Authors Note: I have reverted Christina's age to 25 here. The characters were not originally intended as teenagers/underage (there were references to coming out of long term relationships and experience with paying for renting in the initial chapter) and I do not want to write for that age group or feel comfortable doing it. Hope that is okay.
Christina awoke feeling drowsy and confused. She had just been having the strangest dream.. or was it a dream? She tried to stand up but couldn't, her head quickly meeting painful resistance above her. As her vision became less hazy and blurry she could see metal bars in front of her eyes. She was in a cage! Like a slave! In fact this cage wasn't even fit for a human slave, more like an animal. It was only tall enough for her to sit or squat uncomfortably and her enforced lodgings were not much wider that they were tall. This was the work of that awful goblin! What a fool she had been to trust him! And what a bitch that old hag of a witch was to send her into such a dangerous environment! She wanted to scream, but sensing she was not alone she decided it was safest to pretend she was still asleep for now.
"So, what do you say, do we have a deal?" Christina recognised the goblins creepy voice instantly.
"Keep your voice down!" A second person whispered "wouldn't this be classed as slavery?"
Christina felt a chill down her spine. What deal? Slavery? Was she being sold?
"Like I said, she isn't from this realm" the goblin replied enthusiastically "She has no rights whatsoever here. If you pay me what I ask she is yours and there is nothing she or anyone else can do about it. And think of how much fun a talented wizard such as yourself could have with a pretty little thing like that"
A wizard? Christina risked half opening one eye out of curiosity, but from her current vantage point she couldn't see much above the waste, and everything below was covered by a flowing blue robe with two long, pointed and perfectly shiny black shoes poking out of the bottom.
"It's a lot of money you are asking" the second voice sounded tempted but a little reluctant.
"She is worth it, I assure you" the goblin persisted ""Born little more than one quarter of a century ago, in perfect health, slim and comely in appearance, long brown hair, pretty blue eyes just how you like them! And best of all, she has no resistance to magic whatsoever"
"Fine" the wizard relented, clearly unable to pass up such a rare opportunity "What's her name?"
"Does it matter?" the goblin seemed genuinely baffled before deciding he didn't want to frustrate his customer "She answers to the name of Christina. Strange sounding thing to call yourself if you ask me, and not a name I've heard before on any creature. But I suppose she isn't from around these parts"
"Okay, take your money and leave. Speak no more about this to anyone, understood?"
"OF course!" the goblin gleefully clutched the bag of gold coins and exited without another word.
Christina shut her eyes tight and hoped this would all just go away and she would wake up back in her bed any moment now. But she remained in place as a slow, deliberate pair of footsteps moved towards her and stopped in front of her.
"You can stop pretending to be asleep now" the wizard suggested in an authoritive tone. Somewhat hesitantly, Christina opened her eyes and looked up at the wizard standing over her. The wizard turned out to be..