Old Debts Repaid (books and blackrose)

[Inwiththebooks]

Fiona was not exactly in the best of moods as she walked through the streets of Idrol, a deep frown having crossed her lips and her brow set into a scowl. She rather disliked having to leave her home and laboratory for something as menial as purchasing a new slave. Sadly enough her last one had possessed the indecency to expire yesterday, so it was necessary for her to be out and about. She kept her cowl far over her head, casting shadows about her pale aristocratic face. Blonde strands of hair were visible and she was covered in thick and expensive looking blue robes.

The twenty six year old mage grunted as she bumped shoulders with another mage, exchanging glares with the fellow before setting back along her path. Mages were not known as the most sociable creatures and Fiona was no exception, she hated being out and about when she could be testing and researching away. Leaving her lab was cause for irritation and today the sun seemed just a bit too bright for her tastes. The woman especially hated the market as it meant mingling with non-mages for extended periods of time. Then there was the noise, the sound of dozens of voices shouting to be heard over each other. It was maddening to say the least.

Finally she arrived at the market and started gazing about for the location she was looking for, jostling her way through the throng of people. One would think that being a mage would be reason enough for others to get out of her way; sadly this was not the case. Soon enough she managed to shove her way to the slave market, already cringing at the noises around her as the mewling denizens of the city placed bids with their laughable amounts of money. Coinage had long since lost its mesmerizing abilities for her.

Her eyes scanned the poor lot that was first dragged up, snorting ever so in derision as she noted how very pathetic they looked. An hour into the entire affair the only thing she had to show for it was increased annoyance and sore shoulders from being jostled by every cretin in the assembled crowd. She pondered just how much trouble she might get in if she caused half the crowd to strangle the other half, discarding the thought as the next group of slaves was brought shambling up to the block.

The males were too thin and the females looked already as broken as could be, nothing particularly amusing there and nothing that would advance her research. Something strong was what she needed, something she could last herself with for a good long while. She did not desire to play with toys another person had broken and attempted to hawk off. She idly looked down at her nails, pondering if she should file them when she got back. Likely a job she’d delegate to whatever soul she managed to find here worth her while. As this current lot was auctioned off one after the other, Fiona waited for the next group in silence.

 

[Temptrianna]

Tria was not having the best day of her life currently. For that matter she wasn’t have the best week of her life either. As it stood, it seemed Murphy's law of what can go wrong, will had found her and steam rolled over her every chance it gained this week. Which was why she now stood in shackles and chains in a dingy room with about 30 other unfortunate prisoners who had been sentenced to be sold into service to another.

A beautiful young woman, she didnt look the type for her profession. She had golden locks of hair that fell in ringlets down her back from the hold the black cord she had it pulled back with. Her eyes were deep sapphire blue and she had all the right womanly curves. Her appearance was the only thing that had truly saved her from a worst fate.

She had been caught pickpocketing a noble Laird here in the market a few days ago. Had it not been for the dumb mage who couldnt keep their spell under control, she would not have been caught. However as it was the idiot caster was showing off some spells to his children in the quarter not far from where Tria had been working all day to unburden the passersby of their obtrusively heavy valuables. She had done good that morning and was about to quit for the day and go home when she spotted a well known Laird coming her way.

This particular Laird had nearly ran over her once before on his horse and had sent a line of foulness her way in lieu of an apology. She would repay him with a shortening his funds. He had stopped to watch the prestidigitation of the mage which made for the perfect opportunity for Tria. He was so interested in the childrens laughter and the tricks of the mage that he never noticed Tria come next to him and unlatch his purse from his belt. Just as she was about to put the purse in her cloak and sneak away, the mage misspoke a sparkler spell for a rocket spell.

Next thing Tria knew, she and the Laird was dodging a rocket and fell onto one another just in time for him to see she had his purse in her hands. She tried to run and get away, instinctively. Once again the mage intervened. Seeing what was playing out, the mage cast a web spell and caught her in the sticky net. Tria hated mages to this day. Luckily for her she was able to use her womanly charms to woo the king into a leseer sentence. Hence her currrent predictiment.

