2. The marketplace

Nomia pov

“Halt!” Beta Nasir's shout wakes me and, as I return to consciousness, I realise the jostling of the cart has stopped.

Nasir looks at me. He knows I can't get up on my own - my hands are bound behind me and my ankles are chafed by the shackles.

Nasir simply removes the shackles. My arms are still tied on my back. Nasir grins, then throws me off the back of the cart face first. I feel my nose break.

I can't look up from my facedown position on the floor. Feet appear just within my eye line and I'm hauled up by the rope around my wrists. The rheumy eyes of a middle aged man who's gotten old before his time stare back at me.

“Well, she ain't much to start with” he grins, checking me all over “What's her story?” He turns to Nasir.

“Background doesn’t matter” Nasir responds shortly. “We need to get rid - keep her a bit, feed her, clean her and sell her at the virgin auction.” he instructs.

“Well she’s flat all round Nasir - except for those handle-like hip bones. I’ve got some tricks… but I can’t work miracles!” He looks at the ground, then back up at me He pulls my jaw down, using too much pressure on my chin. I feel the blood dribble from my mouth and nose. Manfred doesn’t seem to mind as he wedges his sausage like finger in my mouth and probes around.

“Well. Not many teeth left” he shoots Nasir a glare “But she does have a tongue” he sniffs his assessment. “I guess I can do something with her”

“Some men like a toothless bitch to suck them off.” Nasir responds cruelly. “Her mouth ain’t all that big but she’s pretty good at sucking cock.” he laughs.

My humiliation is complete. Manfred still hasn’t removed his finger from my mouth and now they’re discussing my cock sucking prowess. I’ve never given anything sexual in my life - but plenty of guys have shoved their cocks in; sometimes I even had the cum of the first on my chin when the second rammed his cock in.

I shudder and the movement causes the binds on my wrists to chafe further. It’s a miracle only my mouth was ever fucked.

I hate that Manfred has noticed my shudder. I’m more than this! I’m more than my crooked nose, missing teeth and lack of gag reflex. I’m going to survive this and then I’m going to show Nasir how enjoyable having your mouth violated is.

That voice said change was coming, so I say nothing when Nasir finally cuts the ropes binding my wrists. My arms drop, weakly, to my sides. I make no reaction - if they think I’m dumb and docile, they won’t pay as much attention to me and that can only be in my favour.

Manfred shoves me through a doorway, into a small lobby. There’s nothing here but a desk. I can hear the men discussing how much money to charge. I remain silent. In six weeks I’m to be sold at a ‘rare find event’ Not that I know what that is, exactly…but I don’t want to be sold. Apparently that will give me time to heal and get an ass and tits… I resolve then never to submit to any man.

Only Manfred enters. “Well, well. Nomia, huh? Let’s see how you clean up - Nasir drove a hard bargain. Good thing I owe him some favours. Well, good for him!” Manfred grins. I wonder why he hasn’t noticed I’ve not responded to a single thing he’s said. I know better. Maybe he knows that?

“Follow me.” He says as he walks past me, waving at me to follow. I still make no effort to respond. If I follow him like this, maybe I can find my way back out?

The stench makes me forget any ideas about plans. The smell of unwashed bodies; blood; sweat; shit… it’s nauseating.

Cages line the narrow corridor we’re walking down. Each one is full: some of the caged are naked, some blindfolded, some still dressed… all of them look better than I do… but all of them look defeated. I try to swallow the fear that’s burning in my chest.

For whatever reason, Manfred decides to explain the people in cages - Alpha Zared and Alpha Ahriman, amongst others, are taking over packs - there’s a surplus of warriors. Those defeated are brought here to be sold - some as labourers, some are castrated and sent to guard the Alpha’s concubines. Women from the defeated packs are sold as house slaves, prostitutes or breeding stock. Virgins are sold at special auction… some men have a thing for virgins - so they get bought, their virginity taken and then sold off to brothels.

