Cygnus arose from his cot, a cot set in a corner alcove in his cabin. He slept away from the rest of his men - a luxury he deserved from his role as Captain. Beside him were his clothes, clothes that he shed to sleep at night. Over his head did his shirt go, and over his legs he slid his pants. Now dressed he stood and walked over to the door, opening it and stepling outside. Cygnus took a deep inhale of air; it was a daily ritual of his, to suck the sea breeze into his nostrils. It was thought that the sea air had healing properties, and he found the thought to be true. The rosy hues of dawn were upon the sky, and a few of his men fumbled around on board, falling into their rhythm of work. He called one of his men over. "Bring me up the tall slave, would you? To my cabin and office. I have need of him."<br/><br/>He waited for a moment in the center of the room, walking in a concentric circle. The door opened and Altair was roughly shoved in, and Cygnus smiled. "True to my word, yes?" he asked. "You were not taken, as I may imagine? If you were, some of my men may be tossed from the decks of these ships of mine... but they didn't touch you, something that I know for certain." Cygnus approached the slave with a bounce in his gait, obsidian eyes betraying a curious interest in his body. He looped around Altair until he was behind him, then he grabbed hold of him and placed his left hand over his mouth, his right hand trailing down to Altair's cock. His stubbly beard pressed against the slave's soft neck flesh, as he whispered quietly. "My, you are the most valuable of all of the things we found on that ship... though I have a deal with a certain Weiss benefactor, it wouldn't be prudent to just give you outright to him. Not when there are buyers that value you more." Cygnus guided Altair over to a chair, which he rested upon after forcing the slave to his knees.<br/><br/>Cygnus stroked Altair's hair with a surprising tenderness, pulling him close to his right leg. "You are a rare creature indeed, a finely bred horse descended from the greatest of stallions and mares... it would be a sad day to sell you for less than you are worth. It would also be a sad day to not indulge in once in a lifetime luxury of a bed slave." he purred. "I will treat you gently if you permit me to, and if you think of me not as a trial or stepping stone but as a temporary master. I will protect you, if you admit to me whatever truth I ask of you, without any secret omission. But if you cannot find it in you to bow down to me, and if you have the audacity to lie to me..." He gave him a soft stare, contrary to his next words. "I will rape you. And leave you with a visible mark for the rest of your life. I will personally flog you. Your purchase is already guaranteed by my benefactor; it does not matter your state upon arrival." His grip on Altair's hair tightened, and he used the slave's hair as a handle to force him to reciprocate a stare into his eyes. "Do you understand me? This is the last that I will warn you, and we have a long trip ahead of us."