Wild-Roze: thanks all you people who reviewed this, I'm glad u like it okies, on with the fic I think.
Disclaimer: I don't own Skies of Arcadia Legends.....Sighs I really wish I did though. But, I do own this plot.
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She wished desperately that she had been able to stay in the blissful pit of oblivion, how she longed now for that feeling of eternity lapping around her. But, like all good things, it had ended, and now she had been torn away from her peace and into a dark world filled with pain and suffering, all because of one man.
Despite the fact she had been unconscious, Aika was still exceedingly tired, and didn't even care that the door to her cell stood open, she closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Nightmares, plagued by Vyse's pale corpse, Ramirez and Vigoro disturbed her slumber.
She slept lightly, and it can't have been more than a few hours later when she sat up, not noticing the slight weight around each of her wrists. She was in no respect refreshed, but she knew that she never would be. She stood up, and slowly made her way to the door and stepped out. One of the guards glanced at her, but made no move to stop her progress, so, a little more boldly, she exited the cell and slowly started walking away, her heart pounding as the guards merely watched her go.
She had no idea why Ramirez would allow her to wander around Soltis, but she didn't care, if she could find her way to the docks from here, she could steal a small craft and escape. Now with a priority in mind she started trying to navigate her way around, so she could discover her vague location.
Aika wandered around aimlessly for a long time without seeing anyone, all the corridors looked the same to her, she could be going round in circles and not have known it, they were all pure white with the odd moonstone lamp held up by a silver bracket. She had lost all sense of direction very quickly, it was a confusing labyrinth, and she was totally at it's mercy.
She walked around for what could have been hours, until she found something that told her she had not been down this way before; a black door set in the side of the wall.
"Please let it be the docks." She prayed to the moons. She touched the pad beside it and it slid open.
Aika laughed, it seemed that for once things were going her way, the moons had answered her wish. Before her stretched a large room, at one end it opened out to the sky, and there were all range of ships sitting there.
Joyfully she came forward, she was surprised to see that the place was lacking in all guards, but at that moment she didn't care. She headed for a small ship the size of a lifeboat.
Mere meters away from it, her progress were suddenly stopped. It felt like she was wearing chains on her wrists, because her arms snapped back behind her and wouldn't move any further forward.
She turned around, confused, her hands didn't seem to be bound by anything, but then....what were those things around her wrists?
Encircling each one was a band of what looked like silver moonstone, but she couldn't be sure, and into it's surface was the crest of the Imperial Armada with an elaborate 'R' beneath it.
"My personal seal."
She snapped her head up, and her breath caught painfully in her chest. He stood there, leaning casually against the wall of the docks, his gaze boring into her with those emerald eyes, seeming to strip her bare and read her very core.
She tugged on her wrists, trying to get them past what seemed to be an invisible barrier in the air.
"What in Deep Sky are these things?" She hissed furiously, inspecting the bracelets.
He came forward, watching in amusement as she struggled with what seemed to be nothing.
"Slave Bracelets, as long as you wear them, all can see that you belong to me, Little One." He said.
"I don't belong to anyone, especially not to a sadistic bastard like you!" She yelled.
His eyes narrowed, and he back handed her across the cheek, knocking her to the floor. She moaned and gently touched the place where she could already feel a bruise forming. He crouched next to her, and grabbed her chin in his gloved hand, turning her hate-filled eyes to his.
"One of the best things about these is, I can create a sort of force-field, if you will, which will not allow them to pass through it, so, as long as you wear them, you can't go anywhere I don't want you to go." He said, standing.
Aika sobbed once in defeat, before biting her lip, refusing to appear weak before him.
"You don't need to worry about Vigoro, he knows that if he touches you after my express orders not to, he will die. Now follow me." He said.
Aika glared at him, staying stubbornly where she was, Ramirez smirked, impressed by her attitude. He clicked his fingers.
The cuffs around Aika's wrists suddenly jerked, she cried out in alarm as they dragged forward, pulling her to her feet and over to his side.
