Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Little Slave Girl ❯ Dangerous Games ( Chapter 9 )

They had finally stopped hitting her. Curled up in the corner of the small dark room, her body as bruised and broken as it had been the day Piccolo found her in the forest when she'd run away, Rowyn forced herself to keep down the slight nourishment she took before bed earlier that night, before the odd earthquake and her and Ryven's sudden abduction.

She moaned softly and tears mingled with the blood upon her face. If she'd had any notice that they'd show her any amount of mercy, that thought was swiftly cuffed from her mind the moment she'd seen the cruel glint to the officer in charge of keeping her locked up until the Princess, her former owner, could get to her.

He was forbidden by royal law to punish her himself, however, there was no such law against instucting the other slaves to do so, even though most of them felt sorry for the girl and wished her no harm. Still, if they had refused, it would have been them, as well as the little elf, facing the dreaded Princess Yarrah's wrath the next day.

He looked down at her, glaring through eyes that had seen their share of cruelty, with such hatred she almost felt sorry for one who could feel so. Amid her pain and shame, for they had stripped her of the pretty nightgown Chi Chi had given her so that her nakedness would serve to make her feel even more frightened and exposed in front of those who wished only to deal her agony, Rowyn actually looked up at him from where she'd curled herself, a look of fear mingled with pity in her blood-filled eyes.

The look only served to gain her a hard cuff from his thick soled black boots across the face, knocking her backwards further into the shadows of the corner. He spat; "Never look at me again, Filth!"

She felt his saliva at it sped from his curled mouth onto the top of her head, dripped down into the tangle of her hair. She shivered and did not move to wipe it away. Did not move to show any short of defiance. After awhile, she heard his footfalls as he walked away and the metal door slammed shut behind him, leaving her, once more, alone within the darkness and pain.

One thought escaped her before she slipped into the wonderful false euphoria which was the sleep of one who had not the strength to stay awake and deal with such hurts any longer; I knew what I have found on that world, with those nice people, could not last...I knew my nightmare would once more find me...

~*~*~

"Leave us, please!" Princess Yarrah ordered the gaurds and then her mother, who looked at the bound and now gagged little fair-haired elf upon the floor pallet beside the Princess' own elaborate bed, "I wish to be alone with my new slave."

I'm not a slave, you little baka! Ryven fumed, fists clenching and unclenching against her bounds, if only she could think of a way out of here!

** Calmly, Ryven-san. ** The voice in her head was as welcome as water in the desert, she nearly cried out behind her gag with joy, but she did not lest the royal pain in the ass notice something was amiss,

** Use your head. It's time to think, not to fight. **

Ryven sighed and mentally nodded. He was right. It would do no good, even if she could get herself free, and get her sword, which she noticed was laying carelessly, sheath and all, upon the child's toychest, (of all places!), to fight her way out of there when she had no idea how many more, much stronger and better armed than either herself or the child, of course, there would be beyond the Princess' room.

She knew she had to use her head and stay alive long enough to get herself and Rowyn out of here. Biting back her disgust, she knew she'd have to try and...make friends...with the brat. At least enough to get her to trust her.

"Are you trying to say something, Slave?" The Princess, dressed in a fluffy pink and light blue number that looked like it cost as much as it would take to feed a family of five for a year, sparkling with different jewels and glittering as she turned about in the light, asked as she knelt down in front of Ryven's face.

Ryven blinked, wishing she could reach the child's mind with her own, but when she tried, she saw nothing but what seemed like a muddied lake. The child's thoughts were there, they were just too far beneath the gunk of her forethoughts to be easily read or sent to. It gave Ryven a headache to try any further.

"Are you going to bite me if I remove your gag?" The Princess asked, her fingers inching closer to Ryven's mouth, wanting, she knew, to take the gag out so that she could talk to her slave, "If you are, then, I'm just going to have to leave it in."

Ryven shook her head to indicate that she would not try to harm her if she removed the gag. The girl did so, quickly, and backed away, waiting.

"How is it," Ryven began, tasting the awefullness of the old clothe they'd shoved into her mouth, "That I can understand you?"

