Axl fenced agilely, leaping back over the axe with a grin. He was practicing against one of the other warriors, a beautiful girl with raven black hair and the most well developed set of pectorals he'd ever seen in his life. She wore a special corset and armor just to keep everything from jiggling too much as she fought, and after the well-known 'tit caught in a bowstring' incident, she'd switched over to a crossbow.

She swore as he jumped to the side again, trying to pin him down so she could use her strength and the massiveness of her weapon to her advantage. It was padded, but still big enough to break bones from the sheer weight. Axl darted in, slamming her with his flail, but he'd gotten a little overconfident. He'd forgotten she could briefly handle her weapon one handed, and her fist hit him on the chin, putting stars in his eyes. They circled each other, looking for an opening-

"Enough!" They both lowered their weapons at Charmain's shout. "Break off for lunch!" Axl blinked, realizing that it was indeed about that time. The girl lowered her axe with a groan.

"Axl, you're a total bastard." She said wearily, slowly going over to the wall to hang her weapon back up. She usually used a much smaller machete that could be concealed in a flowing skirt.

"I know, thanks." Axl said brightly, hanging up his flail. Since he'd been picked to be a courtesan as well as a warrior, his main weapons had become knives. He was still being heavily trained with the flail, for when he would need to act as a warrior, but knives could be hidden under any kind of clothes.

Axl blushed faintly as he remembered his first… intimate experience.

"Axl? Try to calm down," the blonde woman, Ellasheen, said with a throaty laugh. She was a former courtesan, well past her prime. She was still beautiful, in a very mature way, but youth was long gone. She had two teenage children, he knew, both of them free. She had spent her money to buy their freedom when they were young, at the price of her own. "I don't bite, you know."

But she didn't seem to mind her lack of freedom. Her position at the training center was very secure… and somewhat enjoyable. Axl blushed, shifting nervously as she smiled kindly at him, a twinkle in her eyes. He slowly sat down beside her, still blushing.

Being here, doing this, made him feel nervous, afraid and a little sad. He'd vaguely hoped that Cinnamon would be his first… or maybe Zero. He wasn't sure if the red Hunter swung that way. He certainly liked ladies, but then, so did Axl…

A hand touched his shoulder, and Axl gasped, startled. Ellasheen laughed softly, and stood. He blinked at her, wondering what she was doing. She was wearing a filmy nightgown, cut to be revealing yet modestly covering, trimmed with delicate lace. Axl, on the other hand, was wearing only his familiar linen shift. She pushed him gently, smiling, and Axl found himself lying down on his stomach on the bed. The position was very puzzling. What could she possibly…?

Her hands skillfully started kneading his shoulders, and Axl sighed softly, relaxing. He'd been given massages before, and given them to others. Usually for Red, who had suffered some pain in his right shoulder from an old injury. Reploids had a fake musculature overlaid over metal, so massages served no real purpose, but reacting with pleasure to the stimulation was part of their programming. A lot like sex.

That thought made Axl tense briefly, but then the massage relaxed him again. Ellasheen was really very good at it. Axl knew it was a standard part of concubine training, but still…

Eventually, when he was half-asleep, she gently kissed throat. Axl turned over to look at her, surprised, and their lips had met. He was still half-asleep, and the kiss was so very pleasant…

She had taught him from there, and it had been a wonderful lesson to learn.

Someone poked Axl in the back, and he broke off his reverie with a blush. Then blushed even more as he realized he had reacted physically to the memory, and was very grateful he was wearing leather training armor, not the thin linen he wore in the morning. If anyone had been able to see, he'd have gotten some serious teasing.

"Come on, Axl, don't just stand there dreaming." The girl said briskly. She had already removed her armor. "Take it off." Axl winced, and concentrated briefly on getting himself under control. It wasn't hard. He just had to think of the time he'd accidentally run in on Red naked. Not that Red was bad looking, but seeing his 'father' that way had been scarring. So had the helmet Red had beaned him with. He started stripping off his armor and putting it back on the racks, after giving it a quick cleaning. He didn't sweat like the humans did, but it was the polite thing to do. They had started practicing with enchanted weapons a while ago, to give them a feel for them, and after the first serious dent to his real armor he'd taken to wearing the practice leathers. They were somehow tuned to the weapons, so they suffered no real damage.

His companion did a few knee bends, and some stretches to keep from stiffening, then started out to the mess hall. The other concubine/warriors were already there. Since they had been selected from the others, they no longer shared lessons with them and tended to associate with each other. Some of the other warriors had called them snots, but Axl thought it was just the natural result of no longer seeing the other warriors every day.

