Marius and Clavius arrived at the slave market on foot, the sun already hot in the sky, and Marius was already fed up. Sixtus trailed behind them, silent. The auctions had already started, and they watched, bored. Mostly prisoners of wars got sold first, young boys or men, but he was not interested in those.
Clavius nudged him. “No boys?”
He shook his head. “I have Sixtus and Kyle. The rest should be women... I can’t stand males bickering all the time.”
Clavius shrugged, and they waited. Women and girls came next, and they looked at them, some so frightened they could barely stand, and Marius winced each time one of them got sold. He noticed then a woman being dragged onto the block, crying, her eyes darting back to a young girl, around eleven years old, her face marred with tears.Mother and daughter.
Marius’ heart clenched, and he gestured to Sixtus. “We’ll buy her and that young girl, too.” He pointed at them and Sixtus nodded, a bit surprised because he would have preferred two adults, but he didn’t argue.
Clavius watched him and chirped in. “You want to buy a child?”
Marius looked at him. “So what?”
He spread his palms, grinning. “I didn’t know you were into children...”
Marius frowned at him but kept his eyes on the auction block, the woman standing there naked, her eyes wide, taking in the crowd. She had a nice body, with soft curves, but would be too old for most men who were waiting for the younger girls to be brought out. A couple of brothel owners bid on her, but Sixtus outbid them all and got the woman for a fairly good price. She was dragged down the block, crying, her arms reaching for the child, but the trader swatted her with his whip and dragged her away.
Marius clenched his jaw, and they waited until the child was brought out. She stood, terrified, and obviously, many more men bid on her, and a couple of women, and the brothel owners. She was thin, her blonde hair reaching down to the middle of her back, blue eyes, and soft lips. The price kept rising, and the traders smiled mildly, seeing the competition. She was stated a virgin which raised the stakes. Sixtus looked at Marius, mildly alarmed that the child’s price was already over that of a good house slave, but he just nodded at him.
Clavius took his arm. “Really? She is skinny... What will you use her for?”
Marius shrugged him off. Obviously, at the end, he was left with one other noble who had set his eyes on her, and they competed, until Marius leant down to Sixtus and gave him an outrageous amount. The old slave looked at him, his eyes wide, but he just pushed his back a bit and waited. The announced amount silenced the crowd, and the other man gave in with a slight bow, some clapping.
Clavius whispered. “Are you insane?”
But Marius didn’t comment and made his way to the cages behind the auction blocks.
The trader was already there, a sly smile on his face. “Very good choice, dominus.”
He didn’t care and gestured to Sixtus to pay for the slaves. The woman was led out first. They had put on her a dirty tunic, and she was barefoot. She was shoved to the ground at Marius’ feet on her knees, her face blank. They brought the girl out then, also in a simple tunic, barefoot, and the woman clutched at her, screaming.
The merchant raised his whip, but Marius’ voice snapped. “Don’t touch them!”
The papers were signed, and Marius let the woman cradle the child before Sixtus pulled her to her feet, the girl clutching at her mother’s tunic, her eyes wide.
They left then, and Clavius walked next to Marius. “What was this good for? Paying a small fortune for this child?”
Marius sighed, his brows furrowed. “I couldn’t stand the thought of them being separated...”
Clavius sighed. “By the gods, Marius, you can’t save them all.”
His friend looked at him. “I know... but at least she won’t get fucked to pieces tonight, torn from her mother.”
Clavius looked at him, grim, but didn’t comment further.
They arrived, and Kyle opened the door, curiously eyeing the woman and the child. Sixtus made them kneel in front of Marius and he spoke to the woman. “What’s your name?”
“Melissa, dominus.”
“What did you do in your previous household?”
“I was a maid, dominus.”
“Are you any good at cooking?”
“Yes, dominus, I also helped in the kitchen sometimes.”
“Good.” He looked at Sixtus and the old man nodded. Marius turned to the utterly terrified child. “What’s your name, child?”
