A/N: Okay this is just a little experiment. I want to know what people think of this story. If people don't like it I won't add on, but if people do I'll keep updating. So please read and review, but I need people to review for me to update.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything kingdom hearts and that goes for this whole entire story, okay. I do however own both kingdom hearts I and II, but that's not really important.
xXx
"I'm looking to sell." A middle aged man struts into the old shop. His clothes are not the nicest that the shop owner has seen, but many have been struggling to survive in these hard times. Looking him over the owner notices the man's clothes weren't torn and yet were probably the man's best.
"Sell what?" he asked looking around for what the man is trying to sell and spotting nothing. Was he carrying it in a pocket?
"A slave," he says, a small grin on his face. Obviously the object was not in any of his pockets.
The owner looks at him not to happy with the look on his face, but he dismisses it, he's had far weirder customers that was for sure. "If it's a slave you want to sell find someplace else. I've enough men to sell and it's not easy finding a customer in these times." He turns to walk away, but stops when he hears what the man says next.
"Aw, but I am not looking to sell a man, but a young lady."
"A lady?" it was hard to find women slaves, mostly because they were used as puppets for the men who had higher positions and that made them worth quiet a lot. Not to mention that most farms wanted men to do labor and not women for house work, that was why they had wives. "Then perhaps I will consider it. Of what age is she?"
"She's nearly seventeen, a few weeks shy."
"And nationality?"
"The same as you and I, sir."
"And for how long has she been a slave?"
"Does it matter? As long as she gets done what is asked of her I would think it not to matter. Do you agree?" the man had been looking around the shop turning over the gadgets and gismos that were lying around, but now he turned and looked the shop keeper in the eye.
"I see, I see. Send her in, I'll keeper her for the night and in the morning when you come back," he waited for the man to nod before continuing, "I'll give you either the girl back or I'll give you what I think she is worth. Do we have a deal?" he held out his hand to the man who looked at him curiously.
"How can I trust that I will get either?" The man lowered his hand back down.
"What are you to believe, but my word?" when the man continued to stare at him he added, "I'll give you one of my man slaves, come back with him in the morning and we will see what becomes of our deal."
"Very well." He said and shook hands with the own, who realized that the man's hands were gloved with what seemed to be expensive leather, but he said nothing as the man pulled away and went back to the door.
He turned at the door and said, "One more thing, the girl has a disease." When he caught the look on the owners face he added, "But it is nothing to worry about, it's not contagious and she can take care of her self. Her medication will cost you not even a penny." Hearing that the owner sighed and nodded motioning for him to just go and get the girl before he changed his mind about the deal as he headed to the back room were he always kept his slaves to be viewed by the public. He was certain that this lady slave would get him a great deal more then it would cost him from this mindless man.
xXx
"Get out here!" the man snarled grabbing the girl by the wrist and pulling her out of the carriage. She stumbled, tripping over her own feet and falls to the ground. "Get up!" he growled yanking her to her feet, "clumsy girl, you better be good. If I don't get ride of you here then when we get back you're going to wish you were dead.
"Of course," the girl said smiling grimly as she wiped the dirt that she could off of her dress.
"This is going to be like a trial run. So you do whatever the man asks you to, no exceptions. Are you listening to me?" the man waves his hand in front of her face.
Looking up and gently pushing his hand away she says, "Yes, I'm listening."
"Good, so you do whatever he wants and don't you talk back like you did to the last one. I don't want you, you hear."
She nodded thinking to herself, Isn't that a great thing to hear from your own father.
Olette's father was the perfect example of what she didn't want to be like. He may be high up on the ladder, in fact he was a sergeant, but all of his munny "disappeared" when someone found out about his drug addiction and now he was selling whatever he could just to get some, including his only child.
Selling anything in these times were hard because of the war, Olette knew. Ever sense the war started the kingdom had started taking away the munny from its people to fund it. The Kingdom called it taxes, everyone else called it bankruptcy. The only people who found a way to make it easily in these times were the people who joined the armed forces or worked at making weapons for them. It was true that some stores did quiet well, but most owners were struggling just to make it. Even the farmers weren't too happy, with the constant hassling they got for the demand of food that they didn't have.
Olette also knew perfectly well that her father didn't need to sell her for munny. She had grown up in one of the larger houses in town and he could have easily just taken one of the many expensive pictures or vase (all of which cost at least 200 munny) and then blamed it on one of the maids, firing her (which would reduce the munny he had to pay in the first place). But Olette's father had hated her ever sense his one true love, her mother, had died giving birth to her. That meant that she grew up being abused and she had thought that normal for quite some time.
"Okay," he said, "come on, don't disappoint me this time." her father gave her a stern look before tying the rope he had around her wrist and dragging her to the shop's entrance.
xXx
The owner looked up when the door opened. The man came back in, followed by beautiful girl with chocolate brown hair and bright green eyes. She wore a tattered orange dress with white flower sewed to the bottom. The sleeves were torn, most likely from the hot summer that they had had, but now the nice weather was quickly coming to a close. The hem was covered in dirt and looking at the bottom of the dress he realized that the girl wasn't wearing any shoes, which wasn't un natural for a slave, but he did find it odd for some reason. Most men took better care of the woman they had, even it they were slaves and thought of as just a toy.
