Lady Arianda watched, half interested, as the next property was dragged up from the slave pit. As usual, his hands were bound behind his back with shackles, feet bound similarly in the heavy metal cuffs and chain. The Handler, bigger and stronger than the property, kicked out at one of his feet, forcing him to stand on the platform for all eyes to see. He was wearing only a loincloth and looking quite disheveled from the dust and sweat of the crowded pit. He started to look out at the crowd but the Handler slapped the back of his head and commanded that he keep his eyes DOWN. The property set his jaw but otherwise did not respond. Arianda thought perhaps the Handler might have had a round with him before.

Watching this exchange, she noted that the property was either ill trained or willful... hmmmm... a challenge perhaps? That ragged fur on his face, what expressions did it hide? Curiosity furthered her interest. What's more, her eyes drifted down his nude chest to the bulge beneath the loincloth. Perhaps, she thought, this property needed closer inspection.

A few others stepped up to look him over, assessing. One fellow, a rather burly and obnoxious smelling lord, put his hand to shoulder, felt the property's arm, poked at his chest. There was a low quiet growl in response and the Handler striped the property across the back with a short whip. The lord stepped away. Perhaps he didn't want the trouble, thought Arianda. She smiled to the lord and curtsied as he turned to leave the dais. He had obviously rejected the property. She was just glad to be upwind of the man again.

Lady Arianda stepped before this large specimen. She was draped in her soft black velvet gown, looking all the lady despite how much her full breasts were revealed over the low neck of the dress. At her fine throat, against pale skin was a black velvet choker and a large amethyst teardrop stone. Her long copper tresses were drawn up. Tendrils had escaped to frame her face and tease at her long neck. Her sapphire gray eyes regarded the slave's smudged and unshaven face. Her fingers floated to his chin to lift it and stroke his beard, pensively. She thought it was encouraging that he kept his eyes lowered, not willful enough to glare at her, at least, not at the moment since the Handler's whip was so close? With a quiet cold voice she instructed the Handler, "Remove the cloth. I wish to see the whole property."

The Handler bowed to the Lady and nodded then gripped the back of the loincloth and ripped it from him. Now any in the crowded market that cared to look could see every inch of him. More at hand, Lady Arianda's eyes slowly drifted downward so she might look at his chest, abdomen, hips, thighs and particularly what lay between those thighs. She arched a brow and slid her hand down his hard stomach then wrapped her fingers under his manhood. She lifted it then released it suddenly. The hand raised again and drew back before coming swiftly in to slap his face. Her eyes were hard, waiting to see if he would growl at her too.

The force of the blow turned his head to the side. Her handprint was there on his cheek clearly. Arianda noted that there was no growl. Slowly his head turned back to face her, but his eyes were still lowered.

The arrogant set of Bernardo's jaw flexed. He didn't know why the Lady had slapped him. Had he displeased her in some way? If she was testing, what response did she want? The one thing he knew was that her hand touching him had caused stirrings within him and concern as well. The longer he pondered this, the more urgent the stirrings became. His lowered gaze and the tingle between his thighs told him he was stiffening. This was not the way to be, not here, not now, but he was powerless to prevent it. His view of the Lady was not helpful. He saw the black velvet wrapped sensuously over her thigh and resting in a soft fold between her legs down to her feet. The slit from one hip revealed a long pale leg and slippered foot. His deeper thoughts, the fading sting of her slap, the view of her... it was all helping to build the pressure he was desperately trying to tamp down.

He closed his eyes and swallowed a sigh of disappointment in himself. Partially to hide his growing erection, but also to show respect for the Lady, he quickly dropped to his knees and curled over into a crouch, lowering his forehead to the dusty wooden platform of the dais.

There was a round of chuckles and hoots from the crowd but Arianda looked down upon him without amusement. His long black hair lay in a thick braid along his back, a broad muscular back. She followed the snaking line of the braid to its end, where it met his shackled hands then further to see his tanned back rounded off as strong smooth buttocks.

Arianda lifted her slippered foot and pressed it to the top of his head, turning it to the side and pinning his face painfully to the dais. He bit his lip to keep from emitting any sound of surprise at this. Her voice shot to him in a hissed whisper. "Beg me to bid on your worthless ass." The words pierced him, reached him as though the din of the crowd had hushed and there was none in the world but he and the Lady.

