Silver Eyes: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Arman

The old woman shouted at him louder than she had, as if that would make him understand her words better.

'Give me that.' Eton took the pot from him, then he said something to Agathe and turned back to Arman. 'We need to teach you how to speak Greek eventually.'

Arman shrugged.

'Carry the plates. Set them out on the table.' Eton ordered.

'Fine.' Arman was about to mutter something about being a slave but decided against it.

Thalia was already sat at the table with Leon, along with their child, Callista. The girl trained her sharp blue eyes on him as he walked around the room placing the plates on the table.

'Thank you Arman.' Leon replied.

'U-uhmm.' He fumbled over his words because he had been staring at Callista. 'You're welcome, Sir.'

'Arman. Please call me Leon.' The master smiled.

'Of course.' Arman tried not to frown.

'Hey Arman. Help me, here.' Eton asked for help.

'Coming you annoying butt.' Arman hissed under his breath.

'There. We're finally done.' Eton wiped the sweat off his brow.

'Good then-' Arman was about to say something but stopped as the slaves moved out of the kitchen in a single line.

'Wha-' Arman mouthed out as Agathe pulled him by the arm, this time not screaming but with a smile of her face.

'What is going-' Agathe pulled him out of the kitchen and into the dining room where the slave; a total of about 6 of them including Eton, sat on the chairs of the dining table.

The same dining table where Leon, Thalia and Callista sat.

Arman was so in shock at the fact that the slaves were sitting with their masters, talking so casually with them (except Callista) as if they were friends that he just stared at them with his mouth open.

Thalia was the one that noticed Arman just standing there and she tugged on her husband's sleeve to bring his attention to Arman.

Leon turned and noticed him. 'Arman, why are you just standing there?'

As one, all of them turned to Arman. Arman was especially aware of Callista and her unnerving eyes.

'I- uhmm.' Arman cleared his throat.

'Yes Arman?' Leon asked again.

'Spit it out!' Eton jokingly spoke up and two of the other slaves laughed.

Arman frowned at him and then quickly turned his attention to Leon. 'I just think- I just think it's weird for the slaves to be sitting on the same table as their masters.'

Leon jerked up at the thought but Eton and the two other slaves grinned to themselves, as if it was somekind of inside joke with between them.

Leon said something to his wife and she jerked up in surprise as well. He then told the rest of the table the same thing, but the slaves seemed like they were expecting it, and only smiled.

Leon was about to open his mouth to say something but Thalia stopped him and said something into his ear. Leon paused for a moment and nodded his head.

Thalia stood up, with some difficulty while clutching her stomach swollen with a child. Leon stood up with her and whispered into her ear.

Then she spoke, with her husband filling her with the words.

'Arman.' She said it with difficulty, only given the pronounciation from her husband. 'You. Not Slaves. You are." Thalia put her hands to her heart. 'Family.'

Arman took a step back at the word. He looked around the table, at the slaves who where nodded their heads in agreement. Welcoming him to the family, welcoming him to their family.

Eton tapped the seat beside him, urging Arman to sit with them. He did so hesitantly.

'I suggest a toast.' Leon annouced the table in both Greek and the language Arman spoke. 'A toast to our new family member.'

The table cheered, raising their cups in agreement.

Callista, who sat beside him, placed a hand on his leg and game him a smile (The first one he had seen from her) and then turned back to the rest of the table as if nothing happened.

Arman didn't face them. He only looked down at his food and ate it silently.

Arman waited for everyone to sleep before he moved out.

He planned to get a horse, ride out to where this Ophion was- and then he was going to strangle the jerk in his sleep.

Arman didn't take anything with him. Only the clothes on his back and his wits.

He entered the stables as quietly as he could, the hay on the floor muffled his footsteps as well. He chose the horse that was closest to him.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you.' Eton was behind him, sitting down on a pile of hay while eating an apple.

'What are you-'

'I told you. I practically live in the stables.' Eton bit into the apple again. 'Also you probably shouldn't take that mare. She has a bit of a temper to anyone except Callista. She would throw you off immediately as you try to mount her.'

Arman frowned at him.

