Samara

Chapter Two

~Calon~ 

I picked at the grass. It stained my fingers green. The other Servorum around me cried, cloud-watched, or sat there, silent. The crowd was currently bidding on a Servus puella, who was beautiful and scared. The bidding was rising high, to a sum of ß1000, a plenty high price for the gorgeous thing. Her name was Uwella, and she'd been the guards' favourite plaything. They'd take her in the night, and return arrogant and happy, with her bruised, red, and embarrassed. Finally, a big man won with a bid of ß1100. A record-breaker for the Servorum traders that we belonged too. The guards approached me, and yanked on my chain, dragging me to the stage.

"ß300!" They yelled, giving me a start of 300 bokjors, the currency that the country of Aurum used.

"ß350!" Someone in the crowd yelled.

"ß400!" Another cried. I clenched my jaw. These idiots. Bidding for a person. Even if that person is me.

"Make way! The King's succession is here!" The crowd parted, and the travelling court-men and guards stopped.

"ß1000 for the young man on the stage right now!" The crowd murmured. A lady's voice rang out, clear and strong.

"I'll pay ß2000!" My jaw dropped. A lady, willing to pay ß200o for me? A few other bold bidders raised their voices. If the King wanted me, then I must be valuable, so the crowd was willing to pay more.

"ß3500!" Another cried. I gulped, afraid of what the crowd would turn into.

"The King will pay ß10 000 for the Servus puer!" The crowd was silent. No one could afford to top their sum.

Before the guards and court-men changed their minds, the Trader slammed his staff.

"Sold! For ß10 000 to the King!" He cried. A guard walked onto the stage, took my chain, and dragged me off of the stage.

"Walk faster." He yelled, and pulled so hard I nearly tripped. "I don't know why the King wants you so bad, but yer lucky, puer. If we hadn't come along, that lady woulda taken you ta 'er whore-house." I frowned, but kept walking. I was lucky. The King's Servorum were known to be treated well, and fed well too. I couldn't wait. I had no clue when my last proper meal had been. I just hoped that the King didn't want me for any felony I'd committed. The guard pulling my chain stopped, and handed me to a court-man who had a gold tooth.

"So, what's your name, boy?" He asked me.

"Calon." I said, hesitantly.

"Well, Calon," The court-man said. "The King is giving you to a close friend of his. Attor Draco-Filius. You're probably going to his family: the man has his collection of Servorum back at the King's Courts, where he usually stays. You're to be collected and brought from Drakovia to Lakon." I gulped. I hoped Attor was a good man. I was sick of the Traders' rough treatment of the other Servorum and I. I knew that the man who had bought Uwella wouldn't treat her right. He'd probably use her like the guards had. My stomach twisted for her.

Many of my Servorum friends that I'd left behind would be sold and put to hard work until they died, or they'd be killed because no one wanted them.

I felt sick. I re-routed my mind to my new destination. The capitol, then to Lakon. I couldn't wait.

AN:

I will publish the next few chapters once this one gets some reads! Let me know in the comments how you thought of the first two chapters, and as always: Constructive critisim is welcomed, just be kind!