SLAVE HOUSE
1192 Words
INANNA'S POV
I walk in silence behind him as he leads the way to his carriage. I don't know why he uses a carriage instead of a car. It's not as if Zhanton has none.
"Get in" he pushes me, causing me to stumble inside, I'm not bothered with how I'm being treated, because I have no pride or ego to be wounded. I sit in the corner, far from him. A feeling nothingness enveloping me and watch him sit opposite me.
According to the scholars of Anon and what i've heard, The air here is similar to that on Earth, but there is a big difference between the land on both planets. Even the three kingdoms have different features and qualities of land.
Zhanton's land contains sylv'r, but not the kind that is harmful to wolves, the Ave sylv'r does the opposite of what the Aeds sylv'r does. It enhances the growth of the vegetation and strength of the creatures here.
Ave sylv'r is one of the minerals that makes up the core of Zhanton, it is part of the soil in small particles and gives a shine to the land when the moon is at its fullest.
I have seen many of such nights. And it never ceases to amaze me.
No one speaks, silence is my other companion on this carriage, I look through the window and watch the scenery change through our ride, switching from green to green with a silver sparkle here and there.
The trees here are thick and sturdy. But, instead of oozing tree sap, some trees have absorbed the sylv'r in the land, so much that it oozes sylv'r.
Those trees much like the soil, also glows when the moon is at its fullest. However, when the sun shines, it lets out some sparkles. This kind of tree is called the Ave tree and it's very much forbidden to cut it down.
Some scholars in Zhanton made a discovery on the sylv'r in our land some ages ago. They found some particles of the Ave sylv'r in the air we breathe. And some small quantities in the other two kingdoms. However, it's not enough to cause changes like it does in Zhanton.
They made it known that, the sylv'r mixed in the air is not harmful, but is also a major cause of the increase in strength and agility in the creatures in Zhanton.
What they said is understandable. Our crops are cultivated on soils with Ave sylv'r in it. So we already absorb this mineral through the food we eat and the water we drink.
"Hey girl, wake up!!" I'm jolted awake when the man shouts, I must have fallen asleep through the ride. The sky has considerably darkened and I wonder just how long the ride was since we began the journey at midday.
We get down, and an old building with cracks on the walls, that looks like it's about to fall apart greats me. It's not too large but big enough to house around 150 people.
I walk in silence with my head down as I follow him, the place is very cold and does not smell appealing at all, we walk by different cubicles, down to the last one.
It looks like a barn, with hay on the floor to sleep on. There's a bucket at the corner, I'm assuming to pee in and it's likely that is how all the cubicles are like. Each cubicle seems to hold about 10 slaves making the place very congested.
"This is going to be your new home for a week, girl, so you better settle in." he grabs me by the the hair -what is it with him and grabbing my hair or is it because it's as black as his soul- and whispers in my ear.
I hold back my gag reflex when he speaks. Damn, he reeks. My hair has a lot of curls so it looks like a bird's nest at the moment.
My knees hit the floor and I hiss in pain from the rough surface scraping my skin, when I'm pushed forward and land on my knees.
"Leo!!" He calls out to someone, a lean guy with blond hair cut to his nape and brown eyes shows up, with the way he has bowed his head I'm assuming that he's a servant.
His clothes look old but not tattered like mine; which has holes in places holes are not supposed to be. With me looking like I have not taken a bath in years does not make me appear any better.
"Yes master." he responds, and scurries to his master's side. He does not look scared nor does he have any visible scars on him which leads me to think that he's had a better life than me.
" You are responsible for getting her fed, bathed and clothed. She might be sent to the palace next week with the other nine girls so make her presentable by then." the master says pointing a fat finger at me.
"Yes master." the boy I now know as Leo responds and walks towards me.
"Please follow me." he says, I check behind him if the master is still there but he's long gone. I shiver from the cold and follow him out, the slave rooms are very cold and my teeth keeps shattering.
Leo leads me to a small room that looks more like a broom closet, the room has gravels spread on the floor, there is a hole at the bottom left of the wall, a bucket of water and a chair with a change of clothes on it.
"Please wash yourself there and wear the clothes on the chair." he says and and turns around to give me some privacy.
I strip off my clothes and let out a sigh at the number of scars on my body. But, because of my skin color you would have to get close to see them. The water is very cold to touch. I wear the cream coloured knee length dress after I have cleaned myself up.
Leo leads me away from the room in silence to a building opposite the slave house it's just a tad bit smaller than it but much nicer. We get to a small room in the building with hay piled by the wall as a makeshift bed and a chair with 3 clothes similar to the one I'm wearing on it.
"This will be your room till you leave here, you'll be fed thrice a day too. If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." he says and turns around to leave.
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It's been three days since I was dumped in this place and just as Leo said, I received food thrice a day throughout my stay here.
All I do is eat, sleep and think of my life as it is now. I no longer look that bony but have gained some weight although not like I used to be. I think it's because it's easy for me to gain weight, just as it's easy for me to lose weight.
- Writer
