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Pleasure Slave	By : Capitalist Category: +. to F > Card Captor Sakura Views: 84325 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
I’m lucky if even one person is still reading this, huh? Sigh…

Chapter 17
‘reconciliation’

Touya looked away, down at the floor, his hands clenching momentarily into fists.
“No.”
Yue’s eyebrows went up, slightly. “You’re certain?”
“Just said so, didn’t I? Get someone to bring dinner up here if you want, but I’m not eating with my sister.”
Hovering in the doorway, Ralen looked at him for direction and he nodded. “She eats alone tonight. Send a servant up with his plate.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Dismissed.”
Looking rather pleased, Ralen departed and Yue glanced back at his sullen slave. The firelight danced in his black eyes, full of pain.
“It is unusual for my slave to deny spending time with his sister. Is this really what you want?”
“I’m not your slave,” Touya snapped in reply. “And what do you care? Ever since we got here you’ve done nothing but keep us apart. Now you’ve got what you wanted. Happy?”
He threw a vindictive glare at Yue and stormed out of the room, onto the balcony. At a leisurely pace Yue finished his wine before following.
“You do know that refusing to see her does not excuse you from your duties?”
“I’d guessed that.” His slave hunched miserably over the rail, looking out over the valley and not at him. The western sky still glowed peach and rose, a breathtaking picture, but Touya didn’t seem to notice the beauty of the view.
“What are you waiting for, then? Come.”
Touya took so long to move that Yue was sure he intended to be disobedient again tonight. But after a few minutes had passed he slid off the balcony rail and shuffled silently back inside.
“No,” Yue directed, when he stepped toward the fireplace. “To the bed.”
Touya shot him a look of wary surprise. Their nightly sessions always occurred on the rug by the fireplace; not since Touya’s first time had they gone to the bed. “Why?”
“You know it is not your place to question me, slave. Remove your clothing and sit on the bed.”
Touya did as he was told, albeit slowly and grumbling the usual refrain that he was not a slave. Yue removed his chains so that he might completely undress, drinking in the sight of that lean dark body as he did so. Dappled firelight flickered over his skin, illuminating hard and flat muscles and painting his skin a bronze color. The boy was stunning, and even after two weeks Yue had not tired of looking.
“Spread your legs,” he commanded, drawing one end of his sash free and preparing to shed his clothing. Again Touya obeyed reluctantly, eyes alert and distrustful. Still afraid, perhaps, but he’d learned to hide it by now. He had yet to cower before Yue or beg.
Those open thighs invited touching. Soft as a whisper, Yue tickled his fingertips along the inside of one and Touya sucked his breath in. The sheets suffered in his fists.
“You’ve learned to enjoy my touch, haven’t you?”
“No.”
“There is no cause to lie, slave. You have no need for shame.”
“I’m not…” Touya inhaled again when Yue’s fingertips glided between his legs and along his hardening flesh. “…your slave.”
“You are,” Yue whispered seductively. “You are mine to enjoy.” He punctuated his words by doing just that, licking and teasing Touya’s earlobe before tracing a path down his jaw. Touya stiffened at the first touch of his tongue but Yue could hear his breath coming faster, his heartbeat speeding up. However his mouth might lie, his body spoke volumes of truth.
Yue climbed onto the bed and pressed Touya to lie back against the sheets, hovering just over his slave. Too excited now to hold back, he went to work on his skin in earnest. Under his skilled caresses Touya writhed, panting, his hips thrusting every time Yue touched his swelling arousal. Yue took it in his mouth and Touya cried out, pulling at the sheets so hard they were in danger of being ripped. Expertly he swirled his tongue around the flesh and sucked, pushing his slave, forcing him to moan and arch his back. This was bliss, pure pleasure, surely even his stubborn slave must know it.
Yue motioned for his jar and oiled himself with one hand, stroking and fondling Touya with the other. With another low groan the boy climaxed, warm semen erupting over his flesh and Yue’s hand, and Yue penetrated. There was one short, sharp cry of pain and then Touya relaxed, still caught in the throes of his own ecstasy and breathing hard. Breathing rather heavily himself, Yue pushed in further and began to thrust, gathering Touya’s body in his arms and bracing his hands over those muscular shoulders to keep him in one place. It was lovely, even better than their first, and Yue finished with a throaty ‘hmmm’ of contentment, the most noise he ever made in bed.
Feeling quite relaxed, he withdrew and made himself comfortable on the cool sheets next to his shallowly breathing slave. The bed was preferable to the floor in this respect; Yue supposed that was why he chose to take Touya here tonight. He didn’t care for those miserable dark eyes and the listless slumping, brought about by the conflict with his sister. Yue wanted his slave to pay attention to him. And, for a short while at least, he’d succeeded.
The breathing next to him was growing deeper, more even. Touya had still not opened his eyes, and just looking at him made Yue feel drowsy. It would be nice, to lie here and hold his slave…
And with that thought Yue awoke. “Up,” he commanded, almost sharply in his urgency. Touya’s eyes opened again, sleepy and confused. “You must clean yourself, you know that. Don’t think you can fall asleep here.”
He narrowed his eyes to make his meaning clear, and wordlessly Touya rolled off the bed. Better. The boy would wash himself, eat, and then brush Yue’s hair, and only then would Yue allow him to sleep.
In his proper place.
On the rug.

