AN: Warnings this chapter are nothing new. Some references to physical abuse. But really, does anyone read this story? I haven't gotten any reviews or new alerts. If no one reads this story, then there's no point in sharing it. It's really no skin off my back if I don't have to upload anymore chapters. In fact, it will save me a bunch of time I could be spending writing.

Chapter Three: Faces

There was comfort in routine. A kind of calmness that allowed for room to breath and reflect. Jade liked routine, and for a while all that changed in his life was the size of Saffron stomach as the slave passed through her first trimester and into the early part of her second. It was a way to tell time, Jade knew, because otherwise it became so easy to lose track of the passing of days. A sort of hushed excitement had descended upon Decadence at the news that one of their slaves was being allowed to carry a child a term.

Saffron, for her part, soon forgot the worry that had accompanied her the day she found Jade crying in the shower, weeks earlier. She never did figure out why a simple encounter with a client, through which Jade had come out physically unharmed, had left the man depressed and despondent for the next few days, because just as suddenly as Jade's melancholy took hold, he snapped out of it, returning to his usual, slightly petulant, self.

So, when two weeks later, while working at the front door of Decadence seating guests and handling requests, Lord Emmer Dartey walked through the door and requested (not by name, but by description) Jade, Saffron thought nothing of it as she went to retrieve him.

She found Jade curled up in a corner of his “room” four hours later, a blanket wrapped around him and the pungent stench of sex still clinging to his body.

"Is it the same client as a few weeks ago?" She asked, kneeling in front of her paramour. This wasn't normal. Rose was the one prone to theatrics, not Jade. Jade had experience from his time as a Companion; he knew how to not let his work interfere with his life and his personality. This was not her Jade, though. It was as though someone had re-awoken the terrified teenager he'd been when they first met, the teenager with a broken arm and fractured ribs who cowered from everyone, even the other slaves.

It bothered Saffron, who had known Jade the longest and knew why he was the way he was.

"We need to talk to the owner about this." She told him when he nodded, hauling the young man to his feet and dragging him down the corridor to the bathroom. "This cannot be allowed to go on. I've never seen you like this before. What had gotten into you?"

The words, admittedly, were tinged with anger and annoyance, the worry making Saffron rash in her actions. "Who is this client that he's gotten you all worked up over nothing? I don't recall ever seeing you like this before."

Jade shook his head to indicate that he didn't know how to tell her, and allowed Saffron to remove the sheet and take it away. He stepped under one of the shower heads and let hot water cascade down his back. Saffron came back, but did not join him.

"Jade... I know you don't want to talk about it, but I have to ask. Is Lord Dartey someone from your past?"

At first it looked like the blond didn't hear what she said, but after a few moments of awkward silence, Jade nodded slowly, his eyes cast distantly over Saffron's shoulder, towards the far wall.

"Is he the one who beat you half to death eight years ago?"

Jade shook his head.

"Okay. Then why does him coming here bother you? It's not like you to get overly emotional about such unimportant things."

Jade shrugged.

"Jade... I really wish you'd tell me these things. I'm your paramour. I'm here so you can complain to me if you need to. I don't want you to be completely without a voice, so whatever you want to complain about, you can."

The older slave nodded and turned off the faucet, stepping out and drying himself off quickly, efficiently, with a towel that Saffron provided. She hugged him gently, and kissed him deeply. "My Jade... I just wanted you to know that I will always love you, no matter what. Please don't feel like you ever have to keep secrets from me.

Jade nodded, but refused to meet her eyes.

The next time Emmer Dartey, the mysterious man from Jade's past which he didn't want to talk about, came around, was a mere two days later, and he was accompanied by a friend, a young dark skinned woman with her black hair worn in a multitude of braids and who was probably around the same age as Saffron. The two were part of a larger party that included Lord Lockheart (whom Saffron only knew about because Rose misguidedly believed it was true love between him and her). Saffron was again working at the door, only because her bulging stomach kept her from taking clients of her own. She seated them quickly, and quietly headed upstairs to tell Jade that his least favorite person was likely to request him again.