Finally, we reach a closed door and Manfred knocks more loudly than necessary. The door swings open to reveal a middle aged woman wearing a simple, brown woollen dress and a dirty apron… I assume it was white, once. Now it’s smeared with various shades of brown, orange and red - blood.

“What you got ‘ere Manfred?” the woman asks. Interested, but not kind.

“Aye, Machteld - busy as ever I see? I bring you Nomia - Beta Nasir drove a hard bargain but he says she’s a virgin… we’ve got six weeks to…” he trails off, his hand gesturing at me.

“To make her look less… pitiful?” Machteld asks. Yeah, definitely not kind.

A groan echoes from somewhere in the back of the room and I’m suddenly frozen in fear - I do not want to know what that was; I do not want to know why that was and I do not want to enter that room.

“Her nose is freshly broken.” Manfred rambles on “Set it now - Nasir threw her off a cart and her hands were bound. It was quite the sight” he laughs again at my expense and I find myself cringing away from him. Everything in me tells me to run… but I’m sure I’d get lost.

Machteld reaches out, pulling me toward her, then past her through the doorway. Manfred walks away, whistling cheerfully. I stare out after him in shock. Machteld shuts the door and I gulp, turning to look around the room.

In horror, I take in the man tied to a large table in the centre of the room. I can’t tell if he’s dead or unconscious - but there’s bandaging around his groin and the stench of burned flesh… next to him on a small table lie two testicles and a silver knife, blade still glowing red hot.

Bile rises once again as I realise Machteld just used a silver knife to castrate him - so hot it could cauterise the wound at the same time. I gag. Looking away, I notice all the knives, clamps and spreaders hanging on the wall. A shiver runs down my spine.

“He’ll be out for a while” Machteld tells me, nonchalantly. “Let’s get you clean in the meantime” she points at a tub standing in front of the fire. Steam comes off the water, but it looks dirty. I’m not sure getting in there will clean anything.

Suddenly, she grabs hold of me and slices through my dress, ripping it off and throwing it into a corner. I stand there. Shocked, naked and trembling.

“Get in!” Machteld snaps.

I hiss as the hot water hits my various cuts and scrapes. Machteld grabs a rough brush and starts scrubbing me down. I yelp as the bristles cause fresh rips in my knees.

“Get out!” she snaps again. I wonder if she’s ever done anything but snap and cut people’s balls off. I clamber out and stand, naked and bleeding in front of the raging fire. Machteld hands me a coarse towel and points at a grey dress hanging over the back of a chair

“Dry and dress” she orders “Then sit, so I can reset your nose. After that I’ll feed you.”

I hastily finish pulling the dress down over my head and sit on the chair. My nose has never been set before - but I’m sure it’s been broken many times. I anticipate it’ll be painful and clench my fists as Machteld approaches

“Grab the seat!” she huffs as she grabs hold of my lower jaw in her left hand; an iron grip belying the wrinkles on her hands. She grabs my nose with her right hand and I open my mouth slightly so I can breathe - a short sharp pain radiates from my nose, across, my face and right to the back of my head, travelling down my neck. It’s so painful, I can’t make a sound. I scrunch my eyes shut. I feel sick.

I anticipate that will be it, but Machteld seems to enjoy yanking my nose this way and that. Forcing me to relive the horribly unpleasant sensation of the bone and cartilage scraping together. I feel dizzy.

Eventually, Machteld decides she ‘can’t get it less crooked’ and releases me. “Follow me” she orders and leads me to the cell next to the eunuch. I walk in and she locks the door behind me, walking away.

She returns shortly with a bowl of hot soup and a few chunks of bread. I tuck in, not bothering with manners. This is all for me.

Once finished, I sit down on the cot and assess the situation. I’m locked up. But I’m also clean and fed. Definitely different from Red Star… but somehow I don’t think this is a desirable change. Who knows though? Maybe I’ll be sold to someone who will nurture me; allow me to become strong and be free. I grin to myself. That future is not in my cards.