Sex Slave Ch. 09

Keven was shaken by these statements. And it had been a long time since he'd seen Rees smile.

Rees trusted his judgment, but he was not sure he trusted it himself. Lately he seemed to be making lots of mistakes. Now he would have his friends' lives in his hands. He hoped he could live up to the faith they had in him.

"There is something else, though," Rees said quietly.

Keven looked at him expectantly.

"I would like to know if I have any other children here. I cannot bear to think of leaving them behind."

"We'll need to travel hard and fast. We cannot bring a bunch of babies with us."

"I understand. But can you find out if I have more children? And find out if Arriene is willing to come?"

"I will do that. Do you need that answer before you pledge to me?"

"No, I will pledge to you now, but with the understanding that if Arriene does not go, you will not force me to leave her."

"I will not."

Rees nodded. "I am ready."

Keven looked at Timor who had been sitting quietly at the table listening to him and Rees. "Timor..." he began.

"I will pledge to you without question as well, Sire." Timor interrupted him before he even got the question out of his mouth.

"Thank you," Keven was touched by the support shown to him by his friends. "Is there anyone you require to bring with us?"

"No, although if you want to bring more soldiers with us, there are some I can heartily recommend."

Keven smiled broadly. "I was hoping you might know a few good, loyal Endorans. We need to keep the party small. Please give me your top two picks."

****

Master Rim signed his name with a flourish. It was done. Negotiations were concluded.

Now they would be busy with final preparations: gathering supplies and equipment, obtaining travel clothing for all of them—easier for some than others. Rees and Timor required custom-made clothing and shoes. He had pressed many people into service in the flurry of activity surrounding their departure. Surely someone would figure out soon what was happening and then all hell would break loose.

He glanced at Keven. The young man looked tense, exhausted ... unhappy.

"You should be happy. You got your way."

Keven took a deep breath and tried to relax. The negotiations had been nerve-racking. He didn't trust Master Rim one bit. The man was incredibly shrewd. Keven had carefully scrutinized every single sentence he wrote to make sure it couldn't be interpreted maliciously. It had taken seven grueling hours, and he wasn't sure he was satisfied with the results.

Throughout it all, his thoughts kept returning to Saeri. He felt like his heart had been ripped out and impaled on a huge stake to be waved around and ogled at by all. He had obviously ruined any chance he had with his tiny angel. And she was acting not-so-angelic. Perhaps she wasn't who she seemed? That did not make it hurt less.

How could I have been such a fool? Thinking back on that first time with Tolsten, he cringed. That had been it—the moment when he had made the biggest mistake of his life. He had been weak, had let the desires of the flesh override his good sense.

Still, that first time with Tol had been unbelievable. He could not cast aside his relationship with Tolsten as if it meant nothing. He still had strong feelings for the beautiful boy, and if it hadn't been for Saeri, he would have looked back on his time with Tolsten as a sweet, sexy interlude instead of a mistake.

He smiled at Master Rim, but the smile was hollow. "It is done."

Master Rim was busy decanting two generous pours of red wine.

"No, thank you. I can't," Keven said, eyeing the wine. He needed to stay clear-headed.

"Of course, you can," Master Rim insisted. "You need to take a moment to relax and reflect, and then you need a few hours sleep before the final preparations." Master Rim held up his glass for a toast.

Keven picked his glass up and breathed in the heady scent of a very fine cabernet. His mouth watered. He was starving.

"To our upcoming adventure," Master Rim said. "May our journey be swift and safe."

"To our adventure," Keven agreed.

Master Rim watched the young man sip wine and start to relax. He really was an enigma.

He was surprised at some of the things Keven had insisted upon. Was Keven too soft to be a good leader, he wondered. He had indulged Rees's ridiculous whims. Master Rim had strongly disagreed with Keven's selection of companions for the journey. Women and children! Bah! Annalynn was nine-months pregnant for God's sake. She would be having the baby on the road. Keven had given her a choice though, and she had chosen to come. As far as Master Rim knew, everyone to whom Keven had offered the choice had chosen to come. He's got some charisma, that boy.

Apparently Annalynn's decision to come had also clinched the deal with Saeri. She decided she'd be needed on the journey. He smiled wryly. Something told him the healing fairy would make things interesting.

In the end, Master Rim had agreed to everything Keven wanted. He shook his head. Maybe I'm the one going soft. He had told Keven who Rees's children were: only Matsen and Annalynn's unborn baby. There had been one other pregnancy, but she had miscarried.

Keven had wanted to find out about Tolsten's mother and sisters as well. He probably would have insisted on bringing them along too, but they were long gone. Master Rim had gotten curious himself after hearing Tolsten's story. He had looked into the matter and discover
ed that, shortly after their capture, they had been rescued. Tolsten's uncle had purchased them and taken them back to Kenezia. Tolsten had already escaped so he had missed being rescued. When he was recaptured a few years later, no one thought to look into his background. He was simply a runaway slave.