The door opened and Sakura looked up expectantly, only to see Ralen and Siki enter the room. She’d been preparing herself to face her brother for so many hours that his absence left her speechless, and she stared in dismay. Ralen saw the look, and chuckled.
“Disappointed?”
“Where’s Onii-chan?”
“Oh, he’s not coming tonight. He’ll be eating upstairs.” He motioned, and Siki collected the second tray from the table. “Take it to Yue’s chambers,” he directed. “And if you hear any moaning, just leave it on the desk.”
He added that part with a malicious delight, keeping an eye on Sakura to see her cringe. Siki bowed her head.
“Yes sir.”
She left, but Ralen didn’t follow her. Nervously Sakura watched him shut the door and turn the lock, then saunter back to the small sofa where she sat.
“Why isn’t Nii-chan coming?”
“Do you really have to ask? Or have you forgotten what happened last night, when you told your brother never to speak to you again?”
Sakura winced, and Ralen oiled onto the cushions alongside her. “And you hit him. I was impressed, really, I had no idea you’d react so well. You should have seen the look on his face afterwards… it was priceless.”
“I didn’t mean it,” she whispered, mortified. How could she have done such a horrible thing?
“Oh well, too late now. Won’t be seeing much of him in the future. But don’t cry, that means I get you all to myself for dinner.”
A pair of tears had slipped down her cheeks and hastily she wiped at them. She’d done such a stupid, terrible thing and now her own brother – the only one she had in the world – wouldn’t talk to her. Ralen leaned in so closely she flinched, and leisurely he inhaled.
“Mmm. Today was absolutely wonderful, you know, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed just watching so much. You performed beautifully. So shy and innocent at first, then the panting and moaning…” He rolled a low groan down his throat, so close Sakura could smell his masculine scent. “I’m hard again just thinking about it.”
Sakura didn’t know what he meant by ‘hard’ and she wasn’t about to ask. Silent, she hugged her knees to her chest and tried to be still. Tomoyo promised that Ralen couldn’t touch her, she promised.
“Don’t look away from me when I’m speaking, slave, that’s disrespectful.” He took her chin in his hand and turned her face in a firm manner, not to be argued with. Unable to stop them, Sakura felt more tears spill out and slide down her cheeks. He tsked softly.
“You really do miss your brother, don’t you?” She nodded. “And you’ve no way of telling him that… of course, I could pass the message along to him. That you’re sorry and all that.”
She was nearly surprised out of her tears, and cautious hope flickered through her.
“Y-you would?”
“If I had some… compensation, like today. Understand?”
Sakura shivered and started to shake her head, then remembered that stricken look on her brother’s face just before she slammed the door. The memory twisted like a knife in her heart, and she gripped the material of her dress a little more tightly. It wasn’t as if Nii-chan had done any less for her.
“What do you want me to do?”

He looked even worse this evening than the one before. Yue watched his slave turn his face away from Ralen, glaring at the rug.
“No.”
“Are you quite sure?”
Utter wretchedness, most unattractive, flashed across his expression before Touya shut his eyes and nodded. Given what he’d endured for the privelege of seeing his sister in the past, this continued resistance bothered Yue. It made no sense; humans could be such strange creatures at times. Ralen lingered still in the doorway, looking at his slave in a manner that suggested he had something to say.
“Ralen?”
“My lord?” Ralen replied innocently, offering no answer to the unspoken question. Yue shrugged lightly.
“Dismissed.” The servant bowed and left the room. As for Touya… “Fetch my hairbrush, slave. You will see to my hair now.”
“-m not your slave.”
He collected the hairbrush and set about his task, and Yue relaxed into his chair. But something didn’t seem quite right about their ritual this evening, he wasn’t enjoying it as he usually did. He blamed that on Touya’s morose behavior, and when the boy had finished he directed him once again to the bed. This time he undressed him himself, bent him over the bed and lavished attentions on his body, driving his slave to moan and claw at the sheets. It was exquisite, and he was so sure his slave felt it too. But when it was over, and he’d cleaned himself and dressed again, he dropped into a forlorn heap by Yue’s chair and stared at the fire in silence. The same pain in his eyes, unaffected by Yue’s touch.
Even ecstasy, it seemed, could not replace the little sister.

Sakura thought her heart would break when the door opened and only Ralen and Lara entered.
“Onii-chan?” she whimpered, and Ralen shook his head.
“I did try to talk to him, tell him you were sorry, but he just wouldn’t listen. Of course, you know how stubborn your brother is.”
She did. But she’d never thought he’d be so stubborn that he’d refuse to talk to her. They’d fought so many times, over the years, but never for very long. He was always quick to make things right, and when he hugged her afterwards Sakura knew he still loved her. What about now? Did he hate her?
Tears pricked at her eyes, and with blurry vision she watched Lara take her brother’s tray and depart. Ralen did not depart, and made himself comfortable on the sofa next to her. His arm didn’t exactly touch her shoulders, but she could feel it draped across the cushion just behind her and she shrank into herself. The memory of what she’d done last night made her nauseous, especially now that she knew it was for nothing. How could he refuse to see her?
“Sakura.”
She hated it when Ralen said her name. It was something only friends and family used, for most of her life, a word with pleasant connotations and images of pink blossoms. On his lips it sounded wrong, and made her feel dirty.
“Don’t you want me to try again tomorrow?” Oh please, not again. She didn’t want to. The way he stared, and licked his lips… “Don’t you want to see him? Don’t you love him?”
Tears slipped down her cheeks, but she was already nodding.

