Disclaimer & Warnings: There is suggestive dialog a bit of cursing and yaoi. Kk, that clear? I do not own the characters depicted here but the story line is mine.
"Mmm," Zelos agreed, leading Yuan upstairs into his bedroom, and locking the doors behind them. He kissed Yuan gently, running a hand through his hair. "You really are amazing." he murmured.
"Thank you Zelos." Yuan whispered back, running his hands along his chest.
"Mmm," Zelos purred, reaching to tug at Yuan's shirt.
Yuan helped him remove it, as it was a rather elaborate design. "Zelos..." He whispered huskily.
A shiver of desire ran through Zelos at Yuan's tone, and he moaned slightly, leaning in to plant kisses along Yuan's exposed collarbone.
"M-Master..." Yuan cried, pulling at Zelos' own shirt.
Zelos froze, and backed up a bit. "Yuan..." he said, "I... no. Not like this, I couldn't."
"Zelos?" Yuan asked, confused. "What's wrong?"
"You called me 'master'..." Zelos said, "If that's still the way you see me ...then I don't want to do this, not tonight. I don't want you to feel... like it's your duty. That's not what I'm looking for, all right?"
Yuan blinked at him. "I see..." He looked down, confusion and slight hurt in his eyes.
"Yuan..." Zelos sighed, "it's not that I don't want you... I do, you're gorgeous, but..." he shook his head, "I just... especially after tonight... I can't treat you like that. I want to be your friend, more than your master. If and when you're ready to understand that... my door's open."
Yuan looked away. "I'm sorry..." He said, eyes filling with tears.
"Don't cry," Zelos murmured, "Please... I just... I don't know what else to say..."
"I'm sorry my lord..." Yuan said, quickly wiping away his tears and putting on a smile.
"No, forget I said anything," Zelos said quickly, "Cry if you want, I don't ever want you to feel like you have to give me that smile again."
Yuan closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around himself. "I... didn't mean to displease you... I'm... just so terribly confused."
Zelos sighed, "I know... this whole thing's kinda new to me, I don't know what you're used to, exactly, but it can't have been pleasant. I don't want you to be unhappy here... but I can't seem to help confusing you." He shook his head, "Can we... try to work through this? Going under the assumption that I have no idea what the hell I'm doing?"
Yuan nodded. "I will do what it takes to make you happy."
Zelos looked troubled, but nodded resignedly. "That's all I can ask of you, this soon," he replied.
"I'm sorry..." Yuan apologized, shivering slightly.
Zelos quickly grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Yuan's shoulders. "Don't be," he advised, "It's not your fault. It's the way you've been treated all this time, I can't blame you for being confused."
Yuan nodded, leaning into Zelos. "You... don't want me?"
"I do want you," Zelos replied, "You, not your duty. I do want you ...but only if you want me too. Clear enough?"
"Want you too...? Of course I want you." Yuan said.
"Why?" Zelos asked him bluntly.
"Because it's my... because I just..." He gave a confused look. "I... don't know... I just do..."
Zelos smiled gently. "If and when you can give me a coherent answer, come back," he said softly, "Until then ...go get some sleep, all right?"
Yuan nodded solemnly and slipped out of the room as quietly as a ghost and into his own.
-
Sebastian knocked on Zelos' door the next morning urgently. "My lordship, there is someone at the door with a child, insisting to see you." He called through it.
Zelos frowned blearily. "Huh?" he said, "Who in the world...? ... Ack, I'll be right down." He rose quickly and dressed himself, emerging from his room with eyes still heavy with sleep. "Did they give a name?" he asked Sebastian.
"No, just that of the child's." Sebastian said leading his master downstairs.
"Well, what's the kid's name, then?" Zelos asked, stretching a bit as he followed his butler.
"Genis Sage, sir." Sebastian answered.
"Sage...?" A voice called quietly, emerging from the library as they passed.
Sebastian gave a curt nod. "Do you know of him Geisha?"
"... Then he arrived..." Yuan said, eyes lighting up. "May I accompany you Lord Zelos?"
Zelos was surprised, to say the least. "This ... is your doing?" he asked slowly, "Well, then... by all means, come with us."
Yuan bowed and followed him to the sitting room where to two were waiting. Yuan's eyes lit up when he saw the child sitting beside the man, even though he did not like the chains that bound his little hands. "Genis!"
Genis looked at the other half-elf in confusion, "Who are you?"
The man who was escorting Genis slapped him. "Do not speak unless spoken to child!"
Yuan's eyes darkened. "I would request that you do not injure my property."
The man turned his glare on Yuan. "And whom might you be?"
"I am Yuan, the former Geisha of Lord Aurion and current of Lord Wilder, that's whom." Yuan said calmly, though there was a definite chill in his voice. "But that matters little, hand him over immediately and excuse yourself."
