For the clothes off your back

Well, not quite. Not your back, at least, as he already has a European shirt. Even though you had already made your decision, the fact that he demands your trousers and shoes almost makes you reconsider. But another look at the girl stiffened your resolve, and other things. Though you were away from the main crowd of people, you were hardly in private; dozens, scores even of people could easily see you and what was going on if they cared to look. Burning with shame, you strip down, only having tight, knee-length linen drawers covering you from your waist to your knees. Your business partner leads the girl over to you by a chain connected to the iron collar around her neck. "Very good pleasure doing business. You are lucky I like you, not ask for more!" he says, glancing down at your underwear before laughing hysterically. When he finishes he hands the chain to you and bends down to scoop up your items. "Enjoy English!" he yells as you walk away, going back to the other poor souls under his ownership.

You hadn't expected how...awkward it would be to purchase... a person. The girl has been walking beside you obediently, so you haven't really had to pull of the chain that binds her to you. Even if she did try to run you don't know if you'd have the heart to try and stop her. Maybe this was just a stupid decision after all, born of a moment's weakness. You glance to your side at the girl, who is facing forward with a blank expression.

"Uh, what's your name?" you ask awkwardly. She looks, but her English doesn't seem to be as strong as her captor's. "Will" you say, pointing at yourself. "Buchi" she says, seeming to understand but keeping her blank expression. You aren't sure where to go next with the conversation, if you can call it that, so you stay quiet for the rest of the walk. As you reach the ship, the captain notices you. "Ho ho, what's this?" he says, smiling and shaking his head. "I thought you were looking for passage? And what in god's name happened to your pants man?!" You scratch the back of your head, embarrassed. "I uh, traded them." The sailor you first talked to pokes his head over the side of the boat. "Told you there were good deals here!"

"Do you want her in the cargo hold?" the captain asks. Ooh, that seems rather rough. "No, I think I can share my hammock with her. I think." you say. It wasn't a luxurious hammock. "Ha, are you sure you traded your pants and didn't just drop 'em?" the captain teases. You're lost for a comeback. "Ah, go ahead and do what you want, so long as she doesn't cause trouble" Relieved to be done with the conversation, you lead Buchi up the plank and onto the boat.