"Come back here," I heard a Kshatriya yell from behind me. He was chasing after me because I stole his clothes while he was taking a bath.
"Never," I called back to him. I knew that if I stopped I would be sentenced to death. Just by saying that one word I just did to the Kshatriya I could be sentenced to death.
I was an untouchable in the cast system in India. I also wasn't a devout Hindu. However, one look at me and you could tell I wasn't of a higher class, even if I wasn't a Hindu. I hated the system. It was discriminating against everyone that didn't have the money to bribe admiration.
I ran around a corner and dived behind a couple of piles of trash. There was no way a Kshatriya would actually get dirty to follow him. He might get someone to do it though. As soon as I heard the man's footsteps walk away I ran from behind the trash and back to my home.
It wasn't an actual house, but it was the best my family and I could do. I walked into the place and sat exhausted on the floor. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I looked at my steal for the first time.
It was a relatively clean robe without any of the accessories that a usual Kshatriya would wear. With this I will be able to steal more food for my family without much consequence. Though I would have to take a bath or something first.
"Roxas," a female voiced called. I got up and walked to the source of the voice.
"Yes Kairi?" I asked his sister. I tried to calm the excitement off my face from my adrenaline rush. Out of my two other siblings, I despised Kairi the most. She was rude and loved to boss me around.
"I was expecting you to come home with food today," she said briskly. "I can't have a healthy baby boy or fulfill my Dharma if I don't have a full stomach."
I grimaced inwardly at the thought of Kairi having her baby. This would be her fifth one so far. Each time she keeps on having girls, but she kills them. Kairi says that if it isn't a male then it isn't worth feeding. I always end up with the job of burying them.
"I'm sorry Kairi. I didn't get anything today. I promise that I'll get more tomorrow," I told her. I kept his eyes downcast for fear of a beating.
Kairi was always there parents favorite even though she was a girl. She was first born, but hardly did any work. That left all the work on me, the middle child. My younger brother, Sora, didn't help with the stealing. He was only 10 against my 15 years. Sora was also too innocent and I knew full well what the punishment was if you didn't bring enough food home.
"That's fine Roxas. Just remember that we don't need you here. Sora is perfectly capable of getting the food. One major slip up and you won't be here," she threatened him crossly.
I bent my head and muttered a low yes ma'am to her. I would hate to even think what Kairi would do to Sora if I wasn't here. That reminded me; where was Sora? He usually greeted me right as I got through the door.
I decided to check on it later. Right now I had to figure out how to get a bath. I could always dress in the robes and say that a lower class go to me. That way I would get a bath and some hot food before I flee. After checking over any other possible ideas, I decided that this one was the best.
When to do it was the question. It had to be sometime soon because if I got caught trying to steal food I wouldn't get my chance. If I didn't steal food I wouldn't get my chance either. It would have to be tomorrow when I go out for my usual stealing spree.
"Roxie," I heard Sora cry out. He was the only one I let give me a nickname. I turned to where I thought the sound was coming from.
Gasping at the sight that I saw, I rushed to my younger brother. He was bleeding from various cuts all over his body. I wrapped my arms around him, being careful to not hurt his lithe body any more than it was already.
"Sora," I choked out. "Who did this to you?" I looked into his face carefully. I could always tell if he was lying and he knew it.
"N-no one. I tripped," he stuttered out. He looked down, but I pulled his chin up to look in his face.
"Your lying. Tell me who did this to you," I ordered softly. His eyes teared up and he shook his head.
"I can't tell you," he told me. "They said not to tell. They said not to tell."
I hugged him tightly against me. "It's okay," I cooed. "You don't have to tell me right now."
He hugged me tightly back and cried into my chest. I knew that I'd have to get him away from here as soon as I got some cash. For now though he would have to be left behind. If I was caught with him the plan would be ruined.
"Sora I'm going to go away for a while. I need you to act like normal. If you act like you know something they'll just hurt you," I told him softly.
He pulled away from my embrace and looked my in the face with quivering lips. "Why do you want to leave me?" he asked softly.
It broke my heart to see him like this. Ruffling his hair softly I said, "I don't want to go, but I want a better life for us. I promise I'll come and get you."
