War Prize

Chapter Fifteen: KATIRINA

They retrieved us an hour before sundown, and made us march single file through the castle hallways, surrounded by an army of men in battle attire.

Helena lead the group, her steady movement causing her gold dress to sway around her. Her red hair was pinned up in an elegant mass of curls and braids. Chanah follows close behind her, trying to mimic Helena's steady movements. She looked very genteel in her dark blue dress, and curled brown hair.

After the two blue eyed girls came the four gold eyed ones. First Addrianna, in her provocative red dress, and gold hair flowing down her back in waves. Then the twins, in their matching lilac gowns, and pinned up hair. And lastly Basha, in a soft cream gown and a hundred braids that fed into a tight bun.

Following the golden eyed girls, was Geena and Flyta. Geena looked beautiful in her pale yellow dress. And Flyta looked young and sweet in her pink dress, and pigtails. After Flyta, strutted Daralis, with her head thrown back regally, in her dark green dress that clashed with her red eyes and grey hair.

I followed the dangerous Inu, who looked like a warrior in her black dress and short white hair, in a pale blue dress. I had only allowed the woman who had come help us dress to pick out my gown, then I had pushed them away, and did my own hair on a simple braid that reminded me of my time on the slave ship.

I counted off the girls in my head. There were only ten in front of me, and supposedly I was number twelve. So where was number eleven?

I pushed away the questions that swirled around in my head, and focused on my surroundings. My previous stroll through the castle had been far too rushed for me to absorb anything that was around me. Now that I was within this group of women though, we walked much slower.

My eyes trailed over the different paintings of past battles, that design the walls. I saw portraits, that I can only assume are the dead ancestors of my new master. I marveled at the chandeliers that twinkled above our heads in every hallway. When our group did finally reach our destination, my eyes were glossed over from looking at the wealth that now surrounded me.

When we reached a garden, I knew we had arrived at our destination. It was breathtaking to behold, so full of life and color. I could feel the energy of it all surround me in a warm embrace. There were tall trees with leaves various colors of red, orange, and yellow. There were flowers of all sizes and colors. Red ones in the shape of a star. Blue ones, that dangled upside down from branches. Purple ones that sprouted in-between the the stones of the walkways. I saw larges flowers that changed colors, and small flowers that could suck themselves back into the earth. It was all so beautiful, but only a few other girls that I walked with spared their surroundings a glance. Young Flyta stared around with the same wonderment as I did, but I don't think she really saw what I did. Dangerous Inu gave her surroundings a quick overview. Mousy Chanah, looked around in worry, her head swinging wildly at every noise.

I finally saw my master, dress in black and standing like a solider. I noticed that he appeared rather tense. And when I saw who he stood by, I understood why.

"Barbarians." I heard one of the girls mutter, probably Daralis. I examine the barbarians. I had always head stories about them, but this was the first I had ever been in their presence. I drop my eyes, hoping that I go unnoticed by their bloodthirsty eyes.

'The Scared Ones' some people call them. The power hungry invaders, who forced their way onto the Council of Seven by taking control of the Lumturi Galaxy, and began the War of Seven, that had torn apart the universe. The Life of the Universe was also lost because of them. Dead along with most of the Avita Galaxy, the galaxy that had been responsible for keeping the peace with the other six galaxies. It had been the meeting place of the Council of Seven, before they disappeared at the start of the war.

"I still don't understand why he allowed one of them to become a contestant." Daralis snarled under her breath. Speaking to anyone who was listening.

My eyes snapped to the barbarians again, scanning over them until I saw her. The one girl, surrounded by the scared barbarians. She appeared small compared to their bulk, but she was as tall and bulky as the rest on them. She wore a bright silver dress, that made her curly hair shine like a flickering fire.

I stumbled, taken aback by what else I saw. The girl, she had silver eyes.

Silver eyes just like mine.