"Ekk's?" queried Head Slave-Butler gnome once they were outside.

"Got a problem with me, gnome?" replied the redheaded elf.

High Mountain's composure fell apart. What he overheard of their conversation inside strayed far from the norm. A thought circled in his mind, 'This elf is plotting something,' but he couldn't decipher his plan. 'Ruianne was right,' he realized, 'this elf is not only weird, but dangerous.' He had to consult with Ruianne first, then they'd decide on what to do next.

"You never told us your name."

"You never asked."

"Ah...," High Mountain jogged his memory of his duties. “What are we doing standing here! There's much work to do!"

The gnome toiled away, cleaning room after room, while X tried to look like he could accomplish something, sometime not too far into the future.

"I won't tarnish Ferrallia's name, but for the love of all that's holy, can you do something? Anything?!” chastised the gnome.

"You'd be surprised," replied X.

The exchanges continued while Head Slave-Butler Gnome’s exasperation rose. They somehow managed to complete their tasks before dinner, but X ate alone in his cell. High Mountain claimed the other slaves didn't want to dine with him, which had some truth, but the real reason was High Mountain's desire to speak with them privately. Work resumed in the evening and, much to the gnome's annoyance, he did most of it. A bad performance would reflect on him, and he prided himself on being dutiful.

As night fell, X collapsed in exhaustion on his prison’s floor. Moonbeams cast a pale glow in the darkness. His eyes fixated on the ceiling.

"Uff... I've never worked so hard in my life."

[You did nothing.]

"Even that's too much."

[Get used to it... this is your life now.]

"Who are you cheering for? Be quiet and let me sleep."

The elf’s tired mind left him no energy to think nor to engage in a debate with a mirage. His eyes were closing when a voice interrupted his rest. It came from a dark corner outside his cell.

“Do you always speak alone this way?” inquired a feminine voice.

X turned around to face the young Lady of House Liame. With a sly grin, he replied, "Not always... I'm not that far gone. Yet."

She approached his cell, her smile widening as she neared.

"Did you lose something?" X stopped her steps.

"Still angry I didn't untie you back then?"

"I’d forgotten all about that.”

"You don't like me, I gather."

"Quite the contrary, young Lady.”

"You do like me?" Her eyebrows rose slightly.

"Quite the contrary.”

"Ah... You like games," she surmised. "Let's play a game."

"I'll play with you tomorrow, or better yet, after my duel.”

"I wasn't asking.”

"Not like I wanted to rest.”

"I knew you'd come around," she said with a teasing lilt. "I have the key to this prison. I could open this barred door, let you out. You don't have a slave collar, you could escape."

"What's the catch?"

"Does there always need to be a catch? Can't people do things from the bottom of their hearts?"

"Pure, noble people, sure. You? I think we both know the answer to this one."

She bit her lower lip. “"That's what you think of me?"

"Am I wrong?"

She toyed with the key between her fingers before, with a flick of her wrist, unlocking the elf’s cell and stepping inside. "I like your type. The geeky, frail, tall, average-looking... male."

"Sadly for you, you're not my type.”

"Is that so? You like... let's say... females like Ruianne?"

“Now we’re talking.” His eyes sparkled. "Supple breasts, ample hips, the smoothest, fairest skin I've ever seen, face like—"

"I get it!" the young Lady interrupted X’s exposition of the fairer female, her annoyance growing. "For a putrajada she's pretty, but still a putrajada. And... she'd never give you the time."

"And you would?" X shot back with a barely visible smirk.

She scuttled closer, squatting beside him. As she teased his hair with her right hand, she murmured into his left ear, "I'm the one who asked Mother to buy you. She doesn't share my tastes, but she understands me. When I saw you, I felt... a rush... an excitement I haven't felt in ages. Pretty half-face and half-monster in a frail body, all mine to stain!” With a suggestive sway of her hips, she knelt over X, legs spread. “To take pleasure in your screams and hopelessness.”

“And here I thought the one I should be careful of is your father.” He attempted to push her face away from his intimate space by placing his left hand on her cheek, but the gesture appeared more like a caress than an overpowering force.

God... darn it.

She grabbed his hand and held it.

