They look like the Prince from last night. Or his kind, anyway. They look Xaviann.
One of them is slightly taller, and I would hedge a guess that she’s older, too. They both have gray skin, black horns, and pointed elf-ears like the two Xavianns I’d met last night. They’re also wearing what looks like Victorian-inspired floor-length dresses, which only further seems to match them with my Prince.
My Prince?
Get a grip, Niska.
“Here she is,” Mama coos, practically salivating over the possibility of making a sale. “Come, come, stand on the platform so our guests can get a better look at you,child.”
I hate when she calls us that. Like she’s some little, kind, grandmotherly figure.
Nevertheless, I start walking over to the properly lit, elevated stage area. Preparing myself to get poked and prodded.
One of the female Xavianns - the younger one, I think - gasps softly as I step into the light. “A human,” she whispers to herself. “Areal-lifehuman!”
“Vel,” the older woman warns, giving her companion a pointed look.
“Sorry,” ‘Vel’ says, blushing as she shakes her head, multiple little pieces of gold jewelry tinkling as they hang along her pointed ears. “It’s just I’ve never seen one up close before. Isn’t sheamazing?!”
I can’t help but fidget at that. Is her reaction a good thing? What do they want me for? Is this like that species Yix was talking about? Do they want me as a pet?
The older woman tuts at her friend and starts walking toward me, and it’s now that I realize she is using a gold-tipped cane to aid her movements. “I’ll never understand your fascination with them,” she mutters, casting a critical eye overme as she nears. “And you’re sure this is the one from the‘Pleasure Establishment’last night?” she asks Mama Z’rykby without taking her eyes off me. “Because my nephew was told this morning that that particular human had been sold.”
“What?!” Mama splutters, her slimy cheeks taking on a ruddy appearance. “No, this cannot be true. If you find out who your nephew spoke to this morning, I-”
The older Xaviann in front of me cuts off Mama’s flustered babble by raising a single hand, gloved in black, embroidered silk. “I will not be doing that. He does not know I am here,” she sniffs, before tilting her head as she examines me more closely. “And he doesn’t know that I am aware of his failed attempt at purchasing her.”
My stomach does a silly little flip and then a stupidly loud growl. The Xaviann lifts a perfect brow and turns to face Mama. “Do you not properly feed your poor, human charges, Ms. Z’rykby?” she asks, butting the base of her cane on the metal floor like a disappointed school mistress.
“I-”
“Lady Zalora would like some time alone with the human if possible,” Vel cuts in, holding a tablet screen close to her chest. “Just to ascertain a few things from her before we consider purchase. I hope you understand.”
Mama Z’rykby’s chin wobbles as she looks from Vel to ‘Lady Zalora’ and back again. “I-…” she straightens and clears her throat. “Time alone with a human is considered a temporary loan, and will incur a-”
“A charge, yes,” Lady Zalora waves Mama off before turning back to me. “Pay her, Vel.”
While Vel is dealing with Mama’s never-failing attempts at making a quick buck over in the corner, Lady Zalora takes her time looking me up and down, her eyes the same shade of greenas her nephew’s had been last night. I can’t tell if she’s pleased with what she sees, or pissed.
“My nephew was rather taken with you,” she tells me, walking around the small circular stage I’m standing on so she can get the full 360° of my body. I don’t know what she’s looking for, but I stay absolutely still as she surveys me. I’m honestly not sure if I should be trying to impress this woman so she buys me, or if I should maybe be trying to put her off. I was almost bought once - about a month or so back - this huge, scaled guy wearing high-tech battle armor came in looking to buy a ‘distraction’ to take with him on a long journey to a distant galaxy. I didn’t want to be his distraction, so I peed all over myself and this little stage, too. The lizard-looking guy wrinkled his nose up and left the store empty-handed. Luckily, Mama was still in bed, catching up on her beauty-sleep, and Yix helped me clean up the evidence of my ‘little accident’.
I don’t think I could get away with anything like that right now, though.
Lady Zalora turns her head to see Mama’s slimy tail slowly disappear behind the drapes, apparently content now that she’s been paid some. When the Xaviann looks back to me, she… smiles.
I think it’s a genuine smile, not one of those calculating ones, or one of those smiles that you know hides bad intentions. I hesitate to call it warm, but something about it puts me a little more at ease.
Only a little, mind. I’m not stupid.
“Please, my dear, come sit with me, and tell me your name,” she says, sweeping her way back toward the plush seating area - an area I’m not normally permitted to use.
“My-my name is Niska,” I tell her as I approach. My mind is going a mile-a-minute trying to figure out what kind of trap is currently being laid out for me, but Vel, the younger woman,grins at me excitedly and nods her head while hugging her tablet to her chest.
I sit myself right on the very edge of the plum-colored couch, just in case I need to make a swift exit for any reason.
“Niskaaah,” Lady Zalora says, trying out my name. “It is a beautiful name to be sure,” she bows her head gracefully, despite the fact that her neck is buttoned up in silk and lace, right from collarbone to chin. I haven’t seen any other species wear that kind of fashion, and I’m not sure it’s a modesty thing, since upon closer inspection, her Victorian-style dress has a sizable slit up the side, exposing her slender gray leg when the fabric moves just so, revealing her thigh-high leather boots. Honestly, as an older woman, she looks fabulous. Is she now looking for a fashion-accessory pet human? “Are they treating you well here at this trading establishment, Niska?” she asks, taking my focus away from her high-collared dress.
“Uh…” I glance back to where Mama had disappeared behind the drapes and catch a glimpse of Vel encouraging me to answer with an enthusiastic nod and smile. “Well…”
