Worlds Apart 48 - Johar's thoughts
I had a few people comment that they were sorry that I wasn't planning to write from Johar's POV again. Johar took this to mean he had fans felt he should make his fans happy and it does explain a few things about him. You also get a glimpse of what Arnell was like. Please keep in mind for the flashback Arnell is only 14 and thinks, in pure teenager fashion, he knows everything.
And special Thanks to littleni for beta reading.
Johar sat in the tub of perfectly heated soapy water, while the slave ever so gently, and expertly massaged shampoo into his scalp. The slave was a natural and it was such a shame his talent would be wasted on the brat. He had spent the last week training the boy in the slight differences in Yndisan grooming and Ghuryni grooming
but he was running out of cultural differences and would soon have to give up these blessed moments of pampering.
Although, Johar thought, I don't have to turn him over just yet. I could declare him not yet ready for Neisk. If I tell him he needs to practice more he could continue to practice on me right up till the day I leave.
It was manipulative and slightly unethical. However it was the end of Johar's career and quite possibly his last chance to ever have an assignment he enjoyed. Was it really to much to ask for a little pampering? Johar didn't think so.
“That was decent job, boy.” Johar said after he was fully bathed, groomed and dressed, he had to refrain from calling him slave. He did really want to leave a capable replacement, or as much of one as he could. That meant he had to get the boy stop thinking of himself as a slave and start thinking of himself as a valet. It was mostly likely impossible but not calling him slave might help a little. “However I am not satisfied with your performance. You need more practice I think. You will continue to practice on me and observe while I care for his lordship. Do you understand.”
“Yes, ashe.” The boy did well to hide his disappointment in his voice but Johar noticed the ever so slight drop of his shoulders. No doubt the little slut was itching to get his hands on the brat's naked body. Perhaps today's writing lesson would be on the pitfalls of nobles having sex with their servants.
“Good now should I get paddles or will today be the day you tell me what I need to know?” Johar asked. This was really a win either way. Either the boy would refuse and he would get to thrash the boy's ass or the boy would agree and he could find out what strange magic the brat had discovered.
“I can not answer your question, ashe.” The boy answered a slight tremble to his voice.
“You know the question right?” Johar asked.
“Yes, you wish to know how my hair grew, ashe.” The boy answered.
“That is right. Are you refusing to tell me?” Johar asked.
“Yes, ashe.” The boy answered hanging his head.
“Very well assume the position.”
After the beating he let the boy fall to the floor and cry a little. He knew it was a lot of pain to take and he was impressed as always at how well the boy took it. There was some satisfaction from beating the boy but he found what he was focusing on was the boy's hair. It had grown out a little bit more on it's own and the boy was filling out some too. Johar could almost see how the brat had mistaken him for Arnell.
Could the slave really be Arnell? He held in a chuckle. If it was it would be sweet irony that he was training Arnell to become the thing he had so despised. Johar didn't think he would ever forget the last time he saw the great Mage.
Johar knocked on the door he had been lead to. The home of two of the most powerful Elemental Mages was very elegant with it's wind and water themes. It looked like a very wealthy home, although not as wealthy as the home Johar served in. Knowing his employer held more wealth gave Johar a boost of confidence as that irritating voice called for him to come in.
It was shameless that he had to open the door for himself. The Mages home may look like a noble home but if they had any since of noble decency, their only son would have a valet to open the door. Once inside Johar nearly fell over in horror. The room which he supposed was a study of sorts looked as if a whirlwind had swept through followed by a dust storm. The young man himself appeared to be clean and well groomed although his hair was far to short for the current style.
“Jojo?!” The boy smiled as he spoke the nickname. One Johar found ridiculous, immature and unpleasant. “What a surprise!”
“Please sir. Call me Johar.” Johar tried not to grind his teeth with his request.
“Alright Johar, if you insist.” The boy grinned and Johar felt he was still being made fun of. “What brings you to my home?”
“I heard something very disturbing today, sir. Lordling Neisk told me that you told him he should not pick a valet tomorrow at his Manhood ceremony. Surely this can not be true.” Johar stated praying that the boy Mage would confirm his denial.
“It is true Johar. Neisk doesn't need a valet. He doesn't need any servants really.” The boy replied flippantly.
“How can you say that sir?” Johar was stunned. But then again, what did Mages know of the needs of nobles. It was one of the reasons he had been against this friendship from the beginning.
“Look at me. I don't have a valet and I'm doing quite well.” The boy answered.
