CHAPTER FIVE: Before the Light

As soon as Mila left, tension gripped Yuuri's body again. Now that her soothing presence was gone, his anxiety came rushing back, fear twisting every word and gesture. Parts of the last things she said still resonated in his nervous mind. He seems to have taken a liking to you... He takes very good care of the people he holds dear... What did she mean by that? It sure didn't sound good to him. What if the prince actually liked what he saw? What would he do then? Did it mean he had other slaves to whom he had given the same treatment? Where were they now? Were they even still alive?

He couldn't help jumping when the silver-haired man turned around to look at him. He curled in on himself, small hands desperately clutching at the blanket barely covering his nakedness. He felt completely exposed as the prince watched him closely, eyes questioning his sudden change of demeanor. The master spoke carefully, remaining near the door as he addressed the slave.

"You must be thirsty. I'll bring you some water, and then we can see what you want to eat, if you are hungry. Is that okay with you?"

The smaller male nodded stiffly. His eyes followed Viktor warily as he made his way to a door opposite of where they had come from, opening it to reveal a luminous bathroom. The man walked in and Yuuri heard a tap being opened and water running. The prince came back a few seconds later with a pitcher full of the precious liquid and a small glass. Yuuri subconsciously leaned away as Viktor came closer, making himself as small as possible. The man gently set the glass on a low table a few feet away from the nest of cushions. He filled it and put down the pitcher, but didn't hand the water to Yuuri as the boy had been expecting. He simply took a few steps back, and smiled softly.

"Would you like to have something to eat, Yuuri? Maybe a light meal, so it doesn't make you sick..."

The younger man stared at the floor, face twisting with doubt. He couldn't deny it, he was awfully hungry. Days of semi-starvation and incessant walking had taken a toll on his body, and if he didn't eat soon, he would only get weaker. But at the same time, what if the prince poisoned the food, so he would die rapidly without making a fuss? Was he already tired of him? Or what if all of this was just some sort twisted game? What if the man would bring food, but used it to force him in doing whatever sick things a slave was for before he was allowed to eat...

Yuuri clenched his fists. In the end, he couldn't really say no. He desperately needed to eat, and apparently this man would be his provider from now on. He also had no wish to make the man angry if he refused, seeing how terrifying he had been in that audience room. The dark-haired boy huffed in frustration. He could only hope that if the prince wanted him dead, he would already be. If he was lucky, he would actually get some food, be it through sex or not. The slave moved his head up and down reluctantly, nodding.

"Okay, Yuuri. Would oatmeal be good?"

The smaller male nodded again. That was a lie. He didn't like oatmeal, but he wasn't sure he could actually voice his preferences. He stubbornly stared at the floor instead, hoping the gesture wouldn't be perceived as rude. Rice, he wanted rice... The prince, seeing that he wasn't getting any other response, simply nodded and smiled cheerfully.

"Oatmeal it is then! I'll go get you the best cereal the kitchen has!" The man happily trotted towards the door, then suddenly turned back on his heels to face the slave as he remembered something. Yuuri immediately flinched at the movement, raising his arms over his face. Viktor froze, eyes going wide at the defensive gesture. Any previous thoughts flew his mind as he furrowed his brows, wondering what he had done to provoke such a reaction from the smaller man.

When deep brown eyes peaked between forearms at the master's silence, Yuuri saw the frown on the pale face and the stern blue eyes looking at him. The slave starting trembling again, panic overtaking his body. He had denied his master. His master had wanted to come back and punish him, probably because he had been rude, and then he had denied him. He had tried to prevent the prince from disciplining him, which was his master's right. And now, he was going to pay the price for his insolence.

Yuuri's eye were wide open but saw nothing of the room in front of him. He was desperately searching for his breath, cold sweat dripping down his back and only increasing the shivers. His body was so stiff he couldn't even bring himself to move his arms away from his face and accept the beating. The thought made him bite his cheek so hard he tasted blood. Was that how low he had fallen? Was he really just going to brace himself and take it? He thought he had more fight left in him than that... But he didn't. He wouldn't be able to get past the prince if he tried. He didn't have enough strength to fight. Even if he succeeded, he wouldn't have the energy to run for long. Hell, he didn't even know how to get out of there. He could try to find Mila, but even then, he wasn't sure she was really an ally. Maybe it would just make things worse... He really had to stay there and take it. He couldn't do anything. He just... couldn't.

Slow movement in front of him brought Yuuri's eyes back into focus. He saw Viktor slowly sit down in front of him, legs crossed and hands on his knees, where he could see them. The prince wasn't looking at him, keeping his eyes low as not to appear confronting.

"Yuuri... I'm sorry I scared you. Was... was it the way I moved? It wasn't my intention to frighten you."

Indeed, the slave realized, he had reacted upon seeing Viktor abruptly turn around. His body and mind simply hated how they couldn't predict the man's movements or actions, and went immediately into a defensive overdrive. Viktor nodded shyly in understanding.

"Please forgive me. I just... I just thought you might appreciate wearing some clothes, and... I got overexcited at the idea of taking care of you. I didn't consider that it might affect you like this."

Yuuri's eyes got even wider at the prince's explanation. That was... it? The man had been eager to... take care of him? It didn't make much sense. He knew he would require extra time and attention to anyone who would even bother to look after him. Why would the prince want to make the effort? From the moment he met him, Yuuri just couldn't tell what would be his master's next move. He thought he had had his share of surprises and panics in the last few hours, and yet the prince still managed to remain completely unreadable to Yuuri. The slave's eyes were wide, and his throat was closed on his words.

