Chapter 13: An Order To Kill!
The slaves jolted awake from their slumber and swiftly rose to their feet. Those who were unclothed hastily adorned themselves in tattered garments, a meager form of covering, and positioned themselves in a straight line before the bars.
A few slaves, however, remained oblivious to the loud shouts, their exhaustion lulling them into a deep sleep. For them, punishment awaited. The guards, incensed by their lack of response, delivered forceful kicks with great strength, targeting their abdomens to forcibly rouse them from their slumber.
In total, there were 40 slaves, 8 in each cage.
Quite spacious for a slave indeed, but it was mainly because many other slaves had been already auctioned away.
Now the main question was, why were they asked to gather?
As per what Garry announced, a royalty was visiting, but who exactly? And what was their purpose?
All these thoughts clouded Vaughn's mind. Since others were more or less asleep, they barely heard the announcement. But for him, Genie and Moon, it was different.
*tap tap*
The sound of heels could be heard along with little chit-chats.
Garry, who was acting all high and mighty, turned towards the gate and knelt on the ground.
"I greet the princess.", he said humbly, paying respect to Lectia, the first princess of Elvar kingdom.
She wore a mask, a black mask in fact, which had a large number of embroidery on it.
Following that, Vaughn's eyes paused on her red-clothes - beautifully designed, befitting that of a royalty. The dress went all around-up till her chest region which was a little exposed, her cleavage visible.
It was sleeveless but of course, the shawl that she wore covered the part. Along with that, she held a paper hand fan in her left hand, more or less for style.
Vaughn didn't get a chance to stare longer as he was forced to bow.
It was a custom tradition after all. What is the worth of a slave in front of a royal?
Of course he had to bow and so he did, including all the slaves that were present there.
The lady's blonde hair fluttered a bit as she fanned herself, walking past Garry.
Garry, who was on his knees, immediately stood up, rubbing his palms the same way Grren had done earlier.
He wanted to speak with the princess, but he couldn't get close to her. That was because a knight accompanied her, closely following behind.
"Hmm…"
"So, are these all the slaves you have?", she asked, her voice feminine and sultry.
"Um, yes. For now, only these many."
She proceeded to walk past each slave, her steps deliberate and graceful.
Vaughn, his sister Moon, and Genie stood at the opposite end of the line, instructed to remain motionless to avoid provoking the royalty. They stood as still as mannequins, their bodies rigid and their eyes fixed on a distant point, not daring to make any sudden movements.
The air around them grew tense as Lectia continued her slow procession, her gaze scanning the slaves before her.
It didn't take her much time to check the first 37 slaves. But when she arrived in front of Moon, she paused.
Standing there for a while, she observed intently.
It was the first time she had paused. Nevertheless, Moon remained motionless, showing no signs of anxiety.
She resumed her steps, walking towards Genie, who was the 39th person in line.
Once again, she paused, gazing at the beautiful girl before her. Even though she was of royal descent, she couldn't help but be captivated by Genie's stunning beauty and voluptuous curves.
Despite being a slave, with dirty skin from constant exposure to dirt, she still exuded a peculiar beauty. Just imagine how radiant she would be with proper care! The lady chuckled softly and continued walking, casting a glance at the last slave, Vaughn.
She didn't pay much attention to him and didn't even consider pausing. In fact, his appearance was even worse than the others'.
His long hair almost covered his eyes, his nails were overgrown, and his skin bore numerous scratch wounds.
Disgusted, she made a face and turned back, resuming her walk towards Genie. She paused once again.
She tapped her chin once or twice before finally giving the order: Kill her.
She tapped her chin a couple of times before finally giving the order: "Kill her."
Yes, she commanded her knight to end Genie's life.
Upon hearing these words, Vaughn felt a deafening shock.
"Wh-"
Without hesitation, the knight unsheathed his sword, raising it above shoulder height.
"N-"
Unable to process the information, Vaughn took a step back. However, the knight had already swung his sword swiftly and with great force, aiming to behead Genie.
But why?
It was because Lectia was consumed by jealousy.
She imagined that if Genie were to get some proper care after being bought by a noble, then she could essentially steal the title of the Prettiest and Most Beautiful Woman of the Kingdom from her!Genie, upon hearing the princess's words, questioned her own hearing.
As she witnessed the sword swinging, her eyes widened, and a flood of memories momentarily blinded her vision.
Genie had been an orphan since her parents, who were former nobles, tragically took their own lives when she was just 12 years old. It was a sudden and untimely loss, leaving her too young to inherit their titles.
Her uncles and aunts assumed temporary authority over the family's property, and Genie initially believed it would be for the best. However, one fateful day, she was sold into slavery, betrayed by the very people whom she believed in.
The experience of being trapped as a slave drove her to the brink of madness, almost pushing her to commit suicide as well. But fortunately, she found love, and it was love that transformed her life.
In a desperate state, Vaughn, who also desired death, discovered Genie attempting to consume a poisonous herb. Coincidentally, he had been seeking the same solution.
From that point onward, their paths intertwined, and they began to interact with each other, slowly changing for the better.
While Vaughn may have felt an affectionate bond, Genie was deeply and madly in love.
In this crucial moment, all those cherished memories overwhelmed her. She remembered all the times they cared for each other, but most of all, she remembered the kiss.
Slash!