Jade

His first thought was of sun. A whimsical flow of sand dunes. And then, not to open his eyes. He was still in the Latisseh, was he not? With no water. But there it was, sitting on a marble table, as clear as the Suo oasis’ water. It was in a very delicate looking wineglass, chipped and carved into a pretty array of shapes. Deliberating the thought of actually getting up and investigating this new premise seemed an overbearing task at the moment, but this did not matter, for it is the slave’s job to do so. Upwards, he pushed himself, noticing also that he was in a silken bed and that the moment he did so, his head thrummed painfully. But this bed, being of a silken material, had to be his Master’s bed. He’d run away, had he not?
This was all a draining dilemma at five in the morning.

“Jajan? What are you doing? Lay back down.” That’s right. He had a new Master. Master Ris.
“Is it not time to start morning chores, Master Ris?”
“Not with this fever that you have.”
“This matters not. I am to serve you.”
“My San. You’ve been trained well. Except that you are like a dog and seem to obey standards, even if they do not please your master.”
“I am a dog, Master Ris.”
“And wouldn’t you like to be considered more. An intelligent animal perhaps? A human? And it’s what you are. It’s what you should be. Would you be a human Jajan, or a simple dog?”
“I would be only what you wish me to be.”
“Then be a human. Have your own thoughts and voice them. Disagree with me if you wish.” Jajan adopted a panicked expression.
“I…I…”
“Have you lost that wonderful vocabulary? Can’t you speak for yourself? Tell me what you’re thinking. No matter what it is. Tell me, Jajan! Tell me!”
“You humans are all the same! It was not enough that you would make a slave out of the most powerful instruments this world has in its possession. I cannot play with my element. I was whipped for playing!”
“And what is your element?”
“I am for Water. In the middle of the desert, and I am for Water. It is distressing, chiefly when having a Master that restricts the manipulation of elements.”
“And knowing that you are so powerful, and yet are a dog…what does that make you want to do?”
“I would cause an immense tidal wave if I had the…” He stared ahead at Ris, who had a fire in his eyes, and Jajan backed into the wall behind him beginning to tear up.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have said things deserving of my execution. At least a beating.”
“I told you, I would never beat you. Why would I? You’ve only done what I told you to do.” Jajan slid onto the floor, trying to stop his now soft sobbing. “You’re such a fragile creature. If I can only break you of your trained thoughts. I’ve only broken the surface, haven’t I?” Ris got down on his knee and stroked the spice and white hair before him. “Calm down.”
“How,” Jajan choked out, “Are you so kind?”
“Would you kill me?”
“What?”
“Would you kill me?”
“Of course not.”
“Would you kill Virdan?” Jajan bowed his head farther. “Exactly. Do you see? It’s not the only reason, but I would not have you think of me harshly.”
“What…”
“Yes?”
“What is the other reason?”
“You are the same as me, only you are even more. You are more powerful and more beautiful. I would think there is some good in treating an Elemental as more than a slave. I would set you free if you could be set free, but I fear that a slave, former or no, would not be safe on his own with the way the world is.”
“And with the way the world is, how are you the way you are?”
“Not everybody conforms to the rein of society. I can think on my own.”
“Such a hard place to have independence of thoughts. You are a wondrous soul to exist in such a time. I do think of you kindly, though you seem a bit queer.”
“In what sense do you mean that?”
“Oh! No, I…” Jajan started. Ris had the oddest expression on his face.
“Are you as innocent as I thought you were?” He asked, laughing at the sudden shade of pink on the slave’s delicately tanned skin.
“I was to a certain extent. I am no longer.” His head dropped again and he let out a long sigh.
“I know of whom you speak, but I will not impede.”
“I thank you. I wish not to speak of it now.”
“You may only speak of it when you wish to.” Ris stroked his slave’s hair again, contemplating the new situation. “Well, I am going to make us some breakfast.” Jajan’s head shot up.
“No! Let me cook for you!”
“You’ve been with a fever too long.”
“Please Master Ris. I’m a wonderful cook!”
“I’ll make a deal. If you stop calling me Master, I’ll let you make meals.”
“What should I…?”
“I gave you a choice. It is yours to make.” Jajan looked from side to side, playing with the idea in his head.
“No titles?”
“Absolutely not.”
“And if I accidentally call you Master?”