"Hey, Magira," One of the other boys, an auburn haired man of perhaps twenty, passed down a pastry. It went through four changes of hands before it ended up in front of the black haired girl, who immediately nibbled on it. Axl concentrated on filling up a plate, then finding a seat. He was pleased to see that today's main dish was chickpea curry with yogurt, over rice. The curry was always spicy enough to burn his mouth, but cut with yogurt, it was delicious. He took care to take a salad as well. He didn't much care for them, but he'd decided a long time ago that there was no point in explaining that he didn't need it. Either they wouldn't believe him, which would be annoying, or maybe they would believe him, which could be worse. How would knowing that he was ageless affect his value? If he wanted to buy his freedom someday, it would be wise not to tell anyone.

He'd come to the conclusion that for expensive slaves like himself, slavery was more in the nature of indentured servitude than what he would have called slavery. Yes, they could be abused on their master's whim, but they would be expensive property. And they had the right… not a possibility, a right… to purchase their freedom, if they could make the price they were sold for. It was not possible for a master to refuse, if they could give him the coins. And as they grew older, less comely and feebler, that price would lower.

His eyes hardened, though, as he thought about the fates of the cheap slaves. Bought for cheap farm labor, the salt mines, and other unpleasant tasks, most would be worked to death. No one cared about them. They had no right to purchase themselves. Most were prison scum, but many were simply serfs from other countries, prisoners of war or victims of raiders. Axl knew he wasn't the only one disgusted by it. Charmain could give chapter and verse on the evils of this decadent society, if you cared to ask. She was from the far North, and claimed her people were really far more civilized even if they did engage in blood feuds and her enemies had sold her into slavery. Axl had wanted to ask how they were different, exactly, but hadn't quite dared.

He idly listened to the conversation around him, and wondered what the other warriors would have thought if they'd bothered to listen in. Maybe they would have been grateful they were no longer sitting together. The conversation was a hodge-podge of topics, but mostly focused on combat, and their lessons with various sexes and positions. Along with a great deal of bitching about…

"I swear, I hate all this table manners stuff." A blonde, buff young man complained. Physically, he reminded Axl of Zero although there was no resemblance mentally. "I'm a warrior. I should be hacking my meat off with a knife and eating it raw!" There were sniggers up and down the table.

"I seem to recall you peeling grapes and feeding them to Ellasheen last week," One of the others said dryly. "And you looked like you were enjoying it." He flushed brick red and mumbled something as Axl and the others laughed.

"The posture lessons are what drive me mad," One of the women, a platinum haired beauty, said. "They tied a string between my legs last week, to make me shorten my steps." Axl and the other men looked sympathetic, while the women grimaced. Female concubines needed a 'feminine' walk. The men were fortunately spared that.

Tasheen had been right about the etiquette lessons being their bane. It had taken what seemed like forever for Axl to master the complicated dance of cutlery that dining seemed to require. He was sure there was nothing like it in the modern world. Although… once the teachers thought they were ready, they had instructed the kitchen to prepare a full court feast as a supper for them to practice on. Axl had been oddly impressed by the stateliness of it. There had been eight courses, each small enough that they had been satisfied but not sick by the end of it. Each one had come with a drink that complimented it… sometimes wine, sometimes tea, and once a fresh mineral water. The courses had included seared beef strips with five dipping sauces, lamb curry, acorn soup, baked fish in cheese… it was obvious that this society had made an art of eating, at least at the highest levels.

They had lost about half the class to all the etiquette lessons. They had returned to being ordinary warriors, with reactions ranging from angry to grateful. Axl had considered deliberately failing, but had finally decided not to. He would cost twice as much, which would make it harder to buy his freedom, but he'd be making five times as much. The economics were clear.

"What I'm having trouble with is the whole not looking dangerous thing," one of them, a lean, dark haired man complained. "I am dangerous! It's hard not to look it." Axl grinned as the other men nodded, and the one speaking glared at him. "Don't you dare say anything, Axl." Axl widened his eyes, pretending to innocence, and one of the girls giggled. He almost hadn't needed any lessons in 'not looking dangerous.' He just remembered how he used to get his way with Red, before everything had gone to hell. Being irresistibly cute was one of the best ways he'd found to get what he wanted. Only one or two of the other men could use that tactic without looking ridiculous. The rest were left to fumble along, trying to look like useless fops and beefcakes instead of the trained fighters they were.

"I'm almost looking forward to when we get sold," One of the girls said, spooning yogurt over her curry. "It should be interesting, seeing the feasts and festivals. Especially with a knife strapped to my leg!" She grinned, and the others laughed softly. Traditionally, no one could bring a bodyguard to a feast. That was the main purpose of courtesan/warriors such as themselves… to circumvent that tradition.

