Chapter 10

Another party. The second one this month, and the third time Taven had had to attend his master among his peers. Taven very much enjoyed going with Nikal wherever he wanted to go. He very much liked to spend every minute with Nikal if he could, but he hated these stupid parties. They were boring, people were stupid, and not even his master liked it. But most of all he hated it because Nikal now forced him to wear that likewise stupid piece of metal in his mouth. Taven thought that he had never hated an inanimate object as much as he hated that thing. Taven wasn’t all that sure why he let Nikal use it on him at all without trying to fight it. Had anyone else tried that they would have had to tie him up and pry his mouth open with force to get that thing into his mouth, and he would have tried his best to bite a few fingers off in the process, that’s for sure, but with Nikal… His master had a way with words, always managed in some strange way to put things in ways that he could not contradict. And imagine that he bothered to explain things to him at all… that he talked to him. One kind of felt one ought to at least listen. Nikal had made him wear it a few hours every day for about two weeks, and he had eventually learned to wear it in a way so that it caused him as little nuisance as it was possible. Taven could wear that bit now for hours without gagging on it. He had found a way to swallow so that spit would not trickle out of his mouth. He had practiced a lot on that one; he didn’t like how it had made him look like a rabid dog or something. And drinking with it presented no real problems, but he really couldn’t eat in any comfortable way. It didn’t matter; it wasn’t like he was ever going to be offered anything anyway. And talking, saying a single word, making any sound other than noises from deep down his throat was of course impossible, but that was what it was for, wasn’t it? And Nikal had been right; it wasn’t all that humiliating because it didn’t show and no one wondered why he was so quiet. Few knew it wasn’t exactly his usual behavior to be so silent. Few ever talked directly to him and if they did Nikal answered in his place and no one seemed to wonder at that or demanded he spoke for himself. So when Nikal brought the cursed thing he just resigned to it, opened his mouth to receive it and endured it for a couple of hours, and was relieved and happy enough when Nikal took it out again. And after those few weeks of training with it Nikal had stayed true to his promise of not forcing him to wear it often. There had been that party two weeks ago, and now tonight. He stayed close to Nikal and concentrated on blanking his mind out. If he was lucky he would "wake up", and the party would be over. The reaction of a few people across the room caught his attention more or less against his will. He recognized their behavior, how they turned to stare and then quickly turned back and pretended not to have noticed the latecomer. Taven was not at all surprised at seeing Serenity enter the room. He was not particularly happy about it either even if he couldn’t help staring. Serenity looked profoundly different from when he had first seen him. He was dressed in black, loosely fitting pants of some silky material, and wore a bell-sleeved blouse of the same sort of fabric, so short it showed his slender midriff. He was barefooted and had black shiny tassels in his ears that were so long they brushed his shoulders as he turned his head this and that way, smiling. Taven could swear as Serenity came closer, that he wore make-up. As he smiled widely at the sight of Nikal and waved hello to him, Taven saw that his immaculate manicured fingernails were lacquered brightly red, and his eyes widened even more at seeing Serenity’s toenails painted as well. Taven could only stare and gape wordlessly. It was evident that Serenity tried to look like a woman, and he wasn’t half-bad at it one had to give him that. Of course you could still see he was a man, but he was nevertheless quite… stunning. Still, it made Taven uncomfortable just looking at him and he turned away as Serenity smiled at him. Fishnet stockings, silky women panties, corsets, red lipstick and stiletto high heels… Taven had wore it all on numerous occasions, it had always made the men fucking him treat him with even more roughness and contempt than usual… Why would any man wear female attributes voluntarily to receive such utter contempt? Taven looked at his master on the sly, how would he react on how Serenity was dressed? Nikal didn’t react to it at all; he only chatted with Serenity in the same half-amused, half-taunting manner he had done the last time. Taven shrugged, ah well, his master was strange in so many ways, wasn’t he? After a few minutes Nikal seemed to have tired of chatting with Serenity and walked away to talk to someone else. Taven, who had ignored Serenity, meant to follow, but Serenity stepped in his way. "You’re awfully quiet tonight. Bored?" Serenity smiled and winked at him. "Yeah these parties are the dullest," Serenity sighed and rolled his eyes, "not to mention these people. Did Nikal bring you the last time? I was supposed to have been there too, but I faked a cold." Serenity grinned but then looked a bit annoyed at Taven’s non-responsive silence. "Well? Were