The mage sat back in the carriage, letting out a slow breath.

He turned his head to the side, looking outwards through the open carriage door. From where he sat, he could see the girl a short distance away. She stood with her back to him now, leaning forwards over a little patch of flowers, watching the bees hovering around.

She seemed to be mesmerized by them.

‘Beatrice?’ the mage called out. ‘Would you come over here please?’

The girl straightened then, turning away from the flowers and moving over towards the carriage.

She slowed when she came closer to the open door, hesitating a little.

‘Come’ the mage said to her, his face and head forever expressionless, the bone warm from the light of the sun, his eyes glowing. ‘You do not need to be afraid.’

Beatrice pursed her lips, something she did when she was unsure, silent for a moment longer before speaking.

‘I am not afraid.’

‘Oh?’

Beatrice dipped her head, brushing a strand of her black hair behind her ear.

‘Your skin is so beautiful’ the mage said to her.

‘You’re the only one to have ever said that to me’ Beatrice spoke quietly. ‘Perhaps the only one to even have thought it.’

‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ the mage responded. ‘And I think you are utterly beautiful, a truly living masterpiece.’

‘Why do you think that?’ Beatrice uttered, unconsciously touching her patchwork skin. ‘I… uh.’

‘What were you looking at over there?’ the mage asked.

‘What was I…? Oh. Just the flowers.’

‘You like flowers?’

‘I do.’

‘Why?’

Beatrice thought for a moment.

‘Because they are beautiful’ she replied.

‘And what makes them beautiful?’

‘I don’t really know.’ Beatrice said, ‘I guess the bright colours?’

‘So you don’t like flowers that are black or dark colours?’

Beatrice fell silent. She said nothing for a time, but the mage continued to watch her expectantly. He was waiting for an answer from her it seemed. It was hard for Beatrice to tell. He was a difficult being to read, it was something she would have to get used to.

‘I think I would like dark coloured flowers’ Beatrice replied at last.

‘So it’s not the colour’ the mage said. ‘If it’s not the colour, then what is it?’

‘I don’t know.’

The mage leant back then in his seat.

‘Come’ he said to her. ‘We are leaving this place. We are going home.’

Beatrice pursed her lips again, making herself move.

She stepped forwards, taking the mage’s hand as he offered it to her. She climbed into the carriage. Once she sat opposite him, she drew away, shrinking back into herself.

She gave a slight start when the carriage began to move.

‘Who… who is driving?’ Beatrice asked.

‘Nobody’ the mage replied.

Beatrice blinked uncertainly at this. She leaned to the side, trying to catch a glimpse through the narrow window behind the mage.

Through this window she saw the front of the carriage. She saw no one sitting in the driving seat, but she saw a large creature that resembled an ox, pulling the carriage. It was a heavyset creature, its fur shaggy, is head low-slung.

Beatrice sat back again, feeling very uncertain. Whatever was out there, was a creature she had not seen before, but it must have been something of high intelligence to direct itself like that, either that or it was relying on instinct and knew its way home.

Beatrice looked towards the mage. This being was her master now, her owner. He had bought her at the auction. She had not expected to see him again after he left her on the bench, chained with the other women, but he had returned, and had purchased her when no others had placed a bid.

No one else wanted here because of her skin.

Her chains had been removed now, and she was able to move freely and without restriction.

Beatrice watched her master, opening her mouth to speak.

‘You…. said your name was Vladislav.’

‘Speak up child. There is no need to be so meek. You are a free person now.’

‘Do I not belong to you?’

Vladislav shifted in his seat, avoiding eye contact. It was almost as if the topic made him uncomfortable.

‘Well…legally yes but…I um…...’ he reached into his coat, pulling from one of the deeper pockets a folded slip of paper. It was the contract he had to sign before the slave had been handed over to him, it was the buyer’s agreement from the original buyer. The one who had owned the girl before him. ‘Here’ Vladislav said.

Beatrice watched mutely as Vladislav tore the contract up into several pieces before tossing them out of the open window of the carriage. They were carried away on the warm winds, to become lost in time.

‘There’ Vladislav said with satisfaction. ‘Now there is no evidence of your enslavement.’

‘The seller still has a copy.’

Vladislav gave a snort, he appeared to be irritated.

‘Ok, so the seller has a copy. What if I go back and burn it?’

Beatrice’s eyes lowered to the floor of the carriage.

‘I suppose…that would remove all evidence of ownership.’

Vladislav nodded then, seemingly pleased with this, letting out a slow breath.

‘So’ he began, leaning back in his seat as the carriage trundled on, ‘tell me, where you come from? Do you have family?’

Beatrice’s expression saddened then, clearly reluctant to answer.

She only replied after a long while, all the time Vladislav simply watching her, giving her no choice but to speak.

‘I have no home to go back to if that’s what you’re asking’ Beatrice replied meekly, head down. ‘And I won’t run away either, if that’s what you were getting at.’

‘Haha.’ Vladislav let out a hiss. ‘Even if you tried you could never escape from me. I will always find you.’ He tilted his head. ‘Don’t look so worried. I won’t treat you cruelly like your previous masters did.’ Vladislav leant forwards in his seat, reaching a gloved hand out to touch Beatrice. She flinched only slightly as he touched her arm. Upon her patchwork skin, could be seen there, nasty red lashes made by a whip, alongside several bruises. ‘I want you to consider yourself my equal’ Vladislav said to her. ‘You have nothing to fear from me.’

‘I…. could never’ Beatrice shook her head. ‘You are a mage. Even if I wasn’t born tainted like this….’

‘Your differences are what make you unique’ Vladislav told her. ‘Do not hide it or be ashamed. Wear it like amour, for it is beautiful.’

Beatrice listened to his words silently, choosing not to speak once Vladislav had finished.

After a time however, as Vladislav continued to watch her, Beatrice broke the silence.

‘Why did you buy me?’

‘Because I wanted to. It’s as simple as that.’ There was a pause. ‘I think you will fit in just wonderfully in my home. I live alone. Well…. I don’t. I mean…’ Vladislav seemed to ponder over what he wanted to say then. ‘There are no other people where I live, but I have an assortment of different creatures. They are I find…. far more enjoyable company than humans.’

Beatrice bowed her head.

‘I look forward to getting to know you’ Vladislav said. ‘I want to see your true personality. I want to make you feel safe, enough for you to come out of your shell.’

Beatrice said nothing to this.

‘The journey will be long.’ Vladislav said to her. ‘I live far away from here.’ He paused. ‘Are you hungry?

Beatrice shook her head.

Vladislav let out a hiss then.

‘Ok’ he said. ‘I will ask you again in about an hour.’

Vladislav fell silent then, saying no more.

Beatrice lifted her eyes, turning to gaze through the window.

The countryside beyond was beautiful.

 [END OF CHAPTER 1]