A/N: Okay! Here it is, after such a long period without reviewing…CHAPTER V! I have noticed that instead of the four reviews I normally get for each chapter I have only gotten two, THANK YOU SMITHY AND ETERNALHOPE08! To all of those that read my story and don't review, shame on you! I mean, all it takes is two clicks and a short comment like, "I love your story, keep writing" :)
Anyways, I have been thinking of changing the rating of this fanfiction. Tell me what you think, in your reviews! But if the rating gets changed whatever other ages this rating doesn't allow, that wouldn't affect you, please, feel free to read my story…BUT, you must review. With privileges come responsibilities…lol:)
Smithy: Thank you for your compassion towards Chris. I am glad that someone understood what I was trying to say in the last chapter, when all Miriam did was cry! Thank you for being such a loyal reviewer and keep it up!
Eternalhope08: Don't worry, you're not alone staying home over memorial weekend. All my friends stayed and reviewed for finals! By the way, what does MIA mean? Probably I am know what it is and will realize it the second you tell me, I'm just cool like that :) Anyways, KEEP WRITING YOUR STORY! I really like how you write, and your story is incredibly addicting! Enjoy this chapter and thanks for being such a great author and consistent reviewer!
Now, I give you…
Chapter V: The Slave Market
"Land Ho!"
The call sounded from above. It was muffled as the waves of sound traveled through the hard wood door and walls that kept the slaves inside their prison of darkness. There was a rattle of chains as the young men and women moved, their unaccustomed ears straining to make sense of the sound.
"Land Ho!"
The slaves looked up, their eyes glittering in the darkness. Emotions ran through the chamber. The excitement of their release from the brig was tangible. Whispers broke out where few seconds before there had been no sound. The doors will open, we will see light, they said. The chains scraped the floor as the movements became quicker. Our faces will absorb the light, we will see the colors once again, the rising voices cried.
"Land Ho!"
Silence descended on the chamber, swallowing the hopes and excitement. This boat was a slave ship. Land would not be freedom. It would be the start of their slave lives, the start of their life imprisonment. The young men and women standing sat down, receding into the corners of their areas, huddling together, wishing what they would have thought impossible: no land. On land they would be bargained for and sold to the Incas. On land their free lives would end.
Miriam watched the slaves react as the cry for land was heard, her hazel eyes expressionless. Her beautiful wavy brown hair was done in a simple braid behind her back. Their week aboard the boat was ending, but it brought only dread. Miriam was however thankful to be rid of the ship, its brig, crew and food. Three more had died that night; the thought still brought tears to her eyes. It saddened her that they had died so near the end, yet in a way, before the beginning. The boards of wood creaked underneath her as André stirred awake from his sleep. He yawed as he starched his arms and legs. His eyelids opened lazily, revealing his bright blue eyes, "Good morning, Miriam."
Miriam looked at him, "We have reached land."
André immediately shook the remaining sleep off his body, the ethnic beads clicking softly under his blue bandana, "Too quick."
"I don't understand. You can hardly have expected us to take more of a week to reach the Amazon from Port Royal," Miriam commented.
His smile broke through the darkness, "On a ship loaded with slaves? You are right, clever Miriam," His face turned grave, "What of your brother?"
Miriam swallowed her tears as she looked over at Chris. His face was ashen and he had been asleep for two days now. She felt André's sympathy and concern flood to her through the air and turned to look at him, "What will they do?"
André put his big warm hand on top of hers, his blue eyes soft, "In a slave market you can sell any slave."
"I don't want to be separated from him," she felt her bottom lip quiver, "Who would buy him?"
André stopped to think only for a second, "A doctor. They would cure him and then use him as an assistant."
The door slammed open and the dark skinned, muscular man descended down the stairs grinning. The cat of nine tails, its bullet ends to increase the pain suffered, hung from the belt on his waist. The man's shadow covered the morning light that shone down the stairs. Miriam could see various muscular men behind him; they were going to take them to land. The man stopped and looked around at the feeble forms of the slaves once he found himself situated in the middle of the chamber.
