Torpid Void

Louis
His gaze hardened. "No. She's sticking with me." I hate this place already. 

Harper
"But you're not her father, and she has no where else to go," the lady insisted.

Louis
"I honestly don't care. If she has nowhere to go, then there should be no problem with her staying with me. Now please shut up and take us to wherever it is we're supposed to go." 

Harper
The lady looked at the sky, muttered something in a difderent language, then looked back down at Louis without saying anything.

Louis
Very ominous. Are we done yet? "I'm sorry if I'm a little short, but I have no idea what's going on and am therefore mildly irritated." Don't want to die yet. Em doesn't need that right now. "Would you mind showing us the food you offered earlier?" 

Harper
"Well, after we get something straightened out," the lady said, her gaze hardening and her voice becoming more stern. "Harper doesn't go with you. If you manage to get a high enough rank to own her, then by all means. But not now."

Louis
"Why are the ranks so important? You said it yourself, she has nowhere else to go. She can come with me. Now she has somewhere to go. You don't have to deal with a stubborn kid. It's a win-win situation, honestly." 

Harper
"Because, ranks are important. And we have a place for her, but she works." Harper shifted uncomfortably, finding herself shifting slightly behind Louis. She wasn't one to accept help, but she didn't want to be sold to another family, especially since she didnt even knkw where her real family were.

Louis
"Look, lady, I don't know anything about this place. But you can't just go taking children and selling them like some sort of merchandise. Let me take care of Harper. She probably doesn't want to go live with new parental figures when she still misses her other ones."

Harper
"We do not support resistance here. You should learn to hold your tongue before it gets the better of you," the lady said. "We will let Harper stay with you for today and tonight, but we're still putting her on the market."

Louis
The market?! These people are monsters. "Fine." Can't do anything about it right now. At least I bought us some time. 

Harper
The lady smiled, cocking her head as though she could see right through Louis. "Follow me."

Louis
He didn't move right away, letting her walk on her own for a few seconds as he turned to Harper. "Are you doing okay?" 

Harper
Harper didn't meet Louis' eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Louis
"I'll figure this out. They won't be selling you, okay?" She's too young for this. She shouldn't be here.