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25
Adjusting to the life of a slave was different. I would say difficult, but I guess my mind set made it easier in a way. Since I was determined to survive, I didn’t concentrate on being unhappy. I made up my mind to make the best of this.
Christof made making the best of my situation easier. He came almost every day at lunch. He kept to his word and never treated me like a slave. We became fast friends. I felt bonded to him in a secret way.
I did have to just verify one more time that escape was not an option.
I cornered Fuji and asked about the odds of escaping. She was furious I talked to her about it, but she was informative. There wasn’t a good chance of getting away.
The whole of the planet kept slaves, if I escaped here I would be taken by someone in another village. She didn’t know how to work the portals even if I could get to one. Besides that, portals on Earth rarely worked and being in one that was forcibly opened would probably kill me. Her advice was like Rose’s: Learn to live like this and stop thinking of escape.
I’d decided to survive and escaping home was not an option. My mind was set. Now I just needed to know what to do to make the most of this world.
Staying where I was seemed safest. Christof would defend me. Master Damien and the rest seemed unduly interested in my health. I had to be exactly what they wanted, so they would feel no need to be rid of me.
The duties my Masters had told me were mine were very simple. Daily sex was all they ever asked. It was my duty to be ready and to provide a healthy body for them to release into.
I was knew I was more than a sex toy, so I tried to be industrious.
I attempted to clean the apartment once, just out of habit. They chastised me and the posts were threatened for daring to step outside my role. There were men that cleaned the rooms during the day, my owners didn’t need or want me to do that.
Instinctively, I knew they wanted more. There was some part of our relationship I was missing. Whatever that was I had to find it.
My obedience and zeal had nothing to do with a love of slavery. I hated what I had become, weak and subservient. The desire to fully please them came from a selfish place. Happy Masters would not sell their slave. The worst nightmare I could imagine involved the nameless, faceless creatures that would own me next.
I started to watch my Masters. Any time we were together I paid all of my attention to them. It became my all consuming desire to provide whatever they needed. The only way to do that was to figure out what they wanted.
Even Christof wasn’t helpful. He told me the same thing the girls did. The men wanted sex; provide it, stay healthy, and they would be happy.
I don’t think they realized how intently I was watching them until a chuke game one late afternoon. They were playing with a group of men that did not own slaves; I was by myself in the tent. It allowed me to really watch the game without distraction.
The men worked together, but the part they all played was different. Master Kein darted between the larger players to move the different balls; he was difficult to catch. He tossed to Master Damien who made a giant pass to the other side of the field. Master Evan retrieved the ball and moved it with surprising accuracy to Christof. Master Bane knocked down the men in Christof’s way and after a rapid sprint, they scored a point.
The other men on the field didn’t seem to have the diversity of talent my men did. My owners were each very good at what they did and unbeatable together. I really got into the game, even booing loudly over what I considered unfair interference.
Master Evan loped over to me and crouched down.
“Why are you making that noise?” he asked.
“That man,” I said pointing, “got in Master Christof’s way and tripped him. He wouldn’t have been able to stop him otherwise. That wasn’t fair.”
Master Evan panted for a moment watching me.
“Master Christof could have run that pass across the field before anyone caught him, but that man cheated and tripped him,” I pushed.
Master Evan seemed stumped on what to say for a moment. He settled on telling me not to watch the other men and to only watch them.
“I only want to watch you all, Master Evan. You’re much better than the other men,” I told him honestly. “In fact, your aim with the ball is far superior to any other man on the field. It’s very impressive. I enjoy watching you play.”
He cocked his head to the side and looked at me for a moment before standing.
“Only cheer for your Masters,” he called back as he made his way to the field.
When the game was done I was sure my owners had won. The other men grumbled as they walked past the tent. I looked at the ground and smiled to myself. It had not looked like it was much of a contest.
“So you are an expert at chuke now, Ciara?” Master Damien asked sitting on the grass in front of me and then sprawling out on his side.
“Tripping Master Christof-” I started to say and Master Bane laughed.This is from NôvelDrama.Org.
“You were not offended when I tripped Rue, Ciara,” Master Kein said.
“That was different,” I argued. “He wasn’t going to make it past Master Bane anyhow.”
“And why was he not going to make it past me?” Master Bane asked sitting and watching the scenery absently.
