The girl appeared to have made her pick as well, a girl who was just as diminutive as herself, but fair, with hair like wheat albeit regrettably cut short. She led her out of her cell, giving Francis an impatient look when the girl halted as she reached the end of her chain. He called for more servants, unlocking her chains himself, and watched her be lead away. As she passed one cell, the occupant cried out, and suddenly he was at the bars and reaching out for her. "Erika! Erika! Where are you taking her, you bastards?"
The girl looked distressed, shaking her head as she let herself be led away. "Basch, please, it's no use. Please..." Then she sobbed and buried her face in her hands.
Francis sighed, annoyed. "I was afraid this was going to happen," he told Mr Carriedo, who was giving him a surprised look. "It's the girl's brother. When they were sentenced to be slaves, he cut all that beautiful hair off her head to make her harder to sell." He tutted impatiently, shaking his head. "Quite barbaric. Still, your daughter has a good eye. It will be very beautiful once it grows back out."
"She knows what she wants," Carriedo agreed with a somewhat rueful smile. "Are you going to have trouble with the other one now? I can take it off your hands if you want."
"Oh, I couldn't ask that of you, old friend. It's been troublesome all along, obstinate and rude, it would be too much..."
Carriedo grinned at Francis. "You heard the young lady, we're taking the other one as well. If he's too much trouble we can set him to work at the plantation."
Francis inwardly cringed. The slave was troublesome, yes, but a far too beautiful thing to be coarsened by hard work and spoiled by the sun. But he could hardly disagree with such a valued customer, so he nodded in agreement, and was distracted a moment later when Feliciano declared to have found the one he wanted as well. Another female, a dark beauty found on some savage island by pirates. Francis had bought the girl as merely a child, and he'd given her a suitable name - Veronique after his favorite dog when he was a child - groomed her and made sure she was taught to speak civilized languages. Quite an exotic find, in other words, and it was almost a shame to let her go to such a foolish and unrefined young man, but at least he could demand a hefty price for her.
"Are you sure I can't tempt you too?" he asked Mr Carriedo lightly as she too was lead away, and received a laugh and a slap on the back in turn.
"Not this time. But you know I'll be back, and it won't be long before my kids are shouting for more as well."
"Well, it's always a pleasure to do business with such a valued customer," Francis replied, "and your charming children as well." He had a feeling that they were going to grow on him. They were making sure he stayed a very wealthy man, after all.
But then, he was the very best, and so were his wares.
***
Well, this was fun! Might do a sequel or something that follows this up, we'll see. Thank you for a lovely prompt <3
I love it! Such a good take on the whole idea of slavery. I liked that you showed how they had dehumanized the poor people who were slaves in their minds; it definitely seems to fit the request to me.
Also, Francis is exactly how I would expect if he were a slave trader. Interestingly, he's the opposite of my Francis in my Slave AU, but it's still so quintessentially him.
And the touch with Basch and Erika was very nice. I liked how you had their relationship from Hetalia translate into this AU.
I do take a bit of an issue with them calling the slaves 'it;' it is very dehumanizing, but we do still call animals he and she... It's more my personal taste than actually a flaw, though. I found it interesting that Lovino called Tolys a 'him' when everyone else was calling them 'it;' is that a hint at a different point of view?
Anyway, lovely fill, I hope you fill more requests, since you do write well!
SCREECH well I. really love your AU, so I'm really glad you enjoyed it and that you didn't think I was misrepresenting the character and managed with the fill without anyone going rampantly ooc <3
To tell the truth I was on the fence about the "it" thing and it. does look really weird in text on a couple of places, so I appreciate the opinion. And yes, I was trying to hint at that Lovino sees them more as people, which is why he thinks it's scary to own one - you can't control them like you would a pet.
Anon this is utterly brilliant. You've written Francis wonderfully, and I love Feliciano-- even though he doesn't talk much, he's still perfectly in-character. Your world-building is wonderful, as well. I do hope you continue this!
Thank you so much! I had a lot of twisted fun writing Feliciano being his adorable self in a way that was kind of horrifying, so I'm really glad that came out right ^^ I am definitely writing something that will follow up on the kids and how they handle their new slaves at least <3
This was wonderful, anon! Francis' characterization and thoughts through the whole process really made this a fascinating read. I couldn't help but like him even though the dehumanization of the slaves was so strongly present. But that's exactly what I wanted!
The other characters were wonderful as well, and I'm impressed by how much characterization you were able to put into such a short story. Lovino in particular was great. And I love the uncommon master/slave combinations you did because these characters don't usually get to interact.
All in all, this was an amazing fill, anon! Thank you so much for writing!
