Emancipation

Checkpoint

"It's been a few months, hasn't it Master?"

My name is Yuusei and that's all. Around eight months ago I ran away from my home in Neo Domino Castle and away from the things that caused me so much pain. I ran to Satellite to the little cottage where my former Master lives in hiding after escaping from the castle dungeons.

I found Sho there too. Master had been harboring him ever since he escaped. They had been planning my death for a while but since I started living with them, they've since stopped. It doesn't stop me from sleeping with a lock on my door and window.

Kiryu hummed as I poured water on his head and washed his hair. I didn't like to address him as anything other than Master because it was just my personal preference. I didn't want to become too attached here despite living here in secret for more than half a year. If I felt the need to abandon these two I had become accustom to living with, I would without hesitation.

"Where is Little Blue?" He asked me.

"Sho went to the market for more food."

It's a good thing Kiryu had a habit of putting aside random amounts of money. We just recently found a pouch of parchment money that would get us food for almost a year if we spent it right. I had taken over the duty of cooking and taking care of Kiryu as his sickness was debilitating and he would get senile moments as if he were an old man like now and couldn't even bathe himself. He had such a high fever and bad cough for so long it was no surprise that his head wasn't on straight anymore. It was hard to remember that he was only twenty-four now.

Sho was the only one who could go outside because if anyone saw Kiryu and knew he was wanted, we couldn't chance that they wouldn't turn him in. I couldn't go because my face might not be known but my features were. I was the King's slave and if I was seen the reward for turning me in would probably be higher than Kiryu's head on a stick.

I poured water again and washed Kiryu's arms and legs. "You're such a good boy Yuu, I love you."

"Yes, Master. I know." He repeated the same things over and over to me and as I helped him stand and dry his stupidly tall body, I couldn't wait until he regained his sanity again.

I heard the door open and slam just as quickly and I smiled as I dressed Kiryu. "You hear that Master? Sho is home."

"I'm back!"

"Welcome home!" I called. I pulled Kiryu's pants up and tied a leather cord around them so they would stay up because he's so thin. I led him to the living room and sat him down in his favorite chair.

I shivered as I remembered kneeling at that place on the floor and getting kicked in the face more than once.

"Meat and apples are getting so expensive." Sho complained as I came around to help him unpack the satchel.

"Yeah? What did you get this time?" I asked.

"I got some fresh goose that we can use for stew and that should last a few days. I got a bushel of apples and loads of dried beef. Probably half a cow's worth of dried beef. It's getting cold here again so we're gonna need it. There's some carrot and potato here too. All of the scallion crops had died so there was none for sale."

"We'll have to do without the scallions. The soup can still be delicious."

He was silent as I pulled out the skinned goose and prepped it. "What's wrong?"

"I was wondering how we're going to survive this coming winter if we can't light the fire."

I sighed as I began slicing the goose meat from the bones. "I thought about it too, but we'll have to light it. The overgrowth probably has already started to die and there will be no other insulation for the cottage. You'll have to go out tomorrow and see what kind of furs they have now because it's going to be a hard winter. We'll need a multitude of them just to stay warm and if we can cover the chimney to prevent too much smoke from leaving and more cold air coming in. You'll have to help me cover it but we'll have to do it at night."

"Yuu? Where are you?"

"I'm here Master, go back to sleep."

It was quiet again and I started the fire for the stove. The heat was refreshing for the chill that had started on the air and I closed the door. "Also if we light the fire from the stove and leave the door open it can also warm the cottage like this."

Sho nodded and I went to lay on the floor. "When the sun is at a quarter from down, it will be ready. We can't eat until then."

"Do you want apple to pass the time?"

"Sure.." I laid my arms over my face and sighed. I was tired. Tired of pretending that I wasn't affected by my current situation, tired of thinking I was okay just because I didn't have to worry about starving, tired of living this life as a slave who was still shackled by the events of the past.

I shivered as Jack's piercing violets fluttered across my mind's eye. I missed him more than anything but he was better off without me anyway. He had his wife, he would fulfill his duties as a king and have an heir and his life would be happier without me interfering as I had been.

"Yuusei, your apples." Sho had a cloth with apples on it and I sat up to eat with him.

I ignored the frustrating thoughts I had and tried to relax as we waited for the stew to cook. Kiryu was still sleeping and it didn't seem like he would wake up anytime soon. I laid back on the floor when the apples were gone. I had turned seventeen already and Jack would be twenty soon, it was amazing how quickly the time had passed. I was kind of relieved they hadn't found me. If I had to face Jack again after all this time, I didn't know if I could.

I missed Judai of course and Johan and I know Judai was worried sick but if they thought I was dead, it would be better that way.

"Yuusei! Oi, Yuusei!" Sho was shaking me and I swatted him away.

"I'm awake! Quit shaking me!"

"The sun has settled already."

"Ah," I rubbed my eyes, "is the food done?"

"Yes," he responded, "I've already served Master and he's complained of a headache so he's gone to bed already."

"I see." I dragged my exhausted body from the floor and made myself a bowl. "Where's the iron container? We should store this soon."

Sho nodded and agreed to go find it. "I'll take it to the water to rinse it out. It hasn't been used in a long time has it?"

"That's just fine."

Sho ran out of the house with the dusty iron box and I smiled. He had such negative feelings toward me but living together these past few months has made me see him as a little brother.

It only took a few minutes for Sho to return and I stared as he dripped from head to toe. "I fell in the river."

I snorted and he handed me the tin to go dry off.

I stored the stew and wrapped the tin in a cloth and rope to store until tomorrow. Sho came out dried off and in a change of clothing and sat with me on the floor.

"Yuusei, do you ever want to return to the castle?"

I hummed, "I think about it all the time but I wouldn't want to. Not willingly anyway. If something ever brought me back to that castle, there would never be any kind of chance for me to escape again."

We relaxed in the silence but it wasn't long lived. There was a knock on the door and I looked at Sho. The knock came again but louder and I stood. Sho stood too and I pushed him behind me. It was silent only for a second and then there was a loud bang and the door came down. Men in masks began to storm the cottage. One by one, they entered the cottage and I tried to push Sho out of the way but I was grabbed. They forced my arms behind my back and I kicked out as I was dragged from the house.

My hands were bound with a rope and I was thrown onto a horse. The man who grabbed me mounted the steed and rode off.

The ride was uncomfortable on my stomach and I tried to shout but I was ignored. The man took another mask out of a satchel put it over my head. It was hard to breathe but after a while the horse slowed down and stopped. I felt the man get off the horse and he pulled me off too. My feet barely had a chance to touch the ground before I was lifted from the ground again and he threw me over his shoulder.

"Let me go! Let go!" I began to kick and struggle again and I was rewarded with a sharp smack to my ass.

I was shocked and disgusted so I decided to not let it happen again. I felt that we had ascended some stairs and then we were walking straight again. Right, left, straight, left straight, it had seemed so oddly familiar in my head but I couldn't place what it was.

"Please, where are you taking me?"

I was met with more silence and the rope was beginning to bite into my wrists. I heard the faint sound of a door opening and suddenly I was thrown onto something soft. I was shocked when the mask was pulled from my head and the man was leaning over me.

"You know Yuusei," my breath caught in my throat when that voice reached my ears, "don't you think I've allowed you enough freedom?"

He pulled his mask off slowly and I was accosted with stunning violet irises and vibrant blonde hair.

"My king..."

I finally decided to write a sequel. If you haven't read Enslaved yet, it would probably be best to read that first. I hope you enjoyed.