"Good, good," he said handing over the ropes to his own slave before receiving the girl's. She moved with the rope, making it obvious that she had been tied up before. "We have an agreement then?" he waited for the man to nod before he said, "I'll see you in the morning." the other man didn't say anything he just gave the girl a sharp look and walked out giving a hard tug to the rope of the slave that followed behind him.
"Now," the owner said, starting to circle his new prize who stood with her hands closely tucked at her sides and lips firmly sealed as her eyes followed the man, but before he could do anything or say anything more the door reopened letting in a new customer. He bit his lip and tied the girl to the wooden pillar saying, "I'll look at you later," before he went over to help the new arrivals.
xXx
Olette had enough rope that, if she wanted to, she could move approximately five feet, but she decided to sit on the floor instead. Why waste the time trying to get free, it would only get her into trouble, she knew that from experience.
She already had a plan, well a general idea of one anyway. She would let herself be sold away from her father and then she would find away out of whatever house or building that she was living in. It couldn't be that hard, right?
Olette had learned that humanity wasn't nice, and that there was no one in the world that would help her, she had to do it all on her own. Even God himself seemed to be against her most of the time.
Sighing she crossed her legs and closed her eyes to meditate, well she didn't have anything better to do. But after a few minutes she started to get the feeling that someone was watching her. Opening her eyes she saw a man with long silver hair calmly watching her from across the room. "I'm sorry," she said, "I'm not for sale, yet."
"That's fine," he said smiling lightly and moving over to the desk beside Olette and sitting down on it, "I'm just looking anyway, for now."
The man was wearing the outfit of an admiral, but what would an admiral be doing in this part of town? Plus the color of his outfit seemed to be a little off. It was still red like all the other admirals, but this was a deeper red then Olette remembered, closer to a blood red then the bright red that resembled a freshly picked rose. She ignored that little factor and asked him, "Why are you in this part of town, Admiral?"
He looked at her slightly shocked and raised one of his eyebrows, a talent that Olette always wished that she had, but also found quite over rated, "I'm impressed, you know my position."
"My fa...my last master was a sergeant and I grew up with him until not very long ago so I learned all the positions over time." She smiled smugly silently chiding herself for almost saying her father was the one who was selling her. "I also have an education. I can read and write and sometimes I used to steal books from the library so that I can read them, but don't worry, I always give them back."
The man chuckled, "I'm impressed, it's hard to find women slaves let alone ones that know all that. You might be worth more then I can get you for."
"Ha, that's what the owner of this shop thinks and he hasn't even paid for me yet. I'm thinking that he'll pay about 700 munny for me and you could get me at about 1000 at the cheapest if you give a good bargain, but he'll try and get a least 1500 out of me so that means he'll tell you that he wants somewhere from 1700-2000 munny."
"I can tell that you are educated. So tell me do you know when I can get you at the earliest, do you know?" the man asked.
Olette stood up and stretched with some difficulty being that she was still tied to the pillar. "Well," she said pretending that it wasn't an answer that she already knew, "I heard them talking and it sounded like I'd be staying here over night, like a trial run, and that my master would come pick up the munny that was owed to him in the morning. So knowing my old master I would say that if you came sometime in the late after noon you would be okay. But that's only if the owner decides to keep me because it is just a trial run, " Olette turns and looks at the admiral, "So if you wanted to make sure that you would have the opportunity to have me, I would go talk to the owner right now and tell him that you're interested."
"Yes, that's a good idea because," he looked Olette up and down, "I'm very interested."
Olette didn't like the tone he had in his voice, but she let it be. All she wanted was to get out of this and the sooner the better. Plus if it was with an admiral, she would probably get it have it better off then she would with anyone else, no matter how he treated her.
The man walked away without even thanking her, but it wasn't like she was expecting one. She had also learned growing up with her father that most of the people who were higher up could get what they wanted without being polite, so they weren't.
She stretched again listen to the mumbling that was coming from the other side of the shop. She looked over there reaching out with leg to pull the desk chair closer to her to sit on it. When the admiral looked over at her and smiled sending a small shiver went up Olette's back. There was something odd about this man, but there is something odd about everyone. Olette knew better then to be picky on who she went with, so she just forced a smiled back at him and went on to keep herself occupied by fidgeting with the lace on her dress.
xXx
"Come on," the owner said untying the rope from the pillar and gently pulling on the ropes to get Olette's attention. She got out of the chair and followed the man out of the shop, waited of him to lock up, and then followed him down the street until he stopped at the front of a small house.
He unlocked the door and walked in. Once he had locked back up again he untied the rope around Olette's wrists.
"Thank you," she said rubbing her wrist where the rope had left a mark and flexing them to get the feeling back in them, "What can I do for you?"
