Possessions Ch. 08

Sarantha's shock showed clearly on her face. Kings did not apologize to citizens. Plus, Sarantha was sure she was the one who had acted inappropriately. She was not as familiar with the King as Her brother and sister were, or even her husband. Anytime Sarantha was in his presence, Kellir had been at her side, anchoring her, being her strength when she was so afraid of her ruler. Kellir was the one who answered the King, who made excuses for her absences. Rarely had she been required to have a conversation with her King, a fact she did not mind at all. The previous day, Sarantha had taken advantage of her child's ravenous hunger, using the excuse to stay silent during the conversation. But when the King had come to her room, she'd had no such excuse. She'd conversed as politely as she was able, right up until she had so overstepped, shown such disrespect, and caused the King such anger.

Jecis continued as if he didn't notice Sarantha's confusion. "I did not mean to push you beyond your comfort. I find you very attractive, and, even in your current state, I desire you. But it was not my intention to attempt to seduce you last evening. I truly meant only to share cake and speak with you. I am well aware that I sorely misbehaved. For that you have my sincerest apologies. I never meant to cause you such anxiety or fear. It disgusts me that I allowed our interaction to reach the point that you felt it necessary to beg me to stop, that I caused you tears."

Sarantha took a shaky breath, not wanting to raise the King's ire. "My King–" She noticed the King tense, but Sarantha couldn't bring herself to address him informally, as she knew he desired. "–I am truly sorry to have reacted so. In the future I will conduct myself properly and obey my King's directives. My apologies." She prayed to the sweet Goddess that the conversation would be over and the King would leave.

Her prayer went unanswered.

As a King, Jecis often negotiated in uncomfortable circumstances. He knew when to circumvent an issue and when to be direct. He looked Sarantha directly in her eyes. "I do not wish you to fear me. I wish for you to be my bride, become my Queen."

Sarantha couldn't think, couldn't breathe. She sat staring at her King as if he'd grown a second head.

Jecis sighed. "Sarantha, you are afraid. Why? Let us just begin with that. Why do you so fear me? Kellir did an excellent job keeping you separated from me, to the point that before yesterday, I would barely have recognized your voice."

"Y-y-you are my King. I displeased you."

"No, Sarantha." Jecis shook his head slowly. "You were afraid before you noticed my displeasure. In any case, you are aware now my displeasure was in no way with you but with myself, and you are still nervous. Speak plainly, honestly. Why were you so afraid – before I lost my temper? Why do you fear me now?"

Sarantha was nearly shaking with fear, terror even. "I know of the things you enjoy doing to women." The words were barely audible.

Jecis tensed. "Kellir spoke to you of such things?" At Sarantha's shaky nod, he sighed. He closed his eyes a moment, blocking out the trembling woman before him, a slur of curses for the dead man going through his mind, but thankfully not making it to his lips. "Dearest, I would never expose my wife to such treatment."

"I am not your wife."

"But I hope you will be." Jecis slid closer to her on the bed. "We would be a good match. I am well aware that Kellir holds your heart, just as my late wife holds mine. Neither of us would be pining over something that we would never be able to touch. We have similar interests, we both put our Keeps, our country, before our own personal gains. Ours would be a cognitive and physical match, not emotional. Even so, we could be very happy together."

"You are asking me?" Sarantha was suspicious. "You could simply order me."

"I do not desire a decorated slave as a wife. I desire a woman, strong willed but compassionate, smart and efficient. A woman who would be a good Queen, with her people's best interests and her country's future as her main concern."

"I am with child. My husband's child." She shook her head, as if to clear it. "You require an heir of your blood."

"I do. Your child would be raised a Prince, but could never be my heir." He held her gaze, again choosing to be direct. "I require a wife to produce an heir of royal blood. My wife would not be forced to bare my touch other than for reproduction. If she desired pleasure, I would give it to her as often as she desired, but she would never sate my other urges. One of my slaves enjoys the treatment that I enjoy giving."

Something flashed in Sarantha's eyes. "And your wife? Would she be allowed a slave to see to the treatment she enjoyed?" There was a touch of anger in her voice. She had never been unfaithful to her husband, nor he to her. The King, in the same conversation that he was proposing marriage, was telling her that she would not have his fidelity.

