The sun burned his eyes, forcing him to shield them with his hands. A soothing ocean breeze danced across his skin as he bathed in the sun's warmth. In the corners of his eyes tears formed, as all the sudden sensations overwhelmed him. Pushing his emotions down, he tried to calm himself. Several times Ryo had witnessed what happened to slaves that openly showed weakness to others. The sound of a deep gravelly voice wrenched him from his thoughts.

“Dear gods, the stench is awful! Are you sure it isn’t dead?!” The gravelly voice shouted.

“Do not worry sir, it’s alive, see, it’s moving.” A soothing voice assured the man. 

This voice belonged to none other than the driver of the wagon. He had heard the man’s voice a few times during the journey. When Ryo had asked for food, or to be let out of the box the man had shouted and yelled at him, striking the box.  No matter what, he would always remember that man's voice. He wished the sun wasn’t so bright, so he could get a good look at the man’s face.

“Bah!” The man scoffed. 

“I’ve kept it weak while transporting it, so the thing wouldn’t try any funny business.” The wagon driver explained, before quickly adding. 

“You never know what these creatures are capable of.”  

Being talked about in such a way was probably one of the worst feelings. They talked about him as if he weren’t even an actual person, only a “thing”. It was the same language commonly used to refer to animals or inanimate objects. Yet what could he do? If he tried to do or say something, it would only result in further pain and suffering. At that moment, it was just better to accept such things. 

“It's covered in filth and waste and look at all those scars and marks! No one will buy it in this condition!” The man retorted.

“Look closely, its face, hands, and feet are all undamaged. I’m sure with its beautiful untouched features, it will still fetch a decent price.” The driver responded calmly. 

Hearing them discuss his body like that, sent a chill down his spine. Ryo didn’t want to be seen or touched by anyone!

“Bah!” The man angrily shot back. 

“It might be better for you to just toss it out to sea.” The man added. 

Ryo’s chest tightened with panic at the man’s statement. Then he remembered what he had thought about earlier. If they did decide to cast him into the sea, then he would only struggle for a brief time. Compared to the potential pain and torment he could face in the future, it didn’t seem so bad of an option. 

“Sir!” The driver gasped. “You jest!”

“Look again at its slender body and beautiful face. I’m sure someone will pay handsomely for it. Just splash a little water on it.” The wagon driver continued to say. 

“It will take more than just that.” The gravelly voice grumbled. 

“I’ve been told you are the best merchant in town. I’m sure with a little cleaning up and some food, it will turn you a pretty profit.” The driver replied, trying to convince the man.

“Yeah, with a face like that it could  make a profit.” The merchant replied, emphasizing the word could.

“It will probably die before we even set sail.” The merchant added.

“I assure you…” The driver started to say.

“Enough, what was your asking price again?” The merchant interrupted impatiently.

“Two hundred gold coins, my good sir.” The driver replied without hesitation. 

“You can’t be serious, look at this damage!” The merchant angrily complained. 

“With that kind of coin, I could purchase a healthy dwarf or wood elf.” The merchant added.

“Sir, you’ve seen the papers! This thing is of the kitsune race! As an experienced merchant, you must realize how rare such things are.” The driver responded nervously. 

“That’s great and all, but look at its condition. No one will believe this pitiful thing is kitsune.” The merchant remarked.

As much as he hated to admit it, the man was right. With his ears and tail gone, he looked like a human. Thinking about everything he had lost, he felt a deep pain in his chest. Now he really hoped they would simply toss him into the sea and put an end to his miserable existence. 

“But…” The driver tried to say something before the merchant interrupted him. 

“Its ears and tail have been removed; now it just resembles a human.” 

“But what about the eyes?” The driver asked, his voice becoming softer. 

“Bah, what about them?! Most people will think him a halfling.” The merchant answered.

“Well…” The driver said, before being cut off again.

“Plus, it's considered damaged goods now. I will give you fifty gold for it. I doubt you will find anyone in this town who would pay near that.” The merchant offered.

“This…” The driver replied, before falling silent. 

Ryo could tell the driver was reluctant to sell him for such a pittance. Yet, the man was probably worried that he wouldn’t live for much longer. He had been wasting away in the box for so long, the driver probably thought he was on death’s door. If Ryo died before the man could sell him, then he would have made the trip for nothing. The driver remained silent for a time, probably trying to weigh all the options available to him. 

