Yiko was known to have left, along with Adil. Valencio had never even seen Adil. He seemed to settle down. His runs lacked the sparkle they'd had in the beginning, though he did manage to manoeuvre Rafu into putting a spell on Fahad, who watched from outside the fence. Haru happened to be nearby, and Rafu asked him afterwards, to please never do that with a Khatabi, as the guard would probably be whipped.
Valencio was astounded. "Whipped?"
"If a servant transgresses against a Khatabi, he can be whipped."
"But it would have been an accident!"
"There's no defence. We are servants. We do what Khatabis want, and all it would take is for Haru to decide that one should be punished, and that's exactly what happens."
The boy still stared at him, amazed, finally saying, "Isn't a Khatabi-Richi free, then?"
"Of course he's free. But if we choose to stay, total obedience and respect is a requirement." And Rafu added, "A lesson it wouldn't hurt you to learn."
Valencio said absently, "I'm very obedient these days." They were walking back to the showers.
Rafu said, "Your runs? Are they being obedient?"
"You let me run. I know that you could stop me if you chose."
Rafu shrugged, "Maybe we do."
Achmiko that night. Valencio didn't look at him, just lay paralysed on his side, as the guards had arranged him. Achmiko stroked, and tried to talk to him about pirates and cutlasses. Valencio was silent, giving nothing. Nusa'pei was not present. He seldom was these days. The boy was coping, and it was a lot easier for himself if he wasn't in the room. Usually, at the same time Valencio was being used, Nusa'pei was using one of the women. All the guards used the women regularly.
Achmiko seemed to take a long time leading up to it. Valencio immersed himself in a story of his own devising, that was taking place a long, long way away. He wasn't a beautiful boy in his own fantasies. In fact, he was colossally ugly, and no-one, no-one, ever thought of sodomising him. Without warning, Achmiko pulled him onto his back, and Valencio blinked at him in surprise. It didn't occur to him that elderly Achmiko might have failed. In his experience, a wizard could always perform, as often as they chose, old or not.
Achmiko knelt astride his legs, leaned over, and started gently admiring chest muscles, shoulders, hand straying down flanks. He kissed, gently, and then, to Valencio's stunned amazement, started running a tongue up and down his penis. Achmiko looked up quizzically, at the expression on Valencio's face. "Will you kill me for this, Valencio?"
Valencio said uncertainly, "I guess not."
The situation was too foreign, and Valencio was still unaroused when Achmiko stopped, and satisfied himself, instead. Then he just lay a while beside the boy, and said, "Take my name off your list?"
Valencio beamed at him, and nodded, earning himself a kiss. He'd best reward the man, and when Achmiko started questioning him again about pirates and cutlasses, he was as bright and lively and entertaining as he could be while lying on his back with most of his body paralysed.
xxValencio's Storyxx
He was still seeing Zeeko, always in the end room. Their conversations were lively, and strayed over many subjects. Zeeko's work was light, and Achmiko quite happy to let him go early so he could spend a couple of hours with Valencio, especially after Nusa'pei mentioned they were doing the boy a lot of good. Valencio was still learning words of Japanese, though he was not at the stage of being able to have a conversation. He was surprised that it never occurred to Zeeko that maybe he wasn't supposed to be teaching him the language, and took care not to push it.
"Show me how you learn magic," he suggested to Zeeko one day. "What spells do you start with?"
His admiration led Zeeko on to show him more and more things, teaching. Poor Zeeko had been the poorest student in his class, and the flattering admiration encouraged him until he was carefully explaining how the simple spells were performed.
Valencio listened with full attention, trying to memorise. It was time to steal a wand again, and have another go.
"Bed?" and Rafu and Najam routinely told Zeeko to stay back, as they unlocked the restraints from the chair, and re-locked them on the bed. Nusa'pei didn't want these meetings to stop, and the orders were that the restraints should not be just clipped, but locked. The meetings were helping Valencio's adjustment, though it was really quite unsuitable that a wizard should be friends with a dirt-boy. If it had not been obvious they were having sex, it might have been stopped, just on those grounds.
Once the boys lay giggling together, both satisfied, Zeeko slowly quietened, and said quietly, "I wonder if I can unlock the restraints. I like to lie with you, and your arm's in the way."
Valencio looked at him through lowered eyelids, and said nothing. For a long time, he'd wanted to hide a shiv in this room. It wasn't in this bedroom that he'd killed Charandev, but maybe there would be a similar perfect hiding place, in a crack under the washbasin. He thought he could influence Zeeko sufficiently that he would not do what he hated, on the other hand, the slight flush on Zeeko's face was a betrayal. Zeeko wanted access to his back.
Zeeko failed that day, but said, "I'll bring a book tomorrow. There's a chapter on unlocking spells." Zeeko quite often brought books in to show Valencio, and they'd pour over them together, leaning forward over the table, though Valencio could not write or turn pages, his wrists securely clipped to the sides of the chair. It didn't seem to trouble Zeeko that his friend was so tightly controlled, and Valencio was accustomed to it. Sitting up was better than lying down, and restrained was better than paralysed.
They were late back that day, and Valencio had to beg for some late dinner. "Please, Arikiyo. I'm starving. And you know I'm not allowed to suggest it's time to finish!"
Arikiyo grinned to himself, but made sure that it was Kofi-Zee took the late meal to the boy. They'd been in the middle of cleaning up, and most of the leftover food had already been vanished, though there were always biscuits available.
Afterwards, Valencio checked his list, which he'd forgotten to do earlier. He peered. Rotan? He didn't know any Rotan. Was it supposed to be Botan, whom he knew was still around. He looked around, and said, "Kofi-Zee?"
Kofi-Zee strolled over, as if casually, but Rafu and Najam raised their wands and watched. Like a dangerous animal, Nusa'pei said. He was still naked, just as he always went to his appointments. He tended to forget the state of his undress these days.
Kofi-Zee assured him that it was Rotan, arrived from Japan with Adil and Yiko, but who hadn't left with them. Valencio said, surprised, "I thought it took over a month to get up that far on the list."
