|
|
Post by fallenraen on Oct 4, 2017 17:43:15 GMT -6
Wishing for a Change
Featuring Axenus and Phoebe
Setting: Valore, Eithne
Time period: Somewhere between chapters I & III
Human!AU
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Oct 5, 2017 0:00:29 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
His parents owned slaves. Ever since he could walk, they were an early memory in his childhood. Slaves working around the household, doing chores and scurrying around to get their work done briskly. They never mattered much, just a normal day of growing up with the usual people around the building. Sometimes they would flinch from the young child, his attitude making them nervous as did his romping around. They worried he would get them into trouble, or even get their masters to hell at them. But Axenus? He paid them no mind, shrugging them off as if they were nothing. To him, they weren’t. To his parents, they were valuable.
When he became a Chevalier and began to see more and more of them did he realize they were nothing but people like him, only working too much and forcefully under their owners. Some were nice, others were… distasteful. It made him feel bad for them when he saw them closer, especially labour slaves who were nothing but replaceable. He despised it, wanted an end put to any and all slavery but as one man, what power did he have for any of it?
There’d been one slave girl he’d grown to love, her stealing a small place in his heart that he made sure to hold close. Phoebe, the shy little slave girl who tried and tried everyday to go on, fragile and so worried about too much either of herself or something she did. Everyday he went to keep his eyes on the working slaves, he made sure he saw her and gave her a smile with his greeting, conversing whenever the time allowed for him to. She’d warmed up to him slowly, but at least her face brightened whenever he came around.
With the days passing, an idea had come into his mind: however difficult it might be, could he not purchase the slave as his own? Axenus knew that, while labour slaves got tossed like trash once they became useless, they were precious to the government and would not easily give into his requests. His beliefs were that even they could not turn down huge sums of money, that of which his parents had, for one simple slave. Would Phoebe agree to the idea or would her thoughts differ from his own when it came to him still technically owning her?
It was what he wanted to find out, walking down the streets to the area he was assigned to and casually peeking around for the girl. It’d have to be a silent conversation, not wanting everyone to know what he’d had planned. It wasn’t something he could get in trouble for, not that he knew of, but he’d rather the rest of the Chevaliers keep their nose in their own business. As much as he respected them and treated them with kindness, he didn’t appreciate those stepping where they didn’t belong.
Word Count: 487 | Post #1
|
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Oct 5, 2017 18:00:31 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day Days had slowly turned to weeks. It had been one of the few times Phoebe had made a friend, one she looked eagerly forward to seeing everyday, though she was shy to admit so. It had begun on the first day when he’d stepped in to help her clean up after she’d spilled paint over the cobblestone street and then take her to garden to plant early flowers around the building instead, and afterwards it had become an almost daily routine of interacting. Talking, sharing quiet laughs. Gaining her trust had almost been easy for Axenus, much easier than Phoebe might have originally thought when she really did keep to herself for the most part. Her friends were far and few in between, ones that she could count on her fingers of how many she had ever had and then lost due to one reason or another.
Every time she began to see him, she began to become afraid it would be one of the last. Would he grow tired of her stutters? Her stumbles? Would he be stationed outside the city? What if he was ever sent away? Maybe it was a curse that followed her, the shadow of an illegitimate child that had never been supposed to be. Perhaps friends were never hers to have, yet those thoughts were quickly dispelled when Axenus reassured her that he was there for her. He wasn’t going anywhere.
It carried her over until the next day while she waited to see him, working as she always did beside the other slaves under the sun. A new project, a new routine, but it was always the same: sun up, work, sun down, sleep. Phoebe didn’t do much else. There were no street races she participated in, no books that she tried to read within the walls of the sanctum offered to the labor slaves beyond the district. No friends she gathered around to converse with, no games played. She was a child mostly by herself unless she managed to trail behind someone she knew a little bit of, trying to include herself in what she could before it was lights out for all the slaves in the district and cramped spaces to sleep in.
She’d been kneeling, elbows high in the dirt as they said planting for a new building with decoration outside of it, when a familiar face caught her attention: Axenus. He’d come by! A shy smile lifted up the corners of her mouth as she sat back, waving to him. “Axenus! You have this duty again?” She was glad she got to see her new friend, though something about him was off. She lowered her hand before beginning to take the gloves off, wondering if everything was alright with him. Was something up?
