The imperial city was covered in snow and looked quite beautiful from afar. Lamps were lit all over the city as the last few tradesmen and citizens made for their shelters or homes. Along the shore laid dozens of large ships, most moored for the winter and only occasionally serviced by sailors to keep the decks clean of snow.

“Sorry about the drawing on this one… My fingers are cold…” Saya returned the book to her, she put her finger to the page, and in her mind, a vivid image of the city sprung up in her imagination: Tall towers, great houses and vast ships. In the corner, what looked to be a bell tower, but obscured by corrective doodles. “It’s wonderful… If not for the situation… I’d appreciate the sight even more…”

“Yeah. Thanks for lending me something to draw with… That book means a lot to her.” She heard Saya return the items to Wesia. “So that’s a volume of those famed imagination books? At least that’s what I call them.”

“It is… It was a, gift from a very dear friend of mine… Whom I’ll probably never see again…”

“Cassy, don’t say it like that…” Saya interjected, but she countered her immediately by offering up a request.

“I’d like the both of you to draw yourselves in it? Would that be okay? Just in case the worst happens?”

“That’s fine… Let’s see…”

---

“Alright, keep going down the plank, nice and easy… Don’t want any of you future sacks of gold and silver to tumble into the water… You’d just freeze to death and waste the loving care we put into you!” The sailor shouted.

“Okay, line up over this way for counting and processing!” Another sailor shouted, and immediately began calling out registered names, and handing out numbers instead. Once the process was finished, she heard the metal squeaking of doors open, and she was roughly shoved into what became apparent to her was a cage, barely enough for her to sit straight inside of.

“Saya!?” She shouted, and to her relief, received a reply.

“Don’t worry! If we’re separated, I’ll come find you, I promise! Just do as you’re told and stay alive! I’ll find a way to save you!”

The night temperature was biting cold, and she almost hit her head on the bars when her cage was lifted into the air. It swayed threateningly and soon came down hard on a flat wooden surface with a loud clang. From listening to the workers, she could tell the others were being loaded onto the same sort of transport. She put her hands together and quietly prayed. Prayed for forgiveness and a miracle. In return came not the reply she was hoping for.

“That’s right girl. Pray, that’s all that’ll protect you now! Or, at least until someone buys you that is… If not, well might as well try hard for the afterlife!”

“I’m… Not afraid…”

“Yeah? You should be.”

The wagons began to rumble forward, horses neighing. After a short while, she suddenly felt the rumbling stop as the wheels hit smooth floor and lovely warmth licked her cold skin. Wherever they were, it was somewhere inside, and it was very warm. In the distance and getting steadily closer, she could hear a great murmur between people.

She could hear the flap of the curtain be drawn apart, and a loud roar of applause!

“Thank you, noble men and women! My captain wishes to inform you, that it’s cold outside!”

The audience roared with laughter.

“We’ve brought the finest of captives for your purveyance, ready your coin, and be prepared to bid! First up, and as a lovely bonus, this pair of twins! Caught just off shore from the Principality of Yridren! They’re excellent working girls, in good shape and condition… Bids start at ten gold pieces!”

“The audience laughed, and soon another voice she did not recognize spoke up.

“Lower your price! That much gold is simply ridiculous! We’d get five demonkin slaves for that price these days!”

“What!?”

“You don’t know? How long have you been at sea? We’ve invaded the demon continent! Even now, a flood of slaves is brought here with the red-masted ships!”

“I… See! And just how many have arrived? The seas are rather treacherous these days! Ice, extreme cold, snow… A myriad of dangers, and while I did see a lot of ships on the way in, they are all brown water ships, and none red-masted!”

“A low murmur began to hum through the crowd.

“But fear not! I hear your issue good people! Let’s begin at six gold!”

“A much better price! Six!”

“Seven!”

And the bids began.