Part 3: The Auction House
*Unedited
So where are we going? Ilaria asked, as they departed from their new home, the light of the rising sun shining on their backs.
Three days had passed since the fall of the clan. The three of them - Onawa, Ilaria and Bruinen - had settled in a ruined castle atop a hill overlooking the Hewn City. It was chosen for its strategic place as they could see for miles around them, rendering it difficult for an enemy to sneak up from the ground and forcing them to instead launch an airborne attack. It was also located next to the river that ran through the Sunbeam Ruins for both Ilaria and Bruinen's comfort; the sea dwelling creatures couldn't stay out of the water for long as their scales would dry out and cause much discomfort. The river was also an easy source of water for Onawa. The castle was relatively intact, and with a bit of fixing it was liveable, at least for the moment. In fact, their next destination was for materials and supplies.
"The Auction House. At the state it's in right now, the castle won't serve well in the long run. We need proper materials to fully repair it, and that's the best place we can get them, at least that I know of." Onawa answered.
Ilaria frowned.
But... where is it located?
"The Auction House, along with the Trading Post, is on an island which floats somewhere above the Sea. It's considered neutral territory; none of the deities may claim it as their own. Dragons have been doing business there for generations. It's... a little hard to describe. You'll see."
But how will we get there?
Onawa stopped for a second to turn and face the Sprite. "For an advisor to the Lord of the Sea himself, you sure don't know much."
Ilaria flushed.
Alright, I lied! I'm not an official advisor, I was training to become one. My training was rudely interrupted though, by a certain situation of yours. I don't even know why I was the one sent; as you can see, I don't know much about dragon affairs. She began to sulk, and refused to talk to Onawa for the rest of the journey. Eventually, Onawa gave up.
***
"We're here," Onawa announced.
Ilaria stirred, and looked around. They were in the Mirrorlight Promenade, rows of pillars on either side of them.
This is certainly not the Auction House! Ilaria said indignantly.
Onawa sighed. "Look in front of you."
Ilaria grumbled, obeying.
I don't see anything. What.... She trailed off.
Between the last pillars of the Promenade was what appeared to be a horizontal whirlpool. The liquid was metallic and iridescent, and nearly blinded them when the sunlight reflected off of it. it swirled rather sluggishly, and one felt dizzy if they stared at it too long.
Ilaria wondered how she'd missed it.
"That portal's going to take us to the Auction House," Onawa explained. "You could fly there, of course, but I wasn't built for long flights. So this is the next best option. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have a particularly strong stomach though."
Alarmed, Ilaria asked,
Wait, why? She narrowed her eyes at the portal in distrust.
"You'll see," was the only answer she received. Oh, just perfect.
Onawa backed up on the Promenade. "Ready?"
What if I said no?
Onawa took off running, and with a huge leap, jumped straight into the whirlpool.
***
The inside of the portal was multicoloured, a rainbow all around her. Bright, dizzying lights seared Ilaria's eyes with black afterimages. She felt like someone was turning her stomach inside out, but at the same time her muscles were locked in place, preventing her from throwing up.
The lights soon faded away to utter darkness. Wails and screams filled her ears, ghostly images reaching out towards her on either side, yet never touching her. Ilaria was sure that if she stayed in this awful place for much longer she'd lose her sanity. Somehow, through it all, Onawa kept running, and never stopped.
Then, just as Ilaria felt like she was about to snap, the darkness melted away.
Ilaria blinked. The light was too bright, and she shielded her eyes from it. Only when her eyes had adjusted did she dare to remove her hands.
The portal on this side looked almost exactly the same, except that it was flanked by trees instead of ruins. Ilaria turned to face the Auction House and gasped, sitting up on Onawa's back.
She'd had conjured up an image of a field of brightly coloured tents in her mind, with hatchlings running around and playing, laughter filling the air. The sounds of dragons haggling over precious items, an auctioneer calling for the next bid on a crown of jewels or a necklace of diamonds. A cool breeze would blow through, ruffling the tents. Trees danced in the wind, and the sunlight would warm the top of her head.
