In The Rough – The Chronicles of the Diamond Prince

Chapter 3 — The Unremarkable Boy

Content Warning: Mentions of abuse, mentions of death, brief language

Declan was a half breed, the unfortunate byproduct of a bad sterilization job. He was born in a poor area, where his father’s only possession was his slave-girl he’d won in a lucky poker game. They lived in a small run-down apartment, and with no information on his slave other than her registration number and name (of course, he didn’t bother to look her up in the system) he assumed her sterile.

A year later, the emaciated and abused little slave girl begins showing signs of pregnancy. At first, her Master attempts to beat it out of her, but eventually learns that if she carries to term, he can sell the child as a slave, so he allows it to live. By the time she’s ready to deliver, her body is too frail to survive the process, and she passes during the birth. Without even looking at his son, he sells him for the rock bottom price of fifteen thousand Nellin to the state, but is charged with slave abuse leading to death, and spent the next year in jail.

At the state facility, his upbringing is quite different than at the private breeding facility Phoenix came from. Akin to a low budget orphanage, they were understaffed, overcrowded, and the children were given just enough food and attention to keep anyone from interfering. They took a no-nonsense approach and weren’t afraid to use negative reinforcement to get their point across. Upon arrival, his blood was tested for genetics and medical concerns, and he was found to be relatively healthy with no obvious genetic defects or concerns.

He was indeed a half breed, His father showing no enslaved relatives for at least six generations, and his mother was a mix breed. On her Sire’s side, she had very distinguished genes — her great grandfather being an award-winning breeder stud, and several awarded dam’s throughout his line. However, the line continued to get diluted over the years, being bred with lesser and lesser specimens. Her mother was technically a free person, but with a few smatterings of slavery in her extended family.

Many of the children at the facility were in some way mixed breeds, but a few were either pure breeds that somehow slipped through the cracks, or were free-born, and the free-born had it the worst. Most were unable to form the connection their slave counterparts could, and this left them on the outside. The others often picked on them, saying that they were so hideous even their parents didn’t want them — they’d been thrown out with the garbage. At least slave-born, even mixed breeds had a reason to be here.

They would all be raised much like ordinary children in an orphanage would be, until they hit thirteen. Then they began state issued slave training, including basic protocol and etiquette, poses, domestic service and labour. Before being auctioned off in their eighteenth year, they would be evaluated for their strengths and categorized for easy sale.

Occasionally, a private breeder would come through the state facility, looking for the diamond in the rough to add to his blood lines. Those days were especially stressful for both staff and children, as the staff would be determined to show their best children and get the best out of them all — because if a private buyer wants to buy one for his collection, they will pay well above what a state auction would bring, which would mean better funding and bonuses for the staff. And of course, every slave knows that being a breeder is the best life a slave can have. Well cared for, for the sake of their offspring, minimal labor — often a bed warmer for the rich and popular, or other gorgeous breeding slaves.

In his time at the facility, Declan had seen six children bought privately. Four pure breeds, one mixed, and one free born. He had overheard the man explain that the free born had excellent genetic health, with athletics in his background, and with him, he could begin a whole new slave line, if he could discover him an appropriate mate. At every evaluation and private inspection, Declan was noted as ‘unremarkable’, with ‘muddy genetics’. He had been scrawny and scrappy, with no specific discernible talents in any particular field.

He floated through his childhood unnoticed on all accounts, until he hit puberty. He grew like a weed, towering over most of the others, his eyes grew brighter and brighter green, and became much more dedicated to slave-learning. By eighteen he was one hundred ninety-three centimeters and growing, and was beginning to show a hint of muscle gain. He had gorgeous features and piercing eyes; his evaluation showed value and potential. Between his pretty body and knowledge he may have held some value but his ‘muddy genetics’ made it clear no one would ever value him for breeding, and so he was permanently sterilized.

Not long after his eighteenth birthday, there was an auction, and Declan knew his fate was gonna be serving for the first time to whomever bought him. He was nervous, but also naively excited. He hoped that wherever he went would be better than the facility, and that he could explore his talents with someone who appreciated him. He watched and listened from the numbered post he was tied to, and he knew his turn was coming soon as one of the staff of the facility came and began fussing with his hair and rubbing dirt smudges off his face.

The slave next to him was put up on the block, Declan was untied and taken to the base of the stairs by the stage. He was led by an auction hand and As the gavel fell, the handler quickly untied the cloth wrap that had been the last of his modesty. He steeled himself to be exposed for the first time, the first time of many. The cloth fell away, and he took a deep breath, fighting to stay still and not cover himself.

The handler clicked and began walking up the stairs, indicating Declan must follow, and he did. He held himself strongly upright and walked with as much grace as he could muster. Excited chatter could be heard as he came into view. The auctioneer gave a quick recap of his background and stats as the handler gave him several commands to follow including basic protocol and poses, which he followed to the letter. After he was standing again, the auction began. At first the numbers flew up, but many quickly dropped out as the numbers climbed. The final winning number was decent, although not great. Two hundred seventy-five thousand Nellins; It was above the bottom of the barrel at least.

By the time the winner came to collect him at the end of the day, he was exhausted, thirsty and hungry. He’d been kneeling or standing in the sun all day, and hadn’t eaten or drank since dinner the night before. Now the sun was beginning to set, and all he wanted was a glass of water and to lay down. The man that collected him was a rugged, but quiet man, who had apparently purchased three other’s that day as well.

