Slave Unbound

Chapter 16

A Little Mercy

**Characters and text are protected under copyright law

Disclaimer: This story is not meant as 'erotica', but dark adventure-fantasy. It may contain material that sensitive readers might find uncomfortable. Please be advised.

As she emerged into the late morning sunlight suffusing the central yard of the House, Leita could already feel the eyes of the gathered gladiators drawing towards her. The sounds of practice weapons slowed, those nearest her stopping altogether. She heaved a breath, releasing it into a sigh, as she continued along, her eyes searching the pitch for one of the Elements.

She tried to ignore the surprised looks on the faces of the rest of the stable, many looking somewhat more amused than shocked at her current state of dress. Or, that was, her lack of any. Aside from her collar and a pair of shoes, she was otherwise completely naked. Her nudity was at Cookie's current orders, as was as another mandate that she was to relay to the stable leadership to announce.

She was aware that most of the House now knew all about her failure the previous day, though she'd barely seen any of the rest of the stable since she'd been fetched by Cookie the previous afternoon. Not long after Master Venge had made his exit, the Mistress herself had come to learn of what happened. The Mistress had been hard to read, as far as what she'd thought of how things had gone. It was obvious that she'd been struggling to remain composed, likely barely holding her rage in check. The only thing she'd said directly to Leita was telling there that she was dismissed and to go get cleaned up and changed back into her normal clothes, before returning to the dormitory to wait until someone came for her. That someone had been a furious Cookie, who nearly drug her through the House by the ring on her collar to some private chambers.

For hours, she'd railed at Leita, enraged and ranting non-stop. Not everything she'd said had fully made sense, partly because she was close to raving insanely at times. What was clear was that Cookie had been partially blamed for the failure and was now personally tasked with making sure that Master Venge would be properly satisfied by Leita upon his return. Apparently, despite his hasty exit, he hadn't been completely put off by her, but felt she needed some proper instruction on how to conduct herself.

Or, as Cookie phrased it, she needed 'disciplining'.

Leita was still unsure just how the encounter had gone so wrong, or perhaps so right, depending on how one viewed the end results. The truth was, Leita had been a bit divided on that. While she'd not been exactly troubled by the prospect of having to perform the duty, she had still felt a touch of relief at having avoided it. Master Venge wasn't exactly unappealing in appearance, but there had been something in his manner that Leita had felt apprehensive about. Nothing she was able to define or point out, just a kind of impression that he was definitely not as handsome within as he was without.

Regardless, she had not completely evaded the responsibility, since he planned to return in the future. However, she found she was less concerned by that than she was about now having to undergo 'disciplining' by Cookie to make sure that she handled things correctly this next time. Leita held no delusions that Cookie's intentions were to make her suffer for what blame had been thrown at her for it all and that she meant to humiliate her, if she could.

However, by the time Cookie had finally finished venting her rage and threatening all manner of unpleasant things, it was too late to begin anything properly last night. So, Cookie had guards escort her first to the kitchens to eat a late dinner and then taken back to the stable barracks, in which everyone else had already been directed to sleep for the night. She'd been roughly woken by other guards well before dawn and any of the rest of the stable had begun to rise.

Ever since, she had been with Cookie in her private chambers. So far, the concubine had less given her actual instruction as simply lectured Leita on every way that she was clumsy, incompetent, unappealing, ugly, and inexperienced. In fact, she had been so focused on her tirade of insults that she didn't even notice that Leita dozed off for a few parts of it. Likely, she had intended there to be more to the morning plan, as she'd seemed surprised and upset when she informed that Leita was expected in the yard for training.

However, before she dismissed her, she'd ordered her to into her current state of undress and gave her specific expectations that were to be followed during the day. Namely, that she was to indulge any intimate advances that anyone in the House should care to make upon her. She was to relay those expectations to at least one of the Elements as soon as she arrived in the training yard. However, it appeared she would be able to inform them all at once, as all four were standing together in the middle of the pitch.