"Ye're to be sold now," he told them, his voice booming across the room. He turned his face to the ratty man and nodded. The small man scurried around and removed the chains from the slaves, instead installing new ones that connected them to each other. He was almost done when he reached Chris, after having poked him various times, the small man turned to the man in the middle, "Rabid, this man isn't dead, but he ain't live either."
Miriam instantly stood up, the chain that connected her to André restraining her from starching to her full height, "Please, he is a little sick, nothing else. He is sleeping and will come to in a while. I will carry him where we need to go…"
Rabid cut off Miriam by backhanding her across her face, her cheek becoming bright red, "If he can't work he is not to be sold. Kill him."
Miriam screamed and threw herself onto of Chris, her eyes wild. The ratty man came forward with his dagger, only to have it slapped away. The small dagger skittered on the wood to land at the other side of the room. Rabid started to advance only to be faced by André, "Let the man live, if it pleases the lady. Everyone gets sold on the slave market, he would just have few disadvantages, but making some money is better than making none."
Miriam looked up from her position on Chris. Her hair had fallen out of her braid and she looked at André thankfully.
Rabid ran his callused fingers down the blade of his dagger, analyzing the situation. The girl and the young pirate in front of him were his two strongest slaves; the dying young man didn't matter. Yet he knew that to kill the young man he would have to kill the lass. The lass's death, not only would cost him one of his best slaves and bargaining tools, but chances were that the young pirate would kill himself as well with her dead. The dark skinned man knew that however convenient it was to kill the dying young man, it would cost him his two best slaves. That was a price he could not afford. His mouth was grim as he shouted out the order, "The young man is to be tied with the rest." His flaming eyes looked at Miriam, "If he slows us down or falls, even 'f only on'e, he'll be killed."
Miriam let out a sigh of relief, the muscles in her body released from the tension. She moved over, her arms and shoulders trembling from the adrenaline rush she had received. Her brother was alive, and he would live. André leaned over, his young handsome face grinning, "You owe me one Miriam."
Miriam looked him over and glared, "Only a small thank you. I could have held them at bay. They would have never been able to kill Chris."
The ethnic beads in his hair clicked together, "Ah! But there is were you are wrong, my l.." André stopped himself.
Miriam looked at him, daggers in her eyes, "You said it."
André held up his hands in defense, "Correction: I stopped myself before I said it. The most I said was the first letter. How do you know I wasn't saying something else?"
Miriam opened her mouth, but before she could reply there was a bone breaking tug on the chain, forcing her to her feet beside André. Her left hand hung to the ground, Chris dead weight pushing her down. Quickly remembering Rabid's words with a glace from the tall, muscular dark skinned man, she picked up Chris. He was too heavy. Her weak body struggled with the young man's weight his feet dragging on the floor. Miriam wheezed from underneath him as he squeezed the air out of her lungs and pushed her to the ground. She felt as two strong arms lifted the weight off of her, letting her breath. Through her messed hair she saw André lift Chris over his shoulder and begin walking up the steps, his chain forcing her to stand up and follow him, only to be stopped by Rabid.
"Where 're ye takin' this here man? It was the lass's work, not yers."
André looked at him, his eyes cold like ice, "She's is weak from the blood she lost because of your mistreatment of her. I will carry him or die trying."
Miriam glared at Rabid and turned to André, her face inches from his because of the chain, "Give him to me, André."
André grinned as he shook his head, "Sorry Miriam, but I cannot let you die; my captain would be very upset with me."
Rabid regarded this exchange, his eyes tortured from thinking the situation over. "Get up the stairs ye slaves!" He hollered out suddenly, as if the conversation between them had never occurred.
André needed no more urging as he charged up the stairs, joining the slaves on deck. Miriam stumbled after him, bumping into him.
Sun basked the warm tropical air and sounds brighter than any of them could remember floated through the air. The vessel was docked at a small beach, yet the size of the beach did nothing to keep the boats away.
