Tears Of The Neko - 1. Chapter 1

"I think you have chosen the perfect slaves for the Duke, my Lord. We are very proud that you have chosen us to provide his newest slaves," the slave master grinned, fawning over the nobleman who had just chosen ten of his best slaves, both human and hybrid.

"Yes, well, my brother is starting some work on the east wing of the manor, so we thought this might be the best place to pick up some suitable labor," Lord Whitmore smoothed over the front of his elegant coat.

He gracefully ignored the numerous other patrons of the slave market who were eying him with interest. He was bored with the whole task of coming down to the slave market, watching the human and hybrid slaves preen for the noblemen who wandered around between the large cells displaying them, hoping to catch the eye of the best master possible.

These slaves had offered themselves to Farth to be sold in return for serving at least a year as a slave. They had come to the slave master in hopes that they would be sold to a master who would care for their needs. Some had been sold to the slave master from previous owners who no longer needed them. At that point, they could choose to be free, and thus be on their own, or accept being sold to the market in hopes of getting a new owner. When any slave market owner accepted a slave, he accepted the responsibility of caring for them until they could be sold.

"Anything for the Duke," the portly man bowed slightlyas he led the man back towards his personal office to conclude the transactions. "Count Whitmore, will you want the Duke's seal put on their slave collars here, or will the Duke's slave master do it?"

Harrison Whitmore withheld his grimace at the continuous mention of his esteemed brother. He loved his brothers, but his oldest brother was so severe and stoic that he was downright annoying. Of course, Harrison thought, he hadn't always been that way. Not until... five years ago.

Damien Whitmore had become The Grand Duke of Marsten and the current heir to the throne five years ago at the young age of twenty. Being that their uncle, King Eudon, had never produced an heir and the three Whitmore brothers were his closest living relatives, it left Damien next in line to become king. With his brother's twenty-fifth birthday arriving in a couple days, he would officially be eligible to take the throne should King Eudon wish him to.

Damien and Roman had been old enough to remember when the man had actually been crowned king, while Harrison had only been a few years old. Harrison knew that their uncle had been thrust into the role of king over fifteen years ago as suddenly as his brother had become the Grand Duke when their parents were killed. Both men wore their titles with the utmost integrity, but both had lost part of themselves in their service to their kingdom.

Harrison knew that Damien had no real desire to be king and neither did he, although their middle brother Roman would be more than willing. Roman had often tried to talk Damien into giving up the title to him, knowing how much it weighed on Damien's head. But Damien took his new role very seriously, and Harrison always thought maybe it was because he felt guilty about not being more attentive and helpful when their father was alive. This was Damien's penance, he figured, to live and work for nothing but the kingdom.

Being the youngest, Damien had often tasked Harrison with the workings of the estate. Damien often left the socializing part to Roman, who was definitely more flirtatious and charming. He tolerated the uptight, snobbery of the others of their social class a lot better than Damien did. Of his two brothers, Damien was the more unemotional. Roman usually called him uptight and callous. But Harrison always believed his brother felt that he could never let his emotions show because he was the oldest and head of the family now.

Roman, however, enjoyed his title and all the delights that came with it. He enjoyed his power as a high ranking noble, and sometimes Damien had to chastise him for taking his power a little too far, especially with the servants and slaves.

"Arnett will do the collars at the manor," the stately blond waved off the eagerness of the slave master. "He has several slave collars ready to go. Thank you anyway, Master Farth."

"Very well then. My Lord, if you will just follow me this way," the man gestured past the last large display towards his own office. His assistants would be working the market with the lesser nobles and merchants while he took care of the Duke's brother.

Harrison Whitmore strode past the rows of slaves with little more than a glance. The slave market grouped the slaves in their large display cells based on abilities--labor slave, house slaves, even pleasure slaves--of course separating them by male and female as well. The last few cells had held some of the less desirable, less fit, older slaves that had probably been passed over before. Nonetheless, most of them were trying to attract his attention--the females smiled at him coyly, and he saw several curvy feline features on many of them, while the males straightened their shoulders and puffed out their chests to look more able than they probably were.

