Star woke up with a heavy head. His eyelids felt sticky as he slowly opened them. The world around him swayed gently. He was no longer in the forest stream. Instead, he lay on a soft padded bench inside a moving wagon. Dim light came through a small barred window covered with thick curtains.

He tried to sit up but golden chains on his wrists and ankles stopped him. The chains were light but strong. A thin silk robe covered his body, so thin it barely hid anything. The fabric felt cool and expensive against his skin. Star looked down at himself and his cheeks burned with shame. He was almost naked under the robe, his smooth legs and soft curves clearly visible.

"How long was i out" he guessed... perhaps three days or perhaps more, he didn’t know.

"Jezebel?" he whispered. His voice sounded weak. "Jezebel, are you there?"

No answer. The warm presence in his mind was still gone. Only cold silence remained.

"Jezebel!" he called louder, pulling against the chains. The metal clinked softly. "Please... answer me."

Nothing. Star’s breathing quickened. He remembered the stream, the net, the rough hands dragging him out of the water. He had let his guard down. The peaceful days of travel had made him non vigilant. He should have been more careful. Now here he was, chained like an animal.

He tried to activate one of his skills. A small light spell. Nothing happened. The suppression cuffs on his wrists glowed faintly with dark runes every time he tried. His power felt locked away, trapped deep inside him.

Tears stung his eyes but he blinked them away. "This is my fault," he muttered. "I wished for this! I enjoyed my life way too much .."

The wagon kept moving. The wheels creaked over rough ground. Star tested the chains again. They held firm. The silk robe slipped off one shoulder, exposing more of his pale skin. He quickly pulled it back up, feeling exposed and small. His silver hair fell messily around his face. He had always known his looks brought attention, but never like this.

Was this a "be careful what you wish for" moment? Why was this happening. Never did he know that being beautiful might come with a dark side.

Hours seemed to pass before the wagon finally stopped. Star tensed as footsteps approached. The door opened and bright light filled the cell. A tall man stepped inside. He had sharp eyes and short dark hair. Two guards followed him. He wasn’t the same man from before...this was a different one and judging by his company, a different party too so it meant one thing. The transaction had been made while he was asleep.

"Look who’s awake," the man said with a cold smile. "Captain Ravel at your service, pretty one."

Star glared at him. "Let me go. I have nothing you want."

Captain Ravel laughed softly. He crouched down so they were eye level. "Oh, but you have everything we want. That face. That body. Those delicate features. You are going to make us very rich."

The guards stood quietly, watching Star like he was a valuable treasure. One of them carried a tray with food and water.

"We work for Madame Velvet," Ravel continued. "Head of the Velvet Collar Syndicate. You, my dear Silver-Haired One, are headed to a very special high-class auction. Only the richest buyers will be there. They love soft, beautiful boys like you."

So this was his buyer ..

Star tried to keep his voice steady. "I can pay you. I have skills. Connections. Let me go and I will make it worth your while."

Ravel reached out and gently brushed a strand of silver hair from Star’s face. The touch was light but possessive. "Charm won’t work here. Those cuffs block your little tricks. Be good and this journey will be comfortable. Fight us and we will make it painful. Understand?"

Star wanted to slap the hand away but the chains stopped him. He nodded slowly instead. Defiance burned in his chest, but he knew brute force would not help right now.

"Good boy," Ravel said. He stood up. "Eat. We still have a few hours until we reach the outpost. Madame Velvet is very excited to meet you."

The guards left the tray within reach. Star ate slowly, forcing the food down even though his stomach felt tight. Every bite reminded him he was alive and still had a chance to escape later.

***

The wagon stopped again after some time. Voices shouted orders outside. Captain Ravel returned with more men. They unlocked the bench chains but kept the wrist and ankle cuffs on. A longer chain connected everything together.

"Time to move," Ravel ordered.

They led Star out of the wagon. Cool night air touched his skin. He looked around and saw they were inside a hidden valley. Tall cliffs surrounded the area. Torches lit up a large fortified mansion built into the rock. It looked luxurious from the outside with marble columns and silk banners, but guards with weapons patrolled every corner. A perfect location for shady business.

