Second Day (1 of 4)
Breaking Free: Damion tastes autonomy while old power structures start to break
‘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.
16th day of the 11th moon
1105 HC
Damion wakes sprawled out across the entire bed. Just because he can. His wings are unfurled their entire expanse and drape over either side of the bed. He can take up space again. The bed is his and only his to use. And there is no one here to fuck him.
Dawn's light is starting to drift through the room. He'd like to take a long hot bath. He smiles at the thought and scurries off the bed and into the bathing chamber.
He turns on the tub's water to a near scalding temperature. He hops in and lets the water rise around him. His muscles ease and relax as the water reaches them. He lays back with his eyes closed just to simply enjoy.
He uses a toe to flick off the spout once the water reaches the rim of the tub. He sinks down into the water just under his nose. He leans back his head and submerges until the water just barely laps against his face. He runs his hands through his long hair swishing free in the water. As free as he is going to be soon. Soon soon soon.
He soaks and luxuriates until the water grows tepid. He figures that's as good a signal as any that it's time to get going. He washes his hair and body and gets out of the tub.
He notices there is a robe made of the same material as a towel. Interesting. He decides to put this towel robe on his soaked and wet wrinkled body. It's warm and cozy.
He hears a knock on the door and then the door opens. He peeks his head out of the bathing chamber and sees someone placing a tray of food on the desk. The person notices him and says, "Here's your breakfast. We'll come to retrieve you for the summit in a bit." He gives a quick bow and leaves.
Damion can smell there must be sugary delights on that tray of food. He grins and hurries over to the desk. It smells glorious. He sits and barely knows where to start. Last night was the first time he fed himself in two years, and he did it absentmindedly. Now he can choose. So many choices.
He decides to simply eat the thing closest to his hand. He grasps it with his chopsticks and pops it in his mouth. Somehow it even tastes better.
Damion polishes off the entire plate and the entire cup of juice. He takes off the towel robe and puts on the grey and white robes they gave him yesterday. He then sits down in a chair by the hearth. Oh my gods, I'm sitting in a chair! And he waits. He has no idea what else he's supposed to do.
Fortunately the wait isn't too long and someone knocks on the door and announces it's time to attend the summit. Damion takes a deep breath, then goes to join the escort down to the summit.
The escort brings him through the palace through the central plaza, and down to the meeting room for the summit. He enters the room and sees everyone else is already there and seated, except for Mulsae*.*
Damion cautiously goes to his chair and awkwardly nods to the assembled people, having no idea what proper etiquette is for a situation like this. He slides into his chair and looks out at everyone. Thunder Master Deryn is smiling at him, but everyone else is looking bored.
Mulsae enters the room, his shoes snapping on the floor with each step. He stands in front of his chair and then sits down as if it were his throne.
Marsh Master Selune begins, "Thank you all for returning. Yesterday, we agreed that slavery is prohibited universally. No matter the species, no one should have slaves. We then agreed that the next order of business is to define what precisely makes one a slave, a prisoner, or a spouse. We agreed to make policy changes to our Sanctums based upon the definitions we agree upon."
"I did not agree to make any policy changes to my Sanctum!" growls Master Sorvak.
"Please do not interrupt, Flame Master Sorvak," Master Selune says calmly, "I am merely summarizing the proceedings thus far."
Sorvak grumbles to himself.
Selune continues, "Water Master Mulsae had proposed definitions but we were unable to come to a consensus. We broke for the evening after it was agreed that we will work on the definitions privately and then continue the discussion today."
"Have I accurately summarized the proceedings thus far?" She looks out at everyone and sees nodding heads.
"Let's return to the matter of defining slave, prisoner, and spouse. Does anyone have a proposal for these definitions?"
"We do," Deryn says. He stands and circles the room to hand a piece of parchment to each of the Masters. Mulsae holds his so that Damion can read it.
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Slave: One whose life is controlled by another for any reason or no reason. There are no restrictions on this level of control, the slave may be harmed or even put to death.
Prisoner: One whose life is controlled by another for the reason of the prisoner's prior behavior. A prisoner may be harmed or even put to death. However, there are restrictions on the treatment of a prisoner. None of the following can occur:
They cannot be housed with their captor
Their bodies cannot be altered for the purpose of sexual gratification of others
They cannot be manipulated or coerced to perform behaviors for the personal gratification of others
Spouse: One whose life is joined with another with whom they work for each other's mutual benefit. They may not cause each other harm nor kill each other.
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"This is ridiculous on so many levels," scoffs Sorvak.
"How so?" Selune politely inquires, "These seem like reasonable definitions."
"We should be able to do whatever we want to our prisoners," grumbles Sorvak.
"Wouldn't that make them slaves?" questions Heaven Master Halion.
"They're prisoners!" exclaims Sorvak as he crumbles a part of the parchment in his hand.
"Then you believe Mulsae can keep Damion and do anything he wants with him?" Mountain Master Garrick asks incredulously.
"No," Sorvak growls, "Water Master Mulsae is being disgusting with Damion."
"You seem to believe you are the exception and can do whatever you want with your prisoners," comments Master Halion coolly.
Sorvak grinds his teeth.
"Flame Master Sorvak wants absolute authority over his Sanctum. And if he has his way, he'd have absolute authority over all of us as well," Mulsae says with a bored expression as he picks lint off his shoulder.
