AN: Yes a new one… ;) I own nothing.

Summery: At 12 years of age Jasper risks his life to save a slave, he never imagined how this one act would change him forever…

Ch 1

"What goes around comes around…"

JASPER POV-

I am almost 12 years old. Father had been gone for 21 days, Having a king as a father isn't all its cracked up to be, he seems to always be off acquiring more land.

"Jazz they're home!" My younger sister Alice yells as my door is thrown opened. Excitedly I follow her to the main doors, and watch as my father and older brother arrive home.

"Jasper, Alice!" Peter yells, as he spots us. Father had insisted that Peter being 16 and the crown prince had to go with him on this quest.

The slaves rushed forward to grab my fathers and Peters horses. Yeah, guess I didn't mention we have slaves, it sucks they are all terrified of us (royals). None of the kids my age would even talk to me; they just bow and ask me what I need from them.

"Alice, Jasper, I hope you two have been good for your mother." Father says as he sweeps us into a hug.

"Sir, what should we do with him?" A guard asks, pulling at a chain. It's a moment before I see the young boy on the other end.

A slave.

I normally don't allow myself to feel anything towards the slaves, but this boy looked to be my age. His hair was the color of copper. Dirt covered his body from the trip, when his eyes met mine I could practically feel the hatred that was glowing from his eyes.

"Yes well, hmmm…." For a moment my father looks stumped at what to do with his boy that is until he turns to me. "Jasper you'll be 12 soon, its time for you to have your own slave, he's yours." He says before turning to the guard and telling him to take the boy to my room.

After the welcome home feast I head up to my room, unsure of what to do. I had always stayed clear of the slaves. Now I was in charge of one, and had no clue on what to do.

My room is quiet as I enter it. I frown when I see Edward, he was there in a corner in a cage that father must have had brought in. He was watching me, waiting for me to speak.

"Um… What's your name?" I ask as I walk closer, opening the cage door and ushering him to come out.

"Edward, master." He says quietly as he kneels before me.

"How old are you Edward?" Now that I was standing so close to him I could tell he was older than me, I just wasn't sure by how much.

"14, sir." The room grows quiet as I wonder about what to do now.

"Well um, there's a wash room through that door; you might as well wash up. I'm going to sleep; I'll see you in the morning." I say as I walk over to my bed to change into my night clothes.

In the days to follow Edward and I would fall into a comfortable routine, as my slave it was his duty to follow me throughout my daily routines. He was the one that would get my breakfast in the mornings, and would receive my leftovers.

Father had laughed that first night when I asked when the slaves ate. "They eat the leftovers from their masters." His answer was good enough for me; I always made sure to leave something for Edward to eat.

It was on the ninth day when I can't find Edward anywhere.

I have looked in all the usual places and was unable to find Edward anywhere. Finally I decided I should ask my father if he knew.

"Prince Jasper." The guard outside my father's door says in greeting.

"I wish to speak to father." I say, walking closer towards the door.

"He's not here my prince. He's in the dungeons right now."

I don't say anything to him as I turn and head towards the dungeons, wondering why he was there. I had never been down into the dungeons, I didn't care about the place the slaves slept. However if my father was there I would go down and see if he knew where Edward was.

I hear my fathers laugh as I descend the stairs and come to a stop in a large room.

I eyes grow wide as I take in what was happening. Edward was being held up by his arms with chains, his back was bare and I could see red marks forming just as my father says again.

I'm stunned as I watch the whip slice through the air making a sickening sound on Edward's back as more red marks are added. The room is full of laughter, but that's not what I'm concentrating on, no I am watching Edward, who hadn't even let out a peep from the lashings.

I must have made a notice because my fathers face turns to me and smiles.

"Son, please join me." It's not a request and I quickly take the few steps to a chair next to his. "Son, it's important to remind slaves of their place." He says motioning for the guard to give Edward another blow.

By the fifth blow he can't stay quiet any longer and lets out an ear splitting scream, I sit there silenced as everyone laughs. His scream had caused my heart to ach, why were they doing this? I wonder just as father announces that they are done and has Edward taken back to my quarters. Just as Edward is taken away another is brought in his place and the whole thing starts over again.

I hardly make it behind the safety of my doors before the tears start to fall.

"How could I have not known?" I question myself as I walk into the wash room to clean off my face. It isn't until I hear soft whimpers that I remember Edward was hurt. Grabbing one of my soft towels I wet it and leave the wash room.

