Desmond finally washed up and got dressed much to Artemis relief.
" Were are almost an hour late because of you, don't annoy the duke when we get to his estate. We have to finalize the trading deal today" Artemis warned.
Desmond rolled his eyes " and what is the duke going to do about it? Have you forgotten we are among the five lords of this kingdom? The most powerful figures in all the land, I'm sure the duke wouldn't mind a little lateness. He should be the one groveling and begging us to attend that boring meeting" he grinned his fangs peaking out.
The Five lords were indeed the most powerful figures in the land, even more powerful than the king himself as the king couldn't make any big decisions without their approval. The five lord lived in the castle with the king even though they all had various mansions built around the kingdom. They had to keep an eye on the new king; king valor ii who not only made stupid decisions but also didn't like the fact that he had to take orders from the five lords, even though it was something that had been present for generations now.
The five lords had always been there since the kingdom was founded. they had lived longer than any king that sat on the throne. They had watched different kings since their birth till the day their deaths.
The 5 lords are said to be touched by the goddess, making their blood line purer than any creature that had ever lived. Giving them immortality and despite being alive for thousands of years, the lords still looked like they were in their 20's their youthful appearance still intact.
But that doesn't mean they couldn't be killed. They could, although difficult but not impossible, and right now they suspected the king was unto something.
They stepped inside the luxurious carriage pulled by four horses waiting for them at the entrance. the coachman bowed slightly before closing the carriage door. He hopped into his seat and starting the carriage riding towards the gates.
Desmond sat on the carriage seat, his legs resting on the seat opposite where he sat, his black boots almost touching Artemis who sat on the carriage sit opposite him, making Artemis wrinkle his nose in disgust.
" Get your fucking legs off the damn seat Desmond, this isn't your damn room" Artemis complained. He didn't know how he managed to stay with Desmond all these years without tossing him into a lake. But truth be told Desmond was a lot better than the three other lords who were complete phycopaths.It seems like living for so long had made them go insane.
Artemis could swear he was the sanest of them all despite living for so long.
" But why? My boots are quite clean, see?" Desmond raised his boots directly to Artemis face causing Artemis to smack his legs in annoyance.
"Put your fucking leg down Desmond or I'll burn in to a crisp" Artemis warned already summoning red flames.
Artemis just wanted this day to be over quickly so he could go back to his wing of the castle and avoid all these unnecessary drama.
Desmond pouted his lips but eventually dropped his legs... Artemis eyed that stupid pout on Desmond's lips, if he didn't know Desmond he would have believed him to be innocence and harmless but the truth was that, Desmond had the highest body count among the five lords. He was a beast on the battlefield and that innocent look was just a facade hiding the darkness within him.
The carriage finally got to the castle gates after a few minutes and as the carriage slowed they spotted the security checking a wagon which Artemis assumed was the new blood slaves the castle had requested.
Blood slaves didn't last for more than a few days before their bloods were drained dry.
"It seems like the new blood slaves has arrived" Desmond said while looking out the carriage window.
" Let's take a look" Desmond said in excitement while knocking on the carriage signaling the coachman to stop.
Before Artemis could stop him, Desmond had already stepped out of the carriage making Artemis groan in frustration.
At this point the meeting wasn't going to take place today as Desmond clearly had different priorities.
Artemis stepped down from the carriage too, he had to make sure Desmond wouldn't waste his time on nonsense.
"Milords" both the royal guards checking the wagon and a man with a scar on his face who Desmond and Artemis assumed was the slave trader all bowed in respect.
" Open the wagon" Desmond comanded while paying no heed to their greetings.
The slave traders bowed again and fished the keys from his pocket to unlock the thick lock binding the wagon door.
Miranda and the other girls squinted their eyes immediately the wagon door open, their eyes trying to adjust to the brightness.
Miranda looked at the people who stood outside the wagon. The slave trader, some men in uniform who she assumed were royal knights, her eyes trailed to the two handsome men standing with them.
One had red long hair and blue eyes, while the other one had black hair, judging from their clothes it seems they were no ordinary men but men of importance.
'who are these men? Are they the buyers?' she wondered
" Look at her hair Arte!, I haven't seen someone with silver hair in years" Desmond said with fascination, his eyes turning wide in delight.
Artemis eyes widened slightly in suprise.
Seeing a person with Silver hair was very rare and he had only come across one person with silver hair many years ago. And that person was an elf but this person inside the wagon was clearly human.
" I want her" Desmond requested pointing at Miranda. " I want her now" he repeated urging the slave trader to bring her out who acted immediately.
" What are you doing? We don't have the time for this" Artemis snapped suddenly irritated at Desmond's behavior.
" That boring meeting and that old geezer can wait. I have found something much more interesting" Desmond said, his eyes twinkling in delight.
Artemis eyed the silver haired girl who the slave trader had dragged down from the wagon. Her hands and legs bound with thick chains, the girl crumpled to the ground as her legs could barely hold her weight.
Artemis wrinkled his nose at the smell coming out of the wagon. It seems like the slave traders didn't care to feed or take care of the girls at all.
" Why is she in this condition?" Desmond suddenly asked. His eyes darkening in displeasure at the sight of the girl crumpled on the ground, her clothes torn, dirty and bloody and her face extremely pale.
" W..well, we didn't have the chance to clean them up or feed them, we couldn't risk them escaping" the slave trader lied. He didn't want to waste his money feeding or clothing the goods he was supposed to sell.
Desmond stared at the girl who was lying on the ground, she had already passed out a minute ago, her silver hair sticky and dirty with blood and grime. It seemed like she had sustained a small injury on her head a few days ago and the blood had gone dry and brown.
Desmond picked the unconscious girl in his arms without caring about soiling his clothes with her dirty body.
"Mi- milord what about the payment for the girl?" The slave trader asked. His lips trembling due to nervousness.
" Be happy you still have your head intact for putting my white swan in this condition" Desmond replied with a smile that sent a chill down their spine.
The slave trader bowed in submission, he wouldn't want to lose his life by offending a lord and besides he had four more slaves to sell to the castle.
He quickly locked the wagon with the heavy lock and rode the wagon inside the castle with every intention of profiting from the remaining girls inside the wagon.
" What are you doing? What about the meeting?" Artemis questioned as he watched Desmond settle inside the carriage with the unconscious girl still in his arms.
" What meeting?" Desmond questioned looking clueless.
" Ohh that- I'm sure the duke can wait for another whole day right? I'm sure he wouldn't mind" he murmured while gazing at the unconscious girl in awe like he had just found a new toy.
Artemis stepped into the carriage after commanding the coach man to go back inside the castle because he knew he wouldn't be able to convince Desmond to attend the meeting.
He stared at the unconscious girl in pity, Desmond had taken in a few slaves in the past which he only ended up killing after he grew bored of them. The girl had a better chance of surviving as a blood slave than being Desmond's pet..
Artemis wondered what Ill fate the girl had to had caught the attention of the crazy Desmond. He had even given her a nick name 'white swan'