A Change of Fortune

by Veronice Ceccarelli

Chapter 11:

  Somehow, it was not a surprise for Valencio when Hilde found him after dinner, at least not leaning against the fence, but mechanically lapping the pool. If things went right, it would be the last time he swam in a Kobi swimming pool. When she whistled, he turned to her straightaway, pulling himself out and walking toward her. He was naked, but the women had seen him naked since he was twelve and seldom took notice. This time, Hilde noticed. No other man she’d ever known had his sheer physical perfection.

  Valencio stood tense in front of her, waiting. Hilde said gently, “Fudo and Abensur are in the dining room. No other guards. They’re waiting to see you. Carol, too.”

  “Are you to be there, as well?”

  “Yes, I believe so. I don’t know what they want, just that I was to get you, stay, and try and keep you calm.”

  Valencio half grinned, “They still think I might explode any minute.”

  “Might you?”

  “I’ll try not to.”

  When Valencio entered the dining room of Enclosure 2, he was greeted with some relief. Abensur had been expecting him to simply refuse, and that could lead to trouble. But Valencio only stood, looking at Fudo, waiting to be told what was wanted.

  Fudo said plainly, “There’s a sizeable faction who want the women and girls of Enclosure 1 to stay. It’s led by my second-in-command. His name is Sayyid. You probably don’t know him as he was based in Japan for years. I’ve been negotiating rather than having a full scale revolt on my hands. It’s not just the matter of losing Enclosure services, but Madam Zhor and Madam Najia are not as safe as I’d like. Even Bellamy, though well guarded, is not invincible. You can help.”

  Valencio was silent, and Fudo, after a pause, continued. “Some are just curious. The dirt-boy who killed one, took Adil’s right eye, wounded Faheem and Pervez, scarred Botan. Curious that Yiko gave you his personal protection. Others remember you.” He smiled slightly. “I suspect it has become more significant in their memories than probably it was at the time, but they think you were special and want to say goodbye.”

  Valencio spoke at last, “Just how do they want to say goodbye?”

  Fudo hesitated, and finally said, “They wanted you naked and restrained. I refused, and they’ve settled for semi-naked, and only an ankle restrained.”

  Carol asked indignantly, “What would the great wizard say? Or Madam Zhor?”

  “They would refuse pointblank. But they’d put everything at risk if this small concession is not granted.”

  Valencio looked at Carol, who looked unhappy. Carol asked, “What if he can’t help himself? What if he swings at one?”

  Fudo grinned. “They’d probably love it. Maybe he could select one and do it quite deliberately. But no cut throats or we’re in trouble.”

  Valencio half laughed, “So I’m allowed to hit?”

  “There would be no punishment, and those who want to approach will be told it’s at their own risk.”

  “But I’m expected to submit to their fondling.”

  Fudo nodded, and Valencio shook his head. “It’s ridiculous! When women are so lovely! Why on earth do they lust after a man?”

  His now angry gaze went to Abensur, who said soothingly, “It’s just that they lusted after the boy and now it’s a matter of habit.”

  “I never understood them lusting after a boy!”

  He paced briefly, and then said to Abensur, “Will it make a difference? Is it worth it?”

  “Fudo hopes that this concession will reduce the talk of revolt. There are other things planned. Unless there’s a last minute problem, you will be leaving tomorrow, late morning, planned to be at the same time as everyone will start gathering for a wedding. I have discouraged anyone from coming to watch your departure.”

  Valencio said, suddenly appealing, “Is it real? Will we really be allowed to go?”

  Fudo said with a touch of grimness in his tone, “I have every intention of seeing the end of the practice of keeping medj prisoners. There has been too much cruelty over the years.”

  Valencio regarded him curiously. Fudo had cruelty in his nature. What had changed his mind? He took a deep breath, “Restrained by an ankle clip, but it’s not to be locked. No intimate fondling. Without shirt only, and I will not cut anyone’s throat, though I may hit someone. Not Botan, not Pervez, whom I would still try and kill.”

  “Botan’s left, and Pervez is in an English jail. He looks different, I hear, since one of his targets kicked him in the face.”

  Valencio’s pleasure was discernible, and Fudo smiled. It was the effect he’d intended. He continued, “I agree that the ankle clip will not be locked, though we won’t tell anyone else that. I will be here, as well as Abensur, to prevent any cruelty or taunting. A couple of guards, who’ll keep their wands out just for effect. Carol can stay as well, and if she thinks we’ve been unfair, she can complain to Madam Zhor.”

  Carol glanced at Hilde, and said, “Hilde, this time, I think.”

  Abensur said in what he hoped was a calming voice, “Here, in half an hour, and we’ll keep everybody else out.”

