Chapter 14

Arthur smiled softly as he nibbled his food. He'd been allowed different dishes for all meals, sandwiches, raw vegetables and fruits and other things he could grasp with his fingers to allow him to eat on his own. His tea was still given, but it took him a little longer to reach for the cup.

"The magician's tests are today." Lovino spoke out, a soft voice with deeper tones than the man looked to have made its way to Arthur's ears. He would never have admitted it out loud, but his voice was damn near erotic. "You're going to lose points for the first time today."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Piotr chuckled, knowing his little kitten had tricks up his sleeve. "Arthur's a bit more skilled than I would have thought with many things. Don't count him out yet."

"He's blind and it's a battle." Francis spoke up. "I won't go easy just because he's down, and I actually like the guy. It's not boding well, you know." Francis chuckled.

"I'm much more dangerous when blind. It'll be harder for me to see my work completed. I just hope Sasha doesn't panic if I start going too far." Arthur mumbled, nibbling on a piece of mango.

"He's been an instructor here a while, remember. Sasha may look the same age as us, but he's twenty five. He was passed the position of instructor here at twelve. He's a genius." Piotr beamed with pride, surprising and confusing a few at the table.

"I heard you ranting over me. Such sweet little subordinates!" Sasha chirped, and Arthur could imagine the chagrin on Piotr's face at the realization he'd been heard. He heard a struggle, figuring Sasha was hugging him and tried to hide his own chuckles at the situation. "Anyway, Arthur, I came down to ask you if you're really sure you want to take part in this today? It's kind of dangerous, even with your sight."

"Ah, yes, Actually I was going to ask if I could borrow your spellbook. I couldn't find mine this morning." He sighed and Sasha laughed.

"It's kind of easy to tell you're having some trouble." Sasha spoke, leaning over Piotr's shoulder. "You're dusted in crumbs." He chuckled, a hand rubbing down his chest brushed them away and Arthur huffed, turning away.

"I would have gotten them when I stood up, you know." Arthur sighed and Sasha chuckled.

"It's fine! Sometimes it's nice to be able to pamper you guys a little! Anyway, I'll go to your room and get your spellbook. Mine has a few things you shouldn't be reading." A finger bopped his nose and Arthur shook his head, trying to brush off the feeling.

"You know I'll help you too!" Arthur heard and looked around wildly, jumping to his feet. He felt his breath catch in his throat, tears in his eyes, as he'd honestly worried it had been a lie.

"That's really you, right?" He turned, nearly tripping over the chair behind him. Piotr jumped up, grabbing his arm to steady him as Arthur felt around, trying to feel her.

"I told you I wasn't your hallucination!" She chuckled, a light tinkling sound that had Arthur collapse on the floor, crying in joy as he finally felt her on his hand.

"I was so scared I'd never see you again!"He cried out, and Piotr stared, a bit surprised.

"Your fairy?"

"She came back!" Arthur grinned, an absolute mess from emotion.

"Ayaah, we make friends with people even weirder than we are, Aru?" Yao mumbled and Piotr smiled.

"I think it's sweet." Francis' soft voice flowed over the group. "He was willing to give up something so precious to himself to try and make sure he was able to devote himself to his master, only to find he didn't lose it after all. It's the best reward for willing to make that sacrifice, oui?" Francis asked softly, hearing a collective hum of approval from the rest of the group.

"I think someone else should think of a way to thank his slave, as well. It's a lot for him to go through. You should have seen him last night. I honestly didn't know if he'd survive it for a while. He looked so... weak." Antonio sighed, honestly not happy to have been the one working on him at first.

"I was born blind and abandoned to an orphanage. Until I was thirteen I was considered to be a curse. I was sent as a laborer to a supply ship and had to stage a mutiny and become captain myself to be able to return home. I came back to discover I'd been sold and was now considered to be even more cursed. I worked at a damned library for two years, my only friends my fairy and a little girl who reminded me of myself. My village was besieged and I was taken as a slave in exchange for the lives of the orphans in the church. I may not be huge or manly, but you're mistaken if you think that means I'm weak." Arthur's words came with a sharp edge. Everyone stared, surprised by one thing or another that he'd said.

