Breaking Chains (Closed)

[silvertongue217]

"Come in" Alonzo told her leaning back and taking off his glasses. He glanced down at the reports one more time the latest intel and charts from their land back home. A "unofficial" part of his job as mentor was to help the king with the reports and technicalities of running a large country. Going over the latest reports and prepping them for the king was one the jobs he tried to get done as quickly as possible.

"There you are!" Alonzo said smiling at her "I was hoping I could catch you before dinner"

He moved gathering the papers with a sweep of his hand and gesturing her to sit "I wanted to continue our lesson" He told her pulling out a chair for her "If your still willing after my uh kiss earlier" He said smiling at her but blushing slightly.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Niu went to Alonzo's room and slipped in through the door. He was looking up when she entered, already expecting her. She went down and say obediently, just as he had asked, and her eyes scanned the multitude of documents he had there. The natural curiosity that was a part of her job came to the forefront, and she knew that she needed to have a good snoop around at some stage.

"I would love if your would continue our lesson," She said with a coy smile. She watched him from beneath her lashes.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Great" Alonzo said smiling and sitting back down.

"Lets get started then"

He spent the next hour teaching her. However this time there was a lot more... touching then before. He touched her freely brushing her shoulders and hands as he taught her how to read.

"Lets take a break" He finally said pushing his chair back and rising up "I need to use the bathroom" He told her kissing her hand before moving and disappearing into the bathroom. He left the paper and reports on the table not even thinking about her reading them as eh went about his business.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

The gentle touches while teaching were tempting unto themselves. There was a strange stirring within Niu that she had never, ever felt before in her life. It always got a bit stronger when Alonzo touched her. She had an idea of what it was, but the thought of naming it, giving it power, was too intimidating. She took steady breaths and reminded herself that she had a job to do.

When Alonzo went to the bathroom he left all of missives and scrolls lying about. Niu's first thought wasn't to rifle through them, instead she found herself wishing he would be more careful. She knew she wasn't the only spy in the palace. Then, she realized that she was a spy and she wasn't doing her job. Her disdain was then mitigated by the fact that he was only going to the bathroom. It wasn't enough time to truly explore what he had there; for that she would need to wait until he was out for the day.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Interested?"

He stepped back in raising an eyebrow as he noted her looking over the papers. A less smitten man.... Or one who wasnt as emotionally involved at the least might have been more suspicious.

But that wasnt Alonzo

"Trust me its nothing interesting" He said coming over and sitting down next to her "I do a lot of the logistic work for the king he is still learning how many moving parts there is to a kingdom"

He tapped the scrolls of paper and pushed them away "So how does it feel? Your just about there and reading on your own now" He told her reaching out to touch her hand.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Niu looked over at Alonzo as he spoke, and she shook her head.

"You must be careful around here Sir," she said, biting her lip nervously. "There are people around here... I hear talk in the halls of the revolutionary Maestro and I fear the Emperor is not forgiving of revolution." She stood up and turned, grasping his hand as it settled in hers and pressing it against his chest. "I am grateful for all you have done for me in such a short time, but please promise me you will be careful. I can't bear to think of you being hurt," She admitted.

And the most amazing thing was that it wasn't entirely an act. Niu had met a lot of people in her life, and she knew enough to see that this man here was one of the good ones.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Soon enough we will be gone" Alonzo said sighing and smiling at her "Still I thank you for your kind words"

He hesitated for a few minutes before he leaned in and closed the distance between them. He kissed her once more a deep passionate kiss with just the hint of tongue. He felt the need to take it further and held off moving back and smiling at her before letting go of her hand.

"I am going to miss you" He whispered softly to her "I know we have not known each other very long.... but I will I promise you that much"

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Alonzo was such a passionate man, his kiss and his words would be able to woo any woman. Even Niu with her survival instincts and training was finding it hard to resist his words.

But she did.

She took the slightest step back and looked up at him with a smile on her face, letting him know she wasn't pulling away because she was unhappy.

