"Arabian Nights"
Part 53
by Mel
“Filthy little assassin.”
The words didn’t sting any more, though the punches sure certainly did. They had learned to aim for the bruises that were already there instead of creating new ones. Ian would punish them all if he showed new bruises, after all, he was in his unofficial care. But the other slaves had learnt Dom wouldn’t complain, and they could get away with a nasty jab.
Ian knew what was going on, Dominic could tell every time he asked why the bruises hadn’t begun to fade and Dominic kept silent. But there was nothing Ian could do if Dominic chose not to tell him who was harming him.
With every punch or pinch Dom received he realized how much the Prince was loved among his people, but he couldn’t understand why. The Prince did everything backwards and the wrong way around. He had let things slide that should have been severely punished, and grew angry at things that were common place. He took away the freedom of four people and felt both relieved and upset by it in ways Dom couldn’t understand.
If it hurt him, why do it? Why, when people like Orli, Jared and even Elijah understood? Did he really think he could save everyone? Dominic wondered how he would feel when he realized some people just couldn’t be saved.
Dominic had been caught again carrying bed clothes to Ian’s chamber, where he was sleeping in a small cot in the adjoining room. The other slaves were always careful to catch him out when Ian was not around, they seemed even more furious that Ian had taken him in and was protecting him as much as he could. That was another thing that Dominic couldn’t understand.
On the first day, when Viggo had realized he was missing, Ian had told him that he believed Dominic caused a disruption in the boys, and that he would benefit from time spent in the slaves' quarters. As soon as the Prince had left, Ian informed him he would not be staying with the other slaves, contradicting what he had told Viggo, but that he would be helping him with Ian’s own duties.
Dominic had fetched things for Ian for the last few days, he had cleaned the man’s rooms everyday. Dominic had never been more idle in all his life. But when he asked when he was going back to the Prince’s rooms, Ian’s answer had always been the same.
“Soon.”
It was almost as if the old man was waiting for something. Dominic could not be certain what it might be and it drove him mad. Waiting games had never been Dominic’s strong suit, especially when he didn’t know what he was waiting for. Surely it would be better if he could just go back to the rooms, face the fact that Jared hated him, and get on with his prison sentence?
Sighing Dominic knelt, protecting his bruised side should anyone come past and try to kick him again. He picked up the fallen linen. Pale hands joined him in picking them up. Dom was surprised when he found himself looking up into the calm green eyes of Sean, the Captain’s slave boy. Not that you could call him a boy, Sean was certainly all man, nor could you call him a slave for that matter. Sean seemed to be one of the most defiant people Dominic had ever met. Which, therefore, begged the question: Why was he the Captain’s slave when he so obviously wasn’t?
No one had ever been forthcoming about his relationship to the Prince either, but Dominic assumed that was because no one but the Prince, the Captain and Sean knew. The three of them hadn’t been too open about it, not that Dominic had ever got the chance to ask.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding.” The warm voice rumbled in amusement, rubbing Dominic’s fur the wrong way.
“Why are you here?” Dom hissed, standing, cradling the cloth once more to his chest.
Sean stood with him. Damn the man for being so tall.
“And I wasn’t hiding.”
“I came to find you.”
There was no forthcoming reason, no ‘Viggo sent me to check up on you’. Dominic shook his head, moving towards Ian’s rooms.
“Well you found me, and I’m fine, as you can see. Why don’t you go report back to the Prince?”
Dom knew he was being a little harsh, but he was getting tired of being here, he just wanted to get back to Viggo’s rooms. To curl up like a good little boy in that bed and forget he had ever had any freedom. Forget that he’d ever had a best friend that had never looked twice at anyone else.
“The Prince didn’t send me here, he had a meeting with the Caliph that could not be delayed.”
The slightly worried tone in Sean’s voice was lost on Dom.
“I came because the rooms seemed empty without you.”
Dominic snorted disbelievingly. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”
Ian must have gone out, because his rooms were empty when
they arrived. Dominic refrained from cursing, it would have been an easy way
to be rid of the perfectly polite man, if Ian had been there.
“Viggo said you would be sleeping in the slave’s quarters.” Sean was looking at the barely made bunk in the other room.
“He must have been misinformed,” Dominic murmured, starting to strip Ian’s bed. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do-”
Sean’s hands were fisted in his sheets, trapping his hands where they were. He closed his palms around Dominic’s hands.
“What happened?”
Dominic stared up into his green eyes. He’d be damned if he let this man pity him.
“Nothing happened!” he snarled, trying to free his hands. “I tried to kill the Prince, remember?”
“I know that,” Sean didn’t let him go, following him as he moved. “But Viggo understood why you did that, he forgave yo-“
“AND NO ONE ELSE HAS!”
Dominic bit his lip, his outburst shocking him. It was the truth really. No one else cared he’d been tricked into it. That he had done it for Orlando. It had all been for Orli. No one remembered that. All they saw was that he had tried to kill their shining Prince. They saw him as he was some kind of beast to be slaughtered for biting its master. He had thought his best friend dead and no one cared.
“I have,” Sean whispered.
For a moment Dominic couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Didn’t dare to believe it. Sean must be joking, leading him on. Lying to him.
“Orlando has that effect on everyone. If I had thought someone had butchered him as you did,” there was a soft pause but Dom could see the truth in his eyes, even if he was really thinking of someone else. “I would have acted in much the same way.”
Dom blinked back sudden tears. Someone understood. Someone cared. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, Sean was still there. He got the feeling Sean would always be there. He had disengaged one of his hands from the sheets, cupping Dom’s face. Dom leaned into the gentle touch.
“Jared will understand too.”
Dominic shook his head, “He can't. All he sees is a killer.”
“And is a whore all you see when you look at him?”
Dominic shook his head vehemently. "No one chooses that, no one wants it. A whore is never all you are."
“Then give him the benefit of the doubt. He has been asking for you.”
Dom stepped forward, clinging to Sean. The older man took a few moments, but his arms wrapped around the trembling boy. Sean could not be certain, but the boy felt as if he was crying. Sean stroked his back, gently rocking him, humming the song he had sung to them before.
When Sean looked up again, Ian was standing in the doorway of the rooms. He waited until Dominic noticed his presence before saying anything.
“I think you can rejoin the boys now.” He told Dominic as he stepped away from Sean. “Though I will miss you, my rooms have never been so clean. I would still stay clear of staff and slaves, and keep your manners. People will forget and forgive soon enough, but these walls take time to stop their whispers.” Ian looked at him. “Get going both of you, I have a lot of work to do.”
With that he sat at his desk, a small smile flittered across his face.
Sean lead Dominic out and back to the Prince’s quarters. He said nothing when the small, frightened hand found his own, squeezing it gently. The pets Viggo collected were always the same, whether they be deer or kitten, cat or mouse. Each needed a little truth, a little care and a little love. The wild cat beside him was no different and when they got to the rooms, Dominic stopped at the doorway, listening almost longingly to the laughter within.
Sean gave the young man a little nudge and taking a deep breath, Dom stepped in.
“Dom! Perfect timing! Help me convince Jared it’s not fair to tickle a Street Rat!”
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Mel
go to PART 54