Slave Unbound

Chapter 39

An Unexpected Gift

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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.

Vickler came at Genmar with a sudden flurry of thrusts with his spear, his control of the weapon showing significant improvement. However, Genmar expertly parried away each attack with his sword, keeping his body in motion counter to his attacker. He held his focus on defense until Vickler's burst of energy wore out and immediately shifted to offense, putting his sparring partner on the defense. Vickler managed to wrangle his control of the spear enough to put it now to the purpose of blocking, falling back as Genmar stepped forward.

Their movements had near grace, like two performers acting out a choreographed dance. They fought one another with confidence and consideration, not just reacting to one another, but thinking with tactics and planning. Each now understood the advantages and limitations of the weapons they wielded and were making effective use of them. Their footwork wasn't perfect, but was no longer clumsy.

"End!" Leita barked from where she stood nearby, watching the whole display. As the two men backed away from one another and lowered their weapons, she stepped towards them. "Well done. The two of you could probably survive a real fight in the arena now. Not just bullying lots, but facing another trained gladiator." She gave them both a smile. "Which means now I have to punish you for all your hard work by handing you over to Kalder to start your 'real' training."

The two men chuckled, but looked immensely proud of themselves. "Can't imagine he's any rougher than you are." Vickler joked, unconsciously rubbing at an elbow that Leita had dislocated on one of his first training days.

"The man's made of living stone, Vickler." Leita said with a laugh. "I'm going to seem like a gilded pillow. And, unlike me, he doesn't hold back."

Genmar grimaced. "If you've been holding back, I'd hate to see you going full bore."

"Those who do rarely find themselves with all their many pieces still attached." Came a voice from nearby. They all turned to see Sasinel approaching them, her pale body wrapped in translucent silks that masked what was beneath, but left its silhouette clear for anyone to see. She was almost completely healed now from the injuries she took during the ambush, but Leita knew that a few minor signs of them still remained, though Einrich predicted they would be faded away within a couple days. Sabrina had spared no expense for Healer Einrich to be able to ensure that her prize sidil consort didn't have any blemishes.

The two gladiators lowered their heads respectfully to the concubine, but Leita gave her a friendly smile. "Kalder and Colja still have all their pieces, despite how much I've spared with them." She chuckled. "So far, at least."

"I would not let Kalder hear you boast that or he might choose to break off one of your pieces." Sasinel teased back, her beautiful eyes twinkling.

Leita chuckled, turning her attention back to the two gladiators. "Anyway, as I was saying, you're ready to start training with the rest of the stable. However, since that isn't going to feel much like a reward, I've arranged for the two of you to be taken to the mess hall for a small treat."

Sasinel gave them a little bow. "The cooks have baked a plate full of honey bread for you. You may eat it at your leisure."

Both men lit up at this and Leita thought she saw Vickler drool a little at the thought. "You've both learned well and have earned it. Savor this, because you will feast on blood and sweat from now on in the arena. Make your House proud; fight well or die well."

Both of them nodded with deep respect to her. They had been good students and she only hoped the next few she got would be worth a damn. Harsen was still struggling to overcome his own arrogance, no matter how many hard lessons he learned. While he was getting better, his ability to listen to her when she tried to teach him something was often hit or miss. As it was, he was currently in the clinic getting healed due to his overconfidence against the last lot he'd fought.

Sasinel gestured towards a pair of guards that were waiting nearby, signaling them to escort Genmar and Vickler off for their reward. As they headed away, she stepped a little closer to Leita. "How are your ribs, hei?" She asked.

"Almost fully mended, finally." Leita replied, probing her torso absently. "I think I have one or two spots that are still sore, but I'm ready to get my feet sandy again."

The sidil grinned. "So eager, hei? I would have thought you would be glad for the excuse to not suffer more injuries for a while."

"I'm starting to make friends with pain, I think." Leita quipped wryly. "We certainly spend a lot of time together."

The sidil concubine laughed at that. "Kalder would say that it only makes you tougher. At least, that was always his excuse for beating his stable-mates to a pulp during training."

