We went at a steady but brisk pace: the rchant wanted to enter the city tonight. As I trudged along with others I couldnt stop my emotions. I was jittery. Surprisingly most of my jitters didnt co from anxiety anymore, but from anticipation.
We were heading to the big city. A place full of magic!
Which was kind of weird. Magic was all around us. It was in the wild forests around us, ready to eat the hapless traveller. It was in the hand of a slave master, lifting an enormous whip. In the eyes of the guards, letting them see in the dark of the night. It was everywhere! Everywhere except for us! Magic was the reason for our state. While there were plenty of wer slaves on the farm, they were also weaker. As if magic was telling them they didn't deserve it. What a bitch.
And yet my addled brain was excited.
My cheeks afla, I hung my head in sha. I felt stupid. I probably looked like so of the adults obsessed with soone, who didn't return their affections. Ive seen a fair share of idiots giving away their food or doing extra chores in the vain hope of getting sothing as little as a glance. Hell, Ive seen male masters bending over for the farm Domina like worms, nearly kissing her feet. I scoffed at them in my mind, feeling myself above such idiocy. And yet here I am running like a puppy, tongue-lolling, toward sothing that made my life miserable.
I wonder if they have magical buildings.
Why does it even matter to so much? What is the difference if the buildings have glowing squiggles on the walls if I still end up sleeping in a barn on the straw? What use are the enchanted swords, if just touching one will get executed? Will my back feel happier being whipped by a magical lash too?
It does the impossible.
What it does is make my life impossible. Period. End of the discussion.
It shouldn't exist.
Ah, finally my brain and I are on the sa wavelength. This world would be much better with it gone forever. Just imagine a world without magic. Everyone is equal. No one could tell you what to do. No one to take away from you what is rightfully yours. No one to belittle you for your ancestry.
It doesn't follow the laws, which makes it curious.
That is indeed interesting. I snickered to myself, I wonder if I can report magic sowhere to get it executed. Or at least get it to behave. Jokes aside what is magic? Perhaps my hunch was onto sothing and studying it closer would help in the future. My mother always taught to know what I am doing before attempting it. Whether that was about using a hoe or speaking to a guard or a master. Perhaps magic would be the sa, and knowing it better would help speak to it in the sa language.
I sniffed the air, it slled of the sea. Looks like we were getting closer to the shore.
Now that was an interesting thought. Interesting because I had abso-fucking-lutely no idea what sea was before. Ive never been to the shore nor slled the breeze, so why the hell do I know it? How many mories did that fruit have?
I glanced around. The road was well away from the forest now but so trees remained on each side, providing blissful shade from the sun. There were few farmlands in sight, similar to the one Ive spent all my previous years on. My eyes turned back to the trees. So of them I could recognize on sight: oak, cypress, ash. So I could not beyond the point of it looks like a tree to . I frowned. This knowledge had so glaring gaps in so places and extre detail in others. I knew that our farm had hundreds of European olive trees, but the fine specin of plant life in front of , with white bark and deep red pine needles, was apparently tree, maybe.
This too would require investigation Got to keep thinking positive. At least I was aware that there are gaps in this knowledge now, rather than later. Moreover, this knowledge was very reactive. A simple glance around gave this much insight. I can only shiver in anticipation of what a true city would bring. They said it was full of everything: people, building, knowledge.
Full of magic!
Occupied by my circular logic, Ive missed the road passing over a hill. Stumbling a bit, with my feet trying to catch up with the descending ground, I lifted my head and gasped. The city! My entire view was filled with buildings! This far away they looked like a pile of bricks lying on the ground. There are probably at least a thousand people living here! OK maybe more. From the corner of my eye, I spotted a river, the sa one that followed the road all this ti. It flowed onto a tall bridge that took it directly into the city. But engineering marvels were fine, they made sense.
On top of the city, close to the hills it was hugging, was sothing that made no sense at all. An array of gigantic, comparing to the buildings, marble towers. Floating in the air. Defying the gravity.
Like a magical crown. Striking a sharp contrast in the evening sky.
My mind and I were stunned speechless. My legs were smart enough to keep moving, however.
This! This is exactly what I needed to see. This is true magic! Not the one to abuse and punish, the pure one - the one used to build. To create! Whoever made these knew real magic. You didnt need to be a genius to understand that anyone could throw a stone but to build a building out of it took skill.
If I could only get myself close to one of the mages living inside these towers! Or maybe the ones who lived inside didnt know a lick about how to make these and were simply rich? I needed more information and very little ability to do anything at this mont.
XXX
I learnt a new thing about cities. Or, more specifically, Samat - it was loud. Roads that were wide enough were filled with people running back and forth, peddlers and barbers calling for custors, and others either laughing or swearing at each other. And each of them was competing to be the loudest and the most obnoxious. Small streets, ones not filled with jars, baskets, and other rubbish, were filled with beggars moaning from hunger and whores moaning for money.
It also stank like an outhouse.
