Kaska - The Last Fallen Tribe Pt. 02

Hey, guys!

Part 2 is here! I'll try to lengthen the chapters, didn't realize how short it was on here! Vera and Graylen do get dirty from here on out! I hope you enjoy, be on the lookout for Part 3!

-Rum

*****

It took huge amounts of effort to keep the men from noticing Tibby's state. If she had this child before she was sold the baby would no longer be able to stay in her or her masters possession. Without a creed it would be an outcast in the Kan'kwai, and technically belong to King Rendia. It was a huge gamble either way, because the child would be her masters possession. If he didn't want it to live, it wouldn't.

Tima Najim removed her jacket and wiped up the water on the ground tying it securely around Tibby's waist to hide the darken tracks in her pants. Tibby stayed in that place in her mind where the pain wasn't much but she still winced as the contractions got closer and more brutal. We kept the men busy and away from Tibby. She could hold out a little longer, she had to.

"If the baby is impatient she better deliver it in her pants and keep it silent or this is all for not." An older Paylah named Otleah leaned and whispered to me. "Your aunt is strong and has been through worse than child labor, but I know the pain she is going through is immense. Liembet." She crossed an arm over her chest in respect.

I smiled at the honor of Liembet for my aunt, especially when it came from a future Takum.

We nodded and resumed distraction. We tensed when men came around to give us water and food, taking their time feeding us with their hands. Thankfully, Tibby didn't wince in pain once and ate absentmindedly. We blew out our breath visibly relaxing as he left. I took time to survey my environment, all the men had seen us by now and we had been left alone for quite some time.

The doors we had come in were wood, deep brown, heavily guarded. I can't say I blame them. After the tussle we put up with the men on our way here, Id be worried the team was too small. I smiled to myself a little and looked down. The floor was quite nice, I didn't know what was used to make it having never seen it before in my life, but it was an off white, smooth to the touch, shiny substance. My toes felt around as I shook my head in pleasure. Much more nice than the dirt I grew up in.

The room was brilliantly lit with a roaring fireplace and many candles, the men all dressed fittingly. Suits and ties, except for my admirer who wore a simple button up with jeans and nice shoes. Suddenly, I remembered my mission.

I looked franticly around the room trying to find the one they call Dalo. When I saw him I made it agonizingly clear that he should come inspect me. He narrowed his eyes and dropped his glass of whatever on a nearby tray the servants were holding. Flicking his hands in an disgusted manner he began his journey towards me.

I tried to look pleasing but I knew in my current state I probably looked as much of a wreck as the other Kaska women.

"And what would a savage like you, want with a diplomatic man such as me?" His thick Lumbay accent drifted like nails on a chalkboard into my ears. I hid my disdain masking it perfectly behind my sultry gaze.

"Well, I was wondering what it would take to get a man like you to lay claim on me." My lie sounded so false to me, I've never been much of a liar but this Dalo guy seemed enthralled.

"Why would you wonder that?" He flicked a quick gaze to Freina and back at me.

"Because I heard from a little birdy you like to fuck, hard." I put emphasis on the last word.

He seemed taken aback by my blunt tone. "You're not my type."

"I think you're lying." Freina might be younger, but we were very similar. Same heavy breasts, almost same height though I might be an inch or two shorter. We were Kaskain so our skin tone was the same tanned brown, the only difference it seemed to me was my eye color. It was a very uncommon feature of a Kaskain.

"I think you should stop pissing off Strade. He's got quite the temper."

"I'm trying to get away from Strade, not please him." I saw warring emotions in his eyes. They settled on pity. I used this for leverage. "Please, help."

"If this follows through you will owe me heavily, slave." He pushed through his teeth.

I nodded knowing my position was safe with Graylen. I would never have to see this man again after today.

He blew out air and walked briskly away to Pirlo, he took the clipboard and scribbled something on it scratching out something else. He gave it back to Pirlo and eyed me wearily, resuming back conversation with his friends.

The man I talked to earlier nearly ran to Pirlo snatching away the clipboard. He roamed over the paperwork and I saw his shoulders sag as he wrote , most likely his claim at this point, on what id have to guess Freina's line. He eyed me giving a slight curt nod. Another man approached Pirlo signing his claim to one of us before striding up to Paylah Otleah smiling evilly before sauntering off.