“Nobody makes it past you when you have a mind to stop them, Master,” I said pulling at the filmy covering over my right breast.
A finger was lifting my chin and now Master Bane was watching me intently.
“Explain,” he ordered simply.
Master Bane’s eyes were boring into mine and I was afraid to look away.
“You are very powerful, Master Bane. When you block the other men, they always fall before you,” I stammered.
“So I am the best chuke player?” Master Bane asked grinning.
I didn’t want to agree or disagree, so I went back to playing with the coverings over my breasts and made a non committal sound.
“You didn’t answer my brother, Ciara,” Master Kein said crouching on my other side.
“I really don’t know enough about the game to make such a judgement. It looks like you all play better than the other men,” I said feeling brilliant.
“That was evasive, Ciara,” Master Bane said looking up at the sky. “Tell me which of us is the best chuke player, in your opinion.”
I panted and my gaze went from man to man. Master Bane turned his head to watch my discomfort and his grin widened. I felt like prey again.
Now they were all staring at me with those predatory faces on. This was a game and one I was sure to lose. It seemed wrong to choose one over the other. Instinctively, I knew it would get me into trouble.
“You are the perfect team. I don’t know who is better,” I stammered and they started to close in on me.
“We said choose, Ciara,” Master Kein whispered in my ear, “or we put you at the posts for your disobedience.”
My eyes darted around and I found their feral smiles and narrowing eyes. Even Christof seemed to be enjoying the current fun. I hated the posts and I knew who would be the one dragging me up to them when the time came.
“Master Damien,” I barked out.
He was the one who doled out the punishment for the family. If I had to choose, I’d choose the one that was going to be my punisher. Perhaps he would be lenient.
The men turned to look at Master Damien who was still sprawled out on the grass.
“It isn’t wise to lie to us, Ciara,” he purred.
“I’m not lying,” I squeaked. “You aren’t as fast as Master Christof or as crafty as Master Kein, but your arm is stronger than Master Evan’s.”
“Although my aim is better,” Master Evan said.
“Well, the conversation was to strength, not aim,” I said bravely defending my point.
Master Bane smirked and twirled a blade of grass in his fingers, “What about me slave? How does Damien stack up against me?”
“You don’t throw the ball enough for me to tell,” I said desperately. “I get the feeling you’d rather be knocking the other men down rather than fight over the balls.”
The men considered me quietly for several moments. They seemed lost in their thoughts as the sky slowly darkened over us.
I started when I saw Master Damien had moved and was motioning for me to get up. Rising to my feet he bent and scooped up my kneeling place.
“You are correct, Ciara,” he murmured. “We are the perfect team.”
The next day at the Keepers, Christof came to feed me. We walked around outside and I plopped myself down in a clearing.
“What’s with your brother’s obsession about me picking the better player last night?” I groused. “I don’t like being forced to pick between you all. It seems like it will just get me in trouble with the others.”
“You got their attention when you told Evan he had the best aim,” Christof said settling beside me. “They didn’t know you could tell the difference between them.”
I sat and looked at Christof strangely.
“There are lots of differences between you all. How would they think I don’t notice the differences between them?” I asked.
Christof handed me the bowl of food and sat beside me with his hands folded over his knees.
“We are all Damien’s family,” he said simply taking a bite of food from the bowl.
“You are five different men. Each of you is unique. Why would they think I can’t tell the difference between them?”
“We are a family, Ciara,” Christof said as though that should make the entire point.
“You are five individuals in a family,” I amended confused.
Christof chuckled and encouraged me to eat.
“It is so curious to me how you see things,” he said brushing the hair away from my face. “To anyone else we are only Damien’s family, a single unit. I know my brothers and I know there are differences between them. No one else really notices them that way. We all play a part of the family. We are all Damien’s family.”
“It’s hard not to see you as five different men,” I pondered.
“They like you to see that. I like you to see that,” he smiled and looked suddenly shy.
“You are very hard to confuse you for one another,” I told him, “especially you.”
Christof seemed pleased and our lunch continued with quiet thoughtful conversation.
I swam out my hole in the grate that afternoon and thought about it. That something I had been missing about my Masters. It was so obvious I had missed it. They wanted me to notice them.
My head bobbed up and I took a breath before diving again. They liked to be appreciated for their differences. It made sense.