Battlestar Andromeda Part 9
Zechs' Bedroom
King's Palace
Zechs woke up warm and heavy. Not really awake he snuggled down into the bed and enjoyed the warm body lying next to him. Warm body! Coming awake quickly he opened his eyes and look down to see Wufei lying there next to him. Sometime during the night Wufei had put his head on his shoulder with his arm and leg wrapped around his body. Relaxing, Zechs looked down at Wufei and studied the young man lying there. He looked so young and innocent and Zechs felt his protective nature come to the forefront. Regardless of what happened when they went back to the Andromeda he knew there was no way that he would ever be able to turn his back on Wufei. His arm tightened around Wufei waist, the movement making the young man snuggle in further with a soft sigh.
Just then there was a soft knock on his door. Not wanting to disturb Wufei he carefully shifted away until he was able to get up from the bed. Walking to the door he opened it to find a servant standing there. He watched with a slight smile on his face as the servant look around him to see Wufei sleeping on his bed. He was glad that he had Wufei sleep there last night for now word would spread throughout the palace that Zechs had accepted the King's gift.
"May I help you?" he asked.
The servant, looking contrite at having been caught, immediately turned to Zechs and said, "I am sorry for waking you Sir, but the His Highness the Prince has sent me to invite you to ride with His Highness this morning."
Thinking that a ride might help to clear his head Zechs said, "Tell His Highness that I will gladly accept his invitation."
"I will go tell His Highness. Do you need an escort to the stables Sir?"
"Yes that would be nice. I shall be ready in ten minutes."
"Very good Sir. I will return to escort you to the stables." said the servant with a slight bow.
Zechs closed the door and turned back to the bed. He saw that Wufei was just starting to wake up. Walking back to the bed he sat down on the edge to look at Wufei. "Wufei," he said, "I have been invited to go riding with the Prince this morning. While I am gone you may stay here if you wish. If you wish to take a shower you have my permission to use anything of mine you wish."
"Thank you master." Wufei said.
Sighing Zechs rose from the bed and walked over to his clothes to dress. He couldn't wait for the day when he could speak to Wufei as an equal and not as a master and slave. Grabbing his clothes he walked into the bathroom and dressed. Walking back into the bedroom he noticed that Wufei had gone back to sleep. At the knock on the door Zechs gave Wufei a soft smile and left the room.
Once down at the stables Zechs was greeted by the Prince and noticed the six guardsmen who he assumed were the Princes escorts. The horses on Aloria were similar to those on earth with the major difference being that they were much bigger but he appreciated the beauty of the mount he was given. Once mounted, he followed the Prince out of the stable and they were soon galloping towards the mountains. The land of Aloria reminded Zechs of the land around Sank. The land was lush and green with the morning air crisp. For a moment Zechs started to feel homesick for his own country. He had not returned to Sank since his father's funeral, preferring space to the memories that his country had left him.
"So Captain Merquise, what do you think of our country?" Prince Tor-il asked.
"It is beautiful Your Highness. It reminds me of the country of my birth on earth." replied Zechs.
"Please Captain, while we are out here please call me Tor-il. I am still not used to being called Your Highness."
"Then please call me Zechs, Tor-il."
The Prince gave Zechs a huge smile. "So, tell me Zechs what did you think of your gift?"
Zechs paused for a moment trying to get his thoughts together. He did not want to seem ungrateful but at the same time was still trying to come to terms with having Wufei given to him. "I must admit Tor-il that I was very surprised when I returned to my room and found him there. It was not what I expected but he has pleased me very well."
Tor-il seemed to relax at that response. "Oh I am so glad. I must admit myself that I was slightly worried when Ja-rel told me that he was giving Wufei to you."
"Oh?" Zechs asked.
"Yes, I was afraid of what you would think, having a slave for a gift. I know from studying your planet before your visit that they do not have pleasure slaves. In fact not many of the other planets near here have any type of slaves anymore. We are the only planet that has kept the practice and then only because the old King demanded it."
"I see. The old King was a traditionalist then?" Zechs asked.
"Yes, very much so. Ja-rel has tired very hard since he took the throne to change many of the old ways, most of his changes have been embraced by his people. However many still want to keep the idea of the pleasure slaves."
"If I may ask, how long do slaves like Wufei train?" asked Zechs. He hated asking such a question but the more he knew then the better to help Wufei. When Tor-il didn't answer right away Zechs looked over and saw a haunted look in the man's eyes. "Did I say something wrong Tor-il?"
"No Zechs you didn't say anything wrong. In fact you have a right to know about Wufei's past given that you are his master now." Tor-il said quietly. They continued on for a few minutes until Tor-il said, "Let's stop here and walk for a while, stretch out legs for a bit."
"That's sounds good." Zechs replied. After dismounting he waited while Tor-il did the same and joined him. Once they started walking Tor-il began to speak.
