Chapter 41: Bandits and Breeders

Wooden bars? Yuliah bolted straight up onto her feet. "Ouch!" Her head slammed into a hard surface.

"Shhhhh," the surrounding voices hissed.

"Where am I?" She shook the wooden bars.

"Calm down." a pair of hands reached out to grab her.

"Let me out!" She screamed. Wherever this place was, she would not go quietly.

"Yuliah." A young woman spoke to her through the darkness.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" and began feeling around in the dark.

"I watched them bring you in. You probably don't remember me, but I'm Nian. My cousin married your father."

Yuliah could not recall this woman who knew her. She never liked her stepmother or stuck around long enough to meet anyone from her family. "Where are we?"

"West of the Kingdom. These men will take us to the coast and trade us to the Nomens.

They will sell us as breeders," she said it so calmly.

"Wait - and you're fine with that?"

"No, but what else can I do. I'm already here."

"Escape! That's what you need to do!" her voice cracked.

Nian laughed but remained calmed. "That's impossible. Have you not seen how life is in the Northern Kingdom for us? Escape to where?"

Embarrassed Yuliah's anger dispersed. "No. I didn't get to leave Wey Manor much." The men controlled

"What's wrong with your eyes? It's dark here but somehow I can see your eyes."

"Nothing. My eyes turn lighter at night sometimes," Yuliah looked away. It must be the ethereal spirit acting up.

Lantern's light up around them. "What's going on in here, ladies?" A man with skinny arms held his lamp up at them.

"The new girl. She's awake now and thirsty. Can you give her water?" Nian asked.

The man sighed and left.

"Who's that?" Yuliah asked.

"Irk, he's the one that watches over us at night."

"How did you end up here?" Curious how one of her step mother's relatives ended up sold. Nian had to be a Noble too.

"My step dad's gambling debts. And you? Last I heard a man kidnapped you on your wedding night."

Yuliah sunk back. "Yes." she paused. "Something like that." Ryas. She'd never see him again. No. She didn't want to see him again, not after what happened.

Irk came back with water for Yuliah. He watched her as she drained the cup. "What's wrong with your eyes? Are you blind?"

Yuliah glared at him. She didn't know if she should even answer or if it mattered at all. Instead, she tried to sense her ethereal spirit but felt nothing; it must have disappeared. The Ethereal Flow had a fit with her and left just like Ryas. Forget them both. She didn't need Ryas or the Ethereal Flow.

"Great, a blind and deaf girl. I hope we can still get coin for you." Irk sighed.

"Course we will. Look at her." another male voice answered from behind him. "Do you think any man nor Nomen would care if she can see or speak?"

"Ward." Irk turned around. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I heard a scream. Thought one of the men came out here to cause trouble." he took slow, confident strides over to Yuliah.

She put the cup to her lips again even though it was empty. Ward stood in front of her. His golden hair slicked back, and dark eyes stared down at her. She hated it when men looked at her that way.

Yuliah looked straight ahead and tipped the cup to her mouth again. His fingers came through the bars quickly, and the back of his rough hand brushed from her cheekbone down to her chest. Her heart rate increased. Yuliah wasn't sure why she let him do that.

"It's a shame. I'd rather keep you." he got up and left.

The cup in her hands rattled against the wooden bars before Irk took it from her hands. "Don't worry, sweetheart. He's all bark but no bite."

"Yuliah?" Nian's hand rested on her shoulder. "Come lay down by me; it gets cold at night."

Yuliah scooted her tingling body closer and huddled down beside Nian. Thousands of stars glittered in the night sky. She drew a deep breath before exhaling, would Ryas be looking up at the same sky tonight. Her heart began to tighten. No, he's long gone by now.

-----------------

Clank. Clank. Clank... "Rise and shine ladies."

Yuliah's eyes popped open to see a fat pasty man standing in front of her knocking his tin cup against the bars.

He gasped, "Oh. What do we have here? You must be the new girl." his glistening stubby fingers slipped right through the bars as though coated in grease, right towards her.

Yuliah veered back. No, not this disgusting man. She reeled even further away. Nian's hands were around her waist and pulled her back.

"Stay away from the girls, Pig." Ward shouted at him.

Ward took long strides over and stopped next to Pig. He took a long look at Yuliah. "IRK. Force her to drink." he called.

"I don't think I've seen a woman this pretty before. Can't we keep this one?" Pig tugged like a child at Ward's sleeve.

Why did they have such weird names? Yuliah's honey eyes glared out from behind the wooden cage at her captives. They talked as though she belonged to them. Her hands balled into a fist. She would never submit to them.

She would find a way out of here, she grew tired of being treated like property owned by men and then disposed of when they're done. Her eyes slightly lit up. She locked eyes with Ward, and the two were in a silent stare down that lasted too long.

"You have a few thousand gold coins? Ward finally broke away and asked Pig.

"No. Can't you just take it from my cut?" he answered.

"Then keep your shit in your pants! I'll cut that pigs tail you call a prick off if I catch you trying to spoil her. You hear me?" Ward turned around and grabbed Pig by the groin.

"Yea... Yeaas..." he answered and bobbed his big head, but it hardly moved it sat right on his shoulders because he had no neck.

Yuliah looked away. "Nian, how many men does Ward have?

"I don't know maybe twenty. Why?"

She leaned into Nian. "I'll get us out of here. I'd rather die than have them sell me as a breeder." she whispered. "Leave with me. This is not a life you want. I know it."

"Where would we go?" Nian sounded reluctant.