Sora nodded and tried to look like he was happy that he wouldn't have to live like this anymore. It hurt me to see him so frail. It hurt me to see him at all now. He knew that there was a possibility I wouldn't be coming back.
"Come on lets go to bed. You look like you need a rest," I smiled at him. Sora nodded vigorously at me and took my head. The only time he could get some sleep was when I was here to cuddle with him. Otherwise he was bossed around by anyone else in the family.
I cuddled up into Sora and let myself fall asleep.
Waking up way before I had to go out was a habit for me. If I woke up early enough I could have some free time to myself. Today I was especially thankful that my sleep pattern was burned into my head. Now I could sneak out without anyone knowing that I had left.
Quickly changing into the Kshatriya robe I stole, I fled out the door. It fit me perfectly, which I planned on because the Kshatriya I stole it from was my size. I decided that I would curl up by some bushes until I saw someone of Kshatriya status come by. Then I would moan to get there attention. The rest would be a piece of cake.
Walking around for a couple of minutes I found a highly used road. Sinking behind brush that just barely covered me, I waited to hear the footsteps of someone approaching. It took about 30 minutes, but finally someone came down the road.
A quick peak at their robes told me that they were in fact Kshatriya. Now was the big test. I could either live or die at this moment depending on my acting skills.
"Mmmmmnnnnn…." I moaned out, just loud enough to be heard. The footsteps changed directions and soon a red-headed male was standing over me.
"Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was deep and held a hint of concern. So this was how people of importance felt.
"No," I whispered. "I was walking along the road to my next appointment and untouchables robbed and beat me."
There was a flash of concern on his face as he listened to me speak. When he held out his hand for me, I thought that he believed my lie. The next words he said proved differently though.
"I don't believe you. If you are a Kshatriya, as your clothes show, then you would have been able to fight off a few untouchables," he told me as he took my right arm in his grip.
Suddenly I feared for my life. If he knew of my lie then surely he would report me and I would get executed. I jerked my arm, trying to get out of his grasp. He kept his tight hold though and I knew I was beat. This was my last chance and I blew it.
"Are you going to report me?" I asked quietly. I knew the answer, but I couldn't help but hold onto a sliver of hope.
"No," he told me simply. "What would be the fun in that? I'm going to keep you for a while."
Holding my arm roughly, he guided my down the street. We walked for a couple of miles the way that he came. Finally we stopped at a big, fancy gate, the kind of thing that I would never have.
"Is this your house?" I asked quietly.
He nodded. "Yep, it's big isn't it? I never got why we had to have such a fancy house. Our money could always be going to something else more important," he told me.
I shot him a weird look, but otherwise showed no sign that I heard him. If I ignored him long enough, he might just let me go.
"My name's Axel by the way. A-x-e-l got it memorized?" he said sternly.
Axel pushed open the gate and grabbed my arm once again. By the time I got away from his grasp again I would have to have bruises.
"Don't talk to anyone, kay. If they even hear you, you'll get a far worse fate than what's coming from me," he told me softly.
I nodded my head wordlessly. I didn't have to imagine my fate. Years of stealing also brought me a cruel view of the world. As a five year old kid, I wasn't sheltered from reality. Instead I was thrown into it without support.
Axel put his hand on my shoulder and led me through the door to his house. I stood with awed eyes when I first stepped in. Everything was huge and clean. Nothing was made of dirt or straw, but marble and wood. This would be a dream to all, but to me it was a nightmare. A very expensive nightmare though.
"Don't just stand there with your jaw on the floor. I have to get you to my room before anyone notices you," he told me sharply.
"Okay," I whispered, shaking my head to snap back into reality. 'I wonder what his room looks like,' I thought to myself.
After walking up two flights of stairs and down one corridor, I found out. Axel's room was huge. Everything was in black in red. Even his carpet was black in red in a huge checkered pattern. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen.
"Wow," I muttered to myself. I think Axel might have heard because he began to smirk at me.
I tried to move forward a little, but was stopped by Axel's hand on my shoulder. 'Why is he still touching me?' I asked myself. 'Unless he wants 'that' from me.'