"You misunderstood me, mi amigo." Antonio smiled. "I said you looked weak. You were pale and very frail looking. I by no means meant that you were actually weak." He spoke and Arthur nodded, feeling his cheeks burn in embarrassment.

"That's fine then." He mumbled, setting his fairy on his shoulder before finding his seat and lifting himself to sit back down.

"Having no friends except a fairy only you could see... That sounds very lonely." Francis' sympathy easily felt. "I'm glad to see you can no longer say that, at least."

"I know what it's like to be thought of as a curse, Ja?" Gilbert spoke. "Me und mein little bruder, we escaped here after they tried to stone me to death... again... for my hair und eyes. I was all he had. I was scared to death we'd die in the winter, but they took us in here. Being a curse can be horrible, but it gives you something to work towards, Ja?"

"Ja." Ludwig spoke softly, and Arthur could hear him patting Gilbert's head.

Something about realizing he'd surrounded himself with people who understood his problems somehow made Arthur feel much better. He sighed, smiling before a cold tone brushed past his ear.

"You staged a mutiny and took over a ship?" Piotr spoke and Arthur sat up, startled.

"Ah, yes, well..."

"You weren't planning to do something like that with me, were you?" He asked, and though Arthur could hear a joke in his tone, he could nearly hear the other's heart pound in his chest.

"Remember when I was first taken, I'd thanked you? I told you that I was worried you'd keep me chained and starving, and work me without breaks til I dropped dead?" He asked.

"Da, that sounds familiar."

"I didn't just read that in a book. That's what they did. They worked us til we died." Arthur sighed. "We were all young. I was the oldest slave of the ship. It wasn't hard to convince them we needed to attack, and we did. It was either win or die." He spoke softly. "I wasn't ready to die yet." He held his head high. "I may not have been much, but for the thirty two of us on that ship, I was, for a week, salvation. We reached home and I passed the captain's cap to another child and they went on their way.

"Mio dio! You were the first captain of Neverland!" Antonio yelped out and everyone else stilled. A spoon could be heard dropping on the other side of the room.

"Neverland?" Arthur turned, though he couldn't see. "I'm guessing they renamed the ship, then? When I was on it they called it..."

"The Oyster." Antonio grinned. Arthur nodded, surprised.

"Interesting. Tell me, why did the room go silent when you said that?" Arthur asked, still hearing a minimum of sound.

"The Neverland is a wonderful trading ship. They always buy their new workers, but allow them the freedom to choose what they do after that. They remind the kids being sold that they're only there because someone else sold them, so no one leaves. The kids say when they're old enough, they'll give the ship down to the younger members. It's a ship that frees slaves. Their trade is amazing, as they try to be reasonable with their prices, but they're really just in it for the adventure, I think." Antonio smiled. "It normally comes through in a couple of months! Piotr, you should take him to see it now! It would be amazing!" Antonio cheered and Gil laughed.

"Being a pirate sounds like fun, Ja? Rushing from port to port, excitement and women-"

"And scurvy." Arthur added in, hearing a few chuckles. "Anyway, if I'd wanted to escape you, I had many chances before we reached Russia. I could have jumped overboard many times. I could see the shore, and you'd removed my shackles, so it wouldn't have been much effort. No one was watching me. I chose to stay with you." Arthur spoke, reaching out and softly patting Piotr's hand.

"You'd thought about it, didn't you?" He asked and Arthur nodded.

"For about ten seconds. I realized pretty quickly you weren't what I was expecting when you busted through that door." Arthur chuckled, missing the horror the others showed.

"You personally took him?" Francis asked, staring. "You didn't just buy him somewhere, you took him?!" He stood, astounded by what he heard.

"I offered to go." Arthur smiled, understanding the panic. "I offered him my life. I'd expected to die, but this is a much better turn of events in my opinion." Arthur smiled.

"Hey, breakfast is over! Outside!" Nikolai yelled in and Arthur stood, leading the rest of the table.

"Is it true?" Lovino asked softly, hoping Piotr wouldn't hear. "Did you really offer, or is he telling you to say that?"

