Chapter 4

1

The next morning, the guards came to Ares' Cell before she had awoken. She was so tired. She was roughly brought to consciousness and then led out of the stinking cell to the Coach that contained her new Master and the slaves he had bought.

She tried very hard not to pull her lips back in disgust at the amount of slaves he had bought, and just herded into this small space. 5 women, not including herself, and 9 men. Either he was cheap, or had run short on Marks because this coach was smaller than the one she had been taken to the Auctions in.

Soon after the door was closed, the Coach picked up and was brought to ride the Winds.

2

After what seemed like a lifetime and a half, the Coach finally dropped from the Winds, and landed on the Landing Web outside of a great Gate. Two guards roughly pulled open the doors of the coach and began to pull the people out hastily.

A dark-haired man appeared on the other side of the Coach, and rounded the corner to come and inspect his new objects.

Ares saw the man's Green Jewel swing out from his jacket. A grin spread on his lips and he eyed the women, and looked at the men. Then she felt a psychic brush go out to the large mansion a few yards away.

"Come, now, my good people," the man said in a mocking tone through his wide grin. "It is time for you to meet your new Queen." And with that he pivoted with the air of a man who had done well, and led the march to the courtyard.

Ares looked around at the land. It looked beautiful, the trees looked green, and the grass was well taken care of. The mansion appeared well kept. But there was an underlying sorrow she felt. Almost as if the land was crying, suffering. It called to her, and she felt terrible fo not being able to do anything to help it. To give something back.

Maybe in a few days. Once she had figured out her new surroundings, she would preform the reaping to the land.

Finally, the group reached the open Courtyard in front of the large Mansion, and waiting for them was a very elegantly-dressed woman. She wasn't much to look at. She had a certain expression in her face that told anyone around her that they were lesser than she. Or at least, that's what she thought.

The dark-haired man spoke loudly and proudly to her. "My Lady, I have bought you 15 of best slaves they had to offer." He inspected his Lady's expression before he continued. He sounded like he was trying to sell cattle, convincing the woman that it was a great deal and that he'd done well. "They can be used for whatever service you require." He bowed with his huge smile, and stepped back enough so that the Lady could determine if these people were, indeed, worth the marks she had given this man.

She raised an eyebrow, tapping her Opal jewel that hung high on her chest, and gave a small grin, saying in a regular tone, "These will suit my purposes." she scanned over the gloomy faces once more. "Bring the women to their quarters, and take the men to the fields." And then she turned, haughtily, and walked back, with the dark-haired man following, towards the large front doors of the mansion.

Like cattle, the two gender groups were separated, and herded in opposite directions. Ares heard a woman begin to cry and she turned just in time to see her look longingly back towards a man who had the same dismal expression. They must have been together. Ares concluded, and then she thought of Valcan. She wondered how he was. She didn't dare try to contact him now. She didn't know how far her limits stretched here, at this new imprisonment.

She sighed, and continued walking with the rest of the women. She did wish Valcan was here though. She missed him already. He had saved her life, potentially twice, and she felt so comfortable being around such a male. She missed his growling voice, and the sparkle he had in his Sky-blue eyes. Even though she had known him for less than two days, she felt connected with him, and immediately she knew he would be her protector and ally.

Maybe she'd meet him again, in person.

3

The female slave quarters were starved stink holes at best. The women there looked like they had given up on life and freedom long ago. Something about this particular slave holder, however, told Ares that she wasn't even close to the true terrors of slavery. There would be worse days and worse owners to come.

However, there was a beginning to everything, and this was the start of a new 'life' for the young heir to the Akryln Throne.

When the small group was shoved into the first hovel, Ares tried with all her might not to pull her lips back in disgust. It smelled terrible, and the people inside didn't look well at all.

It wasn't soon until the Task Master barked his orders, and commanded Ares to work in the fields. So off she trudged with two other females, with their hoes and scythes, into the fields for cropping. Ares went into the long grass off the side of one of the large crop fields. There, she began to cut down the tall stalks of grain, and collect them into a bundle in her back.

She must have been working at least an hour and a half under the blazing sun, and had only collected a fist full of grain. She wasn't very good at this, seeing as how she had never done it before. Finally, she figured she had worked enough and blended in enough with the scene that she shouldn't be noticed by any of the over-seers. So she tried contacting Valcan for the first time.

