Disclaimer: I do not own Red River. If I did I would have made it in to an anime by now...
My eyes fluttered open and I woke up to girls ranging in age staring at me. "Uh, hello?"
The girls just kept gawking at me, but what else was new right? Sighing I sat up and bounced where I sat. Seeing as I had no reason to bounce I looked around to find out just where I was. Last thing I remembered was feeling overheated then stumbling over to a nearby rock to sit in its shade when I abruptly ate dirt and...I couldn't remember anything else. My mind just kept coming up blank, how did I end up in a covered wagon of girls staring at me?
"Are you okay?" The smallest one who looked as young as a 3rd grader put her small hand to my forehead. "Hmm, you feel a bit cooler now but you should drink some water just in case." The girl handed me small flask of water and I noticed she was cute, with her dark blonde hair and big dark ocean blue eyes she looked like she could do commercials for kids' juice or something.
"Thanks. Um why do you all keep staring at me?" I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
"You're very different looking." The little girl put bluntly while the others blushed or averted their gazes.
"Ah." So, even with strangers I'm a freak of nature. I looked over the other girls and saw they were all very good-looking with long hair and pretty faces. Nothing ugly or strange about them, in their physical appearance anyway.
"So, do you know where we are?" I asked her.
The little girl pouted and looked upset for some reason, "My big sister says the fat Egyptian man is gonna sell us as slaves and that's why were in the cart and all tied up."
HUH? "Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up. The fat who is gonna sell what as slaves?" This nightmare was getting crazier by the second.
She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, "That man is gonna sell us!" she pointed to a large man in a loincloth looking skirt and a white cloth draped over his head. I fought the urge to puke out the water I just drank. God, when will fat old men learn to keep their clothes on!
"Erm, he knows slavery is illegal right?" She gave me a strange look.
"Since when?" She asked innocently.
"Since when? Like since a century ago, that's when!" I exclaimed.
"What is a century and which country did he capture you from?" A different women asked.
I looked at them dumbfounded, they didn't know what a century was and they were led to believe slavery was legal. "Okay then. Well, I don't know about you ladies but I've had enough of this crazy nightmare…so I'll be going now." I meant to stand up when another voice stopped me.
"If he catches you trying to escape he'll hurt you, badly." I snapped my head in the voices direction and found a young woman that had long brown hair and tan skin.
"And how do you know that fatty can run fast enough to hit me?" I asked. The youngest one giggled at my insult while the others whispered to each other about my disrespect. I rolled my eyes beyond tired with today.
"Fine, don't take my word for it." She sniffed and turned her back to me. Feeling irritated I almost didn't notice the tug near the small of my back and found the little girl giving me a solemn face.
"Big sister protected me today, and she got hit because she wouldn't tell the Egyptian man our names." The girl's big eyes flooded with large shiny tears but she wiped them away before they could slide down her face. Feeling my chest tighten with sympathy I sat back down and patted her back gently.
"Well my names Jade and what is your name, hmm?" I asked quietly.
The girl sat down and leaned against me to whisper, "My name is Aline Sasuni but everyone likes to call me Khajag because of my blue eyes and because I like to play outside and get dirty like a boy; instead of learning to be a beautiful lady like my mommy and big sisters."
"You have sisters?"
"Mmhm," she nodded, "Two of them and four older brothers."
"They must be worried about you, I bet there searching for you right now." I murmured reassuringly.
She shrugged, "Maybe. But I don't think so…I'm the youngest and a girl, so I'm not as needed like brothers or my eldest sister."
I frowned, that's not right. All children should be cared for and wanted. "Ah, that's right you said your sister was here and she protected you. Where is she?"
"The big man's servant tied her to the back of one of the camels and she's been walking all evening. I tried to give her water earlier when we stopped…but her mouth hurt too much to open." The tears she'd been holding back burst out suddenly. "Beautiful big sister Siranush probably hates me!" She cried.
"Shh, shh, shh, don't cry. I'm sure she doesn't hate you maybe a little angry but not hateful." I tried to comfort her but she just kept sobbing for the next hour and many of the other women glared at her for her loud crying but I just glared back. Finally a while later her sobs quieted to a low weeping and then soft sighs as she fell asleep against me. Every now and then she would whimper and call out her sister's name but eventually she fell into a deep enough sleep that I gently moved her off me and covered her with a nearby blanket.
"Do you still plan to leave even after all that?" One of them questioned me. I froze, was I really going to ditch them after all this?
Hardening my resolve I said, "No." The other woman looked smug and sympathetic all at the same time towards me, "I'm taking those two with me." I put simply.
Her mouth dropped open in utter amazement or outrage, whichever of the two and proceeded to sputter incoherently at me.
I ignored her and moved to the front of the wagon. Just where are we headed? The land was becoming sandier and there wasn't much to look at with hardly any vegetation and no huge city looming on the horizon. They said that an Egyptian man was planning to sell us as slaves and they don't know what a century was. On top of that everyone wore tunics or thin dresses with cloaks or shawls. Most wore white but a few wore colored clothing and heavy and chunky jewelry from what I've seen. Then the whole otherworldly feel, with the swords, spears, camels and stuff. I can only conclude that I was in some Amish Middle Eastern country, unlikely or I was somewhere near Egypt in the past, as in fire was recently discovered kind of past.
