<span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family:Open Sans">“I am much more entertaining alive, if only given some tools and opportunity to put on a show,” Altair defended, unsure if Cygnus was only trying to scare him, or that there actually was someone psychotic enough to purchase pretty things to kill as entertainment. He looked once again forlorn at Cygnus as he berated him about not knowing about Weiss.<br/>
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“It is so far, and Dusan doesn't interact much with them politically. Why would anyone see fit to teach me of a place they never imagined I would have need to understand?” Common knowledge for Cygnus. Not common knowledge for him, but Altair couldn't process the insult to his intelligence. He was trying to process all the other information Cygnus was feeding him, meal momentarily forgotten.<br/>
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“Are you saying that I would be hidden from the King's law, or that murder is tolerated in regards to non-native inhabitants?” Or was Cygnus doing something illegal to be spiteful, and to earn more coin for himself? His hopes were dashed when Cygnus went on about how inconvenient it would be to turn the ship around, and go to one of the other territories. Ellania wasn't near so far as Dusan, but Cygnus was still right. Of course, Altair didn't know where he planned to go after this. Surely back out to sea, but maybe neither country fell along his route at all.<br/>
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More shock clouded Altair's vision when Cygnus admitted that he'd once been a slave. He had a hard time believing that, and for some reason it wounded him more than if Cygnus had been free all his life.<br/>
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“If you knew slavery, why on earth would you possess the desire to flog someone?” Altair demanded. He had a hard time wrapping his head around that idea. He felt almost a loyalty to the other slaves held below deck, even if he knew very little about them. He wouldn't wish harm upon them. “Surely you've felt what it's like to be vulnerable.” Maybe that was why Cygnus was such a vile person. “Are you overcompensating for what you felt at the hands of another?” Altair questioned, voice seeking an honest answer.<br/>
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“In that sense then everyone is a slave, even free men. We all serve a King in some way,” Altair argued, thinking back to his King. The man who set forth laws to ensure the safety of a slave, and in a way, preserve their decorated culture. At least until they were removed to land he didn't govern. Land like Weiss.<br/>
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Cygnus admitted that he didn't prefer the way Altair served as a Dusanian slave. Cygnus did not make it easy though with the choices he made.<br/>
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“You do not act like a Dusanian master. You are no easy man to serve,” Altair told him, pressing his lips into a thin line. Cygnus' demands and cruelties forced him to forgo training, because he was never taught to withstand such situations. Still, the prospect to get home was too appealing. <i>Try, Altair</i>.<br/>
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Altair lowered himself back to the floor, prepared to crawl his way, his head hanging low, to prostrate himself in front of the Captain. The man that had beaten and raped him. He was trembling slightly still, a whole manner of different emotions coursing through him now that he'd learned that Weiss was not a place for slaves. Cygnus made his last demand, reminding him why he'd rather die than serve him. The man was insufferable, and Altair looked up to his face. He stared for a few long moments before willing himself up to his feet. He stood at his full height, though he didn't have the energy to look as furious as he felt. He was sure he painted a pitiful sight still, bloody, bruised, with the man's semen coating his thighs, but he was standing, and that was something.<br/>
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“You're playing games with me,” Altair pointed out.<br/>
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“You admitted yourself you did not have the supplies to turn back around and head out to sea. You're stopping in Weiss regardless, to restock. You risk someone seeing me then, and I don't think you would risk taking me out of Weiss at that point, since you claim to serve your King. Not all of your profits must be your own.” It was a refusal. Maybe if he thought Cygnus would do what he'd begged for, and return him to Dusan, he might have done it. Maybe if he didn't have weeks of travel to look forward to with Cygnus, he might have done it. As it were, the risk wasn't worth the remaining amount of pride he still had hidden away. Two more days, and he was sure he'd face a new challenge, but at least he'd be leaving Cygnus in the past.</span></span>