Chapter 5: Better the devil you know.

Maglor knew he could trust Artemar, and so he did tell his friend of the plans made by the Sha'al's mother. The albino just smiled, a very pleased grin and told Maglor that he had sort of guessed that the meeting would end with something like that. She had finally found a way to murder her son without arising suspicion and Maglor was to be her tool. Maglor had felt a sort of respect for the woman, a feeling of almost kinship. She too was trapped by the world and its demands and she was just as much a slave as he was, it was just another title to it. Artemar sat down and Maglor joined him, the albino had braided some colorful cords of dyed leather into his hair and the result was very pretty indeed. Maglor suspected that the efforts these men did to look good was something they did just because they had to, not because they really wanted to strut about looking like peacocks.

Artemar leaned back and sort of relaxed against the backrest, his eyes were a bit distant and Maglor realized that he probably had taken some sort of drug but his speech wasn't slurred and he seemed normal enough, just a little sluggish. "I do remember the first time the old queen contacted us, she had asked to watch us dance and she looked as if she was utterly bored by the performance. It was then I knew she was different"

Maglor nodded slowly. "She couldn't let her son see that she was disgusted by it all"

Artemar nodded. " Exactly, she acts completely indifferent and like I have told you before, she has even bought him slaves. He trusts her and she has spoiled him a lot, just to blind him and turn his attention elsewhere."

Maglor frowned, "What is her official title here?"

Artemar made a gesture. "Tha'vaal, queen that were. It is a sad title, and usually one which nobody keeps for long. The Sha'al's have had a nasty habit of culling off relatives very fast when they take the throne. She is an exception"

The elf took a deep breath, remembered the Sha'al's queen and she had seemed rather young." The current queen, is she really the mother of his sons? She seems so young?"

Artemar nodded, he ran a hand through Maglor's silky hair and the elf sort of shuddered from the touch, it felt very good. "She is, but she was married to the Sha'al when she was just eight and got the first son by ten"

Maglor gasped and stared, it was rather horrible and he swallowed. "Ten? But…how did she…"

Artemar made a very ugly grimace, one that really transformed his face. "How did she survive bedding that monster? Considering his size? Oh the truth is weird you see, and ugly too"

Maglor leaned back, feeling slightly sick. Eight year old girls should never have to get married, they were children damn it. "How can anything be more ugly than this marriage as it is?"

Artemar just sent Maglor a rather odd glance. " Oh believe me, you haven't seen ugly yet. The Sha'al wants his sons to be special, to be empowered and strong and more than normal humans so he has made sure that they are born in a very unusual manner. You see, they believe that a man born by a maiden will become a true king"

Maglor felt confused. "Born by a maiden? How is that possible?"

Artemar smiled. "Oh it is, it requires some good healers and a lot of preparation but the queen is technically still a maiden, he has never fucked her."

Maglor could in a way understand that, she would have been torn apart from the inside if that beast had taken her but how then…?

The albino grinned, a wry grimace. "The healers have injected the queen with the Sha'al's seed, and thus gotten her pregnant. All of the Sha'als official children have been born thus. She had one child each year for ten years until she was too worn out and would have died carrying yet another one. The rumors are saying that he is contemplating replacing her with a new and fresher one."

Maglor was shocked, and stunned. He hadn't even known that such a procedure was possible. "How old is she?"

Artemar shrugged. "Her youngest daughter is thirteen so thirty three I guess. She looks younger thanks to the care she has received but in reality she is worn out and not at all the beauty she used to be. The clothes hides that fact of course, that is the only good thing about the veritable tents decent women are forced to wear."

Maglor nodded. " I saw what the Tha'vaal were wearing, so that is standard dress code?"

Artemar nodded. "Yes, but in other noble families the women can gather and party without men present and then they wear very beautiful dresses and make up and jewelry too. It is just the Sha'al who doesn't allow his females to have any sort of contact with the outside world"

Maglor had to sigh, it sounded like a terrible life. "Because he is afraid of others impregnating them?"

Artemar nodded sternly. "Right, it would be a disaster the way he views the world. His females has to be pure. He is obsessed with virginity by the way, that is something you have to be aware of. He has some horrible kinks"

Maglor made a grimace. "Why am I not surprised, what sort of kinks?"

