The trip to the Western Dunes will be a two week journey. One that I don’t have to make by myself anymore, as a fugitive on top of that. Traveling with Neil and his family makes things complicated. I need to get that paperwork and escape as soon as I can. After the purchase was completed Neil and I walked out of the wagon with his father and his bodyguard standing outside. “I see our search has come to an end.” Matthis spoke, “I hope you know what you are doing my son.” While he spoke, he looked at me as if sizing me up. “It’s amazing how someone so small can cause so much of a commotion. Girl, I hope that I won’t be kicked down anymore.” I remained silent. I still was uncertain on how to act in this situation. how I am going to play along that I will stay with Neil?
Before I could continue on the thought another young man that looked around Neil’s age walked up to us. He looked similar to Neil in respect to their tanned skin and black wavy hair. Neil’s hair was longer than his and the facial features seemed more boyish. He had a hop in his step while heading towards us, “Neil, I think that good fortune is with us.” He smiled. “Why is that cousin?” Neil replied. I had a feeling that he stated their relationship on purpose. Letting me know who else was in this travel group. “I have found a bride as well.” Neil’s cousin answered. “Who did you buy Corus?” Suspicion was in his voice which surprised me, after all he just a bought a girl who threw his father down the stands. “Aliana, the girl with the dance of the sun and moon.” He responded happily, “they are bringing her paperwork now. I just finished talking with her auctioneer.” My stomach twisted in knots. Corus sounded like he just bought himself a horse.
“We should get going when we can then. Speaking of, where is your little brother?” Neil asked. “He is with my bride. Making sure that nothing happens to her while she collects her belongings.” Corus replied. Neil looked at me, “Do you have any belongings that are here?” I shook my head. I don’t think that the Auctioneers still have the clothing that I wore the day they took me. Keeping them would have not been a good decision. “We should meet up with your bride. You should not leave her alone.” Matthis spoke. No one disputed with what he said, we headed along to the storage caravan seeing her pulling out a large trunk. Corus came up behind her and pulled out the trunk for her. “What is all this stuff for?” Corus asked her. Aliana replied in a respectful manner, “to better serve you. This trunk contains valuable books on medicine.” It was surprising to see her this way, compared to the demanding demeanor of this morning.
“So a healer needs a lot of stuff.” Corus responded. Aliana smile twitched slightly, not appreciating that her valuables were just stuff and a lot of stuff at that. She nodded with her smile and Corus was unaware of how his words insulted her. “Marcus!” Corus called out. A moment later a small boy around the age of eight hopped out of the storage caravan. He looks a lot like his older brother Corus, I am sure that Corus looked exactly like Marcus when he was a child. Even if they were alike in looks I realized quickly how soft spoken Marcus was. “Is this your bride?” Marcus asked Neil. “Yes.” He replied. Marcus replied with a quiet “oh.”
Neil shrugged his shoulders and looked over, “Corus should you be letting your bride do all of the heavy lifting?” Neil successfully turned the attention away from himself. Corus scowled and went to assist Aliana with her trunk.
They packed Aliana’s trunk onto their caravan and soon after picking up supplies we headed out. Staying in town would be a terrible idea especially due to my failed escape attempt. The five of us headed into the caravan while the bodyguard handled driving.
Neil and I didn’t talk to each other. It felt odd to say anything to him. I realized that I had nothing to say. I knew I was just buying my time until I have another opportunity to escape. Aliana and Corus talked. Aliana had many questions to ask; what was his status? Where will they live? What will he provide for her? Corus responded happily, he mentioned that him and Neil both handle special guards for General Matthis but didn't go further into it. Matthis glared at Corus before he got carried away. In regards to status their status is above merchants but he is lowest on the food chain in regards to nobility. Aliana didn’t like the sound of that. Corus attempted to soften the blow with mentioning how he was well off in regards to having a home and luxurious furnishings.
Aliana and I didn’t say a word to each other. She looked at me more with disdain than anything else. From what I know so far, Corus doesn’t pick up on much. He attempted to get Neil to join in the conversation. “Cousin, tell them about the Western Dunes.” Neil looked at them with an annoyed expression. He sighed and looked at Aliana and I with a grin on his face,, “It’s scorching, sandstorms come in daily. We live in burrowed walls like moles. Water is scarce and to grow vegetation is near impossible.” He smiled at her, “You will love it there.” Corus’s color in his face drained while Aliana’s face catched all of his pigments. “It’s hot yes, but there is a greenhouse there, filled with herbs and plants.” Corus spoke up, trying to escape out of a now risky situation. It was funny how he was trying to appease her. A slight smile appeared on my lips.
“You do not seem worried at all Exotic.” Aliana turned the attention to me. “Not at all Aliana.” I replied, “I am no stranger to the Dunes.”
“Aliana, you are to address her as Mikaela.” Neil ordered. The tone in his voice scared her. “I apologize; I was unaware of her name.” Corus jumped into the conversation, “I am surprise that you didn’t know her name.” Aliana was losing confidence and fast, she began to stammer, “Well, that is,” I butted in, “Products telling each other their names is unheard of. This is in case one disappears or gets renamed by their buyer. From the time we walk into the caravans we have no name.” I nodded at Aliana, “That's why we did not know each other’s name.” Corus seemed confused still, “Is this true Aliana?” “Yes,” She replied. “That seems strange.” Corus thought out loud. “It’s not strange if auctioneers do not want others to know that they are carrying stolen girls.” I answered, “To avoid being beaten, it's best to not mention your name.”
“Mikaela.” Aliana hushed at me. “That is a bit of an exaggeration.” “Really? Tell them how exaggerated it was for them to beat Raz.” I responded. A rigid silence fell over the carriage. Raz was eleven years old. A simple girl with a big heart. She was the youngest of a family of seven. Hard times fell upon the family and Raz was the most valuable of the children. She was told that this was a chance for her to have a better life but she knew better. She thought that if someone knew her name then there would be some kind of value with her.
What little value she had left.
One morning we were taken out of the caravans to stretch our legs. That morning, she was made an example of. They first pulled on her hair. Next they threw her on the ground and kicked into her sides. She would scream but no one could save her. Many of us became too scared to move. Some of us were held back by the auctioneers. Her cries pierced the morning air showing how powerless we are to this system.
She became limp and passed out from the unexplainable pain. Tossing her into the caravan the headmaster looked at us giving us a warning, “This is what happens when you hang onto your past. You have no names; you are nobody until you are sold.” The most disgusting part of it all was how the Seasoned Ones acting as if this was justified and the Late Bloomers followed suit; scared, and quietly. Raz was balled into a corner muttering a mantra, “I have no name. I will be reborn.” She was sold two auctions later.
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