Part 20 (2/2)
”Slaves are meant to stay slaves. That's all there is to it.” Monique closed the book in front of her and rubbed her eyes. ”Why do you have to marry him, anyway? Can't you just keep him as he is? Give a man too much power and he'll tread on you.”
”I'm a little tired of being spoken of like an object.” Lock folded his arms across his chest.
Monique continued as if Lock didn't exist. ”If it's l.u.s.t you feel, Sparrow, it will fade.”
”Why does everyone think I'm in l.u.s.t?”
”Look at him.” Monique pointed at Lock. ”Quite a piece of man flesh, if I do say so. Tall, strong, good lines.”
”Do you want to check his teeth while you're at it?” Sparrow's voice dripped with disgust.
Monique didn't seem to notice. ”If you want me to.”
”n.o.body's checking my teeth!” Lock stood and Monique leapt.
”Is he dangerous?” The woman's wide eyes turned to Sparrow.
”Not if you know how to handle him. Lock, will you sit down and stop scaring people.”
”All I did was stand up!”
”Sparrow, if he can't control himself, he'll have to wait in the slave quarters.”
”Sparrow! So nice to see you again!”
Sparrow glanced over her shoulder toward Empress Daryn who approached, followed by two slight, chestnut-haired male slaves. The men wore ankle-length white tunics open at the chest, their long hair bound at their napes with golden bands. They walked six paces behind their leader, their hands folded in front of them, their eyes cast toward the floor.
Sparrow saw Lock's lip curl with disgust, and she placed a warning hand on his arm as she bowed to Daryn. ”So nice to see you again as well. Monique was helping me search through the law books.”
”She wishes to marry this slave.” Monique pointed at Lock.
”Marry? A slave? My dear, have you finally lost your mind along with your Knights of the Ruby Order: Lock?” The Empress's gaze swept Lock. ”Lovely, though a bit too tall. He might make a decent gladiator.”
”He really wouldn't.” Sparrow wrinkled her nose. ”He doesn't have the proper training. He cares for my pigs.”
Lock opened his mouth to speak, but Sparrow elbowed him again as Daryn burst into laughter. ”Pigs? I'm sure that's not all he does for you Sparrow. Remember, you won't have to bother marrying him. Just order him to perform for you. It's so much better than binding yourself legally to a man.”
”But I'd like to marry and have children.” Sparrow tried to keep her temper in check.
”Then find yourself a free man. There's no law that allows slaves to marry in Begonia...or maybe there is.” Daryn narrowed her eyes and stroked her chin with a red-tipped finger. ”Each year, there's a compet.i.tion in my private harem.”
”What kind of compet.i.tion?” Lock asked.
The Empress smiled at Sparrow, ignoring Lock. ”The compet.i.tors are all male slaves, mostly my own, though others are welcome to enter, with the permission of their mistresses.”
”What kind of compet.i.tion?” Lock asked again.
”Most women don't allow their slaves to enter because they generally end up losing them.”
”What kind of compet.i.tion?” Sparrow asked.
”The slaves perform for me.”
”I did use the same language as Sparrow, didn't I?” Lock spoke sarcastically.
”Perform?” Sparrow asked.
”Yes. Whatever talents they might have. Some sing, some dance, some provide a demonstration with weapons. The one I find most interesting wins. He can have anything he desires. Most of them choose their freedom. If this man of yours really wants to marry you as well, and if he wins, he can request his freedom and you can marry. However, I wouldn't wager on him staying with you once he's free. Most likely he's just using your innocence, Sparrow.”
”So if Lock competes and wins, you'll grant his freedom?”
”If he wants it.”
Sparrow gazed at Lock. She couldn't decide what he felt from his expression. At times he drove her to insanity!
”Oh, and if your slave wins, you get fifty gold pieces. Just a bit of compensation for the woman who loses a laborer.”
”Well, you've found your law.” Monique sighed. She bid Sparrow good-bye and bowed to Daryn before leaving.
”Sparrow, I was just on my way to the games. Since you're here, why don't you come watch my gladiators? My favorite, Miska, is fighting today.”
Sparrow's stomach tightened. For a few brief hours she'd been so absorbed in the law books that she'd forgotten about Miska. The sound of his name, the memory of what he'd done, sickened her. ”No. I'd rather not. We should be going home now.”
”I'd like to watch,” Lock said.
Again, Daryn looked right through him and conversed with Sparrow. ”Pity. Perhaps next time?”
”I'd like to watch,” Lock repeated, a bit louder.
Sparrow stared at him. He knew how much she hated Miska. ”Why?”
”I'm curious about the sport.” He held her eyes. ”Please.”
Please? Again, Lock was acting completely out of character. Watching the gladiators seemed to be quite important to him.
”All right,” Sparrow said to Daryn. ”We'll watch. Lock can come with us, can't he?”
”If you like, your slave may accompany you.”
The Empress led the way out of the palace, her slender men behind her, a living extension of her dress's blue velvet train.
Lock muttered curses in his own language under his breath, and Sparrow whispered, ”Will you behave before you get yourself thrown into the dungeon! I don't know why you want to see these games, Lock. You know how much I hate that man!”
He touched her hair gently. ”I have my reasons. I'm not doing this to hurt you, Sparrow. Believe me.”
She sighed. Maybe Miska would be slaughtered during the games, then they'd be worth watching after all.
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