"It's good to know you obey so willingly." He said, his voice cutting and cruel, as he walked away, the bracelets tugging her along behind him.
Aika had had no idea how huge Soltis was, it seemed to go on forever, in an endless procession of corridors, and passages. Where Ramirez was leading her, she did not know, and was not entirely sure she wanted to; she just resigned to following him quietly. What was the point in fighting? She had nothing to fight for anymore. Arcadia had fallen, fallen under the will of the man before her, she glared at his back. He was only her age, only about 17, and yet, he was so powerful.
She allowed her mind to wander to Vyse, fondly remembering their childhood days on Pirate Isle, and their adventures together aboard the Albatross. She sighed, not paying attention to where she was going, and she almost walked into Ramirez who had stopped beside a door.
"Welcome to your quarters." He said.
"Quarters? I thought that I was going to have to stay in that cell." She said, somewhat relieved.
"Hn, don't get excited, you're a slave, the word luxury no longer exists for you." He said, touching a pad, opening the door. He shoved her inside, before she could even look, she turned, glaring at him.
"Tomorrow, you, and the other survivors will be designated categories of work, some, like you, will have already been selected for particular areas." He told her. "a guard will be sent for you."
She spat at his feet.
"Your rein won't last forever Ramirez, I can guarantee it, one day someone shall smile down at your corpse, and the world will be free again." She hissed.
His hand shot forwards, grasping her throat, squeezing lightly, making her gasp.
"Keep a civil tongue when you address your Master, or I'll have a slave bracelet made for your neck." With those words, he shoved her backwards into her 'room' and shut the door.
Aika slowly stood up, rubbing the bruises he had just caused and looked around.
The room was made from cold stone slabs, there were two beds, one with a ragged bundle of cloth on top of it, the other neatly made. Off to the side was a second room, which she guessed was a small bathroom. Suddenly a movement caught her eye.
The bundle of cloth was moving!
Aika watched in apprehension, it was clear that this was another person, the question was; were they a friend or a foe?
After a moment a mop of orange hair could be seen. Aika gasped, and the person looked at her.
"Aika?" Said a small voice, uncertainly.
"Marco!" She breathed, rushing forward and throwing her arms around the youngest member of the Delphinus crew.
The boy instantly crumbled in her embrace, sobbing onto her shoulder. All the time Aika had known him, the kid had pretended to be big and tough, ready to take on anything, and willing to face the Armada all the way. The first sign of weakness he had shown was when Valua had been destroyed by the Rains of Destruction, but now, he cried forlornly. He was too young to experience something like this, he was a child, he should be spending his days playing outside, happy and carefree, not caught up in the middle of this nightmare.
"Its okay Marco." She whispered.
The two sat like that in each other's embrace for quite a while, both needing a familiar face, and someone to hug. Eventually Aika pulled away.
"How did you come to be here?" She asked him.
"Well," He sniffed, "a little while after you guys went out to fight on the deck, loads of Valuan guards stormed us, Mr. Gilder and Prince Enrique tried fighting them off, but there were too many of them, eventually they had to surrender. Our whole crew was rounded up, and then taken away to separate cells, I've been here for three days, and haven't seen any of the others." He said, the words tumbling quickly from his mouth.
Aika hugged him again. Ever since she had met this young boy, she had been like an older sister to him, and he needed her comfort now.
"What happened to you?" He asked her.
Aika opened her mouth to talk, but had to close it again, the memories too painful.... But Marco had a right to know.
"Cap'n Drachma, he was thrown overboard and vanished into Deep Sky, Fina, she was killed by Ramirez...as was....as was Vyse." She said, her voice thick and her eyes shining with tears, tears she was determined to hold back.
"He kept me alive, and now he seems to have become obsessed with me, he says that I am now his property, and that I must obey his every command! But I refuse to do as the man who killed Vyse bids." She said stubbornly.
