A few weeks had passed since Maūi and Tayir had left to make a name for themselves. According to Kai's father they had been doing rather well for themselves and helped catch many wanted war criminals. Unfortunately, their most recent assignment had them working with General Sumir and Amir. "Have they killed anyone yet?" Kai asked his father. The bear kind shook his head with a chuckle and Kai scoffed as he handed a bag to Nyoka. Mwezi's jaw fell. "I know ya'll are not betting on them?" Mwezi asked but it was more of a statement. Paka walked in the room and kissed the top of Mwezi's head. "Yup. To see how long Amir will last before Maūi removes his throat." Paka replied, tossing Nyoka a bag.
"Yall are terrible….how long has he lasted?" Mwezi asked. "For science of course…" she added. They gave her a confused look and she realized science might not be something they've heard of. "Never mind. Why are they working together?" she asked to draw attention away. Kai's father sighed and put down his drink. "There's a wandering group of rouge shifters, going through different territories and kidnapping women, selling them to the highest bidder." he said quietly. "Sex trafficing!?" Mwezi squealed in outrage. The king nodded, Tayir and Maūi were hired by the council of kings to help Sumir and his men. Drama aside, they both recognize Duty and Money to be earned." he added.
Mwezi didn't like the idea of them being so close to something so dangerous but she knew they could handle themselves. She remembered back home how a bunch of kids would go missing and be found with missing organs or never located at all. It was a terrible thing to watch as families grew more broken and lost hope over the years. Mwezi grew extremely sad and Kai's mother stepped in. "Alright boys. We're going out for some girl time!" she said with a clap before pulling Mwezi away from the table and outside where guards waited to escort them.
They ended up in the town's marketplace, bustling with merchants and people looking to buy goods and food. It was so crowded, Mwezi was surprised at how easily people moved to give them room to pass. "Sorry love, I could see your mood turning for the worst. Plus the boys need alone time to measure their dicks against one another." the Bear queen remarked. The both burst out into laughter, making people look their way from the sudden outburst. "Now I know this lovely designer is in town, makes beautiful garments and I think you and I both could use something nice." the queen said with a wink. Mwezi jumped up and down excitedly.
They arrived at a grandiose shop that looked like a massive tent. They went inside and there were live men and women showing off the outfits like living mannequins. Mwezi was taken back by the lavish set up and look of the place. "Well if it isn't the Queen of Bears herself. And whom might this beautiful specimen be?" the man asked. Mwezi didn't like the feeling she got when his eyes slid up and down her body, it made her feel dirty. "Where's your boss?" the queen asked after she exchanged a knowing look with Mwezi. A woman walked up to them with flowing green hair and fabric draped over her like a toga that was almost see through. "My queen, a pleasure as always." she said with a bow. "Mwezi this is Mera. Good friend and amazing designer." the queen introduced them. 'Pleasure princess Mwezi." Mera replied.Mwezi blushed "Just Mwezi is fine, please." Mwezi replied. Mera giggled and nodded.
Mera had shown them a collection of her works and outfits. "Oh mom, what about this one?" Mwezi asked, holding up a gold two piece. Oh yes! I'm sure the bows will love it!" the queen replied. "I'll get the accessories." Mera added and walked away. By the time she was finished changing, Mwezi was jingling everytime she moved. It was a gold bikini set with a matching gold string circlet, gold necklace, gold bracelets, gold thigh garter and gold anklets. The back of the top was a spider like piece that connected to a gold ring in the center of her back.
She walked out of the changing room and did a spin. The queen's jaw fell and all the men in the shop, even the workers, stopped to stare. "My goodness, none of your mates would be able to resist." Mera said quietly. Mwezi felt her face warm up from the stares and was happy no one could see her blush. She slipped back into the fitting room quietly to change back. She liked the fabric that they used to separate off the space. Mwezi was admiring the silk and didn't see the fabric shift and part behind her until it was too late. She tried to scream but a cloth was put over her face with a sweet almond smell coming from it. She fought with him, using her nails to scratch his face and arms, anywhere she could but he was too strong.