“Look, I know you are just here on your master’s orders, so I’ll give you a little something extra. How about fifty gold and an official receipt, plus five gold to you under the table.” The merchant suggested. 

“All you have to do is tell your master that this is the best you could get. I’m sure they aren't hurting for money.” The merchant added.

“Deal, but this stays between us!” The driver warned.

“Of course, of course, just leave everything to me, friend.” The merchant acknowledged. 

Just like that, Ryo now belonged to someone else. He knows that logically it truly was the most wretched of feelings to be sold off like this, like a piece of meat. Yet, he felt sort of numb to it. His life had changed hands, but had anything really changed? The merchant’s voice interrupted his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. 

“Hey, you two come over and pick this up! Take it into the tent and give it a good clean, then feed it.” The merchant shouted. 

“After that, throw it into the ship's hold, with the rest of them.” The man quickly added. 

“When are you leaving?” The driver asked. 

“I will leave early tomorrow morning.” The merchant replied. 

“Ah back to the human realm, are ye?” The driver wondered aloud.

“Yeah, why?” The merchant shot back.

“No reason, merely curious.” The driver quickly answered. 

“Well, let’s go get you the receipt and transfer the papers.” The merchant said. 

Ryo could hear their footsteps as they walked away. He felt two sets of hands grab him, then lift him up. With his hands no longer protecting his eyes, the sun once again blinded him. They were still so sensitive to the light after all those days in darkness. He had no choice but to keep them closed. The people holding him then began to move, his feet dragging behind him. It wasn’t long before the light dimmed considerably.

This time when he opened his eyes, the sun didn’t immediately blind him. Squinting his eyes, he tried to look around, though his vision was still blurry, so he couldn’t make out much. After a few moments, his eyes could finally focus, and he ascertained that he was inside an old tent. Various mismatching patches spotted the tent, giving it a rundown feeling. In the corner was a small wooden table with two rickety chairs on either side. 

Before he realized  it, they quickly tossed him into the middle of the tent. Ryo tried to brace himself, but it all happened too quickly. His reactions were deadened from being in that box for so long. Ryo’s face hit the ground, whipping up the sand and dirt into his eyes, which watered and burned fiercely.  

“Where are those damn slaves of his?” A shrill voice complained.

“I’ll go fetch him, you make sure it doesn’t escape.” Another voice answered, before the person it belonged to quickly ran out of the tent. 

“Aye, hurry it up, this thing stinks!” The shrill voice shouted after the person. 

Not long after they’d left, Ryo could hear heavy footsteps make their way into the tent. 

“Your master said for you to clean this, feed it, then put it with the rest.” The shrill voice said.

“...” The other person didn’t seem to reply, their mouth just opened and closed like a fish out of water.

“Filthy tusker! Just do as your master orders, I’m leaving.” The shrill voice sneered, as he stalked out. 

The heavy footsteps made their way over to his side. Ryo felt large hands grab him and roll him over. He wanted to open his eyes, but they still burned relentlessly from the sand and dirt. The person started roughly brushing him with a coarse wire brush intended for tiled floors. It was deeply embarrassing for him to have someone see him like this. Ryo wanted to tell the person to stop, but bit his tongue instead. This person was a slave like him and was merely doing what was asked of them. 

A sense of helplessness swept over him. He felt like crying. He pushed the urge down and forced himself not to show any weakness to this person. People would only hurt him if he cried. Ryo felt like there was a pressure building up inside of him though. Every time he stopped himself, it only added to that pressure. Another pair of footsteps walked into the tent, along with the sound of sloshing water.  

“Oh, you are already here.” A grating male voice said. 

“...” The other person didn't seem to respond. 

“Dear gods, it smells.” The man complained, walking over until he was beside Ryo.

“...” Again, the person remained silent. 

“I’ll pour the water and you can scrub it.” The man instructed as Ryo felt cold water splash against his skin. 

The other person continued to scrub his skin obediently, but remained silent. Although it was slightly painful, the feeling of water across his skin was calming. It had been so long since he’d washed himself. Something that he had taken for granted before, now felt so amazing. He pushed everything else aside and just tried to focus on the sensation. 