Master Rim drained his wine glass and reached for more. It might be some time before he had access to such fine wine again. A deep fear gnawed at his chest. He had worked so hard to build this estate. Leaving it felt almost like leaving his soul behind.

Will I still be a man?

Have I ever really been a man?

****

The big roan pranced nervously, skittering sideways and turning his head to cast a baleful eye on Keven. Keven patted his neck and spoke to him soothingly. Realizing that the horse was probably reacting to his own anxiety, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.

In spite of his tension, he couldn't keep his eyes from being drawn to the heavens. He caught his breath again at the wonder of the night sky. It was cloudless and moonless. A billion stars glittered coldly, raising gooseflesh on his arms even though the night was warm.

A hot pressure rose in his breast, almost like the embers of a fire that are about to burst into flame from a gust of wind. He had not been outside at night in well over a year. Seeing the stars again was tangible evidence that he was free. Free to come and go as he chose, free to be out at night, free to ride a horse....

But that freedom would be quite fleeting if they were caught. Where the hell is Master Rim?

He glanced around at the small party. Everyone else was ready.

The coach was large and well-made, pulled by a team of four strong horses, but it was not ostentatious—Keven had insisted. They wanted to be inconspicuous. Master Rim hated to be inconspicuous. Already inside the coach were the women, the baby, and the boy.

He had only just met more than half their party the day before.

Arriene was breathtaking. He had never seen anyone with such exotic beauty. She was graceful, intelligent and ... stunning. He understood immediately why Rees was so smitten. Matsen was adorable and undeniably Rees's son—he had his eyes.

Arriene was a tall woman, as tall as Keven. Annalynn was even taller. She was impressive—self-assured, competent, and strong. If she hadn't been heavy with child, Keven would have put her in battle gear on a horse. She was probably an excellent fighter.

Master Rim's wife, Mistress Ceci was also in the coach. She was a tiny woman, but no less self-assured than Annalynn. Keven couldn't help but wonder how this seemingly normal woman ended up with Master Rim. She must not be nearly as normal as she appeared. She had a very engaging smile and relaxed manner. But she had to be insane—didn't she?

The boy, who had been introduced as Eleyot, was a thin, pale child of eleven or so. He had sandy hair and large brown eyes. He looked terrified as he clung to Ceci's side, trembling slightly. Keven had ascertained that he was Endoran. His parents had been killed in the war and he been sold into slavery. Keven had every intention of trying to find whatever might be left of his family when they got home—if they got home. The boy apparently didn't talk. He was obviously suffering from extreme trauma. Where the hell is Master Rim?

Tolsten giggled and Keven glanced up at him. He and Saeri were seated together at the front of the coach to share the driving. Saeri had a smile on her face and was brushing his long hair. A sharp pang of jealousy swept through Keven and he gnashed his teeth.

Saeri looked every bit like a ten-year-old boy. Her white-blonde hair was tucked up under her hat, her large blue eyes were innocent and childlike, and her tiny frame was clothed in boy's attire. She had insisted pants were more practical for traveling. Keven didn't think it was proper, but he wasn't about to argue with her about her choice of clothing.

Saeri began to braid Tolsten's long shining hair, and he glanced down at Keven, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Keven turned away. He knew he had a scowl on his face.

He gave one last inspection of 'his men'. It seemed strange to be in command.

Rees sat his horse like a seasoned veteran. He'd seen two years of fighting before he was captured. His horse was a huge black gelding. Rees was dressed, as they all were, in practical travel clothes: mid-calf, leather boots, comfortable cotton pants, which would be exchanged for wool if the weather turned, a linen shirt topped with a leather vest. His great sword was near at hand, strapped onto the side of this horse, as was his bow and quiver. He wore a broad-brimmed leather hat to ward off the tropical sun and whatever rain they might encounter on their trip.

He caught Keven's eye and grinned broadly. He was nervous too, Keven could tell, but ecstatic to be free. He had grumbled a bit about Keven's decision to let Master Rim live, but he would follow Keven's orders.

Timor cut an equally impressive figure, astride a monstrous but spirited bay. His bow was the largest Keven had ever seen. He had managed to get is specially made, on very short notice, by Master Rim's armorer.

Timor had been invaluable in organizing the supplies for the journey. They had four extra horses, fully laden, strung out behind the coach. Keven was satisfied that Timor had brought everything that was necessary and absolutely nothing that wouldn't be used. He was amazing.

The last two members of their party were Endoran soldiers, friends of Timor from a different slave pen. Both were astounded to discover that the Heir Presumptive was alive and enslaved in Kreol as well.

