From royalty to slavery AU

[fairtidings]

They had burned down her home, torn apart her family, destroyed her planet's livelihood...the nicest thing they could have done after that would be to let her die, instead they decided to capture the princess and take her along with them. After keeping her locked up long enough to wear down her screaming and fighting, they finally sold her for a very fine price to an auction house. Beats trying to find a private buyer themselves.

The auction house then spent a few months training a little more obedience into her. It wasn't hard, she was already broken down and she was raised to be polite and obedient. There was only so much you could train a person, however. And there was some traits she would never let go of. Bottom line is, this slave was probably one of the best you could get with every day obedience and servitude but she wasn't going to be of any use to you in bed unless you were into control and forced submission.

After going through all that, the broken down princess was now locked up in a small cage, in a row of other females waiting to be sold to new masters. She was huddled in the back corner, all of her clothing removed and trying to cover up as much of herself as she could. Which wasn't very much help at all in her condition. And even though there were other girls trying to attract attention from possible buyers, people still hung around her cage more. They knew her background. They could have their very own princess.

She kept her head down. If she stayed quiet, they would lose interest. If she finally stopped eating, she could just fade away here but a part of her still hung onto life. Still thought that perhaps if she stayed here long enough she would be able to find a way to break out, find her own freedom. Get her home back. Eventually, they would let their guard down around her, right?

"What about this one?"

"That one? She doesn't look like she'd be good in bed."

"But it's a princess! And once she's yours, you can just make her good in bed, right?

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[ajoeface]

They were at the slave auction in disguise, of course. On a rescue mission. Well, Marvelous wouldn't admit it was a rescue mission, nor who he was looking for, but he was definitely looking for someone. Joe didn't bother asking, and Marvelous didn't seem to need his help - Joe could've been another set of eyes on the lookout if he'd been given some kind of description, but nope.

So he just tries to fit in, doing a circuit of the area. What makes him the most uncomfortable is seeing the barely-clothed, delicate women in their cages. So of course because that's a place he would never willingly hang around he makes sure to linger there, pretending to look, but hiding mostly beneath his hood.

Plenty of people want to keep their identity discreet, it's not going to gain him any unusual attention.

Meanwhile Marvelous could be walking around with his wanted poster pinned purposely to his back. He doesn't believe in subtle.

"It's a princess!" He hears suddenly, flicking his eyes towards the people talking, and then to where they're looking. He steps back into the central area people use to cross from one cage to another and yanks Marvelous out of the crowd.

"What do you know about there being a princess for sale here?" He demands. Marvelous shrugs. Joe shakes him. "Is it a rumour, or is it truth?"

"Oh it's true," Marvelous admits. "They've been flashing her face around everywhere. Real strike for the Zangyack, enslaving the princess of a planet they destroyed."

"So it'd be a blow against them if we got her out."

"Ehhhhh."

"Marvelous."

"I already have business here, so-"

"Fine." No point expecting help. Marvelous is selfish. "Then give me my half of our loot."

"Why?"

"I'll buy her. Makes less of a fuss than kidnapping her if you won't even help me."

Marvelous sighs the sigh of a long-suffering captain, but he hands the cash over to Joe. Reluctantly. With an eyeroll that clearly says Marvelous thinks he's being sentimental. Joe ignores it and goes to find out the highest bid on the princess so far.

And then he doubles it.

They're very, very good pirates.

[fairtidings]

Her heart sinks as they call out her number. The cage door rattles and the creak of the door opening mimics the sound of her heart shattering. Her dream of just fading away int he cage or waiting for her own chance to escape feeling far from her hands. Quietly, she had to stay strong. Maybe her new captives would lower their guard. Maybe they would get bored of her and toss her out.

The excited chattering of the auctioneers didn't put her at any ease. Sentences such as "One of the highest sales of the quarter" and "Guy didn't even want to bargain. Obviously doesn't know how an auction works" were thrown around with such ease.

Ahim was pulled along and then cuffs placed around her wrists to hold her hands together but no other clothing offered to her. In a standing position she was more vulnerable. She didn't know what to cover and kept her head down as she was lead out into the private room where the final exchange was made. Also the room where the buyer and slave would be left alone in the event that his or her new goods could be thoroughly inspected before they left, and provided as much private time as they wished.

Once she was in the room, she still refused to look up. Keeping her gaze trained on the ground would at least allow her to keep herself together and not fall apart. Don't give them what they want, don't give them an inch if she can help it. She stayed right by the door way where she had been roughly shoved and she could hear the auctioneer quietly ask him if he needed any tools before he was off.

[ajoeface]

Joe's skin is crawling the entire time; from transaction, wherein he suddenly owns another human being as though they're an object - and a former princess at that! - to the moment they bring his new 'purchase' to him in a private room so that he can... Well. The suggestions had been so lewd he'd barely restrained himself from punching someone.

But he had, for her.

When asked if he needed any tools Joe just levels a flat glare at the man who asked, hoping his gaze gave off an air that said, "I know what I'm doing, I don't need any assistance."

It got rid of the man and that's all he'd truly wanted to accomplish. But then Joe has nowhere else to look but at her. All he can see is dark curls curtaining her face where she has her head lowered. He doesn't dare look lower, but he knows she's mostly bare for appraisal. He unclips his cloak and moves towards her, slowly, so as not to startle her.

"I can't lend you this out there, I-" Joe hesitates before admitting he's trying to stay in disguise. She could use that against him if she suspects he's dangerous. Have his caught and try for a more agreeable owner. "I need it. But you can have it for now."

He even has to clasp it at the neck for her, because her hands are cuffed and she's unable to do it for herself.