Walking through the streets Ive realized how different the farms were from the city. Most of the people Ive seen wore garbs similar to mine - a set of a linen shirt and a woollen tunic tied around the waist. What differed was the quality. While many wore sothing like I did and tied it with a rope, others wore cleaner clothes and better fabrics and had actual belts to keep them secure. Very few actually had open robes tied with a sash instead, like our rchant. Probably to show off how wealthy they were to afford three pieces of clothing at once. Rich fucks.
The rchant dumped us at the bazaar. Judging by the conversations, which I was unfortunately too far away to eavesdrop on, the person receiving us was either his colleague or a family mber. Very little haggling, no screaming, and no money changing place. When the rchant stayed at our farm he had spent the entire day cajoling better prices from the Domina.
Whatever was happening it wasnt happening tonight. We got locked inside a spacious room with large arches covered in bars, both for ventilation and observation. Apparently, this was their slave storage room, and not for slaves like us either. The walls were filled with, thankfully, empty chains, manacles, and other fetters. I clutched my ration for the night and thought about my next plan of action.
Bars were thick and skillfully placed. Whoever built this built it for n ten tis stronger than . So that was out. I glanced around. Most of the present were part of our group with few others sticking out like sore thumbs: they were crippled, sick, or old. Looks like we wont be sticking around for long. My mind made, I headed out to one of these old-tirs.
What do ye want, rk? My fist clenched at his response. Ive miscalculated - while the old coot looked like us he was a wer.
I wanna know what will happen tomorrow I buried whatever pride I had for now. Making a fuss will get nowhere.
Ye wanna know? Ye gonna get sold, idiot.
I showed him a piece of bread, I wanna know how I will get sold
He squinted his eyes at my offering, and then glanced at the other half. Fat chance, I glanced at him and then at the other veterans nearby. I am gonna pay but I wont starve.
He grunted. Ye talk funny, like ye one of the Manor slaves, rk. But yer tongue will get nowhere. None of them co to the low city.
I frowned, Who does co here to buy then?
Dunno, sotis a civil to get more latrine cleaners or road builders. He grinned with a toothless smile. And sotis a captain for barge pullers!
I gulped, the ssage was obvious.
Dont look at the buyers, rk. Look at the seller and how much he grovels, he swiped the piece from my hands and turned away, stuffing the bread into his mouth.
XXX
I woke up in a broken ss, my body screaming at to do sothing. My stomach roiling inside of , screaming for food. I tried to school myself into so shape, hoping that the food would co soon. Yesterdays exchange had cost dearly: the nanites inside my body were barely functioning as is on the agre fuel Ive given them. And yesterday I made my al even smaller. If this trend continues my body would eat itself alive. For nutrition.
My soreness got lost, forgotten in the background. Ive stopped myself. Nanites? To make my body stronger, healthier, better Do I an magic?
No.
Whatever it was within now had nothing to do with magic. To it, the magic was unknown, a curiosity. One might say it was the opposite of magic, but it wasn't either. Through my knowledge, I was aware that, while everything was based on understanding, it didn't shun not knowing. It embraced it as a promise, as another possibility to understand. As sothing to conquer and dissect.
Warlike thoughts aside. I had another opportunity for myself to explore. If I play my cards right, the increased food intake wont be an issue. And increased muscle growth, bone density and ligant strength would pay back original investnts with incredible interest. I dont know if I will grow strong enough to be on par with a wer or even a full wermage, but that wont be the end of it. I decided not to dwell on that for now, one step at a ti. First get food and get better, then worry about how to get titanium and nitinol.
The guards and more slaves ca with the food. I was expecting a mad scramble, planning to myself how I can get a bigger chunk, but they got us organized and distributed food evenly. It was probably for the best, I was at my weakest at this mont. And they even brought porridge! Which kind of made sense: we werent travelling anymore, so kitchens were nearby, and they wanted us in the best shape. It would seem that there will be an auction in the afternoon.
Well. That was my plan as well, for the ti being, no disagreeing there. I an what kind of idiot would say No, I will not eat and rest! It is below . Smiling contentedly I laid back on the floor, and let my body recover as much as it could. I had to be in my top shape tonight.
The bazaar was slowly picking up in volu with everyone yelling yet again, praising their goods and slandering their competitors. We were located right in the middle of the commotion as if a bazaar grew all around us. It made wonder if we were the main event for the day with shrewd traders using it as an opportunity. This was actually worrying, it is hard to judge the crowd. Moreover, any of my actions would yield absolutely unpredictable results. This amount of attention was rather unexpected: none of the slaves from our farm were skilled in any urban trade. Maybe milling grains but even donkeys could do that.
It was hard to judge how many people walking around were actually slaves, ones with obvious chains and collars were just the tip of the iceberg. But I had a slight suspicion there still weren't enough.
XXX
Apparently, if you are a rich fuck, you can spit on normal procedures. I an how would you get the best product and the best price? Exactly you ignore the auction and buy in bulk ahead of ti. The old slave was an asshole, but he was honest. This was the biggest show of grovelling. A rchant can sing you praises and kiss your shoes day in and day out, only to fleece you dry afterwards. It is when he lets go of a bigger profit in your favour - he ans business.