Marco sniffed. Vyse had been his hero, he had imagined himself growing up to be something like him, the man who had given him safe passage from Valua, and given him a place aboard the Delphinus. How could they win without him?
"Tomorrow the slaves will be divided into their categories of work, I hate to think what that monster will make me do." Aika said, "and I dread to think of what our friends will be made to do, and you, I promise I'll keep you safe Marco."
He smiled up at her, scrubbing away his tear stained face until his cheeks were red, determined to keep a brave face for his 'big sister'.
Aika was happy to see that Marco was no longer crying, when she saw someone else upset, it often made her upset, which never helped the situation.
"Now then Bucko," She said, attempting to sound like her old self, "We need some rest, get to sleep and in the morning we will see what is to be done." She said.
"Aye Cap'n Aika." He said saluting, before rolling back onto his bed and closing his eyes. Aika went over to her bed and tried to sleep, he dreams plagued once more with the face of her dead would-be lover, and her friends, Ramirez always in the background, a dark shadow watching over her all the time.
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Aika wasn't sure how long she slept for, but it seemed like mere minuets before Marco was shaking her awake.
"Aika, a guard's come to take us away!" he breathed his voice a little panicked.
She sat up and rubbed the last traces of slumber from her eyes.
"Then we should go with him." she said, Marco nodded.
As they walked once again through the endless passages of Soltis, surrounded by four Valuan Guards, Marco stayed very close to Aika, who walked, almost calmly along.
"Where are we going?" he whispered to her. She shrugged.
"I'm not sure." Was all she could say.
After a few minuets of walking, they came to a pair of large doors which opened out into a massive room. Aika gasped, this must be Ramirez's 'Throne Room'.
The cold Silvite sat on a large, elaborate chair of what may have been white marble, around him and around the outskirts of the room guards stood, and in the centre, looking scared and confused were the survivors from the fleet that had sailed against Galcian.
Above it all, surveying like some kind of demon was the Silver Gigas, Zelos.
"Aika!" Called a voice.
"Enrique!" Yelled the red head, her eyes filling with happy tears to see him alive, she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. The blonde boy hugged back fiercely.
"We all thought you were dead." He said. Aika glanced over his shoulder, and a great weight lifted from her to see most of her crew still alive.
Lawrence stood there, a comforting arm around Meridia's shoulders, Izmael, Pinta and Hans also stood close by. Ilchymis and Don were also there. But the others...
"We're not sure what happened to them, but we're praying that they got away on the life boats," Enrique said, "But if they didn't....it means I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to Moegi."
Aika hugged him again. Noticing also that Clara and Gilder stood together with Belle and her gunners. Dyne and Baltor, along with a few members of their crew had also been captured.
Enrique sighed and pulled away from her.
"D you know what we are here for?" He asked.
Aika opened her mouth to answer, but, before she could, a voice, which made her shudder, called out, silencing the crowd of frightened prisoners.
Vigoro stood before them, his loud booming above them.
"Now then, you scum should be thankful you are still alive, thank your moon that Ramirez was merciful, he has allowed you the highest honour of serving him and his new Empire!" he said.
Aika hissed in fury. Mercy?! It would have been merciful of him to kill her as she had wished!
The slaves were pushed and shoved into two long lines that stretched before Ramirez's throne, and the blonde Silvite slowly descended and started to walk among them.
He inspected each one scrupulously, with the men, he looked at their build and how strong they were, some were designated to mine work, some were made serving men, and some were sent to the Coliseum which was being built.
The women were basically stripped to their undergarments, and stood exposed and terrified. He would run a criticising eye over each of them. Those who stood taller and prouder than the others, determined not to appear afraid were to go to the Harem. No matter how brave the women were, their faces still paled in fright at the thought of becoming whores for Ramirez's men. Some were to be maids, Vigoro selected his select few personal girls, Aika felt like weeping in pity for the doomed trio who had once been the gunners on board the Delphinus, who the horny general had chosen. Then, some, who seemed like fighters, strong and able were sent either to the mines or the Coliseum with the men.