I felt my stomach lurch and clamped a hand over my mouth tightly so I wouldn't hurl. How the hell did I get stuck in the friggin' past? My mind turned round and round when the swirling water and a memory of Annabelle's hocus pocus popped up. Great she got me sucked in to a whirlpool of the past! God, why did this have to happen now? I banged my head repeatedly against the edge of the wagon, I was dimly aware of how the women nearest to me slowly inched away nervously.
I wasn't going to cry, I was not going to cry! But the traitorous tears rolled down my face and I let out a hiccupping sound. Inhaling a shaky breath I brushed the tears from my eyes and looked out at the passing scene again. The sky had lightened to hues of golden reds and oranges as the sun began to rise once more.
The wagon came to a jarring stop, as a nearby man with tan skin got off his camel and thrust a small basket of big raisin looking things and a flask of water towards one of the older ladies. "Eat up now; the master says you won't be gettin' food til we reach Khalab to restock." He smirked unkindly and marched away.
I frowned, what mean men these guys were. A pretty woman with long dark brown hair handed me a raisin looking thing, "What is this?"
"A date."
"A date?" I got confused, was he giving us food so one of us would go out with him? "I'm not going to associate with a guy who's rude and condescending to women and on top of that ugly and could use a seriously long bath."
It was her turn to give me a confused stare before a look of comprehension dawned on her heart shaped face. "No, this is a date." She held out the giant raisin, "It's a fruit you eat."
"You mean that raisin thing is edible?" I never liked raisins…
"Yes, see." She delicately bit in to one for an example then handed a few of them to me. I looked at them carefully and decided trying it couldn't hurt…unless I got an upset stomach from them. Warily biting one I was surprised by its sweet flavor. They had a subtle coconut flavor and they felt like chewing a piece of apple. I ate around its pit and finished the rest of the dates she had given me.
Wiping the bit of sweat off my forehead I then shed my cloak. "What type of clothes are those?" Aline questioned. She had woken up and had been quietly eating next to me when she noticed my school uniform. Aline reached out to touch my blazer ignoring her forgotten breakfast in front of her.
"Wow! I've never seen clothes like this." She tugged on my clothes looking at them this way and that. "Your home must be a strange place to have clothes like these! Where are you from?" She exclaimed excitedly.
Feeling many pairs of curious eyes upon me I contemplated whether or not I should tell her. The whole "could possibly change history" argument ran in circles around my head. Figuring it would be okay to give her the partial truth I said, "I'm from a very faraway place."
"Ohhh, like from across the sea kind of far?" her eyes seemed to shine with curiosity and awe.
"Errr, not exactly. I come from somewhere farther than that." 'Try a thousand years and across the Atlantic Ocean kind of far.'
"Then how did you get all the way here out in the desert?" Another girl asked.
"Uh, I was brought from my home to here but I don't really know why."
"What's your country's name?" Aline asked.
"Uh, it doesn't really have a name…" now I was lying, "Everyone just refers to it as home. Kinda silly huh?" I shrugged and gave her a tense smile to stifle her obvious puzzlement and delay any questions. She tried to ask me more but I gave her a look that said the subject was closed. Aline pouted for a bit afterwards but she accepted my silence without complaint and started to talk animatedly again about my uniform and all its strangeness.
The rest of the morning was mostly a quiet ride and by the time we stopped again the sun was way over head and it was awfully hot out. "I wonder if they fed that other girl." I heard someone whisper and I felt my irritation spike suddenly.
"She won't survive the weather if they don't." Another agreed. I turned in my seat to see who spoke but another woman drew my attention.
"I feel bad that she has this kind of punishment, but better her than us I suppose…" The young woman added. Fuming silently, I thought how could they just sit around talking about someone else's abuse and not want to do something, anything about it. If it were them they would be praying for someone to step up and do something. But I realized they were too worried about themselves to worry about someone else and for that I pitied them. I think it was time to have a talk with this girl. Steeling myself I grabbed what little left over dates and water we had and jumped out of the cart.
"What are you doing?" They whisper yelled at me.
Ignoring them I pulled my cloak over myself for some shade and to hide me from anyone who would see me. Peering around I saw the overweight slave peddler was currently relaxing under an erected tent with a few of the men I saw earlier fanning him, and if that wasn't enough he had a couple women serving him wine and food. Disgusting…
Moving on I spotted a few others wandering about but sticking close to where tubby was. The only other man I saw was standing near a camel and continuously glaring at a smaller slighter red linen draped figure. I smiled, that was easy.
Making sure to keep my eyes on the small gathering of slaves I moseyed over to the man with the camel and girl. I made sure I kept my bundle of food and drink hidden from view underneath my purple cloak before grabbing his attention. Clearing my throat I was startled when he quickly turned his head in my direction. "What do you want?" He snapped out.
"Um, your master wishes for you to take a break and wants me to watch her while you do." I tried to say it with as much confidence I could but his constant glaring was unnerving and the so called wish came out rather meekly.
He glared for a few moments more before grunting and striding away towards the group of men walking around. Quickly releasing a breath I kneeled next to the person sitting on the sandy floor. I looked to the figure sitting in the sand beside me. She had draped herself in a large scarlet piece of fabric from the top of her head to her toes vaguely resembling how I used my cloth as a cloak except she kept her face hidden from view too. "Uh, your sister Aline said you haven't eaten or drunk anything for the past day and…" I held out the small basket of dates and the flask of water.
