Beth couldn't help but notice that Hesha looked like she was miserable at being told that. Beth wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to say anything herself. It was possible that Hesha was feeling the suffering around her in this place and it was starting to drag her down. Though, Beth couldn't be certain at that moment. Especially since this wasn't the place to discuss the matter.
As they continued to follow the young woman, Beth couldn't help but wonder what happened to the slaves who didn't get sold. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to do anything, but since she knew she wouldn't be able to help Charlie, if she was here, then she should at least do something to help others here. She doubted that she'd be able to do much, but she felt like she should at least do something anyway.
When the young woman stopped, Beth snapped her thoughts back to the present. Whatever might happen, it would be best to let other matters be until they could resolve the ones they had to deal with right then.
Before them in a cage with several other slaves was a young man that looked like her was around Beth's age. He fit the description that Hesha had given of him, and when he looked at Hesha, Beth was confident that there was a visible reaction. One that wouldn't have occurred if he didn't know her.
–I take it that's your brother, right?– Beth asked Hesha with her magic.
–Yeah, that's him. Frolla.–
"This him?" the young woman asked.
Beth turned to look at Hesha, hoping she wouldn't need to prompt the girl. Beth wasn't sure if Hesha had realized that what they communicated with their magic wasn't something that meant others would suddenly know that they knew what they passed between them with their magic.
"You know, I see just how much she likes him," the young woman remarked when Hesha didn't say anything, but instead just stared at her brother. "So, I'm guessing that he's the one you were looking at, right?"
Beth merely shrugged, doing her best to act like she was still unsure about his identity. "I guess, but where will he be auctioned at?"
The young woman looked around and then nodded, making Beth wonder if it was essentially written somewhere around them. She couldn't help but wonder if she should take time to try and learn the written language of this world, or languages if there were more. As that would help them figure out if things like that were in fact around them.
"Auction booth fifteen. Though, from how long it's taking, it might be a while," the young woman remarked.
"Well, thank you for showing us him," Beth said. "We'll just-"
"Not so fast," came the response, interrupting Beth. "You asked for a service. I provided. Now you need to compensate me for my time. You realize they don't like us showing people this sort of thing, right?"
Beth had her doubts about the young woman's assertion, but given how this world found the concept of random acts of kindness foreign, she couldn't say she was surprised at this turn of events. Aside from which, she doubted that this world was easy for pretty much anyone to survive in, so it she couldn't bring herself to even get annoyed at her statement.
"You're right, thanks for reminding me," Beth said, pleasantly making the young woman blink in surprise.
Beth held out a coin in her closed hand, waiting for the young woman to accept it. If she believed there was a chance she'd be able to win the girl she suspected to be Charlie, she wouldn't have been so happy about giving any money away. So, she couldn't help but feel like it might have been a good thing for her to not have gotten enough, since if it was Charlie, she was confident that she'd be fine, no matter what else happened.
She just didn't like the idea that Charlie would be in that position for longer because of her inability to help.
When Beth handed the young woman the coin, the young woman stared at Beth in shock. Which was partly the reason Beth had given her the only zik she had. She figured if she was generous at this time, she might get better treatment later on. Especially if she might need it for something else.
After a minute, the young woman slipped the large coin into a pouch that Beth was pretty sure was her coin purse. "You really must owe her a lot for that," the young woman remarked. "I've never been given one of those for something like this before."
Beth shrugged, wondering how casual she should play this for a moment. "Well, the one I had hoped to try to bid on is definitely going to be out of my price range, so I don't see the point in just holding onto it just because."
The young woman looked at Beth with a raised eyebrow. "Really? I've never heard anyone say anything like that before."
"Maybe I just don't care so much about the money," Beth remarked, feeling like she might be making herself stand out too much. She wasn't sure if that would be a good thing or not in this case, either. While she had wanted to mention that she was also trying to essentially purchase the young woman's goodwill, she had a feeling that saying that wouldn't come across very well. Not with what was surrounding them. She was pretty sure that it would be more than easy to misunderstand.
The young woman eyed Beth like there was something strange about her that the young woman couldn't quite place. "I've never known anyone like that. If you don't have any money, you'll end up as a slave soon enough. There's never been any exception to that."
Beth shrugged. "I have my ways of getting money as I need it," she answered nonchalantly, hoping that this wouldn't raise her profile with this young woman. She didn't need to leave any potential problems behind that could follow her.
