Tower Part 7

Trell stepped out into the sunlight guided by the metallic leash that was attached to his collar. The leash was made of the same material as the collar, supple and stretchy like fine leather, but as strong as steel. Standing next to him with her eyes glued to the ground in front of her was the maid Selena. By the look of it she was used to being led around by Kaitlyn. Shifting his gaze from Selena he took in the city of Triest.

It was a magnificent city with stone buildings that were tall and intricately designed. Trell had been to the city near his home once before, but it was not nearly as grand as this. People were bustling about ignoring the large floating tower that had set down next to the city. Feeling a yank on his leash he obediently walked down the staircase leading from the tower to the edge of the city. It was then that he realized that the tower had not actually landed next to the city, rather it had docked with the city as it floated. Another yank on his leash nearly sent him tumbling forward. Kaitlyn was indicating that his time of admiring Triest had come to an end.

“Don’t make eye contact with anyone but the pets and slaves here.” Selena whispered to Trell keeping her eyes firmly on the ground.

“What would happen if I did?” Trell asked glancing around and finding many of the people that he had seen were either carrying leashes like Kaitlyn or were collared and leashed like he was.

“Bad things. Please don’t do it.” Selena whispered keeping her eyes low and focusing on keeping the steady pace Kaitlyn had set.

Trell wanted to defy the advice that Selena had given him, but he could feel his strength drain from the simple task of walking. From time to time he snuck a glance at the others that were in the same predicament he was. Every time he regretted doing so, many were very thin and the look in their eyes told him that they had been broken. He imagined that when they looked at him they were reminded of what they once were, strong, proud and defiant. All of which was stripped from them over the years until they were nothing but the husks he saw now.

When Kaitlyn came to an abrupt halt Trell nearly ran into her back, but Selena grabbed him before the collision occurred. Looking past Kaitlyn he found a large building with dark red flags hanging in front of it obscuring any and all entrances. Kaitlyn looked at the building for a moment before beginning her ascent up the stairs towards the dark red flags.

“Kaitlyn my dear. What brings you to Triest?” A vampire in a nice black suit said appearing from behind one of the dark red flags. Trell looked over him without making contact with the vampire’s eyes.

“Oh I’m just here for the auction Gelt.” Kaitlyn said turning to look at the vampire with an obvious look of disgust. “Where are your pets today? Dead again?”

“They just don’t last like they used to.” Gelt replied waving his hand as if they were insignificant. “I don’t see you at auctions very often.”

“My pets tend to last a long time.” Kaitlyn said off-handedly as she walked past Gelt to move aside one of the dark red flags to see a set of dark red double doors.

“As I recall you called the auctions ‘barbaric’.” Gelt said following her to the door and proceeding to make a move to open it.

Trell got there first and yanked one of the doors open for Kaitlyn much to her surprise. He didn’t like her because of what she did to him, but he knew that he liked this other vampire less. He had encountered people like Gelt in his childhood and never liked them.

“Your pet is well trained.” Gelt said glaring at Trell who kept his eyes locked firmly on the ground.

“Yes he is.” Kaitlyn said glancing at Trell and motioning him to follow her inside and not hold the door for Gelt. “I still do believe these auctions are barbaric, but an item has come on the market that I cannot pass up.”

After Selena made her way inside Trell stopped holding the door to go inside nearly letting it slam on Gelt who flashed him an angry look. Trell ignored Gelt and followed closely behind Kaitlyn wondering why these auctions were so barbaric. A part of him knew that he didn’t really want to know the answer to that question.

Beyond the doors was a large lobby full of vampires and their pets talking or waiting for the next auction to start. A sign over a stairwell told him that the next auction would begin in ten minutes. Trell was startled when he heard a loud snap as a vampire off to his left broke his slaves arm. He could overhear the man telling his slave that it was the lowest form of punishment for disobedience. The leash attached to his collar was the only thing that kept Trell from walking over and getting the vampire to stop. Judging by the fierce tug on the leash, Trell guessed that Kaitlyn had noticed his intentions.

“What item are you looking to bid upon?” Gelt asked trying to resurrect the conversation they had been having just moments before.

“If I told you that then you would get into a bidding war with me for the sheer fun of it.” Kaitlyn replied not even bothering to look at Gelt when he spoke to her.

“Can I help it that you are being so resistant to my charms?” Gelt asked as they reached the red carpeted stairs and began to ascend. “Have dinner with me tonight.”

“No.” Was the reply from Kaitlyn, equally blunt and cold at the same time. She sounded bored, as if she had done this whole dance one too many times and judging by Gelt’s words she had.

“You know I won’t stop asking until you accept.” Gelt replied without missing a beat.

“And I won’t stop saying no until you leave me alone.” Kaitlyn responded in the same bored tone as before at which Gelt just sighed. They had reached the top of the stairs and were now looking down on what looked like an arena of some kind. “If you will excuse me.”

Gelt only nodded as Kaitlyn led Trell and Selena off to one side of the arena to a section of reserved seats. When Kaitlyn sat down in one of them Selena immediately took the seat behind her. Trell sat down next to Kaitlyn looking at the rough stone walls of the arena and the bloodstains that adorned them. The stains were old, but it told him that something messy happened in the arena on a regular basis.

“This isn’t a good time to act defiant.” Kaitlyn said motioning for Trell to move to the other seat behind her.

“Why does Gelt want to have dinner with you so badly?” Trell asked curious and enjoying the slight annoyance he was causing Kaitlyn.

“That is none of your concern. If you do not move to your proper place behind me I will be forced to punish you in public.” Kaitlyn said the annoyance in her voice was growing stronger. “I do not wish to do such a thing, so move back.”

Trell looked at the serious look on Kaitlyn’s face and decided that he didn’t want to push her too far right now. Getting up he moved to the seat behind her to find a worried looking Selena sitting next to him. He nodded knowing what she would tell him, not to aggravate her while he was still weak. 

Verum post Veritatum

-Botched88