"Yuuri, is it okay if I get you some clothes? I just have to get up and go into my room…"

The boy nodded reflexively. He didn't know what to say, not after having being so rude to his master, who apparently only wanted to care for him.

The prince came back a few seconds later with a bathrobe in hand. He walked around Yuuri, careful not to get too close, and put the garment on the small table beside the pitcher. He then left the room without another word, leaving the boy in stunned silence.

Three days ago

After days and days of walking that had turned into weeks, Yuuri finally saw the first traces of a foreign civilization. After a brief stop by the king's palace, where he got examined and kneaded at by doctors and the monarch himself, he was thrown back on the road with a company of a few men and a sour-looking officer, going by the name of General Yakov from what Yuuri understood. After some more travelling and a few sunrises, they arrived at another castle, smaller in size but nonetheless palatial. As soon as he had set foot passed some secondary gates, he was pushed near the servants' secluded doors and stripped naked by the soldiers. Then, he was violently drenched in cold water, despite his begging screams and clattering teeth. They threw a rag at him and ordered him to wash, completely exposed to the wary stares of domestics passing by. Yuuri was shivering, hands unsteady as he carefully scrubbed his bruised skin. He kept his head down, shame cutting through him like a white hot knife. He could feel the gazes on his skin as if they were a physical touch, intruding on his intimacy, ripping him from his dignity. His whole body was quivering from the cold, skin going blue with the lack of heat. One of the company's men disappeared in the castle as the others kept showering him in the near freezing water. After they deemed him clean enough, they grabbed Yuuri by the arm and dragged him inside without giving him the chance to put his dirt-stained underwear back on. The humiliation became unbearable as people passing by glowered at his naked body with looks of shock and fear. He felt a few tears drip down his cheeks and onto his twitching hands as he stared at the ground. The guard that had left earlier reappeared, and led them through a few corridors. He unceremoniously threw open a door on his right, revealing two ladies looking warily at the intruders. They were nicely dressed, and the room was filled with racks of colorful clothing, fabric, and beauty products. They must have been responsible for the nobles' wardrobe.

"That's him. Remember what I said; you better make him all pretty, or the king might be very... disappointed."

Yuuri didn't understand a word of what the guard told the two ladies, but it got them moving quickly as they grabbed him and sat him on a chair. One maid covered his slowly warming skin with a heavy coat of a strange golden powder, while the other tugged harshly at his hair and draped him in semi-transparent veils that barely hid his nakedness. The push and pull went on for another half hour, and when they were finally done, Yuuri realized he had been left alone with the grouchy-looking general. The man terrified him with his perpetual screaming and imposing demeanor, old scars covering the tough skin.

Yakov grumbled and told the slave to get up. Yuuri jumped at the order spoken in a language he could finally understood, and scrambled to his feet. The general took out fine gold chains and cuffs from a pocket of his uniform, and proceeded to restrain the boy. He also revealed a small leash made of the same material, and began to tie it around Yuuri's wrist, but stopped halfway through. The old man sighed, and undid the knot he had just made.

"Look, you may be a slave, but this is ridiculous. Follow me, don't try anything funny, and nothing bad will happen to you. Am I being clear?"

Yuuri nodded curtly. The man was more than clear. They left the room, and Yakov guided the boy through countless hallways and staircases. As much as he tried, the slave wouldn't even be able to remember where they went and how to get out of the palace. He didn't even notice the beauty of the place, too occupied with following the general's fast pace and trying to disappear under the curious stares all the passersby inevitably shot him. At least he could feel his body heating up as a result of the exercise.

They finally ended up in this big, clear audience room, where a majestic silver-haired man sat on a wooden throne. His icy blue eyes pierced right through him, sternly looking him up and down. The slave dropped to his knees, keeping his eyes on the ground as he couldn't bare to hold that gaze. Then, the prince had exploded with anger.

Yuuri felt panic rushed through his veins. What had he done wrong? Was it that he had looked down? Did he find him ugly? Was he disappointed because he had expected something... easier to use? Perhaps a woman? A younger boy?

He couldn't understand a word that was spoken, but Yuuri was sure of one thing. He was going to die. It might not be right away, but he would die. He would probably survive a few weeks for the prince's enjoyment before passing away. But he would suffer those days until the very last minute. He was going to be hurt, and used, and soiled, until even he would think of himself as a mere toy, a disposable object solely alive to please his master's desire. He would die forgotten, not a drop of dignity left on his abused body. An incontrollable terror settled in his gut, making him shiver like a leaf caught in a tempest. When the prince came closer, he was sure he was about to take the first of a endless series of hits. But there was no hit. Instead, the man simply sat down and started speaking to him.

At first, he didn't even register the words, as familiar as they were, from the confusion he was in. His body screamed at him to get up and run, but his brain was desperately trying the make sense of what was said. When he finally managed to understand the syllables, his throat was so dry from the stress he wasn't even able to pronounce his own name. The tension reached his peak when the prince reached out and touched his face. As soft as the touch was, as much as he wanted to believe the man's words, this was still the hand that would rape him, force its way into him, before wrapping its cold fingers around his naked throat and squeeze the life out of him. This was all just… too much. He was going to die. A lone tear rolled down his cheek.

However, to Yuuri's great surprise, the prince didn't answer with a smack. He actually wiped the drop, and apologized. This was the moment the slave was finally able to truly understand the man's words. Maybe… maybe this wasn't so bad. Maybe he was going to be... okay.