When Shanks sent Doc to show Benn the way to his room in the tavern, he was alone with his thoughts for a moment. Absentmindedly, he turned the ring around his finger again and again, trying to understand the mystery behind it. But all he could feel was cold metal, furrowed by the usual carvings that identified an owner's ring. The subtle difference in its presence was still there, though the longer he wore it, the more he got used to it. He could have spoken a disillusion spell to find out what was hidden beneath the gold, but he was afraid. The thought of hurting Benn again made him falter, and the image of all the blood still shocked Shanks. It had been so much blood, so much…
He jerked when the door opened, but it was only Doc. He shot him a concerned look, and not all of his tension vanished with the recognition. A weary smile was on Shanks' lips as he got up from the floor to sit on the bed. Finally, his fingers let go of the ring and he ran his hand through his hair.
"He's alright?" Shanks asked, his heart beating a little too hard. Only when Doc nodded, it slowed down again. He let out a sigh of relief that got him a risen eyebrow from his doctor.
"You care for him," he said blandly and after a moment of trying and failing to deny his feelings, Shanks nodded. Yes, he did care for Benn. He didn't know him well, had just bought him from a man he detested as Shanks detested every auctioneer, and still Shanks had to admit that something drew him to Benn. He wondered what it was. He wondered if it would ever go away.
As it became apparent that Shanks didn't intend to say more about the subject, the doctor raised his voice again, expressing his concerns. Shanks had known this would come, he knew what would be said the moment the other man opened his mouth.
"He is powerful," Doc said, but Shanks just shrugged and nodded. Yes, Benn truly was and Shanks couldn't deny it. Not after Benn's spell had stabilized him earlier, and especially not after the rush of power Shanks had felt by putting the ring on his finger to accept the man as his possession. The thought made him sick. He had never wanted to own someone, he just wanted Benn to be free. But it seemed his wish wouldn't be granted. At least not yet.
"I never heard of someone who naturally managed to learn a healing spell. It took me two years to properly perform one," Doc added a little more firmly, but Shanks just nodded again.
"I know." Shanks had been there, had seen it. When Doc asked permission to become a doctor, he had arranged for him to be trained. The man had been a slave himself for five years until Shanks had freed him like he had freed the majority of his most trusted men. It had been three years ago, so Shanks had been only twenty then.
"Shanks!" It was almost a shout. For the first time, Shanks looked directly at the blond man instead of looking through him. He sighed, he couldn't explain it either.
"I'll visit Rayleigh when we're back home. Agreed?" he asked, and Doc flinched but agreed. What else could he do?
They traveled by ship from Kaidou's territory to Shanks'. It wasn't the first time Benn had seen a ship as big as the Red Force, but it was the first time he actually was aboard one. It was impressive, and the thought of traveling was exciting to him even though it was nothing new. He had changed owners more often than most of the other slaves, who had never seen anything else than the house they served in.
After about a week, they crossed the border between the two territories of the Yonkos. No one told them, but it was obvious since the mood on the ship changed noticeably. When they were still sailing on the river Albara, a side arm of the Sandora River which marked the border between Shanks' and Kaidou's territory, there had been people out on deck day and night to stand guard against a potential attack. It hadn't changed when they had reached the Sandora, as they were still not in Shanks' territory. But apparently another side arm of it – the Mano River - reached into Shanks' area, or so Benn had overheard during one of the meals. It was only when they reached it that things got calmer and less tense on the Red Force.
They had been in Shanks' territory for a day or so when Benn realized the subtle changes with interest. Laughter was heard more often and the crew, meaning the free men who were part of Shanks' escort, sung and drank. There were less people on watch, only two at a time, and Shanks joined in the fun, too. Benn had seen him dance with all sorts of people, no matter who they were or what status they held. He even took some of the slaves by the hands - men, women, children - and swirled them around laughing and cheering. It didn't even have to be evening time for the crew to celebrate. The musicians just played whenever they were in the mood and they were in the mood whenever they didn't have any duties to do.
Benn was mostly outside. He even had been on deck when they had still been in Kaido's territory. He loved to feel the wind on his face, the way it tousled his hair, and to breathe in the fresh breeze. This felt like freedom to him, however odd that was because he was anything but free. He decided that if he ever was released, he wanted to have the possibility to go and sail wherever he wanted to.
To his astonishment, Shanks was on deck a lot as well. He looked at ease when he stood at the railing, his eyes dreamy. It was strange to see the man like that. He usually was – as far as Benn could judge without much knowledge of him - loud, cheery, hyper even, but when he looked at the waves he seemed calm. Still there was a yearning in his eyes, even though it was subtle. Benn wondered what Shanks, who probably could buy anything he desired, yearned for?
