Disclaimer: I don't own D Wizards of the Coasts does. This warning goes for all chapters of this fic. The characters, though, are my own. This is my first fic, so...be nice, please? Don't flame me too hard, okay? Oh, and tell me if the italics come out. For example, are his thoughts italicized?
"NUMBAH TWENNY-SIX: STRONG HUMAN MALE, ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE. MAKE AN EXCELLENT LABORER, JES LOOKIT THOSE MUSCLES..."
Riko grimaced as he passed by the auctioneer, leading his mare Makia by her reins. Men waved frantically, bobbing up and down, shouting out sums of money. Even after several journeys through Mordikan, he still had not grown used to the idea of slavery. It sickened him; how could anyone treat another person like...an animal, or even worse, an object?!
The first time he had visited this city-state, he was still traveling with Camir. He had been sick after seeing a nine-year-old torn from her mother's arms, screaming.
Camir had helped him out of the alleyway, squeezing his shoulder. "It's a disgusting practice, boy, but there's nothing we can do. Not now, at least." The man had lowered his voice to a whisper. "The Golden Rose is secretly active in this city. We may well assist some slaves in their escape before we leave." And sure enough, they had left with three disguised escapees. Since then, Riko had always made a point to help at least one or two slaves to freedom whenever he visited the city.
"SOLD!" bellowed the auctioneer. Riko heaved a sigh. "TH' NEXT ONE...WELL, SHE'S SOMETHIN' VER' SPECIAL." His voice fell so that Riko could barely hear him. Despite himself, Riko turned back to look. "'ve nevah had wun quite like her," the man went on in a conspiratorial voice. "An' I doubt enny of ye've had wun o' her...kind. Quite feisty...ver' feisty, actu'ly, we've hadda keep her inna cage, afeared she'd try t' attack ye, gennelmen..." He winked at the crowd and motioned behind him. Two men staggered onto the platform clutching a covered box. The crowd oohed appreciatively. Riko guessed (correctly) that the cage was only for show.
"I PRESENT T' YE," roared the man, whipping off the cloth melodramatically, "NUMBAH TWENNY-SEVVIN: DROW ELF FEMALE!"
Instantly a silence fell across the throng of men as they stared at the creature imprisoned in the cage. Riko, too, stared in disbelief. How? he wondered. How on earth did he get a drow? And a female one no less!
The woman was kneeling, clenching the bars of the cage and shaking them futilely, grinding her teeth with fury. "Ye won't get out that way!" laughed the auctioneer, and a few in the crowd laughed with him; most were too shocked to respond. The drow laboriously pulled herself to her feet, still clutching the bars for support, and turned to stare at the man.
She was tall for an elf, especially for the small drow, almost the height of an average human woman. Thick, short-cropped hair barely brushed shoulders as black as the hair was white. Ruby-red eyes glared hatred at her captor from a face dominated by a proud, hawk-like nose. Long-legged and lithe, she was slender yet strong, with an exotic beauty that shone through the haggardness and the grime.
Her face contorted into a snarl. She spat into the auctioneer's face. The man's hands shot forward and shook the bars. She let go in surprise, wavered a bit, before her legs folded beneath her and she fell to the ground.
Riko frowned. That fall...there was something wrong about it...it was definitely faked...
Even as the drow struggled up into a sitting position, the auctioneer whipped out a mirror, allowing the rays of the afternoon sun to reflect back into her eyes. She squealed, clutching her eyes and falling back in pain. The men began to laugh.
"So ye see, ye can tame her!" shouted the auctioneer, and the laughter rose. Tension drained away, and bidding began.
Riko realized he was clenching his fists. She is drow! he tried to tell himself, She's an evil creature who would probably like to see us all tortured and killed! The drow pulled herself up into a crouch and began screaming curses at the mob in her own language. Drow own slaves, too! I bet she's bought, sold, and abused many innocents herself! This is a just punishment! The auctioneer waved the mirror at her threateningly, and she flinched away, shielding her eyes. Laughing harder at the sight, men shouted higher sums of money. The drow curled up into a fetal position, clutching her knees tightly, rocking back and forth and shaking with sobs. No matter what he told himself, Riko could not force himself to hate her; instead he stood staring at the spectacle, pitying the drow and her broken pride.
