Niko knew he shouldn't have slept. The bound him as they had Nienna. One began inspecting him, speaking a language he had never heard of. He touched Niko's arm, as if checking his muscles. Niko gave him a head butt for his trouble, he then felt himself thrown down and kicked by two others.
He then heard a shout and the two kicking him stopped. A man walked into the clearing, wearing a turban, as well as bearing a long curved blade. He must be their leader He smiled at them, showing black teeth, he motioned to the men and they found themselves being dragged off. Niko looked to Nienna, trying to let her know he didn't blame her.

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As they tried to drag her off, she kneed one of the men in the groin. He turned and slapped her hard across the face. She looked up at him, glaring. Her eyes began to glow gold, but the man picked her up and dragged her off. She was now beside Niko, trying to speak to him with her eyes. She loved him, whatever happens. She got an idea. Maybe she had other powers. She concentrated on his eyes, her own glowing gold once more. Yes! She thought. She spoke to him through her mind. "Niko, my love, I am so sorry. I thought we would be safe! I had no idea..." she prayed he would respond ringer somehow, yet before he would have been able to they had reached a caravan. Other people were lined up, their hands shackled together on long chains connecting them. Her heart stopped. They moved her to a free spot on the chain, and they placed Niko a few behind her, she tried to turn to look back, but she got another resounding slap. The caravan began to move, the chains hooked to a wagon pulled by two horses. She looked around, trying to think of a way out of this.

Its not your fault, love
Niko struggled against his shackles as Nienna was slapped. He glared at the men as they left shutting the caravan door.
Nienna was slightly in front of him, he couldn't speak to her. The caravan began to rock back and forth as they moved closer to wherever it was they were being taken.The others with them seemed to have given up hope, those that were not staring at the floor in despair were letting out silent tears.
All he could do was sit there, hoping something would happen.

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Her eyes scanned everything. One of the traders walked down the middle of the caravan, seemingly inspecting everyone. He got to her and roughly pulled her gag off and grabbed her face, turning it to inspect it. She glared and suddenly bit his hand, drawing blood. The man yelled and brought his knee to her stomach before using his fist on her jaw. She fell against the side of the caravan, coughing. The man gritted his teeth And continued on. So they have short tempers, she thought. she looked around for any means of escape. There has to be a weak spot, something they wouldn't think of.

Niko tried to sit up as Nienna was beaten but to no avail.
The man next came to stop to look at Niko, and Niko began to laugh. He wasn't sure why but this man made him laugh. He was pathetic, preying on the weak, he wouldn't even come near his prisoners until they were safely helpless. As he laughed the man punched him and repeated the action several times before getting up, kicking Niko and walking away to inspect the others.
Niko's lip was bleeding, but it was worth it he thought.
Some hours later, the caravan stopped and they were all pulled out.

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She listened helplessly as she knew what was happening behind her. When they were pulled out, Nienna looked around her. It was a desert city, and thousands of slaves were mixing mud and straw to form bricks, and then they were using the bricks to build massive statues and buildings. She looked at Niko, and tears fell when she saw what they had done to him her eyes glowed gold "Stay strong, my love." she spoke to his mind. They were led to a building, and the people were sorted into two different cells separated by wooden bars. Much like a cage, she thought. Men into one side, women on the other. She managed to squeeze over to the bars that separated men from women, hoping Niko would do the same. Their chains had been taken off right before they went in.

Niko saw her move to the bars and did the same.
He saw her face, which bore marks of the times she had been struck, it pained him to see her so.
''Would it kill them to put some ale in here?'' He smiled, hoping he would make her laugh.
He reached for her hand through the bar, eager for her touch.

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She grabbed his hand and held it tight, the other going to his cheek through the bars. "I am so sorry..." she knew the tears were close to the surface now. "Had I not been a fool I would have seen the sense in one of us staying awake." she looked at his face, her concern for him growing "Niko...your face..and your chest..."

''Don't apologize. I do not blame you at all.'' His voice then turned serious, he needed her to know. ''If we should part, know that I will find you. However long it takes.''
He pressed his lips to her hand, never removing his eyes from hers.
Niko turned as he saw some of the slavers return, this time with others, the buyers he presumed. He held her hand tighter.