Pirlo's voice boomed calling everyone's attention to the stage he stood upon. I took the moment of distraction to check on Tibby. She seemed worse but fine. Just a while longer and she would be safe. Hopefully by Almashia's grace her baby would stay where it was until it was over.

He read off the names of my comrades and began the process of handing them off to their new owners. We all stayed strong there were no tears or goodbyes. We wouldn't let them know who was close to who. We all stood stoically awaiting our name. I hoped strongly Tibby's name was soon. The Timas went first, they were doing it lowest rank to highest probably to gain excitement as the auction went agonizingly slow.

When it was finally Tibby's turn, two had laid claim that equaled rank. Neither backed down from her. The way to resolve this was a tradition they called Parting. The Kaskains sat silently as the men dueled for Tibby. I shook my head at the time they were wasting. She only had so long! I puffed my anger out. I was about to create a distraction like coughing when another Tima had the same idea. As she was escorted by she 'slipped' slightly and caught a man off guard. The other got him in checkmate in an instant and it was settled.

The moment they got Tibby in her collar she let out a wail and was rushed to the infirmary. We all cheered for her victory, many whispered blessings of Liembet. I silently wished my aunt Liembet also. She deserved it. The rest of the Tima's took their turn being claimed. Once that was settled the Paylahs were next.

Lamriah was the first to go. She mustered much courage and mirrored her Tima to a 'T'. She could've had me fooled if she hadn't been a shaking mess a moment prior. She was sold to a dark man, who seemed gentle enough.

Then it was Freina. I was absurdly worried. What if Dalo reinstated his claim to her? Could the other man best him in duel?

Pirlo called out the men who had claims laid. The man who had spoke to me, Riron, had more rank so she went to him. I felt so relieved. It worked. It actually really worked. I had a small thought eating at me that now I had to worry about myself but I was by now very confident in Graylen. Id rather the Ropu than a Lumbay any day.

After a while it became obvious they weren't doing the rank correctly once they called Paylah Otleah before me. I was below her, I didn't understand. Neither did she as she was led across the room up on to the stage. She took up her prideful stance and I commended her for her spirit. The men began chattering excitedly away at the sight of the future ruler of our clans. Some threw racial slurs at her and some even took to calling her "whore" and undeserving of such a title of Takum. I scowled biting back my anger. How dare they treat a princess as such? I mewled in my brain. She was given to General Romani, the evil little man that laid claim to her last, and was swept off stage as quick as she was escorted on.

I became eerily aware I was standing alone all of the sudden. Was I considered high ranking to these people? I was nothing more than a warlords offspring. I haven't any accolades, any special training. I was a nobody goddammit. I cant trapeze around the compound freely if I meant something here!

Men grabbed my chains and thrust me up the stage. I looked out into a larger crowd than I thought. Were they all here the whole time? Pirlo took me from my stressed thoughts.

"For the relative of General Tibecka Roane, Verglasia Roane, Year 23, two have laid claims. Graylen Slade, and Dalo Tempa. What say you?"

Graylen looked livid to say the least. "You challenge my claim Dalo?"

"She is beautiful, Graylen, most suitable for my home." He sat relaxed as ever, as if Graylen's temper was nothing to take notice of.

I could hear Graylen's teeth crunch from here. He clenched and unclenched his hands visually cutting down Dalo. The crowd seemed displeased with Dalo's decision but he stuck with it. I must give the Lumbay a round of applause for commitment.

"Parting it is then!" Pirlo sounded enthused. He walked up to me and patted my shoulder. He spoke softly to me. "We have not seen Graylen fight since Bonain's fall. We are pleased you have gathered his attention so strongly."

Bonain's fall was years ago, has he abstained from battle truly that long? Graylen eyed me angrily with a hint of excitement behind. He pulled his sword from behind his back quickly and smoothly hinting to years of practice. His sword was huge, the kind you see in movies. It was gorgeously sleek, whoever forged it must be very proud. Dalo merely just stood seemingly to wish this was all over already.

"Pull your sword, friend, I will not attack an unarmed brother." Graylen cracked a smile.

