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During the hug, he had been able to tell that Jagger was wearing layers as usual, and he was warm against Luke who finally drifted off.
Chapter Four
Despite the motion of the horse, he must have slept for a while with Jagger’s arms supporting him. The sun was past the high point when they stopped, and Luke blinked at the farm they had entered. This was still part of the Earl’s territory, but he didn’t know anyone lived out this far.
The house looked quite old, but it was large,and he figured the owners were doing pretty well.
Jagger had him get down, and he leaned over. “How does it feel?”
“It’s a sore, but better, Master,” Luke said as he remembered the fib about the cramp since a recently punished pet probably shouldn’t get to ride with his owner. He pretended to stretch one leg as if testing it.
“We’ll be staying here all day, so you can rest it.”
Jagger waved him off since the owners of the farm were approaching. Storm clouds in the distance said rain was coming, and Luke thought the wheat and corn to one side looked a bit dry. The rain was certainly needed.
Jagger hadn’t mentioned if they’d stop due to a storm, but the guards probably didn’t want to get soaked either, and it was lucky they’d reached this place. The husband of the couple told one senior guard that the well was out back and to help themselves as usual. Their water supplies needed to be replenished, a couple of guards said they'd do that later.
The man had two barns, and the prisoners were directed into one, and Luke figured all of the groups on their way to the mine stopped here. Perhaps the couple got a reward for helping.
The barn was mostly empty except for hay. The hooks and chains on the wall to one side looked like a good place to restrain someone who needed punishment, so that further confirmed his suspicions. The prisoners sat, and some laid back on the floor as they said it was good to be out of the damn sun for a change.
Luke wiped his forehead since it had grown humid with the approaching storm. How could Jagger stand wearing all of those layers?
In small groups with guards, the prisoners were allowed to go wash out back by the well, and they were given new clothes. The wife from the house collected the dirty stuff and didn’t look happy about so much extra laundry. Luke hadn’t been wearing anything, and he felt better with a new pair of pants and a shirt.
When he returned to the barn with the few others, Bread had been taken from the cart he’d been in, although he still didn’t look good. His face was pale, they’d kept him naked, and the cuts on his back weren’t healed. While the guards took care of things and brought the carts through the huge doors to stay on one side, Bread never said a word as he huddled by a post.
Luke felt bad for him and wished he hadn’t run. Truly, he didn’t deserve to be sent to the mines over stealing a damn loaf of bread. Luke couldn’t pretend he knew him, but if he had stolen food, he must have been hungry and broke.
The one who had been abused on the first night was usually quiet now and didn’t say or do much of anything beyond what he had to. He hadn't deserved his treatment either.
Luke was lucky to have his guard, and he was glad he’d swallowed his last of pride. Jagger had been right to break his defiance, and he’d still been nice in the end by letting his pet sleep against him. Why couldn’t the rest of the guards be like him and still the prisoners as fellow fairies instead of trash?
A couple of guards whined about being tired. Luke almost wanted to roll his eyes. They didn’t have to walk all damn day and look forward to imprisonment and potential abuse if they weren’t claimed by a decent owner. Another guard said it was the midway slump, and they’d feel better after some rest. The sky darkened beyond the doors, and it wasn’t long before a downpour started.
The doors were kept open for air. Luke dozed off on the floor since nobody seemed to need him, and he woke for dinner. They had a real meal of beef stew that must have been made by the couple, and it was actually seasoned instead of plain and bland.
Luke sat with the other prisoners after he finished. Lanterns were hung around to fend off the darkness, and a couple of guards stayed by the door in case anyone was dumb enough to try and run for it. Bread’s back probably wiped away any thoughts of escape that might have been drifting through everyone’s mind.
Jagger was sitting on a long crate with another senior guard, and Luke still couldn’t remember half of the guy’s names. Once he finished eating, Zaz crawled over to Jagger in a way that said he was looking for something, and it wasn’t permission to go outside and piss with someone to watch him.
A sour feeling that Luke wasn’t used to flashed through his gut. Defiant or not, the last thing he wanted was to watch or hear Jagger railing some other criminal.
“Don’t bother,” said Jagger. “I already have a pet.”
“Two can be a lot of fun,” said Zaz.
“I don't need two."
Zaz flushed as the other senior guard laughed. “He’s a one hole kind of guy. You’ve had too many cocks in your holes.”
“You’ve turned into the community hole,” said the senior next to Jagger, and a few other guards laughed at that.
Jagger didn't. "One pet is enough for me."
Zaz appeared like he wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. It worsened when he glanced over at Luke who shot him a faintly nasty look. Jagger was his, and Luke hadn’t put much thought into it before, but he wasn’t entirely sure if he could handle it if Jagger fucked others. Maybe he could stay quiet about it, but it would sure bug him inside.
He didn’t even know why he felt jealous. As a whore, he was sure some of his clients had been married or had sweethearts. He shouldn’t feel jealous over a guard who had owned other slaves before and would again once Luke was gone. This was an arrangement that worked for both of them.