"Flame Master Sorvak," Selune says placatingly, "Please tell us what part of the definition of prisoner do you object to?"
Sorvak continues to grind his teeth and not answer.
"Do you wish to house your prisoners with you?"
No response, except the Flame Master seems to be getting redder.
"Do you wish to alter prisoners' bodies for the sexual gratification of others?"
No response. The muscles in his jaw feather.
"Do you wish to coerce or manipulate prisoners for your personal gratification?"
No response, but he looks away.
"Flame Master Sorvak," says Selune with a bit of authority, "I will ask that you contribute to this conversation productively. Please do not further interrupt unless you have a constructive critique of the suggested definitions."
Sorvak scowls, "This is ridiculous," he grumbles to himself as he sits back and crosses his arms.
"Are there any objections to the definition of slave or prisoner?" Selune asks. She sees shaking heads. "Then let's move on to the definition of spouses. Any objections?"
"Wives work to the benefit of their husbands, not the other way around," growls Sorvak.
The other Masters glance at each other.
"The Way of Balance outlines that a marriage is a manifestation of the Yin and Yang making both parties equal in standing," says Ground Master Dalenna.
Sorvak scoffs, "That may be what the Harmony Wardens claim, but that is not what happens in a traditional marriage."
"If it will make everything easier and put an end to these proceedings, I'll gladly go ahead and marry Damion. Then we can just continue our situation as it has been," Mulsae says nonchalantly.
"You're both male, though," says Halion cautiously.
Mulsae shrugs, "I'll ensure the policy of marriage is gender neutral in my sanctum. Bonds between people take many forms. My Sanctum should be fluid enough to honor that truth."
"You need consent to marry someone!" argues Sorvak.
"You had the consent of your wife's parents to marry her. I have the consent of his people to marry Damion. His people gave him to me," responds Mulsae.
"You can't do anything you want to your spouse," Dalenna explains.
Mulsae smirks at Sorvak, "Can't I?"
Sorvak is seething in his chair.
"Flame Master Sorvak doesn't want to openly confess that he beats and tortures both his wife and their children. If we adopt Thunder Master Deryn's definition of spouse, Flame Master Sorvak would have to change his ways or be subject to these proceedings himself," Mulsae explains.
All eyes turn to Sorvak. He says nothing.
"That is a grave accusation, Flame Master Sorvak," says Halion, "Do you not have something to say?"
"I haven't done anything wrong!" announces Sorvak.
"But it will become wrong if we adopt these definitions," Deryn says gravely.
"You can't have it both ways, Flame Master Sorvak," Mulsae says coolly, "We can both go home and keep our lives as they have been, or we both have to change our ways."
"Mountain Sanctum supports these definitions as-is," says Garrick, bored and ready to end things.
"Heaven Sanctum agrees," says Halion.
"Ground Sanctum agrees," from Dalenna.
"Water Sanctum agrees," Mulsae says with a smirk.
"This is insanity!" Sorvak yells as he stands up and yanks his wife by her arm and up to her feet as well. "Absolute insanity!"
Damion flinches as fire explodes outward in a burst of light and heat. For a heartbeat, everything is white-orange. The floor groans beneath a wash of flame, and the Masters around the circle jolt to their feet.
But the heat never touches him. A wall of cool pressure sweeps over his skin. Unmistakable water magic. Mulsae's magic. It curls protectively around his shoulders like mist-wrought armor, holding the fire at bay.
Damion stumbles back, blinking through a shifting patchwork of light and shadow. Somewhere through the haze, he hears Sorvak shouting, "Let her go!"
Garrick’s voice cuts through, low and unmoved. "She's not leaving with you."
A scuffle. A crack of heat. Someone gasps. A snap of lightning. Then more voices, all overlapping, all angry. Damion can't make out who is speaking anymore.
The argument stops and there is quiet. A soft chime cuts through the chaos, a pure note, high and steady. A radiant pulse of golden light fans out across the room. The smoke flees from it, curling back like mist before the sun. In moments, the chamber is clear again. Heaven Master Halion lowers his arm. The magic must have come from him.
Sorvak is nowhere to be seen. But his wife remains, alone in the silence, a glowing seal etched in the stone beneath her feet.
"Zeven guessed he'd do that," Garrick says, "So I put a mountain seal around you to prevent you from leaving."
Zeven rushes over to her, "Mother!" and crushes her in an embrace.
"Oh, my little bolt," she coos and hugs him back. The burn that Sorvak gave her yesterday still blisters on her skin. "But what about your brothers and sisters?" She looks up at everyone and says louder, "My children are in grave danger."
"Safe," Deryn says as approaches her. He gently puts his hands on her elbow, "All of them are safe. They are all here, in this palace."
Her eyes are as wide as saucers. Deryn smiles warmly down at her, "And Brayl is here, too."
"He is?" she says with a wobble of her lip and glistening in her eyes. Deryn nods, "You're safe, Serelinne. Your children are safe. And you're free to be with the person you love."
She breaks out into a sob and crushes her face into Deryn's chest. Zeven lays a gentle hand on her back.
"I propose we break while I escort Serelinne to Brayl and her children," Deryn suggests.
"Any objections? No? Then we're on break until Thunder Master Deryn returns," Selune announces.
"I'm going to go be with my family. You don't need me for the rest of this, Rick," Zeven calls back to Master Garrick. He merely nods in acknowledgement.
Continue reading: Second Day (2 of 4)
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