Disclaimer: I don't own the owned! All rights belong to CP and this plot has probably been used before.

Author's Note: Just another random idea I thought of. Don't know what I'll do with this but to readers of my latest project (Inner Wolf), don't worry! I haven't abandoned that fanfiction. This is merely an idea I had and decided to post. I just wanted to say a few things though: Number one, there is slavery, bondage and smut although not in that particular order and not all slavery/bondage is smut. So if you don't like that stuff, stop reading now!

Don't know if there will be violence but it is sure to crop up some time. Also, this is an AU and set back in time in the Dragon War. I kind of mixed up the events though so that the humans and dwarves fought when the elves and dragons did. Also, this was inspired by the Dragon Age computer games in which the elves are slaves. No copyright infringement is at all intended though, since this is just written for fun.

I hope you like it!

P.S. When I made the slave traders dark-skinned and eastern-looking, I did NOT mean to come across as racist or prejudice, by the way. So please don't be offended by that as I don't mean to be rude or suggestive about the slave-trader's skin color. The chapter just wrote itself and I don't mean anything by it. Hope that clears things up.

CHAPTER 1:

"Do I have to?" The teenager whined.

"Yes, Eragon," His mother replied. "You must buy a slave. It's only natural for someone of our station to own a slave. I have one and your father has three. You have now come of age for a short while now and people are starting to ask questions. It will not do for our reputation to be tarnished just because you don't want to keep up with tradition."

"Screw tradition," Eragon pouted. "I don't want to own a slave. That's barbaric!"

"That's your opinion, young man," A man's voice retorted. "And you better watch how you talk to your mother. She is really going out on a limb to accompany us to the slave market. In fact, I almost wasn't going to let you pick your own slave. But the woman insisted and she knows best about these things."

Eragon heaved a sigh and threw up his hands in defeat.

"Fine Lord Brom, I shall do as you command," The boy grumbled.

"That's father to you, young man," Brom said sternly but with a twinkle in his eyes. "Now, I know you are stuck up in your own ways but owning a slave does have its benefits as you shall learn in time. Just go with the flow and you will get used to it."

"Whatever," Eragon snapped.

"Youngsters these days," Lord Brom muttered under his breath. "Always think they can revolutionize the way things have been going for ages. And they're always wrong!"

Eragon's mother, Lady Selena, smiled faintly at her husband's remark. Eragon simply glared off into the distance, watching the nearing slave market with growing distaste.

That's right.

They were going to a slave market.

"Why?" You ask.

The answer is simple.

Eragon was of noble blood due to his parents' rich heritage and the fact that they were Dragon Riders. He didn't mind tradition most of the time but now it was just stupid.

Being of noble blood and the heir to his father's estate, it was expected of him to own a slave. In addition, it had to be an elvish slave.

Yes.

Elves were slaves to humans. Dwarves made themselves useful with their mines and tunnels so humans left them alone. But in the Dragon Wars, the elves had snuck into a dragon nesting ground.

They had slaughtered an entire clan of dragons while they slept: Males, females, and young ones alike even smashing the eggs. When their human and dwarvish allies heard of this deed they were horrified and disgusted with this awful act of the "Fair Folk."

As a result, they waved a white flag and called for a truce with the dragons. Eventually, after many peace talks, the three races finally came up with a plan. The humans would Bond themselves to dragons forming Dragon Riders.

The dwarves would build special armour and weapons for them, weapons they didn't even make for their own kin. They would also build houses and palaces and castles big enough to house a dragon and grand enough for their Rider.

As a result, all would be united and all would be at peace. In another time, another universe, the elves might have also been part of the pact. But due to their treachery, none of the allied races wanted to have anything to do with the pointy-eared devils.

For supposing the dragons were defeated in the war, what stopped the elves from turning against the humans and dwarves and stabbing them in the back too? For their own safety, the dragons, being unbound by the Ancient Language back then, used Wild Magic to bind all the magical core of the elves.

They didn't have the time or the energy to do so before since they were fighting on three fronts. But thanks to the peace, albeit a shaky one, the dragons were able to focus their magic and that, combined with human magicians and dwarf help, was enough to bind the cores of most elves.

