The slave auction

The guard took Bradin to the center of town, where the market was located. Bradin could see the auction platform, where slaves where sold at auction. The guard opened the door of a building off to the side of the platform.

"In you go." the guard said holding open the door and forcing Bradin through.

Inside was a room with a desk that had another guard sitting at it. This is where slaves where registered for the auction. The guard at the desk asked for Bradin's control crystal, and the guard who had bought him handed the gray crystal over.

The gray crystals controlled the wooden rings the slaves wore. It could tighten the ring as a form of punishment, or terminate the slave if the owner felt it was needed. Most of the time just cutting off a slaves airway was enough.

Once Bradin was registered the guards took him down some stairs at the back of the building. Bradin was getting nervous as they had been going down for some time. every so often they would pass another guard standing in an alcove.

After about ten minutes they finally reached the bottom of the stairs. At the bottom was a long hallway but on either side where metal bars. As Bradin fallowed the guards he could see that the bars where cells to hold slaves.

there where about twelve cells in total each holding three to four slaves. Bradin was surprised. He didn't know that there where this many slaves in the town. Granted he had never been allowed to leave the tavern, but usually the smaller towns didn't have that many slaves.

The guards opened the last cell on the right and pushed Bradin in. They locked the door again and left leaving Bradin with his two cell mates. One was a woman who looked to be in her fifties. the other was a man in his thirties.

Bradin looked around, and noticed they had to be pretty far underground, because there where no windows and only four touches gave light to the cells. Bradin went to the back corner of the cell and sat down.

He should have known, that Madam Min would get rid of him. Male slaves cost more. To keep as well as to buy. Bradin punched the brick wall of the cell suddenly. He was frustrated with himself for not being prepared. Bradin held his hand. It throbbed with his heart beat. Slowly the pain dulled.

There was not any talking among the slaves. anyone who talked would be punished. Around midday a guard came down and threw some dried meat into the cells for the slaves. There was a piece for each slave.

The man grabbed all the meat as it entered the cell. Bradin didn't expect to get any, however the man gave the biggest piece to the woman, and the next biggest he tossed over to Bradin. the man then ate the smallest piece of meat himself.

Bradin was surprised to see this behavior. Most slaves would only look out for themselves. Bradin had always tried looking out for the weaker slaves, but this was the first time he had seen anyone else do the same thing.

"Thank you." Bradin whispered so softly that it was barely audible.

The man looked over and simply smiled at Bradin. They ate in silence, it was probably the easiest day Bradin had ever known. All he had to do was sit and wait for the auction tomorrow.

He still worried about what the future would hold for him when he was sold, but at least he was able to relax. Without windows time was hard to gage. The guard came back and gave one more meal then he put out the torches, and told the slaves to get some sleep.

As he settled down to sleep Bradin could hear most of the other slaves rustling trying to get to sleep. He could tell most of them where nervous about the next day just like him. To try and calm himself down, he started to hum his lullaby.

As he hummed he could feel everyone calm down. soon Bradin was fast asleep, but had he been awake he would have noticed that all the slaves where now asleep. If he could have seen up the stairs, Bradin would have definitely found it strange that the guards closest to the cells where also asleep.

Bradin was awakened by cell doors banging open. He got up feeling more refreshed than he ever had before. He was filled with energy. The guards got to his cell and opened it up.

"Alright up the stairs. and no funny business." one guard yelled.

Bradin fallowed the line of slaves as they went up the stairs. As they got to the registration room, there where a lot more guards than before. Bradin briefly wondered why, but was soon distracted by the crowd that had gathered for the auction.

As he was guided up on to the platform, it looked like a sea of people had come to look for slaves. Bradin had never been sold at auction before. He had only been bought and sold privately between two interested parties.

Bradin wondered how much he was worth. he knew that one copper coin could get you a piece of dried meat, or something similarly small. A iron coin could get you a loaf of bread, or a chunk of meat around the same size. A bronze coin could get you a bushel of fruit or vegetables.

A silver coin could get you luxury items, like weapons, livestock, slaves, and wooden furniture. A gold coin could buy you gems, art, magical items, and land. Of course it all depended on how much the seller was asking for.

each coin was worth 100 of the coin below it. 100 coper coins would get you an iron coin, 100 iron coins would get you a bronze coin ect.

Bradin was most likely bought with a bag of bronze coins. He couldn't see Madam Min selling him for less than 50 bronze coins, and he doubted he would have been bought for more than two silver coins.

As the auction began most slaves where bought for two to three silver coins. Once a slave was bought they where brought over to a desk and paper work was filled out with the new owner. The owner paid and they received the gray control crystal.

Finally it was Bradin's turn to be sold. Please be some one who is indifferent Bradin thought. It is always the owners that care or want something specific from their slaves that where the worst masters.

"Alright." the auctioneer said "here we have a nice young male slave good for heavy lifting, and other menial chores. Of corse you ladies could use him for what every you want." the crowd laughed after that comment.

"lets start the bidding off at 60 bronze coins."

so he was sold for 50 bronze coins Bradin thought. the auctioneer would always start ten coins more than what they had paid for the slave. Bradin had been lost in thought about his price, that when he heard the auctioneer say "three silver, can i get three silver and 50 bronze?" it threw him off guard.

After a few minutes of back and forth between a man dressed in white silk and a woman dressed in a dark red dress, Bradin's price was at five silver and 10 bronze coins. just as he was about to be sold for that much to the woman in red, another voice was hear.

"one gold coin."

The crowd gasped. for someone to make that big of a price jump they must want the slave really bad.

Shaking off his surprise the auctioneer said "sold!! for one gold coin to the man in the black cloak."

Bradin couldn't believe his eyes he had just been bought by the man in black from the tavern.