Masks of Protection: Part 3

By: Stacy L.

He approached the slaver keeping his eyes trained only on the man as he paid him before accepting the leashes attached to the two slaves he had just purchased. He looked at them noticing their fear. They were both afraid, scared but they were together. The girl clung to the woman, neither looked at him, and both kept their heads bowed as he ordered, “Come.”

It nearly broke his heart to see them comply without hesitation. He wanted to get them home as quickly as he was able and thus stopped nowhere even though he needed supplies. He could come back for them later. Right now he wanted to get them to his home, under his roof, safe and protected from the atrocities they had no doubt faced. He could sense their fear and it made him want to cry out for them.

* *

Jack glanced up when Jacob did straining his eyes to see and make out the figure or rather figures in the distance. As they drew closer he grew angrier noting that Daniel was returning…with two more slaves, both female. Immediately he tossed around questions in his head wondering what their purpose was and why they were being led to the main house by leashes. Anger filled him as he thought the worst noting that Daniel Jackson again wore the cloak with the hood pulled up to conceal his youthful features from view. He watched the man intently as he led the women inside hearing Jacob commenting and managing a quiet, “Uh” in response.

“Two more have just been saved.”

Watching the master and his two new slaves disappear from view as they entered the house he quickly snapped, “WHAT?”

“Two more have been…”

Jack abruptly cut Jacob off with, “I heard you!” as he glared at the older man. Jacob’s response was to lower his gaze and shake his head as he muttered, “You are so judgmental.”

Raising his voice further he growled, “Judgmental?”

Jacob focused on him again before answering, “You choose to see evil where there is only good.”

Glancing back at the house he uttered, “Bullshit!”

“Only a fool is blinded by fear, Jack.”

That brought his head back up but Jacob was no longer looking at him instead he was focusing intently on his work refusing to speak further on the issue, which only succeeded in further pissing him off and pushing him into the decision to get a closer look at the two new servants and the things now happening inside the house.

As he approached the house he became aware of his true motives for doing as he was. He wanted to believe that Daniel planned to use those two female slaves. He wanted to believe that Daniel’s purpose for purchasing them was clearly sexual and was determined to prove it, for if he did then he would no longer have to resist or fight the newfound feelings he was developing for a man he was supposed to hate and despise. Jacob knew, had seen too much and knew where his heart truly lie and if Jacob could see it then so could others including Daniel Jackson. He couldn’t allow that to happen because he swore to keep Daniel at a distance and was determined to do so. Without further thought or consideration of what he was about to do Jack entered the house.

* *

As Daniel entered the house he smiled at Layla who removed his cloak then focused on the young woman continuing to smile as he softly said, “Here let me remove these for you.”

He was careful and slow sensing if he moved too quickly she’d scream. He slowly removed the collar turning slightly as Layla touched his arm and saying, “Layla go start a bath for them please.”

She smiled sadly seeing the pain cross his features as he carefully removed the collar on the woman’s neck. She knew it hurt him deeply to see such an atrocity on one’s neck, and she could see that the newest slaves to the household had already touched his heart deeply. She spoke his name softly watching as he lifted his gaze to her and swallowing hard upon seeing the sorrow within him, no doubt he was imagining how the two had been treated while also recalling his own checkered past.

Once the collar was off he gently lifted the young woman’s chin lifting her head he offered her a smile full of compassion and tenderness softly saying, “You don’t have to keep your head down. I won’t hurt you. No one here will. Please.”

As the young woman lifted her gaze Layla could see Daniel swallowing convulsively knowing she had only done so because he had told her to. As he gazed at her face and noticed the bruise that marred it he spoke in a thicker voice, “Layla would you please tend to this?”

She nodded and squeezed his arm in silent support before saying, “Yes Daniel I will.”

“Thank you. What’s your name?”

The woman gazed at him staring at him, studying him as if she were trying to peer into his very soul before she whispered, “Sam…it’s Sam.”

Daniel offered her a softer smile saying, “Well Sam I’d like to welcome you to my home. Layla will run a warm bath for you and show you to your room…”

“My…my room?”

“Yes. If you don’t like it I can give you another. She’ll take you there. Layla could you…do we have any clothes for Sam?”

“Yes Daniel. I’ll find some for her.”

He smiled and nodded.

Layla gently touched her arm asking, “Will you come with me?”

“No. I can’t leave her.”

Daniel felt his heart cinch tighter as Sam clung to the girl’s hand. He approached the girl lowering before her as he pushed back the memories threatening to invade. As he focused on her he was certain that she was the same age as he had been when he had been made to walk the auction block so long ago. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind before focusing on the girl, smiling as he quietly said, “Here let me get this off of you then you can go with Sam. How does that sound?”

When she didn’t speak Sam filled in, “She doesn’t talk Ma…Master.”

