The Copper Horse #1 Fear (31 page)

"Is there a chance you can get me some gin when Erik is out?"

Jack's face went so blank Reuben thought he looked brainless, but then, the boy scowled. "Absolutely not! How can you even ask, when the master has explicitly forbidden you any alcohol?"

"It's been so long!" Reuben whined, pulling back his hand. "You don't know how it feels!"

Jack's face became pink. "How can you do this behind our master's back when he treats you so well?"

"Yeah, of course
you
would be on his side, 'cause you like cock!" The prolonged silence that followed made Reuben slouch and look away as his embarrassment grew. He shouldn't have said that to this kind boy.

"Give me the other hand." Jack broke the silence, but didn't sound as cheerful as before.

"I'm sorry." Reuben did as he was asked. "When I lived in London, drinking relaxed me, helped me get through bad times, so even when I was poor and down, at least I could have a bit of gin," he whispered, too self-conscious to look at Jack.

"Well, you seem pretty content and pampered to me." The boy tapped his fingers on the edge of the bathtub. "Why would you need gin now?"

Reuben pondered on that thought, only to realize that he hadn't really been searching for the bottle lately. Erik occupied most of his time, and prescribed him tasks when he wasn't there. Jack would train him in walking, and the electricity wheel in the garden was a new way for him to occupy his time.

"Maybe I'm bored?" This conclusion came as a surprise, but he knew for certain that he wouldn't be so bored if Erik was here. His master's cock would keep him plenty busy! Reuben fought back a smile at the thought.

"Do I bore you?" Jack sounded hurt, his big eyes fixed on Reuben's face.

"No... I mean, maybe when we're done with the nails, we could go for a walk around the house? I could see something new, then. Erik allows that, right?" He gave the boy a hopeful look.

"Um..." Jack glanced at the clock on the wall and nodded. "Yes, I can walk you during Master's working hours. He's usually finished at five." He smiled at Reuben. "Where do you want to go?"

"Can I please see the kitchen?" He stood up in the tub and stretched with his arms up high. The cuffs would be attached soon, so he wanted to have his share of freedom while he could.

Jack gave him a knowing smile. "Only if you wear your bit, though."

Reuben sighed. "Why? I'll wait for dinner. Even if it is in that gruesome room which, by the way, would be very nice if not for those heads. Strange, but nice." He stepped out of the bath and bent over by the wall without prompting. After enough time spent as a horse, he'd gotten to the point of just blanking out some aspects. Like enemas. And tails.

Jack dried him with a soft towel and then put on the tack, securing Reuben's wrists at the sides of his thighs and pushing in the tail, which Reuben's body had learned to accept without hesitation. It almost felt nice, though colder and much smaller than Erik's cock.

"I'm sorry, Copper, those are the rules."

Reuben just nodded, fidgeting a bit as he tried to get used to the plug. He noticed Jack's hand lingered on his ass for a little too long. Not that he minded—the boy was as harmless as a stray puppy.

"There, now face me." Jack took Reuben's halter off a hook.

Reuben turned around and smiled. "Just please, take care of me."

Jack flinched, leaning in to stroke his bicep. "I'm doing my best. I will not let anyone hurt you, even if I have to call the master for help, you know that?" He looked straight into Reuben's eyes, and it was obvious he meant it with all his heart.

With the bit, Reuben could be less himself and more 'Copper, the beautiful stallion', so he complied and obediently opened his mouth to accept the token of his submission. Jack was an expert at this, and within minutes, they exited the stable and went straight to the corridor. By now, Reuben was used to walking with his back straight and knees ridiculously high. Even if Erik wasn't there to see his efforts, any time was good for practice. He wanted to please him, become the champion Erik wanted him to be.

On their way to the kitchen, they stumbled upon a young woman in a maid's outfit. Her small eyes and puffy cheeks were decidedly foreign looking.

She looked up at them and gave Jack a suspicious look while she cleaned a painting with a feather duster. "How come I haven't seen him yet?"

"You should watch him in the garden tomorrow," answered Jack with a grin and walked past her, down the corridor.

Reuben wanted to give her a smile before they got too far, but ended up frowning instead. When he looked over his shoulder, she wasn
'
t even staring at his
face
. Did she have a dick under that starched apron, since she chose to focus on his ass of all places? In this house, one could never know.

