A/N: ...I know, I know! Another fic? I have had been sitting on this one for ages, and I really wanted to get it out. THIS one will only be updated once a month so I can wrap up other fics before focusing more on it. Unless it proves to be very popular, then I may do two a month if inspiration strikes. This one WILL be an AU fic, and I really liked the idea of having the Senshi not be senshi for once. You know, regular people, with no powers. To clear up anything now, it's set in a medieval era fictional kingdom called Landenholt in the country Newark. Anywho, I dedicate this to all my fellow Minako/Makoto shippers. Because it really is undervalued, like Rei/Makoto.
Warning: This fiction contains language, violence, prostitution, brothels, fictional politics based off historical politics, slavery, and WILL contain graphic violence, war, blood, sex, lesbians, and other such stuff. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. You know, like all of my other fics because I write for adults and not kids. Okay, maybe Mistaken Gain is the one exception.
With love,
Korrupted
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON! Which is painfully obvious since I am writing here.
Minako sat with her boots propped up on her desk, the twenty five year old blonde watching the door to her office lazily, the light through the cloth covered window casting a hazy glow upon her leather bustier and orange shirt, the red bow in her golden wheat hair a lovely contrast to the tight, light tan leather trousers. She could hear a few soldiers in armor marching outside, the chatter of her girls through the thick walls of her establishment providing a rather soothing backdrop for an otherwise boring wait. Minako Aino was the owner and Madam of a bordello playfully named The Crystal Palace in the bustling little town in the shadow of the castle, her girls all varying in age from mid-teens, to late forties. Though she was rather young to be running the business, the woman had proven herself more than capable in doing so. Her thirty workers catered to a wide variety of tastes, tempting even the King and Queen to make a rare call for one of her ladies to venture to the castle to keep them company every few months. Profits were through the roof, and Minako wasn't one to skimp on allowing the workers a cut of their own takings; she only claimed thirty percent of their earnings a night, the rest she had them keep for their own desires. It would help them to save up enough to leave the trade should they choose, and though many did, some preferred staying as they knew they had a fair boss and a group of women that were like family. A firm knock sounded on the maple door, the woman tilting her head to the side; finally, that bastard was here. He had kept her waiting long enough, and she had already been forced to call upon the Town Guard once this week to attempt to track him down. "Come in." She called, her voice warm and melodic.
A tall, rather masculine woman with short cropped sandy blonde hair stepped in, her blue trousers and sleeveless tunic providing good cause for many people to mistake her for a man. No, Haruka Tenoh was standing before her with a grim expression on her lips. The only few things feminine about her clothing today, Minako noticed, was the yellow ribbon that she was using as a sash, and the barest traces of eye pencil to accentuate her midnight blue eyes; Haruka at least always made some effort to look good for the patrons. "There are some guards who have something for you. It's about Toddrick." The butch woman stated.
'Oh, great. Did he skip out of town again?' The woman internally fumed. "Thank you, Haruka. Send them on up." Was her only reply, the manly guard nodding before leaving once more.
Ah yes, Toddrick Balleister. Minako was a fair businesswoman to a fault, knowing that occasionally, mistakes happen. Every so often, a patron would miscount how much gold kogis or silver dimuts they had, or simply thought they had brought more than was in their purse. Minako would note it down with the name of the woman they had slept with, and the amount missing, telling them to pay her back when they could. Patrons always paid her back, usually the next time they visited, sending up a servant if they were unable, typically with a handsome tip for the woman that they hadn't been able to properly pay. She would then cross the name off to show that their debt was cleared, and that would be that. But Toddrick had gotten into a bad habit of shorting her girls, his debt mounting until two weeks ago when Minako had refused him entry into her establishment, demanding him to pay his tab if he wanted to ever set foot in there again. A week had gone by with not even a copper pence returned to her, and so she went to the local magistrate for help in debt collection. And now, here she was; grumbling about how the vagrant likely had left the city and stiffed her girls. If she ever found him, she would skin him alive. NOBODY messed with her girls.
The door was opened again by Haruka, and three guards entered with none other than Toddrick Balleister between them, the man looking uncomfortable wearing iron shackles. A coy smile spread across her lips in glee, her hands folded on her stomach. "Well, well. This is something I hadn't been expecting, but I am very glad of. My thanks for your work, gentlemen. The Magistrate has your reward pay when we are done here." Her ocean blue gaze was sharp as it fell upon the middle aged thatcher, her smile dangerous. "And as for you, Toddrick, you owe both myself and my girls three hundred gold kogis, seventy four silver dimuts, and twelve copper pence. Now, you can either pay me in money and property, or you will be sent to prison, and I will claim everything you own. Your choice."