The Auction House was
not what she'd expected.
The bright sunlight was lost on the monochrome assortment of stalls. The air was hot and stifling, and the
smell... Ilaria wrinkled her nose in disgust. The sellers had hard looks on their faces as they turned down offers on their wares. The buyers often flared up at them, and a few fights had already broken out within the few minutes Ilaria and Onawa had arrived.
A dragon shoved past Onawa without even an apology, nearly knocking Ilaria off her back.
Ilaria quickly scrambled back on.
What kind of uncivilised place is this? She grumbled.
Absolutely no manners whatsoever!
Onawa rolled her eyes. "You're in the Auction House. Get used to it."
The bustling crowd pushed them onwards, deeper within the dark stalls. The more Ilaria saw, the more disgusted she felt. Beggars stumbled into their path, pleading for food and money, but they were quickly shoved aside by other dragons. Ilaria wanted to help them, but within a few seconds they disappeared behind them, lost in the crowd.
Then they emerged into a new section of the Auction House, where auctioneers were bidding off their latest wares. When Ilaria saw what they were, she felt sick to her stomach.
Hatchlings, of every breed and flight. Some auctions were somewhat nicer; the hatchlings were well fed and taken care of, and while they appeared frightened, they were quickly soothed by older dragons. Others, however, made Ilaria feel like throwing up. The hatchlings were bound in chains atop tall pedestals, on display for the whole crowd to see. Terror was etched upon their faces, as the auctioneer called out for bids. One such hatchling stumbled past them, dragged by the chains behind his new master.
This... this is awful. It's considered slavery! How has this not been stopped? Ilaria asked Onawa furiously.
Onawa shrugged carelessly. The presence of the dragon slaves did not bother her much. "By whom? The authorities? There are none. The Auction House has been going on for centuries. Many clans rely on it for food, supplies, even new members. The deities themselves can't interfere without risking angering the dragons, or worse, sparking a rebellion."
This is wrong. I can't... I can't support this.
"This is the dragon world, and now yours also. You don't have much of a choice if you want to live." Onawa turned, continuing through the crowd.
Ilaria noticed that other than the hatchlings, dragons themselves were being sold. Many were fresh warriors that went for large amounts. Some dragons were exceptionally pretty and attracted a large crowd who swooned over their glittering scales. There were even a few old dragons who, with their expansive knowledge and experience, received bids for almost ridiculously high amounts of treasure.
Yet there were others, scrawny and weak, with dull scales and blunt claws. These dragons were easily passed over by bidders, and were sold for a meager amount of treasure. "Those are called fodder," Onawa explained. "Most clans buy them for one purpose only: to be their monthly offering to their respective deities, in the place of more important clan members."
That's horrible! Ilaria cried.
"There's no difference. If they're not sold they're usually sent away by their clan anyways." Ilaria found that incredibly saddening. Their lives had only two paths, and both were bleak and hopeless.
A life without hope, is no life at all.
Spotting the trader she was looking for, Onawa hurried over to a rather ragged looking stall. Arranging the items displayed was a male Fae dressed in posh garb. "Malthinae!"
The Fae turned to face them. His face was proud, his blood red eyes sharp, immediately focusing on them. His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. "Hello, Onawa. It has been a while. I'm sorry about your clan." He did not sound sympathetic at all.
Onawa frowned. "I didn't know word spread this fast." It troubled her, although she was not entirely sure why. Word was bound to get out, after all.
"Well, the Fallen certainly did not stay quiet about it. Many report that they've been holding celebrations for the entire length of these past few days."
Onawa's blood boiled, but she forced herself to cool down. Losing her head in front of the merchants would certainly draw attention which she would like to avoid.
"However, it's unlikely that they will continue on. Rumours that one of the Horizon's Edge's members survived. After all, who else could've set that field on fire? I see now that those rumours were true."
Onawa pulled down her hood further, eyeing Malthinae suspiciously. "If you are working for the Fallen...." She was counting on his and Kilandri's relationship to keep her alive; if it proved to not be quite as strong as she'd thought, they were doomed.