Jack guided him to a small, secret door under the main stairs. Behind it was a spiral staircase that was much less grand than anything Reuben had seen in this house since he'd arrived a few weeks ago. The lower they went, the more clearly he could hear the sound of dancing music, accompanied by the smell of vanilla and cake. He was suddenly anxious. Getting used to all that he was wearing, or even more so, to what he actually wasn't, was one thing, but going into the servants' quarters like that was another. What if they all just teased him and laughed at him? He'd gotten so used to walking around naked that he'd forgotten how abnormal it was!

There was a plain, white door at the bottom of the stairs. Jack led him through it and into a corridor as loud as a walkway behind a pub, even music playing over the voices. They went toward the music and finally entered a spacious room that smelled like heaven.

Reuben drew in a deep breath through his nose when he faced a group of people dining at a huge wooden table. Music was simmering through a gramophone as they ate, drank, and some even smoked. Unfamiliar faces, eyes wide open with curiosity, made him suddenly realize that he hadn't even seen a third of the servants yet. Some of them had to work in the kitchen, or in different parts of the house that he'd never seen. And apart from the lady they'd passed in the corridor, every single one was male.

The conversation came to a halt as soon as they were noticed.

At the top of the table sat the middle-aged, bald man Reuben had seen once in the dining room. He had some extra fat on him, but the elegant black and white uniform he wore made him look slimmer and serious. Jack said his name was Mr. Evans, and that as a butler, he was the most important servant in Erik's house. His pale eyes studied Reuben with calm interest as he chewed a piece of pie. Next to him sat a man only slightly younger, but definitely more in shape, with muscular arms and a still-handsome face. Judging by his apron, he was the main cook, the one everyone called Fry. Reuben also noticed the familiar faces of the servants who'd molested him on his first day. Now, however, they didn't say a thing, though Ollie narrowed his eyes. The room became oddly silent despite the cheery music playing in the background.

Jack just pulled him gently by the reins, and Reuben made his way to the table, his heart beating as fast as those of rats he used to catch. He wasn't expecting so many people and now, as the only one naked, he was starting to feel self-conscious when others watched him.

"He's so freckled!" A young boy he didn't know got up from his chair to see him better. It didn't sound malicious though—he was all wide-eyed like a child in front of a candy store.

"Why did you bring him, Jack?" John sighed, slouching in his seat as if he thought the situation was troublesome. He lit a cigarette and washed the smoke down with a sip of black coffee.

"He wanted to come and see the kitchen." Jack smiled at Reuben. "I think he needs more company than just me."

The chief cook looked at Kip, the plump boy who'd cornered Reuben on his first day in this house.

"Get a thick blanket, will you?"

Kip peeked at Reuben but left the kitchen without another word.

"Really? You asked to come over?" Another unknown face turned to him with interest, and Reuben hesitated before giving the man one shy nod. In a way, he was grateful for the bit in his mouth, because the sheer amount of people he didn't know intimidated him so much he worried that if he spoke, it would sound shaky. He didn't want to seem even weaker than he already looked with all the slave tack.

"It is a fine horse," said the butler, eyeing Reuben with calm interest. "It needs more muscle to be properly useful though."

"He is working on it!" Jack paraded Reuben along the table. One of the younger servants patted Reuben's side with a laugh.

"Yes, that is a beautiful horse."

"I think he's lovely as he is!" said the enthusiastic boy from earlier, and Reuben's face relaxed into a smile. It was overwhelming to be this appreciated.

"Oh, come on, Jack, take his bit out so we can share some food with him!" Thomas seemed to want to do favors for him any time he could. Reuben was sure by now it had a lot to do with the man wanting to give him those lessons in cocksucking. He much preferred Erik as his teacher.

"He cannot be given food except for mealtimes." Jack guided Reuben to where the senior members of the household sat. Mr. Evans gave Reuben's pec an appreciative pat, his gaze skipping down his body to the exposed crotch.

"At least we all know he's fed well, right?" Someone petted his lower back, and Reuben slowly nodded. Strangely, he didn't find this touch threatening.

