Tales of Thuria 2: The Return of Bêlit - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Unexpected Saviour

"I would prefer to hear you moan and beg when I take you, but I will leave the gag the first time," Yuf gloated. "When you have been properly broken in I will remove it. He stepped toward her, his throbbing manhood fully erect.

"Nnhh," Bêlit protested.

Yuf chuckled. "This going to be even better than the first time. This time I won't have to share."

Bêlit's grunt of pain was muffled as he thrust into her. He took her much more slowly than the first time he had raped her in the underground prison, drawing out every heartbeat of the ordeal. He sucked on her nipples, forcing them erect, and then closing his teeth on them until she screamed into the gag. He massaged her breasts, twisting and tormenting the firm flesh while he ravished her mercilessly. And he did it over and over again until he was finally so spent his phallus would no longer respond.

"That was amazing," Yuf gloated. "It will be a most fortunate buyer who purchases you in Xhemi. It is almost too bad that we will be there tomorrow. I would prefer to take you again, but I must have you looking your best for the slave market."

Bêlit could only look helplessly up at her jeering captor. She longed to have a sword in her hand, but those days seemed past her. She was no longer the Queen of the Black Coast; instead she had been reduced to a helpless plaything, completely at the mercy of her male captors.

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It took two days longer than Bêlit's one day estimate for the boat to reach Xhemi due to Yuf's inept handling of the craft. He might claim sorcerous powers but he was no sailor, and they spent the best part of a day while he tried to figure out how to manage the sail. Since he had chained her in the hold Bêlit was not able to help or offer advice and not inclined to in any case. Her greatest fear was that Yuf's bungling might place the craft in jeopardy and send them both to the bottom. However, he finally managed to get the boat going in the right direction and two days later steered the tiny craft into the harbour at Xhemi.

The port city was a major entrepôt, transshipping goods from Shem and Stygia and even from as far upriver as distance Zembabwei. It also served to import goods from every land bordering the Western Sea. A major part of this trade consisted of slaves. Exotic redheads and blondes from the far norther lands; and equally arresting specimens from distant Khitai and Vendhya.

Bêlit was now one of these. With her dark eyes and hair, and her exquisite figure Bêlit could hold her own with the most striking of slaves and Yuf hoped to get a good price for her. The only thing that might diminish her value was the fact that she was not a virgin, but nothing could be done about that. He had kept her chained in the hold after enjoying her and had removed the gag from her mouth. After his brutal treatment of her he wanted her in as good condition as possible and so he made sure she got food and water.

With some difficulty Yuf managed to steer the boat to the dock. Lacking Bêlit's skill with the sail, he had to resort to paddling the boat into the dock, something that earned him the derision of more able sailors; derision that lasted until he reached the dock and glared his anger. Yuf might be an incompetent sailor, but he was an impressive individual and a sorcerer to boot. Those who had laughed at him quickly made themselves scarce once he had clambered onto the lower dock.

He hauled Bêlit behind him. He had chained her in the manner she had been chained when under Toth-Aloth's control, with a chain around her waist and both wrists secured to the waist chain by shorter chains. Her ankles were also chained, loosely enough to allow her to walk and with the centre of the ankle chain connected to the waist chain to keep her from stumbling over it. Her gag had been removed, but there was no one she could appeal to for help, and if fact if she had revealed who she was she might have drawn an angry crowd due to the fact that she and her pirate band had terrorized the seas near Xhemi for several years.

Yul had partially dressed her, restoring the filmy trousers to afford her some privacy, but she was nude from the waist up and barefoot as well. Furious at her degradation she trod in Yuf's footsteps as he led her from the docks toward the slave market.

Her sense of outrage faded as they moved through the streets of the city. Subjected to the gazes of the citizenry and their numerous coarse comments, her anger turned to shame. Never had she expected to be reduced to this, and it was about to get worse.

Just ahead of them was a large gate set in a high wall. Several guards armed with halberds stood in front on it. They gave Yuf and Bêlit a close look. "You've got a fine one there," one of them commented. "Can't afford to keep her?"

"She's something of a harpy, despite her looks," Yuf grinned. "She's great with her legs wrapped around you, but her tongue needs clipping."