"The kitchen is over there," he said pointing to the door to the right, "make me something to eat. I've had a busy day and I'm hungry. Then after dinner you can heat up some water for my bath. I'll be in the main room when the food is ready just come and get me."
"Okay," Olette said, thinking that she had it better off then she thought that she would. She took the man's jacket and put it in the closet without being asked and then headed to the kitchen.
Looking in the cabinets and the icebox Olette found just enough to make a beef stew. She wasn't the best cook and she knew that, but she was good enough that people would eat what she made and not disregard it completely. She took her time on the meal, she was trying to impress they guy, not make him sick.
Finishing she found a bowl and put the soap inside. Then she went to the main room putting the bowl down and the table and looking around for the shop owner.
She found him in a small bed room down the hall. He stood at the side of a small night stand looking at the drawing of a young woman. "Dinner is ready, sir. I put it on the table." Olette started to leave not wanting to disturb the man.
"You know," he said stopping her and making her turn back, "You remind me of my wife. She died for this rear disease a few years ago." Olette didn't know what to say or do so she just nodded and smiled slightly at the man. "You look a lot like her," he continued, "she had the same colored brown hair. Not to mention that she had this orange dress that looked a lot like yours, with the white flowers on the bottom." he put the picture down and knelt beside the bed pulling a box out and then opening. He pulled out a bright orange dress, much like the only that Olette was wearing, like he said, but it was in much better condition. The sleeves weren't torn off and it wasn't covered with dirt like hers was either.
"It's a beautiful dress." She said.
The man nodded and held it out to her, "And I want you to have it. The one you have is torn and worn out, it won't last much longer. Plus, it's getting cold out and you don't have sleeves. Besides, it's been sitting here for to long, I think that it should get some use and you need it."
"Thank you," Olette said shocked that this man, who didn't even know her, was giving her a dress that he obviously cherished. She took it gently not know what to do now, finally though she broke the silence, "I'll go heat up the soap so it's warm when you come out and get your bath start..."
"Will you join me for super? It's been quite some time sense I've had company." the man said, looking weary and tired.
"If you would like, then yes. I'd be happy to."
"Yes. I'll be out in a minute."
Olette left still in shock. She draped the dress gently across the chair in the kitchen and put the soap back on stove for a few moments to heat up. She was just putting the two bowls back on the table when the man came in sat down. Olette took the set opposite and they eat in silence. When they finished she took the bowls back into the kitchen to wash them. The man appeared at the door as she put them back in the wooden cabinet.
"You can sleep on the couch. I'm sorry, but I don't have an extra blanket."
"That's fine." Olette could go with out a blanket for one night. She had dealt with worse, like when her father locked her outside of the house for an entire night in below zero temperatures. She had been over joyed when one of the maids opened the door the next morning.
He nodded and left going to his room for the rest of the night, not bothering to take the bath that he had wanted earlier. Olette, she found a bible sitting on the end table and read out of it until she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. She blow out the candle and lay down on the rather hard coach. But she couldn't sleep right away, she lay on her side looking out the window and up at the stars. They were they same no matter where she was, yet they were constantly changing. She liked that about them. When she was a kid she would always dreamed that when she died she wouldn't go to heaven or hell, but just go up not the sky and become one of the hundreds of millions of stars. Now she knew that that couldn't happen, but she could still dream.
xXx
Olette had breakfast ready for the man when he woke. She had a new bath ready for him as well, which he thank her for greatly, when he came into the main room and sat down at the table. Olette, who had been in the kitchen, came out and put the plate of bacon and eggs in front of him. He looked at her and smiled before he said, "You look lovely."
Olette smiled back, she was wearing the dress that the man had given to her the other night. At first she had been afraid to put it on, thinking that it had been a huge mistake, but she had forced herself to put it on that morning thinking that it was better to get hit and have the dress taken away, then to hurt the kind man by not wearing it. She was grateful for the gift from the man, but was still puzzled as to why he had given it to her.
As if the man could read her thoughts he said, "I gave the dress to you because you remind me of Alanna, my wife, and she always liked to help people when she could. It was quite obvious that you needed a new dress and I think that the color look perfect on you."
Olette nodded, not knowing what to say and went back into the kitchen for her own breakfast, but she did not join the man this time. Instead she stayed in the kitchen, eating while she looked out onto the already busy streets.
xXx
The man tied her up again before they left, "It's not that I don't trust you," he said, "it's just a safety precaution." Olette didn't mind though because, unlike when her father had tied her up, the rope was lose around her wrists and not cutting into her skin. She willing followed the man to the shop, almost sad that she knew that she would be leaving him so soon.
When they got there he untied her and gave her orders to feed the other slaves and make sure that the ones out front were presentable.
She brought them the tray of oat meal and when she came back with glasses of water they were already finished. Taking a glass one of them a blonde teen not much older then she asked, "So who are you? An assistant for the boss or just a girl he picked up off the street to have some fun with?"
He gulped down the water and started to choke when Olette slapped him on the back side of the head, "I'm just like you, another slave. And how could you be so rude as to think that I'm a..." she couldn't even think of it, she shook her head.