Dalo looked upon Graylen with pure disdain, adding to his cold exterior and pulled his own sword. It was normal sized, but thinner in width. He quirked a smile. "compensating Slade?"

With a great roar from Graylen they began a harsh battle. Over time it seemed as if they were just playing rather than fighting for rights over a slave. Dalo's sword was faster, but Graylen's did more damage. Soon Dalo's sword was a chipped mess and Graylen stood confident over his body with his sword pressed firmly into Dalo's neck.

They latched onto each others forearms and Graylen brought Dalo to his feet. The winner was declared and that's when it hit me, I was now a sex slave.

I was pushed from the stage and handed off to a man who released my transport chains and placed a collar around my neck, I was then escorted down a white hall and into a small room with two other woman that were huddled.

"Najim!" I rushed to her arms. She squeezed me back asking who I had went to. She was shocked at my reply but continued her quick conversation. She talked to us about means of contact, we would write the old Kaskain language in dirt, or food. It was composed of dots so no one would be suspicious if done correctly.

As she briefed us it hit me that this could be the last time I saw my friend, at least for a bit. I was a slave now, and I couldn't believe it. We started to talk about what to do and our masters. Najim told us to submit. Fight a little to make it look forced but submit, we needed our group to stay together she explained quickly, "We all leave together."

I asked about Graylen. She didn't know him personally but he's famed to be ruthless and mean to Kaskains. He'd ruin me if I let him. I was in the most danger apparently, aside from Otleah. When I asked Najim about the other Paylah's master she gave a quick overview of him. Najim just looked firm and said "I'm worried Otleah will not make it home with us."

I blew out a huge breath. That was a big blow. The Paylah next to me seemed to want to change the subject, she asked about who Najim's master was, apparently she had history with her buyer, this wasn't the first time she was his slave. We thanked her for her wisdom as is custom and we huddled closer together. I whispered luck to her and the other Paylah with us. We all exchanged blessings and a hope for escape and a quick reunited family out of bonds.

Not long after we finished our power circle our men came to pick us up.

"Remember your training, remember your friends." Najim hissed as the door swung open. Najim's master seemed cruel, bitter. Not quite handsome but something about him really had you entranced. Najim feigned delight at her master and threw herself right into his arms feathering kisses all along his torso and where she could reach of neck. Najim was tall as was many of Kaskains, but this man seemed to dwarf her very size. He scooped up his loving bird and the last thing I saw was her concerned eyes and beautiful silky black hair sweeping out of the room.

I immediately missed my friend, she was a Tima but loved to be around us Paylahs more. She taught us how to do our hair, and how to dance. She was the mother I never had. I whispered luck again to her hoping the gods gave it to her. She probably didn't need it but it made me feel better.

The Paylah who's name turned out to be Yagarah, was next to leave. Her master was short but firm, she was small like me so his small stature wasn't a problem. He could still beat her to death if he felt like it, and by the way he was looking at her he felt like it. She wasn't swept away lovingly as Najim had been, she was yanked and dragged as she struggled to keep up with the brutal, cold man.

I had a fleeting thought she wouldn't survive this, but I remembered Najim's words. "We all leave together." She would make it. I took a deep breath and tried to busy myself while I waited.

It had felt like hours before Graylen had come to pick me up, I was so bored I almost resulted to smacking my head against the wall for fun. He swung open the door roughly eyeing me intensely.

I perked up immediately the way Najim did but couldn't manage running to him with much enthusiasm.

"Hey there old friend." I smiled leaving my hands clasped behind my back. He looked upon me with contempt etched in his twisted features. I ticked my nose and bit back my venom, still making sure to equate his attitude, if not one up him. I noticed then glaring at his face a wicked groove extending from his left eyebrow to his slightly offset cheekbone. My anger melted away effectively replaced with shock as he reached for me. I stepped out of his reach watching him sigh moving again before he picked me up swinging me over his shoulder much like a sack and walked me to an exit.

The air was cold outside leaving the wind to beat on my face and blow tears out my eyes and up my temples. I shivered and leaned into his back in the dip between his shoulder blades to shield myself from the frosty attack. After the fifteenth shudder (not that anyone was counting) he finally pulled me down and tucked me away into his chest. It was warmer but the wind still got to me. Finally when we reached his-

"What the hell is that?" I tried to sit up slightly to get a better view.