Night shrouded the castle, silent and unmoving in the darkness. Yue opened his eyes to the shadowed bedroom, unsure why he’d woken. To anyone else the midnight black would have been an impenetrable veil, but Yue’s vision had never depended on light. And he could see nothing out of place.
A whimper reached his ears, and he sat up. His slave was curled up on the rug, panting slightly, his eyes shut tight in sleep. Unexpectedly he thrashed, just once, and his chains rattled with the movement. That was the sound that had woken Yue.
“Slave,” he admonished, uselessly. Touya was beyond hearing him. Again he whimpered in his sleep and then made another, louder noise – like a half-formed cry of warning. A nightmare? Rather annoyed, Yue slid out from between the sheets and crossed the room. He’d just knelt by his slave, in preparation to wake him, when Touya’s eyes flew open and he sat up. With surprising strength he clutched at Yue, pulling him closer, his breathing raspy and panicked in the otherwise still room. Too startled to react, Yue said or did nothing. It was the first time, that he could recall, his slave had ever touched him voluntarily.
“Sakura,” he panted, his grip on Yue tightening painfully. Yue shook his head.
“No, Yue. Your master.”
“I lost her,” Touya whispered. “She’s gone, I lost her!” Eyes dilated in pure terror stared at him without seeing, and Yue realized his slave was still asleep.
“Shh,” he tried, and rested a cool hand alongside Touya’s face. “No, you didn’t.”
“I lost her! Tried to save her… couldn’t. She’s gone…”
“You really do miss her, don’t you? But she isn’t gone, she is close to you and safe. You did not lose her.” Touya hesitated, trembling. “She’s fine, all is well. Sleep now.” Touya took another ragged breath, but his trembling did lessen some. “She is fine,” Yue repeated, his voice soft and soothing. “Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.”
Touya said nothing more. Gradually his muscles relaxed, as did his grip on Yue’s arms, and his eyes closed again. Whether he’d actually heard Yue or his nightmare ended naturally, Yue could not be sure. But at least it was over, his features smooth and unworried in his more restful sleep. Yue was just breathing a sigh of relief when Touya slumped forward and onto him, nestling against his chest as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.
Yue froze.
In contrast to his peaceful slave, his heartbeat sped up rapidly, so loud in the still room that he was surprised it didn’t wake Touya. Other than the demanded sexual activities, no slave ever touched Yue. No one would have ever dreamed of embracing him in such a familiar manner, particularly not this slave. He was asleep, yes, and didn’t know his own actions. But that didn’t change the way he rested his head so trustingly under Yue’s chin, his breathing now deep and even. His own arms had slipped around Touya’s body and now held him close, unbelievably. And the strangest part of all of it was that Yue didn’t want to let go, wanted to stay in this posture so he would not disturb his slave.
Ridiculous, of course. Was he not the master? Yue tipped forward, gently, trying to shift Touya back onto the rug without waking him. The boy twitched slightly but made no sound, his arms falling limply away from Yue when they parted. None of it meant anything, really, he wouldn’t remember this in the morning. Come daylight he would back away from Yue’s touch, eyes wary and suspicious, and only come when ordered. This moment might as well have been nothing but a dream.
Yue left him on the floor and retreated to his soft bed, where the sheets seemed cooler than he remembered. And when he finally drifted off to sleep, he went there with the memory of Touya in his arms.

