War Prize

Chapter Six: KATIRINA

Woman are unworthy creatures to be in the company of men, or so says many of the philosophers of the universe. In my opinion those men have no right to judge all woman until they are forced to be alone with these five for nearly an hour as I have. They chatter like magpies, which is an insult to the creatures themselves. They were constantly speaking about things I had no knowledge of as they yanked and scrubbed at my body. If I hadn't found their screeching voices to be torture then I would have considered what they called "Beauty Treatments" a fit description of the word.

While the women's outward appearances were not at all that dissatisfying to behold, their personalities ruin what could have been five lovely faces. I was ecstatic when they finally finished their assault on my body and left me in peaceful silence for a moment. I sat in the chair they had left me in waiting for something to happen. I couldn't get up; I was too numb from the treatments. Even if I wanted to I couldn't as I was only dressed in a thin robe that doesn't cover my body very well. I resolved to staring at the metal wall in front of me.

The makeshift bathing room, while lacking in mirrors, made up for in the intricate murals painted unto each off the walls. The one before me was filled with elegant images of flowers and sunshine. I inched toward the wall wanting a closer look at the blue flower that held my attention. As I got closer I began to see how the flower was made, the veins that were etched in and the different colors that made the blue so vibrant. And when I got even closer I saw that it wasn't at all a painting but a mass clutter of dots that made up the picture. I traced the art of dots with my finger marvelling at the artists ability to capture the image so perfectly right down to the small bug that was nesting in the heart of the flower.

"It is called pointillism." A voice said from behind me. I snatched my hand fro the picture and moved away in shame at being catch staring wide eyed like some newborn babe. I glanced over my shoulder at the one who had spoken. A small scrap of a girl lingered in the doorway of the bathing room. She was younger than the five woman who had preformed the treatments, but she was still older than my own eighteen years. She gave me a kind smile that made me feel warm inside. Her hand lifted up to jester at the wall. "The art you were admiring. It is called pointillism. It is an old technique of painting rarely ever seen in this sector of the universe."

I glanced down at the art once more, before I dropped my eyes to the floor and returned to the seat I had occupied when the other ladies were yanking at my hair. I could still feel the girls eyes on me as I sat down, pulling at the robe in an attempt to cover myself from her gaze.

"So it is true. You are mute." My head snapped up at the sound of her voice. I could have laughed at the way everyone on this ship stated that I was vocally impaired and never actually asked whether or not it was true. In stead of laughing I stared at the girl blinking slowly as I had with the omeglan. Her eyes widened slightly, "Do you not understand the common tongue?" She asked some what shocked by her own words. I blinked at her, deciding whether or not to allow her to believe such nonsense. I decided against the idea. It was one thing to be mute and another to not understand the common language that everyone is bound by law to know. I shock my head in disagreement to her statement and stared at her expectantly.

She let out a soft puff of air that came whistling out through her teeth. "Good. I nearly had chest failure thinking that you were an illegal."

I gave her a small smile, letting my eyes examiner her closer than I had when I first saw her. She was of average height and weight, her pale blonde hair pulled back displacing her abnormally pointed ears. Her dark brown eyes where a stark opposite to her other light features. Features that were getting closer with every passing second until the girl was in front me. She held out her hand.

"I am Clara Oshamie, your personal handmaiden." Her eyes stared at my growing confusion at her words. "I am to be at your side at all time assisting in whatever you may need." I nodded slowly still not understanding why she was to be my handmaiden. "Right at this point in time your need is clothes." Her eyes wandered over me slowly, stopping at my cleavage. "What is that?" She asked me softly.

I glanced down at my chest seeing the object that held her attention. I was my pendent, the only thing that I had that was mine and no oneelse's. I have never taken it off, and the warm metal had become a part of me, making it easy to forget that I even had it on. I usually had it tucked underneath my clothing out of sight but do to the lack of clothing that I was currently wearing the pendent was out in the open for anyone to see. It was a simple thing. A dark blue gem with a length and width half the size of my thumb. The bright blue jewel was encased in silver veins that hold it to the unbreakable silver chain. It was simply beautiful in my opinion, a reminder that I come from somewhere. I trailed a finger softly over the pendent, before glancing back up at Clara.

She was staring at me again. "It is lovely. Do you mind if I remove it?" Her dark eyes stared at me expecting compliance.

I wrapped the jewel in my hand. Shacking my head my head negatively at the idea of removing something so precious from my line of sight even for a moment.

Clara stared at me for another moment. "Alright if you insist on keeping it on... I will just need to find a dress to compliment it...." Her voice trailed off as she fell into deep thought. She stared at me for a moment. "You have pale skin....pale.....black hair....silver eyes..." She went on muttering clips of her inner conversations as her brown eyes studied me closely. The her face light up into a bright smile. "I know the perfect gown for you to where for your introduction to Gallium." She stated excitedly, pulling me up and dragging me into yet another room.

Worry filled my body. Gallium... I thought to myself... What in the universe have I gotten myself mixed up into?