The tears he had been holding back for so long began to freely flow down his face. Luckily at that moment the water was being poured on his face, so they blended in perfectly. Ryo was sure that as long as he just silently laid there, no one would know. Yet, once he opened up a little, everything seemed to escape. The pressure that had been building up all this time could finally escape.  His body wanted to wail and thrash around, but he suppressed that feeling. 

His breathing became a little ragged, but he hoped they would think it was just the shock of the cold water. After a few more minutes of scrubbing, the two stopped and dried him with a piece of old cloth. It was only when they were finished that he attempted to open his eyes. Everything was still a little blurry, but he could finally see again. Ryo got a good view of the two that had cleaned him.

The first one was a short, slender human male, with closely cropped black hair. His face reminded Ryo of one of those weasels from the forest near the manor. The other was undoubtedly a female orc, and she was huge. The woman was well over two meters tall, with burly, broad shoulders. Each of her biceps was probably the size of his head. 

Orcs seemed to be a universally tall race, because all the ones he had seen were over two meters. They had strong builds, with various shades of green skin and small tusks that protruded from their mouth. His previous master had many of them posted to guard the manor, or to act as his personal bodyguards. From the ones he talked to, he also suspected they loved to fight. Ryo had often heard them boasting about battles and honorable duels they’d had in the past. 

This was, however, the first time he had seen a female orc. If it wasn’t for the woman’s large bust, he would have mistaken her for a man. She had wild, fiery red hair, and the face of a feral jungle cat. Her eyes were a shimmering gold color that hungrily regarded everything as if it were prey. When Ryo met her gaze, he glanced away. The woman had a wild air about her, and his instincts told him she was dangerous. 

The weaselly looking man tossed him a loincloth, so he could cover himself. The female orc picked it up and put it on him before hoisting him over her shoulder. Ryo was about to say something but decided not to. It was probably best for him to just keep quiet. He didn’t know how these two would react if he spoke up. She strode out of the tent, with him over her shoulder like a sack of rice. The human male followed quickly behind, eyeing him. 

The tent had been placed along the shoreline, where the grass and sand met. Not too far away he could see several wood and stone buildings. This was probably the town he had passed through earlier. Ryo could see people as they rushed around the town, doing various tasks. They were mostly dark elves, but he also saw a few wood elves, humans, dwarves, and gnomes. From the number of dark elves that were present, he guessed he was still in their realm.

In the opposite direction, he could see the endless expanse of the blue sea. Several sea hawks flew high in the sky, calling out to one another. Small seashells dotted the white sand beneath him. A gentle breeze brought the smell of the sea to him as the waves crashed into the beach, creating a rhythmic sound that calmed him. The bright blue sky seemed to stretch out endlessly, as white billowy clouds glided across it. 

For most of his life, he had lived on his home island, though he often traveled along the water when he had free time. Ryo would frequently play in the sand when he was younger, and the sound and sight of the sea brought all those memories flooding back. His heart yearned to return home. He didn’t want to return because he missed anyone in particular on that island, but for the safety, he’d once felt there. Things on the island had been so much simpler, and Ryo knew that no matter where he went, he would be safe there. 

He turned his head as much as he could, and managed to catch a glimpse of a tiny pier in the distance. At the end of it was a strange-looking ship, with two short masts. As they got closer, he could see that both the ship and pier desperately needed repair. The ship was made from light wood and had a boxy feel to it. The sails were a light brown collar and were riddled with holes. It was the first time he had ever seen a ship like it. Upon getting a closer look at this less than seaworthy ship, a grim thought struck him; he still might have a chance of drowning. 

When the orc woman stepped on the pier, the wood groaned. With every step she took, the wood would bow and creak, sounding as if it was about to snap. When they finally got aboard the ship, the orc woman placed him down along the wooden railing. Both of them towered over him, silently looking down at him. The weaselly man had a look of pity in his eyes. Ryo had often seen that look from the servants or workers from around the manor. He wished he had the courage to tell the man to stop. 

The orc woman had a strange expression on her face. He had never been great at trying to read orcs as their tusks constantly made them appear angry and menacing. The woman’s golden eyes bore into him, as if they would pierce clean through him at any moment. After a few awkward moments of this silence, she walked toward the back of the ship, lumbered through an open door, and disappeared inside. Soon after, she stepped back out onto the deck, carrying food!

