Imparted Fear

A/N: This was actually spawned from Jonouchis’ fear of the tomb findings in the second manga. So…yeah… XD The names for the ‘past’ characters I lifted from other fics that used both names these names…so blame them not me if they’re wrong. It’s Seto/Jou (well you know it’s them…back in past n.n).
Disclaimer: Don’t own it.

Imparted Fear

“And over here we have a fine number of well trained specimens. All very pretty and very obedient.” The slave trader made a flourished gesture to the seven or so slaves all dressed in simple clothing with their heads bowed. He looked back at the blue-eyed priest expecting to see some sign of approval. His grin faltered when he found none. “N-not to your liking?” He asked.
He got no response. The young priest could come off as very cold most of the time and used that skill his teacher had taught him to its full advantage. “Show me what else you have.” He nearly growled. Personally he detested slavers, they were more often too slick for their own good. But his station needed a sense of command that slaves brought
The trader nodded. “Of course, only the best.” He turned and yelled at one of his helper boys in another language. The boy dashed into the back of the network of tents.
Seth narrowed his unique eyes. “Show me yourself.” He took barely two steps to the tent flap before the trader was begging him to wait for the boy. “I would rather look on what you have myself.” He didn’t let up a single step.
The conditions were slightly less appalling than Seth anticipated. Yet it was still dark and stifling, it was a wonder that this particular slaver didn’t loose most of his wares to suffocation. Almost at once the priest-boy felt his attempt to root out the ‘best of the best’ was a waste.
That is until he reached the back curtain.
Blond hair swayed gently as his head turned towards the source of sound and movement. His eyes were a strange gold, almost as strange as his own blue ones, and wide with fear. He looked filthy and more than a bit banged up but it was obvious what he was for. There was a feminine tilt in his eyes and he was exotically pale skinned, a tone never seen in this part of the world.
“Ah, no my great priest. He is not yet trained properly and is of no use. Still has too much fire in him, too wild.” The trader said trying to pull the curtain out of Seths’ hand.
“Where is he from?” Blue eyes never left the shivering body that was chained to the floor by his wrists.
“North, very far north. But he is pretty is he not?” The slaver asked with a more than obvious leer.
Seth chuckled lowly when the blond spit at the unseemly man. “I’ll take him.”
“B-but, he’s not trained! Give me three months.”
He stopped when he received an icy glare. “I said I will take him.” Seth growled shoving a bag of more than enough gold and spice for the blond haired boy.
The slaver looked numbly into the bag and nodded stuttering as he ord ond one of his helper boys to free the blond slave of his chains.
The blond stood up uncertainly looking from the well-dressed male to the slaver he’d been fighting against for the better part of two years. By now he understood bits and pieces of many languages including Egyptian. He knew quite well what had just happened.
He looked his new Master in the eye. In normal matters such as respect to his Master he was well trained, but he still had some rebellion left in him. It was mostly because the slaver had wanted to ‘teach’ him things personally. He hadn’t let the disgusting man touch him at all. He almost got himself sold as a laborer that way but at least he would have died with some form of dignity.
His arms went up a little letting his shackles be removed from his wrists. He rubbed them gently getting proper circulation going again. He expected a rope or another set of chains to be put on him to lead him out but nothing happened to restrain him.
Seth all but shoved the trader out of the back tent room to give him enough time to inspect what he’d just bought. He silently berated himself for the impulsive decision, he had no idea if this boy could even speak his language much less serve him properly.
“Do you speak?” He asked demandingly.
“I speak.” He said in badly slurred Egyptian.
“We’ll have to work on that.” Seth muttered. “Come, you belong to me now.”
The boy bit his lip fighting the urge to brush past his new Master and run for it. But even if he was not ‘trained’ the way he was intended to be he had still been broken of his back talking long ago. He’d been in the slave caravans since he was six, sold from one camp to the next over many years.
He followed this blue-eyed Egyptian more than unnerved by the stares he got from others. He was surprised when his Master put his hand on his shoulder.
“Stay close.” He whispered into the blonds’ ear.
And he did, for the entire trip on foot from the slaver tents on up to… The boy blinked. What was this place? A palace? A temple? He didn’t know but had the feeling he was not going to be a laborer here.
Seth was met inside the palace walls by a small bowing slave girl. He pushed his new buy towards her. “I want him cleaned, and dressed and in my room by night fall. Inform Dehij that I will need his assistance in training.”
The girl nodded turning and leading the boy away.
Seth was frozen where he was when those golden eyes turned back on him looking lost and confused. He quickly shook his head reminding himself of his duties before taking off for deeper in the construct.

* * *

The blond shifted uncomfortably. This was the first time he’d been clean in nearly three years and it just felt odd to him now. Just as odd as the plain white kilt he had been made to wear.
Upon entering the room he had inspected every inch thoroughly curious about the items that were found in it by bare candle and torchlight. He knew only enough Egyptian to keep his head on his shoulders and enough of their customs to look bumbling rather than mentally unfit. Though he had the feeling he was about to get an education on both.
Finally after hours of searching the room and finding little help from the objects carefully set on tables and walls he became bored. He sat down on the floor by a wall loosely crossing his legs and leaning his head back.
After a moment his eyes fluttered closed too used to sleeping on hard ground to care that he was sitting up right. His head lolled forward startling him awake. He jerked hitting his head back against the stone wall when he saw his Master standing in the room.
He started to get up but the taller male stopped him with a hand motion. “It’s alright.” He said. “Tell me your name.”
“Jono.” The blond said. It was probably his real name, he wasn’t sure anymore, it was just what he was called.
“You are mine now Jono, do you understand that?”
Jono took a moment to decipher the words then nodded. He understood all right, oh how he understood.
“I bought you because my Pharaoh deemed it necessary that I have a personal servant. You must learn many things, if you don’t you will be punished. But if you carry out your duties you will be rewarded. Do you understand?” Seth asked wondering if he’d made too much of a spiel, he still wasn’t sure about the boys grasp of the Egyptian tongue.
Jono looked confused for a moment then stood up slowly. Seth felt a hot stab in his stomach when golden eyes peered at him from under bangs of the same color. “I do as told.” He said haltingly.
Seth suddenly realized he was holding his breath. He did his best to let it out slowly and inhale as calmly as possible. “I will have you tutored in our language.” He said once his voice returned. “So you may understand your orders.” He berated himself for sounding hesitant. “I am no cruel master. You will not be punished unless you deserve it.”
Jono took that same moment to translate then nodded.
“You will sleep in this room. You will not leave my side unless ordered to. For now that is all you need to know.” He had diverted his eyes almost stalking to where he hung his clothes each night. Someone would bring him clean ones in the morning.
Jono glanced around. There was only the one bed not that he was expecting anything better than the floor, a mat would have been nice though.
Rather than ask for anything Jono took a few steps farther from the bed and slid back down against the wall. He crossed his arms hugging his knees turning his eyes away from a few pillar candles his Master had not put out.
He closed his eyes but they were opened wide when somet sof soft brushed against him. His first instinct was to bolt but a restraining hand had him by the shoulder as the other spread the blanket over him. He stared at his Master for a long moment not able to even flinch when a darkly tanned hand brushed over his face.
As quickly as he had surprised him he was gone. Back across the room blowing out the last candles and climbing into his bed.
Jono pulled the blanket around himself tightly.
What had that been?