Artemar sat up again and leaned against Maglor, as if he wanted some comfort before telling of these things. Maglor put an arm around the albino who made a pleased sound and closed his eyes. "He loves to watch virgins being deflowered, if they are young and scared it makes it even better. He usually has some of his soldiers do the deed so to speak and sometimes he even makes it part of his parties. Then there is the other kink, the one we have to participate in"

Maglor bit his teeth together, that didn't sound promising at all. "Oh?"

Artemar sighed and Maglor felt his breath tickle him a bit. "Yeah, he brings some of his slaves in here, for an orgy. Usually some of the male slaves and some female ones too, and one newly bought innocent one, male or female doesn't matter."

Maglor sighed and felt disgusted yet again. "And someone has to take that poor person?"

Artemar shook his head. " Oh, that would be too easy, no! The slave is fed some herbs which makes a person very aroused if watching others having sex, so much so that it is unbearable. And then he sits behind the wall with some friends, betting on how long that poor thing lasts before he or she begs one of us to take him or her"

Maglor felt his stomach churn. " Oh Eru, that is sick!"

Artemar nodded and nuzzled Maglor's neck. "It surely is, and Belerur is a master at finding youth that are so uncorrupted they barely know what sex is. The Sha'al likes it in special when the person is horrified and yet so filled with need they cannot resist. That really gets him off, and if it looks painful it makes him come every time"

Maglor grasped a glass of wine left on the small table by the couch, he felt as if he had a terrible taste in his mouth. "Have you…?"

Artemar sighed and closed his eyes again, there was something akin to pain or perhaps shame in his eyes. "I have, twice. It doesn't happen often, after all, virgins that ignorant are hard to find but I think we have had three or four such events happen each year."

Maglor felt even more disgusted. " Three or four? Eru' that is awful. What happens to that poor slave afterwards?"

Artemar shrugged. "Often they are being sold again, they are no longer interesting to the Sha'al. Belerur has earned a shit load of money on that, he often claims that these slaves can't be sold for a high price and the Sha'al believes him and accepts that Belerur is giving him just a symbolic sum of money"

Maglor sneered. "So he is embezzling money? That is brave I must say, what would happen if the Sha'al found out?"

Artemar just waved it off with an indifferent gesture. "Not much I bet, the Sha'al doesn't care about money, he has too much of it as it is and he has no real understanding of their value. To him it is just something that is there. But try to avoid paying taxes and he will be at your ass like a hungry bloodhound"

Maglor had to grin. "So he does want his subjects to pay their taxes?"

Artemar smiled. "Yes, and the taxes are very high too, sometimes so high people have to sell everything they have to pay them. It makes the common population hate him, but he doesn't care about that at all. All he cares about is his power and the ways he can show it off"

Maglor wanted to learn as much as possible, it could come in handy later on. "So he enjoys a lot of pomp and circumstance?"

Artemar nodded. "He does, he likes to imagine himself as some sort of demi god, and he has this parade once a year when he rides through the city, dressed up and all. It is all a show of wealth and influence, and very gaudy indeed."

Maglor had to grin. "Rides through the city? What horse can carry someone like that?"

Artemar chuckled. " For the last fifteen years? None, he has adopted a custom from a realm to the far south of here, he is pulled forth on a sort of humongous wagon shaped like a resting monster of some sort and he sits on its back while at least two hundred slaves has to pull the absurd vehicle forth. It looks utterly ridiculous. That day we are allowed to watch, from a distance. There is a tower to the south of here, within the palace and we are taken there to observe the splendor of our master and be even more impressed by his might than before."

Maglor smiled and ran his fingers through Artemar's hair, it was silky smooth and smelled of jasmine. Artemar changes his smell rather often, the elf found that fascinating. "I bet you are laughing?"

Artemar giggled. " Oh not there while his guards watch over us, but when we return here? Oh by every god, we have a good time. The last parade was horrible, so over the top even his most loyal subjects probably almost choked when they saw him"

Maglor pulled Artemar closer to himself, it felt good holding him and he had grown very fond of the human, perhaps even a bit too fond. Here such feelings could become dangerous but he couldn't help it. "Tell me more"

Artemar kissed Maglor's neck and smiled again. "Alright, he was wearing this armor you see, and it must have cost more than the budget of a small country for it was made from gold and there were emeralds and rubies attached to it everywhere. It was so silly looking it could have made anyone cry just by looking at the thing. "

Maglor felt relaxed and strangely at peace, sitting like this felt good. "An armor? Who the heck managed to make an armor his size? It must have taken years?"

