Salut!

Another AU (I seem to write nothing else these days…), this time for Tactics… I wanted to see what happened if I swapped the typical roles…

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships. Don't like, don't read. Thank-you!

Shades of Grey

Chapter One

Haruka sighed impatiently, tapping his foot against his chair as he waited for his servant to appear with the letter he had received that morning. Running a hand through his tousled dark bangs, he began to wonder what was taking the ghoul so long, when Amefuri-kozou finally joined him in the library.

"Master…" The rain God's ex-servant bowed upon his entrance. "I was busy attending to the horses when you rang. I apologise for my tardiness, my Lord."

"I see." The tengu frowned a little, watching his servant quiver nervously in front of him. "You have the letter?"

"Right here, Master." Nervously, Amefuri passed the letter to the demon-eater of legend.

"You may leave." Haruka waved his hand to dismiss the rain youkai. He slit open the white letter, sealed with a red blob of wax, knowing who it was from just by seeing the writing.

My Dearest Haruka,

The tengu snorted at this, putting the silver letter opener back onto the oak desk in front of him.

I will be arriving at your town a week after the date of this letter, and I hope you will offer me a humble greeting to your residence. I have so much to tell you, but I will wait until we meet again.

My wonderful Muu-Chan is well…

Haruka stopped there, skipping the parts where his old friend told him how much he adored his youkai wife. There was nothing else of importance to read, but still, his hazel eyes skimmed over the signature, as if to re-assure him that he had indeed been contacted by the white-winged tengu.

Lord Sugino.

Haruka smiled. He was correct as always. There was a knock at the door, and a young woman entered.

"I have prepared a pot of tea, Master."

"Good, thank-you Youko. When you have finished your chores, please prepare the guest room. Lord Sugino will be paying us a visit in a few days."

"Of-course Master." The fox demon curtsied, secretly watching the tall suit-clad figure sip daintily from his rather dirty bowl. How she wished he would buy a new one, but it wasn't a tengu's nature to replace the bowl they grew up drinking from.

"Youko, I hope you don't plan to sit and stare at me all afternoon. There's work to be done." Haruka frowned, watching his maid flush red with embarrassment. There was a small pop, and Youko's fox ears peeped over her head band.

"I'll…I'll get to it right away then, Lord Haruka!" Willing her ears to disappear, the young fox youkai left the room as quickly as possible, without bringing further attention. Haruka treated her much better than other nobles treated their personal slaves, but she still feared him a little, having tasted the whip he kept for disciplining new slaves.

---

The market place was as busy as ever, full of lively sights and sounds. At the centre of it all, a statue of a local deity watched over the bustling crowds. Traders at the surrounding stalls shouted over each other, trying to catch the attention of passers-by. In the air, a strange smell lingered, a mix between the pleasant aromas of food cooking, with the smell of livestock, which also contributed to the noise level.

Haruka frowned, pushing his way through more people whilst focussing on Sugino in front of him. He wondered how he had let the white-winged tengu drag him here in the first place…

---

"There's another youkai trader in town I'd like you to see." Sugino said after another sip of green tea. "I think even you'll be interested in what he has to offer."

"But I don't need another slave." Haruka sighed, playing with his bowl and ignoring his friend's gaze.

"Compared to most well known Lords Haruka, you have very few. And even though I know you prefer to keep as little as possible, one more wouldn't hurt…right?"

"Muu!" Sugino was quick to grab his wife into another bear hug.

"Muu-Chan! You're so sweet! And don't you agree?"

"Muu?" The green youkai sat down on Sugino's lap, her eyes fixed on Haruka. It was a little unnerving. "Muu! Muu!"

"Awh!" Sugino, lost in his own little world where only he and his wife lived, ignored Haruka's protest.

"At least come with me. I'd like your company after all this time. And I am here to visit you, Haruka-Chan." Sugino smiled, tugging at Haruka's sleeve.

"All right. But I have no obligation to buy."

"Thanks Haruka. I'm sure today will be very interesting." Sugino thanked Youko for the tea and stood up. "Muu-Chan, I must leave you for now, but fear not, I shall return soon, my love."

Haruka ignored the pair, passing his bowl to his faithful maid before leaving the dining hall in silence.

---

"Over here!" Sugino waved. He'd chosen a couple of seats at the front of the auction.

"I'm beginning to regret coming here with you." Haruka whispered through gritted teeth. "It better be worth my time."

"Welcome dear Sirs." The auctioneer announced, quietening the large crowd that had gathered intent of buying a slave. "Tonight, I must apologise, but there are no youkai slaves available for today's auction."

The crowd was quick to voice its disappointment, especially Sugino.

"What?" He fumed in his seat. "Then what is there to offer?"

"But, fine Sirs, I do have a bunch of impressive humans to display, starting with a few beauties all the way from Southern Japan…"

"Sit down." Haruka grabbed the other tengu's arm. "I didn't come all this way for you to just drag me back home again."

"But…but…humans. Haruka, a human slave will be worthless to nobles like us. It's best if we leave."

The demon-eater shot Sugino a look that told him that he wasn't going to budge.

"All right you win. But I'm not bidding today."

---

An hour quickly went by, and the pair watched various slaves who were brought out and sold. It seemed some youkai nobles didn't care if the slave was human or not, as long as they had another worker. Haruka looked at a few more closely than others, wondering perhaps if any of them would make an interesting add-on to his family. Sugino, repulsed by the idea of having a human in his house, simply passed the time thinking about Muu-Chan.

"And finally…" The auctioneer was beaming now, raking in a fortune from the trade. "A marvellous specimen. His origins are unknown, but he's a fine example of youth, and he's here today as a special surprise. Shall I start the bidding at one thousand gold coins?"

This human was different from the rest. He was small in stature, and rather delicate looking, with very pale skin hidden beneath all the grime and dirt. His hair was a mop of silver, framing his rather feminine face. His eyes were blood red, and wide, as he looked fearfully at the crowd staring at him.

A few other Lords were captivated by the youth, and the bidding began hastily.

"I want that one." Haruka suddenly announced.

"What?" Sugino looked at Haruka. "Are you sure? That filthy human?"

"Yes. Bid for me." Haruka urged, wondering why he felt slightly desperate to win the young boy.

"Okay, but I'm sure the bidding will go very high on this one." Sugino frowned. 'Although I don't know why. He's only human after all.'

Sugino was correct, as much as he hated the fact, and the youth had sold for a high price. But Haruka didn't care. He was the successful bidder. There was just something about the silver-haired boy with crimson eyes that Haruka couldn't explain. But he was the one.

---

Chained to the wall, the small human stared at his hands. He felt miserable, knowing that his life was only going to get worse now he was to have a Master. The Slave Master was bad enough, but the youth wondered how bad the torture would be at his new home.

His life was in someone else's hands now, and it was the lack of control he had over himself that scared the boy.

The door opened slowly, but the bright light hurt the boy's eyes. Only recently, when he had been forced onto the stage to be stared at by would-be buyers, had he seen the sun again. His eyes were still adjusting.

"On your feet." The Slave Master commanded. The youth obeyed, not wishing for another session of whipping.

Behind the usual scruffy face of the Master here, two other unfamiliar figures were approaching the cell.

Unlike the drab dark cloaks the boy was used to, the pair was dressed in high quality outfits. An array of colours dazzled the boy for a brief second, before he was pulled out into the light once more.

It wasn't like the colours mattered anyway. All he could really see was shades of grey.

TBC…

---

More soon?

Minako Angel xxx