Between the two large guards, the prisoner stood frozen in shock. His name was Ka and he didn’t deny his crimes. He had expected to be put to death. This . . . he wasn’t sure what to make of this, wasn’t really sure what it meant for him. The guards began to move, still holding his arms and forcing him along as they strode from the room. Neither of the large men spoke, leading him wordlessly through the halls of the palace. Ka kept his eyes down, not bothering to look around at the polished statues and fine tapestries.  Because of this inattentiveness, he was utterly startled when they stepped into a large room and into a cloud of warm, moist air.

The guards released him abruptly, one of the men grabbing his hands to undo the heavy shackles as well. Before Ka could even think of questioning it, he was swarmed by a different group. There had to be six or eight servants, callously pulling him towards the large bath sunk into the floor of this room. Ka tried to protest, but he was quickly stripped and then he was in the water with the group.

“I can clean myself!” he protested angrily and pulled his arm away from one young lady. She ignored him and simply grabbed the limb again, a young boy joining her to help control Ka. He growled and continued to struggle, but he didn’t want to hurt these servants for just doing as they were told. Even if he did actually fight, the sheer number of them could have overwhelmed him. Ka pulled his arm away again to test that theory and was easily overpowered by the two. The criminal growled, but decided there was nothing he could do.

The other servants were milling about, holding his other arm and cleaning his chest and hair. Ka let out a very undignified yelp when they cleaned between his legs. He managed to kick the servant that did this, but that only resulted in the others holding him a bit firmer so someone could finish the cleaning. Ka growled again, submitting to the treatment without much argument, hoping that meant it would finish more quickly.

The whole process actually only took a few minutes with so many working to scrub the prisoner of dirt. Then he was manhandled out of the pool again and rubbed dry with soft cloths. Ka attempted to protest again, but the servants still ignored him, moving about to clothe him now. Golden bangles were pushed onto his arms and clasped onto his ankles. One of the young men stepped behind him to dry and style his hair. Ka didn’t object until a sharp pain in his ear made him yelp. He lifted a hand to the pain, gasping in shock to find a new earring to be the cause. He already wore a small gold hoop in each ear, now he had another that he couldn’t see and he wondered how exactly he’d been marked.

One of the women pulled his hand back down so another girl could clasp some more jewels around Ka’s neck. Then another set of shackles was closed on his wrists, a clear sign that he was still a prisoner. These were of a much higher quality, thin and well decorated, but made of gold that was just as heavy as the larger irons had been. They were connected by a thin golden chain that kept his hands from separating even as far as his slim hips. Something was put onto his neck, heavier than the jewelry had been. Ka imagined it must be a collar that matched the cuffs and another golden chain connected this collar to the chain between his wrists. His hands were held up slightly, unable to fully straighten his arms. He kept his hands as low as possible, just able to cover the new scar that gleamed across his stomach.

He could not actually cover the proof of his manhood and flushed darkly as the servants began to drift away again. Were they intending to leave him like this?! What exactly was the prince planning for him? Another servant stepped up, dusting Ka with fine smelling powders that made him cough. She blew more scented powder at his manhood and Ka jerked his hands down on instinct, only to growl as he strained his own neck slightly. He was glaring at the girl as she stood, but she didn’t even glance at him.

Another man stepped forward and Ka could barely contain his sigh of relief to see that he held clothing. He didn’t fight at all this time, letting the other wrap the cloth around him. The thin material was nearly sheer, providing nothing that resembled modesty. But as it wound around his waist a half dozen times, the layers combined to provide at least a modicum of decency from his waist to his knees. Then the servants stepped away and Ka frowned. His torso was still bare, as were his feet; he was covered in more jewels than fabric, he thought dismally.

But he still didn’t complain. He deserved no better, he thought, and looked up again as the guards stepped towards him. Each man grabbed one of his arms, once more forcing him along the halls wordlessly. They reached a set of finely carved stairs and the guards ushered Ka up to the second floor of the palace. After only another minute the larger men stopped and Ka looked up again to find they had reached a finely carved and painted door. He swallowed, knowing where they were.

“Sire?” One guard questioned hesitantly

There was barely a pause before the prince’s low baritone replied, “Bring him in.”

They opened the door and walked in, one preceding Ka, the other following behind and staying in the doorway as if blocking the exit. The other guard kept hold of Ka, stopping only a few steps into the grand chamber. This one room would have housed Ka’s family, as well as their neighbors. It seemed rather extravagant for a single being, royal or otherwise. The space was filled with luxury, finely carved drawers and chests along the walls. The bed to one side of the room was large and was covered in a dark blue quilt that looked quite soft. Rich tapestries covered the polished stone walls and plush sitting pillows in a rainbow of colors littered the floor.

In the middle of all this beauty stood Prince Re. His hair shone like a ruby in the setting sun’s light, pouring in the window opposite the bed. His pale skin nearly glowed in the ambiance and he smiled at the prisoner. The expression faded slightly, seeing that Ka stood impassively, completely unimpressed by his surroundings, not even seeming to note them. The prince stepped towards him, but the prisoner kept his head slightly bowed, frowning, but silent. No matter, Re thought and he still wore a small smirk as he said, “Good, you’re finally here. I was beginning to lose interest.” Ka’s frown only darkened, but with some effort he held his tongue. Prince Re’s smirk faded to a frown of his own. “And don’t you know it is a crime to stand before me?”