Artemar nodded and chuckled again. "He had some very good blacksmiths going at it for two years I think, and then they needed yet another year since he had grown a lot since he ordered it. He doesn't see it himself but he is becoming a veritable mountain of blubber. He thinks he is handsome as fuck, but that is an illusion for sure."

Maglor remembered the Sha'al and shuddered, the man had looked like some ugly angry disfigured warthog. Not even orcs were that nasty the way he saw it. Artemar stroked Maglor's thigh gently. "I think we will split the day tomorrow, we will be dancing first, then we will have a break and in the afternoon I will start to teach you some of the other skills you will need here."

Maglor swallowed and felt less than enthusiastic about it. "As long as you are the teacher I will try to do my best."

Artemar turned himself over and lay on top of the elf, staring him in the eye. " I know you will, and I will show you that this is about so much more than mere fucking, if you can make someone come just by reciting erotic poems or massaging them you can save yourself a lot of trouble. And the more famous you become the less you actually have to do, a great reputation will do the job for you in most cases"

Maglor frowned. "Do you think the Sha'al will lend me out to his followers? Knowing how precious I am to him?"

Artemar smiled. "He will, but not for a long time. You are new now, and exciting, and everybody is talking about you and wondering what or who you are. He will wait until the excitement and curiosity reaches a peak, then he will let some of his best men enjoy your company and their gratitude will ensure his power for yet some years"

Maglor took a deep breath. "If he doesn't die first"

Artemar sort of rubbed himself against Maglor. "It will take time my friend, maybe even a couple of years. The Tha'vaal is patient and she has to be, there can be nothing which arises any sort of suspicion"

Maglor felt a shiver running down his spine, that woman was not someone you would want as an enemy. "She said she would take care of his sons?"

Artemar nodded. "And she will, in due time. There is so much which can happen to a man in this city, many accidents are possible even within the palace. And there are often diseases spreading through the population too and being royal doesn't mean you are immune. No, they will be no problem whence she is done with them."

Maglor found the information somewhat disturbing still. "She will have her own grandchildren murdered?"

Artemar nodded. "Her grandsons, her granddaughters are safe. And believe me, the sons are just as mad as their father so good riddance. He has let them visit us and they are even more twisted than him so I cannot wait until that threat is out of the way"

Maglor hissed. "They sound like hell spawn for sure"

The albino raised himself up on his elbows, stared at Maglor from a few inches away. "They are the devils little minions, all three of them. The youngest is sixteen and he already likes to have slaves slowly strangled while they are being raped, often with huge objects. His older brothers are more sophisticated but no less sadistic."

Maglor made a grimace. "His daughters?"

Artemar sent him a sad smile. " Ignored, powerless, hardly worth mentioning. He has married off the oldest ones and three remain here now. They are of course taken well care off but they too are slaves, things to be exploited and used and tossed aside. Their only value lies in the ability to bear sons, and I have heard they all hate their father. The Tha'vaal will make sure they get a good life whence their father is removed."

Maglor remembered his own childhood, the love and the feeling of being so very very precious to his parents. That feeling had never diminished, not even when they were seven in all. Fëanor had treasured his sons the whole time, even perhaps a bit too much. If he hadn't showered them with such love and adoration they wouldn't have followed him the way they did, without asking questions, without feeling doubt even once. " I cannot understand you humans, among us daughters are just as treasured as sons"

Artemar sort of nodded. " Your people is very different from ours then. In some tribes female children are killed just after they are born, nobody wants them. When their sons are ready to marry they kidnap girls from other tribes."

Maglor shook his head. "There is much ugliness in this world I fear"

Artemar chuckled, a sort of sarcastic sound. " True words my friend, I have seen things too terrible to describe, sometimes I think the God's blessed me when I was born without color, I have been spared of a lot because of it."

Maglor yawned and Artemar got up. "It is time for bed I think, may I sleep at your place tonight?"

The elf felt a bit confused but nodded. " Of course?"

Artemar grinned. "Great, I sleep better when I am not alone"

Maglor got up and they walked to his room, he felt a bit odd crawling into the bed with Artemar that close but it felt good too, safe in a way. He had often slept close to his younger brothers when he was an elfling and this reminded him of those days of careless bliss and endless love. He didn't need much time to fall asleep and Artemar laid with an arm around him and a small smile on his face. Maglor dreamed of things long gone, of his parent's house in Tirion, the gardens and the lovely grooves of trees growing by the roads. He dreamed of playing games with his brother, remembering how Caranthir always got pissed off in a spectacular manner if he lost, and how Celegorm would let Huan chase the stray dogs away from their gate with glee. He remembered his mother, how her dark burgundy hair had shone in the light of Laurelin and how her gentle warm hands had caressed him when he had scraped his knees or been called foul names by others. He didn't really understand why it had ended the way it had, light had been replaced by darkness and love with despise and hatred and fear. It was like a wonderful vision of something precious used to hide something awful.