"Oh," The girl laughed, and touched something hooked to her dress, something Ryven hadn't noticed before, "It's a translator. Mother got it for off some planet whose royal house owed us a favor. Everyone on the ship wears one. It makes it easier to take care of business."

"Ship," Ryven mused, almost to herself, "I thought it felt...different...here. We're in space?"

Princess Yarrah nodded, grinning.

"Listen, Princess...." Ryven began, "Do you like to play games?"

"Of course!" She clapped her hands, "My favorite kind are when someone gets hung or their head chopped off at the end! Why, do you know some games like that?"

Kami! What a sick little kid!

"No, but I know of a few we could play," She swallowed, "That are a little dangerous."

Yeah, dangerous to me!

"What are they?" Ryven could see that she'd clearly caught the girl up, and smiled softly, "Would you teach them to me...?"

"Only if you let me loose, first," Ryven said, looking at her manacles, "It's kinda hard to play games with your feet and hands all tied down, you know."

Without warning, the Princess spun about and screamed, causing Ryven to wince once more as the sound echoed painfully through her pointed ears. A guard entered at once, looking around with his weapon held high as if he expected to find disastor lurking the moment he entered. Calmly, Princess Yarrah walked over to him, holding out her small hand.

"I would like the keys please," She said, her voice honey sweet. When the guard was not forthcoming, she added, her voice harsh, "Now."

"But, Your Highness..." He sputtered, looking with fear towards Ryven, "The...the creature...she...might attack you!"

"Need I remind you of the pit, Dar'shi?" She said, her voice low and filled with meaning, "We could play a new game, just you and I..."

The guards face visably blanched as he stumbled with shaking fingers for the ring which held the keys to unlocking Ryven's chains. He handed them to her and waited, swallowing, to be dismissed. Holding him there a moment longer than was nessesary, she finally waved her small hand and he fairly tripped over himself on his way out.

Strange little girl, Ryven thought, as the Princess went about the task of setting her captive free, I wonder how one so young learned to intimidate like that...?

"There, your free," She said, backing up and smiling as Ryven stood up, thankful to still have all her clothes, "Now, show me this new...dangerous...game of yours."

~*~*~

"Oh, What are we going to do, Goku?!" Chi Chi cried, wringing her hands together as she paced the length of their kitchen, worry lines etched into her brow, her normally perfectly kept dark hair loose about her shoulders. Little Goten and Trunks were standing next to Goku, wide-eyed, not knowing what to do themselves, "Those poor little girls...!"

"Now, Chi Chi," Goku said, trying his best to soothe his wife, "You know that Ryven can look after herself. After all, Piccolo was the one who trained her. He trained Gohan, remember?"

"Don't remind me!" She spun about, glaring at him, and at the large, silent green namek who'd entered the room behind her husband, Vegeta and his wife Bulma in tow, "I nearly had a heart attack when he took our son!"

"It was for his own good, Chi Chi!" Goku cried, dark brows drawing together in frustration, "As well as for the rest of the world! You know that!"

"It's still no excuse to kidnap one's child and...and..."

Are you sure you want to be here right now? Nail's voice, silent for so long, piped up inside Piccolo's head, It's a wonder how anyone gets anything done around here with all that bickering...

Give the woman some credit, she does her best to make sure her family is taken care of and this just disrupts the hell out of her day...

Hmph!

"Well, Look at Gohan now, huh?" Goku said, arm akimbo, looking down at his wife with mocking satisfaction, "He's in college, just like you wanted, now, isn't he?"

Chi Chi folded her arms across her breasts, refusing to give in. "Hmph!"

"Enough of this!" Piccolo raged, shoving Vegeta and Bulma, who'd stayed silent and in the background for the most part, aside as he strode forward, "In case it has somehow escaped your attention, but my daughter and her friend are missing! They were taken right out from under your nose, Chi Chi and all you can do is stand there and bicker!"

Taken by surprise, they could only gape at him, open-mouthed. Without waiting to see if any of them had even an inkling of an idea as to what to do next, he spun about, his long flowing white cape billowing behind him like a banner, and stormed from the house to find a quiet place in which to think the promblem through.

At least he still had some mental connection with Ryven, so that he knew she was all right, for the time being. He knew, if she used her head, that she would continue to be all right until they could find a way for the girls to be rescued and brought home once more.