She pushed a flicker of power out on the sapphire web, knowing it would catch the shard on the ring she had given Valcan. Ares continued working to keep from drawing attention to herself, but she wasn't as focused on what was happening in her surroundings. He wasn't replying. Was he asleep? Or maybe it was a bad time. Well, she could try later too. As she smiled to herself, pleased for trying, the grass next to her snapped and a shadow fell over her's.

Ares looked up startled, swinging the scythe. The man took a graceful step backward, as if anticipating the tool's path. He then smiled at the girl and wrapped his fingers around the handle, gently pulling it out of her hands. Ares was shocked, and began to feel that prick of fear.

The man put his other hand around the longer part of the handle, and positioned it downward. Then he spoke. "You're not working this correctly." Ares thought she was going to melt. Although his voice wasn't half as seductive and husky as Prince Daemon's, it had an accent, and had a deep, dark undertone in it. The combination resulted in a melodious tune that made Ares' face want to flush. She merely gaped at him and a sly smile spread across his face. "You have to swing it this way, to cut low at the base of the stalks." This action he did, flawlessly. "And once you've cut it down, gather as much as you can in your hand and place it in your basket." With that he took a step toward Ares, and leaned to drop his handful in her basket.

Ares couldn't speak for several moments. The color had drained out of her face and she couldn't quite convince her body to move.

He was a complete opposite to Valcan. This man was average height, he didn't have very broad shoulders, and had midnight-colored hair, that was pulled back, so it looked as if it was short-cropped, but there were long strands that had fallen into his face. He had honey-gold eyes, encircled by very dark lashes and the tannest skin Ares had ever lied eyes on. His face was long, but had strong features. His expression was one that told anyone who looked at him that he knew what he was doing, talking about, and that he shouldn't be questioned.

Finally, after a few more moments of struggling to compose herself, Ares snapped out of his trance and achieved one of the biggest feats: closing her gaping mouth.

She worked over what she was to say a few times in her head before finally summoning the courage to make a noise. Hell's Fire. It hadn't been that difficult to talk to Valcan, and he was way more intimidating than this male.

However, before Ares could make a note, the man spoke first.

"You're not used to labor are you?" he asked with a hushed tone, and a pleasant touch. Ares shook her head and swallowed before saying, "No. I wasn't a slave before two weeks ago." She felt the color drain from her face. Was that too much information?

He gave a small, frail smile. "Well, Lady, may I know your name?" Ares' eyes widened. He was much more forward than Valcan. More talkative too.

"Arelane," she breathed, "but I prefer to be called Ares." she offered a weak smile. She could feel her stomach churning with nervousness. She wished frantically that it would stop. "And what is your's," she hesitated for a moment, studying him. She had felt this before. It was that certain scent, a certain power that separated males from other males.

Warlord Prince.

She could recognize it now. It was a dark scent in males, it gave off a dangerous warning, but also called out the will to protect at the same time.

"Prince." she finished politely. He flashed a grin Ares wasn't sure if she liked or not. "Lady Ares." he said with a sigh. "You cannot know my title until you have earned my respect." he studied her for a moment. His gold eyes running up an down her body. Ares thanked the Darkness that she didn't flinch or grimace. She hated being judged.

However, to her complete surprise, he held his hand out, and Ares noticed his arms. They were covered in designs and colors. One of which was a serpent, and another a wolf. She took a step closer to his arm out of curiosity. And once she was nearer, she marveled at the artistry. "These markings are beautiful." she breathed. Without thinking, or asking, she lightly traced the wolf on his forearm with her finger.

Then she felt the man's golden stare bearing into her, and she realized what she was doing.

Shit.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Prince." she apologized, taking a step back wards out of nervous reflex. She never looked up at his face, however, seeing his arm still out-stretched, she placed her hand in his offered one, and firmly shook it. When she looked up at his face, it was expressionless. A mask.

Ares frowned. Had she upset him by touching him? She finally met him in the eye, and he seemed to have snapped out of his cold state. The grip on her hand strengthened, and began moving them up and down.

"Well, Lady, I hope to see you around. We could use each other's company." And with that, he offered a small arrogant smile, and turned back the way he must have come.

Holy Moses, it was long!

And i have no heart to edit right now because of a fellow reviewer and i are talking, so if ther are mistakes, you know why.

And thank you to my most recent reviewers!

I'm sorry i haven't updated

College crap.

Thank you to:

Xynthe Saizer! I know i screw up words with EA. But thank you for being aware and actually paying attention!

Silver gryphonem, Kristen and Prophet Wolfstar (whom is the culprit of no editing)

thank you! now I can stop bitching about my reviews, or lack there of!

Cross your finger for me! I aspire to go to NYU!