You Are Made of Iron

Chapter VI pt. 1

Zeilla opened her front door to find Maeron looming over her. For a second she thought that he was glaring at her but she quickly realized that he was just squinting because of the shine the newly formed snow had when reflecting off of the glimmering red of the setting sun.
​"So, Zeilla, aren't you going to let me in? Or are we just supposed to stand here all day letting the cold air in?" Maeron said.
​A shout came from the living room where Silas Gruff was sitting lazily and Zeilla flinched, "Girl, you had better let the man in before I come over there and make you!" Zeillas eyes widened a fraction; her master wasn't very good at threats but regardless he always carried them out. Sometimes more violently then he had promised.
​"Oh s-so sorry sir, of course come in."
​"Thank you Zeilla." He walked past her and as he did so she flinched again, Hmm, he noted with concern, It would seem that Silas has been mistreating her so badly that she's used to people hitting her for no reason. She closed the door behind him and ducking her head low, the girl once again returned to the kitchen.
​Minutes later Maeron Viljast and Silas Gruff had sat down to eat, Zeilla was just finished making steak and potatoes –also one of Silases favorite foods– and the two of them said grace and began eating.
​Almost immediately Maeron burst into a fit of coughing. He gave Silas a curious look and then asked, "My friend, does the sauce on this steak happen to contain nuts?"
​Silas thought for a moment before answering, "Most likely it does, why do you ask?"
​"Well as a matter of fact, I am allergic to most types of nuts so please excuse me if I only eat the potatoes; I'm not trying to be rude.
​"Hmm alright," Silas made a look that suggested that it was not at all alright then he called Zeilla into the other room, "Zeilla come here now!"
​She hurried into the eating room eyes wide but trying to hide behind her bangs, "Y-yes master?" The burly man stood with a speed the Maeron would have said was very unlikely for a man of his size, and before she knew what had happened he had her pinned against the wall, grabbing her by the shirt and lifting her one whole foot off of the floor. "What did I do wrong master?" she asked fearfully gasping for breath.
​He answered with a question, "Did you put nuts in this food?"
​"Y-yes, master, that's how you–" she got no further than that because Silas smacked her on the left side of her face. He let her fall and she curled into a ball, whimpering. Tears were welling up in Zeillas eyes but she swallowed them and hoped that he didn't try to hit her again. Her hopes were shattered as he lifted his foot to kick her in the ribs. But then a voice rang out and she heard something that she hadn't heard in a while, sympathy,
​"Silas, stop!" she glanced up for one second and saw a very angry man, correction, another very angry man standing above her, "You have no right or reason to treat Zeilla this way!"
​That simple statement was one that the girl who was close to tears had never expected, mainly because no one had dared to oppose Silas in a long while. He was a formidable foe. She squeaked in surprise as Silas who had not been dumbstruck by Maeron's words attempted to kick her again.
​"Silas, I will not tolerate you damaging my goods!" Finally this made Silas stop and Maeron continued, "If you continue I will be forced to pay less and I'm sure you don't want that."
​Zeilla then realized why Maeron Viljast cared so much for her safety, he was buying her. Silas seemed content to leave her alone now and so she scrambled up off the floor. No one objected, because now Silas and Maeron were having some sort of a stare down.
​Zeilla started edging her way into the kitchen. There were five steps until she was there. Four steps now. Three, two, "Stay here girl. Since I'm allergic to the food, we might as well make a deal now." Maeron directed the second part to Silas, who grabbed her arm. Zeilla wilted, she had almost made it away. Now they were going to bargain for her, and she would have no time to collect her precious and few belongings. She wondered briefly how much Maeron would pay. Who wouldn't wonder how much the person you had lived with for almost eight years sold you out for?
​"I'll pay you one hundred gold pieces." Maeron said.
​"We agreed on one hundred and fifty." Silas growled. And Zeillas eyes almost popped out of her head, she had never seen so many gold pieced in one place before. No wonder her master was selling her; that was enough money to buy a new slave at an extremely bad rate and still have some left over. Her master would not only be able to replace her with a more compliant slave but he could get someone to fix his roof too. Zeilla realized that when she was Maeron slave she might be able to steal something of his or his friends. Or if she worked hard enough, she might be able to buy herself to freedom. Buying her freedom had never been an option before, because Silas had never been willing to let her go.