Chapter 12 Adjustments

The man’s lips thinned. “Once you are recovered, you may accompany Nevis on his errands outside of the manor unless you prove yourself to be untrustworthy. I doubt I need to remind you but any attempts at escape will be futile and only result in the restriction of your activities as well as just punishment. Prince Lezzker is fair. Treat him with due respect and he will return it. I do not know of the circumstances around an Aithyean becoming a slave however I would suggest you accept it and follow the boundaries set. Prove yourself trustworthy to His Highness and you will be allowed a great deal of freedom. Now, I suggest you get dressed.”

Kari chewed his lip in thought. He didn’t want this but he was relieved that they would not be watching over his shoulder every waking moment. He could play the game for now. Learn about the culture, learn how everything worked here, and bid his time. He might not have much time but he would use every moment he could.

He nodded and slipped his legs off the bed so that his feet dangled off the side while the blanket remained wrapped around his waist. Both the betas in front of him seemed amused by this for some reason but Nevis moved the chest forward so that Kari could reach it from where he sat. The omega reached in and pulled out something in a soft blue fabric, it looked awfully like a dress. He blanched when he realized what he was holding.

“What is this?!”

“A tunic,” Trois deadpanned. Kari stared at him in stunned silence and the man stared back with a hint of confusion.

“B-But this is a dress. Why…why am I being given a dress to wear?”

Both of the men gaped at him in surprise. The silence stretched out for a few moments before Trois replied incredulously. “It seems like a dress but it's not.” As though that somehow answered all of Kari’s questions.

“I’m not a girl!”

Kari looked between them, bewildered. Surely, they didn’t expect him to wear this? Even disregarding the fact it was women’s clothing, it was too colorful for his liking. He jumped as Nevis suddenly lost it and started laughing uproariously. Kari stared at him in shock as he held his sides. The beta even had tears in his eyes. Trois just sighed.

“What has that got to do with anything?”

“What?” Clearly there was something he didn’t understand here. He tried voicing his thoughts again. “I’m not a girl. Why I am supposed to wear a dress?”

“So, this is what His Highness meant. Aithyean clothing is very different. You are a pleasure slave, as such your wardrobe is designed to be pleasing to your master. You will find much of your wardrobe is similar just in various colors and styles, all designed to be comfortable and please your master.” The man said bluntly. “You should be thankful that the prince wants you in clothing at all. Most pleasure slaves, particularly those in the capital, are required to go naked apart from jewellery ornamentation.”

Kari gaped at him wordlessly. Walk around naked? No way. No way in hell. Yhieris please let this be some horrible prank.

He turned back to the cloth at hand with a sinking feeling. It was just seemed so… girly. He put it aside and rummaged through the rest of the chest. Everything was much the same. He pulled out something made of flowing opaque fabric and no matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t make head or tails of what on earth it was supposed to be.

He heard Trois sigh again before he stepped forward and yanked Kari off the bed with a yelp. Nevis was still sitting on the ground giggling and Kari shot him a wide-eyed look in entreaty. His look only sent the beta into more fits of giggles. The blanket fell away from his waist and he flushed red as the grumpy beta manhandled him into the clothing.

Seemingly done, he walked the omega forward so he stood in front of a full-length mirror.

“There. That is how you wear it. Nevis will help you dress in the morning until you can dress yourself.”

Kari flushed even redder, the man made it seem as though he was talking to an unruly child. He stared at his figure in the mirror, marveling at the clarity. He had never seen a mirror that reflected so perfectly before and never one so large. His entire person fit in it, head to toe. He could see why Trois was confused at his appearance. His silvery ash hair was long and flopped into clear blue eyes but those were about the only things that looked nice currently.

His face seemed gaunt and sunken, large black rings underlined his eyes and his skin was a sickly grey. He must have looked like death itself when he first woke up if he looked like this after weeks of healing. Even his ribs stood out starkly under the blue fabric of his top.

He flushed red when he realized that the tunic is worn over a short trouser which is fastened at the knee. Trois said it is called breeches. The tunic falls on his mid-thigh and is short-sleeved. The flowing opaque fabric was placed around his waist that is tied to the side and falls straight just above his knees. It accentuates his small waist. The breeches is snug on his butt and thighs.

It fit him perfectly and doesn't look that bad. It was surely different from the clothes in Aithyea. Because they're in a cold-weathered region, their clothes are mostly earth colors and ranging from long-sleeved to long pants that are loose and very thick. Even the armor they wear in the army are a bit loose-fitting. This is his first time wearing something that exposes his arm and legs. It is flowy and light but the trouser sticks to him like a second skin.

“What is the point of wearing something that almost shows everything?!”

He caught Trois’s eyebrow raise through his reflection in the mirror. “I will happily inform His Highness that you would prefer nothing at all…”

“No!” Kari yelped.

“I thought so. The weather here is warmer, thus, the light colored clothing and the short-sleeve and trouser. Although in this way, it also shows your exotic tattoo.”

“My tattoo?” he questioned, confused by the statement.

“Showing off and appearing exotic is presumably why you have such an intricate design across your skin?”

“What?! No! This is a symbol of Yhieris!”

“Yhieris?” The man tilted his head slightly to the side in confusion.

“Yhieris, my goddess. She’s the goddess of the Moon and Stars.” And Daiyans, he thought to himself but wasn’t about to add that bit out loud.

“Ah, a religious symbol. My apologies, I wasn’t aware.” He gave him a slight bow of his head before turning back to the other slave. His apology had sounded surprisingly genuine which confused Kari even more. In such a short span of time, the man had only treated him as though he was an annoying child yet just then there had been some respect in the gesture.

“Nevis, please show him around the manor and acquaint him with your duties. He can help you with what is left this afternoon but is to retire after dinner for extra rest. Laret will be in to assess his condition in the morning and will instruct you on what duties he can manage.” The younger beta nodded in acknowledgement and after a final frown at Kari, the man strode from the room.

Kari turned his attention back to the mirror. He had to admit, the outfit showed him off, but he felt uncomfortably exposed. His eyes fixed on the soft leather collar that adorned his throat. He had forgotten about that. It was surprisingly comfortable and light- just like the rest of the clothes, making it easy to ignore. The very fact that he could forget about such a blatant statement of ownership left the omega feeling uneasy.

The small metal plate at the front had several patterns across it he recognize as words but didn’t understand their meaning. He assumed the first one, larger than the rest, must be Lezzker’s symbol.