Hooves clanked loudly against the dirt road kicking up dust in small clouds. Through the cage bars, nothing could be seen. Only Sounds. Stuffed in with several others, some from my own land and others foreign. They quietly spoke to themselves, probably in prayers to the gods or perhaps for their families. A black cloth was put over our pen so that we could not see the outside as well as where our destination was. The sun peeked in from only a few gaps near the corners so we knew it was day.
Blue ocean, waves drifting in and out with the tide. small fish darted beneath the cloudless sky. hands dipped into the warm waters. fingers widespread chasing the fins.
The dust irritated my lungs but I wasn't the only one. The rest are also coughing. Seemed something on the outside kicked up more dirt that usual. huddled in a corner away from the iron door I closed my eyes and tried to think of my home, Marion.
A flash of fishing nets and multi colored scales along the waters. The sand is so soft, moist with the sea. The air here is clean, fresh, and my lungs crave for it.
I begin to have a coughing fit, the fine dust was relentless until I begin to cry. Tears flow freely. An older woman, fellow Cyprus, soothes me by patting my back lightly. she runs her fingers through my long hair in a motherly motion. The gods only know how long we have been captive by Roman soldiers. Taken away from our villages and homes by the sea. That day I did not know, how could I. The pain from being dragged, away from my land onto a merchant ship. Later we were forced into cages that were pulled by horses like we were animals.
The carriage jolted to a stop, wiping away the tears the older woman whispered that I should not show fear. I should be strong. These were the words I took to heart as I saw that the curtain was being torn away. The sounds completed the view. We were in a slave market, with many eyes trained on us. All of us,men and women and even a small child younger than I stood up, embarrassed. The crowd talked in a foreign language, murmuring to one another. Finally I understood. We were going to be sold as slaves. Slaves.
I dived into the warm water. Away from the world into my own. Everything was silenced as my body felt weightless and light, the tunic I was wearing flowed beautifully around me, almost into a cocoon. I wished this could be my life, like a fish I would travel in this heaven. My feet brushed the shallow bottom and I surfaced, gulping air. From my view I could see the fishing boats this morning. Catching todays meals.
The Woman from my homeland gripped my shoulders tightly as man with a sour face and fine robes opened the cage door. He counted us and threw a pouch of gold at one of the soldiers nodding in disapproval. The Large soldier greedily counted the money as we were led into a wooden building. He herded all of us in languages that I could not understand into what seemed to be a large horse stall. The others seemed to understand though and tried to convey to my friend and I. He lined us up one by one and with the help of his own slaves told us to undress. A man, the young boy and I refused to. "No" I shouted. I would not allow these people to treat me this way. His Sour face turned angrily at the thin man and shouted at him, his large slaves grabbed him and began to beat him against the stone wall. Then he turned to me and to my surprise addressed me in my native language. "YOU will be wise to listen to me if you value your life. I do not want to bruise another piece of merchandise if I could help it" he spat. The older woman i befriended urged me to listen and I quietly obeyed, wishing I were home, closing my eyes with embarrassment. What I didn't anticipate was the cold water that was thrown at us in buckets. I squeaked in surprise and held my body like everyone else in line. The water was to remove the dirt and smell that we had from the long journey I suppose. After a harsh scrub from the owner's servants as well as simple clothes that seemed greatly different that my own home, it seemed like we were fit to be sold to the high class that were stationed at the market. Again we were put into line, and told to be silent. My head was held down as one by one we were dragged to the makeshift stage bounded. I heard the man begin to talk to the large crowd of mostly men and a few women, pointing to a strong young man, probably describing how much he was worth. Many in the crowd raised the hands, betting against each other. The owner's sour face turned into bright glee as he saw how many people seemed to want this man. He eagerly made the young man turn in circles and even removed his clothes to show how healthy he was. From what I could see, he seemed to not mind being sold as long as it was to a wealthy family.
