Ivy Gates || PJM || Ivy Book One || ✔

1.

"You need to be strong," My mother wrapped her scarf around my shoulders, knowing that it was going to be the last time I would ever see her, "Keep your attitude in check, and they won't punish you," She looked into my eyes, with only the barest hint of tears.

My mother was the strongest woman I knew. She had endured a lot from the Master over the years, just to keep me safe. She had lost my older sister only the year before, and two sons before that. We didn't know where they were, and we probably never would know.

And she knew that she would never see me again either.

"Mama, I don't want to go," I said softly, "I want to stay with you,"

"The Master won't buy you back," She said, dusting my shoulders off, "Now be proud, don't let them see your pain. You are strong, you are a beautiful. You can endure more than any others; you are a woman,"

I tried to hold back my tears, but could feel them slowly dripping down my cheeks. She wiped them with a tissue and gave me one last hug, before we heard the door to our old, worn out bedroom opening.

"Get moving, brat," The Master snapped angrily at me. He had been more and more aggressive over the past few weeks; probably because he was going to lose a working hand over his house.

"I love you, My Honey Bee," My Mama kissed me on the forehead, her shoulders shaking from the effort of not breaking down in front of the Master.

I hugged her one last time, before he grew impatient and grabbed me by my arm, yanking me out of the room.

I was only allowed to bring one personal item with me, so I clutched my mothers blanket scarf around my shoulders as the Master clipped the chain to my collar and pulled me out into the street. 

Although I was terrified of my future and leaving my Mama, in some way I was glad to leave this home. The Master was not kind. He had a hard hand and the house itself was barely standing. We lived in the less fortunate area of the city, near the barricades. As he walked me into the city centre, however, I was too scared to marvel at the beauty and riches around me.

Even though there were actually trees growing, and pavements instead of dirt roads, I was trembling.

We reached a huge building in the middle of a large square, and the Master headed straight in the front door. He pulled me to a desk, where there was a man seated, holding a pen.

"Can I help?"

"I'm signing over the girl. She is eighteen, as of today,"

"Excellent. What is her number?"

"1216," The master answered. He clearly wasn't happy that he had to give me up, but he was being polite, at least.

"Registered name?"

"Rebecca,"

The man behind the desk stood up, "You may remove the collar, now," The Master turned to me and unbuckled the black leather collar, before pushing me around to the other side of the desk. He then left, without another word.

The man behind the desk hooked a tight iron ring around my neck, with a bell, a loop for a chain, and a tag that had my number and name on it. I knew from when I was younger that the name could be changed by whoever purchased me, but I was hoping that they would let me keep it. It was the only other thing I had from my mother; in a rare act of kindness, the Master let her name me.

He then tapped on a bell that was sitting on the desk, and what looked like a guard came out, holding a chain lead. He read the tag and clicked the chain to the loop, before dragging me so abruptly that I almost fell. I let out a little yelp of pain, and the guard kissed his teeth in irritation, pulling me harder until I caught up. He shoved me into a tiny cell with bars instead of a door, and clipped the other end of the chain to the door. He then slid a lock over the top, to prevent me from trying to get loose.

"The auction is tomorrow," The guard said, finally looking at me, "You are not to speak until you are told. Understand?"

I took a deep breath and nodded, and he left the room. I sank down onto an upturned bucket on the floor, that seemed to be serving as a seat, and lowered my head to my hands. I know Mama told me not to cry, but I couldn't help it.

The Master was harsh. I had gotten many beatings from him, for minor issues. The room was cold, as he made sure not to waste his money by heating it; the heating was only for him. He allowed his friends to take their anger out on me, and I had a small burn mark on the back of my thigh from when he caught me warming my hands over the fire one time when it was so cold we could see our breaths inside; I wasn't allowed to use his heat, even if he was out.

But I wanted to go back to my Mama. She was warmth, to me. She was love, and happiness. She was the light, even when it was dark.

But I was alone. In the dank, dark cell wearing a cold and heavy iron collar while waiting for the  auction in the morning.  

How I slept, I don't know, but the next thing I knew, I was being woken up by the sound of something hitting the iron bars. 

"Stand up," The guard said, sliding off the lock and unclipping the chain from the door. He yanked on the chain and I staggered towards him, catching myself on the bars before I fell. He opened the door and led me out and into another room.

"Strip," He said, fastening the clip onto a ring on the wall. There were at least two other guards in there, and I turned back to face him with wide eyes.

My mother had always told me not to get undressed in front of men unless it was my Master, or he had told me to. As my first owner, he had the right to my virginity, and the right to be the first man to see me unclothed. 

This was not supposed to happen.

"I can't," I said quietly, hugging my Mamas scarf around my shoulders, "I'm not allowed,"

"We can do this the hard way, or the easy way. Strip," He said again, more aggressively this time. 

"No," I said. Although my voice was quiet, it was strong. I would not do this willingly. If they take anything from me, there will be a fight. I may not win, but I wouldn't give in until the end.

"Very well," He said, an evil looking grin on his face as he unbuckled his belt, "The hard way it is, then,"