Ishbosheth forced his eyelids open. Just a sliver of light peeked over his eyelashes. Trying to muscle his eyes open a little more, he looked around. His neck panged. He tried to rub the back of his neck, but his hands were bound to his ankles.
Tied up like an animal. How embarrassing.
The smell of blood, sweat and dirt filled his nostrils. Thick hair, like animal hair tickled the soles of his feet. With his eyes finally mostly opened halfway, Ishbosheth noticed he was in a cage, being carried between two horses. There was an old scrappy-looking dog in the cage along with him, lying at his feet.
He thought there was more light than there was. The only light around was coming from the full-moon overhead. He tried to see as much as he could in the limited light. All he could see was that he was part of convoy of many other cages being held by horses, but couldn't see what or who was in them. All he could think was that he was not in the right place, and he needed to find a way out.
But, sleep took him before he could think anymore.
***
A large rough hand slapped him awake. Ishbosheth sat up, stunned by the sudden strike. Noticing he was no longer in his cage, he glanced at his surrounding. He noticed mountains behind him and a forest before him. To either side there were many of the young men, all older than himself.
The man to his immediate left had a long beard, tangled and knotted. It looked like it could never be combed through. The man on his right wore only a long piece of cloth around his waist. Large jagged scars covered the man's dark brown chest, as if he had been mauled by animals.
A tall man with long black hair walked in front of the men lined up with Ishbosheth. As he passed by, he motioned with his hand for them to rise. Ishbosheth tried to oblige, but found himself to still be tied at the wrists and ankles. His wrists and ankles weren't tied together anymore; however, it was still difficult to stand.
Once all the men had been passed by and were all standing, another man, wearing a brilliant blue garment from head to toe, began walking in front. Along with the man in blue, a Leoxin walked, leaning on a staff for extra support.
Ishbosheth leaned over, peeking out from behind our from behind the large man to his right with the scars on his chest. The man and Leoxin were passing by each man. The man in blue would look at the man up and down, lift the man's arms if he saw fit, patted them on the chest, made them open their mouths. He then turned to the Leoxin and whisipered something in his ear. The Leoxin would then approach the man and place his large paw on their cheek. With his eyes closed, the Leoxin would mutter some words, open his eyes again and then either nod of shake his head to the man in blue. If the Leoxin nodded, the man would fall in line, behind the man in blue. If he shook his head, the man would stay in line.
Ishbosheth watched as the Leoxin did this to three of four men, until the man with the long black hair came back and snapped the end of a long slender switch on his cheek. Ishbosheth grabbed his cheek and recoiled, looking straight ahead.
When the Leoxin finally came to the large balck man, Ishbosheth could help peeking up to see what they were doing. The man in blue took the large man's arm and made him flex his biceps, which tripled in size. He patted the man on his chest and slapped his shoulders, then went to whisper to the Leoxin. Ishbosheth couldn't hear what was being said, but when the Leoxin turned towards he and the large black man, Ishbosheth looked into the Lion's eye. They were coal black except for a slight wisp of light grey, like a drop of blood in a pool of water.
Ishbosheth couldn't look away from the eyes of the Leoxin. Finally, the Leoxin closed his eyes and turned his attentino to the large black man. He placed his hand on the man's cheek and muttered something in another language Ishbosheth couldn't understand. Turning to the man in blue, the Leoxin shook his head, closing his eyes slowly.
The man in blue made his way finally to Ishbosheth. Ishbosheth was feeling hopeful. If this man was looking for slaves to work for him, and didn't take the large man standing next to him, he was surely not going to choose the little eight year old boy standing in front of him now!
The man in blue picked up Ishbosheth with his hands under his armpits and spun him around, examining him from every angle. "Open your mouth," the man in blue ordered. Sticking two fingers in Ishbosheth's open mouth, the man in blue hummed as he drummed one finger from the other hand on his scraggly chin.
The man in blue turned to the Leoxin who stepped forawrd. The wisp of white was all that Ishbosheth focused on. The Leoxin's furry paw rested against Ishbosheth's face. His whole body became warm, from the tip of his nose down to his heels. The Leoxin nodded to the man in blue. "Name?" the Leoxin asked.
"Bo." Ishbosheth began to say, but was interrupted by the man in blue.
