€Love's Freedom ~ Chapter 3
Jounouchi kept his eyes riveted on Yuugi as the boy slept, his chest rising and falling with his gentle breathing. The boy whimpered in his sleep, turning on his side so his body was facing Jounouchi. Jounouchi continued to watch him, his breath quickening as his heart increased its tempo. His fingers curled until they were touching his palm, the muscles in his arm painfully tightening. The cords in his neck showed visibly as he turned his head away, closing his eyes. Yuugi twitched in his sleep, rolling onto his back. Jounouchi's breathing slowed as his muscles gradually relaxed, his fingers falling lax to the soft bed.
His eyelids slowly raised, eyes dim as he struggled to keep them focused to the side, on the stone wall just beside the door. The stone was dry, smooth, and cool and Jounouchi's eyes widened slightly. He cocked his head to the side as he continued to stare, momentarily forgetting the boy in the other bed. Yuugi moaned softly, rustling the sheet as he shifted his position. Jounouchi's head shot back in that direction, eyes locking on to the smaller boy. Yuugi's lips were parted, moist and tender. Jounouchi ran his tongue over his lips as his breathing increased again. He rose to his feet, traveling slowly across the room. He stopped beside Yuugi's bed, fingertips landing lightly on the soft fur blanket. He buried his hand in the softness, his other hand clutching at his side. He looked at Yuugi's sleeping face, blinking slowly as his body temperature continued to rise. He slowly lifted his hand, placing his fingers on Yuugi's chin. Running his fingers up the side of Yuugi's face, he let his hand come to rest cupping Yuugi's cheek. Yuugi sighed as Jounouchi lowered his knees to the floor. He briefly wondered what would happen if the other slave woke up and saw him so close. Yuugi," he murmured, running his fingers through the soft, delicate, tri-colored hair.
He brought his face closer to Yuugi's, running the soft hair in between his fingers. He could feel Yuugi's breath on his skin, light and cool against the heated flesh of his face. He stopped a few inches from Yuugi's body, breathing heavily as the muscles in his body clenched. He closed his eyes, making a fist and pulling it close to his chest. A violent shudder ran through his body as tears formed in the corner of his eyes. Pushing himself away from Yuugi, he dropped himself to the floor, bruising his hands as they came roughly in contact with the harsh stone. He tried to keep his shuddering under control. The door scraped against the floor, and he spun around on his knee, preparing to ask for punishment, his head already partially lowered. One of Lord Kaiba's guards entered the room armed with only a sword slung across his back. "Jounouchi?" he asked, fixing his gaze on the boy kneeling on the floor. "Your master would like to see you."
Jounouchi rose to his feet, casting one last lingering look at Yuugi as he brought himself fully erect. He crossed the room to stand in front of the door, keeping his eyes lowered to the ground. The guard led the way outside, the slave following closely behind him. Yuugi opened one eye halfway, watching as the guard closed the heavy door behind them. He sighed as he let his head sink into the pillow, closing his eyes again. "Oh, Jounouchi-kun," he murmured sadly, tears forming in the corner of his eyes.
Jounouchi followed the guard through the hallways, keeping his eyes fixated on the floor. He barely paid attention to his surroundings, trying not to remember what he had nearly done. His mind kept wandering back to Yuugi's small perfect body lying so appealingly on his bed. Jounouchi shook his head, focusing on the boots of the guard in front of him. He knew well enough what the consequences would be, unconsciously rubbing the side of his neck, running his fingers along the deep scar which traveled from the base of his neck to his left shoulder blade. He shook his head, letting his hand fall back to his side. The guard slowed, Jounouchi mimicking his movements as they walked into a rather large room, a cool breeze coming in through open balcony doors. Jounouchi dared to look up, raising his eyes just enough to see where he was. His eyes came in contact with Isis, sitting gracefully on a leather couch in the middle of the room.
His eyes drifted to the side, moving to what was beside the Lady. He felt the familiar longing, starting in the pit of his stomach, making its way through his body as he caught sight of a black silk covered leg. He dared to raise his eyes a little more; they traveled up his master's body until at last they came in contact with those stormy eyes. Those deep blue eyes held no pity, only a silent death awaiting him. His heart fluttered in his chest as he stared into those eyes, staring into the depths of heartlessness. A small thought filtered through his pounding blood, reminding him that Lady Isis was still present, the woman who had shown him nothing but pity since he arrived along with a gentle caring that stirred white wings within his memories. He flushed, returning his attention to the ground, shrinking his shoulders back and clasping his hands in front of him.