"Nusa'pei took the booking by mail over a month ago, and incidentally, plans to stay with you."
Valencio smiled with relief. Not Botan, and he was still being protected. He admitted, "It made me nervous, the thought of having someone I don't know. Not as bad as Botan, of course, whom I do know."
"Nusa'pei's refused Botan. He will not have access to you."
Valencio positively beamed. Botan had been on his mind. He glanced around, "You three chasing tonight."
Kofi-Zee nodded ruefully. "Me, Rafu and Najam. And please remember, I'm not getting any younger."
"I probably won't bother running in future, except maybe sometimes to keep you on your toes. Tonight, though, and you have to be extra careful tonight."
Kofi-Zee said warily, "Not more sprained ankles!"
Valencio shook his head. "I didn't know sprained ankles couldn't be cured as easily as broken bones. I probably won't do that again, either."
Kofi-Zee ruffled his hair, "Good," and suggested, "You'd best put on some clothes, less scratches to treat."
Valencio raised his voice, "Hey, Najam, how are the legs these days?"
Najam said warily, "Fine, thank you."
Valencio looked at him assessingly, then glanced at the clock, and sped off. There was not much time. He found several women in the sitting room. They laughed at the naked boy, so exuberant in his vitality. None of them demurred, though some were curious. The wizards to be kept away from a certain area, "Not Kofi-Zee, Rafu and Najam, they're the chasers. Just any other stray ones."
Amreeta giggled, and nodded when he asked her just to confuse them a little. She had black hair as well, and was much the same height as Valencio. Half seen, it shouldn't be difficult, though mostly the women kept well away from the chase.
"Just be seen, that's all, and then double back, and pretend you were here all the time. Don't, whatever you do, try and help!"
There was a clock here, as well. They'd be locking the doors soon, of the bedrooms, and a couple of the day-rooms.
A few minutes later, Valencio slipped quietly towards the fishpond area, the preliminary for the chase. He waved to Clarence and a few of those in Enclosure 2, who watched. There were people outside as well. He liked Kofi-Zee, but Kofi-Zee was slowest. It had best be him. There was Amreeta waiting where he said. He gave her further instructions, and she said, suddenly, "You're not going to do anything to get yourself in serious trouble, are you?" But his delight was infectious as he assured her it was just a bit of minor mischief.
The guards started the routine, checking the bathrooms, the day rooms still open, then fanning out, checking his known hiding places. Valencio had several scenarios in mind, but only three places where his ambush had much chance of being successful. He had to lure Kofi-Zee out on his own. It shouldn't be hard. The guards went through the motions of treating him as a dangerous animal, but knew they were in little danger themselves. When they doubted, they only had to remember a razor sharp blade in his hand, that had inflicted mere shallow scratches.
It took a while to manoeuvre the chasers into the area he had in mind. There was a well defined track, and Amreeta moved at exactly the right moment, then darted away, and went as quietly as she could, straight back to the buildings. She was not to take chances, Valencio said. If it didn't work tonight, there were other nights.
It worked that night. Kofi-Zee went sprawling as Valencio leapt, and then the boy and Kofi-Zee's wand were gone. He pelted to that place where he'd hidden after he'd seen Yiko, took two strides up the fence, pushed away onto a down pipe, and gritted his teeth against the pain, as he pulled himself onto the roof.
He should not have been able to make it here. Rain was extremely rare, but when it came it could be heavy, and the deep gutters allowed for that. He put the wand into the bone dry guttering, and wondered how to get down most safely, and preferably painlessly. He could not be found here with a broken ankle.
In the end, he leapt straight onto the fence, then dropped to the ground, swearing to himself. He thought they could have made the pain magic just a little less severe.
When they found him, he was freshly showered, shampooed, and twisting, trying to inspect himself in the mirror, as Shirley anointed a nasty bruise on his behind.
Kofi-Zee said grimly, "You took my wand!"
Valencio said, "I'll ransom it if you like. I feel like playing with a wand for a few days, but you can have your own back if you get me a different one."
Kofi-Zee snarled, "I should box your ears for you?"
"Box my ears? I thought wizards only cursed and tortured. They've never just boxed my ears!"
Kofi-Zee grabbed him by an arm, and led him firmly off to the dining-room.
Valencio protested, "I've already fixed my bruises, and you're making another one!"
Kofi-Zee eased his grip a trifle.
It had been a relatively short chase, and the spectators had seen barely any of it. A few decided to go into the dining room, just to look at the boy instead. They found Nusa'pei questioning him grimly, but Valencio maintained they could have the wand back if he provided him with a spare wand. "A real one, not a pretend one. So you'd have to work magic with it just to prove it's real."
Nusa'pei sighed in the end. "We'll mount a search in the morning."
Rotan came in, beaming with anticipation, saw the naked boy straightaway, and walked towards him.
Nusa'pei grabbed his arm. "Be careful, he's dangerous, and he'll be a lot more dangerous for you afterwards."
Valencio was suddenly conscious of the shiv tangled and stuck close to his head, under the shining clean hair that neatly overlaid it. Maybe he could kill another wizard tonight. He looked at the floor sheepishly, then looked up shyly at the surprised man, and dropped his eyes again, murmuring, "I'm not really dangerous. Only to those who hurt."
Nusa'pei said dryly, "Except that he deems any act of sodomy a hurt!"
Rotan said, "But that's what he's here for. That's what I want him for."
Nusa'pei assured him, "And that's what you can have, with him paralysed on the bed, and myself present to ensure he's not damaged. He's suffered too much damage in the past."
"Can I touch?"
"In a minute."
Rafu and Kofi-Zee took his arms, and Nusa'pei inflicted Filuah Kay, and then felt inside cuffs, and checked hands, which Valencio held out for him, innocently palm upward.
Nusa'pei nodded at Rotan. "Now you can touch."
They even moved back, letting Rotan hold him close, and his hands rove up and down. It would get the onlookers stirred up as well. Nusa'pei reckoned there'd be a need for a line-up shortly, though only three women were without appointments, and that included Emma.