"Dorian," he said. "Now your name is Dorian. He will be a house fighter. In line with the others now, Dorian." He pointed his long finger to the line of other men following closely behind.
Caught off guard, Ishbosheth gathered up his chains at his ankles and hobbled to the end of the line, catching an unbelieving look from the big black man standing next to him.
As Ishbosheth was turning around, falling into the line, he caught sight of a small girl with very lifht blond hair, in a group of other slaves, set aside for another showing. The bright yellow head stuck out drastically among the man black haired women. Ishbosheth stared at her until she turned her head.
It was Ana. It felt like a rock fell into his stomach. He needed to go get her and run as fast as he could. He stuck one foot out and it hadn't even touched the ground before Ishbosheth felt the bite of a whip on the back of his neck.
He grabbed his neck and turned around. The man in blue held a small whip in his hand, wrapping his hand around the leather tail. "Back in line, Dorian!" he bellowed.
A drop of blood slid down Ishbosheth's neck as he sheepishly shuffled back into the line. He tried to relocate Ana again, but he saw nothing but a sea of ebony hair. But she was just there! He had heard his aunt tell Ana and Katy that they were to protect him. Now, with Katy gone and Ana so close, but seemingly helpless, Ishbosheth felt an incredible need to save her.
But, how could he? He hadn't even moved an inch and the man in blue had stopped him. Not much more could be done other than hoping the man in blue would also buy Ana.
"Oh, Addonai," Ishbosheth prayed, "Let me be with Ana once more at least."
The line of men kept on moving down, with a man every now and then joining the moving line. Ishbosheth had never seen people like these before. Living in the palace all his life, around Hawkhorns and Harpies alone, he had never seen people as mixed bred as some of the people he passed by. Different colored skin, hair growing from their face in places other than beards.
With every step they took, the more hopeful Ishbosheth became, because the group of women was growing closer.
When the line had passed by all the men, eleven others stood behind Ishbosheth, all much taller and much older than he. The man in blue, much to Ishbosheth's joy, now turned his attention to the group of women. His heart once again sank as the man in blue talked rather loudly to the Leoxin, "That is all for the fighters, now let us choose some escorts."
Ishbosheth had gathered as much that we was going to either be working in this man's home or fighting. Even though he was scrawny, Ishbosheth knew how to fight, so he was not worried about that. What did worry him, hoever, was the future that would away Ana if Addonai answered his prayer, and she was brought to be a prostitute.
The man in blue marched in front of the women much as he did with the men. They stood erect, in a straight row, looking directly ahead. The man in blue did not however seek counsel from the Leoxin this time. He would look at the woman for a while, heave her turn around so he could see her from all angles and then decided if any other man would want her or not.
Ishbosheth tried to keep himself from running up and punching the man in blue eery time he looked at another one of the women, from the tips of their toes of their heads, gazing at them with foul intentions.
Mustering up some courage, Ishbosheth peeked out to look at the line of women. Over ten women had already fell into the line with the men. There were women of all ages. Except one that he saw. One blond head among the black haired women.
Ana. He could see her. The man in blue was going to judge her shortly. Torn with emotions Ishbosheth didn't know if he should be hoping that she wouldn't be bought into a prostitution ring, or hope that she would be bought so they could be together again.
The two women ahead of Ana, both very tall, dark haired women were looked at by the man in blue. Turning them around, he looked at them from behind. He sent both of them to the end of the line.
The man in blue had finally come to face Ana. Much to Ishbosheth's pleasure, he didn't look at her much. "How old are you, girl?" he asked her, scratching his chin.
"I'm fourteen years old."
The man in blue shook his head slowly. "You get them too young!" he yelled to the slave trader. "I keep telling you that they have to be at least sixteen years old."
The slave trader shook his switch at the man in blue, showing that he didn't care.
"I'm sorry," he said to Ana. "You're too young." And he moved on.
Ishbosheth was close enough to hear every word. Soon, the line had moved on just enough so that he and Ana were standing right in front of each other.
"Bo!" she had whispered when she saw his face.
Ishbosheth kept looking forward, but talked to Ana, out of the corner of his mouth. "As soon as the line moves past you, step to the back of the line. We have to stay together!"
Ana understood. Looking at the man in blue, then glancing over at the slave trader, slapping his switch in his hand, she stepped out as soon as the line passed her. No one noticed to her knowledge. It looked as though they were going to be in the clear.
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