Amira's Slave

ChaPter12

12

Claire tried to sit up in bed as Chelsea appeared in the room with a tray of food. She winced as she felt the wound in her side stretch. She had never been this badly beaten up before but she had also never been so happy. Although terriefied she would be found she was free at last from slavery. The old man was very kind to her and when Amira and Chelsea went off during the day he would tend to her and make sure she was ok. Claire had learnt that the mans name was Geoffery and he had tried to fight against slavery his entire life. Many slaves had been bought by him and once nursed back to health he had set them free. One slave who he had helped had made it to the free world and regularly came to visit him. Geoffery was sure that the next time she came to visit she could help them all find their way to the free world.

Amira had seemed excited by this news and was now focusing on finding Emily. She had finally told Claire the truth about Emilys condition and Amira and Chelsea had been going to the castle to try and rescue her but so far had been unsussesful.

One morning Claires got a fright as she looked out the window to discover the queen and Aralia and several guards riding towards the cottage. She was convinced she was doomed but the old man had shown her a trap door in the floor and helped her crawl into a small gap under the floor boards. From her cramped hiding place she heard the queen demand to know if the hermit had seen Amira and the two slaves. The hermit told her he had seen three girls on two horses ride past his cottage a few days ago. The queen had pushed him aside and walked into the cottage. She saw the bed that Claire had vacated and was suspicious but she could see no sign of the slaves or Amira and she knew with the condition she had left the slave in she wouldn't be able to run far.

After the queen had left Goeffry helped Claire back into the bed. The sight of the queen had left her a nervous wreck and the images of her last torture session came flooding back to her. Geoffry sat with her and comforted her until Amira and Chelsea arrived.

Amira went straight to tell Claire the news. One of Juliuss slaves had spotted them and had told them that after the incident at the party Emily had been too weak to work so Julius had taken her back to the auction to get his money back. If Emily was still at the auction house it would be alot easier to get her back. They just had to hope she hadn't already been sold on.

Chapter

It had been a long time since Geoffery had left his house let alone been back to the slave Market. In his youth he had fallen in love with a girl who used to walk by his farm only to discover she was a slave. The slaves master had discovered they had been talking and had tortured the slave before killing her. Since that day he had regularly purchased slaves so he could free them. Over time he had run out of money and could no longer save them so he had retreated to his cottage and offered food to passing slaves. The arrival of Amira and her slaves and excited him he was amazed to see a princess trying to free slaves and he admired how much she had given up for them.

As he walked into the slave auction he was sickened. He had forgotten how much the place stank and the sounds of slaves crying and begging were too heartbreaking. He walked down the rows of cells but could not see any resembling the discription Claire had given him. He approached a nearby trader. "Excuse me do you have any young girl slaves? I've been looking for one around 10 years old"

"Everyone wants the young ones but they are hard to come by"

"I will pay a high price and it doesn't have to be in good condition"

The trader looked shifty "I have one out the back that isn't able to work at the moment. Usually it would have been destroyed but as they are in such demand I kept it back for the right buyer."

Geoffery followed the trader through a door at the back of the warehouse. They walked down a dark corridor before they reached a tiny cell. The trader opened the door to reveal a small girl huddled in a corner. There was not an inch of her that wasn't covered in blood or bruises and she was so thin you could see every bone.

"how much" Geoffery asked

"excuse me?" answered the trader who was surprised anyone wanted the worthless slave.

"I can find use for that" Geoffery said

The girl was handed over to him and he walked out of the auction house with the girl following behind.

Emily had no idea how long she had been in the tiny cell. After the party when the boys had tortured her she had struggled to please her master no matter how hard she tried. In the end he had taken her back to the auction house. She wished the boys had finished her off that night. Emily had not known any other life than that of a slave. Claire had brought her up on top of doing her slave duties and had always looked after her. She started to cry as she thought of Claire who she would never see again.

"Dont cry child" her new master told her " There is a surprise waiting for you at home. She could only imagin what kind of surprise her new master had in store for her. The walk through the town was a struggle for Emily and she wondered how far she would have to walk to her new masters home. She had no shoes on her feet and the stones cut into her and made them bleed. Eventually they arrived at the edge of the wood where a girl stood with her pretty chestnut horse. The girl looked familiar and suddenly Emily realised it was the girl from the party who had saved her. Emily felt gentle arms wrap round her body as the man who had bought her lifted her into the saddle. The old man and the girl walked either side of her. It felt great not to have to walk anymore but Emily couldn't understand why two people who weren't slaves were being nice to her.

After a long ride she saw a tiny cottage. This was completly different from the many castles she had worked in as a slave.

"Now for your surprise" the old man said as they went inside.

"Claire!" squealed Emily

Claire winced as Emily hugged her but the tears were tears of joy. The old man made a comfy bed for Emily beside Claire and let the child rest for the first time in her life.

Chelsea helped Amira prepare a meal for everyone and then carried a tray into the two sisters. Emily was still really scared but Claire was helping calm her down and she ate her food surprisingly quickly. As they finished he came into the room and told Emily the good news.

"Emily you are officially no longer a slave. Amira gave me the money to buy your freedom"

Emily couldn't believe it she hugged Claire again "What about you?"

"Officially Claire still belongs to my mother until I reach 21 but we will keep her safe until then." Amira told her "Now you get some rest we need you both strong and well again."