'Also you shouldn't even take a horse. Leon went to get that brother of yours. He looked like he was prepared to kidnap him if it came to it.' Eton bit into the apple. 'I'm awake because I'm waiting for him to return.'

'What? Why would he do that?'

'Because he knew you wouldn't stay unless your brother was here with you.'

'So he just wants me to stay?' Arman frowned.

Eton shook his head. 'Seriously? And where would you go here huh Arman? You're far away from home. You don't speak this country's language at all. You wouldn't survive a week alone.'

Arman clentched his fist, annoyed that Eton was right. 'Alright, what should I do then?'

'You can either go to sleep.' Eton tapped the space beside him on the pile of hay. 'Or you can sit beside me and we can talk, because only three people in this house speak Persian and I'm the only one awake.'

'Fine.' Arman laid down on the pile of hay, sending strands everywhere.

'So I'll start first. Born a slave, helped out this trader before I was bought by Leon. Ran the routes myself, that's why I speak Persian. Leon himself is in charge of a trading company, that's why he speaks Persian- along with a lot of other different languages. Before he got married, I helped him with the trades and now I'm charge of the stables.'

'Alright.'

'What about you?' Eton broke the remainer of his apples and tossed it to the horses, the mare that he had warned Arman about caught it in mid-air. 'How'd you become a slave?'

Arman sighed. 'My town was raided by Slave-Traders. They took my mother and I tried to fight them off with my brother. They over-powered us and we were all dragged here.'

'Your brother was bought my Ophion, but your mom?'

'I don't where they took her. We lost her back on a boat-rode here.'

'I see. I'm sorry.' Eton sighed. 'I never knew my mother. I think she was just someone my old master had a child with and didn't care for her or me after that.'

'You think that you're the son of your previous master?'

'People commented that I look like him. I used to use that to my advantage, pretending to be the son of a rich man has it's benefits.'

'I see.' Arman leaned into the hay pile. 'My father wasn't really anything. We didn't really see him much, that's why me and my Nouri used to pass the time by climbing the rooftops or fighting.'

'I see. I also heard from Leon that you're pretty good with a bow.'

'Yeah. Though my bow wasn't that good, the one the slave traders gave me was definitely better.'

Eton chuckle but then quietened. 'Have you killed someone before?'

Arman paused for a moment. 'Yeah. One. Killed him with my bow because he was touching my mom.'

'I see.' Eton leaned back.

'How long has Leon been gone?'

'I don't know. It has been a while though.' Eton replied. 'Speak of the devil. There he is.'

Arman sat up and watched Leon and his horse gallop into the stables. Eton stood up and helped Leon down from the horse, and then lead the horse back into it's stable.

Arman stood up. 'Did you find him?'

'Arman, you're here.' Leon sighed.

'Leon. Did you find him?'

'Arman. I'm sorry but he's- he's dead.' Leon handed him the pendant that Nouri used to wear. 'I took this from Ophion, after I choked the truth out of him. Then he showed me your brother's grave.'

Arman took the pendant from Leon. 'Why would he buy Nouri, then just kill him?'

Eton and Leon shared a look. 'Ophion is a..hunter. He buys slaves to...hunt them.'

'What? And you people allowed him too?'

Leon shook his head. 'We want to, but Ophion is rich enough to buy his way out of anything.'

'And why can't you kill him?'

'Because that would be murder, and I'm not rich enough to buy my way out of that.' Leon admitted.

'So, we do nothing?' Arman frowned.

'There's nothing we can do.' Leon sighed. 'I'm sorry Arman.'

Arman sighed and leaned into the hay pile. Then, he found himself crying, covering his eyes with his hands.

Eton sat down beside him and gathered him into an embrace.

Leon sighed and knelt down to meet Arman's eye level. 'Arman. I promise you that I will not treat you like how Ophion treats his slaves. You are our family now, we will protect you.'

Eton nodded as well. 'Trust me. As a slave, this is not a place where we suffer.'

Arman shifted his eyes between Eton and Leon. Their expression was genuine and filled with compassion. For a moment, Arman allowed himself to believe that they meant it.

'Okay. I'll stay.'

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For the stronger the Light; the thicker the shadows that fall.  18:03, January 11, 2015 (UTC)