Slave establishment: Survival

A day passed, and Lucian finally reached the capital of AVANDOR. Lucian who looked so dejected and solemn, sighed in relief as he hope that he'll meet her soon.

Meanwhile, Celine didn't give up on her plan of escaping the cell, as she befriend the others and asked them how long they stayed in this cell.

Then a young girl who had blonde hair came and befriend her frankly as the girl offered to shake hands with her.

Celine quickly shakes her hand and asked her bluntly in a charming tone.

"What's your name, g-girl?" she asked.

"I'm Gracy! and you are?"The young lady replied.

"I'm Celine!" she introduced, as she looked at the young woman so friendly.

"How long have you been staying here?" she asked, curiously staring at the young woman.

" I've been staying in this cell for 2 months, why do ask?" She replied.

" I...I just want to know," she responded, avoiding her gaze as she spoke uncertainly.

"I know that your new here and this shit place you see here belong to the auction slave establishment...You are in one of the many cell rooms allotted to us slaves,s.

Celine frowned upon hearing this

It was impossible, She was not a slave but a daughter of a farmer, so how could she be in the slave establishment? Did the bandits sell her off immediately after reaching the capital?

The girl continued to talk with her as she explained the customs and regulations

in the slave establishment.

"None of us are supposed to be here, some of us got sold by our relatives, being abducted by Bandits and some of them sold themselves. No matter how prosperous this empire is, All commoners live their lives fighting just to sustain the needs daily," she remarked

"Then, who sold you? Gracy." She asked

Gracy's face becomes dejected as her voice is utter hesitantly.

"My...mother sold me... Since my little brother is sick and my father has been imprisoned for stealing. So they have no choice but to sell one of us siblings. " She remarked, as her eyes drooped from recalling such saddening memories.

Hearing her story made her feel sorry for herself. Celine who had been sold into the slave establishment has a bitter spirit than the rest of those who had been thrown in this place. Either she is a sheltered child who was truly ignorant of what she went through or she was just trying to keep her spirits up.

With a sigh, The young lady continued, "Celine, there's only one thing that I could advise to you, which is to stop whining about help !" .."Because some of the guards here are pedophiles, they harassed some kids who keep whining for help, and since your good looking, You must be careful."Her calm and serious tone was enthusiastic and hitched as she holds her hand and looked her in the eye.

Celine nodded in belief since she was almost raped by those bandits who sold her in this slave establishment. The young woman continued telling her stories about what happened to those people who had been thrown into this slave establishment.

"Many girls and boys had cried out similar words, hoping their words could save them from this place."

" It was always those young ones like you who cried and wailed screaming for the same people who they waited to save them."

"Many of them were betrayed, had lost their hope, died because of their poor health or mental illness, and sometimes lacing their words with curses."

"This may not affect you ye, but your spirit would be broken eventually. The only thing that you need to do is, do not get into trouble."

" Even so, once you are being sold to those nobles, aristocrats, or Those rich people. There are no guarantees that you could live a happy life, Reality would hit you eventually if you keep waiting for someone to save you in this cell." Her voice was solemn and mellow, as she looked her in the eyes filled with disheartening and loneliness.

Celine sighed while leaning her back on the wall as she hold the girl's hand, looking up into the metal bars that were chained, As she cried in dismay.

That night, Celine couldn't fall asleep, as she pondered over her situation and the family that she missed so much. Even though she's still 10 Celine was able to understand her situation, thanks to her parents' guidance and Gracy's concern. Longing for her mother's warmth she finally fell asleep, leaning on Gracy's shoulder.

As the sun rises, Celine heard a scream outside. startled and scared, she raised and walked toward the iron bar without grabbing them.

As she looked at the iron bars that were old and rusty to the extent that they had turned

Patchy orange in color. Stepping closer to the iron bars, her heart trembled when another scream was heard. it was a shrill, painful cry that made everyone in the cell feel uncomfortable. The young girl cried out as if she was being tortured excruciatingly.