"In such a short time you have taught me many things," Niu admitted, her eyes raking up and down his form before focusing on his face. "You have taken risks for me that no one ever has before, shown me more kindness in a few short days than I have received in my entire life..." Niu trailed off, not wanting to add that he would be the hardest one to betray.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Well dear it was worth it" Alonzo told her unable to stop his own smile from filling his face at her words "I wish I could do more" He told her honestly as a stormy expression crossed his face.

Before he could say any thing more the bell rang signaling dinner. Alonzo turned and sighed tugging on his goatee as he went over to the door.

"Have heart my darling" He told her his hand hovering on the door "I changed my fate for the better all it takes is the will to do so"

He opened the door giving her one final smile before he went to dinner leaving her alone in his room.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Niu didn't wait in Alonzo's room. She used the servant corridors to nagivate her way to the dining room. She waited for about half an hour until Alonzo was settled in at the table with the Emperor, his Prince and a few other diplomats, before she returned to his quarters. She pushed everything that had happened between them into a mental compartment, locked his door from the inside, and set to work. She went through all of the scrolls and paper work he had left lying about, finding that it was much as Alonzo had described she ensured that everything was in its place and then slipped out. Instead of returning to the Emperor's quarters to report she slipped into the Prince's room to check through his documentation. That was where her heart dropped. There was nothing outright dangerous, but combined with what could be found in Alonzo's room she had no doubt the Emperor would be suspicious of their motives.

Then Niu had a choice.

She could either wait for one of the Emperor's other spies to discover it and report it and be punished for not noticing herself...

Or she could report it herself.

Niu took her time to return to the Emperor's room. For the first time in her life she wasn't sure what to do. She decided to wait to see what mood the Emperor was in, how dinner had been, before committing to a course of action. She got to her knees, head bowed, as she waited for the Emperor to return.

 

[silvertongue217]

The Emperor was NOT in a good mood

He stomped in after dinner his mood vastly different from before dinner, his anger apparent. Dinner apparently had NOT gone well with the Emperor taking Alonzo and what he said out of context. Even the Prince Kuragin had earned his ire for the simple act of bringing the mentor here. The claims were largely bluster and over exaggerations.

Yet they came from the king

He sent her away his tone and mood spelling trouble for the dignitary party. He hadnt ordered her to end either of them yet but he was close.

Very close

 

[SinisterSpiders]

The moment the Emperor stormed into the room Niu knew things hadn't gone well at dinner. He barely even bothered to look at her before he dismissed her. She left the room as he bid, and then raced straight through the servant's corridors down to the kitchens. She pulled aside on of the girls there, the one who was always willing to chat if you complimented her hair.

Half an hour later Niu made her way up to Alonzo's room. She was later than she should be to dress him for bed, but she was glad she took the time to talk to Chen. She had informed Niu that Alonzo, Kuragin and the Emperor had started talking about the loyalty of subjects. Alonzo, of course, had entered the discussion passionately and claimed that free citizens were, and always would be, more loyal than any slave or bound armies. Sure, some might leave, but the ones that stayed would do so out of true respect and want to be there. The Emperor hadn't taken this well; they had descended into a heated debate (which Niu had no doubt was out of pure passion on Alonzo's side), and even Kuragin had stepped in to defend Alonzo when words turned sharp. Chen had heard some of it herself. She would never say that she thought the Emperor may have overreacted, but Niu read the subtext in her words.

The truth was that the Emperor was defensive. Niu had read and collated a number of reports about the state of the kingdom and rebellion was brewing. The Emperor had hoped that Alonzo and Kurragin would come and give his higher level ministers evidence that the road without servants was long and hard, but all the two foreigners could do was sing praise of their situation. Word of it would filter down through the palace and then beyond, as gossip always did. The balance of power would start to tip, as it was already precariously balanced, and the Emperor might find himself with far less power than he could ever imagine.

