Fan Fiction ❯ A Long Journey ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Black was the only color surrounding Keiji. A deep, cold black that etched into the hard stone chamber that surrounded Keiji's small form. The biting cold of the harsh stone seeps through the dismal clothes he was wearing.
     Pushing his body into an upright position, Keiji lifts his trembling hand to his eyes, rubbing sweaty finders against a slick cloth.
     Fallowing the cloth around his head, Keiji's fingers grip the knot behind his head. Pulling the knot around awhile, Keiji makes a small loop where he slips a finger in and pulls the knot loose.
     With the cloth draped about his lap, Keiji slowly opens his eyes. As Keiji looks up, he takes note that the room he is in is no brighter than it was with the blind fold concealing it from his eyes.
     As he looks about, a deep, terrifying panic begins to grow as he notices no windows and no light that would leak from around a door. Stretching his arms around him, Keiji's finders skim over something soft and warm. Reaching for it, Keiji pulls his body to it, hoping beyond hope it was another person.
     Keiji runs the tips of his finders over the warm surface until he notices his fingers are slightly wet. Pulling away with a violent jerk, Keiji scurries to the other side of the room, unknown fear crawling up into him.
     Pulling his legs up to his chest, Keiji buries his face in his bare legs, wishing more than ever that he was at home. A pressure begins to build in Keiji's chest, crawling up to his throat to burst past his lips as a high pitched whimper.
     His body begins to shiver all over as tears stream down his cheeks, calling out Vladimir's name in a silent plea to find him.
     Suddenly, a burningly white light filters the room as a loud crash is heard. Lifting his hand to shield his eyes from the light, Keiji looks up to see a large silhouette standing in a door frame that Keiji had not noticed, did not even know existed.
     Keiji watches in trepidation as the person walks into the room, moving out of the door frame to allow two other forms into the room. The two large silhouettes moved to the form that had been what Keiji had found before.
     With the bright light, Keiji was now able to see what it was he had touched before. Keiji looks at the form the two persons were kneeling over and tried not to gag as it took root that the form was some type of humanoid creature that had its bowels spilt over the floor. Keiji looks down at his hands that were presently resting on his legs and notices this greenish brown fluid clinging to both his hands and legs.
     Looking back to the creature's body, Keiji notices that the same greenish brown fluid drenched the creatures spilt organs. Whimpering softly, Keiji runs his hand across the course cloth of this lengthen shirt.
     Keiji hears a shifting of cloth to his left but ignores it as he tries to rub the disgusting liquid off his body. Keiji lets out a yelp as he feels large, strong hands lift his quivering form.
     Flailing his arms about himself, Keiji feels his blunt nails dig into relenting flesh, a slimy liquid spilling about his fingers as he rips the torn flesh as he pulls back to claw at anther piece of flesh.
     Hearing the snarl the man made forced a feral fear to sink into Keiji's running mind, silencing his cries and stilling his protective movements. With Keiji no longer fighting, the large man heaved a sigh of exasperation that causes his companions to laugh.
     Moving out of the room, Keiji finally allows his eyes to open and look about himself. But the only thing he saw were two long stone walls that have a small round hole every six feet.
     Whimpering pitifully, Keiji withdraws into his mind, allowing his body to go limp against the burly man. With his body no longer fighting, exhaustion finally sets in, forcing him into a dreamless sleep.
 
