It was a normal day in the bazaar. People were buying their daily needs, hearing the latest rumors and, for the ones that could afford it, buying slaves. A people´s dealer, as some called them, was the best way to make a life if one wasn´t a noble.
One may wonder how they could sell humans at the best profit without being arrested. Though in any other reign these sellers could be killed for this act, in Cranagan, thanks to the Testarossa´s royal family, this business was overlooked. After all who would clean their castle if there were no slaves? Not them certainly.
In this particular place, one of the main sellers, a brunette with blue eyes, owner of a bar, the Raising Heart to be precise, was giving what many would call a bargain. She was giving away three kids, one boy and two girls, for the minimal price of five gold coins.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, come on, come on, pass and see the new offer that I do to anyone that wants it. These three kids, young strong, can be yours for the minimal price of five gold coins. That’s right, three little workers for that minimal price. Who wants these young yet efficient workers? They may not seem like nothing right now but they will be a great help in the future. Who says me?” the owner of the bar, Nanoha Takamachi, was trying to get the people around her to buy her new product, but so far she had no luck. Perhaps it was that the kids were harder to educate, or that this time the buyers were interested in something else. “Come on don’t be shy, this offer is just today”
These three kids, a blond with green eyes, a red haired with blue eyes and a blonde with one red eye and a green eye, were scared about what could become of them, although only one, the blonde, showed it. The blond was trying to hide his fear in a calmed face, while the red haired was had an angered one.
“I accept your offer,” a woman with raven hair and purple spoke. The always hailed, Lord of Cranagan, Precia Testarossa had arrived to the bar. It was not a common sight that a person of such importance entered a place like this, officially at least. “And I´ll give you ten gold coins instead of five.”
“Why, thank you my lady. I appreciate your generosity,” Nanoha bowed to Precia in a respectful and somewhat mocking mode. “Why doesn’t the Lord of this beautiful land accompany me so we can wrap this transaction?” she asked. Without waiting for a response she walked into a door at the other side of the room. As she expected, Precia followed her into the room.
The room was small as it only had table and four chairs. It was mostly used to resolve important matters, as the owner of the bar called them, and this one was one of those.
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“So Precia,” Nanoha dropped the formalities. It was only known by their closest friends that the two of them were, as a lack of a better term, friends. Although the age difference was over ten years, the two of them could understand each other. Except for certain times when they did random actions like this one. “Why do you need these three? It’s not like you to suddenly buy new workers.”
“Why I just took pity on the kids, after all it looked like they were about to suffer in the hands of the white devil,” Precia and Nanoha smiled. It was known that the owner of Raising Heart was merciless with almost anyone, the only exception being her lover and waitress of the bar, the lord in front of her and her personal guardian. “Besides its good for your business, isn’t it?
“Don’t try to weasel out of this my lady.” the brunette retorted. It was natural curiosity that the merchant felt. “Is it for our dear and cute Fate?” the brunette smirked. There was only one reason why Precia Testarossa would do something so abnormal, and that was her daughter.
“You know me too well Nanoha,” the black haired replied with a smile on her face “She has been down lately after Alicia left, so I decided to get her some friends to play with. What a coincidence that you were making such an offer,”
“Indeed, what a coincidence,” the brunette said. But as she had learned, there were no coincidences in this life. “So want me to take them to your castle right away or you will wait ´till I say goodbye?” the brunette giggled.
“Whatever you like my friend” the black haired woman stood up from her chair “But try to not leave any marks” with that said the lord of Cranagan left the room.