"Truly hopeless," she murmured before dropping his hand and moving hers down to his abdomen and then lower. “I hope down there you’re not as unfit,” she said, pretending to be surprised as she slid her hand under his pants until she found what she was looking for. However, his member didn’t show the faintest sign of life. Her aggravated expression met his uninterested face. She took her hand out and stood up.

"You’re one of those that don't like women's intimate company, it seems" she sighed. "Of course, you can't enjoy—"

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Who says I'm not enjoying? I'm laughing on the inside.” He interrupted her with a wide grin. “I just thought it’d be disrespectful to laugh aloud, but you seem the mature, serious, not totally batsssh— insane kinda gal, so don’t mind me while I do.” He then erupted in laughter.

Her anger exploded and she swung her right heel towards the floor, barely missing his family jewels. She then grabbed hold of them, squeezing tightly.

"Ahh... young Lady... You said it was merely a game..."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. And we’re still playing," she said, maintaining her grip. "I have a magic scroll, given to me by a friend. It's supposed to make males perform under any circumstances. It’s not one hundred percent fail-proof, so you might end up a eunuch but... that makes it even hotter, don’t you agree?”

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Pain radiated from his privates.

"I do."

"Then—"

"I did,” she corrected. “It's complicated."

“Isn’t it always. Now, why don’t you go play with—?”

“Oh, but my relationship or lack of one has nothing to do with this.” She could see desperation rising on his face. Excitement rushed through her veins while she dominated the weak male elf slave. Her whole body trembled. She needed to be alone, fast. His teasing had been enough. For the time being. "Well, what a shame. I don't have the enchantment with me."

"It won't be necessary, trust me."

She smiled, knowing her prey had nowhere else to run. After relaxing her muscles, she let go of him and stood up. "You truly can't cast magic! Not even to save your life!" she exaggerated her smug smile.

"You thought it was a lie?"

She bit her lower lip and answered, "Uh... no. The slavers showed us the magic tests. It's just... bizarre, and amazing in its own way. It picked my curiosity."

With the show over, she concluded her visit in a few words. “I have the key to your freedom. You have... you. Sleep over it.” The young Lady flew a kiss in his direction, locked his cell, and disappeared upstairs.

X was relieved she, and all her crazy antics, vanished along with her inane blabber. He lay on the floor again, thinking profound matters.

Who would her mother’s type of male would be? The gnome? The beast!?

Too freakish to consider.

“Rest, at last.”

To be fair he was fed, housed, and mistreated in the right amounts. He understood how others could come to accept this fate, conforming to their lot in life, perhaps even enjoying and taking pride in their work. In this world or others, there would always be those who knelt in fear, vying to bow their heads and leave a record of who did it lower and faster. But not him. He preferred to be king of ruin or face the hells of pain but free to walk and do. The other slaves appeared to have some kind of plan.

Good. At least I’m not surrounded by completely useless beings or cowards. A point in their favor.

The morning after breakfast in his cell, X continued his duties assigned by Head Slave-Butler Gnome, who gave him relatively easy tasks despite his reluctance. The gnome didn't want to but didn’t have a choice. As Head Slave-Butler, the final responsibility for the mansion’s chores fell upon his shoulders, and with the elf dying soon, he decided to give him a free pass.

The whole family left for the day, leaving the human servants in charge. Midday arrived when High Mountain brought X into the dining room.

“I hadn't finished my tasks yet, gnome,” complained the redheaded elf.

“As if you ever would,” retorted High Mountain. “We have more pressing matters to attend to.” They entered the room, where their fellow slaves awaited them. “This had better be quick while the human servants are taking their break.”

“Did you talk to the Lords?” asked Ruianne.

“What of it?” answered X.

“This isn't...” began Ruianne, but High Mountain interrupted her. “Not so loud and keep it civil,” the gnome reminded her not to lose her composure.

“You want to talk? Because I’ve got a lot of work to do.” X realized he would not easily get away this time. “Anyway, be quick because gnome here is always grumpy and rages if I don’t lick your Lords’ boots fast and hard enough. In my defense, he sets a pretty high bar.”

“You have no idea what I've suffered!” exploded High Mountain. “What we’ve suffered!”

“Don't know, don't care,” responded X. “There’s only one thing I do care about: getting out. Now... you all know something about this, don’t you?”