  Valencio said, “I’ll wait here. Tasha’s in Enclosure 1 with a couple of friends. I don’t want her to know, or any of the others.”

  Carol started to leave, and he asked, “Carol?” She stopped and he crossed to her. “Just look after a few things for me,” and he handed her his knife, and as soon as that was put in a pocket, three sharp pieces of glass.

  Fudo and Abensur glanced at each other. They hadn’t seen anything, but the conclusion was obvious. At least it seemed he didn’t plan to be armed when his temper was tested.

  Valencio sat down, casually maneuvering a chair to use as a footstool. He put hands in pockets, and raised his eyebrows at Fudo and Abensur, who still had him under their regard. He felt quite calm now, oddly. He had to work for his freedom, and if it took the form of one of the humiliation scenes the bastards delighted in, he guessed it was only to be expected. It could have been a lot worse, after all.

  Abensur said, “I’ll send in a couple of guards, but you just wait while we spread word.”

  Hilde sat down with Valencio as they left. “Will you be all right?”

  “I’ve endured a lot worse. And I don’t think either of them are lying.” He shook his head, and said, as he had before, “I just cannot understand them still wanting me!”

  “Nearly all those of Enclosure 1 are with clients, trying to keep them happy. I guess we all have to do our best.”

  “I have no weapons on me. And Fudo says it doesn’t really matter if I hit.” He smiled, “Being given permission to hit - maybe I can keep my temper better if I know I can if I want.”

  She smiled at him as two guards came in. “Maybe you should be flattered. All these years with you virtually out of sight, and they still remember you.”

  Valencio snorted. Flattered!

  The guards went to the exit door, closed it and stood in front of it. They were quite young, maybe trained in Japan, as he’d never seen them before. He didn’t like it. It was never good when they blocked his exit. Hilde touched his arm, “Only what you agreed.” She lowered her voice. “They’re there for effect, so that you appear very dangerous, that it appears a greater concession than it really is, like the ankle clip you can undo yourself if you want.”

  Valencio smiled, “Of course,” but his voice was strained. When was the last time they’d done something like this? When Arikiyo died, he thought. And Narzu-Han hadn’t come. He felt suddenly bereft. Narzu-Han was gone now, and he’d never see him again. How could he miss him still? And yet know that seeing him again would start it all over, and that would destroy him, finally, irrevocably. What did one do when you could not live and you were forbidden to kill yourself? Go mad, he guessed.

  Abensur re-entered, businesslike. He conjured a single vertical bar and took a strap from his pocket. “Valencio, come here now,” he said, in a matter-of-fact tone.

  Va
lencio glowered at him, hating him and hating every other bloody wizard. But he went to the bar and submitted as a strap was fixed to the bar, and then clipped onto one of the rings on his right ankle cuff. Would there really be freedom tomorrow? Or was it just a way of disarming him? He looked at Abensur for reassurance.

  Abensur said, “Take your shirt off. Each will probably want to feel and look, but they’re not allowed to touch genitals, not allowed to taunt or hurt in any way.”

  Valencio made no move. Abensur went to him and started unbuttoning. He said softly, “A lot of us - we have an affection for you. You were not just for sex. You became special to us.”

  Valencio looked away, but shrugged off his shirt. Not special enough for any of them to help him escape. Not special enough that they thought of refraining from taking new girls captive whenever they chose. Brigitta, Inge and Evita. Inge and Evita raped by Tashfin when they were just twelve, and then Evita, who fought to keep them alive by allowing Ryuichi to use her like a boy would be used. He couldn’t not do this. Anything that would help them get away. Would it help them get away? Or was it just a way of exacting one final humiliation from him? There was a scowl on his face.

  Abensur said, “Hilde, did he ever tell you he nearly killed me once? Knocked me out, had a blade in his hand, and then changed his mind and only waited for me to wake up.”

  Hilde said, surprised, “He never told me that.”

  “I had a bet going, that I could tame him. He said I could collect now, as he was tamed.” He said to Valencio, “I never collected that bet. You were never tamed and you’re not tame now. You may have been a slave, but you were never a slave in your own mind. It’s why you’ve been the most troublesome prisoner Nusa’pei ever had to deal with, and the most troublesome I’ve had to deal with.”

  Valencio ignored his prattle. Just something he had to endure, and tonight.... Could tonight really be the last night he spent as a captive?

  Fudo re-entered the room in company with another man, who smiled at the restrained prisoner with satisfaction. Fudo said, “Sayyid, just wait a moment, please. I’m going to search him. I’ve shown you examples of the weapons he used to use.”