"If my wife desired a slave to see to her physical desires, I would allow her to keep a male slave only under the condition that the man be castrated. I cannot risk my Queen baring another man's child." His eyes never left hers. "I would not expect my wife to neglect her body's needs for my depravities."

"Instead you force them on a slave?"

Jecis was aware he was on dangerous ground. Jecis was well aware that Kellir had known of his desire for Sarantha. Jecis would never put his hands on another man's wife, but even so, Kellir had never given him the chance. The General had been sure to be present anytime Sarantha and the King were even in the same room. When Jecis asked her questions, Kellir answered for her. Knowing now that Kellir had spoken of the King's sexual desires to his wife explained why the normally happy, outgoing young woman was shy and subdued around him. Jecis doubted that Kellir would have made any attempt at explanations, instead only telling his wife enough to ensure that she kept her distance from a man she thought would cause her pain. Now, Jecis was explaining to a woman who treated her slaves as her own personal pets that he beat one of his for no reason other than pleasure.

"Darling, I am not a masochist. I do not understand what she feels when I whip her, but I do know she enjoys it. If I do not strike her hard enough, she begs me to continue. If I stop before she finds her pleasure, she curses me, demands more. I have tried giving her pleasure without pain, and her body does not except it. But, darling, none of that matters." He sighed, giving her hand a small squeeze. "I would never treat you in such a way, not unless you discovered that you enjoyed such treatment. I do not need another woman for use of her body. I need a Queen and an heir. I want you to be my Queen. I want you to provide me my heir."

Sarantha's mind was reeling. She couldn't make such a decision now, without thinking through the consequences. "I... I..."

"You need to think." Jecis smiled at her. "I will make you a bargain. For today, you will think, weigh your options, and not fear me. After breakfast, I will escort you to go see the slave trader's wares, as you wished to. If I am lucky, you will allow me to bring you to see the jeweler's wares as well, perhaps allow me to purchase you a gift." He gave her a small smile, almost boyish. "Spend your afternoon as you wish. There are things I must see to. Then after dinner, we will sit with your brother and sister to discuss your concerns."

Sarantha knew what things he planned to attend to. She took a deep breath, blew it out slowly. "Please do not punish Allek. He is my friend."

Jecis tried to hold back his exasperated sigh, but failed. "He will be punished for his inappropriate behavior." He would not mix words on this. She had to understand that a Captain in her rooms, in her bed, was unacceptable. "But I promise his punishment will not be severe. Nor will your slave's. This is not negotiable."

Sarantha, ever the obedient citizen, nodded. What else could she do? Disagree? She hadn't lied; Jecis could very well have simply ordered her hand in marriage. He was asking her. For now, at least. How he would act if she denied him, Sarantha had no idea.

Jecis smiled at her. Slowly, as not to frighten her anymore, the leaned into her, and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead.

With that, he moved to the door, significantly happier than he had been when he'd entered. One step outside, he paused. Smirking, he turned his head and, speaking loud enough for Sarantha to hear, said, "General. I look forward to seeing you at breakfast."

Then he was gone and Ehrik and Alaliya were moving toward her.

"Brother?" Sarantha sounded confused. "He proposed marriage to me."

Trivalm walked slowly behind Sarantha, scowling.

Breakfast had been a quiet, but tense, affair. Allek, for all his constant care of Sarantha, was absent. The child had been present, running and playing, but anytime she started acting out, she would look over at Drimelk, narrow her eyes, and calm herself. Ehrik definitely approved of the slave's effect on the child, smirking any time he noticed it. Nobody spoke of the events of the night before. If anything, they pointedly ignored it, but the night kept replaying in Trivalm's mind. There was something bothering him, something nagging in the back of his mind, something not right. As much as he tried to pin it down, he couldn't figure out what it was.

Ehrik and Alaliya questioned Sarantha over her sudden desire to procure new slaves. She only answered saying that she required a new one. Everyone was aware she was being purposely vague. Trivalm couldn't help but think that such vagueness did not bode well for him.

The slaves ate on the floor, silent and still. They were smart enough not to draw any attention to themselves. Any error, no matter how small, would be severely punished due to the King's presence. Even Ivory was still, kneeling on her cushion next to Sarantha and resting her head on her owner's thigh and looking suspiciously at the King. Melil did not join the table as she normally did, but appeared after the dishes were cleared away and the party began to rise.

Triya, accompanied by two guards, took Drimelk, Raikol and Ivory. The King, Sarantha, Ehrik, Alaliya, Kriel and Melil moved toward the door. Trivalm and Ebon trailed behind the group of free citizens toward the toward the market, where the slave traders were staged. The King's guards, of course, trailed their ruler as he walked with Sarantha's arm in his.

Trivalm had no desire to see the slave trader's wares, but he certainly wasn't being given a choice. He wondered if Ebon was, or the other man was also being forced to attend. It was odd that he was so calm being separated from Ivory. There was an odd satisfaction in the dark man, as if something had gone right, some well laid plan had borne fruit.

In the front of the market was a jeweler. At the King's request, they stopped there before continuing. For several minutes, the group ambled around, admiring the pieces. It surprised Trivalm that Melil was able to interact so informally with the other women, though she never went so far as to address the King. By the time the group moved on, the women were laughing, admiring their many new items, while the men grinned, obviously feeling proud of themselves.

As soon as they entered the section of slaves, the group splintered apart, Ehrik and Alaliya moving off together, Kriel and Melil walking away, the King moving off on his own, and Trivalm and Ebon trailing behind Sarantha. The sinking feeling in Trivalm's stomach only intensified as he was lead past rows and rows of male slaves, directly to the rows holding scantily clad females.

They moved up and down the rows, Sarantha making comments on several of the females they passed, complimenting their beauty, or figure, or skin tone. Several times she stroked her hand over one of the women's assets, asking Trivalm's opinion.

"She is very beautiful, little slave." Sarantha stopped in front of a woman with long, red spirals of hair that reached her waist. "She has gorgeous breasts. Feel."

When Trivalm didn't obey, Ebon nudged him roughly on the back. Trivalm's eyes raked over the woman. She was attractive, and just as Sarantha said, she had an amazing figure with full, perky, breasts that begged a man to suckle them as he drove into her body. Even so, Trivalm couldn't do it. He couldn't molest a woman who had no choice but to bare his touch. He looked away in disgust.

"This one." Sarantha noticed her slave's appraisal of the woman's body, her breasts. Unfortunately, she also noticed the disgust in his eyes.

Why was he so complicated? Either he desired her, or he did not. Why did he have to be so confusing in his desires? She frowned, not understanding the vexing man.

Glancing back at the rows of male slaves where her brother was walking, never far from her, Sarantha sighed, again contemplating pawning the slave off until the child was born. Ehrik was inspecting a tall slave with defined muscles. The man was attractive. It was easy to tell he was not a work slave; his skin was smooth, unblemished. She wondered what Ehrik was considering him for. Obviously something aesthetic, which was unusual for a soldier like Ehrik.

Pushing it from her mind, Sarantha turned back to Trivalm. His gaze had followed hers to the slave, lingering there. On the slave. The attractive slave. The attractivemaleslave.

Sarantha almost gasped at her own stupidity. Trivalm still hadn't told her what he wanted to learn. She'd been so busy the last three days, that she'd forgotten her promise to him. Perhaps that was what he wanted! What she had meant as a consequence was in his mind a reward. It would explain why he was so resistant to her Ivory's attentions. It was so obvious. Trivalm enjoyed the attentions of men, not women. Sarantha felt so silly at not seeing it before.

"Come here, little slave!" She took his hand and pulled him over to where her brother was questioning the slave while Alaliya looked bored. Her swift movement immediately caught both of their attention, but she ignored them, walking directly to the slave. "Look, little slave. He is a very pleasing man, very handsome and pleasantly muscled."

Sarantha took Trivalm's hand and pressed it to the slave's bare abdomen, allowing him to feel the hard, lean muscle there. She smiled up at him, certain he would be happy. This man really was pleasing in form and face.

Trivalm snatched his hand back, as if the slave's flesh had burnt him, having no desire to touch the other man. Trivalm was confused. He was certain Sarantha's intent had been to find a female slave to match him with for sexual purposes. Why had she suddenly deserted her plan? Was she interested in the male slave for her own pleasure? But if that was so, why would she care about Trivalm's opinion of the man?