“I’ll kiss you.” Jajan’s eyes grew wide and memories of Escii washed over him.
“Kiss…”
“Kiss.” Jajan was silent for a moment.
“Y-you must taste my cooking! I can make a wonderful dish out of anything!” Ris paused and pointed to the kitchen. He was mildly disappointed about the blatant change in subject, but it was just as well. Moving too fast would only drive Jajan away.
“So, what do you cook?”
“Anything,” Jajan yelled from the kitchen.
“How about a nice omelet?”
“A wonderful omelet!” Suddenly, a thought crossed Ris’ mind.
“You had better make one for yourself as well!”
“Yes M…Ris” He grinned. Jajan would slip up soon enough. He walked into his kitchen.
“It smells so good in here. I never knew so many spices could go into an egg,” he added, leaning over Jajan to see an array of spice jars.
“The correct blend of spices only brings out other flavors.”
“Taj, Salan, Parsle…”
“Salan has a unique flavor that I find is the most important ingredient in anything with eggs.”
“Except for the eggs.” Jajan cracked an egg and began to separate it. “When did you learn to cook like this?”
“I grew up with Master Escii. He was only a little older than I, and he had an amazing ability for cooking. When he learned all that he could learn that could be taught, that is what he did. I learned all of what he knew.” He glanced up at Ris, and then continued to add to the omelet.
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Mmm, white.”
“White? That is not a color.”
“If it were not a color, there would be nothing when painting something white.”
“It is the closest thing to clear.”
“The closest color to clear is silver. May I also point out that it takes white to make any color adjacent to black?” Ris smiled.
“Ris?”
“You just had an argument with me.” Jajan looked shocked for a moment. “You enjoyed it did you not?” The slave considered. “Don’t let the omelet burn.”
“Oh!” Ris handed him a plate. “You have had an argument and an outburst, both in the same day. I would say that you are progressing. Let’s eat.”

A few moments later, Ris was pessimistic yet again. Jajan was sitting on the floor with his omelet and his silverware, and had not begun to eat. Some sort of hierarchy thing, Ris thought.
“It’s really very good.”
“Thank you.” Jajan continued to sit there, not touching his fork or knife.
“You should try it.” He nodded, but continued to sit, his hands not moving. “You should really try some of it. Now.”
And then, Jajan just looked really confused.
“It’s not my turn to eat.” That was it. The dog thing again.
“You can eat when I eat.”
“Wouldn’t you be uncomfortable?”
“I’m ‘uncomfortable’ now. Get up here and eat.”
\"At the table?\" \'Like a beaten child,\' Ris continued his earlier thoughts.
\"Yes. At the table, where I am sitting.\" Jajan began to show the panicked look he\'d held earlier. \"You will sit at this table, in a chair, across from me, and you will eat. I\'m commanding you to do so.\"
\"Yes, Master Ris.\" He stopped suddenly, realizing his error.
\"I said sit.\" Jajan sat and began eating nervously and quickly. Ris noted his blush.
\"I said that I would kiss you. I didn\'t say when.\" Jajan choked on his omelet. \"Are you going to be like this all day? I do not want to carry you to town if you are going to be this nervous all day.\" Jajan nodded, and contemplated the rest of that day. Sometime, Ris was going to do what he had promised. He continued eating. \"So what do you need?\"
\"Need?\"
\"As in clothing? Soaps? Anything?\"
\"I have two sets of robes.\"
\"What did your Master Escii buy for you?\"
\"He sent me out to the shops and merchants to buy.\" Ris didn\'t reply for a moment.
\"Escii...I would\'ve loved to have known him.\"
\"He was wonderful.\"
\"Well, I will not go broke buying things for you, for I have an unlimited amount of money. You can get anything you wish. And if you don\'t tell me what you want, I\'ll buy one of everything I think you like.\" Jajan stared at him, trying to figure out whether he was lying or not. Deciding that Ris was serious, he looked at the floor instead. \"That\'s only the second time you\'ve looked directly into my eyes.\"
\"I am not to look into a Master\'s eyes.\"
\"Why not?\"
\"It is forbidden.\"
\"You have eyes as well as I. If I am permitted to look into your eyes, then you are permitted to look into mine.\"
\"If I am the same, then why did you chain me and take me as your slave?\"
\"Because, it’s not safe for you on your own. Eventually, someone else would catch you and they\'d take you back to Virdan. I heard a slave had escaped from him. Virdan\'s a bastard. So, when I heard, I came looking for you. I knew you wouldn\'t be willing to be taken if you had run, so I chained you. I\'m sorry.\"
\"If all you say is true, then you are wonderful.\"
\"I know.\" Jajan smiled. \"And if you want to make me happy, which serves me, then do that more often. I haven\'t seen you smile at all before.\"
\"I have had few reasons to do so.\"
\"True. But, here I hope you\'ll be happy. And then, you can smile. Can\'t you?\"
\"Yes, Master Ris.\" Jajan\'s eyes grew wide and he blushed again.