Yuliah wasn't sure why Nian didn't want to escape. Anything had to be better than becoming a breeder. "We could go to Murai and maybe even head south. Why do you sound like you're content with this?"

"I'm not, but compared to my life back home. This is better and besides we have nowhere to go. No money nor help. Maybe it's better to find a Nomen husband and give him sons."

Anger boiled up from the pit of Yuliah's stomach and out her mouth. "What if you don't end up with a good Nomen husband? Or can't give him sons? Then what?" Her honey eyes darkened. "Or what if your breed to not one but multiple Nomens? What then?" She could see Nian's face pale. "Do you even know what they look or behave like?" Yuliah's voice raised. "Because I don't. They could be savages with a disgusting appetitive for sex, or look nothing like a man."

"So how will we escape then?" Nian asked her nervously.

"The fat man, the one who tried to touch me earlier. What was his name Oink?:

"Pig, that's what they call him."

"He looks like the stupidest one of the group. His other head probably does all the thinking for him. We could use him." Yuliah's thoughts stirred around. "Does he come by us at all?"

"Yes, only in the morning and later in the evening when Irk's not here yet."

She needed more time to think about this.

A few minutes later Ward clucked his tongue. "Time to ride." and his horse moved forward.

The women sat caged like animals behind a giant wooden cell. They built it to to resemble a carriage and with four large wheels. Two men sat in front while four horses pulled the cage.

Yuliah counted twelve women and sixteen men. Ward lead in the front with six men and seven riders stayed in the back behind them.

Now, where's that Pig? She moved between the other women looking for him. "Nian, help me look for Pig. If you see him and he looks at you. Give him a flirty look," she whispered. He's probably never had a woman look at him before perhaps only in disgust.

He was a pasty fat little man. Who looked greasy all the time. Yuliah wondered what purpose he served for the bandits. He seemed to do nothing but take up space. He didn't look like a fighter or a runner either.

Nian tapped her shoulder. "He's about two riders behind us," she spoke quietly under her breath.

Yuliah made her way towards the back of the cage. There he was, a fat little man, on a horse that seemed to big or small for him. No wonder they called him Pig. She could see the resemblance. She shifted around until she caught his eye. Then ogled her eyes right at him and waited for him to respond. "Nian, get over here and help me with this."

Nian slowly walked back. "Fine." and began staring at Pig too. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just do what I'm doing." Yuliah flipped her hair back, and it exposed her long slender neck, she left her mouth slightly opened and batted her honey eyes at Pig. His white cheeks flushed a light pink. She almost laughed; he made it too easy.

She batted her eyes a few more times and tried to stare him down. No, she loosened her gaze a bit. She did not want him to come over and try to touch her again. "He made it almost too easy," she said to Nian. Yuliah's lips curled upward, but she quickly straightened them back.

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK... She jumped and knocked her head against the top of the cell.

"What're you staring at?" Ward banged on the bars one more time. His golden hair slicked into a low bun and tied behind his head. From this angle, he had a strong jawline and a good-looking features, one that did not match his evil ways at all.

"Freedom." Yuliah rolled her eyes.

"Freedoms that way love." he pointed to the front. "Be careful. You wouldn't want to strain that pretty little neck." he shoved a jug of water through the bars at her and left.

Did he see right through her ruse? Yuliah didn't care; she would not let them sell her as a breeder.

"I have to use the bathroom." a woman banged on the bars.

Yuliah's face lit up, that gave her an idea and she turned back to give Pig another flirty look.

It was late evening when Ward allowed everyone to stop for the night. They made camp, and the men forced Irk off to gather wood with Ox. Ward pitched his tent and retreated inside for the time being. Pig became responsible for watching over the girls.

"Nian," Yuliah whispered. "Now's our chance."

Nian banged on the bars, and so did Yuliah. "We have to use the bathroom," they both said.

Yuliah gave him pleading looks all day. She hoped that they were enough to get him to think she liked him. With her looks Pig would not turn her away for sure.

"I can only take one of you first." he pointed to Nian.

Yuliah reached through the bars and held onto his sleeve. "Please let me go too." she gave him another look. "I can't wait."

Pig smiled at her. "Sure, you can come too." He picked up a rusty sword hanging from a belt and tried to put it around his waist. A waist that was too large to fit anything around. After a few tries, he gave up and slung it over his shoulder. Then he let the two women out and lead them into the forest.

"What is it?" He asked them. "A piss or shit?"

"Both," Nian held her stomach.

He pushed Nian away, "Go over there by those bushes. I don't wanna smell that shit." he gave her a disgusting look. "Go!" he waved to Nian who reluctantly walked away.

Yuliah shot Nian a quick look and mouthed. "It's fine. Go."

"Don't tell me you have to shit too?"

"No, I drank too much water."

He snorted. "Good now let me see it."

Yuliah paused. "Let you see what?" Her eyes were a deadly glare.

"Heaven..." He took a step towards Yuliah. "Don't pretend to act shy with me wench. You been staring at me all day. Now you wanna play innocent."

"Heaven?" Yuliah gave him a confused look. What did he mean by heaven? Good Gods! It must be some perverse thing and she began to back away.

"I want to see what's between your legs." he rushed her and tried to yank her dress.

Yuliah's knee went straight for his groin, and her right hand flung up striking him in the nose.

He stumbled back and clutched himself. "You'll pay for that, you little..."

Before he could finish, she sprang forward and kicked as hard as she could right between his legs. He dropped like a fly to the ground. That was five people now, and Ryas said it was a terrible move, but it saved her many times now. She leaped over Pig. "RUN NIAN!" and made a run for it herself.