"I don't want to inspect you, or..." Probe? Joe shudders. "Whatever else they think we're going to do in here. I just wanted to help someone." And it had to be you, nobody else.

[fairtidings]

As much as he had tried, she still recoils as she feels the material pull over her shoulders. It has been a long time since she had been covered like this and the warmth that she felt from the gesture itself was something she had long forgotten. His voice was also calming and gentle. Not what she had expected at all. He sounded sincere but there was something else under there.

He didn't sound like somebody that was born into money nor did he sound like somebody who just struck it lucky. This person definitely sounded like he was trained, maybe military? Someone who also worked hard so why would he spend so much money on her?

Ahim raised her eyes just slightly to look towards him but not meet his gaze. That was something that had been thoroughly trained into her. She didn't have the right to meet the gaze of her master, keep her eyes averted and obedient. The exact opposite of the confidence she had been raised with. All she was able to see was that he had a very nice build and without looking at his face, she could see from his hands that he was perhaps quite young.

"You could have purchased and released 10 slaves for the price of this one."

[ajoeface]

Joe backs away a step or two when he sees her flinch; the last thing he wants to do is distress her!

Maybe it had worked though. Because she speaks to him. And oh boy do her words hit hard.

You could have purchased and released 10 slaves for the price of this one.

Joe swallows hard.

"Yes," he agrees. "I probably could have. That's not... Why I was here."

Oh god he wants to tell her everything. Where is Marvelous, Marvelous would stop him.

"I'm in it for the long game," he suffices to say instead, after a pause. "I think what I've done today will help set a lot more people free in the long run."

He isn't sure what else to say, so he shuts his mouth. She's lost nothing of a royal bearing, even if she appears cowed. She's been brought up to make decisions for the good of others, she can't just cede control. Joe would give it back to her immediately if he could. But he's only the first mate on a single ship.

[fairtidings]

"...in the long run."

She repeats his words very quietly in her own voice and before she realizes what she was doing, her gaze snaps up from the floor and she's staring right into his own eyes as if trying to see right into his thoughts. These are words spoken by a rebel; by someone that had a bigger plan. And for just a split moment, he may be able to see the princess he had known all that time ago underneath there.

Her eyes searched his for the next few moments, desperate to figure out if perhaps all of her quiet wishes and dreams had suddenly been answered when she recalled her current position and how ridiculous she was being. Once again, those dark eyes quickly lowered back to the ground.

"My apologies. I did not wish to be insolent."

However, his words had ignited something within her. A little hope. A flame that had been dangerously close to flickering out.

[ajoeface]

Oh dammit, Joe is no good at words! This is why he usually keeps his mouth shut. Marvelous would've known how to distract her. He would've rambled something ridiculous and unconvincing, but she wouldn't have dared question it.

Joe just doesn't want to lie to her.

Her eyes are a deep brown that seem to hold all of the universe's secrets in them. Joe could get lost in them. Especially when he sees a flicker of light in them. She believes him. She has faith in him.

His chest pounds at that realisation. To be so honoured by your princess... She doesn't need to know that part yet, she's got enough to deal with.

"I don't need you to follow orders," Joe replies in a low mumble, embarrassed to even have to explain it!

[fairtidings]

She didn't know how to answer that. A big part of her was so ashamed that she had grown up not even knowing this kind of lifestyle had existed. If she had known, she would have fought harder for the release of all these young girls and some young boys. There weren't as many boys, they learned they had the strength to fight back after a while and that made them less worth it to raise.

"I..."

Her voice catches as she tries to speak. Some words were still hard to say regardless of how long she had been trained to say them. She takes a slow breath and tries again.

"...I belong to you now."

Regardless of what he wanted, she had to at least still be his new slave until they left the auction arena. The last thing she needed was her former owners to think they raised a delinquent that required re-training before release.

But to show that she did understand what he had tried to express with those words, she's raised her gaze towards him again, the faintest flicker of a smile crossing her lips. Thanking him for finding her and for believing that she was worth it.

[ajoeface]

At least she had ignorance as an excuse! Even though to a princess ignorance would be no excuse at all; being ignorant of the state of any of her people would be appalling to her.

Joe had known, but he'd thought being a soldier was the way to change things. He hadn't known how corrupt the military had been on the inside until it was too late. So he'd defected and become a criminal, basically. To the military, but possibly also to... The royal family of his planet. The Princess Ahim.

Oh this complicates everything. But he still doesn't want to begin by lying to her.

She doesn't belong to him at all, but she knows there's a part to play. He nods his acceptance.

"If you want to leave now..." Joe hesitates. "I'll need my cloak back." No warmth, no cover for her body. "But once we're on the ship I can find you something." Anything to put her in a better state of dress than she's in now!

[fairtidings]

She has had plenty of time to get used to this now. This state of undress, being put on display for the enjoyment of the public. When her asking price was too high week after week, she had been looked at by so many people she sometimes wondered why she had even attempted to upkeep any humility.

It was less the shield for her body that she was unwilling to let go of for the moment and more the warmth of his gesture. He had offered to cover up while they were in a private room together. He had gently laid the material over her shoulders and then clasped the cloak together at the front to make her decent when there was no requirement.

In fact, she knew that these rooms definitely had much worse happen in them than she was willing to put into words with her own lips.

For now, she was going to put her trust into him. People could never keep up their facade for long and if she caught on that everything he said was a lie, her best chance to escape would be when their ship is next docked somewhere. But ... he gave her hope.

He gave her a feeling different from anybody she had spoken to since ...

Ahim gives him a soft nod. "I put my faith in you."