Post count: #1 | Word count: 464
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Oct 5, 2017 23:52:33 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
A few Chevaliers had greeted him as he passed, his response mostly hurried and distracted with a small nod before he continued his hunt for his friend. There were lots of slaves around, either painting or cleaning or planting, though he was sure to offer a smile to those who peeked in his direction to show he acknowledged them. His friend? She wasn’t easy to miss, spotting her near a flower bed for which she was meant to work at for the day.
She had seen him, and he’s seem the way a smile tipped up her lips because he’d shown up. At some point in the day, he made it his job to see her. He enjoyed the time they spent together, even if he was covered in paint or dirt from the job he chose to help her with. He stopped by her when he approached, tipping his head down a bit to look at the girl still kneeling when she asked him a question.
“Yes and no,” was his response, having really decided that it would be his duty while he took the time to speak to her about what was on his mind. He glanced around, eyeing a few of the others before he crouched down besides her and stole a tool to help her with her job. “We can continue working,” he told her, nodding towards the flowerbed when he caught the look of concern that crossed her face. Had he looked like he’d been worried? It may have been the eagerness and the way he was constantly thinking that might have made him look so, but he wasn’t… worried. Was he?
“I’ve been going over something in my head,” he admitted, keeping his focus on the work ahead of them so they didn’t look suspicious. “For quite a bit, actually. Though I’ve been meaning to talk to you, I haven’t decided to until now. Uh… all I wanted was to talk, if I could steal a couple moments of your time to… see what you thought about it all.” That time he looked at her, head turned slightly so he could glance at her from the corners of his eyes. What would she think about his idea anyways? Would she think it ridiculous and laugh it off-- no. Phoebe wasn’t like that. Still, he bit his lower lip as if he was feeling a bit nervous.
Word Count: 402 | Post #2 |
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Oct 6, 2017 1:26:32 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day He looked nervous. Phoebe was about to take off her gloves and stand up to go if he needed her elsewhere, though was surprised when he instead crouched down beside her. Yes and no he was assigned to watch the slaves? Her head tipped to the side in confusion, not understanding what he meant by that. Had he asked to supervise them? Not that he was really doing so as much as he was stealing her tools, a small pout coming to her face before she did as he’d told her to do: continue working. Maybe he simply wanted to keep busy than sit there and talk, she figured. It wasn’t as though it was for the reason another Chevalier might question him talking to her, was it?
No, it couldn’t have been. The Chevaliers were allowed to pull away slaves to converse with them about their job or assign them somewhere else on a project or even to another district. They wouldn’t have batted an eye to Axenus speaking with her, so she wondered what it was as they planted. Her gaze flickered up briefly when she didn’t have to question for long, Axenus admitting he’d been going over something in his head? Something like what? Did it have to do with a boy or girl? He hadn’t come to her for relationship advice, had he? The dread of such an idea slowly crept in, Phoebe hoping her friend realized she’d never dated once in her life and couldn’t offer any expertise on the subject.
It quickly, however, was a worry cast aside. He’d been meaning to talk to her? “You can talk to me any time, you know…” But it hadn’t been until then. So what could it be? He had all the time she could give him, patiently waiting for him to explain more while she watched him for that moment work until their gazes met. “What - what is ‘it all’? Is it something… serious?” she asked, leaning closer to almost whisper. Was it a secret? Was that why he’d sat beside her rather than pulling her away, working as she did on the same project though he didn’t have to?
There were too many questions and not enough answers, yet, so Phoebe gave him the time to collect his thoughts as she returned to her job.
Post count: #2 | Word count: 390
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Oct 6, 2017 2:04:12 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
If he wasn’t patrolling or training, he was assigned to a specific area in which he was meant to supervise the working slaves. It didn’t necessarily need to be the area Phoebe was working in, though a lot of the times he did his best to get that area so he could be closer to her. That time? He hadn’t really been assigned to her, though he made it seem as if he’d been looking for someone in that area for some important reason. They wouldn’t question him, allowing him the bit of time before he did have to head back and finish his work elsewhere.
Instead, he was stealing one of Phoebe’s tools for her job so he could look like he was working, which he was, instead of chatting with her. She’d pouted, but he wasn’t making it so that she couldn’t work at all while he did. There were other tools, and he’d only taken one. If only his question had been as simple as some relationship advice, though the Chevalier didn’t roll that way really and he wouldn’t burden the slave girl with such a silly problem.
