Chapter 1

The Auction

Huddled in the crowded holding pen of a slaver's market Tagd sat hunched over staring out past the slimy stone walls of his enclosure into nothingness. Wanting to escape his own damp shirt he pulled in shoulders tight while using crusted sleeve to shield his nose from the burning stench of feces and urine which hung heavy in the air due to lack of proper sewage maintenance by uncaring guards.

Shifting uneasy on the spot he accidentally brushed up against the cold clammy body of the boy who had died in a puddle of his own vomit that night. Instantly withdrawing, he flinched hugging bruised knees tighter. Adding to his misery the female chained next to him began to cry again, making it impossible for him to sleep. Irritated, Tagd turned his head, closing his eyes wishing himself away, yearning the sweet release of dreamless sleep.

For now all he could do was sit burying his face in folded arms trying to think of other things, asking himself if things could get any worse than this. But then his last home came to mind and with no other thoughts to occupy, he now worried similar fate might await him here.

His previous Master had gotten rid of him for reasons unknown. At the time a blessing since his nights were locked in a cage while days were spent working fingers raw on a gray desolate planet. His Master merciless, overworking and beating the unruly slave, with the marks still visible on his body, but the worst had come from an overseer who had taken a fancy to him. The first time he had been called upon flashed through his mind.

Having had refused, unleashing a fury, the bear of a man retrieved him, dragging him by his hair to his room. There the man tied him to the bedpost giving him a thorough lashing. After which the Overseer took from him what he originally wanted. When all was finished, he was left bond crying all night in his own misery and pain with blood running down his back and the Overseer's affection down his legs while the man peacefully slept next to him. From then on, for years, his nights were either spent in a cage or in his Overseer's chambers when called upon.

Hugging his knees tighter he cringed at the memory. Too dehydrated to even shed a tear, Tagd squeezed his eyes shut trying to forget. "No man should have such power over another." He thought as a desperate feeling he had been forgotten by all crept by, somehow making him wish he could follow the boy at his side.

Oblivious to his surroundings, Tagd's neck wrenched as his arms were suddenly yanked forcefully forward cutting into already bloody and sore wrists landing him front first in dirt and grime left behind by countless faded souls, while a tall dark shadow moved in. With a foul taste in his mouth he fought the urge to spit, as the dark figure stood looming directly over him. Tagd blinked straining tired eyes, blinded by the light shinning through the opened doorway, squinting he looked up trying to focus.

"Stand slave!" A guard losing patience began shouting in a dialect half forgotten by Tagd's ears, "Stand you worthless beast before I beat you into the next life!"

Tagd scooted back eyes wide, never having seen anything like the guard. The man at least a head and a half taller, muscle bound, skin gray and bland, with lines carved deep into his face. But before he could get a closer look at eyes all black with no white, a strong muscular arm etched completely in symbols bashed down onto his shoulder with a stick.

Chaos broke out making the whole situation escalate since the female who had cried at his side was now hysterically tugging at the chain connecting them. With his feet slipping in the wet, bond hands jerked, the guard's blows, and the weight of the corpse made it impossible for Tagd to stand. Two more guards came rushing over, but all he could do was shield himself from the stinging bites of their sticks.

Vice like hands grabbed at his arms and hair pulling him onto his feet, but with no time to rub painful wounds he was dragged stumbling forward leaving the stench of the pen behind. Managing to look back over his shoulder at the empty cleared out pen he saw only the boy's lone body, turning forward again he wondered which of them was luckier.

Led out into the open an emporium came alive before Tagd's eyes with people bustling everywhere. Too exhausted though to put effort into his surroundings he trudged forward wishing he could clutch his protesting stomach as his nose filled with the sweet scent of delicious dishes being freshly prepared at food stands scattered throughout the market. He tried to lick his lips but his tongue only found sandpaper dry lips.

"Please, come forth. A brand new lot is soon ready for your inspection." A beady eyed man covered in golden robe called out to the anxious crowd.

Tagd stood, frustration mounting at the thought of being sold like a beast once again, his stare focused as he drowned out the slaver's pitch. His body involuntarily shivering, half from fear mixed with anger and anticipation, half from a chill caused by a cool morning breeze blowing through the compound, a stark contrast to the sweltering hot stickiness of the pen. It had been years since he had felt the wind brush up against his face and body. The artificial climate of the last grey barren planet he called home was maintained at a consistent temperature with absolutely no variation, not even a seasonal change to monitor the planet's rotation and telling of time passed. The mundanity of it being able to drive even sane men mad.

The sudden call of the auctioneer broke the boy out of his thoughts, bringing him back to grim reality. The slaver stepped forward rubbing eager hands together. Rings glistening in the sun adorned thick fingers, while white teeth peeked out from behind a wide grin as he began his offering. "Please my Ladies and Lords, don't be shy! Come forth and inspect this lot. All healthy and strong as you can see." The auctioneer anxiously invited. "Here we have a young healthy male... completely functional..… Approximately 18-19 Earth years of age…" pointing with his stick at Tagd.