"Well, if you're a slave then why aren't you tied up like the rest of use are and you went home with the owner last night."
"Yeah, well it was a kind of trial run you could say. To see if he wanted to get me and sell me. My father will be coming in for his munny today." Olette sighed, she didn't like her father, but she didn't want to move either, she liked her house and she had become pretty good friends with most of the maids and servants there.
"Wait, did you say your father?" the blonde asked as she started gathering the cups from the others that had finished.
"Ops, did I let that slip. Just forget that I said that." She tried to walk away but the boy caught her dress and pulled her back.
"Your own father is selling you!" he sounded horrified.
"Don't worry about it I'm better off without him. Besides he can do whatever he wants with me, I am his child after all." Olette said trying not to sound to aggravated.
"Whatever, it's your problem now. I'm Demyx by the way."
"Olette," she said, "but don't get too attached to me because I'll be leaving pretty soon."
"You seem sure of that. Why?"
"Because I'm a girl and in case you didn't know it's hard to find women slaves right now, plus I'm young and beautiful."
"Who told you you were beautiful?"
"If that was an insult, I wasn't offended. And in case you're wondering, no one told me I just know it for a fact. How long have you been here?"
"What? Do I here someone changing the subject?" Demyx asked raising his eyebrows at her.
Olette just rolled her eyes and took the glass from him, "Just answer the question."
"I've been here for about," he started counting on his fingers, "five weeks or so."
"Really, I would have thought that some whore would have gotten you by know with your looks, but I guess your not a good looking as I thought." Seeing the look on Demyx's face Olette laughed and said, "So, whya still here?"
"Because no one wants me," when Olette gave him a stern look he added, "I don't know I guess I just don't have the skills that people are looking for. In case you didn't notice I'm not the most buffed out person out there. Before this I did a lot of circus stuff. Well not really, but I traveled with the circus. I'm a singer and musician, but no one really wants someone who can play music and sing not in these hard times, it would just be a waste of munny and I agree."
"Well no wonder you haven't left here yet, acting like that. Nobody wants a depressed slave." Olette laughed, she couldn't help it, and there was just something about that guy.
"Olette, get out here and start sweeping the floors before people start arriving." the owner voice said from the front of the shop.
"Yes, sir." Olette yelled up there. She collected the rest of the glasses and then said to Demyx, "Good luck. Maybe today is your lucky day."
"Yeah," she heard him mumble, "I wish."
xXx
Olette's father came in while she was sitting behind the desk doing so paperwork for the owner. She watched as he can in, today he was dressed in uniform, a dark green suit that was fading in color with age now. There were several badges pinned to his left pocket and his belt was a golden yellow, different then his normal blue one. He walked right up to the owner and raised his eyebrow, just a single one, without saying a word.
"Yes, yes. Your payment of course for the girl." he came over to the safe behind Olette and the desk, pulled out a ring of keys and started to open it. Olette looked at her father. He didn't seem to be coming back down from a high, but these days it was harder to tell because it was just so natural. He didn't look at her but keep his eyes on the owner behind her as if she wasn't there. Olette didn't mind in fact she was glad that for once her father was ignoring her while she was in the room, instead of throwing harsh words or even a punch at her like he usually did. Finally the owner got the safe open and he pulled out the munny, but he hesitated giving it to him, "Where is the slave that I gave to you for my word that you would get the munny this morning?" he asked.
"Humph," her father said and went back out side, when he came back in he was dragging the slave in behind him. He handed him over, snatched the munny and counted the munny and without a word walked out of the door.
"Not a very talkative man is he?" the owner asked handing the slave to Olette so that she would bring him back with the others.
"Well, it really depends on his mood. I'd say he's in a good one today." And she went to do what was wanted of her.
xXx
The admiral came about an hour later. He opened the door and looked at Olette, who was still doing paperwork. Seeing him though she sat back in the chair, she needed a brake from this stuff, it wasn't complicated, but her hand was going numb from all the writing and it was plan boring. Olette would rather be in the back talking to Demyx and the others.
She watched as the admiral went up to the shop keeper and started to talk, Olette couldn't hear what they were saying, but she really didn't need to. The hand gestures and body language were enough to show that they weren't agreeing at first.
Finally the admiral pulled a wallet out of his back pocket and started counting out the bills, although he didn't look too pleased. The shop owner took the bills and came over to Olette, he put the munny in the safe before he said, "Admiral Xemnas has bought you and Demyx, so why don't you go grab him from the back."
I nodded and got out of my seat. Looking at the admiral I smiled and waved, before disappearing into the back away from his view. I opened the door with the key on the other side of the room and said, "Come on Demyx, it's your lucky day you've been bought."
Demyx looked up from the floor his eyes glowing brightly, "Really? By whom? "
"An admiral," Olette said, "and you better thank me later."
"Why?"
"Because he got me too." Olette said taking his rope and pulling him out of the cell behind her before locking it back up. She felt bad that she had to leave all the other slaves behind but she couldn't very well take all of them. She was lucky to even be taking Demyx with her, because she hadn't even been expecting that.
