Finding Freedom
By Shai Ryder
Notes: I really don't intend for this to be Obi/Qui slash, although it may seem Obi and Qui are close. I have no idea where this is going, but I wanted to try an Obi slave fic that is non-slash. Please review and give me any suggestions you have!! I return favours J
The young slave ran through the streets, water pouring from his brow. Twilight was descending over the city, creating shadows everywhere. The slave knew he was later that he was supposed to be, but it hadn't been his fault. His low status of slave made for others to take advantage of him, cutting him in lines, ignoring him even.
The slave's name was Obi Wan. Obi Wan knew that if his master's son was home he was in trouble. Young Master Xanatos was unmerciful and did not listen to any excuses. To him if you were late, you were late. He'd have a strapping that would remain with him for several days. Then again if his Master was in from his latest trip he would have nothing to worry about.
The streets were slick from the rain and muddied dust. Obi's rough sandals did not protect his feet from the muck. The thin tunic and hood he wore kept none of the dampness out. Finally he rounded the street of his home.
It was a modest townhouse, big enough for Master and his son and several slaves. Master's wife had died many years back, and he still grieved for her. The sorrow had aged the man to look older than he really was. He was gone a lot of the time, leaving the running of the estates and household to his son. Whenever he was home he wore a sad smile, not talking to many people and keeping to himself.
Obi Wan reached the house and walked along side it, going in the backdoor. "By the all the gods, boy!" shrieked the cook "Cookie" as she was known. "The young master called for you nearly an hour ago and I told him that you weren't back yet. You better thank your skin that Master Jinn has returned! Only fifteen minutes ago!"
"Thank be, Cookie!
Shall I attend him?"
"Not soaking wet like that boy! Go change your tunic and then get your butt upstairs so you can be of use!"
"Yes'm!" Obi kicked off his muddy sandals, which might as well be ruined. He went beyond the warm kitchen into the cold servant quarters. The females slept together in one large room, cots all against one white wall and two dressers against the other. A worn red rug spanned the floor. Obi passed that room and went into an even smaller room where two cots lie and only one dresser. This was what he called home.
There was another male slave in the house, but he never slept down here. Obi tried not to think of it too much. The slave was named Nikos and he was Xanatos's bed slave. Nikos had used to be Obi's best friend, sort of an older brother. Then Xanatos stole him away on a vacation and when Nikos came back he completely ignored Obi. There was a hollow look in his eye that never went away. He didn't even give Obi a sad smile when passing each other in the hallway.
Peeling off his soaked tunic and hood, and on a fresh one, Obi couldn't help but start shivering. It had to be nearly ten now. He'd been about town making deliveries and messages since eight this morning and had only eaten bread and butter for breakfast. Knowing his really bad luck he'd be cleaning Xantos's room for an hour while he pleasured himself with Nikos.
Not bothering with shoes, Obi bounded up the steps that led to back part of the house where the living corridors were. Obi headed to Xanatos's bedroom door first—best to get the demon over and done with. The door flung open as Obi knocked quietly.
"Damnit boy, I called for you nearly an hour ago."
Obi kneeled down on knees, half way in the doorway, and pressed my forehead to the ground. "Mercy, please, Master Xanatos. The deliveries took a long time today. I've only returned five minutes ago, Master."
"Bah! You said that last time you were late. If I didn't know better I'd say you were wasting my time out there!" Master Xanatos dug his fingers into Obi's arm and lifted him up to his feet and threw him against the wall. Obi slipped to his knees again, trying to make himself seem smaller. He had no idea his young master would be this angry.
He heard Nikos quickly moving to the other side of the room, avoiding their raging master. "Do you have anything to say for yourself!" Xanatos shouted more than asked.
"I have notes, Master, from nobles! They explain what took so long."
"Give them to me!" Obi reached around his tunic, realizing the notes were in his soaking wet hood. They'd be ruined, the ink smeared.
"Wet. They are wet, Master. You would not be able to read them." Obi prepared himself for the worst.
"I shall strap you slave, and show you never to waste my time! There is plenty of work about here that can keep you busy. You will no longer leave this house!" Obi flinched. Breathing hard, he sat up and pressed his lips into Xanatos's bare feet.
"When, Master?"
"Now. Nikos!" Xanatos barked.
"Master?" squeaked out Nikos who had positioned himself on the other side of the room.
