AN: Hey guys long time no write I know XD sorry, things got hectic with me from some arsehole hacking my email to graduation coming this Friday but I have a new story at last. This will be a bit of a darker themed story this time. For Master Arthur x Slave Francis and Allistor will probably make an appearance as well. That being said the first couple of chapters will be a collab between me and a fellow role player I met on omelge who I originally was doing an rp for this Idea with. I will give out user or email for they had requested me not too. Also before I get into this as well I would like to say that this is not a typical plot there will be throwing in a little twist at some point. So without much more rambling, enjoy and please be gentle with gentle with flames. Thank you for reading and if you have suggestions or want to tell me what you think you know where that pretty little review box is (^u^)/

Chapter One - That Fateful Day

"Let go of me you imbecile!" Francis cried as he was dragged by the chains around his wrist waist and feet. Previously he had been one of the older street rats in the neighborhood since his parents had abandoned him when he was five. Now he found himself hauled up onto the stage in the middle of a black market slave trade bound in chains. He still struggled they finally forced him to his knees and kept him like that. Oh well he supposed he could just run away once they had sold him off to someone. It should be easy enough right? He asked himself as feisty blue eyes scanned the crowds. Everyone seemed to be local and he knew most of Paris's back alley's like the back of his hand.

"Up next is this feisty blue eyed street rat who has yet had the luxury of being broken and taught his place in this miserable world. Nor taught proper etiquette and manners of. And," The auctioneer smirked and paused for suspense. "He's a virgin~ for those of you looking for a new toy."

Francis flushed a little at the announcement an tugged desperately at his restraints despite knowing that it was useless, but he did not like at all like the idea of being used someone's toy. Did not like it one bit and was even further unsettled by how many sets of eyes lit up in the crowd.

"So I think it's fair that we start the bid at, say, seven hundred Euros."

Francis gulped as he saw how many hands shot up and and how many voices shouted various increases in price for him!"

Francis indeed not doubt that even how in modern days such thing as these existed, but how little one hears about them is enough to push it to the back of your mind. To think that you yourself would never find yourself being bid on like someone's piece of property. He supposed his recklessness was to blame for this.

He had been, the previous day, running from a market place with arms full of two bags piled high with food for the other much younger unfortunate souls who had been left behind by their parents to fend for themselves. He looked after them along with another boy around his age. Usually they ran heists like this together, safer that way, but lately he had been starting to get scared and wanting to stay low for a couple weeks.

Francis had disagreed. They hadn't taken that much food on the previous heist and it was going to be impossible to lay low for that long without a final run. He had tried so hard to make him understand that, but he wouldn't listen so it had fallen to Francis to make that final run since the lord had long since turned his back to them and luck was not on their side either. No one was just going to was going to just randomly show up and give them a year's supply worth of food. It was up to them to survive. It hadn't happened until after he had gotten back to their safehouse though.

He had been running for a good fifteen blocks through the thankfully hardly crowded streets. Their footsteps pounding on the pavement behind him drowning out everything but the sound of his thundering heartbeat that was brought forth by the adrenaline coursing through him.

Luckily he knew the back alleys better than the back of his own hand. So without thinking he took a sharp right around the corner then a left and ducked behind a random pile of boxes that someone had left there sometime ago. Making sure he hadn't dropped any of the goods he had had been carrying. After all they needed every little ort they could get. Only after he had heard the guards give up on finding him he poked his head out and smiled in triumph. He was always satisfied when he could outsmart adults. Outsmarting authority figures was a bonus though. It had been a while before he saw the base where the lived away from prying eyes, well after dark had fallen. The adrenaline rush had long since worn off. The bags in his hands weighed a ton, his body was achy and sore. Relief washed over him when one of the youngsters came out and smiled as she took the bags from him.

"Merci..."

"You look tired Franny. You should come in and go sleepy? Is your tummy rumbly?" She asked.

He nodded at her question as he helped her in. On any other day he would have corrected her grammar, but he was to tired. "But I still to make the rounds real quick."

"Kay...but couldn't you have Acelain do that?"

"Non, he's been too much of a coward lately to step on foot outside."

"Yeah...that's true...please come back..kay?"

Francis smiled and ruffled her head. "I will don't worry. Just a quick look."

She nodded and he closed the door afterward with a yawn. Rubbing at his eyes as he started to work his way around the safehouse. His guard barely up. He supposed that's why hadn't detected the hand bearing a chloroform soaked cloth coming at him sooner. Or if he had just had Acelain do it instead despite his fears.

"Half a million Euros."

Francis was snapped out of thoughts and everyone else fell silent as well when they heard such a high price being shelled out for nothing more than a street rat.

The Auctioneer however smiled. "Half a million Euros! Going once...going twice...SOLD! To the generous gentlemen in the back."

He couldn't remember much of the events that took place while he was being taken to his new home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~Eight Years Later~~~~~~~~~~~~

Francis sighed a little as he woke up that morning in his small room on his small cot that he had been given of course it was the ass crack. Of dawn but since when did that matter?

He got up and changed into his usual uniform, tying up his hair with a piece of old faded blue ribbon a little bird had brought him one time. It was in a short ponytail while the bangs hung down on either side of to frame his face. And the bandage he wore over his left eye. He hated the emerald eyed devil of a man he was left with. There wasn't a day where he wasn't covered in bandages and in pain as he laid down for bed in the evening. But that didn't mean he didn't do his job to the fullest of his abilities. Of course he or anyone for that matter (if they knew he existed that is) wouldn't know it with how beaten and bandaged he was.