Niu was now more conflicted than ever. One of the contingincies she had discussed with the Emperor was assassinating the Prince and his Maestro and making it look as though some of their liberated slaves that travelled with them were behind it. It would not only send a message to the Emperor's own subjects, but to Kurragin's. Before getting to know Alonzo Niu would have done it without a question. Now, though, the thought of snuffing out the fire of such a caring and passionate man made her feel downright uncomfortable. Though she knew the Emperor would strike soon, and she could only hope he would call upon her when the time came. This made her ponder what to do with her new information; should she tell the Emperor, risk his wrath, and hope he will assign her the duty? Or should she hold off for a few days and hope things settled?

Niu took a steadying breath as she knocked on Alonzo's. After a moment she turned the handle and slipped in.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Come in" Alonzo called his voice tired

He was packing grabbing some of his spare bits of clothes and bringing them into his trunk. His eyes were tired and trouble and he frequently rubbed his hand across her neck as he regarded her.

"I am sorry my dear" He said coming over and gently touching her cheek "I am sure by now you have heard about the dinner" He remarked narrowing his eyes before turning and moving away.

"Your king is afraid of the change his country is going through" Alonzo said his tone bitter "More and more people like you my dear are stepping forward rebellion is brewing and instead of being a man of the people he wants to instead stick to outdated ways"

He threw a few more articles of clothing into his suitcase before turning and sighing "We should not have came here" He murmured shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We are leaving the day after tomorrow" He told her looking back up to meet her eye "I wish we weren't... You have.... You have made me feel things I have never felt before"

 

[SinisterSpiders]

He was packing.

Niu should have been pleased that Alonzo and Kurragin were intelligent enough to know they had to leave, but it was worrying. If they left now she may not be able to guarantee their safety. Any number of people could be chosen to take their lives once they left the city limits, and she wouldn't be able to do a thing to stop it. Though Niu would never admit that there was another reason that she was disgruntled at his leaving; because she realised she was becoming attached to him. And that was dangerous.

"I have heard about dinner," Niu admitted, "I have heard the servants talking already. It won't be long before your conversation filters through the palace and seeps into the city. And a friend of mine, she is a slave to the Emperor... He is furious Maestro."

Niu wasn't sure why she was telling him this, but she had to let him know just how dire the situation was.

 

[silvertongue217]

"I know" Alonzo said sighing and running a finger through his hair "We never should have came here" He whispered again snorting.

"We knew how dangerous the situation is that was partly why we decided to come there has been many talks of open rebellion in your capital I am afraid part of that is because of us. The move from slavery to being free citizens went very smoothly in our country and the rumors and news of that has caused unrest in other slave centered cultures we were hoping to be the example and not the exception" He told her his voice speaking how passionately he felt about it.

"Of course it helps that the prince wanted the change" Alonzo said sighing "I think thats going to prove to be the exception.... People just dont want to lose slaves"

"Still that reminds me" He said going over to his case and pulling out a leather bound book "This is for you" He told her going over and handing her the book "Its a first addition I thought you might like it"

 

[SinisterSpiders]

So Alonzo clearly knew all of the concerns and threats of coming here. He had hoped that her own city would be more like his. Indeed, the way his home country had taken to freeing the slaves was the talk of the century; it was unexpected and it went so much better than any one had dared hope.

But things would not be like that here, not if the Emperor had anything to do with it.

Niu took the book he offered her. Her fingers ran over the fine imprinted words on the cover. She frowned and then looked up at him.

"Alonzo... Sir... Please only eat food I bring to you. I do not think that the Emperor will invite you to a meal again, but if other servants bring your food... Do not eat it. Only from me, yes?" She said before she could stop herself.

She had no idea what would happen over the next forty eight hours, but she needed to start preparing for a number of eventualities.

 

[silvertongue217]

Alonzo regarded her for several long minutes before sighing and giving a short nod.

"I feared you would say that" He told her going over to the balcony and looking out at the water "That now my life would well and truly be in danger it is hard to think the emperor would assassinate me but I am the most likely target after all assassinating the king could lead to a war"

"I only hope I survive the next two days" He finally said his voice sad as he turned to look at her "I only wanted what was best trust me I only wish to see us all flourish instead of being held down"

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Watching the way that Alonzo crumpled tugged at Niu's heart strings. She wanted to tell him that he hadn't failed, that the Emperor's rage meant that he was closer than he could ever know.

