Amethyst is taken by the group of thieves towards what could be seen as a Big White House, but, it wasn't just a simple "house", it was the place where it provides workers for the Emperor's palace, so they are very important.
Neither the Emperor nor even the advisors know about the Big White House's sources to have "willing" workers every time the palace and noble houses needs, only the members and Big White House's workers know about this secret, and they will never reveal it to the public.
***
The thieves arrive in the place, being greeted by a woman holding up a board with a paper full of scriptures, on the other hand holding a paintbrush, using a Coat of Arms of the Big White House. The blazon in her chest, the paintbrush and the board with a paper, the aura of authority and stoicism are indicators that she's one of the members who do the assessment of the living beings that arrive at the place before being sent to the noble houses.
"Huh? So you could do a job." The woman is faintly surprised. "You bring another merchandise."
"Yep. The more we find, the better will be for us." Said the one who is carrying the unconscious Amethyst, like a sack of potatoes. "Take a look at this one!"
He holds Amethyst in front of the appraiser, letting her give a basic analysis.
The appraiser steps closer before starting to give a look at Amethyst, lifting her head up and taking some hair off Amethyst's face to have a proper vision of what this living being looks like.
"This living being is a human, I can't feel any wave of animalistic nature in her essence, or any creature features in her." Explains the appraiser. "But... Something tells me that she has potential." She gives a closer look on her face. "But why I have the impression I had seen her before...?"
abruptly, the appraiser take her hand off Amethyst's head, letting it fall down.
"Take her to where the other goods are for a proper assessment, she has potential and we can't waste that."
***
----
I start to gain consciousness after the sudden blow I received from that group of strangers.
I feel... Cold. Like laying on a cold floor in a humid place, specifically. It seems that it wasn't another crazy dream of mine. How... Exciting.
I start to slowly open my eyes, rubbing them faintly to adjust in the dim light of the room, or better... the cellar. How great. As I sat and tried to look around, I noticed that both of my wrist and ankles are tied with chains, humph, so they truly know how to keep a person, but anyway.
The cellar was small, it didn't have a bed or a place for the necessities or a window, even with the torches on the corridor the place was somehow humid and quite cold, like an animal captivity. I can hear sounds of sobbing, chains moving and murmurs in the other cellars, and I get curious. Are there other humans or are there also creatures as well?
I approach the bars, placing my hand on it before I start to look around. To my surprise, it had more creatures than humans, I don't believe that is for more diversity purposes, it's much more for the use, or exploration, of their abilities.
Each cellar has, at maximum, 3 to 4 captives, if I'm alone, then I must be the last one who arrived.
"Oh... Poor young woman, already has her fate condemned."
What it looks like to be a very old lizard muttered, I look at the direction of the voice, tilting my head slightly to the side in confusion and curiosity.
"Yes sir...?" I talked back, a bit unsure how to respond.
"You must have been taken against your will by a group of thieves, right?"
I just nod in response.
Before the old lizard could respond, a sudden feminine voice spoke.
"We are merchandise now, and we can't escape."
The voice comes from the other cellars, but because of the angle I can't see her appearance.
"We are captured against our will by a group of thieves who work for the Big White House, and we will be sold to places who request for workers." She explains. "We will be assessed by a group of appraisers, to see our value and consider us as 'Useful' or 'Useless', the more qualities and powerful you are, the better and more lucrative they become."
So we probably are trafficking cargo.
"And how do you know that? Were you here much more time than the others?" I questioned.
"Yes I am." She responded. "I was returned by the purchasers three times because my performance wasn't good enough, I hit the limit of devolution so I can't be sold again, instead I'm gonna be put as a worker of this place... And I'd rather die than work here."
So I was right, we ARE now trafficking cargo. And since it's illegal, the purchasers must not know about this, thinking that the Big White House gives "opportunities of work" without anything dark involved.
But also, she said that we are gonna be sold, then probably the purchasers are not the lord's or masters but the committee or high rank workers qualified enough to be in a place in their lord's name since it needs to be presencial. So the clients of this House are as corrupt as the members to buy workers instead of just hire them.
"Your chain is different from ours." The old lizard said. "It doesn't have a gemstone in it."
Stopping to think about it, the old lizard was right, his chain have a black gemstone in it except mine. Since they're creatures, they have abilities by nature, that black gemstone is known to disable any type of magic or ability when in contact with a living being, no wonder why it's right in the first page in the book about gems and rocks.
"You must be a powerless human then if they didn't find any trail of magic in you. Only humans have chains without this rock." Said the woman, or girl, I still don't know about her or her appearance to know what she is.
"Yes, I am a human." I responded(lied). Well, at least I don't have that annoying rock in me. I retreat back further to the cellar.
***
Well, now I have to wait until the day of the assessment, I guess. If I count the days on the wall I will know how much time it passed since the kidnap, just to not lose the time. My clans, specially my family will be hyperworried in these day that I won't be able to communicate with them.
With my nails(claws), I scratched a line in the wall, it wasn't much, but it was enough for me to be aware... I should had bring my herbs with me.
----
With That, Amethyst leans against the wall, her arms crossed and her head low, waiting for the day she will see the light again. She can escape from there, yes, but something in her mind says to not, she still wants to see the new fate that awaits her. Will she be considered as 'Useful' or 'Useless'?