"Many of the pleasure slaves are taken when they are young, usually around the age of nine or ten. The slave masters would go from village to village and look at all of the young children. Boys, girls it didn't matter as long as they were cute and pretty. Once they found what they wanted, if they were the better ones they would go to the families and offer to pay for the child, the bad ones however, would just take the child kidnapping them away from their loved ones. Once at the palace the children would then be trained in all matters of pleasing their masters. They would use all types of sex toys and make them practice it everyday until they were well versed in all types of sex. If the child failed or did not learn their lessons right they would be beaten with a whip, sometimes to the point of bleeding. This would go on for years until the children's sixteenth birthday and then they would be allowed to go to their masters. Most of them were nobles looking for a pleasure slave for their sons as a gift for when they became a man. It was a status symbol. Even when the sons married they were still owned by their masters, to be used when called upon. Some of the pleasure slaves would be kept at the palace to be used by visiting dignitaries. Those were the ones the slaves tried to ignore. Many times the slaves would come back hurt and bleeding but no one tried to stop these men from hurting them."
"What about Wufei?" asked Zechs. "When did he come to the palace?"
"Wufei was brought to the palace when he was nine. He has been here for ten years. He was taken from his family without them knowing. He was out playing one day when the slave masters arrived, just him and his best friend. The slave masters took them both, grabbing them and throwing them in their vehicles and speeding off. They clung to each other, scared, because they both knew what was going to happen."
"He told you this?"
"He didn't have to." Tor-il stopped and turned towards Zechs. "I was his best friend."
Zechs stood there, in shock, not knowing what to say. Then he said, "But you are married to the King."
"Yes, but I didn't marry him until after the old King died." Tor-il turned once again and started walking. "I was given to Ja-rel when he reached his majority. I was sixteen at the time. I fell in love with him the moment that I saw him. He was so handsome and kind. I was so nervous the first night I was sent to him. He knew it and set about to put me at ease. We talked the whole night. He told me that night that he did not agree with the idea of pleasure slaves. He thought it was an old archaic custom but at the time there was nothing he could do about it. I told him about my childhood and about Wufei and he told me that night that he would do all he could to protect him as well as myself. For the next year I was his slave and he was my master but he never touched me. At first I thought it was because he did not like the idea of having a man as a pleasure slave but then one night he told me that he was in love with me. I was so happy because by that time I was so in love with him that I was willing to do anything for him. He told me that he wanted to wait before we made love for the first time. He wanted it to be special. He then asked me to marry him when he took the throne. He knew it would be soon as his father had been ill for some time. Then two years ago the old King passed away and Ja-rel became the new King. The first thing he did was to give me my freedom and to marry me. He then declared that there would be no more pleasure slaves. Those that were left in the palace were either allowed to marry or given their freedom. The only one left was Wufei."
"Tor-il, if your husband gave the palace pleasure slaves their freedom or allowed them to marry then why is Wufei still here? Why was he given to me as a slave?" Zechs asked.
"Zechs you must understand about Wufei. When we were children he was the protector of all of us. He was a fighter, a warrior. Did you know his ancestors came from earth?"
"What?!" Zechs exclaimed.
Tor-il nodded, "Yes, Wufei told me once that back many, many generations ago when space travel was very young his ancestors came here to live. They wanted to be able to practice their beliefs their own way. He is part of what he called the Dragon Clan; in fact he is the heir of his clan. If he had not been taken when we were small he would be the elder of his clan."
"So what happened to his family? Why didn't he just go back to his family when the other pleasure slaves were freed?" asked Zechs.
Tor-il took a deep breath before answering. "After Wufei and I were taken from the village, his clan did everything they could to get the King to release him. When the King refused to let him go they tried to take him from the palace. Those who came here were killed; his father was one of them. Shortly after the King sent his troops to our village and had everyone killed. Wufei lost his entire family that day including his younger sister Meiran whom he was very close to. He is now the last of the Dragon Clan. When Wufei found out he changed, he became very angry not wanting to listen to the slave masters. They in turn beat him everyday, when that didn't work they came up with other forms of punishment until one day he became what you see today." Tor-il turned once more to Zechs. "This is why Ja-rel tried to protect Wufei. He saw what had happened to him and he wanted to make sure that the person who was given Wufei would be someone that would take good care of him. Zechs, when you saved our lives yesterday my husband knew that he had found someone who would do just that. To Ja-rel anyone who was willing to save two people he did not know, would also be willing to take care of Wufei and to give him what he needs. I have faith in you Captain Zechs Merquise, you are an honorable man and I know that if anyone can bring Wufei back it will be you. I will miss him very much but I know that leaving this planet is the best thing for him."
Zechs took a moment to let all that he had been told to sink in. He now had a better understanding of why Wufei was like he was. His resolve from this morning to protect and care for the young man came once more to the forefront. He looked Tor-il in the eye and said, "I promise Tor-il I will take very good care of Wufei and I will do all that I can to bring him back to himself." And Zechs knew that was a promise that he would definitely keep.
Tor-il gave Zechs a slight bow. "Thank you Zechs. You are all that I had hoped you would be." Looking over his shoulder he saw the slight signal from their escorts. With a slight nod to them he said, "Now, we must start back. There is still a lot of preparation for the ball tonight and my husband will pull his hair out if I am not there to help."
Zechs gave the Prince a small bow. They then went back to their horses to make the trek back to the palace. The ride back was silent with both men deep in thought over all that had been discussed between them.
TBC...
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