"Merde...another day in hell..." He muttered before gathering his composture and silently made his way down the halls of the mansion to the kitchen. Drawing open the tapestries of the long windows that lined the halls as he went along where he quietly got started on breakfast and set the table.

He had just finished putting away the dishes he had used to cook after he appeared and he gave a respectful bow as he bustled over to pull out the chair for him. "Bonjour Master Kirkland. I have prepared one of your favorites for breakfast this morning." He said as he carefully pushed in his chair once he had been seated.

"Ah Master...may I please go to your room and collect your basket of clothes so that I can get started on the laundry?" He asked. Trying to hide the rear in his voice the more presence of him caused. Averting the gaze of his good eye.

Arthur glared at the man, after a moment he raised his right hand and backhanded him hard across the face. Look at me when you talk, slave!" He snapped. Putting emphasis is on the word slave, making sure Francis was reminded of what he was. "Honestly how long have you been working for me? Eight years? I didn't know someone could be so daft." He stared at the man for a few moments, satisfaction at the way he adjusted his injured legs and the bandages that covered him. "Go ahead, but I want you out of there in five minutes." He said as he picked up his fork and started to eat, watching Francis leave the room.

Francis bit back a yelp of pain as he felt the slap knowing it would only lead to worse things. "Sorry Master." He said with the faintest of trembles in his voice. Struggling to keep himself from stuttering and forced himself to meet Arthur's eyes. He nodded once he received the permission. "Yes, Master." Ugh...if he had a dollar for every time he had said master in the last eight years he would have enough to mount an escape.

He scurried off to do so. Of course Arthur's room was all the way across the house so there was no way he would be able to get there and back in five minutes, but he had only said in the room itself so that so that would be more than enough time. He finally reached the room where he quickly drew open the tapestries like he did to all the others and gathered up any articles of clothing and set in a basket before exiting the room and gently closing the door behind him. His feet next lead him to the laundry room where he got a load of wash going. He took a deep breathe and tenderly reached up to his still slightly red cheek before he padded his way back to the kitchen.

"Master Kirkland, will you be having any clients or guests over today so I may prepare accordingly?" He asked softly. Not wanting to get in trouble for raising his voice.

Arthur turned and said "You are late, be expecting a punishment later. And yes I have a guest coming. They will not be staying the night, they will only be here for lunch." Again Arthur stared at Francis for a few moments. "I do not even want the guest to know that you are here, let alone see you." Arthur's voice had a sharp edge to it when he said as such. "I hear one thing from my guest about you or if you are here and I will, well you don't want to know..."

Francis froze a little for only a mere second at the threat and was about to protest before he remembered the last time he had tried to argue back. He still wasn't sure how he survived...he never wanted that again. So he simply bowed his head a little. "I'm sorry Master." He murmured and then gave a quiet nod. "I shall be in my room getting the laundry folded. I will stay in there until you have finished. With your visitations. Would you like me to have Earl Gray tea and scones set out on the table before they arrive?"

A couple seconds ticked by as Arthur just stared at him and he shifted a little uneasily under his gaze. "That sounds a tad bit too quaint… Perhaps you could liven it up. Like add a few garnishes or something."

Arthur looked back to his food. "Why are you still standing there? I thought that you were going to your room." His voice had turned threatening and bordering on annoyed. "Well?! Get going!"

Francis nodded quietly at his order. "Oui, Master Kirkland. I will. I will be out at eleven."

"What have I told you about using that language?"

"Sorry Master..." He murmured quickly as he scurried out to the laundry and put the clothes in the dryer and in the dryer and got the next going. Afterwards he took refuge in his room and sagged down on his bed. Shaking as he tried to calm down, but he couldn't...he bit his lip. Well at least he had a hiding spot this time. Under his bed he had carved out a little trapdoor door dugout. Arthur would never think to look there. Or at least he hoped he wouldn't.

As promised at eleven, once Arthur was done with his breakfast, he made some nice fresh scones, a medium sized tray of sliced fruits with a light dusting of powdered sugar. He made a pot of Earl Gray tea and set two tea cups along with the tray and fruits and scones on the table and made it look very appetizing. Along with a pot of tea he had set out some creamer, honey, sugar and fresh lemon slices should his guest want to flavor up his tea a bit more. He took off and hung up his apron gather the four baskets of clean laundry and as promised was silently tucked away in his room, folding the laundry when the knock on the door announced the arrival of whoever it was Arthur was to meet.

Arthur pulled open the door, greeting his guest with a fake smile. He took them around the house, leaving out Francis's room. After a while of talking in the office they headed down to the dining room. They sat down to eat, and started talking. After they finished the food they headed back to the office and talked a bit more. Soon when the clock read half past eight pm the guest left.

Arthur smiled and waved to them before shutting the door and frowning. He started to head to Francis's room before quickly opening the door.

Francis went about his daily chores as if he were a ghost. Shuddering a little at the thought of what he would do if he were to caught being seen. Around twenty after eight pm when he vaguely caught the the two of them wrapping things up from down the hall in a separate room he hurried back to his own fearfully. Clambering under the bed and with a bit of a struggle he wiggle his way into the small space.

Clapping his hand over his mouth and hugging his knees to his chest. He startled silently as he heard the door slammed open. It was bad enough that he was still limping on both legs and already temporarily blinded in one eye, He needed at least one eye to see...otherwise he would be punished even worse for not doing chores because of something that wasn't his fault.

Arthur looked around the small room some more before walking out the door. closed it then started down the hall. Due to there only being one entrance to Francis's room Arthur would catch him eventually. He sat down at a chair right beside the exit to the hall. He looked around. If he had to wait for too long Arthur would probably just punish him worse than he already planned. He scowled before pulling a book out of one of the many bookcases scattered around the house.