The man paled slightly. He knew of Yuan's name and the power it held even now, he handed the chains over to Yuan and quickly did as ordered.
After the man was gone Yuan turned to Zelos and bowed. "Forgive me my lord, I was impolite."
"No, no, that was awesome," Zelos assured him, "Man, I wouldn't want to be on your bad side. So, er... who's the kid? What was his name, Genis? Why 's he here?"
"He is my new servant, my student." Yuan answered.
"Wait a minute, I remember you now!" Genis cried, "You're Raine's friend! How have you been?"
"I've been good little one, but you must be more polite in front of his lordship." Yuan said.
Genis paled a bit, "Er, yes, I'm sorry!" He turned to Zelos and bowed humbly, "I'm Genis Sage, your lordship. I didn't mean any offense."
"Nah, it's cool, He's just a kid." Zelos said to Yuan, then turned his attention to the boy. "Nice to meet you, Genis."
Yuan smiled. "I will take him as a student and teach him my arts my lordship, and he will in turn serve me until his training is complete."
Zelos shrugged, "Sounds fine to me."
Genis looked excited, "Cool, I get to learn from you? This'll be great, I can't wait to get started!"
Yuan looked a little sad. "All in good time child... all in good time."
Genis looked at him a bit oddly, but just calmed slightly. "So, uh... where am I gonna stay?" he asked.
"Um..." Zelos said, "I would have had the servants prepare a room if I'd known you were coming..."
"He will remain near me at all times." Yuan said. "If you would my lord... I would like a room near me to be readied. I will pay for any extra expenses you will have to endure."
Zelos shook his head, "No, no, it's all on me, not like I'm doing anything else with the money. I've got plenty of extra rooms, you can take your pick."
Yuan bowed. "Then may I take the one beside me?"
Zelos nodded, "Fine with me. No one's slept in there for ages, though, I don't know what condition it's in." He waved a maid over, "Yo, can you get the room next to Yuan's ready for the little fellow here?"
She nodded, and ran off to obey.
Yuan smiled. "Your graciousness is far to generous."
Zelos shrugged, "I want you guys to be comfortable here, and like I said, I'm not doing anything else with what I've got, might as well put it to good use."
Yuan bowed to him again, gently getting Genis to do the same before leading Genis away.
-
"Genis." Yuan said as soon as he entered the room and closed the door. "Do you know what it is I do?"
Genis shook his head, "No, what?"
"I sleep with people. Specifically my master." Yuan answered.
Genis' expression fell. "You mean... you're a sex slave?" he asked slowly, "... And you said ... you were going to teach me...?"
"That was a lie." Yuan said in elven. "A lie I gave in order to keep them from suspecting your reasons for being here."
Genis sighed in relief, and continued the elven tongue. "Good," he said, "because I don't want to learn... that." Then he frowned again, pensively, "So wait... why am I here?"
"Your sister was sold recently... if you had remained where you were you would have been tortured into submission." Yuan replied. "I promised her I'd save you."
Genis' eyes grew wide. "I... I knew they sold Raine, but... wow," he said, "Thanks."
Yuan sighed. "Unfortunately all I could do for your sister was ensure she had a kinder master..."
Genis nodded, "Thanks... Raine's tough, she'll be all right." He didn't look entirely certain, though.
"She was... sold the same way I was..." Yuan said, closing his eyes so he didn't have to see Genis' reaction.
Genis paled. "Raine..." he murmured desolately, terrible images flashing through his mind's eye.
Yuan embraced him. "I'm sorry Genis..."
Genis shook his head, pulling away. "Let go! Leave me alone!" he shouted, tears in his eyes, "Why couldn't you stop them?!"
"I'm sorry..." Yuan said, looking away. "I didn't want it to happen..."
"Why couldn't you have bought her, then?!" Genis yelled, "Now she's... she's..." He couldn't continue, breaking down in sobs.
"I couldn't afford her... I'm sorry... this is the best I could do." Yuan said, sighing. "I intend to free you both eventually... but I can't do it all, not right now." He pulled Genis into an embrace, holding him still even as he struggled against it. "For now this is what you'll have to accept from me, as I too do not have my freedom."
Genis eventually stopped struggling, clinging to Yuan's shirt as he sobbed. "I... I'm sorry," he sniffled eventually, "I guess you... did your best... I just..."
"I know... it hurts." Yuan said, petting Genis' hair, eyes glowing slightly. "It hurts to be treated like an object for these sick creatures pleasure... but for now all we can do is bide our time and wait."
Genis nodded, relaxing into Yuan's touch. "Thank you," he murmured, "For taking care of me."
"I promised, plus I could never abandon you Genis, never ever." Yuan said with a smile.