The man looked at the young woman nervously, extracting his money purse to throw the leather pouch on the desk. The clunck of it's landing told of it being heavy, and so Minako delicately set her feet aside to open it, counting out the gold and silver. The amount of kogis in the purse was shocking; if he had so much money, why hadn't he just paid her and avoided this whole issue? But something about the coins felt... off. The metal didn't feel quite right, and for as long as she could remember, Minako had always had an uncanny knowledge of metals. Extracting a dagger from her left boot, Minako cut a shallow nick into the surface of one of the kogis, the material still gold. She frowned, but on a whim, cut it just a bit deeper to reveal copper and iron below.
Minako threw the counterfeit coin onto the table and stood, completely disgusted. He was trying to pay her in fake coins? She, who the castle would call upon if they questioned a metal? It was pathetic, and it only served to infuriate her. "Counterfeiting coins is a crime, Toddrick. One that is punished by death. Guards, inform the Royal Clerk to inspect his holdings for more fakes, and get this idiot to the Magistrate for questioning. Sell off his property and I will take the profits to pay back his debt." She half-snarled, the now exposed criminal terrified.
"I have servants! Good, strong boys that can be of use to you! Please, show mercy!" He pleaded, being harshly pushed and dragged back to the door.
"I have no use for male servants. They will be likely either freed, or find employment elsewhere." Was her simple reply as she turned towards the covered window. Though she did hate how some may be put to death if they were untamed, or what have you.
"A slave! I have a female slave!"
Minako whirled around, holding up her hand to halt the guards. "Wait." Her gaze hardened. "What do you mean? I thought purchasing slaves was illegal." Now she was concerned for the safety of whatever poor soul might have been purchased by this man.
"Only if purchased within the inner cloister of the castle, Madam Aino." One of the soldiers supplied.
"Exactly! She's very, very unruly. Too stubborn to be a servant, and too volatile to be a whore for me." Minako's left eyelid twitched at his words. "She'll surely be killed if I am imprisoned. Take her in exchange for my debt."
He was playing on her good heart, and she knew it, trying to trade a life for a life. However, she wasn't going to fall for it as he was planning. "Oh, no. I think you forget that all of your property is already mine. Guards, help this fool bring me the girl, and then take him to the Magistrate. Good day." She stated with a harsh finality that made Toddrick go pale.
The now begging man and his fake coins were removed by the guards, Minako sitting back into her chair with a heavy sigh. Servants had some rights, slaves had none. If a servant was found to be evil, murderous, or a thief, only then could they be put to death. A slave, however, could be killed on a whim should their master desire. If what Toddrick said was true, and she was unruly, the businesswoman was certain that the girl would be put to death if she wasn't taken in here. The door opened as a woman with deep purple hair and amethyst eyes poked her head in. "Hey, what was all that about?" Rei Hino asked, clearly confused.
"Rei, could you come in for a bit? I need some advice." The blonde requested, watching as the former shrine maiden entered.
Rei wore a red skirt that resembled a pair of Eastern hakima, her top a white kimono styled with a low neckline that gave a tantalizing tease of her decently sized bust. Her hair was long, free flowing, like a cascade of twilight purple ink against her pale skin. Her demeanor was elegant, mysterious, slightly aloof at times. Minako to this day had no idea why she had left behind the life of a shrine maiden, but the former miko was one of her most valued friends as well as one of her best workers. Rei sat gracefully, her eyes trained on the suddenly exhausted face of her employer moments before it hit the desktop with a soft whunk! of impact. "Was it that bad?" The woman inquired in a somewhat humored voice, a groan the reply.
"Toddrick tried to repay his debt with forged coins. I told the guards to take him to the Magistrate for questioning in case he isn't alone in it." Another moan of irritation. "Since I legally seized all of his property for compensation... I also now am the owner of his female slave."
Violet eyes blinked twice. "I thought you hated slavery." She simply stated, her face neutral.
Minako's head raised off of the wooden desk to huff softly. "I do, but Toddrick said she was really, really stubborn. You know she would be killed if that's true. And since it's still illegal to free slaves without the proper protocols, and hearing, and biased evidence, I really didn't have a choice. I mean, they're bringing her here shortly, so I can see if what he said was true and go from there."
"So, what did you need my advice on?"
"Did I do the right thing?" Was the simple question.
For several moments, the raven haired woman thought, picking over all that she had been told. She knew Minako was a fair woman, the holder of a heart of gold, but she was uncertain if owning a slave would have a negative impact on her. Would she become arrogant with power as some did, or remain that same woman she always had been? Rei couldn't be sure. "Well, you are trying to save her life. If I know you well enough, you wouldn't just own a slave for anything less than something like this. But the right choice in the long run? I don't know. I suppose only time will tell." She giggled softly. "This may have been better for Setsuna to have answered than me, Mina."
The lop-sided grin on the blonde's feature grew. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Does our little Princess have her favorite patron today?"