The night before they moored and finally went ashore again, Shanks ordered all of the slaves into the great mass hall of the ship. No one had a real clue why they did have to gather, and anxiety spread through the people. Usually a gathering like this meant something drastic. What litte hope and happiness had grown during their journey on the Red Force began to vanish until they saw what awaited them. It was a feast, delicious dishes and drinks for all of them. They were told to forget the necklaces around their throats for a night, to just enjoy what Shanks had to offer, and he had a lot. He offered friendliness and encouragement, joy and hope, a night for happiness only and more than a few slaves really forgot that they were enslaved. Especially the children, who were contagious in their joyous way of taking everything in, reveled in the unexpected celebration as if they had never endured slavery. Benn really wanted to join them, to stop thinking about the cursed necklace for just one night. He wanted to dance and laugh and enjoy life like the kids did, without being constantly aware of the fact that this was just a farce. But he couldn't. Not when he felt Shanks' gaze on him wherever he went.
When they reached the palace, it was huge - bigger and a lot more luxurious than Benn had expected after seeing the tavern they had stayed in the first night. The outer walls glimmered golden and red in the sunlight. They were built of a certain stone from the Redline, a mountain chain that separated one half of the common land from the other. There were some palm trees covering the entrance, but most of the front was shimmering stone. It looked luxurious, yet somewhat cold, but people murmured wonderful gardens could be found at the backside of the building.
The group was led through several hallways and with relief Benn noticed that the interior didn't match the front of the palace at all. What he had seen by now reminded him of the welcoming, cozy feeling of the old tavern they had slept in the first night. The walls were decorated in tapestries that looked classy but a little rugged, the furniture was made out of old polished wood, and when Benn saw some dust bunnies in the corners, he couldn't stop himself from grinning. This was nothing like the noble houses he had been in before, and some of the tension he had felt earlier vanished.
When they entered a huge hall with a raised pedestal in it, the dreadful feeling came back at once. All the other people around him tensed as well, looking around or just staring into nothingness. Shanks and his men would probably tell them now what they had been bought for, and since all of them - children, women and men - were placed in one room, it couldn't be something good. But after the feast on the Red Force no one knew exactly what to expect. Back then they had thought something bad would happen too, and in the end, they had gotten a celebration exclusively for them.
It didn't take long before Shanks appeared on the little stage and Benn stepped into a shadowy corner. He didn't know why, but he still felt different from the others. He was the only one the Yonko had bought out of his own purse. Now Benn was aware of it more than ever.
However, when Shanks smiled the tension vanished and the mood of the crowd seemed to become lighter. It was like he enveloped all of the people inside the room with it, and when he started to speak, his soft voice carried into every corner.
"I know you are afraid and I know you wonder why you're here. You are slaves, some of you have been slaves all their lives. This will change now." Benn could hear the whole group gasp in surprise, but somehow he himself didn't feel addressed by those words. They only made him sad. "From this day on you aren't slaves anymore. I never wanted to own slaves and I will never allow slavery in my land. From this day on, you're free."
The moment Shanks spoke the last words a clattering sound rang through the whole room. All the necklaces had dropped and suddenly cheers, tears and shouts of praise filled the air - it was a happy moment indeed. No one took notice of Benn as he pressed himself further into the corner, tears rolling across his face silently. His hands gripped at his necklace, yanking at it, but it stayed where it was. He still was a slave and he had never felt lonelier in his life.
After most of the noise subsided, Shanks explained they were now free to choose whether they wanted to stay in the palace and work for him, or leave and try to find their luck elsewhere. He then stepped from the stage, leaving the rest of the work to Yasopp, Roo and some other men Benn didn't know the name of, Benn only registered half of it. By now, he sat on the floor, his tears dried and mind somewhere where no one could follow. He had never hated being a slave more than now that everyone else around him was free.
"I'm sorry. Come on, you need to get out of here," a gentle voice told him, and Benn blindly reached towards it. A hand gripped his, warm fingers entangled with his, but it was the feeling of a cold metal ring that made him look up eventually. Shanks led him, red hair swaying with the rhythm of his silent steps. He didn't turn around until they had left the hall. When they stopped, the Yonko finally faced him, looking sad and sorry. Benn wanted to believe the regret he saw on Shanks' face was genuine, but how could he when it was clear that Benn would remain a prisoner while everyone else had been released?