you?" Taven’s only answer was a poisonous glare and he tried to go around Serenity to join his master, but Serenity stepped in the way again. "Hey, I’m talking to you." Taven changed direction but Serenity followed and stopped him again. By now Taven’s eyes shot bullets. Why couldn’t that stupid… trannie leave him alone? Serenity looked hurt now. "I just wanted to talk to you a little. Thought we could be friends. I didn’t mean to tease you the last time if that’s what you’re still angry about. I just said you were cute, didn’t mean anything by it and well… you do look good and… Come on, I know Nikal didn’t tell you not to talk to me." Taven prayed his master would spot his "problem" and come and "rescue" him from Serenity because, God help him, he was about to throw himself at him and strangle him. But Nikal didn’t notice anything, looking quite engaged, for once, in the conversation he carried with a middle-aged woman, only a few steps away. Taven concentrated on repressing his anger, he could not and he would not make a scene. Nikal had forced him to get used to the damn bit (and Taven knew he had felt really bad about it) only to avoid such scenes. If Taven made one anyway… he really didn’t want to know what Nikal would do. Well, maybe he should just show Serenity; maybe that would get him off his back? Taven waved his hands in Serenity’s face and gestured at his mouth. Serenity didn’t quite get it. "What? Stop that! Don’t shoo me away! That’s gratitude for you, I was just trying to be nice. What’d I do anyway? Was it something I said?" Taven ground his teeth. He remembered Nikal saying once that Serenity wasn’t exactly the brightest creature around, and Taven now considered that a proven fact. He grabbed at one of Serenity’s bell sleeves and pulled him closer, opening his mouth wide and pointed into it. Now finally Serenity seemed to get that he wanted to show him something, and he silenced and leaned closer. His eyes widened. "No way… No, don’t tell me he… Shit! I’ve only seen those things on pictures before." Serenity straightened up with a truly indignant frown on his pretty made up face. "I can’t believe Nikal done something like this. That’s… that’s just cruel. I can’t even imagine how awful that must be and…" Serenity leaned his head to his side with the saddest expression of pure pity, and reached a hand out to touch at Taven. "Oh I’m so sorry. I had no idea Nikal could be such a bastard. That’s just mean, poor, poor you." Somehow Serenity’s pity made Taven even angrier, and he wanted to yell at him that his master was not a bastard at all, and that Nikal had done it for his own good – because he cared, and that he didn’t need Serenity’s sympathy anyway. But of course, he couldn’t utter a word. Serenity didn’t register Taven’s angered look as he leaned over the shorter slave to give him a supportive hug. That was just too much. Taven stepped on Serenity’s foot grounded his heel in his naked toes. There was not a living soul in the room who did not startle at the agonized yell Serenity omitted, and all did they turn to stare at them. Nikal was at their sides in no time, giving Taven a suspicious frown while Taven tried out his most angelic expression, it wasn’t easy, because it was rarely used. "What on earth goes on here?" Nikal asked strictly, "What are you yelling about?" he asked Serenity who was balancing on one leg, clutching his aching toes all red in the face, cursing. Taven knew he would be punished now. Serenity would squeal on him, and then as soon as they got home Nikal would punish him, no doubt. But damn, it had been worth it. By now the fat old man that Taven knew owned Serenity had also managed to wiggle his way over to them, and he wanted to know the same. "What happened?" he asked under his moustache and eyed them all in suspicion. Taven started to feel that maybe it had not been worth it after all. Maybe that man would demand he’d be punished real hard. Serenity leaned on his master’s shoulder, and tried to catch his breath from the pain. "Oh," he said, "nothing happened, I… I… stumped my toes. It hurt. I’m sorry I disturbed everybody." "Stumped your toes?" Constantine Engel looked still mildly suspicious, "what on earth on? This floor is smoother than ice on a pond." Serenity looked down. "I… I just did. I’m a klutz, OK?" Lord Engel sighed, shook his head and gave Nikal an apologizing look before turning to his slave again. "All right. Come. Let’s go and have a look at it." Taven watched them leave, Serenity limping, the fat man supporting the lean slave who was a head taller than his master. Taven almost giggled at the sight thinking that that was the oddest couple he had ever seen. A sharp pain at his ear woke him up from his musings. Nikal was twisting his ear looking not amused at all. "You stepped on his foot, didn’t you? Taven… for goodness sake…" Nikal let go though, and told him they would "discuss" the whole thing later on when they got home. And not until later did it occur to Taven that Serenity had actually lied, and that he couldn’t have done it for no other reason than to try to save him from a possible punishment. Taven was stunned by that discovery. Why on earth would Serenity want to help him like that? Especially since Taven had hurt him? Maybe Serenity was a good guy really? Maybe there was an ulterior