She let herself go limp and tried to hold her breath but the man kept the rag there and her lungs eventually burned for air. "You get her?" a guy asked. He was extremely skinny and disfigured in the face. He chucked the rest of his food to the ground as his lackeys hefted MWezi unconscious form onto the cart and surrounded it and the other girls they had taken with crates. With the bodies hidden they threw clothes over the boxes just in case someone got nosey. "Princess Mwezi, is everything alright?" Mera asked. The man's face lit up and his men quickly hopped onto the carts left over space and pulled off as quietly as possible. "Princess Mwezi!?" Mera screamed as she went into the fitting room to find Mwezi gone
The men were already gone by the time anyone realized what happened. "Wait!" the queen screamed. "Bring me mint!" she ordered as she whipped her tears. One of her guards brought back mint as another left to inform the king and Mwezi's mates. The queen used the mint to clear her sinuses that were stuffed from cry and walked into the now exposed fitting room. She sniffed around and she could smell Mwezi and someone else. "There" she said as she caught the whiff of iron. She pointed to droplets of blood on the ground. "She fought back and gave us a scent. Summon that idiot bird and get Maūi and Tayir here now!" she ordered.
Mwezi came to, to the sounds of crying and chains rattling. Panic immediately set in and her heart rate skyrocketed and tears formed in her eyes. She took deep breaths as the first few fell as she tried to calm herself down, panicking now wouldn't help her get out of this situation. Mwezi looked around the space as best she could in the dimly lit room. There were at least 20 women in cages, that was enough for a small village. There was one woman who stared at Mwezi with a deep intensity. Her eyes were gold and cat like but they seemed to almost glow in the dark. Before she could try to ask any fact finding questions, the door to the room opened.
"Well ello girlies. Time for a show yeah?" a man said. He reminded Mwezi of a pirate from an old Peter Pan movie. He smelled like he didn't bathe and he had more teeth missing than rotting and yellow in his mouth. The girls were taken out their changes one by one at knife and spear point until only Mwezi and the stranger girl was left. "We alret'y gots a special buyer fa' you two" the man said as more guards came in. There were five weapons pointed at Mwezi and the girl as the cages were opened slowly. Mwezi looked back to the girl who shook her head no. Mwezi gave a slight nod and compiled as the girl did.
They were led to a room not much larger than the last one. There was a massive tub filled with hot water and had cleaning supplies on the side. "Wassh up or else we do et fer ya' " the man said before slamming the door shut. The girls looked at one another before stripping down and getting into the water quickly. They exchanged information as they helped one another wash their hair and bodies. "There are at least fifty men here at all times, always armed. They like to snatch girls from villages, mated or not, and sell them off." the girl said. Mwezi gasped. "These are the traffickers my friends are after. I don't know whouls going t murder them faster. My mates or them." Mwezi said with a humorless giggle. "My brother." was the girl's reply. Mwezi wanted to ask more but there was a warning bang on the door. "Names Sabine by the way. You're that princess, Mwezi, riht?" she asked. Mwezi nodded as they got out and dried off.
The girls looked as the clothes left for them and scoffed. They were striped of gold outlined black silk that were sewn together to form a top and tendrils skirt. The top had a hole that the breast went through and cold covers that went over the nipples and areola. The back of the top has a spine of gold that meets the top of the skirt. The bottom was four slips of the same fabric sewn together and there were strings of gold holding them together at the sides. Mwezi and Sabine looked at each other disgusted. "My friends are hunters and trackers. We leave a trail of anything and they can follow it maybe." Mwezi suggested. Sabine nodded. The door opened and the dirty man smiled to himself. "Ya lasses lucky boss said we can't keep ya to ou'selves. Not allowed to sample the pro-duct." he said with a grotesk grin.
The girls were escorted out to a room with all the other women were but Mwezi and Sabine were slightly separated from them. They were chained by their ankles and handcuffed behind their backs. Once secured, men started filling into the room.They were looking over all the other girls, handing the gross man bags filled with gold and the girls ankles were released so their new owner could escort them away to wherever. Sabine hiss and Mwezi jaw went tight with rage. "I's not'in personal love's. Just business!" the man said and started laughing at the girl's anger. They exchanged a knowing look, he had to die.
