And here I am with chapter two!! Did I keep my promise of updating? Thank you to all my reviewers!! Enjoy chapter two!
Disclaimer: How many times do I have to tell ya judge? I don't own Sailor Moon! Ya gotta believe me!!
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The Mirage marketplace was crowded, and the scents of sweet spices hung heavily in the air. Serena breathed in deeply. She always did love the marketplace. There was so much to see and do! Jewelry, fishmongers, spice sellers, and her personal favorite, the confectioner's stand. Serena's mouth watered. She begged the guards to stop. They were hesitant at first but agreed. In 10 min, she was walking along with a ½-pound bag of treats, which included dates, honey-roasted palm nuts and burned sugar. She'd always wanted to try the thick brown stuff the confectioner called chocolate but she never had enough money. Spunk she had but money she had not. It was always clear since she'd been a little girl that that chocolate stuff was for the wealthy. Licking her fingers clean of sugar, she saw that they were approaching the slave stands. The auctioneers were looking for and calling out bids for the slaves they had to offer. Then she spied Mohammed and ran to him.
"Abhar!"
The two hugged. Abhar had been Serena's auctioneer since the age of 5.
"I'm so glad to see you again!"
"As am I, Abhar. How are you?"
"I'm fine. You look like you are doing wonderfully! Not that I had any doubts, though."
She laughed. "I am fine."
"Didn't give your last owner too much trouble, I hope?"
Serena put on a face of innocence.
"Who, me? Of course not! By the way, do you have any food? I'm starved!"
The dealer laughed, shook his head and led her into the tent.
"You are not easy, Serena. Not easy at all. I haven't seen you in a while young lady. Twirl around for me."
She did as he was told while he looked her over.
"Hmmm…"
"What is 'hmmm' supposed to mean?"
"You've matured a great deal since I've seen you last."
"I can still work, can't I? What exactly has that got to do with anything?"
"Everything." He nodded to dismiss the guards and led her towards another tent. The words of the guard were still in his head.
'I, for once, agree with him. Darien will be a perfect setup for her. Finding someone for her now wouldn't be easy, Ayan. With beauty such as hers, now even her spirit will not save her from these wild dogs.'
He ushered her inside and towards a mirror. Serena squealed and went to it. It had been years since she'd seen herself. But my, she was pretty now!! She spun round and round. Much better than most girls, at any rate. She turned back to Abhar when he began to speak.
"You see, you're in your 19th year now, correct?" Serena nodded. "You've got a small waist and hips and a very large bust for a girl of your size and age."
Serena immediately saw where Abhar was going.
"No." She shook her head vehemently. "No."
"But may happen. You're an intelligent girl, Serena. Most men see girls your age and don't want them for housework. They see them only fit for harem girls. You're very pretty—and voluptuous, I might add—so it makes you a pretty good candidate for-"
"What? You're forgetting I'm brazen and bold."
Abhar looked at her sternly.
"You're not getting any younger, Serena. You got away before because you were smaller then. These men can be brutal, and even if you are a harem girl, it means nothing to them. Remember, they can pick up a pretty face at the drop of a brass quar."
Serena hadn't thought of that. Had she really grown that much? Trying to look down at her feet, she laughed. Her efforts were in vain for her bust block her view.
"Fine, fine, your point is well taken. But please, Abhar, if you must sell me as such, promise me you won't sell me to some old leech."
Her eyes pleaded with him. Little did she know he already had a buyer in mind.
"You know I'm supposed to sell to the highest bidder."
Her baby blues shone brilliantly and her lower lip trembled. At this point, even if the sultan hadn't advised him he would have given into her. Her lower lip got him every time.
"But…I'll do what I can."
She hugged him to within an inch of his life.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou THANK YOU!!! I love you, Abhar."
The man shook his head.
"The things I do for love…the things I do." (AN: So Courage, don't you think? =^_^=)
It was hot. Too hot for him to even be out here. Too hot for him to have on 2 layers of clothing, suede gloves, boots, and this ridiculous turban-like hat. He removed it from his head and wiped his brow with it. According to his chambermaid, it was the 'royal style', and so he had to wear it. Which was why she was out of work and he was out here looking for a replacement. He wished he had not dismissed her for the sake of being in the cool comfort of his quarters…no. The girl would have then assumed it was fine to give him, a prince, orders. Then another thought came to his head.
'Then why in Allah's name are you wearing what she set out for you?'
He sighed. He had found his trusted dealer. At last.
"Abhar!" he called out. "How goes it with you, my friend?"
Abhar gave the tall gentleman a hearty clap on the back.
"Prince Darien, my boy! Everything is just fine. But what brings you back so soon? Didn't I sell to you about a month ago? She came back early this morning."