The girl lifted her dark chocolate doe eyes to me suspiciously peering through the opening at the top of her shroud, "My sister Aline sent you?"
"Not exactly, she just kinda mentioned you and started crying and well, here I am." I shrugged my shoulders.
She reexamined me slowly before saying, "My name is Siranush."
"Siranush…My name is Jade, nice to meet you." I smiled and held out a hand for her to shake. Siranush just stared at it like she didn't know what to do with it. Thinking she probably didn't know what a handshake was or she just didn't want to touch me I withdrew my hand. I shifted from my uncomfortable crouch to sit on my knees near her. I scooted the dates and water over to her more and waited for her to eat.
Her brow wrinkled for a moment before smoothing out again, she seemed to make up her mind about me and decided to eat what I brought her. Siranush slid the bright red fabric that covered her head like a veil off her face and I had to smother the gasp that almost escaped me when I saw the light bruise at the corner of her mouth. It was a light purplish blue color and covered a small portion of her mouth and extended a bit out towards her cheek. I felt myself frown; she was really pretty too, with long loosely curled ebony hair, clear lightly tanned skin, soft facial features and a petite rounded body. She sort of reminded me of what an Arabian princess might look like.
"How old are you?" I was curious because she looked about my age.
She looked up from her small meal and answered, "I'll be fifteen summers old just before the star Tir-anna rises in the night sky a few days from now."
I felt as if a coconut had been dropped on my head, they didn't invent a normal calendar yet did they? So instead of years they went by seasons and stars…great.
"If no one sent you, why are you here?" She looked at me intently, like she was trying to see just what kind of person I was.
Shifting in my seat uncomfortably I answered, "I don't really know. I guess if I was the one out here I would want someone to come and give me something to eat and drink." I shrugged, "Your little sister's crying kind of made me more willing to come out here too."
"Aline was crying?" She asked quietly and stared at the fruit in her hands.
I nodded, "She's afraid you hate her now."
Siranush's head whipped up so fast I wondered how she didn't give herself whiplash. "I could never hate Aline!" She cried.
I didn't say anything, I never knew my siblings and had no idea how deep sibling affection ran, but I hope when I get back home and I was going home, I hope I could love my siblings as much as Siranush loves her little sister. My thoughts were halted when Siranush's voice asked, "Can you tell Aline something for me?"
"Uh, why don't you tell her?"
Siranush exhaled heavily, "As you are aware I'm a bit tied up right now." She held up her bound hands for me to see. I swallowed the cuss word that rose to my lips in anger. How did I not notice that? Muttering several curses under my breathe I dug in my pocket for my metal nail file. Gripping it tightly I hacked at the rope tied around the camel's middle til it snapped free before unwinding the rest of it twined around her slender wrists. That son of bee-otch had the audacity to tie her to the freakin' camel! Oh, if we were back in my time I'd have the cops all over him!
I watched as she rubbed her raw wrists trying to soothe the mild chafing. "What type of knife is that?" She pointed to the file in my hand openly.
"Not a very good one…" I muttered. Stowing it away before more questions were asked I jumped to my feet before holding out a hand to help her up. Siranush refused it and got to her feet herself, "I'm thankful that you freed me from my confines but Aswad will simply tie me up again."
Blinking I asked, "As-who?"
"Aswad, he is the merchant who sits in that tent over there and this is his caravan." She waved her arm over to where I saw the obese man and his harem earlier.
So all those women in the cart were being serious when they said he was the big boss around here and that he was planning to…my gaze swiveled back to Siranush. "Is that man really planning to sell us?" I was beyond outraged.
"As soon as we reach Petra in seven days he plans to sell us there." She said solemnly and watched as my face contorted with shock.
"Why do you seem so shocked? This is often the norm for captured women. Its best you don't fight your fate, you will only end up losing. Trust me I know from experience." She briefly touched the corner of her mouth before turning to look out at the horizon.
"I thought Karkemish would always be my home. I thought I would spend my days with my family and friends, that I would soon marry and have my first child there, I would have been able to have calm and lavish life in Karkemish…but it seems the gods have decided that a life of servitude in Egypt is the path my life should take." She ended morosely.
I was disappointed, whatever happened to "When life knocks you down get back up"? Did these women really have to just sit back and let this man…no, he can't be called a man he was more a thug than man. How could they let this thug just decide their choices for them? I opened my mouth to voice these thoughts when I had to bite my tongue again; this wasn't a time where women had rights like back home. This was an era where if a man told a woman to jump she had no choice but to do it or be punished. God, I hated this whole male chauvinistic attitude! Quickly formulating a plan I pretended to lose focus for a second.
"Hmmm, this presents a problem." I drummed my fingers against my cheek for a moment, "I thought I would be able to run away with you and your sister but if you're so adamant on staying…" I trailed off.
Siranush turned around to face me quickly, "You were planning to escape?" Her eyes were wide in astonishment.
"Well, I was planning to run since I woke up but you know, like you said I gotta accept my fate and all that." I waved my hand nonchalantly as if the whole thing was insignificant to me now before turning to look at her.
"But you just said you were planning to take Aline with you!" She hurried to my side and gripped my hand like a vise as her voice rose to a panicked pitch.
"Yeah, I felt sorry for the shorty but since we have no way of escaping maybe its best she just became a slave like the rest of us." I said calmly.
