Another Day

Chapter 5

Arriving

It was desperate and it was hopeless, but it was their last chance. The guards where taken aback by the sudden shout and they were definitely not prepared for the vicious attack from their young prisoners. Kai smashed his elbow into the gut of the man behind him and Rei turned and sent his guard to the ground with a body slam. They did not waste their time, but began running immediately, ignoring the shouts from their new owners, who were shocked and angry at their easy escape.

Unfortunately, Kai's timing was a bit off; they were so close to the carriages that the cops that were guarding them could take up the chase, and one of them did.

Rei realised the situation, "Kai, split up!"

The Hiwatari gave no other reply than suddenly changing his direction. The cop came after him. Kai tried to return to the crowded area where the bigger man would be at a disadvantage, but he never got that far. He went down with a surprise yell when his pursuer slammed into him. Kai ignored the pain in his stomach and twisted around, moving frantically to shake the man off. He tried to kick, but the cop used his weight to keep him down. After a brief struggle, the slate haired teen quieted down, realising his defeat.

The cop was young. He had brown hair that stuck out from under his blue cap, blue eyes, which studied Kai with curiosity, and a smooth-skinned face. The man was breathing heavily and was sweating from the race in the sun.

The Hiwatari was used to the faceless, emotionless brutes that hunted the slum rats on their own territory, but this man was very much human. He had to be new on the force. It would explain him being assigned to guarding the carriages; it was easier and lighter work. Kai knew now that this was not a smart cop, but one that had yet to realise what he had been dragged into; he still hunted each thief like there was no others, while the more experienced ones knew that one rat did not do any real difference and they would probably meet again anyway.

The cop got off him and dragged him up, but not with the same roughness that Kai was used to. He was most surprised when the man asked, "Are you ok? Did I hurt you badly?" This one was new, most definitely.

Back at the carriages, Kai saw that Rei had also been brought back, a black eye richer. It was the servant of the Ivanov's, the man with the glasses, that had caught him. Kai didn't know if he should be triumphant or annoyed to see the feline again.

Ivanov looked like he wanted to say something, but he sighed and gave it up, simply turning and walking towards the carriage that was his, a little faster than before. Once there, Kai and Rei were left standing a little forlornly beside one of the big wheels while their new owner helped his wife into her seat. Adria jumped up next and sat beside her mistress.

Ivanov turned to the new slaves and smiled grimly, "Now what shall we do with you? You have already proved that we can't trust you, so you are not sitting in the carriage."

Ivanov pinched his chin in thought, but his wife leaned out of the door and spoke, "Oh, Oscar. They will not hurt us, they only tried to run, and the poor things have been standing in the sun for hours."

"No Sarah, I don't trust them with your safety. They will have to sit on the roof. The ride is not that long, and they will have a fresh breeze besides, so the heat won't kill them."

And with that, Kai and Rei were tied back to back on the roof. Their hands were tied together between them and their legs were tied to the thin metal poles that made a low fence for the packages. Thanks to all the other stuff that was secured there, the two slaves would not bounce around too much, even though the roads where bumpy.

The guards left with a coin each and the party was ready to leave. The man with the glasses had mounted a horse. He was going to ride behind the carriage. Kai sat with his face turned towards their destination, and he saw the coachman, a young man with a mop of blonde hair, jump up and take the reins. He got the horses running in no time, but despite all precautions, it was not very comfortable up on the roof. A particularly large bump made Rei and Kai slam together, and both let out a surprised cry as their stinging back rubbed against each other. Another bump made Rei hit his head on Kai's and that became the last drop for the Hiwatari.

"Can't you sit still, you idiot?" He yelled. Rei retorted angrily that this was just as much Kai's fault, but Kai did not agree, "If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have been here at all!"

"Why can't you just accept your own failure, in stead of blaming it on me?"

"What failure? I was doing great until you showed up with your rotten tactics!"

"I told you; it is every man for himself. I refuse to believe that you've never done anything like that before!"

"I would never use such a dirty trick! Some of us actually manage to get by with our skills alone, you know, and what were you stealing money for anyway? What do need money for?"

"To buy food of course, you dimwit! I see, you're one of those who would rather steal food from honest, poor people than risk his neck against those who can afford to lose a purse!"

"You're the one who said it's every man for himself!"

"Shut up, you bastard!"

"Rat!"

"Coward!"

"Suck-up!"

For a moment it was silent, but this was a friendship doomed to be killed before it had even begun. "God, you're such a pain in the ass," said Kai.

"Well you-"

The carriage came to an abrupt halt, and the coachman hopped off. Kai watched in confusion as he walked over to the door of the coach. Were they there already? As he looked around, Kai saw that they had in fact reached pretty far into the finer districts. Here lay big houses with high fences and inside he could glimpse lush gardens. Then voices from below stole his attention.