"I could have escaped. I could have gotten away. If things were bad, I could have killed myself so many times by now, or I could have killed him in his sleep, but I didn't, and I won't. I'm actually his slave of my own free will." Arthur mumbled, also hoping his words wouldn't be overheard. "I offered my life in exchange for the kids in the orphanage being left alone. I'd been one of them only a few years prior. It was the least I could do for them." Arthur felt his lip tug up in a smile.

"That's stupid." Lovino sighed. "You offered your life, you expected to die. Why would you do something like that for some little shits?" He asked and Arthur stilled, turning to where he figured the other to be.

"Because when I was a kid, no one would have. Now I know they can't say that." He smiled brightly, feeling the sun over his skin as they stepped into the light.

Exercises were interesting. His skin was more sensitive. He could feel each blade of grass. He could smell the earth and water from the ocean. Though he should have been used to it by now, the sun burned the back of his neck. When he finally stood, sit ups and push ups done, he felt the world tilt and stumbled to the side, disoriented. Sasha rushed to his side, catching him before he fell and Arthur looked around, confused.

"Why did the earth tilt?"

"You're dehydrated. I didn't even think about it, the dialysis can make your body lose fluids faster. Come and sit." Sasha lead him to the side, giving him a large cup of water. "Don't stand til you're done, alright?"

"Yes, Sasha." Arthur nodded and took the cup to his lips. He sucked it down a lot faster than he thought possible and sighed, catching his breath before he stood. Sasha ran with him, helping him to not go off of the path.

Another round of push ups and sit ups went much better, and after getting the memory of where the jogging path was, the others were warned not to run into him and he went on his own. Piotr couldn't help but smile, knowing Arthur was doing his best, even with his current condition.

He was proud of him. He'd finished the work fairly quickly, always having been good at sports and working out and just waited at the finish line, patting him softly on the shoulder as he ran past. "You're doing well." He spoke clear, making sure the words were heard. He couldn't help but smile at the blush that crossed the other's cheeks as he continued down the pathway.

"I spoke to him. I asked him if he needs help to escape." Lovino stared, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. "I asked him if he only says he's alright here because you told him to say such things." Lovino watched as Piotr turned, eying him with curiosity.

"Why would you ask such things? You think I would really be that cruel?"

"I donna know you that well yet. You get along nicely with everyone, but remember, we started out at twelve people here. Just because someone seems nice the first week, month, year, it donna mean they'll be that way long, Si?" Lovino stepped forward, his arms crossed tighter. "I kinda hate you."

Piotr stared in surprise. What on earth had Arthur said to him? "He said he coulda killed himself many times, or you in your sleep if it had been bad. He said he's here on his own free will. What in the hella you do to make him fall for you like that?" Lovino looked out, seeing Arthur run. He was slower than normal, but he wasn't giving up. "I never saw someone smile like that before. He look-a so happy." Lovino sighed. "That's why this question will hurt." Piotr stared, confused for a moment. "Give him to me."

"What?!" Piotr gasped, stumbling back a step. "Why would I do that?"

"He's brilliant. He's a genius in magic, and as a doctor, he's only one 'a three to save the rabbit the other day. He'd be great as an Assassin's guard." Lovino's eyes shifted up, looking at the wide black eyes before them, looking almost purple in the sunlight. "As a farmer's slave, he will do notta much good, but for us, he could be great. He could guard the king. He'd be treated like royalty. You love him, Si? Give him a better life than you can do alone." Lovino turned and walked away, leaving Piotr staring in shock.

Arthur ran up, gasping for air before his hand was grasped. He was running, being pulled ahead quickly, his shorter legs unable to keep up with Piotr's longer ones. "Slow down! What's wrong?" He asked, though he didn't get an answer til they were around the corner of the building. Piotr grasped him and curled up, holding him close, mentally breaking down. Arthur felt the tears start falling on his cheeks and reached up in shock, trying to brush them away. "What's happened?!" He panicked, feeling the downturn of Piotr's cheeks, the crinkle in the middle of his brow from worry as trembling hands made their way over his face. Tears fell nearly nonstop as a shuttered cry made its way from his throat and Arthur grasped him, holding him close, trying his damnedest to give any comfort he could do. "Master, you're scaring me..." Arthur mumbled, honestly terrified and all Piotr could do in response was hold him tighter.

