When he was done, Lio got another towel and wrapped it around Sagon, then quickly dried himself off. He turned to Sagon, who was watching him intently, and caught the other man's hand. "Now, come over here," he directed, pulling Sagon toward a padded table on the other wall of the bathing room.

"Who's the Master here?" Sagon asked, although he allowed himself to be tugged along by Lio.

Lio patted the table and turned Sagon around to face it. "You are, of course. Now, lie on the table face down," he instructed.

"You give a lot of commands for a slave," Sagon grumbled, but did as he was bid.

The room was warm and steamy from the bath, and Sagon didn't mind when Lio whisked the towel away from him. Sagon crossed his arms and rested his head on his wrists. He was not surprised when he smelled the same light oil Lio had used in the bath, nor when Lio's warm hands began to rub his shoulders.

Lio diligently worked at the tight muscles in his Master's shoulders and neck, rubbing and pressing at all the right places. He smiled in satisfaction as Sagon groaned and caught his breath when Lio worked a particularly sore spot, of which there were many. Lio's hands moved surely and expertly down the long back, kneading and massaging all the tension from Sagon's body.

Strong, gentle hands worked on the lean buttocks, then continued down Sagon's left leg. When he was done, Lio began to work his way back up Sagon's right leg. Reaching the area around the scar, Lio spoke for the first time since the massage started.

"Master? I mean, Sagon?"

"Hm?" Sagon answered drowsily.

"Does your leg hurt?" Lio was lightly moving his fingers around the back of Sagon's thigh, not pressing too hard or digging into the muscle there too deeply.

"Sometimes," Sagon replied, becoming a little more alert.

Lio probed the area gently. "Does this hurt?" he asked. He continued probing and moving his hands, asking Sagon what hurt, where it hurt, and how much it hurt.

Sagon answered all his questions honestly, wondering where all the questions were leading. But he was not to get any answers immediately. Lio just grunted to himself and told Sagon to turn over.

When Sagon was lying on his back, Lio began to massage his chest and arms. Sagon watched as Lio seemed totally absorbed in his task. His face bore a look of intense concentration as he manipulated every part of Sagon's body. He was vaguely disappointed when Lio passed by his admittedly limp cock and began to work on the front of his thighs.

Thinking back to the bath, Sagon realized that Lio had simply cleaned him, had not tried to arouse him or entice him in any way. Strange behavior for a sex slave, he mused. But then again, he wasn't particularly in the mood for sex anyway. As if his thoughts had pulled Lio's hands to him, he felt Lio gently rub the oil into his genitals. Lio stepped back, away from the table.

"Sagon, can I try something?" Lio was looking at the warrior seriously.

"What is it?" Sagon asked curiously.

"I want to work on your leg some," Lio replied.

Sagon sighed. Lio seemed fascinated and disturbed by the scar on the back of his thigh. "Lio, there is nothing to do. It was a deep wound, from a knife, that got infected. The surgeon did what he could, kept it open and drained it, but it has healed all it's going to."

"Oh, I can see that he cleared the infection and closed the wound, but he didn't heal your leg. I think I can help you, if you'll allow it."

Sagon simply waived his hand, giving Lio permission to do what he wanted. After all, he would anyway. Lio's nimble fingers returned to his leg, rubbing and massaging a little more. Sagon opened his eyes in surprise when he felt Lio lifting the leg with a large, strong hand beneath his ankle.

Lio worked with total concentration. He had turned to face the table along the side. Lifting Sagon's leg up, keeping the knee straight, Lio kept up the steady pressure even when he felt Sagon tense.

"Easy, I'm not going to hurt you," he murmured. "I'm just stretching this muscle. There." Lio lowered the leg, then repeated the exercise several more times. Sagon had felt no pain, just a gentle pulling along the back of his thigh.

Lio shifted his position, and with one hand under Sagon's knee, he lifted the ankle again. This time, Sagon's leg was bent and pushed back toward his chest. Once again, Lio maintained a steady pressure until Sagon tensed, then eased up, repeating the procedure.

"That's all I'll do for today," Lio finally said, lowering the leg. He held out his hand to help Sagon sit up. Lio let him sit there for a moment while he got a cup of cold water for Sagon.

"Here, Sagon, drink this." Once Sagon started to drink, he was surprised at how thirsty he was. He quickly finished the cup, handing it back to the smiling slave. Lio helped his Master down from the table and led him back out to the main room.

Sagon tested his leg, wondering what Lio hoped to accomplish. Lio saw him and shook his head. "You won't really feel any difference right away," he said. "But I think it will help if we do this several times. And then, when you… leave… you can get someone else to help you." Lio stepped away from him.

Shaking his head, Sagon stood there while Lio got a silk robe for him to wear. Here he was, naked, alone with a sex slave, also naked, and he felt not even the slightest stirring of desire. Depression began to settle on him like a blanket. He might as well be dead, he already felt half dead anyway. He was only going through the motions.

But he was puzzled over Lio's words. This was the second time that the slave had said something about him leaving, and both times his voice had a curious break in it. Surely the slave wasn't getting attached to him so quickly, especially after the way Sagon had first treated him. Irritably, he brushed the thought away.