"No!" Siranush was almost hysterical now and I could see the unshed tears glazing her eyes, "I was talking about me! Only me! Please, if you can save Aline I would be able to accept this fate more easily knowing she was free!"
I frowned, "So I have to risk my life for your guilt. Is that what you're saying?"
"No! It's just that I don't want her to be ruined; I want her to be as much a child as she can! If she goes to Egypt they'll take everything from her! Everything! You've seen her! She is untouched and beautiful! Many men would pay to take that from her and I won't have it!" She cried.
"I still don't see-"
"Please! Please, I beg you! This is not about me but an innocent child! I don't care what may happen to me but if you can save Aline I will be eternally grateful to you!" The tears she had in her eyes finally slid down her flushed cheeks as her mouth trembled lightly and she sunk to her knees in front of me.
Rolling my eyes I said, "Fine, but like my plan from the beginning you're coming with me."
She looked up to stare at me for a moment before looking back down and nodding her head compliantly. I hid the victorious smile I had on my face by turning my head away from her as if annoyed. Like they say the more the merrier I guess, I wasn't about to abandon one let alone two girls younger than me and let them be eaten by the metaphorical wolves. I smiled again only this time it was a bit sad, 'Thank you dad for making me and mom act out your plays.' I let the thought resound in my head for a bit before I glanced in Aswads direction and saw one of the men separate from the group and begin to walk over to us.
"Hey wipe your face and get ready for some yelling."
"You're not planning to yell at them are you?" She asked nervously.
"Hmm, as much as I'd like to I won't. But I have the feeling they're going to do most of the screaming not me." I jerked my head in the approaching man's direction. I watched as she scrubbed her face free of tears and stood up calmly, her eyes were a bit red but there was nothing to do about that short of giving her eye drops…which I kept in my medicine cabinet back home. I felt gloom hit me like an elbow to the gut and had to mentally slap myself in order to keep me from bawling like an idiot out in the desert.
"The master wishes to see you two." He spoke without feeling and his eyes held a morose kind of submissiveness that made me shudder with loathing. I wasn't expecting this tone at all. Maybe some yelling or complaining but not a crushed spirit. I wondered if this is what happened to those without choices?
Siranush immediately moved to follow him as he beckoned with his hand in a comet hither gesture. But I waited for him to walk a few steps before I followed him. He led the both of us to the small tented shelter that Aswad rested in. The servant held out an arm in a stop motion as he walked forward and kneeled beside the slightly intoxicated merchant to whisper our arrival.
Aswad sat up a bit straighter in his carpeted and pillow covered seat, while two men fanned him continually even though they were flushed red and sweating enough to fill a bucketful. Even more outrageous was the handful of beautiful scantily clad women that happily entangled and strew their limbs over him, sporting smiles that were fit for the Cheshire cat. As if to say that we should be wishing we were half as lucky as them. I snorted in incredulity, not even if hell froze over…twice.
I felt my jaw tighten with annoyance as Aswad waved away the women fawning over him and gestured for us to step forward. Who the hell did he think he was? The freakin' sultan? My annoyance inched even higher when Siranush just pranced over to him and dropped to her knees before bowing so low her forehead touched the sandy floor. Siranush waved a frantic hand behind her back obviously trying to say that I should do the same. Taking the hint I walked over to them at a slower pace and curtsied while simultaneously trying to keep my eyes from rolling.
Aswad gave a lecherous grin, "Have you learned your lesson my pet?"
Siranush stayed in her bowing position and didn't even glance up to him when she answered, "Yes, my lord."
"Good, you may rejoin your sister." He replied before his round reddened face turned to look at me. I stiffened my spine trying to look unfazed but the pulsing in my neck said otherwise. I didn't like the way he watched me, like I was a hunk of prime meat and he was a starving man. I shifted uneasily where I stood and tried to keep my body covered as much as possible.
"It's baking in this deserts heat and you have the courage to brave such temperatures by covering yourself with a cloak." He guffawed with surprising sobriety, "I wonder how you'll fair in Egypt's sun?"
I said nothing to his attempt at teasing; I simply stood there with a blank face. I watched as his face crumpled in to a displeased scowl obviously used to women hanging on to his every word and enjoying his poor attempts at flirting.
"Remove that offending cloth girl." A wide and perverted smile spread across his face, "I wish to see what exactly I'll be selling to my loyal patrons."
Grossed out with the large elderly man's perverseness I said, "I want to keep it on if you don't mind."
He did mind, "Take the cloak off or I will have my men remove it and much more if you don't." He glared.
Narrowing my eyes I slid the cloak off to reveal my dusty and wrinkled uniform, "Happy?" I bit out.
Aswad pouted, either because he found me ugly which would be a huge relief to me or because I wasn't stubborn and he couldn't order his servants to undress me anymore. His expression went neutral and I watched as he traced my figure from the top of my head to the tips of my toes before repeating the process over again only this time stopping to pause on my more feminine features. Pulling down my skirt to cover my thighs more and crossing my arms tightly I watched his eyes swivel back up to examine my face and hair. I kept my stony expression pasted to my face until he concluded his inspection of me.
"You are an unusual looking girl, speaking of which how old are you?" He asked.
"I'm seventeen." I answered in a clipped tone.
"Hmmm, old enough to be a concubine." He murmured, "Though she's different looking, with such a small body I wonder if anyone would be willing to have her even with the average price of concubines?" He said to no one in particular.