“I know, I know,” he replied to her, shaking his head slowly. If he wasn’t worrying so much about how she would react, maybe he wouldn’t have been as nervous. He poked at the dirt a bit with the stolen tool, brows furrowed as he thought well on how to word the going ons in his head. “I was thinking… I’m not exactly sure how possible it is really with the way this government works. Labour slaves are obviously important to the herd, and we all know why.” They worked for them, did the hard and dirty work while getting barely anything in return. Maybe it was a stupid idea…
“If I’d been given the opportunity, if I was granted the permission, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy you.” It sounded weird the way he worded it, already hating how the entire thing was starting off. Nice going, Axenus. You’re probably going to scare her off for sounding like a creep. “You wouldn’t be… mine? I mean, you would but that’s only because I can’t grant you the freedom I would like to give you or any of these slaves… but I’m sure it would be a better life than this,” he sighed, tapping his thumb along the handle of the tool he held, keeping his eyes focused on it rather than on her. How big of an idiot did he look like for suggesting such a thing? Should have given it more thought…
“I wouldn’t blame you if you told me no. I understand it’s probably too much to take in, but it’s something to think about,” he mumbled, peeking up to make sure no one had been listening in. “If you would rather talk about this elsewhere, we could do that too. I’ll just tell them we need to gather some tools quickly and we could step away momentarily. Would you like that instead?”
Word Count: 506 | Post #3 |
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Oct 6, 2017 19:38:45 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day He could have easily spoken to her without needing to assist her in her work. She wouldn’t have minded if he’d spoken while she’d continued to do her job, though she guessed it might have been more than always helping her regardless of if he had to or not. He always seemed to want to, something she continued to not fathom, and that time he must have needed to keep his hands busy to avoid fidgeting. Though, that hadn’t seemed to work well when he’d ended up poking at the dirt with the stolen tool, getting a small smile out of the girl before her gaze had fallen to her own task at hand.
Anyone else might have teased it was dangerous for him to think, a joke of smoke or something she’d never understood the phrase of, but she let him speak of how unsure he was if his idea would be possible with how the government worked. What had he meant by that? She peeked over at him, blinking at the remark that followed. Over the weeks she’d gotten to know him, he hadn’t been like some of the other Chevaliers. While most didn’t mind slavery, even encouraged it when their needs were tended to and their city was made to look beautiful, Axenus had seemed hesitant to agree every time.
And then she found out the reason he’d come to speak with her: he wanted to buy her. The phrasing was not unusual, masters bought their slaves that had always been a fact, but her? He wanted to purchase her? She almost dropped her tool in surprise, opening her mouth. She didn’t know what to say. He wanted to grant her freedom, all of them freedom, and it’d been the first time anyone had ever said that to her. He wanted her free.
Were those tears? She blinked, feeling them gather at the corner of her eyes before she sat back again to remove one of her gloves and wipe at them before anyone else saw and could wonder why the slave girl would be crying. “R-really…? You’d - you’d want to…” Purchase her? Save her? She was at lost, no one have ever offering her the decision to tell them how she felt of such an idea. She’d only ever been put back up on the block to sell after master after master, never satisfying any. Why would he ever want to deal with that?
Because she was his friend as much as he was hers. Weren’t friends supposed to sacrifice for one another? Help one another? “I… I don’t really know what to say - but here - here is fine,” she reassured him, shaking her head when he’d asked her if she’d rather them speak elsewhere. “Would we… do you think it’s possible?” Was it bad to hope that it was? Chevaliers, as far as she knew, didn’t need to keep slaves in the barracks as they had trusted labor slaves to. Would she stay with his parents he’d mentioned before then?
Her thoughts were jumping from one possibility to the next, possibly getting too far ahead of herself, before she reminded herself to get back to work. They couldn’t draw attention to themselves, right? She let out a small breath, putting her glove back on to continue working. It was difficult to focus.
Post count: #3 | Word count: 557
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Oct 6, 2017 21:49:37 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
He sure felt the smoke coming out of his head, the gears turning and grinding together. How often was it that he worried about something so much? Rarely ever, but this slave somehow managed to climb to the top of his list of things he worried about. She was such a sweet little girl, a good friend in the time they’d known each other. There was a better life out there for her, and he hoped that he could be the one to give it.
When he turned his head to actually look at her, to see what it was she had thought of his ridiculous plan, he’d caught the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Axenus’ mouth opened, wanting to say something, anything, but the words never left. She was just as sensitive as always, but the response definitely wasn’t a bad one. He knew she was just surprised because who ever really asked what a slave wanted? It’d been like the time he’d offered to help and wanted to do all of the work. Phoebe just didn't understand why.