"I'd be willing to do that if I owned her. A woman doesn't need her tongue to pleasure a man."

Yuf chuckled. "That will be up to the next man who buys her. All I care about is the gold I get for her."

The guards returned Yuf's laugh. "In you go then," one of them said, swinging open a small gate set into the larger one. As Yuf led Bêlit through the gate the guard gave her a hearty slap on the backside. Helpless to do anything about it, she could only grit her teeth and walk after Yuf as he tugged on the chain.

Beyond the gate was a large compound filled with hundreds of people, but what caught her eye were rows of cages; one cage piled on top of the other that lined the far side of the compound. They contained at least a hundred hapless slaves. In the far corner was an even larger cage, this one consisting of bars set into the ground. Behind it were several dozen more men, women, and children. Closer up there was another compound; this one smaller and raised slightly off the ground. Here they were no bars, but a row of young and very attractive women were lined up inside it, chains about their necks holding them in place. All of them looked pathetically unhappy.

"You're lucky," another guard greeted them. "You won't have to pay for storage. The auction starts at noon."

Bêlit glanced at the sun and realized that it was almost that time. In the very centre of the compound was a large raised platform and on it were several men. She also noted that surrounding the compound were rows of seats most of which were already full. There were also numerous buyers and sellers on the grounds surrounding the auction platform and mixed with them were a number of hucksters selling everything from food and drink to ornate slave harnesses. Most of the sellers were men like Yuf with only one or two slaves accompanying them. It was a confusing mass of humanity with the sound of wailing slaves, shouting vendors, and general conversation creating a mélange of noise.

"How about this, honoured sir?" one vendor shouted in Yuf's ear. He was holding up a spiked collar. "It's the perfect decoration and can be reversed for punishment."

"Normally I'd be tempted," Yuf replied, "but I'm selling, not buying."

"Oh well," the vendor said. "But perhaps for your next acquisition?" However, he did not wait for an answer, quickly moving on when Yuf showed no interest.

"Wine?" another vendor shouted. He was holding wineskin and a beaten copper cup.

Yuf shook his head. "Once I sell this bitch, I'll be able to afford much better than the swill you're selling."

The vendor muttered a curse and moved on into the crowd. At that moment the loud blare of a horn sounded over the babble of hundreds of voices and almost magically the hubbub died down to a low murmur.

"Buyers and sellers," the herald on top of the auction platform shouted. "Lord Kem-Sut extends his greetings. Today we seem to have considerable merchandise to exchange and so we will begin immediately. As usual the auction fee for sellers will be ten parts of a hundred for each sale." He stepped back and another man, this one more richly dressed stepped forward. Bêlit wondered if this was the Lord Kem-Sut, or just another underling, then she noticed and even more richly dressed individual seated under an awning farther back on the platform. He was being fanned by two half-naked black slaves.

Her question answered Bêlit turned her attention back to the auctioneer. He began by calling up the collection of slaves in the largest cage. These were obviously the least valuable and a number of them were actually sold off in batches to buyers who wanted laborers. There was a considerable amount of sweeping and wailing as this group was disposed of, due to the fact that family members were being separated.

Bêlit watched dispassionately. She had seen such scenes before and she no longer reacted to them. The fact that she would soon be on the auction platform was another matter. It would be utterly humiliating to be paraded before the buyers, but the was nothing she could do about it except imagine what she as going to do to Yuf whenever she escaped from whomever purchased her. She had no doubt that she would escape. She'd been in plenty of tight scrapes before and always emerged victorious.

In that frame of mind she watched as the auctioneer worked his way through sale after sale; finally finishing with the highly priced female slaves she had noticed earlier. The bidding was lively for each of these, but finally they were all auctioned off leaving only the independent sellers. The entire auction had now been going on for several turns of the glass and Bêlit was hot and thirsty from standing in the hot sun all of that time.

Yuf had sought shelter by paying one of the various hawkers to hold a parasol over him. Bêlit was not allowed to share in this nor was she allowed any of the numerous fruit drinks her master consumed while he waited. It was almost a relief when the auctioneer called for the first of the sellers on the floor of the compound to finally ascend the auction platform.

