He stood quietly in the pre-dawn hours in the open field. Behind him knelt three young females in short black dresses and their log hair pulled back to fully expose his collar. He was emotionless as he stood there, waiting for the arriving party. He spotted them off in the distance, moving slowly he thought.
For someone who demanded his business, they didn't seem very appreciative of his time. He moved forward a bit, extending his senses to see if there was any malice in their delay. There was none as far as his senses could tell him. They were simply slow. This annoyed the dark form even more as he turned and walked back to the girls. He stopped a few feet from them. Time continued to pass just as slow as before.
Finally, the meeting party arrived. They appologized for the delay but ran into a problem with their cart. The dark lord said nothing. Though, there were several gasps heard behind him as someone began to cry.
The chill in the air that eminated from his form was felt by all presant, including the farmer who dragged his cart through the field. "My daughters, sir. The youngest is 14, the oldest 17."
"They are not aware of what's happening then?" The dark one inquired.
"No, sir." The farmer answered sadly.
The dark form turned to the cart, his dark auburn eyes narrowed as he saw the three girls that were being sold were bound and gagged in the farmers cart. "If they are your daughters, why are you selling them?" He took several steps towards the cart, to get a better view of the girls.
The farmer removed his delapedated hat. "I can't afford to keep them, they don't work. And my farm and home are in danger of being taken."
"So, it is survival then you are selling them?"
"They are the only thing of value to me."
"It is of course, your hope, that they can escape me and return to you after I've delivered the money to you," The dark form said after a moment of studying the girls, especially the youngest.
The farmer's jaw dropped. "That's not true."
"Lying about it will only get you dead, my good man." Stated the dark form with a deadly edge to his voice. "Tell me the truth, or I will gut them."
The farmer quickly looked to the girls who quickly looked to their father. He looked back to them, and then his shoulders slumped. "Aye, it is true, sir."
The slaver nodded then smiled. "At least you were honest. In that, I will offer fifty gold bars for them."
"Each?" The farmer suddenly perked up.
"No." He turned to the farmer. "That was the original deal, of course. But, with your deception, that is 50 bars for all three. I do not care for being decieved. The change in price is considered homage back to me, that I will not dismember you where you stand."
The farmer again gasped and then nodded. "Agreed. I will accept your payment of 50 gold bars for my three daughters."
The girls in the cart began to scream through their rags. The oldest broke through her "bonds" and ripped off her gag. "Father!"
Her cries, however, were quickly muffled by the unnaturally chilled fingers of the dark being who purchased her. His fingers had moved faster than she through, as she was pulled clear of the cart by her throat. "If I were you, my pet, I would be silent before I rip out your tounge and feed it to you." The girl gulped, while the others began to cry harder, looking to their father who was now looking away.
The slaver rebound the oldest, her hands behind her this time - with real cord. He pulled each one off and verified their bindings. The three kneeling slave girls approached and took the bound ones to where they were resting and forced them to kneel. While a forth girl came from the woods pulling a cart behind her.
She came to a stop behind her master and made no sound. The dark form pulled his arms behind him again. "Under the tarp is your gold. You will load your cart, and you will leave. You will not contact me again, for if you do, I will kill you where you stand. You will not make contact with these girls again, for they are no longer yours."
"I-I understand." The farmer responded, lifting the tarp, and counting the bars quietly. He never did look at the crying girls who pleaded with their father.
"Excellent. When he's moved his bars, return to the Inn." He instructed the girl who responded with a nod. He turned and started back for the towers that made up his home. The slave girls, new and old followed.
The tears and sobs continued, and the farmer returned home.
For someone who demanded his business, they didn't seem very appreciative of his time. He moved forward a bit, extending his senses to see if there was any malice in their delay. There was none as far as his senses could tell him. They were simply slow. This annoyed the dark form even more as he turned and walked back to the girls. He stopped a few feet from them. Time continued to pass just as slow as before.
Finally, the meeting party arrived. They appologized for the delay but ran into a problem with their cart. The dark lord said nothing. Though, there were several gasps heard behind him as someone began to cry.
The chill in the air that eminated from his form was felt by all presant, including the farmer who dragged his cart through the field. "My daughters, sir. The youngest is 14, the oldest 17."
"They are not aware of what's happening then?" The dark one inquired.
"No, sir." The farmer answered sadly.
The dark form turned to the cart, his dark auburn eyes narrowed as he saw the three girls that were being sold were bound and gagged in the farmers cart. "If they are your daughters, why are you selling them?" He took several steps towards the cart, to get a better view of the girls.
The farmer removed his delapedated hat. "I can't afford to keep them, they don't work. And my farm and home are in danger of being taken."
"So, it is survival then you are selling them?"
"They are the only thing of value to me."
"It is of course, your hope, that they can escape me and return to you after I've delivered the money to you," The dark form said after a moment of studying the girls, especially the youngest.
The farmer's jaw dropped. "That's not true."
"Lying about it will only get you dead, my good man." Stated the dark form with a deadly edge to his voice. "Tell me the truth, or I will gut them."
The farmer quickly looked to the girls who quickly looked to their father. He looked back to them, and then his shoulders slumped. "Aye, it is true, sir."
The slaver nodded then smiled. "At least you were honest. In that, I will offer fifty gold bars for them."
"Each?" The farmer suddenly perked up.
"No." He turned to the farmer. "That was the original deal, of course. But, with your deception, that is 50 bars for all three. I do not care for being decieved. The change in price is considered homage back to me, that I will not dismember you where you stand."
The farmer again gasped and then nodded. "Agreed. I will accept your payment of 50 gold bars for my three daughters."
The girls in the cart began to scream through their rags. The oldest broke through her "bonds" and ripped off her gag. "Father!"
Her cries, however, were quickly muffled by the unnaturally chilled fingers of the dark being who purchased her. His fingers had moved faster than she through, as she was pulled clear of the cart by her throat. "If I were you, my pet, I would be silent before I rip out your tounge and feed it to you." The girl gulped, while the others began to cry harder, looking to their father who was now looking away.
The slaver rebound the oldest, her hands behind her this time - with real cord. He pulled each one off and verified their bindings. The three kneeling slave girls approached and took the bound ones to where they were resting and forced them to kneel. While a forth girl came from the woods pulling a cart behind her.
She came to a stop behind her master and made no sound. The dark form pulled his arms behind him again. "Under the tarp is your gold. You will load your cart, and you will leave. You will not contact me again, for if you do, I will kill you where you stand. You will not make contact with these girls again, for they are no longer yours."
"I-I understand." The farmer responded, lifting the tarp, and counting the bars quietly. He never did look at the crying girls who pleaded with their father.
"Excellent. When he's moved his bars, return to the Inn." He instructed the girl who responded with a nod. He turned and started back for the towers that made up his home. The slave girls, new and old followed.
The tears and sobs continued, and the farmer returned home.