“Oh all right and please call me Daniel, not master.”

“What?”

“Please? I insist. I…I’m no master.”

She stared at him in shock before watching as he slowly removed the collar from Cassie before gruffly saying, “Layla she’s…her neck is sore could you tend to it too?”

Layla watched him seeing how painful it was for Daniel to see the injuries to the two new residents. She touched his shoulder offering a small comfort as she spoke just as softly, “I’ll help them Daniel.”

He looked up at her saying, “Get them settled in. Put them in a bigger room. I don’t want them separated. They need each other.”

Both the girl and the woman focused on Daniel in surprise before lowering their heads. Once he had the collar off of the girl he gave them over to Layla watching as they left before tossing the hated leashes and collars jumping when another voice said, “New acquires. Pretty too, so they both for your pleasure, Danny?”

Daniel tensed before focusing on Jack O’Neill and saying, “Jack don’t treat them poorly. They’ve suffered enough already. They need to heal. Let them.”

“Let them? Oh getting soft Master…”

Daniel glared at him before abruptly exiting the room leaving Jack wondering what was bothering him.

* *

Later…

Layla searched for Daniel noting the hour was late, not finding him she went outside around back and saw him gazing into the darkness. She then approached saying, “I thought I might find you here.”

Daniel said nothing only continued to stare into the darkness. Layla allowed the silence to fall between them for several minutes before interrupting it, “Sam and Cassie are settled in.”

“Cassie?”

“Yes, that’s the girl’s name. Cassandra actually but Sam calls her Cassie.”

Daniel nodded but still refused to look at her. As silence spread between them again Layla studied him certain she knew the direction his thoughts lay before saying, “It’s not your fault you know.”

“What?”

“They’re conditions aren’t your fault.”

“I know.”

“Then what is it? Daniel, please tell me.”

“It’s the girl.”

“Cassie?”

Daniel nodded before she questioned, “What about her?”

“She’s the same age.”

“As who?”

“No the same age I was when…”

“When your uncle sold you?”

Daniel lowered his gaze only nodding before forcing out, “Yes…and she had to walk that block. The same one I… She’s so young and…”

She approached placing comforting hands on his shoulders as she said, “I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

“I’m just sorry.”

They stayed silent a few moments longer before Daniel confessed, “I can’t block them.”

“Block what?”

“The memories of my time there…ever since I saw her at the auction… I can’t forget.”

“Oh Daniel I’m sorry.”

“Did she…they have any other injuries?”

Layla swallowed hard before beginning to massage his shoulders answering, “Yes.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“Sam was… She has evidence on her of…of being raped.”

Daniel hissed closing his eyes before forcing out in a tight voice, “And Cassie?”

“No…”

“Oh thank God.”

“They’re both terrified Daniel.”

“I know that.”

“They’re afraid of you.”

“I know that too. I tried to inquire about their former master and was told he was…very cruel towards his servants. He apparently sold them because…Sam fought him when he…raped her. Now Cassie… I haven’t heard anything about.”

“Then how did you know they needed each other?”

“At the auctions Sam was… She went first. Cassie…she kept clinging to Sam until someone…physically restrained her.”

“My God…”

“I…I knew then that I had to outbid them for both her and the girl or the two…”

“Do you think they would have been separated?”

“No Layla. I know they would have been. Cassie is young. She’s just reached childbearing age. She could qualify as a breeder. Sam…Sam could too but she’s older. She can only bear children a few more years. Cassie… No Cassie would have been bought by another. They would have been separated. I couldn’t, I wouldn’t let that happen. Both…I feared they had both been mistreated and… Layla, it would have destroyed them both separating them, selling them with marks of maltreatment on them. They would have been treated poorly.”

“I didn’t see any brands on either of them.”

“God I hope there aren’t any. It’ll make things so much easier for the two. If the only records on them are a paper trail then they can start a new life without having to constantly look over their shoulders.”

“Daniel neither of them are ready to be out on their own.”

“I know. We’ll have to help them. They both have a lot of healing to do.”

“Then they’re in the right place.”

“Are they? I scare them both.”

“Daniel that’s because you’re a man. You’re their…”

“Don’t say it. I hate that title.”

“They fear you because of what you are, not WHO you are.”

“I know.”

They stood there for a bit before Layla urged, “Tell me about the memories.”

“What?”

“The ones haunting you.”

Daniel only hesitated a split-second trusting Layla implicitly as he replied, “Just the auction block… I can’t… I won’t ever forget how it felt to be subjected to that. They stripped me Layla. They ordered me to walk or be lashed. I… Thank heavens they didn’t do that to Sam or that precious little girl… Thank God.”

The silence again fell between them and Daniel continued to gaze into the darkness for several minutes before hearing echoes from his haunted past: “Get up you lazy bastard! Get up!”