It seemed Shanks wanted to say something, he opened his mouth twice, but no words left his lips. In the end, he just remained silent as Benn's expression switched to indifferent again. He had shown his pain and he wouldn't allow that to happen again. This man could own his body, but not his soul. Never, not if Benn could prevent it. There was enough damage done already.
Eventually they started moving again. This time Shanks let go of his hand, but Benn followed either way. Running away would probably cost his life and Benn wasn't ready for that step yet. He needed an answer first. An answer to whether freedom was worth more than your life.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, they reached a door made from simple darkish wood and Shanks opened it, but didn't make any move to go inside. Instead, he spoke for the first time since they had left the hall.
"This is your room here in the palace. No one else is allowed inside, not even me. If you need something, just ask… My room's next to yours. There's a connecting door between the two rooms, though I will not use it. I promise," Shanks said in a low voice, a hint of sorrow still audible in it. He bit his lip and Benn wondered if he meant what he said. That he wouldn't come inside. Well, he would see.
Silence wavered between them and Benn intended to go inside before it could grow too large. He guessed that Shanks was done for now and he was dismissed. However, the Yonko's next words stopped him although they were merely a whisper.
"I'm sorry about this. I know you don't believe me, but you were included when I said all of you are free. You're not a slave anymore, Benn. I don't see you as one."
Benn just wanted to walk on, close that door and be alone. Instead, he turned, without looking at the man in front of him. He was staring right through him when he answered. Feelings locked away, deep down in his soul where no one could reach and shatter them.
"I'll always be a slave."
Then he finally turned and shut Shanks out. Benn didn't pay attention to the interior of his room, nor did he see the freshly washed set of nightwear laying on a chair. Everything was prepared to make him feel welcome but the numbness in him kept him from noticing. He just slipped underneath the sheets of the bed and forced himself to sleep. But the pained look on Shanks' face when he had spoken haunted him, even in his dreams.
Shanks stared at the closed door, not really realizing he was shivering. The feeling of being the biggest asshole in the world overwhelmed him and weighted heavy on his heart. He had made Benn endure witnessing the release of all the other former slaves, while his necklace remained around his throat. Shanks had hoped it just would fall off as well when he had woven the spell into his speech. He hadn't excluded Benn, but still it hadn't worked. The silent tears, the pain-stricken face, Shanks knew he would not be able to forget those images.
After a while Shanks moved and made his way back to the hall. It was barely evening and there was work to do. He had to help with showing his new employees around, had to make sure those people would get what they needed to settle in. More than half of the now former slaves had chosen to seek their luck elsewhere. Even though Shanks had freed them, they weren't willing to report to him as their superior at work after all. The Yonko understood the choice and bestowed a generous amount of money on each of them to find a new home and start a life as a free man. What happened to them from now on wasn't in his hands anymore.
Those who chose to stay with and work for Shanks would be granted a room and monthly wages. They would be interviewed about what they liked to do and were good at, and based on their answers a suitable position in the palace would be found for them. Also they would be served three meals a day and could rent themselves a flat somewhere in the city if they preferred.
Most of the workers in Shanks' castle were former slaves. Even his most trusted men were, except for Yasopp whose father had died early and left his son to beg on the streets. He had been taken in by an old blacksmith and continued to run the business when his foster father died years later. It had gone well until a trickster had cheated him on some important investments. All of his money had been lost and he had had no idea what to do. Fate had brought the two of them together. Shanks had needed a blacksmith to repair his sword and he had heard Yasopp was the best in town. It had been shortly after Shanks had become Yonko and he hadn't been sure how to act in such a situation, so he made a deal with Yasopp. He would help him find and sue the trickster who had bankrupted him, and in return the man would become his personal armorer. In the end, it also got each of them a new friend.
The hall where everyone had gathered earlier was now fairly empty. The people who had chosen to leave had already been led to a place where they could sleep. They hadn't had to move right away when the sun was already sinking but could sleep another night in the palace before they would go on to find their own way. The remaining people, many of whom were women and children, talked with several of Shanks' men in the hall. His men were to find out what kind of duties the former slaves had had to do before, to get an idea of what task to assign them to. Shanks didn't want to give them just any jobs but something that matched the skills of each person. Not only because it would help them to settle in his castle, but also because people usually were more efficient and content when they did something they enjoyed. No one had to do what they had been doing as slaves if they didn't want to. Plus, the children would be sent to a school Shanks had set up especially for former slaves.
