How Things Are

seventeen

I still have my Katana. Nobody tried to take it. Not only that, Lucas isn't even acknowledging me. As if I'm not a threat to him at all. Of course, everyone's a bug to him. But to be treated like one at this moment, right when his men were trying to size up my skill is humiliating.

Looking out the window for the first time. "And I thought these cars moved fast on Death Road."
"You've walked down Death Road?" The younger man asked. His eyebrows came together.
"Yes, little boy, I have," I said calmly. That look says it all. He doesn't believe me.
The master swordsman chuckles. I didn't mean to speak at all. His laugh makes the young swordsman growl. "Yeah right. Hardly anyone passes through that trial to get their armada mark and I'm supposed to believe this fake swordsman did?" He spoke to everyone.
"Swordswoman" I corrected.
"What?" He turned around to look at me.
"I am a Swordswoman. Not a pretend swordsman." He glared at me again.
This time Lucas looked at me "But you are. Aren't you?" Wait what? "A pretend swordsman. You dressed in those clothes that made everyone think you were a man. Just playing pretend."
His voice was so smooth saying such cruel things. "I did that to survive," I replied harshly "It doesn't mean I still can't weld a sword."
"Did you win your battles by catching them by surprise?" Lucas looked at the katana in my hand. "That katana may have blood on it but how much knew their killer?"
He was trying to take away my pride. I trained too hard for him to critique me. "Those sent to kill me knew who I was," I say bluntly. "I only kill those who challenge me, Mr. Lucas." It sounded like a threat, perhaps it was deep within my mind, though it only made him smirk.
"The man driving," Lucas pointed as he leaned back and relaxed "That's Teedo. And the 'little boy', his name is Drake." We glanced at each other in the mirror. "They will be in charge of you when I have no use of you."
Drake looked like he had something to say but kept it to himself.
What did he mean by 'when I have no use of you?' What the heck am I gonna be used for? Throughout all my travels slave women are used for many different things. He's a busy man. Perhaps we won't see each other once this car ride is over.

You could tell when we entered Mafia City. There was no leaving this place. Teedo showed his tattoo and he gave someone a card that was scanned. There's no way me and Win would have snuck in here. After passing through it was like a members-only vibe I was getting. The slaves were serving drinks in bars we passed. Some were being walked like dogs as people talked on the corner. There were pleasure houses. I stopped counting how many. We passed tattoo shops where they cleaned and assisted. Some jobs didn't look so bad while others made me flinch.
I heard Lucas chuckle. Before I could stop him I was being lifted on his lap. "That's right. You've never been owned until now." I stared at him with my fear showing. I'm owned by the man who runs all this. I didn't reply. "Stop up by Sals first."
"Who's Sal?" He didn't answer but the rest of them laughed.

As we pulled to a stop we all walked into a tattoo place. Even with my katana strapped to my back, I'm still freaking out. All the noise stops when they see Lucas.
Finally, a man clears his throat "Boss! What can I do for you?" He looks at the three of them then me. "You bought someone to carry your weapons?"
What did he just say? Before I can reply Lucas takes me by the hair and pulls me in front of this man. I still have these stupid chains on my legs making me stumble.
Lucas showed him a mark and everything went silent again. "You sure Boss? This hasn't been done before."
"I'm not asking. Do it." Lucas throws me onto an empty table on my stomach. "Hold still." He still has my hair and won't let me lift my head to see anything. Fighting him in his territory would be foolish. I'm being branded and there's nothing I can do about it.
I start to feel the needles stabbing the back of my neck. My pride. I refuse to cry. The needles do their work and everyone is silent. For some reason, my hatred falls on Winwrey for being an idiot to fall in love and put me in this position. She was so weak when I rescued her. Now I feel like the useless one. Lucas is slowly taking things away from me. He is now branding me. Officially taking away my freedom. Why would Winwrey want this? Is love so great for her to not see the truth?

When the stabbing pain ends and the noise stops Lucas lifts me. He takes a mirror to show me the brand and my eyes go wide. Others who walk in can see and look at me then the mark then at Lucas. I gulp as he looks into my eyes. He's marked me with the same tattoo he allows all swordsmen to have. He's made me an equal to them. Teedo looks at me and smiles however Drake doesn't look so happy.
"Come." His voice makes everyone get back to work. "Next stop Teedo. You know where to go."
"Yes sir." Teedo glances at me then Drake then smiles.

We walk into a sword shop and Lucas takes my Katana off my back. He speaks the forger then we leave. I'm in a daze. I still can't fight all of them so letting him have it was my only option but the more Lucas does the more it infuriates Drake, and I'm OK with that so I let him. At the next stop, Lucas purchases proper clothes for me. Same uniform as his men but more feminine. It was odd and as I wore them no one questioned him about his actions. I looked around to see if this was some sort of uniform other slave women were wearing but it wasn't. It matched the rest of the swordsmen.
We stopped to eat and no one spoke. Drake grumbled however with a warning glance from Lucas he was silent. The meal was excellent and as we walked out to the car someone walked toward us. It was a younger boy and he was carrying my katana. It was different.  There, on the hilt was the dragon crest. I took my blade from the boy before anyone else could and opened it. It hasn't been this sharp in a long time. I've been running, I just haven't had the time to do it properly. I look closer to the hilt. Carved in the hilt was 'steal your soul'. Clever, considering I'm a thief.
I laughed out loud. They all looked at me, waiting for my reaction but wasn't expecting that. Before I sheathe my blade I subtly cut the chains at my feet. I wink at Drake whose mouth drops as he tries to comprehend how it happened. Honestly, if you can't cut iron by now you don't deserve to call yourself a swordsman. I think he'll be fun to play with. I place the blade back in its strap on my back and we all get in the car.
Where to now.