Finding Freedom-Part 4
By Shai Ryder
The next morning, Obi was up early, picking up the various items of clothing that had been left in the hall because they were damp. The female slaves were to wash the clothes today. He yawned, and wondered what this day should hold. It was fascinating to be able to think like this, actually having hope the day would be good.
Cookie and the female slaves were busy in the kitchen fixing a warm breakfast for the two Masters. Their laughter and banging of pans was a pleasant sound. Obi finished his particular chore and went to his room to wash up. As he was passing to go into the kitchen, he heard a knock over the noise. Obi ran to answer it.
He swung the door wide open. "Hello?"
Lord Riley stood there, holding Nikos's arms in a tight grasp. "Boy, this is Xanatos's," He shoved Nikos into Obi's arms. The pleasure slave scampered behind Obi.
"My Lord?!" Obi asked, confused.
"I'm tired of him, I was only supposed to watch him for a few days, it's past a week now."
"Yes, My Lord. Would you like something warm to drink, My Lord?"
"No! I just want to get rid of that brat. Good-day!" Lord Riley actually grabbed the door handle and slammed it himself. Obi rushed over to the window and watched him get into a carriage and drive away. He turned slowly to find Nikos on his knees, against a chair rocking slowly.
"Cookie!" he yelled. The cook came running in and her hand flew to her mouth.
"Goodness me! How did you get here, Nikos?" The boy just shook his head and looked at the ground.
"Lord Riley, Cookie," Obi said, "he was just here saying he didn't want to watch Nikos anymore."
"Bah! Then we will wash you up, Nikos and give you something warm to wear." Cookie helped the shaking boy to stand up. She whispered into Obi's ear, "Obi, run upstairs and tell the Master, wake him if you have to."
Obi nodded, and bounded up the stairs. He slowed once in the hallway. "Master?" he asked, knocking quietly on the closed door.
"It's open, Obi."
Obi opened it, finding his Master sitting on the floor. He immediately dropped to his knees, for it was considered disrespectful to stand up while his Master stood. "None of that, I'm getting up." Obi slowly got back up to his feet, as did his Master. Obi wanted to ask what the world his Master was doing sitting on the floor, but didn't dare ask then.
"What do you need, Obi?" his Master asked kindly.
"Master…Lord Riley just brought Nikos to the door and shoved him at me."
"What!"
"He was tired of watching him, Master," Obi said.
Master Jinn rubbed his eyes and groaned. "Where is Xanatos?" he murmured, not caring is Obi heard. The slave walked little by little back towards the door, unsure if his Master would explode like Xanatos did. But Master Jinn turned his back to his slave, looked out the window and breathed deeply. "Alright."
He turned around to look at Obi. Obi averted his eyes. "Obi, look at me. That's better. Thank you. I'll be down soon. Make sure the boy is okay, and tell him to rest if he so wishes."
"Yes, Master."
"You're dismissed." Obi bowed at the waist and went downstairs into the kitchen.
"They're in there," a female slave said, pointing into Obi's room.
"Thanks." The girl smiled back. Obi went into the little room, where Nikos sat on his bed and Cookie checking him over. The trembling had stopped but his flesh was pale, very pale.
"Master Jinn said he'd been down soon. Nikos, he told me to tell you to rest if you wanted to. And to make sure you were not injured." Nikos continued to rock slowly and look down at the ground as Cookie looked a particularly nasty cut around his neck. Obi figured that was where his collar buckle had been pulled suddenly and cut his neck.
"He's got some cuts and bruises and he's not eaten for awhile," Cookie said sadly. "Obi why don't you get him one of your tunics." Obi did so and watched while Nikos pulled it over his skinny body. He slowly, with a simple sigh, lay down on the cot. His eyes held that hollowed look that never went away. Obi sat the edge of the bed and pulled his covers over his old friend.
"Sleep, Nikos, we'll be back later." The pleasure slave closed his eyes and started to relax.
Obi followed Cookie back into the foyer. They looked at each other, their sadness equal. "Gods, we are lucky." Obi nodded in agreement, looking out the window once more. "Well best to check up on the girls, hopefully they aren't burning anything. Why don't you come get yourself something to eat, Obi?"
"No, thanks. I'm not hungry." Cookie patted his shoulder in a motherly way.
Obi sat on one of the foyer chairs, trying to think his emotions straight. There was shame and guilt. Who was he to feel sorry for himself while Nikos had been raped and beaten. Here he had warm food, an understanding Master who treated his slaves and servants fairly, an actual bed. Obi knew the life of a pleasure slave was often envied by other slaves for they thought they were pampered pets who slept on silk and ate all day and made had loving sex at night.
Nikos was kept cooped up in Master Xanatos's bedroom all day, never allowed to venture out. Obi recalled that once he had been in the kitchen helping Cookie when Nikos came downstairs for some water. Xanatos had flew into a rage, throwing his slave into a wall and dragging him upstairs. Cookie and Obi had held each other, listening to the crack of the whip and Nikos's stifled cries. Nikos never came downstairs after that.
When Xanatos was out of the house he locked the door. Obi had even witnessed Nikos being chained to the young Master's bed. Obi snapped out of his thoughts once his Master walked down the stairs, wearing only a robe. Obi immediately stood up.
"Is he resting?"
"Yes, Master."
"I'd like to look at him," Qui-Gon said, nodding towards Obi's room.
"Yes, Master." Then, Anakin came down the stairs, wearing a much too big tunic.
"What is it, little one?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Master Malaki is feeling ill, sir," Anakin said.
"Oh dear. Cookie!" The cook came running through the kitchen.
"Yes?"
"My brother is feeling ill. Could you go upstairs and see what he needs? I have several things to do this morning.
"The breakfast, sir?"
Qu-Gon gave his cook an apologetic smile. "Sorry. You and the girls eat it. Feed this little one," he said, nodding towards Anakin.
"Oh no, sir! I cannot eat without Master's permission.
"Oh, please. Eat and if he even notices, I'll stick up for you. Now go." Anakin ran into the warm kitchen.
Obi and the Master followed and into Obi's room. Master Jinn came close up to the bed where Nikos breathed evenly, deep in sleep.
"What were his injuries, Obi?"
"Bruised around his ribs and lower back, cuts around his neck and back, and Cookie said she didn't think he had been fed for awhile."
"God," Master Jinn said, gently touching his slave on the face. Instantly Nikos's eyes flew open and he slid out of the bed and onto his stomach.
"Please! I didn't mean to fall asleep! Don't beat me, Master Xanatos, please!" Qui-Gon's eyes closed and he backed away from the terrified slave. Obi moved in and held Nikos's body. "Obi?" Nikos asked, utterly confused.
"Yes, Nikos. You just woke up, confused. That's all. Come on go back to bed." Obi helped his friend get into the bed and pulled the covers over him. "Close your eyes, yes, that's it. Concentrating on your breathing- it will calm you." Nikos regained clam and drifted back into slumber. Obi stood up, and looked up at his Master in the doorway.
"Get shoes on, and meet me in the foyer."
"Y-yes, Master," Obi said, not sure why he had been told that. His Master walked out of the room. He heard him say something to Cookie but not clearly. Obi moved silently so he would not wake up Nikos.
Once in the foyer, his Master opened the door for his young slave and gestured out. "Obi, we need to talk about some things…" He said, once outside.