"Where am I?" Edith muttered under her breath. Sitting up, she winced, her back ached from lying for too long on the hard floor. The noise in the background had her head aching, and she raised her hand, clutching her head, and then she realized something…
"Chains?" her eyes widened as she stared at her hands and found chains binding them. Looking down, her legs were also bound.
When did this happen? Edith wondered but could not recall ever being bound before. The last thing that she remembered was her mother and father's voices urging her to run.
Fear struck as she feared for the worse. Did their enemies capture her?
"And now, the most awaited moment of the night, we will present before you tonight's special. She is as pure as a fairy with skin as white as snow and eyes as blue as the sapphire, and her hair as soft as silk. She is dainty, delicate, and the kind to arouse any man's protective instincts at a glance. It is also believed that she is untainted. And she is all yours."
Edith heard these words spoken ever so dramatically, and before she could process what was happening, the curtains were pulled and revealed what was hidden behind it–Her.
With the spotlight on her, the entirety of the auction house was left in darkness. The crowd gasped. Edith could neither see the people before her nor make out the words which they uttered, but she could feel their predatory gazes on her and hear faint and uneven whispers.
The man approached her and forcefully pulled her to her feet while muttering in a whisper, "If you do not wish to have this pretty face of yours scarred, behave until you are out of here. Or else…"
Her body shook involuntarily, but she said nothing, afraid of offending this man by speaking. He gave her a side glance before he smirked and turned around.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I assure you that she is as pure as she appears, her skin as tender as that of an infant. This little thing was found at the edge of forbidden lands by our best hunters…"
The crowd gasped in astonishment at the mention of the forbidden lands.
"Indeed a rare treasure…" the auctioneer said with a nod of his head. "We will start the bidding at two hundred gold," he announced.
"What!?" Edith gasped in horror. Was that the reason why her home was invaded? To gain merchandise for sale? Her body shook, and her legs almost gave in, but she tried her hardest to maintain her footing. She looked around but couldn't see anything. Besides the annoying man talking too loudly, she couldn't see anyone else. Nothing. Not even a door or the end of the stage.
"I told you to behave," she heard him say again and whipped her head in his direction only to find him glaring at her while trying to keep a smile on his face.
Edith quickly looked down, her mind spinning back to when she left Novara, but there was nothing in her memory that foretells being captured or losing consciousness.
"Two hundred and ten gold," someone from the crowd shouted, and the auctioneer beamed.
"Going once… going twice…" he began but another raised his hand.
"Three hundred gold."
His smile widened. What luck! He thought.
Although she was indeed found by the forbidden lands, it required nothing to acquire her. They just picked her up and took her here, and now, she has become the goose that lays the golden eggs.
"Three hundred and ten gold."
Edith couldn't be more perplexed and afraid. How and why? Who captured her? Did they know who she was? What would they do with her? Many thoughts ran in her head, questions left unanswered, but she knew she had to face reality. This was her reality and she had to find an escape…somehow.
While the ridiculous bidding continued, Edith could only pray for a way out. It could be someone or anything. She just wanted to get her out of here. Once she was out. She could discreetly make her escape and find her way back home.
As if her prayers were being answered, the eyes of someone seated on the upper floor of the auction house opened and locked onto her frame. A subtle frown adorned his otherworldly features as he slowly rose to his feet.
"Greta," he uttered, his voice just a little above a whisper. His crimson orbs remained fixated on that little lone figure, bound and seemingly lost. His frown deepened when he felt a tug in his chest. His heart skipped a beat. That's weird, he thought. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
As if sensing his gaze, Edith raised her eyes and looked in his direction. She couldn't see anything still, but she was looking at him. His heartbeat accelerated once their eyes met, but he quickly shut his eyes and turned around.
"I have seen enough. Burn this place to the ground. Let no one escape," he instructed and strutted out.
The blonde haired man who followed behind him was taken aback by the order. His eyes immediately found the girl on the stage.
Did I see it wrong? He wondered. There was a change in the king's expression, and there was a hint of familiarity in his eyes as he gazed upon her. He even called her name.
"What about the girl? Surely she does not deserve the same fate as they all do," he said in an attempt to save the one thing that had aroused his king's interest and put an expression on that stoic face.
Hearing that, he looked over his shoulder but nonchalantly walked away without uttering a word.
"I will do as you command," the blonde mam said.
Meanwhile, the auction was still ongoing and nearing its conclusion.
"Five thousand gold, going once… going twice… sol…" the auctioneer said once no one else raised the price. But before he could finish and declare the highest bidder, an uproar ensued and screams filled the auction house.
Screams from the guests filled the house with people running around looking for exits. Smoke rapidly spreading through the space and soon following it were the bright flames that mercilessly consumed everything in its wake. With the doors and windows shut, there was no escape route and all that was left was chaos within and among the people inside. Magic users were also rendered powerless as even their powers could not get them out.
Edith saw the flames inching closer and eating away at all that it came in contact with it. She struggled with the chains, pulling on them with all the strength she could muster but it was all futile attempts.
"This isn't normal," she muttered to herself while still pulling on the chains but no matter how hard she pulled, the result were the same.
Her eyes darted to the auctioneer who stood in a frozen stupor, eyes widely staring at the frantic crowd. Their terrified screams filled the space, slicing the air like a knife.
She looked down at the chains again, "Everyone is distracted," she said to herself. This was her chance.