When Ramirez came to Aika, who had also been stripped down, he merely smirked at her. Her eyes narrowed in defiant hatred, and Vigoro eyed her up hungrily.
The Silvite grabbed her chin in between his thumb and forefinger.
"Remember, Little One," He said, his voice low and deadly, but loud enough for the entire assembly to hear it, "You already belong to me."
She wrenched her face from his grip and turned her eyes from him.
"I refuse to look upon someone as foul as you are!" She spat with venom. Ramirez chuckled.
"I'm going to enjoy crushing that spirit of yours." He said, before moving on.
When he was done, he sat back to watch the proceedings, Aika was dragged forwards and forced to sit beside his throne.
"Now then Little One," He said, she didn't even bother to look up at him, "you must watch, and see how merciful I am to you, all the others, they must be marked." He said, and Aika did watch, she watched in horror.
Every category of work that the prisoners had been divided into had its own mark, and this was imprinted onto he person's flesh with a searing hot iron. The tears finally spilled from her eyes as she watched, young Marco was struggling, his eyes wild and terrified, but the guards managed to pin him to the floor and tear away his shirt. Aika looked away, squeezing her eyes shut.
But, the sounds still reached her, the boy's scream as the mark to signify a serving boy was branded onto his right shoulder blade; the crest of the Armada with an S beneath it. It was like this with all of the brands, the women destined for the Harem had an elaborate H with an image of a naked girl beneath it, the minors had M's with a pick axe and a shovel, and those who were to become gladiators had a G with a sword and a shield.
Vigoro had fitted his three with slave bracelets like the ones that she wore, but they were a different colour with a different seal. Belle, normally happy and bouncy, shrunk away from the bare-chested man in fear.
"You're a monster." Aika said, her voice quiet and emotionless.
Ramirez looked at her, noticing that her face was not lined with fury and hate, but was completely blank. He smirked.
"Oh," He said, "This is just the beginning."
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Wild-Roze: Okies, well that was....hmm, it was quite long ...for me anyway. Heh, well then, review plz
Disclaimer: I don't own Skies of Arcadia Legends.....Sighs I really wish I did though. But, I do own this plot.
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She wished desperately that she had been able to stay in the blissful pit of oblivion, how she longed now for that feeling of eternity lapping around her. But, like all good things, it had ended, and now she had been torn away from her peace and into a dark world filled with pain and suffering, all because of one man.
Despite the fact she had been unconscious, Aika was still exceedingly tired, and didn't even care that the door to her cell stood open, she closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Nightmares, plagued by Vyse's pale corpse, Ramirez and Vigoro disturbed her slumber.
She slept lightly, and it can't have been more than a few hours later when she sat up, not noticing the slight weight around each of her wrists. She was in no respect refreshed, but she knew that she never would be. She stood up, and slowly made her way to the door and stepped out. One of the guards glanced at her, but made no move to stop her progress, so, a little more boldly, she exited the cell and slowly started walking away, her heart pounding as the guards merely watched her go.
She had no idea why Ramirez would allow her to wander around Soltis, but she didn't care, if she could find her way to the docks from here, she could steal a small craft and escape. Now with a priority in mind she started trying to navigate her way around, so she could discover her vague location.
Aika wandered around aimlessly for a long time without seeing anyone, all the corridors looked the same to her, she could be going round in circles and not have known it, they were all pure white with the odd moonstone lamp held up by a silver bracket. She had lost all sense of direction very quickly, it was a confusing labyrinth, and she was totally at it's mercy.
She walked around for what could have been hours, until she found something that told her she had not been down this way before; a black door set in the side of the wall.
"Please let it be the docks." She prayed to the moons. She touched the pad beside it and it slid open.
Aika laughed, it seemed that for once things were going her way, the moons had answered her wish. Before her stretched a large room, at one end it opened out to the sky, and there were all range of ships sitting there.
Joyfully she came forward, she was surprised to see that the place was lacking in all guards, but at that moment she didn't care. She headed for a small ship the size of a lifeboat.