Thus, elves were enslaved. Their once grand forest kingdom was destroyed and burned to ashes. The few who escaped ran for their lives and hid in the deep dark forests none else would dare to enter or in ancient caves too dangerous for any other.

Ever since that fateful alliance, elves had become slaves to all those who lived. Some masters treated them well and they even earned their freedom although most chose to remain with their masters not knowing what else to do. Others treated their slaves horribly but that was ignored for such was their fate.

And as his luck would have it, it was now the fate of fifteen-year-old Eragon to buy a slave. Well, his parents would buy it for him but he got to pick. He had no clue what slave he'd choose. Hells, he didn't even know what gender to pick.

But Eragon didn't really care. He would just pick whatever caught his attention or someone who had a really good reputation. He didn't like the act of slavery but as a nobleman's son, he had to keep up the pretence that he did or else he could get disowned easily since he'd become the laughing stock of the whole Empire.

That would never do hence why he was finally dragged out of the estate for his "birthday present." He had just turned fifteen a day ago and due to the laws of the land, he was considered of age hence his current problem.

Heaving a sigh, Eragon scanned the slave stalls feeling bored and frustrated. Why couldn't his parents respect his decision and leave him in peace? He would happily give up his titles if he could to avoid owning a slave, but his parents wouldn't hear of it.

Having grown up as a pampered prince, he had yet to learn about swordplay and fighting. Rather, he had learned the finer arts of living such as chivalry and how to act in court. He had also been taught by the finest scholar his parents could afford.

This meant he would be of little use outside his parents estate and court since he didn't know how to earn a living outside of finery. He would be useless and have to resort to beggary or thievery, both of which he despised.

Now he was a Dragon Rider but that didn't even help solve matters since both he and his dragon, Saphira, were young. Speaking of which, even his dragon hadn't helped in that matter. When he asked her why she simply told him to remember some massacre and blocked off their Bond. Why, she wouldn't even speak to him for three days afterwards!

So here he was now, dreading the afternoon ahead of him. It was hot and sweaty and Eragon was eager to get back to his tomes and scrolls. He was reading a rather interesting manuscript about a type of sea dragon when he had been rather rudely interrupted and told to put on his finest robes for the market.

They had been wandering through the crowded, fly-shrouded stalls guarded by evil-looking mercenaries and many foreign slave-traders with dark skin and wearing turbans on their heads. All the elves in the stalls were scrawny and unkempt. They looked unhealthy and sick much to Eragon's disgust, and they hadn't even been owned yet.

He heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes as a random slave trader reached out his grubby hands gesturing wildly and trying to gain his attention, ranting about how good and strong his slave was. Feeling rather irritated, Eragon glanced over his shoulder to brush the man off only to freeze in shock as he saw the man's slave.

Unlike the other denizens of the slave market, this slave was good-looking and wondrous to behold. It was also a she much to Eragon's embarrassment but he felt himself drawn to her.

She was tall and muscular with a finely toned chest. She looked fit and healthy as if she had seen lots of action in her life. Raven-back hair cascaded down her shoulders and her skin was clean, soft and white. Bright green eyes stared fiercely up at him, her clearly-elvish, cat-like face turned up in defiance of his gawking.

He blushed something fierce when he realised that she was stark naked and quickly turned away, his cheeks bright red. He hastily moved on only to bump into someone. Glancing up he saw it was his father who had a broad grin on his face and his hands on his hips. He looked over his shoulder at his mother only to see her smiling softly in amusement, a look of recognition in her eyes.

Eragon groaned and let his shoulders sag in defeat. Why did it always have to be him?

"So you'll buy my slave, yes?" The fat grubby man asked eagerly, a greedy glint in his eye. "Only seven thousand pieces of gold for such a fine specimen! See? I give good price."

"Five thousand?" Lord Brom asked, feigning outrage.

And just like that, the bargaining began. All too soon, however, it was over much to Eragon's dismay and soon he had a slave girl waiting at his side. The slave master tossed a tattered gray robe on her which she snatched quickly out of his hands and threw it on.

"Tell your new master your name, wench," The slave trader growled, prodding the elf with his elbow.

The elf clenched her jaw, obviously unused to this sort of treatment and looked Eragon in the eye with such determination that it shocked him to the core. He had never seen that in anyone before!

"Arya," The elf replied. "My name is Arya."

To Be Continued!