A Slave to the Servants Ch. 22

Damien told him I had cleaned and I could dance. The man didn't think that would be useful. However, the skills I had learned since coming here would be put to good use. He had the perfect job for me.

Rose's owners showed up about that time. They went through the same scenario. It finally came out that Rose was not educated on this world, but she had been an educator of young children on Earth.

The man was thrilled. Rose and I would work together.

When Fuji arrived he was less excited to see her. Slaves from Batra typically came with a very small skill set. They also refused to take direction from anyone but their own Masters. It was decided Fuji would just sit with Rose and I. If she could be useful the Keeper would talk to her Masters.

The men finally left, although none of them liked leaving us. Frankly, for the first time at the Keepers, I felt worried. I wondered what would happen to us.

The building we entered was more elaborate than the Keepers compound we went to prior to this. Marble looking columns supported a shiny white structure. Multiple doors and windows were open on both sides to let the sea breeze come through and cool it. Colored flags and symbols adorned the outside.

As we walked in I read the symbols. They were motivational signs that talked about working to your full potential. Other signs said a happy men kept a happy slave. It was very strange.

Inside the building small groups of women were around low tables, working. They knelt at the tables, in a fashion. I'd seen ergonomic work chairs at home that these reminded me of. They allowed the slaves to kneel in the same place for a long time, while essentially sitting.

A couple of girls looked up when we came in, but they went quickly back to what they had been doing. Men wandered through the slaves, occasionally taking note of what the slave was doing.

Rose, Fuji, and I were settled at a small table. Something the size of a pad of paper was handed to me. It was small and thin, but suddenly it lit up. Characters slid across the screen announcing my name and asking me what I needed. I dropped the thing immediately.

The short man scolded me for dropping the pad. He placed it back in my hands and explained the process. This was our work station.

I knew the mountains and Rose knew children. We were instructed to write a story for the children demonstrating one useful skill in the mountains. It should be very simple, the man said, but interesting. If the story was good enough, it would be used by the Child Keepers to train the young men.

The pad in my hands was connected to every computer on the planet. It would know each of us. If we wished to write a story, we only needed to write that instruction on the pad. It would accommodate our wishes.

It was an odd morning. Rose and I finally decided to write a story about finding food in the mountains. The Warriors in our story hunted and trapped their dinner. We described how to kill and prepare it. It was very thorough.

Unlike me, Rose knew how children learned. She had to assume the children here learned the same way. She made the story interesting, yet to the point.

The lunch bell rang and I was surprised. The morning had passed quickly and we had a good draft of the story worked out. It had been ages since I had felt constructive and even longer for Rose. She beamed at our accomplishment.

"You must teach me to read and write," she whispered as we walked toward the hall the other girls were heading to. "I could be more helpful if I knew how to make the characters."

Fuji had been quiet and introspective while we worked. She watched us, but did not actively take part. I knew she saw no purpose in what we were doing. Unless her owners took an interest, she would maintain her disinterest.

The short man stopped us before we reached the hall the rest of the girls were heading into. My kneeling place was by the entrance to the compound. He directed me there.

I knelt silently and saw the Administrators' feet pass me by. These men were dressed finely, I could tell just looking at their lower half. Their pants flowed like they were made of silk. Their shoes were the softest appearing leather.

These were gentlemen. They were negotiators and mediators. Unlike my rough Warriors these men understood the world and moved freely through the many layers of secrecy. I imagined they could probably be quite dangerous in their own way.

It was such a relief to see boots stop in front of me.

"Come, Ciara," Evan said and I rose to follow him.

As per our normal routine he sauntered out the wall and into the forest. I followed him. Unlike the Warriors who ignored us when we did this, an Administrator stopped him. The man demanded to know why Evan was walking me into the woods.

I could hear the smile in Evan's voice. He told the man to have lunch, but didn't elaborate further. A moment passed before Evan turned away from the man and we walked into the forest.

This side of the forest was wetter. Evan guided me where to step so I didn't put my feet in puddles. I followed his near silent footfalls through the woods.

"Evan-" I started to say and he cut me off with a sharp noise.

We continued to walk, but I didn't attempt to speak again. It was really just as well. Evan walked briskly, but carefully. Following his footsteps exactly took a lot of concentration.

We went into a nice, dry clearing and Evan sat my kneeling place on a fat rock. He motioned and I sat. The brush behind Evan was thick. He leaned on a tree across from my spot and handed me the bowl.