He paused at the last cell. It was a small single cage, and he was surprised to see the single slave in it not trying to vie for his attention. The small form of the little cat-like human was cowering in the back of its cage. He could see ribs showing through the thin back of the neko. There were faint scar lines lacing across the boy's pale skin. Black hair flowed from the head tucked in the corner, obscuring any features. A dingy white linen wrapped around the waist of the tiny creature. The black furred tail peeked out from under the linen and wrapped tightly around his thighs that were tucked under him. Small black furred ears twitched slightly at the sound of the slave market's master stopping nearby.

"What about that one?"

Farth stopped and turned to see who had captured the attention of the count. He frowned at the little slave that had been a bane to try to sell.

"That one's too small and too skittish to be of much use to anyone. I can't even put it with the others because they won't let it eat and nearly killed it once," the slave master waved off the slave as he led the gentleman past the cage of the little neko curled up in back corner.

"Really? Why?" a bemused expression appeared on the Count's face as he took in the shaking creature.

"Well, look at it," Farth snapped, annoyed by the neko's existence. He banged his hand on the side of the cage, rattling the cage noisily, "Hey, Kay!"

If it was possible, the little figure curled tighter into the corner and started shaking even worse.

"See?" the slave master gestured as if everything were explained. "It's ridiculously skittish."

"Why would the others try to kill him?"

"Well," Farth hedged, "I don't think they were trying to kill him, specifically. It was in with some of the other males, neko males, who had gone into heat, and well..."

Harrison's eyes darkened at the implication that the little neko had been attacked and raped by several of the larger neko hybrids. "I see," he growled.

But the slave master continued without seeing the dark look that crossed the noble's face. "But that was over a year ago, when I first got him. I almost got rid of him then, not worth the money to feed him. But thought maybe, he'd grow--"

"Get rid of him?" Harrison queried, his tone having changed to something more menacing.

"Well, uh," Farth stammered anxiously, afraid he'd now angered the noble, "I mean--"

"You were going to put him down," Harrison concluded.

The slave master had no response, and thought it better not to admit to the infraction. While not illegal, it was frowned upon to kill hybrid slaves, unless they were so sick they couldn't serve anymore. "Lord Whitmore, my apologies, but this one isn't fit for serving--"

"You know it is not generally accepted to put down an unfit slave," Harrison frowned at the man. It was rare that slaves were put down, since they could choose freedom, but occasionally it was determined to be best to relieve society of the burden of someone who could no longer be of use rather than waste precious resources on them.

If a slave couldn't function as a freeman, but was not useful to a master, usually because of sickness or old age, then sometimes the slave would be mercifully put down. Harrison hated the idea in general. He and his brothers had debated the issue on more than one occasion, with him and Damien arguing against it and Roman not seeing the problem with it.

"Well, sometimes, resources are best used elsewhere," Farth argued, which was the same argument he'd heard from Roman many times. "And this one is simply a drain on my resources, since he is so useless."

A slight smirk appeared on the nobleman's face. "Actually, this one might be perfect for what I have in mind, Master Farth."

Farth's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the thought that anyone would be interested in the pitiful creature. "Really? I don't see how. It's not worth much in labor, and it'd be a horrible servant..."

"Yes, well, my brother's birthday is coming up. I think it might be amusing to present him with a little pet," Harrison smirked.

He knew Damien would be annoyed beyond words at the timid creature. His brother had always hated the simpering women who fawned all over him, and the men who acquiesced to anything he said without thought. He believed everyone should hold themselves with pride, defend and protect what they thought was right, and as such he treated them with respect. It would be amusing to watch Damien deal with the little neko.

"Ahh, well," Mr. Farth beamed at the thought of selling the filthy little creature, "Of course, it would make a great little pet," he started to try to build up the little hybrid. He reached to the lock on the cage door, then grabbed at the chain laying on the cage floor, yanking it. "Get out here. Someone wants to look at you, boy."

Harrison grimaced slightly as Farth pulled the chain that yanked the neck of the neko. The critter hissed slightly before it crawled to the door and unfolded itself to stand in front of them, head and shoulders still hunched forward, fine ebony hair falling over his face. One small arm crossed to hold the other elbow nervously. The small black ears were flattened back on his head in fear, his tail wrapped tightly against his body and curled around one leg.

"How old is he?" Harrison asked, walking around the boy, studying the little creature's back as it tried to curl in on itself and looked even smaller. Even if the boy straightened to full height, Harrison doubted he'd be much taller than five feet. At over six feet, Harrison and his brothers would tower over this creature. Well, for that matter, almost anyone would.