Everyone's face tilted towards the sun, basking in the warm light. The scene in front tittered with the cries of tropical birds. Trees reached towards the heavens, the forest's canopy shaking and moving with wildlife. Red, green, purple and blue birds flashed on the upper branches of the majestic trees. Brown and gold rustled in the bushes. The shallow lagoon's crystal blue water sparkled, matching the color of André's bright eyes. Schools of fish swam around the vessel, poking and nipping at the sides, their curiosity unrestrained. But the feeling that surrounded and engulfed the magnificent beach was not one to compare. Lines of men and women marred the landscape. Their chains rattled in the wet, humid air as the buyers inspected them. The pirates, mercenaries, generals and savages circled the slaves, their eyes dark like a jaguar when it was picking out its prey. The humid air was filled with the cruelty of the salve market and the haunting of a fault for human rights.
The chains pulled on Miriam's slight wrists, yanking her forward and propelling her onto the small raft as she left her slave ship forever. There was an odd triumph as the slaves saw the ship getting retreating behind them, one that only those hunted feel. Waves lapped at the sides of the rafts, but the bright blue water was only seen as the last surrender. The long line of slaves trudged on, their feet heavy on the white sand as they stepped off the wooden raft. Once during the march up to beach to the edge of the forest, a young woman fell, her eyes blank with death. She had been quickly cut from the chain line and left on the beach, her body given to the carrion birds. They finally reached stopped, Rabid setting them up in a line by the forest, away from the other dealers and buyers. Miriam felt the strain on her chains as André set down Chris on the soft white sand.
"You're trembling, Miriam," murmured André, barely heard over the loud noise of the market.
Miriam folded her arms behind her back and tried not to stutter as she spoke, "I am not. You are seeing things; the sun must have gotten to you."
André did not move, his blue eyes intent on the forest in front of them, "There is no need to hide your fear. No one but slave dealers and buyers stay still at the mention of the slave market."
Miriam had no strength to glare at him. "Then why aren't you trembling, pirate? Already had a career as a dealer? Or maybe, perhaps a buyer?" she snapped.
"This is not the first time I have been sold as a slave," was all he answered, his eyes not leaving the forest.
Miriam cut off her last comment and instead turned her sad eyes to the tropical jungle.
They came out of nowhere. One second the forest was humming with the cry of the tropical birds and the next, the brightly colored Incas stood before the startled slaves. The market continued, no one noticing the arrival of the two lords and their warriors. Their demure was commanding and silent. Even when all the twenty men moved at the same time, no noise was emitted. The two lords had a royal aura. Their piercing black eyes inspected the slaves one by one down their strong straight noses. Miriam could tell that both men were not pleased. They had expected much more than the dying and starving young men and women who stood before them, not even able to keep a straight line. The two men looked at each other and frowned. It would not do at all. They began to pace up and down the line, their eyes intense. Rabid came up to them and bowed, the two Incas looking at him in slight disgust.
"My lords, it is my pleasure to make business with you. This is your latest order."
One of the men stepped forward, him red cape swishing in the air, "This will not do at all. My lord ordered twenty fit young men and women able to carry stones. These," he waved his hand at the slaves, "do not fit the requirements and are not worth the price my lord has put to them."
Rabid stood up from his bow, his hard face angry, "They are but the strongest of the crop, my lord. Some are nobles and others peasants but all were chosen for their strength."
The other Inca with a green cape walked slowly up the ranks and came to stop in front of André, Chris and Miriam.
"Strongest you say? This man on the floor is dead or very near it. He is not worth any price. As far as I can see, your strongest slaves are theses two," he motioned at André and Miriam, "The male slave is strong and in good condition, he hardly seems affected by your mal treatment. As for the girl, she is very beautiful and seems in good condition, strong and healthy."
Miriam seemed shock at the man's analysis of her. She was dimly aware of André slipping his hand into hers. The Inca man with the red cape nodded slowly, "Lord Urcon speaks true. The female could carry children, and the man is strong enough to carry stones for about two years before exhaustion."
Miriam gasped at the man's comment and immediately stepped forward. André was quicker, though, and he pulled her behind him as he opened his mouth to speak, "Lords, I am sorry to inform you, but the lady is not fit to carry any children."
Lord Urcon turned to look at André, his face considering. After a moments pause he smiled, his teeth glinting in the light, "You married to this girl, boy?"
