Shadows rise.

[Malyssa Rahl]

The golden City. The city of a thousand bells. The city of mages, All of these names apply to our home. Yet there is one more appropriate that is never used...

 

The city of slaves.

 

 

Chapter One: Preparing.

 

I have spent my life in this city, learning to serve as I was born to do, as all who have the misfortune of being born as anything but fully human are born to do. Most are common laborers, others are trained, as I was, for more domestic tasks.

 

Each year I have been brought to watch the auctions, knowing that one day it would be my turn on the block. Each year I was told that my unusual appearance would detract from my price, so I must work harder than the other girls to make up for that or I would not be fed.

 

Now I sat motionless, watching in the mirror as the anonymous men and women worked on me as they had the others, my pale skin was scrubbed clean for the first time since before I could remember. My golden hair washed, trimmed, and brushed until it shined. One of the men argued that they should cover my ears, while the woman, who seemed to be in charge of this endeavor shook her head.

 

“We can't hide what she is.” she said aloud. “Show them off proudly, turn her into something exotic. They'll like that.”

 

I wasn't entirely sure what she meant, but every year previously, they had turned the other slaves into truly gorgeous creatures, each one purchased for high prices, I had no doubt that they could do the same for me.

 

“Sit up straight halfbreed.” one of the other men growled. I knew better than to protest that I already was sitting up straight. Instead I adjusted my posture, moving as little as possible lest I upset one of the others by squirming too much.

 

When they moved on to painting my face, I couldn't watch any more, their brushes tickled, but I remained perfectly still. I could feel the men tugging the laces of my outfit tight, making it difficult to breathe properly, but, as the slave master has said, I needed every edge they could give me.

 

At last the women stepped aside, and I was allowed a brief moment to stare at myself in the mirror again. The face I saw was barely recognizable as me. The dark lines painted around my eyes made them look larger than normal, and my slitted pupils even more pronounced. My lips were a deep red, too red for my normal skin tone, but that too had been changed. Around my neck, I wore the simple leather collar I had been wearing since my training began, and would only stop wearing when it was replaced by my new master. It was bespelled so that it could not come off before then, or so they claimed. I had never tried to remove it.

 

I felt myself blushing as I looked down at the outfit I was wearing. Obviously meant to reveal as much as it concealed, it was equally obvious what type of slave they thought I should be. I shuddered at the thought. Though hopeful that my new master would decide otherwise, I knew the type of buyers I would attract while wearing this. Dark leather, so soft and thin it could have been a part of me. I already hated it, but at least it was clean.

[DuLake]

How intriguing! I can't wait to see where you go with this. Keep it up!

[† Emotional Outlet]

Aah, can't wait to see how it turns out. It's always interesting to see how race relations turn out in stories. o3o

[† RazorDan]

very good startt, im intrigued. Looking forward to more!

[Kinara Uzumaki]

You picked a nice subject to start a story on. Keep writing!