"SOLD!" The auctioneer motioned once more to his assistants, who came forward with manacles. He reached forward and unlocked the cage, to grab the drow and drag her out. One assistant fastened a pair of manacles around her wrists as the other bent to fasten her ankles.
"No, wait!" called the man who had bought her. "Leave her feet free!" He hurried up to the platform.
"Are you sure about that?" asked the auctioneer, frowning. "She may well try to run for it."
"Yes, I'm quite sure," replied the man firmly, grasping her arms and pulling her roughly after him. "I know how to handle slaves quite well...I often buy spirited ones, they often make the best slaves..." His voice took on a sickening tone, and he leered appreciatively at his sullen property.
The auction continued, but Riko followed the drow and her master with his eyes. The pair marched over to where horses and people were tied in lines, surrounded by guards, a short distance from where he stood. Assisted by his guards, the man forced the drow onto his horse and hastily climbed up behind her. One of the guards took the end of the chain to which three other people were bound. The man clucked his tongue at the horse, and began to leave the square at a walk. Without thinking, Riko followed the small group slowly, spellbound, Makia trailing behind.
The drow twisted around and looped her arms over the man's head and around his shoulders. Riko could just make out a seductive smile. The man chuckled gleefully.
Abruptly the chuckle was cut off as she pulled her wrists tight around his neck, strangling him with the chain binding her wrists together. The guards froze, then began to rush to their master's rescue, but the drow tightened the strangleholds and motioned them back with her head. Cautiously they inched backward. Riko began to walk faster.
Just as the man was turning purple, the drow suddenly untwisted the chain, whipped her arms over his head once more and shoved him off the horse. Startled by the great weight sliding of its back, the horse reared, and the drow clutched frantically at the horse's neck. The guards stumbled back a few steps, out of the range of the kicking hooves, even as the drow booted it in the sides over and over in a desperate attempt to make the animal move. With a nervous whinny, the horse came down on all fours and bolted, the drow clinging precariously to its back.
Riko froze, staring after the disappearing horse. After a split-second's hesitation, he swung up onto Makia's back, kicking her into a gallop. After that horse, Makia! Catch up to it! Makia snorted willingly, her hooves pounding against the cobblestone streets. What am I doing? he wondered as they sped after the bolting horse. Why am I doing this? He leaned forward, squinting as he hunted for his quarry.
There! A short distance away, a horse barreled down the street, snorting furiously, civilians screaming as they dove out of the way. He could just make out a small dark figure flat against its back. Slowly they gained on the runaway, until the Makia was almost running head to head with the other horse. The drow had not noticed her pursuer; her eyes were squeezed shut in terror. Riko reached out and grabbed the reins with one hand, jerking the horse to a sudden stop. Its rider nearly let go in surprise, and Riko leaned over and seized her around the waist. Ignoring her struggles, Riko lifted her off the horse and sat her firmly in front of him. With a snap of the reins, Riko booted Makia into a charge.
They flew towards the city gates. The drow had ceased to try to shove him off, concentrating instead on holding on, closing her eyes once more. Riko narrowed his eyes, searching for their destination.
The city gates are always open in the daytime to let traders go in and out. If we make it to the gates, we should be okay. If I can just convince people to get out of the way... He smiled grimly. Makia, go faster, he urged silently. Go crazy, bolt, just move forward as fast as you can...His horse stretched herself out, legs churning furiously, pummeling down the street like a nightmare from the abyss.
As they neared the gates, he let go of the reins and waved his arms frantically, yelling, "HORSE GONE CRAZY!! LOOK OUT!!" Bystanders shrieked, wagons swerved, traders stumbled hastily out of the way. Almost magically a path cleared before them, and they sped out of Mordikan and into the countryside.
So, was that too horrible? I'll build up the characters next chapter, but for now, how's this chapter for a start? I hope you liked it! ï