Dawn came late to the valley, bordered by the eastern mountains. Its light turned the sky gray, then pink and orange, well before the inhabitants of the city ever saw the sun peek over the barrier. Up this high, though, Li was always the first to see sunrise. It spilled like gold over the peaks, washing the silent valley in its light and almost touching that distant western horizon. It was still very cool, so early in the day, more so than he would have liked. But he took the morning watch because he liked the quiet, and every day the sunrise found him pacing along the outer wall of the castle.
No one could call it a difficult or dangerous job. In fact, most of the men in the guard complained of boredom and when they left the castle that was usually the reason. Li didn’t mind the lack of excitement, though, he’d always enjoyed the peace and quiet. Moreover, it gave him a chance to practice his sword drills.
He activated his sword and began, moving methodically and without haste through each of his patterns. There were a lot, and he took the time to pace between each, watching the valley stir and wake beneath him. The sun rose higher.
By the time he’d begun his final set, he knew he had an audience. She always watched him in the mornings, that soft-spoken slave from the northern mountains. Always from the same balcony, in her white nightgown, too high above him to really see her face. Li wasn’t used to strangers watching him when he practiced, and at first her habit bothered him. But after two weeks he’d become accustomed to her presence; she was a part of his morning ritual.
Smyth arrived to take his place, ending the session. He retracted his sword and headed to the stables for that other morning ritual: tending his horse. More servants were about, now, the castle had woken up. Through an archway and past the first main building he went, entering the small freestanding stable in the second courtyard. He almost had to step over Rei, lounging by the door and scrubbing his saddle, who looked up briefly but said nothing. Spirit, in contrast, stamped a hoof and nickered in greeting.
“Morning, girl.” Affectionately he patted her nose and teased her ears, and she bumped her head lightly against his chest in anticipation. She was eager for her daily exercise, but Li had a few chores he needed to deal with. Like his saddle, dusty and grimy still from the hard gallop they’d enjoyed the day before, outside the castle walls. The harness, too, probably needed cleaning.
“Pass me that saddlesoap, Rei.”
“Sorry, Li.” The man on the floor tipped the bucket to show how empty it was, and shrugged apologetically. “Just finished it.”
Li grimaced and made for the back of the stables, then clambered up the small ladder into the loft. The extra cakes of soap were kept here, wrapped up in leather, next to the sacks of grain. Except that they weren’t, insomuch that Li couldn’t find any.
“Rei! Where’s the soap?”
“Not any up there?”
“No.”
“Guess we’ve run clean out then.”
Li swore irritably and picked his way down the ladder, brushing dust out of his hair. The stable loft hadn’t been cleaned for some time.
“Damn it. If I’d known we were so low I would have bought some in Terriene. Someone should have told me.”
“Nobody knew.”
Li swallowed a groan and decided to forget about cleaning, and just take his horse outside. He reached for the harness that wasn’t hanging on its nail.
“Where’s my harness?”
“Oh right, Tim borrowed it. Meant to tell you.”
“Why?”
“His broke.”
“There are extras in the loft!”
“Not anymore.”
Li blew his bangs out of his face in exasperation. “This is ridiculous. I’m gonna go talk to him.”
“Better you than me.” Li made a face, his morning rapidly deteriorating. But he was the captain, there really wasn’t any other choice. In the meantime, he found the broken harness and decided it wasn’t totally beyond repair; it just needed a new clasp and some leather strips for attachment. Tim should have known that, but maybe he’d been in a hurry.
Li gathered up the materials in a pouch, fashioned a makeshift harness of thin rope for Spirit and led her outside to tie her in the courtyard.   She whinnied in complaint when he walked away.
“Sorry, girl, promise I’ll be right back. I just have to go talk to blondie, and I’m yours for the rest of the morning.”
She snorted. He agreed, but it had to be done. Of course, he had no idea where to find Ralen at this time of the morning and entered the first door he could see, one that led from this courtyard to the main bathing rooms. And as luck would have it, there was blondie himself, just leaving the baths with the slave trotting along behind.
“Ralen!”
The servant looked around and scowled, pausing with one hand on his hip. “Are you lost? This part of the castle is where people come to get clean.”
“Stuff it,” Li advised, shortly. “My stables are a pigsty, we’re out of everything, and I want to know why you haven’t been buying the supplies that we need.”
“The stables have a budget, Li, just like every other part of the household. If I have to trim a few items from the shopping list to keep in line then that’s what I’ll do.”
“You’ll pay two hundred gold coins for a girl but can’t spare the money for saddlesoap? Bullshit.”
“You’re the one that bought her, if I recall correctly.”
“You said ‘any amount, as long as she looks good’!”
“So I did,” Ralen agreed, smoothly. “Hardly blaming you, Li. But what with her price, and two more mouths to feed now, and so on… I intend to follow my budget strictly. If you insist on your little extras, then you’ll have to discuss each purchase with me.”
“What do you want me to do, say please?”
“It’d be a start.”
“Forget it, we’ll cope.”
Ralen scowled again, his dislike plain on his face. “The previous captain was so much easier to get along with.”
“Then what a shame you’re still here.”
“Big words from a boy in a man’s job.”
“At least I’m doing my job.”
“This may surprise you, Li, but I do have more duties than worrying about your filthy stables. Like dealing with this -” He cut himself short when he turned and saw no one at his elbow. Sometime while they’d been arguing the slave had slipped away, and had almost reached the door Li had just come through. He’d left it open and the fresh spring morning outside made a tempting picture, one that the girl couldn’t take her eyes off of. As if hypnotized she crept closer.
“Hey!” Ralen barked, and she jumped. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m s-sorry,” she stammered quickly. “I just- it looks so nice outside…” She ducked her head contritely under Ralen’s annoyed glare, and clasped her hands. “Do you think maybe I could go outside? Just for a little while?”
“Go outside?” Ralen repeated, as if she’d just suggested a trip to the ocean. “You are an impertinent little thing, aren’t you? What would you be willing to do for such a favor on my part?”
Unbelievable. Li huffed in exasperation. “Oh for god’s sake, let the girl go outside already. Why are you such a prick?”
The slave’s eyes went circular with astonishment, and Ralen’s narrowed. “As head of the household, this slave and everything else in the castle’s interior is under my authority, not yours. So mind your own business.” Li ground his teeth some and Ralen threw an expectant look at the slave, sauntering closer. “Besides, she knows what she has to do.”
She hesitated, looking from him to the blue sky through the doorway. “I can really go outside?”
“You really can.”
A prickle of warning ran down Li’s back. Something was going on here that he did not want to be a part of, and as Ralen had pointed out, this slave was none of his business. Spirit was waiting, and he made for the door.
But he’d only gone one step past Ralen when, without warning, the slave reached for her skirt and pulled the entire dress off her head, exposing herself. Shocked, Li froze and – going against all his upbringing – stared.
Ralen stepped forward and took the dress, then moved back again for a better view. No longer paying any attention to Li, he crushed the material in his hands and buried his nose in it, inhaling.
“Touch yourself.”
Looking rather miserable, the girl leaned back against the wide doorframe and brushed her fingertips over her breasts.
“A little lower.”
She bit her lip, but obediently glided her palms down her body and over her stomach, then rubbed herself between her legs. “Inside,” was the next command, and she slipped her hand inside her undergarments. In spite of her obvious humiliation her breath came a little quicker, and some color flushed her cheeks.
“Mmm,” Ralen crooned, coddling himself with delight. “Oh, that’s very good. Now go ahead and taste yourself.”
She closed her eyes and uttered the tiniest of whimpers. For a moment she looked as though she was about to cry, but somehow she kept herself in check. She withdrew her hand and licked her fingertips.
Ralen exhaled. “Beautiful.” Abruptly he tossed the dress back and she had to fumble to catch it, hastily pulling it back on. He didn’t bother to watch but looked at Li, still standing motionless and staring in disbelief. “Don’t you think, Li? Like a well-trained bitch that knows who her master is.”
His smile was one of smug pride, and boastful. This was his power, and he’d enjoyed showing it off to Li.
Scarlet with humiliation and clothed again, the slave slipped outside. Ralen moved to follow, and without consciously deciding to do so Li took one long step back. His hand slapped hard against the doorframe, barring Ralen’s path.
“What the -”
“Like you said,” Li stated, his voice hard, “this slave and everything in the castle’s interior is under your authority. But now she’s outside, and that is my authority. So if anyone takes her on a walk, it’ll be me. Don’t worry,” he added, when he saw Ralen’s dumbfounded expression. “I’ll bring her back.”
And, with no small amount of satisfaction, Li slammed the door in his face.
The girl was staring at him, wide-eyed with astonishment, when he turned around. He hadn’t noticed their color, that day he was stuck with the errand of purchasing her, and the vivid green took him a little by surprise. Now that he’d sprung her, what was he supposed to do with her?
“Come on,” he muttered, striding past her and nodding for her to follow. “My horse needs exercise.”
“Yes sir.” He could barely hear her, she whispered the words so quietly, and like a shadow she fell in behind him as he walked. But when she saw his mare, tethered to the stable wall, she brightened and reached forward to pat her nose. “Oh hello, Spirit. Do you remember me?”
It was plain his horse did, by the way she nickered and pushed closer for affection. Strange, the other men in the guard couldn’t even pat her on the withers without a warning snap of the teeth. Li untied her lead and started walking again, leading both females across the courtyard and into another shadowed archway. Spirit’s hooves clopped rather loudly on the cobblestones, the echoing noise drowning out any of their own footsteps, and he’d almost forgotten the girl’s presence when she spoke.
“Thank you.” He glanced her way and she blushed a bright pink, quickly lowering her eyes. “For what you did.”
“Don’t worry about it. I wouldn’t want Ralen running my life either.”
“You don’t like him very much.”
“That’s one way to put it.”
“But I was surprised, that you spoke to him in such a manner. Isn’t he your superior?”
Li snorted. “He wishes.”
“I thought he was head of the castle.”
“Anything that goes on inside, yeah. But the guard and the castle grounds are in my charge; we’re pretty much equal. He’s not my superior and I’m not his.” A delicate balance, that, and one that created insufferable tension whenever they crossed paths. Precisely why Li tried to avoid him most days.
“That’s why you don’t like him?” she asked, voicing his thoughts.
“Yeah. And he’s a prick.”
She said nothing to that, either because she was afraid to agree or didn’t know what the word meant. But then they emerged from the tunnel and she gasped at the sight before them. It was the final courtyard of Yue’s castle, farthest from the front gate and one few of the household servants ever visited. There were no vegetable gardens or flowerbeds here, only grass and a small cluster of trees around an old granite fountain. Li liked it because it was the widest space available for Spirit to romp in, within the castle walls, but most of the others found it less attractive than the carefully manicured gardens.
He was therefore a little taken aback when the slave dropped to her knees on the grass, unmindful of her expensive-looking dress, and pressed her hands to the earth.
“It’s so beautiful!” she cried. “I haven’t touched grass since I came here… I think I could kiss it!”
Li shrugged, unlacing Spirit’s ‘harness’, and landed a hard slap on her flank to let her know she was free. “Do what you like, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Really?” She looked so amazed that Li had to double check his own words. What did he say that was so odd? “I can do whatever I like?”
“Sure.”
“Can I play with your horse?”
“If she’ll let you.” He wandered over to the nearest tree and made himself comfortable in its shade, opening the pouch he’d slung over one shoulder. It wasn’t a reply worth considering; not since she was a foal had Spirit ‘played’ with anyone. She was a spirited creature, hence the name, but not one much inclined to pointless frolicking. Mostly she just liked to run about and then roll for a while.
A peal of laughter prompted him to look up. The girl was on her feet again and she danced a few steps away from Spirit, her skirt swirling with the movement. The young mare followed, in a prancing step that he could swear was a mimic. She laughed again and tapped Spirit on one wither, then darted away before the horse could reciprocate. Looking at them gambol in a wide circle, he could almost believe Spirit knew the old children’s game and had been waiting all this time for someone to play it with. Harness forgotten in his lap, he watched the pair dance in the sunlight.