In one of her hands, she carried two slices of brown bread, and in the other a steaming bowl. She walked up to him and placed the food in front of him. The steaming bowl was filled with a thick brown broth, in which chunks of meat and vegetables floated around. The orc woman then kneeled down and brought her face in line with his. She peered into his eyes. Ryo's eyes quickly darted away to the deck of the ship.

“Eat little one, you had long journey, need strength.” She said, in broken common. 

Her voice was deep and husky, though strangely soothing. Ryo had never met a woman with such a voice before. After a few awkward seconds, she pulled back, giving him some room to breathe. She stood up and peered into the distance, probably towards the town. Then she looked back down at him, her face twisted into a strange expression. 

“Yotul, you know the master doesn’t like us talking to the merchandise.” The weaselly man complained. 

“Master not order not to.” Yotul snarled back at the man, causing him to stumble back.

“Wh-Whatever, I’ve done my job. I’ll leave the rest to you.” The weaselly man stammered, quickly leaving the ship.

Once he was gone she turned back toward Ryo, causing him to flinch. She pivoted herself around and sat down next to him, leaning against the railing. Yotul leaned her head back and peered into the sky, lost in her own thoughts. He didn’t know what was happening and wondered if it was really okay for him to eat. It had been so long since he had eaten anything warm. 

His master at the manor had never allowed any of his slaves to eat a warm meal. He would always remind them they were animals and should eat as beasts do. The last time he'd had anything warm to eat was on the home island, around three years ago. Ryo’s stomach let out a long, gurgling groan. 

“Eat.” Yotul growled. 

He snatched up the bowl and brought it to his face then drank the warm broth in long, greedy gulps. The broth had a rich meaty taste to it which warmed his body. He picked up the hard brown bread next, then dipped it into the remainder of the soup, letting it soften. Once it had soaked up the last of the soup's broth, he scarfed it down. 

He closed his eyes to be better able to savor the flavors. When he opened his eyes back up, the food was all gone. He had been so hungry, and the food so delicious; that he’d forgotten to restrain himself. He set the bowl back down on the ground and wished there was more. Eating it had made him feel like a real person again. 

Yotul picked up the bowl and walked back to the door in the back of the ship before returning with another serving. She placed it down in front of him and sat beside him like before. Something told him that if the merchant were here, he would be furious over this. Beef stew was not something people would serve to slaves.

His mind raced through various scenarios and motivations for her seemingly kind actions. Perhaps this was a trick? Or some kind of test? If he tried to eat the food, would she use it against him later? Would she attack him? Maybe the merchant was hiding somewhere, watching him!

From the corner of his eye, he watched Yotul, waiting on something to happen. No matter how long he waited, she just sat there like a statue. Ryo panicked, thinking that maybe someone was watching him. His eyes darted around the ship, trying to find anyone hiding. He couldn’t find anyone, no matter how long he looked. 

“Eat.” Yotul growled.

Although it wasn’t loud, it had a commanding tone to it. Looking down at the steaming bowl in front of him, the smell was overwhelming and he could hardly stop himself from picking it up. If this was a trap, he would definitely be punished… though if it wasn’t, he would be denying the chance to eat. His mind went back and forth as he gazed back and forth between Yotul and the food. Unable to bear it anymore, he forced himself to speak.

“Won’t you get in trouble with your master?”  He asked her quietly. 

She seemed to ignore his question and kept staring up at the sky. After a few minutes of silence, she took in a deep, slow breath, then let out a long sigh. Turning her head, she looked at him. Her gaze made him shrink back, fearing she was angry at him. Upon seeing his reaction, she looked away, back up at the sky.

“Weak man, weak hit, my mum hit harder. Me more scared of her din’em.” She said, a strange smile forming on her face. 

Ryo could feel a thick bloodlust radiate from the woman. His instincts screamed at him to flee, but he forced himself to remain rooted to the spot. Besides, he was sure that she could easily catch him, so there wasn’t any need to try. The violent aura around her slowly faded, but he was still on high alert. She must really hate the merchant to have such a reaction. 

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. How was she able to keep such hatred inside of her? She blatantly and openly talked disparagingly about her master. Not only that, but she seemed to be openly insubordinate. He had never seen such a thing before. It was mind-boggling!

