Chapter 18

Amina, Makina and Farai anticipated the news of Hafsat’s sale and they aren’t unduly emotional about her departure. I’ve no idea what future awaits Hafsat, but she seems happy with the outcome. Her sale certainly solves a potential problem for me. I had previously thought her to be the hardest of the four older sisters to find a suitable buyer.

The day arrives for a private inspection of Isa ahead of tomorrow’s public auction. Tabib is there as usual, as are Yasir and Jona. A woman agent called Lucja, who is working for an undisclosed patron, also requests admission. Yasir apparently knows her and he vouches for her credentials. I’m wary of people I don’t know. The larger slave training houses have periodically had problems with time-wasters and sellers who merely want to evaluate the competition at the upcoming auction.

Both Yasir and Jona make offers for Isa, but both are too low to attract a deal. I’m about to call an end to the viewing when Lucja offers one hundred and fifteen solidi for Isa. I could risk declining and take my chances at tomorrow’s auction, but rumours of a pending influx of western slaves are already affecting market prices. I accept Lucja’s offer and we set about completing the paperwork.

Yasir and Jona depart but Tabib stops to talk with Zoe. I’m not sure how he discovered we had the five young sisters living in one of our rooms, but he asks to talk with me about them. As soon as Lucja departs with Isa, I meet with Tabib in my office.

“I presume the youngsters are orphans?” probes Tabib.

“Yes. They arrived here with a larger group and I agreed to take them in until something can be done about their future.”

“I had heard rumours of a group of young slave girls arriving a few weeks ago. I dismissed it as gossip since no slave trader worth the name transports young children long distances.”

“Hmm. Unfortunately any fool can try his hand at being a slave trader.”

“What do you intend to do with the girls?”

“At the moment, I’m taking care of them. As to their longer term future, I don’t currently have a plan.”

“I know a man and his wife who lost their three young girls in a tragic accident last year. The children here are about the same age as their lost girls. It’s possible they may be interested in adopting one or more of your girls. I presume the girls don’t yet carry a slave-mark.”

“They are too young to be slave-marked. I would need to discuss an adoption with their older sister, but it would be a solution if the couple are interested.”

“I don’t want to suggest an adoption with them if you are going to refuse. Can we discuss the proposal with this older sister you mention?”

I arrange for Amina to join us. Although she has been wearing only a loin cloth for weeks, she is nervous at being seen up close by a man. Tabib doesn’t help matters by practically drooling and devouring her with his lustful eyes.