 ***
     Cheering, yelling, cursing, and just plain noise deafens the soft murmurs inside the dark room. Keiji looks around himself, wondering where all that guttural noise came from.
     Looking to his left, Keiji gazes out of the room he is in. The wall that should have been there, though, was not. Instead of a stone wall, there are wooden bars that are ten inches apart. And beyond those bars is a crowd of men and women crying out strange words and lifting these stiff, gray cards.
     Letting out a soft whimper, Keiji pulls away from the cage's bars, wrapping his arms about himself as an unknown fear fill him.
     “I wanna go home…” Keiji whispers to himself. Keiji lets out a small whimper as a tender hand rests on his shoulder. Jerking away from the unwanted attention, Keiji look up at the face of a boy, older than himself yet younger than Vladimir.
     “Sorry, lad” the boy says in a dad tone. “But you can't go home.” Keiji watches the oddly beautiful boy as he moves to sit next to him.
     “Where are we?” Keiji whispers, not trusting his voice to speak in normal tones.
     “We're at Kamond, the thieves' haven just within the boarders of Shadowdown Valley.” the boy explains.
     “I've never heard of it.”
     “Not surprised, really.” The boy says with an uninterested tone.
     “People usually ignore this place for it's where all the `evil' people of our kind hide. It's where all the things happen that the government doesn't want to take part of. Like what's happening to us.” The boy can't help but growl, glaring out at the people who are standing on the other side of the bars.
     “What is happening to us?” Keiji asks, dread sinking into him.
     “An auction.” The boy replies matter-of-factly.
     “But… auctions are where you sell furnishing to the highest bidder.”
     “Au… you must be from outside of Kamond. Or out side of Shadowdown Valley all together. Here, actions are where you buy slaves.”
     “Slaves? But that's something Humans do! We stopped slavery a long time ago! My papa says so!” Keiji exclaims in shocked horror.
     “Yeah, well. What are `servants' than?”
     “They're people that do work for money!” Keiji says sternly, as if he knows the secrets of the universe.
     “That's cute. Truly.” The boy says sarcastically, flipping a lock of golden hair over his shoulder. “Those `servants' are bought here and given to other people. Sort of like a trade. The owner of the `servant' gives the boy or girl to another person, usually a wealthy person such as a merchant or someone of the court. The `renter', as I like to call them, gives the servant money that is given to their master. It makes a good show of a free person. No one actually finds out that the servant is a slave, for no one tries to dig deeper than the surface of the lie. But they are slaves none the less.”
     “You're wrong! My papa says that slavery isn't something we do!”
     “Well, your papa lied to you! If there really wasn't any slavery, than why are you here? At an auction for slavery? You're being sold, lad! Like nothing better than furniture!” the blond explains harshly.
     “You're wrong! You'll see! My father won't let” Keiji begins but silences when he notices the blond by's attention shift elsewhere. Looking over at the man on the other side of the cell, the blonde lets out a soft groan. Keiji turns back to the boy, eyes questioning him as to what is going on.
     “Someone's going out there.” The boy says in am emotionless tone. “Hey, just so I know, what's your name.” the blond asks, eyes flickering back and forth between Keiji and the man at the gate.
     “Mine's Keiji. What is yours?”
     “Borna.” The blond replies, watching the man head towards the two of them. Keiji was about to say something else but closes him mouth as Borna looks at him sharply before looking back at the man.
     “Yastä Bornifaca!” the man growls, looking at Keiji with demanding eyes, a sneer contorting his piggish face.
     “Go with him.” Borna whispers, not looking at Keiji. “Keep your stance passive and keep your head bowed and eyes down cast.” Borna says, looking at Keiji as he stays frozen in place. “Go!”
     Quickly, Keiji gets up, looking at Borna with pleading eyes.
     “I'm sorry. I can't help you.” Borna whispers, looking way from Keiji's scared gaze.
     Squaring his shoulders, Keiji straitens the course material that is supposed to be his clothing and walks out onto the plat form which where the pig-man began to yell in that guttural language of his.
     Keiji watches the floor, eyes following each crack in the wood beneath him. Keiji winces slightly as the pig-man grabs his face with his meaty fingers, roughly turning his face this way and that.
     The big man lets out a bellowing laugh at an old man's cry; the crowd joining in slowly after. Nodding to the lanky man standing at the top of the stares leading into the word, pig-man pushes Keiji to him.
     Catching himself before falling onto his face, Keiji tries not to jerk back in disgust as the dirty man grabs his upper arm in a bruising grip.
     “Be lucky, boy! You've been sold to Mr. Usthra.” The lanky man says in the common tongue, though his nasal accent makes it hard to understand any ways.
     At the end of the crowd waited a line of wagons, different things at different quantities filling each one to a certain extent. The dirty man leads Keiji to a well conditioned wagon filled with food and house-hold appliances as well as three other people. In the far corner, a young girl sits huddled next to a young boy who looked to be older than she.
     And sitting at the entrance of the wagon sat a boy with shoulder length black hair and piercing emerald colored eyes. But what made the boy all the more striking are the fox-like ears upon his head, the cat-like tail with a leopards' pattern, and the fox-like feet.
     Keiji glares at the wagon as the man pushes him towards it, urging him in. Crawling into the tight space, Keiji watches as the wagon's door is closed and a cloth is pulled over the rounded wood that has been molded to be shaped as an animal's rib cage to be tied at the end of each pole. Keiji holds back a whimper as all light and sounds from outside is muffled, and a feeling of helplessness fills him as silent tears stream down his cheeks.
 