Her laughter carried well, through the morning air and into the castle, echoing like music in the marble halls. Clinking his way down a passage that led further back than he’d ever gone before, Touya heard the sound and started running – or tried to. Almost tripping several times on his chains, he stumbled down the hall and peeped out a few windows, then turned a corner and saw a balcony. In his eagerness he practically threw himself against the rail… and there she was. Skipping about and playing with a horse, her smile unmistakable even from here.
Sakura was smiling. And laughing. Ignore the castle around them and the silk dress flaring as she twirled and he could almost pretend they were back home again, watching his sister play in the countryside. He’d almost forgotten what that lost sparkle looked like.
“Beautiful, isn’t she?”
Touya jumped at the sound of Yue’s voice. He was standing just inches away from Touya’s left elbow, gazing contemplatively at the girl below them and looking thoroughly out of place in the morning sunshine.
“What are you doing here?”
“Is it not my castle?”
“I never see you in the day.”
Yue glanced at him, briefly, before returning his gaze to Sakura. They were well above her, out of hearing range, and it didn’t occur to her to look up. She continued to play unaware of her audience.
“Like you, I’m sure, I was drawn by her laughter. It’s been many years since I heard that sound in this castle.”
His thoughtful stare made Touya nervous and he moved in between Yue and the rail, not-too-subtly blocking his view. “You said you wouldn’t touch her.”
“You needn’t fear for her, slave, our arrangement still stands. I intend only to watch.” Touya hesitated, but Yue’s expression – he was learning to distinguish the small differences in those glacial features – was sincere. At the sound of another giggle he half-turned, unable to bear not looking at Sakura now that he could finally see her again. She and the horse had tired of their game, and now she was feeding it a handful of clover.
“Thank you,” he said, before he could stop himself. “For letting her go outside. She looks happy.”
“And that makes you happy?”
He shrugged. “I suppose.”
“It is the first time I have seen you smile.”
Was he smiling, as he watched his sister? He hadn’t realized it. Yue’s hand brushed his jaw, as if to confirm by touch, and Touya jerked his head away.
“Haven’t had much reason to,” he pointed out, a trace of his usual hostility surfacing. Yue was not put off.
“I find it intriguing all the same.”
He was closer now, his hand on Touya’s shoulder to keep him still as he leaned in. Touya could feel the tickle of his breath on his neck, could smell his scent. A half-memory, like something out of a dream, flashed through his mind and then it was gone; Touya tried to pull free.
“I’m watching my sister.”
“I didn’t tell you to stop,” Yue replied calmly. “Just… be still. I want to watch you watch her.”
He wanted to what? Touya stiffened when Yue rested his chin on his shoulder, his hands on his waist. But he did nothing more, made no move to undress him or fondle him, leaving him free to watch his sister in peace.