Concubine? What the heck is a concubine I wondered? He continued talking to himself comparing all of the things he noted about me while I went through all of the words that I knew started with the letter C and their definitions. The clearing of a throat snapped me out of my word listing and I refocused my attention back to the man who was avidly staring at me again.
I narrowed my eyes at him, "Look I think we got off on the wrong foot here. You see, I was wandering the desert looking for someone to help me and you did in a sort of roundabout way…and I 'm thankful for that. But what'dya say about letting me, my new friend and her sister go on our merry way, hmm?"
His expression went stormy, "I see that not only are you foreign but you are also unfamiliar with slave merchants and how they conduct their business."
He sat back in a relaxed position before he threaded his fingers together and rested them atop his round belly, "You are my property now and I can do whatever I want with you. You'd best wipe all thoughts of escaping me from your mind or I'll have one of my guards tie you to the back of their camel and let him drag you through the desert without food and drink until we reach Khalab." He smiled wickedly, "This is the least awful of the many punishments I can give you."
My mouth went dry and my palms went slick with sweat as my heartbeat picked up speed. He was serious; he really would have one of them drag me through the desert. Biting my lips to keep from crying out all the unfairness of it all I settled for just giving him a look of venomous hate.
"Hate me if you must my dear but you still belong to me." He grinned cruelly whilst he motioned for a small group of men to come over to us, "You will escort this young woman and her beautiful companion back to the cart and stay there to guard them and if they try to run at any time…kill the honey haired child."
I heard Siranush take a sharp intake of air before stifling a cry of despair. I could see my plans of escape slip down the drain. There was no way Siranush would risk the safety of her sister's life now, even if risking it meant giving Aline her freedom. I clenched my hands in anger and felt tears burn at the back of my eyes; I had failed that little girl and her sister. But then how could I help them if I couldn't even help myself? I mean if I were home I could just dial nine- one- one on this creep but I was stuck in some ancient desert with no one but myself to rely on. Mustering as much determination I could, I knew I had to find a way to get out of this situation and fast, or else I was gonna end up slave just like those other girls. But then a set of large deep blue eyes came to my mind's eye and I knew I couldn't just leave them to their fate. Sucking in a steadying breath I resolved to find another way to help them but I just didn't know how yet.
"You may go." Aswad waved his hand in a dismissive manner as Siranush jumped to her feet and eagerly followed the men that would escort her to her young sibling. I on the other hand stared in disgust towards the overstuffed slave driver for a few seconds before making an abrupt about face and striding after the small entourage.
"Sister!" As soon as we stepped in to the cart Aline leaped in to Siranush's slender arms. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I should have said my name! I'm sorry for being stubborn big sister, I'm so sorry!"
Siranush simply brushed back Aline's dark blonde locks and shushed her quietly saying things like how it wasn't her fault or she shouldn't apologize for something so silly. I watched the pair of them thoughtfully, I've never seen two people care for one another so deeply before. So deeply that they were willing to apologize readily and sacrifice for one another.
"Thank you for bringing my sister back to me Jade." Aline wrapped her small frame around my middle and I patted her back hesitantly.
"It was nothing, so don't worry about it." I said.
Siranush snorted loudly, which had me reeling. She didn't look like someone who snorted or made any type of offending sound to be honest. "You should have seen her defy Aswad in front of his servants and concubines. I thought he would have had her tied up to a camel as soon as she refused to bow to him."
Many of the women murmured amongst themselves alarmed that I was so blatantly disrespectful. "He must've had a hard time restraining himself." I heard a woman say.
"No, he was slightly drunk so he must've not cared." Siranush answered.
"Ah, but not so drunk that he was able to order you an escort back to the cart." Another sneered unhappily.
"Yes well, Jade made her thoughts about him alarmingly clear and in retaliation he assigned more guards to us."
"So much for escaping, hmm?" A woman in her early twenties mocked.
"Hey, I wasn't about to just sit there and let him decide I was going to be someone's slave!"
"Well you're going to have to because from what I gathered from his concubines, is that if you push him enough he'll kill you." Siranush replied.
"I kinda figured that…" I retorted.
"Good. Now just be an obedient child and don't cause any trouble." The older woman stated bluntly.
"Don't worry I won't." I muttered darkly.
How was I supposed to get away when I was being watched like a tiger watches the zoo tourists. It seems I had a dilemma on my hands that could only be solved by intense brain storming. Moving to sit at the back of the cart, I sat myself crossed leg and shut my eyes trying to let the ideas flow freely throughout my mind.
Six and a half days later…
I tugged my wrists against their prison experimentally, jeez they really tied me up tight. I had tried to pull every plan I could think of off in hopes of running away. My so called plans went from faking a bad case of food poisoning to outright running. Each and every one was thwarted before I could really do anything.
Take my food poisoning scenario for example; I had pretended to eat what the servant had brought us three days ago by secretly giving it to Aline and Siranush. They had refused to take it at first mostly because we hadn't eaten til we arrived in Khalab as Aswad promised but after insisting numerously they took what I offered. Later in the day I had faked stomach cramps and covered myself with as many cloths I could find, which in turn made me sweaty and red, so the only pretending I had to do was fake shiver and hold my aching stomach. Aswad was called over to see me after a couple of the women tried to soothe me and make me feel better to no avail. But then the bastard had the nerve to simply say if eating made me sick I wouldn't be allowed to eat at all! 'Sigh' I'd probably be dead from starvation now if it weren't for the women's pity of me, they shared some of their food with me when the guards weren't constantly watching. Then my entire distract and dash plan was stopped before I could even get five steps away! The stupid ape body guards heaved me none to gently in to their arms and threw me back in to the cart! And even worse was when the other ladies mocked me and said I should just give up!