***

 

Somehow through all the bumps and jostles, and emotional turmoil, Keiji had slipped into a slumber. Albeit a restless and unsatisfying sleep that it was, it had aloud Keiji to pass the time and ignore the trip he was taking with these unknown people in these unknown lands.

    Looking about himself, Keiji takes note to the absence of the young girl that had been in the far corner.

    “She was dropped off.” A voice says in a whisper. Looking in the direction of the voice, Keiji is slightly shocked to see the black haired boy watching him, eyes filled with a curiosity that had Keiji's skin crawling.

    “What?” Keiji asks, voice horse with all the crying he had been doing as of late.

    The dark haired boy lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head slightly as if it was a burden to explain. But before Keiji could lash out, the boy spoke. “Our new Master keeps all the girls and women at his mistress's place, while to boys stay with the Master.” The boy explains, fingering the ends of his hair.

    “Boys... not men?”

    “No, not men. Men are hard to control. Though not impossible, just harder. That's what most people think. He probably doesn't want to go through all the trouble of breaking a man. But if you ask me, men would seem easier to break. Just force them in your bed, then you have them all broken up.  Nothing more nothing less!” the dark haired boy says with a small smirk.

    “You're disgusting!” Keiji snaps, not understanding what the boy was saying, but knowing none the less that it was bad.

    “Like I care.” The boy says matter of factly. “Besides, I wouldn't be too surprised if you're to keep our master's bed warm. After all, you're quite the looker.” The boy says, his emerald eyes twinkling with his own sadistic mirth.

    “Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!” Keiji gasps, glaring at the boy in front of him. Keiji pulls himself up, holding in a growl as the other begins to laugh, his head thrown back.

    “Will you both stop it, already? We're almost there now, so just stop.” The other occupant of the wagon says in a soft melodious voice. Keiji looks away from the other boy with a scowl, glowering at the exit of the wagon.

    “He started it...” Keiji mutters, ignoring the other's snort.

    “You know… of all the things you interject in, it had to be now huh? I was just starting to...” the dark haired boy trails off as the wagons pulls into a bumpy area then slowly pulls to a stop. “Well, looks like we're finally at our destination, huh?”

    After a few minutes, Keiji hears someone walk to the end of the wagon and start pulling at the wagon covering before pulling it away.

    The man without the wagon glares at the boys saying something in the gruff nasally language.

    “He says to get out.” The quiet boy says as he crawls out of the wagon. Keiji and the dark haired boy glare at one another before the other shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly before getting out as well. Keiji bristles darkly, glowering at the boys retreating back.

***

    The small group of boys follow the over weight man into the petite wooden cottage, meeting a mid-year woman and a large man within. The wagon owner leaves the three boys at the door, just in front of the large man as he goes to talk with the woman.

    The fat man says something to the woman in a loud voice, laughing instantly after. Keiji holds in a small smile as the older woman scowls and hits the flubbery man upside the head with the palm of her hand. She says something to the man, who was making pathetic sounds that quite possibly were complaints.

    The woman then sighs and walks up to the three boys, eyeing them up and down, fingering their hair and checking their hands, for some unknown reason. As she turns Keiji's hands over, her brows raise slightly as her fingers run along the pads of his own, Looking at Keiji with curiosity that had Keiji stiff.

    She looks over her shoulder and says something to the man behind her that had both men laughing. Keiji watches with narrowed eyes as the woman walks into another room.

