Ch 1. I'll always be yours and you'll always be mine
#1 of Slave Trade series
On a slave route, the leader of a band of lizardmen develops feelings for a personal gnoll slave
My name's Ragnorak. I'm an aggressively stubborn lizard man, about 21 in human years, but in actuality I'm only 7. I have a lean, shallow muscular build. My scales are green. I don't have horns but I do have head spikes. Not very pointy, actually rather dull and I have a trail of spikes leading from my head down my spine leading to my tail, I'm 7"3' which is pretty average for lizard folk my age.
Anyways, what I do for a living? Slave trade. I go to different places around the world, take natives, and load 'em up on my ship to be taken back mainland to be sold. My primary job is just ensuring that I get as many as I'm told to get and bringing them back safely to mainland. It sounds like a horrible job but it pays off very handsomely.
I live with four other ship mates all of the same age;
Logan, A red scaled, 7"2' suave fellow, he does have two long straight head horns, no spikes, skinny and mild mannered.
Chester, the shortest member at 6"11', Blue scaled small short dull spikes covering his body, also thin and the jokester of the group.
Hector, the tallest member at 7'5", he's the tough guy of the group, not the brightest but he can hold his own in a fight. He has horns and spikes. Sharp enough to make ya bleed, lucky they don't cover his entire body. Only his tail. He's a little chubby and yellow mottled with orange.
And finally, there's Ren. He's my adopted brother, he's my height, easygoing personality. Well built, purple scales that shift color in certain lights. No spikes or horns. And that's the crew.
POV Change
"It's almost time." Ragnorak said in a low voice as he stood on the ship's deck.
"Ragnorak, when are we gonna go?" Chester questioned, annoyed with waiting.
"Patience my fellow crew mate... All will come, in due time." The leader replied calmly.
Night fell in a matter of minutes.
"Ready?" He asked bearing his sharp teeth.
"As I'll ever am." Hector stated happily.
"Hector... Remind me to get you grammar lessons..." Ragnorak sighed sarcastically with a slight grin.
"Gotcha. Heheheh." He replied.
The five got off the boat.
"Well, luckily this village is pretty small. Each of us take a section." Ragnorak said with another grin.
"Okay." The four replied in unison.
The five split off and began breaking into the huts all around. In the time span of an hour almost all of the villagers were chained and shackled.
Logan, Hector, Chester and Ren had wrangled 99 gnoll villagers.
"Hmm. Ren, where's Ragnorak?" Chester asked after looking around.
"He said he wanted to double check." Ren said coolly.
"Double check?! You know how small this village is?" He exclaimed, offended by his brother's actions.
Ren simply stated "Yes, I know... It is rather small and it was easy to take."
"Why would he need to double check?! Logan help me out here!" He asked wanting to hurry up and leave.
"Well actually Chester, it would be smart to leave no stragglers or survivors." He said nonchalantly.
At the word survivor, some of the gnolls in the group began to worry and talk amongst themselves.
"Well I mean, leave no gnoll behind." Logan quickly corrected himself after hearing the faint whispers of worry.
The gnolls sighed out in relief.
"Fine, if you're gonna be like that! He just better hurry his ass up." Chester said folding his arms and puffing out.
"Be patient Chester." Ren asked him.
"Yeah yeah, a big hug to you too." He said blowing him off and waving a hand.
Ragnorak was off searching and identifying every home for any last gnolls.
A whole five minutes passed of searching until he came upon his last hut.
He pulled back the cloth and there was a tall male standing in front of him growling, and wearing a loin cloth.
"Well well well. If it isn't number one hundred." He teased as he stepped in.
The gnoll growled more.
"Easy there. Let's just do this all easy like so there's no fuss." He held his hands out trying to calm the male.
Ragnorak stepped closer and the gnoll barked.
"Look, I'm not going to hurt you." He said truthfully.
He reached behind his back and took out the chains and shackles. The gnoll looked at the materials in Ragnorak's hands and became furious.
"You're coming with me." Ragnorak firmly stated.
"No!" The gnoll growled back.
"No? Heheh. Did you just say no? Ragnorak asked in disbelief.
"Yes. I refuse to be shackled." He retorted back with his hands gesturing to the chains and shackles.
"Look gnoll I don't have time to play games-" "Good cuz' I don't either." The gnoll interrupted.
"You know, you're making this process a whole helluva lot harder than it needs to be." Ragnorak said starting to lose his temper.
"I'm not putting those on." He stamped his foot.
"Good. You don't have to. I'll put that em on you." A grin spreading across his face.
Ragnorak took a few steps closer. The gnoll moved back.
"You will not!" The gnoll protested, bearing his fangs.
"Everyone else in your village has em. Why don't you just follow the crowd." He tried persuading.
"Those will not touch me." The gnoll demanded growling.
Ragnorak squinted his eyes.
"Oh really?" He asked sarcastically as he prepared to prove him wrong.
The gnoll smirked.
"Really." He said cockily.
A smirk crept up the corner of the lizard's mouth. He unlatched the shackles and tried to put them on the gnoll, who kept diverting each attempt. A few minutes passed and despite his best efforts Ragnorak couldn't get them onto the crafty gnoll.
"I see you're serious. I'm a business man so, why don't I cut you a deal?" He asked masking his deception with opportunity.
"Nothing you say will get me to put those on!" He commanded as he crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air.