I gulped and looked at him nervously. Was it my imagination or does he look lustful right now?
I knew exactly how people looked when they wanted 'that'. I've seen the lustful gaze directed at me and more often Sora. Now that I wasn't there, no one would be able to protect him. Kairi might even sell him out to people…
I shook my head to clear those thoughts. They wouldn't get me anything but worries and I had enough of those. Especially since Axel's hand was still on my shoulder.
"Axel," I started. "Can you please move your hand from my shoulder?" I shot him a annoyed look.
Axel smirked at me and didn't move his hand. "Why Roxie? Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked me mockingly.
My face flushed slightly. "Yes you are, so please move your hand."
"Whatever," he told me, as he moved his hand.
As soon as I was out of his grip, I moved to the other side of the room. There was no way in Hell he would be touching me again. Just that contact was making me remember bad times.
"You afraid of me blondie?" Axel asked me.
"No I'm not afraid of you. I mean, should I be? You haven't done anything for you me to really be afraid of you," I told him softly. It was true too. He wasn't acting like a Kshatriya should at all. "Your not like the rest of them are you?" I added quietly.
His face softened at my words for some reason. "No I'm not like them at all. I think this whole Caste system is stupid. It's just an excuse to hurt people," he told me firmly.
My eyes glimmered with hope. If Axel actually believed that, then he could help Sora and I. This would be my only chance to meet someone like this. I had to take full advantage of this opportunity. No matter the what it cost me.
"Oh really," I started. "Then you can help me, right? I have a brother back at my place. I love him dearly and well… If I don't get him out of there he won't make it. He's too innocent for the world he lives in."
Axel shot me a questioning glance. He didn't get what I was trying to say.
I sighed softly before continuing. "If you could help me and my brother get off the streets, I would be grateful. I'll do anything if you help us. I just don't want my baby brother to end up as cold-hearted as me," I told him.
It was if a light bulb went off in his head. "Oh you want me to take you and your brother in, is that right? I just might be able to do that… At a price though," he told me mischievously.
I gulped, but stayed true to my earlier words. "Anything you want."
Axel was in front of me in a flash. He had his hands on my hips and his forehead against my own. I could feel a blush covering my face also.
"So you want s-sex," I stuttered out. I should have known.
Axel answered my question with a deep kiss on the lips. I gasped out in surprise and he took that as an invitation to explore my mouth with his wet tongue. I tried to push him off slightly, but he was a lot bigger than me.
"Yes I do want that, but you don't," he told me softly. "I won't take something that you don't want to give me."
"What do you mean? I'm not a virgin if that's what you think! I've had sex lots of times!" I shouted at him angrily. He didn't think I was ready for it, is what that was supposed to mean right.
"That's not a good thing Roxas. Your only around 16, right? Your too young to be tainted like that," he told me.
I jerked out of his grasp and turned around. I was 16, but that didn't mean I wasn't ready for sex. I had lost my virginity when I was 14 by some old geezer Kairi sold me out to. Now I knew all the tricks to block it out and not feel the pain. To Hell with me not being ready cause I am.
"I am ready for it! If you want sex I'll give it to you so my brother and I will be safe. If you don't get something you'll turn us away and that's the only thing I can give," I admitted to him. I was almost shouting at him now.
"I'm not going to have sex with you. You and your brother can stay here if you like. Just tell everyone that you're my new servants. They won't ask any questions then. I expect you to be back with your brother in three days though. Any later and I'll drag you back here myself," he told me harshly.
I flinched from his tone, but nodded. There was no way I would pass up this freedom. I started to head out the door, but stopped when I felt his hand on my shoulder again.
"Oh and wear this. That way people will know your actually my servants and your not lying. Here's one for your brother too," he told me, as he held out to black and red collars.
I blushed and took them from his hands. "Will you put it on for me?" I asked. I've never worn a necklace so I wasn't sure how things like this worked.
"Sure blondie," he told me smugly.
He pushed my hair back and strung the collar around my neck. It fit snug, but otherwise I could hardly feel it.
I walked out of the door to his room and down the stairs. Soon I was walking out the big iron gate. This would mark the end of my old life and the beginning of the new one. Nothing would be the same now.