93 Marke

After walking around for a while the two went back to the inn to relieve their fatigue. Simply going to the colosseum had been mentally draining for both leo and Iris, as Iris had never been in an area with so many people, and Leo found being in large crowds that didn't have the same hygiene standards of earth disgusting. There was also the twos senses to take into account. Once they had returned to their room the two took a small nap, then woke for dinner.

"Let's go, I haven't eaten all day." Leo said as they got up and made their way downstairs to eat. Once they were done they returned to their room and Leo dug out a small item he found that day. As he was about to give it to Iris she started to hand him something as well.

"I guess we think alike." He laughed as they looked at what the other got them. Iris handed him a necklace, a small pendant with the make of a wolf. It looked silver but when Leo touched it his hand didn't burn.

"I already made sure it's not silver, it's probably just something that looks like it." Leo smiled, and immediately hung it over his neck. Iris then looked at what he handed her, and her smile was radiant. She instantly put the charm bracelet on her wrist, and said,

"I love it, thank you." When he saw her smile Leo couldn't help himself and leaned forward to kiss her, and the two spent the rest of the night in a very good mood.

***

It was a little over a week later that Leo heard about a small slave auction at the market about to start. He went with Iris to get a general idea of what they were like, and see what conditions slaves were usually kept in. He didn't expect much, but the reality of what was there was almost too much for him. Men, women, and children of all ages and races were marched out onto a stage, chains on their wrists and nothing but a small loincloth to protect their shame, some didn't even have this.

They were clean for the most part, after all who would want to buy dirty merchandise? But almost all of their eyes were dead, and most showed obvious signs of malnourishment. He watched as the first man was led forward and the announcer proclaimed,

"First we have a strong strapping young man, capable of doing physical labor or perhaps even training to be a fighter." He continued going on before they started the bidding, and the man was bought for ten gold pieces by someone Leo learned belonged to the colosseum. He knew the man would now make his living as a killer for sport, or would soon die for sport. His already sour mood took another turn downhill.

After that the auction got progressively worse, until one point that a girl, no older than thirteen was led forward. Once she stood in front of the crowd the only piece of clothing she had, a small loincloth, was ripped from her and the announcer shouted out,

"And here we have a beautiful young woman, still growing and it has been confirmed, pure. She knows housework, and could be useful as a maid." Leo knew the announcer didn't believe she would be a maid though, otherwise he wouldn't have removed her loincloth. He gripped his hands so hard a drop of blood fell, and he felt bile rising in his throat. The most intense bidding started then, as several nobles started trying to buy her.

"Five gold pieces!"

"Ten gold pieces!"

"Twenty!"

And so the prices went up, and up, until she was finally sold to a fat disgusting man for fifty gold pieces. A strong worker sold for ten, and a youthful pure girl sold for fifty, Leo grew even sicker. He could feel Iris trembling beside him, both from revulsion, and relief that she was able to avoid that kind of life. Leo hoped that was the worst, but he was proven wrong. After that girl several other girls were led up, some even several years younger than the first, most were bought by filthy looking lords, and some were bought by people he learned were brothel masters.

As the auction went on his revulsion only grew, and finally it ended and Leo left with Iris, leaving a small trail of blood drops from him gripping his hand so hard. If he hadn't been training to control himself he was sure he would've gone wolf there, maybe he should have. For the first time Leo was looking forward to the next full moon, just a day or so away. It was obvious this world was rubbing off onto him, as he simply wanted to kill at that moment.

Leo refused dinner that night, and was unable to sleep after witnessing what he did. The only reason he did not act on it, was the thought that in only around a month he would be fighting to free all of them. That and the thought that he committed the faces of the ones who bought them to memory, and would personally ensure they all died horribly.