However, despite Beth's worries, the young woman merely shook her head as she walked off.
"What're we going to do now?" Hesha asked, clearly not seeing the need to continue using her magic to communicate with Beth. Unless she tried but wasn't able to for whatever reason she was having trouble mastering it.
"Simple," Beth answered, turning to head back to where the auctions were still being conducted. "We'll head back out there and then wait until he's brought out at the auction booth that he's supposed to be auctioned at. So at that point, we can bid on him."
Hesha scowled at Beth. It was clear that she didn't like the way Beth phrased it, but she knew if she said it any other way, it could create other problems they might not have foreseen. Problems that Beth would like to avoid if possible.
However, Hesha didn't say anything more as they returned to the auctions. Which made Beth realize another issue that she would need to ask someone about: Which auction booths were which?
Each of them looked to be the same, but she doubted that there wouldn't be at least some small difference, given the young woman was able to tell them which booth Hesha's brother was supposed to be taken to soon enough.
Eventually, they were able to make it to the booth that was indicated, and knew that's which one it was. When they managed that, Beth couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. One problem was dealt with, so she could then work on the next one. She wasn't sure how this entire process worked, but she knew it'd at least be simple enough when it started.
At least in regards to what she'd seen around her anyway. She hoped there wouldn't be more complications down the line.
The auctions slowly passed by and Beth was getting sick to her stomach with seeing how many people kept getting auctioned off. She couldn't help but wonder if it would be so bad if this was the only booth they were being auctioned off at, but she wasn't sure that's what the problem was. Largely it was the expressions on the individual's faces as they were either sold or not sold.
Some were clearly resigned to what was in store for them, while others had a desperate look in their eyes, mixed with fear as to what getting sold might mean. Though, one who hadn't sold looked even more panicked and Beth couldn't help but wonder if being not getting sold was possibly the worst thing that could happen to them.
When Frolla was brought up to the pedestal, Beth debated how she should play it. She wasn't sure she should bid at the first opportunity, lest others see how much she 'wanted' him, which could potentially make others raise the price just for the sake of raising it.
While she didn't think there were any 'price fixers' here, she wouldn't be surprised if this place didn't engage in it here and there. Especially with how-
"…twotish?noonefortwotish?" the auctioneer's voice finally pierced through Beth's thoughts, startling her.
She wasn't sure how long she'd gotten lost in thought, so she immediately raised her hand, feeling like her expression was going to give too much away. She couldn't help but worry that she'd screwed this up to the point it was going to cost her a lot more than she'd have liked.
"Wegottwo.Wegottwo.Howaboutthree?Anyoneforthree?Oncemoreforthree?Two going once. Two going twice. Sold for two tish!"
Beth let out a slow breath of relief. She felt like she'd nearly dodged a bullet there, in that she wasn't sure if he was about to be marked as 'unsold' or if they hadn't yet lowered the opening bid price.
Beth watched as the person who brought Frolla out took him back again as she was given something by the auctioneer. She might have felt a little uneasy about Frolla being taken back if it didn't happen to each person that was put up for auction, whether they were sold of not. She could only assume that those who had bought a slave would need to settle up later to get what they 'purchased.'
"What now?" Hesha whispered to Beth.
"Not a clue," Beth replied. "I can only assume that when we're done, we figure out where we'll take this so we can pay for what I just won and then we can take our purchase with us."
Beth felt like she was hitting her stomach with each world she said. She didn't like talking about other people as objects, yet worried that if she didn't do that, that it might create more problems she'd really rather not deal with.
"When will we do that?" Hesha asked, sounding as impatient as Beth suspected she would.
"After the girl I think might be my friend is up for auction. I just want to be sure what might happen to her," Beth answered, worried that she wouldn't be able to tell what would happen to her, no matter what she saw.
Jenn couldn't help but let her mind wander as she waited. She didn't expect this auction to last for so long. After all, it wasn't like there were that many people in the arena she had to fight that time. Since as far as she was aware, those were the only ones being auctioned that day.
However, as she thought about it, she realized that if they only did these auctions once a month, then it would stand to reason that they had a lot more to auction as well. Especially since she remembered how crowded the pen was when she first met Cithis and Haln.