Seto smirked as he stood up, placing his hand gently on Isis' shoulder. "I think you had better leave unless you want to be witness to his inspection." He placed his gaze back on his newest slave, eyes roaming up and down the boy's body. Jounouchi twitched under the careful scrutiny, flexing his left arm. His eyes came to rest on the bandage Yuugi had placed there the night before using such gentleness and care. He quickly looked away, resuming to stare at his feet only this time slightly to the right. "I see what you mean by he may be exactly what I am looking for," he said smugly.
Isis rose to her feet, smoothing the front of her dress. She stood on her tiptoes, giving her husband a quick kiss. "I will see you later, my lord. I'll have a pair of spare clothes sent up for him," she told him, her clear eyes meeting his without fear. She turned to head out of the room, giving Jounouchi a long look, a twinkle hidden deep within her eyes.
Seto watched her go, eyes turning colder as she disappeared out of sight. "Stay where you are," he instructed the guard. Jounouchi raised his eyes to watch his master, letting his hands fall to his sides. Seto leaned down, pulling a dagger out of his boot, watching the boy's reaction. Jounouchi kept his eyes on the dagger as Seto raised it, his hand keeping in contact with his body. Jounouchi swallowed, wetting his lips with his tongue as Seto pointed the tip at the ceiling. "Time for your initiation," he said with a small smirk, flipping the dagger so he held it low at his side, point towards the ground.
Jounouchi locked eyes with the young lord as Seto crossed the room, a glint in his eyes Jounouchi recognized all too well. He lowered his eyes to the ground as Seto stopped next to him, so close he could feel his breath on his neck. They were approximately the same height, Seto topping Jounouchi by only a few inches. Jounouchi shivered at the warm touch of the lord's breath, closing his eyes and letting out a low moan. "First, you must be inspected." He bent down low, placing the blade of the dagger against Jounouchi's ankle, just below the hem of his tattered pants. He readjusted the dagger, dragging it up Jounouchi's leg, slicing through the thin material, not stopping until the entire blade of the dagger was pressed against Jounouchi's side. Already a thin line of blood was visible all the way up Jounouchi's leg. Jounouchi barely moved, only flinching slightly when Seto removed the dagger. Seto made his way to the slave's other side, repeating the same actions until the tattered cloth fell away. Seto kicked the remnants of Jounouchi's pants across the room. "Those will need to be burned," he muttered, turning on his heel and walking away from the boy. He turned suddenly, the boy stiffening under the intent gaze fixated on him.
Seto began circling him, studying the boy's body intently. The boy was well-built, muscles clearly visible in his arms, legs, and chest. Numerous scars stood out on his body: a few on his neck, three or four obvious ones crisscrossing his back, and several on his hips, including one that started on his lower back, crossing over the curve of his hip, traveling down to his inner thigh. He frowned, remembering too vividly a similar mark on someone else. Other then the scars, he appeared perfect, possibly from collectors similar to himself. Most of the scars would stay; maybe he would add a few more. His gaze fell on the mark on the boy's hip, trying to remember the name of the specialist who had aided him last time.
Jounouchi kept his body perfectly still, staring at the ground between his feet as Lord Kaiba continued to circle him. The sound of footsteps stopped and Jounouchi lifted his head, staring blankly ahead. Seto came up behind him, his silk clothes brushing against Jounouchi's bare skin. "You pass," Seto said quietly, breathing on the back of Jounouchi's neck. Jounouchi shivered, barely noticing his blood was beginning to form a puddle around his feet. Seto bit down on the back of Jounouchi's neck, absorbing the sound of the boy's gasp. His knees buckled and bent beneath him and he fell to the ground, putting one hand on top of the other as they roughly jarred against the floor.
Lord Kaiba came back into his view, standing within a foot of the fallen slave. Jounouchi was panting heavily now, watching his lord through the tangle of his blonde bangs. "Who gave you permission to go to your knees for me already?" he asked, dealing the slave to quick kick to the side. He turned his back as Jounouchi coughed, specks of blood coming from his mouth to mingle unnoticed with the blood that had come from his legs. Seto turned around just in time to see Jounouchi wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. "Do you want this?" Seto asked smugly, indicating his body with a flourish of his hand.
