IMPORTANT NOTE: the first chapter of this story was extremely re-written, so please reread that chapter before this one.
No Freedom in Riches
Chapter Two - Slavery
by: Mel Barry
E-mail: LightofFaeries (at) yahoo (dot) com
Little Author's Note: This story is set in ancient "China" and ancient "Japan." I put the names in quotation marks because I know just about nothing on Chinese and Japanese history so (obviously) the things I mention about "China" and "Japan" are mostly made up by me and should not be mixed up with real Chinese and Japanese history (basically: don't fry me on how historically inaccurate this story since I already know it).
Sakura was awaken by sudden jolt that rolled her onto her face. She groaned softly, trying to find a more comfortable position as the coarse fabric of the sack scratched irritatingly at her skin.
Suddenly, she was bodily hoisted up and gave a small yelp. At her sound, another voice called, as coarse as the sack in which she lay in. " 'is one's 'wake!" And carried her a little ways before dumping her roughly down.
Sakura struggled to a sitting position within the confines of her cloth prison, fighting cold despair as it tried to fill her heart. How did this happen? How could she have been stupid enough to get kidnapped? In her own woods nonetheless? Her kidnappers were sure to use her as a tool against her father and he hardly needed any more trouble with the problems that he already had. Tears threatened, surprising Sakura. She scrubbed vigorously at her face, angered at her own cowardliness and desperate to keep all signs of turmoil hidden. All is not lost, she thought fervently to herself, there was a chance she could fool them into thinking they had the wrong person. With this resolution, Sakura felt slightly better.
A voice broke into her thoughts. "Let's have a look the girls you brought in this time. Let's hope they will have more value than the sorry lot you brought in last time."
Sakura's eyes widened. There were other girls beside herself. They didn't know who she was. And they weren't going to find out, she thought grimly to herself. She was grateful for the peasant clothes she wore and the outings into the villages surrounding her home which allowed her to learn the peasant accents. She knew she could pass off as a peasant with the night's help. She scrunched her face, wrinkling her nose and forehead, and stuck out her upper lip. Sakura felt a perverse kind of happiness; at home, she would never have been allowed to use such an expression. She almost felt like giggling. Almost.
She released her facial muscles only to tighten them again when she heard voices and the crunch of boots stop next to where she sat. She also hunched a little. Hands made her stand and found the opening to her sack. As the sack fell away, Sakura found herself in some kind of cave lighted by a few candles. Two men stood before her. One was holding a candle and Sakura only half-pretended to squint into it. She could clearly see that he was portly with a stomach that overshadowed his feet while the other was tall with an eye-patch and two missing teeth. Sakura thought them thoroughly revolting.
"Yah!" the tall man shouted, staring at Sakura's pale, twisted face made even worse by the shadows of the candle. She grinned crookedly, hoping to add to the grotesque appearance. "What a monster! I 'ay we throw her back where she came from." Sakura's heart bubbled with hope.
Only to burst at the next moment.
The portly man shook his head. "Nah, can't do that, not when she's been brought 'ere. Anyways, how's we to know if she can't be useful? She mightn't look so pretty, but mayhap she's awfully useful and we'll be able get some money out of selling her."
The men talked as if she wasn't there, or didn't have a conscious thought, and Sakura had to fight the urge to sock him, struggling to keep the dumb look upon her face. Then the implications of what he said settled over her and she froze. Where they slave-dealers? Revulsion foamed and frothed within Sakura. Though slavery was not accepted in Japan, it was also generally overlooked. The Kinomoto family despised it and Sakura had often taken for granted the non-existence of slavery around her. Now at the thought of herself in slavery, she couldn't help the fear that undulated through her, thick and fast.
The tall man squinted at her with his remaining eye. "She dun look so bad once ye get past the first time. But look 'em eyes. 's unnatural."
Sakura blinked, taken aback. Her eyes' were unnatural just because they were green? She knew the color was rare, but to call them unnatural stung for some reason. Her father had often told her that he liked her eyes.
"Well girl, speak up," the portly man demanded, seeming suddenly to deem her as something more than an object. "Who're you?"
There was silence. Sakura's mind raced as she thought of what to say. And then she said with an intentional rush, opting for as much truth as possible, "I'm Sakura!"
Portly raised an eyebrow. "Sakura of what?"
Sakura tipped her head to the side, a crazy smiled plastered across her face. "Just Sakura. My mam says I shun never say where I came from if I ever left home; she says it'n embeerassing."
"No wonder," Tall muttered.
Portly ignored him. "What can you do?"
Sakura paused for a moment, pretending to think. "Reading...reading and I cun write some. And sing; I like to sing."
Portly stroked his chin. "Interesting. You do have a pretty voice—" Sakura simpered "—and many people like to have people who can read and write for 'em."
Portly turned abruptly to his companion. "She'll have to do. Prince is 'pecting as many girls as we can get without calling too much attention."
As the men turned, bearing the candle away, Sakura relaxed her face with a silent and heartfelt sigh. She rubbed her cheeks, trying to make them feel normal again, then knelt on the floor. She was relieved at the feel of dust and dirt beneath her fingertips as she touched the cave floor; it was not stone. The paleness of her skin would raise questions even if she altered her face. This time, poor lighting had hidden her, but next time, she might not be so lucky. Digging at the dirt ground, Sakura used the brown substance to smudge her face and body. When she finished, she scooped handfuls of dirt into the pockets of her peasant dress, pockets she herself had sewn to carry the various tokens the villagers gave her for her help or treasures she found in the woods. She had always found having multiple pockets convenient; now she was thoroughly grateful for them. If her strange makeup wore away, she would have backup.
Having done everything she could, Sakura settled down to observe and wait for a chance to escape.
Author's Note: Hello minna! This chapter came out later than I had anticipated. Well, actually, after rereading the original of the first chapter, I didn't like it, so I rewrote that and then rewrote this chapter too. So I was working on this story for quite some time. This chapter was originally much longer, but rewriting to the same length may take a lot more days because of school and I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer. Also, I have my own webpage now that is currently only for my fanfics (but I hope to expand the website slowly to include other things like character bios and stuff). I know I said that I would have mailing list, but I was gone for so long that I lost track of all the people on the list (gomen minna!). If you want to be put (or re-put) on the mailing list, you can sign my guestbook on my website and tell me (which is the best way 'cause then I won't lose track) or you can tell me in your review on or by e-mailing me (my e-mail is LightofFaeries at yahoo dot com (I had to write the address fully out like that because document manager refuses to accept it the normal way for some odd reason). My stories may be updated sooner on my website then my account here.
Anyway, please tell me what you think of this story!
Thanks you to all who have reviewed!
Mel
September 27, 2004