I took a bite and he watched me carefully. Feeling slightly unnerved at his attention, I raised the second bite slowly toward my lips. Evan moved quickly and leaned over. He sucked the bit from my fingers, chewing as he straightened up.

For a moment I was too startled to move. Evan just grinned at me. It was odd behavior, but I got the hint.

So he wanted me to feed him, I could handle that. I took a bite for myself and then offered a bite to him. He'd lean down and take it obediently with his lips. It was a funny way to eat.

While we had lunch I tried to talk to Evan, but he would give me a sharp look or shake his head. After a while I understood he wasn't in a mood to talk. I listened to the sounds of the forest around us and fed him contentedly.

I wondered how long I'd get the silent treatment. Perhaps it was a bet or a game. Smiling up at Evan I wondered who was currently winning the contest. For some reason Evan looked wicked as he continued to grin down at me, maybe he was winning.

Soon the bowl was empty and we were just staring at one another. I wanted to speak, but Evan had already indicated I should not. However, I wasn't sure how long I should just quietly sit here.

A branch cracked loudly from the way we'd come and I stood, turning toward the noise. Evan cooly guided me to stand behind him. I yelped when men melted out of the forest around me. None of them made a sound as they moved.

It was Damien and the rest of the family.

"Hush, little Sister," Bane murmured, touching my arm, as he strode past to take his spot beside Evan.

Looking around Evan's sides I saw men noisily stepping out of the forest coming toward us. One of them must have stepped on the branch I heard break. By their dress they were Administrators.

My hair was long enough to act as my shield again. With my head tipped down I looked through the veil it provided. Several families of Administrators stood staring at my family from across the peaceful glen.

"You let it feed YOU?" one of the men hissed.

"You let it feed ITSELF?" another of them sneered.

"Yes," Damien said simply letting his arms hang casually.

I took in the stances of the men. I'd seen that form before. When Bane casually had me pinned against the General's wall, he'd held the same pose. They were ready for an attack, but far too trained to look like they were.

"It is a slave," one of the men across from us sputtered.

My family didn't answer. They just stood silently, impassively.

"The women," one man said pointedly, "will hear of this dishonor."

Damien didn't say a word, he just continued to watch the men across the clearing.

"They will MAKE you act correctly," one of the Administrators threatened.

I sucked in a gasp and whispered 'no, please not that,' under my breath.

It would kill me if the women brainwashed Damien and his Brothers. I loved them. Their defiance of the rules to make me feel happy was such a magnificent gesture. To see their free will stripped because of it would crush me.

Kein was looking over at me with an irritated look and I quickly looked down, hiding my eyes.

"Do not speak to other men," Kein reprimanded quietly.

"So," Damien drawled addressing the Administrators, "you would call upon your Mistress to discuss our handling of our slave? We will be needing to sharpen our weapons tomorrow, would you also like to get her opinion on that?"

Evan snorted and Bane laughed.

Damien spoke with confidence. The women would not care how he and his Brothers handled me. As long as I was kept well and ready for my use, no one would interfere.

The Administrators tried to pull rank, but Damien didn't budge in his position. My family took their orders from Nu-reeh directly, not the Administrators. Nu-reeh said keep me happy and healthy, which is what they were doing. How they chose to do that was no one's business.

I listened to the conversation and heard the steel in Damien's voice. He wasn't going to change his mind. It didn't make any difference how the rest of the world treated slaves. Damien had his own way.

Eventually, the Administrators came to the inevitable conclusion. Damien wasn't changing. They made several more threats, but those sounded hollow. I breathed with relief when they finally left.

Christof picked up the empty bowl I'd finished before the other men showed up. He quietly complimented me on eating my lunch and picked up my kneeling place. The men took a tight grouping around me and we walked back toward the Keepers' compound.

Damien quietly told me to follow his footsteps as I had done with Evan.

"Yes, Damien," I whispered softly following his instructions to the letter.

The men were silent as was I for the remainder of the walk. When we exited the forest several groups of men stood staring at us. I jerked my head down, but not before taking them in.

They had leaves in their hair and their fine shoes were muddy. The Administrators weren't trained to go traipsing around in the forest. Evan must have heard them following us the entire time.

Evan's behavior now made much more sense. We were being watched and he was monitoring the Administrators. I grinned big realizing his show of me feeding him was designed to agitate. He really couldn't resist being difficult.

My Warriors dropped me inside the walled compound. The Keepers approached and politely greeted Damien.

My care was handed off and my family left through the wall.