YAY, I'm so glad this is what you wanted ^^ Doing this from the slave trader's perspective was a lot of fun, so I'm glad you enjoyed it. And since I wanted the fill to be complete in itself, even if I might write further on it, I wanted to cram as much of the characters in there as I could xD
Thank you so much in turn for this wonderful prompt, nonnie, I had a lot of fun <3
I really liked this fill, anon! It's interesting to see multiple perceptions of slaves, not just the 'hate' it and 'love' it variety. (if that makes sense...?) I hope to see future stories in this 'verse from you!
Thank you so much! I was trying to get some differing views in, while still maintaining a learned-from-infancy conviction that slaves are subhuman/basically things <3
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Worth and cost 3/3
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 04:54 am (UTC)(link)The girl looked distressed, shaking her head as she let herself be led away. "Basch, please, it's no use. Please..." Then she sobbed and buried her face in her hands.
Francis sighed, annoyed. "I was afraid this was going to happen," he told Mr Carriedo, who was giving him a surprised look. "It's the girl's brother. When they were sentenced to be slaves, he cut all that beautiful hair off her head to make her harder to sell." He tutted impatiently, shaking his head. "Quite barbaric. Still, your daughter has a good eye. It will be very beautiful once it grows back out."
"She knows what she wants," Carriedo agreed with a somewhat rueful smile. "Are you going to have trouble with the other one now? I can take it off your hands if you want."
"Oh, I couldn't ask that of you, old friend. It's been troublesome all along, obstinate and rude, it would be too much..."
"I can take care of it," Angélica offered with a small shrug. "It's rather nice to have a matching set, really. I can dress them in matching clothes."
Carriedo grinned at Francis. "You heard the young lady, we're taking the other one as well. If he's too much trouble we can set him to work at the plantation."
Francis inwardly cringed. The slave was troublesome, yes, but a far too beautiful thing to be coarsened by hard work and spoiled by the sun. But he could hardly disagree with such a valued customer, so he nodded in agreement, and was distracted a moment later when Feliciano declared to have found the one he wanted as well. Another female, a dark beauty found on some savage island by pirates. Francis had bought the girl as merely a child, and he'd given her a suitable name - Veronique after his favorite dog when he was a child - groomed her and made sure she was taught to speak civilized languages. Quite an exotic find, in other words, and it was almost a shame to let her go to such a foolish and unrefined young man, but at least he could demand a hefty price for her.
"Are you sure I can't tempt you too?" he asked Mr Carriedo lightly as she too was lead away, and received a laugh and a slap on the back in turn.
"Not this time. But you know I'll be back, and it won't be long before my kids are shouting for more as well."
"Well, it's always a pleasure to do business with such a valued customer," Francis replied, "and your charming children as well." He had a feeling that they were going to grow on him. They were making sure he stayed a very wealthy man, after all.
But then, he was the very best, and so were his wares.
***
Well, this was fun! Might do a sequel or something that follows this up, we'll see. Thank you for a lovely prompt <3
A!A
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 05:00 am (UTC)(link)Re: Worth and cost 3/3
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 06:11 am (UTC)(link)Also, Francis is exactly how I would expect if he were a slave trader. Interestingly, he's the opposite of my Francis in my Slave AU, but it's still so quintessentially him.
And the touch with Basch and Erika was very nice. I liked how you had their relationship from Hetalia translate into this AU.
I do take a bit of an issue with them calling the slaves 'it;' it is very dehumanizing, but we do still call animals he and she... It's more my personal taste than actually a flaw, though. I found it interesting that Lovino called Tolys a 'him' when everyone else was calling them 'it;' is that a hint at a different point of view?
Anyway, lovely fill, I hope you fill more requests, since you do write well!
Re: Worth and cost 3/3
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 02:24 pm (UTC)(link)To tell the truth I was on the fence about the "it" thing and it. does look really weird in text on a couple of places, so I appreciate the opinion. And yes, I was trying to hint at that Lovino sees them more as people, which is why he thinks it's scary to own one - you can't control them like you would a pet.
Really, thank you so much <3!
Re: Worth and cost 3/3
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 07:52 am (UTC)(link)Re: Worth and cost 3/3
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 02:27 pm (UTC)(link)OP
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 08:05 am (UTC)(link)The other characters were wonderful as well, and I'm impressed by how much characterization you were able to put into such a short story. Lovino in particular was great. And I love the uncommon master/slave combinations you did because these characters don't usually get to interact.
All in all, this was an amazing fill, anon! Thank you so much for writing!
A!A
(Anonymous) 2013-02-10 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)Thank you so much in turn for this wonderful prompt, nonnie, I had a lot of fun <3
Re: Worth and cost 3/3
(Anonymous) 2013-02-11 02:55 am (UTC)(link)Re: Worth and cost 3/3
(Anonymous) 2013-02-15 12:53 am (UTC)(link)