    After a short while, the woman walks back to stand in the doorway, her hands on her wide hips. She makes a huffing sound, glaring at the wagon driver.

    “Keish!” the woman says, “Tkralti vanth ish nor!” the woman then turns back around and walks into the room once again. The fat man mutters something before turning to the three boys.

    “Gome!” the fat man says to the boys, voice guttural and scratchy. The boys follow the man, though reluctantly, into the room the woman had gone into.

    The room was no bigger than a child's playroom. But, unlike a child's room, which are usually round in shape, the walls of the room form into the shape of an octagon. The three walls opposite the door are covered with full length mirrors, which should be far too expensive for any middle class person, much less a single woman to be able to buy.

    Resting in front of the middle of the three mirrors is a mall stool that stands two feet from the floor. Motioning over, the woman points to the black haired boy.

    “On the stool, lad.” The woman says, voice gentle but firm as she rummages through the drawer of the dresser that stands in front of the wall next to the right mirror. The boy walks up to the woman, face raised but eyes downcast.

***

    “So, what do you think?” the woman asks, circling the three boys. She looks at the over weight man with a smug smile. The man makes a noise in the back of his throat as he looks at the newly cleaning and dressed boys.

    “Well, it's better than what we had...” the man admits, stopping in front of the boys. “You know, when I was looking at little blondies papers, found out he came from Cydon.” Fatty says with a smile, crossing his arms over his man boobs.

    “And you got him for so cheep?” The woman asks, her eyebrows creasing with a frown.

    “Oh, he wasn't from the usual place. They caught him in one of those border villages. Brats from there aren't from very important parents, and don't take much effort to get.” Fatty says as he steps behind Keiji, running his chubby fingers down Keiji's bared back. “But he's really soft, so it's all good.”

    “I shouldn't be complaining! If he was expensive, Irving would complain my ears off!” the woman says with a smile. “There is one problem though. The weird looking one doesn't know our language very well and li'll blondie doesn't know it at all.”

    “Yes that could be a problem, Anika.” The large man says his face an emotionless mask. “But it isn't our problem. If Irving wants them to talk, he'll have to teach them himself.”

    “Yeah. Exactly. I've don't my job. Cleaned them and all. Now, out with you!” Anika says, shooing fatty out of her hut, the large man herding the boys out to follow.

***

    “Now, the moment you walk out the door, your arms will be t your sides and your head bowed. You shall follow me in and when we stop before the masters, you will get to your knees with your forehead pressed to the floor. Do you understand?” an old man around his late 40's asks, in the common tongue.

    Even with the door in front of him, getting ready to present himself to his new “Master”, Keiji just could not comprehend whey he was here, the realization of his current position not sinking in yet.

    As the elder man opens thee door in front of him, Keiji looks past him and into the brighter room beyond.

    “Head down...” the small boy from the wagon murmurs.

    “But-”

    “Head down.” He repeats, cutting the blonde off. Keiji huffs indignantly, but looks down anyways.

    “This is a mistake!” Keiji grumbles as they begin to walk out of the small space, the bright light from the room beyond nearly blinding him. As Keiji walks into the room, he feels eyes upon him, but he was used to that, being the youngest prince of a strong king. Except the eyes before where stares of admiration to his childish innocence but now, the feeling was different, as if those eyes were undressing him and looking upon him in a way he somehow knows to be wrong.

    And as he walks into the room, Keiji starts to feel a sinking feeling that he might not be found.

***

    “What do you mean, `You can't find him'? How hard can it be?” Vladimir growls, running his fingers through his hair. “I mean, he could not have been taken far, for Goddess sake!” Vladimir heaves as he looks at the chief of guard.

    “And why was the hall empty, anyways?” Lady Panya asks, her hands on her hips. The guard opens his mouth, to explain, one would assume, but before a single sound was uttered, Vladimir speaks first.

    “No! With all do respect, M'Lady, but where were you before this all began?” Vladimir asks, turning his smothering glare on the Lady of Shadowdown Valley. Panya lifts one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows at Vladimir, unimpressed.      

