Free The High King: A Tale of Alus by Donald Wigboldy Page A

wind up ownin' my own ship. Your tribute is nothing compared ta what I'll make then."
They were soon led to a large gate where the crowds no longer hovered nearby. Within the area was a low, dark, wooden building. Other slaves were already shackled within as well. Simon could hear a man calling out loudly from what must have been the front of the building, but from the outside. They waited there for a long time in the darkness in a long line that slowly moved forward. Columns of slaves moved through a small wooden door at the far end. Slowly, but surely the three were moving closer to that opening as well.
It took hours before the group had their turn to walk through the doorway. A new man led them out and up a set of wooden stairs onto a platform. A few other men were already awaiting them atop the structure. A large crowd of people were gathered in front of the stage watching their approach eagerly as well.
A man peered over at them from behind a podium. "Ah, here is a new batch for all of you to choose from. These are all strapping young men, people. They are healthy, strong workers for you in your fields. We'll start our bids for the nearest to me. What are my bids?"
With those words, Simon watched as his final minutes of freedom fell away. Up until this moment, he had planned on some form of escape, but now as the crowd threw out their numbers for his value, the young man knew that he was to be truly enslaved. The bidding stopped at a fair price of one hundred fifty gold coins and Simon was separated with a click of a key in his chains.
He was led to a small booth where his new owner collected him after paying his fee. Simon looked back vainly over the heads of the crowd to that dais where his brother took his turn.
Simon heard as the crowd went wildly calling numbers for his brother in a form of feeding frenzy. Gerid was an unusually large, strong, young man. Even as Simon was led from the yard, he knew that his brother would fetch a premium price that would put his own to shame.
He sighed as he walked on his tether. Any price would be a bargain. Gerid's qualities were so far beyond a normal man's grasp, that they could never afford his true worth, even if that was a brother's love judging the opinion. No matter the price, however, the gold meant a new life of slavery.
Chapter 10- New Beginnings
    Gerid had been placed in a large, wooden wagon along with four other slaves. A set of men drove the wagon while two others rode inside watching over the `new merchandise' as they were laughingly referred to as they road along.
    The young man, who was still so close to being a boy, had seen his brother led away from him as well as his best friend, Janus, before he was led away by his own buyer. Inside his big chest, his heart ached savagely. Gerid had never been this alone in his life. Always he had some part of his family to help him or at the least to be with him. Now he was alone with his thoughts and feelings and, since they were focused solely on his losses, Gerid could only hurt more as he dwelled on them. As the youth lingered in his heartache, he also began to strengthen himself. A large, undying sense of hate began to take root in the cracks of his soul.
    Gerid found a focus for his hatred. Lord Merrick needed to pay he decided strongly and Captain Seymon too, if he could ever find that arrogant monster back. If there was a way, he would find both men and make them pay dearly. His mind played with all the possible cruelties that he could bestow on the men that were responsible for his family's destruction.
    Lost in his thoughts, Gerid missed the looks from the men around him as glimpses haunted him of Serra and even Simon, whom he had just left. The young man could only hope that his brother would honor their oath and return to their old home to join him someday. Then they could unite to avenge their sister, since she was now beyond their ability to help anymore. That thought suddenly brought tears that he had suppressed