Xemnas took Demyx's ropes in his mouth and pulled another rope off the desk that he tied around Olette's wrists. She didn't object, but simply frowned lightly. He finished and took the rope out of his mouth, "Just for precautions." He said.
"That's what they all say," Olette said back, "and it's not like I have anywhere else to go."
He just glared at her and pulled her and Demyx out of the store. He put them inside of the carriage and let the ropes go once they were inside with the doors closed and horses moving. Then he looked at Olette who he had sitting directly across from him and said, "You better be a good little girl, because I had to get this idiot to get a good deal on you."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she wasn't really, "what did you pay? 1700? 1800? For both of us that's a good deal no matter where you are. And you should really learn to be nicer to people, although I guess its better then talking behind their back." She glanced over at Demyx who seemed to be pretending that he wasn't listening.
"And you should learn not to talk back to your superiors." He said smiling at her. Olette was slightly disturbed by that smile but just pushed the feeling away thinking nothing of it. She looked over at Demyx who looked worried, but she didn't know why, he was finally out of the "rat's nest" part of town. The just shrugged to her self, Demyx could do what ever Demyx liked as long is was okay with their new owner.
The carriage came to a stop sooner then Olette expected and it was so abrupt that she flew forward right into Xemnas, "Sorry," she mumble pushing herself back up with one hand on each side of him, she felt his hand brush hers lightly as he said, "That's quite all right." When she looked up at him he was smiling down at her and she gave him a small smile in return, before fully pushing her self off of him.
Getting out of the carriage Olette couldn't believe what she had just done. She couldn't figure out if she had fallen on purpose or not. She knew she was trying to be a good slave that the master would like, but…maybe Demyx's thoughts were right, maybe she was a whore or she was starting to turn into one. I mean what if this guy was married? She didn't know. He very well could be married. What was she getting herself into?
Demyx bumped Olette getting out and Olette came out of her mind and back into the world. They were standing in front of, what had to be, one of the biggest houses in the city. It was four stores high and was painted a dark red like admiral's suit. The trimming on the house was dark blue that almost looked black, maybe it was black and there were more windows then Olette could count. She looked behind her and realized that there was a high red brick wall circling around the entire property and a gate with a gravel path that lead to the front of the house that they had just come through. The whole place, minus the brick wall, reminded her of the large hotel that her and her father had stayed at when they were moving into town over ten years ago.
"Come," Xemnas said, "I'll have one of maids show you to your rooms and then show you around the house." He untied the ropes around our hands as I heard the sound of the front gates closing, "When the gates are closed there is no way out and when they are open you will be under close watch so don't even try to escape."
He started walking towards the house and he beckoned for us to follow him. We did, and Olette had to jog almost to keep up with his quick pace, "Plus, you will be wearing bracelets that can detect if you leave the premises and warn me. The only way that you will be allowed to get off these grounds is if you are accompanied by me or one of my trusted servants." He turned before opening the door and looked at us, "And please take off your shoes when we get inside I don't want you to soil the carpet, I just had it replaced last month."
He opened the door to an amazing front entrance. Olette had always thought that her father's entrance was nice, but this out shot it by the long run. The ceiling was painted with gold, the floors where wood that was so new it still smelt like wood, and the walls looked like they were hand painted with cherry blossom trees, one in each corner. The bench that sat to the right of them was covered with the designs of cherry blossoms as well and it was simple amazing, Olette wondered if anyone could sit on a bench that looked that delicate.
"Kairi! Sora!" Xemnas barked as he and Demyx took off their shoes and stepped onto the extremely soft carpet covering the floor in the hall. Instantly a red haired girl in a pink dress and a boy with very spiky brown hair wearing an all black outfit that looked something like a suit appeared in front of them, "Show your new coworkers to their rooms and give them a tour of the house. Tell them the rules and introduce them to anyone that you see. Oh, and don't forget the bracelets." The two nodded and the admiral started to walk away, but he stopped and whispered something to the red head. She nodded again and the admiral went up the stair calling for one of the other maids.
"I'm Kairi," the girl said, "and I'm the cook's assistant. This is Sora and he's the butler." The brown haired boy waved his hand a huge grin on his face.
"Hi, I'm Olette and this is Demyx." Olette said, "How long have you been working here?"
"We both started about a year ago, right before the war started." Kairi said, "Come on, I'll take you to your room."
"Yeah," Sora said, "and I'll take you." He grabbed Demyx by the upper arm and started dragging him down the hall to their right.
As the two girls started walking in the other direction Kairi said, "The girl and guys rooms are on separate sides of the house to keep from causing trouble, and to keep each other out of the others rooms. Trust me it's impossible to go from one side of this house to the other without getting caught no matter what time of day it is."
At the end of the hall Kairi opened the door to a small space that served as a hall that lead to several other small rooms each holding two beds and a dresser. She pushed open one door and Olette looked in. It was a simple room with two beds and a dresser, like the others. It also had white walls and barely enough room to move in. "This is your room and right now you have it to yourself so enjoy it while it lasts. You'll get clean sheets once a week, but you have to remember to put your dirty ones in the bin," she pointed to the bin that was next to the door that they came through, "You can put your cloths in the dresser and you have to clean them yourself when you find the time."
