could already speak of old age.
As every day, he was in the Egyptian marketplace and offered his 'goods'. Today he was unlucky and had to close the shop sooner. It started to rain, rarely, but it also happened in Egypt from time to time. At the moment he had been busy putting the chains on his slaves so that they would not get the idea and run away. But if so, he had made sure that two of his best men were at his side and would catch the runaway again immediately. Nothing easier than that. After all the girls had been taken care of, he began to take down the tarpaulin and put it in a bag. For today the business threw nothing more. Tomorrow he would try his luck again and offer the girls again.
"Do you really think tomorrow will be better, master?" One of the men wanted to know. He himself had been unsure because today it wasn't going quite as it should and the rain wasn't going to make it any easier. If it rained, it would certainly last for a few more days.Rain had been good for the harvest and life, but for the daily market it had been torture, there had been far fewer people ready to buy something or someone.
"We'll see, if not, we'll have the girls auctioned off, there will always be enough interested parties for that," said the man, glaring at the other. It was not fair to think that one could not do it.
"Sorry," nodded the other and helped with packing. He didn't want to let himself fall in a bad light and therefore kept silent.
When everything was finally packed, the three men made their way home with the seven women. The hut wasn't exactly big and as soon as they got there, the girls were locked in their small room where they weren't allowed out, at least not until the next morning.
"It's all the newcomers' fault ... since she's here, none of us have been sold to a generous nobleman or merchant," one of the girls complained.
So far they had all come to terms with their fate and knew that they had no chance of ever escaping from it. They were commodities and traded in, but so far each of them had made it. Each one the man sold was sold to someone in less than three days and had a better life than in this small room, but everything changed.
It started when the slave trader Nael picked up a girl in the desert. She was alone and her water bottle was empty. Likewise, the girl hadn't made it to the next oasis, much more likely she collapsed unconscious in the sand. It was no wonder she got sunstroke, but she was lucky or fate didn't want her to die, which is how she was found. Nael took her immediately and brought her with him. When the girl had recovered, she came into the slave room and was told by them there to explain her new life.At first the girls were frightened, but then they took them in. They thought nothing of it, but after two days, when none could be sold to either of the men, rumors began to spread. The new one, the girl with the light skin, the white hair and the light blue eyes, is said to have been cursed and everyone who was near her was cursed with.
No, nobody wanted her, neither man nor woman. The white-haired one, on the other hand, remained calm and withdrawn. She never spoke and was never asked. The girl had been lonely, lonely and alone, and yet she was still alive.
"If you ask me, the girl should be abandoned in the desert and she shouldn't be found," suggested one. Her tone had been sharp and harsh. The other girls just laughed, while the aforementioned just made herself small in order to attract as little attention as possible.
"You should do that with her ... but Nael will certainly not let that happen, he just wants to sell her, that counts for him," one sighed.
The whole time, the white-haired had to listen to these conversations, over and over again. She could hardly close her eyes without being afraid of not waking up the next day. She was always the last to fall asleep and the first to wake up.
"Let's get up, it's going to market," shouted Nael, getting ready. It didn't take long before all the girls were finished, they were used to doing this in this rhythm and certainly didn't ask. After a short breakfast everyone went back to the market. Meanwhile the rain had stopped, which was very strange for the time, but there was nothing to be done about it.
After Nael had set up his booth, he prepared all of his slaves and waited, as he did every day, for the men to come.
"We have a streak of bad luck," one of the girls grumbled and then looked at the white-haired one.She was unlucky and no one could tell her that it hadn't been.
"Girls ... calm down and get into position," said Nael, slightly annoyed. He, too, had noticed that business had not been going so well since he had a certain girl with him. At first he had assumed it would be different because she had such an extraordinary appearance, but he was wrong. The people seemed to be afraid of her or despised her, nobody wanted to be near her, to get involved with her or even to buy the other slaves from the estate. Slowly the dealer hung his head, it was definitely not good. Hours passed and still no one was there. "Come on ... let's dismantle," he ordered everyone. It hadn't helped if they were still here. He eyed the girl thoughtfully. She didn't say anything, she just stood there, he usually appreciated that about a slave, but it wasn't like that with the girl. She was his misfortune and she should regret that now. She would have nothing more to laugh about.
"We would like to see your scalvins," said a man. He, too, was older and yet more finely dressed than the others.
"Sure, my lord," nodded Nael and gave his people a sign. They quickly lined up all the slaves and stepped aside. Finally someone was there again who was interested in the girls and possibly bought one of them as well.
"Look, this girl, she is just 17 years old, virgin, her skin is soft and smooth ... or this one, she is 19 years old and has made her first experiences, she could pamper any man," said Nael all of his girls except one. He left the white-haired one outside and when she also lined up with the others, she was sent back again. This time she shouldn't stand by and scare off the prospective buyer.
"What do you think of that?", Shimazu asked his lord and master.
"I don't know ... we need something exotic ... our prince is not crowned Pharaoh every day," interjected Goza. He had been a servant to the old Pharaoh and would also serve as an advisor to the new one. He shared this position with Shimon, but inwardly he kept hoping that he would soon be the only advisor to the Pharaoh.
"Something exotic?", Nael wanted to know again. Then he whistled for his servant, who brought the white-haired one. "Perhaps you address this to yourselves. She never speaks and is obedient," he explained, pointing to the girl.
"It's not bad ... obedience is very good. I'll take it, it will be a gift to the Pharaoh for his coronation," said Goza. He knew that his gift would attract more attention than anyone else, especially since the future Pharaoh had the reputation that he was not like other people who indulged in the lust of the flesh. No, Atemu had been different and that's why his gift would be the best. However, he had to share it with Akunadin, who first had the idea that the Pharaoh could have a slave.
"Very good," nodded the dealer and made everything with Goza and Shimazu. The price was also right, although Nael would have asked less, but since the two really wanted the girl, they first made a suggestion, which was immediately accepted.
The other girls were amazed when their adversary was sold and would now even come to the royal court.
"Who would have thought that", Nael muttered and looked at the girls. These, on the other hand, were not exactly happy, even if they had much better luck with the customers afterwards, only there was no one who wanted to bring someone to the court as well.
"The Pharaoh will be happy," said Shimazu, looking at Goza.
"I know, but we have to hide her for another day, the Pharaoh should only see her after the ceremony ... Akunadin will come up with something," said the man and brought the girl after he gave her a robe and pulled the hood over her face into the palace.He didn't use the normal entrance that everyone took, no, he took the hidden entrance that only a few knew.