The prince held a hand out slightly, ensuring the guard didn’t move. He waited a few moments, wanting to see the criminal’s reaction.  After a minute the man slowly opened his mouth to speak, eyes still on the prince’s chest. “I am already guilty of much worse. I do not see how my stature will damn me any farther.”

Re’s eyes flashed with cold anger and his frown darkened. “It is not the celestial gods deciding your fate now. Your stature is to please me.” His eyes twitched to the side, looking to the guard. The man moved instantly, grabbing the criminal by the neck and shoving him roughly to his knees. His head was forced uncomfortably low before the guard pulled away again. Prince Re smiled in approval when the prisoner didn’t rise but stayed bowed instead. “Better,” the prince purred quietly before his gaze flicked to the guards again. “Leave us.”

The men nodded and bowed deeply, stepping out and shutting the wooden door behind them. Re knew they waited just outside, standing at their post in case he called them for anything. It would be suicidal to actually leave the prince alone with a dangerous criminal. Re regarded the other man for a very long time, circling him slowly. He had read the record: this scrawny man – a scribe before his outburst – had taken down an entire band of thugs on his own, apparently in a blind rage.

The redhead finally stopped in front of the other again. He bent slightly, reaching out with one pale hand. He slid his fingers along the prisoner’s jaw to circle his throat, resting against his pulse points. He could feel the man swallow nervously and Re’s smile grew. He exerted some pressure and the man slowly rose to his feet again. Prince Re was nearly a head taller than him and he smiled down at the brunet, close enough to feel the heat from each other’s bodies.

“Let me look at you, Ka,” the prince said as he took a step back. The prisoner glanced up at him with those strange, pale eyes and Re only smiled more at the surprise in the expression. “Oh I know a great deal about you now,” he purred. Ka pursed his lips, lowering his gaze again and fidgeting slightly under the examining gaze. It was amusing just watching him struggle to keep his composure, Re guessed he had never been before a royal, and certainly not in such a lowly position himself. “I still want to hear your story,” the prince said, “from your own lips. What happened to your eyes?”

Ka’s jaw clenched slightly, hands slowly curling into fists. Instead of answer, he asked, “That wasn’t in the report of my crimes?”

Prince Re’s smile began to fade, stating in a cold tone, “I want to hear it from you.” The redhead huffed slightly, pacing towards his bed before looking back. “I’m certain your own story will be much more entertaining.” Ka raised his eyes, looking straight ahead before shifting his gaze towards the prince. He kept quiet, but the prince frowned at the odd motion. As if he was used to relying on a sense that now failed him. “How well can you see?”

Ka blinked and glanced away, keeping his eyes lowered again. “Well enough,” he said quietly.

“Tell me what happened,” Re demanded, leaving no other option to the other.

Slowly Ka raised his eyes again. He stared right at the prince, but he remained silent.

Re frowned at him now. “You have a rebellion in you that I find interesting, there is fun to be had. However you would do well to remember your place here. I control you now, pet.”

Ka’s composure faltered, eyes widening in surprise. “Pet?”

Re turned his back on the other, chuckling slightly. “What did you think you were going to be?” He lifted another chain from the corner of his large bed and turned back to the prisoner that had captured his interest. The man was grinding his teeth together to keep silent, glaring at the prince darkly. “Come here,” Re demanded, but he wasn’t surprised when the other didn’t move. He would learn, the prince  thought.

He was frowning again as he stepped close, raising the chain to his pet’s collar. The gilded circlet was closed with a complicated puzzle lock that he worked from muscle memory, attaching the sturdier chain. “There,” he said and stepped back again, trailing his fingers along Ka’s jaw as he pulled away. “This will allow you the freedom to roam my quarters. It will also keep you where you belong.”

Ka fingered the chain, which was at least twice as thick as the gold one that connected his shackles. He measured the length with his eyes before looking around the room. The door and window would be near the end of the chain’s length, he was fairly sure. With his attention elsewhere, the criminal didn’t see Re smirk at him. The prince twisted the chain around his hand and suddenly pulled with all his strength. Ka yelped as he was pulled off balance and another powerful tug brought him to his knees. His eyes widened, noticing for the first time that the chain pulled through a metal loop anchored into the floor.

Re pulled harshly one more time, bringing his pet low to the ground. Then he stepped on the chain to keep him in place and admired his new plaything. “You can’t do this,” Ka said angrily, trying in vain to pull back.

“I can do anything I desire,” Re corrected quickly. He met the man’s snarl with a calm look, eyebrows raised slightly in challenge. Ka lowered his eyes again, also laying down more properly so his rear wasn’t forced into the air. He calmed his fight and Re’s smile grew in approval. “Your freedom to roam is at my discretion. You have not earned any yet.” He knelt to attach a heavy lock to the chain, preventing Ka from gaining any additional slack.

The prisoner struggled to remain calm, staring at the floor only a hand’s breadth from his nose. He was more than humiliated, flushed darkly and utterly trapped. He could practically feel the prince’s eyes on him and he cringed slightly when the royal spoke again. “Spend your time here in reflection. On your position here, your proper place, my pet.” Re smiled and moved towards the door. Behind him he could hear the prisoner pull back again, the chain rattling as the lock held him fast. Re only continued to smile, slipping out of the room to find something else to entertain him for the rest of the evening.

-o-o-o-o-o-