He woke up with a feeling of being slightly smothered, Artemar had moved in his sleep and laid with his head on Maglor's chest and one arm over his shoulder, the albino was still asleep and the beautiful face was relaxed and carefree. It was obvious that he had learned to take whatever joy he could find when the opportunity presented itself, for otherwise there wasn't much joy to be found in this place. Maglor sighed, he didn't want to move for it felt good laying there with Artemar this close. He closed his eyes and just dozed, enjoying the sensation of skin against skin. It was a moment of peace and bliss and one that gave him more strength to withstand the fear and confusion of this existence. His stomach growled and he was eying the basket of break and cheese Kôr had left on the table by the bed, he had put on some muscle and he already felt how that made him hungrier than before. An elf could go without food for a long time but there was a difference between survival and thriving and he wanted to grow strong and fit so he could use his strength to his own benefit.

He was about to gently remove Artemar's arm when he heard some noises in the distance. It sounded like agitated voices and a door slammed and he heard feet running, then he heard someone shouting and something that could only be distant wails and he was wide awake and so was Artemar. The man was obviously sleeping lightly, ready to wake up at the smallest hint of danger. Artemar was up and on his feet in the fraction of a second and Maglor shook the sleepiness out of his body and got out of bed too. Artemar slid on his loincloth and he was wide eyed and seemed nervous. "What is happening?"

Maglor could hear that his voice was a bit rough, and filled with fear. Here he had no control of his surroundings, it was like being at war once again. Artemar swore and his lips were narrow and his eyes hard. "Nothing good, I am sure, Follow me, and be careful"

Maglor got his own clothes on and they left the room, the others were gathered by the pool, and Harbal and his apprentice was there. Maglor felt his heart speeding up, he heard moaning and knew someone was hurt, and hurt badly too. Artemar sort of pushed his way through the small crowd and Maglor followed him, some other slaves stood there too, the ones working with providing the men of the collection with the proper care and some cleaning slaves too. All looked nervous and confused and scared. Maglor gasped. Suuna laid on the bench by the pool, and he was terribly pale and sweating profusely. His body was twitching in an odd manner and Aerhan was holding his arms. He was constantly moaning and the sound was thin and just horrible, filled with agony.

Artemar sort of keened and fell down onto his knees next to the bench, Harbal was covering Suuna's back with wet cloth and blood was running down his flanks and staining the bench in thick streams. It made Maglor feel nauseous. "What has happened to him?"

The spotted man seemed to be only half conscious and the odd twitching of the muscles was in a way almost obscene, it told of great injury. Harbal was pale but there was an unholy rage simmering within his gentle eyes and the old man almost sneered. Aerhan looked at Artemar with dark eyes, he had been crying for there were dark lines down his cheeks. "The master let one of his followers borrow him this night, he was supposed to just sing and entertain. But he has gotten whipped badly, and tortured"

Artemar closed his eyes in despair and Harbal growled. "They have raped him, and pushed skinned Thibar peppers up into him"

Maglor didn't know what that was and Artemar sort of gasped. "They are used as food but raw they create a terrible burning pain when they come in contact with bare skin. They are horribly strong, some use them as a sort of weapon, smear them onto their blades to cause intense agony."

Maglor cringed, and Harbal sighed. " I have removed them, but the damage is great. "

Artemar caressed one of Suuna's hands. " Will he live?"

Harbal shrugged. "I do not know, only the Gods decide now. I have done what I can."

Kenar stood there looking pale. "They tortured other slaves as well, several are dead. But the Sha'al won't care about that loss"

Maglor felt how his guts churned, he had lost his appetite and he felt slightly dizzy. "Will the Sha'al punish that follower?"

Aerhan sighed and there was sorrow on his face. "Yes, most certainly. Nobody but him is allowed to ruin his toys. The follower is probably going to be banished, and all his belongings will be seized by the Sha'al to become his own."