  Crossing his fingers, Fudo went to Valencio, searched under cuffs and then checked the pockets of shorts, even feeling down seams. Valencio stood still and looked into the distance. Fudo felt the back of Valencio’s head, provoking a growl, “There’s nothing there.”

  Fudo stepped back and explained to Sayyid, “When he attacked Rotan, it seemed he had a blade hidden on the back of his head. And even when he was thoroughly searched, he often seemed to have a weapon anyway. Nusa’pei had him taken to his appointments naked in the end, to make it less likely he could produce a weapon.”

  “That was before Narzu-Han took him over, I presume.”

  Fudo looked questioningly at Abensur, who said, “He was thirteen and spent several months in general use. He was very much desired, but we had to take extreme precautions.”

  Valencio was beginning to be a touch amused. He was a tourist attraction! It wouldn’t be so bad if the men were just going to stand back and be told how dangerous he used to be.

  But Sayyid approached and he forced himself to stay still as shoulders were petted and a measuring hand went to muscles of arms. He flinched as Sayyid touched quickly and firmly over genitals and then bottom, and Sayyid gave a short laugh. But then he stepped back, made a comment in Japanese to Fudo, and left, just as Rafu admitted more wizards. Half a dozen young ones, about twenty, all now qualified as Fighters.

  Valencio was already seething, wishing he could have hit Sayyid. He’d said no intimate fondling, but Sayyid could make problems.

  Valencio glanced over at the new arrivals. He knew them all. They were ones for whom he’d stood still while they aimed spells at him, at ten or eleven until the age of around fifteen or sixteen. They used to assess the students’ performance as much as Haru, trying to guess in advance which would be Kobi-Wynn and which not good enough. Their speculation made it easier to tolerate the humiliation of spells that made them look silly. Valencio had always found those harder to bear with equanimity than he did the control spells. He looked coldly at one called Yoweri. He was a bad one that one, almost black, and with fierce, hot eyes. He’d been powerful, and the expectation had been that he’d be Kobi-Wynn.

  Now Yoweri smiled slightly, and said, “Women are boring. I would have used the dirt-boy. Thoroughly, too. He wouldn’t have sat down for a week.” And carefully, ready to react, Yoweri approached and ran his hands over shoulders, even pinched a nipple.

  Valencio yawned. Yoweri wanted him to try and hit. Fudo glanced at Abensur, who shrugged.

  Yoweri’s hands ran over buttocks, and he said, “You had to be tied down or paralyzed, they say.”

  Valencio asked casually, “Did they have to tie you down when they did the sterilization spell? You expected to be Kobi-Wynn, didn’t you?”

  Yoweri froze and stepped back slightly, staring into the cool eyes of the slave, as dark as his own.

  Valencio needled, “How does it feel to be judged not good enough to breed?”

  He was ready as Yoweri struck, and dodged quickly enough that Yoweri hit his fist hard into the bar. Yoweri pressed his attack and Valencio merely dodged behind the bar, waiting for Fudo to intervene. But Fudo had been one who’d tried to run when he’d been judged el-Kobi, and had been whipped for disobedience as well as sterilized. Fudo was almost as angry as Yoweri. It was not a good strategy to hit at that sensitive spot.

  Abensur said quietly, “That’s enough, Yoweri.”

  Yoweri hesitated, and then stalked off.

  Valencio glanced at Fudo and looked away, not quite able to bring himself to apologize. The other young men were also glaring at him.

  Hilde had her head down, almost crying. She could understand Valencio retaliating when taunted like that, but he should not have done it. Maybe he’d put their escape at risk.

  Valencio was ashamed of himself. He’d been very stupid - yet again. No-one else did the stupid things he did, and he’d upset and disappointed Hilde.

  Fudo said in a cold voice, “That was very silly. Yoweri’s a bad enemy for a helpless prisoner.”

  One of the young Fighters urged, “Restrain him fully and let us touch. Let him make up for it a bit.”

  Abensur conjured another bar and said firmly, “Right wrist?”

  Valencio hesitated, glanced at Hilde again, and then put his right wrist to Abensur and then his left, as instructed. And now both ankles were restrained, so he couldn’t kick, either.

  The first of the young Fighters came forward and his caressing quickly became more intimate. He murmured, “No-one likes Yoweri. We will not follow him.”

  Others crowded around. Valencio merely looked indifferent as he was fondled. One won a response, and himself became more excited. He said huskily, “I can understand your attraction now.” He actually kissed and said, “You’ll be gone tomorrow. If there’s fighting, I will be behind Fudo.”

