Eternal Rome: A Slave's life M

[Ushima]

He was given clothing finally. A red tunic that barely covered him. They strapped something around his right wrist. It was tight but not unbearable. Turan was used to leather armor and it was sometimes tight. Then he was brought to yet another room where someone told him to eat and be merry. He wasn't sure if he could. Was it possible for slaves to be merry? One thing he did know was that he was hungry for some real food. The moving images on the wall did little to capture his attention anyway. So finding a spot at the table he sat down and began eating.

Turan's appetite was vast. He was ignoring the other's, content to eat in silence, until someone addressed him. His eyes widened in recognition. The Elven Queen herself. Turan knew her well by reputation. "You would have made a nice pet for me to watch back in Nefayren," she smirked, looking him up and down, "Very nice to watch," she added with a satirical snicker, now holding a bunch of grapes over her head and taking a single grape off with her teeth, all the while staring at the man, "Then when I was done with you or you lost your edge, I'd send you off to the gallows." She was telling him how she'd keep him as a pet and once he served his purpose he'd be hung. Turan didn't take kindly to that.

"If you think you would have ever captured me you are even more insane than the stories say." Their people were at odds. Small conflicts breaking out along their borders. More than once he's raided a Elvish supply caravan and laid claim to a crate of Elvish wine he was certain was going to the Queen. He gave her a smirk, baring sharp canines. "And I most certainly wouldn't have been prisoner for long. Puny Elves." Turan raised a goblet of strong alcohol and took a deep drink, some spilling down his chin. "But you're trapped in this shithole with me now."

Another woman introduced herself as Alice Von Cooper, shaking the Elf Queen's hand. She was the one chained to him in the carts, pressed up against his back they were so tightly packed. A bit of grease was left behind on Alessia causing him to laugh. "So her royal highness can get dirty." Turan nudged Alice with his shoulder. "That's the most unclean she's every gotten. Good on ya." His leaders were often seen on the battlefield earning their own glory and the respect of the people. If the King didn't have at least fifty kills was he truly their King? "Turan Kirkmun. Glad someone else around here can get their hands dirty."

[Blazing Falcons]

Sparrow selected which end of the staff would be the bayonet end, and swung the butt of his pretend rifle forward towards his opponent's gut. The man opposing him blocked it, but was thrown off balance when Sparrow collided with him. The bayonet end was brought down, aimed at the head. The swordsman moved his head out of the way just in time for the blow to strike his shoulder instead. Sparrow was quick to follow up by drawing the bayonet end back and jabbing it forward at the swordsman's chest. By now, a drill sergeant would've blown a whistle to stop the fight. There was no whistle, and Sparrow would keep fighting. He dropped low and swung the butt-stock end of the staff towards his still off-balance enemy's knee.

CRACK!

The sound of bone splintering, the howls of pain as his opponent dropped to the floor. Sparrow spit on the fallen man, walked away, and dropped the staff near the pile of weapons he could have taken. Shortly after he was detained, moved on, and finally given clothing; as well as an unwanted "accessory." It hugged his arm where a pulse could be effectively felt. He pried at it with his hand briefly before being moved on to the dining hall.

The food looked far too good for what one might feed a POW or a slave. Sparrow was certain something about it was off, and he pushed his plate away. Aggression inhibitors? Muscle relaxants? Sedatives? Who cares? None of it was going to affect Sparrow's mind today.

One of the walls turned out to be a giant screen, and the rest seemed to contain sound equipment. Whoever was in charge of the place was throwing a lot of money around. Too bad for him Sparrow had no intention to live all that long to have it flaunted in his face.