"Sir, I am sorry to bother you, but the slaves are making the worst racket, and if I have to listen to more of their quarrelling then I might just crash this carriage. Even the horses dislike it!"

A tiny 'ops' came from beside Kai. The slaves watched as Ivanov himself came out.

He nodded at the coachman, "You did right Enrique; we could hear their yelling through the roof as well."

Then he turned and regarded them, "I would simply gag you both, but I have a feeling that would not stop you. One of you will have to sit in the coachman's seat until we arrive. And if I hear any more of your arguing then I will make the both of you run behind the carriage."

Ivanov turned to the man on the horse and gestured to Kai, "Get him down from there and place him at the coachman's seat, but make sure to tie him up properly."

So Kai was secured to the bench. From this position, he got a good look at the driver for the first time. The kid wore green pants, suspenders, a white shirt, boots and a green cap.

He took one look at Kai, snorted, and burst out laughing. Kai let him laugh, but he wished he had his hands free so that he could strangle the idiot. The kid knew how to handle horses though, for he had the carriage moving again I a jiffy, still chuckling to himself. Kai knew that he looked stupid with his hands tied to a projection beside him, trying to keep his dignity and failing miserably, but the boy had this really annoying laugh which remained stuck in your head long after he had closed his oversized gob.

After a while, the blonde turned to Kai again, "I'm sorry about that; I guess I ruined your first impression of me, but then again; my first impression of you is not the best either. I'll make it up to you on my part though; I'm Enrique, nice to meet you." He held out a hand, pretending not to remember Kai's situation, and then he started laughing again. Kai growled in anger, but said nothing.

When Enrique finally got himself back under control he kept on talking, "I am stable boy and coachman at the Ivanov mansion. It's hard work, but I love horses so it's also fun. So who are you and why did you have to be tied up, up there?"

Kai contemplated just ignoring the older boy, but the happy innocence in the young man made Kai answer, for he did not wish put a damper on that spirit, no matter how annoying it was, "I'm Kai. You might say I'm one of the newest additions to the family pets."

Enrique laughed and slapped his shoulder jovially, which hurt like hell, but Kai only winced.

"You have humour; I like that, but you haven't told me why they treated you so roughly. I have rarely seen any new slave been treated like that before, and here comes two of you!"

Kai looked out on the landscape flying by and realised fully what this meant; he was never going home again and he would never be free again. "I had a life you know, sure I wasn't rich, or clean, or respected, but I was free and had friends that cared about me. And then some idiot," he cast a glance up at Rei, who was still tied to the roof, "comes along and gets me arrested. Then the cops decide that I should be sold like an animal on the market. They beat me for something I did not do, they humiliate me and tie me up, and then they expect me to be a nice and obedient little slave. That is why I am bound; because I fought for my freedom and my rights."

Enrique wasn't smiling anymore. He placed a hand on Kai's shoulder again, "I know it feels really bad the first day; out of all the slaves that have come to the Ivanov mansion only a very few were grateful or happy to be there right away, but this new life you're going to...it ain't bad, and you'll make new friends, I know you will."

Kai didn't answer; he closed his eyes and longed for the alleys, for the hidden passages that only he knew and the freedom to be where he wanted, when he wanted and with whomever he wanted.

A little while later, the coach stopped, and when Kai opened his eyes he could not help but stare; in front of him was the biggest house he had ever seen! It was white, with three floors and windows everywhere. And around him there was green grass and flowers, divided by pebbled paths. They'd come through a large gate with thin, wrought iron bars. All around the property there was a tall brick wall. It was covered in vines several places, but the plants did not look thick enough to climb.

The family came out of the carriage and Kai watched as Mrs. Ivanov spoke to Adria, "Why don't you go get Judy for me, and tell her that we have a lot of work to do." Then she glanced at Kai, who blushed and quickly looked away. "And ask her to get a bath ready for our newest staff members, but not too hot; we must be careful with their backs." The girl nodded eagerly and ran to carry out her orders.

Kai looked up when he heard Enrique's soft laugh behind him. The blonde smiled fondly, "Adria was only a toddler when her parents died. Lady Sarah took her in and raised her like her own daughter. Afterwards the girl has been with her everywhere, and she is always happy to please. There is no end to the heart of Lady Sarah, or to Adria's sweetness."

Then he jumped down and walked around the horses, "Well, we had better get you down from there, but you have to promise me not to run, or they'll have my hide."

Kai did not promise, but he said, "I can't scale that wall anyway. I have to wait for a better opportunity." Enrique laughed; he probably thought it was a joke.