First Day (2 of 6)
Breaking Free: Ordered to sit and clothed for the first time in years, Damion watches the Masters vote to ban slavery for all
‘Breaking Free’ Content Warning: Erotic Psychological Drama
This story contains scenes of psychological distress, dubiously consensual intimacy, emotional dependency, complex trauma recovery, and themes of power imbalance and identity reconstruction.
This story explores the fragile process of healing after long-term dehumanization, the difficulty of regaining agency, and the intimate entanglements that form in the aftermath of captivity.
Proceed with care.
"First issue raised is regarding Damion's clothing. Ground Master Dalenna has declared this is an issue. Does anyone oppose?"
They all eye each other and no one says anything.
"Does anyone oppose getting him some clothes to wear?"
Mulsae uncrosses his legs then crosses them again in reverse. All eyes shift to him.
After a beat of silence the Marsh Master declares, "Alright, let's get him something to wear," she snaps her fingers, "Can you bring in a robe for him?" A servant bows and leaves.
"The second issue raised is the matter of him kneeling. Heaven Master Halion has declared this is an issue. Does anyone oppose?"
"He should be allowed to attend these proceedings in any position that keeps him comfortable," Mulsae says cooly, picking some lint off his knee.
"How can we possibly know what he wants with the threat of you looming over him?" the Thunder Master spits out then eyes the rest of the assembled people, "Water Master Mulsae has spent the past two years brainwashing the poor man."
A Master of fair skin says calmly, "He should be presumed to have a status the same as any other person and should be seated in a chair." His stole is yellow with the Mountain Trigram.
The servant returns with some grey and white robes and hands them to Damion with a bow. He accepts them then looks up at Mulsae who nods at him. Damion stands and puts on the robe.
The Marsh Master puts up a hand, "Before you kneel again, Damion, let's take a vote. Yay he should be seated in a chair, Nay he should remain kneeling as he was. Let's start with Flame Master Sorvak."
"Nay," says the Master with coppery skin and a red stole with the Flame Trigram.
"Nay," from Ground Master Dalenna.
"Marsh Sanctum abstains as usual," says the Master running the proceedings.
"Yay," declares Heaven Master Halion.
"Water Sanctum abstains," adds in Mulsae.
"Yay," says the Mountain Master.
"Yay," the Thunder Master says with a roll of his eyes.
The Marsh Master continues, "The Yay's have it. Damion, please do sit in the chair to the right of Water Master Mulsae."
Damion looks over at Mulsae who merely nods at him again. Damion takes the seat but sits awkwardly and tense. He's not used to this. He's used to kneeling, lounging on the floor, or curled up in a plush oversized chair. He hasn't had to sit on a hard chair in, well, over two years.
"Are there any other issues that should be raised regarding Damion's attendance?" The Marsh Master casts her eyes around the room and no one says anything.
"Let's continue, then. The first question to be answered is whether the treaty that ended the Harmuran Civil War intended for the abolishment of slavery to apply to all beings, or grants only humans freedom from slavery. Since the treaty had not specified species it is up to interpretation."
The Marsh Master continues, "One argument is that the lack of specification means the abolishment of slavery applies universally. The opposing argument is that since the war was specifically for the abolishment of human slavery, then the treaty applies only to humans."
"Does anyone have anything further to say?" the Marsh Master gazes around the room.
"Since there are no further comments regarding the issue we shall put it to a vote. Yay indicates slavery is abolished universally throughout Harmura, and Nay indicates slavery is only abolished for Humans within Harmura's lands. Flame Master Sorvak, you will start."
"Nay," he responds.
"Nay," Ground Master Dalenna decides.
"The Marsh Sanctum abstains," the Marsh Master declares.
"Yay," from Heaven Master Halion.
"Yay," includes Mulsae.
"Yay," the Mountain Master votes.
"Yay," says the Thunder Master.
"The Yay's have it. We have agreed that slavery is abolished universally. Mulsae is not permitted to have a slave."
Damion has been trying to follow everything and has been overwhelmed. He hears Mulsae's name and knows a decision has been made against Mulsae. Is he losing? Does that mean Damion is winning?
"Next issue is Damion's classification. One interpretation is that Damion is a prisoner. The other interpretation is that he is a slave. Does anyone have anything further to say?"
Mulsae sits up, "We need to first define what makes an individual a slave and what makes one a prisoner."
"Water Master Mulsae has proposed we need defined definitions of the terms before we can continue. Are there any objections?"
"The definitions are obvious, it's a waste of our time," snaps Flame Master Sorvak.
"It's not obvious," Mulsae says and picks some lint off his lapel, "I find the difference between slavery and arranged marriages to be ambiguous at best, and identical at worst. It seems as though I could marry Damion and be able to do whatever I want with him without these objections."
"You can't force someone to marry you," the Mountain Master rolls his eyes.
"Oh really?" Mulsae raises his eyebrows, "Arranged marriages are traditionally done without the consent of the woman."
"Consent is required for marriage, even arranged marriages," Master Sorvak presses.
"I agree with Water Master Mulsae. Traditional arranged marriages tend to extract consent under duress," the Thunder Master says sympathetically.
"Oh, this is ridiculous! We can't possibly allow Mulsae's treatment of Damion to redefine marriage!" exclaims Sorvak.
"I would be very comfortable with ensuring and enforcing that all marriages are consensual," the Thunder Master says cooly as he sits back and places an ankle on the other knee.
"As long as it is ensured Damion is well cared for, I would be willing to part with him in order for us to declare that all of Harmura enforces all marriages to be consensual. Truly consensual, not made under duress," Mulsae sits back in his chair.