"I wonder if we'll ever have to do assassinations?" Axl suddenly asked, silencing the conversation for a moment.

"Surely not," a girl said, but without assurance. "Wouldn't they have other people for that?" Axl shrugged.

"I don't know, but we can be taken where bodyguards can't." That would get them past a lot of defenses. After his experience with Red Alert, Axl wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if careful assassinations were part of his duties. The others looked faintly disturbed at the thought.

"Well, we'll have to see." The raven-haired beauty said with a sigh, hiking up her corset. "What I wouldn't give to be back home again." There was nothing anyone could say to that, and the conversation turned to other things.

A month later, Axl idly twirled his flail, waiting for his time on the stage to come. He tried to concentrate on the whirling movements of the steel ball, and not the coming humiliation.

This was a private auction, reserved for the richest of clients, not the rabble off the streets. It was still a sale, and not the genteel kind of arrangements for purchase he was used to as a Reploid. They would be poked, prodded and spoken of as objects. Well, maybe not poked and prodded, but they would be called upon to demonstrate their skills in mock battles and also be required to model themselves in various garbs. Axl really wasn't looking forward to hearing the comments about him.

The raven-haired girl, Magira, exited the stage, and Axl winced as he saw her. She was wearing an umber gown that accented her incredibly lush bosom, but her expression was furious.

"Someone called me a great cow!" She hissed viciously at him, and Axl sensibly didn't reply as she flounced off to the change room.

They would all be displaying themselves for several hours. Then, once all the displays were done, they would line up on the stage and the bidding would begin. Axl took a deep breath, and stepped out onto the stage. He was paired off to show his skills against the blonde man, who had finally learned how to simulate being beefcake adequately. In his case, that amounted to looking stupid. Axl ignored the announcer introducing him, but couldn't help but hear some of the comments.

"…Little kid… fifteen…?"

"…Magical armor… worthwhile just for that…"

"Need to see how he uses that flail first, papa…"

"…Hell with flail… see him with knives…"

Axl's opponent was fairly apprehensive, and Axl grinned as they circled each other. It had taken him a while to master the ancient weapons at his disposal, but he'd gone to it with his customary verve and élan. Only two of the others, the raven-haired girl and the dark, deadly looking boy could really match him. He almost wished he could bring them home. They would both have been excellent Hunters.

The watchers were quiet as they watched the match, which was quick and brutal. There were whispers as the referee halted them, and Axl blushed in pleasure as he heard a few of them.

"…Older than he looks, has to be…"

"So fast and strong, papa…!"

"Hush…"

Axl stepped off the stage with a bounce in his step, then went to the change rooms to put on some of the concubine clothes he had been given. This wasn't too bad, so far. Of course, he wasn't a girl. Magira wasn't the only one looking angry enough to spit nails.

But then, he still had to endure the critique of his body. Axl blushed, putting on the clothes that had been picked out for him. There were tight fitting, beige slacks and a filmy green top that exposed most of his chest. He'd found out from Tasheen that it was the current fashion for all men, not just concubines. The jewels he'd been given to clip on his ears, though, were definitely concubine wear. Tiny emeralds set in gold, they matched his eyes almost perfectly. A matching emerald and gold choker went around his throat. The woven gold was worth a fortune, but it was the property of the slave arena and he wouldn't be able to keep it unless his new master bought it with him.

Last, Axl carefully put on a jaunty green beret. It wasn't actually meant to conceal his spiky hair… he'd be taking it off halfway through… but it would give the buyers an idea of how he could be made presentable for a formal setting. Just seeing his hair without it might turn them off, apparently. Axl grinned as he remembered how long the makeup artists had spent trying to tame his hair, before they had finally given up.

And speaking of makeup… Axl quickly and expertly applied it, as he had been taught. For men and women, makeup could range from subdued to bizarre. With this outfit, subdued was the right way. A little brush of rouge to give a sense of health, some golden dust for his eyelids, and he was finished.

Stepping onto the stage a second time was more nerve wracking, since he didn't have his flail to concentrate on, and he was sure he'd be getting some really negative comments on his age. No one could accuse him of being a great cow, but underage was a different matter.

Sure enough…

"He looks so young…"

"…Just right to keep the bastards off guard…"

"Sick… young enough to be your son…"

Axl blushed, trying to keep his face straight. He was a Reploid, so his age didn't really matter… but he wondered what they would think if they knew he was actually three years old, not fifteen.

But then, mentally, he sometimes felt like he was a hundred.