\"That\'s twice and two kisses I owe you. Perhaps you should decide when they are received.\"
\"I-I...\"
\"I have tumbled your expansive vocabulary once again. Perhaps you should decide to get them over with so that you won\'t be so terribly nervous when we leave.\" Jajan looked up, marveling for the second time how much he looked like Escii. He swallowed.
\"Ah...I am thinking that this would be a wise decision...Master Ris.\" Jajan gulped, and held his breath.
\"And that, my Jajan, is three.\" Ris got up slowly, putting away his and Jajan\'s dishes.
\"I should be doing all of these things.\"
\"Must I reiterate myself? It pleases me to do these things.\" Jajan nodded, wondering about the elongated period before his \'punishment.\' He was shocked out of his thoughts when Ris stood in front of him, motioning for him to stand up. \"Come on, now. We\'ve got to go to town shortly.\" Jajan stood and Ris noticed that he was a little shorter than his slave. Jajan did not move from his position, but was breathing rather harshly. Ris looked up. \"If you\'re afraid, I can come up with another punishment.\"
\"No...\"
\"Are you afraid because you\'re coy or are you afraid because of your past?\"
\"I was only \'coy\' when Escii was my Master. And then I was not. Then, there was a new Master, and I was nothing.\"
\"Virdan will burn in hell. You understand? He\'s a bastard.\"
\"You reiterate yourself.\"
\"Only because it is constantly true.\"
\"Though I am not to say any wrong thing about him, I must agree.\"
\"You are mine now, however illegal this is. You may say whatever you wish.\" Jajan grated his teeth together.
\"I hated him. Loathed him with every fiber of my being.\"
\"Do you hate me?\"
\"Have I not already told you that I do not?\"
\"But are you sure?\"
\"I am sure. Do I have the authority to lie?\"
\"Hm. I suppose not.\" Ris took Jajan\'s cheek in his hand. \"It\'s a pleasant feeling in this house now. I\'ve been alone so long.\"
\"Why did you not adopt some sort of animal or child?\"
\"Children are messy. I had a dog, though. A big white mixed dog. It was bitten by some sort of poisonous thing. I couldn\'t find out what, in time. So it died.\"
\"Did this beast have a name?\"
\"Of course: Enty.\"
\"Perhaps an Enty is what killed him.\"
\"Her. It was a bitch.\"
\"I apologize.\"
\"For guessing a wrong gender?\" He laughed softly.
\"You look so much like Escii. It is almost strange.\"
\"Do you mind?\" Jajan blushed cherry again. \"It seems you do not. And here, we are having a conversation, and you are supposed to be receiving a punishment.\" Ris had made his decision to kiss him then, tilting Jajan\'s face up and leaning forward, he gave a small kiss and Jajan took a sharp breath. For a moment, neither of them moved, lost in the intensity of flesh against flesh. Jajan took the initiative and pressed their lips together again. Ris knew Jajan longed for the kiss to deepen quickly and at once. He could feel that emotion somehow vibrating in the air. His refusal was blunt. He pulled completely away for a few seconds, letting Jajan know his decision, and slowed down his task even more, carefully tasting his slave\'s puckered lips with his own.
\"How many times,\" Jajan sighed between kisses, \"Have I called you the name of Master Ris?\"
\"Too many to count and once more now.\"
\"If it is too many to count, then,\" kiss, \"when are we,\" kiss, \"to stop?\"
\"When I say so.\" Ris ran his tongue along Jajan\'s bottom lip.
\"This is a good decision.\"
\"I\'m glad you agree.\" He graced Jajan with one more light kiss. \"Because we need to go to town now.\" Ris grinned and walked towards his bathroom, leaving Jajan standing utterly confused beside his chair in the kitchen.
\"T-town?\"