Maglor made a grimace, it was not because of Suuna at all, it was because of property damage. Simple as that and he realized full out how little they all were worth, they were objects and things and their feelings and well being mattered little. He felt trapped once more. "Has anybody done something like that to any of you before?"

Aerhan made a sarcastic grin. " Oh yes, but nothing that has left permanent markings, he doesn't allow that. Scars are unwelcome so no cuts or wounds of any kind. But I was once raped until I passed out and another slave here was forced to suck off so many of the Sha'al's guests he ended up puking seed and they just laughed and said he had a weak stomach."

A couple of slaves entered through the entrance, an armed guard were following them and they carried a small body between them. Maglor felt his heart drop within his chest when he saw that it was Kôr. The boy was unconscious too and his legs red with blood. There was no doubt about his fate and Artemar got up, his eyes were blazing. "Now you see why we need you to end this, why things has to change. Nobody is safe here, this is indeed hell and the devil is laughing right now"

Maglor saw that Harbal gently examined the boy and he shook his head and made a grimace. "He will not make it, he has lost too much blood I fear, and they have fractured his ribs too. He is slipping away."

Some slaves came with a stretcher and they carried Suuna over to the small infirmary where Harbal started sewing up the wounds and doing what he could to help the poor man, Maglor felt sick to the core and Artemar was acting a bit strangely. He was almost frantic and Maglor realized that he was afraid of losing someone, he probably had done that before several times. Maglor sat down next to him, tried to pull him into an embrace and at first he was as stiff as a log, then he relaxed and let the elf hold him close. " Oh Maglor, I had hoped this never would happen again, that we would be safe. I do not know what this means but I fear it"

Maglor kissed his brow and felt the albino shiver. "What do you mean?"

Artemar made a grimace. "I mean that nobody would dare to hurt any of the Sha'al's slaves before, at least not one of us. This could mean that he has followers who no longer fear his power which is frightening in itself or that this was someone new to his court who simply doesn't know the rules. And that is bad too."

Maglor didn't understand and Artemar sighed. " He is expanding his power, his influence. Binding new powerful men to his rule through gifts and intimidation, I have heard lots of rumors."

Maglor started stroking his hair, some slaves had carried Kôr too away and Maglor wept for the boy. He had liked him a lot. "Such as?"

Artemar frowned, he was clinging to Maglor now, in an almost desperate manner. "The Sha'al has enemies, there are other realms surrounding this kingdom and he is at war with some of them and wishes to conquer them. If he is expanding that means that he is showing his strength, and that he is sure of victory. He has to have some powerful ally to do that, his army isn't that great"

Maglor didn't know these lands at all, he had no idea of where he was compared with the parts of the world he knew. "So, what sort of realms are we speaking off?"

Artemar sighed and Maglor saw that the others had returned to their own rooms, probably too worried on Suuna's behalf to be able to do much else than wait and pray. Belerur had arrived and he had gone straight to the infirmary, he looked furious and Maglor hoped that he would make the Sha'al punish the guilty one hard. Artemar shrugged. "To the north we have the Harad, it is far north from here, and then we have some mountains to the north east, I think they call them the Orocarni. The Sha'al have had them in his sights for a long time, there are valuable minerals and ore in them, they say they are inhabited by strange beings too"

Maglor could understand this, a ruler would naturally crave such lands, ore was valuable and if you are to build an army you will need much of it too. "Strange beings?"

Artemar nodded, he was still weeping and he looked very vulnerable. Maglor felt a sudden urge to take care of him, to protect him and he pressed yet another shy kiss to his forehead. Artemar nodded. " They say they dig through the very rock itself like worms through rotten meat, and that they are strong and tough as the very bones of the earth. And small, they say they are small"

Maglor scoffed. "Dwarves, you are speaking of dwarves!"

Artemar lifted his head. " Dwarves? Please, tell me more of them, I need something to think of now, other than poor Suuna"

Maglor nodded and stroked Artemar's silky hair again. " Of course, I have met dwarves before, and they are an interesting race"

He started telling Artemar everything he knew about the dwarves and the albino just sat there, listening quietly. Maglor feared for Suuna but he forced the fear back and concentrated upon telling the story. After a while one of Harbal's slaves returned from the infirmary, he held his eyes lowered towards the floor and Maglor had seen him a few times before. He wore just the standard slave uniform and was nothing special when it came to appearance. Perhaps that was a blessing in this place, being plain meant being safe. "The boy is dead, but Suuna will survive. He will be weak for a long time though, and he will have scars"

Artemar keened. "That is it. The Sha'al will sell him then, like a lame horse. "

Maglor swallowed hard. "Is there anything we can do?"

