Dani kept her head down. She remembered the lessons she had been taught from a young age - Slaves don't make eye contact. Slaves don't speak unless spoken to. Slaves follow directions.

She blindly followed Sam's bulk as the men led them to a holding cell. The dank prison sent chills down her spine.

As the torchlight receded, she could make out the dim shapes. Sam and the others in her cell. Hands outstretched through the bars. Rats scurrying along the rough-cut stone wall. Sam settled against the stones, seemingly content with the situation. Dani paced back and forth through the small space. Her steps keeping time with the cries from the other slaves. Calling for water, food, families.

"Save yo strength. You's gonna need it." Sam's rumbling voice murmured through the darkness, almost like a lifeline.

Dani nodded and moved to sit beside her companion. "I know."

The faint light grew even dimmer as they sat in the cramped quarters. Metal clanked down the corridor. Dani strained to hear amid the noise from the other cells. "...come to collect the men I just bought."

"Yessuh. They be disa way."

The men's faces were illuminated as the torch drew closer and finally stopped in front of the door. "You's, up. Now."

Dani struggled to her feet, her limbs tingled and ached. She risked a glance at her new owner. ***resemblance to the men in the swamp***

His eyebrows knotted together. He shook his head. "When's the next auction?"

"Nex month, suh. Two weeks, mehbe. If you's lucky."

The man let out a sigh. "I guess we'll make 'em work."

"They's hard workers."

"Do you know if any of them have experience with horses?"

The man shuffled his feet. "No suh. We dunno much bout dis lot. They jus got here. The catchers brung 'em."

"Catchers?"

"Yessuh. The cathers go catch dem dat run away."

"So these are runaways?"

The man shrugged. "Mehbe. Mehbe dey's jus walkin in dah woods and done get catched."

"Will anyone be able to claim them? Like their former owners?"

"No suh. You's got a bill uh sale. You's all legal-like."

"All right. Get them cleaned up. They need to be delivered to Malman's Stable before dinner."

"Yessuh. You heard da man. Get movin." The cell door groaned as it opened, as if it didn't want to release it's occupants.

"And Brindle, make them take baths. Real baths with soap and water. They reek."

"Yessuh. They's gonna be clean."

"I'll make sure to deliver a change of clothes. Burn what they're in."

Dani balked as her companions shuffled through the door. A bath was the last thing she needed. They still thought her a boy. If she took a bath, they'd know the truth. She shared a look with Sam. Dread filled her as the men pushed forward.

Sam's large hand at her back nudged her along the cobblestone walkway. She glanced at his face, oddly reassured by his presence. Dani blinked against the sunlight as they came out of the guardhouse. It was so dark in the cells compared with the courtyard.

Dani shuffled along at a much slower pace than the others, wracking her brain for ways out of this mess. All too soon, the men in front of her started to strip. She backed up several paces.

"Not so fast. You skeered ah water?" The man leered down at her. "I'll give you a bath you'll never forget."

Dani shook her head and tried to escape. His fingers grabbed at her shirt. The thin fabric tore under his clawing grasp. The man cackled. "Boys. This one don' wanna get in."

Several men converged on Dani, knives in hand. She shrieked as one blade pierced not only her clothes but also her skin. The men howled with laughter as she was passed from man to man. Faces flashed in front of her as her clothes were ripped from her slender frame. "Boys! We got ourselves a woman!"

Cheers rose from the circle of men amid jeers and crude comments. Dani shrieked in terror. An inhuman bellow drowned out the noise. The men scattered as an ebony monster crashed through the throng. Dani's eyes grew wide. "Sam! No!"

Fists the size of dinner plates flew in all directions. Men dodged the crushing blows. Whips cracked over and over. Blood spurted from Sam's back with each blow. Dani crumpled to the ground and scooted backward, away from the fray. Sam's gaze met hers. Pain, fury and confusion were etched in his features. He lumbered toward her and gathered her in his arms before swinging around, looking for an escape.

A man brandishing a rifle like a cudgel rushed forward and broke the stock over Sam's head. The giant grunted as he fell to his knees. He curled into a fetal position around Dani, chanting "Don' hurt. Don' hurt."