After a few loops about the courtyard, Spirit took to the grass and rolled enthusiastically. Starting to feel warm and rather out of breath, Sakura dropped to the earth as well, in the cool shade of a tree across from Li’s. He didn’t look up, concentrating on some kind of leatherworking project in his hands, and she watched him pull a thin strip of leather taut with his teeth before deftly braiding it with two others.
“What are you doing?”
“Harness,” he replied indistinctly. “Needs fixing.”
Sakura would have happily offered to do it for him, in exchange for this wonderful gift of being outdoors, but she didn’t know the first thing about stable equipment. And anyway he seemed to be doing just fine, his fingers moving nimbly and expertly between the strips. Just watching him made her feel lazy.
Everywhere around her, the green grass was studded with colorful wildflowers. Out of habit she gathered those she could reach, and started her own project of a flower crown. The shade was cool and the breeze refreshing, and the trickle of water spouting from the fountain almost sounded like a flowing creek. Feeling at home for the first time since her arrival, Sakura settled into her task happily and without realizing it started to hum.
When she looked up again, Li was watching her. “Oh, I’m bothering you, aren’t I? Sorry.”
“You’re not.” He raised his eyebrows at the wreath taking shape in her hands and she smiled self-consciously.
“It’s a crown… just for fun. I used to make them all the time.” Suddenly it occurred to her that this was not the wild pastures of the mountains but someone’s castle, and she squeaked. “Oh! I probably shouldn’t have picked these, should I? Will someone be angry?”
“Doubt it.” He dropped his eyes back to the harness in his hands, concentrating on a knot. “No one comes back here but me and the other men, with the horses. Gardens are in the other yards.”
“Oh, that’s good.” She relaxed and tried on her crown, then made herself comfortable against the tree. “This place is so beautiful. I haven’t had such a good day since I came here.” He raised his eyebrows at her and then glanced again at the unkept courtyard around them, and Sakura hurried to explain. “It feels a lot like the countryside back home. And I never get to go outside, I spend all day in my cage.”
“That stupid birdcage upstairs? You spend all day in that thing?”
His derisive tone surprised her, though she privately agreed. All the other servants seemed to consider it some kind of privilege. She nodded.
“Woof. No wonder you wanted outside so bad.” The reminder, however unintentional, deflated her mood a bit and she looked down. He must have seen the look and cleared his throat uncomfortably. “He always make you do that when you want something?”
Memories of the past two nights rushed through her mind, and she nodded. Still she had not even heard from her brother, who might very well hate her. And this escape, however wonderful, was only temporary. If she wanted to come outside again Ralen would only make her perform again.
“Is he allowed to do that? I thought there was some kind of rule about slaves.”
“Only that he cannot touch me,” Sakura mumbled. “And he hasn’t. At least, not in that way.” She could feel the shame clouding up on her cheeks again, and glanced up when he didn’t say anything. The captain’s expression was not easy to read, but she could swear she saw a flicker of pity in his eyes before he dropped his finished project on the grass next to him. Dread flared up at the simple action. Was he already done, would he take her back inside now? So soon?
“I got time,” he stated laconically, before she could even open her mouth. He must have seen her panic. “And so does she. We can stay out here long as you like.”
Sakura had never heard kinder words in her life.

