It was two days before we found any sign of civilization. What we found was a little village that had maybe one-hundred people in it. They were all very nice folks. A couple of the people asked us where we were coming from and where we were headed. It was a pleasant encounter.

            As we went around asking about the man and the girl with a marking, we got a lot of odd looks. Some people thought that we were crazy, the others frequently asked us where our husbands were. Apparently, it really wasn’t typical for a woman to travel alone. I started to think that we should get a male companion just so people wouldn’t think this.

            We found a lovely couple who offered for us to have dinner with them and board at their house for the night. We decided that it was best to show our affection for one another while we were here. When we were done eating, we looked around. Aside from the annoyance of being expected to have a man escorting us, this village was full of gentle people.

            After exploring, we headed back to the lovely family’s home. They asked us a lot of questions, and we did our best to answer them. What little we could. There was no way they would believe that we were from another world. Hell, even back at home, if you said that you were from a different world, they would laugh at you. Well, before the Emergence. These days, you didn’t know what to expect.

            After a couple of hours of answering questions, We all went to bed. I was so exhausted from walking that I barely hit the floor before passing out.

            Waking up, I noticed something strange. We were no longer in the house where we fell asleep. Looking around, it looked like we were in some sort of jail. This couldn’t be good. Getting up, I walked to the bars.

            “Excuse me, is anyone there?” I said. I heard the sound of footsteps echoing through the hall to my right. Then I saw who it was. It was the husband who invited us to sleep at his house. He was smiling as he walked over to me.

            “Well, well, you woke up. I hope you don’t mind the accommodations. You two are going to fetch an excellent price for us. Got someone lookin’ for some exotic girls like you,” the man said. I looked at him, confused at what he was saying.

            “What do you mean, price. We are not merchandise!” I said as I reached for the bars. He roared with laughter.

            “Of course you are, my girl. That’s why your in this cage. And just in case you’re a witch, don’t try anything funny. These bars are made to repel magic, so you would only be hurting yourself,” he said, laughing as he walked away. I tried again to shake the bars, but it was no use. Defeated, I sat against the cell wall. How did we end up like this?

            After a while, Taylor woke up. She looked around in shock.

            “Angel, where are we?” Taylor asked. I didn’t have an answer for her.

            “All I know is that we are in a cell. This guy says that he is going to sell us to someone looking for exotic girls.” I said. The look of horror on Taylors face made my heart hurt.

            “But we are not pets. We are human beings,” Taylor said in protest. She went to the bars and tried to pull them off the wall.

            “It won’t work. Apparently, the man said that they are enchanted to reflect magic,” I said. She slumped down against the wall opposite me. Then she placed her head against her knees.

            “So, we are going to be sold, and there is nothing we can do about it?” Taylor asked.

            “We can do something about it when they come to get us, but until then, we are stuck here,” I said. I wanted to punch something, but I really didn’t want to break my hand on the stone. With nothing else to do, I walked over and sat next to Taylor. I pulled her against me and held her. I didn’t know how, but I would get us out of this.

            As we sat there, we heard footsteps. Looking through the bars, we saw the woman with who we stayed. She was carrying food. She slid it under the bars.

            “You need to eat. Don’t need our prizes dying of hunger,” The woman said. I looked at her frowning.

            “Why are you doing this. I just don’t understand. What did we ever do to you?” I asked. The woman laughed, then leaned in against the bars.

            “You didn’t do anything to us. You see, we have been stationed in this little village for a while. Our master has.. some strange taste in women. He can’t be bothered with regular women, so he has us wait for people like you. You two will make fine brides for him,” she said, grinning. So, the man that this couple was working for wanted to marry beastkin women.

            “And if we refuse?” Taylor asked with anger in her voice. The woman’s facials changed to a more angry look.

            “Well, then I guess he will kill you. I can’t speak for him, but if you mess this up for us, you will live to regret it. So just be good little girls and do as your told,” she said as she walked off.

            “Angel, what are we going to do. I don’t want to be married to some man. And if we try anything, that woman will probably try to kill us too,” Taylor said, grabbing her tail. I reached over and placed my hand on her thigh.

            “I will not let anything happen to you, love. We will get through this, I promise. We have people to rescue and a home to get back to. Not to mention friends that are probably missing us,” I reassured her, even though I didn’t quite believe my own words. This was something I never thought I would have to deal with.

            We ate the meal that the woman left out of hunger. There was no way of knowing when this man was supposedly going to come for us, and we needed our strength if we were going to escape. After a while longer of just sitting there, boredom set in. Soon, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. It seemed that neither could Taylor.

            Sometime later, we were awoken by the sound of plates hitting the floor. Looking up, I saw the woman standing there watching us. Slowly I got up and grabbed the plates of food.

            “I hope you appreciate my hospitality. It isn’t often that I cook for anyone other than my husband, but I must make sure that you are healthy when my boss arrives,” the woman said. Her words angered me.

            “Keeping us prisoners here is your idea of hospitality? We are not slaves to be sold off to the highest bidder. We are people just like you,” I said, ready to run over to her and knock her teeth in. She laughed and shook her head.

            “It is funny that you all think yourselves people. Others might find you beautiful, but to me, you are just more coins in my purse. Animals being sold to a master. Your kind will never truly be people.” she said with venom in her words. Then she looked at me. “I don’t understand what our boss see’s in you animals, but he’s paying for you, so it’s not my place to ask questions,” she said before turning around and walking away.

            Slumping back down against the wall, I sighed. I couldn’t understand how someone could be so cruel. I pondered what would make the woman resort to selling people like Taylor and me. It didn’t make any sense. I sat there quietly, thinking about the real problem. We were about to be sold to some unknown man, for reasons I didn’t even want to think about.