Evon was an experienced commander with salt and pepper hair and a lean hard body. Keven was more than a little intimidated to be giving orders to such an experienced man. However, the older man had insisted that not only was it Keven's place to be in command, but that Keven was the stronger leader.

Keven had noticed that the older man had a way of pointing out alternatives that made them seem like Keven's ideas. He was very good at managing-up, Keven decided. He knew he'd be relying heavily on Evon's expertise. He had already been instrumental in helping them plan their route, explaining several advantages to the path they finally chose that hadn't occurred to him or Master Rim.

Patrik was just few years older than Keven, with dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and an easy smile. He claimed to be a master swordsman, which was confirmed by Evon—they had been in the same unit. Keven couldn't wait to fence with him. He had made sure that foils were among their gear; they were all rusty.

He looked surreptitiously back up at Tolsten and Saeri. He could not seem to keep his eyes off her, and even when he wasn't looking at her, he could feel her presence near. It was a horribly painful torture, but one he relished somehow. He had been immensely relieved when she had made her decision to come with them.

Tolsten now had a braid that fell to his waist. He looked different with his hair back and a hat on—older and more masculine, but just as alluring. He paled in comparison to the vision beside him, though.

Saeri was not looking at him; she hadn't looked at him yet that he'd noticed. Even in her guise as a ten-year-old boy, she seemed magical. There was something about her that spoke of fey; perhaps it was her exquisite grace or the way her skin reflected the light, making her seem to glow—or perhaps it was her unusual, unforgettable eyes.

Keven shook himself. He needed to stop mooning over Saeri. His inattention could get them all killed.

Rees eased his horse close to Keven's. "Perhaps we should just leave without him," he suggested with a grin.

Keven smiled. He knew this whole trip Rees was going to be looking for ways to get rid of Master Rim.

Where the hell is Master Rim?

Just then Master Rim strode into the courtyard accompanied by Dr. Markell. The doctor looked flustered; his elderly face was flushed, his body language animated. Master Rim looked like himself again, emotionless, in-control, impeccable.

Master Rim spoke earnestly to the doctor. "Yes, I am granting you the authority to do whatever you can to continue our work. I am sorry it has come to this. I know we are close to breakthroughs in many areas. I will hope and pray that you are successful, for the sake of humanity."

What the fuck is he talking about? Keven wondered.

"You have been most generous, my Lord. I will do my best," the doctor answered. He appeared to be trying to stuff a bulging purse into his too-tight shirt.

"Godspeed on your journey, then," Master Rim said reaching his hand out.

The doctor had found refuge for the money bag. He took Rim's hand and shook it heartily. "Best of luck to you, my Lord."

He appeared to be sincere. He looked up at Saeri, who was observing him with eyes that were rounder than usual.

"Saeri, it has been an immense pleasure to work with you. I have never worked with anyone who is able to produce so many miracles. God go with you."

Saeri bowed her head respectfully. "And with you."

This whole exchange rattled Keven. Dr. Marken and Saeri obviously respected each other. Doctor Marken also seemed to respect Master Rim. What the hell? Master Rim was certainly a man of many faces.

Doctor Marken looked up at Keven. "Good luck, Sire. May we meet again." He obviously knew who Keven was.

Keven inclined his head. "Best of luck to you..." He hesitated. "... in your humanitarian endeavors," he guessed.

Master Rim beamed at Keven and somehow seemed almost normal for a brief moment in time.

Keven was to see one more glimpse of Master Rim's heart. Just as he was climbing into the carriage, he paused and looked around at his estate. For a fraction of a second, his face crumbled. It suddenly became very clear to Keven how deeply Master Rim felt the loss of his estate—much more than just land, Master Rim had controlled thousands of people, literally holding their lives in his hands. Now, he controlled nothing.

He glanced up at Keven and his face immediately lost all emotion. He gave a curt nod and climbed into the carriage.

Keven's roan half-reared as he dug his heels in and pulled on the reins to guide him to the front of the small cavalcade. He felt eyes boring into his back. He could almost feel the emotions flowing through the members of their small party—hope, fear, excitement. He led them out of the courtyard, through the gates, and onto the open road.

The road home.

****

Author's note:

This will be the last chapter I post in the BDSM category. This chapter really doesn't qualify much as BDSM, but since I started in this category, I wanted to do one more posting here. As you can see, the situation has changed for our heroes (and heroines). They are no longer in bondage, although there is no doubt more heartbreak, adventure, and romance in their future.

All future chapters will be posted in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy category, as this story is really a fantasy/romance at heart (with heavy BDSM influences and a few other dalliances).

Next I will post a prologue that tells the story of how Rees and Keven ended up in slavery in the first place. After that, I plan to finish up this story in 3 or 4 more chapters.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has given me comments and encouragement along the way. You have no idea how much I love to hear from you!

--allusive1