Mere meters away from it, her progress were suddenly stopped. It felt like she was wearing chains on her wrists, because her arms snapped back behind her and wouldn't move any further forward.
She turned around, confused, her hands didn't seem to be bound by anything, but then....what were those things around her wrists?
Encircling each one was a band of what looked like silver moonstone, but she couldn't be sure, and into it's surface was the crest of the Imperial Armada with an elaborate 'R' beneath it.
"My personal seal."
She snapped her head up, and her breath caught painfully in her chest. He stood there, leaning casually against the wall of the docks, his gaze boring into her with those emerald eyes, seeming to strip her bare and read her very core.
She tugged on her wrists, trying to get them past what seemed to be an invisible barrier in the air.
"What in Deep Sky are these things?" She hissed furiously, inspecting the bracelets.
He came forward, watching in amusement as she struggled with what seemed to be nothing.
"Slave Bracelets, as long as you wear them, all can see that you belong to me, Little One." He said.
"I don't belong to anyone, especially not to a sadistic bastard like you!" She yelled.
His eyes narrowed, and he back handed her across the cheek, knocking her to the floor. She moaned and gently touched the place where she could already feel a bruise forming. He crouched next to her, and grabbed her chin in his gloved hand, turning her hate-filled eyes to his.
"One of the best things about these is, I can create a sort of force-field, if you will, which will not allow them to pass through it, so, as long as you wear them, you can't go anywhere I don't want you to go." He said, standing.
Aika sobbed once in defeat, before biting her lip, refusing to appear weak before him.
"You don't need to worry about Vigoro, he knows that if he touches you after my express orders not to, he will die. Now follow me." He said.
Aika glared at him, staying stubbornly where she was, Ramirez smirked, impressed by her attitude. He clicked his fingers.
The cuffs around Aika's wrists suddenly jerked, she cried out in alarm as they dragged forward, pulling her to her feet and over to his side.
"It's good to know you obey so willingly." He said, his voice cutting and cruel, as he walked away, the bracelets tugging her along behind him.
Aika had had no idea how huge Soltis was, it seemed to go on forever, in an endless procession of corridors, and passages. Where Ramirez was leading her, she did not know, and was not entirely sure she wanted to; she just resigned to following him quietly. What was the point in fighting? She had nothing to fight for anymore. Arcadia had fallen, fallen under the will of the man before her, she glared at his back. He was only her age, only about 17, and yet, he was so powerful.
She allowed her mind to wander to Vyse, fondly remembering their childhood days on Pirate Isle, and their adventures together aboard the Albatross. She sighed, not paying attention to where she was going, and she almost walked into Ramirez who had stopped beside a door.
"Welcome to your quarters." He said.
"Quarters? I thought that I was going to have to stay in that cell." She said, somewhat relieved.
"Hn, don't get excited, you're a slave, the word luxury no longer exists for you." He said, touching a pad, opening the door. He shoved her inside, before she could even look, she turned, glaring at him.
"Tomorrow, you, and the other survivors will be designated categories of work, some, like you, will have already been selected for particular areas." He told her. "a guard will be sent for you."
She spat at his feet.
"Your rein won't last forever Ramirez, I can guarantee it, one day someone shall smile down at your corpse, and the world will be free again." She hissed.
His hand shot forwards, grasping her throat, squeezing lightly, making her gasp.
"Keep a civil tongue when you address your Master, or I'll have a slave bracelet made for your neck." With those words, he shoved her backwards into her 'room' and shut the door.
Aika slowly stood up, rubbing the bruises he had just caused and looked around.
The room was made from cold stone slabs, there were two beds, one with a ragged bundle of cloth on top of it, the other neatly made. Off to the side was a second room, which she guessed was a small bathroom. Suddenly a movement caught her eye.
The bundle of cloth was moving!
Aika watched in apprehension, it was clear that this was another person, the question was; were they a friend or a foe?
