Fred and Rodrigo walked into a large auditorium. Filled with golden booths. ~Hmm. They must have booths here to protect buyers' identities.~
The women led Fred down a stairway cutting through the forest of booths. She had them walk onto a stage and behind a golden curtain.
Behind this curtain were a variety of people each one of them had a different way of dress. (They had not changed their clothes since they captured them.) And were of varying races. Not in the ethnic sense. But in the sense that some of them looked orcish and others looked elvish. Some were short like halflings and others had scales and fangs. The one thing in common between them all was that they had golden collars around their necks.
"We're quite a kind organisation here so we sell friends or couples as package deals." Said the woman, her back straight with pride. "Come now. Both of you. Move to the back."
Fred and Rodrigo shuffled to the back of the stage. ~It should be easier to escape once someone buys us. I suspect they'll have less counter measures in place.~
They stand at the back of the auditorium for about a minute.
"What brought you guys here?" Asked an elvish looking woman in front of them. She had silver hair and wrinkles around her eyes.
"We were an easy mark." Said Rodrigo.
"Yeah. We're foreigners so we didn't know anyone was out to get us." Said Fred
"Ah foreigners. Anyone with half a brain would capture you." Said a masculine voice from behind Fred. Fred turned around to look at him.
He was an orcish looking man with jutting tusks and a pig-like nose.
"Foreigners like you are chalk full of new ideas. And so ignorant and vulnerable too." ~Don't people want slaves for labour, not innovation? What is this guy on about!~
"I don't get what you mean. Why would someone buy a slave for their ideas?" Said Rodrigo.
"Because. That's what they sell. That's what everyone here sells." Said the elf. Fred furrowed his brow. So did Rodrigo. ~How though? I understand if you had a few people who could make money selling good ideas. But a kingdom.~
"NEXT!"
The elvish woman looked at the ground, her shoulders tight as she walked forwards.
"What the hell is happening here?" Said Fred to Rodrigo who stood beside him.
"I don't know. I've fought dragons, giants and gryphons. But I've never seen anything like this."
After a few minutes it was Rodrigo and Fred's turn to walk.
"MOVE!" Said the woman who commanded all the slaves.
Fred and Rodrigo walked onto the stage of the auditorium. Many rows of eyes were lined up in front of Fred and Rodrigo. They gazed at them through the slits cut into the golden booths
"The vibes are not half bad on this one." Said a voice from one of the upper auditoriums.
"ONE THOUSAND WISH STONES ON THE SLAVE PAIR!" Yelled another voice immediately afterwards.
"One thousand and one wish stone on the slave pair." Said the voice who had spoken before.
"FIFTY THOUSAND WISH STONES ON THE SLAVE PAIR!" Yelled another voice.
"Fifty thousand and one wish stones. On the slave pair. The vibes are worth it."
"ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND WISH STONES ON THE SLAVE PAIR!" Yelled a voice from the very top of the auditorium.
"Vibes aren't worth that much." Fred and Rodrigo stood there for about three more minutes.
~Looks like no one is trying to raise the bid.~
"Going once! Going twice! SOLD TO BOOTH SEVENTY SEVEN!" Fred sighed. ~Well. I guess we're sold now. I really could wait to see what the future has in store for us.~
Fred and Rodrigo were guided by the auctioneer over to booth seventy seven. The door was opened and They were pushed in.
Sitting on an opulent golden chair with a large cushion was a man wearing a fancy black suit. He had a grey and white beard and steely brown eyes. He looked to be in his fifties and had a grin on his face.
"Take that you stupid vibe man. You didn't get the good mark this time." Said the man. He swivelled his head in the chair and turned to look at Fred and Rodrigo. "You two. You should find my carriage on the road. It's the one with flowers in the wheels. Now go and wait by my carriage." Said the man. Fred and Rodrigo both walked out. ~No fear of them running away when their collars physically control them~
…..
Fred and Rodrigo arrived at a carriage with flowers woven around the wheel. It was made from black oak but had a dark leather top. Sitting at the front of this carriage was a man with a brown mask that had the image of a boar drawn onto it.
"Are you guys the new purchase?" Asked the man. While looking off into the distance.
"Yup." Said Rodrigo.
"Hop up front with me, that's where you'll be sitting for the rest of the journey."
Fred and Rodrigo hopped up next to the carriage driver. Rodrigo's size took up at least half the seat.
The carriage driver just sat in silence. Continuing to stare off into the distance. Fred and Rodrigo didn't say anything either. ~That man had quite a fancy suit. Which means he may own some kind of business that profits off cheap stupid labour. Why else would he spend the money on that kind of suit and buy slaves. Maybe he owns a quarry.~
Eventually after waiting for long enough the man walked out of the building and into his carriage. The driver started moving the second he got in.
Fred and Rodrigo spent the next few hours or so admiring the sights around them as it was still early in the morning.
Finally after about Six hours of waiting in the carriage they arrived at a mansion. This mansion was made from wood and had so many windows that their had to be at least three for every room. This mansion had a stone wall that was about one Rodrigo high surrounding its field. The gates to this wall were immediately opened by two armoured guards the moment they arrived. The carriage was parked near a strategically cut series of hedges in the compound.
They had arrived at the mansion.