Despite her tears, a small smile actually formed onto his lips, tipping the corners upwards. Why wouldn’t he want to purchase her? Maybe she was clumsy sometimes, but they’d gone over that when they met that no one was perfect. While Axenus wasn’t always the most patient, he wouldn’t have stuck around if he had been tired of her. There were people he couldn’t handle, but she was not one of them. The boy reached his hand over, brushing his thumb beneath her eyes to take away her tears before she had taken off her own gloves to do it herself. “I would want to, yes,” he told her with a nod. If there was nothing else he could do for her, that was the best option.
“I don’t expect an answer now, there’s plenty of time for that. I was simply… giving you a choice to pick what you would prefer to do.” Even if she wanted to be free, it didn’t mean she wanted to be with him, not owned anyways. He couldn’t give her the freedom that many would expect, but the life of a servile slave was better than that of a labour slave’s usually. Under himself? He knew he could provide better for her, make her happier if he tried. He wouldn’t expect much from her, really anything at all unless she would chose to help around. Nothing difficult, nothing too exhausting. He would give her the rest.
She wanted to talk there, so he respected her decision and kept himself crouched as he had been before, tool still in hand. “I don’t know,” he admitted, turning the tool around in his hand before he continued the work he’d been doing. “I, uh… if it is possible, I believe it will be very difficult. But I’m hoping, and I’m praying to Lord Ignacio, that they will somehow allow me to. Honestly? Who can deny such a large amount of money?” He hoped they didn’t look at him like he was an idiot and turn him down, but that possibility was also there. Still, for Phoebe, he would hold onto the bit of hope there was. She deserves so much better. Please let there be hope.
Word Count: 553 | Post #4 |
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Oct 8, 2017 23:58:05 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day Servile slaves were expected to help around the house, however. Tend to the gardens, water the plants, wash the dishes, dust the shelves. They cleaned, they served. What if she broke something that belonged to him or his parents? What if something accidentally got ruined? She couldn’t bring herself to ask those worries, those fears that she couldn’t be a good enough slave for him, when he reached over to wipe her tears before they even got the chance to roll down her cheeks. All she could do was offer him a smile, at lost for words that he would want her of all people.
There were plenty of other slaves to buy if he could have, others surely suffering more than herself. Why hadn’t he chosen any of them to bring to whatever higher up he needed to? The commander? Advisers? The king himself? She knew little of the boy king, but she doubted even he could say ‘no’ to only one labor slave of an entire force being bought and placed elsewhere. “You… you already have my answer, Axenus. If it’s possible… if - if it’s even allowed… I wouldn’t mind - it wouldn’t be so bad to live with you.” Sort of. There were days Chevaliers had off, vacations, and she knew she wouldn’t see him during those unless he came out of his way to seek her out. Not that they could really talk on those days unless he helped in her work as he did then but off duty.
She continued to work alongside him, though one phrase made the girl frown: such a large amount of money. “Axenus… how much money - what are you going to put aside?” For her? She looked unsure, doubting that she was worth whatever he was willing to hand over to the city for a single slave. Was he thinking such a plan through all the way? What would his parents say? She bit her bottom lip, working until another question came up and she stole another glance up at him when her question before had had her look at him. “Who do we, um, ask? About this sort of thing? Do we go to your commander or-or…?” She prayed not someone higher than them.
She didn’t think she would be able to handle presenting herself before any sort of nobility or the king himself. It was no doubt that her words would shake, her fingers tremble. She was terrified to potentially go to court to petition for her “release” from the labor slaves. Could she stand for the possible rejection they might face it was from the boy king’s own lips or those who advised him? Surely she’d cry, and that was something she wanted to try and avoid if her fragile heart could.
Post count: #4 | Word count: 464
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Oct 9, 2017 13:03:35 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
If it were at his parent’s house, then perhaps they would expect her to work a bit. They didn’t share the same views as he did, though were aware, but they did treat their slaves kindly and Phoebe would be treated as so. Still, he would at least let them know that she was his slave and he dealt with her, especially when she was so sensitive and probably would break at any possible scoldings. No, he wouldn’t allow that to happen, but she couldn’t stay in the barracks with him.
He knew she was already wondering why her. That much was no surprise when it came to her, but she also knew that he couldn’t save every slave even if he wanted. He’d never even thought to buy a slave until recently, the idea only coming up then. Had it come up earlier, he would have tried something. Still, hearing her agree to his idea made him grin like a fool, him having to turn his face a bit more so she couldn’t see it. Don’t go getting your hopes up, Ax. Don’t get her hopes up either… but he couldn’t help getting a little excited. Was it wrong? A possibility of something better for her did make him happy, and he wanted to make her happy as well.
