4 - Contest for clothing
As the two parties stared as though by mutual consent, the bat that once threatened to knock Axena dropped and the boy hurriedly picked it back. Axena concluded that the seduction bolts that she had hurled towards the boy had seeped in and she smirked. "So, what is your name, lad?" Axena spoke.
"I'm Somba," the boy replied and was about to walk close. Then, as Axena watched, he took a cautionary pause and slowed down in pace. He looked straight into her eyes and swallowed again.
"How old are you, Somba?" Axena inquired again. She was breaking her vows based on the requisite she had listed for the question-answer scheme. It was necessary as there was much to know within the short period.
"I have seen nineteen summers and winters," he answered and took a step closer. He was seemingly hoping to get on with his price.
"Kiss me," Axena said and ensured that her lips went beyond the bars, such that the cold chills of the iron melted her cheeks. She watched as Somba dithered and took another closer step. "I see you're scared. But I am bound. Also, you have not the keys to free us. Why kill you?"
"Yes. I'm of no use to you. I have not the keys. Even if you decide to hold me hostage, the soldiers will kill me before you make a request," Somba said and Axena realized the necessity of the said words. He was giving answers that were pertaining to his level in government.
"Why are you on soft wool fabrics and not irons like the soldiers?" Axena asked.
"It's my strata. That's what I'm entitled to," he returned.
"Kiss me, Somba. Trust me," Axena pleaded. "I have questions, just questions appertaining to this place and tips," Axena offered and he rushed to look in the direction that would usher anybody in and stepped closer. Somba now stood before Axena and they were separated by the iron bars. He huffed and walked close to erase the gap between them. They stared at each other, Axena feeling nothing hatred towards the kingdom and all that were in it; Somba too. Slaves - as they were referred were a thing of benefit to the kingdom, a way to increase political strength and induce wealth so to all and all that belonged to it the kingdom, none would be spared if she possessed the power to ruin them all.
When their lips met, Axena felt Somba's lips tasted null. She knew not what to feel or where to categorize him. The only lips she had tasted was Culix's and she never presumed she would taste another.
"See. I'm real. Be real too, please," Axena asked and he stepped backwards.
"Where is this place?"
"Tipotha," Somba replied and stepped forward.
At the mention of the kingdom's name, Axena shut her eyes and they were at the instant inwardly opened to the wide map that was used to show their geographical location. Tipotha was one of the kingdoms that RebelHood thought less of. It was far away - like three days space of journey between them. She nodded when she opened her eyes and heard murmurs behind. The women also heard it when Somba said it. It became somewhat clear to Axena that a hand was involved from the inside. She needed to see the men's side and see if the chief was there. If he wasn't, they had been sold since they were attacked at their weakest moment.
"Tipotha? How big is it?" Axena asked.
"Endless as the sea, she has no boundaries; er politics, high as the heavens; her strength, deep to the crust. Somba replied and stood in the earlier position that earned him a kiss.
"Why are we here?" Axena asked and shook her head, sorrier for the threat the description placed on her.
"For trade purposes," Somba replied. Axena could read the eagerness in his face and she nodded.
"Tell me about the strata. The kingdom and its people," Axena said.
"I'm sorry misses. I'll only answer questions pertaining to you," Somba returned.
Axena paused and nodded. "Before I proceed to the next course of confusion in me, I shall tell you the price. You get to touch my breasts and maybe taste them. When were you weaned?"
"I Was raised on milk from animals. I grew on a farm," Somba said and Axena dropped her eyes in pseudo pity, a pity for the moment, one that wouldn't save him if she finally have the time to draw her wrath.
"So you've never tasted or touched a woman's breast?" Axen asked and smiled. He smiled too and looked at Axena's mates who were behind her.
"I haven't," Somba replied and placed his bat on the floor and looked ahead.
"Touch me. Trade purposes? How does it starts and ends? How do we fare through it?" Axena questioned and Somba grabbed her breasts, he fondled them and his tiny fingers were wrapped across the flesh they could at the time.
"You're doing well with it. So tell me, how does the trading begins and ends?"
"There will be listing," he said and sighed. "There will be listing and showcasing. That's why you are all naked. During the listing, the lords will come around and select," Somba stuttered and talked alongside touching Axena.
"Select?" Axena questioned with her eyes wide and her brows sent to the roof of her eyes.
"Diverse purposes. Cleaning, cooking, bearing, games and bed purposes," Somba answered.
His touch was getting harder and his hands were now in the cell. He was closer than his cautionary motives earlier were and Axena stepped back, barring his further touch. She was getting info and it wasn't getting interesting. It was scarier.
"Are we going to be separated? I mean I and my cellmates, we are not, right?" Axena wanted to know her fate. It would be worse if she were to be kept without the fighting team as that would offer less chance of survival.
"All of you will be together till the trades begin. However, you could be separated when you get more. Here, a slave may garner reverence by competing," at Somba's response, more of the women walked close to Axena and held the iron bars.
"We can be freed from our doom?" one of the women said and held the bars with her fingers. Somba was quiet for a while. He looked into Axena's eyes and she stared back.
"You can suckle on me," the woman said and pushed her breasts against the bars just as Axena had done. Somba did accordingly. Holding both breasts in his hands and placing his mouth around the nipple.
"Stop him and inquire further," Axena said softly and the women stepped back.
"You get more for more answers," she said.
"We can get a raise in standard?"
"Yes. But you must fight for it. If you want a raise in your pay, you tell your chef, your owner, your boss speaks to the town chief, the town chief to the state's chief, the state's chief to the lords of the rings, the lords of the rings will organize a duel with their standards. If you beat it, you get what you want," Somba answered as though he recited from a scroll and stepped forward for more, but Xylin's question halted him.
"How do we get an audience with these officials?" Xylin said.
"You're slaves. You're barred from meeting any higher officials and you're only entitled to certain chances. If two of you want a thing, you tell me. I am the chief here," Somba said and shrugged. "I will tell the whip guards, the whip guards tell the soldiers, the soldiers to the lords of the rings. That's the rule here in prison," Somba responded.
Somba went up to suckle on the earlier woman without being called and the women pondered on the next question. Particularly the chances.
"What are the chances that our requests be granted?" Plinx said.
"Contests and games are for the interest of the ring. People come and watch for pleasure. Blood and gory are the airs of the rings, it's food to those who watch it," Somba responded and held on back to the breast.
"In our slave's strata, what are the things we're entitled to?" Xylin questioned.
Somba held on to the breasts and murmured as he spoke, "First a better cell, then clothes."
"Tell the whip guards I'm raising my standards," a voice came and since the fighting squad were aligned close to Axena. She looked back to see where it came from. The women did too. A lady was behind them all, one Axena had never seen. She had hairs that slightly covered her face and a part of her head had been gashed recently - there were botches of black which covered part of her eyes. It was blood that had seeped from her head during a probably encounter with a soldier - Axena guessed.
"Who among you bitches needs a cloth to cover your girth?" she said and walked towards them. "Who needs a new cell that is not open to rapists? Let's contend," she said and stood with her feet separated, a chance that denotes the readiness for a fight in the RebelHood.