Cool silk settled around his shoulders. Sagon looked down and saw that Lio had chosen a floor length dark red robe, with a gold design along the cuffs and down the front edges. A tug on his hand told him that Lio wanted him to move again. Soon he was sitting back in the chair by the table. The snack tray had been cleared, but the wine had been left.

Lio poured a glass of wine. "If it please you, Sagon, I'll go clean up the other room. Just enjoy your wine and I'll be back soon." Sagon just nodded, and Lio headed back into the bathing room.

Lio quickly cleaned the room, using the damp towels to wipe up the water on the floor. He got another small towel and wiped down his massage table carefully, then threw all the used towels into the basket to be collected later. He let the water out of the tub and put the tops back on the oil and soaps he had used, placing them back on the shelf where they belonged.

After a moment of thought, Lio decided to get dressed. Sagon had not stated a preference either way, although he had asked Lio to take off his robe earlier. Well, he could just ask him to strip again, if he wanted to. He pulled out loose fitting pants of turquoise silk, caught close at his ankles, and a short matching robe with three-quarter length sleeves. He had not had a chance to do his usual Tai Chi routine today, and hoped Sagon would allow him to practice before dinner.

When he went back out, he noticed the sun was going down, plunging the room into a dim, red glow. It was a romantic, erotic sight, but that was not what Sagon needed right now. That would come in time, he hoped. Lio went to the mantle to get the box of matches.

He started at the table where Sagon sat, still sipping his wine. "I'm just going to light some candles, Sagon," he said. After Lio lit the two candles there, he poured Sagon some more wine, then went around the room, lighting about half the candles. He didn't want it too bright, nor did he want it too dark, lest Sagon feel pressured for some activity he was not ready for.

"Would you like me to light the fire?" Lio asked him.

Sagon frowned. Such a simple decision, yet he could not make up his mind. "If you want," he finally said. "I don't care."

Lio thought for a moment. A crackling fire was certainly comforting, but the days and nights had been very mild lately, and they wouldn't need the warmth. Finally, he decided against the fire. While he had gone about the room to the candles, Lio had checked the jar of oil on the small table by the bed. He didn't think they would use it tonight, but one should always be prepared.

Lio turned to survey the room, pleased that it was clean and neat. He turned to say something to Sagon, only to be met with a soft snore. Sagon was slumped down in the chair, chin on chest, empty wine glass dangling from his fingers. Slowly and carefully, Lio took the glass and put it back on the table. Well, at least Sagon was getting the rest he needed.

Since Sagon was asleep, Lio decided to go ahead and do his exercises. He got his mat from the bathing room and placed it on the floor, stretching out and warming up. Soon he was ready, and he put his mat back where it belonged. Lio stood perfectly still for one minute, simply breathing. Then he began to move.

-Preparing Form to get ready

His breathing settled into the routine.

-Warrior Pounds Mortar

The room began to slip away.

-Pat the Wild Horse's Mane then Standing on One Leg and Double Palm Push to Right Side

Sunlight faded from the room and only the soft light of the candles lit the moving body, flowing from one form to the next.

-Lean With Back, Elbow Strike into Green Dragon Goes Out of Water became Monkey Offering Fruit

And he was still in control, his mind, body, and soul all working in harmony toward peace.

-Turn Body and Wave Lotus Kick now Cannon Fist

He was almost done, and that was as it should be.

-Warrior Pounds Mortar again faded into Closing Form

Lio stood still again, centered and grounded, ready to come back to the world. He opened his eyes, and found Sagon sitting straight up in the chair. The gray eyes fastened on him shone with an emotion Lio couldn't identify. The moment stretched out and then was gone.

Lio walked over and sat down on the floor by Sagon's chair. They did not speak, but Sagon let his fingers caress the dark hair of Lio's head. After some time, Lio finally looked up at his Master.

"Are you hungry again? Do you want some dinner?"

Sagon looked down at the young man leaning against he leg. He must have had too much wine to drink, to fall asleep in the chair like that. But when he had opened his eyes, he had thought that he must have still been dreaming. Lio was an absolute vision of beauty as he moved through the routine. Sagon had stared, transfixed, until Lio had stilled and opened his eyes.

Sagon hadn't felt anything in so long that he was at a loss to explain the strange twisting in his stomach. He had been totally content to sit with his hands lightly stroking the young man's head. Now Lio was looking at him with a wary kind of hope in his eyes.

"I suppose so," Sagon allowed. After all, if he didn't eat, Lio wouldn't, either. Later, after some kind of light soup accompanied by more cheese and fruit, Sagon found his eyes closing again. His jaw cracked with a huge yawn.

Sagon headed into the bathing room to get ready for the night as Lio called for the dinner tray to be removed. Coming out to the bed, Sagon found the covers turned down, ready for him. He lay down and watched drowsily as Lio moved around the room extinguishing the candles, then disappeared into the bathing room himself. Finally, the slave came over to the bed. He slipped out of his clothes and under the covers, next to Sagon.

The boy scooted over to him, winding one arm under his neck and putting the other across his chest.

"Lio," Sagon started to say.

"Sh," Lio answered. "Just let me hold you tonight." The boy fit his body up to Sagon's and closed his eyes. They slept.