Entrapped To Alien Lords

46

My hands and body were filthy. I was slightly hungry and I ached all over. I missed being clean and comfortable. Overall, I felt awful. As I wandered back inside to sit with the skeleton I thought about what I had done to end up here.

I wanted to be free, so I pretended I was. This was not a planet to pretend on. It was harsh and I was not suited for it. Without the protection of my Masters, I was as good as dead.

It pained me to realize how much I needed my owners. I didn't know how to find water or which foods I could eat. The inhabitants on this planet obviously thought I had only one use. If they didn't own me, it didn't matter if I was happy about that or not. My survival was only important to one very small group of men and they had disowned me.

I watched quietly as the sun travelled across the sky. Transports flew by quietly in the distance, but they never stopped. Eventually the fear waned some and I started to recognize the pattern.

The transports were watching the village. There were six different transports as far as I could tell. They did regular sweeps in a set series. Someone was monitoring me, keeping me safe, with the exception of the near rape.

I watched the sky and pondered that horrible experience with new eyes. My owners had said they disowned me and I was being left to fend for myself. Someone fed and watered me twice a day, though. They sent someone to tend my wounds. Master Damien and his brothers had not left me. “Too bad,’ the man had said when he was over me. There was movement at the window and no one else ever came in. Someone had stopped him. My owners had stopped him. They were here somewhere, still protecting me.

I smiled and leaned against the rough wall. My body ached, I was dirty, and I couldn't rest well, but there was a reason to be happy. I had not been left. I was just on a longer leash to demonstrate a point.

It was a strange train of thought, but I suddenly wondered how far out in the ocean I had been. If I had to guess I'd say farther than I was from the village now. I wondered how my owners had found me way out there. Perhaps all that tasting Master Evan loved to do really did have some purpose.

I remembered the times he'd tasted me, everywhere. I'd never seen him taste his brothers, except the one time. He'd probably done it long ago.

A transport came close to the building, but didn't stop. I was getting used to the pattern; it was comforting now. There was just someone watching me.

I lay my head back against the wall and continued to think about Master Evan and his sense. He had to be good to have found me. It was dark by the time they located me in the water and he obviously knew exactly where I was.

A thought niggled in my brain. He hadn't been able to find Master Christof in the mountains. It was a shame. If he had they could have avoided all of that stress. One day when they were in the mood for my questions I'd have to ask them about it. When the men came later that night I got in my corner again. One came to stand over me, but I didn't look at him. It took them longer to leave this time. They started a fire in the fireplace before they left. Once they were gone, I found a new clean jug and food.

Privileges, it felt like I was earning privileges.

I slept in front of the fireplace and that seemed to keep the flies away from me. The floor was still uncomfortable, but I slept more than I had the night before. Every time I rolled over I felt a nagging soreness from sleeping on what was essentially concrete.

"It is amazing humans manage to keep an entire planet to themselves,” I heard Master Evan say.

I thought I was dreaming and groaned as I sat up. The first thing I saw was several sets of boots standing around me. Shrieking, I dove to cower in my corner.

"Ciara, come here," Master Damien said.

As quickly as my sore body could I rose to stand trembling in front of him. Out of habit I looked at his feet. I'd spent the last two days learning not to look at anybody.

"Look at me," he commanded.

I complied quickly and saw the deep frown marring his features. He looked as tired as I still felt. Evidently they weren't sleeping well either.

"You have seen what happens to slaves that try to escape repeatedly,” he said gesturing to the skeleton along the wall.

"Yes, Master Damien, I won't try to escape again. I promise,” I said meekly.

Master Christof placed my collar back around my neck. The ornate cuffs were reattached to my wrists and ankles. Master Evan laid a kneeling place at my feet and gestured. I knelt down and took a long drink from him. They also fed me a large portion of the worms.

Once I was done they stood me up and wrapped me in the bulky brown tunic. Master Damien motioned for me to follow him. I did, but the wound on my foot gave me a nasty limp. Master Evan slung me into his arms and carried me to the waiting transport pad.

Once we were home they took me straight to the shower. I panicked when they removed my collar and cuffs, but they just wanted to clean underneath them. As they scrubbed and washed me Master Bane spoke up.

"We know you did not try to escape from us in the way most slaves do, but it seemed that way. The compound demanded punishment for you. Don't ever do that again," he said seriously.

"I won't Master Bane, I promise,” I said quietly.

"It is not safe for you outside our care, Ciara. We will take you to explore if that is what you wish to do, but you cannot go alone,” Master Christof advised.

"Yes, Master Christof."

"You understand we treated you better in the village than any slave has ever been,” Master Evan said pulling through knots in my hair.

"Thank you, Master Evan,” I said automatically.

"We were very upset when Randolf struck you and more upset when he tried to..." Christof didn't finish and his eyes closed for a moment. He had looked horrified.

"Although you did speak to him,” Master Bane reminded me, "we had not given him permission to strike you or to use you. He overstepped your punishment. Damien beat him for that infraction.” "Thank you, Master Damien," I replied watching the dirty water drain away.

"We would not let them handle you after that," Master Kein explained kissing my shoulder. "We could not bear to see them touch you. Your pain affected us deeply..."