The hours passed in a fashion akin to paradise for the young slave. Under the warm kiss of sunshine for the first time in two weeks she dozed, relaxing in the feel of fresh air and a grassy bed and absolutely no bars at all. There was a time when she sleepily opened her eyes and saw the captain performing some kind of strange movements – like his morning drills but without a sword – but her brief exercise after living idle so long had tired her. She slipped into sleep again and when she woke up once more he was returning with a grooming brush. After some begging he reluctantly allowed her to curry Spirit, though he had to demonstrate how first.
Sakura enjoyed the chore as much as the horse did, and took pains to comb her mane as well, but eventually Li glanced up at the sky and cleared his throat.
“I take morning and evening watch. Gotta go.”
“Oh.” Desperately Sakura struggled to contain her disappointment and not cry; she’d known it could not last forever. The captain had done more for her than he ought, time now to go back to her cage. A little time outside, she supposed, was better than none at all.
“Guess we better go find blondie. You know where he is right now?”
He gathered Spirit’s lead and started walking, and Sakura fell in behind with a shake of the head. He huffed a little impatiently and raked his bangs back from his forehead, then shrugged.
“I can leave her by the stable and I’ll take you looking. He’ll probably throw a fit if I let you go on alone.”
And so that is what he did, leaving the mare loosely tethered to a garden post. He walked with such long strides and Sakura had to hurry to keep up as they entered the castle and turned into a main corridor. She almost walked right into him when he stopped short.
Yue was standing before them.
Sakura squeaked and froze to the floor where she stood, the warm afterglow of her day out swept away in an instant. After two weeks of only hearing his name she’d almost forgotten what he looked like, almost forgotten his terrifying eyes that glittered like ice. His mere presence seemed the chill the hall. After ignoring her for all her time here he’d finally reappeared – why? Terrified, Sakura almost crushed the woven bouquet of flowers in her hand and stared.
“You left your cage today,” he stated coolly, voice flat without a hint of anger. “You went outside.”
It was not a question, but those hard eyes seemed to expect a response. Sakura nodded quickly, swallowing. Was she in trouble?
“Did you enjoy it?” Nonplussed by the direct question, Sakura nodded again in silence. Something like thoughtfulness flitted across Yue’s expression, his eyes losing focus for a heartbeat. “Someone else did, too.”
What? But the softly murmured words were gone, with no way to hear them again, and Yue’s eyes had turned on her once more. “You will, from this day forward, always spend part of the day outdoors. It matters not to me what you do. I will inform Ralen later tonight of the change. I trust the captain can continue to escort my slave while outside?”
Stunned, hardly able to believe her own ears, Sakura’s gaze followed Yue’s to the captain. Li looked as surprised as she felt, but if he was annoyed that he’d been assigned to her then he didn’t show it before his superior. Respectfully he bowed his head.
“Yes, my lord.”
Every day. Outside. Without Ralen. The meaning of the words filtered through Sakura’s mind and with a sudden joyful thump of the heart she realized Yue was not terrible at all.
“That is all. You are dismissed.”
Yue made as if to turn, and Sakura fumbled to use her paralyzed vocal chords.
“Wait,” she blurted, and he cast a surprised glance in her direction. “Uh… thank you. Master. I- uh…” A polite expression of gratitude was impossible, under that stare. The texture of the stems crushed between her hands triggered a reaction, and Sakura stumbled forward to thank Yue in the only way she knew how. “Will you take them?”
Utter astonishment swept away Yue’s icy mask, and Sakura almost crumpled. How stupid, how very stupid to offer the lord of the castle a bunch of wildflowers, picked from his own courtyards. Yet she didn’t drop her arms, bouquet still held out in offering. And miracle of miracles, Yue took it.
He was gone in the next moment, through a door that led to where she knew not. Li was staring at her with an expression twice as incredulous as Yue’s had been, disbelief plain on his face.
“You gave him flowers.”
Sakura ducked her head in embarrassment. “I had nothing else. And… I think perhaps no one has given him anything in a long time.”