As I walked into my room I could see Edward in his cage, his back was to me and looked worse, than it had in the dim lighting of the dungeon.

"Edward?" I say, opening the door to the cage my father insisted that every slave must sleep in. The moment he hears my voice his sobs stop.

"Please Master; tell me what did I do?" He turns to me then, his emerald green eyes meeting mine and I feel as if he can see my very thoughts. "I listen and obey; I've never fought back or caused any trouble. What did I do to deserve this punishment?" His eyes stay locked with mine, and I can feel tears starting to fall from my own eyes.

"You didn't do anything Edward. I don't know why father did that." I say, feeling strange. I've never cared what happened to the slaves, father and mother had always told me that we are better than them. They had made slaves seem like horrible people. But now, here was Edward asking me what he had done to receive such a punishment. And there wasn't a single thing I could think of as a reason for him being treated as such.

He stays silent, as he bows his head. By the way his body starts shaking I know he is quietly sobbing.

"Edward, how did you end up here?" I ask the one question I've been wondering. I knew father had brought him here, I just didn't know who Edward had been before that.

"I'm a slave master, that's all that matters." His voice holds anger in it. Anger I've never heard from him.

"Please, how did father come to bring you here?" I ask, hoping to get an answer.

"I was a gift to him, is that what you want to know Master?" He's shaking this time what I would guess as from anger.

"I want to know about you Edward." I say as I start to gently clean his back.

"My parents were great people; they loved me and my twin sister. Only thing was they had a hard time paying taxes. They just couldn't make enough to care of us all. The king came and took me away. I was ten years old. I hardly understood what was going on. I was a slave there for four years before being brought here. Please Master; I don't want to talk about it." His anger was gone and he was back to being afraid of me, like he had been since arriving.

"I'm sorry Edward." I whisper as he says he just want to go to sleep.

We say nothing else that night, and soon I can hear his even breathing and I know he's asleep. Sleep doesn't come for me; instead I lay awake wondering what to do. I don't know why but I was feeling as if I needed to help Edward. I've never helped any emotion towards a slave. How was it that in nine days Edward has managed to change my way of thinking?

I'm still awake as the sun rises, I watch in amazement as a ray shines into my room, landing right on Edward. He looked so peaceful laying there. That is when the idea hit me; I would take Edward with me on a ride today. No one will think anything of it; he's my slave he goes where I go. However he won't be coming back with me, I'll tell him to go, and he will, I know he will.

"Edward?" I call out as I rise from my bed and begin grabbing some clothes. When I see him move I talk again. "Would you go to the kitchens and inform cook that I want my breakfast, lunch and a snack in a bag, I am going on a ride today."

"Yes master." He says, as he also rises and dresses in a change of clothes.

As he's doing that I pack a small bag of clothes that would be warmer for Edward to have.

He doesn't question me as I have two horses saddled for us and ask for him to follow me. He's surprisingly a decent rider and after I am sure we are far enough away from the house I stop. We were looking over the town, and from my spot I could see the shipping docks.

"Edward do you see that?" I ask pointing to the busy town.

"Yes master." He says seeming confused at my question.

"It's market day. The town is very busy today." He still seems confused, and that's when I realize I need to just tell him what needs to happen. "If you took off now, you could get lost in the crowd, there are ships in that dock that would take you away."

"Master, I don't understand what you're suggesting it sounds as if you're telling me to…." I don't let him finish talking as I look right into his beautiful eyes.

"Edward, go you have food in that bag," I reach behind me for my other bag and hand it to him. "Here are some clothes and there's a money bag, go."

He looks at the bag then back at me.

"I will never forget you for this kindness." He says before riding the horse off towards town.

I wait hours before going home. But when I go home I pretend to be upset.

"Father!" I yell as I march into his quarters. "He took off. He just ran off and when I caught him he fought me."

"Who Jasper?" He asks, seeing that I'm "upset".

"Edward, that's stupid slave, he just took off, and went south." I say, purposely saying the wrong direction.

That night would be the first night I would miss Edward presence. I wasn't sure why I was feeling this way towards him, but I knew I would miss him.

"Tears of unprecedented beauty
Reveal the truth of existence…
The age-old development of consciousness
Drives us away from the essence of life"

~The Phantom Agony By: Epica~

AN: Let me know what you think, thanks for reading. Edward POV will be up next ;)