So, I ran out of ideas and Aswad used up the last of his patience. He had them tie my hands together then bind the other women's appendages so he could create some sort of rope chain as my punishment. I sighed, they weren't too happy about that…
Aline reached up to scratch the side of her head and I felt the rope bite into my skin uncomfortably. I leaned against the small wagon's wall that some of us had been transferred to. The sun was way overhead I could only guess it was around noon. Hugging my back pack that I had come across in one of the large sacks Aswad kept for storage, closer to me I pulled my dusty and a bit frayed cloak over me more to keep my white skin from being sunburned. I yawned and I felt my stomach twinge a bit in hunger, though the women were kind enough to share their food with me I could hardly call their shared rations a meal. Heck even their meal wasn't even a meal! I shook my head disappointed with the society I was currently stuck in. Didn't they realize that if people were free from servitude and degradation that their civilization would be better off in the long run? With thoughts of my own home and all its wonderful freedom filling my head the slow pace of the wagons progress lulled me in to a dreamless sleep.
A sudden bang and a sharp jarring motion was all the warning I got before my eyes flew open to see large darkly tanned hands roughly haul me out of the cart and push me on to my unsteady feet. Stumbling in the bright sunlight I blinked rapidly to clear my vision. When I was refocused my eyes immediately fell upon a massive stone structure and people dressed in cloaks and tunics roving about in a sea of large tents where merchants traded goods. I stared in amazement, ignoring the tug of the bindings around my wrists.
"Get moving! The master doesn't like to wait for his gold!" The giant of a man that hauled us around earlier shoved me in the direction of the market. Taking the not so subtle hint I stopped staring and followed my companions into the tented city. We were lead passed many stone buildings and I wondered if we were going to be lead inside one of them. I was so busy looking every which way I didn't notice the man had lead us to a somewhat crowded plaza looking place until I walked in to a woman's back. He tied and left us standing near a raised platform while he walked over to a close by tent.
Just as I was about to reach for my nail file the tents opening was brushed aside and Aswad stepped out, cool, relaxed and dressed in what I would call his Sunday best.
"Well, let's start the trade off with her." Aswad waved a hand to a nearby brunette in her early twenties. I watched as her face paled and her mouth trembled when two burly men cut her free from our rope chain and practically dragged her on to the raised platform.
Aswad made his way on to the makeshift stage and the crowd immediately focused most of their attention on him. "Welcome gentlemen! I thank you for coming to see my humble business and hope my beautiful and foreign wares please you greatly, so without further ado I bring you Belit of Karatepe!"
The woman whom they dragged up there earlier was pushed forward in nothing but a long sheer tunic and the rope that was still tied around her hands. I felt pity well up in my chest for a moment before I pushed it away; she was after all one of the women who accepted her fate. I watched as many different men in the crowd called out prices and leered at her. Appalled with what was happening I shut my eyes and tried my best to ignore what was happening.
The time I spent standing in the lineup of soon to be slaves went unbearably slow, I would have cut myself and the others free but the bouncer like men that guarded us made me rethink my course of action. But deep down I knew it was more than just being wary of big muscular men, I was afraid. I was scared of what would happen once I got free. Those women at least knew how this world worked and knew how to get back home but I…I knew nothing at all here. I wouldn't be surprised if I died out in the desert within a week. I had no one to help me and everyone I met so far has either wanted to kill me, sell me or just didn't like me. The only person whom I have met that didn't fit in to any of those categories was Aline and maybe her sister. The harsh tug of the rope snapped me out of my wallowing and I looked up to see a stone faced man tugging me in the direction of the stage along with few other girls. Aw, crap…
Petra's Market
Kafele moved through the crowd easily with his mistress and her daughter in tow. He had been badgered by the both of them for weeks asking him to accompany them on a trip to Petra for some new trinkets. They wanted to go mostly because a good number of trades in Egypt were slow and newer wares were having a harder time finding their way there. He sighed, what was this dynasty coming to?
He watched as they examined a merchant's booth of fine dresses. Lady Khepri was a tall woman but not overly so, with short wavy black hair and a thin frame, he moved on to examine her mature features and concluded that in her early forties she looked quite well for her age. His eyes turned to see Lady Neema hold a sheer dress up to her chest. She looked a lot like her mother only much younger and with long sandy blonde hair pinned up in a bun.
"Kafele which do you think would suit Mandisa more, hm?" His mistress lady Khepri spoke. He watched as she compared the white linen dresses seriously but they looked identical to him. Giving an imperceptible shake of his head he pointed to the one she held in her right hand.
"That dress will do fine." He answered.
"Oh? Well what makes you think so?" She asked.
He felt emasculated suddenly; "Uh, it is…that…uhm…"He looked for a quick distraction but found none while Khephri waited for his answer patiently.
Feeling unbearably sweaty all of a sudden he finally said, "Speaking of dresses aren't we supposed to find Lady Nefert a new shawl to go with her latest dress?"
