Missing, Presumed Undead

Preparing for Slavery.



Drahoslav unlocked the manacled wizards, handing them to the six waiting green-attired soldiers. All six weren’t actually needed to restrain them, their wands were destroyed, they were tired, cold and hungry… but they did know the Queen from before she became one of them – and the population were worried the three small ones had come to take her away.



“Where are you taking us?” Draco asked, having to run to keep up with the walk of the vampires gripping his upper arms.



“To bathe and eat – you cannot enter the slave quarters in the condition you are in now.” Replied one with a rolling baritone voice.



“Can you slow down a bit?” Severus asked, also having to run.



“If we walk any slower, we will be standing still.” Said his left guard, the right chuckling.



The three were unceremoniously shoved into a steam-filled stone anti-chamber, where three women began to strip them of their oil-covered, torn, soaked clothing, the soldiers stood to one side, observing and primed to defend the women – just in case.



“These will have to be thrown away, Alžběta, they cannot be laundered.” Said one in a beautiful soprano voice.



“Definitely, Ivana, but what can we dress them in? They are so small.” Replied another in an equally harmonious voice, pulling Draco’s boxers from him without battering an eyelid at his masculinity.



“The adolescent’s robes would fit, they can wear those that my youngest son grew out of.” Chipped in another, wrestling Severus’s duelling armour from him as he struggled, “For goodness sake! Stand still! You are worse than my grandson for fidgeting.”



“They are the size of your twelve-year-old grandson, Markéta!” giggled the two other women.



“Severus, stand still and let them do it.” Lucius said, completely calm.



“I can’t, the grunge the gargoyle poured over us has stuck them to my skin!” he yelped as Markéta simply yanked his clothes from him and left bright red marks over his chest.



“The Queen wants them to be slaves?” muttered one of the soldiers, pointing at the now naked wizards.



“They’re not very big, are they?” said another, unimpressed.



“I think, once the novelty has worn off, the people will return to the existing slaves.” Alžběta sang, gently pushing Lucius into a huge steaming bath and washing his long hair for him.



“I can wash myself…” he began, only to have the vampire woman click her tongue.



“Don’t be silly! You’re a slave, we bathe you!” she continued to use blunt claws to scratch his scalp as the lather built.



“I think I could get used to this slave malarkey.” Lucius moaned, leaning into Alžběta’s scrubbing of his hair.





***



“What an odd diet…” Draco said, eyeing the silver platters that had been placed before them.



“Asparagus, oysters, red wine…” Lucius began, to be interrupted by his son.



“Strawberries, bitter chocolate, honey, figs, bananas…”



“Foods believed to be aphrodisiacs.” Severus said, wide eyed.



“What the fuck do these slaves do?” Lucius said, tucking into the oysters regardless.



“Was that pun intended, Lucius?” Severus asked, remembering the conversation of the women who undressed and bathed them.



“Sex slaves?” Draco grinned, thinking his love life was looking up after his failed relationship with Pansy.



“Not necessarily a good thing – the women are bigger, stronger and have sharp teeth.” Severus winced.



“Don’t worry about the women – it’s the men you need to watch out for! They have larger teeth and are bigger still!” giggled one of their minding women, pulling a comb from her apron to get the snags from Severus’s long hair.



“WHAT!” Draco screamed, paling – he’d had enough of that under Voldemort’s brief rule – literally. He’d been obilverated as much as the mind-healers would dare to; but it hadn’t erased all.



“Calm down, little one, only those willing to lie with men do – it is not compulsory.” Markéta shushed him, pulling him onto her lap and cuddling him like a child.



“Please… let me go.” He whispered, struggling.



“Not until you stop shaking, little one, shhh.” She said, combing through his hair with her claws.



Severus and Lucius stopped eating, they’d shared each other on occasion in the past, more frequently after Narcissa’s death; but if the vampires were in proportion to their height…



Silence followed. All three wizards lost their appetite as their babysitters combed their hair and dressed them in simple, pale blue tunics and leggings – the clothing was far too big, but would have to suffice for the time being.



They ignored the conversation between the soldiers, who remained in the room, completely unmoved by the wizard’s previous nudity. They lived in the barracks, they were used to naked males.



“I only have another three years as a soldier – and then I’ll go into warrior training.” Said one, the youngest.



“We don’t really need any more warriors; we need accountants and business people now.” Said another, more experienced soldier.



“Then why don’t you become an accountant?”



“I have been a soldier since I was nineteen, that was eight decades ago – I don’t know how to be anything else. I’m happy serving our city.” Said the experienced one proudly.



A third joined the conversation, “Why do you want to be a warrior? we have no wars!”



“I want to be in the Queen’s personal guard!” he said, looking around conspiratively before lowering his voice, “I hear they lie with her!”



The experienced one laughed, a soothing sound that calmed the panicking wizards and drew their attention to the conversation, “Of course her personal guard lie with her! It’s their role to see to her safety and needs! If she needs them in more carnal ways then they oblige!”



A fourth spoke, the baritone who had restrained Draco, “It’s the worst kept secrets of the warriors! Dimitri and Matúš were selected by her personally for their long years of service and dedication to duty.”



“Two of them though…” muttered another.



“A Queen normally only has one personal guard and one hand maid; but Dimitri and Matúš are twins – they are two halves of a whole unit.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, “Two very brave vampires to become personal guards to Her Majesty, she is so powerful, terrifying.”



“I could be a personal guard.” Said the youngest, smiling, “I could protect the Queen; and I would have no trouble doing my duties.”



“Are you brave enough, and trained enough to kill the twins, and then face Her Majesty’s wrath for killing them?” chuckled the experienced one.



“Erm… no. Not really.” He answered, realising the flaw in his plan of becoming a personal guard – the twins were formidable and there were none who could best them.



“How interesting…” Severus muttered, his eyebrows raised almost to his hairline at the information.



“Come on, little ones – lets introduce you to your new duties.” The women said, taking their hands like children and leading them into another room.