Hanni examined herself in the mirror provided very, very carefully. While not as exotic as a Krylorian or as elegant as an Asgardian, her somewhat attractive form and – more importantly – domestic training made her somewhat valuable. She had honey colored skin and deep eyes the color of rich soil. Her black hair was braided neatly and bound in a blue silk tie behind her head, which was clipped with a small mock-gold pin. She ran her short nails up her toned arms, examining herself for any flaws yet again.
"Hanni, time to go," said a soft voice outside the door.
Her heart raced quickly as she dressed herself in a thin-strapped, plain blue gown that accentuated her hips and bosom, hoping it would be enough to entice a buyer to pay a good price for her. While she would not see any of that money, it was a matter of pride among the slaves – one of the few things worth bragging rights. It was unbearably shameful to be bought for less than five thousand units, and almost unheard of to be purchased for more than fifty thousand – for the most part. Rare species, exceedingly beautiful slaves or those trained in a different sort of pleasure for their master were always top-dollar, though they were usually sold on markets even further "underground" than she. Her makeup was done lightly, but cleverly – light blue eyeshadow to complement the blue dress, black cat-eye liner to accentuate her eyes, and dark lipstick to make her lips poutier and features more prominent. Though not ugly, there were other slaves with more pleasing faces than she, and she hoped the cosmetics would inspire a better price. Hanni attached the final piece of her outfit – another item made of mock-gold, this time a netted necklace with a small, fake sapphire that dangled just above the cleft between her breasts. She breathed out a nervous sigh and tried her best to hold herself with pride as she walked in small steps out the door.
She was greeted by her fiery red-skinned master, Adevia, who took a calculating look at her for a moment before escorting her down a hallway to join the other slaves waiting to be purchased. Hanni assumed her appraisal went well, as Adevia said nothing critical of her until they reached the slave pens and her master raised a hand to stop her.
"Hanni," she said, her soft voice still commanding, "I have taught you, as well as the other slaves, what I can. You may be inexperienced, but your training should serve you. Just keep your tongue still and your eyes cast down – you should fetch a good price."
The slave nodded in quiet acquiescence, as always keeping her mouth shut. That was her first and most important lesson, drilled into her since she had been abducted almost two years ago – silence is the greatest skill of a slave. Your master talks, you do not. Look down, nod, work well, do what they say, and pray you are not sold to a beater – or worse. An announcement rang out through the filthy building and Adevia put her red hand upon her slave's shoulder.
"I should have liked to have kept you longer," she admitted, "You were taken as an adult and had a lifetime of bad habits to break." Hanni looked up in concern, but said nothing. Adevia smiled. "But your problems will be your own," she said. "Now go make me richer."
Adevia shoved her into a barred cage roughly, locking the door behind her and gliding elegantly to the corroded metal doors to the hall. She opened them and a very, very large group of men and women of dozens of different species poured in to examine the goods her master was offering. Hanni was not the most expensive slave there, nor the most desirable – that honor belonged to a feisty blonde Asgardian woman that was bound and gagged for the buyers' protection. She would likely be sold to a beater, Hanni thought sadly, but she would fetch an impressive price. It was rare for Asgardians to be captured and they were nearly impossible to break, only the most vile of creatures tended to take them, and usually for exorbitant sums. Most of them didn't survive past their first year.
Hanni kept looking around the large arena calmly, trying to hold herself nobly, but not arrogantly, avoiding eye contact and, of course, keeping her mouth shut. A Krylorian male examined her carefully, but passed over with disinterest to bring his attention to a yellow-skinned male slave to her left. This parade went on for several long minutes before half of the slaves were already purchased and escorted out. After another agonizing half hour, Hanni was one of the last dozen left. She felt an odd burn of shame in her chest, mingled with fear and disappointment. What would her master say? The last of the buyers were leaving already, only a few stragglers left discussing politics or pleasure. Hanni folded her arms across herself defensively, watching the floor in front of her cage, lost in thought. Suddenly, a pair of impossibly shiny black shoes stopped in front of her cell and she heard a soft breath. She knew better than to look up, but raised her chin slightly so that whoever was in front of her could see her more plainly. The shining shoes walked around her, their owner still oddly quiet, though she could hear the person breathing. They stopped in front of her once more.
"Look up," a male's accented voice said.
Hanni complied and briefly saw an impeccably dressed man in front of her, but she focused her eyes elsewhere so as not to insult him. She heard him sigh.
"Look at me," he huffed.
Alarmed, but ever obedient, Hanni did as she was told and looked him in the face. The first thing she noticed was that he was injured – he had a white strip of gauze wrapped around his forehead just under his hairline and the skin around his right eye was yellow and green, the color of fading bruises. He was an average height for a man, though the front of his tall white-blonde hair added another few inches. The rest of his hair was swept back into a neatly trimmed style that hid his pointed ears slightly. He had dark, bored eyes that showed hints of green in the bright lighting above them, accentuated by his naturally thick eyelashes and the not-so-natural black eyeliner that was applied in a style similar to her own. A dark stripe came down from his somewhat pouty lower lip to a point halfway down his chin. His clothes were rich and elegant, a luxurious spotted fur cloak attached to his broad shoulders with black leather pads and a fat gold chain upon which dangled a large cut ruby. He raised a thick eyebrow the same color as his hair, tilting his head sideways to examine her top to bottom. She blushed slightly, but kept her gaze upon him. Despite all his finery and the noble way he held himself, he looked... tired. He gave the slightest, barest hint of a grunt and looked back into her face.
"What are your skills?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and fishing into his silk vest for something. Hanni thought with hope that he was reaching for a wallet, but instead he brought out a slender white cigarette and put it to his lips. He lit it as he watched her expectantly, blinking at her as he blew out a puff of smoke in her direction. It smelled like cherries. "I asked you a question," he muttered impatiently. Hanni's voice was almost inaudible from disuse and the roaring of the fans in the roof of the dilapidated metal building.
"I've been trained in housekeeping and..." she began, but the man merely waved a white-gloved hand in her direction dismissively.
"That's enough," he said, turning away with a flourish and heading away from her.
Hanni looked back towards the floor in disappointment, waiting quietly for the event to end. If she was not sold within the end of two years since Adevia had bought her, she would be put up for sale at a much different auction, one she didn't care to think about. Pleasure slaves almost always ended up having rotten, often short lives. It had already been close to 22 months. She heard the soft steps of her master approach her cage.
"This one?" she heard Adevia ask.
"Yes," replied the man. Hanni looked up in surprise to see Adevia unlocking her cage, the elegant man behind her putting his wallet away. She stepped out silkily and crossed her hands across her stomach, lowering her head and standing still.
"Good doing business," the man said to her master – former master. He clapped his gloved hands together softly at his new acquisition. "Come," he commanded. Hanni complied, trembling with a mix of relief, anticipation, and fear.