Olette looked at the dresser, "What if this is all that I have?" She looked down at the dress she was wearing, she had gotten rid of the other dress this one was so much better and she didn't think that she would even need it again.
"I'll just have to tell Xemnas. He'll get you some new clothes the next time he's in town. Come on, let's keep moving." Olette followed Kairi up the servant's stairs to another set of rooms then out the door to the main hall on the second floor. "Downstairs is the ball room, visiting room, kitchen, and dining room. This floor is the library and the study."
She walked a little farther and what Olette thought was a hall turned into a small walkway that led into the huge library. There were book covering all of the walls from floor to ceiling. The little part of the walls that could be scene were a deep red, almost a maroon. There where huge chandlers that held candles that must always be kept light and ladders that ran along the walls making it easier to access the book on the upper shelves. In one corner there was a small desk and a few cabinets. It was amazing, like nothing that Olette had ever scene.
"Are you aloud to read some of the books?" Olette asked, her eyes still trying to take in the sight of so many books in one place.
"You can read?" Kairi said, but before Olette could answer she added, "You can if you get permission from the admiral, but only a few of us can read and even fewer are aloud to take books out. But he doesn't mind if you're in here when you have time and just skim over them. Now come on." She had to drag the other girl out of the room and up the stairs that led to the third floor.
"This is all guest rooms. Some of the maids and workers sleep in these rooms when the admiral is gone, but he knows that. As long as they are in the same condition as they were when he left he doesn't seem to mind. He does leave a super visor for us when he's gone, but the guy spends the whole time drunk so…"
Kairi opens the door to one of the rooms and Olette looks in to the gorgeous room with gold trimming on the floor, which was the same soft carpet that the floors downstairs had. The walls were a dark green and the sheet and curtain were the same deep red that was in the library. There was a small desk in one corner of the room and a small couch on the other. The bed was in the center with the head rest pressed against the wall that the door was on and across the room there were balcony doors that looked out onto the back yard gardens.
"Wow, this place is amazing." Olette said, "So what's on the top floor?" she started to move up them curiously.
"That's the admiral's room and very, very few are aloud up there." Kairi said. "We should be getting to work and sense you don't have an assignment yet you can just help out where ever you're needed. Come on we'll find you something to do."
They wondered back down stairs and into the kitchen where a middle aged fat lady was working at the stove. "There you are Kairi go into town for me and get some carrots I can't believe that we're out of carrots. Oh, and we also need tomatoes while you there and…" the women started to list of a great number of foods some that Olette had never even heard of before. Suddenly the women stopped talking and looked at Olette, "And who might this charming young lady be?"
"Tessa this is Olette. Olette, Tessa. Tessa is the main cook here and she cooks for everyone." Kairi said to Olette. Then turning to Tessa she said, "Olette is one of the new slaves that the admiral brought home with him today and…the bracelet! I forgot the bracelet!" looking panicked she ran out of the room.
"So," Tessa said, "you're a slave. Poor thing," she stirred the pot that was on the stove and shook her head sadly, "How long have you been a slave?"
"Well," Olette said, "It depends on how you look at it. You could say 17 years or you could say just a few days or anywhere in between really." The cook gave her a weird look and she said, "It's complicated."
She was glad that Kairi came back in now because it meant that she didn't have to say anything else. The girl was carrying a single gold chain with a white pearl on the end of it. She took Olette's wrist and clasped the chain to her.
"I know," she said, "it's a lot more beautiful then you would expect, but hey I wouldn't complain."
"So why don't you have a bracelet?"
"Because," Tessa answered, "we just work here and you belong to the admiral. We may get the same treatment most of the time, but we have more free will. We can leave when ever we want."
Olette nodded, understanding. She looked around and found that Kairi was already gone. "Well, I'm going to go find something that I can help with."
"You sure you don't want to help me?" Tessa asked, but Olette was already heading for the door.
"I'm really not that good of a cook," she said over her shoulder and she went out the door that led into the open air. It must be a side door, Olette thought. She stood at the door for a moment before she heard something, it sound like music. She started walking towards the sound and she realized that it was music and a song that she knew. Humming along with it at first until she came almost right up to the source of it and she couldn't help herself and started to sing.
She heard the music stop as her turned around the corner and stopped her self shortly after look up from the ground. Demyx was sitting on a stool playing a guitar and Xemnas was standing by listening to him. Olette blushed, "Sorry," she said, "I just knew the song and…" she trailed off looking back at the ground.
"Why do you look ashamed?" she heard Xemnas said coming over and putting his hand under her chin and making her look up into his eyes, "you have a beautiful voice…and I would like to hear more. What other songs do you know?"
Olette looked up, "None, I just learned that one from one of the maids at my old house, sir."
"Hmm, then I think we're going to have to change that. Demyx, you will tutor the girl will you not?"
"Sure."