Lady Khepri frowned, "Yes, but no matter what baubles we've gifted her with so far has been able to snap her out of her melancholy." She sighed dramatically, "If only she would see a few suitors I'm sure she would forget all about that Hittite man."
"I doubt it's that simple mother." Neema tossed the dress back on to the table gently and added, "She's been such a poop, staying inside most of the day and not even going in to town except for the visits we pay to the temple. We've all tried to get her back to her old self but she's much quieter and somber these days…Plus brother User hasn't come home for a couple months and were all convinced that he has a lot more to do with this than we thought."
"Well, that does make sense seeing how prejudice he is with foreigners. I just simply thought his announcement of acceptance towards Nefert's decision stemmed from his brotherly desire to see his sister wed and out of his hair."
Lady Neema sniffed indifferently, "He's the one who should be married or have a few concubines at least. Him too, all in a twist because of that Hittite girl." She muttered.
"Yes, well on to lighter things my ladies." Kefele interrupted before the conversation could go any further, "I think small lady Mandisa would look striking in this dress." He held up a crimson pleated halter dress up for inspection.
"You know Kefele, I think your right." Khepri purchased the dress and moved on to another booth of clothing. Finding nothing she liked they kept moving on to every booth that catered to women and made a few more purchases before coming to a halt when they ran in to a large crowd.
"What in Amun Ra's name is going on?" Neema cried out in interest.
The crowd jostled the trio as they made their way through the throng of people. "Perhaps a merchant is having a sale?" Kefele guessed.
Neema pouted, what sort of sale could have attracted so many people? She felt her curiosity peak and when a rather robust man accidently stepped on the edge of her dress she thought it wise to see what all the excitement was about before someone stepped on her.
"Excuse me, but would you please tell me what you're all so determined to see here?" She gestured to the crowd of people, which she then noticed was mostly made up of men.
"Were bidding for slaves." He explained with a reddened and sweaty face.
She lifted a brow, what sort of slaves were they selling that all these men were…then it hit her. The slaves were most likely women and beautiful if they were this riled up about them. She was even more interested to see what was going on now that she knew they were selling attractive women.
"Mother let's move to the front." Neema grabbed her mother's hand and waved her other to signal Kefele to follow.
The small group wandered to the front of a wooden raised platform and saw women of various ages being brought up to the stage. Some were dressed as if they were ready for a man's bed chamber while others were dressed in ragged and dusty clothes. She watched as many men bought the ones obviously meant to be concubines for high prices quickly while the other younger and less attractive ones were bought for less and at a slower pace.
She was starting to feel utterly bored and was about to leave with her mother in tow when a small commotion on stage earned her attention. A small girl about as young as her littlest sister was crying and clinging to two older girls. The child was fair-haired and slim and dressed in a simple white tunic while her older counter parts were clothed in cloaks concealing their features. She was curious when she saw one of them wore a violet cloak, noble slaves were uncommon in the trade.
Then when some large man who was meant as guard for the merchant tried to pry her away from them, the one wearing purple kicked him where men did not like to be kicked. Laughing with some of the crowd as the bigger man fell to his knees holding his more sensitive parts her laugh cut off abruptly when another guard tried to grab the girl who hurt his associate.
She watched as the girl readily defended herself by punching the man square in the jaw. The man staggered backwards but was otherwise fine from what she could see. It was then the merchant stepped in by grabbing the girl in a choke hold and she watched as she struggled with him by kicking her legs and frantically trying to pry his arms off of her all the whilst tied up. She heard many men call out encouragement to the slave dealer, for him to subdue her and the like.
The girl slumped in his arms after a couple minutes of struggling. She mostly likely lost consciousness before he loosened his hold and her cloak fell away to reveal a young woman with shiny loose coils of deep red hair and pale skin as white as linen. And if that wasn't enough she was dressed so strangely too, but she was too far away to see exactly what the garments were. She took note of how the crowd murmured in astonishment. They like she had never seen anyone with red hair before.
The girl stirred and then bolted upright for everyone to see huge green eyes like emeralds peer at them defiantly. Neema was beginning to like this girl. She watched as the slave trader pulled her to her feet was about to escort her off of the platform when Neema yelled out, "How much for the red haired slave?"
"Lady Neema! What are you doing?" Kefele hissed, stunned with her outburst.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm purchasing her of course." Neema shrugged.
Kefele's jaw dropped open, "Why that particular slave? Why do you even need another slave?"
"Kefele's right dear. What would you want with a servant like that? You've just seen her defy those men…besides you have plenty of maids that attend you back home." Khepri spoke gently, trying to dissuade her daughter.
"Well, I'm sorry to inform you that two of my maids are expecting and have been put on a lengthy bed rest, so they won't be serving me for a few months and another has injured herself on an errand she had been doing for me. I thought my head maid Thema told you all this?"
She looked back at the merchant to see him debating on what to say to her. She heard Kefele give a heavy sigh and, "I still don't see why you want this one…"
"How much for the red haired slave?" I heard someone shout. I scanned the crowd infuriated that someone had the guts to ask for a price on another human being. Especially after the drama that just occurred less than twenty minutes ago!
