The Lamentation of Innocence

Luckily for him, the doctors had been able to save his leg. While he would not be able to walk properly, and would have to use a cane, he would be able to keep his leg. When Zight had learned of this, he was not sure whether to be relieved or not. Where was the relief in learning that he was a cripple? Still, he had his life and his leg, so he supposed it was best to be grateful.

The hospital he had been taken to was that owned by a private doctor, one that would keep quiet about Zight\'s injury. Zight had as of yet to meet the man who had taken care of him, but his feelings about the man were mixed. Who ever they were, they had to be somebody with Korin\'s money lining their pockets. Why else would they keep it a secret?

The nurse had come and gone, only checking his leg and asking how he felt. Zight thought the question was stupid, wondering what she expected him to say. Anything other than an \" I\'m alright\" would result in her going to get the doctor, and he did not want that.

Sitting up in bed, he stared down at his leg. There was going to be a scar, an ugly scar at that. He supposed it could be worse; just what could be worse, he was still trying to figure that out. A lame slave was the same as a lame horse, worthless. No one would buy him for a good price now, and he would be useless for hard labor. The only thing left for him was menial task such as housework or running errands. Or he would end up being a bed slave. Just the thought of becoming that sent shivers of disgust through him.

\" How are you feeling?\"

Looking towards the door, Zight scowled as Kuronue entered the room. Just what was he doing here? He was almost expecting their master to be following in behind him, and was relieved when the man did not appear. Which made him all the more suspicious. Why would Kuronue be here without their master?

\" How do you think I am feeling?\" Zight answered, irritation growing in him as the man chuckled. Just what the hell did Kuronue find funny about this?

Sitting in the chair beside the bed, Kuronue looked the boy over. He had learned every thing from the nurse. The boy would keep his leg in exchange for a cane. He knew Korin would be displeased when he heard this, but there was nothing they could do. They had to be thankful that the boy had not lost his leg completely.

\" It is your own fault, you know? You should have known better than to provoke him like that\" Kuronue said, reaching forward to run his fingers over the boy\'s injured leg, feeling the flesh beneath his fingers become tense.

He wondered if the boy feared him, though from the look on the boy\'s face, he was sure the boy did not. It would have been smarter for him if the boy did. For a slave to have pride was a very stupid thing, even more when that slave belonged to a man like Korin.

The boy remained silent, ignoring both Kuronue\'s words and his touches. Those gentle fingers of his had moved down, caressing the gauze wrapped around the boy\'s leg, pressing softly against it.

\" He really is like a child. When he falls and hurts himself, he cries and begs for his wounds to be kissed,” Kuronue said softly, fingernails lightly scratching against the gauze. \" I doubt you are anything like that, right?\"

\" I am not a child,” Zight answered, wishing he would move his hand, beginning to grow uncomfortable.

\" It is that thinking, that is going to get you killed\" Kuronue replied, moving his hand away.

Looking away from the man, Zight stared out the window. Like life was really that great to live. All his life he had been a slave, always at someone else\'s mercy. He had long since grown tired of having to live life this way. Death was a very welcoming looking option right now.

\" There is a reason for his madness. He wasn\'t always this way\"

\" Is this your way of making up excuses?\"

\" Not making up excuses, simply giving a reason,” Kuronue said with a soft sigh. There was no way to excuse Korin\'s behavior, and yet, there was no way to condemn him for his behavior either.

There was nothing but silence from the boy, who continued to stare out of the window. Even if Zight was ignoring him, Kuronue could tell that the boy was thinking about his words. None of the slaves knew about Korin\'s life, none of them had been worthy enough for Korin to share it with them. Kuronue was the only one that knew Korin\'s life as a slave, though even then he only knew bits and pieces. He knew just enough to hate the two men who had ruined Korin\'s life.

\" I am not asking you to forgive him. I am simply asking that you change your own attitude towards him. I do not want your attitude to be the cause of your death.\"

Zight watched Kuronue from the corner of his eyes as the man walked out of the hospital room, closing the door behind him. This little meeting had only furthered to anger Zight. Why was he the one being asked to change his ways? How could that man just walk in and lay all the blame on him? Like he had asked to be born a slave. Like he had been asked to be purchased and then nearly have his leg cut off by some psycho.

\" I refuse,” he muttered, clenching his fist as he stared out the window.

----

“ Kuronue! Kuronue!”

Frightened servants scattered from the room, followed by screams and vulgar curses. The sounds of broken glass echoed down the hall, accompanied by more haunting screams. It sounded like the sounds a wounded animal would make. A scream that sent chills down the spins of even the most jaded of servants.

It was to Kuronue’s room that they ran to on nights like this. When the master was so trapped in his own nightmares that all were enemies to him. The servants had learned the hard way to never try and calm the master down during times like this. The memories of those who had tried before them were forever seared in their minds.

“ Please Kuronue! The master is having another one of his fits” one of the servants, a young woman who had been given the name Lily by Korin, said wringing her hands together nervously.

They took turns coming to get him, the chosen servant then nervously following him to the master’s chambers. They never came beyond the door, peering inside, driven by their curiosity. Some of the servants would take bets on whether or not this would be the night that the master killed Kuronue. Lily hated the bets, never participating in them, finding them horribly cruel. If not for Kuronue, many of them would have never survived their master’s fits.

“ Wait!” she said suddenly, grabbing his arm. “ You don’t have to do this Kuronue. The master will be fine once he exhaust himself.” The concern in her voice was painted all over her face, as she anxiously and nervously glanced towards the master’s door.

There was silence now, but she knew, that once Kuronue went inside the noises would begin again. The screaming and the breaking of glass; God-only-knows what things Kuronue was forced to suffer at the hands of the master. The next day would come, and Kuronue would appear as he always did in his impeccable suit and expressionless persona. The servants would thank the heavens that they did not have to suffer, but what about Kuronue? No one was ever concerned about him. Just why was he their whipping boy?

“ You shouldn’t worry about me Lily. Master Korin will not hurt me,” he said, glancing towards the door.

“ How can you be so sure? What makes you so special that he will not harm you?” she asked, her concern quickly turning into anger.

She received no answer from Kuronue, who only looked apologetic before kissing her cheek gently. The bedroom door was opened, closing just as quickly, the gentle click of the latch being heard as Kuronue locked it behind him. In her anger, she glared at the door, briskly walking away as the noises began.

‘ Why is the master so important to him?’ she thought to herself as she stomped down the hallway.

Kuronue was a fool. The master had done nothing to warrant the man’s loyalty. There were no redeeming qualities in the master. It did not make the least bit of sense to her. Was it that Kuronue truly believed he was special in their master’s eyes? He never acted that way, but that was the only feasible explanation she could think of.

“ If he keeps thinking that way, the master will kill him,” she said aloud sadly, resting back against the wall with a tired sigh.

A gentle smile appeared on her face as she touched the heart-shaped locket hanging from her the chain around her neck. Inside the locket was a small picture of her and a Kuronue. The cold emotion was gone from the man’s eyes, a happy look on his face as he stood with his arms around her.

“ Kuro....” she said softly, clasping the locket to her heart.