It was about fifteen minutes later they made their way in for lunch. Arthur was still shaking, unaware of what was happening, while Ivan had at least been able to calm himself slightly. They sat down at the table and Arthur frowned, turning his head to try and hear Piotr's soft voice.

"I will do as you ask." He spoke softly to Lovino, who stared, seeing the horror and shock of the man before him. "Not until the last day, and only on one condition." His voice worried Francis and Antonio, who hadn't been aware of Lovino's words at all. "When he leaves me, it's not as a slave, but as a free man."

"I understand, and I'll accept that condition." Lovino spoke as Piotr broke down again.

"What's happening?" Arthur looked around, trembling. He started to understand, the words spoken breaking up the confusion a little, but it created an image Arthur didn't like at all.

"The last day of school will be my last day as your master. The morning after, when they come to challenge for the king's guard, I'll bring you here to say goodbye." Piotr cried, laying his head in his hands. Arthur was so panicked he wasn't able to rationally think of what was just said.

A resounding slap was heard and everyone stilled, staring with wide eyes. Francis glared down, fury evident on him as he stood, his hand held back harshly as Lovino covered his cheek, green eyes wide on the other. "What in the hell is wrong with you?! Why would you do this to them, you selfish little prick!?" He yelled, about to pull his hand back for another smack when Piotr answered.

"It's true. As the slave of a farmer, a doctor and magician can really only help so much, but he would be great on the Assassin's guard. 'Give him better than he could get with you'. Those where your words, right? You better do this right, Lovino, or I'll kill you myself." Piotr cried and Arthur sat, shaking.

He felt Sasha lay down the tray before him and startled, jumping up and turned, running for the door. He was able to make it down the hallway and into their room and laid down on the bed, grasping the pillow and burst into tears.

He would be given up.

He was going to be cast aside by his master.

He'd finally admitted to himself he was in love with him and he was giving him away!

"Arthur?" He heard softly spoken and curled up, clenching the pillow tighter, smelling him on it. "Are you alright?" He heard the door close and heavy boot falls near the bed.

"You're giving me away! You're tossing me out like nothing! I finally-" He stopped his words. He couldn't say them now. It was already too painful without vocalizing it.

He felt arms grasp his wrists and press them flat to the mattress, Piotr's legs sliding beneath him. He leaned down over, and Arthur turned his head away, unable to stop his tears, feeling Piotr's hair brush his face. "I am. I'm giving you away, Arthur. I'm sending you to the Assassin's guard."

"I heard that!" Arthur cried.

"And who do they protect, Arthur? Who am I?" Piotr's voice was no longer sad at all. He felt the warmth of his chest press against his own and realized. He turned up, facing Piotr with wide, unseeing eyes.

"You're not tossing me away at all, are you? But you're granting me my freedom." Arthur stared. "What if I don't want my freedom? What if I want to stay as your 'kitten'?"

"As a member of my guard, there's something I can do that I can't if you're my slave, thought." Piotr bent down, pressing his lips to Arthur's neck. With his skin extra sensitive it had his head spinning in seconds. The whimper of ending tears switched to soft moans as his mouth roved over the sensitive skin. Arthur's head was lead up as Piotr pressed his mouth to the other, his hands sliding down thin arms, running over his chest and hips, causing Arthur to gasp, his hips pressing up against Piotr's.

They had both become so turned on, pressing against each other, their tongues rolling through each other's mouths they failed to hear the door open.

"Uh, it's class time." Sasha mumbled nervously. "Sorry to disturb. I knocked..." He turned away, stepping back through the door.

"Let's save this for another time, love." Arthur spoke softly. Though he still held the trails of tears down his cheeks, the look on his face was unmistakable.

Piotr stared, surprised to find out how beautiful it was to see such lust on the man beneath him.

"Yes, another time." With that he sat up and scooted away, Arthur having to concentrate to will away the bulge in his pants.