While the man’s back was turned, he chanced a glance at his fellow purchases; two men and a woman. One he knew from the facility, the others he did not. The woman was very small, could not have been more than one hundred fifty-two centimeters, less than forty kilograms, and she looked terrified. The other two men were of average height with lean, but solid builds, and both looked stoic. Declan towered over all of them, and it was somewhat comforting.

They were put into the back of a large van, and soon they were rolling. The small girl was huddled in a corner as far away from the boys as she could get. Declan studied her for a while, she had mid-tan skin, bright platinum hair, and from the few times he’d seen, ice blue eyes. Finally, her eyes peeked up and caught his and he smiled. She immediately huddled further in on herself, hiding her face.

He sighed and started to shuffle towards her. When he was within arm’s reach of her, he stopped, and waited. She was shaking like a leaf, and he could see the blooming of redness on her shoulders even in the dim light. She’d been in the sun too long for her little body, was probably very dehydrated. “Hey…” he said quietly, trying to be as non-threatening as he could. “Are you ok?” her eyes appeared again over the tops of her arms and met with his. She searched him, and he waited patiently giving her the softest look he could muster.

“Cold.” Was all she mumbled out against her knees.

“I know. You don’t look too good…” He said, risking another shuffle forward, turning so his back was now to the side of the van beside her, trying to show her that he had no intention of trapping her. “What’s your name?”

“…Ava.” She said in a small voice. Declan smiled. He was getting somewhere.

“Declan.” They sat in silence for a moment, until suddenly, Declan was surprised to see her unwrap from around her nearly naked self and shuffle a little closer to him, her eyes wary and questioning. He smiled again, slowly offering her his hand. She tentatively reached out and let him engulf her hand in his. When he felt no connection, he instantly felt sorry for her, and he willed with all his might as much calm and comfort into her as he could.

Her features relaxed and she followed as he gently pulled her to him until she was pressed up against his side, and he draped his arms around her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her face on his chest and soaked in all the heat she could. He continually willed his energy into her and she relaxed against him. She didn’t have the connection, but he could still give to her even if she couldn’t give back. She fell asleep in minutes, and Declan was happy he could bring her whatever little comfort he could.

They arrived at a large building in a sparser part of town, largely industrial, but a few stores and bars scattered around. She was still asleep when they unloaded. The two other guys got out, but Declan didn’t move. The man looked at them and gruffly asked, “What’s wrong with her?”

“Dehydrated, I think. Sir.” Declan said, stoically. The man gave a curt nod and gestured in a way that Declan could only interpret as ‘bring her.’ So, he scooped her tiny body up and followed the others. She stirred and her eyes fluttered, she looked up at him, and then buried her face back into his chest.

They were led through the back entrance into a large, industrial looking facility, filled with cages and equipment of all kinds. It was clean and sterile looking, almost medical in nature. They passed several other slaves — caged or being lead, being examined, being washed… it certainly was interesting. They made their way into a smaller room, still medical looking but less intimidating in its size. They were greeted by a formal looking woman in a lab coat, and She wasted no time in getting to the point. “I am Dr. Forest, and I oversee the health and well-being of all the property here in this establishment. I will begin by conducting exams and treating any ailments, while I do so, I will explain your role here. She immediately walked over to Declan and Ava. She felt her forehead and observed her sunburns blooming. “Ava?” She glanced at her papers, then at Declan for confirmation.

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Heat stroke…” She mumbled “Again.” Declan nodded his agreement. “Be nice if the fuckin auction house could keep the livestock alive long enough to get to its destination…” She mumbled, clearly talking to herself. “Over there.” She nodded to one of the medical beds, and Declan gently set her down, brushing some stray hairs out of her face. Another woman in scrubs came out of nowhere and immediately began hooking up an IV bag. Satisfied she would be looked after; he made his way back to the others.

“Jackson?” The man Declan did not know stepped forward. She pointed to the far bed. “Marcus?” she said looking at the other man that he did know. The man nodded and followed Her finger to the next bed. “And that leaves Declan.” She said, looking up at him, and he nodded, and without waiting for instruction, headed to the remaining bed and sat.

She and the nurse were working on Ava as their priority, and the others just sat and waited patiently. Once the nurse had it under control, She came back and continued her explanation. “We are a privately owned, government approved long term and short-term rental facility. We service all kinds of customers and client’s needs, from hourly in-house rentals to yearlong shipment contracts. We offer a wide variety of products, from literal equipment to slaves. We cater to sexual, labor, domestic and media and entertainment needs. You will be closely monitored for physical and mental health, as per government regulations and according to the court of slave legalities. It is my legal obligation to let you and all the clients know that all slaves will be treated with their well-being in mind, avoiding at all costs any long-term damage. All your basic needs will be met, including mental stimulation. All rental contracts include clauses that allow us to take legal action against any neglect of these regulations. You will all be treated for dehydration, as we’ve never had a slave come from the auction yard that wasn’t dehydrated. Since you all seem to be in fair condition otherwise, the exams will be conducted for further ailments after our priority patient is taken care of.”

The nurse was moving to Declan and began hooking up his IV. He welcomed it — though a glass of water would have been ideal, he knew relief was imminent. He could see Ava stirring in her bed, and he felt his anxiety dissipating. He trusted that nothing awful would happen and was aware that he didn’t know what to expect otherwise.