"I'm aware." Leita chuckled. "My finishing up with healing means I'll be the one he's beating into paste soon."

They began strolling along the pitch together, watching the tall rock man barking away at a group that were not performing to his satisfaction. Colja wasn't too far away, his own teaching method far less blunt, but no less painful when someone did something stupid. While she certainly preferred the company of the latter over the former, she and Kalder were developing a kind of strained truce with one another.

He could no longer ignore that she had a place as a gladiator, had even begun to partially respect her ability. In return, she'd come to recognize that beneath his hard exterior was a man who actually did care. He was far from altruistic, but she was able to see the pain in his eyes when someone he'd trained didn't return from the arena again. As well as the look of pride when they returned from a win.

However, that same sense of devotion was one of the things that kept them at a kind of odds. She'd learned, from Sabrina, that he'd been liberated by her from a cabal that were experimenting with arcane and alchemical means to create augmented soldiers for the military. He'd been the closest thing to a success they had managed, but had suffered greatly in the process of being transmuted to his current state.

He saw her as his savior and as the person who had given him and the tribulations he'd endured a purpose. That translated to a deep loyalty for her and desire to protect the woman who had rescued him. Due to that, his relationship with Leita both suffered and benefited. Because she had become important to Sabrina, he made an effort to be more civil. However, he was clearly not comfortable with the fact that she had become so important to Sabrina. Either out of jealously or just fear that Leita might hurt her, either emotionally or physically, the idea of them ever becoming anything resembling 'friendly' was simply not an option.

"I have just heard." Sasinel said after a moment, her voice hesitant. "The Mistress is entering you into the Grand Melee. Partnered with Kalder."

Leita gave a slow nod. "She is. Colja has already explained what that entails. And that it is infamous for inter-house treachery. House Victorious is certain to have its gladiators be focused on me."

"Not just Lord Venge's House." Sasinel replied, obviously concerned. "There are still many Houses that will see you as a prime target for one of theirs to make a name for themselves. You are still fresh, but already very popular. That you are even a part of a Grand Melee is going to be a major talking point. Houses put their best and most experienced into it. You will be facing gladiators who have been fighting for years."

"Colja warned me of the same things." Leita assured her. "Kalder has already told me that he intends to do some special training with me this week, to work on our 'teamwork'." She raised her eyebrows dubiously. For all that had settled between them, she couldn't be sure that Kalder wouldn't use this as an opportunity himself. While she didn't believe he would directly turn on her in the middle of the chaos, she wouldn't put it past him to use the focus that the other gladiators would place on her to his advantage.

Sasinel looked at her speculatively, concern evident on her pale, beautiful, face. "I fear you may not be giving this the concern that is worth."

Leita laughed lightly. "I am, don't worry. However, no matter what the concerns may be, it is not my choice to make. The Mistress decides if I fight and when. If she wishes me to be in the Grand Melee, then I shall be. There is no use wasting energy agonizing over possibilities."

The sidil fixed her with a thoughtful expression. "So says the girl who convinced her not to send your little student to his death and send you instead." She said in an amused tone.

Leita gave a shrug. "I will not pretend that I don't have influence, but I think you know that was a very different thing than this. She was still struggling with...something. I think that has passed though. Not to mention..." Her jaw flexed a moment, trying to hide a grin.

"You WANT to fight in the Grand Melee!" Sasinel said suddenly, recognizing the look Leita was trying to playfully conceal.

Leita laughed. "I do." She admitted. "I'm not blind to the likelihood that I may be getting thrust far outside of my depth, but rising to a challenge is becoming something of a reputation for me now. In the end, there is a reason that a House submits two gladiators. So that no warrior fights alone. At first, at least."

"And you really believe that Kalder will protect you, hei?"

"Not even a little." Leita said with another laugh. "However, I do think his focus will be on winning for the House. Simply throwing me to the wolves quickly wouldn't be his best strategy. He will want me to last long enough to narrow the competition for himself. If I'm honest, I fully expect that I won't last the whole event. I would just like to last long enough to get notice. The novice versus the veterans."