Before anything else could be said, the doors opened again. It wasn't a normal man who walked in this time. The girls could tell her dress with purpose and money. He had four girls at his side, collared with chains attached to them that he held onto. "Well, well, well." he said as he looked Sabine and Mwezi over. Sabine was tall and filled out like Mwezi but she had more tone, like she did manual labor daily. It gave her an attractive Amazon warrior look. Mwezi would have gone for her in any other situation. "How much for both?" the man asked smelly. "We only agreed tuh one in exchange for ya four finest girls." stinky replied. "Four girls and their weight in gold for these two." the rich man retorted.
Handler 'smell bad' thought it over for a moment before agreeing. "Sure thing," he replied. It didn't take long for them to weigh the girls and complete the transfer. The four girls screamed and cried as they begged to be let go. Mwezi and Sabine used the comotion to take an earring out and slice their palms enough to draw blood. They put their earrings back and curled their hands into a loose fist so the men couldn't tell when they cuffed them. Mwezi just hoped they wouldn't smell it either but with their body odor she wasn't too worried. "So beautiful," the rich man said, looking into the girl's eyes with lust. "Fret not girls, you will be safe with me." the man said. "I'd be safe home with my mates." Mwezi hissed. "And I, with my family," Sabine added. The man looked hurt but he brushed it off rather quickly. "I will take better care of you than you could imagine, I promise. Even you, Princess." the man retorted giving Mwezi a look.
There was a coach carriage waiting for them. The man got in before the girls were politely urged to get in as well. Once seated the convoy was off, taking the girls to parts unknown. There were two open windows on each side of the carriage. Mwezi pretended to watch the trees go by as she squeezed her hand so it belt on the ground as they moved and on the side of the carriage itself. Sabine just stuck her hand out the window pretending to catch the breeze as her hand bled. "It's unfortunate isn't it princess." Sabine said annoyed. "Indeed. I was looking forward to killing him too." Mwezi replied as she sat back in her seat normally.
The man seemed taken aback by their words. "You can't kill me. Even if you did or tried my men would stop or kill you before you could make it very far." he returned with feigned confidence. Mwezi and Sabine exchanged a glance before bursting out into laughter. "We were talking out B.O. back there." Sabine said. She shifted to his side of the carriage and curled up close to him. "Since we're yours now. Perhaps we should take this time to get to know one another, yes?" she suggested. Mwezi screamed internally but followed along with the ploy. She curled up on his other side. "Indeed. You know our names but not yours." Mwezi goaded. "Lord Gaston." he muttered as his eyes became hooded with lust. His body shuddered as their gold covered breast rubbed against him. Sabine had rubbed Mwezi's hand as it rested on Gaston's chest. His head was thrown back and Sabine kissed his neck so he didn't notice until the chain around his neck was brought up and around his esophagus and started to choke him.
Mwezi took the blade from his waist and held it to his neck and he banged on the carriage, making it stop. Both doors were thrown open with weapons drawn until they noticed their Lord was being held, nearly choking at knife point. "Move and he dies. Slowly." Mwezi threatened as she moved the knife from his neck to his clavicle. They took a step back but Sabine lifted her face and took a whiff. "Mm looks like they all die anyway." she said before a roar shook the entire forest surrounding them. It was so strong it shook the carriage they were in and Mwezi would have panicked herself had she not noticed Sabine so calm, happy even. "My brother" Sabine said as she looked at Mwezi with a smile.
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A/N Good evening all. I wanted to apologize for my extended absence. I have been going through it and it took a toll on my and my desire to write. I couldn't force myself and give u sub part content so I just didn't do it until I knew I was ready. I do appreciate you all and your continued support and worry, I know many of you were asking for updates while I was gone. If you don't want to read because of the inconsistent updating I understand and still love you. However, I needed this time for me. If you choose to stay then I love you all the more.
~Syren