The Prince's Songbird Slave ✔️

The Birthday Surprise

Thoughts around time of publishing - My 6:40 alarm is loud... Wait, fire alarm?.. Shoot.

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For my eighth birthday my parents decided to get me a slave.

I didn't like the idea of owning a slave. Servants worked hard and got paid; they got days off and had a life of their own. Slaves were nothing more than an object, a possession used to show off your wealth and status. I knew it was considered normal amongst the higher levels of society but using people as embellishments seemed wrong to me.

"Dad," I groaned, "I don't want a slave - I don't need one."

My father looked at me sternly, not necessarily because I was in trouble but because sternness was an almost permanent expression he wore. "I know, son," he said in his deep voice, "you've said it a million times. It's not a matter of whether you want a slave or not, you are getting one." He softened slightly, "I understand that you don't feel ready to control another's life yet, that's understandable at your age, but you will one day have to be responsible for the life's of thousands.

"I'm getting you a slave so you can learn." he continued. "The first try's often don't work out - like pancakes. You don't need to worry if you make mistakes looking after a slave. See? It'll be good practice."

Isn't my dad just great at pep talks?

I made to leave the room.

Some 8th birthday breakfast this is turning out to be, I thought. I can forgive my father for talking about people like they're food - we're vampires so sometimes they are food, but the way he'd said it, and how he'd talked about tossing them away didn't sit right with me.

My father sighed exasperatedly, about to tell me how as a male heir I had responsibilities, but thankfully my mother cut him off by placing one of her delicate hands on his shoulder.

She walked over to me and crouched down so our faces were on the same level. She had soft dark brown eyes, a heart shaped face, and light blond hair that fell in ringlets past her shoulders.

"You don't want a slave Nate?" she asked me, her brown eyes searching mine.

I shook my head stubbornly, and she sighed. Not exasperatedly like my father, but in thought.

"How about we get you one," I opened my mouth to object but she shushed me. "One and only one - perhaps a rare and expensive breed - who can be your friend for life? Someone to look after and to look after you? Like a sibling." She coaxed.

I bit the inside of my lip, tempted.

Running a kingdom was a full time job. Today was my birthday, and it was one of the rare days for which both my parents worked really hard to clear so that we might all be able to be together. I had no brothers or sisters, and this huge house gets ever so quiet and lonely.

True, there may always be servants, slaves and staff around somewhere, but they were always formal. Careful with what they say and how they act, lest they offend me.

My mother saw the flicker of loneliness in my small brown eyes, so much like her own, and smiled.

"You love music, don't you? We could get you a Fae, or a dryad? They live almost as long as us so long as they are close to nature. They're kind and love music, they can be a bit mischievous though..." She trailed off looking at my confused little face.

I hadn't been round that many supernaturals before, I had a demon tutor, but I didn't know anything about the creatures she'd just named. It was like going into an ice cream parlor and being told to pick something. How can you pick just one when you don't know what you want?

I frowned, I had just been annoyed by my father's insensitive remarks, but I was also thinking along similar lines.

My mother watched my confusion for a moment, before breaking into a dimpled smile.

"How about you wait here, just for a little bit," she practically sang, her voice full of mischief. "Your father and I will go out and choose one for you - it'll be a birthday surprise!"

She laughed, ruffled my hair, and dragged my father away before I could say anything.

I fiddled with my hair, trying to fix it, as I watched their red convertible, flanked by two black cars with guards inside, drive away.

Again I was alone in this large house.

I sighed deeply, upset that they had left me behind. Your birthday comes once a year, alone was not how I wanted to spend it.

An hour or so later my mother returned to find me sitting in the living room playing on the x-box machine I had unwrapped earlier that morning. She had a huge smile on her face, and ran over to give me a hug.

"We found one!" she squealed excitedly, enjoying this far more than I was. "Perfect, so perfect! A lovely little songbird!"

How small was this person? I worried. I'd seen wild pixies in the garden a few times before. They had an unnatural look about them, and every move they made looked like it was part of a dance. If my mother had bought me one of them for a slave what would I do? How could I look after something so little? I might lose it, and then what if someone stood on it, or sat on it? My little head was swimming. I'd wanted a friend who could be my equal, not one I might accidently drown in my cereal!

"Your father is with her right now, they'll be here any minute," she continued, oblivious to my new found panic.

Her?! When my mother had said she was going to buy me a friend, some part of me had naturally assumed it would be a boy.

This time my mother noticed how I stiffened up, and she was about to say something when the large oak door to the living room opened and my father walked in, holding the door open behind him.

My eyes grew wide as a girl in a simple black dress came cautiously round the door.

My heart clenched - she was probably a year younger than me, and the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. She was pale, with black hair that had been cropped into a bob. Her large piercing blue eyes were taking in the room watchfully. A simple silver necklace, with a pink stone dangling from the pendent, hung around her neck.

I sighed in relief; she defiantly wasn't a pixie. In fact she was only a little bit smaller than me.

Through what seemed to be a long tunnel I vaguely heard my mum saying "she's so cute isn't she?"

"I still think we should have gotten someone older, what if she grows up to be ugly?" my father asked her.

I just kept staring at the girl, there was no way she'd become ugly, she looked so perfect.

I shook my head to clear it, got up from the sofa, and walked over to doorway.

"What's your name?" I asked her. She just looked back at me and blinked. "You do have a name, right?" I asked more timidly. She shook her head slightly.

"You'll just have to give her one then," my mother said. "She's a shy child, but I'm sure she'll warm up to you."

I nodded, and smiled at the girl. I'd give her a name once I knew her better. I grabbed her hand and dragged her off to play with some of the new present's I'd gotten.

That was nearly 10 years ago, and in all those years I've never heard her speak.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Hi, this is my new story, hope you like it!

First off, for those who haven't realised - this is from Nate's point of view.

Nate is a guy, a prince, and not a female... It was my fault for not making it clear enough at first, but it should be fixed now.

Truthfully it sounded way better in my head, but I just put it up anyway, I apologise again for this first chapter being so boring. I had to start when they were kids, but the next chapter will move onto them at 17 and 18.

Tell me what you think so far, and what you think is going to happen.

Hoping to post the next chapter soon, see ya!