Her next question made him pause, blinking as he turned his head to see the expression on her face. “Phoebe… It shouldn’t matter how much would be put aside-- I don’t care how much will have to be put aside,” he told her. “As long as they say yes, I don’t care what they ask for. My family has enough and I have enough. And the money is even going on something that’s worth it.” Unlike gambling which his parents would prefer him stop anyways. This time, he was actually gaining rather than losing. The entire idea was worth it for him, expensive or not.
“That is something I’ve yet to find out, actually,” he admitted, setting his tool down momentarily to brush his hand through his hair. He’d gotten so excited that he pretty much ran over without finding out more about it. “I will, uh. I’ll let you know when I do, of course. I won’t leave you in the dark about any of it. As soon as I find out, I will let you know everything.” And hopefully by then, she would be his (sort of). He chewed on his lip, thinking about what options there were if they didn’t accept his request. What else was there for them if she was required to stay a labour slave? He almost sighed, but held it back rather than making the girl worried about whatever was going on in his mind. It’ll be fine. Right, Ignacio? Things will work out in the end. One way or another...
Word Count: 478 | Post #5 |
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Oct 15, 2017 20:39:31 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day Axenus wasn’t a fool, though Phoebe did worry. What if they did get their hopes up too high, too soon? What if they were turned down? What would he do then? She’d kept her thoughts to herself, twirling her tool into the dirt a little before she picked up the point that had been digging into the ground and covered it back up with the surrounding soil to pat gently. “I care…” she commented softly when he told her that he did not about the cost it would take, if they even could, to get her out of the labor force. She peeked up at him from under her eyelashes, though she was no longer afraid of getting snapped at or scolded by him. Their weeks together had only shown his gentlest of sides despite the rumors of how ruthless he could be in training or when influenced by alcohol and put into a bad mood.
Axenus was not who she feared. It was rejection that she worried for, those above them that would turn such a simple request down. They didn’t even care about her or any of them the way he and some other of the Chevaliers did. Why did the city hold onto them so tightly, so fearfully, but did nothing when they passed away? They did nothing when they were crushed by the rubble they were sent to repair, nothing when few died from the fumes of too much paint over the years that had contaminated their lungs. As a labor slave, no one was expected to live long. Phoebe had known her fate the moment her last master had signed her over to the city, walking away with shards in her purse that jingled. One she’d even accepted it, knowing she would meet the gods one day while working for the city, but since meeting Axenus she had become afraid. She didn’t want to leave him or that life however pitiful it might have seemed. It was the only life she had, one she wanted to fill with just more than being a slave that worked tirelessly for the city.
She sighed softly, knowing there was no changing his mind. “Just… just try not to… upset your parents by spending too much -- if… if they even agree,” she told him, looking at him to make sure he heard her words before her blue gaze fell back to their work. Who did he go to to ask? There was another glance stolen to him when he’d admitted to not knowing, almost finding it cute that he had come straight to her first rather than finding out if it was possible in the first place. That was so like her friend, Axenus. Always rushing headfirst into things, never taking much time to plan them out. He really wasn’t a planner as he’d told her that first day. She couldn’t help but smile.
“Are you - are you staying here with me until then?” she asked, something she could be hopeful for freely without fear. They could work until either his shift was done or the slaves were escorted back to their “home” by those that watched over them. If not, and if he had more important things to do than plant with her, Phoebe wasn’t worried of that kind of rejection. He’d come back. If not, then she’d wait. She always did.
Post count: #5 | Word count: 564
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Nov 8, 2017 3:40:46 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
There were other solutions. Surely, if this plan happened to not work out, there would be something else. Axenus had his heart and mind on helping her in any way he could, so he would search through his brain for possible solutions and go A through Z until something worked out. Eventually, something had to. He would make sure of it or throw a fit to everyone involved who wouldn’t give him his request.
Phoebe cared. He looked at her, his brows furrowing. It was just money. He’d had so much of it and so easily that he didn’t see it as so important that he couldn’t toss it where he wanted. To them, it practically grew on trees. Whatever he spent was easily replaced and so would whatever he planned on putting down for Phoebe. “My parents are already upset enough with me,” he admitted to her, glancing down at the work she was doing in the dirt. “I have my own problems here and there, ones they would like for me to stop. I, uh… I spend a lot of money, for one, but this is different.” Would his words reassure her at all or were they pointless? He knew how she was and he doubted she would really changed her mind because he tried.
