Casper wasn't lying. He wasn't going to be paying much attention to the auction.
after only a few ridiculously high bids into the first item, a man servant approached him and Casper moved from his purchased seat, up to one of the private boxes at the behest of a tall, skinny man dressed so obnoxiously gaudy it make Annabelle want to kill him and rob him then and there.
Why the hell were they bothering with this convoluted plan when they could simply kill that man and retire off his jewelry alone?
Annabelle Sighed. She should trust Casper.
Life debts aside he had proven himself to be incredibly capable. If it was that easy he probably would have done so already. So instead Annabelle took to doing her due diligence and monitoring the individuals making their bids on the items as they came out.
It wasn't difficult to focus. Not too many people were making bids on these first few items, and those who did were in more isolated battles among one another.
The first item, an island villa, was sold to a man wearing a flamboyant purple hat with a huge feather in it for the low price of 650,000 marks.
The number was beyond insane. In fact Annabelle didn't know numbers that high existed. After the counting got past the 10,000s it stopped bring money and started to become “a fuck ton”.
The next couple of items were more of the same. A boat going to the single fattest man she had ever seen, some land going to a relatively rough and tumble grizzled grandfather, and an ancient looking sword went for a value she was incapable of comprehending to a younger man who decided it was appropriate to wear armor to an auction.
With a brief intermission for those who won bids to head off into the back rooms of the auction house to pay and receive their items, Annabelle took a breath.
If she was being honest, she didn't mind the looks people were giving her as she stood in the back. In fact she was honestly a little prideful. She wasn't in the most revealing attire, that award went to a full succubus on the far end clothed in quite literally nothing, wearing a Large amount of jewelry.
Most of it looked fine and dainty and delicate which was not at all to her personal taste, however the most bizarre accessories were the piercings through the succubus's nipples, and the piercing around her privates, all connected to one another by a dangling chain affixed to a high choker like collar.
“That has to he uncomfortable” Annabelle muttered under her breath with a faint shiver
She honestly never had much Issue showing her body. She had been a bandit for so long it's one of those things you have to get used to. Changing, bathing, patching injuries, the whole works. She was used to men looking at her like a cut of meat, and she didn't care, mostly because she knew if they tried anything she could snap them like a twig, and that thought alone made it all the more entertaining.
The only person she actually enjoyed having look at her, was Casper. Every time she caught him eying her chest she’d stick it out a little bit more for him to make sure he enjoyed the view. She made sure to flex the muscles in her back when she spotted him watching her bathe.
She didn't quite know what the emotion was honestly. Her feelings towards Casper were complex, she figured. She owed him her life, and he obviously found her body attractive. Why he didn't make a move was beyond her. She was so used to men making their feelings obvious, Casper keeping his otherwise Obvious attraction hidden confused the hell of her.
Still, confused or not she'd continue to show off. She liked the attention and God's knew she enjoyed watching Casper.
Even though he kept covered from head to toe she could still see his muscles work under his clothes. The way his eyes narrowed in that clever, knee quivering way. The strength in every touch, the power hidden behind every word. She didn't know what it was they had, if they had anything at all, just just knew she liked it.
People began filing back to their seats, marking the end of the brief intermission and the start of the second Half of the auction.
All the pride Annabelle felt about her appearance, and all the attention she was receiving for her outfit vanished in an instant, as the announcer ushered In the next auction item.
Two twins stepped onto the stage, each glowing with divine beauty. They were both the most beautiful beings Annabelle had ever seen. Both were androgynous in features, and similar in build. Their curling hair was the color of the purest gold to match the floating halos of golden light suspended above their heads. Pure White wings framed them both, as they stood adorned in equally white togas with gold accessories. Both wore golden slave collars around the throats, etched with strange runes. It must be magic then. She had never seen magic up close, aside from that stranger on the boat she was on during that mission in Insmouth
Even with whatever magic was present in the collars, the succubus woman at the end was visibly recoiling. Her expression was one of deep pain as she clenched shut her eyes and dared to turn from the stage.
A celestials presence was no joke, Fiends might be powerful creatures in their own right but they dwelled deep in the hells or underground natively. Celestials owned the heavens and skies. When the two met, it was bad news for the fiend.
The bids For the twins were much different from that of the other items, in fact they couldn't even be compared.
The price shot up rapidly as Annabelle struggled to keep pace with the speed of the bids. Hands raised up and down and up and down, the number climbing higher and higher and higher until eventually the twins were sold to a husband and wife pair who sat in the same chair together. Annabelle noted their appearance and their seat position and stored it In the back of her mind for later.