Jounouchi lowered his head, placing his hands on his thighs. He took a few deep breaths, feeling his blood course hot through his body. He raised his eyes to stare at a point on his master's neck. "Yes," he breathed, his heavy breathing causing his stomach to visibly move.
"One more test," Seto said, pointing the dagger at the ceiling. Out of the corner of his eyes, he glanced at the nearly forgotten guard still standing vigil by the door. In a flash of movement too quick for Jounouchi to follow, the weapon left Seto's hand, burying itself to the hilt in the guard's stomach. The guard slumped against the wall, grabbing the object of his death in his hands as he looked to his lord in disbelief. Jounouchi watched as Seto crossed the room in a few easy strides, gaze deadly as he grabbed the weapon. He pulled the dagger up, ripping through flesh until it came in contact with the man's sternum. Jounouchi lowered his head as Seto removed the dagger, the man slumping to the ground as the blood began to puddle around him. Seto crossed the room to Jounouchi, placing the bloody weapon under the blonde's chin. "I don't give a damn about anything." He lifted Jounouchi's chin until their eyes met. "Do you still want me?" he asked coldly, rotating the dagger so Jounouchi could feel the sharp blade and the blood dripping from it.
Jounouchi nodded once, the blade cutting into the tender flesh of his neck. Seto removed his weapon, dropping it to the ground and sliding it across the floor. Dragging the boy to his feet, he roughly pressed their lips together. He grabbed the hair on the back of Jounouchi's head, pulling the slave's head back, exposing the flesh of the boy's neck. He licked the blood of the boy's neck, causing the slave to sag against him. When he bit Jounouchi's neck at the edge of the cut, the blonde clutched tightly at his master's arms.
Seto disentangled himself from the slave, pushing down on his shoulders until he was kneeling in front of him. "You only get a preview for the moment." Two guards entered the room, one carrying material over his arm. They stopped just inside the door, staring down at their fallen comrade. "You," Lord Kaiba said, pointing to the guard who was empty-handed, "clean up this mess." He gestured nonchalantly to the dead body on the ground.
The other guard came forward, holding the clothes out in front of him as he took small steps across the room. "Get dressed," Seto ordered as the guards dropped his load in front of Jounouchi. He rose to his feet, retrieving the clothes. He pulled the tight leather breeches on, staring straight ahead of him as he pulled the cotton white tunic over his head. "Lead him back to his room," Seto said, dismissing the two of them. Thee guard bowed, gesturing for Jounouchi to follow him.
He tried not to look at the body as they passed, or the guard who was busily trying to clean up the mess. He caught sight out of the corner of his eye, stomach rolling as his turned his head away. He carefully sidestepped the mess, aware of his master's intense gaze on him. He followed his lead silently, taking more note of his surroundings this time. However, he soon grew tired of looking at the walls, so similar to many others he had been in, though he did take careful notes of all the turns they made. They soon made it back to his room, the guard unlocking the door and shoving him inside before reporting off.
Yuugi was up when he got back, standing beside his bed. The smaller boy turned around when he heard the door opening, brushing his bangs back from his face. Jounouchi raised his eyes to Yuugi as the door slammed behind him. Yuugi's eyes widened; he flushed and turned away, placing his hands back. Blushing, Jounouchi readjusted his shirt, clearing his throat once he was finished. Yuugi looked at him out of one eye first, smiling as he turned fully back towards his roommate. "I suppose Lord Kaiba put you through the initial initiation?" Jounouchi nodded once, staring steadfastly into Yuugi's beautiful violet eyes. Yuugi's eyes had a bright sparkle in them; Jounouchi felt if he followed it far enough he could find a whole new world. Yuugi kept talking, though his eyes did soften for the briefest of moments. "It's only going to get worse. You should rest up. In a few hours you'll meet the dackras and no matter what happens there, you'll still have to start work tomorrow."
Jounouchi moved over to his bed, sitting down with his palms placed on the edge, staring at Yuugi with a quizzical expression. Yuugi sat down across from him, tilting his head to the side. "What are the dackras?" he asked, He flinched, hand rising to his throat, his voice sounding harsh.
