<span style="color: darkred">It is England, the year 1881. It has been a mere 30 years since the Great Exhibition. With the almost limitless resources that the British empire had given to inventors and scientists innovation has taken off (at a much faster rate than in our actual history). Steam power and clockwork powered a simply staggering amount of progress in a short span. With it came Britain's rise as the leading economic and military power in the world. It's industry was second to none. The acceptance of industrialized production led to a huge increase in output and already horseless carriages had begun to take dominance over the older horse-drawn carts. Advances in electricity and medicine as well as sanitation meant that the over all standard of living had become the envy of the populace the world over. It seemed every day new advances were making things more efficient and better for those who could afford them.<br/>
<br/>
There was, however, a downside to all the automation and improvement to the quality of life. With more efficiency less and less people were required to accomplish what had once been a monumental task. With more people finding themselves out of work they began turning to the masters of the new technology, seeking to apprentice and learn a valued trade. While many found employment this way, there simply were not enough. Even the military had to start turning able bodied people away. After all, with the military marvels that accompanied this rush of technology who would dare invade anyway. with weapons capable of greater accuracy, distance and lethality than their opponents they had little to fear. <br/>
<br/>
So it was that in 1872 that the Slave Act was passed through parliament. It allowed people to signs contracts that would, in essence, exchange a period of servitude for lodgings and food for the duration. Many took this option as a suitable alternative to homelessness and starvation. It was considered a charitable act by most to take in the less fortunate even if what those people once they had signed themselves over varied wildly and was not discussed in polite company. Once the contract was signed they were legal property and short of murder the actions of the owners were given great leniency and generally turned a blind eye. This led to longer and longer terms of service and more and more of the wealthy elite enjoying more debauched entertainment at the expense of their servants. This was, of course, just rumours and speculation and always many more examples of well-fed and well cared for servants could be brought to light than cases of abuse. Even in cases where the terms were indefinite and very often coerced the ruling body remained silent. So it was that many people were bought and sold like cattle to any that could afford the price...</span><br/><br/>Zoey took a slow, deep breath the caused her tight peasant dress to strain over her well developed chest. Opening her eyes, she frowned at all of the people watching her as she stood to the side of the main auction stage. It was humiliating to be lined up like cattle so that potential buyers could peruse the merchandise. This was beneath her and, not for the first time, she cursed her father. Zoey had been raised in luxury as a member of the upper class. She had learned to read and write, to play music and to ride. She had never been concerned with money for she trusted her parents to provide until she was of the age to marry. In what seemed the blink of an eye, that world had been ripped away. In the span of a single day she had gone from a member of a prominent noble house to a slave.<br/><br/>It seems her father was a degenerate gambler and had developed a rather substantial debt with a group of men that one most definitely does not wish to get into debt with. With the deadline coming up for his repayment and know of no other was to repay it, Zoey's father had sold her. Sold her like a possession! She had been delivered to a group of very suspect looking men in exchange for enough money to dig her father out of the mess he had gotten himself into. This new age of wonder had brought her into a nightmare that she would be trapped in servitude to whoever had the highest bid in the slave auction. Tomorrow, she would celebrate her eighteenth birthday in a slave. As the memory receded and the present situation pressed in on her again she nervously tugged at a few strands of glossy black hair that hung loose around her pale shoulders.<br/><br/>A crude remark involving having one's hair pulled was shouted out of the throng of on-lookers waiting for the auction to begin. Zoey's bright emerald eyes glared out across the crowd and her pretty young face set into a haughty and imperious expression. Just like the servants from her old life, the look cowed the people and most continued on. She would clearly be a handful and most buyers just wanted obedience not a challenge although, unbeknownst to the girl, she was attracting a lot of curious glances from certain men. Rough looking men seemed to keep an eye on her, the sort of men that would enjoy tearing down an arrogant girl and showing her, repeatedly if needed, her new station in life. As a pampered, spoiled girl she was not equipped to cope with this new reality. She had not even noticed that the girl waiting on either side of her had moved as far away as possible right after she had kicked a man in the shins that had become a little to forward. Zoey was also oblivious to the fact that the reason the dress she wore was too small and why she had been allowed to brush out her long hair and even wear makeup was to attract a certain kind of attention. The kind of attention that would pay top dollar.<br/><br/>Not that they would have missed her. Even though she was a petite 5'2 her skin was smooth and pale and she carried herself with a level of pride that was uncommon to the girls at auction. A discerning eye could easily see that she was used to a much better life. Her smooth skin with a light smattering of freckles along her cheeks, the bridge of her nose and the upper swells of her chest shone like a beacon amid the dishevelled young men and women with tanned skin from many hours spent outdoors. The way the tight, knee-length dress clung to her form but left toned lily white legs showing did not deter the eye either. Even the fact that the dress was a rough yellowed cotton did nothing to mute her good looks.<br/><br/>The auctions began and the first few went by without Zoey paying them any attention and before she knew it she was being helped up the steps. Eyes stared up at her and even her pride could not stop her from blushing as the weight of all those eyes settled onto her. She swallowed nervously as the auctioneer began the bidding. her deep emerald eyes swept the crowd with every bidder, glaring at them with open dislike. Her glare only earned raucous laughter from the crowd. Before long her head was spinning as she tried to follow the bids. Most of the men that were bidding on her frightened and disgusted her. Even with her sheltered upbringing she could figure out what they wanted but all she could do was watch and wait to see which of the filthy slobs would be her jailor until they tired of her. Most of the middleclass merchants and tradesmen were out of the bidding very quickly but still the bids climbed. Zoey's head was spinning as shouts continued to be heard from the crowd. Her supply pink tongue flicked out to lick her dry lips and she held her head up, focusing on one point and keeping her breathing even. In the face of even this adversity she would remain calm as a proper lady should.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>