Kip returned to the kitchen with a checkered blanket, which he spread in the corner behind the table, right next to Fry's chair.

"You may rest now, Copper." The cook raised his eyebrow at him, sipping some kind of tea from a clear glass.

Reuben shot him a shy glance, but slowly knelt on the soft blanket.

"Why can't he sit with us?" complained the same boy who'd made the comment about Reuben's freckles. He couldn't have been more than sixteen, with big eyes and angelic blonde hair.

"Think about it, Rick. It's not like he can exactly
sit,
right?" said a man who sat next to the boy before smiling at Reuben.

"You need to forgive him, Copper." Fry laughed and stroked the top of his head with his rough hand. "It's rare for him to see a horse when he's stuck working down here all day."

Jack sat in an empty chair on Reuben's other side and helped himself to the food. He smiled at the cook.

"Jack, what's his real name?" Rick whispered, but loud enough for Reuben to hear.

He was too focused on the hand touching his hair to try to answer the question. The anxiety he felt was slowly fading away, as if he were shedding feathers just to grow new ones. He leaned into the huge palm with his forehead. Fry's touch didn't seem abusive. Reuben didn't even notice at first that the room had become completely silent, even the gramophone mute. Warm, calloused fingers ran circles on his shaved scalp, gently scratching Reuben behind the ear. With this man on his side, he knew he wouldn't be molested here, and his tension evaporated, though when he looked up to the table, he realized all eyes were on him. Even Jack looked astonished.

"This one, he needs gentleness," murmured Fry, not stopping in his ministrations for a second.

Reuben sighed through his nose and gave in completely, letting his muscles relax. He would have purred if he were a cat. It looked like Mr. Fry was an authority figure among the servants. No wonder, if it was he who'd prepared all the delicacies he had eaten so far.

"He does!" Jack instantly picked up the topic. "He is the most gentle creature Master Erik has ever had!"

That, once again, brought laughter to the table.

"Steady there, Jack, you don't have to advertise him to us." John shook his head and sipped on his coffee.

"It's not—" Jack trailed off, awkwardly hiding behind a piece of fruit he was holding. "I wouldn't advertise him."

"Does he like sugar?" The butler picked up a small, white cube from the sugar bowl.

Reuben looked up at him and nodded energetically, his heart leaping at the prospect of sweetness.

"Yes, but... no, I mean... he's not supposed to have any!" Jack moved toward them as if to stop the treat, but then he flinched back and bit his lip. His groom had no backbone.

Mr. Evans laughed and held the cube against Reuben's lips. "A bit of sugar won't harm him."

He started sucking on it with a smile as soon as the butler placed the cube on his tongue.

"Aww! He's so agreeable!" Rick got up from his chair and walked up closer. He was short and skinny, which only made him look younger.

"I wish he was agreeable to suck on something else," muttered Ollie, who sulked in the corner, smoking a pipe.

"Shut up, you'll only scare him." John's cold, dignified gaze skipped over the vulgar kitchen helper.

Ollie rolled his eyes, but didn't say one more word.

Having the biggest abuse-perpetrator taken care of just like that, Reuben felt safe and relaxed, sucking on the sweetness and resting his head on Fry's thigh. The man smelled of sweat and spice, but it was not unpleasant. After such a long time in seclusion, it was amazing to finally hear so many voices and see so many people. Especially since, contrary to his worries, they didn't make fun of him or tease him. Most of them got back to their conversations and looked at him only from time to time.

Rick finally got the courage to come up to Reuben and pet his hair.

"You're so beautiful," the boy whispered, squatting by his side. The way his eyes traveled over Reuben's body was appreciative but non-threatening, so Reuben just let him do it, savoring the interest.

"I heard Blake the Buff is here," said one of the servants, his mouth full.

"Oh, that's new. I thought he hated coming to Master's house. You think they've got another deal or something?"

"He's all important, but when it comes to it, he crawls back to lick Master Erik's ass."

"I bet he'd love to crawl up his ass." Someone cackled from the other end of the table and Reuben straightened his back to look up. He wouldn't want that. Despite his limited time at this house, he already wanted to be the center of Erik's attention. What if Erik lost interest in him after sleeping with someone else? Would he have to leave the house? Where would he even go?