Malthinae laughed coldly. "Oh, no. Their methods are far too vulgar for my taste. However, when they find out you're alive - and I have faith that they will - there'll be a bounty on your head, no doubt for a high price. The market has not been doing well lately, and I could certainly use some extra treasure."
Onawa snarled. "Why, you greedy son of a - "
Malthinae held up a finger. "Insults won't get you anywhere, I'm afraid. However, I
might consider a bribe...."
Onawa glared up at him. "How much do you want?"
He thought about it. "Let's see... perhaps 50kt might do?"
"What a ridiculous - " Onawa cut herself off, snapping her mouth shut. Taking a few deep breaths, she slowly reached into the bag at her side. She pulled out a pouch full of coins, pouring some out and counting it, before handing it over to Malthinae with an icy glare.
Malthinae counted the coins. Satisfied, he slid them into a fold in his clothes. Onawa gritted her teeth to prevent herself from attacking him. Those coins had been retrieved from the clan's vault through a dangerous night mission. Onawa and Ilaria had risked their necks for it and were nearly caught by the Fallen. As it was, they'd managed to escape through one of the tunnels.
"Now, what else can I help you with?" He asked.
Punching yourself in the face, perhaps? Tearing out your own throat? That would be nice. Onawa thought to herself. She refrained from saying it out loud though. She had to trust that Maltinae would not spill the beans to the Fallen; angering him certainly would not help that.
"I need supplies." She began listing down everything she needed. Deloi paid close attention, taking notes down on a sheet of parchment. When she was finished, he calculated the total. "100kt."
Onawa winced, but pulled out the treasure anyways. Granted, the clan vault had much treasure, but she knew that it would be needed for other purposes as well, and she was trying to save the treasure till then. They needed the supplies though, so she forced herself to take out the treasure.
Malthinae clapped his hands together. "Deloi!"
A female Pearlcatcher emerged from the tent behind the stall. Her clothes were dirty and ragged. Her eyes darted around frantically, almost as if she was preparing for an attack at any moment. She clutched her pearl in her claws like it was a lifeline (which, admittedly, it often was to Pearlcatchers). When she reached the spot in front of Malthinae, she winced as if expecting a blow, despite the fact that she was at least twice his size .
"Deloi, take these for them," Malthinae instructed, passing her the paper. She nodded, her eyes lingering on Onawa. They were sad and pleading, like she was begging for her help. They held her gaze for a second longer, before dipping down as she reentered the tent.
Onawa hesitated, before asking Malthinae, "May I see the items in your tent?"
Why? Ilaria spoke in Onawa's mind.
I'd like to question that Pearlcatcher. She'd seemed so frightened, but by what? Onawa replied. She didn't want to mention the look the Pearlcatcher had given her; it could've simply been a figment of her imagination.
So you have no problems with hatchlings being auctioned off, but now that you see a twitchy Pearlcatcher you suddenly want to help her with whatever she needs? Onawa ignored Ilaria, although a bit of shame rose within her. She pushed it back down.
The Fae looked surprised, but gave his permission. "Of course. But know that if I find that you've stolen anything, I
will be immediately reporting to the Fallen." Onawa merely replied with a nod, before diving into the tent.
She nearly knocked over a pile of trinkets. The tent contained almost anything, from decorative lamps to building supplies like the ones she needed. It seemed like no one had washed it in a long time; there were some questionable stains splattered across the sides of the tent. There was also a certain metallic smell to it that raised Onawa's suspicion.
The Pearlcatcher — Deloi, Malthinae had said? — suddenly appeared from behind a stack of books, startling Onawa. "Good, good, I feared you didn't receive my message," she whispered, diving back within the mass of junk.
She reappeared with a bundle of items in her arms. "These are the supplies you wanted." Onawa nodded as she took the bundle, preparing to leave.
"Wait!" Deloi stopped her. She dipped below the mounds once more, before reemerging, holding a Plague egg. The egg was a faint green and translucent, revealing a small, writhing...
thing within it.
