Larkin

The problem was, no one spoke her language and when they heard her speak they all seemed hostile towards her. She learned quickly to pretend she was mute and use a version of sign language. The clothes brought less than she had hoped and the horse brought much more and it still seemed like the man thought he was getting a wonderful deal as he gave her a toothy grin.

She went straight to the dock after finding a hat to tuck her hair into. She tried to listen to the dock men speaking, see if any of them spoke the same language. She hovered for most of the day until she finally heard a man cursing in her language.

"S'cuse me sir," she approached the man, speaking quietly and roughly. "You know where all these boats go and if they need hands?" She didn't want him to know she had money, or that she was a girl.

"Girl, you'll be needin looser clothes to pull off that act. Dirty your face a bit too. Bind your tits down. Why you wantin to hand a ship?"

Could she trust him? He seemed nice enough and he hadn't laughed her away. He gave her advice that would help her. "I want passage, really, but I need to know price so I know how much I need to make."

"Where to?"

"A place that doesn't have slavery," she answered darkly.

"So it's that way is it? All right BOY. Come on then, let's get you sorted." He motioned for her to follow and she did, slowly an warily. "Ben! You here?" he called into a little shed off the docks.

"Yeah Joji, I'm in bed, come back tomorrow."

"I need you a minute. Come out here."

A small man came out and Larkin could only stare at him. He was wearing... a dress? And make-up? He looked her over and giggled girlishly. "Well she won't fool anyone like that, will she?"

"My thoughts exactly. Can you help her?"

"Oh, maybe. Girl, will you trust me in your skin?"

"Umm, what?"

"Naked," Joji said, rolling his eyes. "He will need to start from the inside out. Like I said, bind your tits. Give you a little bulge if you catch my meaning."

"Oh! Ummm. I can't pay or anything..."

"Well I am not asking for money, girl. I'll get payment enough playing with those perky tits. Come on then."

Larkin was alarmed, but felt like she was in too far now. She didn't get a danger vibe from either of these men, but she was still uncomfortable.

She stepped into the small shed with the man and Joji followed, crowding the space. "Ok girl, I won't ask your name, I don't want to know. Can't answer questions that way. Down to your skin and we'll get started."

"Umm," Larkin began, looking over her shoulder at Joji.

He grinned at her. "My only payment is getting to watch."

Larkin sighed, but she had been through much worse. She pulled the clothes off and the first thing Ben did was massage her breasts and giggle again. "What I wouldn't give for some cute perky tits like these. Oh, and look how hard they get Joji! Aren't they lovely?"

"Good enough to eat," Joji agreed, but kept his distance, his arms crossed and leaning on the door.

Ben sighed with another tweak to each nipple, then began wrapping her chest tightly, smashing her breasts to her chest. He reached down and ran a hand over her underclothes and stood back to size her up. He went to a drawer and pulled out another wrap, but this one he rolled up and tucked into her underclothes. He patted it, then nodded. "Put the boys clothes back on and... this." he said, holding up a vest to go over the shirt. She dressed quickly and he turned her, looking at her hair. "Well, you have two choices. I can shave it, or if you intend to go back to being a girl when you arrive... wherever it is you are going."

"A place without slaves," Joji offered.

"Oh. Oh! Oh, child, I am so sorry. Ok. we are going to do this. I am going to braid your hair down real tight and put it in a kerchief under your hat. Then you go to the... no. Joji, you TAKE her to the Bullsballs and speak to Captain Laslo. Tell him this is Ben's boy and Ben will owe him at least three good cocksuckings if he signs him on as a cabin boy. If he barters, take it to five but no more. I do have to make some money after all. Ok, this hat. Now, lets smudge up that pretty face. Hmm. Those eyes. You will just have to keep your head down. That's all I can do for you girl, that's as good as it will get!"

"Thank you Ben. Really. You are a good... man?" she hesitated.

"Yes, man, child," he giggled. "I do like my boys but I am still a man. Joji you take care of her now."

"Yeah Ben," Joji answered, rolling his eyes.

"And if you need a good tug, you know where I am!"

"I still like women, but thanks. I will keep it in mind," Joji laughed, leading Larkin back to the docks.

"He was nice," Larkin said softly.

Joji snorted. "You are going to have to pretend to be mute. Your voice is feminine and when your lips move... Yeah. I don't know how you will do on a ship full of men. Even if they think you are just an exceptionally pretty boy."

Larkin blushed as he led her up a gangplank on a huge ship. "Why are you doing this?" she asked quietly as he helped her off the makeshift bridge.

"I had four sisters, all little. At first it was because of them. Then it was because of the slavers being after you. When I got back to port from my first sail, gifts for everyone, they were all gone. Slavers. My dad died and he owed a kings ransom, so they went to slavers to pay it off. I have looked, but never found them. Slavers... should all suffer the fates they sell so many to," he said darkly, then turned his attention to the man moving across the deck to him. "I am here to see Captain Laslo."

"He's busy," the man snapped. "This boy for him?"

"I need to speak to him," Jojo said angrily, puffing up.

The man shrugged and made a motion. Joji followed as the man led them across the deck to a large cabin on the deck and knocked on the door.

"What?" a man bellowed.

"Man here to see you. Has a boy with him."

"What man? What boy?"

"I came to speak with you," Joji yelled. "Privately."

The man who opened the door looked nothing like he sounded. He had a booming voice, but he was a diminutive man. He looked down at Larkin, ignoring Joji completely. "What's this then?" he asked, lifting Larkins chin with a finger.

"Let's talk inside," Joji snarled.

The man led them in and Joji slammed the door. "Hands off Laslo. Not why I am here. This is Ben's boy. Ben said if you took him on as a cabin boy for your next trip only, then dropped him in port, he would owe you three good cocksuckings."

"And what about the boy? Is he..."

"No. Off limits. But you have to keep your sailors off of him too."

"Hmm. Ten."

"He said max is 5. You know it's worth it. And your word you will keep the boy safe."

"Oh. Very well. For Ben. But he owes me. Tell him he owes me double since I will have to keep her locked up in here so no one knows she is a girl. There'll be no disguising this one. Maybe a brief glance, but no. I will keep her from the men and keep her safe, but I wan't no names or details. She is Ben's buy so she is just Ben for this trip. Do you hear me girl?"

"I hear you," she answered, breathlessly. "I am Ben. And I am a mute. Thank you, all of you, for doing this."

"Just get yourself free girl," Joji said gently. "Good luck."

He left and Larkin look up at Captain Laslo who had begun pacing. Was he trying to figure out what to do with her?

"I am assuming you are Commander Bixby's pet?" he asked quietly.

Larkin froze, ready to flee.

"The bounty on you is quite ridiculous. If any of my men see you, they would mutiny to get you back here. So you must promise me to stay well hidden and not come out. Can you do that?"

"Yes? You knew, but you didn't tell him you knew?"

"Joji is a good man, so is Ben... but even they may be swayed by that much gold."

"And you are not?"

"Oh, I am tempted, but I have a hate for Wynter Bixby larger than any amount of gold. Considering the bounty on you, he wants you badly. It would please me greatly to keep you from his hands. So you will stay well hidden, never speak around my men, never look up if my men come in here... and I have a male guest, you will hide in that wardrobe and be quiet."

"Of course. Gladly. Thank you!"

"Yes yes. Hush now. There is a trundle under my bed that pulls out. You think you can sleep in there with it tucked in?"

"I will try!"

He tucked her into the trundle and it wasn't as bad as she had feared. There were several inches of hollow space above her face and the mattress wasn't awful. She was used to straw, so it didn't bother her. The only thing that did was the chest binding and how hard it was to breathe. Still, she slept until morning when Laslo's boots hitting the floor made her wake.

"You up girl?" he mumbled.

"Yes," she whispered. "My name is Larkin."

"Larkin, I am about to go out. There will be a bit of noise, bumping around, then we will go out to sea. I won't be back until we are well underway. I will lock the door, so if you need the privy pot it is secured in the last cupboard near the door. Secure the lid when you finish. There are apples on the table. Try and be tucked away when I return, you can watch for me through the windows, just don't be seen. Understand?"

"Yes! Thank you!" she whispered.

Eleven long days at sea taught Larkin several things. She disliked cramped and crowded spaces, too many days stuck in a cabin would make you crazy, and men rutting on men were much louder than men rutting on women. Being stuck directly underneath them while they did it was both infuriating and a little... curious.

When they put into port, she was excited and anxious, but Laslo made her stay in the cabin until every sailor was on shore leave but the two staying to guard the ship. He hustled her out at night under the guise of her being a paid boy who had come to please him from an hour and he was taking her back to her 'madam'.

He got her to an inn and stopped her outside. "This is where we part Larkin. Be safe. Be careful. Find your way to a village further away from the port, find a good man and settle down. He may not be allowed to chase you here, but that doesn't mean he will not. If he is not caught breaking the law, he cannot be punished. He can slip in, kidnap you and take you back where slavery is legal. Then punish you. So be careful. Change your name. Cut your hair, change the color. Learn the language quickly. Lay low. Even here, someone may know about the bounty and want to claim it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Laslo, thank you. Laslo?"

"Yes child?"

"The sailor Moses... do not bed him again. He speaks ill of you when you cannot hear him. I don't know his angle, but he is..."

"Oh, I am aware child. Still, he has one amazing cock." He snorted. "Something I probably shouldn't say to you, but I am sure you have been exposed to worse with Wynter Bixby. Good luck girl. Stay away from the inns here in port. Head inland, starting now. Here. Some coin. If you have any, it may not spend here, not if it is from last port or Miovia. It's not much, but it should see you pretty far in."

"Thank you Laslo. And when you see Ben, tell him thanks again."

She disappeared into the night, staying on the main road for now. She walked until she couldn't walk anymore, then slipped into a little copse of trees to sleep.

She woke to noise and peeked as she saw a caravan of wagons rolling towards the port. There were guards with the caravan and she stayed down, nervous. One man peeled off of the group and headed for the copse. Larkin froze as the man dismounted and pulled his cock out to piss against the tree. Larkin squeezed her eyes shut and prayed he did not see her.

"Hey! You there! Boy!"

She let out the breath she was holding and turned her head to him without looking up. She made motions like she was mute and put her hands up in a harmless gesture.

"Come out of there! Why are you hiding?"

She made sleeping motions and shook her head, putting her hands out again.

"Where are you from? Those clothes aren't local."

She pointed back towards the port.

"Where are you headed?"

She pointed the other direction, down the road.

"I'm not believing you are mute, boy. What accent are you trying to hide? Tell me or I take you in."

"Miovian," she said as huskily as she could.

"Miovian. A slave then. Go on boy, no one here will send you back there." The soldier started to turn to leave, then paused. "If you need a place, go to the mercenary guild in Lissilania, they will train you to fight. Stay on this road until you reach a town called Crossroads, then head East."

"Thanks," she said gruffly. "I will."

The man left and Larkin waited until the train was gone and out of sight before hurrying down the road. She had to get to a place with more cover, more trees, but the further she went, the less cover there was. The dirt became sand. The weather warmed. She reached Crossroads, but turned west. She didn't want to be where anyone could find her if questions were asked. West led her back to dirt and then dense trees. She felt safer there and she relaxed a bit as she moved off the road and into the woods. Another eighteen days of travel and foraging, buying a bit of bread in inns and she made it to a small village. She looked around, looking at the men hauling logs and herding sheep, she felt like this might be small enough, quiet enough and peaceful enough. She slipped into the inn and sat down in the back to look around and listen. The accents were weirdly foreign and hard to understand, but they spoke her language. She sat listening for most of the day, making her meal and her tea stretch as long as she could. The innkeeper did not bother her, the tables weren't full so he seemed not to care how long she stayed.