After a time, It was the older woman time to set up onto the stage. With a heartfelt squeeze of the hand she left me. I could only watch in horror as she was standing in defiance, glaring at the crowd. No one seemed to want to purchase her. The auctioneer hurriedly try to make a sale it seemed and even went as far as to tear the clothes from the woman to show her full body. A young couple who had a baby in their arms raised their hands and shouted an amount to the man who quickly accepted it. I could not believe this madness, and the horror of this country, my eyes threatened to again flow with tears. She embarrassedly gathered her clothing and walked off to couple. I felt a shove forward as it was my turn.
The few men had already been sold off, including the small boy, and I was the only woman left. They seemed to go by gender, and by age. My heart skipped several beats as I climbed the wooden steps and faced the crowd clutching my tunic. My feet immediately straighten with my posture as I always do in fear. Like a deer in front of death. The crowd from my view was filled with wealthy merchants, and families that were clothed in expensive and colorful robes. The women in the crowd, almost like goddesses with their beauty and jewelry but something about their cold stare took away from their loveliness. The men I saw, gave a hungry stare, which I tried to erase from my view. Their clothes were also elegant but give a certain strong atmosphere about them. Most of the men were also older, almost enough to be my father or even grandfather no younger like the soldiers that had brought me here. The owner began, hands striking up to the sky. I looked at each of the buyers trying to determine what they would use me for. A Wise Scholar with a kind face held up his hand and seemed to out buy a cruel looking man who stared only at my body. I secretly thanking him and hoped that I would work for him fetching scrolls. The owner, greedily shook his head and lunged for my wrist holding it over my head. The action confused me. "Twirl for this crowd child" he addressed me. I calmly turned and growled that I was not a child I should not be treated like this. he ignored my comment as more hands shot up. the man happily pointed to the bidders, trying to increase my price. He grabbed my face and held it out, pointing out my features, anything that could put more coins into his pocket. For a moment, his thick fingers hitched underneath my tunic's strap on my shoulder presumably to remove it. My mind immediately flared, and my hand struck out without thought. A sharp sound of my hand slapping his face resounded through out the market. The crowd was silenced as their hands feel from the air. A woman gasped, and a man shouted. The owner held his red cheek as the heat drained from my face. "YOU WENCH!" My native language barked at me. I backed up as he held his hand up to strike me. "10,000 Denarri For Her!" A Voice shouted. His hand stopped in mid air. Everyone faced the speaker, A beautiful woman stood alone in the crowd, having everyone around in back up. She was clothed in beautiful rich brown and beige silk dress, with her brown hair held up with a jeweled thread. Taking graceful strides she walked to the front, two other male servants trailing her. The owner, embarrassed wiped his raised hand on the front of his tunic. "You are from the royal palace, miss?" He asked still using my native language. "Yes, and I want to buy this girl. Do you accept?" my mouth could not help but open in shock. He crudely agree and she handed him a pouch immediately. With a snap, I felt a shove and quickly I walked off stage.
The next few hours seemed like a dream as I followed the woman and her servants to the streets to the grand palace of Caesar. It was like nothing I had seen before being from a small village in Cyprus. She directed me into one of the small servants kitchen and explained to me about what are my jobs and why I was bought. My duty was to retrieve water, clean the marble floors of the palace, buy ingredients for the cooks as well as stay out of the way of the royal family and diplomats. If I had any free time I was to report to her, being one of the higher head servants of the palace, to learn the foreign language that I had heard which was Latin. Once she was done explaining she showed me to the servant's sleeping quarters where I was to stay with the other female servants. Sitting down on the straw bed she asked me if I had any other questions.
"How is it that you speak my language?" She smiled sadly and lowered her head. "I once had a spouse that was also from Cyprus." I immediately apologized in embarrassment. She shook her head and said it couldn't me helped, leaving me to my thoughts. The sky turned a deep red as night was beginning. The sun had already set on my freedom, and tomorrow will be a day of servitude to the wise Caesar Marcus Aurelius.