The play bored Sparrow, a civilian lost his mind and concocted a half-assed plan to murder everyone that dared sit in his chair. A direct approach would've been far smarter and more efficient. What got his attention was this "Alessia" acting so superior to those around her. Perhaps he'd knock her down a peg verbally. "Hey. First of all; that food you've been eating for the last two hours? Doubtlessly loaded with additives to make you more compliant with whoever owns your sorry ass. Second: Yeah. It's been a displeasure." He lifted the wine that was given to him and said, "Here's to hoping that this guy," he pointed at Turan, then set the wine down, "gets to break you in half sometime soon." His attention turned to Alice, "As for you, Alice; Hi. Sparrow Koch." He turned his gaze back to Alessia, "And one more thing!" He thrust his hands forward, the back of his hands facing Alessia, middle fingers facing the ceiling, and spit on the plate of food that he refused.

[lain]

Alessia blinked in surprise when she felt her hand grasped. The other woman of the group introduced herself as Alice. Her hand was less than clean and felt grimy and slimy. "Ugh!" Alessia ripped her hand back, "Did I offer you my hand to shake? No!" she wiped her hand on the woman's tunic, leaving a brownish black smear on it.

"Hmph," She scoffed and flipped her hair, leaning on the table again. Now the cross breed was talking. As he spoke though, a smirk spread bigger and bigger across her face. She was imagining the chase. He would get stuck with a thousand arrows. The thought made her laugh in a type of cackle. She walked up to him, almost nose to nose, (or as close as she could be despite their height difference) and lowered her voice to nary a whisper, "There is always a thrill in a chase."

It was then that the third man spoke, telling her that the food was laced some some kind of mind controlling drugs. She stepped back from Turan and looked at the soldier, holding out only his middle fingers at her. She raised an eyebrow, that gesture not meaning anything to her. "My mind can't be controlled by some little drugs. It's not like I'm a human or something. Elves and Orcs have strong constitutions when it comes to those things. So, me and Turan here can eat to our heart's content. But, I guess an under-educated human soldier wouldn't know that."

"Furthermore, do you see any other food? I suppose you could just starve. You might be of better use fertilizing the flowers, anyway," she smiled in a false type of cheerfulness and then looked back at Turan, but still was talking to the soldier, "Broken in half... Not an undesirable way to go. A quick snap of the spine takes away the pain. I have no doubt he could perform such a feat. Elves have smarts, Orcs have strength," she added, looking at her fingernails, slightly irritated that there was still grime from that woman's hand on them, "It's why we are always at odds. We are equally talented at opposite things. Humans are simply... how should I put it...? Inferior. Not as smart as an Elf, not as strong as an Orc. What a sad life; to have nothing you are the best at."

She turned away again and picked up a silver tea pot, looking at her reflection in it. She furrowed her brows and sighed, "Short hair... ugh... My mother would have beaten me if I had cut it myself," She mentioned this in a casual way, as if every child was beaten for things like that, "And so harshly! Straight across. No texture or dimension... So boring."

[Argon Jaden]

When everyone started conversing, Lumi visibly flinched and moved away, especially from the one who introduced herself as Alessia. He didn't like her, not one bit. She reminded him of the big halflings who picked on him while parading on their high horses. At least that's what it looked like to him. He shied away and sighed softly, feeling his stomach churn when Sparrow told them about the food. He grimaced.

"Hopefully it isn't. It's the best food I've had in a long while." He murmured, before realizing he had spoken out loud. "Lumi. It's... It's... A pleasure. I hope we could've met in better circumstances." He said softly, so softly that the last part was munched out. He missed his family. It was this noisy, but warmer, friendlier. Lumi shook his head, trying to listen in on the conversation so he could follow. He needs to say something after all.

"Is having your hair cut a bad thing?" His hair was trimmed, as it had been pretty long when he got here and honestly, Lumi was glad his hair had been chopped off. "Isn't shorter hair better for you if you want to move around and get... Chores done?" Now his voice quieted down. Again. It was obvious that he wasn't very comfortable or familiar with the group. We're they all older than him? He wasn't sure. Gray-blue eyes averted and he picked it his half-empty bowl or fruits.

He glanced around, feeling nervousness resettle in his stomach. "Also... What are they planning?" He said softly. "Surely, this might be a test of sorts? Why would slave masters give his slaves lavish food? Why give them entertainment? We're— we're not guests." He said, voice soft as he sighed. "Can we at least try to get along?"

It was a weak suggestion, but as stressed as he is now, he just didn't want to get into any more trouble. There's a large chance that their master was watching, and would probably get mad at them if they started a squabble. He knew that, back at home, if he ever did start a squabble with anyone, he'd be in trouble. But maybe that was different now? He furrowed his brows, keeping his silence. He missed home, and he was scared of what would happen to them. What if the food was drugged? What then? What would happen next? They were supposed to clean around, right? That's it.

[Cfavano]

The wall with the screen swung open like a set of double doors. Standing in the Foyer behind it, and flanked by Legionnaires is a tall, thin man. "Good evening, everyone." He says, calmly striding in as his guards sty close, but keep a respectful distance. "Is everyone enjoying their welcoming party? I assure you, the food was not poisoned, or was it? If it was, and you were dying right now, as your innards twisted and roiled, melting as the horrendous toxin burned its way through you, how would you react? Would you cry, laugh, scream in defiance of your own impending mortality?" He said, pausing to let them think.

"But be not afraid, it would be a poor host of me to poison the new additions to my family, for I do consider you as family of sorts, we do share a house, after all, and I am to guide you through your rebirth as things. Ah yes, but where are my manners? You know not who I am, though, hopefully you can infer who I am, yes? I am your master, I bought you, branded you, and I own your body, and, when you die, your soul." He turns to Turgan. "That is right, Turgan, no glorious afterlife of feasting, fighting, and fucking." He paces back and forth in front of them, steepling his fingers. "But it need not be bad, our relationship, we need not be at odds, for we have similar goals. You want to live, I want to make your life profitable."

He turns to them and stares them down. "I believe in a very specific style of relationship, the carrot and stick relationship." He says, grinning before looking stern. "So, I'll make you a deal. If you will, right know, fall to your knees and swear your loyalty and obedience to me in perpetuity until you are released, I offer to you, the carrot. If you refuse, the stick. You will find that obedience is rewarded justly, while disobedience is punished swiftly. Make your choices."

[AngelDellaNotte]

The group started discussing about whether or not the food had been drugged. To be honest Alice hadn't even thought about anything like that when she had grabbed the sandwich. She had been so focused on the new technology that it was a wonder she even noticed the food at all. It definitely wouldn't had been the first time she had forgotten to eat something because she was tinkering with something. The screen swung open and a man walked through it with several guards. Once again Alice wasn't really focusing on the people but rather the screen. When the flicker had shown it had been so crisp and clear she hadn't even seen a crack down the middle. This place was just full of marvels. The man introduced himself and seemed to taunt the brute a bit. Talking about the afterlife. Alice wasn't really all that religious, which wasn't really uncommon for the Vothastani it was the Coswilan who were more devote. Alice didn't really believe in an all powerful goddess like some of the others on Jobrya. She tended to trust and believe in what could be proven.

Their master talked about what he wanted from them but Alice wasn't all that sure what to make of it all. She had thought that he would be upset with her for breaking into the wiring of his things but he hadn't said anything. All growing up and even as an adult Alice had been scolded many times for messing with things that weren't hers. Hell that was what had landed her in this in the first place. Their master commanded them to swear fealty to him. It wasn't that far of a reach for Alice, she had sworn an oath when she had enlisted in the Royal Air Force. And they had made it quite clear that she had been discharged before forcing her to walk into the fog. She wasn't going to grovel before this man but neither was she going to stand on her pride and be senselessly beaten for it. Something about everything that had happened today and the look of the man made her think he was fully capable of doing it.

Besides there was so many interesting machines here, she wanted to learn as much as she could and being on his good side could make that happen. She looked to him making her mind up there that she would be okay with swearing another oath. Then she knelt down on one knee, not in a submissive way but rather in a position of respect like she had seen in several old flickers involving medieval times and knights. “I Alice Von Cooper swear allegiance to you.” It wasn't anywhere near as wordy as the oath she had sworn when she enlisted but Alice wasn't a poet.