The albino sighed. " I will inform the Tha'vaal, she may interfere and make sure that someone asks to buy him, someone kind. That is his only chance I fear"

Maglor bit his lower lip. " And if that doesn't happen?"

Artemar sort of shuddered. "He will be sold to a brothel, and will die from disease and abuse within the passing of a year. Nobody lasts for more than a few months in those places, it is what we all fear. Death is to prefer"

Maglor held the albino hard, felt how Artemar still shook and realized that the albino was genuinely horrified of that fate. No wonder, if people were treated the way Suuna had been those places had to be absolutely nightmarish. He remembered what his brother had revealed about his capture and the years in Angband and he started to realize that the difference between orcs and humans perhaps weren't that huge after all.

Maglor spent the rest of that day there, with Artemar close and he found comfort in the intimacy and when he got too hungry some of the house slaves brought them some soup and both ate but with no joy. That night they gathered in the garden and everybody sat there, praying for Suuna and Maglor sang for the first time since he threw the accursed jewel into the sea. His voice was rough and raw and untested and it sounded horrible compared with before, yet it brought tears to the eyes even of the guards and he poured his sorrow and fear into it, and also his hope. Slowly the song became a new theme, a new tune and he wove it all into it, made it a haunting and epic tale of days that were and days that still were to come. It was his best work so far and he knew that he once again would claim the title of bard, and through his songs they would all be remembered once again.

The next day Artemar had sort of returned to his old self, but there was a hardness in his eyes and he pushed Maglor hard through his training, they just practiced dance that day but when Maglor tired and sore returned to his room to rest he found a book on his bed. It was filled with very explicit drawings of people having sex and he blushed and realized that this too was a part of his training. He couldn't read that alphabet nor the language but he had to learn. Some of the house slaves came to him and tried to teach him the local languages and he tried to learn with a sensation of eagerness. It was the key to survival and to power. He had to learn as much as possible. Suuna recovered but very slowly and he was deeply traumatized. The slaves did speak a lot when they came to wash Maglor and to collect the contents of his chamber pot and through them Maglor learned that the Sha'al indeed was furious. Suuna had been a favorite of him for a while and he was regarded as very rare and valuable so the noble man who had tortured him had been executed. That made Maglor feel a wee bit better but not much. It still didn't make things more right.

Artemar kept training him every day and he slowly started to understand the concept behind the dance and the art of it. He was trying hard to excel and Artemar praised him a lot. The Sha'al was very busy and the slaves suspected that he was planning to attack one of the neighbor realms. Suuna had indeed gotten huge scars across his back and the spark was gone from him eyes, he was constantly afraid and had terrible nightmares and Harbal fed him strong drugs to calm him down. Artemar had given the Tha'vaal the information she needed and his informants had assured him that someone already was trying to buy Suuna and bring him to safety. It all depended upon the mood of the Sha'al, and whether or not he was willing to sell Suuna to someone outside of the court or not.

The dead slaves had been replaced by new ones, a house slave was something you could buy as easily as you bought a loaf of bread and sometimes they were cheaper too. The other part of his training was harder to get through, he sort of knew he needed to learn and he did enjoy it when it was Artemar he practiced with. He felt more awkward when it was someone else he had to bed but he learned, and Artemar was an excellent teacher. Harbal too taught him a lot about the body and the way it responds and Maglor sort of overcame his shyness within a few weeks. The Sha'al demanded yet another orgy and this time Maglor participated and used everything he had learned, the guards who Artemar had bought confirmed that the bastard had been very pleased by his performance and that the Sha'al wanted Maglor to dance at the next party. Apparently there was a victory to be celebrated and the palace was in an uproar.

New slaves were brought to the harem, Maglor saw several very pretty young men who were ushered into the other wing of the huge building and the slaves spoke of a lot of women too. The Sha'al had apparently conquered his neighbor and taken all his treasures. Two days before the party Belerur entered the main room rather suddenly and he called upon Suuna, everybody had been sitting there listening to Maglor singing, the elf had gotten his singing voice back by now and knew he could use it to his benefit.

