The Lamentation of Innocence

“ Kuronue...are you angry at me?”

Korin always looked so helpless when he asked that type of question, sounding like a small frightened child rather than a grown male. Kuronue found it hard to stay angry at him when Korin was like this; this side of his master always brought out the protective, forgiving side of his. Still, he could not bring himself to voice his answer. This was one small victory that he would not allow Korin to have.

“ I didn’t mean to do it. It wasn’t my fault. He just wouldn’t get out of the way., and I told him so many times. His so hardheaded” Korin said, now sulking as he played with a wet strand of hair.

Yet another ( badly) explained reason as to why Korin had mistreated Zight. It was becoming so frequent that Kuronue wondered if Korin would simply stop making excuses altogether. He was surprised that his master had even bothered to make an excuse, usually the man would just shrug and ignore the subject all together.

“ He’s just so mean to me. And after I went through all the trouble of getting him put in that nice hospital.”

Two weeks had passed since Kuronue had brought Zight home from the hospital. The man had been doing his best to keep Korin and Zight apart. Korin hated the boy for reasons he could not fathom; and Zight was too rebellious and their master, which was a trait that Kuronue knew would get the boy killed. Numerous times he had tried to make the boy see the error of his ways, but Zight was too stubborn for his own good.

“ Master...” Kuronue paused, finding the saddened look on Korin’s face too much to bear. “ You should get out of the tub now Master, the water is getting cold.”

Like an obedient child, Korin rose, standing still as Kuronue toweled him off. He knew Kuronue was angry at him. Kuronue always got angry when it came to that boy Zight. It made him jealous sometimes. It wasn’t his fault that ugly little boy had been hurt. He had ordered the boy to get out of his way, and the ignorant little whelp had just stood there ignoring him. It was only right that he broke the boy’s cane over his back while beating him, it was Zight’s fault for making him that angry. Besides, it was a wooden cane, he was sure it had not hurt that much; but as always, Kuronue had taken time off to personally nurse the boy back to health. Kuronue was always treating Zight more special than him.

Korin did not like that one bit.

Kuronue dressed him in his robe, silent as death as he helped him out of the bathtub. Korin knew that Kuronue thought it was all his fault. Kuronue never blamed Zight for anything, no matter how disrespectful the slave was being. Just knowing that Kuronue was blaming him made him angry. It made him want to hit the man until he was bloody. He knew Kuronue would let him do it too. Kuronue never tried to defend himself while he was punishing him.

“ Tomorrow, lets go out. It’s been such a long time since we’ve gone out somewhere” Korin said as he allowed Kuronue to lead him into the bedroom.

Kuronue nodded silently, saying nothing as he led Korin over to the bed. He had promised Lily that he would spend time with her tomorrow. He did not mention this to his master though. Korin already disliked the young woman, and Kuronue did not want to give him any other incentive to treat her worse.

“ As you please Master” Kuronue said, helping the man into the bed.

“ As I please... You always say that” Korin said, lips pursed in a frown. “ You always say that, but you never mean it. You hate me don’t you? Just like everyone else.”

This was a game that Kuronue had become very familiar with. The need to be reassured, just like a child; there were times when Kuronue wished he was not a slave. As much as it pained him to see his master this way, it was only because he was a slave that he was able to shake his head solemnly.

“ No, I could never hate you Master” Kuronue said, brushing his fingers through Korin’s hair. His words were earnest, but the look in his eyes was less than truthful.

Nonetheless, Korin seemed satisfied with the answer. As long as he knew where Kuronue’s loyalty lie, he would not have to worry. Kuronue looked so much like his old master, Kaiser had always protected him and he knew Kuronue would too. Korin had known since the first day he had seen Kuronue standing on the auction block. It was because of Kuronue’s likeness to Kaiser that Korin was never able to hurt him.

“ I know” Korin said, a smile on his face as he took a hold of Kuronue’s hand, “ Don’t go to her. Spend the night with me.”