“I’m spending on something important, so they would just have to understand -- Not that they’d even say anything to begin with.” They learned to not question their son anymore, figuring he would never change as they wanted him to. He was destined to be addicted to spending at casinos and bars or the Pearl if he happened to go there. It was who he was. “They’re harmless. They won’t do anything to you, and they won’t say anything to me. You’ll be safe -- I’ll keep you safe.” It was his duty as a Chevalier, but also his duty as a friend. Nothing would stand in between them.
“I could stay with you for a bit, help with what needs to get done.” If anyone questioned him, he’d simply tell them that he was needed there instead and that would be that. He wasn’t afraid that someone would catch on to what his real plan was. And if they did, so what? Considering anyone agreed at all, some would realize he’d gotten a slave in his possession and probably realize which one it was. They wouldn’t be able to do much then, so he wasn’t worrying. “Do you want me to stay?”
Word Count: 418 | Post #6 |
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Jan 13, 2018 18:27:04 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day
This is different. Different than what? What else did he spend money on that his parents could possibly be upset with him about? Was it the drinking she’d heard of? There were rumors of his temper from that, though Phoebe wasn’t brave enough to ask what else could possibly get under the bad side of his parents that he likely did. What if buying her upset them as well? Why would he waste money on a slave while he was still a Chevalier, any needs taken care of by those like her that worked and lived in the Valiant District rather than the Dark as she did?
She was quiet, turning over his reassurance in her head. He was spending on something important. Someone important to him. It was almost baffling to the girl that she could be so important to someone, anyone practically aside from that of her mother that she knew, enough for them to attempt to buy her freedom - or as much of it as they could. “... are you sure they wouldn’t mind?” she inquired softly, peeking up at him from her work from under her lashes before she glanced away. “I mean… I mean if this plan works… because I honestly wouldn’t mind being with you - I know you’d keep me safe, Axenus. It is your job.” As well as him just being a friend, she understood that.
There was a shy smile offered his way, the girl nodding when he then offered to stay and help. “I’d like that. Could we… Is it okay if we continue talking? Everything… just planning until you find who you ask, of-of course.” Hypothetical. She hadn’t found the word, so “just planning” working while she’d searched for it before giving up.
“Do you visit your parents often?” Would he visit her if she stayed with them as his slave? It was what she was really asking, but she also understood that he wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea of “owning” her. As a master, that would most definitely be a first. She couldn’t help but wonder if there would be any expectations of her, not helping to worry that if she had nothing to do there she would be of little purpose aside from waiting patiently for him to return on the days he had off from work. Would she be allowed to help his parents around their home? Did they have a garden she could help tend to? Maybe they could plant one together she could try to keep alive, be useful.
She was thinking over it all, jumping ahead, without really thinking what if they were denied. What would they do then? She bit the inside of her cheek, wondering what they would do while she worked. “Hey… Axenus?” she brought up, stealing another glance to him. “What… what do we do if someone higher says - says ‘no’?” Did they give up? Try to appeal to them? She didn’t know what other options were there, frowning. As nice as dreams were to have, she didn’t want his crushed.
Post count: #6 | Word count: 511
OOC: I'm sorry it took me so long to post here ♡
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Jan 15, 2018 23:04:57 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
The work in front of him had turned into a bit less than actual work, most poking at the dirt with the tool he held or just drifting away from reality into his own thoughts. It was overworking itself, trying to come up with any other options should that one fail them. He only came to again when Phoebe spoke up, his head shaking and eyes shifting over to meet hers.
“My parents wouldn’t say no to other slaves in the house,” he told her. Even if it was one of their own son’s. They would expect her to work, only he didn’t as much. Just as much as she could handle without tiring or stressing herself too much. Ax wanted it easier on her, and his parents would have to accept his wishes or he would move her elsewhere for themselves, a smaller place that could be their own home or something. “You’ll have friends there, at least. Most of them are very nice, I can’t see why they wouldn’t like you.” She was sweet and kind. He really didn’t know who couldn’t like her.
He shifted himself to get more comfortable, dropping one knee to the ground rather than being crouched down, and looked around. No one had seemed to bring their attention to them yet, so that was good. Everyone was minding their own business, doing their own work. “I visit my parents as often as I can. Don’t worry, Phoebe,” he told her, glancing back at her with a smile. “I’m not going to drop you there and just never visit again. I’ll visit you more if you’ll be there. I’ll make more time just to see you.” A promise without telling her it was a promise, in case things came up and couldn’t make it for a few days. He would try.
