chapter 2 - evaluation

It was sprinkling the next morning. A slight mist hanging in the air as they set out. The dawn barely managing to break through the overcast clouds. The cobbled streets were quieter this time of day. Most people still slept and that suited him just fine. He was never one for crowds. He had awoken Eliza nearly two hours ago, dressing her in the most flattering garment that still fit her. A simple, yet vivid maroon dress. He remembered having it made a number of months ago. The tailor had asked for extra for the materials involved along with the dye. At the time he’d tried to factor for her future growth and, for the most part, succeeded. Barely.
After dressing, he’d fed her breakfast. This was crucial. Today was auction day and he knew there would be a very strict weighing. He needed every extra coin he could get right now, and any slight advantage he could pull out would add up over the long hall. He’d stuffed her like a ripe pheasant. It was one of the main reasons he’d dressed her before hand. True, he took a chance on the dress being stained and ruined over the course of the meal, but he knew there would be no conceivable way to get it on her after breakfast.
Eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and yet more gravy. Everything found it’s way to the table and from there into Eliza. All of it. When she had refused the last remnants on her 5th plate, he had crushed and mixed them in with the gravy and used the funnel to get the last of the viscous liquid into her. By the end, her dress seams were creaking with the strain of containing her. She looked like a tick about to pop. Eyes glazed, a thin stream of gravy trickling from the corner of her mouth, a mountainous firm belly barely contained within the thin fabric of a dress that was holding FAR more then it was capable of holding.
He let her rest for just a bit before fastening a leash to the cord around her neck. She came willingly, but moved in a slow, dazed waddle. Both hands wrapped around the outer curves of her belly and positioned below it for support as she moved. He stopped once to adjust the top of her dress as they walked. Her breasts threatened to burst from her top pushed together as they were by her arms. Her bovine eyes were now wide and alert. He noticed the contempt was gone, replaced by a dawning realization. He had expected her to say something as they walked, but heard nothing but quiet moans and an occasional hiccup.
The auction house sat on the far side of the great City. It bordered the western outer perimeter wall and was easily the most magnificent building in the trade district. A large structure, it’s simple circular shape belied the many halls and rooms contained within. It was a major centerpiece of the City and nearly all travelers found their way here once or twice before departing. He arrived behind schedule with his pace considerably slowed by the fattened elf, but this wasn’t something he hadn’t prepared for. As it was, he only had to wait in line for fifteen minutes, forced to watch as a foreign merchant tried to pass off a chubby human female to Receiving. She was underweight and eventually rejected completely. Amateurs.
He looked back and smiled at Eliza. She didn’t return the smile, choosing only to give him the weakest of snarls before regretting it as a belch forced it’s way out. She wavered a bit on her feet before spreading her legs a bit further apart to support her engorged girth. She grunted and a seam somewhere on her right side popped. He’d miss her.

“Merrick! You old dog! You brought me something, and here I was thinking I’d never see you again after that whole dragoness debacle.” Lim approached and placed his docket under his arm before shaking Merrick’s hand. He smiled and his spectacles slid down to the tip of his nose.

“I’m here to trade in the elf girl I picked up last year. Hopefully you remember her.” Merrick jerked Eliza’s collar pulling her forward and causing her to groan loudly.

“Elf…elf…the troublemaker? This is her?! The scrawny one with the ear tag?”

“One and the same.”

“By the Gods Merrick! She’s a solid four from the looks of it. You’ve done QUITE the number on her. Bring her over and let me take a look.”

He led them over to a nearby wooden enclosure where he told Eliza to strip. An order which caused her eyes to widen. Her mouth opened to speak, but a quick jerk on the leash from Merrick let her know to keep her silence. Lim placed his docket on a nearby table and looked at Merrick questionably.

“Let her keep the dress on. It’s too small as it is and removing it will just ruin it.”

“You know I can’t do that. You have an excellent reputation, Merrick, but protocol must be followed. She either removes it or I will cut it off her fat ass. Your choice.”

Eliza’s gaze shifted back to Merrick. Eyes wide as her tiny pale hands supported her gorged, firm gut. The silence drew out for several seconds broken only by another seam giving way with a barely audible *pop*.

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