Yuugi looked at him, eyes wide with concern. "You'll be finding out soon enough. Are you okay?" Jounouchi cleared his throat, closing his eyes as his breathing became heavier. "Would it be easier if I came over there so you could talk quieter?"
He opened his eyes with surprise, looking at Yuugi, who was volunteering to make his life easier. He nodes, eyes riveted on the other slave as he stood up and made his way across the room. He sat down extremely close to Jounouchi, their legs touching all the way from hip to foot. Jounouchi shuddered, panting slightly as he turned his head away from Yuugi. Yuugi proceeded to smile innocently at him, placing his hand on the bed directly behind Jounouchi. "You can go first. Ask me anything you want to know. Just be forewarned; I'll get my chance to ask you someday soon. I'll just wait until your voice is back into proper working order." He blushed, turning his head away from his taller companion. "I'm sure it sounds very beautiful," he added softly.
The soft sound send the familiar shivers running through Jounouchi's body. He knew he would have to start thinking about other things soon or else poor Yuugi wouldn't be able to stand a chance. Neither would he. "How long have you been here?"
Yuugi turned his attention back towards Jounouchi, smiling at him. "Ever since my grandfather died and there was no one left to take care of me. Lord Kaiba's father took me in and presented me to his son. I've been here ever since." He lowered his eyes, looking at a spot just beyond Jounouchi's feet. "You kind of lose track of how many years, don't you?"
Jounouchi's nodded in understanding, his mind forming another question. "How many people have you been roomed with?"
Yuugi laughed, not looking in the least bit surprised. "Everyone always wants to know that." He rolled his shoulders back, offering Jounouchi a small, tender smile. "Honestly, I lost count. But there's no need for you to get jealous. Every one ended up killing themselves."
"Death would be a sweet release," Jounouchi whispered, tuning his eyes to the floor. Yuugi got a crick in his neck from turning toward the other boy so suddenly. Tears brimmed in his eyes, and, with a small sigh, Yuugi turned his head away. He found himself unconsciously bowing alande, remembering when he had asked his master if he thought Jounouchi would kill himself. Jounouchi did not notice, keeping his eyes on the ground, old feelings resurfacing. Yuugi turned his head to the window, watching as a bird flew past.
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Jounouchi amazed himself with how many hours he sat perfectly still in silence, especially when the boy was pressed up against him the way he was. He lifted his head only once he heard a noise just outside the door that didn't sound like the guards. The door opened, revealing Lord Kaiba standing alone in the fall, a ring of keys hanging from one hand. "Jounouchi, follow me." The blonde rose to his feet, making his way into the hallway. Seto looked back into the room, staring directly at Yuugi. "Get ready," he ordered before shutting the door and locking it.
Jounouchi watched him, falling in step behind his master as Seto started off. "I suppose Yuugi told you what is in store for you?" he asked, not bothering to look over his shoulder.
"He mentioned dackras," Jounouchi answered, resting his gaze on the top of Seto's black boots.
"You are not from the Kridonia Range, are you?" Seto asked, mouth curving into a smirk.
Jounouchi had never even heard of the place, only once in a reference made by Pegasus during some meeting. If his memory served him correctly, which it rarely seemed to do, one of Pegasus' slaves longed to be with a lord in the Kridonia Range. "No." He couldn't recall anything else: whom his lord was talking to, the name of the lord the slave girl wanted to be with, or even the face and name of the girl.
"You're in for a treat," Seto informed him, a deadly glint in his eyes. "Dackras are native only to the Kridonia Range." Jounouchi stayed silent, following his master through the fortress. He lifted his face when they stepped outside, wincing as the chill wind came in contact with his flesh. From the vantage point, he could see down into a broad valley with a river flowing through the center, evergreen trees lining both sides.
"Come on, keep up," Seto growled. Jounouchi immediately followed him, looking around him as they walked. The ground was rocky in the back, rising up to a snow-peaked mountain. He saw where they were headed, a long, low building that resembled many of the stables he had seen. However, coming closer he could tell the smell was nothing like any horse he could remember. Seto opened the door, turning around to let Jounouchi got in first. "Now you will meet my dackras."