He’d tried to go back to work, despite his mind working double at that moment, and only got distracted by Phoebe’s voice when she spoke up again. What if they said no? He couldn’t tell her that they wouldn’t, because he really didn’t know, so he gave her a nudge with his elbow and said, “Then we figure out something else. I won’t give up on this. I won’t give up on you.” She was his number one priority and no matter what, he would find a way to help her and free her (as well as he could).
Word Count : 406 | Post #7 |
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Mar 22, 2018 18:43:23 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day He had to be thinking a lot which, considering his offer, was expected. They had to plan for her arrangements, who to speak to in the first place to see if he could purchase her from the city and fill out whatever papers he had to. She didn’t own any possessions, so physically moving her or any belongings would be easy as all she had were the clothes and shoes given to her for her to wear. There would be, however, discussing with his parents and finding her a room. Were the slaves given rooms? Were they one of those noble families that had a smaller, separate house for the slaves?
There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask, nibbling on her bottom lip in thought until he replied that his parents wouldn’t say ‘no’ to another slave. Why would they have? If she could help around the house, or even in a garden or something, then that was less work and stress on their shoulders. She smiled a little, reassured. “That’d be… nice,” she commented when he continued speaking, telling her of the friends she could have. It was somewhat embarrassing, though probably evident, that Phoebe did not have many friends. She could count them on one hand - and that was including her own mother she rarely was able to steal chances at being able to see.
It was nothing she brought up as she worked, wondering what those other slaves would be like. Were they nice? Mean? She peeked up a glance at him before smiling, looking back to her work. “Though, Axenus… even - even if they don’t like me… I still have you, right?” He was her friend. If she was able to be bought by him and live in his parent’s home, then he was all she needed. “So I would be - I would be okay, I think.” As long as he came to visit her, and she visibly brightened a little to him saying that he would visit her more often than he already could. Really?
“What would we do? If we could… or if we couldn’t? I mean…” she trailed off, focusing on the job before them and biting the inside of her cheek as she thought, “there is… moving me. If you can’t buy me for your own, maybe… maybe you could… or maybe I could be transferred? I could work really hard, be a really good slave, and maybe - maybe I could go to the Valiant District with you,” she suggested, letting that little bit of hope that had filled her chest bloom like a flower. Was it crazy, if she couldn’t be purchased, to hope for something else possibly unable to be accomplished as well?
Some slaves never moved from the Dark District. What chance was there that she, merely Phoebe, would be trusted enough to carry the supplies and weapons of the Chevaliers or to clean their barracks and swords? It could take years unless she really did try to prove herself, yet some doubt crept into her expression. Who would want such a clumsy slave such as herself mucking up the Valiant District or ruining a mission for the soldiers? She didn’t bring such negativity into their conversation, frowning down at the dirt.
Post count: #7 | Word count: 546
|
|
|
|
Post by corruptedcorvid on Mar 24, 2018 17:14:47 GMT -6
[ Axenus ]
It was a picture he tried to paint into his head, of the chance of her getting a better life if he was able to take her from the one she had. There was a bigger house, her own bed to worry about, and better food to eat. The space was definitely bigger and her work wouldn’t be as messy or tiring. She would be given breaks and rest, and he would even give her his room to keep as her own when the barracks was his home until he got to head back there. He’d claim the floor during visits and they could have a… sleepover? The thought almost made him laugh, but he did wonder: was that sort of life really ideal?
A slave life surely wasn’t, but he knew it would be a better thing for her. He watched the girl beside him with gentle eyes, a ghost of a smile on his face. Whatever he could get for her with the power he had, he would do it. Anything for her. She agreed it would be nice even, so it had to be perfect unless there was another option he wasn’t seeing. What else could there be…?
The Chevalier chuckled, Phoebe’s words amusing him when she went on about the possibility of them not liking her. His head shook, the tip of the tool digging into the dirt before he brushed his hand over his hair and watched her. “Not like you? I hardly see how that’s possible, Phoebe. You’re the sweetest thing out there, honestly one of my favourite people. Out of everyone in my life, you stand on the top of my list.” The best thing that ever happened to him. “But,” he said, turning the tool in his hand as he looked down at it to distract himself, “if you want to go on with the ‘what ifs’, then yeah. You always have me. I promise.” And that would be ok.