"Yes, I know. Let's just say she got too big for her burqa and…"
"Ah. So you need a new one."
"Right."
Abhar looked Darien over. He was very handsome and of reasonable age. He smiled. Ayan had plenty of sense.
"I think I have something that would suit you perfectly, Darien. Serena, dear, come out here."
Darien shrank back.
"Serena? As in the Serena the Terrible? You're her dealer?!"
"She's not as bad as you think, Darien. There are just some rules you must follow."
Darien slit his eyes.
"I'm listening."
Serena got up heavily from her perch and went towards the sounds of Abhar's voice. She had not seen the face of the man he was talking to, but she figured he was about twice her age. She shuddered and came to Abhar, head down. Putting his hand on Serena's shoulder, Abhar announced:
"This is Serena. One of my best slaves, once you know how to handle her. She's beautiful, does good work, obedient…"
Serena snorted and Darien chuckled. Abhar was quick to add,
"Under certain conditions."
"If she's so good, why doesn't she have an owner?"
"Most people don't know how to handle her. She's very finicky about the conditions to which she is subjected."
"So what makes you think I can supply the appropriate conditions?"
"You're young, have energy and patience."
"Look up, girl. Look at me. Is she deaf?"
"No. Just shy at first. Look up, Serena." Into her ear he whispered, "You may like what you see."
At this bit of encouragement, Serena raised her head. A beautiful face framed by ebony hair stared into her bright blue eyes with its dark blue ones. The face smiled and whistled.
"You weren't kidding when you said she was a beauty. It's a flaw of Allah's that she isn't a goddess!"
Serena was about to smile when the face made an obscene comment. It looked to Abhar.
"Hasn't been used for breeding, has she? Please say no."
Abhar was about to respond, "No, too young," when a large gob of spit attached itself to the side of Darien's face. He whirled his head back around, outraged. Abhar was dying with laughter.
"What is the meaning of this? That is the behavior of a street wench! Is this your idea of a joke?"
Abhar wiped the tears away from his eyes as his laughter declined to a chuckle.
"She is no wench, Darien. You just discovered one of her conditions. She requires respect, and asking whether she's been used for breeding does not fit the bill."
Darien cleaned his face with the cloth offered to him by Abhar and looked the slave girl over.
"Do I at least get some sort of discount for what I know I have coming to me?"
"Certainly not. She is good to me and is of no burden. She does her share of the work willingly. You must treat her accordingly."
Darien thought of the chance he was taking.
"How much do you want for her?"
"I'm not asking much…"
Serena elbowed him.
"9 nicqs."
The girl's blue eyes widened. Would he really pay so much for her? Even good slaves were worth only 50 chzen…
"You have that much faith in her, do you?"
Mohammed nodded. Darien seemed to think it over for a moment, and then he nodded.
"It's a done deal."
He spoke quickly to the young servant that had come at his call. The small child nodded and scampered away, soon returning with older servants bearing something similar to a sedan chair. Serena automatically thought the contraption was for him.
'Royalty,' she thought.
She sniffed. Then the prince motioned for her to get into the chair. She stood dumbfounded for moment. Her, in that chair? She shook her head. She might be equal to the man beckoning her, but that chair—hammered into it's gold and silver casing the most intricate designs of children playing at a fountain, feeding fish and the birds, so lifelike, lade with jewels of ever hue, shape and size; it's beautiful stained glass windows, the rising moon and its fellow stars on the door of the carriage, the setting sun in all its glory on the other; the silk and satin seats with silver thread and diamond fasts and the velvet flooring…Suddenly she felt dirty. No, she could not, dared not get into that carriage, and yet he insisted.
"I have no mare for you, riding astride for a woman is unheard of and it is too far for you to walk. Please, enter and sit."
Well, at least he knew how to treat a woman…Gingerly she stepped into the carriage, gazing about her in awe, touching the windows and seats. The prince clapped. The door was shut and the strong bearers beneath rose from their knees and walked. Serena looked out of the clear panes before and behind her onto the streets of Persia.
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Ok, people, I need you to let me know what rating I should give this thing. There will be sexual content later on but should I leave it at R, change the content somewhat or post at another site and write what I damn well feel like writing? Would you guys still read my stuff if I moved from fanfiction.net? I'm still looking for a new home to put my stuff. It looks like I'm going to have to reboot An Angel's Innocence as rated R and hopefully they won't ban me. Chapter 9 of the story(it's a miracle I even got chapter 9 up!)has sexual content but is rather tasteful in it's content and is not hardcore, if you get my drift. That's chapter two of No One's Slave, folks, I hope you liked. Well, you know what to do, R&R and I'll see you next time.