Kuronue sighed, knowing that he had no choice. If he were to leave now, he knew it would only end in disaster. Korin never handled rejection in a positive way.

“ As you wish, Master.”

000

Zight stared at his master suspiciously. It was going on midnight, his master sitting at the foot of the bed with a silly little smile on his face. He had been invited to sit on the bed but had refused. In a room with just him and his master ( Kuronue had been excused, coming as a shock to both slaves), he wanted to be as far away from the man as he could. Which is why he had chose to sit in a chair.

It had come as a shock when Kuronue had showed up at his room, saying that the master wanted his company. The first thought in Zight’s mind was that it was a trap, just another one of Korin’s little games. He had steeled himself for the beating that he was sure he was going to receive the moment he walked into the man’s bedroom. Which is why it had come as such a shock when Korin had smiled at him and invited him for a late night dinner.

“ Thanks for the meal” Zight mumbled around the food in his mouth, stuffing another cut piece of meat into his mouth.

The meat was unlike anything he had ever tasted before. The gravy poured over the meat tasted sweet, but not too sweet that it was sickening to eat. There was mashed potatoes, stuffing ( which was a dish he had never tasted before), and a small bowl of meatballs covered with a white-colored sauce that tasted like cheese. It was a meal Zight had never tasted before, and he was savoring every bit of it.

“ Hahahaha! I have never seen someone act that way over food. Haven’t you ever eaten veal before?” Korin asked.

Despite the ( slightly adorable) laugh, Zight felt his irritation return full force. Dropping the fork onto the plate, he was tempted to spit the food out onto the plush white carpet. The only reason he did not was because it would be stupid to waste food this good. Besides, who knew when he might have another chance to taste something like this?

“ My former master never allowed me to eat anything but table scraps” Zight said, shoving another forkful of food into his mouth. He was not going to allow Korin to ruin his mood or his meal.

Korin was pouting slightly, which was not unusual. There was never a time when the man was not pouting, scowling, or sulking. The man reminded Zight of a spoiled child hyped up on sugar. It would have been cute had his master not been so deranged.

“ Awww, your former master sounded like a very mean man. Kuronue said that the man was hitting you the day he brought you” Korin said, setting his tray aside.

Seated at the foot of the bed, Korin kicked his legs back and forth, watching Zight with a feral grin on his face. There was something about Zight that he did not like. He had promised Kuronue that he would try and get along with his newest toy, but he was not sure he would be able to. Zight’s face always looked so mean, Korin hated the way it looked. Zight was always looking at him in the eyes too. Korin did not like that. When he wanted to look in Zight’s eyes, he had to look up. A slave should not be taller than his master, it just was not right.

“ My master now is not that nice either” Zight replied, beginning to lose his appetite.

“ Really? I would have never guessed” Korin said with a faked innocence, which was shattered the moment he broke into soft hysterical giggles. “ You’re so mean Zight. The only reason I mistreat you is because you deserve punishment.”

Zight was beginning to grow uncomfortable, glancing towards the double doors of Korin’s room. He wondered if Kuronue would ever show back up. He doubted it though, Kuronue never did anything that the master did not tell him to do. With the way Kuronue acted, the man was probably standing outside the door listening. That was all Kuronue really was good for, just standing around listening, hovering like some great big shadow. There was something sneaky about Kuronue, something Zight most definitely did not like or trust.

“ I see you don’t have your cane. What happened to it?”

“ You broke it over my back” Zight replied dryly.

Another set of wild giggles, Korin rose from the bed, stretching his arms over his head. “ Zight,” he whined, “You’re not being fair. It was your fault for not listening to me. Slaves must always listen to their masters.”

As Korin came closer, Zight felt the familiar ache in his leg return. He was tempted to run from the room, but Korin was standing before him, and he doubted he would be able to get too far. Despite Korin’s appearance, the man was a lot stronger than his fey frame would suggest. Zight knew this by experience, still able to remember the breath-taking blows Korin had delivered with the cane, including the one that had caused the cane to break.