The most prominent woman in her employ was Serenity Tsukino, the somewhat childish blonde twenty three year old with a startlingly large love of ice cream. Her room was decked out in various shades of pink, so much so that Haruka once stated that it had been like "Walking into a vagina". However, patrons flocked to her, and she had attracted the eye of even Prince Endymion to seek whenever he was lonely. Some days, he would stop by just to spend time with her without the intent of sex, enjoying her company as a much needed change from the pressures of palace life. His affections had gained Serenity the playful title of Princess Serenity, the other girls using it as a light tease or just decided that it suited her. "No, he has training, she said. Ami had asked earlier. But, I do have General Jadeite arriving in a few more bells. I should get his tea set aside so I can prepare it." Rei informed her boss, standing with a shy smile. "But, I can have Haruka come in just in case you need a guard here."
Minako beamed at her friend's concern, highly grateful. "That would be fantastic. Thank you, Rei. Have fun with your patron!" The Madam teased, gaining a blush from the other woman before she left.
Within a few minutes, the butch in-house guard was in front of her again, a scimitar strapped to her hip. Haruka was first and foremost a guard to keep the girls safe, and occasionally she also worked a few of the female patrons. One of her highest returning patrons was the Duchess Michiru Kaioh, the aqua haired woman visiting the bordello at least once a week to request the services of the woman. The sandy blonde in question was currently sitting on the edge of her desk as the sounds of guards returned to the halls, the rest of her establishment deathly silent as the door was opened again. Between three guards was now a tall woman where Minako had expected a child, red-tinted brunette hair a bit grungy and tied back, sun kissed tan skin dirty and bruised in places, a few red marks freshly showing a recent scuffle. Her emerald eyes glared at the floor, her arms tightly crossed under an impressive bust. The woman wore a dirty cotton dress that looked dark grey with grime, the iron chain-less shackles that were on her wrists clearly never having been removed while she had been in Toddrick's hold, the iron collar around her throat looked uncomfortable at best. And yet, it seemed that her spirit was still present and alive like a rabid tiger locked in a cage. It was as if she was an untamable force of nature; she could be bound and chained, but she would never be broken. The green eyes were full of anger, confusion, and fear, her posture agitated and on guard.
Minako's stomach turned and her heart broke for the girl, her mouth as dry as the wastelands to the far south at the sight before her. First things first, though. "What happened to her?" She finally croaked out. Minako could sense pity radiating from Haruka as well, both of them presented with visual reminders of why they personally hated slavery.
"Toddrick was rough with her when he brought her from her room, and the slave didn't take kindly to him." A tiny smirk was on his lips. "She broke his nose and hand."
"Served the bastard right..." The brunette grumbled irritably, not looking up from the spot on the floor she had deemed worthy of her glares.
The woman's voice was a bit on the rough side, but still pretty. "Guards? Remove those damn shackles. Please." Minako said in a voice that shook slightly.
One of them stiffened visibly. "Madam Aino, you know it is illegal for a slave to go about without at least a collar and wrist shackles." The other guards nodded. "She must keep them-"
"Then I will have new ones made! Get those iron monstrosities off of her! Can't you see they're too tight?!" Minako all but bellowed, her right hand reaching for her hip that currently was void of the whip she typically carried there. "Remove them, Gods damn you!"
Slowly, as if they clearly hated each motion they made, one of the guards pulled out a ring filled with various thin keys, looking for the skeleton key that had been made to fit these particular restraints, the other two watching the still silent but wary slave between them. After locating the proper key and the other two instructing the slave in harsh tones to hold her arms out before her, the key guard unlocked the cuff on her left wrist, the heavy item dropping away to show skin that was paler than the rest, though a raw red from the item that had encased it for an unknown length of time. The right cuff fell away next, then one of them grabbed the long, tied back, auburn locks and yanked her head forwards, earning a loud hiss of pain from the woman as she dropped to her hands and knees.
"Hey!" Haruka protested, her hand going to the hilt of her sword on instinct, ready to fight the guards for the uncalled for cruelty.
"Do you want the damn collar off the slave, or not?" The key guard snarled, Minako wanting to strangle the three men.
"Fine." Was the livid reply by the blonde businesswoman, her ocean eyes filled with rage at the treatment of the woman. 'They don't see her as a human, just property with a gender.' She had to remind herself. While she, Haruka, and many other people hated slavery, many others saw it as either a great way to control the spoils of war gained from other countries, or a necessary evil that was the only way to ensure labor was handled.
With a cold detachment, the collar was unlocked and dropped to the floor, the hand that held her hair shoving her face towards the wooden beams below before the guards righted themselves. "I've been tossed around harder by corpses." The brunette spat with a furious gleam in her eyes, slowly standing as well, the dark red ring from the collar clearly visible to the other two women.