"I- I know that," she said, walking over to him and placing a soft hand against his chest. "And so do the other slaves. That's why this is happening."

 

[silvertongue217]

He sighed looking down and taking her hand as she spoke. He sat there for a few minutes holding her hand before he finally sighed and rose.

"I dont regret coming here" He told her bringing her fingers up and softly kissing each one "I am glad I did because of you..... I cant imagine not having met you" He admitted kissing her knuckles and finally dropping them.

"I wish you could come with us" He said to her reaching out to touch her face.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

The way that Alonzo kissed her fingers sent shivers running down Niu's spine.When her hand dropped back down she clenched her fingers shut into a fist.

"You know I am a slave," Niu said gently, resisting the natural instinct to lean into his hand as he caressed her cheek. "I cannot leave her without forfeiting my life."

And this much was true. She also knew that, unlike other slaves, the King would have her hunted down to the very ends of the earth. She knew too much, was too dangerous, for him to just let her go easily. Niu looked up at Alonzo, wondered what her life might have been like if she was born in a country like his. Then she shook her head slightly. She wasn't born in his country, she was born here. She was a slave to the king and his number one assassin. And now she was fraternising with the enemy. She took a step back and averted her gaze from his.

"Is there anything you need, or should I leave you be for the night?" Niu asked, keeping her voice even.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Your not just a slave my dear" Alonzo said shaking his head and looking at her sadly "You are smart and wonderful a true treasure if you take any thing form me please take that and that you do not need to be a slave for the rest of your life"

He looked at her for a few seconds before shaking his head.

"No I think that is all for the night" He told her dipping his head in thanks "Please have a pleasant evening" He said pushing his cloak off to reveal his tan scarred chest and shoulders "And think about what I said" He told her softly.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Niu watched as Alonzo dropped his cloak. Her eyes scanned over the scars on his chest and shoulders. She wanted to be swept away by his words, but she was a realist and she had stopped dreaming years ago.

She frowned as her eyes met Alonzo's, at the look of utter dejection on his face.

"But I am a slave, aren't I?" She said, voice far more gentle than it had been in a long time. "I may be smart, I may be wonderful, I may be a treasure... But in the end I belong to the Emperor and to believe anything else is to forfeit my life."

Niu let out a heavy sigh as she turned and made for the door. She pressed her hand against the solid, rich timber and looked back at Alonzo over her shoulder.

"You, you're brave. Me? Well, I just want to survive."

~*~

That night Niu went back to her room. Unlike a lot of the other servants she had a good amount of space, and thanks to her work her room was also very, very well appointed. For so long this had been the place where she could come to just be, to sit in her own company and to not have to pretend anything. Though now the four walls felt too close, the confines of her quarters slowly creeping in on her. There were different types of cages, she knew, and despite all of her travels she was never truly free.

The following morning the Emperor summoned her to his room just before dawn. When Niu arrived it appeared that sleep had not improved the Emperor's rage. Instead it boiled in his veins, his commands sharp and his movements rough and bolstered by anger. When he took her it was as though he wanted to work his frustrations out on her, and even when he had released it wasn't enough. The tension he was trying to avoid was the one rising in the kingdom, the one that was borne out of his lack of concern for his slaves. Fucking wasn't going to fix that.

The Emperor asked her for information on Alonzo and Kuragin one more time. His eyes blazed into hers, and as his cum leaked out of her battered pussy she merely shrugged. She told him she couldn't find anything. The lie made her feel like part of her was set free, that she could deny him those things which he couldn't control, and he would not control her mind. Not now, and not ever again.

The Emperor sent for Master Nightshade before Niu even left the room, and her soaring heart crashed back down to reality. By denying the King evidence she had made him suspect her. It made the woman wonder just what Master Nightshade had uncovered that she hadn't. What he had told the King that she refused to.