"Why are we discussing marriages?" asks Heaven Master Halion.
"Mulsae, how do you always make everything a clusterfuck?" groans the Mountain Master as he shakes his head.
"That's twice now I have been addressed without my honorific. I cannot allow these insults to continue," Mulsae sits up straight and puts on a stony face.
"All of us shall be addressed with our honorifics," the Marsh Master declares. Mulsae nods in gratitude.
"We've gotten derailed," reminds Heaven Master Halion.
"All the more reason to support my proposal that we define slavery and imprisonment. And let's add on marriage. We need to understand the boundaries of each of these three classifications," Mulsae sits back in his chair.
"I can't believe we're talking about slavery and marriage in the same breath," Master Dalenna says exasperatedly.
"I concur," Sorvak rolls his eyes.
"This is what Water Master Mulsae does. He confuses things," the Mountain Master says with a wave of his hand.
"Nuance has never been your strength. A lesson you still haven’t learned." Mulsae glares at the Mountain Master, who growls in response.
"Water Master Mulsae, Mountain Master Garrick," the Marsh Master pleads, "Do not let the personal business between you two seep into these proceedings."
"The betrayal that got my family slaughtered is just 'personal business'? His hand personally killed my father!" scoffs Mountain Master Garrick.
The Marsh Master stands, "Let's break for lunch and let cooler heads return. Any objections?" She gazes around the room and sees only shaking heads, "Thank you for attending, let's break for now. Lunch will be delivered to your rooms."
Everyone stands and begins to depart. Mulsae turns to Damion and puts a hand on his shoulder, "Is everything okay?" Damion nods. "Let's go back to our room and we'll talk more." Mulsae and Damion begin to depart and an escort finds them to lead them back to their room.
They are escorted to Mulsae's room and head inside. "You can choose whether or not to remove the robe," Mulsae mentions as he climbs into the bed.
Damion considers. He's kind of used to the freedom of not having clothes. He feels a bit confined, it's just too big and flowy. He decides to take off the robe, folds it and places it on the foot of the bed.
Mulsae pats the bed next to him. Damion crawls onto the bed and Mulsae guides him to put his head in his lap. Mulsae promptly starts stroking Damion's hair.
"How do you feel about everything?"
"I don't know," Damion whispers.
"What don't you know?"
"I feel a lot of things."
"Like what?"
Damion sighs and thinks for a moment. "I want to have freedom," he whispers.
"I understand," Mulsae soothingly replies.
"But I don't know where I fit in the world any more. I'm no longer an Emberai soldier. What am I? Where do I go? What should I do?"
"If they order me to release you then you can go and do anything you want. What do you want?"
"I don't know... I guess, I want to belong somewhere, with someone, but I don't know how that can be possible after everything you've done to me."
"You don't want to be with anyone who would judge you for the past two years. You should find people who accept you exactly the way you are, no matter what has happened."
"Does a place like that exist for me?"
Mulsae sighs, "Honestly, I don't know. I can't tell you it will be easy, because it won't be. The world is a cruel and judgemental place."
"I don't know what I want to happen," Damion whispers.
"It's out of our hands now. The Masters will decide for you where you will go after these proceedings: come home with me, or go off somewhere else."
Mulsae turns Damion's head so they can look each other in the eye, "I will always try to take care of you, as much as the Masters will allow me. If all I can do is give you a stipend for the rest of our lives, then that's what I'll do. You needn't suffer, I'll lift you up. If you're ever in danger, call for me and I will save you. Do you understand?"
Damion solemnly nods his head, "I understand."
They lay in quiet with Mulsae gently caressing Damion's hair. Then there is a knock at the door, it opens and two servants come in with trays of food.
"Lunch, Master Mulsae," then the servant gasps, "Oh! Master Mulsae! I'm so sorry, I didn't know we'd be interrupting anything!"
Mulsae waves a hand, "You're interrupting nothing. Come, set the trays on the desk."
The servants scurry over to place the trays on the desk, averting their eyes from the bed and Damion's naked form, then hurriedly scurry out the door and close it with a soft snick.
"Hungry?" Damion nods his head. "Let's get up then," Mulsae says while giving his shoulder a double tap.
Damion sits up and they both roll off their respective sides of the bed. Mulsae drags a chair to the front of the desk and sits, and Damion kneels in front of him. Mulsae feeds him off his chopsticks as he's done for the past two years.
Damion rarely has an opportunity to feed himself. Only on the rare occasions he is left alone all day. This is just the routine now. He doesn't even think about it anymore. He simply enjoys the flavor of the food.
When they finish eating, Mulsae says, "I have some work to do before the proceedings start. You can read while you wait." Mulsae stands and circles around the desk to sit at it properly then pulls out some parchment and writing tools from the drawer.
Damion stands and grabs a book from his side of the bed then sits on the floor in front of the fire. He warms his wings while getting lost in a fictional world.
Mulsae eventually finishes his work and grabs his book and sits on an armchair by the fire. Damion scoots over and leans on Mulsae's leg. This is their normal. They read in each other's company and sometimes a question Damion asks about his book strikes up a conversation.
Not too long after Mulsae wrapped up his work, there is a knock on the door. Mulsae stands to answer the door to find a Sylvaran man who says he's there to escort them back to the proceedings.
Mulsae looks over at Damion, "Put back on the robe and let's go." Damion scrambles up and dons the robe. The Sylvaran escort then leads them back to the meeting chamber.
They arrive at the meeting chamber and everyone is already seated. It's clear they were summoned purposely so they would appear last. Mulsae and Damion take their seats.
Continue reading: First Day (3 of 6)
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