"Good, then you're lessons start now." He smiled, dropped his hand, and walked away leaving the two of them to practice.
xXx
"Did you learn any full songs today?" Xemnas asked taking his place at the dinner table. He was eating alone tonight which Olette was told was pretty rare most of the time he had of others like admirals and once even the prince and his uncle.
"A few, but I'm really not that good yet." Olette set the plate down in front of her owner. Tonight's dinner consisted of chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, and a side dish that looked oddly like fried onions.
"Sing to me." Xemnas said it wasn't really and order, but it wasn't a question either. When he looked over at Olette who was still standing against the wall biting her lip he said, "Come on, and stand over there." he pointed at the small empty area in the room across from him.
Olette nodded and moved over slowly, but just as she opened her mouth to start...
"Where is that musical boy he should be in here too. With that instrument."
Olette closed her mouth so she didn't look like an idiot and waited for Demyx. He didn't take long, but thinking about it she realized that he was probably in the kitchen waiting of his dinner already.
"Yes, sir?" Demyx stood next to me, holding his guitar, and looking at the admiral.
"Play a song with the girl." this time as he spoke it was an order, Demyx had no exceptions he was playing.
He nodded and strummed a few notes before looking at Olette. She took a deep breath to calm herself down even though, to her surprise, she wasn't all that nervous. Then she nodded to Demyx who played the starting chord to the first song he had taught her.
Olette sang looking at her feet and the end of the table for the first half of the song, but half way through Xemnas said, "Can you look up from the ground?" Olette was shocked that his voice was so gentle when he asked her that as she looked up at him she stumbled on the words. She quickly recovered and keeping her head up and eyes on the admiral, she blushed.
When she finished the song and Demyx held the last cord Xemnas clapped lightly, "That was beautiful," he said taking the last bite of mashed potatoes off his plate. "You are both dismissed. I'll have one of the other servants take my plate.
They nodded and Demyx left as fast as he could although Olette wasn't sure why. Was he really that hungry? But she pushed that thought away and went slowly over towards the door stopping at the admiral's side, "Are you sure you don't me to wait for you to finish? I'm okay with not eating until later."
"No, that's quite alright. You should really get something to eat."
"Thank you and sir," he looked up at the girl smiling down at him from where she stood, "You really should eat your beans, they're good for you." Still smiling she walked away into the kitchen. Xemnas looked down at the plate in front of him which contained mostly green beans. He chuckled to him self and taking a few of the bean on his fork he thought, That is one heck of a girl.
xXx
"What's going on?" Olette asked taking a seat next to Demyx and looking around the small side yard where everyone who wasn't on duty was sitting in the grass, which was surprisingly soft.
"Not fully sure, but from what I got they do a cool little open stage thing once a month and anyone who wants to can go up in front of an audience, that would be us, and perform what ever they want. Pretty cool, huh?" Demyx had his eyes practically glued to the small stage, which was really just a small area left open in the grass. His eyes were glowing with excitement and Olette wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly started jumping up and down.
"Sure," Olette said, "sounds like fun." she paused looking up at the stage, "Maybe you should go up and do something?"
"What me?" Demyx was turning pale, "No I couldn't."
Olette laughed, "Aren't you a music performer? Just go up there and do your thing, trust me everyone will love you." Olette paused looking at the boy who was just getting whiter with every word that she said, "Wait, Demyx, do you have stage fright?"
The boy bites his lip not looking her in the eyes, "Maybe just a little," he said.
Olette shook her head, "Just don't think of it as a stage. Think of it as just another piece of ground that gets the great opportunity to have you standing on it while you play your music."
Demyx smiled at her, but shook his head, "I think I'll wait until next time to play. For now I'll just watch." Olette sighed, but looked up at the stage where the first performer was now standing.
xXx
It had been a thrill for Olette to see the performance. Even though some of the people weren't all that good, a lot of them had talent. Plus she had never seen anything performed in her life so a whole almost two hour worth was nearly overwhelming. Not to mention that at one point she had been pulled onto the stage from the audience to dance with one of the men whose partner had run off stage when he stepped on her foot. But now Olette was simply lying on her back in her new bedroom, looking up at the plain white ceiling.
She'd been trying to fall asleep for a least an hour now, but her mind would not let her. She was being swallowed in by her thoughts. Her mind was at war...with it's self.
xXx
Xemnas got you, but why?
Because I'm smart.
No, because you're beautiful.
I'm not that beautiful.
Yes, you are. Haven't you seen the way that men look at you when you walk through town.
...
Told you.
Stop it! I mean...arg
And you're kissing up to the admiral.
Am not!
Yes you are. You're flirting with him.
No, I'm not.
Stop trying to tell yourself that. You know that you are. Admit it you're trying to get him to take you to bed.
Shut up!!
But you are and you know it.
I said, Shut up!!
It's just part of your plan to get out of here. Isn't it?
sigh Yes.
You admit it then.
Yes I admit now leave me alone I'm trying to sleep and at this rate I won't get any sleep tonight.