After a moment a mop of orange hair could be seen. Aika gasped, and the person looked at her.
"Aika?" Said a small voice, uncertainly.
"Marco!" She breathed, rushing forward and throwing her arms around the youngest member of the Delphinus crew.
The boy instantly crumbled in her embrace, sobbing onto her shoulder. All the time Aika had known him, the kid had pretended to be big and tough, ready to take on anything, and willing to face the Armada all the way. The first sign of weakness he had shown was when Valua had been destroyed by the Rains of Destruction, but now, he cried forlornly. He was too young to experience something like this, he was a child, he should be spending his days playing outside, happy and carefree, not caught up in the middle of this nightmare.
"Its okay Marco." She whispered.
The two sat like that in each other's embrace for quite a while, both needing a familiar face, and someone to hug. Eventually Aika pulled away.
"How did you come to be here?" She asked him.
"Well," He sniffed, "a little while after you guys went out to fight on the deck, loads of Valuan guards stormed us, Mr. Gilder and Prince Enrique tried fighting them off, but there were too many of them, eventually they had to surrender. Our whole crew was rounded up, and then taken away to separate cells, I've been here for three days, and haven't seen any of the others." He said, the words tumbling quickly from his mouth.
Aika hugged him again. Ever since she had met this young boy, she had been like an older sister to him, and he needed her comfort now.
"What happened to you?" He asked her.
Aika opened her mouth to talk, but had to close it again, the memories too painful.... But Marco had a right to know.
"Cap'n Drachma, he was thrown overboard and vanished into Deep Sky, Fina, she was killed by Ramirez...as was....as was Vyse." She said, her voice thick and her eyes shining with tears, tears she was determined to hold back.
"He kept me alive, and now he seems to have become obsessed with me, he says that I am now his property, and that I must obey his every command! But I refuse to do as the man who killed Vyse bids." She said stubbornly.
Marco sniffed. Vyse had been his hero, he had imagined himself growing up to be something like him, the man who had given him safe passage from Valua, and given him a place aboard the Delphinus. How could they win without him?
"Tomorrow the slaves will be divided into their categories of work, I hate to think what that monster will make me do." Aika said, "and I dread to think of what our friends will be made to do, and you, I promise I'll keep you safe Marco."
He smiled up at her, scrubbing away his tear stained face until his cheeks were red, determined to keep a brave face for his 'big sister'.
Aika was happy to see that Marco was no longer crying, when she saw someone else upset, it often made her upset, which never helped the situation.
"Now then Bucko," She said, attempting to sound like her old self, "We need some rest, get to sleep and in the morning we will see what is to be done." She said.
"Aye Cap'n Aika." He said saluting, before rolling back onto his bed and closing his eyes. Aika went over to her bed and tried to sleep, he dreams plagued once more with the face of her dead would-be lover, and her friends, Ramirez always in the background, a dark shadow watching over her all the time.
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Aika wasn't sure how long she slept for, but it seemed like mere minuets before Marco was shaking her awake.
"Aika, a guard's come to take us away!" he breathed his voice a little panicked.
She sat up and rubbed the last traces of slumber from her eyes.
"Then we should go with him." she said, Marco nodded.
As they walked once again through the endless passages of Soltis, surrounded by four Valuan Guards, Marco stayed very close to Aika, who walked, almost calmly along.
"Where are we going?" he whispered to her. She shrugged.
"I'm not sure." Was all she could say.
After a few minuets of walking, they came to a pair of large doors which opened out into a massive room. Aika gasped, this must be Ramirez's 'Throne Room'.
The cold Silvite sat on a large, elaborate chair of what may have been white marble, around him and around the outskirts of the room guards stood, and in the centre, looking scared and confused were the survivors from the fleet that had sailed against Galcian.
Above it all, surveying like some kind of demon was the Silver Gigas, Zelos.
"Aika!" Called a voice.
"Enrique!" Yelled the red head, her eyes filling with happy tears to see him alive, she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. The blonde boy hugged back fiercely.