Sasinel shook her snowy head in absolute disbelief. "There are days that I wonder if you do not have a death-wish, nian'dehan. Your drive to prove yourself may be your undoing someday."

Leita didn't immediately respond, her mind running over those words like fingers over a cold gravestone. "I am neither seeking death, nor running from it. I am a gladiator. My world is the words I gave Vicker and Genmar: Fight well or die well. Win or lose, I don't actually care. I just don't want to let fear keep me on my knees anymore. I'm not sure where this warrior I see in the mirror came from, but I like her."

Sasinel put a hand to her arm. "I like her too." She said with a smile, squeezing gently. "I do care whether she lives or dies. She is...the first real friend I have made since this collar was put on my throat."

Leita put her hand over Sasinel's, returning the squeeze, and nodded solemnly. "Then I guess I will just have to survive. Since my mentor told me to." She shot the sidil a wink.

Sasinel laughed, shaking her head again. "You are a pain all on your own, Leita."

"They say your friends rub off on you." Leita laughed with her.

They directed their stroll into the main house, walking together and chatting idly. Leita and Sasinel were free to go about the estate as they wished now, though were still bound to remain on the grounds. In Leita's case, it was officially a perk of having been made a leader of the stable, but that was more just an excuse. She actually had more freedom to do as she willed than even Colja and Kalder. As even they were not allowed to enter Sabrina's chambers without invitation. That was something that only she and Sasinel had.

They were also the only two slaves in the house that were allowed to carry real weapons while in the Mistress's presence, though only when Sabrina chose for them to do so. However, that was becoming a somewhat regular occurrence. Anytime Sabrina left the estate, she took one of them, properly armed, with her now. Leita had also begun giving private lessons in the use of the sword to her Mistress, behind closed doors.

Sabrina was apparently no novice already, but the ambush had prompted the noblewoman to brush up on her skills. Often, lessons eventually devolved into far more carnal activities, but Sabrina seemed honestly keen in learning to better defend herself. The attack had changed something between all three of them. While Sasinel was cast as Sabrina's concubine publicly, it had become clear that Leita was her true concubine.

While Sabrina still kept it clear who owned whom, she no longer seemed to care for the pretense of pretending that Leita was just another slave of the house. She had a small personal room of her very own, in which she now had a wardrobe of clothes and personal grooming table. When she wasn't participating in training, she was usually dressed in decent clothes and tastefully made up. Something she found she quite enjoyed.

As they reached the base of the large central staircase in the main hall, Darsa was making her way down them and sped up when she saw them. "Miss Leita! W-wait p-please, I have a message." She shouted down to them.

The girl was beginning to become more confident in her position as Sabrina's official messenger, though she still struggled with her stammering at times. The two of them waited patiently for her to reach them and gave her a moment to catch her breath. "The Mistress wishes you to meet her at your room." Darsa imparted, once she'd recovered.

Leita nodded. "Thank you, Darsa. I'll head there now." She looked to Sasinel. "See you later, I guess. I'll let you know how Kalder's 'teamwork' lessons go." She gave a chuckle.

Heading up the stairs, she routed to her personal room, unsure what to expect. She was often summoned to Sabrina's chambers, either for business or for pleasure. Perhaps Sabrina simply wanted to 'break in the new bed'? Or, more likely, she had an issue with something about the room. Not that Leita had made any changes to it at all.

She arrived to find Sabrina sitting on the bed, Felicitous' cage sitting next to her and the tiny atylmy dancing for her. The sight of the fairy-like creature outside of Sabrina's office, out in the open in general, caught Leita full off guard. While the atylmy wasn't necessarily some firmly guarded secret, very few people knew about her at all. Her cage was always kept covered and on Sabrina's desk out of direct line of sight.

