Kenzie is in a line of people, seeming to keep her eyes forward she takes in everything around her. She is terrified, but doesn't show it. She has heard about these auctions and what happens to the young people in them. Already she sported a bruise on her cheek currently hidden by hair.

The Slavemaster pushes Kenzie to the platform...the bidding starts for her...the bids going higher and higher...after what seems like forever...the bids slow...until only one man appears to be winning...when the duke raises a finger...and quietly doubles what the other man is offering...

Kenzie stares straight ahead as the bidding goes on. She had never been this far out in the kingdom and she didn't recognize the man who stepped forward. She swallowed hard at his bid.

The Slavemaster smiles at the size of the bid...this girl would be his top slave..."Are you sure...Your Grace...this one is quite...feisty..."

"My bid stands..."

"Any other bids???...going once...going twice....SOLD...to His Grace...The Duke of Alder...Congratulations Milord...enjoy your purchase..."

Before Kenzie could be led off the stage she turned and spit on the auctioneer before launching herself off the platform and tried to make a run for side door. She had almost reached the door before being tackled to the ground by 2 of the bouncers.

The Duke watches...signaling his own men to go over and retrieve his new property...

Kenzie grunts as the guards heave her to her feet, she cradles her arm to her stomach, and she still struggles to try to get loose "No. you cant...i wont!"

The Duke follows her with his eyes...keeping his expression neutral.  His guard leans over and whisphers into her ear..."That's enough...quiet..."  His tone is harsh...as he grips her arm...he forces her to kneel near her new master...keeping a hand on her shoulder...The Duke returns his attention back to the auction.  He bids on several other young slaves...most are around Kenzie's age...one is even younger...barely a girl in her teens...but he doesnt pay anywhere near what he paid for Kenzie...after the auction is over...Kenzie and the others are taken to the Duke's private office...

Kenzie's face pales as the guard whispers in her, she landed an elbow to one of the guard's gut before being pushed to kneel. She gritted her teeth and decided to bide her time.

As she is moved to a fancy office she remaines quiet, a defiant light to her eye.

Once they are in the Duke's office, everyone is told to stand in a line...guards stand on either side of the line...making sure they dont misbehave...After a few minutes, the Duke walks in with his assistant.  

Kenzie stands in line with the others, as the last of the slaves enters, a young girl no older than 12. When the duke enters her temper gets the better of her "had your fill already? couldn't find anyone younger to suit you?" she snaps.

The Duke gives her a look as she speaks...then directs his orders to his assistant..."Lets get them all something hot to eat...clean clothes...and into bed...its late...first thing in the morning medical exams...make sure no one is injured...then interviews...leave her here..."  He says...looking at Kenzie...before sitting down at his desk...his assistant and a few guards start to lead the others out...leaving Kenzie standing there with a guard behind her...

Kenzie stands and stares at the Duke defiantly. She holds her hands at her sides, her right wrist aching and slightly swollen. The pain in her wrist helping her to keep a lid on her growing temper.

The Duke sits back in his chair...watching her..."Are you done being a brat...?"

Kenzie continues to stare at the Duke for a few more moments "Are you done being a pompous arse?"  she shot back, instantly regretting the words once they were out but only braced for the hit she knew was coming

To her surprise...the Duke smirks..."Defiantly Daddy's girl...you sound just like him..."

a look of confusion crosses her face briefly before she schools her expression 'whatever' she mutters "what do you want with me? she asks

Mackenzie Brooks...daughter of Justin and Lillian Brooks...

Kenzie glares at the man in front of her "you dont know me, or my parents" she grinds out, clenching her fists and then wincing as her injured wrist flexes.

I served with your father long before you were born...I attended his wedding to Lillian...and I was there the night they adopted you...

Kenzie shakes her head "No, You are lying" she said as her anger began to grow again, she battled trying to keep it under control. She found the fight more difficult each day.

Its a lot to take in...I have been trying to find you since I found out about the raid on the village that Justin and Lili settled in...So here is what we are going to do...You are going straight to Medical to get that arm looked at...might be broken...need to see if you had any damage to your face as well...you are going to have something to eat...get cleaned up...and get some sleep...

Finally Kenzi's anger gets the better of her "no" she says quietly and the garbage can by the desk that had been slightly smoking since the Duke mentioned her parents begins to flame "I will not be going anywhere with you" she says as angry tears leak down her face. She pivots and kicks the guard that had been standing behind her in the knee, breaking it and making a run for the door.

The Duke quickly reacts...having already pressed the door lock from his desk after the other slaves were lead out...he quickly douses the flames...before coming up behind her...grabbing her hands and holding her too him..."Kenzie...enough...you are safe here...!"

"NO!" she shouts as she struggles, she tries to throw her head back to break his nose. As his arms are around her he can feel just how thin she is, and gets a glimpse of some bruising on her neck

As he struggles to hold onto her...he manages to press his ring into her flesh...giving her an injection of the seditive he kept in there..."Easy Kenzie...its ok..."