Like Yuf, these sellers possessed only one or two slaves and most were of poor quality. Thus it was that a murmur of appreciation rippled through the remaining buyers when Bêlit finally mounted the platform. "Well this is a find," the auctioneer pronounced. "I had not expected such a flower so late in the day."

"I'm a flower with thorns," Bêlit snarled. Hot, tired, and humiliated, she was not inclined to play the part of the docile slave, no matter what punishment might await her.

"Slave," Yuf snarled. He backhanded her with such force that she almost toppled from the stage.

"I can see this one needs discipline," the auctioneer laughed. "Best be prepared to use the whip if she is your purchase."

"I'll whip her," shouted someone from the floor. "It would be my pleasure."

From the reaction of the remaining buyers it was a comment that met with general approval and the auctioneer quickly moved on to the bidding. "Let's start at ten gold," he said.

The bid was made almost immediately followed by another and another until the price reached nineteen gold. Considering that a single gold piece was more that the average citizen made in a year it was a princely sum, and bidding faltered. "No more bids?" the auctioneer shouted. "Nineteen gold for this dark-haired goddess?"

"Twenty-five!"

The bid came from the stands from a potential buyer who had remained silent until now and it shut up those who were considering further bids. Bêlit tried to see who had made the bid, but he was hidden in the crowd, however she knew that she would soon find out.

"Twenty-five gold. Better than I expected," Yuf jeered. "Who would have thought that a used slave could be worth so much?"

Who indeed? The bid was odd in that the buyer had no need to make the six gold jump in the bidding. However, the buyer was now on his way across the compound to pay for his purchase and Bêlit watched him through half-closed eyes.

He was a tall man and his face was hidden by the traditional hooded robes many Stygians and Shemites wore and he was accompanied by a smaller man who was similarly shrouded. Yuf grinned as they gained the platform. "Another silver and you can also have the chains she wears. You will no doubt need them."

"I think not," the smaller man replied. His voice seemed strangely gruff, but something about it stirred a memory. Bêlit had heard that intonation before; but where?

"She's yours to treat as you wish," Yuf commented. "But beware; she is not to be trusted." He glanced once more at Bêlit. "Farewell my lovely. I have enjoyed your company, but now better things await." With that he took his payment and departed.

"Come," the shorter man ordered.

Bêlit hesitated for a heartbeat and then followed. Her new owners were right in their assumptions that she would not try to escape. Half-naked and friendless she had no place to go and any escape attempt would lead to her being quickly run down and recaptured. In addition, she was hungry, thirsty, and dog-tired from her ordeal so she trotted obediently along behind her new masters. She would escape, but she would have to wait for a better opportunity.

She followed them out the slave gate and through the streets of the city. Once again her nudity attracted a good deal of attention, not all of it positive in a society where women were expected to shroud their bodies in heavy robes. It was for this reason that her new owners stopped at a clothing stall located just outside the slave compound. The taller of her owners handed over a few coins to the merchant and then tossed a rather shabby robe toward Bêlit. "Put this on," he ordered. "It will do until we have time to get you something better."

It was a garment that Bêlit would normally have disdained, but this time it was with some relief that she draped the garment over her, leaving her dressed in a similar manner to most women they passed in the street. They then continued to move through the streets until they came to an inn. Bêlit could tell right away that the inn was one of the higher class establishments, simply by the fact that the guard standing by the door was well dressed and attentive. He nodded his head as Bêlit's owners entered and gave her an intense look as if ensuring that she was worthy to enter.

Inside the innkeeper greeted them. "We're going to our room," the taller man said. "Send up food and drink as soon as it is ready."

They ascended the stairs to the second floor and entered a medium sized room with one double and two single beds; and a large trunk for storage. But what immediately caught Bêlit's eyes were a number of weapons neatly laid out on the double bed. "Everything seems to be here," the shorter individual remarked. To Bêlit's surprise the voice was now that of a woman and one she knew well.

"It should be," the tall man answered. "You certainly made it clear that his life would be on the line if anything went missing." He pushed back his hood, revealing a tall bearded man of fairly light complexion and blonde hair.