  Valencio smiled at him and said simply, “Good to hear.” It was strange. All he had to do to win affection was to allow a natural physical reaction to occur. It was irrelevant for the moment that it shamed him so dreadfully. Anything to win freedom...

  More men came in, still ones who’d never used him. Curious, fondling, many of them intimately fondling, though at least he wore shorts. He chose not to put on his armor of apparent indifference this time. He was fighting, just in a different way. Instead, he looked back at them and when they wished him good luck, he thanked them, and once, congratulated one on their new, strong leader, that could even have the great wizard shaking with fear. Zhor had furiously rebuked Bellamy for killing the man who’d sent a Killing Curse, and the story had spread very quickly. But Pitono laughed and said, “I doubt if he was really shaking in fear!”

  Driss, the consort of Suma. Driss showed his arousal, and said something in Japanese to Abensur. Valenci
o shivered. Driss might have had the power to order him back into use if he’d seen him while Suma was leader. But Driss only touched his cheek and told him to behave himself. “If you attack John Bellamy, you will not survive!” Valencio answered that he wasn’t planning on it.

  There was a brief interval, and Fudo asked laughingly, whether Valencio would be nice to him now, as well. Valencio said, “I’ve already been nicer to you than I want.”

  Hilde asked, “Is it finished now?”

  Abensur shook his head, “Not by a long way, I suspect. There’ll be a lot more yet.”

  Valencio said, “Please take off the wrist restraints. It is not as agreed.”

  Fudo said firmly, “You’ll win more support as you are. They’re to be left on.”

  Valencio looked at Hilde, who said gently, “Try and put up with it. I think you’re helping.”

  Valencio sighed and went to lean against one of the bars, but prevented by the ankle restraints. He didn’t like it, and he couldn’t hit. And yet, except for Yoweri, he thought that none of those who’d come, would fight against their departure.

  Zeeko, who came close, touched his cheek, and said, “You’ll be happy now.”

  Valencio looked at him, troubled and not knowing how to reply. The words and actions of all the wizards were still as to someone vastly their inferior, maybe like a favorite pet.

  Amani. Valencio was surprised and said, “I thought you’d be dead by now.”

  Amani replied, “You must like me a lot now, Valencio. I’m pretty old.”

  Others around looked confused, and Amani explained, “Bashir told me. He said he liked him better than the others because he was old and therefore closer to death.” There were chuckles. Old age and death were not a matter for fear among the Freign. The healers kept them free of pain, and when they chose, most of them found they could simply let go, die peacefully in their sleep. If not, there was a potion or spells. Wizards did not suffer lingering, painful deaths.

  There were others who’d used Valencio, and embraced him closely, many kissing and speaking tenderly. He remarked to Hilde, in a second brief interval, “Have they noticed I’ve grown up?”

  Hilde shook her head. Even she, who’d known him throughout his years in Enclosure 1, hadn’t quite realized how desirable he’d seemed to the wizards.

  Abimael, who demanded of Fudo, “Why is he restrained?”

  Fudo shrugged and didn’t intervene as Abimael unclipped his wrists, but stopped him undoing the second ankle restraint.

  Shar-kutsu, who came in pleased, boastful in front of three friends, a little younger. “It’s the mad slave they all dote on,” he said. “I never had him, but I saw him naked after he killed Arikiyo.”

  Valencio frowned and Shar-kutsu quite hurriedly said, “He died of joy, so they say, because he was given such pleasure.” He asked Abensur, “Can we approach?”

  “If you like, but it’s your responsibility. He can hit quite hard.”

  Shar-kutsu looked hesitant, and one of the others said teasingly, “The great Shar-kutsu, who’s working with the great wizard, and you’re frightened to go near a dirt-boy!”

  “Of course I’m not frightened!” He approached warily and embraced, too close to easily punch. Valencio thought that Shar-kutsu deserved a reward. He was such a good source of information and he’d helped make their escape possible. He waited until Shar-kutsu stepped back after fondling, and acted very quickly, taking one step forward, and swinging a punch that brushed the cheek of Shar-kutsu.

  Shar-kutsu stepped back out of reach, and said, “See? Me! I have lightning reactions. I was ready for him and he missed.”

  Valencio muttered something, growling, keeping his fists balled. Fudo laughed to himself and said warningly, “You’ll have to be restrained again if you hit!”

  The others with Shar-kutsu didn’t go near, just commented that he had a great body no doubt, but women for them, any time.

  A brief pause, and then a string of men who’d used him, Aminadi, very old now, who wanted to hug and say goodbye, good luck. Junichiro, who caressed intimately, and whom Valencio had to battle with himself not to hit. Rafik, Iraz and Hwang. It was beginning to be a restatement of his list. Another pause. Was this the way that he had to pay for his freedom? What if they’d wanted more?