"How could they treat us like animals!" she thought. As she placed her hands covering her ears she listens to the screams.

" Remember what I told you Celine!" the young lady advised.

"The young girl who's being tortured right now was misbehaving and kept whining in the other cell."

Celine frowned hearing the excruciating scream. Even though chance of escaping the cell that was guarded by 4 men, Celine won't give up, she would escape, and she would find a way soon.

5 Days passed, and Celine spent her days in the confinement room which had avoided her from being branded like the other slaves.

She had been observing the warden and her cellmates as she had been used to the way slaves were treated worse than animals. Even so sometimes the excruciating screams from those who've been disciplined by the guards still make her feel uncomfortable as if she was in hell.

It was Celine's seventh day in the slave establishment. As the screams and cries at night didn't stop and neither did it not stop in the morning.

It wasn't difficult to get in trouble with the other guardsman of the establishment. But the chance of escaping the cell is impossible since every cell is guarded by 2 men just to make sure that no one could escape.

But recently, Celine had been worried about the brand marking. Every slave in the establishment carried one of their body but the marks weren't necessary for the commonplace which made it easier for her to hide when all the slaves were sent to take a bath.

Celine who had opposed the idea of removing her clothes with the others had been compliant, but she chose to stay silent as she listen to the orders of the guards without a sign or murmur of protest. It wasn't that she was comfortable stripping herself and the stares by the other slaves especially the men made it uncomfortable.

As those pedophiles smirked and getting arouse seeing those young girls stripping their clothes naked.

Celine ignored the malicious stare as she take Gracy's advice on deducing the list of slaves that would get sold within 3 days and adding her name to the list was a success.

Celine stood with hot water dripping down her body, which had turned the entire bathing area into steam which was thankful for. As she quickly washed her body and picked up the garment that was laid for the slaves.

Wearing them, they quickly headed out of the bathroom with the rest of the slaves that walked past through the area, and as they line up in front of the warden and guardsman who guarded the place, there was a hierarchy among the slaves themselves. In groups of people who often picked on the new slaves, Celine followed Gracy's advice as she observed and remind herself not to step into certain parts of the establishment where the guards didn't guard to avoid getting in trouble.

Even though there's a chance she could escape, the chance that she could get caught is higher than escaping this establishment.

As her plan on avoiding the brand marking of slaves succeeded, Celine sighed in relief as she returned to the cell with the others.

3 days have passed, and The auction for slaves has finally come. Celine waited for the daytime to pass as the auction for slaves has finally started.

As the guard called the slaves who were on the list for today's auction, Celine quickly raised her hand as the guard called her name.

Celine quickly lined up with the others, seeing the guard who was holding a whip, she can see her cellmates tremble in fear of getting hit as they waited backstage in the theater.

Meanwhile, Lucian and his knights continued searching for the hidden trade of human trafficking in the capital. Still coming into the AVANDOR empire was a threat to him, since the war between their empires will begin the next month.

Knowing that his uncle won't be pleased with his reckless decision on saving her. He did not stop until he found the hidden trade of human trafficking in an old theater, where selling slaves in an auction was held.

As the moon rises, Lucian bribed a young guard of the slave establishment with 200 gold. the young man quickly agreed to his douceur. Since Lucian needs to hide his identity, Conan bluntly asked the young man to let them in without an invitation.

The young guard quickly agreed and let them into the slave establishment. As soon as they entered, the theater was filled with nobles and aristocrats that were wearing masks to hide their identities.

As they waited, the host of the slave establishment announce the arrival of new slaves. his hostility towards the host made him impatient in waiting.

Meanwhile, Celine and the others were being dragged out of the cell as the guards who were carrying a whip scared everyone as they obediently lined up backstage in the theater.

"For anyone who would buy me, please let me live normally in your care." She thought as she winced in dismay.

"I want to see Lucian, I want to see him !.. I missed them so much." She murmured, while holding up herself to cry.

Back then Celine's eyes were full of happiness and excitement, but after staying in this place, those bright purple eyes were replaced with emptiness and sorrow inside her.