[Blazing Falcons]

"You're serious?" Sparrow scoffed at the suggestion of trying to get along. "With you, maybe. With him," He tilted his head towards Turan, "Though I don't mean to stay long, hopefully." He tilted his head again, this time towards Alice, "With her, maybe." He looked Lumi in the eye when he spoke but gestured to Alessia, "But with that condescending bitch? Hell no." he said plainly.

He was about to knife-hand and unleash a tempest of swearing towards Alessia in retaliation for her insults, but the screen swinging open got his attention. That's different. he thought. The monologue was familiar though. Back home, his nation was at war with a dictator that tried to make himself seem like he wasn't the bad guy to those he oppressed. Sparrow believed that Lumi was naïve, too hopeful in the imaginary inherent goodness in people. He had no desire to live long, but maybe he'd draw it out just long enough so that the POS calling himself the master of everyone in the room couldn't take advantage of the kid's naivety for too long.

"Bull. Shit." Sparrow said loudly, but not so loud that one might consider him to be yelling. "I've seen your kind before. You don't want to make anyone's life profitable but your own." A knife hand came up and he continued. "And you know so damn well that some of us will have no part in it while we draw breath, so now you're making up that bullshit about owning our souls? How's about you come on over here to me, no guards, no button to activate the taser I'm sure you have in this arm-band, and think about how superior you are to everyone in the room while I'm busting your teeth out, and then crushing your throat with my knee so that you choke on them and cut your throat from the inside-out."

The knife hand dropped, "But you're not gonna, are you? No... You're gonna let me finish speaking, cause maybe you think I'm giving rebellious inspiration to these other people, and those shit-stains beside you are gonna come kick the crap out of me for you and you're gonna make them watch as a demonstration of your 'stick' method. And then, once they're done, you'll have whatever you're having done to me continue for a while, hours at least, a week at most, and then you'll offer me the 'carrot' again. You'll try oh-so-hard to convince me that you're speaking the truth that you care and want me to live well and that if I serve well enough you'll set me free in the future, the future being when I'm about to die of old age, correct? You don't own jack when it comes to me." Once again, he thrust his hands forward, middle fingers extended. He spit, trying to get it as close as possible to the man claiming to own him.

[Cfavano]

The Master places a gentle hand on lice's shoulder. "That is good, Alice. I can see our relationship will be a good one. Now, go and stand by those guards while I go..talk to that squawking bird." He says, obviously talking about Sparrow, before patting Alice on her head. "I'll make sure you are rewarded, maybe with a trip to the hot spring, or maybe some real clothes."

He then takes a step toward Sparrow. "No, I do not need my guards to apply the stick, when I can apply it myself." He says, sternly and coldly, his steely eyes going icy. Suddenly, Sparrow would fell his throat close, and he would begin clawing at it, he would make choking and gasping noises. "You see, the stick is always more effective when applied personally. Wouldn't you all agree?" Sparrow was choking, like he was being strangled, but no hand was visible, but how? At a glance at the master, one of his hands looked like it was gripping something. "What a strange thing air is, no? It is invisible, and we barely notice it, that is, until we don't have any..." Sparrow could feel himself losing consciousness. "And then we are so grateful for it..." The grip is released and Sparrow can breathe again, "When it returns. So, anyone else have anything to say? Please, I want to listen to your feelings and thoughts."

[Ushima]

The man who called himself Sparrow was being annoying. Ranting and waving his middle middle fingers as if they were supposed to mean something to him. Turan looked at his own hands, wondering just what it was supposed to mean. From the way he was going on it was surely meant to be offensive but he just couldn't figure out why two fingers was meant to be rude. "You're annoying." Was all the quarter orc said and continued to eat and drink.

