As the night passed, Trivalm had tried to stay awake, eyes on the cage, waiting to see if Ebon would attempt to slip off again. He didn't, much to Trivalm's irritation.
The next day, a smug looking Allek was waiting outside of Sarantha's door as they departed for their morning meal, reminding Trivalm of his day's planned
education
. It was enough to make him forget about the cage.
Trivalm was torn. He knew Sarantha well enough to know that she would not allow him to come to any harm. He also knew her well enough to know that her definition of "harm" differed drastically from his own. She either anticipated or sensed his apprehension because as soon as she settled the child, she directed him to sit on a cushion next to her chair, where Ivory would normally kneel. He wasn't instructed to kneel, and not corrected when he sat, his forearms resting on his bent knees. He tried to think of what the change in positioning could mean, but could only concentrate on one thing. After he finished his meal, Sarantha began to stroke his hair. Gently, as if to comfort, she guided his head to rest on her thigh.
It felt odd, accepting such comfort. The position and the gesture was soothing, making him want to relax into the role, even as his skin prickled with apprehension. But he forced himself to remember that it was Sarantha who was causing such distress, Sarantha who was putting him in this position.
Finally, she looked down at him. Slowly, without speaking, Trivalm lifted his head to look back, silently hoping she would see the terror in his eyes. For the first time since he was a child, he prayed for pity.
A small smile flirted on her lips. "Are you sure you do not wish herbs to calm you, little slave? I will be speaking with the King; I will not be able to come soothe you."
"No, Mistress. No herbs." Trivalm tried to keep his voice even, but it came out as a plea, one he knew reached his eyes.
"As long as you don't require them, I will not force them on you." She gave a small sigh. "Come."
He obediently trailed after his Mistress, his unease growing as Alaliya fell into step beside her, and Allek behind him. When the group reached the intricately carved door, Allek stepped to the front of the group and knocked. When it opened, no questions were asked. Trivalm supposed that with his boy living here, the Captain was a frequent visitor.
The free citizens moved through the door. Trivalm knew he should follow. He knew that if he didn't, he would be made to follow, and punished for such blatant disobedience and disrespect. But his feet wouldn't move. The trio turned back to look at him. Alaliya frowned. Allek smirked. Sarantha said something, but Trivalm couldn't hear over the roaring in his ears. Those lips pursed, showing her displeasure. A slight tilt of her head, and those lips moved again. Trivalm's eyes slid to the open doors, seemed to catch on an image of two men, one on his hands and knees with his buttocks pressed against another man's groin. He couldn't move. Couldn't think.
He couldn't do this.
A hand on his bicep startled him. His eyes snapped forward. He expected Sarantha, but instead found Alaliya standing before him. Her eyes held a sympathy he'd never seen from her before. She almost looked human in that moment.
Trivalm shook his head, trembling, his voice shaky. "No. I can't." He took a step back. He hadn't fled in fear since he was a child.
"Yes, you can, General." It was nearly a whisper. It was the first time that Alaliya had referred to any of them as anything other than "slave" or their name.
It caught Trivalm's attention, as it was meant to. "You don't understand."
"I do. Calm yourself. You will do this because it is ordered of you. Your Mistress commands your education. We have done for you what we can in this matter. Convince her. To do that you must convince the boy." She pressed her lips for a second, as if thinking. "Do not make this harder on yourself than it need be." With that, without waiting to see if he would respond, her voice returned to it's normal commanding tone. "Come, slave. Or Captain Allek will assist you."
Even though he knew it was foolish, Alaliya's words strengthened him more than anything else could have. The previous day he had been worried at her involvement, but it seemed she supported him, honestly cared for his best interests and mental health in that moment. Vaguely, he remembered overhearing a conversation in the training room. Alaliya never forced sex on anyone, not even slaves, for any reason. Alaliya didn't agree with this, but neither she or Ehrik had ever denied Sarantha anything.
But he didn't have time to try to figure out the woman's motivations. Even though Alaliya's back was to him, Sarantha and Allek's eyes were still glued to him expectantly.
Slowly, Trivalm forced one foot to slide in front of the other. The act was exhausting, as if he were a babe taking his first steps. Eventually, they got to the room they had visited before, the one that homed Allek's boy.
As soon as they entered, Braym jumped to his feet. The poor boy looked worried. "Master, I must speak with you. Please."
If Trivalm had been thinking clearly, he would have heard the panic in the boy's voice, would have realized that this was a conversation he should pay attention to. But the only thing Trivalm could do was stare at the dungeon chair situated in the room. It was similar to the one Alaliya had strapped Raikol into on their first day there, but had obviously been modified to be more severe. There were more straps, which were thicker. As Trivalm focused on them, he noticed the insides of them had some type of studded metal on them. In addition to the strap across the forehead, there was one lower, across the throat. Trivalm tried to focus, to pay attention to the conversation taking place just feet from him. The only thing that snapped him out of his stupor was Sarantha's gentle hand on his cheek.
"You will inform me immediately should anything inappropriate happen. The boys here know they are not to touch you. Their owners understand the order comes from me. You will watch and learn."
Trivalm could only stand mute, staring down at her.
"You will be fetched for midday meal, but Braym will give you water if you desire it. If you behave, I have given him permission to allow you movement. If you give him any trouble, misbehave in any way, it will be his owner to dole punishment. Do not disappoint me, little slave."
And then she was gone. Trivalm didn't even remember her turning to leave but suddenly she was absent in the room. He also didn't remember Allek or Alaliya moving. Before Trivalm could process what was happening, a cloth was placed over his nose and mouth. Taking a deep breath, Trivalm...
...Slowly lifted his head. The room seemed to be shifting and his temples throbbed dully. He attempted to lift his hands, to massage the ache away, but pain encircled his wrists when he tried. He squeezed his eyes shut a moment, desperate to clear his mind and focus. When he opened them Braym's frowning face filled his vision.
"Drink." The boy pressed a cup to the other slave's lips, huffing when the stubborn man didn't obey. "The pain won't go away until you drink. It will get worse."
Trivalm still refused. He would not take anything from this boy, didn't trust it not to be laced with herbs.
Braym seemed disinterested. He simply stood in front of Trivalm until the bound slave's face started to twist with anguish. Finally, Trivalm, unable to take the incessant pounding, tipped his face and opened his mouth to take the water offered to him. The more that slid down his throat, the more the throbbing eased and his vision cleared. Greedily, he gulped down the entire cup, gasping for more when it was gone. He was thankful when the boy obliged.
Braym moved back to his bed and sat silently. The two slaves spent several moments simply staring at each other wearily, their minds working to solve two very different problems.