Finally, they were called up onto the stage for the final bidding. Axl took his place with some trepidation, but took comfort in his armor and weapons. They were all outfitted in their armor, armed with the weapons they would be taking along.

The bidding was fairly fierce. Axl watched the raven-haired girl go for almost two hundred golds, and winced. If he cost that much, it would take forever for him to buy his freedom.

Then his turn came, and Axl gasped at the opening bid. One hundred and fifty?

The rest was somewhere between flattering and appalling. His price finished at three hundred and thirty, which, from the smug expression on the auctioneer's face was probably a record. Axl looked numbly at the man who had bought him.

And felt a little happiness. His teaching had included teachers of all body types, even some who were outwardly repulsive, so he could learn to function despite what his owner might look like. Being a concubine was not for the squeamish, and Axl had found, to his surprise, that he was pretty flexible in his requirements. The man that had bought him, though, was tall and stately, with features that reminded Axl of a hawk, including a tremendous beak of a nose. In fact, he reminded Axl of Red. Axl felt a sudden wave of homesickness, but that was an old longing for his days with Red Alert.

In any case, making love to this man would not be repulsive in the least. Axl stood still as the enchanter attached to the auction house came up, holding a dull grey rod. He tapped the band on Axl's throat, muttering a strange word, then pointed the rod at his new owner. Axl felt the band turn cold, hot, then lapse into its usual state of body-warmed metal.

When a high-ranking slave was sold, especially of the bodyguard type, the collar was changed. Axl knew that he still had to obey his owner, but… he could selectively disobey. The collar was activated on intent, and the new, loosened version would not harm him as long as he acted in what he was certain was his owners best interest. That was necessary, since a bodyguard might have to overrule an owner who didn't know what was best. Like shoving him down and using their own body as a shield, if necessary, and ignoring any protests about it.

"I'm Ryoshu Naburrez." The man said, and Axl tilted his head. After all the time here, among slaves from almost everywhere, he'd come to recognize the various flavors of names. This one sounded like he had been born in the Southern sea, which explained the pale skin and white hair. Axl had gotten a few looks at maps, and the continents were recognizable, but in different positions. "You may call me Ryo. I'm a merchant, by the way. Come." He gestured imperiously at Axl, and Axl obediently fell in behind. He was a bit more relieved that his new owner was a merchant. Nobles might have the money to throw away by ruining a very expensive slave, but merchants typically valued their property.

He was even more relieved when several other bodyguards fell in around them, and a beautiful girl in a glorious but revealing dress. Axl eyed her covertly as they walked slowly through the packed streets. Her skin was a chocolate brown, and her hair was pitch black, cut into a flattering but slightly bizarre style. Her gown was a brilliant red, embroidered elegantly with gold and seed pearls. A scarf of embroidered silk hid the slave collar at her throat, but Axl spotted the cuffs on her arms. But was she a concubine, or a concubine/warrior like himself?

She resolved the question when she turned to look at him with a friendly smile, her white teeth flashing against her dark face. "So, you are Axl? I'm Quosha, a warrior like yourself… I think we'll get to know each other quite well." She grinned, and Axl blushed as Ryo chuckled. Axl quickly decided he liked Quosha. Her face was round, snub-nosed, and very appealing in a friendly way. Her eyes were brown, and warm. Axl thought she probably had an excellent sense of humor.

Axl was interested in the bazaar, looking as much as he could at the goods on sale. Some were really exotic and lovely, like tiny, intricate carvings made out of what looked like elephant ivory. If he got a chance, perhaps he would buy one to take home. Axl smiled sadly, thinking about that. Getting home could take years…

Ryo's house, when they reached it, proved to be a lovely mansion. It was exceedingly ostentatious, in a foreign style, and Axl loved it. The gate they entered was wrought iron, and the paving of the courtyard was made of multi-colored, octagonal stones closely fitted together. Gardens filled each of the four corners with glorious color, and they had been planted with more enthusiasm than art. The colors were riotous, and not in good taste, but very welcoming. A polished marble fountain filled the center of the courtyard, and in the center was a statue of a beautiful young girl endlessly pouring water from an ewer.

"This is great!" Axl exclaimed, making Quosha grin. Ryo looked briefly surprised, then pleased.

"Thank you. Most people in this wretched land don't appreciate the Southern island style, especially the fountain." One of Ryo's guards opened the front door for him, and he nodded politely to the man. Axl's hopes went up a bit more. Ryo was polite to his servants, and that was something.

"That's because it wastes so much water, love," Quosha said with a smile, resting her hand on Ryo's arm. Axl tilted his head slightly, wondering. She seemed quite fond of him.