He clenched his eyes tightly shut as he recalled falling to his knees. He gripped the wood beneath his hands as the whip continued to sound in his ears and the memory consumed him…

He swallowed hard as he forced himself to move. It was another hot day and like the last few days he was being worked in it, forced to pull wagons.

He gazed at his feet noticing the brown stains on them, stains from dirt and from being made to walk in the dirt with no shoes on. He was sweating and could feel the dampness in his hair from it, shaking his head as another bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face. He was aware that he was panting as the temperature outside only seemed to build higher, breathing was difficult and the addition of the heavy collar secured on his neck made it quite a challenge to stay upright.

He winced as he stumbled crashing to his knees, tensing as the lash sought out his exposed back. As he fell to hands and knees exhausted and overworked he wanted to cry but refused, had long since forgotten, refusing to surrender to them yet another part of his soul. He felt the lash, heard the command and slowly oh so slowly rose on shaky legs. He was weak, could tell it, feel it in every fiber of his being. He was weak and exhausted, overly tired running on only pure adrenaline to keep his shaky legs moving.

As he began to walk again he felt the pull on his body as the sheer brunt of the weight he was pulling threatened to topple him to the ground. As his feet sunk deep into the mud the energy to lift them became quickly depleted. He tensed sneezing and inwardly groaning as his eyes watered. His allergies were acting up again and he could do nothing to alleviate them except continue to walk feeling the sun searing his skin as it rose several more notches in the sky. Soon it would be noon when the sun would be at its most direct and he felt certain he wouldn’t survive through it, though he had no choice. He had run away again and this time his master had collared him, ordering him to the fields to be worked as an animal until he could better learn his place.

He swallowed hard aware that he was thirsty and that water would be a long time in coming. He could feel her eyes on him again and silently yelled at her to keep working. Layla’s constant inattentiveness to her work could get her lashed. She needed to stop worrying over his condition. She needed to focus on what she was doing not making herself sick with worry as she watched him fall to his knees for what must be the hundredth time this morning.

As he felt the lash and heard the command he gazed around confused, uncertain and unaware that he was again on hands and knees. Again the lash fell across his back and he reared arching in response hearing the command echo through his pounding head. He had to get up.

Shaking his head in a feeble attempt to clear his mind he tried to shove himself upwards believing he succeeded only to find himself back on the ground with the whip digging into him. God he was so tired, so very tired and hot, so hot couldn’t he just rest for a few moments, just rest please? Without realizing it he gave voice to his torment softly saying, “Please let me rest,” but his voice wasn’t heard for it was hoarse due to lack of water and the lash came down across his body yet again.

He heard the command to raise echo around him ringing in his ears like a thousand tiny voices yelling at once. He knew he had to comply. He had to get up and again made the attempt finding himself on his feet long enough to take a step, one pathetically measly step before his legs again betrayed him sending him collapsing where he stood still conscious gasping for breath and filled with overwhelming weakness. As he heard his tormentor’s next statement he felt chills travel up his spine, “Can’t work then you’re worthless. I said rise. Back to work!”

He gasped as a kick connected with his side finding it difficult to breathe, hearing the lash again slice the air around him. He tried rising again knowing if he failed he could suffer a bitter beating for his defiance. He forced his arms beneath him attempting again to push off from the ground only to find that his arms were now quavering too. He was so weak, too weak but he was determined so he tried again freezing when he focused on the place before him seeing an unfamiliar pair of shoes connected to legs. He lifted his gaze and felt fear slamming into his chest. The master must’ve heard the commands, saw what was happening and came to deliver swift just punishment for his failure to do as commanded. He immediately downcast his eyes again attempting to rise, crying out as he failed and feeling dread fill his soul as he became aware of the penalty should he refuse to work: Layla would be punished in his place. Layla…NO!

Unaware that he released that single word as a loud desperate plea he tried to raise cursing his weakened state and tensing as hands braced him about the back. He twisted away from the touch fearing it and trying to avoid it hearing a soft swift command to stop resisting and allow himself to be helped. Feeling extremely weak Daniel released a soft whimper before surrendering to the inevitable…

He shook his head clearing it of the memory of that day. He could still remember what had happened and his extreme fear that something would happen to Layla for his failure to do as his master had commanded. Instead his master had helped him to his feet, released him from the chains that bound him to the wagon and ordered he be taken to the doctor. The master had even helped him to the doctors.

He had been lucky that day. Layla had been lucky that day. Neither of them had been punished because the reason for his collapse and weakness, his inability to do as ordered was that he had been suffering from heat stroke. Instead of being punished he was ordered to get bed rest then released to Layla’s care. He had never felt so ill in his life than he had on that day when he had experienced the effects of heat stroke. He had felt horrible and took many precautions after that day to ensure neither he nor anyone under his care ever experienced it themselves.

PART 4

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