Almices looked at the large wooden cages inside the stockade and realised that Zamar was taking them there. The path descended down a winding road until it reached the enclosure and continued next to the stockade built with irregular wooden planks, dry straw, and mud, forming a barrier slightly taller than an adult. He thought it would not be hard to jump. They continued to skirt the structure until a large door formed by two heavy panels of wood that was closed. Zamar drew his sword and energetically knocked on one of the doors with the its hilt. They waited a while, and the door began to open. A very small man, Nerisa's height, began to open the heavy door to allow the pirate's entourage to pass through. The dwarf recognized the captain and greeted him, they exchanged a few words and the little man gestured for them to follow him. The whole group advanced through the enclosure behind the captain. The children looked around with fear of the unknown reflected in their eyes.
Inside the enclosure was spacious, with a large path dotted on both sides by several adobe buildings. Many people worked on different tasks. It was as if it were a small town, a village growing in the shadow of a big city. In the centre of the square, standing out from rest, were the huge wooden structures that Almices saw from the top of the hill. The group continued to move forward until it passed them. The smell coming out of the cages was strong and sour. The children looked at the people locked in there. Dirty, poorly dressed or even naked. Their dull eyes looked at them as if they were ghosts. Men, women, and children divided into various compartments. Individuals who were afraid and others who inspired pity. All very different from each other. All of them slaves.
The dwarf advanced to a stone construction that stood at the bottom of the stockade. The group stopped next to the building. The little man spoke to Zamar in the strange language that Almices heard before and the two men walked until they vanished inside the house.
It had been a while since the captain entered what seemed to be the main building of the grounds. The sailors relaxed talking about their things and the three children, still in chains, spoke quietly among themselves about their impressions when the door of the house opened again, This time to give way to Zamar and a man in his fifties, with a greying beard, somewhat shorter than the pirate, and fatter. He must eat well. Both of them proceeded in silence to the children. The stranger stopped in front of the three siblings, looking at them with expert eyes, scrutinizing the possible defects of the merchandise, evaluating their commercial possibilities. He made them open their mouth, which Almices resisted until another blow on his ribs made him change his attitude. The examination barely lasted a moment. The man exchanged a few words with Zamar, and they both returned to the house.
The children now became more aware of their situation. Their price was being negotiated. It seemed that his fate was decided and that, despite his insistent pleas, the captain would sell them to that man. The three of them held hands as they exchanged glances.
The door opened again and Zamar came out smiling. He closed the door behind him and approached the group. The children thought for a moment that they had been wrong about him.
"Well, it seems that this is where we part ways.” He walked toward the children raising his arms unable to suppress a smile on his face. “You now have an owner.”
"What have you done to us?” Nerisa spoke bitterly, with an insecure voice. It was the confirmation of their worst fears.
"I've sold you to one of the best-known slave traders in Tyre and the truth is, at a very good price.” He touched his right hand to the bag that was hanging from his clothes. “It won't take long for you to get to know a new home. He has to earn back what he paid for you.”
"You're despicable," Almices spat.
"Don't believe it, like I said, I did a you favour rescuing you and preventing you from dying of thirst, even though I regret what happened to your sister. “I have asked him to try to sell you together," he lied. “Think of it as a transaction, I saved you and you have rewarded me for it; otherwise, it was a pleasure.”
The pirate said goodbye without waiting for an response and turned to his men, signalling for them to accompany him, and they left. The siblings were left behind, waiting for their uncertain future, guarded by two muscular men as towers that were about thirty.
After a while, the door of the building opened again, and the slaver approached the children.
"How old are you?" He addressed Almices in a rare Greek.
"Ten," said the boy sheepishly.
"And what can you do?" the slaver scrutinised the child.
"I am a fisherman, but we have done nothing to be here.” He was ignored.
"Do you just speak Greek?”
"I speak it and write it.”
"You write it? Wow, very interesting. And you?” He now addressed Nerisa and Janira.
“We help our mother at home, we speak Greek and write a little too.” Janira remained quiet.
"Very interesting," he repeated. “You won't spend much time here. Tomorrow is market day, so we will take a quick tour of the city and let the gods be virtuous and blessed.” "He said goodbye to them with an inexpressive gesture.
The two men who remained guarding the children took them to the cages on the square. When they arrived, one of them opened a door by moving a heavy metal bar. They were placed inside, and the door bolted. The cage was empty, as though reserved for them. The only thing inside was a small bowl of water. Janira ran as fast as the shackles would allow to the bowl and began drinking. Her brother and sister joined her. They quenched their thirst and sat in the shade of wooden planks that made up the cage roof. They huddled together, just like when they lost their sister. They looked hopeless and pitiful, like the others in the adjacent cages. There were no words, none of the slaves spoke, only absolute silence. Words were not going to restore their freedom.
The rest of the day was spent in complete silence. Janira looked through the bars at the huge dogs sleeping on the square. They were taking advantage of the shadows of the nearby buildings. Nerisa cried unconsolably thinking what would be of her sister if they were separated. Almices, for his part, did not stop thinking that this could be the last night he spent with her sisters, and regretted having failed them and not being able to help his parents.
It was late in the afternoon when a small group of men approached the cages followed by some of the dogs swatting flies with their tails. They stopped in front of the cage, inspecting its occupants. They spoke that same strange language that the children heard Zamar speak earlier. A strange language, Almices thought. It became more apparent to him that they were previewing the merchandise they would buy the next day. The young man then began to examine those men in turn. There were about eleven or twelve of them, all well-dressed. Their tunics represented their good social and economic standard. Almices imagined their professions: Merchants, princes, powerful people without a doubt. With their diverse expressions, some kind, others treacherous and mean, they studied them with curiosity. What had brought them there to buy slaves? He concluded that both his sisters' fate and his destiny were completely out of their hands.
How strange it was to watch the sunrise from inland. Almices and his sisters had always seen it rise from the sea. The three had an uncomfortable night, closing their eyes for brief periods only to open them again startled by the fear of losing each other. Nerisa had exchanged a few words with a Greek woman who was in the adjoining cage. She explained that they were on the estate of one of the largest slave traders in the region. She had ended up there because her father could not pay off his gambling debts and had given her away for a set time to pay the debt and for her freedom. That was more than a month ago. She also explained to them that once a week they loaded two slave-laden cars and took them to market in Tyre to sell them. Apparently, the supply of slaves at the farm was constant.
The sun was already completely visible when a dozen men approached the cages accompanied by two carts pulled by ox. That morning happened to be the morning market in the city. The children stood up, nervous. Two men approached them. They hugged each other tightly, scared. The men forced them to climb one of the carts. From its wooden