CHAPTER 6.
It worked!
I had no hope my last minute plan would work.
"h-hundred gold bars?"
"I hate to repeat myself Asher." His voice was laced with unwavering authority and confidence.
"Y-yes sir, I'm sorry sir." Yeah! Take that Asher.
The rest of the auction was blurred as thoughts of my impending doom loomed over my mind.
'Is it doom that awaits me or something better or bigger?'
I should have gone for the old men, they looked weak enough for me to easily overpower them. Foolish me! How could I have made this kind of decision without thinking clearly? What if-
My thoughts were cut off by the familiar scent of drugs hitting my nostrils, i could see black clotting my vison... my body felt too heavy as well. What's the use of struggling...'I guess the future isn't so far away anyways'.
That was a good nap, wait...where am I? My thoughts were once again in disarray as I glanced at the unfamiliar room, wrists still bound behind the chair I'm sitting on. My butt was beginning to ache from sitting for too long at this point. But I sure do have a knack for waking up in different rooms every time I close my eyes. I looked around and realized this must be the where they keep slaves (?) till their owners came to claim them. Wait a min! Did I just say 'slaves'? I was embracing my situation already? I never thought there'd be a day where I would be referred to as a slave, a mere commodity, a property to be owned. Fresh tears brewed up in my eyes again...I snapped my eyes shut, enough tears for today. I need a way to claw myself out of this hellhole I've been sold into.
"Beauty sleep well taken?" It was the voice of a woman this time, she looked she was in her mid forties. Her attire looked formal and proper anddd she looks Russian (?) or maybe I'm just tweaking.
"How are you dear?" Yup, definitely Russian. I didn't answer her.
"Untamed eh? I see. Well, I expect you to answer me when I ask you a question." There was now an hint of annoyance in her voice accompanying the soft wrinkles on her face.
"What do you think? I got kidnapped and sold to a stranger, oh pleaseeee I'm fine. I don't know how to answer your question ma'am." Sarcasm, I hope she gets it.
"Feisty eh? Your master would be the one to fix that not me." She clapped her hands and two women in maid otfits walked in. Ouuu fancy! Their heads were bowed and their hands were tucked in front of them, I don't think they like working here.
"This-" she motioned towards me. "is a mess, I need you to clean her up and make it quick." Looks like everyone around here carried authority because the maids sprung into action the moment she waltzed out of the room.
"Woah, take it easy girls" My legs felt like jelly as one of they held me up and tried to move me to the already opened bathroom, I could hear the bath running already. My wrists felt sore as well, one look and I knew they were going to blister.
"Strip and take a bath, you have five minutes." At least they had the decency to leave me in the bathroom by myself. Should I drown myself in the tub? Nope, that souded painful as hell. Legs still wobbly, I made my way into the tub..it was warm, now this would've felt good on a normal day but it didn't right now. Not when my whole body stung upon contact with water, not when there were two people waiting for me outside this bathroom...not when they were waiting to drag me back into something I was not supposed to be a part of.
*************
They really stuck to their words, I was yanked out of the tub within five minutes. I take back what I said about them having decency.
"Do I really have to tell you to take it easy again? Come on! I'm fragile." Weren't they trained on how to treat people like people and not animals?
"Take this and put it on quickly." One of them flung a red gown at me. "You have five minutes for that as well." Eishhh, what's with the time limits? Regardless, I quickly did what I was told to do.
"Good, now sit down on that chair and let me comb your hair." I felt my hair being yanked back into a ridiculously high ponytail.
"That's enough Erica, she looks presentable enough now. Let's tell the mistress she's ready." Both of them then hurried out and left leaving me to my raging thoughts again.
It's been over ten minutes now, did they forget me here? I sat on the cushioned bench with my hands pressed so tightly my fingers tingled. Someone had dressed, combed my hair, tried to make me look presentable for someone else-something I didn't want to be.
The door hissed.
My breath hitched, even though I'd promised myself I wouldn't react. I lifted my eyes, it was him-the man who had purchased me, the man whose face I'd tried not to memorise. Fear rushed up first, the familiar icy spike in my chest. Beneath it anger burned, small but hot...I didn't let it show. Not yet. He stepped inside and the door sealed behind him shutting out the rest of world. For a heartbeat, it felt like the room shrank.
'Don't cry', I begged myself. But the tears came anyway, stinging at the corners of my eyes.
He watched me too closely, I could feel the weight of his gaze on my skin. I kept my chin lifted, if he wanted to see me break, he would be disappointed. The air felt too still, too tight around me. I tried to breathe quietly but each inhale trembled, I hated that he could hear it.
Sniff.
I hated that too.
He moved slowly, deliberately, hands clasped behind his back as if he were studying a piece of art instead of a human being. Every step tightened the knot in my stomach.
'Lord, be with me.' I prayed'. 'Please.'
He crouched down until his eyes were level with mine. I held my breath, wishing this moment would dissolve into nothing. "Do you know what you are now?" he asked. His voice was soft, too soft...a softness that made my skin crawl. I wish I didn't find his voice attractive. I swallowed, tiny movements like any bigger one might shatter me. I didn't answer, I didn't trust my voice. I only shook my head, barely.
He smiled. A slow, satisfied curve of his mouth.
"Mine."
The word felt like a door slamming into me. Even then, a small part of me refused to accept it...a tiny, stubborn spark whispered back: I;ll find my way out of this.