7 SOLD
When the great Viking ship docked. The terrified group of young slaves had been led out of the ship and unto the land where a group of people was waiting. The grumpy soldiers had turned even grumpier and they had even started hitting the group of captives for no reason at all.
The group of captives watched in fear as right on the shores, Merchants started haggling over them as if they weren't there. The Merchants came round to inspect the slave's health and pick out of the small group, who they thought was fit enough for whatever purpose they had in mind.
Joda glared as one of the Slave merchants came up to him. The man was in his late fifties from the looks of him. He had thin balding hair that was brown but had streaks of gray in it and he was fat,with a mighty belly. The merchant took a look at Joda, wrinkled his nose, and walked right past the skinny, frail, and very dirty boy as he wondered what the soldiers saw in this one to bring him here.
The prince was aware of his physical condition. He was very skinny and barely had any flesh. His clothes were tattered and he stank. Indeed, he had made it his mission to find out why his host was in such a poor condition but try as he may, none of the others he had come with had been willing to talk to him.
He didn't blame them. Asking someone for his own name and what he had been when they assumed he was the same person they knew was bound to make them think he was either mad or trolling. All he had been able to come up with, from the reactions of the others anytime he got close to them was that he wasn't anyone significant or worthy for even the lowest of the low to associate with him.
"And we have this last one here. He's a fighter, this one. I'll give him for only 10 silver pieces. Who's coming?" One of the soldiers who was in charge of the slave auctioning announced. Joda frowned. How disrespectful. They were selling him for silver? Back in his kingdom, they used gold for everything. Even animals were worth the shiny yellow metal. How dare these people sell him for silver.
"Come on.. he's strong, I tell you. Look past his skinny and dirty form. He's also a good-looking chap. He can scrub, he can clean, He can farm, He can cook..."
"As if anyone will eat anything that comes from such filth." The merchant who had walked past Joda earlier on scoffed out a reply and the other merchants burst out into chuckles.
Joda's blood boiled at the disrespect and before he could even think of his actions, his mouth had already started moving. "Filthy I may be, but I'm sure your wife will offer me a round even under all this dirt because I'm a looker, unlike you who's dead ugly!" The crowd ooh'ed as they heard the insult.
"What did you say to me?!" The offended merchant asked angrily as he took a step forward.
"I said you are ug..."
WHAM!!!
Prince Joda fell on his side as a heavy slap pushed him back. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his hearing. Everything sounded faint and the ringing in his ears wouldn't stop. Gods, was he deaf now? Joda panicked. But then, his hearing started returning again and he looked up to see the auctioneer standing over him, wagging his finger as he yelled at him.
"You are nothing! You do not speak to one of the greatest Merchants in all the world like that!" The auctioneer said and Joda rolled his eyes.
"You are a slave. A dirty stinky slave! You better hope someone buys you or I'm going to take joy in detaching that head from your body!" The auctioneer promised.
The prince felt another angry retort building up and this time, he was too angry to care. How dare that auctioneer threaten him. Did he know who he was?, Did he think he could even stand infront of him if not for this weak teenage body? He would show him. Joda thought and opened his mouth to throw the biggest insult of his life, but just then, someone spoke.
"I'll buy him for 20 silver pieces." A young merchant spoke with a grin. "I like his attitude," he said.
"25 silvers" another merchant called.
"30 silver pieces! Anyone else?" The auctioneer asked.
"35 silver pieces!" An old man bidded.
"40 pieces" The young merchant bidded again.
"50 silver pieces" the old man called out again.
The young man sighed before calling out his next bid. "A 100 silver pieces for the young boy"
The crowd gasped in surprise. Why would anyone buy that piece of dirt for such an obscene amount as a gold piece? Even the other more healthy and clean-looking slaves hadn't been bought for that much. Just what was this young lad thinking? The crowd wondered.
The old man frowned but said nothing. It was evident to everyone present that he had given up on the young slave and the first bidder smiled as he saw the defeated look on the old merchant's face.
"Is that the last offer?" The soldier asked. "Alright. The young dirty fighter going for 100 silver pieces. Going one. Going two. Going..."
"No!, I'll take him for 300 silver pieces" everyone turned to look at the new person who had just spoken, and grins flitted onto everyone's face. They now understood why that mad bid had been made. Revenge sure was a sweet thing. The other merchants thought as they saw the merchant who had been insulted by the boy bid so high for him.
Joda felt his insides tighten in fear and displeasure. He looked over at the young merchant who had started the bid for him. Surely, a 100 measly silver pieces wasn't all he had. He would rather be dead than be a slave of that miserable, ugly wretch. 'please. Just bid 10 gold pieces or something.' Joda pleaded inwardly with a puppy look at the young merchant who still remained silent. 'No', Joda thought as he saw the young merchant shake his head with a frown. ' I'm dead, the prince declared inwardly.
"I assume that's the last bid. The boy will be going for 300 silver pieces to the merchant, Thrall. In one!. Two! And Three! All bids are closed. The boy is sold.!" The auctioneer announced to a huge grin from the petty Merchant. The young merchant felt sad seeing the look of dejection on the slave boy's face. That boy was in for a load of pain. It was just his bad luck that he didn't have enough to secure the boy. The young man thought with a shake of his head.
Joda, already tied up was dragged forward by some rough-looking men who had deep frowns of disgust on their faces the moment he was declared sold. He was thrown roughly at the feet of his new master whose grin even grew larger as he saw the filthy boy grovel at his feet. This was where filth like this boy was supposed to be. At the feet of better men.
"Whatever your name is, from henceforth no longer applies. Your new name is going to be simple and depictive of your real value and appearance. Your new name is 'filth'. Your duties are going to be simple. You are just going to be an outlet for my anger and frustrations, each and every single day." The ugly merchant, Thrall informed his newest collection.
"What do you mean by an outlet for anger and frustration?" Joda demanded defiantly.
"Oh, I meant, like this."
'BAM!'
A heavy boot connected with Joda's side and he coughed out blood as he felt more than one of his ribs break.
"That enough demonstration for you?" Thrall asked with a chuckle. Revenge sure was sweet. He was going to enjoy this. He no longer even felt bad for using all that money on this boy. The boy was going to pay back everything he owed in blood. Thrall laughed out loud as the other merchants shook their heads in pity for the unlucky dirty slave.