The gnoll turned his back to Ragnorak. Ragnorak had the look of indifference on his face and took a spare rope that he carried tied it into leash.
"Oh really?" He asked again.
"Really." The male firmly stated once more.
Before there was any time for the gnoll to react, Ragnorak pulled the neck loop over the gnolls head and pulled tight.
"Come on. I told you you were coming with me." He said demanded while holding the leash with a tight grip.
The gnoll's airway was constricted for a for a short period before he finally gave in. The gnoll grumbled in anger and followed Ragnorak.
"You didn't have to go through all that." He said now much calmer.
The gnoll glared at the lizard ahead of him and the duo walked back to the ship.
"It's been over ten minutes. Where the hell is he?!" Chester asked angrily.
"Yeah. I still need grammars!" Hector stated.
"Hmm. I don't know. You three load these gnolls onto the ship." Ren ordered ad he thought for a while about his brother's whereabouts.
"Fine, but Ren if you see Ragnorak tell him that he's late." Chester demanded of him.
"Understood." Ren said, giving him a nod as he went off.
Chester, Logan, and Hector loaded the gnolls into the lowest, largest room on the ship. The transportation room.
There were windows and a few bathrooms. Other than a few long tables and around 30 or so hammocks there wasn't anything special about the room.
"Here's where you'll all be staying."
Logan lead them into the room and unshackled them one by one. There was an assortment of gnolls. Women, men, children, families, all taken and brought into this large room.
As he got down to the last three, the room wasn't even at half maximum capacity.
When all of the gnolls were released from their shackles into the room Logan shut the door and locked it.
For a slave ship, it was surprisingly hospitable. The ride wasn't as miserable as most were, of course out on the see the food isn't the best but everyone ate at least twice a day, there were multiple bathrooms, a large space and sleeping accommodations. Of course it was no cruise ship but, it wasn't that bad. The reason for all this was, of course, the profit.
First there was a basic payout, which was dependent on the size. Next there is a tax, if the number was lesser by the time the delivery date was reached, money was taken away. Of course, the aim was to let no money be taken away.
Then there was a bonus for the quality and condition of the slaves. If they were in healthy condition, kept clean and hygienic, more money could be earned and of course there was an extra bonus for broken spirited slaves.
If the slaves were not healthy, hygienic and clean no money would be added along with chipper slaves. So they were doing good in terms of the money they'd make..
Ragnorak made it to the ship and was greeted by his brother Ren who was outside deep in thought.
"Oh hey Ren." Ragnorak said as he walked leading the gnoll.
"Ragnorak where were you?" Ren asked as he approached him.
"Out getting this last one, who was putting up a bit of a fight." He said pointing to the grumpy gnoll a few feet behind him.
"A fight?" Ren inquired.
He leaned in close to Ragnorak just out of ear shot from the gnoll.
"You know you can take Hector." He whispered lowly hoping Ragnorak would catch his drift.
"And?" He asked wanting him to clarify.
"There's nothing in the book that says we can't rough em up a bit." He said with concern.
"I know." Ragnorak said in full composure.
"So why didn't you-" "to keep them all in tip top conditions." He cut him off before allowing him the rest of his sentence, leaving Ren standing alone in partial awestruckness.
Ragnorak walked past him and brought him into the mess hall.
"You wait here." He said releasing his portion of the rope onto the ground.
The gnoll walked into the corner and sat down. Ragnorak sat down on a bench of to the side. Ren walked into the room after a few minutes.
"Are you ready to leave, since we have everyone rounded up?" He asked, now fully composed.
".... Yes..." Ragnorak said, not looking up at all.
"Okay...." He replied awkwardly.
Ren walked out onto the main deck, giving command to set sail. Hector headed for the wheel first.
"I driving!" The brute shouted as be grabbed the wheel.
Chester and Logan laughed to themselves. Ren sighed out in frustration,
"Idiot."
Logan hoisted the anchor up with help from Chester and Ren after ten minutes and the ship left port.
"Okay. Where to, captain?" Ren asked in a heavy sarcastic manner that Hector didn't notice.
"That away!" He said as he lifted his arm out.
Hector pointed Northeast.
"Uhh no. Actually Hector, we wanna go that way." Logan said correcting him.
Logan pointed to the Northwest. Hector grasped the spokes of the wheel and turned hard leftwards. Some minor adjustments later and the ship was finally headed in the right direction.
"Okay, if we keep heading this way we'll be good. Hector, Lock the wheel." Ren ordered.
"Kay boss!" Hector said as he went to go get the manual locking mechanism.
Hector lodged a heavy steel rod through two holes in the steering wheel and drove it into the ground. The four headed into the mess hall and meet up with Ragnorak. Chester noticed the gnoll sitting in the corner and walked over to him.
"I'll just put him with the rest of em." Chester said aloud as he began to pick up the rope.
"Don't." Ragnorak said, eyes closed from being deep in thought.
"Huh? Why not." Chester questioned, confused by the order.
"I have him there for a reason." Rangorak said opening his eyes in a glare at the short reptile.
"You do?" He asked in disbelief.
"Just what are you up to?" Logan asked him, also questioning his motives.
"I'm thinking." He said slowly still thinking.
"Well okay then." The short lizard man said in a shrug.
Chester moved away from him.
"I have plans for him..." He said, leaving them at that
Ragnorak glanced at the gnoll.