Star walked carefully between the men. The silk robe fluttered around his thighs with each step. He felt eyes on him from every direction. Other captives were being moved too. A beautiful elf girl with tear-stained cheeks. A handsome young man with cat ears who kept his head down. All of them wore similar silk robes and golden chains. Their eyes met Star’s for a moment and he saw the same fear and shame in them.

His heart twisted. This was real. This was happening to him.

They took him inside the mansion and down a long hallway. Soft carpets covered the floors. Beautiful paintings hung on the walls. It looked like a noble’s home, not a prison but Star knew better than to be illusioned by comfort. Finally they stopped at a decorated room and pushed him inside.

"Stay here and behave," Ravel said. "Madame will see you soon."

The door locked behind him with a heavy click.

Star stood in the middle of the room. Silk sheets covered a large bed. A full-length mirror stood in one corner. Fresh flowers sat in a vase. It was beautiful, but bars covered the windows and magic runes glowed faintly on the walls. No escape.

He walked to the mirror and stared at his reflection. The thin robe clung to his body. His silver hair looked messy but still shone like moonlight. His face looked delicate and pretty even now. Tears finally fell down his cheeks.

"Why?" he whispered. "Why does this happen because of how I look?"

He sank down onto the bed and curled up. The weight of everything crashed over him. The lonely road, the peaceful moments, the sudden capture. His beauty had always been a double-edged sword but he didn’t know there were people who would crave him so much to put a dangerous target on his back. His beauty....It brought admiration but also danger. Even as he grew stronger, it made him a target.

Star cried quietly into the silk pillow until no more tears came.

Sometime later, the door opened again. A woman walked in. She looked elegant and beautiful, around thirty years old. Her long black hair was pinned up perfectly. She wore a deep red dress that hugged her figure. Cold intelligence shone in her eyes.

"Finally," she said with a pleased smile. "The Silver-Haired One in the flesh. I am Madame Velvet."

Star sat up quickly and wiped his face. He tried to look strong. "Why are you doing this?"

"Where do you know me from?"..

Madame Velvet walked closer and studied him like a rare jewel. She circled him slowly, her eyes taking in every detail of his body under the thin robe.

"You are perfect," she murmured. "Even better than my scouts reported. That soft skin, those gentle curves, the way your hair catches the light. Buyers will fight over you. Especially the ones with very specific tastes."

She sat down on a chair across from him. "We have been tracking you since Greenhaven. Your little adventures caught my attention. A beautiful wanderer with powerful skills? You are a prize I could not ignore."

Oh! That’s it! Green haven, perhaps she was a merchant perhaps someone else.

Star clenched his fists. "I am not an object to be sold."

Madame Velvet laughed lightly. "Everyone has a price, darling. Even you. Behave well at the auction and I will give you special treatment. Better food. Softer clothes. Maybe even a private room instead of the cages. Refuse and life will become much harder."

She leaned forward. "Think about it. Your beauty trapped you here, but it can also be your tool. Play along and you might survive longer than the others."

During her words, something flickered in Star’s mind. A tiny spark. [Host...?]

Jezebel’s voice was weak and distant, like through thick fog, but it was there for a second before vanishing again.

Star’s heart jumped. Hope bloomed inside him. She was still fighting to reach him.

Madame Velvet noticed the change in his expression and smiled. "See? Even now you have spirit. I like that. It will make the auction more exciting."

She stood up and smoothed her dress. "Rest well tonight. The auction is in three days. Make yourself presentable. My servants will bring oils and perfumes tomorrow."

With that, she left the room. The door locked once more.

Night fell over the outpost. Star lay on the silk bed, staring up at the ceiling. The golden chains felt heavy on his wrists. He got up and walked back to the mirror. His reflection stared back at him, beautiful and trapped.

He touched his own cheek. The same face that had brought him trouble since the beginning. The same soft body that made men lose control.

"If beauty is what traps me..." he whispered to his reflection.

A small, determined light entered his eyes.

"...then maybe beauty is what will set me free."

But how would he do it?