Chapter 2: The mysterious rider
The sun rose in the sky. Giving rise to the busiest day in the city. It was bustling with people from all tribes in all corners.
The marketplace was packed to the bream. With traders, buyers, and goods and services ready to be offered.
Sellers arranged their goods and advertised the services they stood to offer. To attract the attention of the buyers.
In the spaces sector, different sellers prepared their stalls. Filling them with slaves of all ages, parading them before the crowd for people to choose who they wanted to buy.
Some slaves were paraded with clothes while others were presented before the public naked. The sellers spoke of the skills that the slaves had to inform the people, so they could select a slave that was capable of whatever duties they required.
Adnan's cage was yet to be opened. He glanced at the view from the stage. His heart squeezed in pain. The fact that he was soon going to be paraded on that stage knocked at his mind giving him chills.
He swallowed hard.
The reality of his fate sank in. No amount of daydreaming could alter his destiny and sway him from the path that awaited him. He watched their owner handle the slaves in an inhumane way. Pushing them around and flogging them to stand and act as he desired of them.
Adnan gasped.
Adnan watched the stage with a frozen heart. Fear ran its thy hands down his spine. His body shivered immensely.
Treated like an object to be owned. It was a hard pill to swallow. Adnan screamed internally, "Help me."
He was alone in the world. Without anyone to hold his hand, and protect him from the harsh world.
"Sold for 200 gold pieces," the seller announced to a woman. She has then pushed off the stage and handed on to a villainous-looking gent whose impure desires were plastered on his face.
The cold words were like ice-cold water that splashed mercilessly on Adnan.
Adana glanced at the hungry faces of the older men and women who stood below the stage. Waiting for a slave to ravage. His blood ran cold.
His chest grew tight, his heart was heavy. Every time it throbbed, the pain Adnan felt left her rooted to the spot.
When he recovered. He could vaguely hear noises of the buyers cheering while another slave was put out for sale. He nearly fainted.
The pressure of the sell getting to him. As he knew that soon, it was going to be his turn. After which he will become someone's property. And there was no telling what his owner would do with him.
His heart pounded against his chest. Threatening to escape and run away. A thought that Adnan wished would come true. Death would be an appreciated relief to the life that he was forced to embrace due to poverty.
The crowd grew. People came in such as slaves, the fresh batch that had just entered the market. Lords stood proudly ready to purchase slaves for their houses.
Undeterred by the pitiful looks from the slaves. They couldn't care less about what the slaves thought or felt. Their feelings were irrelevant.
Adnan found the strength and turned his eyes away from the scene. His eyes were lifeless. His body remained there but his soul was long lost in the chaos of his reality.
He silently leaned his head against the metal rods. Adnan forced his eyes shut. His mind couldn't drift away to any other place, with the noise from the market.
Constantly being reminded of his awaited future. Adnan held his breath, feeling the soft touch of the old man beside him on his hair.
"It doesn't get easier, child," the old man spoke. "You need to be strong. It is the only way you'll make it through this," He added.
Adnan nearly scoffed. The old man spoke as though making it through everything promised a life of freedom at the end of the road. He was a slave and not a prince, whether he made it through one master, he would be passed on to the next one until the day that he takes his last breath.
As much as he appreciated the small comfort the old man tried to offer him. He found it painful to continue to exist.
Adnan wasn't a fool, he had learned about the ways that masters treat slaves out in the world. The duties they give them and with what regard they look at slaves. All of which was enough to make his heart stop beating.
Just then the noises faded. Adnan's eyes were forced open, drawn by the sudden silence. As did the other slaves. Everyone wanted to know why it had suddenly become dead silent in the shop.
Adnan raised his head in time to catch a glimpse of the masked rider. Seated gracefully on his horse in the crowd. With a royal emblem on his leather jacket visible in the light of the sun.
The people of the city made way for him. He seemed aloof and indifferent, looking at the slaves on the stage, his eyes trailing over to the owner of the slaves.
The man bowed his head to the rider, he dared not make eye contact for fear of being beheaded or worse. The people gasped at his grandiose stance. His silver shoulder-length hair flattering with the wind, while his deep green eyes scanned his surrounding.
"Who's in charge here," a voice cut from steel sounded from the rider. His face hidden away behind the mask, Adnan could only make out his lips, jaw, and nose.
The man had a straight nose, thin red lips, and a masculine jawline. His fine features and vascular frame makes him the center of attention.
He was a sight for the eyes. Even the slaves were delighted to see him, drowning in the elegance of the rider.
The rider however was unfazed by the stares. He alighted from the horse, his feet touched the ground softly without much effort.
The mysterious man casts his gaze over to the cages. For a second his eyes locked with Adnan. Adnan felt as though the man could see right into his soul. He averted his gaze immediately.
The man stared at the man who had his hand raised. "I take it you are in charge. Let's talk," his commanding and powerful presence provoked submission from the seller.
Who quickly gave in to his wishes. They moved inside the tent, away from the eyes of the public where they could talk in private.
"How can I be of service to you," the owner spoke with respect towards the man.
"I would like to purchase a slave," The man said scanning inside of the tent. He checked for a place to seat and didn't quite find one. He was a neatnik, he hated dirty places and the tent hardly passed his standards of cleanliness.
"I have so many of them. How many would you care for?" the owner inquired.
"Only one, a male, young and untouched," he stated being specific about who he wanted. "He should be clean-cut, one who hasn't served anyone before. And is new to everything," he added.
"Hold on," the owner said getting a few ideas of who the man wanted. He stepped out of the tent and walked into the sector where the cages were placed.
His eyes scanned over his slaves, eying out for the new batch that had arrived the previous day. "You, you and you," he pointed out to three slaves on the cage beside Adnan's.
He moved on to the next cage, and continued his selections. Until he reached Adnan's cage. "You," he pointed his finger at Adnan. The male's heart skipped a beat. His body grew pale and his palm sweaty.
"Keep your head down and always hold your tongue. Avoid making eye contact and try to follow instructions exactly as they are given," the old man whispered instructions to him. Adnan nodded in understanding.
"Thank you," he mouthed to the old man.
The owner's men stepped forward and removed the slaves that were pointed out. Adnan was dragged out of the cage. He shared a look with the old man, taking him in. The one comfort that life gave him before he was dragged away.
The nine young men were pulled into the tent and paraded before the mysterious rider. Adnan followed the guidelines that the old man gave him and kept his head down and his eyes cast to the ground.
He didn't wish to offend anyone.
"These nine match the description you mentioned," the owner informed the rider.
The man shot his gaze at the nine slaves before him. He eyed them each from head to toe, taking in all their features. "Raise your heads," he ordered.
The boys slowly raised their heads. Adnan trembled. He lifted his head avoiding eye contact with the rider. The man took in their facial features one by one.
His eyes lingered longer on Adnan.Taking him in frame by frame as though capturing his image permanently in his mind. The rider took out a path from his waist and threw it at Adnan's feet. "Him," he said.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone