Strong Willed (Slave AU)

Chapter Five: The Auction

Percy Jackson hurried over to a large building in the Kingdom of Procellas. It was the place wealthy people went to buy slaves. There wasn't many people there, since most people in the village had big families. No need for slaves. But the people who were there bet a lot of money. So the place never went out of business. Percy prayed there was at least one carrier in that place that was old enough to have a child. He would feel horrible to bring a child back to the prince, but he had no choice.

I'm doing this for Annabeth, he remainded himself, squeezing his eyes shut. He hated the idea of his lover locked in that freezing dungeon. She was the only reason he hated made a run for it and went for Caelum. Once he got her back, then they'd run away together.

The building was huge. It looked like a giant theatre, the room mostly filled with chairs. Near the door was a table where you hand in the money for your slave. There was also a stage where the slaves were brought out. Percy has only been to this place once. It wasn't a very nice experience.

There weren't many people there. Men dressed up in suits and holding bags of money. They went to one desk with a guy behind it, handing out paddles with numbers on them. Percy walked over, picking up one that said  "45".

Percy wiggled his way through the impatient crowd, sitting down a row away from the front of the stage. He was caged in between a short and chubby man that smelled like beer and a large, hairy man that looked like he worked out only for the hell of it. The green eyed boy shivered, trying to make himself smaller.

Just get this over with and you'll get Annabeth back, he thought to himself, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to tune out the murmurs of the men surrounding him. He imagined his Annabeth's beautiful blonde locks with her intelligent grey eyes. I'll get you back, my Wise Girl.

The aution began. Men, women, and children were dragged out on stage. All wearing blindfolds and in their undergarments. Percy felt disgusted that he was even in this very room. Some cried as they were dragged out, some stood in a trembling mess. Many let out loud shouts and wails once they were brought and dragged off of stage to meet their new Masters. Percy wanted to leave so bad.

After several minutes, another person was dragged onto stage. It was a boy. Well, a young man, maybe a year or two younger than Percy and Prince Jason. He was deathly pale, making his knotted black hair stand out and make him seem like the vampires in myths. He was wearing black boxers as well. Which was the only thing he was wearing.

The boy was clearly malnourished. His skin covered his bones like a thin sheet of paper. No meat on his bones what so ever. The boy was being lead out with handcuffs on his wrists. Thought unlike the others, he put up a fight. He struggled, trying to throw his weight backwards and away from the man trying to take him into view and to the auctioneer. The man bringing him gave his chains a rough tug, making the poor boy trip and fall. Men around Percy laughed. Percy stared in pity.

The man pulled the boy back up by the arm. He spoke softly to the auctioneer, who grinned before beginning.

"Here we have a little rat dragged in from Caelum's grounds!"

The crowd began to bustle, hushed voices whispering amoung one another. Percy stared at the boy. He was from Caelum?

"Sadly, he isn't a virgin. But he is what is known to be a carrier! He's nothing more than a male bitch!"

The boy growled at the auctioneer's words. The crowd's voices rose. Percy's heart jumped and he sat up with a newly found alertness. A carrier! Finally!

"Why don't we start with 25,000? Do I see 30,000?"

Percy immediately rose his paddle, yet he was followed by several other men. The voice of the auctioneer sped up, calling out numbers like a pistol shot out bullets.