The Queen

Chapter 0: The Auction

    The bright lights glared in Sabrina’s tired eyes, nearly blinding her as she stumbled out onto the stage. Her left knee finding the hard oak and sending a spasm of pain up her leg. Closing her eyes, she grit her teeth to stop from crying out. Her entire body throbbed in pain from the previous nights training.  She couldn't show the people off the stage she was in pain.  The mag-cuff on her right wrist pinched tight and added to her pain. The only thing keeping her right side upright was Levi, the seventeen year old boy, chained to her.

    He knelt down quickly and put his arm around her, helping her up. “Come on Sabrina," Levi whispered into her ear, "I know you’re tired, but you’ll be able to rest after this.” 

    Her eyelids felt like heavy weights and she threatened to fall asleep on the stage. Pushing herself off Levi’s shoulder. She looked out to see a crowd of people sitting their in their posh dresses and suits.  Sabrina felt violated as their eyes traveled over her nearly naked body.

    “And our last two, and oldest, specimen of the night!” the auctioneer stated. “Lets start with the boy shall we? The girl seems rather sleepy, maybe some bidding will liven her up.”

    This got a soft chuckle from the bidders. The notion of being called a specimen made bile churn in Sabrina’s stomach.  She’d been dehumanized enough in the past ten years of her life.

    “Specimen number forty-eight fifty-two," the auctioneer called Levi's serial number. "Second highest marks in his class, can run a mile in five minutes fifteen seconds, has no problems killing, can withstand hours of the worst torture imaginable, in nearly perfect health.  Six foot three, two hundred and fifteen pounds, six percent body fat.  Lets start the bidding at ten thousand echelons.”

    “Can we get a demonstration of the young man’s abilities?” someone in the crowd called out.

    “If the Madame is willing to sacrifice herself for a demonstration, I’m sure we can get one,” the auctioneer said, inciting another chuckle from the crowd.

    Sabrina did her best to drown out the bidding. She could still hear the bidding, only muffled and she didn't care. “Levi," she whispered.

    "Huh?" he responded, his lips barely moved.

    "Please don’t leave,” she whimpered.

    The gavel slammed down, the crack echoing through the air like a gunshot causing the both of them to flinch and reach for their waist with their free hand, expecting their training weapons to be clipped there.

    “Sold, for three hundred thousand echelons to the Ivory kingdom!” The auctioneer called.

    “Ivory always purchases two," Levi whispered in her ear, "and they've only purchased one.  You've still got a chance,” 

    “And now the girl," the auctioneer said with a sadistic glee in his voice, "Specimen number forty-eight fifty-three.  Highest marks in her class, if you can believe it, can run a mile in five minutes ten seconds, has killed before, can withstand several days of hard core torture, in nearly perfect health. Five foot six, hundred and ten pounds, twelve percent body fat. Be careful, she can be a little feisty, she’s a defiant little bitch. Lets start the bidding at fifteen thousand echelons!”

    Sabrina closed her eyes and blocked out the bidding again. She felt Levi’s fingers entangle in hers and give her hand a gentle squeeze. The gentle touch sent a ripple of shock through her. She gasped and looked up at him, behind his deep brown eyes she saw the emotion that’d been beaten out of the two of them.

    “It will be okay,” he whispered. "Ivory's winning. It’ll be okay, they’ll keep us together."

    “Two million!” a voice shouted from the back of the crowd.

    “Two million going once, two million going twice,” the auctioneer said, “Sold to...” He sounded like he couldn't see who had purchased her.

    “The Ebony Kingdom, or is our money not good here?” a man from the back asked.

    “All money is good money,” the auctioneer said and slammed the gavel down.

    Sabrina’s heart sank as her and Levi were removed from the stage. The rest of the other specimens stood around, wearing the anklets that proclaimed whom they were supposed to go off to. The cuffs were removed from their wrist. A white anklet when around Levi's ankle, a stark contrast to his dark skin. A black anklet went around Sabrina's ankle. Then they were shoved back into the pen that held them like cattle. Two of the little ones, a pair of boys maybe eight and ten years old, sat in the corner, clinging to each other with white anklets. Sabrina pointed them out to Levi. "You take care of them," she said.

   "Always," he said.

   “I don’t want to go,” Sabrina cried wrapping her arms around Levi.

   “Don’t worry, Sabby, it’ll be okay.  I promise,” Levi said drawing her in. He wrapped his arms around her one last time. She felt a hand fell on her shoulder, gripping it roughly and pulling her from Levi’s grasp. “I’ll never forget you!” he shouted at she was lead away.