By the time she'd reached them, the rest of the yard was almost completely still, only the soft sounds of myriad whispers able to be heard. The Elements stood together, watching her approach, as though they had been waiting for her. The expressions each wore were quite varied, with Colja looking concerned, Kalder looking annoyed, Sasinel mostly neutral, and Myrinus mostly just looking very intently at her naked form.

"I think you forgot something." Kalder quipped, his eyes dipping down to look pointedly at her bare body for a moment. Though none of the four made any effort to avert their eyes from her nakedness, only Myrinus seemed to regard what he saw with actual interest.

"I was ordered to remain this way until told differently." Leita answered, making neither effort to cover herself or accentuate her state. "I was also ordered by Cookie to inform you that I am to--"

Kalder waved a hand sharply to cut her off. "We already know." He said. "And you can save your breath. Cookie doesn't have control of how we conduct training out here."

"We've already made it known to the rest of the stable that anyone who feels the desire to take advantage of those orders would would find themselves in a four-on-one 'sparring match' with the us." Colja added, nodding grimly. He left unspoken that said 'sparring match' would be far less instructional than simply painful, but the tone of his voice made it quite evident.

Kalder tossed her a tunic. "So, you might as well get dressed. You're here to practice, not be passed around. Cookie can play her demented games on her own time."

Leita felt a flush of gratitude as she looked down at the garment in her hand, but considered it a moment instead of donning it. After that moment, she offered it back to Kalder. "Thank you for allowing me to be able to practice without being constantly...interrupted, but I think I should remain unclothed, at least."

Kalder rolled his eyes, making no effort to take back the tunic. "Look, I know you 'live to serve', Leita, but you don't have to follow every stupid whim that bitch wants."

Leita continued to offer it back towards him, undeterred. "Cookie may be demented, as you say, but I don't think she's as stupid as you think. I'm pretty sure she expects to come out here and see me dressed so she can punish me. I don't want to give her that satisfaction." She gave a little bit of a smile. "I can't control that no one seems interested in practicing 'wrestling' with me, but I can let her see that I have nothing I need to hide."

Colja and Sasinel both grinned amusedly at her words, Colja seeming rather proud. Myrinus squared himself up seeming rather pleased with the choice personally. Kalder, however, took a moment to react, but when he did, she felt certain that he was struggling not to smile as well. "Your choice." He said in an apathetic tone, taking back the tunic and tossing it aside. "Go find a partner to spar with."

"Kalder, allow me take her for today." Sasinel said before Leita could move. "She wishes to learn the Sie Faen Gael from me. I feel that I might easier teach her the initial motions when I can clearly see how her body is moving." She looked to Kalder. "Unless, you disapprove, hei?"

Kalder peered at Leita a moment, seeming to appraise her. "Fine. Go have your little dance lesson." With that, he seemed to notice the lack of anyone around them doing anything other than watching the exchange. "Why am not hearing anything?!" He erupted, to which the entire pitch burst into life, the whole stable quickly resuming practice.

As she and Sasinel moved to an open place in the field, the rest of the Elements filtered into the throng, immediately launching into commentaries on what they were seeing. However, Leita could still feel plenty of eyes on her as she went, among them being Myrinus's. Pulling her aside to have one's way with her might mean having to face the four in a painful practice, but she wondered what they would do if it was one of them who did the pulling aside.

"You really managed to fend off HouseMaster Venge, hei?" Sasinel asked casually as they walked.

"I was actually trying to seduce him." Leita admitted sheepishly, frowning a little at herself. "I am apparently not very good at it."

Sasinel regarded her curiously. "Are you saying you that

wanted

to sleep with him, hei?"

Leita smirked. "I am pretty sure that sleep was not the intention." She heaved a sigh and gave a shrug. "I wouldn't say it was something that I desired to do, but I had no problem with being told to do it, either. I just thought that, if I had to do it, I wanted it to be on my terms, not just something done to me."

Sasinel took a long look at her, seeming to really take her in. "I am sometimes unsure what to make of you. So easily do you obey and seem so resigned to your enslavement, yet in you there is a strength that I have never seen in another slave. As though you care nothing for freedom, but have no fear of pulling at your chains."

