Estel by chrissystriped

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"They are your siblings too."

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Sharû was leaning against the wall of the tunnel, watching the slaves he was supervising. It was his task to take care that they didn’t work too slowly. It would be better for them, too. To not reach the daily quota meant whipping and no fodder for them. They’d been here a while and suitably docile, he hadn’t a lot of work to do. When the drums that denoted the end of the workday sounded and Sharû gave the order, they lined up in front of the wagon and lifted the towing ropes.

“And go!”

They would need half an hour or more with the full wagon. Sharû didn’t push them, they knew themselves that they wouldn’t eat tonight if they took too long. He didn’t like to torture slaves. And his thoughts were elsewhere. His pale-skinned, fair-haired brother was always on his mind. Could his mother really hope to hide him? Wouldn’t he end like these men one day? Sharû watched them with growing unease. They were dirty, their bowed backs covered in welts – most of his comrades didn’t spare the whip. Sharû saw the abrasions on their shoulders where the coarse rope was chafing. One of the slaves stumbled and fell to his knees.

‘Stand up’, Sharû begged silently. ‘Please, please stand up.’

“On your feet!”, he barked at him. “Back to your place.”

The elf winced when he let the whip crack, but Sharû had aimed above his head. Only a warning. He hoped he wouldn’t have to do more. The slave staggered to his feet. He trembled with exhaustion. All of them were exhausted and the wagon was full, they had done a good job today. They wouldn’t be punished... if they were fast enough. Sharû gulped.

“Forward”, he snarled.

Slowly the wagon gained speed again, it was heavy. He was strong and well fed, while the slaves barely got enough to eat to survive. He could see their ribs and count their vertebrae. Sharû tucked the whip into his belt, moved behind the wagon and pushed. Heads were turned when they noticed that it was suddenly easier to pull, but only one dared to look directly at him – the one who had fallen earlier.

“Pull”, Sharû said.

Soon sweat was running down his back under his leather armour. He wasn’t sure if they still were pulling or if they let him do all the work, but he didn’t care. He stopped only when they came closer to busier regions, where multiple tunnels met and the risk to be seen became too high.

“Not a word, to no one”, he ordered gruffly and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

He hoped that no one would notice his exhaustion. The muscles in his shoulders and thighs were burning.

 

He had the night shift. Guard duty in the slave quarters that were only a big cave where the slaves slept on the floor. No beds, they didn’t even grant them blankets. Sharû leaned against the wall, dozing a little, his comrade was making the round. Not that a lot happened at night. The slaves were much too exhausted at evening to try anything, they slept like stones. He heard a sound from the dark cave, then steps. Or maybe not all of them.

Sharû straightened trying to look watchful. The elf approached him and Sharû strengthened his grip on his spear, but then he saw that the elf’s hands were empty. What could an unarmed, malnourished slave do to him? He probably weighed twice as much as the elf. The slave looked down at him, meeting his eyes with a serious expression.

“Thank you”, he said and took one of Sharû's hands between his. His fingers caressed his palm before he kissed the knuckles, Sharû stopped breathing. “For what you did today. Thank you.”

Sharû realised that it was one of the slaves he had helped with the wagon today. He wouldn’t have recognised him, he didn’t memorise faces. Sharû looked closer at him and saw his skinned knees. The one who had fallen?

“You were hard at work. The wagon was heavy because you had been hardworking. It would have been unjust if you had been punished for that.”

The elf laughed mirthlessly. “Nothing down here is just. But you... you could have whipped me and didn’t.” The elf licked his lips. “If... in return for... I wouldn’t struggle.” His fingers shyly touched Sharû’s crotch.

Sharû lifted his eyebrows. He was surprised, but... his comrade would be gone a while. He pulled the slave close, licked his neck. Iron and dirt, but the taste didn’t bother him, to the contrary. He felt heat gather in his groin. His hand kneaded the elf’s buttocks, he only wore a dirty loincloth. Sharû opened his trousers and pushed the elf’s hand down.

“Touch me, elfling”, he ordered and growled when the slave started to stroke him.

Sharû’s hands wandered over the elf’s body, he was getting hard quickly. The elf’s fingers wrapped around his cock, first hard than only a gentle caress, wandered down to massage his balls, then up again, the thumb slid over the slick head. Sharû grunted with pleasure.

“On your knees”, he growled.

He had weapon oil in his belt pouch. Sharû grinned when he oiled his ‘spear’ lavishly. He pushed an oily finger inside the slave to loosen him a little. He didn’t like to fuck unprepared slaves if he had another choice.

Sharû entered the slave with a slow thrust, his muscles quivered around him and Sharû halted to savour the feeling. His hands closed around the slave’s hips when he started to move, slowly at first but soon more quickly. The slapping of his belly against the slave’s backside and his own growls were the only sounds in the tunnel. The elf didn’t make a sound, no screams, no moans, not even a whimper. Sharû bit his shoulder when he came to stifle the scream that rose in his throat. He tasted blood, his teeth had pierced the skin.

He caught his breath and stood up, closing his trousers. The elf stumbled to his feet, his knees were bleeding again.

“Is my debt paid with this?”, he asked.

Sharû caught a short flicker of revulsion in his eyes before his face became blank again. Eyes like those of his youngest brother. Sharû suddenly was ashamed of himself, he felt sick.

‘Debt?’, he thought. ‘There never was a debt.’

But the slave had thought so.

“Yes”, he answered gruffly. “You can go.”

He hadn’t been the first slave he had taken – and he wouldn’t be the last – but just now he felt so bad about it. Did his mother know what he was doing down here? She had to, she couldn’t be so naive to believe that this didn’t happen.

'She would be ashamed of you, if she had seen you just now', Sharû thought and  closed his eyes to hold back tears.

He shouldn’t have done this. It wasn’t right to satisfy his desire at the cost of those weaker than him. But... he knew that he wasn’t a good person, He would do it again. He had needs and he wasn’t good at suppressing his desires.

 

Sharû saluted the Maia who sat behind his desk. He had sent for him, Sharû had no idea why and did his best to hide his tremble. He saw him now and then in the mines or at drill, but he wasn’t important enough that a Maia would speak to him directly. It was better to not arouse attention. What had he done?

“At ease.”

The Maia leaved through a file. His? What was in it that the Maia wanted to see him in person? Sharû felt his stomach churn.

“You have a remarkable success rate.” The Maia watched him with intense eyes. “I’ve been watching you for quite a while. You are kind to the slaves.”

Sharû gulped. Was he expected to defend himself now? But the Maia hadn’t asked him a direct question and he had learned that it was better to keep his mouth shut.

“Why?”

“Because... I think that they work better when we don’t beat them for every triviality, sir. It only weakens them. I know that we are instructed differently, but...”

“I like how you work. And you can read and write, yes?”

Sharû nodded, his mother had taught him. “You are aware that Captain Hrak is being transferred? I want you for that post.”

Sharû stared at the Maia. He wanted him to lead because he was nice to the slaves.

The Maia stood up and walked around the table. “Congratulations to your promotion, Captain Sharû.” Sharû shook the offered hand, he was dumbfounded. “I suggest that you continue as before.” The Maia winked at him. “But discretely.”

“Of course, sir. Always.” He knew that not everyone would like it. Damn, he hadn’t thought that the Maia would regard it with favour.

“Very good. Dismissed, Captain. I’ll send you someone, who will show you your new office.”