“This room says otherwise, sir.” Johar responded without thinking.
“Are you criticising me Johar?” The boy laughed. “Are you allowed to do that? I didn't think you could speak that way to your betters.” There was that damned annoying grin of his again.
“You sir are not my better.” Johar responded not feeling the least bit guilty.
“Oh but I am Johar.” The boy gave him a sad look as if he pitied him. “In ways you can not understand. I am free to live my own life as I see fit and you are a slave.” He held up his hand as Johar opened his mouth to protest. “Hear me out. While it is true you are paid for your service and you could quit your job at any moment, you are still a slave to old traditions and outdated ideas. You continue to do what is expected of you because it has been expected of those before you. The only changes you care about in society are the styles of clothing and fashionable grooming. There is so much more to the world then just the small trappings of nobility. And if he let me I will show Neisk the world.”
“I fail to see why he can not take a valet with him on this tour of the world.” Johar countered. “Is it really that bad to have someone who looks out for him, who takes care of the mundane things so he can focus on more important things?”
“Is it so wrong to tie your own shoes? And button your own shirt?” The boy threw the words back at Johar.
“Yes!” Johar exclaimed unable to think of logical reasons he spoke with the passion of his heart.
“Look Johar. All I did was give him my opinion on the matter. You go back and give him yours and he will decide what he wants to do tomorrow.” The boy moved over to a stack of books and picked one up and started to flip through it as if Johar was no longer there. Johar stood his ground determined to make the youth understand. When the boy looked up again a few moments later he pretended to look surprised. “You are still here? Perhaps you were not clear that was a dismissal earlier. You should leave now.” Then he gave that awful grin. “Or will you ignore your brainwashing and defy my order to keep this argument going?”
Johar turned and left. There was no used talking to the spoiled boy. Plus he had his pride to think of. While he did not agree that Arnell was his 'better'. It was the boy's rank as a Mage that awarded him some special treatment whether his personality did or not. Also it was his room and he had the right to dismiss anyone from it. Johar thought sticking to his training instead of being goaded into a useless argument proved he was the 'better' man.
Coming out of his thoughts Johar smiled. Yes it would indeed be sweet justice if the slave in front of him was Arnell. Lord Neisk had finally come to his senses and chosen a valet and that valet was the man who talked him out of choosing one in the first place. Johar sighed for it was a nice thought but not possible. The Queen and other trustworthy people had witnessed Arnell's execution. People did not come back from the dead. But still it was a lovely thought.
And special Thanks to littleni for beta reading.
Johar sat in the tub of perfectly heated soapy water, while the slave ever so gently, and expertly massaged shampoo into his scalp. The slave was a natural and it was such a shame his talent would be wasted on the brat. He had spent the last week training the boy in the slight differences in Yndisan grooming and Ghuryni grooming
but he was running out of cultural differences and would soon have to give up these blessed moments of pampering.
Although, Johar thought, I don't have to turn him over just yet. I could declare him not yet ready for Neisk. If I tell him he needs to practice more he could continue to practice on me right up till the day I leave.
It was manipulative and slightly unethical. However it was the end of Johar's career and quite possibly his last chance to ever have an assignment he enjoyed. Was it really to much to ask for a little pampering? Johar didn't think so.
“That was decent job, boy.” Johar said after he was fully bathed, groomed and dressed, he had to refrain from calling him slave. He did really want to leave a capable replacement, or as much of one as he could. That meant he had to get the boy stop thinking of himself as a slave and start thinking of himself as a valet. It was mostly likely impossible but not calling him slave might help a little. “However I am not satisfied with your performance. You need more practice I think. You will continue to practice on me and observe while I care for his lordship. Do you understand.”
“Yes, ashe.” The boy did well to hide his disappointment in his voice but Johar noticed the ever so slight drop of his shoulders. No doubt the little slut was itching to get his hands on the brat's naked body. Perhaps today's writing lesson would be on the pitfalls of nobles having sex with their servants.
“Good now should I get paddles or will today be the day you tell me what I need to know?” Johar asked. This was really a win either way. Either the boy would refuse and he would get to thrash the boy's ass or the boy would agree and he could find out what strange magic the brat had discovered.
“I can not answer your question, ashe.” The boy answered a slight tremble to his voice.
“You know the question right?” Johar asked.
“Yes, you wish to know how my hair grew, ashe.” The boy answered.
“That is right. Are you refusing to tell me?” Johar asked.
“Yes, ashe.” The boy answered hanging his head.
“Very well assume the position.”