Leita gave another shrug, having no real answer for that. She'd never been one for deep introspection, just accepting the life that was given her. The truth was, any defiant streak the sidil might see was a new development. No one had ever considered her to possess any kind of inner strength before. Something changed in her when she first came to the Grand Arena, though exactly when, or even how, still eluded her.

The truth was, she barely recognized herself anymore. However, she found that she liked what she was seeing more and more. She couldn't help but feel very flattered by Sasinel's observations. The old her would have been mortified at the idea of anyone seeing her as anything but obedient. This new version of her wore it proudly.

"I suppose I am just comfortable in my place here." Leita replied finally. "Both in that I have no delusions of ever being free and in knowing that, as a gladiator, a certain amount of spirit seems both allowed and encouraged. I am generally at peace with it all. Even the rough bits."

"Such as finding yourself to risking your life in the Arena for the entertainment of the cruel masses." Sasinel offered, though the note of bitterness in the words suggested that they were more about herself than Leita.

Leita grinned. "Actually, I meant having to 'sleep' with Master Venge. I actually enjoy being a gladiator in the Grand Arena. Only the Gods may know why."

The sidil returned her grin, but shook her head. "Always such a surprise you are."

******************

"Greetings Master Crahka."

Verdant made a shallow, but deeply polite, bow to the official attendant who met him as he exited his carriage, Lanni and Ashton each just a step behind him. Lanni was attached to his wrist by a long length of fine chain, fastened to the delicate engraved collar about her throat, garbed in an elegant gown of green satin that went with Verdant's own attire. Ashton wore a long fashionable coat, tailored to obscure the layer of light armor beneath, though his long, angled knives sat openly visible on each hip.

"Is Mistress Marlowe ready to meet with me?" Verdant inquired of the attendant, folding his hands together in front of himself in a formal posture

"She is nearly finished with some prior business, Master Crahka, and will see you immediately upon its conclusion." Came the predictable response. It was practically a tradition among the other HouseMasters to make each other wait, simply as a cheap way of establishing dominance of territory. Verdant usually found it rather rude in general, though he'd be lying if he said he'd never done it himself.

"Very well, then." He replied patiently. "I am happy to wait in whatever parlor you might like to lead me to." However, as soon as the attendant's back was to him, he caught Lanni's attention and rolled his eyes, which made her smile.

The three of them followed the servant through front chambers, Lanni walking a step behind and to the side of her master and Ashton vigilantly striding along in their wake, hands resting on his weapons. There was unlikely to be any threats to them here, but Ashton took his position as Verdant's bodyguard very seriously. He respected the Master of House Whitebanner quite deeply, even if none of Verdant's peers did.

In return, Verdant respected and trusted Ashton enough to leave his protection solely to him, rarely ever having any other guard at hand besides his friend. Sadly, most of the other HouseMasters saw his lack of a full detail of guards around him as some kind of evidence that Verdant couldn't afford 'proper protection'. Though House Whitebanner was certainly not a font of wealth, it wasn't the impoverished thing that most made it out as.

Add to that his choice of his House Recorder being Lanni, a personal slave he'd had since they were both children, and he found himself often the butt of a number of jokes among his fellow owners. Like Ashton though, he saw Lanni as a friend and both respected her deeply and trusted her to always look out for his best interests. Still, in an environment where reputation seemed based on one's ability to make displays of wealth and power, Verdant's more humble sensibilities left him often at a social disadvantage.

Among the powerful elite, at least. Among those of lower classes, however, he was often sought as an ally and champion. And it was there that his real strength lay. A strength and resource almost always overlooked by the rest of his peers.

As the attendant began to enter a small sitting room, he stopped abruptly. Apparently, the room he had been leading them to was already occupied and he began to apologize, but one of the occupants within immediately cut him off. "Send them in, I brought this one here specifically for our guests."

At the gesture of the servant, they continued on into the room and Verdant saw Sabrina Marlowe's personal toy, Cookie, standing in the room with another young woman. The other woman was essentially nude, what little she was wearing intended to emphasize, rather than conceal. He sighed at the sight, having little interest in one of Sabrina's pleasure slaves. He preferred the company of women who chose to be with him intimately, not ones without a choice in the matter.