Valencio was obedient as he was caressed, looking at the floor, only twisting away from fingers that wanted to explore his hair. Rotan's breath was coming quicker. Nusa'pei was also breathing quickly. How he wanted to be in the position of Rotan, the boy's misbehaviour in stealing a wand only making him want more. He deserved some punishment, and at that moment, the thought of the punishment of thrusting himself hard into the boy, seemed entirely appropriate.
He shook his head, rebuking himself, and when the boy was taken to the bedroom, he only instructed Rotan in the use of the dilators as a preliminary. Rotan looked impatient, and Nusa'pei, as he often did, offered to do that for him, as he watched. He took his time, enjoying doing what he was doing. Very much a second best, but still...
Valencio was accustomed to this procedure, and had been hurt too many times in the past to regard it as a waste of time. He didn't really expect to have a chance to kill. He was pretending to himself, just one of those ploys to make himself feel less helpless.
Nusa'pei finally nodded, and took up his position in the corner, blanketing himself with a Cloaking Spell, as Rotan had been told he would. There were strict conditions related to using this particular prisoner, and the more Nusa'pei insisted on those special conditions, the more people wanted him.
Rotan was gentle, and when he finished, said he wanted to just lie with the boy a while, Nusa'pei rose, and said to just press the buzzer for the guards once he was finished. Shirley was already waiting for him. The women knew what it was all about, and wondered that Valencio seemed oblivious. It would not be long before the guards put away their prudence, and started using him, too.
Valencio was pulled onto his back, and Rotan lay beside him a while, gently stroking. Valencio sighed, and said, "You weren't so bad. Some are much worse." He glanced at the clock, and said, "Nusa'pei always changes the paralysis to only semi-paralysis now. Otherwise I get awful cramps. I think I even had a fit last week, but they wouldn't tell me."
Rotan stroked down his cheek, and asked, "Won't you get cramps in the legs?"
"Only after much longer."
Rotan brushed the hair from his eyes. Sweet boy. He could see through Nusa'pei. All this rigmarole about extra protection, and ridiculous precautions. He'd done the duty of enclosure guard himself often enough. When the dirt-people were used more, they were paid more. It was just a way of increasing the demand. The boy was naked, only thirteen, while he was a full grown man in the prime of his life.
Rotan rose from the bed, and took off the paralysis. Valencio was surprised, and looked his surprise. "Thank you." He smiled, and knelt. "I can massage you a bit now, if you like."
Rotan said, "That would be nice."
Valencio put on a bossy tone, but childishly bossy. "First you should lie on your front, and I'll massage your back, and then you should turn onto your back, and I'll massage your chest, and then lower down, and maybe a bit lower down."
His look was of pure seduction. Rotan thought he'd have him again shortly, but maybe he'd let the boy think he was in charge for a little. He turned on his front, presenting his back. Valencio tugged hard to get the shiv from his hair, and murmured about how good a massage could feel, as he checked the place where he needed to aim. It was just a tiny shiv, and could only damage if placed carefully.
Rotan abruptly wrenched himself over, and brushed away the striking blade. The boy was on the floor, and leapt at him again. So nearly, he'd had the stupid wizard who believed his act. How could anyone think he would accept it? The wizard was a Fighter, and even though his wand was out of reach, Valencio was very quickly disarmed and rendered helpless.
Rotan was extremely angry. Using pure force, he pushed the boy down on the bed, clipped wrists and ankles, and raped him hard and painfully. And then he replaced his robe, pressed the buzzer for the guards, aimed at Valencio and started to punish with pure pain.
After a second polite knock was ignored, Kofi-Zee opened the door, to find Valencio struggling and screaming. There was a slight cut on Rotan's arm. Kofi-Zee said coldly, "Stop it, Rotan. This boy does not get punished!"
Rotan held the Pain Curse, and said furiously, "He tried to kill me!"
Kofi-Zee looked at the strapped down boy, whose struggles were becoming weaker, and rapped, "Stop it, now, or I'll make you stop."
Both Kofi-Zee and Rafu were aiming their wands. Rotan lowered his own, and the boy became very still on the bed. Rotan repeated, "He tried to kill me!"
Rafu nodded. "He does that."
Kofi-Zee was checking Valencio, white, limp, and sweaty. "How long?" he asked Rotan.
Rotan said stiffly, "I wasn't timing!"
"You'd best go. We'll look after Valencio."
He undid the restraints, and picked him up in his arms. Valencio's head rolled limply onto his chest. Kofi-Zee hitched him up a little more, and carried him back to his bedroom, as Rafu went to notify Nusa'pei, and to get the potion that could reduce shock, and possibly be the difference between life and death.
Hilde was working, but Georgia and Didi were both hovering outside his bedroom door, as Kofi-Zee tried to persuade Valencio to take some more of the potion. Finally, he seemed to be recovering, but was still half-dazed. He explained to Kofi-Zee, "It had to be you, you see, because you're not as fast as the others, and I needed a wand."
Kofi-Zee took his opportunity. "Where is it?"
After a long pause, apparently to think, Valencio said, "Hidden," and closed his eyes.
Nusa'pei entered. "He's alright?"
"Seems to be."
"Rotan?"
"A scratch on his arm, but I suspect it might have been very close."
Valencio was still feeling ill the following morning. The story had gone around that he'd been punished, transgression unknown, but no-one queried him. It wouldn't be for a few days that Gloria's client told her what had happened.
Nusa'pei spoke to Fahad, "Rotan ignored clear instructions, and then administered very severe punishment, sufficient that the boy could have died."
Fahad nodded. "He will be punished." He looked speculatively at Nusa'pei. "Did you find the weapon?"
"Yes, and we found where he'd been hiding it. There's a fairly good sized portion of skin, and a handful of hair missing from the back of his head, low down. It may have been there a good, long time."
Fahad nodded. "Did you question him?"