At the manor, such things never happened. His previous master had a talent and passion for breaking people. It was only a matter of time until someone broke under his iron rule. Ryo had seen once proud warriors lick the man’s boots clean, after only a few sessions. The truly defiant ones would have an even worse fate. 

Once his previous master had purchased a group of war slaves. An old soldier in the group refused to listen to the master's orders. Instead of putting a slave collar on the man, which most would have done, the dark elf just ignored the man and locked him up. 

As the old man waited in the cell, the master set about finding the man’s war buddies. After spending a considerable amount of money and time, he succeeded in doing so. He brought each of them to the manor, put slave collars on them, and forced them to fight to the death against each other while the man was forced to watch. Their deaths had not been quick, the dark elf had made sure of that. 

It was then he had told himself to never go against the master. He didn’t wasn’t to experience anything like that. Although he didn’t have any friends or family, he was sure the man could find something. Ryo’s stomach let out another long groan, bringing him back to his current predicament.

Gritting his teeth, he decided that he would take a chance. From what Yotul said, and acted like, she was not trying to trick him. Picking up the bowl, he brought it to his lips and took a small sip. His eyes darted around to see if anything had changed, but nothing seemed to have changed so the tension in his body began to dissipate. 

This time around, Ryo forced himself to eat as slowly as he could as he knew it would probably be a long time before he ate warm food again. It was important for him to not only experience the taste, but the sensation of being a normal person. This was his time to push everything else aside, and just enjoy the food. After another several minutes he wiped his mouth with his arm and put the bowl on the deck. Seeing him finished with his food, Yotul glanced at him and said. 

“Me Yotul. Little one, what age you?” She asked. 

“Twelve.” He replied, bringing his knees up under his chin. 

“Still a youngling.” Yotul remarked, shaking her head. 

“Where is you family?” She asked him.

“...” Ryo remained silent and locked his eyes to the floor. The answer was too painful for him to say. After a long awkward silence, Yotul broke the silence. 

“I two younglings. They dead.” She told him, her voice filled with despair. 

“I’m sorry.” Ryo quickly replied. 

The words had slipped out of his mouth without him realizing. He tried to think of something else to say, but was at a loss for words. What do you say in such a situation? He thought about apologizing again but Yotul spoke before he could say anything. 

“Why you sorry? Not your fault. My fault.” She said, shaking her head.

“Why is it your fault?” Ryo asked curiously.

Again the words slipped out of his mouth before he realized it. He scolded himself for not thinking before he asked such an insensitive question. This was probably a very painful topic for her. Ryo was about to apologize again, but Yotul answered too quickly. 

“Me was weak.” She softly mumbled, looking back at the sky with a far off look in her eyes. He wasn’t sure if she meant for him to hear, so he tried to change the topic. 

“How long have you been a slave?” He asked her.

“Four winters.” She replied, after giving it some thought. 

“I’ve been one for two years now.” Ryo replied, wrapping his hands around himself. 

Although he was usually wary of people, Yotul seemed like a decent person. It had been a long time since he’d had a conversation like this. At the manor, he had been constantly on his guard. Everyone at that place seemed to be out to get one another. As he was about to ask her another question, one of her ears twitched. She spun around and looked over the railing of the ship.

Yotul grabbed his arm and dragged him to the middle of the ship. Pulling out a key from her belt, she unlocked a chain that wrapped around a large hatch. Opening it up, she motioned for him to get inside quickly. With her help, he jumped into the hatch and landed in a dark room beneath the ship.

“Me sorry little one, man coming, you be hurt if he sees.” Yotul whispered, as she quickly shut the hatch. Just as she finished locking it, Ryo heard heavy footsteps pounding across the deck.

“Yotul! Why didn’t you return to the tavern?” He heard the voice of the merchant shout.

“....” Yotul looked down on him through the hatch and gave him a quick wink.

“Damned grinned skin, I will deal with you later!” The merchant fumed, his feet stomping towards the back of the ship.

Ryo watched Yotul roll her eyes as she turned around and disappeared from his sight. He listened to her heavy footsteps carrying her off the ship and onto the pier. He hoped that she would be okay. Yotul had talked to him and given him food and he secretly admired her rebellious attitude towards her master. Turning away from the hatch, he scanned his new surroundings.