"It's a car, Vera." He looked down on me. "Have you never seen a vehicle?"

I pouted my lip, of course I've never seen one. They barely exist anymore, completely extinct on the west side of the valley. "No, I've never seen one."

He pulled the corners of his lips down, not quite in a frown but as a thoughtful gesture.

"You acknowledge me as master from now on." He tossed me in the passenger side of the 'car' and started walking around the back to the other side.

I swore to myself I could feel the dare, he wants me to jump out the car, to run, never look back. To be honest even if it wasn't a test, even if I was crazy enough to make a break for it, I still wouldn't go. We all leave together. No exceptions. Even the traitor Danshu, he would come too. So until that happens fleeing from him was simply put, idiotic. I need to be trusted, cared for. I wont survive with an unforgiving master, and I don't wanna test the theory of his opinion on mercy. I will be a 'good girl' and sit here and wait upon my 'master' because that is the kind of behavior that will get me out.

He got in the car bringing the vehicle down a few inches when his weight became a burden to the frame. I grabbed for support feeling my body being flung down to the left. He looked at me wildly hanging onto the side of the seat leaning towards him at least in an 45° angle.

"You good?" he stared at me like I was mad.

"Uh, yes, its just- um, you're a bit heavy, wouldn't you say?" I fumbled for a polite way to call him fat. For a brief second he stared dejected at me, hurt even. But just as soon as it was there, it was gone. I fixed myself so that I could sit upright placing my hands in my lap.

"I am a warrior. My weight is fine." He started the car, snapping the gear into place. He gritted a command out of his teeth for me to put my seatbelt on and rushed through the old cracked roads to my new home. I made a mental note to keep in mind his mood swings as I took everything in, from the way people sat chatting amongst themselves, to the vermin sliding around trying to coax some money. Soon though the vermin became less and less common until they disappeared altogether and were replaced by glamorous homes enclosed in beautiful trees, with many sleek seemingly unused cars sitting out in the front. People were scarce given the time of night, but some still roamed flashing diamonds every which way, sticking their nose up so high they looked like the traffic cones I noticed earlier.

Graylen's hand had wandered onto my leg then. Setting his palm on my left thigh 'absentmindedly' while he navigated to our destination. I've never been close to a man, as friends that is. They always just came with a vow of marriage which many of the paylahs had already accepted but I didn't. I couldn't. I wanted to know a man before I pledged my life away but no one else agreed. Many men shouted angry words at me when my courses came every month, criticizing me for not falling pregnant yet. 'Shirking my duty' they called it, 'Its not my choice anymore' they said. I was sure if I hadn't been young enough to keep living with my Tima, someone would've forced themselves on me. I cringed at the thought. But with my brother gone and my mother god knows where, I was up for grabs. Of course Tima Najim and Aunt Tibby wouldn't have let me fall aside but they only have so much sway, I may not have been forced to marry someone I did not want, but my virtue would've been passed to a man I didn't agree upon.

I felt Graylen squeeze my thigh hard. I looked at him to see the car was parked on some lot, in front of a grandiose mansion. I gasped at it.

"This is not your home." I whispered shocked.

"It is." He shimmied out of the car and began walking towards the home. I flailed around trying to get out of my seatbelt and follow. Soon I was skipping behind him marveling at every detail. From the huge glass windows, to the expansive yard harboring statues and ferns to herd you through like a maze, from the front door swinging open to reveal a living room the size of my whole tribe, the marvelous staircase seeming to ascend into heaven. I squealed wishing to run and look around but stayed still until I got permission from Graylen.

"May I please look around?" I was squirming with curiosity. He almost quirked a smile before nodding.

"For just a moment, there are rules I need to lay down before you get comfortable." He gestured to the home and I flew out the room to map out the place.

The first door I saw was a closet as big as my bedroom back home. I bounced and then I went to the next door which was a pantry stocked high with food my mouth watered at the very thought, but then I remembered Graylen had said I only had a second to explore. I would ask to eat later. I rushed back and forth between doors and the hallways downstairs finding everything beautiful, and extremely modern, down to the toilets. He had an extreme amount of wealth from what I could tell and was not humble about it.