The incorrigible gossip in her really wanted to know what was going on between the two of them, but the part of her that understood and respected Jade's need for privacy helped her keep her mouth shut. She did, however, motion Rose away from the table to speak with her in private.

“Keep an eye on Jade.” She explained to the girl, who had been snuggled up next to Lord Lockheart all evening and would therefore be in the best position to watch out for their silent paramour. “He's been having problems with the client that requested him, so I'd like you to watch out for him. If it looks like he's in trouble, come up with some excuse to get him away from Lord Dartey.”

“The owner isn't going to like this.” Rose whispered, keeping her voice low so they couldn't be heard by either the guests for the other slaves.

“I'll deal with the owner if it comes down to it. Apparently, this man is from Jade's past. I doubt the owner would want them interacting if he knew that.”

Rose hadn't yet been a part of Decadence when the owner had brought Jade back with him, a tiny half-starved wraith who'd been beaten so badly that he couldn't even walk. She hadn't watched Jade transform from a trembling, terrified child into the competent, easy-going person that he was. The owner was not an unkind man. He'd understand.

“Okay, but Saff, you know you can't always be the one mothering everyone else. Jade's older than you. If he really needs help, he knows how to ask for it. I don't think you should be butting in like this.”

Saffron shook her head. “You're so young, Rose. It's the duty of a paramour to look out for one another. If you were in the same situation, Jade would be watching out for you whether you liked it or not.” She held out her arms and let Rose hug her. “I can't help being worried about any of my paramours, including you. I know you don't want to hear it, but be careful not to get too close to Lord Lockheart.”

The conversation successfully switched, Rose rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Saff! Isn't that between me and Lord Lockheart?”

Saffron grinned. “Didn't I just tell you? Your business is your paramours' business. We look out for each other.”

Rose rolled her eyes, but let Saffron kiss her, laughing as the older woman reached out to tickle her sides. It wasn't often they got to have an intimate moment like this, so Saffron made a quiet vow to find time for them to spend along together. She'd been so worried about Jade and the baby that she'd neglected the 'baby' of her paramours.

“Hey, Rose. I really do love you.”

Rose just smiled in the way that said, “I know.”

There was supposed to be a party to celebrate the preliminary outline of the Noreya Protocol being drafted, held at Decadence and hosted by Lord Dietrich Lockheart. Emmer Dartey had acquiesced to Lady Jennifer Faulk's request that they go together as a friendly date of sorts. The request had been made in the privacy of Emmer's corporate office, wherein Jennifer had grinned a little grin and winked at him.

“So the woman who hates men and the man who hates women will be accompanying each other?” Emmer had joked. He had an easy sort of relationship with Jennifer, having known her since they were bratty children with too much time on their hands in primary school. Nobles in the court kept pushing them to get married, or at least bear children, but they had a secret they didn't share with the court; neither of them was interested in the opposite sex. At all.

Emmer and Jennifer arrived fashionably late by all of about five minutes and were lead by a pretty female slave with strawberry blond hair to a large partitioned room styled in the same way as the room where Emmer had had his meeting with Lord Lockheart, but much larger. Several other Lords and Ladies whose alliances Emmer had gained in the last few weeks, were seated casually around the long table at the far end of the room, chatting comfortably amidst one another. Lockheart beckoned the two over casually, offering them a place at his side.

“Lord Dartey, finally the guest of honor has arrived!” Lockheart announced loudly, drawing the room's attention to Emmer.

He fought down a blush and put on his best grin. “Surely I'm not that late, am I?” He teased, taking his seat between Lockheart and Jennifer with graceful ease.

“Of course not,” Lockheart laughed, “but you know a party can't start without the arrival of its guest of honor.”

“Well then, in that case let the party begin!”

Emmer spent the next twenty minutes chatting lightly with the other guests, mostly just gossip regarding the welfare of his family. A few of the nobles had inquiries about the proposal to raise the age of consent for slaves, as just about the whole court had heard that Charlotte Dartey, who was usually a bleeding heart, had rejected the proposal. Few others asked if he and Jennifer had finally decided to get together, to which Emmer just grinned and shot them down with a type of twisted amusement. It never got old, fending off questions about his and Jennifer's not-relationship. Refreshments arrived in the form of light snacks, and Emmer became so caught up in socializing that he didn't notice when the few slaves scattered around the room got up one at a time and left.