While she didn't mind being around them right then, she wished she had something to do. If she didn't have to have her voice sealed, she figured she could get to know 'her kids' better. Such as how they ended up as slaves in the first place, or if they were always slaves. For as long as they could remember, at least.
Jenn had no idea how much time was passing. They'd brought them their 'lunch' a little bit ago, which Jenn wished they could get more of, since she couldn't help but feel her stomach complaining that the small bit of bread wasn't enough. That it needed more.
With what she couldn't be sure of would happen later, she was starting to wonder if she would be able to get something more to eat once her had been auctioned off and sold to someone.
However, these thoughts were to distract the worries in the back of her head. She didn't allow herself any illusions that there were any guarantees that she wouldn't be mistreated by whoever bought her. Nor was there anything that gave her an idea that she'd have opportunities to escape more than she had here.
Her goal primarily in keeping those worries to the back of her mind was to avoid having those worries clear on her face. Because if it showed how worried she was, she knew it would worry Cithis and Haln. Which she didn't want to occur.
They were in good spirits now, better than when they had been brought here, chatting away about nothing that Jenn could tell. Yet, she knew that would change in an instant if she let it show what she was really feeling on the inside.
Maybe if she risked using her magic to learn what those doing the auction knew, she might be able to settle her worries more, but she didn't want to risk having some of her more important magical abilities exposed. Even though she didn't have a reason to suspect they might have a way to tell what abilities she was using, she didn't like the idea of risking it.
She'd risked enough with the stunt she'd pulled to protect the young woman she knew would eventually be her friend. Doing so made it clear, she was confident, that she had magic. Although, she wasn't sure why they hadn't put the cuffs or whatever they used to restrict her ability to use magic, but she wasn't going to disregard her good fortune with that by doing something stupid right after.
"Mother?" Cithis' voice pulled Jenn out of her thoughts, a little unsure if something had changed without her realizing it. "Will we be okay when we get sold?"
Jenn smiled kindly at Cithis' worried expression. With a glance, she could see Haln's expression mirroring Cithis' which made her realize they still had their own worries. Even her putting on a front of being cheerful wasn't enough to dispel those worries of theirs.
However, Jenn couldn't help but wonder what Cithis was expecting. Jenn knew Cithis wasn't aware of what Jenn could do, such as talking with her magic, the fact that her voice could be restored by removing the seal on her voice, or that Cithis and Haln could even understand anything she might write. As such, she wasn't sure what the girl expected of her.
Still, she knew she needed to respond in some way. It was possible that Cithis didn't really want an explanation, but rather a more simple response. Not that Jenn was certain of what that might be. Especially with how she wasn't really sure how to handle this situation in the first place. She was confident that Beth would be better equipped to deal with these children, but she couldn't deny that Beth wasn't here. She was on her own with this.
So, Jenn pulled both Cithis and Haln in closer for a brief hug while she kissed the top of their heads. She wasn't sure if that would be enough, but it was all she could think of. Similar to what she figured her own father would do if he was in her place right then.
A loud banging sound, pulled Jenn's attention over to the distance where the last person who hadn't been left chained up in here had gone. She didn't have any reason to suspect that the auction for her and those around here was about to begin, but she was pretty sure that's what was going on. She didn't know how long it had been, but she did know that it was something that was going to happen sooner or later here.
She merely hoped it would be over quickly for her. That way she wouldn't have to spend so much time wondering what exactly would happen either during the auction for her and her kids, or after. Primarily because she knew the sooner it happened, the sooner she'd have an idea of what to expect. If only to inform her what her chances of getting out of being a slave there was.
Movement around her pulled Jenn out of her thoughts. She was surprised to find that her heart was pounding, telling her how nervous she really was about this ordeal, even though she hadn't even thought about that up to this point.
Yet, while she had expected to get taken out as one of the first, she found that others were the first ones taken. Two she recognized from the arena. One was the girl with the spear while the other was the boy who had fought with that same girl with a sword. She wasn't surprised to see that their faces were filled with trepidation, though she couldn't help but wonder if when they had attacked her in the arena, if they were doing so out of fear about what might happen to them in the end.
Shaking her head, she did her best to push those thoughts out of her mind, not wanting to let herself drown in those thoughts. She knew that if she did, she'd merely end up not only freaking Cithis and Haln out, but likely make it to where she'd have to be dragged out to the auction block while the others were able to walk on their own.