The transaction was probably already done in so backroom. By the ti the delegation actually reached us the monies were already counted, hands shaken, and wine drank. Unsurprising, I glanced at the slaves around us, they didn't co here expecting skill, they were looking for hands.
Buying people in bulk aside, this was my mont.
I cleaned myself as much as I could, wondering what I could do more to increase my chances, while the rchant spent his ti praising each of his new rchandise. Huh apparently Tok, that fixed a leaning fence once, was a carpenter. Well, that didnt matter, I settled in a position that I deed as radiating health and cast my gaze full of honesty. I think the rchant picked up on that, saying how healthy I looked and that I would definitely live to serve another fifty years at least. Well bite , just because wers can live longer doesn't make our lifespan short.
Besides I wasn't planning on dying so soon anyway.
Whatever the agreent they had it definitely included a set number of murks. I was chosen, not the first, but not the last either. Surprisingly, the blond girl from the cart was picked as well. Evidently, she wasnt a wer
As we were walking to my new place to live, Ive realized sothing interesting. The ones, who bought us, were slaves as well! I shook my head ruefully, how many slaves were in this city? Are there actually free people living, or everyone was a slave of soone else. Living without realizing that the whole system was like a giant snake biting its own tail? Slavery this expansive would kill any innovation. Who would bother trying to automate anything if you can just buy a slave to work in perpetuity? Why would you invent more efficient designs if you never have to pay artisans? This place was stagnant. It might not look like a swamp, yet. But it would be. I don't know how soon, perhaps in a few generations
Ah.
It made a little more sense now. Yes, this place would most likely rot from within in a few wer generations. Which in years would an centuries, or possibly millennia, depending on how long wermages lived. And I can bet my bread on the fact that they lived at least as long as wer.
My musings were interrupted: sothing was off. The stench was almost gone. I looked around, the city was seemingly the sa, yet the air was fresher with a tint of river wetness. My surprise was equally shared among other slaves.
The upper city has a sewer system, The slave, that was leading us, said in a gruff voice, No shitting on the streets, or throwing piss out of the windows! Use the latrine when you are in the villa or a public one in the city.
Well, that was definitely an improvent, anyone would hate slling shit all their lives.
Any questions - you ask the slave in charge of you, or you co to , Sulla, I am the procurer for the estate. He scowled at us, As long as you wont waste my ti, you will be heard.
I looked at him, trying to morize his appearance, unfortunately, a generic one. An ageing man old enough to have short grey hair and a beard but young enough to still kick ass. With very pointy ears. A word elf ca to but I scoffed at that. Elves were supposed to be lithe. This one probably used his chin to make sure the bricks were square.
We crossed a rather large river and headed deeper into the city, buildings getting prettier with every block we passed. Unfortunately, instead of climbing further toward the pillars, we turned left away from the biggest crowds of people. I sighed. Well, that was a bust. In the daylight and so close the towers looked majestic. So of them were actually standing on floating islands, while others looked like they simply decided to sprout in the middle of the sky. Most of them were floating alone, while a select few had a bunch of tiny islands orbiting around them. Like tiny satellites.
Mark my words, one day I will be there.
As we went on, the buildings changed. The Low city had tall buildings with three and sotis even four rows of windows on each side. The central region was dominated by smaller houses that traded all their windows for a large gate in front. One of them was open when we passed by and I could see an inner courtyard within. Back then I thought these were the houses of the rich. And now I was looking at a wall. It wasn't the city wall, these were further away and much taller, it was the fence. And it surrounded an area the size of an entire city block.
Well, I didnt get the mage, at least I got the rich.
After ushering us inside through the servant gate, Sulla fetched few more people out to get us organized. The mysterious owner of the estate didnt even show up! I wondered how much was actually done within this estate that never even reached Dominas ears. Now that I think about it I don't rember seeing my last one at the farm either. From far away yes, but never up close. Probably for the better.
From the drop off in bickering, I guessed that we got our assignnts. While I understood my position, but could they not bicker closer to us next ti? I wanted to be at least nominally present when my fate is being decided. Following the gestures I moved to the one, who would be in charge of from now on, already standing with a few selected slaves beside her.
I think my luck is back with again, apologizing for her previous blunder. My new boss was tall, on par with few adults and taller than the rest. Her tanned skin contrasted nicely with her platinum-blond hair, cut short like the rest of the slaves. Her ears were elongated, round and fuzzy with hair, which ousted her prominently as wer. But that wasnt important because she was smiling at with a warm and friendly smile. Years living on a farm taught enough in the nuances of smiles. It was very common for a slave to be promoted and imdiately get drunk with power over others. Not knowing their slimy smiles could be deadly.
Hello. I am Irje, what is your na?
I smiled back. The nas were usually given to us, either from the job we did or by the whim of a master. I ignored the nas I was known by on the farm in favour of a much older one, one given to by my mother.
It is nice to et you. My na is Erf
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