In truth, that itself had always confused Leita, as Sabrina was usually apt to display such trophies for all to see. However, as Felicitous described it, Sabrina only ever uncovered the cage for her own pleasure of watching the atylmy dance. Aside from the servant tasked with cleaning her cage and making sure Felicitous was given food and clean water, Leita was the only other person who regularly saw her. Since servants and houseslaves do talk, it was generally known amongst the staff and the guards that the Mistress had her little pet, but few had ever really seen her.

"You summoned me, Mistress?" Leita said, by way of announcing herself.

Sabrina didn't immediately respond, merely continued to watch the dance for a moment more, a strange look on her face, as if still considering something. Finally, she turned to look at Leita, her features going into a more magnanimous expression. "I did. I wasn't expecting you to arrive so quickly though."

"I was already nearby when Darsa found me." Leita reported. "I'm guessing she came from here directly?"

Sabrina nodded, her attention drifting back to the large cage. "You like my little dancer, do you not?" Sabrina asked, almost absently. "I find you all the time crouched next to my desk and watching her."

"I think she's beautiful and interesting." Leita said, turning her own gaze to the tiny creature. "Like something out of a children's tale." It wasn't untrue. Even though they'd become friends, Leita talking often with her, she still found it amazing that such beings even existed.

She'd managed to keep the secret of Felicious being able to communicate fairly easily. Sabrina just assumed anytime she found Leita by the cage, she was just trying to get her pet to dance for her. The atylmy's voice didn't carry far enough to be heard unless one was close, so even if Sabrina caught her talking to the tiny creature, she assumed it as nothing more than like talking to a cat or dog.

"I have always been curious why you don't keep her more visible, if I am honest." Leita said, drifting over to sit on the other end of the bed, the cage now between them. "As rare as she is, I'd think you would want to flaunt her."

Sabrina gave a strange sigh, looking at the atylmy and smiling sadly. "At first, I kept her covered as a statement to the clod who gave her to me to garner my affections. It was meant as a show of my rejection of his advances. However, I still would sit and watch her, when it was just me. There is something bewitching about her, like, as you say, something from a children's story of my youth."

She gave a little laugh, as if she amused herself with her maudlin mood. "By the time he'd given up, she'd become my private little joy. The one thing I kept for my own amusement and comfort. There have been others I have shown, but never with the intent of showing her off. I suppose it just means there is at least one tiny sliver of humanity left in my black heart."

Leita peered at her, noticing that something about her manner seemed wholly strange, almost sad. "Are you okay, Sabrina?"

Sabrina laughed again, eyes suddenly once again the sly green orbs that Leita knew, though there was still that hint of something else at the corners of them. "However, I have grown bored of her." She announced suddenly, obviously trying to sound flippant. "Or, at least, I am beginning to do so. For all my intentions of maintaining my reputation as a heartless bitch, my little dancer has managed to endear herself enough to me to not want to simply sell her to someone who would use her as little more than a centerpiece."

She gestured toward a document sitting on the grooming table, beside which was a quill and inkpot. "You are able to sign your name, correct?" Sabrina asked cryptically.

Leita paused at first, a little confused. "Yes. Or, near enough for law." She finally replied.

Sabrina nodded towards the sheet. "Then sign your name on the line at the bottom." She said, a twinkle in her eye. "I'm giving her to you."

Leita blinked in surprise. "I...what?"

"I am giving you my pet dancer. To own." Sabrina said, heaving a hard sigh amid the words. "As much as I want to see you as just another piece of property, you have become someone who I rely on and who has proven her loyalty over and again. I want to reward you for that loyalty, as well as for your saving my life from those assassins."

She turned a little, pretended to inspect the room, but Leita could tell her eyes were not seeing anything that was actually in front of her. "You've become...something else that maybe proves I still have some small splinter of compassion left in me. I don't know why, but I...am fond of you." She gave a cough, as though to break up some kind of unwanted emotion forming, and stood.

"That said, I have no intentions of setting you free. While I may have given you more liberty here, I prefer to keep you as mine." She said, her voice straining to remain empiric. "So, instead I have decided to show my favor of you by giving you this as a present of my affection and as a reward for your constant obedience. I...I want you to have her."