After the beating he let the boy fall to the floor and cry a little. He knew it was a lot of pain to take and he was impressed as always at how well the boy took it. There was some satisfaction from beating the boy but he found what he was focusing on was the boy's hair. It had grown out a little bit more on it's own and the boy was filling out some too. Johar could almost see how the brat had mistaken him for Arnell.
Could the slave really be Arnell? He held in a chuckle. If it was it would be sweet irony that he was training Arnell to become the thing he had so despised. Johar didn't think he would ever forget the last time he saw the great Mage.
Johar knocked on the door he had been lead to. The home of two of the most powerful Elemental Mages was very elegant with it's wind and water themes. It looked like a very wealthy home, although not as wealthy as the home Johar served in. Knowing his employer held more wealth gave Johar a boost of confidence as that irritating voice called for him to come in.
It was shameless that he had to open the door for himself. The Mages home may look like a noble home but if they had any since of noble decency, their only son would have a valet to open the door. Once inside Johar nearly fell over in horror. The room which he supposed was a study of sorts looked as if a whirlwind had swept through followed by a dust storm. The young man himself appeared to be clean and well groomed although his hair was far to short for the current style.
“Jojo?!” The boy smiled as he spoke the nickname. One Johar found ridiculous, immature and unpleasant. “What a surprise!”
“Please sir. Call me Johar.” Johar tried not to grind his teeth with his request.
“Alright Johar, if you insist.” The boy grinned and Johar felt he was still being made fun of. “What brings you to my home?”
“I heard something very disturbing today, sir. Lordling Neisk told me that you told him he should not pick a valet tomorrow at his Manhood ceremony. Surely this can not be true.” Johar stated praying that the boy Mage would confirm his denial.
“It is true Johar. Neisk doesn't need a valet. He doesn't need any servants really.” The boy replied flippantly.
“How can you say that sir?” Johar was stunned. But then again, what did Mages know of the needs of nobles. It was one of the reasons he had been against this friendship from the beginning.
“Look at me. I don't have a valet and I'm doing quite well.” The boy answered.
“This room says otherwise, sir.” Johar responded without thinking.
“Are you criticising me Johar?” The boy laughed. “Are you allowed to do that? I didn't think you could speak that way to your betters.” There was that damned annoying grin of his again.
“You sir are not my better.” Johar responded not feeling the least bit guilty.
“Oh but I am Johar.” The boy gave him a sad look as if he pitied him. “In ways you can not understand. I am free to live my own life as I see fit and you are a slave.” He held up his hand as Johar opened his mouth to protest. “Hear me out. While it is true you are paid for your service and you could quit your job at any moment, you are still a slave to old traditions and outdated ideas. You continue to do what is expected of you because it has been expected of those before you. The only changes you care about in society are the styles of clothing and fashionable grooming. There is so much more to the world then just the small trappings of nobility. And if he let me I will show Neisk the world.”
“I fail to see why he can not take a valet with him on this tour of the world.” Johar countered. “Is it really that bad to have someone who looks out for him, who takes care of the mundane things so he can focus on more important things?”
“Is it so wrong to tie your own shoes? And button your own shirt?” The boy threw the words back at Johar.
“Yes!” Johar exclaimed unable to think of logical reasons he spoke with the passion of his heart.
“Look Johar. All I did was give him my opinion on the matter. You go back and give him yours and he will decide what he wants to do tomorrow.” The boy moved over to a stack of books and picked one up and started to flip through it as if Johar was no longer there. Johar stood his ground determined to make the youth understand. When the boy looked up again a few moments later he pretended to look surprised. “You are still here? Perhaps you were not clear that was a dismissal earlier. You should leave now.” Then he gave that awful grin. “Or will you ignore your brainwashing and defy my order to keep this argument going?”
Johar turned and left. There was no used talking to the spoiled boy. Plus he had his pride to think of. While he did not agree that Arnell was his 'better'. It was the boy's rank as a Mage that awarded him some special treatment whether his personality did or not. Also it was his room and he had the right to dismiss anyone from it. Johar thought sticking to his training instead of being goaded into a useless argument proved he was the 'better' man.
Coming out of his thoughts Johar smiled. Yes it would indeed be sweet justice if the slave in front of him was Arnell. Lord Neisk had finally come to his senses and chosen a valet and that valet was the man who talked him out of choosing one in the first place. Johar sighed for it was a nice thought but not possible. The Queen and other trustworthy people had witnessed Arnell's execution. People did not come back from the dead. But still it was a lovely thought.