“ I didn’t mean to break the cane. I thought wood was stronger than that” Korin said, shrugging his shoulders. “ Like I said, you should have listened to me.”

Zight’s irritation became anger. “ Was it your fault when your master hurt you!?” Zight snapped.

Suddenly Korin found the floor very interesting, his entire demeanor changing before Zight’s eyes. There was not much Zight knew about his master’s former master, only the bits and pieces that Kuronue had chosen to share with him. All he knew was that his master’s former master had been very cruel, or so Kuronue said.

“ I was never a bad boy. I was always good” Korin said quietly, voice barley above a whisper.

Had this been anyone else, Zight would have felt bad for him. Instead of feeling bad, he felt a sort of sick satisfaction at the anguished look now on Korin’s face. He watched as Korin wrung his hands together nervously, the man glancing towards the door. Kuronue’s not coming to help you out of this one, Zight thought to himself.

Kuronue would have punished Zight for saying something like that. Kuronue never let anyone talk about his past. His past was something that no one was supposed to talk about. It was forbidden. But just how had Zight known about his past in the first place? Korin bit his fingernail, other arm wrapped tightly around himself. How had Zight known? I never let him know. Kuronue....Kuronue had to have let him know, Korin thought to himself.

“ Master loved me... He never hurt me... I was good” Korin murmured, his heart beginning to race. He wasn’t supposed to speak about his master. It was not right for a slave to talk about his master; but, he wasn’t a slave anymore. “ Not supposed to talk about it!”

Zight was enjoying the pain he was causing his master. So what if in the end he got beaten, or worse? Just the look of pure pain and anguish on his master’s face was enough reward for any punishment he received. That side of him that he had never managed to repress was beginning to rise. The part of him that forced him to make snide remarks, and antagonize his master.

“ I was always good. Always good” Korin whispered, tugging painfully at his own hair. “ Not bad. Never bad. Never! Never...”

Zight jumped to his feet, grabbing the man by the arms. He shook him harshly, watching as Korin’s eyes widened in fear. It felt good, and he shook him harder, knocking him back onto the bed.

“ If you were always good, then why did he hit you? Why did he sell you off?” Zight asked, forcing the man’s arms down. “ You were nothing but a worthless slave! You’re the same as I am. You’re not better than me!”

The fury and pain of past events returned and before Zight could stop himself he was striking the man. It felt good to hear Korin’s cries of pain, seeing the tiny flecks of blood on his fist and on Korin’s pale face. He had bloodied Korin’s nose. He was surprised that Korin did nothing to defend himself, but did not think on it too much. He was finally getting the chance to hurt Korin like the man had hurt him.

“ Kuronue! Kuronue help me!” Korin began to scream, his screams muffled by another blow to the mouth.

“ Shut up!” Zight yelled at him, tugging harshly on strands of Korin’s hair. “ How the hell could he ever want a pathetic thing like you? You don’t even look like a man. Sickening!”

“ He loved me, and then you came on the scene and I was tossed aside! He never came back for me. It’s all your fault” Zight said, punching Korin one final time.

He released Korin’s hair, getting off of Korin’s limp, unconscious body. The man had passed out during the beating, and Zight was angered that the man had not heard all his words. He wanted to beat him more, but the sound of footsteps brought him to his sense. His eyes widened as he looked down at the blood on his hands, and Korin’s bloody body on the bed.

He was a slave, a slave that had just beaten his own master. Fear and dread took over him, knowing that he had just sealed his own fate. Zight was sure he was going to be killed. He could already see Kuronue personally executing him.

Running to the window, he looked down. It was not that far a jump, at the very least he would sprain his ankle. A sprained ankle was better than death. Lifting the window, Zight took one last look at Korin, before jumping from the second story window.