"He wouldn't tell me where the blade was hidden, and he wasn't conscious when Kofi-Zee noticed blood there, and checked, but he told me that he suggested to Rotan that he turn onto his front, and he'd give him a back massage. And Rotan did!"
Fahad roared with laughter, and asked, "When does my turn come around again?"
Nusa'pei was always being asked this, and pulled a list from his pocket. "Almost two weeks yet, unless anyone cancels."
Rotan was whipped, for not obeying instructions, and for administering punishment on a valuable slave without authorisation.
Meantime, Valencio ignored the large team of wizards combing the enclosure for the missing wand, and went from woman to woman asking if they had sticky tape which he needed urgently for a school assignment. Gloria raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was up to now, and said she'd ask a guard. They were always very reasonable about things like that.
Valencio shook his head firmly, "They mustn't know where it came from."
Gloria said, "I think I saw Tasha with some the other day. I forget what she was doing."
Mid-afternoon, Valencio looked annoyed at the wizards who still filled the enclosure. Even Zeeko was there, as they walked side by side up and down for about the tenth time, looking for the missing wand. He wanted very much to plant a shiv in the end bedroom that afternoon, and currently carried one in his cheek, wrapped in sticky tape, so it didn't cut him. He'd been practising talking without mumbling, and laughing and smiling without revealing its presence. Only about an inch long, but the one that had killed Charandev had been little longer. He needed a ball of sticky sap, and he'd put that between two toes, and a flat small piece of plastic, and he still didn't know where he could conceal that.
Kofi-Zee finally called a halt. "No good searching any more. I'll ask Nusa'pei whether he can have what he wants." He gave the boy a cross look as he passed, more pleased than not that he still looked ill. Serve him right.
xxValencio's Storyxx
Only a half hour later, Valencio waited for Zeeko, hoping he wouldn't have been put off by any story getting around of Rotan's close call. But Zeeko hadn't heard that story, the talk more of speculation about why a dirt-boy wanted a wand, and why Nusa'pei was so reluctant to let him have a spare wand for a few days. Surely he didn't suspect he might really be able to work magic!
Valencio was a little surprised at Nusa'pei's reluctance to let him have a wand, as well. He was sure he couldn't work magic, it was just in case. And the idea of suddenly paralysing a wizard as he walked past, or maybe inflicting donkey ears, like Fahad could, filled him with delight.
For a change, he was dressed as he waited, sitting quietly on a couch, talking to Tasha and Shirley. He didn't want to put the sticky-tape covered blade in his mouth until the last minute, as both cheeks were now very sore.
Zeeko arrived, accompanied by the three guards that Valencio always warranted, this time Kofi-Zee, Amani and Najam. Valencio smiled and rose, but the two young women were between him and the guards when his hand went to his mouth. Two narrow pieces of flat, firm plastic were held between the third and fourth fingers of his left hand, the pieces of plastic held together with more sticky sap. If he was going to put the blade into the sort of narrow crack he had in mind, he had to be able to get it out again. The plastic was to extend the blade, like a handle. He didn't think he was going to be able to manage it. He couldn't be that lucky.
"Take your clothes off, Valencio," and Valencio grinned at Zeeko, as he casually removed a pair of shorts and a shirt, happening to bend away from him, as his shirt fell on the floor, and had to be picked up. It was the first time in his life he'd flaunted that vulnerable part, in order to gain what he wanted.
Kofi-Zee thought sadly that he was still so innocent, deep down. Najam licked his lips. Zeeko looked away, and then fascinated, straight back, but his slave was already standing, and turning towards his client. Acting must never be overdone. Often, a hint is more than enough.
Valencio didn't show that he felt ill and tired, and Zeeko didn't notice that he was still pale. He smiled widely at Zeeko, holding open palms as he was searched, checked front and back, and then his head felt all over carefully. He looked surprised at Najam. "What are you doing that for?"
Najam said, "Don't you know?"
"Well, it's a bit sore. It's where Rotan hit me, I think." He smiled back at Zeeko, and asked, "Did you find anything today?"
Zeeko shook his head. "Did you really steal a wand?"
"Only temporarily, I'm not going to keep it."
Kofi-Zee said dryly, "That's good to know."
The soft question of "Bed?" came from Zeeko that night, and a lot earlier than usual. Valencio thought it might break his heart if Zeeko raped him, and yet was still bent on his course of action. There should be a weapon kept here. One day he was going to need it.
They played together a while, like a pair of frolicsome puppies - except that one of the puppies was tied down. Then Zeeko took out a book of spells, went to a chapter, and started methodically pointing his wand, and speaking incantations. Valencio crossed his fingers he knew what he was doing, and wouldn't sever his wrist, or something. Each time, he'd stop, and try and undo the clips. It took a long time for the first one, but then they grinned at each other, and Zeeko went to an ankle of the same side. He'd be able to turn him on his side now, while Valencio was still restrained.
There was a pause, and Valencio could almost feel him thinking. "Come on, Zeeko," he laughed. "Get a move on." Zeeko went to his other wrist, and Valencio sighed with relief. He laughed afterwards, happily. "Free! - except for two or three guards just outside the door, of course." He suspected that Zeeko might need the reassurance.
"Lie on your back, Zeeko. I'm going to do to you what you do to me."
Zeeko obediently lay on his back, and accepted the massage that Valencio gave, becoming more and more intimate, until he climaxed.
They cuddled a while afterwards, and then Valencio said, "Just need to go to the toilet."
Zeeko watched, a touch worried, but Valencio only used the toilet, not even closing the door fully, and washed his hands.
Zeeko sighed, and looked away. What was he worried about? Quick as a flash, a sticky tape covered shiv was stuck on the underside of the basin. It was not the secure hiding place, but maybe the following day there would be more time. Two pieces of plastic were already secured to the underside of the arm of the restraining chair, the only place he could reach with restrained wrists.
He only needed a few minutes, but Valencio knew he couldn't do it now. Instead, he slipped onto the bed, again, and cuddled. Surprisingly, Zeeko turned his back to him. After a brief hesitation, Valencio cuddled up to his back, and put his arm over him, hoping that it was what he wanted. It was hard to know, sometimes. They lay quietly a while, but neither were asleep.