Everybody knew what this was and Suuna sort of paled and he almost collapsed. Belerur seemed impatient and Artemar slipped him a huge ruby, just to make him wait for a few moments. Everybody walked up to Suuna, hugging him, kissing him, wishing him luck, saying their blessings. Everybody wept, even Maglor and even though they all knew that the Tha'vaal had managed to find a good buyer they probably never would see Suuna again.

When Belerur at the end dragged the spotted man off even the house slaves wept and Artemar leaned against Maglor and there was despair in his voice. "One is gone from the collection, the Sha'al will work hard now, to find a replacement. Some poor unfortunate soul he can break, someone unique."

Maglor frowned. "Are you sure?"

Artemar sighed. "Yes, he always does that when one of us has to leave, it is superstition. The collection must grow, never diminish for if it does so will his virility. At least that is what he believes."

Maglor scoffed and held Artemar close, he felt terribly sad and he just hoped that this didn't interfere with the Tha'vaal's plans. He was using the lotion every day and he knew that the Sha'al felt fabulous by now, stronger and more vigorous and he had sent Maglor many gifts already. If the elf had been free he would have been rich by now but nothing of it was really his property, it was all his owner's things. He was just a mannequin used to show it off. Maglor had trained a lot lately and he did eat well too, and now it showed. He was more beautiful than ever before and more toned too, and Thasul had created a special look for him for the party that was to be held. Maglor had to impress everybody and through him the Sha'al wanted to show his power so the designer had used rather dark colors and wanted Maglor to be both beautiful and menacing in a way. The inhuman parts of him were to be exaggerated and Maglor agreed. He knew that Thasul knew their master well, and it would please the Sha'al a lot.

Maglor was to dance just once, and it wasn't a long performance. Artemar had taught him the steps well, and the music was something he had gotten used to as well. He knew it by heart and knew exactly when to bow and when to swirls or jump and it felt good knowing that he would do a good job. Even if it was just for his own benefit it was strangely satisfying to know that he was able to do something well. He was taking pride in his training and the others were impressed by him. He was a part of this little society now and they all trusted him and that felt good. The evening of the party there was a lot of noise coming from the outside, the followers were shown the things the Sha'al had brought from his conquered enemy and he was giving things away too.

Thasul prepared Maglor and the others and Maglor was to wear a set of black chiffon pants with many thin layers and each layer was embroidered with tiny gemstones in different colors. He wore a thin belt adorned with diamonds and Thasul had painted him with some dark patterns which resembled war paint. He would dance to celebrate the Sha'als victory, show how powerful he was, an invincible enemy nobody should dare to challenge. It made Maglor spit with disgust but for his own sake he wanted to make a spectacular performance indeed. They had attached white pearls in his hair and he felt that he was ready.

The party started early in the evening with food and female slaves dancing, there was much laughter and talk and Maglor and the others watched from behind a mosaic. Then the Sha'al had his bards sing tales of his bravery and skills and of how brilliant he was as a strategic leader of men. Artemar scoffed, the truth was that the victory had been a very simple one due to three years of drought, the enemy simply hadn't had the strength to fight. The concubines and wives of the enemy was dragged forth and showed off. Maglor saw that they belonged to another race, these women were short and stocky and their eyes slant and almond shaped and their skin had a golden tone. Most had rather broad flat noses too and had tattooed faces, they were not beautiful the way this people saw beauty with a few exceptions. The daughters of the conquered enemy was given to the Sha'als most loyal subjects and the girls seemed to be absolutely terrified. Then the Sha'al had slaves carry huge crates with treasure forth for everybody to admire, thick carpets with lovely colors, jewelry, balls of silk and other expensive cloths. It was very obvious that the Sha'al liked to show how powerful he was and to him that was synonymous with wealth.

When the crates were taken away some slaves came with horses, huge lovely animals with long legs and silky manes and tails and Maglor had never seen that breed before. The horses made the crowd shout in admiration and Artemar had told Maglor of the love they held for good horses, this was probably the most impressive thing the Sha'al had acquired. Maglor did notice that these animals acted as if they never had been treated with anything but the greatest respect, they didn't fear humans and the huge soft eyes were just curious and friendly. The Sha'al had excellent stables and these beauties would be treated as if they were made from gold.

