Servitude

The relationship between a slave and her master.

My name is Inori.

 

I am a slave.

 

Parents? Never met them. They did not want me. The feeling is mutual.

 

I remember spending the first few years of my life in a house of sorts, with many children. We never had enough to go around. I spent many a night sleeping with an empty belly, dreaming of any form of nourishment to placate the gnawing hunger within me.

 

My fate was to change though, from a wretched life of hunger to something greater than myself. I was at the tender age of four that day.

 

The headmistress, a wizened woman in her forties, had called me to her office, a room filled with imposing trinkets and plaques. We were normally forbidden from even stepping foot into this sacred room, under the pain of a beating and an empty stomach. It felt weird, almost surreal, to walk on its wooden tiles.

 

I was presented by the headmistress to a man. He was an imposing figure, even more so than the headmistress, towering over both of us like a looming shadow. I remember being afraid, so very afraid of this unknown man. I tried to seek solace behind the headmistress, but she pushed me towards him with her thin, bony arms.

 

They were in some sort of negotiation. They were using all kinds of complicated words I could not understand. The headmistress touted me as an obedient and healthy girl. She tugged my pink hair and pinched my cheeks to prove her point.

 

Was I getting adopted? Not a chance.

 

The man seemed to take interest in me. He was clearly impressed by whatever the headmistress had said about me. I saw him hand her a brown pouch that seemed to be bulging with coins.

 

The headmistress then instructed me to follow that man out, and that my new home was with him. I remember shaking my head and crying in protest, only to receive a slap to my face that caused me to black out from the impact of the blow.

 

After what seemed like hours, I was rudely awakened by a splash of icy cold water, only to find myself in a small room that made my previous lodgings seem spacious in comparison. The same man that I had met earlier was now standing over me with a scowl on his face. He barked at me to get up and follow him. I meekly obeyed, being too afraid and disoriented to do otherwise.

 

I was led into a hall beyond the size of anything I could comprehend with my childlike mind, with various imposing tapestries and furniture that belonged in a palace. There, I was presented to another man, accompanied by a woman. They were dressed to the nines, in all sorts of finery I had never seen before.

 

The man and the couple began to talk. The former, whom the couple called “Overseer”, had gotten on his knees to present me to the couple. Clearly whoever this couple was, they were far more important than the man and the headmistress, the only two adults I had known up till now. The thought of this made me feel as though there were butterflies in my stomach.

 

The whole experience was nauseating. I felt like I was in a daze. I nearly passed out while following the couple around their household. It was a large, spacious villa. Even one room was on par with the size of the place I came from. The smooth marble tiling made me nearly lose my balance.

 

After what seemed to be an eternity of walking, we reached a room at the end of the second floor, which seemed to belong to a child judging from the toys and child-sized furniture. It was there where the couple presented me my task.

 

My one and only task. My burden to bear.

 

Their son. My new master.

 

A boy of my age. He was dressed in a white silk robe and sported well trimmed brown hair which made his sapphire blue eyes stand out, a sign of his heritage.

 

I was to wait on him, to serve his every whim and desire. His happiness would be my success, and his sorrow my failure.

 

As they left, I took a deep breath and tried to introduce myself. However, he interrupted me and declared that we should be best friends.

For whatever reason, he thought that I was a new friend for him that his parents had brought over to be introduced to him.

 

I was speechless. However, I decided to play along.

 

To me, he was my master. To him, I was his playmate, nanny and friend. It was a tiring job, yet it was all worth it.

 

I would bear any burden to see him smile.

 

My master treated me as an equal. He was too young to understand the concept of slavery. His one and only friend. It was a strange feeling, having spent my life as the runt, pushed around by everyone. The bigger kids, adults, the list goes on.

 

He was so innocent and pure in contrast to me, despite us being around the same age. I saw the world for its sadness, while he saw it for its beauty.

 

It was this innocence that I wanted to protect for as long as I could. Perhaps I saw something within him that was unattainable for me yet ever so desirable.

 

He was living the life I had always wanted. A blissful and comfortable life. Through him, I was able to live that happy dream.

 

It was also due to him that I was given purpose. He was something to live for. My life was so much better than before, having enough to eat and place to rest by his side.

 

Perhaps that was why I loved him so.

 

The years would go by, like leaves in the wind. Those were the happiest years of my life, spending every waking moment by his side, taking care of him.

 

Almost like a big sister.

 

Despite everything, we could not stay like this forever. The illusion he had created could not last. As he grew up, I could tell that he noticed that our lives were different.

He never understood why I could not accompany him during his lessons or eat at the same table with him. Whenever he asked, I simply brushed it off and changed the subject.

 

Eventually, my master would learn the truth. It was inevitable, considering that we were from completely different worlds. Our relationship would be changed forever in the face of reality.

 

That day would come. It was not a matter of why but when. He would be hurt by the revelation, no doubt, and it would be my fault.

 

After all, his sorrow is my failure.

Author's Note

Hi!

Do let me know what you think! If you've enjoyed this story, do check out my book on the Amazon Kindle Store, The Best of Aurafiex - A Short Story Collection.

Buy it now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GX7EVLC

Have a nice day!

Reviews

[Cherry_blossom_red]

Lovely writing, Inori's character is well thought out and the story is very descriptive. I enjoyed it entirely :D

[Jacob Clifford]

This is... wow. This is well written. The topic is one I haven't found before and is very interesting.