Nearly a dozen women stood before Frodo. All were beautiful in their own way, but each held a haunted look in their eyes. Would he choose them, would he treat them nice, would he beat them, sell them, kiss them, or merely ride them once and kill them? Some were human, most were elves, there were a handful of orcs and dwarves, and only one hobbit. She stood nearly in the center, her ragged red hair catching Frodo's eye immediately. Her green eyes sparkled for him, hoping. She was thin, as they all were her feet bald like Rashelle when he bought her. She was young, but there was an exotic appearance to her that youth didn't explain. The highness of her cheekbones, the slant to those vivid eyes. She was thin but still shapely; fluidity seemed to grace every breath she took every nervous shift of her body. Stoneblu bent down to whisper in Frodo's ear.
"Ah, good choice, she was born and bred in our caravan. Her father was an elf, her mother a hobbit. She's still, what you people call it, in her Tweens? She's not a virgin if that's what you're looking for, but trust me, she's a saint under the sheets." Frodo felt his blood boil. The villain thought he was looking for a toy! "Do we have a trade or would you like to try our first?"
"No," Frodo snapped and he saw the light go out of the halfblood's eyes. He couldn't leave this child to some monster, which might buy her later. "No, no trade, but I would buy the halfblood," Stoneblu stood up, looking trouble.
"Oh, I don't know, she's experienced. A fair trade for you silvertoes but alone, ouch. She's expensive. She's like I said, experienced, a favorite among my patrons, and a favorite of mine, I"
Frodo interrupted him, pulling out a bag of gold and dropping it at Stoneblu's feet. "Nearly a hundred pieces, dragon's gold, more than triple what she's worth," Frodo saw the halfblood cringe at his tone. He would make it up to her later, but if he showed any weakness Stoneblu would worm every gold silver and copper piece out of him. Stoneblu greedily scooped up the bag and took put a gold piece. He examined it with a professional eye and licked its surface and gagged. Dragon's gold was unnaturally thin and had sulfuric traces on it from being squeezed under the great worms' bodies. Stoneblu grinned, as the money was true.
"We have a deal, but are you sure you wouldn't want to trade, it'd be cheaper on your part,"
Frodo raised an eyebrow at Stoneblu as a man carried a contracted and quill out. Cheaper? Whoever wanted Rashelle was forking out a lot of money, but obviously not enough or Stoneblu would never have accepted Frodo's.
"No, no trade," Frodo said and took the quill, signing his name on the contract.
With that done Frodo held out his hand to the halfblood. She placed her dirty hand in his as the rest of the women were herded back into the caravan and Stoneblu hopped into the driver's seat. He gave Frodo a merry wave and cracked a whip, causing the horses to rear and whinny. Frodo waved and gave a grimacing smile.
"Come on, lets get you inside," Frodo sighed and began to the green round door.
"Mr. Frodo, who . . .?" Sam shook his head; "You didn't master,"
"I had too, Sam," Frodo sighed and let the lass go inside and then closed the door. Sam peered out the round window, watching the caravan ride away.
"So, what's your name?" Frodo asked as he turned around. Sam made a choking noise when he turned as well.
The young halfling had stripped, leaving her naked in the hall. She obviously had the wrong idea why she was bought.
"We have no names, Master, since we are to be sold anyway," She looked from Frodo to Sam with her glittering eyes. "Shall I start with you or your friend?"
Sam shook his head and began to unbutton his shirt to cover the girl, but she mistook the action. She walked up to Sam closing the gap quickly and pressed her bare body against his, capturing his mouth hotly under hers.
"Now stop that!" Sam barked, shaking the kiss off and the girl recoiled in fear. He sighed and draped his shirt over her naked shoulders.
"I'll get a bath ready for her Mr. Frodo, why don't you rest?" Sam suggested when the front door suddenly burst open and Merry and Pippin entered holding a broken Rashelle.
"Merry! Pip! What . . . " Frodo rushed to his cousins and the battered hobbit-lass.
"I went to grab Pippin from the Green Dragon, Frodo, and you know she hates to go in, so I left her on the bridge. Some big hulking man grabbed her and took her into the forest. It's my fault, I never should have-"
"I killed him," Pippin finished and caught site of the halfblood in the hall, "Frodo, who?"
"Don't," Frodo snapped and took Rashelle, "Sam, the bath water?"
"Right, Mr. Frodo!" Sam said and whisked down the hall. As Frodo fussed over Rashelle and his cousins, the green-eyed lass walked over to them.
"Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Master, but was this man huge, bald, with scars all over him,"
"Yes," Pippin blurted. "How do you know him?"
"He had me nearly twice a day. His name's Vemunt," She looked at Frodo, "He worked for Stoneblu,"
"That bastard!" Frodo spat and quickly retold Stoneblu's visit and the purchase of the halfblood.
"So whether you made the trade or not, Stoneblu got Rashelle and his money," Merry summed up, as Pippin curled his hands into fists.
Frodo gently nuzzled Rashelle's temple with his nose when the girl asked, "Master, what are we going to do?"