𝐒𝐊𝐘𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐑 - 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐞

four | bid and escape

-FOUR-

"This is outrageous." Rani muttered to herself as she was shoved around. Her kindjals were in their sheaths, yes, but were hung around the waist of the man in front of her. She was placed next to Lucy, and said, "I'll make sure not a single one of these poltroons lays a hand on you." However, her promise was broken when Lucy was pulled onto the platform.

"100 for the little lady." Called out the trader. A few calls of '120, 150' came. After someone bid 180, the trader called out, "Sold!" And placed a board around Lucy's neck with the word scrawled on it crudely. 

Next, he pulled up Rani on the podium, and called out, "100 for the pirate! Come on now, place your bids! She's strong, and she does good work!" He rolled up her sleeves to show her broad arms, which tensed and flexed as she felt more restless and annoyed. "Look at those muscles! Never seen those on a girl, hm?" Someone bid 200 for her, and around her neck a board was placed as the man called out, "Sold!" 

"And now... for this... fine specimen... who'll kick off the bidding? Come on now... he may not look like much but he's strong." The trader pulled Eustace on the platform. 

"Yeah, he's strong, all right. Smells like the rear end of a Minotaur!" Called out one man.

"That is an outrageous lie! I won the school hygiene award two years running." Eustace replied, insulted.

"Come on, someone make a bid!" The trader sighed.

Someone, who's voice sounded familiar, said, "I'll take them off your hands." He whipped back his cloak hood to reveal Drinian and Reepicheep, "I'll take them all off your hands! For Narnia!" He yelled and charged. Within a second, he'd slashed open Rani's bonds, freeing her.

"Thanks, Drinian." She grinned. She looked at the slave trader who had her kindjals with him, and winked, "Who's in trouble now?" With a solid right hook to the jaw, she knocked him out and snatched her kindjals. Upon seeing the number of people charging at her she muttered to herself, "Aslan give me strength."

Just as she uttered those words, she heard a roar in her ears, she suddenly felt herself become braver. Her kindjals began to glow red-hot, and she grinned, "If that was Aslan, I thank you." She was a blur amongst the crowd, a flash of red and black, as she cut down the offending men. They dropped like flies, and finally she stopped next to her brother, panting at the speed at which she'd just fought. 

Caspian was quick to check over her as Lucy embraced Edmund in the background. "Are you hurt?" He asked tenderly, wiping a spot of blood from her cheek. 

"Thankfully not," she chuckled. Looking around to make sure no one was listening, she added, "While I was fighting, I asked Aslan for strength, and my kindjals lit up till they were red-hot!" 

"Aslan?" Caspian gasped. She nodded, "Yes. And I heard his roar in my ears!" 

"Let's talk about this later tonight. I'm curious." Caspian smiled and gave her a brotherly kiss on the head before heading up towards Drinian. 

Rani was wiping her kindjals free of blood, when Lucy walked up to her. "Are you alright?" The brunette asked the pirate tentatively.

"Indeed," Rani smiled, "What about you?"

"Absolutely peachy." Lucy laughed, hugging the pirate by the side. Rani felt herself blush ever so slightly at the action, and nearly died inside when she realised what it was. 'She's a queen, Rani. Bewakoof ladki, you're in love with her now?' (idiot girl) she thought to herself.

"Rani! Lucy! Let's go!" Caspian and Edmund called out to them. As they began leaving, a man ran up to Rani and Caspian.

"Your Majesty! My lady!" Called out the man. Rani whipped around, her kindjals gleaming in her hands. "Hold it!" Caspian called out to her, as well as the others who had drawn their weapons. A few men also caught hold of the running man, stopping him and dragging him away.