Freyjin shook her head. ‘Pas’en… It’s like nobody ever explained the concept of what ‘taste’ is to them. With colors this bright, you could blind a blind man all over again.’
She approached and knocked on the door, the raven haired woman who led her to this place made no objection. No sound came from within, and so Freyjin entered. There was a simple bookshelf with a few cheap looking books with salacious titles written on the side, and one very nice looking one that even had a picture on the cover. Curious, she approached and picked it up to look more closely at the front. A young human woman was thrusting a spear into a large bear and a lizardman like being was swinging sharp claws against the beast. She read the title, “Scales of Trust”, and shrugged. “Well, he had good taste in literature. The rest is kind of perverted though. When did slutty lizardman maids become so damn popular among humans? I swear it seems there’s a copy of one of these dirty books in every home I’ve ever searched!” She flipped through the well worn pages of the more costly book, then gingerly put it back on its shelf. Her eyes scanned the room again.
A chest of drawers, relatively inexpensive, but nice enough, having a smooth finish but without stain or varnish or paint, sat next to the bed. The drawers were open and clothes were scattered around. The bed was made, having not evidently been slept on. A wardrobe sat against the opposite wall. Freyjin approached and opened it up. Her eyes narrowed and she counted the sets of fine clothing that were hanging there.
She turned around to face the woman who had escorted her there, and went down to her knees. “A question, ma’am… how many uniforms do you all receive for your work at the hotel?”
“We’re issued seven, but we have one at the hotel in reserve at any given time. So we wear one, so we will have five at home at any given time when we are working. Why do you ask, slave?” Kara inquired almost by rote, she barely noticed the elven woman, glancing around Karlo’s home.
“If there is one at the hotel, and one is worn, and master Karlo did not go to work today, then there should be six here, but there are five.” Freyjin waved to the wardrobe, and Kara’s eyes twitched.
“I see.” Kara replied, “So you’re saying he tried to go to work today?”
Freyjin shook her head and waved to the bed. “No, mistress. No. I don’t think he came back here before. We can check with his neighbors to see if they saw him leave for work this morning, but I don’t think he came back here.”
Kara clenched her jaw and her ruby lips became thin and tight. “So you think he kidnapped your fellow slave?” Kara raised her left eyebrow and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Freyjin shook her head and shuddered under the steady stare of the dark human eyes.
“I… can’t see that, my lady.” Freyjin lowered her eyes.
“Then what is it? What are you saying, slave?” Kara tapped her fingers and looked absently around the room again.
“Well, from what my owner’s other slave says, it was Kaiji he loved, Kaiji he longed for. If he were going to steal one of the mistress’s possessions, why not steal the one he wants and disappear? Why disappear with that one?” Freyjin replied to the question with a question, the dark haired woman however, seemed to have relaxed, her shoulders dropped from their squared posture.
“I see… that sounds like Karlo, he’s…” She scratched her head and looked away, “How do I put this, Karlo has always been something of a stubborn, would-be hero.” She waved her hand toward the shelf. “Most of his ‘naughty’ books are hero stories. Someone rising to a challenge, making a name for themselves… you know the sort of thing. The stories bards tell young boys. He just never grew out of that. He should have joined the army or become an adventurer if that’s what he wanted.” She gave a derisive snort. “He’s not a bad guy, but a slave captive to a terrifying owner, yes, that would definitely play into his hero fantasies.”
Freyjin looked up at the dark haired girl, her sylvan figure and youthful features, two freckles dotted her pale cheek like the finishing touches of an artist. Kara however, read her thoughts and frowned deeply.
“No, not a chance. Just friends. He covered my shift sometimes, I covered his, we’d chat on break. I know because I stayed at his place once after a fire at mine and… ok, yes. I checked out his book collection.” She rolled her dark eyes at the slave. “Definitely not my type. Now are we done here, slave?” Kara shifted on one foot and glanced behind her toward the door.
Freyjin gave a slow nod, “Just one thing, mistress. Ah, do you know if he had a travel pack?”
Kara pointed to the wardrobe. “The last time I saw it, he had one on a hook inside that.”
Freyjin rose to her feet, clawed the hanging clothes aside and found a simple cheap iron hook, but no pack. She turned around to the dark haired young woman who kept glancing at the door. “Mistress, I am sorry, but I believe your friend is dead.”