"Sixteen, actually," Farth said proudly, "It just looks younger since it was a runt. His former master sold him to me with several others last year. I haven't had any luck selling him, though. No one needs a slave so small and--" he stopped, about to say useless, but thought better of it. He didn't want to talk the Count out of buying the runt.

Harrison's fingers ghosted over several faint scar lines that marred the boy's pale skin. He felt the shiver than ran though the neko's body at his touch.

"He came with those," Farth was quick to state, and Harrison vaguely wondered what the boy could have done at such a young age to warrant such discipline that it left scars. A slave master was supposed to be an expert at wielding the whip or cane and leaving no lasting marks. They knew how to discipline without causing lasting damage. Whoever had owned this boy was not a true slave master like their own Jacob Arnett was.

He slowly walked around to the front of the neko, eyeing the thin ribs and concave belly with disdain.

"Look at me," Harrison ordered to see what the boy would do.

He watched an ear twitch before the head slowly started to raise.

But Farth was annoyed that the boy didn't obey immediately and grabbed the boy's thin chin and yanked it up. "He said, 'look at him!'"

A gasp escaped the thin lips at the rough yanking of his chin, and he swallowed hard as he raised his eyes to meet the Count's.

Harrison shot a quick glare at the slave master for interfering in his test of the boy's obedience. He was sure the boy was about to comply on his own. He frowned as he looked down. His breath hitched as he met the brightest green eyes he'd ever seen on human or hybrid.

He gently took the boy's chin in his own hand, lifting it and turning it as if he were looking for flaws, checking a parcel for damage before purchasing it. He noted that the collar this slave wore was a choke chain, and not the typical solid collar. The boy's neck was bruised horribly from where the chain had obviously tightened on the slender neck.

He glared again at the slave master. "What's with the collar?"

"I told you, he doesn't listen. It's the only way to get him to move," Farth defended his tactics in handling the slave.

"I see," Harrison hummed as he studied the rest of the slight figure. He was definitely emaciated and underfed, as evidenced by the concave belly and visible ribs. But thin slaves weren't that unusual, as many slave sellers fed their slave just enough to keep them healthy enough to be sold, but this one looked even worse than that. "Does he have a name?"

"His former owner called him Kayden."

"Hmm," he looked at the boy. "Is that your name?"

A slight twitch in the right ear, and the small movement of the boy's chin in his hand indicated that it was.

"Show some respect, boy!" Farth snapped.

Harrison had no chance to stop the quick whip of the slave master's small crop against the back of the boy's thighs. A startled gasp erupted from the neko. He dropped to his knees, catching himself with his hands.

Harrison snapped a murderous look at the slave master. "I will thank you not to damage property that I am considering purchasing," he growled.

The boy dropped carefully to his knees, timidly placing his shaking hands on his thighs as he ducked his head. The sleek black tail swished in agitation.

Farth grinned in satisfaction. "Just needed a little encouragement, as always. Although he doesn't talk at all, he can hear just fine."

"So, I guess I can get him pretty cheap, considering you were going to get rid of him and all," Harrison smiled at the little round man.

He watched the man's face turn red, realizing he'd get less than he'd hoped for the hybrid now. But it was better than nothing, and now he wouldn't have to feed it anymore.

"Yes, my Lord, of course," he gritted his teeth as he stared down at the little neko. He turned to one of his workers. "Lucas, take this one and add him with the lot for the Count."

He watched in amusement as Lucus's brows shot up in surprise that the Count was purchasing the little neko. "Sir?"

"The Count is purchasing this one as a prank gift for the Duke's birthday. Wouldn't that be fun to watch," Farth laughed as Lucus took the chain a little harshly and pulled the boy to his feet.

Harrison watched the little neko attempt to stretch his neck inconspicuously to try to loosen the chain as he was led away. Well, he'd get Arnett to change that collar as soon as they got back to the manor.

"Come, my Lord," Farth said, "let us conclude our business."

Harrison straightened his jacket. "Right so. I believe I am getting rather fatigued and would like to luncheon soon."

Really, he just needed to be away from this stifling place, and he didn't think it was because of the unusually warm early spring air.