Axl looked around curiously at the inside of the mansion. It was a beautiful place, full of interesting furnishings. The floor was polished marble, and there was a staircase leading upstairs, with a gilded banister. There were little golden cherubs at the ends of the staircase, greeting all the visitors with sweet smiles and outspread wings. The walls were wood, stained and varnished to bring out the natural grain.

"Oohh" Axl breathed, enchanted by the place all over again. He knew X would have detested it… his style was far more modern and clean edged… while Zero would have been indifferent, but Axl, when given a chance, preferred rococo carving and wild, extravagant styles. And this was only the entrance to the mansion, with no furniture, carpeting, and very little art. He wondered what the sitting rooms would look like.

"Quosha, beloved, could you show him around?" Ryo murmured softly to her. "I have to talk to Mirric about that silk shipment." Quosha nodded with a smile, as the bodyguards slowly departed to their customary places. A larger escort was needed outside the mansion than in, although one stayed with Ryo as he walked up the stairs. Axl was willing to bet that protectiveness wasn't paranoid… Ryo didn't seem the sort to imagine enemies. That thought was a little daunting. If Ryo had enemies deadly enough that he needed a bodyguard in his own home, then there was every chance in the world that Axl would be putting his training to use.

"Mama!" Axl blinked as a tiny bundle that seemed to consist mostly of arms and legs rocketed out of a room to the left of the stairs. It hit Quosha in the legs, and resolved into a little boy. Axl regarded him, rather surprised. His skin was dark, but not nearly as dark as Quosha's, and he was perhaps three years old, perhaps four. He looked up at Axl curiously. "Mama, who is this?"

"This is Axl. Your poppa bought him to take over my duties when we get married," Quosha explained, and Axl's eyes widened.

"You're getting married? Congratulations!" Quosha smiled in pleasure, looking extremely happy, and Axl could see why. For a female concubine, the absolute pinnacle of achievement was to marry her owner, who would free her during the ceremony. Add in the fact that Ryo was attractive, polite, and seemed genuinely affectionate to Quosha… affection she returned… this was the closest thing to a love match any concubine/warrior was likely to find.

"We are," Quosha said happily, tickling her son under the chin. "Mostly to legitimize Karus, so he can inherit." The boy squirmed away from her hand, and ran over to Axl to hug one of his legs with a grin. "Karus, come on… I'm going to show him the house."

"Okay Mama!" Karus ran ahead as Quosha took him through the house, showing him all the rooms. Axl was enchanted by everything. Most of the furniture was dark oak, extravagantly carved with dragons, nereids and other mythical creatures. The cushions on them were red velvet, and very plush. There were works of art all through the mansion, most of them reflecting the same rococo style as the chairs. Axl admired a beautiful picture of a seaside town, done in colors far more vibrant than life. Then he examined a small bronze sculpture on a table… it was of a beautiful woman, sleeping and half covered with filmy blankets. A lot of the sculptures featured women.

"You like all the girls?" Quosha said with a laugh in her voice. Axl blushed, but nodded. "There are a few handsome boys, too. Look at this one." Axl blinked at the statue she was pointing out… it was on a wall holder, and he hadn't really noticed it. "It's of the god Tormquaa and one of his cupbearers." Axl blushed, as he understood the reference. The god was very handsome and almost nude, while his attendant was much younger, handsome, and also nearly nude. It looked like the cupbearer would be holding something else soon, and they were both quite pleased with the situation. "You should see one of his reception rooms. Half of our book of positions is portrayed on the ceiling."

"Really? Erm… why?" Axl asked. He couldn't imagine wanting to receive someone in a room decorated with all manner of sexual positions.

"To keep some of his enemies off guard," Quosha said with a grin. "The poor stick in the muds can't keep their minds on business in that room. Too fascinated with what the nymphs are doing to the satyrs, or what the God of War is doing to the God of Love." Quosha looked at the figure of the woman on the table. "To be honest, I prefer these things… far more restrained." Axl nodded, a little relieved. He liked the statues in the house as well… most were decently covered, if intriguing, and seemed to radiate happiness and tranquility. The one on the table was extremely peaceful looking.

The rest of the tour was very pleasant. Axl found out where the kitchen was, and where he would take his meals when Ryo didn't request his presence. He got to see the receiving room, and take in what War and Lust were up to on the wall. It really was worth a second look. Soon, he was shown to his room… a suite right beside Ryo's and Quosha's, to make summoning him easy. Axl put his few possessions away, and sat down on the bed with a sigh. It had been a very tiring day. Tomorrow, he would begin his duties as a concubine and bodyguard.