Lost Heritage

The world seemed to stop as the woman entered. Her silver blond hair picking up gently in the light breeze, her calculating emeralds glimmering even in the dim light of the entrance hall underneath a black masque as her leather clad body glided through the throngs of people towards my lord. And in those two seconds, she stole everything away from me, that Aphrodite in black leather. She took anything that ever meant something to me. She took Stephan.

He smiled at her as she walked, no floated, towards him. A warm, reserved smile spread across her face, yet it never made its way to her eyes, which were as hard as the stone they resembled. He extended his hand and took hers and brought it gracefully up to his lips. Tucking her hand carefully into his, he led her over to me. Her eyes glinted as they met mine. A predatory gleam could be seen in their depths along with something else I couldn’t place, but it quickly disappeared. Stephan steped in front of me cutting the contact. “My dear,” he said in his beautiful growl, “There is someone I’d like you to meet. This is Honour.”

That was my introduction to someone who changed my world completely. But I am getting carried away here. I guess I should start at the beginning of my story. My name is Celeste Garron. I am a buveur de sang, well, I’m a quarter buveur de sang. That is unimportant for now though, for that had no part of my life till my adolescence. I was born into a noble household, with loving parents and many friends. However, at the age of four, I was taken from my home and forced into slavery.

We were vacationing near the river in our summer cottage when a man dressed all in white came up to me where my mother had left me sitting on the riverbank. He smiled at me, a happy smile. I found myself giggling happily at his welcoming appearence. Suddenly if was as if I’d gone from a dream into a nightmare. His cheerful smile turned into a sadistic grin and he reached out and grabbed me. His large spider-like hand coming around my mouth to stop my shout before I even thought of uttering it. He picked me up and carried me off into the forest, my silenced screams still echoing in my head. A jerking halt brought me to look around my surroundings. I saw about a dozen more people in white robes, looking more like ghostly haunts than humans. I felt a pin prick in my side and felt overcome with sudden drowsiness. The last thing I saw before slumber claimed me was sorrowful gray eyes from underneath a white hood.

Thus I was brought into a life of slavery for an unnamed group of humans. I did menial chores and child’s work for them until the age of eight when they sold me to a slave trader named Philippe. He was a harsh old man. Seeing as I could not be sold as he wished to sell me until I came of age, another eight years. He made me slave to the other slaves. His favorites could do anything they wished with me that was not illegal; the rest could use me as a gofer and ordinary servant. I served that way for another six years till my fourteenth birthday, when I was seen by a guard of the prince.

He had come to purchase a slave for his pleasure. I was running to fetch towels for the bath when I turned a corner and ran straight into him. I fell to the floor with the pile of towels, cursing whoever had been in my way. A hand roughly jerked my face up and I was found myself face to face with the guard. His eyes were blacker than the night sky and his hair silver in a stark contrast. I later learned that his name was Ryan, and that he was the prince’s most trusted guard and best friend. He stared into my eyes as if searching my soul for some bit of information I was hiding from him. I gasped in fear, but I would not let him see that I was scared of him. I straightened up and fixed my clothes in as dignified way as I could manage. “What is your problem slave?” He snarled at me. I tried to be as calm and cool as possible, but there was something about this man that made me angry. “What is MY problem?” I screamed back at him, any thought of being dignified gone. “You are the one who is too busy being pompous to pay any attention to where you’re going!” I thought he was going to hit me for my insubordinance. However, he had a mischievous gleam in his eyes and a smirk covered the lower half of his face. Everything about that look screamed trouble for me. I had seen it before on patrons and some of the other slaves. I was well aware that I was well developed for my age, with large shapely breasts followed by a flat stomach and curvaceous hips that turned into long legs. “What is your name girl?” he demanded. “C…Celeste,” I stammered. “Well Celeste, how old are you?” he asked smugly. The way he said it sent shivers up and down my spine. I replied completely unconfident, “Today is my fourteenth birthday, my lord. Is there something you wish?” He looked at me thoughtfully, “I wish to buy you as a gift for my lord. You are two years too young to serve him as he might wish, but you would be useful as a servant. Your disposition would amuse him, he likes spirit. Take me to your master.”

I obeyed hurriedly. I did not wish to cause this frightening lord to become angry with me. I ushered him into the sitting room where my “master” was currently relaxing. With one glance he ordered me out of the room and to close the doors. I did as I was told, for I’d learned quickly that in this household, any disobedience was severely punished. However, my curiosity got the better of me and I tried to eavesdrop through the door. Philippe must have dealt with curious slaves before because one could not hear a sound through the doors.

Merely 15 minutes passed before both men emerged with satisfied smirks or their faces. Philippe looked me over with his unnerving stare then walked over and clasped my shoulders. “Well Celeste,” he said with a grin. “It seems that you have a new master and I have been well paid for the loss of your person. I always knew you’d fetch a good sum, but I never thought this much! You’ve made me an even wealthier man.” “No sir,” I said with my head held high, “This man has, I am merely the object thetchetched this price, he was the one that gave it to you.” Philippe looked taken back, you’d have thought he’d be used to my tongue by now. Ryan however, laughed out loud as if what I had said was the best joke in the kingdom. “Come slave,” he chuckled, “I have better things to do than to hang around this house all day.” With that he picked me up and slung me over his shoulder and went to his carriage.

Once inside, he set me down on the seat across from him and looked me straight in the eyes, sending a shiver down my spine. “We need to have a little understanding before we leave,” he said in a very menacing voice. “First, you are now my property until I give you to his highness. You will do what I want you to do when I want you to do it. Second, if you do not, you will be punished. This is the way I run my household. Thirdly,” he paused, “thirdly, if anyone in my household touches you in any inappropriate way tell me immediately so I may punish them. I cannot punish them unless you tell me.” I was taken back by at first by this seemingly kind gesture until he continued. “It is unlawful because of your age, and the prince does not like spoiled goods.” It was then that the realization finally hit me. I was to be the prince’s bed slave, just another of his army of concubines, wearing a belt of chastity to any man except him, and when he tired of me I would be killed like all his other concubines. I could never love. I could never marry. I could never have a family of my own. A small tear slowly crept down my cheek as the carriage started rolling and I took a last look at the place I had called home for the past six years of my life. A poor home, but a home none the less. I was off into a different chapter of my life.