The woman pushed back her hood as well revealing a wealth of red hair and startling blue eyes. "You!" Bêlit exclaimed.

"Yes me," Red Sonja replied. "Who else would pay twenty five Xhemian gold pieces for you?"

Bêlit edged closer to the bed and the weapons.

"Save yourself the trouble," Sonja replied. "I didn't buy your freedom so that I could kill you."

"Freedom?" Bêlit asked. She was still sliding toward the weapons.

"Easy girl," the man said. "You can barely stand up. As Sonja said, she has no wish to do you harm. In fact we have an interesting proposition for you."

"That can wait," Sonja replied. "Stop trying to sneak over to the weapons. You need food, drink, and rest. Then you may choose what arms you wish."

Bêlit sat down on the only chair in the room, not because she wanted to, but because she feared her legs would collapse under her. "What do you want of me?" she demanded, attempting to disguise her weakness.

"First you eat," Sonja insisted, "then we talk."

As if on cue there was a knock at the door. "Enter," the man ordered.

The door opened and two Shemite girls entered carrying trays laden with food and drink. "Excellent," Sonja said. "Set it down there." She motioned to the only table in the room and then flipped one of the girls a silver piece as she left.

Sonja grabbed a stool and sat across from Bêlit. The blonde giant pulled up a trunk and sat himself down. "This is Haldur," Sonja said. "From Vanheim. Now eat and we will talk later." She proceeded to set an example, ripping apart a roast chicken and stuffing the meat into her mouth. Haldur followed her lead, and eventually so too did Bêlit.

For the next short while the only sound was that of the chewing of food and the quaffing of ale. Finally, Sonja set down her knife and looked across the table at Bêlit. She didn't bother with a preamble, but got directly to the point. "I bought your freedom because I need someone who is good with a sword and skilled at the handling of a boat."

"And so you sought me out of all the people in Xhemi you could have hired?" She found it difficult to be in the same room with the woman she had considered a rival for Conan's affections without wanting to use a sword, and she was also deeply suspicious of Sonja's motives. Why had Sonja selected her out of the hundreds of others in the slave market?

"I did not seek you at all," Sonja replied. "By pure happenstance you happened to be led into the market just as I was taking my seat and my eye was drawn to you at once. As you pointed out I could have chosen any of the others in the market, but they were an unknown commodity. Clearly most of them did not know one end of a sword from the other. You on the other hand are a proven warrior and I know that once you give your word you will keep it."

"And how do you know that?" Bêlit challenged.

"I know it because our mutual acquaintance would not have taken up with a woman he did not trust."

Bêlit bristled at the reference to her lost lover. "What do you know of Conan?"

"I know nothing," Sonja replied. "In fact I have not seen him since the last time we met. For all I know he may be dead or perhaps he realized his dream and became king of some obscure kingdom. But I am not interested in challenging you over Conan. In truth he never interested me much except as someone who was exceptionally good with a blade."

Her reply mollified Bêlit somewhat. She did not particularly care for Sonja; in fact she had been openly hostile to the redhead in the past, but she was willing to hear her out. "What then do you want of me?"

"Haldur and I seek a treasure that is said to lie in the lost city of Alkmeenon far upstream in distant Keshan. The quickest way to get there is up the Styx, a journey that will take us many days even without a skilled helmsman. Give me your word that you will remain steadfast in this venture and we will share the treasure equally."

"Alkmeenon is said to be haunted," Bêlit answered. "That not even the Black shamans go there."

"Which is exactly why we are going there," Sonja said. "Whatever treasure there was is sure to still be there."

Bêlit thought for second. "And if I refuse to accept your proposal?"

Sonja smiled. "Then you are free to go."

Bêlit suddenly felt very tired. "I repay my debts," she said.

"Then it's a deal?" Sonja said reaching across the table.

Bêlit did not take her hand instead she slid slowly to the floor, muttering something as she fell.

"I think she needs rest," Sonja observed. She rose from her stool and bent over Bêlit. "Help me with her."

"What did she say?" Haldur asked as he helped carry Bêlit to the bed.

"I think she said 'A deal's a deal.''

Continued in Chapter 4...

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