Zeeko asked softly, "What's it like, when it's done to you?"
Valencio didn't lie, or try and pretend. He answered, in a low voice, "It hurts me terribly. A hateful outrage against my person. I hate it so, so extraordinarily much." The last part was almost a whisper.
Zeeko said finally, "Maybe that's only because you have no choice. Maybe it would be alright if you were willing."
Valencio begged, "Zeeko, please don't ask."
Zeeko said quickly, "I won't ask to do it."
More minutes went by, and Zeeko spoke again. "What's it like physically? They say Nusa'pei makes everyone do some preparation so you never get hurt."
"I seldom get hurt physically any more. Physically, mostly, it's just unpleasant, and I try and pretend I'm somewhere else." Or make plans to kill the perpetrator. That helped.
"They said you've been very badly hurt sometimes."
Valencio didn't answer. That horrible night when he hadn't been able to control his bowels, and then the next day had been just a blur.
Zeeko rose softly from the bed, as Valencio watched in dread. Zeeko could stun and paralyse, too, he knew. They could all do that by the time they were his age, thirteen. And then, he knew from Kaede, they started learning more difficult things, like the Spell of Pain. Zeeko found what he wanted, a jar of lotion, and three dildos graded in size.
Quickly, he said, "Don't look at me like that! I want to try it, but you put them in me."
Valencio stared at him in utmost amazement. "Why? It's awful!"
"They say people can get pleasure from it. Except that wizards never submit to it, of course." He looked shamefaced. "Maybe I'm not much of a wizard."
Valencio tried. He caressed as Zeeko lay tense on his side, and murmured that he had to relax. It always hurt if you tensed up. The words that had been spoken to him so many times, and even now, when he was so used to it, he was tense and resentful. But the most narrow probe couldn't hurt, and Valencio used the lotion as it was meant to be used, and after a while, Zeeko relaxed. It was not hurting, though it felt very odd.
Valencio asked softly, "Do you want to go on?"
Zeeko whispered, "Yes," and Valencio selected the next size up.
Zeeko was beginning to relax more, even moving his body a little, wanting it. It was not Zeeko that called a halt, rather it was Valencio suddenly whipping himself off the bed, and into the bathroom, violently ill. He couldn't do it, it was awful. No-one could do such a horrible thing.
Zeeko peered in, astounded, then retreated, wiping himself with a towel. He sat down on the bed, looking away from Valencio. It almost seemed to be over, and Valencio closed the door of the bathroom. It wasn't over, and Valencio heard more retching, making him very reluctant to go anywhere near. There was a suitable crack under the washbasin, as Valencio established, between bouts of perfectly genuine illness.
Zeeko wished he could get the guards, but if they found Valencio unrestrained, he'd get into trouble.
Finally, Valencio came out, ashen-faced, and sat in his chair. "Sorry. Didn't mean to. Sorry."
Zeeko started to approach, but abruptly Valencio was gone again, and again Zeeko heard those horridly unpleasant noises.
Valencio felt dreadful, but he couldn't have imagined such an opportunity in his wildest dreams. The blade was now divorced of its sticky tape, attached as firmly as possible to the plastic extensions, and tucked neatly into a crack. He did a little coughing as he crouched under the washbasin, making final adjustments, ensuring that it was a sufficiently tight fit, and yet he should be able to pull it free.
At last, he started moving around, making sure no traces of illness remained. He washed his face, and wrinkled his nose. He opened the door, and said, "I've cleaned up, but we shouldn't be suspected. Do you know any deodorising spells?"
Zeeko was looking a bit green himself. Valencio suspected he'd never see him again.
At last, Valencio sat in his chair, head down. "I've been a little ill all day. It wasn't that!"
Zeeko said, "Don't lie. Of course it was that."
"Sorry."
Zeeko sat on the edge of the bed, and his head was down too. "You tried, didn't you? You pretended it was alright."
Valencio nodded. "It's what you wanted."
Zeeko said sadly, "Friends don't pretend." He looked at the table where a book of Japanese lay face down. He sighed. "I suppose I should have realised. You were just using me to get what you wanted, and the pretending was a part of that."
Valencio was looking at the floor, not knowing whether his eyes were wet with genuine tears or not. In a low voice, he said, "You're a wizard, and I wanted you as a friend. But I couldn't do that unless I pretended to myself that it was to try and escape, somehow, one day."
He looked up, straight at Zeeko, his eyes now swimming in tears. "There is no escape for me, and I really knew it all along. I just liked to talk to you."
He looked down at the floor again, and his voice was even lower. "They're all girls and women, you see, and I have no friends. It was an excuse to talk to you as a friend."
Tasha and Shirley and Gloria would have been surprised that he might think he had no friends. But Valencio's acting was so good because so often it was three quarters sincere. Even the imaginary enemies he slew with his cutlass were real to him. They were both very quiet, not knowing where to go from here.
There was a gentle knock on the door. They looked at each other with identical horror, and Valencio dived on the bed, spread-eagling himself, and hissing to Zeeko, "Quick!"
Zeeko was clumsy, only securing one clip.
Valencio said, "Go and tell them we'll be finished shortly. Just stand so they can't see very well."
Zeeko did as he said. Kofi-Zee nodded, just reminding Zeeko. "It's dinner time, and Valencio has another appointment afterwards."
Zeeko firmly shut the door, and then looked back at Valencio. Valencio's lips were trembling, and then the two friends were embraced on the bed, giggling together.
Valencio wasn't sure whether Zeeko would be back, but he'd done the best he could. And he did have the shiv in the end bedroom. Just in case. He said, "Unclip me, and I'll deal with the dilators. It's too much an indication that we were doing something unusual."
Zeeko unclipped him, and he washed the dildos, and went to the drawer. He looked at Zeeko, saying, "I don't know how they're always left."
Zeeko came, and put them back as near as possible as they had been, then waved a wand, muttering the words of a cleaning spell. He said, "We won't tell anyone, right?"
