Chapter 2
Bella's POV
10-Years-Old
Because I was stronger than most I worked the hardest. The constant sound of whipping and the screams of the young children made you sick to your stomach. But every time they whipped me. I did not weep, I did not show any indication they were causing me harm. In fact the more they did it the more anger I got. Fear shall give you no pity in this place, crying only satisfies you. The ring leader. Thrasaws, he was the one who shown a particular interests in my capability to work. He was the one who took pleasure to whipping me. But now today things were about to change.
"Isabella" he roared I turned my head away from the dirt I was digging to find him standing at the top of the mountain with his fat physique. I sighed and started to walk up the rocked hill. My feet burned as the sun came down on us making the rocks more hotter and more difficult to climb. Like a red hot poker was underneath hem but it did sometimes help to go quicker to get out of the rockier hills.
"Yes Thrasaw"
"Come" he walked away and I followed behind him like a lost dog. He had taken me to the village not from where we worked. The market stalls of shouting people entered my ear drums. I looked up and saw the females smiling down at the prying eyes of men teasing them as they went by.
"This is the one I was talking to you about" Thrasaw had put me forward to an old man, his robes shown he was neither from royalty nor for poverty. Middle class.
"She is a girl, the way you described the child I assumed it would be a boy"
"Trust me Derico, she is strong and will please you well"
The man eyed me wearily
"I'll give her a week's trial, if I'm happy with her I'll pay you then"
"Derico I have to have the money now I haveā¦"
"Shut up Thrasaw, she is a slave" he looked at me "But from her features I assume you'll have no fear of not getting paid, come with me"
I walked with him; Thrasaw undid the chains on my ankles
"Work hard slave" he warned
"And come back to you" I scoffed "Trust me I'll work hard"
He slapped my face
"THRASAW!" the man shouted "Do not touch my property"
"I belong to no one" I spat
Derico looked at me, no hint of anger in his eyes more like he was impressed my something
"Come along we have work to do" I walked with him "Tell me, what's your name?"
"Isabella Swan"
"And how long have you been working here" he stepped onto the carriage and indicated for me to hop on with him, this surprised me, the buyers usual made the slaves walk.
The carriage started moving and I continued with my story
"Since I was 7, I'm now 10"
"You act more like your older" he complimentedā¦I think
"Well my parents brought me up well"
"What of them? Where are they?"
"My mother is dead and my father is a gladiator, I still do not know if he is alive"
"Shame, well technically you shall follow in your father's footsteps if you fight well"
I raised my eyebrows at him, this was interesting, to follow in my fathers footsteps, I think that would make him proud to see that I was strong enough.
"How many shall I be expected to fight?"
"A lot of men, but people shall judge you because you're a girl"
"People judge anyway for who ever you are"
"Really" he said amused
"Really" I thought back to the story father told me "A built up man walks into the cage followed by a lanky man with nothing in particular about him, the guards shout to them one of you shall leave here alive. The built man smiled evilly at the lanky man showing no mercy at him. The man picked up his sword and charged at the lanky man with no hesitation. While he was doing this the lanky man saw his movements, saw which way he strike, the way he moved while he was attacking him. The lanky man, now knowing which way to kill this other man, took the opportunity to strike. The lanky man won that battle. The lesson is Cockiness and patience are two different things obviously, cockiness can get you some places, but patience can get you everywhere alive"
Derico looked at me and smiled
"You are one special, interesting little girl Isabella"
I nodded and the rest of the carriage ride was silent
*********************************
Derico and I entered his 'work camp' and I saw the man fighting. Some spotted me and started to talk. The grown men shown signs of confusion on their faces.
"Your not here" Derico whispered "Your in the children's quarters"
I nodded again and looked back at the place we had passed, I saw a man feeding a tiger some meat through the cage, odd.
The carriage had stopped and Derico had helped me off the carriage.
"Boys!" he shouted, the boys were playing with wooden swords and they all lined up when Derico shouted "We shall have another training session come along"
Derico had left and I was stood there watching the boys passed
"What are you doing here" a boy with blond hair asked
"To fight and if you dare laugh I'll punch your face"
He looked taken back but them smiled and walked away
"Right let us begin Isabella you and Draco are up first" Draco the boy who was being cocky to me before walked up to me smugly; Derico had laid some wooden swords on the ground for us. We picked it up and circled each other
"Hang on I'm not going to fight a girl" he complained
"Good then this should be fun" I hit his arm hard with the sword and he yelped in pain. I saw Derico shake his head and smirk.
Draco looked unhappy he charged at me and I blocked his attack my ducking down and then aiming the sword above his neck, indicating he would be dead
"Good" Derico complemented "Red"
Draco's shirt was painted red above his heart he looked at me unhappy and stalked off away from me; I saw the older generation come to watch us. Some of the men were a little taken back by my boldness to strike first.
The session had ended and my chest was painted yellow, indicated I was still alive. I sat by myself at the window taking in the black sky above us
"Your lucky today Isabella" Draco spat I turned to him
"If you want to keep that tongue Draco I suggest you get the hell out of my face right now"
He grumbled and I saw one boy smirk at him and make a comment. Draco hit him and lay down on his bed. And the boy who made a comment walked up to me
"Hey my names Brutus, great work on Draco today" he smiled, as did I
"Aren't you supposed to be sticking up for him?"
"No" he shook his head "I'm glad you brought him down a peg or two, sorry what's your name?" he stuck out his hand
"Isabella" I shook his hand
"Well Isabella this is the start of a beautiful friendship"
I smiled agreeing
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Twilighterheart xxxx