Huge tears fell like raindrops on Dani's head. She cried along with her protector as shockwaves continued to reach her from the ferocious beating Sam was receiving.

"That's enough! What's going on here? I asked you to bathe the men, not beat them to a bloody pulp!"

Dani recognized her new master's voice.

Incoherent mumbling became a muffled conversation as the men drew closer.

"What? There wasn't a woman in that lot, only a boy..."

"Suh! Don't get close! That brute'll kill you."

Low murmurs filtered through Sam's hunched form. Then a voice commanded, "Bring me some warm water, clean rags and salve."

Dani felt Sam's muscles relax as the soothing voice started a mesmerizing chant. She felt Sam flinch as his wounds were cleaned.

"Can you move, big guy?"

Like a beaten puppy, Sam uncurled and turned to face his benefactor. Hope masked the fear on Sam's face.

"Good man. You got a name?"

Sam nodded.

The man grinned. "You gonna tell me?

"Yessuh. I be Sam."

"Very good, Sam. My name is Jeremy. I found some clean clothes for you. I hope they fit." He held out a shirt and a pair of trousers.

Sam's eyes lit with pleasure as he fingered the material. "Fo' me?"

"Yes. Go ahead and put them on." He turned his attention to Dani. "As for you, missy..."

Sam dropped the clothes and stepped between them. "Don' hurt, Missy Danni, suh. Don' hurt."

The man nodded. "It's all right, Sam. I won't hurt her. You get dressed whilst we talk a bit."

Sam nodded and retrieved the clothes from the dirt, brushing at invisible specks of dust. Dani crouched in the dirt, her arms wrapped around her knees. The man draped his coat over her shoulders. She clutched at it before risking a glance up at him.

"Is your name Dani?"

Dani nodded.

"Were you dressed as a boy?"

Dani nodded.

"Your coloring isn't what I'd expect from a slave."

"She's what dey call milato," Brindle said.

Jeremy glanced up at him before returning his attention to her.

"And your red hair?"

She shrugged.

"We'll need to get your name right on the bill of sale. What's your full name?

"Danielle."

"Do you have a last name?"

"I guess it's Reed. That was my master's name."

The man nodded. "Slip into that coat. I'll take you to the inn. You can't stay with the men. Caleb and I have quite a bit of discussing to do about this turn of events. Sam, I'm taking Miss Dani with me. She will be safe and I'll bring her back to you in the morning. You understand?"

Sam nodded as he pulled the shirt over his head.

"You get dressed and Brindle will take you to a livery. You'll have a clean, dry place to sleep." He turned to Brindle. "You'll need to update that bill of sale. I don't want your mistake to come back and bite me."

"Yessuh."

Dani struggled to her feet as the man gestured to the gates. "This way."

Dani craned her neck toward Sam as they rounded a corner. She turned back as the man chuckled. "You two make quite a pair. He'll be all right. Especially when he finds the candy I put in his pockets."

"You bribed him."

"Yes, Ma'am. Everyone has a tell. His is you. Plus, when I watched him in the cell, he seemed a bit - how do I put this - almost like a child. A child trapped in a man's body. I figured what child doesn't like candy."

Dani sobered. "He's very smart. And a hard worker. You won't be displeased."

"I'm sure he can hold his own. I just need to find a horse he can ride."

"No. He's terrified of animals."

The man sighed. "He'd better get used to them. We're gonna be around hundreds of them for months." He gestured at a doorway. "We're here. I'll request a bath for you then show you to Caleb's room. You can get cleaned up and change while we figure out what we're gonna do next.

Dani stopped just inside the doorway as Jeremy spoke with the innkeeper. ***describe inn***

She started forward as Jeremy gestured to her. "This is my room. I'm just gonna grab you a nightshirt." He shrugged as he quickly retrieved the garment. "I didn't get any dresses, but we can fix that tomorrow." He led her back out into the hall and stopped at the next room. "This one is Caleb's. You'll be staying here. He got some bad news today so I don't expect him before morning. He's probably belly-down drunk someplace. At any rate, they'll bring you dinner and a bath. I don't figure you'll run without Sam, so I won't be restraining you. Oh, and I'll need my coat back." He handed her an afghan in exchange and headed for the door.