Shanks' gaze wandered until he found Roo who was talking with what looked like a small family. The man was holding the hand of the woman next to him while a small girl, maybe five years old, nearly dozed off. She had a cute little face, brown eyes and hair. They all seemed exhausted, but the smiles on their faces were genuine.
Shanks remembered them to be a married couple who had the luck to be still together. He hadn't had the heart to separate the little family so he had just bought all three. He was somewhat glad they had chosen to stay with him. It would have been hard for them out there all by themselves without any support.
"I used to be a history teacher, but I'm used to doing other task as well. I can work hard, carry heavy things, maybe work as a builder. Just please don't make my wife work at building sites..." Shanks overheard the man telling Roo rather desperately until he recognized him and bowed down, as did his wife. "Your Highness..."
A sigh escaped Shanks' lips at the formality and he waved for them to straighten again immediately. "That's not necessary," he told them firmly. Most of the people Shanks freed assumed their work wouldn't differ much from what they had had to do as slaves, but that was not why he bought and freed them in the first place. Sometimes, it was hard to even find out what they were good at because they were afraid to speak. His gaze caught the curious look of the girl. Her eyes were fixed on his hair. It still amused him how interested some kids were in the color of his strands. Kneeling down, Shanks smiled at the girl and when she realized Shanks wasn't really scary, she crossed the small distance and plucked at his hair.
"You look funny."
"Rika, stop. I apologize, Goddess, Rika, stop…" the woman cried out, desperate to stop her daughter, but Shanks just laughed and lifted the girl into his arms, not caring that she pulled at his hair.
Instead, he encouraged her a little, pouting in a playful manner. "That is a mean thing to say, not all people can have such fabulous hair as yours."
The girl giggled, taking one of her own strands to hold it next to Shanks'. Glee sparkled in her eyes. "Mommy look, my hair is fabo... fobu... fabulous," she stated matter-of-factly even though she had problems pronouncing the difficult word correctly. Shanks chuckled when he saw the woman blush in a bright red.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," she mumbled again, but Shanks brushed it off.
"It's fine. I love children and I am glad you could stay together as a family." His gaze wandered from the woman to the man, who looked a little dumbfounded and shocked. But the expression faded under Shanks encouraging smile. "There are a lot of children under my care, now even more, and I want to make sure all of them get a good education. There is no need for you or your wife to work on any building sites. You can teach at my school, where your girl is very welcome as well."
For a moment, both of the parents stood in stunned silence, before the man indicated a little bow. His whole stance spoke of honest gratitude. "Thank you so much."
"Do I have to sit in Papa's class then, as well?" Rika asked, still on Shanks' arm, and for a moment everyone just looked at the girl. Then Shanks burst into laughter and the rest joined in after a second. This girl was an enrichment for the palace, through and through.
"Yes sweetie, I think you'll have to," Shanks managed to say after the chuckling and laughing had subsided. These were the moments that made it worth going through the hassle of buying slaves. It was worth it, it always was.
After another three hours every last former slave had been cared for, and Shanks sank onto the floor, sighing. He was soon joined by Doc, Yasopp and Roo, the latter handing him a bottle of sake. He took it with a grateful smile, but didn't drink.
"What's wrong?", Yasopp asked noting that odd behavior. Usually, Shanks never hesitated to open a bottle of alcohol after such a busy day. Not when everything was alright. So it was obvious that something wasn't. But Shanks didn't answer right away, trying to form the right words in his mind. He was still thinking when Doc spoke.
"It is because of that Benn, am I right?" he asked and Shanks just sighed again before he nodded. Right, Doc had witnessed that strange magic of the necklace. He knew.
"It again didn't work. I've never seen a lonelier, more disappointed man." Shanks looked up, pain shimmering in his eyes. "He cried, but what was even worse was the indifference that came afterwards. It's like a wall, making sure no one can hurt him. I can only guess what has happened to him and that is enough to break a person. He will never be able to believe he's free until that necklace has come off."
While Shanks had been talking, Roo and Yasopp had looked equally irritated, until that last statement. When they realized what must have happened, their expressions were shocked. It was the first time they heard of Shanks' power failing.
"How can that be?" Roo asked after the silence became too loud. Shanks, though, only shrugged. He wasn't sure himself. He just knew someone must really have hated Benn to curse his necklace like that.
"I don't know… but I'll find out. I'll definitely find out."
With these words, he pushed himself upright and headed for his room. He had to contact Rayleigh. His bottle was left behind, still closed. Concern spread over the faces of the ones who remained sitting as they watched the redhead walk away. They all knew being such a young Yonko was a burden, but somehow they had the feeling the burden had been increased markedly in the last few hours.