Touya watched his sister for as long as he could, but after she retreated under the shade of the leaves for an apparent nap there was nothing more to see. It was not until then that he turned around and found he was alone on the balcony; in total silence Yue had melted away. Unsettled by this and Yue’s astute remarks, Touya retreated into the castle and found something else to take apart – this time a fascinating three-dimensional crystal mosaic of a flower. It kept him occupied all afternoon and he returned to Yue’s chambers at the required hour, when the sun had begun to sink in the western sky.
The lord of the castle arrived shortly after he did, which was to be expected, but what was very unexpected was the crystal vase of flowers he carried. Paying little attention to Touya or his blank expression, he arranged it on the small table by his chair.
“Been picking flowers?”
Yue hid a smile, brushing one light fingertip over a petal. These would stay fresh for a considerable amount of time, under his care.
“Hardly. They are a gift… from your sister.”
Touya stiffened and looked away from the bouquet, crossing his arms as best he could with his chains.
“She likes doing that, I guess.”
“Doing what?”
“Giving flowers to the men that destroy her life.”
Yue looked at his slave more carefully and saw a sharp pain in his eyes, just before he squeezed them shut and took a measured breath. Again the memory of Touya’s nightmare flashed through Yue’s mind, and on a whim he decided enough was enough.
“You misunderstand, slave. These flowers are a gift to you.”
“What?” Startled out of his misery, Touya looked up again. The desperate hope in his eyes couldn’t be ignored.
“Isn’t it obvious? She wants to see you again.” A few steps to close the distance between them, and Yue laid a hand on Touya’s shoulder. “Tonight I will not give you the choice. Dine with her. You can satisfy me when you return.”
The chains unlatched and fell away, hitting the floor with a clatter. “You know the way. Go.”
For a long moment, the sunset-lit bedchamber was silent. Touya neither moved nor said a word, watching him uncertainly. Yue returned stare with patient stare, and an involuntary glance at the floral arrangement convinced the boy. His slave almost ran out of the room.

Touya half-ran, half-walked the distance between Yue’s chambers and the room where he ate with his sister, almost frantic to see Sakura and even more afraid to. She’d cried that she never wanted to see him again, but she sent those flowers. Was she really willing to speak to him? Anxiously his heart thudded in his chest.
The tea room was empty when he arrived, save for two trays of their dinner. He paced, and before long the knob turned with a creak.
“…reeked of horse,” Ralen was complaining when the door opened. “And let’s hope that little episode didn’t make you too tired to -”
The servant almost bit his tongue in surprise when he saw Touya, and at his side Sakura gasped.
“Onii-chan!”
She looked surprised, but not angry. Touya gathered his courage and tried a tentative smile.
“Hi.”
Looking a little stunned, she stared and said nothing. Ralen, looking not only surprised but rather dismayed as well, spluttered.
“What are you doing here?”
“Don’t I always eat dinner with my sister?”
“But Yue didn’t -”
“Yes, he did. So you can go now.”
An affronted look crossed Ralen’s face at Touya’s commanding tone, but both men knew he was in no position to argue. With another spiteful glare the blonde left the room and slammed the door shut.
Sakura was still staring, wide-eyed. And now that they were alone, Touya had to pluck up the nerve to speak.
“I’m sorry,” they both said at the same time, then hesitated. Another few awkward seconds ticked by before Touya tried again.
“I’m sorry, Sakura, that I lied. I should not have deceived you like that.” He swallowed, slapped his hands against his thighs and bowed in the posture of formal contrition. “Please accept my apology.”
Sakura’s hand was already over her mouth by the time he finished speaking, shaking her head and leaking tears.
“No… no, Onii-chan! I was in the wrong, I was terrible to you! I hit you and said those awful things – I swear I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry!”
At the words didn’t mean it a profound relief swamped Touya, washing away a burden he’d been carrying for days now. Sakura did not hate him; he had not lost his only family after all.
“Stop it, Sakura, don’t cry. I’m not angry at all.” He stepped toward her and she hastily wiped away the few tears, smiling implausibly even as she cried.
“I’m glad… you’re not angry. I thought you must hate me…”
“Don’t be silly. You were upset, I understand that. I was wrong to hide things from you. I thought you hated me.”
“No, never!” He was wiping at her tears with his sleeve now, shushing her, and spontaneously Sakura reached to hug him. But the moment her arms touched his body she froze and pulled back, looking horrified and embarrassed.
“I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered, her cheeks burning pink. “That hurts, doesn’t it?”
Touya would have crawled into a hole, if he could, when he grasped what she meant. The awkward pity in her innocent green eyes was almost more than he could cope with. How can you bear it? they seemed to ask. Does he make you cry? Are you even a man anymore?
He wrapped her quickly in his arms, crushing her to his chest so that he could no longer see her face.
“Don’t worry about it, Sakura,” he muttered, his voice low and husky with shame. She knew, and there was nothing to be done about it. But she would never know what it was like. “I’m just fine. Please don’t think about it anymore.”
Her shoulders convulsed just once, in what might have been a sob, but other than that she kept herself in control. Alone save for each other in an uncaring world, brother and sister would take what comfort they could.

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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

And you all hate me. I know. I won’t beg your pardon, merely tell you that the past few months have been anything but easy. Moving back home, settling into America, two weddings, one graduation, one funeral, and in between all of it searching for a new job. There is also a particular person reading this right now who knows she is largely responsible for the delay, and though I promised I would not give her name she knows exactly who she is and is hopefully whistling guiltily right now. Of course, I did join the group voluntarily, but still. How was I supposed to know it would become such a soulsucker?

Have I untangled my writer’s block? I’m not sure I ever had any, I just plain didn’t have the time to write. What does this mean about the speed of the next chapter? It sure as heck won’t be four months, I promise you that. It’s a disappointing lapse, considering the speed with which I began the story, but I hope now I can find an even rhythm and not leave you guys hanging for weeks on end anymore. I will strive to avoid any more ‘letters to my readers’ in the future. Meanwhile, I’ve given you a nice long chapter, almost twice as long as the average chapter in this story, and I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to yell at me in your review if you must, cuz I deserve it, but try to throw in a word or two about the story as well. If you want to inspire me to keep going, that’s the best way.
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Pleasure Slave