Category: Angst, Adventure, AU, Slave/Master

Pairings: 1x2, 4x3 (eventually), 5x?

Rating: R (?)

Disclaimer: Standard. You know them all by now so I won't bore you with a repeat.

Warnings: This story does show how a lot of people felt about the owning of slaves, a feeling that was very alive in this country not that long ago, as well as in many civilizations down through the ages. There are some good owners and some bad owners, like in everything. If someone owning another person bothers you, you might not like this fic. But then I'm not forcing anyone to read it. There are also M/M relationships in this fic (I'm very much a 1x2/3x4 fan.) so if boys being together (and I do mean together) bothers you don't read.

Golden Lights Part Five

By SilverLady

Quatre sat on the bed, rocking slowly and sobbing quietly. Even though he hurt dreadfully, he dared not move, afraid that Trowa would send someone to check on him. He was sure that he would look for any excuse to hit him some more.

He could not believe the cruelty of these people. To deliberately hit someone simply because he refused to do some so crude as to bare himself in public. They had the nerve to call his people stupid barbarians, when this kind of treatment was not only allowed, but also expected.

He would have never asked one of the servants in his father's home to do such a thing. And he certainly wouldn't punish them for refusing. The people who worked for his father were treated with respect, a concept that was apparently foreign in this 'civilized' city.

After what seemed like forever, but was probably no more than half an hour, the bell above his bed rang once.

With a choked sob Quatre immediately flung himself across the bed, curling up on his side and burying his head in the pillow. He didn't even dare get up to get some nightclothes, afraid that he might be punished in some way for doing so. Trowa had commanded him to remain naked until he was given permission to wear clothes again. He wasn't sure exactly what that entailed and he wasn't about to take any chances.

Oh, Great One, what have I done to deserve such treatment? How have I displeased You? I will do anything You will, just please, deliver me from this torture.

Only silence met his fervent prayers. Quatre felt as if even the spirits had turned their backs on him.

Pulling his knees up tight against his chest and wrapping his arms around them, Quatre sobbed harder.

*****

"Why didn't you blow out the lamp?" an angry voice demanded, dragging Quatre from the exhausted sleep he'd finally fallen into.

Quatre opened tear-swollen eyes to stare blearily at Duo, who stood in the middle of the small room with his hands on his hips. "What?"

Duo glared at him. "The lamp. It's still burning. Do you know how expensive lamp oil is?  It doesn't just grow on trees."

Quatre blinked. He hadn't even thought about the lamp, burning merrily on the table. "It doesn't?" he asked in confusion.

Duo threw up his hands in disgust. "Don't do it again. When you go to bed, blow out the lamp. Got it?"

He stopped and made note of Quatre's lack of attire and tear streaked face. "What's wrong with you? Is this the way you always sleep?"

"N…nooo." Quatre tried to keep the tears at bay.

Duo frowned. "What are you crying about now? I told you, all the tears in the world won't change your place."

"Hhhhe….he hit me." Quatre sniffled.

"Who? Trowa?"

"Y..y…yes."

"And?"

Quatre blinked in surprise. "He hit me," he stated, his voice a little stronger.

"So? It couldn't have been too bad. You're not bleeding or anything."

Quatre stared at him, too stunned to say anything. "He spanked me," he finally got out. "With a board. A lot."

Duo turned around and began undressing. "I don't know what else you expected. You not only questioned his order, but you did it in front of his peers. Of course, he's going to beat you for that. You should count yourself lucky. A lot of others would have done much worse to you."

"How can you….."

Duo finished removing his shirt, revealing the long white scars that marred his back. "He could have had you whipped."

Quatre stared at the scars in horror. Someone had deliberately done this to him?

Duo turned around to look at Quatre. "Instead of sobbing like a baby and feeling sorry for yourself, you should be thanking whatever gods you pray to for giving you Trowa for a master. If it hadn't been for him, you'd probably be on your knees sucking some guy's cock right now. Or having some guy tie you up and beat you, just because it turns him on. I've been there. It's not fun. Trowa is a good guy and a decent master. If he punishes you, it's because you did something wrong. And the punishment will never exceed the crime."

"He told me I had to go naked until he says other wise." There was indignation in Quatre's voice.

Duo nodded, leaning into his chest to get out a nightshirt. "I don't know what you're complaining about. He probably just wants you to get used to people looking at you. It's cooler besides."

"You don't have to go naked."

Duo smiled slightly. "Heero is a bit possessive. In a nice way. Besides, when we go to the summer home you try to wear as little as possible. It's nothing to have most everyone naked or nearly so. Trowa's the only one who rarely sheds his clothes. I don't think he likes to have people looking at him."

"That's….that's horrible."

"Why? Why be so ashamed of your body?" Duo glanced up. "You have a very nice body."

Quatre gasped in shock. "You looked?!"

"Of course."

"That's awful. Your body is private; to be shared only with the one you share your bed with. Not to be ogled by a bunch of drooling strangers."

Duo walked over to the table. "I suppose you're a virgin, as well."

"Of course," Quatre snapped. "That is only to be shared with your life mate."

Duo blew out the lamp. "I bet the bidding was high for you then," he muttered.

"What? Why?"

"Virgins are worth a lot. I'm sure there were a lot of men there who wanted to be the one to take your virginity."

Quatre's eyes grew wide with shock. Even in the near darkness, Duo could see that. "Men don't do that."

"What do you think most of the other bidders intended for you? I bet a great many of them run the brothels on the east side. They would have loved to add an exotic virgin like you to their stable. Hell, I'd say you wouldn't have been a virgin very long. Though the exotic looks would have continued to fetch some high prices."

"You mean….homosexuals?" Quatre whispered the last word. Angil had used that word in describing the facts of life to him. But he had said that such a thing was wicked and sinful. Men were only meant to lay with women, so as to get children to carry on their bloodlines.

Duo laughed. "I'd say you have a lot to learn, little one." With that he rolled over and went to sleep.

Quatre could only stare into the dark. Truly things could not get worse. He couldn't believe how calmly Duo accepted the horrible things that were allowed to be done in this place. Surely the Great One would come and smite them all for their wickedness.