motive that he couldn’t see? >>> * <<< Taven was not surprised anymore at his master knocking at his door, but he sure was surprised to say the least to see both a smiling Nikal, and a likewise smiling Serenity standing outside of it when he got the door. "What?" he said as they just kept standing there. "Oh good," Serenity blurted out, "you can talk again!" he turned to Nikal frowning, "Really Master Wren, that was cruel and…" Nikal put a hand on Serenity’s shoulder. "It was also none of your business. Taven, Serenity has asked to take you out, and after a bit of hesitation I said yes." Taven didn’t get it. "Out? Where to? Why? Is that an order Master?" Nikal smiled. "Not really. You don’t have to. Serenity just thought you would like to se his place, and he wanted to get to know you a little better." Taven still didn’t get it. "You’ve got your own place?" he asked Serenity who nodded, "What am I supposed to do there?" He turned to Nikal again, "I’m not gonna go down on my knees for him and say I’m sorry and…" Nikal raised an eyebrow. "So you did step on his foot on purpose. I knew it… Taven!" Serenity slapped a hand over his eyes and shook his head, grinning. "This is not about any sort of punishment or anything like that," Nikal tried patiently, "Serenity just wanted to know if you would want to visit him, like friends, just to talk a little. And I said it was all right but you don’t have to if you don’t want to." Taven still looked more than suspicious. "Visit?" he said and made a face. "Sure," Serenity smiled, "we could have a few bee…" Serenity silenced at Nikal’s frown, "a… a cup of tea and talk and watch some TV or… something. What do you say? You’re not afraid of me are you? I heard you don’t exactly like to get touched. I promise I won’t touch you, not even a hug. Promise." Taven gave Serenity a cold glare. "I’m not scared of you." >>> * <<< So Taven went with Serenity, and everything about him confused him so much that he just had to glue his most sulky expression on not to reveal how insecure he felt. He knew Serenity was a slave, but he sure didn’t act like one and it was sometimes hard to remember it. He had got totally stunned before they had even got off the premises of the mansion, as he had realized that the small sports car parked outside was Serenity’s. He would have never imagined that Serenity could drive a car. As they reached the Engel's clan estates he was still not certain that Serenity could. Serenity drove like a maniac, and Taven was actually surprised that they reached their destination at all. Serenity explained that the car was of course not his, Constantine let him have it. Constantine let him have a lot of stuff Taven realized, as they stepped into a small cottage inside the gates. Serenity was the first to admit, with a laugh, that Constantine was spoiling him rotten. Taven strolled around in the small but luxuriously decorated cottage eyeing everything with the same sulky glares. "These can’t be yours," he commented as they went into a small sitting room and he ran his finger over the backs of a row of books in a shelf. His finger got completely gray with dust. "They are to," Serenity sounded a bit offended, but soon smiled again, "that’s mostly schoolbooks, I never read them. Reading books… God, is there anything more boring?" Taven wouldn’t know because he could not read a word. He wouldn’t have recognized his own name written down. "You went to school?" Serenity grinned. "Of course not. We’re not allowed to, you know? But since I do have a right to a basic education Constantine got me a private tutor. I told him I wasn’t persisting on that particular right at all, but… Hated that old bastard, the tutor I mean not Constantine. Can you believe he once whacked me with that damn pointer of his? Constantine told him off though, said he would sack him if he ever did that again. So… he never did that again." Serenity grinned even wider. Taven gave him an unreadable look. "Oh, I’m sorry you got whacked, once in your whole life," he said sarcastically. Serenity looked down in embarrassment. "Oh… yes, I guess the ones not serving the clans are bit more harshly kept?" "A bit." Taven agreed not letting up on the sarcasm "Ah… well, why don’t you sit down and I’ll fix you something to drink." Serenity was out of the room before Taven had time to answer that and he reclined in an armchair by a fireplace. Serenity was soon back and gave him an opened bottle of coke. There was an awkward silence as he sat down in the armchair next to Taven’s. Taven didn’t usually sit down to small talk with people, had no idea how to do that, and he sure as hell didn’t feel like saying anything personal to the air-headed walking and talking luxury toy sitting next to him. Serenity didn’t seem to have been so inhibited, and it surprised Taven that he suddenly seemed as insecure and awkward, apparently not knowing what to say either. It seemed the silence was eventually too much for Serenity and he tried anyway. "So… where were you before Nikal bought you?" he asked. "None of your damn business." Serenity didn’t want to give up. "Ah… OK. Uh… How old are you?" "How the fuck should I know… 15? 16… something." Taven shrugged. Serenity stared, but handled that as well. "I see… But is Taven your real name? Because I know Nikal’s brother was called that, and it’s a pretty unusual name I think. Must feel pretty rotten to just get re-named like that? Didn’t know Nikal could be so…" Taven put the coke down hard on a sideboard and silenced Serenity with a hateful glare only. "Look, you spoiled toy. I didn’t have a name and what my former masters used to call me you’d peed in your pants if you heard. So just shut up! And don’t fucking call him by name!" Serenity looked perplexed, but then he leaned back in the chair nodding in a serious manner. "Nik… Master Wren warned me. Don’t take it personally, he said. So I guess I won’t," he smiled again, "well if you don’t like to talk about yourself we can skip that and go straight to my favorite subject – me!" Serenity smiled widely but it died out, as he didn’t get any similar response from Taven. "I was making a joke. But seriously, there must be something you want to know? Come on, ask me anything." Taven was about to tell him that the he didn’t want to know anything, but that wasn’t quite true. As a matter of fact Taven was very curious at everything about Serenity. "How old are you?" he finally pressed out as a start. Serenity smiled. "Turned 22 in October, Constantine threw me a big…" he silenced abruptly, as if he thought it would be rude to relate his latest birthday party to someone who didn’t even know when his was. "You always call your master by name?" "Only when we’re alone, or if I talk to other slaves or so." "Why does he gives you so much freedom? Do all the lords do that? I haven’t seen anyone in Master Nikal’s house being treated like you." Serenity shrugged. "Special kind of slave," he smiled. "No, far from all clan slaves gets privileges like this, there’s only a few of us." "That’s why you’re not having a clip?" Taven asked and absentmindedly touched at the round metal clip that had been shot through his left earlobe when he was too small to remember. It had a series of numbers on it, but no one had ever told him what they stood for. He only knew that all slaves he had ever seen had been marked like that, and he had noticed right away that Serenity was not. Serenity nodded. "I used to have one. I was born on a farm only a few miles from here. My first master treated me good and let me serve in the house, but then Constantine saw me and bought me later that day. I was eight. He removed my clip and gave me all the privileges a year later." "You’ve been treated so damn good, why do you have those scars?" Taven asked and pointed at Serenity’s wrists. Serenity looked embarrassed and automatically pulled his hands into his sleeves. "Oh those… Constantine sent an employee to pick me up, and I was a bit upset to leave the farm, you know, because I didn’t know then how nice Constantine would be, and that man cuffed me and pulled me along on those cuffs all the way back. He had walked over there. Boy did he make a mistake. Constantine was furious, threw the man out, never saw him again. Constantine would never allow anyone to treat me like that" Serenity beamed, "Constantine always said he saw something special in me." Taven huffed at that. "Special, hah? Like unusually pretty fuck toy - special? So he popped your cherry at eight, hah? Well, at least you heal faster when you’re smaller" Serenity stared at him in abject horror. "Wh…what?" he finally said, "No he… he didn’t touch me… until I turned 16… and he would never… be that… careless…he wouldn’t force me… I… wanted to… Did they… to you… when you were that small?" "I thought I was going to ask the questions?" Taven yelled. Serenity shrank back. "Gee… I’m sorry. So what else do you want to know then?" Taven fidgeted on the chair. "I don’t know. I wanna go back now." "No wait, don’t go yet. Maybe you want to know a little about Nik… Master Wren instead. You haven’t been with him long, have you? Oh he’s such a great guy, but I think you know that already. I know him well you know, I could give you a few pointers." Serenity smiled and winked at him. "How do you know him?" Taven muttered, but never the same leaned back again. "We used to date." Serenity simply informed him. Taven had to digest that utterly unexpected and surprising piece of information for several heartbeats before he was able to say anything at all. He didn’t look happy when he finally did. "Bullshit, free people don’t date slaves." Serenity grinned. "No I guess not, but Nikal did… with me!" "Why?" "Why? Well… look at me!" Serenity smiled and leaned back, spreading his arms wide." Taven did not comply with such a silly wish and demonstratively looked away, but he didn’t need to look at Serenity right now because he had several times before, and of course he was right. Serenity was exceptionally good looking. He looked like a noble himself – a noble with a bit of an eccentric taste but… In fact, Serenity looked nobler than many nobles did. Taven didn’t find it strange at all that his master had had a hard time keeping his hands off Serenity, but dating? "Oh yes," Serenity continued, "Nikal was quite sweet about it too. He came and asked Constantine about it and then he took me out, didn’t even touch me until after several times out. It drove me nuts I tell you. I mean just look at your master. Didn’t you just want to jump right into bed with him the minute you saw him? Boy, you must have been happy when he choose you at that