Inside the heart of a sycamore tree
By Fyrefox666
The room smelt of sweat, salt, flea powder and humans. Sheena grimaced as she took it all in, and thought back to whether or not she really needed a human slave.
They were so disgusting, and bad smelling.
But she was the grand tax collector of the republic now, and while her team of understudies meant that she wasn't overly burdened by work, the republic had a number of subjects both rich and poor and they all had to be taxed as to their caste, rank and standing within the republic. So she needed a human to look after her house while she was away, to cook, clean and generally help her around the house.
She looked to her right and then to her left, human cages lined the walls, filled with about twelve humans each. They were all female, and all looked in relatively good conditions for second-hand human slaves.
"And what would her, most honorable and respected tax collector be doing in my place of business, hmm?" said a slimy and untrustworthy voice behind her
"I'm looking of a human slave, Limbox, a good one"
"Hmm, I recall a certain understudy to the last grand tax collector saying something about how she didn't need a slave, how the filthy creatures should be left outside with the other animals" Limbox said, smiling all the while
"Yes, well that was a number of years ago and I have realised what a chore it is to run my life, especially with my new position. So I need a slave and a good, already trained one" Sheena said with patience to the pathetic and slimy ape that ran these slave pits
"Well slaves come in all capacities, but a trained, full house slave will cost you, and I assume you want her older? Not thinking of buying a breeding pair?" The slave master continued as he pointed to various humans
"No and I really don't care, I just need my house looked after when I leave for work and a meal ready for me when I get home." She stated with dignity
"Hmm, I don't really have many humans of those qualities hanging around, especially with how the raids are going in the forest "the ape stopped and thought, then lit up "actually I've got just the thing, follow me." Limbox led her past rows of cages, sparsely populated with humans of varying size, sex and age. Then they stopped and looked into a cage near the back of the festering pit that constituted living quarters for these animals.
"I got her fresh last week, about 37, been with the Rolic family for about 20 of those, was the full time nurse to old general Thid before he died, bless his heart. But has a tendency to fight with other humans, even after her first night, which means I have to keep her here. I'll give her to you for two hundred silver".
"Deal" Sheena said with a nod of contentment.
"Good, now how do you want her delivered, because I could just give her to you now?" Limbox said in a hurried tone, as if wanting the slave woman before him gone as quickly as she had come.
"No, I have to be back at work in half an hour. Have her delivered this Saturday so I can inform and train her. Now I best hurry. My address is the big sycamore tree beside town center, I'll be waiting outside when you deliver" Sheena said to Limbox as she casually walked out of the slave pits.
The sun was high, the air humid and Sheena was impatient. She had been standing outside her home for some 3 hours and still Limbox had not arrived with her new slave. Truly she still didn't think she needed a slave, after all what would a filthy, brutish and uncivilized animal bring to her home but fleas, disease and dirt.
But then she looked back at her house and saw the mess, what was once a vibrant and growing sycamore was now a wilted and literally dying mess of a tree and it was all because of her new position. By Semos it was only by the grace of chance and good timing that she was even able to be here to receive her slave, and here she was waiting. She had things to do and apes to check, but no. She stood here waiting. Then she heard it, the sound of horseshoes on semi-rocked ground. Soon she could hear the wheels of the slave transport carriage, and then she could see it. It was impressive, big, black and drawn by two similar horses, but she was unamused by Limbox's flair in delivering her slave and just waited by her tree. Finally the carriage made it to her tree and stopped, and then the door opened and out jumped Limbox, grease and all.
"Well, well, well. I can see why you need a slave. Letting that position of yours go to your head aye?" Limbox asked as he went around to the gage attached to the back of the carriage.
"That won't be the only thing going to my head if you don't hurry up and open that gage, I have things to do today. And I shouldn't have to wait 3 hours for a slave." Sheena said impatiently, Limbox's attitude and general presence were getting on her nerves.