    “Whatever do you mean?” she asks, voice perfectly neutral.
    “What I mean is, for all we know, you had something to do with this. You were the one to tell us to stop in the small village, then, conveniently disappear before the guards went missing and Keiji was taken.”

    “Now, you see here! I didn't go `Missing'! First, I heard this place had a beautiful garden so I had my personal guard take me!” Lady Panya says with an unladylike huff.

    “Why did you then, leave no one informed of your departure?”

    “I told my Lord!” Panya says, crossing her arms over her small bosom.

    “Then why did he inform his servant, whom informed myself, that you had gone missing?”

    “If he wasn't paying attention, that's his problem!”

    “It sure seems to be your problem to me, Oh, Miss Innocent.” Vladimir says sarcastically. Lady Panya gasps hand going to her lips and eyes widening in an exaggerated expression of feminine horror.

    Turning to Lord Tinuviel, Lady Panya looks at her husband for some support.

    “There was no moment you came and spoke with me.” Lord Tinuviel says, giving his wife a disapproving and suspicious frown.

    “Yes, indeed I did! You and Laur were looking over that big piece of paper when I came in. I told you I was leaving, and you said, word for word, `Alright, Panya. Be back soon'. Then you waved your hand in the air, to dismiss me like a servant.” Lady Panya says with a warning glare. Lord Tinuviel looks up, thinking her words over, before laughing uneasily and linking his arms behind his back.

    “Well, what do you know, she did inform me...” the lord says with an embarrassed chuckle.

    `Oh, Goddess, give me strength.' Vladimir groans silently, rubbing his temples. “I believe I shall send work to my father.” Vladimir says as he leaves the room, followed closely behind by his personal guard, as well as Keiji's.

    “What shall we do, M'Lord?” Vladimir's guard asks, voice neutral and face emotionless.

    “We shall contact my Lord Father, follow whatever course of action he deems we take. And with mother behind his hand, he will tare this land apart to find Keiji.” Vladimir explains, taking large strides as he heads to his room. Opening the door, Vladimir walks up to his scribe.

***

    “What joke is Vladimir pulling?” Lady Querida asks, glaring at her husband as he looks over the letter Vladimir sent to them.

    “It is not in Vladimir's nature to joke, dear.”

    “Well, then? What are you going to do?” Lady Querida growls.

    “First, we shall go and gain all detail. And once we have gained all information, we shall act.”

    “Fine, but we will find him. If that means we have to call on one of those favors of yours, then we'll call on those favors!” Lord Kyne looks up at his wife with obvious alarm.

    “No, my love. We will not. The consequences would be just as great as if we lost Keiji completely. They usually demand more than what is asked for.”

    “How so when they owe us the favor?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

    “If you do not remember, it was you that told them that they did not owe us anything! So, there is no favor to call upon!” Lord Kyle says with a frustrated sigh, watching as Querida's eyes darken from an icy blue to a near black. “And I would not put it past them to demand Keiji himself as payment for finding him.”

    Lady Querida turns away from her lord, pondering his answer. “Or they will demand Vladimir. You remember how they were always trying to get him to come live in their land.” She says walking to the window and gracefully sitting in the cushioned chair placed before it.

    “I don't like this.” Querida murmurs, running her hand through her hair.

    “Maybe we should go to the Lady? Perhaps she will bless the worshipers of her two siblings and send her power to guide us.” The lord suggests, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

    “If I knew before that we would need the sight of the seer and guidance of the huntress, I would have made the Lady my Goddess.” Lady Querida mutters, ringing her hands in an unusual show of anxiety.

 ***

     “Yes, but at the time, your only desire was children and strength, and by such, the Lady Xaviera was not what you needed to gain these two goals. And so, you chose her twin sister, Zafirah, the Goddess of fertility and immortality and her twin brother, Ygoloib, the God of Strength and War.”

    “I guess you are right. But if I did know. If I had foreseen this incident, I would have chosen her...”

    “If you had foreseen this you would never had allowed Keiji to leave. Then you would be beside yourself with worry. Then you would be over come with paranoia. Any besides, things are never done by coincidence. If the gods wanted Keiji captured, they would have found another way to achieve it.” Lord Kyne says, watching his wife with calculating eyes.