~*~

Niu stopped at the kitchens before putting together two trays for breakfast. Some of the kitchen staff glared at her for helping herself, but they knew better than to argue with her. None of them knew what her true profession was, but they knew enough not to get on her bad side. She then took the trays through the services passages, stopping to rest them on a window nook and testing each part of each dish for poison. She spent a good five minutes doing so, not caring that the food would arrive cold, before resuming her journey and making her way to Prince Kuragin's suite.

She knocked on the door and she heard a murmured word of assent from inside. She entered and Kuragin's eyebrows knitted together.

"You are not the girl who had been assisting me lately," he said, "Have you been reassigned to me from the Maestro?"

"No your Highness," Niu said with a meek bow, "Chen has taken ill this morning and I offered to take her place and spare her punishment."

"Very well," Kuragin said with a smile as he came over and took the tray from Niu. "I hope she recovers quickly."

There was an interesting inflection in his tone; concern. Niu wondered whether it was a concern for his own safety now that his assigned slave had taken ill, or concern for the girl herself. Either way he shouldn't need to worry much longer.

"Good day, sir. Please, ring if you need me." Niu gestured to the bell pull in the corner of the room before backing out and heading to Alonzo's door. She took a deep breath before rapping on it gently.

"Maestro Alonzo, it is Niu," She said softly, hoping that he was still in his room.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Come in" Came his voice tired and weary

She found him out on the balcony over looking the city. He was leaning over the railing with both hands propped up on it to keep himself steady. He didnt say any thing at first instead breathing in the air and looking at the city for several seconds.

"All I ever did was imagine traveling" He finally said his voice soft "Partly to escape but even more so because I wanted to see the world and all its bueaty"

"This place is breath taking" He told her rising and glancing over at her "It truly is.... I wish I could have seen more of it perhaps in peace time or another life" He said finally coming in and closing the door.

"I find my self not hungry" He said waving the plate away "you can eat it if you wish" He told her going back over to his bag and putting more things into it. The slump of his shoulder spoke volumes to how sad he was at what had happened.

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Niu had expected to find Alonzo in a state of anger, fear or maybe annoyance. Instead he looked completely and utterly dejected. His words touched a deeper part of her, one that roused the foolish childhood dreams that she had long ago tried to forget.

"You need to tell the Emperor you are leaving in two days time," Niu said. Her tone was different to one that Alonzo had heard from her before. "Be polite, be gracious. Thank him for the opportunity to see his wonderful city. Then inform him that you received a letter from home; one of Prince Kuragin's sisters has had complications with her pregnancy, and you need to return home immediately. Tell him you will be taking the Prince's own ship back and that you have already organised transport to the docks for that morning in one of Li Shang's coaches."

Niu couldn't believe what she was doing, but the plans for getting Alonzo and Kuragin out of the city alive and well. She knew that, if he gave her information to the Emperor, that Mater Nightshade would plot his assasination for some time during the city. Away from the Palace itself, meaning that less suspicion would be placed on the Emperor. He would probably slip one of his own contacts in as the coach driver and have them kill the travellers', if he didn't do it himself. Li Shang's coaches were as famous for their luxury as they were for being easily corruptable. Niu knew this because it was what she would do, and she was Nightshade's one surviving protege.

 

[silvertongue217]

Alonzo blinked looking at Nui in an entirely new light as she spoke in a hurried tone. Understanding began to dawn on Alonzo as he took the girl in. She was smart and beautiful far to much of each to be a simple serving girl. Her knowledge the emperor meant that she knew him..... worked for him even.

Perhaps as a spy

"I suppose we should follow your plan then" Alonzo said stiffly the understanding clear on his face as he turned and grabbed a few things. He began to angrily toss them into his bag as he tried not to glance at her.

"What your master is doing is wrong" Alonzo spit out unable to help himself "You would do well to remember that I dont know what reason he gave you for putting you on me but I assure you he is the one in the wrong!"