Valencio said, "What happens in these bedrooms is very seldom discussed. This won't be." He glanced around, and then went to the bed. "You'd best do the clips. I don't expect they can tell they were ever unlocked."
He sighed deeply as he lay down. He was so tired, and now they'd put on Filuah Kay, which made him worse, and in not very long, he had to be bright and charming for one of the men who worked in the laundry, in exchange for not being raped.
Zeeko did up the clips, and suddenly looked at him, and apologised. The action brought home to him that Valencio was a prisoner, not a friend. He wasn't at all sure he wanted to see him again.
Valencio said, "Zeeko, just wanted to say, it's been good. Don't ask for me again if you don't want to. But it's been good."
Zeeko was staring at the floor, and nodded. "It's been good."
xxValencio's Storyxx
Again Valencio was late back for dinner, and Arikiyo took one glance at his pale face, and fixed him a dinner, even taking it to him himself. Valencio just thanked him, and glanced at the time. Half an hour, then Yun Pung, who was difficult to entertain, and would revert to type at the drop of a hat. He picked at his meal, went off for a shower, and was back, waiting for Yun Pung.
He asked, "Kofi-Zee? Yun Pung. Is it possible to stay, or seal the restraints, or something, so he can't get at me?"
Kofi-Zee said, "One of us will stay if you want. I don't think I know any locking spells that Yun Pung would not be able to break."
"Thank you."
Kofi-Zee commented, "You're looking very pale."
"A bit tired, is all." But after a while, he rose, and started bouncing his soccer ball against the wall. He sighed tiredly, but when Yun Pung was shown in, he'd coaxed Abensur to conjure a ring for him, and was prancing naked, jumping, trying to get the ball to go through. He smiled at Yun Pung as he was searched, and Yun Pung looked at him hypnotised.
He had his way, and Kofi-Zee only sat quietly in a corner as the old man played and caressed, then knelt between his legs, and gave himself satisfaction. All far, far better than being raped.
When the usage was over for the evening, Yun Pung kissed him, called the guards, and left, as Valencio smiled after him. But when the restraints were taken off, and Filuah Kay inflicted, he tried to walk, but fainted instead, though reviving as Kofi-Zee carried him into the dining-room. He insisted he was alright, and should just be allowed to sit for a while. But he sat for a long while on the couch, head hanging, before Hilde came to him, and said she'd go with him to bed.
Kofi-Zee conferred with Nusa'pei, and Nusa'pei gave his decision. The boy was getting too thin, and might be weakening anyway. He'd given no trouble when escorted to the bedrooms for a long time. They would no longer automatically use Filuah Kay.
xxValencio's Storyxx
Valencio was surprised they didn't offer him a spare wand the following day in exchange for Kofi-Zee's. But he was rather relieved if anything. The hiding place was difficult and painful to get to, and he still felt so tired. There was no appointment for Zeeko. Valencio did not expect to see him again.
He went about his normal activities that day, not nearly as active as usual, ignoring the guards who seemed to be trying to watch him without being seen. The evening appointment was to be Rafik. He wouldn't have to try with Rafik. He'd just be raped, probably quite gently, maybe a second time after an interval, and then he'd be finished and could go to bed.
He thought he was too tired to run, and showered, and put on clean clothes in preparation, and then looked in the direction of the dining-room. He took a reluctant step towards it, and then turned and went in the other direction. When it came to the point, he found he could not go tamely to have that done to him, whether it made the slightest difference or not. There was a particular dark area near the far fence, where he often saw Abimael. He didn't think Abimael would tell on him - not that it really made any difference.
He hid himself where it was darkest, curled on his side, and went to sleep, until the guards woke him, and hauled him off to be raped.
Another day, the same. The women were questioned, but denied knowledge of any wand. There were ways that wizards can question that gets truth from a person, but they chose not to use those methods. They preferred the women not hating, or at least not obviously hating. Valencio himself was watched again, until suddenly he felt a surge of hope. It had to be that they really thought it possible he might have magic. He knew from Zeeko that it happened sometimes, now and then in European countries, rarely in Arabic or Asian countries. 'Medj-born,' Zeeko called it.
By breakfast the following day, Valencio had thrown off his lethargy, accepted the spare wand with a grin of triumph, but maintained he couldn't return the other until there were no wizards in the enclosure. An hour later, Valencio was at school, and two gardeners, with accompanying guards, made sure that he saw them very obviously leave.
Shirley strolled over to join them. "There's one near the bedrooms, and Gloria says there's a few in the bushes, except that I think they have magic on themselves, as you tend not to notice them."
Valencio said, "That'd be Cloaking Magic. Zeeko told me it was almost as good as invisibility to some of the very powerful wizards."
"Can they make themselves totally invisible if they want?"
"Zeeko said not."
"We'll let you know when it's safe."
Valencio thanked her, and pulled out the wand they'd given him, and pointed it at one of books, and clearly said the incantation, concentrating. Kaede watched him quizzically.
He grinned, "It's a real wand, as Kofi-Zee used it to conjure a chair, and then vanish it again. And I had five women watching the others, just to make sure none of the others were working the magic." He laughed. "I've got no magic, but I think I have them worried."
That day, he loaned the wand to every single woman in Enclosure 1, and explained the simple spell that Zeeko said was always one of the first learned, a spell to move objects. No-one had the slightest success.
In the hottest part of the day, early afternoon, Gloria reported that as far as anyone could tell, all the wizards had gone. Valencio checked carefully himself, all the same. Sometimes, he knew if people were close, and he knew if they were watching him.
He suggested to the women they should make themselves scarce in case they were questioned. Then he went to his room, and bound extra shirts around each knee, and his elbows. He looked at the jump he had to make, up the fence that hurt, onto a drainpipe that also hurt, but the roof was only blisteringly hot. He made a final check for observers, took a deep breath, then made the run, up the fence, across to the drain pipe, and pulling himself onto the roof that almost immediately started burning his skin. As quickly as possible, he felt for the wand, and got himself down again, taking a deep breath of relief. His feet were a bit burnt, but nothing else seriously, and maybe the lotion he used to heal cuts and scratches would help for that.