Fortunately the twenty three year old rogue had other plans. She had places to go and things to steal. At the current moment she was already using a thin piece of wire she had found on the ground along the way here, to unlock her manacles. She had yet to find a lock she couldnt pick, though the current one was being stubborn. It would simply take her a little more time and then she would be free, or so she planned. So far the locks were not working for her and it was about time for her group to be led out on to the auction stage.

Before long she had one lock undone but she still had three more to go. Starting to work on her second arm cuff she knew time was running out. Hearing the slaves before her sold off so quickly, she growled to herself as her group was called to go out. She didnt want to be sold but that may be her only way out at this point. Who ever got her would have hell keeping her. Dressed in typical prisoner rags, she and 7 others were led out to the stage to be sold.

 

[Inwiththebooks]

Fiona’s eyes turned back to the auction stage, scanning over the faces of the next lot that were brought out. Her eyes widened comically when she took note of a particular slave, just the sight of her had the mage shoving her way to the forefront. It seemed impossible and yet it seemed that through the ragged and tattered clothing it was indeed her. The mage felt her mind slipping back to about a year prior to now. A long time it had been since last she had seen the likeness of this particular woman, and it had certainly not been for a positive reason.

Fiona had, in the free time outside of her research, been searching for a particular information broker known for stealing state secrets. She had been successful in tracking down one Tria, a young roguish woman that had a habit of slipping through fingers. The mage had managed to make it to her hideout along with a number of soldiers, storming in and attempting to apprehend her. However the rogue was a clever little bitch and managed to slip away, leaving Fiona empty handed. Needless to say her credibility in the magical community had suffered a bit for that fiasco. For many months the mage had searched for any trace of her, eventually giving up.

Now it appeared that her quarry was being presented to her on a silver platter, one so very juicy that it made the frustration from before vanish. The other slaves were quickly being auctioned off, so the mage opted to seize opportunity where it first struck. The common buying price for a human slave was generally around three hundred gold, very few people went outside of that space. Fiona however didn’t want to risk getting into a bidding match with the cretins around her, so she purposely bid rather high for Tria.

“Five hundred for the blonde one!” She called out to the auctioneer.

The man gave her a strange look, though as predicted no one challenged her bid. After all there would be other slaves to buy at a much cheaper price. Money was of little concern to Fiona, being a state sponsored research mage brought with it an extremely opulent amount of wealth. She was still bringing in money from royalties gained for her newest golem designs. She could afford to splurge on a slave, especially one that would bring her no end of joy to torment for the rest of her natural existence. Humiliation was not something Fiona took well.

She flashed the broach on her robes to the auctioneer, who nodded slightly. The money would be delivered into his hands at a later date by a third party. The mage wasn’t exactly carrying five hundred gold on her person at the moment; credit was quite a useful thing. She moved around the side of the stage and waited for her newest purchase to be led to her with all the smugness of a queen that had conquered an enemy nation. Oh, today was going to be a good day.

 

[Temptrianna]

Trianna was shocked when a female voice rang out among the other voices offering five hundred for her. Pulling from the man holding her chains, she looked to see who the female was who wished to pay such a high price for her. With such a large crowd out today, it was difficult to really see who the woman was until she moved to the side of the stage to collect her purchase.

As soon as Trianna saw the robes of a mage upon her 'new owner' she felt sick. She really hated mages and now to have one about to claim her as their slave, this day just couldnt get any worst. Luckily for her she now had the second cuff undone so she could slip out of the chains easily enough. Seeing that her fate now rest in the hands of a mage, it was the perfect time to pull and escape act.

As the large slave master pushed her over towards the mage, she quickly twisted her wrists out of the manacles and flung them to the ground. “I'd ask for a refund ma' am” she said with a grin as she ducked the slave master and then made a run for it.

As the situation unfolded, everyone gasped and shouted and broke out into chaos trying to either catch Tria or root for her to escape.