The next slave up for auction received a much similar treatment. The archfey male stood tall and proud at auction, with the announcer mentioned he “still needed work, but was still quite the catch”.
Annabelle wondered how celestials and archfey would become slaves. She had only ever heard stories of them and from her very limited understanding they were nearly demigods. Incredibly powerful beings capable of impossible feats. Who the hell was going around capturing these things? Better yet who was making collars with magic capable enough to stop them from tearing down this whole auction house with a single thought.
After a while the auction ended, with the archfey male going to the man sitting in the same box Casper was now in. He looked pleased with himself and offered a curt nod to Casper. She figured she didn't have to keep track of that one, given that Casper was right next to the man and they were actively talking.
The next slave up was a gorgeous dragonkin woman. If the celestials were beauty incarnate then this dragonkin was the definition of “hot”. She was all curves and power and sex appeal. She was prideful and elegant, an elven grace with succubus’s curves and a giant's strength. In fact, given what Annabelle had heard regarding dragonkin. They were among the strongest martially of all the higher races.
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Celestials could perform miracles of healing, fiends were fiercely intelligent and could conjure powerful soul binding contracts. Fey were highly adept at druidic magics while elves were incredible specialists in what was called “high arcana”. However, In terms of raw dominance over a battlefield, dragons were the most feared. Beyond that, red dragons were among the highest caste. Her bid bounced back and forth between several individuals quickly, including the man Casper was sitting with.
Gods, how much money did that one man have exactly to afford not one, but two nearly priceless slaves in a single day. And what was he doing where he would need a red dragonkin? And how the hell did Casper know this man? Annabelle wondered it all silently.
Much To the man's personal dismay, the dragon went to another in a private box, a middle aged man of regal poise wearing a simple crown atop his head. Surely he would be some higher nobility then.
The last item up for auction received a good deal of fanfare as the elven auctioneer and owner for the auction house came back on stage to make a show of the announcement.
“Our last and final item of the evening, and the moment you have all been waiting for. It is my honor to present to you the single, rarest slave to have ever stepped foot within this auction house. With the gracious aid of Duke Regalt’s Last Legion, and their two decade long quest to exterminate the threat that are the children of the dark star, we have stumbled upon a unique, one of a kind individual.
The crowd's murmurs of excitement vanish. Dread silence claws over the hearts of the gathered as If the incantation of death itself was made manifest in space at the mere mention of a marked child. Annabelle herself couldn't help but shiver. She had heard the stories. But were they really stupid enough to bring something as dangerous as that here? Who the hell would even want it? The announcer herself said that there have been active efforts to kill off everyone born under the dark star, why turn one into a slave?
“This marked child was found in a cloister of acolytes only a short year ago. Her docile nature and low education meaning she never learned of her true purpose as a harbinger of death. She possesses the mark, and the capacity to use it and channel its power yet she is unknowing in The ways of our kingdom. She is ripe for molding and that opportunity to turn a harbinger of death into your personal tool is available this evening, and this evening only.” The woman smiles wide.
“Again, I would like to thank Duke Regalt for making a once in a lifetime exception to the rule that all marked children must die. Those of you who will not be bidding, take care to observe, this will be the only time you see one such marked child ever again”
Fear. Cold and utterly absolute grips those gathered in the auction house. Duke Regalt himself becomes visibly uncomfortable, as a young woman is guided out flanked by a dozen of the last legions finest soldiers. A heavy metal collar binds the girl's neck, wrists, and feet. All chained tightly together forcing her to shuffle to the stage. 4 of the armored men wield heavy metal rods attached to the metal collar around the girls throat to keep her at a distance and guide her.
Under the weight of metal bondage, she looked to be the same age as Casper, with long, flowing pitch black hair that draped over her back like a cape leading to her bare bottom. She had delicate features with large blue eyes and full pink lips. Her body was skinny, not malnourished like Elisayra's was, but still thin, though attractive in her own right. Like a stray kitten, she was feline in build, and threatened power and grace if given the opportunity to eat.
Whispers, low and dreadful rise from those gathered. Annabelle catches a few mutters of disbelief.
“Where is the mark? I thought they had marks?”
“how can we tell if it's real or not?”
“what if she doesn't actually have power?”
Among many others make their way through.
Reading the room. The elven woman smiles and speaks loudly, an incantation over the bound girl.
The air shimmers, and slowly the markings become visible on the girl.
Gasps erupt from the crowd. Annabelle watches as several dozen shift uncomfortably, a few try to leave or just get further away from the stage.