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She didn't want to think about it, and her tears dropped "Niko..I love you. Le melon.." she brought his hand to her heart as the buyers arrived. After a bit, and after most of the slaves had been bought, they left. It was her and a few women, and Niko and a few men left. "What is going on?" one of the women spoke up, her voice thick with an accent. "We here to build. The rest sold, they keep us for that." she pointed to where the slaves toiled, all the men bore no shirts, and the women carried water to make the mud for the bricks. One of the men turned his back to them, and Nienna gasped and looked away. His back was crisscrossed with old and recent wip marks. She clutched Niko's hand tighter and squeezed her eyes shut.

Niko let out a sigh of relief as the buyers left. At the words of the woman, he was confused, but as his gaze followed Nienna he saw the scars the man bore. He kissed her hand ''Le Melon'' He was doing his best to comfort her.
He heard a harsh voice behind him and saw his cage had been opened, he turned and his heart dropped to his stomach. It appeared a buyer had returned, praying for it to be for another he waited, clutching to Nienna. The slaver took out another man, Niko let out a sigh of relief. He then felt a hand on his upper arm and found himself being dragged outside.he struggled but couldn't resist as he was shackled and told to follow the one who had bought him.
He looked to Nienna, unable to speak, tears in his eyes. He was pulled away from her and he turned a corner, removing her from view.

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"No! Niko! No!" she screamed and tried to hold onto his hand, tears runnig down her face. He was ripped away, she reached with one arm through the bars towards him, screaming his name. He went around the corner and she began slamming her body against the gate, trying to knock it open "Niko!" she screamed, her eyes gold, knowing he heard it. What she didn't know is that through her power he could also see what she was doing. She slammed her shoulders and sides against the gate, throwing herself at it, weeping.

Niko turned the corner with tears streaming down his face. He could hear her screams, they broke his heart.
He did a double take when a picture came to his mind, it was Nienna trying to break the gate to follow, he couldn't understand where it came from. Was it just what he would think she would be doing?
he had no time to ponder it, he was taken to a villa, which had a large patch of dry land outside. He saw other slaves as well. He was thrown into the dungeon with the other that had been bought.
He spat out blood from his mouth and looked around. The slaves had the same hopeless look as those in the caravan. Taking a chance he decided to try and speak to the other with him.
''Why are we here?'' He spoke slowly and clearly, hoping to make it easier.
It was clear from his reply he did not know much of the common speech but Niko got the gist from it.
''We fight for master until dying.'' Niko froze at his words and lay against the wall cursing his luck. He should have stayed awake, he should have been able to protect his Nienna. He prayed she was safe.

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She threw herself against the gate again, and it broke! She ran after the way they had went, her eyes still gold, focused on his mind. Rough hands grabbed her and pulled her to a post in the middle of a courtyard. She knew. Her power was still focused on Niko's mind, she could sense it. "No, no no!" she screamed and struggled, but they pulled her hands above her head, tying them to the post "Niko!" she cried through her mind, still unaware that he would be able to see her. The man picked up a wip with hooks on it. She struggled, sobbing "Niko! I'm so sorry, I'm so sor-" she screamed in agony as the multi ended wip struck, tearing skin from her back. "No! Niko!" she screamed in her mind and outwardly, as strike after strike fell upon her back. Finally, after she had barely any consciousness left, they threw her in a wagon, her back torn up beyond recognition. They were taking her somewhere. She opened her eyes weakly. It was the same direction they took Niko, she saw, then blackness took her.

Niko suddenly saw an image of Nienna breaking open the cage door, She was free! What he saw next broke him. She was caught and tied to a post. Someone behind her picked up a whip, By the gods , no! She was whipped multiple times, each time she screamed he broke all over again. He hoped it was not real yet he knew deep inside that this had happened. The vision ended as suddenly as it began. Niko stood up smashing against the cell ''Let me out of here! Let me out!'' He was furious, beginning to grow panicked for his wife. As he stood beating the cell two guards came for him roughly throwing him inside another dark cell where he was alone. They chained him to the wall, roughly stuffed a cloth in his mouth and left him.
Nienna, my dear sweet Nienna. Hold on

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She regained consciousness in a cell. It was dark, but she could make out shapes. There were other women there, she couldn't see faces though. She stood, and she mustered her strength and her eyes went gold. "Niko..." she knew her thoughts were weak, but she needed to find him. "Niko...dearest..." she cried out as she stood. Hoping for an answer. Hoping for something. She kept her balance against the wall "I will be with you...always...Niko..." her breathing was ragged as she made her way around the cell, finally finding the doors.