“We can't trust you,” countered Ruianne.

“Oh, but I’m getting out. With or without you. You have your plans. Sure. Will you be successful? Who knows.”

“And you will?”

“I’ve done more than all of you combined.”

“All talk,” Ruianne dismissed him.

“You've done nothing but put us all in danger,” interjected High Mountain.

“You shit elf!” exclaimed the she-half-orc.

“Is this what you interrupted my precious work for?” X glanced at High Mountain, then addressed the group. “How come I have no slave collar and all of you still do? I’m on friendly terms with Leandro. Gnome can attest to that.”

The room fell silent.

“Cat got your tongue?” He raised an eyebrow at Ruianne. “No offense, feline... Lumis.”

“Meowwne taken. And miawwe Lumis prrr’ll suffice,” said the kinkat.

"It was just luck!" Ruianne didn’t let up.

“And yet, here we are.” X sighed. “Listen, about me snitching, we already made a deal. If you want me to follow whatever plan you’ve deviously crafted... I thought about it and I don't associate myself with amateurs. Go get yourselves killed. I can get my own freedom.”

Ruianne laughed. "You think you can escape on your own? That humans will help a twisted slave like you defeat Mitchell? And then, a miracle will happen, and they'll let you walk away?"

“Why so pessimistic?” retorted X.

"Humans hate us. They blame kinn'hayas for killing their king long ago. They attacked our borders without warning, killing our males and committing worst atrocities on our females and young. They didn’t stop, we neither. The war began, battle after battle, bloodshed after bloodshed. Bodies kept piling up." Head Slave-Butler Gnome's battered mind vented the slaves' tragic history. “And many of us were simply caught in the middle.”

“Grrrrowl hate us to the point grroaof enslavement, torture and grrreath!”

"And that's your plan? To trust the humans?" concluded Ruianne.

“Hold on a second. I want out of here. I don't care about humans or your grievances or royalty or whatever. I just want out. To me, it doesn’t matter who gets me out, whether it's the humans, or non-humans... I’m not picky. You go on with this..., if non-humans this or that. Who cares. And guess what? There’s always someone else crapping on your parade or whatever you call pride these days. And this is why you are a bunch of freaking amateurs.”

“Miaoowww’s not working!

“No fucking shit!” High Mountain burst out.

"Gnome!" Ruianne scolded him.

"Sorry Delia’ilu, I'm... frustrated." He apologized, trying to calm himself.

Ruianne understood his frustration, it simmered within her as well. All the painstakingly crafted plans were in peril because of this elf, and they couldn't simply get rid of him without endangering their plans further. Somehow, they needed him to play along. Just enough. The female elf understood this best of all.

“Don't we want the same thing?” a cooled-down Ruianne attempted to reason with him.

“Finally! A freaking genius appears. Let me guess, you’re the... three-headed bimbo of this operation. The mastermind of this... carnival of aberrations.”

Ruianne's jaw clenched as she struggled to keep her temper in check. “Within the city, yes. I'm the one organizing it.”

“Is that why your ego is as inflated as your tits?”

A snicker echoed through the room, joined by X's laughter.

“Respect Delia’ilu Ruianne! Aren’t you an elf yourself?! Have you fallen so far that you can't show respect for your own kind?” High Mountain’s thinned out patience had vanished.

“The dead don’t care about respect or what you are or think you could be. Do they?” X looked at everyone’s tense faces. “If I were a little bit stronger...” he ended, musing to himself.

“You no honor freak!” spat the she-half-orc.

Some of them still held onto a sense of integrity, but X knew morals wouldn't free them.

“Have you looked at yourselves lately? I swear by the demon-gods I’ll have my revenge when I see them again. Which might be sooner than expected with you fu-freaking débutantes.” The male elf’s eyes fixed on each being in turn. “Could be worse.”

“Delia’ilu, what about our plan?” asked the gnome.

“You...” Ruianne stared at the weak elf before her. “But not now, we have no more time. All your stupid talk has only wasted what little time we had. I'll come to your cell tonight.”

“A night visit. How enticing. Do be careful, you might find me... occupied. Don't be too jealous if that happens.”

Dismissing his mindless drivel, Ruianne adjourned the impromptu rebellious meeting, and everyone returned to their duties.