Arc 4: Chapter 78

Days went by and it was Sunday, the day of the slave auction. Elenor was resting in her room, waiting for night to fall. She could feel her nervousness bubbling inside of her but suppressed it as much as she could.

Taking in a deep breath, she sat on the small couch inside the room with a book resting on her lap.

Once the sun began to set, a familiar looking knight knocked on her door. She nodded at him before leaving together with him.

"Leave when the sun begins to set, if you leave around that time with a guard, it doesn't look suspicious as nobles often leave around this time as well."

Lloyd had told Elenor the other day. She wore a simple blue dress and left to the place they had agreed to meet up for the plan.

A street hidden in plain sights where no eyes often fall on, a plain carriage stopped on it and a confident figure walked down.

Elenor glanced around before walking further into the street, her figure disappearing into the shadows. Taking a sharp left turn, her feet came to a halt as she stopped at a dead end.

Calmly, she waited and soon the people she had been waiting for arrived. Two tall figures came into her view.

"Glad you've made it here safely." Lloyd spoke.

Elenor nodded before extending her hand out towards him. She curled and uncurled her hand in a beckoning manner at Lloyd. He rolled his eyes before passing her a long brown hair wig and a worn out dress almost in tatters.

"Thank you." she grinned.

She put the wig on, concealing her red hair and wore the dress. She adjusted her wig carefully and double checked her tattered dress.

"Ready?" Alec calmly questioned.

Elenor looked over at him and smiled, knowing he was pretending to be calm. One last look at them she nodded,

"Ready."

Lloyd nodded and gestured towards one of his men.

"Please do forgive me for my rude behaviour." a man with hazel brown hair said in an apologetic tone.

She chuckled and shook her head, "What's your name?"

"Michael."

"Alright then, Michael. Please go all out."

The hazel brown hair man, Michael nodded at her words and grabbed hold of her. He tied her hands and legs with rope before carrying her up like a sack of rice.

"Be careful." she heard Alec's voice.

"I'll protect you."

Elenor bit her lip in order not to smile, "You better."

She was carried away to another side. It smelled bad and there were drunkards lying around the area.

"We're almost there Lady Elenor." Michael whispered.

Elenor nodded though he wasn't able to see. It was time to start the plan. She started wiggling around, punching his back while screaming.

"Let me go! Let me go!! Help! Someone please help!" she yelled out but no one helped or cared.

Those that heard her cries only glanced at her before looking away as if they heard nothing. She scoffed to herself in her heart.

'Scumbags.'

She continued throwing a fit even when he stopped.

"Yo! What's this thing on your shoulder?" a gruffy looking man asked.

Michael cackled and smirked, "Found this chick around the corner. She has a pretty face that will for sure get loads of men wanting her."

The gruffy looking man laughed out loud before letting him inside, "Come on in Mikey! Ya sure bring us those who are good to sell."

Michael grinned and lightly slapped the man on the back. "I have a good eye for girls like her after all."

"No! Someone help me! Please!" Elenor screamed once more, trying her best to get out of his hold.

The gruffy looking man grabbed hold of her face and smirked, "She sure is a good catch. She'll be the star for tonight for sure!" he snorted.

He spat on her face and slapped her bottom before moving to the side, allowing Michael inside. She nearly burst out in anger but stopped once she felt Michael moving.

Michael waved at him before walking inside the hidden passage which led to the back of the auction.

"Nice work Michael." Elenor whispered, although she was pissed she was spat on and got slapped on her bottom.

Once she saw him again, she was going to make him eat shit.

"Thank you Lady Elenor, my apologies for not being able to dodge that before this." he muttered back shyly and helped wipe the spit off her face.

Elenor waved it off, "It's fine, if you did you could have made it suspicious."

Upon reaching, Michael returned back to his acting and roughly threw her down to the ground in a cell with the other people in the same position as her.

"Oi Mike! What did you find today!?"

"I found a cute chick!"

"Ahaha! You always find good looking ones don't ya!"

Michael continued conversing with the other workers there, distracting them. Elenor looked around. There were people around her age as well as those who were younger. They were all pale and had an afraid look on their face.

The memory resurfaced once more. She shook her head, trying her best to ignore the uncomfortable feeling she felt.

She had to focus. She needed to get all of them out of here.

While she was busy following the plan, Alec and Lloyd headed inside the bar with black hoods hiding their faces.

"Good evening, what can I get for you, good sirs?" the bartender asked as he cleaned a glass.

Alec tapped on the counter, "A glass of beer and a black cat wine."

The bartender paused his actions before smiling, "I'm afraid we have ran out of black cat wine."

Alec nodded, "Then a cup of scorching coffee will do."

The bartender nodded at Alec who had guessed the secret password correctly, "Understood, please follow me."

Lloyd and Alec looked at each other before trailing behind the bartender as they descended downwards into the auction. Before stepping into the auction, they wore a black mask, hiding half of their face.

"Please enjoy your stay, esteemed guests." the bartender bowed before heading back to the bar upstairs.

"Good job Alec." Lloyd praised.

"Let's hurry and find a seat or else we won't be able to get a good look at everything." Alec spoke back.

The two hurriedly found the perfect seat and sat down. Alec checked the pocket watch.

"Twenty minutes before the auction starts, your highness." Alec whispered.

Lloyd nodded at his words. "Don't worry about Elenor. She'll be fine."

"I know." Alec answered back bluntly.

Lloyd clicked his tongue, "I'm trying to comfort you and this is your response."

Alec ignored his complaint and stared at the stage. He knew she would be fine. He'll protect her from everything.

If someone touches her, he will be sure to cut their fingers off.

"I see a few of them already." he heard Lloyd speaking to him.

He glanced over at the direction Lloyd was looking at and noticed a few familiar faces that he had seen on the documents Lloyd provided.

"I wonder what look they will give once we capture them." Lloyd chuckled.

"If Lady Rosina ever saw your expression right now, I'm sure she would run away." Alec commented.

Lloyd gasped, "Is it that bad?"

"Terribly, your highness." he flatly replied.

"Nooo!" he quietly sobbed in agony, afraid to even check how he looked when he made that expression.

Alec rolled his eyes at the prince. He just wanted to be done with this and get back to Elenor's side.

The lights soon turned dimmed and spotlights shone onto the stage. The host who wore a red glitter suit stood in the middle of the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The slave auction for tonight will begin now!!"