Ehrik tried to hide his laugh beneath a cough. Trivalm glanced over at him. Alaliya, standing next to her husband, was obviously trying to keep her smile from her face. She was failing. Moving his gaze to Ebon, who was openly smirking at him, Trivalm's narrowed his eyes. He focused on Sarantha again. He was missing something.

Sarantha, ignoring the way her slave snatched his hand back, took his wrist again, forcing his hand to rest on the man's hip. "His skin is soft, and smooth. I am sure he would be very comfortable for you to hold."

Trivalm gaped at her. For him to hold? She wasn't serious. He was misunderstanding her meaning. When he saw the satisfaction shining in her eyes, though, he knew he wasn't. This stupid little...

"I want this slave. My Trivalm likes him." Sarantha was so excited that she was practically bouncing with happiness, her smile sincere and radiant. Finally, her little slave would be happy and begin to settle!

Trivalm felt his temper practically explode as he again snatched his hand away from the slave. He took a single step toward Sarantha, towering over her. "I–"

And just like that he was on his knees, pain blossoming across his calves. A single blow to his face sent him to his back. He glared up as Ehrik stood over him, the Keeper's boot on his throat, choking him.

Behind Ehrik, Jecis appeared, his eyes hard and anger filled. "What happened?" The demand was harsh.

"Stop it! Brother, stop it! Don't do that!" Sarantha sounded upset, slightly panicked but mostly irritated. "Why do you always ruin it when I'm trying to make my Trivalm happy so he will be a good little slave?"

Ehrik seemed uncaring of Trivalm's need for air, or the slave's attempt to remove the boot from his neck. "Little sister, if your slave does not learn to behave properly, he will be punished. He cannot continue to threaten you in such ways! Do you understand?"

Sarantha obviously did not. "Let him up, brother!" When Ehrik did not immediately obey, Sarantha sent her newly acquired bracelet flying straight at his face, glaring when the General didn't even flinch. "Stop doing that to him! He is turning ugly colors!"

"Dearest–" Jecis was abruptly cut off by a necklace colliding with his cheek.

"Let him up!"

Ehrik, his eyes narrowed, stepped away from the slave to stand squarely in front of Saratha. "If he threatens you again, one more time, Sarantha, he will be punished. By me. To my satisfaction. It will be severe. Do you understand?"

Sarantha, realizing that Ehrik was at the end of his patients regarding her slave's behavior, nodded. "Yes, brother."

"He will be punished for his improper behavior, for attacking the King, for threatening you and for not using proper respect when he addresses you. It will happen today. Do you understand?"

"Yes, brother."

"I will be the one to punish him. There will be no more discussion on this, no negotiation! I will not allow a slave to exhibit such behavior in my Keep!"

"Yes, brother."

Shamed to have so tested her brother's accommodating nature and trying to hide the tears on her lashes, Sarantha turned and walked away, trusting Ebon to see to Trivalm. Ehrik went out of his way to make her feel welcome here, to ensure her safety, health and comfort, unfortunately for her, strictly in that order. It wasn't his fault that Sarantha's stomach churned at just the thought of someone being hurt. It wasn't his fault that it was in Sarantha's nature to try to find every possible alternative before causing pain.

Ehrik watched her go. Alaliya gave him a small frown of reprimand before walking off as well. He felt a small pang of guilt. He had been hard on Sarantha today, but she needed to get control of her war slave before he did something that couldn't be swept from sight and forgotten. He also had to keep Sarantha's gentle nature in mind. Ehrik frowned as he began again walking up and down the rows of slaves, idly looking them over, his mind in chaos as he tried to find a way to break the slave without upsetting his sister.

Suddenly he froze. His gaze focused on a slave, a man he hadn't seen in seven long years. A man he had been relentlessly searching for.

"You." There was pure venom, immeasurable hatred, in the accusation that single word held. In two long stride he was toe to toe with the man as his arm snapped out, his hand wrapping around the slave's throat.

The slave's eyes widened, but he was smart enough not to fight. Ehrik wondered idly if his panic was because of the sudden assault, or because the man recognized him. Ehrik didn't care. The bastard had no idea the hell his life was about to become.

"The last time I saw you, rapist, you were running away like a coward with my wife in your arms." His fingers tightened, cutting of air, as savage delight coursed through his veins.