Dec 24, 2010 17:52
Freeing angels is, at best, a risky business, but wherever there’s a slave trade, there is, or soon will be, an Underground of freed, or escaped slaves. Escaped angels are even more rare than freed ones, though it does happen, from time to time, and most of those still captive have heard rumors of this group living somewhere in the wilds, or perhaps in cities right under the noses of the Auction Houses, no one really knows for sure, no one seems to know very much at all, and some know considerably less. But still the rumors continue, a strike force gathering, preparing for a war that may or may not ever arrive.
Zepar is a member of this Underground, he has been for some time, long enough, in fact, that it’s almost time for him to be up for re-capture. Once in a while, when their numbers can take the hit, one or two of those who have been with the group the longest allow themselves to be recaptured by Hunters to keep the rumors of the resistance going, to spread them further. They know that it’s what amounts to a kamikaze mission, that the recaptured only rarely get away again to rejoin the Underground. Zepar doesn’t fear it, even though he knows full well what may happen, he considers it duty repaid, really, believing that if he allows his recapture his knowledge of the Underground and how to contact them may save some of his siblings, ones who’ve had a harder time of it than he has.
Prior to being freed, Zepar was used primarily as a sex slave, because he’s still young enough, and pretty and mostly unmarked, though he does have a brand scar high on one shoulder from his first master whom he was confiscated from (along with the rest of the man‘s angels) due cruelty and neglect. Sometimes he was used for his masters’ own pleasure, and sometimes their amusement in loaning him out to others. He’s also been used as a house slave, and knows his way around most kitchens and cookbooks. In fact, he quite likes cooking, when he’s allowed to. At least one of his masters wouldn’t allow him near the kitchen for fear of his trying to poison the family, but others have let him have free reign, one even going so far as to let him plan meals and do the shopping himself.
His most recent master was the one who gave him his freedom, it was something she’d promised him if he could beget her a son, and after three daughters, he did. The woman knew it was a gamble, but she felt that he was mild-mannered enough that he wouldn’t be a threat once he was freed. Luckily for her and the children, he wasn’t, at least not to her or to them. He’s been with the Underground for nearly two years and yet he doesn’t fear being recaptured, sure that his luck will continue as it has, namely: getting masters who treat him as favored livestock or a family pet rather than an expendable tool.