Artemar had heard rumors of a special prisoner who were to be showed off and when the horses were lead away some men came with some huge cats on leashes, the crowd got a bit nervous but the huge animals appeared to be completely tame and didn't respond to the ahhs and ooohs at all. Then Belerur entered the scene, behind him two huge guards came forth dragging a man and Maglor frowned. The man wasn't very old, perhaps in his yearly twenties and he was slender and elegant with a strong body and long black hair adorned with shells and small bones. He had tattoos on his face and he did look a bit barbaric but Maglor saw the hatred in his eyes and knew that this was a very dangerous human being. Artemar sort of gasped. "That is the son of the leader he conquered, a renowned warrior. I wonder what sort of fate he has planned for this one?"

Maglor had no idea, he just stared at the man kneeling before the Sha'al, he felt the man's rage and hatred and he just knew that this was one human being capable of changing everything. The man was chained with strong steel and he was only wearing a very dirty pair of breeches and his feet were bloody. He had been forced to walk barefoot for a long time and Maglor did pity him. But the sight also made Maglor feel nervous, almost scared and he knew that this human being was unpredictable and driven by a hatred he barely had seen ever before, it was seething in that dark stare and Artemar whispered to him. "I do not like this at all, the Sha'al is mad to bring that man in here."

Maglor took a look around. " There are many armed warriors here? He should be safe?"

Artemar swallowed hard. "Maybe, but look at that man my friend. He isn't someone broken or in despair, he has a goal in mind, a purpose. He is dangerous!"

Now the man was dragged off, placed behind the throne the Sha'al sat on and tied to the wall, apparently the Sha'al wanted to dispose of the son of his enemy at the end of the party, to make it the grand finale. Rial and Kenar were performing now, doing acrobatics and then Artemar and Aerhan were dancing. Kherfem and Noolar did also do a dance, Noolar were dressed like a maiden and he was being thoroughly seduced by the blond lad who was wearing some sort of see through uniform. Maglor didn't have time to become nervous, he just had to get out there as the music started and he took a deep breath and remembered what Artemar had told him.

All eyes were on him now, many of those assembled had been there when the Sha'al claimed him and they had waited eagerly to see him again. Maglor let the music guide him, forgot about the crowd and the Sha'al and allowed the rhythm to guide him. It was a sort of freedom, of bliss. He was transformed to something otherworldly, divine. Each move sheer elegance and each part of the dance made to show the assembled crowd the glory of the Sha'al. Maglor was lost in the dance, it was all consuming but some sort of instinct warned him of danger. He spun an extra round and saw that the prisoner had managed to get his shackled off. He had hidden some sort of thin hard string in his hair and used it to open the shackles.

Now the man was sneaking forth heading towards the back of the throne and he had a piece of string in his hand. Maglor realized that the prisoner was about to pounce, to simply strangle the Sha'al and for a second he did hesitate. If this man murdered the Sha'al he wouldn't have to, but then their plans would be ruined and they would be at the mercy of the Sha'al's sons. It is better the devil you know and Maglor reacted within the blink of an eye. He leaned forth as he swirled by table and grasped a table knife with one hand, threw it in one movement.

The knife was dull and made from poor metal but it was hard enough to do what Maglor wanted of it. It flew straight and true and hit the would be assassin straight in the eye, bored itself into the man's brain and the prisoner dropped with a loud thud. He had died instantly and Maglor just finished the dance, everybody staring with huge eyes at him and the dead assassin.

The Sha'al stared at the dead prisoner and he looked rather comical, his eyes looked as if they were about to pop right out of his head and as Maglor stopped he got up and made a gesture as if to summon Maglor to him. Maglor knew he had to play his cards well now, he had just saved the Sha'al and this could perhaps give him some leverage. The Sha'al shouted something which sounded rather emotional, then he grasped onto Maglor and kissed him rather eagerly in front of everybody and Maglor forced himself to be soft and pliant, not to resist but to pretend as if he enjoyed it, even though he'd rather kiss an orc!

It was apparent that the Sha'al had said something important for the crowd cheered and the Sha'al removed one of his rings and placed it on Maglor's finger, then he kissed the elf once more and Maglor managed to bow and look submissive before two guards came and escorted him out. Artemar was waiting, his eyes huge and he was gaping. "Maglor? That was an impossible throw, and by every God, the Sha'al has just named you his favorite and given you the right to own your own slaves and your own property."

Maglor tried to smile but he felt a bit shaky, now that the adrenaline had worn off. "Great, just what I need, slaves!"

Artemar hugged him. "Don't you see? You will be able to leave the harem, just under guard but still, you will be let out of here, that opens a lot of possibilities."

Maglor stared at Artemar, he could leave this golden prison? Now that was good news, the first good news in a very long time!