The viscount takes a place right inside the doorway and the door that he entered through is closed behind him. The smirk he wore when he entered never leaves his face.

“You certainly don’t seem like a slave who would be worth 2300 zorans but I guess looks can be deceiving, and besides, the real value of a slave is determined by its obedience and I have been assured that you have been broken in well so we shall see. From this day on I am your master and you will call me as such, do you understand that?”

“Yes, Master.” I nod my head while replying.

“Good. Then before I take you to my estate, you first need to be marked as my property. Shirt off.”

I do as I’m told and remove my shirt and as I do so the viscount walks over to me and places his hand right below my collar bone. He begins chanting the same unintelligible words that the woman who healed my back used but instead of a flowing warmth through my body this time I am met by a searing pain where his hand is making my breathing hitch. When he removes his hand there is a deep violet symbol left behind, a crest containing two stags whose horns are interlocked with each other as if fighting for a mate. The searing pain ebbs away leaving only the mark behind.

“That is the mark of my family and marks you as one of our slaves so do not think about disrespecting it. Also it acts as a compulsion so if you… misbehave… it will cause you great pain until you return to doing what you were told. For the price I paid for you though it should be used scarcely.” The last part mumbled more to himself than to me.

“Anyhow, put your shirt back on and follow me, we have a long carriage ride ahead and I don’t like being away from my estate any longer than I need to be. With that I put my shirt back on and follow him as he turns and exits the room.

We walk through the area that I entered through and back outside into the cool air. Night has begun to fall and the sun is steadily drifting down towards the horizon, turning the sky shades of orange and red. Outside is as hectic as it was when I arrived earlier, slaves being led around, some chained together, others walking freely, some large groups being loaded onto separate wagons while some are the only slaves bought by their new master. In the distance I can see Alvin and Jack speaking to each other alongside another group of people who must also be slave traders. The group is laughing together, a scene that doesn’t fit the mood of the courtyard full of slaves being transported around by their new owners. To them it must just be like joking around as merchandise is transported elsewhere, their jobs as sellers and trainers done.

I am escorted by the viscount to his carriage which is around the front of the auction house among the other carriages of the auction-goers. I am apparently the only slave the viscount bidded on today as I follow closely behind him alone, no other slave had been in or entered the room I was led to after the auction leading me to think this.

The viscount’s carriage is as elegant as the others around the area, the door painted with the twin stags now decorating the center of my chest. The carriage itself is crafted from dark colored wood, windows decorate the sides of the carriage but are covered by what must be curtains on the inside. Connected to the carriage are two large, white stallions whose coats have been carefully maintained and who are being driven by a driver who is already sitting in the driver’s seat. Another man is also sitting next to the driver and as we approach the carriage he hops down, opens the door of the carriage and bows as the viscount enters the carriage.

“Master Leon.”

The viscount gives the briefest of nods as he steps onto the carriage leaving me standing outside where I wait for what I am supposed to do until Leon’s voice comes from inside.

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“What are you doing? Get in here and sit.”

I follow his instructions and step up into the carriage and the man closes the door behind me. The inside is rather simple with padded seats on either end and curtains in front of the windows. There is a small opening at the front of the carriage behind where the viscount is sitting which must be how he communicates with the driver.

“Well... sit down over there.”

I go to the seat opposite of him and sit down and as soon as I do the carriage starts moving forward. We spend the beginning of the ride in silence, during which I stare down at the ground keeping to myself as I was trained to do. We continue to move farther and farther away from the auction house eventually entering a dense forest. After a while, Leon breaks the silence that has been present between us.

“When we arrive you will be led to the servant quarters where you will meet my head maid who will inform you of your duties as well as give you a tour of the estate. You will also be measured for your uniform and shown where you will be sleeping. Do you understand?”

“Yes Master.”

After saying this I feel a hand grasp my chin forcing my gaze upwards, the viscount reaching across the carriage and staring intently at my face wearing the same smirk he had when we first met. I continue to avoid looking into his eyes, trying to just look past him at the carriage wall.

“Look at me.”

I look more directly at him but I still keep my gaze focused on his left ear rather than his eyes. The grip on my chin tightens and the viscount says again,

“I said, look at me.”

A sharp pain blooms in my chest where the mark now sits and I finally meet his gaze and the pain begins to disappear

“Good girl.” He continues to inspect my face, his eyes roaming over every hard edge of my face before leaning back in his seat and letting the silence resume for a bit.

“Do you realize you act like a doll? Ever since you stepped onto the stage at the auction I haven’t seen your face show anything other than a blank stare, it’s like you aren’t all there. I don’t think I have even heard you make any noise other than when you answered my questions.”

I just continue to sit there idly rather than responding, causing him to smirk.

“My point exactly. I actually quite like that aspect of you, it makes it easier to command someone when they have no sense of self. Now go to sleep so that when we arrive in the morning you are ready to get to work as soon as you;re done touring the estate. I expect to get my money’s worth out of you.”

With that, the carriage once again goes quiet and the viscount leans back crossing his legs and arms and closes his eyes. Eventually snores begin to sound from where he has fallen asleep leaving me to be my own company. I look out the window of the carriage watching as the night sky moves along with us through the gaps in the trees, the moon hanging high in the sky illuminating the nearby surroundings. In the window I can see my own reflection and I can understand that the person looking back isn’t the young girl who was taken from her family, the person looking back is exactly what the viscount described, a doll. My eyes look empty and I can’t even imagine myself with a smile anymore.

I lean against the side of the carriage but sleep doesn’t come and instead I become lost in thought about everything that has occurred to me and my mind eventually wanders to wondering about how Lena is doing all alone. She must feel scared having lost her only family and suddenly being left all alone.

I’m sorry we both left you Lena, but I just want you to stay safe and to grow up.

Sleep continues to escape me and eventually I can see the glow of the sun peeking over the horizon, slowly rising until the light is beginning to shine directly through the window and illuminating the inside. I hear a grunt from across from me as Leon begins to stir once the light hits his eyelids. As he wakes up, he yawns and takes a look outside the window.

“I hope you slept well, because we’re almost there.”

After he said that, we exit the forest into an open space in the forest and I’m met with the view of sparkling blue as a lake spreads out in front of us and on the far side is a house even larger than the Aston estate with the forest continuing on behind it..

“Welcome to my estate.”