It took all of André's strength to restrain Miriam from first attacking Urcon and then him, "No, my lord."
Urcon arranged a gold ring on his index finger, "She will be used to whatever means we feel she can be used to her full potential, if that does not please you it matters not. You will carry stones the rest of your days and you will soon find that an insignificant slave girl is often forgotten."
André looked back at Miriam, his blue eyes soft and pained. Miriam glared at him, her hazel eyes radiating with flames of anger. Then, slowly, he turned back to Urcon, his voice ice cold, "Then I will kill you."
The two Inca lords turned to stare at him, their faces first astonished and then spreading into grins. Urcon came forward, his laughter cold, and his smile did not reach his eyes, "You are a stubborn slave. I shall enjoy seeing you die under the rocks. Yet, there is something that I like about you, and since you seem to be attached to this girl so much, I will give her to you. That is, if my lord Acahuana agrees…"
Acahuana looked from Miriam to André and nodded, "Yes, I agree, my lord. But the children produced must go to the mines."
André looked from one lord to the next, his eyes searching for any sign of deceit. Satisfied, he addressed himself to Acahuana and bowed, "I agree to your terms, my lord."
The two Inca leaders smiled and motioned Rabid to come forward, "These two will be bought at full price, but that man on the floor is not to be bought."
Miriam suddenly cried out, hearing their decree about Chris, "My lords! Please! This man is my twin brother; I can't live without him!"
Acahuana shook his head, "He is not to come with us. As for you, slave girl, you have already caused enough problems. You will be punished on our arrival, speak again and you shall die."
Miriam fought the impulse to scream, but the Inca's eyes were cold, and she knew that he had meant to follow with his punishment if she spoke again. Her heart broke under the pain of parting from Chris, but dared not speak, fearing for her death. She felt a coward and a bad sister, but she must live, the sole need to survive pushed her, as it pushes all organisms. Acahuana noticed as a lone tear raced down the young woman's cheek. He sighed and turned to Urcon. "Buy the boy, my brother, it will make no difference to the price, as we will buy the rest of the slaves at half price," he said, so no one could hear.
Urcon turned an angry glare on his brother, "Don't be soft, Acahuana. The boy will die and he will be but a burden."
"No, Capac may have some use for him. Last I saw him he was discussing a plan for the treatment of an illness. It will please him to have a patient."
Urcon frowned, "Kill the boy now. The girl has been granted too many favors. It is not good to do that to a meager slave."
Acahuana's face turned cold, his voice commanding, "I am the older brother, Urcon, and we shall do as I see fit. Buy the stubborn slave and girl at full price, the rest of the group at half and the dying boy at on eight of the price. We must be leaving and I am weary, do it and let's be gone. I will go warn the camp to pack and depart."
Acahuana left into the forest, taking half the guards with him. The bushes around the Inca's emitted no sound as they passed through, the hot humid air absorbing the cries of the tropical birds. Urcon settled the money with Rabid. It was quickly done, as the muscular black man acknowledged the lack of performance in the slaves. As Urcon was about to pay he turned and looked into the depths of the jungle and smiled.
"We will not buy the dying boy," he told Rabid.
Rabid nodded, defeated by the commanding Inca, "Yes, my lord."
Urcon, pleased with this leaned forward to whisper something in the dark skinned man's ear. Rabid smiled at his and nodded, his face in an ugly grin, "It will be done my lord."
"Good, now give me the keys to the chains and take out the boy, we will be leaving now."
Chris was slumped against a pile of unused chains as the slaves where pushed forward into the jungle by Urcon's soldiers. Miriam's feet gave out from under her as sobs shook her fragile body. André helped her up slowly and leaned her against him, supporting her weight. "Chris," Miriam whispered, losing him from sight as the ferns and trees of the Amazon jungle swallowed her.
A/N: I know that it is short, but hey! I had finals all week and I had to study, sorry I couldn't update sooner. I promise to be quicker on the next update, BUT, I want at least four reviews for this chapter to update. :) Tell me what you think and how I could make it better, I like criticism, in fact, I couldn't live without it! Hope you killed this chapter!