Black, Inky markings flow from the tips of her fingers to cover her hands up past her forearms clear as day against her dangerously pale skin
“Those of you who have been here before know I tell no lies. My elven magic is that of revelation. I allow the mortal eye to see that which can only be observed by those in possession of magic. I offer my magic of true sight to all now, to bare witness to a child born under the dark star. Our high artificer has informed me, confirmed by Duke Regalt’s Last Legion. That the extent of this one's marks are the most developed either has ever seen. They have witnessed marks half as developed, cut down legions of men and lay waste to entire cities with so much as a scratch Upon their person. The dragonkin may be strong, but she will be stronger. Our starting bid is 1,500,000 marks.” The elven woman finishes with a self satisfied up turn of her head.
Annabelle finds it hard to focus, for the cold sweat dripping down her body. She was frozen. Her heart was thundering in her chest. She wanted to run. She needed to escape. For all her battles and all her fights, even the hunter didn't compare to the insurmountable dread ripping through her body.
Standing only 100 feet away was the single more terrifying, powerful being likely on the face of this earth. And she was about to be bought by someone here.
How the hell could anyone allow this? Whoever controls that girl would be unstoppable. How could anyone permit this to happen? Unless…
A thought crossed Annabelle's mind, just as the first hand raised. Her thundering heart skipped a beat then, and then several more, as she watched the man from the boat's arm raise high. The one who had wanted to buy her that day, the man who had used magic right in front of her.
He was here? He was placing a bid on this girl? Annabelle had no idea who the hell this guy even was, all she knew is that he was very, very bad news.
Duke Regalt’s bid snapped her from her momentary daze, and in doing so confirmed her suspicions of what was going on here.
Of course they weren't going to let anyone walk away with such a powerful being. The kingdom of Getha has stated firmly that all children born under the dark star must die. Anyone bearing the mark is to be purged, along with anyone associated with them.
That meant that Duke Regalt was going to buy her, and then execute her. She didn't know why he would go about it this way as opposed to simply killing her the moment they found her. Besides, the order of the king himself to Duke Regalt himself was that all who bear witness to a marked child are sentenced to death. It wouldn't make sense to show her off so everyone…
“Oh - shit”
Annabelle shifted her gaze to the exits. locked, barred and guarded. They had made the announcement that due to the nature of tonight's auction, once it started no one would be permitted to leave, or enter. The guards. So many guards, the last Legion being here…
Annabelle Didn't know nobility very well, but she knew tactics for getting alot of people killed very quickly and regardless of who was responsible for what was about to happen, it was about to get very very bloody.
She needed to warn Casper. Coming from a small village so far away from everyone he wouldn't know what was happening. He wouldn't know the rules. She needed to warm him and warn him quickly.
Annabelle looked around trying to stay as calm as possible. It looks like a select few individuals had recognized the same thing Annabelle had, and were in the process of moving to leave. The Man up by Casper was working his way out of the box, likely to go pay for his fey male.
Annabelle searched for the stairwell up to the box seating, eventually finding it, she moved to make her way up top only to be stopped by the guard at its base.
“Back to your place, slave, only honored guests are permitted.”
Annabelle fought the urge to beat the man's face in, and instead put on her best, albeit not very convincing servant act.
“My master was invited up here at the start of the auction m'lord. I must relay a message” she tried, the tone of voice she used grating even her own eardrums
“Are you deaf? I said return to your place-” the guard started, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
“You are Casper's servant, correct? We were just headed to the back room to pay the auction house and pick up my win.” A tall man mused, Casper at his side nodding in agreement.
“Casper, I really must-” Annabelle tried, but was cut off as Casper moved to stand by her side.
His eyes told her that he understood she needed to say something important, however his body language also very clearly read that talking in front of this gaudy man wasn’t safe.
She bit her tongue, as her eyes flicked to the figure of the man from the boat, his hand continuing to raise over and over in a war against nearly a dozen others.
Casper's eyes turned to the man, following her gaze, and he felt the air around him tense with anxiety.
Did Casper know this man? He clearly got the same impression Annabelle had, but he must be able to see more than her as his pace quickened, prompting his lanky acquaintance to struggle to keep up.
“Now now, no need to rush, I'm sure we have plenty of time” The man droned.
Once they got a short distance away, enough for Annabelle to whisper, she spoke in a low voice.
“They are going to kill everyone in here, we need to leave,” she urged.
“Shit… understood”, was all Casper offered in the way of a response, as they walked to the doors of the auction houses back rooms.