A loud whistle sounded, and Valencio ran, to his room first, stripping off the extra protective shirts, then to the hiding place carved in the dirt, Kofi-Zee's in another place, just in case they'd managed to plant a fake wand on him after all. He was going to try with both. By the time he was found, he was naked in the pool, swimming.
Kofi-Zee checked his clothes, and called, "What about my wand."
"At dinner - probably."
Kofi-Zee swore, and said, "You promised!"
"I'll treat my promise as just as sacred as wizards treat theirs, probably to be kept, unless inconvenient."
They would be keeping a very close watch on Valencio while he had a wand. The decision was firm. It was most unlikely, but a wizard child must not be kept as a prisoner to be abused. If any indication appeared that Valencio might actually have magic, he was to be put down.
Valencio spent that afternoon experimenting with Kofi-Zee's wand, and then with the other, trying the simple spells that Zeeko had taught him.
It was all over the Compound what he was up to, and Zeeko felt thoroughly guilty, especially when Achmiko said that the boy would probably be killed without delay if it turned out that he did have magic.
Achmiko regarded Zeeko's reddened face, and said, "Surely no-one would have been so abysmally stupid as to try and teach a dirt-boy magic."
Zeeko said indignantly, "He never had a chance to lay a hand on my wand. You know he was always restrained, whenever I was with him."
Achmiko said curiously, "You don't go to see him any more."
Zeeko replied stiffly, that he'd realised it wasn't very suitable, to be friendly with a dirt-boy.
Achmiko nodded. "Perhaps you're right. Fahad expressed reservations one day, but I said what harm was it doing, if it made the boy happier? And if he's happy, he gives more pleasure."
"I don't think he's very happy."
Almost a third of Valencio's clients were now accepting a lively and vivacious entertainer, in preference to a paralysed and silent body, but most of them regarded it as their perfect right to use a dirt-person just exactly as they chose. They were assured that as long as they followed the guidelines laid down, there was no possible danger of attack.
Valencio returned Kofi-Zee's wand as promised, and practised very hard with the wand for ten days, trying to concentrate, trying to think of how it might be possible. It would be foolish not to make a very strong effort. Kaede missed him at school, as often as not, in those ten days.
After the ten days, he gave up. And anyway, wizards were monsters. He couldn't have magic, because that would make him a wizard, and wizards were monsters.
At lunchtime, Nusa'pei started to stroll over to join him as he looked at the lists. Valencio saw him coming, waited for the right moment, and then whirled and aimed the wand, loudly calling the words of the Spell of Pain. Nusa'pei threw himself to the side, as Valencio laughed. Najam only just stopped himself stunning him, and Rafu was about to paralyse him.
Casually, Valencio tossed the wand to Nusa'pei, still picking himself up from the floor, furious.
"Just thought I'd like to give you a scare. Personally, I'd never sink low enough to do that to anyone, even if I could!"
Nusa'pei's anger died. He was very relieved that Valencio did not have magic, even if he might have some latent talent for telepathy. It would have been a terrible thing to have treated a wizard boy as they had treated the dirt-boy, and yet they could never have freed him.
He joined the boy as he frowned at the name down for him that evening. Valencio remarked, "It's almost exactly a restatement of my list. Are none of them deciding they're tired of a boy?"
"About the only clients you've lost are the three who've died."
"Three?"
"Charandev, Hafez, and Taka Pumi, but Taka Pumi was nothing to do with you. Just a duel."
The duel had been a quarrel about which way it was better to take the slave-boy, but Nusa'pei chose not to tell Valencio that.
"Fahad tonight."
"Are you planning on trying to make him a laughing stock again?"
"Have you told anyone what actually happened?"
"I refuse to discuss anything I see in the bedroom." He watched, fascinated, as a wicked grin spread across the face of Valencio.
"Seven-thirty?"
"That's to allow for the chase. The actual appointment's for eight."
Valencio scanned the lists for the women, and remarked, "There'll probably be quite a few men coming to meet the women around then."
Nusa'pei said, amused, "Quite a few!"
In view of this hint, Nusa'pei decided to attend the dining-room himself until Fahad was settled with the boy, and he'd help with that personally, as well. It would be the fifth time for Fahad. No reason for anyone to stay in the room with them. When Valencio asked these days, he often delegated the duty to Kofi-Zee or Amani, neither of whom admitted to finding it difficult. Abensur, Rafu and Thuli had been rostered as 'chasers,' and Nusa'pei assigned Abensur and Thuli to be the guards for Valencio that night, the duties of chasers and escorts now routinely noted down on the guards' roster.
Valencio considered. The discomfiture of Fahad. Or death? He touched the back of his head, and felt regretful. They invariably felt all over his head these days. His mouth? He wouldn't get away with anything with Fahad. The guards were mostly succeeding in ensuring he was unarmed when he went to his clients, and no other of the bedrooms had a shiv planted. All he could hope to do was to be the cause of dissension afterwards. He supposed it was a way of fighting, not willing to admit to himself just how tired he was of the fight.
xxValencio's Storyxx
The well behaved boy waited, sitting anxiously on the couch. He chose a time when Ariz, Irwandi and Arikiyo were all present, chatting together, as their chosen women waited. He went up to Nusa'pei, stopping short, as he was supposed to, and said to him anxiously, clearly, "Fahad's late. Do you think he's alright?"
Nusa'pei said that he was sure Fahad would come soon.
Valencio continued, "It's just that he promised to be on time."
The beggar was using him to help in his little play. Nusa'pei said sternly, "Just behave yourself, and wait."
Valencio smiled openly at Nusa'pei, "Yes, of course. I'm just a little impatient because I'm going to show him a scene from Kaede's latest play. He said he'd like to see that!"
Nusa'pei tried not to show his amusement. The fiercest Fighter in the Compound had promised to watch a children's play? Abensur took a hand, helping, knowing exactly what was afoot, though nothing had been said. "What's the play, Valencio?"