Kenzie feels press of the needle her struggles begin to slow "no....its not....safe anywhere" the last almost barely audible as she goes slack in his grasp

The Duke carefully holds her as she goes limp in his arms...as she blacks out...he is calling out for assistance...

Hours later...when she finally does start to wake up...she finds herself in a medical room...in a soft and warm bed...however...she is restrained at the wrists...

Kenzie slowly awakens, she is aware of something soft beneath her. She slowly blinks her eyes open and takes in her surroundings. The events of the last week quickly become clear.

She tries to get out of the bed and notices the restraints on her wrist, her left wrist is wrapped, she figured it was only sprained and was grateful that was all. 

Seeing that the girl was awake...a woman comes over to her bedside...sitting down..."Easy my love...you are alright...No one will hurt you here..."

Kenzi looked at the woman, attempted to say something but her mouth was very dry. She croaked out a soft 'water' but nothing else

Artemis smiles warmly...getting up and going over to a table...pouring Kenzie a glass of water...she returns to Kenzie's bedside...sitting down and putting the water on the rolling table in front of Kenzie...unlocking and freeing Kenzie's good arm..."Please dont try anything..."

Kenzi was shocked to see powers used so openly. She took the glass and drank slowly, knowing if she drank quickly it would just come back up.

She set the glass back down "who are you and where am I?" she asked quietly, some of the fight from before seemingly gone.

"My name is Artemis...My husband is the Duke who brought you here..." She says...

Kenzi takes another sip of water "I see, and what would you like me to do for you Milady?" she shakes her cuffed wrist "though i am a bit tied up at the moment" 

The Duchess gives her a light smile..."Right now...you are doing exactly what we need you to do...rest and recover...you have a hairline fracture of your ulna...a lot of bumps and bruises from where the idiots smacked you around..." She says with distain..."You are underweight so we need to help you gain a few pounds...After that...we can figure out where you will be safest and have the best possible future..."

Kenzi sets her water down softly "right" she says softly, the tension in her shoulders returning as she remembered what happened at the auction.

"I understand" she said a bit of steel back in her tone and the emotionless mask slid back into place.

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe you" she says "I can read between the lines"

"Really...so tell me what you are thinking we are going to do with you Kenzie?"  The Duchess says in a soft but authoritative tone with a hint of a challenge...She shifts back over to the chair she had been sitting in previously...sitting back in the chair...watching Kenzie...

Kenzie adjusts the bed so she is sitting a bit more comfortably, watching the Lady for a few moments before making a decision "gain a few pounds? I don't fit with the accepted view of what a woman should like. So you will feed me until I meet those requirements. Once I do, if I don't fit within in your household, I will be sold or gifted to a trusted 'friend' to never darken your door again" she answers, her eyes never the Lady's

"Valid reasons...and given what you have been through...not unexpected that you would be anticipating that...Now...my thoughts...if I may?"

Kenzie holds in her snort and eye roll "go right ahead"

"First of all...you are no longer a slave...so you don't have to worry about being sold again...as far as "gifted"..."  She says in a angry tone..."That will never happen on my watch...Far as your weight goes...your entire village and everyone you ever loved and knew murdered a little over a month ago...your captors were not interested in making sure you were nutritionally taken care of...and your overall body condition shows it...you have lost muscle mass due to your body using your fat stores to keep you alive.  They withheld water and food...which accounts for the amount of re-hydration we had to to do to stabilize your condition.  We also gave you a course of IV nutrition to give your body a chance to rest and heal on its own."  

Kenzie's jaw tightened as she blocked the emotions trying to rush to the surface. The pain still fresh of losing everyone. She looks at the bed for a moment as she regained control of her feelings "thank you" she says so softly it could barely be heard. then a little louder "thank you for reminding me what a s**t hole my life has been" she swallows hard "if there is nothing I can do for you Milady" she spits out the title "I would like to be alone now" 

"I am not your enemy Kenzie...I am trying to help you..."  

"my parents are dead, the people who were supposed to be our friends, turned their back's on us. Pretty much everyone I knew, is dead." the tears she had tried to push back spilled down her cheeks, she angrily tried to wipe them away.

"I know darling...If I could bring back your parents and give you back your old life...I would do it in a heartbeat...All I want to do now is protect you and help you...Can you let me do that?"

Kenzie shakes her head and lets out a sad laugh and her shoulders droop "you dont get it. there is no help for me. I am doomed and so is everyone around me" she says as there is a clink and the cuff that was holding her to the bedside falls off, the clasp melted. She pulls the iv from her arm and moves to get off the bed. 

"You are not doomed...you cannot give up...Yes...right now...it seems like your life has sucked...but what would Lily think right now if she was here...would she want to see you give up fighting for a better life.  What would Justin think?  You didn't give up when you were 8 and fell off your horse...you were bound and determined to show your dad you could ride and compete in the roping challenge...You didn't give up when you tried out for your school play's lead...your mom stayed up with you for hours so you could rehearse your lines with her...You didn't give up then...don't give up now..."