Jounouchi went inside, the only light coming from the door and the high windows, which barely managed to light the aisle. Stalls lined both sides of the aisle, approximately fifty stalls to each side, each one about half the size of an average horse stall. He strained his eyes, trying to see what exactly was hidden in those stalls. He heard his master coming in behind him. Seto stopped just inside the doorway, face hidden within the shadows. "Brace yourself." He snapped his fingers.
Jounouchi heard a snarling sound behind him, a low gnashing growl mixed with a painful howl. He turned towards the sound, peering over the doorway into the darkness. Three set of gnashing white teeth appeared, followed by three sets of glowing green eyes. He unconsciously took a step backwards, staring into one of those eyes, listening to the unholy sounds issuing from the creature's mouth. "Follow me and you will get to meet one more personally."
Jounouchi turned his attention to Seto who was already making his way down the long aisle. Every so often he caught a glimpse of glowing eyes peering at them from over the stall doors, all the while he could hear their awful howling. A guard dressed all in black leather covering every inch of his skin handed Seto a torch halfway through the building. Seto opened a door, disappearing inside with Jounouchi following closely behind him. Leading him to the center of the room, Seto placed the torch on top of a worn wooden pole. "Remove your clothes," Kaiba ordered, turning around to face him intensely.
Jounouchi pulled his shirt over his head, casting a quick glance over at his master before focusing his attention on the pole. Removing the rest of his clothes, he let them all drop in a pile next to him. Once his boots were off, he could feel the floor was actually covered with very fine sand. "Come here." Jounouchi made his way closer, feet shuffling through the soft sand. Seto grabbed his arms, pushing him roughly against the post, tying his hands together behind it. Another rope was tied around his wrists and then connected tautly to a hook at the top of the pole. "Wait here," Seto told him, smirking before he headed into the darkness.
Jounouchi rested his head back against the pole, listening to the sound of his own heavy breathing. He tried to look around him, seeing only blackness outside the circle of torchlight. He closed his eyes, wrists twitching behind his back. He fingered the rope that bound him, thumb running over the thick fibers. He shuddered, chest heaving as he found surer footing, spreading his toes in the sand. He opened his eyes, staring straight into a pair of green eyes. Stepping back into the light, Seto revealed he had one of the dackras placed on a leather leash. The dackra had large, broad-toed paws, long shaggy brown fur that was currently splotched with white, the face of a wolf with those glowing eyes and a long bushy tail. From where he was Jounouchi could see no visibly ears and he discerned the creature was six feet long and well above four and a half feet high. Seto placed his hand on the dackra's head, watching the slave's every reaction. "Just to place all thought of escape out of your mind, this is what will come after you if you try." Bending down, Seto picked up one of the creature's front paws, gently squeezing the pad. Five razor sharp claws came out, retracting once Seto dropped the paw. "Beautiful, aren't they?" he asked as he straightened himself up. "But I'll let you decide for yourself." He unhooked the leash from the dackra, backing off into the blackness.
Jounouchi watched him until he was gone, then turning his full attention unto the creature. "Don't worry; she only goes in for the kill if you try to escape." He heard a snap followed immediately by the horrific sound of the dackra's snarling. The creature jumped to the left, disappearing into the darkness. Jounouchi kept his gaze straight ahead, focused on a point just at the edge of the light. He heard the sand rustling to his right, turning his eyes just in time to see the dackra lunging at him. The creature outstretched a paw, scoring a blow across his thigh before heading back into the shadows. As the blood splattered from leg to sand, Jounouchi flinched, inhaling sharply at the sudden attack.
He could still hear the dackra, the creature's snarling seeming to come from every direction at once. He closed his eyes, panting with his lips parted, blood sliding down his leg. It came from behind him, leaving an open gash in his right arm. He gasped, knees buckling beneath him, feet sliding to the sides. His wrists dug into the wood, deep splinters embedding themselves in his skin, keeping him standing. "Where?" Jounouchi asked, eyes traveling from one side to the other.
"No one knows," someone said from the darkness in a voice he didn't recognize. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the pole, struggling to regain his breath. He heard the dackra coming in again; the awful howling sound got even louder. The dackra went for his stomach this time, slashing its claws across his abdomen. His last conscious thought was that Lord Kaiba had left his dackra go too far.
~ *evil laugh * Let the fun begin for Jounouchi and his new master. And please remember to review. ^-^