"The Princess and the Pea."
Abensur raised his eyebrows. "The Princess and the Pea?"
Valencio smiled at him confidingly, as his audience listened, fascinated. "I was a little surprised myself, but he says we all have hidden depths."
Abensur, then Arikiyo spluttered into laughter, followed by the others, as Valencio looked at them in apparent innocent surprise. Fahad walked in casually, and was greeted by a smile of relief from the boy, who walked towards him fearlessly, but was brought up short when Rafu cautioned him, and raised his wand.
Prudently, Ariz and Irwandi turned away from the scene, but Arikiyo watched frankly. He'd had Valencio himself a couple of days before, and the boy had given nothing, and had certainly not gone trustfully to sleep in his arms, as he had just that once.
Fahad looked around, and then met Arikiyo's eyes, and laughed. So the little devil was up to his tricks again.
Arikiyo said, "He tells us you want to watch him play The Princess and the Pea."
The naked boy was being searched, always the last thing done before he went off with a client, even when he'd already been searched. The guards stepped back, and Fahad went to him, kissing him hard on the lips, as his hands roved over back and buttocks. He still had him pulled close, as he turned to Arikiyo. "The Princess and the Pea, eh?"
Valencio shuddered, as a finger pressed, but he looked innocently at Fahad, though his voice was uncertain. "You said?"
Fahad laughed again, and held him closer. "Of course I want to watch you play The Princess and the Pea! What else would I do with a naked slave?"
Arikiyo laughed, and turned away. He knew exactly what was happening, though Iraz and Irwandi had been convinced. It proved it, they thought. Fahad was a bit of a fraud, after all.
Valencio's pretence dropped, as he was walked to the bedroom. He was suddenly panicky, and when Fahad kissed him again, and said to Nusa'pei, "Paralysed on the bed, please," he startled them all by turning into a screaming, punching dervish, managing to hit Abensur quite hard, and then twist away at just the right time for Rafu to get hit by the paralysis spell instead of himself.
He knew a moment's freedom, and darted toward the door, but was brought down by Nusa'pei, who lifted him onto the bed, saying, "Maybe you'd best just do your normal run, next time, Valencio. Much better than this ridiculous scene."
Fahad had taken no part in the unexpected struggle, just leaning casually against the wall, and waiting.
Valencio took a deep breath, and fought back the tears. It was only the voluntary locomotor muscles that were paralysed. He could breathe, tremble, cry still, under Prindi Paralysis, and even under full Paralysis, he could make a keening sound.
Fahad watched in some pity, as his expression became stony, he became quiet, and his eyes only looked at the ceiling. Even after all this time, he hated it so much. Fahad spoke to Nusa'pei, "Are you planning on staying?"
Nusa'pei shook his head, and ignored it when he felt Valencio's eyes on him briefly. He said, "I know you won't damage him, and maybe he deserves just a little hurt."
"I won't hurt him."
He decided to do it straightaway, and wondered if the boy would relax then. He was gentle, and didn't hurt, though he didn't use the dilators, and wondered when the men would start noticing how much less tight he was these days. Maybe he'd be desired less, then.
Afterwards, he lay next to the rigid boy, still lying on his side, and stroked. Arikiyo had told him once how he'd been sufficiently frightened of Yiko that he'd accepted him almost willingly. It hadn't happened since, though, not with anyone, as far as he knew. He made up his mind, and opened the door. Amani and Rafu were there, always at least two.
Fahad stated, "I'm going to stay with him all night, and just so you know, I'll replace paralysis with the Snail Spell."
Rafu said, very quietly, and in Japanese, that they'd best just check the room, and pulled a small device from his pocket. An Akriktia, Fahad guessed. He'd heard about it, though Nusa'pei had also told him the boy was not to know about it. Men wanted him for his spirit, as much as for his beautiful face and body, and they preferred not to break his spirit. Rafu made sure that Valencio didn't see, though he twisted his head, trying to see.
Fahad sat on the bed next to him, blocking his view. "Did you hear? I want to sleep with you tonight."
Valencio spat at him, "That'll only further convince Iraz and Irwandi that you're soft as butter underneath. I wouldn't have thought you'd want that."
Fahad caressed his face, which he jerked away.
Fahad said calmly. "There's nothing you can do or say that will influence my actions in the slightest."
Valencio pictured him on the floor with a hole in his artery. That would influence his actions!
Valencio struggled to get away once the paralysis was replaced with the Snail Spell, hating him still.
Fahad just dimmed the light, not too much, and wrapped an arm around him, taking no notice of the slow attempts to escape his close presence. For hours, Valencio lay rigid in the arms of his enemy, wide awake, bitterly resentful. It was nearly four o'clock before his body relaxed, finally asleep.
Fahad studied his face, looking peaceful as he'd never seen it. After a while, tears started seeping gently. The boy cried in his sleep. These were not acting tears, but tears from his acute misery, that he concealed with useless attempts to fight. Tenderly, Fahad caressed the wet cheek, and Valencio half roused, turning his face away from his enemy.
In the morning, Fahad chose not to use him again, and declined the almost routine offer of another appointment. Nusa'pei said in surprise, "Except for those he's tried to kill, you're the first to decide you're tired of him."
Fahad said, "Not tired of him, sorry for him. I think you should put him down. He's never going to accept his life here."
Nusa'pei had a considerable respect for Fahad, and this was the second one. It was what Yiko said, too.
Valencio was in full agreement. To be put down would have sounded good to him. But Emma greeted him with relief, and said he was nearly late for school, and he smiled at her, and said he was just a little tired, and could she apologise to Kaede for him. He had to shower, but it was scanty, and then he lay down on his bed, and was sound asleep within minutes.
The cleaner started to do the routine clean and tidy of his room, always about that time, a matter of two minutes of spells, but Najam and Kofi-Zee stopped him. The elderly man was on Valencio's list, and they knew there were two shivs hidden in his room. Abbas might not emerge alive.