  He waited. Would Hicham come? He hoped not. He thought he might still react to the man and he didn’t want to.

  Diethard, who cautiously extended a hand and shook it, to Valencio’s surprise. No-one had ever shaken his hand like that, as if he was just another man. Diethard said, “You can make a new life now. Just maybe you should give up hitting people.”

  “Tonight has been a new record. So many I’ve refrained from trying to hit.”

  Diethard laughed and retreated, still cautious. If Valencio had been fully restrained, it would have been interesting to see if he could still get him excited. One of the young Fighters had boasted of getting a reaction.

  They gave it another ten minutes, only one old man hurrying in, coming straight to the dangerous prisoner, embracing and kissing. “Always loved having you,” he murmured. “Even having you paralyzed, it was good. And then I’d watch you run and know I’d been in you. It still gives me pleasure when I think of it.”

  Valencio sighed. Malrungee was too old to hit.

  Abensur consulted his watch and said to Fudo, “Have we given them long enough?”

  Fudo nodded, “Release him.”

  One more at the door, and Valencio turned to look. A middle-aged man he didn’t know, with a kitchen trolley laden with a supper. “Nara said to send him date scones. He always likes date scones. But then we thought we’d best supply enough for all of them.”

  Valencio smiled, honestly delighted. He’d never heard of Nara, knew none of the women. Yet she knew he liked date scones.

  The wizard said, “My name’s Keresta,” and as he set out the plates on the table, followed by jugs of soft drink, it became clear it was not just date scones they’d been supplied with.

  Valencio said, “Keresta?”

  Keresta looked up.

  “It’s not poison or something, is it?”

  Keresta was taken aback. Why should he think it might be poison? He said firmly, “It’s not poison. There’s not even anything to calm nerves, though I’ve heard it suggested. But maybe the guards should try some first. It would be a shame if no-one touched it.”

  Abensur strolled over and helped himself to a sweet slice. “Not bad,” he commented.

  His example was followed by the two guards who’d been guarding the door, after a prompt from Abensur. Keresta helped himself, but Fudo was cautious and chose not to.

  Valencio put on his shirt and said, “Hilde, what do you think?”

  Fudo said, “Leave it if you’re worried. I’ll go see Nara and be back in a few minutes.”

  Hilde smiled at Valencio, “No-one will be so curious as to what we’ve been doing if there’s this to show.”

  Ten minutes later, Fudo returned and said ruefully, “Nara’s my wife, and she nearly hit me when I asked if there was any chance the food might have been meddled with.” He poured himself a drink and took a scone. “Do you want us to stay around so you can see if we go to sleep, or maybe die?”

  Valencio took a date scone and started to eat. Casually, he said, “I’ve seen enough of bloody wizards for one day. You may leave.”

  Fudo grinned, “Aside from Yoweri, you’ve been very well behaved. I think tomorrow will go without a hitch.”

  Valencio looked at him, and his voice had a sudden quaver, “You think it might be all right?”

  “Try and have some trust, Valencio. Personally, I’ll be pleased to see the back of you. And the great wizard can do it, even if we dared not risk it. I’ll be there until the last group is gone.”

  “I might be able to believe it then.”

  Abensur glanced at his watch, “I hope Brigitta’s still waiting.”
The feast was left for the slaves.

  An hour later, Valencio was running around and around the enclosure, unable to settle.

  Tasha was in Enclosure 1, wanting to talk to those who’d been with clients. Would it really be all right?

  Brigitta was with Abensur, who asked her again if she would stay. There were tears on the face of Brigitta, and she said, “If things were different, if our histories were different...”

  Abensur pulled her closer. If he’d been ordered, he might have killed this girl, and Brigitta in the beginning, he knew, had only played up to him because he could kill them on no other authority than his own. But everything was changed now...

  Emma lay on her bed in her room. Tomorrow she’d be free, but she’d lost half of herself, lost her twin sister, dead the very first night. She must be buried somewhere close, though she’d never asked, and none of the wizards had ever even referred to the fact that there had been two six-year-old children that night, not just one. Emma finally slept and dreamed restlessly of Laura, who was to be left behind.

  Lucy and Eva had been in New York and then in Japan, and were still favorites, though only of el-Kobi. They didn’t consider staying with them. Eva said sadly, “I sort of like Zhang, but he was overseer in New York, and I think he probably killed all the others.”

  Lucy said, “We survived, and we’re going to be free!”

  Eva was alarmed. “Don’t say it yet, it’s bad luck!”

  Not many of the prisoners slept that night, though little Brigitta did, in the close embrace of Abensur.

  ******