"Bring your strap." Nikos nodded and produced the strap from atop the dresser. "Bend over, damnit. On the bed." Obi did so; grateful he did not have to bare his buttocks to that particular humility.
The strapping was the hardest he had ever taken as a slave. Tears were freely flowing down his cheeks. Sobs wracked his tired body. After thirty strokes it didn't matter that his butt had not been showing because it was now, the clothe shredded from the blows.
"Get up." Obi landed back on his feet, ass and back on fire. "Speak."
Obi shakily kneeled down again, kissing his Master's toes. "I shall do better, Master. I hope I will not always be a problem."
"Get out of here!" Xanatos barked, nudging Obi's face with his foot. Obi bowed his head into the cold floor and fled the room, all too aware his ass was showing. He raced past the female corridors. Luckily none where there.
He flung his exhausted and abused body onto his cot and sobbed quietly until he fell asleep at last.
Two hours later he felt soft hands rubbing his back. Sleepily he rolled over to see who it was. Cookie looked down at the young man's face. "Little Obi, poor little one. I'm putting cream on your welts."
"Thank you, Cookie." Obi murmured, burying his face into his pillow.
"You've been foolish, Obi."
"Cookie?" Obi asked, voice rimmed with fear.
"You should have gone to the Master first."
"But I did, Cookie!"
"No, silly boy, Master Jinn! He asked for you as well. He was not happy to hear you were being beaten."
Obi looked back a few hours past, trying to figure out why he went to Master Xanatos first. "But Cookie," he asked realizing, "you said Master Xanatos had called for me earlier."
"Aye. You shouldn't have listened." Cookie finished rubbing the healing cream into the angry stripes. "Good Obi. Sleep in a bit in the morning, I'll do your kitchen duties. I'll wake you before nine to go see the Master."
"…"
"Obi, do you understand?" But all Cookie heard was the soft snoring of Obi.
Obi walked quietly up the stairs and down the hall, past Xanatos's room and to his Master's huge bedroom corridors, the largest rooms in the house. He'd cleaned himself up, washing his blond hair. "Obi you're not a bed slave, for goodness sakes!" Cookie had called to him from the kitchen while he bathed.
"I don't want to stink either, Cookie!"
"Hurry up, boy!"
Obi shook his head, laughing inside at the memory. Thanks to Cookie's cream his bottom and back didn't burn and would not scar. Cookie had said if the strapping had been delivered on bare skin he'd would have bled.
Xanatos had left earlier that morning, not wanting to stay in the same house as his father. Nikos had been given to Xanatos's noble friend, a young Lord named Riley, to be watched over. Obi thought it was sad that Xanatos shunned his father as much as he did. They'd probably not even spoken more than a few words.
Obi reached the door of his Master and paused to knock quietly. His knees shook, he was so nervous. The door swung open and Master Jinn stood there, maroon robe on and coffee mug in hand. "Ah, Obi."
Obi swallowed and dropped to his knees, forehead on the floor as he always did whenever he met with one of his masters. "None of that, now." Master Jinn gently pulled Obi upright and guided him into his cozy room. "Take off your tunic and let me see your back." Obi did not hesitate to obey for he had on soft leggings. He carefully folded up his best tunic and laid it on a chair. He bent down on one knee, permitting easier access to his Master to view his back.
"Good. No scarring. Pray tell, Obi, what led my son to strap you so?"
"I was to be back before eight, Master. The hour was nearly ten when I came in."
"What took you so long? You were not given a extraordinary number of deliveries to be made."
"People are cruel to slaves, Master. I am cut in lines and often ignored by guards and others. I dare not speak out for fear I will be beaten and chastised." Obi's voice faltered at the end of his little speech for the threat of being publicly punished scared him.
Master Jinn's large hands patted Obi on the shoulder and lent him a hand to stand up again. "Alright, it's alright. Xanatos will be away while I am here. I will not beat you unless I have a good reason, and I suspect you will not leave me to do that."
"No, Master." Obi whispered, sincere.
"Good. Now…I would like some more coffee and my dogs to be let out of the kitchen."
"Dogs, Master?"
"Aye. I have gotten two new hound puppies. Bring them up to me if they no longer wet."
"Yes, Master." Obi returned to his knees and kissed his Master's feet then walked from the room. But as soon as he hit the hall he ran down the stairs, forgetting that slaves must always move quietly. Puppies!
TBC…maybe. Is this stupid or no? I don't want this to end up slashy…at least not between Obi and Qui. Please review!!