We had been shoved up on to the improvised stage earlier and Aswad had an auction of sorts with men crying out prices for each woman that went on display. Eventually she was sold to the highest bidder and carried off like a Coach purse on a shopaholic's pay day. It wasn't until half of the girls were sold when Aswad tried to sell Aline. She started to cry hysterically, clinging to Siranush and me begging for us to do something. It was then I finally snapped, I kicked the man that tried to grab Aline straight in the crotch and felt an odd combination of guilt and satisfaction as I watched him grunt in pain and hit the ground holding himself. It was then his pal tried to grab me when I tried to punch him in the face with my tied hands. I aimed for the nose hoping to break it but I found he was too tall for me to reach and I ended up punching his chin instead.
That's where fatty decided he'd had enough and tried to suffocate me by giving me a head lock. I tried to escape it but he was surprisingly stronger than I was and hardly out of breath unlike me. I think I must've passed out for a minute because the next second I woke up Aswad was herding me off stage like a dog on a leash or a poorly behaved child when someone shouted for a price on me!
Aswad paused and he made an uncertain face, like he was actually considering to sell me! I was outraged and opened my mouth to tell whoever that planned to buy me to go to hell when a young woman walked on to the stage.
She was pretty with tanned skin and sandy blonde hair pinned up with some strands falling to frame her exotic face. She wore a strapless gown that was sheer enough that you could see most of her curves but not so sheer that there was nothing left for the imagination. "Well? Are you going to let me buy her or not?" She questioned.
My mouth fell open; I thought it was some perv that wanted to buy me not a lady! Aswad gave me a once over before saying, "She's not for sale. Besides she wouldn't compliment any of the slaves you already have. She's rude, defiant, unattractive and an overall pain to deal with. Anyways, I plan to break her myself." He gave an impish grin and I felt like throwing up my meager breakfast all over his nice dress.
The woman folded her arms and replied, "I've dealt with worse and I think I can handle her just fine."
I rolled my eyes, what the heck did this woman want from me? I looked at her trying to figure it out but my mind came up with nothing. The only thing I could think of was that she needed another yes person. You know someone who compliments you all the time even when you look like crap.
"Why don't we speak about this in my tent, hm?" Aswad shoved me back towards the small group of women on stage as he led the other woman to the tent he emerged from earlier.
The crowd was busy talking amongst themselves and some men were even complaining that they wanted the slave sale to start up again. Letting out a long breath I ignored their idle chatter and walked back over to a crying Aline. As soon as I was within her range she ran up to me and dove under my arms so that when she stood back up they were encircling her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you Jade!" She sobbed in to my middle. I looked over to Siranush to see her face was blotched with tears and her lips tightly compressed to hold in any sobs that might have escaped. She caught my staring and nodded to me in a grateful manner and I could only smile sadly back.
I walked a still terrified Aline back over to her sister and sat next to her trying to reassure her that I was perfectly fine…except for my bruised knuckles but I wasn't going to tell her that. It was a few minutes before Aswad appeared with the woman again. He looked a bit steamed but he also had a somewhat satisfied air about him and I knew why when I caught a glimpse of what was in his hand. It seems that Aswad made quite a profit off of me if the small but fat red bag in hand was any indication.
The woman walked up to me and smiled happily, "Hello, my name is Neema. What's yours?"
I pursed my lips then frowned; well, at least it was better than being sold to an old pervert. I went completely still when I felt Aline tug on my uniforms skirt and I felt my chest tighten with an emotion I quite couldn't explain when she looked up at me with big solemn blue eyes. Her sister tried to pry her small fingers off of my skirt when I heard the woman Neema announce, "Are these three sisters?"
Aswad looked away from the pouch he was exploring in his hand and said, "The dark haired one and the blonde are sisters but I have no idea why they're so attached to the other."
I watched the woman Neema frown for a moment before she smiled brightly and said, "Okay! I'll take all three!"
Siranush's hands immediately fell to her sides and her face paled while Aline happily buried her face in to my blazer and clung even tighter to me. Holy crap! Did that woman just do what I think she did? The woman reached back in to a small satchel she wore about her waist and emptied a small handful of silver pieces in to Aswad's hand.
"That should cover it I think." She said.
Aswad merely nodded and snapped his fingers for a couple of men to link the three of us together again and hand her the rope. I scowled at Aswad as he happily counted his money and I was led off the stage into the crowd of people.
"I hope the money is worth it Lady Neema." A tall and tan man with dark hair cut in a short bob and a sharp featured face eyed the three of us critically. He was dressed in a sheer t-shirt like top, a white linen waist wrap and had what looked like woven peep toe sandals on his feet.
"Let us leave before Neema decides to buy the whole market Kefele." An older woman beside him joked. She had short wavy hair also cut in a bob style and wore a pleated gown of white linen and wore a yellow cloth draped over her most likely to shade her from the sun.
"Don't worry mother I think we got everything we've come for." My new owner smiled. I really hope she paid through her teeth for me. But seeing how she could afford three of us I was probably sold for cheap; like a couple hundred bucks cheap, and that made me a bit uncomfortable.
"Well c'mon." She tugged our rope to lead us in whichever direction she was going and I shuffled my feet forward, too tired to argue with her. Perhaps tomorrow we could make an escape…
So we see more of Jade's tougher side...hopefully I made her realistic enough that she comes off as strong but she's really sacred deep down. She's only acting like she's a strong person cause thats the only choice she has right now.
Thank you Azure Ryukiba and biancalvesdbz1 for your reviews they made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! ^-^ Again thank you!
Please review if you like my story! I'm desperate! Nah, just playing! But seriously…please review, constructive criticism and compliments are always helpful!