Genis looked up into his eyes, a solemn expression on his young face. "You promise?" he asked, sounding almost a bit sullen.
"I've kept it thus far, haven't I?" Yuan said, tapping Genis' nose lightly. "You will however have to take lesson's from me in order to fool the ignorant humans."
Genis frowned, but nodded. "As long as I don't have to actually use it," he replied, "... I guess that would be okay."
"Don't worry. Even if you were taking these lessons seriously, you wouldn't have to do anything until you were sixteen." Yuan said. "I will have yours and Raine's freedom before then... and then you two must head for Exire."
Genis nodded, "Okay, then. ... I trust you."
Yuan smiled. "Thank you."
Genis smiled faintly. "So... now what?" he asked, "What's that Wilder guy like, anyway?"
"He seems to be... odd." Yuan said, eyes loosing their odd glow. "He tries to treat me like I'm not something he bought." He shook his head. "I'm not sure if it's an act or the truth... he has not called on me once since he bought me."
"That's... really weird," Genis replied, "What do you suppose he wants, then?"
"... That's what has me confused..." Yuan said with a sigh. "I wish I knew..."
Genis frowned. "He's just a jerk, then," he pronounced, "if he does stuff like that and won't even tell you what he wants."
Yuan smiled, patting Genis' head. "Perhaps he is... but you will still be respectful at all times."
Genis pouted a bit, but nodded sullenly. "Yeah, I know," he muttered, "I just don't like it."
"Nobody likes bowing to another, it is simply something we must do in order to survive." Yuan said.
Genis sighed, looking tired as he nodded, "Yeah... yeah, I know."
"You should sleep; you've had a long trip today and Raine would kill me if I didn't take proper care of you." Yuan said, helping Genis under the covers of his bed.
Genis chuckled a bit at that. "She would, wouldn't she," he replied, "Okay, then," he paused as a yawn overtook his words, then continued, "I'll see you tomorrow." Snuggling into the warm blankets, the boy was soon fast asleep.
Yuan smiled gently at the sight of the younger half-elf, before getting up and wandering out to see if his master had need of him.
-
One of Regal's many tenants knocked on his office's door where both he and Raine worked. "My lord?"
"Enter." Regal called to them and they did as ordered.
"My lordship, there is a message to... your concubine..." The man eyed Raine with distaste.
"...For me?" Raine asked hesitantly, "I don't understand..."
The man rolled his eyes. "Of course concubine." He sighed, as he were talking to an dog that had made a mess on the floor. "It's a letter to you from someone in Meltokio." He handed it to her.
She accepted it. "Thank you, sir," she murmured, keeping her eyes carefully turned downward.
"She has a name." Regal said, not at all looking pleased with the way the man treated her. "It is Miss Sage, and you will use it."
The man stuttered, then bowing awkwardly gave his apologizes and left.
Raine looked at the letter. "I wonder who it's from..." Carefully, she opened it, withdrawing the paper inside.
Regal gave her some space to read it in privacy.
Raine read it carefully. "Yuan..." she murmured, "Thank you..."
"Yuan?" Regal echoed, looking at her. "Is he doing well?"
"Um," Raine replied, a bit startled, "He... seems fine, sir."
"That is good... it has been a while since we've spoken." Regal said, looking thoughtful. "I hope he's doing better with his new master."
"His... new master?" Raine asked hesitantly.
"He was recently resold." Regal said. "I think it had something to do with Lord Aurion's son's engagement."
Raine nodded, "I see." She hoped he was all right, wherever he was ...he hadn't sounded badly off, but she doubted he would have said anything if he was.
"Would you like to see him?" Regal asked.
Raine blinked up at him in surprise. "Sir?" she asked uncertainly.
"I have business in Meltokio." He answered simply. "You'll need to be there as my personal secretary, so I figured you could see him as well."
Raine nodded, "I would like that ...You're far too kind, sir."
Regal shook his head. "A truly kind person would not have a half-elven slave."
Raine stared at him for a moment in astonishment, then replied, very hesitantly, "You are kind ... for buying me. If you had not, I would have a crueler master..."
Regal smiled gently at her. "Thank you Miss Sage, your kindness brings warmth to my heart."
Raine blinked at him once, then turned away, blushing faintly. "Ah... when will we be leaving?" she asked.
"Tomorrow." Regal answered. "By that time the rest of your dresses should come in. However I would like to see if there is something I can get you for more formal occasions."
Raine blushed more deeply. "Really, there's no need..."
"It's alright. I know you wouldn't be able to do it yourself, so please don't feel guilt." Regal said.
Raine nodded, "I'm grateful, then, sir."
Regal nodded getting back to his work, though there was a faint blush on his cheeks.
-