The Slave Trade

The leader looked back at the cart which carried the two elves and human who were unconscious from the potency of his drug. He was quite surprised at how resilient the elf had been but his surprise turned to amusement at how it changed. The young boy was further back walking with his guards. Shaking his head, he barked out a command. “Let’s get this over with. I want to be gone by nightfall.”

They walked down the hill, keeping their heads held high, and keeping a wary look out for anyone who would ambush them for their prey. This town was a dangerous one, where bandits and thieves would kill them to sell the captured for their own wealth. The only advantage he had was this town knew him well, for his cold façade and unrelentless ability to kill anyone without feeling. Those who didn’t know him found out quickly that he was one not to be trifled with.

They made their way through the town without incident, not escaping attention at his massive group, nor the large cart which held his captives. He had covered them with a blanket to hide his treasured elves. Smirking, he walked up to a man sitting at a table in the middle of the courtyard.

“Ah, Liyvurus! I had not expected you so soon since your last visit.”

Nodding and extending his arm, they greeted each other. “But you see this time I have a special treat.”

“Wonderful. I have some buyers who are anxiously waiting for the opportunity to purchase a strong slave.”

Nodding, Liyvurus waved his hand and called forth the youth. The boy was brought before the man at the table, and was inspected thoroughly.

“Good strong teeth, no lice, bruises will fade. Young, will grow to be strong. Yes.” The man babbled as he turned the boys head side to side. “He will fetch you a mighty price.” He placed a stone tablet around the boy’s neck and pushed him towards the platform behind the table. There were other children, and men with tablets around their neck in line, and a crowd of people on the other side shouting out prices at the current slave up for grabs.

“Now, where are the others? I would think you would have more.” The man glanced behind Liyvurus curiously.

Nodding, he smiled. “Indeed I do, follow me.” The man followed him to the cart, and the blanket was ripped away.

“Unconscious?”

Nodding, Liyvurus climbed into the back of the cart. “It was necessary, for one tried to escape.” He pushed the elf forward and pulled back the hair showing the tapered ears.

The man gasped. “An elf?” He exclaimed. He grinned widely.

“Not just one, I have two.” He shoved the other one forward, and dropped him by the edge of the cart.

Shaking his head, the man’s smile grew bigger. “I don’t even want to know how you captured them. Did you have to beat this one so bad?” He pointed to the one who was covered head to toe in bruises.

Shaking his head, Liyvurus explained. “It was not me who did this. He hasn’t regained consciousness yet, but I have a drug which will bring him out of it. I want him sold separately from this look alike of his.”

“Selling both together would bring you more money.”

“I understand that, but we will up the price on them. I do not want them sold together, too many ideas this other one had.” He waved indicating the one dressed in a blue tunic.

Nodding in understanding, the man pointed at the other figure lying in the back. “What about that one?”

“Only a man, but a strong one.”

Covering them up again with the blanket, Liyvurus jumped out of the cart, and began preparing for his sellers who would purchase his slaves.

Liyvurus hovered over the wounded elf, and slipped a skunk root out of his pouch. Breaking it open, he waved it under the elf’s nose, which earned him a gasp and coughing. The elf twisted his head out of the way of the stench and his eyes slowly opened.

“Welcome back to the living.” Liyvurus hissed. He pulled the elf up to his feet and shoved him towards the guard who would hold him firmly while the bidders called out their prices.

Elladan frowned groggily. Stumbling, he was caught by a strong grip and his injuries made him cry out in pain. Doubling over, Elladan gripped his stomach, wincing at the pain which ran through his entire body. Confused, he gasped when he was roughly pushed in front of a huge crowd. Frowning, he tried to move off the platform, but he was gripped from behind immobilizing him in place. Growling with rage, Elladan rammed his head backwards connecting with the guard who held him tightly.

Liyvurus walked onto the platform and gripped the elf’s hair yanking it back. “Enough of that.” He held the hair tightly and remained standing there as the bids started.

Elladan hissed angrily. “What is this?”

“Close your mouth. You are worse then your brother!”

Elladan gasped. “Elrohir.” He whispered. Moving his eyes around, Elladan desperately searched for his twin. “Where is he?” He spat.

Yanking the hair again earning himself a startled gasp, Liyvurus hissed into the pointed ear harshly. “That is none of your concern!”

The rage that rippled through Elladan was so intense that he growled and yanked himself out of Liyvurus’ grasp. The man stumbled from the force the elf used, and shook his hand free of the mass of hair still gripped in it.

Elladan stumbled away, but got a sharp jab in the stomach by a pole, and he doubled over falling to his knees gasping for air. Liyvurus gripped the elf’s hair again and more guards pinned him down. Noticing a change in the bidding, Liyvurus grinned and held out a pouch.

“This here comes with the elf; it is a drug which will make him very obedient. You have seen his strength, and combined with this drug, you will have no worries that he will perform his tasks without trouble.”

Immediately the bids started again, increasing as more people joined in. Smiling secretly to himself, Liyvurus stood there behind the elf holding him in place.

Confused and frightened, Elladan was held down on his knees. He listened to people shouting out numbers, but didn’t understand why. Glancing to his left, Elladan noticed a man drop gold disks into another man’s waiting hands, then walk off with a small boy crying out for his father.

Furrowing his brows, Elladan tightened his lips, and ground his teeth together. ‘What is this?’ He thought silently. Finally he was yanked up by his hair, and he cried out in rage and pain. He was shoved over towards the man who took gold disks, and his hands were bound. He watched confused as two men passed gold disks and he was pushed away into the man’s waiting grasp.

“Come slave!” The man hissed.

“Slave?” Elladan barked. He was tugged away, and he planted his feet firmly in the dirt. The rope was yanked, and he stumbled forward. Three other men came forward and began pulling the rope, making it almost impossible for Elladan to stop. A sharp crack entered his ears and his head spun from the impact that had connected with his head. Blinking his eyes clear, he shook his head. He was lead away forcefully, and nothing he did stopped them from walking away from the platform.

He panted from the exertion, and growled low in his throat. He would have to wait until he had recovered from his injuries before making his escape. He needed to find Elrohir.

Memory resurfaced as he thought back to how he had gotten injured in the first place, and he gasped. He had fallen over the cliff in the mud slide. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to remember what else had happened. His head had connected with something hard, knocking him out. But he had woken since then, didn’t he? He had no memory of what happened. How he had gotten captured. What of his twin? Where was Elrohir? He looked to his left and right searching out his brother, but saw no signs of him. Tears filled his eyes, but he blinked them back.

Was all this pain his own? Or was some of it his twins as well? Frowning and shaking his head, he began plotting a means of escape. He wondered what drug was handed to the man who now led him. Thinking back to his training with his father on healing herbs and potions, he tried to search his memory, which was incredibly fuzzy, on what drugs caused obedience.

Wincing as his head filled with pain, Elladan tried to shake it clear. There was a sharp throbbing, that seemed to be connected to his beating heart, and he panted against the ache. Words seemed to be amplified with the ache which caused it to hurt more, and his eyes were filling with tears. His ears were ringing, and the stench that filled his nose increased the ache.

His stomach turned and he gulped uneasily. Closing his eyes, he opened his mouth and began breathing through it rather then his nose. It helped the nauseating feeling, but his head still hurt. Trying to glance over his shoulder, he was yanked forward once again.

Pulling back sharply, the rope was yanked out of the guards grasp. “Stop pulling!” He snarled. Another sharp crack connected with his head and he suddenly felt the ground tilt dangerously to the side. Gasping, he fell to the ground. Stars filled his eyes, and he smiled as a black void filled his mind sucking him into oblivion.