"Well I'm sorry your grand taxness, but a large shipment of humans just came in from the woods and I had my hands full all morning trying to sort them. But here she is." Limbox said as he came down from the gage steps with a long chain of iron attached to the slave Sheena had ordered yesterday. "Now usually for first time human owners I stay around for an hour or two to make sure that the owners know what to do in certain situations, conditions on the returning of humans, refunds, that sort of stuff but you being such a high ranking member of the governmental machine should know exactly what to do. So..." he said holding out the chain for Sheena to take "I just be on my way." Limbox finished as Sheena took the chain and held it.
"Oh actually, Limbox could you tell me one simple thing before you go?" Sheena asked in her authority voice.
"Yes?" Limbox said standing on the doorway to his carriage, about to go in.
"Does she talk?" Sheena asked as the woman moved to her side
"I don't know, ask her." Limbox said as he closed the door and ushered the driver to take off.
"Now there's as greasy ape as you'll ever find" Sheena said aloud to no one in particular as she watched the carriage move swiftly down the street.
"Yes, Ma'am" the woman to her right said
"Ahh, so you can talk. Well good, now I won't need to go through anything tedious like teaching. Now come, I have to show you your tasks and where you will be living." Sheena said as she led the slave into her home, the chain weighing heavy in her hands.
"Now, I am the grand tax collector of the Republic, as you may already know, and this job is very stressful and extensive. And as you can probably see, this has affected the running of my life. From the cleaning of my house, to my eating habits. So your job, slave, will be simple. I expect you to cook, clean and take care of the parts of my life I can no longer look after with my new position as well as keeping this living tree alive. Is this clear?" Sheena asked the slave as they walked up the stairs of the grand sycamore that served as the house of Sheena.
"Yes, Ma'am" The slave responded as they walked.
"Good. Now I have never owned a slave, nor do I really want to, but times are changing and you animals seem to becoming an ever needed commodity of modern life. Though why this is, will always elude me. So here are the rules of my house to you.
1st. You will stay inside at all times unless I have need of your services outside of the house.
2nd. You will keep your sleeping area and space clean and as odor free as possible, I often have to have important people over for various important social occasions so I do not want your animal stench or behaviors to bother them.
3rd. You will dress for each day, and if I ever see your naked body I will make sure you regret ever showing me it.
4th. I expect dinner every day at sunset and a breakfast at sunrise, you will find all the necessary cooking implements in the kitchen, as well as a stocked pantry and larder. I can't be bothered separating my shopping habits to include you, so until I can think of a better solution you will eat only leftovers from my breakfast and dinner and any offcuts that can be spared.
5th. I expect the house to be spotless when I come back from a day's work.
And finally 6th. You may never enter my room without my express order and will clean it under my supervision.
If you do not follow these rules, you will find yourself back at those disgusting slave pits. Do you understand, slave?" Sheena finished as they reached the very top room of her tree
"Yes Ma'am" The slave replied.
"Good" Sheena said as she walked through the opening of her highest and smallest room, finding it, as usual filled with the knickknacks of a lifetime. However there was now a pile of hay just lying in the one of the corners of the room.
"And this is your room slave, I haven't the time or coin to put bars in or dig out a basement. So this will be your resting place. I already have duties I need to attend to in my workroom so for today I order you to simply clean up this room. It needs a good dust, and some of these items haven't been moved in years. I will prepare my own dinner tonight; however I do expect breakfast at sunrise tomorrow. So I suggest you move quickly to clean this room, so as to have some sleep before doing your duties." Sheena finished as she left the room, moving back down the stairs to her workroom
"Yes, Ma'am" She heard the slave call down the stairs. Sheena smiled; this wasn't going as badly as she had thought it would. Perhaps she could get use to having a slave after all, it at least gave the house another occupant. A brutish, animal and unhygienic occupant, but another living thing at the very least. She entered her workroom and jumped up to her work chair and table, the pile of senator's tax forms still there and waiting to be examined, she took her quill and quickly got to work, forgetting the slave and what she was doing as her head became filled with numbers and facts.