When Lord Lockheart stood up and clapped twice, the room instantly quieted, turning their attention to their host. “Friends, we are gathered here to celebrate the hard work of our young prodigy of the court, Lord Emmer Dartey, son of Lord William Auguste and her highest Honored Lady Judge Grace Dartey, for bringing us together to draft the Noreya Protocol, which will open our country up to trade with the great Empire of Noreya. Please, everyone, join me in giving our hardworking young noble a round of applause.” Once the applause had died down, he continued, “Now, the owner of this establishment, Lord James Pattington, would like to say a few words.”

Through the break in the partition, a middle aged Lord whom Emmer didn't recognize (a lesser Lord, if he was the owner of this establishment) stepped in, dressed just as regally as his guests and carrying himself with a poise that befitted one of higher status. Emmer was impressed just by initial impressions.

“Welcome, honored lords and ladies of the greater nobles court. I am very proud for my establishment to have been chosen by such discerning tastes as your own. Please, do not allow me to interrupt the festivities, but do allow me to present a very special private performance. As you may know, the slaves of this establishment are partially trained as companions, but rarely do they ever get to show their skills as dancers and musicians. They are just as honored as I am by your presence, so please, do enjoy the show.” The man bowed deeply to them, and stepped out.

Moments later, the lights in the room were lifted slightly, and three slaves carrying musical instruments, hand drums, a harp, and a flute, and took their place in one of the far corners. Four slaves followed, dressed in elaborate costumes made of shimmering, shear material that showed more than it hid of the slaves' beautiful, shapely bodies. Emmer noticed that one of the slaves was the girl Lockheart was found of, the small brunette. They unfurled large decorative dancing fans and took their places.

A steady beat from the drum started up, a three count beat that was easy to keep track of, and the dancers began to move. The flute joined in with lively melody. The dancers truly did have talent, but they weren't fully trained as a Companion was in the art of dancing. It wasn't until the beat stopped completely, and the dancers froze in their position as the harp started up a gentle melody that Emmer noticed the presences of a fifth dancer who must have entered sometime earlier. The dancer was dressed in a different, more elaborate costume, with crimson fans hiding his face from view. At the sound of the harp, he rose and began moving slowly, the fans dipping down to reveal him as the slave Emmer had come to see. The beautiful blond who always seemed to be wearing bird clips. Even now, feathers entwined in his hair, fanning out like the wings of a bird.

He truly was talented. The slave moved gracefully as the other dancers joined in, but Emmer remained mesmerized. Nostalgia tugged at him, and it was like trying to see through a block in his mind, trying to determine where he recognized the scene in his memory from.

It wasn't until Jennifer leaned over to Emmer and whispered in his ear, “Doesn't the main dancer look familiar? He looks almost exactly like...” she trailed off, but Emmer got what she was trying to say. Finally, it came to him unbidden, like being run over a car, and then having the car back over him for good measure.

Emmer recognized the slave.

It was Jade. Charlotte's former Companion who was sold away eight years prior. Emmer had completely forgotten about him.

Until now.

AN the second: Review! Darn you! I really only need to know that at least one person is reading it, in order for it to be worth my time. I'm not picky, but reviews are probably the best encouragement I can get, especially since it takes me roughly fifteen minutes to upload each chapter, proof it very quickly, and distribute the link on Gaia and Livejournal. If I don't have to do any of those things, then I save myself fifteen minutes at midnight on a school night (cough, cough) to get some more sleep. I'm just saying.

Anyway, I'm at the point in my novel where I hate it and I want to kill it. However, I'm getting over it. To make up for the painful shortness of these last two chapters, I'm writing a short side story about the details mentioned in this chapter. It will also explain, without actually giving the reason, how Emmer's yet-undisclosed mistake destroyed Jade's life. It is, however, rated hard M for language, descriptive violence, and more sexuality than should probably be contained within. This means, next chapter, the rating is going up. The T rating will be missed. XD

~Lockea