'Well, I can see Toddrick certainly wasn't joking when he said she was unruly. She would be executed in a moment if she was looked over for reselling!' Minako wondered, secretly admiring the stubborn woman for her spirit. "If it bothers you that much, then once we are through here, send for the goldsmith for me. That way I can get new ones for her." Her blue gaze softened as they fell to her new charge, trying to calm herself for her sake. "My name is Minako Aino. Do you know why you are here?"
"Because that prick had a debt he couldn't pay, and so you claimed his property for compensation. And since I classify as property, here I am like a fucking rug." A sharp back-hand from one of the guards send her reeling, but she didn't fall.
"You will address your master with respect!" He demanded, the woman looking at him in hatred, her hand holding the right side of her face, tears running from her eyes silently from pain.
"That will do, Guardsman." Minako growled in a deadly tone, shaking in rage. After a few deep breaths, she addressed the brunette again. "But yes, I suppose that is a very honest and blunt way to put it. You are now my... slave." The word left a foul taste in her mouth, like sour milk. "What is your name?"
"Makoto Kino." Was the reply.
"Well, Makoto, I think it's safe to say that Toddrick did hit you judging by your bruises." The slave half snorted. "But, I must ask, had he ever... Forced himself onto you?"
Makoto stiffened, her jaw clenched as she remained silent for a few moments. "Yes. He drugged me so I wouldn't fight back. I kicked his ass when I could properly move again. Small victory." Was the tense reply.
The bordello owner inhaled through her nose sharply, finally stating, "Guards, add rape to his list of charges."
"Madam Aino, she's a slave. It's not rape."
"Then destruction of personal property for Heildar's sake!" She roared, the men properly shocked at her reaction. "If Makoto is my slave, and he has injured her, then I have the right to add this charge on! Even that damn law states that it's not bound to a time frame for me to file it! Now, get your sorry asses to the Magistrate, add that charge, and then send me the goldsmith. AM I FUCKING CLEAR?!"
Sheepishly, the men nodded, shuffling uncomfortably before her as they swiftly walked out, leaving the guarded looking brunette to watch the fuming blonde and the guard that she couldn't decide if it was a male or female. "I... I apologize for losing my temper like that, Makoto." Minako spoke in a voice rough with fading anger. "I am simply opposed to slavery, and now find myself in this position."
The tall woman was watching them with distrust in her eyes, uncomfortable. "Are you going to have me be one of your whores?" Makoto asked in a cold voice.
"We prefer the term 'workers'. But no, you will not be one of the workers here." The owner of the building stated evenly.
"Then what do you expect me to do?"
Minako blinked, suddenly unsure of the answer herself. "To be honest, I'm not sure yet. I suppose a General Staff member would do. Sit, please. I'm sure you're tired. We have a bit of a wait before the smith will be here, I can assure you."
Makoto warily looked around an spotted a chair, eyeing the item suspiciously. She hadn't been a slave too terribly long in the scheme of things, but she was not used to kindness from a slave owner. She hated this woman and her kindness, all she was to her was another person who would boss her around and try to make her knuckle under. This Minako Aino was just another asshole for her to deal with, was it too much to ask for the freedom that had been ripped away from her? Apparently, it was. However, she sat down, finding the guard offering her a cup of water. "Here." The guard stated, the voice not helping the tall slave to figure out the gender.
She took the cup with a nod of thanks, filing away the fact that the armed guard was a good two or so inches taller than herself at five foot eight, while her new 'master' was at least three inches shorter. She took a slow sip, using it to think about her new situation. Makoto was now in a whore house, owned by none other than the Madam, and though she seemed kind at the moment, she wasn't holding her breath for that to last. She had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she had missed the taller blond asking her something until Minako called her name. "Huh?"
"Harkua was asking you if were hungry. She was going to see if Arianna had anything in the kitchens ready."
Now that she knew the gender, Makoto could clearly see the feminine features of the tall blonde, unsure of how she had missed them before. "Yeah, I could eat." Was her quiet response.
With a smile, Haruka left, leaving the two other women alone in the room. Makoto could run, she knew it. She could take off right now and be out the door before anyone could stop her. But then what? Everyone would take one look at her and know she was a runaway slave. She would be either returned after a severe beating, or executed. Or both, and some days it would be hard to tell which order it would happen in. And so, Makoto stayed in her seat as the smaller woman started talking again. "You'll be given a room of your own. After the goldsmith is done, I will inform the girls about you and set down some rules. I am sorry that you are a slave, and I truly wish that we didn't have to do this, but it was I claim you, or you would be looked over to be resold." The woman rubbed her temple. "And to be honest, your attitude would get you killed in a heartbeat. Haruka will also be bringing up some clothes for you to wear after a bath. So, I guess welcome to The Crystal Palace."