market… Anyway, then he saw me regularly for… eight months I think, best days of my life." Serenity silenced and stared right through Taven with a dreamy look. Taven still felt strangely numb. He didn’t know why what Serenity told him made him feel so… jealous. Taven had been isolated from other slaves most of his life. It wasn’t that unusual. Only the richer homes could afford to keep more slaves than one, or two at the most. And you didn’t let your slave meet other slaves regularly because then they couldn’t talk a lot of shit and give each other ideas, could they? Serving James Swift he had met other slaves on several occasions, Swift’s "guests" bringing boys around now and then. It had certainly not been so that he could get someone of his own kind to socialize with, that was for sure. Quite the other way around. Swift and his mates had found it amusing to play them out against each other. Once he had been provoked into fighting a boy his own age, and when he had won, making the other boy bleed, they had tied him up and let the other boy take his revenge on him. That had not been a pleasant fuck. No, Taven felt nothing for other slaves. Felt no loyalty, no sympathy, and no wishes for friendship. They were all potential enemies, because all free men were potential enemies, and behind each slave was a free man dictating his actions. Every slave might also be a potential rival for all sorts of things, but not a sexual rival. Swift had used another boy than him, someone had brought a boy and the attention of ten gathered, drunk men had been directed at that poor sod… Taven had been only happy, only happy as long as he could have a moment of peace. He had sure never felt jealous. But Nikal had been so good to him, treated him better than he thought it was possible for any slave to be treated. He had started to feel… well, he wasn’t sure, but he had started to feel kind of special. But he wasn’t, was he? Because Nikal had treated Serenity even better. He had dated him? He had treated Serenity like a free person? No matter how good Nikal was to him, he was still a slave, and Nikal didn’t try to pretend that he was anything else than his master. Looking at Serenity Taven didn’t know if he wanted to smash his perfect face in, or if he felt ashamed about even thinking it was unfair. Taven had to admit to himself that Serenity was special, and that he himself was nothing but trash. "Yeah? So why ain’t you still dating him then, Mr. Look-at-me?" Taven snarled. Serenity suddenly got another expression all together and kind of shrunk in the luxurious armchair, looking down. "Because I’m stupid Taven. I’m so… fucking… stupid." Serenity was dead quiet for a long time, "He likes you Taven, I can see it. You’re not brought up within the spheres of the clans, that’s why he’s a bit strict on you I think, but I know him. If he felt he could, he would probably date you too. You work for it Taven, you work for it and he will surely… Has he used you for sex by the way?" Taven frowned. "That’s none of your fucking business… No, he hasn’t." Serenity gave up a small smile. "He hasn’t? Good, that’s good. Then he doesn’t mean to use you for a few cheap thrills. Well, if he ever lets you that close, don’t do the same mistake I did." Taven was interested now, against his will, and leaned toward Serenity to hear better. "What mistake?" "Don’t be a slut Taven, don’t sleep with other people. Don’t be so stupid to think that he wouldn’t find out, that he wouldn’t care if you saw other people, even if it was just for a few times and didn’t mean anything." "You did that? Did you get punished?" Serenity gave up the saddest smile. "No, he didn’t get mad… he got… hurt. He would never order you not to have sex with other people, but he would expect you to be faithful never the same. He broke up with me and now he thinks I’m a slut, and he will never touch me again and… Well, of course, he’s right, I guess I am, just never knew it bothered him. Had I understood that then I would never have let him down, that’s for sure. Oh you are so lucky. Don’t ruin it." >>> * <<< They had talked a little bit more and then Taven had again asked to be taken back, and this time Serenity had complied. They hadn’t said much on their way back, but when they stopped outside the mansion Serenity said he would like it if Taven came back now and then, if Nikal would allow it. Taven stared at him in suspicion. "Why you want to see me again? What do you want?" Serenity looked sincerely taken aback at that. "What do you mean, what do I want? Nothing. Just wants us to be friends, that’s all." "Slaves don’t have friends." Taven snapped. "Oh yeah? Why the hell not?" Serenity snapped back. Taven got out then and slammed the car door behind him, but he remained by the car, squirming a bit. Finally he leaned down and looked at Serenity through the opened car window. "You know… I’m… I’m… sorry, OK? That I stepped on your foot." He didn’t wait to hear if Serenity would accept that apology or not, but turned to walk speedily up the graveled pathway leading to the mansion’s back entrance. "Oh… That’s all right, pschh, that was nothing, already forgot all about it." Taven heard Serenity shout behind him and he actually sounded like he really didn’t held any grudges at all.

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