His voice was low and quiet and, Arianda noted, seemingly reverent. His words were muffled against the wooden planks of the dais but she could still hear them. He spoke slowly, softly. "M'Lady... I feel I have survived my life til now... for the privilege of entering into your service." He had to swallow for his mouth was dry and the dust, thick. He hoped his words would persuade her, although he wasn't yet sure why it seemed so important to be chosen by her particularly. "May I please you, for as long as you shall have me."

Her foot lifted from his head. "Rise." she said, rather coldly, belying his words' affect. It was all nonsense. He'd likely made up such a speech in the pit and was only glad the sweaty lord didn't tarry with him. Then again, he was a fine specimen, well formed and well spoken, educated or so it seemed. More nonsense. He was willful. He'd been chastised by the Handler now and was behaving but he'd had the nerve to growl at the other.

In her musings, she hadn't noticed he was slow to rise. Truthfully he was trying to, but this was not an easy task with his hands chained behind him and the chain between his ankles being rather short. The Handler stepped in and jerked him up by his elbow, making him wince for the action pulled his shoulder in the wrong direction.

When her eyes perused him again, he was standing appropriately, feet apart, eyes down, though seeming to work his shoulder as covertly as possible. Arianda looked over the wisps of dusty black hair, his unkempt beard and his eyes lowered such that even though he was much taller than she, his eyes were still hidden, nearly closed. He had a fine nose, strong cheekbones. He was well over six feet tall and broad but trim and muscular and smoothly tanned. She wondered what sort of work he had been doing before and how he ended up on the block. Likely a master or mistress who had tired of keeping him in line, she thought.

"Look at me." she commanded and stared calmly as his eyelids slowly rose, letting his gaze drift up to her face until he met her sapphire eyes. She looked back into shining dove gray eyes, so light from one so dark otherwise, yet something heavy in them. He swallowed as he looked at her. He saw the pale softness of her face and warm blue gray of her eyes. Her hair was copper fire, bundled up but reckless somehow, with stray strands playing at the edges of her face and neck. He suddenly wanted to truly beg her to bid on him but he locked his jaws again to hold his tongue. His eyes spoke to Arianda, but she dared not trust what she thought she was seeing there. He was property for sale. Nothing more.

Abruptly Lady Arianda turned from him. With a grunt from the Handler, Bernardo lowered his eyes again and could only watch the hem of her velvet dress whirl away. She was not pleased. He was sure of this. He had been too bold. He had not said the right thing. His member had reacted to her touch too quickly and without permission. Something. What? He closed his eyes and assumed there would be another possible bidder. She was surely gone.

Just as his hope was lost, there was the metallic thunk of a small bag of coins being dropped onto the attending Merchant's table. He heard Lady Arianda's voice say with authority, but no emotion. "If that gets the animal, then I'll have him. Otherwise, toss those coins to the poor. I'll pay not a coin more for his troublesome hide."

Bernardo held his breath and kept his eyes closed but now almost in prayer, as he waited for the Merchant's response. He hardly noticed that another lord had stepped up to look at him. He stood stock still until the Handler cracked the grip of his whip across his cheek, splitting the skin just beneath his eye as it managed to hit right on the bone. Bernardo grunted and hissed in air through his teeth at the blow. He flexed his face against the sting upon his cheek then tried quickly to recover his solemn composure. The lord had asked something of him but he was still listening only for the Merchant's acceptance of the Lady's bid. Hearing the commotion, Arianda turned just in time to see the strike then looked back to the Merchant with a glare that cut into him. "Damaged goods. Surely you haven't the nerve to attempt bartering now? Will this purse buy him, Yes or No?" The Merchant turned his wide eyes from the Handler's error and looked up apologetically. "No, m'lady no... I mean, Yes. We certainly accept your bid." He hadn't even counted her coins but he knew there was no use in trying to get more for this one with that cut so prominent and now trickling into his beard.

The Merchant handed Arianda a leash but she threw it back at him. She uncoiled her own fine leather leash from her sleeve and turned back to the property. Her glare alone moved the other lord back a pace. As her hand hooked the leash into Bernardo's collar, he caught a breeze passing by the Lady to him and a scent of something cinnamon and vanilla washed over his face, sweet but spicy. He dared not look at her but so very much wanted to.

The Handler, still sheepish from his mistake, asked if he should clothe the property again. "No." she said, clipping the word at him. "I'm at the edge of my patience now. He'll go with me as is."

Without another word to any of them she turned and pulled at his collar to lead him down the steps and into the heavy crowd. Bernardo was naked and bleeding, but he was owned... at least for now.

( Continued in Bear: Marking)

Relic Room

Other Relics

Ice and Fire
To Madame
Controlled Release

Bear1: Auction
Bear2: Marking