The boy barely understood what he was saying but the man apparently knew more about him than Tagd did about himself.

"A little on the thin side but with a good base..." Indeed, Tagd had begun to change, what was once a scrawny little figure was now, despite half starvation and over work, blossoming into a young man.

Not wanting to be touched Tagd's anxiety mounted, feeling his heart pound faster against tightened chest making it hard for him to draw breath, as various men and women came forth swarming around him accepting the call of the auctioneer. Anger began to rise, spawned from the frustration and humiliation of being poked, prodded, and examined enough already the last few days. Turning away, Tagd refused to be a willing part in any of this.

"I would like to see this one's face. He doesn't seem very inclined." Annoyed at the slave who constantly tried to turn from view, one customer pointed out to the seller.

Tagd's face reddened as the auctioneer came around forcefully grabbing him by his chin. The heavy metal rings digging deep into his skin while being presented to all.

A synchronized "aww" was heard as steel blue eyes stared back at the crowd.

The shrewd auctioneer immediately grabbed the opportunity recognizing this gem within his lot, since blue eyes were truly seldom in this sector. "Yes, you see right, blue eyes! A rarity from the finest stock! And as you can tell, he is not a boy anymore his shoulders have widened," he stated while slapping Tagd's back, "he's strong and will put in a good day's work!"

While his face was still being forced up, a short obnoxious cheaply clad woman, her perfume preceding her, came forth. "Has he been castrated?"

"No my good Lady, you make a good point. He has not. He is still fully functional." Grinning the man proudly pointed out.

Tagd winced as the auctioneer took hold of his crotch causing the flush in his cheeks to deepen. "He'd make a fine breeder! Imagine his offspring, blue eyes!"

With pudgy fingers the woman began to run her hands over the boy's body. Tagd stiffened. Sensing the growing uneasiness of his merchandise, the auctioneer's grip tightened in response.

"I would like to see." Eagerly she demanded while grabbing for Tagd's pants wanting to pull them down.

Tagd knitted his brows while clenching his teeth, finally having had enough he exploded and in one smooth move slapped her hand away and then hit the auctioneer center of his face with his shackles.

Before he could do anymore harm a guard immediately grabbed Tagd from behind, using the prod in hand to choke hold the disruptive slave as another guard tended to the offended buyer, who had let herself fall into the arms of the man behind her as she fainted.

With his back pulled up against the guard's iron chest, Tagd was on his toes attempting to gasp for air as the stick dug deep into his throat.

Blinded by anger, the auctioneer did not feel pain nor notice blood running from his cut lip and swollen nose as he ripped into the boy's balls. Tagd's eye's flew wide open from the onslaught, taking his last breath away. Squeezing harder ensuring he had the slave's attention, the man lectured, "You had better not try anything like that again! Or else I will tear these off you right here in front of all!" The auctioneer snarled into Tagd's face. "Do you understand!"

Stars is all Tagd could see, as a debilitating nausea set in. His breath cut short unable to focus or breath he lowered his eyes in submission.

Not wanting to lose money on the sale the auctioneer commanded, "Take this one last onto the block, hopefully they will have forgotten his outburst by then." The auctioneer growled while wiping his sweaty face dry of the blood. "And see to it that he gets punished."

Following orders, the guard dragged Tagd away. As punishment he was forced to stand, watching the rest being allowed the occasional sip of water while having the luxury of sitting on the hard ground. Each time Tagd began to sway from exhaustion, the guard gladly sent an electoral wave of pain through him with his prod. Tagd's anger and frustration drained quickly from the dehydration and heavy heat as the two afternoon suns began to bear down onto the city, while he waited in agony for the lot of over fifty to be sold.

With nothing left to swallow other than dust Tagd's world began to spin, but a sudden rush of freezing cold water piercing through him like thousands of needles, tore him back into awareness.

Gasping for air and fully conscious again, his turn had come and the guard escorted the shocked dripping wet boy up to the platform where the auctioneer immediately began the sale before he could cause any more trouble.

"A strong young healthy male, eager to please!" The auctioneer pitched while the guard turned Tagd to be viewed from all sides as his features were highlighted.

"He's strong willed, my Ladies and Lords... " The auctioneer continued while keeping his distance, "but nothing a firm hand and sharp whip won't cure!" Stating with an evil grin on his face.

With that the bidding began.

A sinking feeling came over him, clenching his teeth he concentrated to keep from falling, his gaze focused directly at the floor in front of him while the bidding went on. He had no desire to look at the people out there, no desire to see who would win the bid and become his new problem. A jolt went through his body as the hammer fell, "SOLD!".

to be continued...