"Please tell Mistress Marlowe that the offer is kind, but unnecessary." He said quickly, before Cookie could bother to explain the obvious. "Thank you."

However, Cookie made no indication of leaving. Instead, she merely gestured to the young blonde girl beside her. "Though you are at your own pleasure with what you might wish to do with her, Master Crahka, Leita here is to remain and see to your desires. She is learning the finer points of how to be at someone's pleasure."

Verdant sighed again. "As I say, I have no need for a pleasure slave, Cookie. No offense to your Mistress or this girl." However, he noticed that Lanni was gently elbowing him, her own eyes locked with recognition on the pleasure slave.

For the first time, he really took a good look at the blonde, trying to politely focus more on her face than on her exposed regions. Suddenly, he realized who it was he was looking at. "Isn't she supposed to be a gladiatorial slave?" He asked Cookie, confused. "Considering her rather surprising win the other day, I wouldn't have expected that her position has been changed."

"Oh, it hasn't, Master Crahka, just expanded." Cookie drawled, a rather venomous look to her eyes. "Leita lacks certain graces, it seems, for when called upon for 'special requests'."

Verdant raised an eyebrow at this. While he'd never made such requests of someone's gladiators before, or even taken any such liberties with his own stable, he was familiar with the idea. Usually, though, one didn't expect a gladiator to have the charm of a pleasure slave, the intent was more about the thrill of having someone so dangerous at your mercy to debauch. "Well, I suppose she can keep me company then, at the very least." He said graciously, adding a small bow.

"She is yours to use how you wish, Master Crahka." Cookie said, shooting a steely glare at the gladiator before she gave Verdant a curtsy and took her leave.

Turning his attention to Leita, Verdant considered her a moment, gauging just how humiliated the girl looked to him. Curiously, she seemed mostly at ease and unabashed, almost bored, despite that all her private places were currently on display. While she lacked a seductive air in her posture, he could sense no shyness at her exposed state. "You need have no worry, my dear." He assured her, despite his perceptions. "I have no interest in molesting you."

Even more curiously, he detected no sign of relief at this, instead she appeared almost frustrated by the words. "If that is the HouseMaster's desire." She said obediently, despite how her reaction might seem. "Though, please allow me to do something for you. I do need the practice at this and Mistress Cookie will likely blame me for doing nothing."

Verdant nodded slowly, accepting the point. "In that case, I suppose, my neck is a bit stiff. If you care to gently massage it." He caught Ashton's scowl at the suggestion of allowing a slave to put her hands anywhere near his throat and stiffen visibly, but he subtly gestured to his friend to stand down. He felt certain of this girl had no inclination of harming him, nor would Sabrina's own House guard positioned about the room allow the scandal of her trying to do so.

Obediently, she came around behind him as he took a seat in a nearby chair, Ashton drawing close by, regardless of Verdant's faith in his own safety. He found her hands to be quite skilled, strong fingers quickly finding the knots in his shoulders. He made a slightly exaggerated sigh to let her know she was doing well.

"You appear to have done this before." He said kindly. "You are doing quite well."

"Thank you, HouseMaster." She replied politely.

"So, what offense did you commit to be given such an indignant duty as this?" He asked after a moment, his curious mind considering the situation. "Your last victory has garnered you a bit of acclaim around the Arena, I wouldn't expect it to have earned punishment."

Leita didn't answer immediately, but her hands never faltered in their work. "It was recently discovered that I was very lacking in knowing how to please." She replied cryptically. "Mistress wants that corrected."

Verdant sighed at the response, recognizing the evasive quality of it for what it was. "It is not enough that you are forced to risk your life in the Arena, but are also expected to debase yourself with such pettiness."

"I was born a slave, HouseMaster, I am used to such things as this." She leaned down a little, fingers moving more ardently about his shoulders now. "And I want to learn this." She said, her voice dropping in octave, in an attempt at sounding sultry, he assumed. "Does the fact that I don't have a choice mean that I am not allowed to find a way to enjoy it?"