Part XXXVII

The lord turned around and noticed Joel's gaze. His expression turned serious.

"Get up, we will be leaving in a moment."

Joel didn't argue. The lord was a scary person and a freaking lunatic. Joel had time to think about what that lord really wanted from him. Calling him a spy was only an excuse, he wanted to keep Joel at his side because he had some sort of crazy fascination about Joel.

Soon they were walking out of the room and downstairs to the main room in the inn, already busy with few travelers. A middle aged woman with a bright smile was serving food to four men sitting at a table next to the window. Joel was wondering if he gets some breakfast too but apparently no. He threw a longing look at the food placed on the table only to notice that he knew the man who was sitting among the other three. It was the handsome Gerd.

Gerd saw Joel too as well as the lord wearing black clothes again standing behind Joel. Gerd didn't make a move but he noticed that Joel's hands were tied with a rope. Gerd and the men next to him were wearing casual clothes however they looked like trained soldiers. Were they out looking for Joel? Or maybe they were on a mission? That wasn't important, Joel wanted to ask Gerd for help but the lord pulled him and they left the inn. The lord's grip on Joel's arm was a really strong one and it will leave bruises.

"Already at your dirty work, hmm." The Lord hissed into Joe's ear.

"What?"

"Don't pretend, I saw how you looked at that man. You like him don't you. You were making sweet eyes for him." There was pure anger on the man's stern face.

"No my lord, I haven't done anything." Joel wanted to say something more but was stopped.

"You are mine now, do you understand?! If you keep acting like that I will punish you severely."

Joel was working for many people before and he knew well when there was no point arguing with someone who was insane. That lunatic wanted Joel, he wanted him to be obedient so he will act that way and make sure to take the first possible chance to escape.

"Yes my lord, I'm yours, I'm sorry." Joel said it quietly and gave that motherfucker a scared look.

The lord went silent and looked at Joel with a light frown. Joel was wondering whether he didn't overdo it.

"Yes, know your master." He said after a moment and then touched Joel's lips with his fingers. "I will teach those lips to say only the right words." Then he pushed Joel inside the cage and ordered his men to cover it. They moved.

Joel's confidence dropped. The cage was solid, his hands were tied. The lord was obsessed with him in a very wrong way. There was something really strange about his behavior. They were heading to his castle, Joel was wondering where they will place him.

Soon all his questions were answered. He was placed in a dungeon. The place was creepy and smelled like shit, literally. Instead of a door there were bars, in the corner Joel had some straw to lay on and a bucket. That's it. The guards who were locking him cut his ropes and looked at him shaking their heads. Joel could hear them talking in the corridor.

"So the next one."

"Yeah, but this one is really pretty. I could even go for him." Than there was some laughter.

Joel was tired, hungry and yes let's admit it, he was scared. That lord could do whatever he wanted to him and for now there was no way out. For the past few hours Joel was thinking about every possible way to get out of here. He needed help. Someone, maybe a guard, could be convinced to help him. That seemed his only option.

A young servant brought him some bread and water. Just like in all those prisons he heard about. The boy looked thin and fragile, he had a nice face though. He looked at Joel with his big brown deer-like eyes and Joel noticed fear in them.

"Hi, I'm Joel, what's your name?" Joel smiled as sweetly as he could. The servant flinched and looked around, there was nobody here.

"It's all right I only asked about your name, answering me is not a crime." Joel sounded gentle, he didn't want to scare that young servant. He has to try every option he had. The boy stood frozen, he looked down at Joel and then he opened his mouth showing Joel that his thong was cut out. For a moment Joel was too shocked to say anything.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could say. The boy nodded and left quickly leaving Joel feeling even more uneasy than before.

As Joel was hungry he ate the bread and drank water. He felt less hungry but still nervous. It was hard to say how much time passed when he heard the sound of opening doors and steps. Strong, confident. That wasn't the servant from before. It was the lord in person. He was standing at the bars looking at Joel sitting in the corner. Joel was waiting for the lord to say anything but no there was silence. The man was just standing there and looking at Joel. Then he turned around and left. Joel wasn't sure, maybe he should have said something, ask, beg? No, first he needs to learn something more about the lord, because right now he didn't know what to do and how to behave around him.