"Mister Masters, are you sure you want a servant from this auction? There are many more?" asked Daniel, apprentice to Vladimir Masters, the wealthiest noble in all of Rome.

"Daniel, the most unappealing auctions can have the most appealing clientele." replied Vladimir.

"And what kind of 'clientele' would you be looking for sir?" asked Semitiri, or Sam, a little too snidely. She thought that because she was betrothed to Daniel she could get away with it. And she could. Sam had no fear of authority, even as a child and people for some reason respected the odd girl for it. Many thought she was a witch and those who didn't thought she was just so amazing they didn't care.

"Something rare dear girl, something you wouldn't find at any mainstream auctions." Vladimir said matter-of-factly. Sam decided to watch the auction with future husband and his idol.

Around two hours later Vladimir, Daniel, and even Semitiri knew they found the rare thing. The auctioneer began shouting. "This lovely lady is hard to come by ladies and gentlemen. It's said she's from a magical place that sent her around the world and eventually, to us, the wonderful Romans. She is a rarity almost never seen by our eyes and not from our blood. Her hair is red as the fires of Pluto, her eyes as blue as the Great Sea, and she won't give you any argument because she hasn't got one! That's right folks, she cannon, will not, has not talked, something you don't often get from a mere server girl! Her pale skin is a marvel as well, it practically glows! Her beauty could outshine even Venus! How about we start the bidding at 20 silver coins?"

And so it began. Shouts of prices getting ridiculously high were soaring through the air and the children with Vladimir didn't understand why he wasn't bidding. Finally when the auctioneer was about to announce the winner Vladimir shouted the largest price he'd ever paid for a servant. "One thousand gold coins for the girl with red hair!" he shouted. And with that, the girl was his.

The ride to Vladimir's mansion was a rather odd one. Sam and Daniel bombarded the servant girl with questions that she could only nod or shake her head to. They only ceased their interrogation when the carriage stopped and they were asked to step out of the carriage. The servant girl's eyes widened as her mouth formed an O at what she saw. A huge mansion with columns tens of feet high that was larger than many of the towns she'd spent time in. Sam rested a hand on her shoulder and helped to guide her inside. Mister Masters made it painfully clear that she was to have the finest room they had to offer seeing as she was his new prized jewel. When Sam helped her into the room Daniel appeared and the girl sighed as she thought she was about to have to answer more questions.

"Do you know how to wrote your name, servant?" asked Daniel, holding out a small board and a white rock. She nodded, took the board and began to scrawl out the word that would decide who she was to them forever. Daniel read it. "What an odd name. But, in any case, welcome to the home of General Vladimir Masters, we all hope you enjoy your stay, Dylla." He said with an extravagant bow. She let a small smile grace her face for a moment as she bowed her head in respect.

"Please, Dylla, follow me, the Generals nephew, Tucker, will be here for a short stay and he arrives tonight. The General will want his new beauty to look as radiant as Venus." said Sam as she began to tug Dylla towards her chambers for a dress.

Dylla was last to walk into the dining room after Daniel and Sam and they told her to simply take the empty seat next to them. She walked in with her head held high, her arms at her sides. She sported a gorgeous teal gown that went half way down her thigh, traditional sandals, a small bit of eye makeup, and a golden cuff on each wrist with a sapphire embedded on the top of the wrist. Her hair was somehow brushed and curled in a ponytail high on the back of her head, tied in a red ribbon. A surprise in itself considering how unmanageable it was when she arrived. A poor young maid had to wash her hair three times for it to remain stable. But she looked ravishing. She took her seat by Sam but not before noticing a pair of lovely sea green eyes staring at her. She looked at the owner of the eyes.

He had gorgeous dark skin, and handsome and well built face, and a pair of spectacles with a thin wire frame on his eyes. She smiled at him and they both blushed. The room was then filled with a sharp ring. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a great honor to host this feast in honor of my nephew's 15th birthday! After a year of being a true man he has decided that he will be searching for his bride soon! And he shall be staying in my mansion while he does." Cheers were passed through the crowd after Vladimir's speech and many young girls were going to talk with the general or his nephew. Everyone was bustling about, eating, drinking wine or ale, or chatting with any person they saw. Except one. Dylla was sitting at her seat, eating quietly at the table instead of from her plate in the middle of the floor like the others and this caught the eyes of a very powerful 15 year old.

"My lady, you are too beautiful to be sitting by yourself, you must think yourself evil to not be talking with all the guests. You seem to be all they talk about." Dylla gave a small nod but continued to eat. "My uncle was right when he said you were more beautiful than Venus herself, your eyes remind me of the Great Sea." Tucker continued without taking a breath. "The outside is nearly black, it's so dark, the next wring of iris is a lighter blue leading into almost purple grey foam, and then a diamond like crystal color surrounding your pupil. The gods sculpted you in their own image, indeed they did!" Dylla couldn't believe the way he was talking to her. She may not have been born one or deserved to be one but she was a servant, an expensive servant but a servant none the less. But she was blushing redder than her hair at the compliments.

"Will you not reply to me, my dear beauty, or at least pleasure me with knowing your name?" asked Tucker shamelessly.

"Her name is Dylla and I doubt you'll get a reply from a useless mute!" said a large broad shouldered man as he skulked towards the pair.

Who's that jerk wad? Guess we'll find out soon! Please review, and let me know what you think!

-Ninja