She went on worrying again after and the boy couldn’t help but to give a little sigh at her, peeking at her from the corner of his eyes. “We will figure it out in that case,” he said. There were more solutions, more time to think and talk. Whatever didn’t work, they would simply come up with something else that would work. Axenus refused to leave his friend behind, that was for sure. He wasn’t going to let her stay there much longer. “I will… look around for more solutions. I will look at every single possibility there is and I will get you out of here.”
His tool was set aside, dropped onto the ground besides him as he turned his body towards the slave who he noticed had a sudden change of mood. So much worry with this one. Would that ever change? He reached forward, taking the hand that she used to work and putting his over hers so she would stop and listen. “Phoebe. We will work things out. If my plan now doesn’t work, fine. There are other ways — Even if you would be switched to the Valiant District, is that what you would really want? Maybe temporarily, but not forever. You’re a good person, forget about being a ‘good slave’. I do not think of you as a slave. There’s so much more to you than that and you deserve better.” All of them did.
“So whatever is going on in that head of yours, don’t let it. I’ve got you, alright? I just want you to trust in me and have faith that things will get better, but they may take some time.” And they had that. They had plenty of time. It wouldn’t be as fast as he hoped, but they had time. Some people weren’t lucky enough to get even that.
Word Count: 639 | Post #8 |
|
|
|
Post by fallenraen on Mar 24, 2018 21:00:25 GMT -6
Phoebe
Find hope in your dreams; tomorrow will be a better day A lot of people hadn’t liked her. Her father, the masters that had followed him close to home. There were some mean slaves among the labor slaves as well, however few when they all were understandably in the same boat and no one was better than the other (nor really getting out of their situation unless they ran away from everything they knew), though she let him reassure her. When he said she was one of the sweetest things out there? Her face warmed, her gaze flicking away from him as she focused on their gardening.
One of his favorite people. She’d never been a favorite anything, yet those words did the trick: she relaxed. As long as she had him, as long as they had each other, then everything would be okay. She didn’t need a whole house of other slaves or his parents to like him. She could just… continue being sweet, being good, and be enough for him. It was all that mattered, the realization settling and bringing back a small smile to her face.
“I don’t think your parents would like to hear that, Axenus.” It was the smallest tease, the tiniest joke, as she looked back over up at him. A slave held in higher regard to them? It was a funny joke, but it was all it was. She knew he loved them. He had to, right? They hadn’t seemed so bad from what he’d told her of them during any of their talks if they were brought up.
She hadn’t asked, their conversation swept on with the question of what if his planned didn’t work. What if the city didn’t let her go? He said he would look for more solutions, the girl listening and nodding to his thoughts as they unraveled and became said aloud, and questioned no more. Axenus was smart. He was also a good friend, and she had little to doubt that he wouldn’t come up with something to ease her life if he truly wanted to. She almost wished he wouldn’t worry so much. It couldn’t be healthy for him.
Her thoughts were blinked away from when he paused her work after turning to her, putting his hand over her own she blinked to in surprise before her gaze found his. They would work things out. Did she want to go to the Valiant District? She bit the inside of her cheek, her gaze trailing away. “I — I’m not sure. Wouldn’t I get to work with you there? Be with you?” she asked him, bringing her gaze back up to him. “It wouldn’t be so bad, maybe.”
There’d be better meals, a bed she’d heard. Sure, she would have to carry his supplies and the supplies of others as well, but it beat lifting bricks or stone. It was better than gaining calluses from the paint brushes she had to hold or the buckets she had to carry. Most importantly: there’d be him. Much more than she got to see him now, her friend to spend more time with. What could be wrong with that?
“I don’t think forever there with you would be so bad… Until — until you retired anyways, but we’d both be probably old and gray then.” And it would likely be her time. As a slave, she was probably forever fated to have a shorter life than any son of nobles who his parents (as well as himself) had turned from his pampered to better their faction. Working in the Valiant District would probably extend the short life she was doomed to have in the Dark District, yet the little girl didn’t fear death. Her mother had always told her of stories of being reborn. She would never die in the sea, but perhaps the goddess would see something to make in her own image when she couldn’t be able to go to the heavens the rest of the faction dreamed of.
Axenus said she was so much more than a slave. Did the gods see that too? Did they think she was a good person, being a good slave aside? She shifted a little, smiling at him despite her thoughts. “I’ll try not to worry,” she told him, though didn’t promise. She couldn’t make a promise she couldn't possibly keep.
Post count: #8 | Word count: 719
|
|