The wall opened up and a new man stepped out and greeted them. "Good evening." He assured them the food wasn't poison. Turan had been poisoned before and spent two weeks violently ill until his body removed the toxins. So he was happy that wouldn't happen again, it was one of the most miserable times in his life. "I believe in a very specific style of relationship, the carrot and stick relationship. So, I'll make you a deal. If you will, right know, fall to your knees and swear your loyalty and obedience to me in perpetuity until you are released, I offer to you, the carrot. If you refuse, the stick. You will find that obedience is rewarded justly, while disobedience is punished swiftly. Make your choices." Now he had a choice to make. Turan was smart enough to realize that escape was a far off dream. And even if he did manage to break through these walls the world outside was unfamiliar.

It was better to wait and see how this plays out. Before he could reply the woman, Alice, pledged her loyalty. She was met with kindness. Sparrow on the other continued his tirade. What he saw next almost made him smile. Disobedience was always punished at the camps. Brutal beatings and sometimes tossed into a pit with wild animals until the veterans thought you learned your lesson. But this man used strange magics. He was powerful in his own right it seemed. Was this any different then pledging loyalty to a new King? For now it would have to do. Turan stood, passing a gasping Sparrow and glad he finally shut up. He dropped to one knew and recited a familiar oath. "I, Turan, son of Turegian, pledge my loyalty to your house."

[lain]

Alessia watched the young, insecure, boy as he talked. He seemed to think they could all get along. That wasn't going to happen. It was oddly charming, though, that he genuinely seemed to believe it. It wasn't often that Alessia felt she saw someone with a sincere attitude. Everyone was always ready to betray her-- or at least that's what her mother taught her. Trust no one. In the same way that the boy was charming, however, it made her stomach turn. She simply rolled her eyes at him when he asked if it was bad to cut your hair. Such a stupid question need not be answered.

Right after this, the wall opened up and a man sat there watching them, surrounded by his own guards. Apparently this was their new 'master'. Carrot and stick... blah, blah, blah. She got the point. So did the other woman, Alice, who pledged loyalty to him without much hesitation. But, the soldier man, Sparrow, didn't take to kindly to this notion. Alessia was actually happy that he had refused, as she was curious as to what would happen if she did that same. It didn't look very pleasant. Unless, perhaps, you were a masochist. Alessia was selfish and sometimes cruel, yes, but not a masochist.

The man's punishment made her snicker to herself. She tried to cover her mouth to hide her laughter. If she had bought him as a slave and he acted that way, she knew she wouldn't have been as kind as simply choking him for a moment.

It seemed as though Turan didn't care to experience what Sparrow had just experienced, so down he went on one knee, pledging his life away. It somewhat surprised her, considering the massive display of strength he had shown before. He must be afraid of magic, she concluded. Lucky for her, since she knew a few tricks.

After a moment, Alessia yawned, pondering about how she should handle this. She did have a few questions. She stepped towards her perspective 'new master' and tilted her head to the side, "You're aware that my allegiance has certain conditions, yes? I am to be returned to my kingdom at some point," She said, leaving out the detail that she had to stop being a selfish child and actually show some compassion to the unfortunate to be able to go back home.

"Of course, whether or not you intend to follow that direction, I suppose, is your choice. But, surely, you are a man of contract and of your word. And, obviously, you value loyalty and integrity. You may kill me if you do not intend to hold up your end of the contract. Because, surely, I would not pledge loyalty to someone who would not hold himself to the same standard. It does make sense, doesn't it? A man of your affluence should be able to understand that," she smirked persuasively and held one elbow with the opposite hand under her bust and her other hand touching her chin delicately in a thoughtful pose.

"By the way, that was an interesting trick you just pulled. I've delved into the Magical arts, myself. Such a spell takes a lot of focus. Color me impressed," she added, looking at her nails again. It was difficult to tell if she was being sarcastic or not, "But I digress..." she let out a deep breath, "Yes, my allegiance is yours, so long as your end of the deal is upheld," she gave a half hearted curtsy, "If I feel like it isn't being honored though, I will rebel. And yes, I fully expect you to kill me if that happens. Oh well," she shrugged and stood upright again, awaiting his reply to her speech.