"Please... you have to help me. Take it!" She shoved it into Onawa's hands, and Onawa nearly dropped the slimy and slippery egg.
"Wait, hold on! Why can't you just keep it?" Onaw asked, pushing it back to Deloi in confusion.
Deloi shook her head miserably. "I... had an affair. With someone other than Malthinae. If he finds out about the egg, there'll be no end of pain for me, and my child...." She cradled the egg delicately, almost as if it would shatter into pieces at a mere touch. "He would never accept the hatchling... he'd destroy it... no, I won't let that happen. I refuse to." Her eyes flashed with determination, and admiration for her welled up in Onawa.
"But why did you cheat on Malthinae in the first place?" Onawa questioned.
"Because I never loved him!" Deloi cried out. She looked around frantically, before turning back to Onawa and lowering her voice. "I never loved that... vile... greedy... son of a...." She shook her head, not finishing the sentence.
Then why did you stay with him? Ilaria asked, projecting her thoughts out and speaking in both Onawa and Deloi's minds for the first time. Deloi looked surprised, but didn't question it.
"I don't have a choice," she said miserably. "Malthinae was the one who... who... who
bought me." She spat out the word vehemently. "And according to my clan's laws, he has every right to use me in whatever way he wishes. He's been controlling me for the last two years of my life. Every time I step out of line, or just does something he doesn't like, he punishes me in the worst ways possible. So when I had the chance to... to
experience something other than fear and hatred, and pain, I took it.
"Malthinae found out about the affair a few days after, and he challenged my mate to a duel. I warned him of Malthinae's underhanded tactics, but he didn't have any other choice but to take up the offer in order to preserve his honour and dignity. But what I feared came true... and Malthinae killed him. My life of fear and torture, of tears and pain, resumed once again."
Onawa felt like her heart was being compressed into a small, hard diamond. Shame welled up inside her. Earlier, she'd brushed aside Ilaria's concern towards the slaves. She'd never considered how life was from their point of view, not even once.
How could I have been so ignorant to the world around me?
"But then, something unexpected happened. Her." Deloi smiled down at the egg with so much love, it warmed Onawa's heart. "The problem is that I can't keep her hidden from Malthinae forever. As it is, it's already hard enough trying to conceal her right now, as a quiet little egg, but when she becomes a hatchling? She'll need my undivided attention, which I can't give to her."
Deloi took a deep, shuddering breath, before passing the egg to Onawa once more with pain-filled eyes. "That is why I can't keep her. But I don't want to leave her in the wild either, lest she become prey to the Beastclans, or worse, the Shade."
Onawa shook her head, mystified. "But... why me? Why
us?" She gestured to Ilaria and herself. "How do you know you can trust us?"
"I don't. But," here Deloi smiled slightly, "I just have a feeling you'll take care of her. Besides, she's due to hatch soon; I don't have much of a choice."
Onawa didn't even need to think about it. "I'll take care of her," she promised. Relief spread across Deloi's face, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. A pang of sadness ran through Onawa's heart.
She must be very desperate to trust a complete stranger with her own child.
Onawa turned to leave, before stopping and turning back to the Pearlcatcher. She hesitated for a second, trying to find the right words, before speaking. "How do you know it's a she?"
At this, Deloi smiled slightly. "Believe it or not, I've a knack for divination. Nothing huge; I can't predict the outcome of a battle or anything, but foreseeing a hatchling's gender? Easy." She turned back to the piles of junk. "Now go, before Malthinae grows suspicious. Take care of her for me!"
Onaw hesitated, before gathering all her purchased items and sliding the egg into the pack at her side, ignoring the coat of slime around it. Ilaria settled on her back once more as they prepared to leave.
Before they left though, Onawa turned around one last time. "What should I name her?" She was determined that the child should have some legacy from her mother.
Deloi thought about it for a moment, before a smile spread across her face as she found the perfect name. "Tauriel."
Next:
Part 4: The Path of Death