As you wish.
xXx
But even after the war in her head subsided, Olette still took a long time to fall asleep. And she spent that time frustrated at her self for not thinking of a better, cleaner, way to get her self out of this mess.
xXx
"Hey," Demyx came into the garden for yet another music lesson. It was there fourth day here and already Olette was getting annoyed with these lessons. To her they were a waste of time and Demyx was bossy and mean when it came to teaching her. Nothing could ever be done wrong. The other day she had been chided by him for stumbling on the words when she was singing at dinner to Xemnas. "Are you okay you look kind of pale." He said coming closer and putting the back of his hand against her forehead.
"I'm fine," Olette said pushing his hand away quickly, "Let's get started."
"Okay," Demyx said, but there was hesitation in his voice. But he didn't say anything else as he picked up his guitar and started to tune it. Finished he said, "Let's start by reviewing what you know so far. Are you sure you're okay."
Olette had her arms wrapped around herself and she was shaking ferociously. "Y-yeah." she said her teeth chattering.
"Now know what, no. You are going straight to bed." Demyx put down the guitar and started pushing Olette towards the door.
"No really I'm fine," Olette said forcing her body to stop shaking.
"No you are going to rest for now and we'll pick your lessons where we were tomorrow. No exceptions," Demyx added when Olette opened her mouth to protest.
Demyx pushed her all the way to the girl's rooms and waited for her to sit down on her bed before he said, "I'm going to get Tessa to cook you some soup, and I want you to still be in there when she brings it." He gave her a firm look before he turned and walked down the hall towards the kitchen.
Olette sighed. She wasn't really sick or even tired, just cold. Although Demyx must have thought it odd since it had to be at least 70 degrees making it one of the warmer days of the week. But she wasn't going to argue with him, so she leaned against the wall waiting of Tessa.
xXx
"Here you go darling," Tessa said handing the bowl over to Olette, "I hope you feel better soon."
"I'll be fine," Olette said taking a spoonful of the soup and letting it run down her throat. Now she was kind of glad that Demyx had made her wait for Tessa because the soup was really warming her up and she wasn't shaking any more.
"That's good to hear," Tessa sat on the edge of the bed, "You know the admiral is worried about you. He hopes that you feel better soon. He would say it himself, but Demyx isn't letting anyone near you saying that it's better for your recovery."
Olette shook her head, "I'm fine, not sick at all. I was just cold. Demyx is worrying to much."
"In 70 degree weather? Honey that's not natural and you should feel lucky to have someone who cares for you like Demyx seems to."
"Yeah, he's kind of been like a big brother to me for the last few days. It's not something that I'm used to, but he's the one who's going to get sick with all his worrying." Olette took the last spoonful of soup and handed the bowl over to Tessa. "I'm fine, really." And she got up heading for the kitchen it would be about lunch time now so like always she would be serving Xemnas.
She was shocked though when she saw Demyx holding Xemnas back at the door,\.
"Look I'd just like to make sure that she's okay. I'll be in and out in a minute." Xemnas sounded annoyed and Olette didn't really blame him.
"She needs to rest." Demyx said.
"And you need to not worry so much." Olette said making both of the men to look up at her.
"You should be resting." Demyx said.
"I told you I'm fine." She went up and put her hand on Demyx's shoulder making him step back, away from the door way. She let go of him and turned to Xemnas, "My apologies of slacking off."
"Not at all, if you weren't feeling well you should have just said so this morning." He smiled at her gently.
Olette bowed, "Next time I will, but I'm feeling much better now, so I'll be going back to work. Lunch should be ready shortly."
xXx
"Are you sure that you should be working." Kairi said, "I agree with Demyx you look kind of pale."
"Would you stop it." Olette said almost frustrated, people had been telling her to take it easy and just go rest all day and it was getting on her nerves. She took the dinner plate that she was supposed to bring out for the admiral, "I'm fine."
She went out and put the plate down in front of Xemnas, "Enjoy," she said smiling at him for a moment before starting to head back to the kitchen.
"Wait." the admiral said looking at Olette who had stopped at the door, "would you come up to my room when you finish eating?"
"As you wish sir." Olette said, holding her composure until she walked through the door to the kitchen. She face was mirrored by Kairi and Tessa when she looked at them, shocked. Kairi and Tessa because it was probably pretty rare for them to hear that and they knew what it meant. Olette because she hadn't expected it so soon.
Tessa broke the silence, "I'll get you something to eat right away." And she started bustling around the kitchen for things that she needed. Kairi continued to start at Olette in horror for a moment until Tessa asked her where the wooden spoon had gone.
Kairi pulled her eyes away from Olette and said, "Tessa, you're holding it."
Tessa looked at her handing holding the wooden spoon and gave a little "Oh," before continuing what she was doing before-hand.
(End of Chapter One: Sold and Bought)
xXx
A/N: So people please tell me what you think of it so far. I know it's a little weird and you haven't even met Roxas yet, but if you review and I update more he comes in, in the next chapter, but you need to review.
Sorry, I'm trying not to be bossy about the reviewing thing, but I really want to know what people think.