Maria's Past

She never knew her parents, the moment she gain conscious to the world and reality, she was already an orphan.

Since birth, she's been living in the orphanage with no knowledge of her parents identity.

The orphanage isn't exactly a place to be enjoyed by the orphans, all of them treated it as a prison. No freedom, restricted movements, constant surveillance and limited rations, just like a prison.

The orphanage is a mansion yet run down, cracked walls, moldy corners, dirty floors and other disgusting stuff around the mansion.

It is not really a mansion per se, but an abandoned house.

All the orphans there are tasked in cleaning the house everyday, always given orders by the staff and especially the head of the orphanage. There was not a single day where a single orphan was not cleaning the 'mansion'.

Maria was no exception of the orphans.

In the course of over 5 years until she was adopted, she suffered a lot, together with the other orphans.

Orphans that was adopted are overjoyed more than ever, for finally escaping the hell hole of the orphanage. The others can only glare with envy and gritted their teeth in endurance. Most kids there are forced to mature, including Maria.

Then finally one fateful day, a kind looking couple came in and adopted Maria, in which the latter was jumping with joy upon knowing on finally having a happy family.

For 2 years she was living in bliss, a peaceful life. Her life was perfect and there is nothing she can ask for more.

Until one day, when she was playing outside the house, she was kidnapped by some weird looking man that has tatoos in their arms. Maria struggled but was finally drugged to sleep.

The moment she regains consciousness, she was in a small silver cage together with other kids just like her, but this time her forearm has some tatoo that resembles to those that kidnapped him and to the people that was walking around, inspecting every cage.

She finally realized she was kidnapped by the slave traders and the tatoo in her arm indicating her being a slave.

She felt the world collapse that day and she went into depression, in the course of 4 years her healthy body became bone like thin, her eyes gradually lost their shine and her will to live slowly disappears. When asked of her name, she silently muttered and since then she hasn't uttered a single word again.

All the rations they are feeding them are only bread and water, every single day for 4 years. It was why Maria's body so thin right now, as if there are no flesh in them and only bones.

Maria's fair countenance and formerly beautiful face disappeared as it was replaced by lifeless eyes and sunken cheeks, making her look very miserable.

For 4 years, in every auction no one would buy her. As if the buyers were repulsed by her appearance and are not willing.

Until one day.

"Listen up lowly slaves, we have an important guest right now, this guest comes from a great household so you all better present your best, being a slave in a great household will be your blessing in your lifetime. He is looking for a slave to purchase, so prepare yourself." The master of the slave trade suddenly said in a normal day.

Almost everyone in the room was stirred, and started to present themselves in their best state, girls or boys alike.

They finally have a chance in escaping this place, and truly being purchased from someone of great household means that atleast they will be more better off than those slaves that purchased by people of low status, one that cannot properly maintainance their slaves and always get treated badly.

They can only hope that their new master is not those of brutal and perverse type of person but instead a kind and generous uncle.

But Maria was not stirred, as if she has not heard what the master said.

Then moments later, a handsome looking middlge aged man came in, wearing an expensive looking robe and is emitting a powerful aura.

The middle aged man look around the cages and inspected every slave ranging from 8 years old to 15 years old.

"Ill buy all of them." The middle aged man said graceful. As if his words were the words from a god, all the kid began to cheer up and cried.

The middle aged man walked around until he saw an 11 year old girl, very thin and looking very lifeless.

Intrigued by such overwhelming depressed emotion the girl was showing, the man asked the master.

"Who is this girl?" The middle age man inquired.

"Sir, this girl is named Maria, we adopted her when he family was slaughtered by bandits." Hiding the truth, the master said with a thick face.

The man nodded in understanding.

"Look at me Maria." The middle aged man squated down, to be on the level of the same girl.

Hearing her name, Maria slowly looked up and stare the middle aged mans pure and kind eyes with her dull and lifeless eyes.

"Do you wan't to get out of this place?" The middle aged man asked with a such sincerity and a welcoming voice.

Maria's dull eyes slowly regained it's light upon hearing the offer.

For the first time in 4 years since she gave her name, she finally muttered 1 word.

"Pl-please."

One single word full of emotion, despair, hope depression, and relief.

That single word tells everything there is about Maria.

A word that can move even the hardest heart.

Upon hearing the word, the kind middle aged man was moved.

With his brute strength alone, he pried open the enhanced caged steel with ease. He offered his arm towards Maria and held her arm specially.

"Remember Maria, my name is Peter Martel, from the Martel Clan. From now on you will be Maria Martel.

'Is this finally my salvation? Or another tragedy waiting?' Maria thought.

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Maria and all the other slaves was brought back to the Martel Clan.

Every slave was designated to positions of where they excel after careful assessment and examination making some of those finally freed from being a slave, but there are also some that did poorly in the assessment and retain their status as a slave.

When Peter Martel brought back many slaves in the house, he was confronted by many clan members on doing such irresponsible things. Majority of them looked at the newly brought slaves with disdain and even became more disdainful upon knowing that some of the slaves was given a position that was not befitting to a slave at all, removing their status as a slave.

Everyone can only complain in the thoughts and never openly, no one would offend the brother of the current patriach of the sect.

And of course, seeing his brother bringing back many slaves needlessly, the patriack was also quite annoyed. He understood that his brother is a kind hearted person, ocassionally bringing back slaves and random people in the streets hoping in making their lives easier.

But he cannot find any reason to be angry about since his brother uses his own personal resources and money in accomodating the slaves and aiding them.

The patriach finally became angry finding out his brother kept a female slave to himself and not assigning her positions like many others slaves.

The patriach knew his brother well, he won't do anything unbefitting of him towards the little girl and besides, Peter was too soft hearted to begin with, probably intending in raising the female slave himself.

His brother, Peter Martel, only has a single son in which he dotes so much but unfortunately, his wife, the mother of his son died after childbirth.

His kindhearted brother grieved for man years, until the patriach finally approached his brother and man him up, telling him to take care of his son instead. Peter didn't marry another woman again and never planned to.

But what made the patriach explode was when his brother confronted him about the girl.

"Brother Patriach, I intend to keep this girl as my own." Peter Martel said as he held the hand of the 11 year old Maria. Maria looked around the house in amazement and the light in her eyes again came back. She looked at the patriach with sparkling eyes, full of curiousity and interest.

"WHAT?! You want to bring this filthy girl into this family and let her carry the name of 'Martel'?" The patriach exploded with fury.

"Yes. That is my intention." Peter resolutely said.