"We all thought you were dead." He said. Aika glanced over his shoulder, and a great weight lifted from her to see most of her crew still alive.
Lawrence stood there, a comforting arm around Meridia's shoulders, Izmael, Pinta and Hans also stood close by. Ilchymis and Don were also there. But the others...
"We're not sure what happened to them, but we're praying that they got away on the life boats," Enrique said, "But if they didn't....it means I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to Moegi."
Aika hugged him again. Noticing also that Clara and Gilder stood together with Belle and her gunners. Dyne and Baltor, along with a few members of their crew had also been captured.
Enrique sighed and pulled away from her.
"D you know what we are here for?" He asked.
Aika opened her mouth to answer, but, before she could, a voice, which made her shudder, called out, silencing the crowd of frightened prisoners.
Vigoro stood before them, his loud booming above them.
"Now then, you scum should be thankful you are still alive, thank your moon that Ramirez was merciful, he has allowed you the highest honour of serving him and his new Empire!" he said.
Aika hissed in fury. Mercy?! It would have been merciful of him to kill her as she had wished!
The slaves were pushed and shoved into two long lines that stretched before Ramirez's throne, and the blonde Silvite slowly descended and started to walk among them.
He inspected each one scrupulously, with the men, he looked at their build and how strong they were, some were designated to mine work, some were made serving men, and some were sent to the Coliseum which was being built.
The women were basically stripped to their undergarments, and stood exposed and terrified. He would run a criticising eye over each of them. Those who stood taller and prouder than the others, determined not to appear afraid were to go to the Harem. No matter how brave the women were, their faces still paled in fright at the thought of becoming whores for Ramirez's men. Some were to be maids, Vigoro selected his select few personal girls, Aika felt like weeping in pity for the doomed trio who had once been the gunners on board the Delphinus, who the horny general had chosen. Then, some, who seemed like fighters, strong and able were sent either to the mines or the Coliseum with the men.
When Ramirez came to Aika, who had also been stripped down, he merely smirked at her. Her eyes narrowed in defiant hatred, and Vigoro eyed her up hungrily.
The Silvite grabbed her chin in between his thumb and forefinger.
"Remember, Little One," He said, his voice low and deadly, but loud enough for the entire assembly to hear it, "You already belong to me."
She wrenched her face from his grip and turned her eyes from him.
"I refuse to look upon someone as foul as you are!" She spat with venom. Ramirez chuckled.
"I'm going to enjoy crushing that spirit of yours." He said, before moving on.
When he was done, he sat back to watch the proceedings, Aika was dragged forwards and forced to sit beside his throne.
"Now then Little One," He said, she didn't even bother to look up at him, "you must watch, and see how merciful I am to you, all the others, they must be marked." He said, and Aika did watch, she watched in horror.
Every category of work that the prisoners had been divided into had its own mark, and this was imprinted onto he person's flesh with a searing hot iron. The tears finally spilled from her eyes as she watched, young Marco was struggling, his eyes wild and terrified, but the guards managed to pin him to the floor and tear away his shirt. Aika looked away, squeezing her eyes shut.
But, the sounds still reached her, the boy's scream as the mark to signify a serving boy was branded onto his right shoulder blade; the crest of the Armada with an S beneath it. It was like this with all of the brands, the women destined for the Harem had an elaborate H with an image of a naked girl beneath it, the minors had M's with a pick axe and a shovel, and those who were to become gladiators had a G with a sword and a shield.
Vigoro had fitted his three with slave bracelets like the ones that she wore, but they were a different colour with a different seal. Belle, normally happy and bouncy, shrunk away from the bare-chested man in fear.
"You're a monster." Aika said, her voice quiet and emotionless.
Ramirez looked at her, noticing that her face was not lined with fury and hate, but was completely blank. He smirked.
"Oh," He said, "This is just the beginning."
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Wild-Roze: Okies, well that was....hmm, it was quite long ...for me anyway. Heh, well then, review plz