Chapter 8 - Axena aims the ring

At sunup, Axena was struggling to catch a sleep after she had spent most of the night devising her plots. She started by planning on fighting her way out into the city but that would be granted by killing one of her own - this was why she hated Lixxini and if she does the same thing as Lixxini, she would hate herself too. Next, she decided to have a trial when Somba finally pick her up. Snapping his neck as Plinx had planned, taking his bat, killing off some guards and running - she perceived death, a dumb death. She berated the idea. Next, she decided to have one final discussion with Somba before the next night as she knew she was on his list according to her request. She wanted to know where Culix was, she wanted to know if their men were all safe before she began planning her kamikaze idea.

Just as her eyelids closed at the sunup, a noise made entry into her ears and her eyes were forced open. She rose at the instant, scared and on a weak alert since there was nothing she could do to counter any threat that comes. She saw Lixxini and Xylin holding each other's hand and staring deep into each other's faces while they pushed themselves from end to end, both heaving heavily. Other women surrounded them, murmuring, they looked on. Axena could tell that there was division in the cell, unity was far gone, unlike the times when they questioned each other on what to do to free themselves from the bondage they were in. It seemed as though there were more than fifty plans in the cell, with no less than forty-nine thinking about stepping into the ring and having a trial. 

Axena walked closed to Mowe, they had not talked for a long time. If the ring was the solution to their bondage, it was certain, apparently that Mowe would stay there forever as she had never wielded a sword or any weapon. Also, if there would be a category for the weaker ones in the cell, she would be among, the top of the list. Axena counted Mowe as one of her burdens.

"What has happened? Don't tell me they are planning to step into the ring," Axena said to Mowe who sighed and pointed at the corner of the cell. 

"Someone dipped Lixxini's cloth in the dirt. When she asked, Xylin stepped up. Maybe she did it, maybe not, none can tell," Mowe answered.

Axena sighed and harboured the thought to step into the fight and separate but Xylin had cornered Lixxini and she struggled to repel the push. If it were Lixxini gaining on Xylin, she would separate. 

Suddenly, a shout came and they all turned to see Somba standing before the cell. He held his bat and shouted again, "silence."

They all stared at him and Axena couldn't help but wonder how things had changed easily. Somba, the once shy and innocent knave had assumed the power vested upon him by the chief guards and he was using it. He stood before the cell and looked from right to left and smirked. 

"What has caused the chaos in the early day of Tipotha's festival?" he asked. There came no response, "Oh, I see. What is with you both?" he said and pointed his bat to Lixxini and Xylin who dissociated after he spoke. "Do you want to step into the ring? If you want it, you just say, you don't do it here."

"If that would solve it, so be it," Lixxini spoke. 

"I am not backing out either," Xylin added. 

"Well, it's a festive day and things like this are welcomed today. There are enough fights for entertainment, however, the list can not be endless as far as Tipotha is concerned. But what is the reason for the fight? If you'd tell me, then the fight can be attached to a prize," Somba said and Xylin walked forward. She would speak, but Lixxini overtook with her hurrying voice. 

"My cloth was dipped in the dirt, if permitted, I want to strip her of her skin and have her watch me wear it," Lixxini responded. 

Somba nodded and looked at Xylin. Xylin nodded too and accompanied her nod with her sturdy voice, "Increase the stakes if you may. Just as I dipped her clothes in the dirt, I want her blood spilt in the ring too," Xylin confessed. 

Again, Somba nodded and snickered at the two that were before him. "You want it, you get it," he said and retreated to relax his back on the wall before the cell where he looked forward with his lustful eyes. Axena had questions about a lot and she walked close and beckoned him to come closer. When he slowly did, she could notice the look in his eyes, the expectant look. According to her plea which Somba granted, she would be on his menu list in the late hours and there seemed to be nothing to stop it unless she used the card up her sleeve, a card considerably big beyond her fears and limitations, one she was still pondering upon. 

"I have some questions," she said and he nodded.

"First, the girls you took yesterday, they are not back, are they?" she asked. 

"Yes, they are not," he said calmly. 

"What has become of them?" she queried and Somba sighed. Axena could sense the pressure he was on. Perhaps he was waiting feeling guilty about the absence of the girls or he was getting a knock again, just like the first time. She therefore realized that he had been aiming at her since their first meeting.

"We, Huh. They were seized by the guards belonging to a lord. We were returning them all and then we were ordered to surrender them to the lordship of a minister. All five of them," Somba answered.

"And where are they now?" she questioned. 

"They may not be returning. You may not see them again," Somba returned. 

"They were bought?" Axena sensed and asked. 

"You get it, they were bought. Dead or alive as the case may be, they are the property of the lord right now. More of it would happen today, many of you will be bought, many will not return to this pit tonight," Somba explained.

Axena became lost in thought. She hoped she was among them and she blamed herself for devising a means against Somba's pick. The envied the women at the lord's house and a bit of freedom was what she could see in them. She sighed and hoped to be bought. She asked, "Somba, our men, where are they?"

"They are in the south of the kingdom. They are fine," he responded.

"They have to fight for clothes and freedom like we do too?" Axena asked. 

"No! They have bids already. They are needed alive and healthy. Though, just a hundred of them are required. When the time comes, the tournament would begin. The hundred would be Tipotha's sworn Calvary. Their time will come, and you'll see," Somba said and walked close, now, the lust in his eyes was hyper, but he didn't look away as before. 

"One last thing," Axena eschew the look in his eyes and asked further. "Tell me about the festival."

"Tipotha's quarterly festival. This is the biggest of all festivals. Under the reign of king Tidilph, Tipotha is booming with wealth and service. We're the best across provinces and we're bagging the respect. The king will give a revelation of how long we can survive if we chose not to work anymore and how peaceful the kingdom is. Slaves are not allowed to attend, hence, it's a pity you won't be seeing it."

"How then will the slave trade happen if we're not allowed to attend?" she questioned. 

"You are not the only badge of slaves in Tipotha at the moment. Three badges were presented before you all from RebelHood, and one more after you. For sales, it would be the women from Talaza," Somba answered. 

At the mention, Axena dropped her head. Talaza was a small town that chose to exist on its own. Nor soldiers, just farmers. She dived into the pool of thought and realized a theme behind Tipotha's raid. They were raiding towns and settlements that were good at a thing, stealing them and forcing their men to ground the idea in Tipotha for livelihood, while their women were for sex and sale. She also could see that Somba was looking forward to the night drill. He was apparently happy with her not stepping into the ring and being available in the ring. Meanwhile, she planned to step into the ring against any opponent. She could read the message that wasn't cryptically written. Tipotha seemed strong and loved to believe that she was invincible. Which is why the guards and soldiers are happy to reveal their secrets to their enemies claiming she's insurmountable. 

At this brainchild, Axena stepped above the will to live in the most simple way. The tournament that the RebelHood men would partake in was a thing she had no idea of. Culix was known to be strong, however, there are stronger men there as well. Culix might fall. She sensed she was alone and all by herself, and stepping into the ring to try and give an impression and a show of her body might bring about the first step on the rung of freedom for her, "If I die, I die," she said to herself and walked back into the cell.