    “Right. Now that we have gotten that out, why don't you and I go and pay the Lady a visit?” Lady Querida says standing and running her hands over her dress to straighten any wrinkles found there.

***

    “Aren't they just lovely?” Irving asks with a wide grin, wrapping his arm around his son's wide shoulders.

    “They're boys.” The son states, voice less than ecstatic.

    “Of course. You cannot get them pregnant!” Irving lets out a deep chuckle, running a hand through his soft golden hair. Turning his face into his son's ear, he whispers, “and they're awfully tighter than any woman! Trust me on this one, Liol my boy.”

    “One's a child.” Liol says, pointedly deciding to ignore his father's last comment.

    “To us, yes. But he's nearing his cycle.” He says with a mischievous smirk, eyes twinkling with his own mirth. “When his cycle hits, his body will grow to what it's actually supposed to look like.”

    “And that'd be what, exactly?” Liol grudgingly asks, eyes looking up at his personal guard staring down at the three new slaves.

    “About the same size as you, only a bit shorter and far leaner.” Irving looks down at his son's gift, a prideful smile on his lips.

    “Now, I want you to know, that you will have sex with no one other than these three boys. Absolutely no women!” Irving tells Liol, voice taking on a slightly more serious tone.

    “What!?” Liol exclaims, voice rising, immensely annoyed.

    “I will not take the chance of you accidentally get some girl pregnant because you wouldn't turn your energy else where.” Irving says, voice conveying that he will not be questioned. Irving and Liol stare at one anther for a few moments, Irving oozing an air of authority and Liol slowly backing down.

    “Fine.” Liol finally grounds out. “But I don't see as to why I need three. Won't one just be fine?”

    “You'll either get bored with just one, or you'll tire that one out. So you have a choice of what you want!” Irving says with an arrogant air, full of confidence.

    “But why THREE?”

    “Then choose one you don't want and I'll keep him!”

    “Why not all three?” Liol grumbles, glaring down at the three boys. He looks up at his father's scowling face and heaves a sigh, as if in pain. “Fine, take the dark haired boy.” He says, turning away from his father and his new property. “Derniak!” Liol calls out as he gets to the door leading out into the hall. “Put those things in the servants' room. But I don't want you leaving! They are not to be coming out!” Liol leaves after his guard makes a gruff reply.

    “That boy is going to get himself in a lot of trouble one of these days.” Irving sighs, turning to watch Derniak gather his master's new slaves.

    “Do not mind him, My Lord. Master Liol just doesn't like things being denied from him. And he's never been with a man. Never having had the desire for male flesh.”

    “If I do recall, we made a bet on whether you'd be his first man. Looks like you're going to loose.” Irving chuckles as he walks up to Derniak, a smirk turning lustful as he notices the dark man's steady gaze on him.

    “You do remember my door is always open for a little midnight play.” Derniak arches his brow in a very Liol-like way.

    “And don't you forget your promise!”

    “Hmmmm...” Irving stops, rubbing his chin in a contemplating sort. “I do not believe I remember any promise.” Irving looks down at Derniak, a smirk on his full lips.

    “Next time we meet, I'm on top.” Irving smiles at Derniak, stopping directly in front of the shorter man.

    “Right.” Is all he says before suddenly grabbing Derniak behind the head and crushing his lips in a bruising kiss. Nipping at eh mans full lips, Irving fights back the urge to draw blood. Pulling away, Irving smirks at the swollen lips. “That's if you can get on top. Come little one.” Irving directs at the dark haired boy. Once the boy is standing behind him, ready to follow, Irving turns from the cursing man, throwing a smile over his shoulder.

    “Now, you two-” Derniak says as he turns a stern look to the boys. Keiji looks at the man's face, an air of superiority about him, while Des Faus looks down like the slave his is. Watching the two for a moment, Derniak smiles to himself. `Liol is going to have some problems with this one.'

    “Follow me.” With that Derniak leads the boys out of the room and into the hallway.