Civilized

Ch. 4

That night, they put me in a room upstairs where they kept guards outside my door. I heard them laughing boisterously and then talking in low whispers. I sat on the sill of the window and looked out at the treetops for the house was on a hill. I imagines myself able to see the village from here even though I hadn't tracked which direction I'd come from the past five days. I sighed at the memory, then caught my reflection in the window glass. My reflection didn't remind me of what I remembered looking at in the pond surface at home. I remembered that this was me though, not someone else. The me that mother had said she loved. The me that mother had said father would be proud of. Oh how I wished he were here to guide me with these English speakers. With that though, I fell asleep at the window sill.
In the morning, I awoke to find a tray of food I assumed to be my breakfast on the bed I was supposed to sleep on. I ate alone while observing the room in a new light that I couldn't the night before.
Afterwards, the soldier from yesterday knocked and asked to come in. I called a quiet 'yes' and he entered immediately.
"Hi, again. I'm here to bring you Miss Harriet. She's gonna get you fitted, then we'll allow you to choose a piece, and then so forth well begin or travels up North," he said. I furrowed my grows in confusion. It wasn't that I couldn't understand the words he meant, but that I didn't know the meaning of his words. He noticed my confusion, and instead smacked his lips then said I'd find out soon enough. He even said that it wasn't going to hurt me at all, but I had weird doubts about that statement.
"My, my, you're here," said the lady named Miss Harriet, "Come, we must get you started. I'm afraid you'll be setting off this evening." She waved me onto a block in the room, and then brought out a long string with numbers and lines on them. I waited patiently, not sure what she was going to do. Suddenly, she pressed the string from the front onto my abdomen.
"Hahahhaha!" I broke out laughing immediately and she pulled away surprised.
"Dear what are you doing!? Hold still," she scolded. I wiped a sudden tear and apologized profusely. However, to her dismay, I couldn't stop laughing the whole time, and she even called in some other girls to hold my arms and legs while she worked.
Finally, it was over, and she allowed me to sit down where I slumped down into the seat. She waved a finger at me, and I took it as a way of saying that I didn't do very well. I apologized again and sat up to appear more polite. Mother had always said father wanted a proper child that understood the ways of many different kinds of people. So of course after he left, mother raised me as so.
I sat in the room all morning watching the girls and Miss Harriet  move metal sticks on wheels into the room. Hanging on metal wires, row upon row of western footing hung. I looked at each one wondering how they were stitched with so many ruffles and other textures and how they were dyed in such a variety of colors. I must've been staring for a while since Mis Harrier caught my attention after snapping her fingers in my face for about a minute. At least that's what she said.
"Wake up. We need to get you a dress," she said taking my hand and leading me to the racks.
"This one is in style these days," she said. I had no idea what she meant about in style, but nodded in agreement anyways. However, the pink, ruffle dress didn't appeal to me at all. Nor did the lime green laced up dress, or the yellow one with a very low cut front. I frowned saying no to yet another dress, but that didn't stop her from moving on to the next.
"Um, can I, maybe, pick my own?" I asked hesitantly. I sounded confident though, at least I thought so. She stopped midway as her hands moved a dress aside. She blinked at first, but then busily moved aside.
"Of course dear, go ahead. This was your choice in the beginning," she ushered me towards the racks. Now that I was up close, my own ragged tunic, all brown, beads faded, looked pitiful next to the expensive looking dresses. I glided my fingers against each, careful not to hurt any in any way.
After a couple minutes, I'd made a decision. It made Miss Harriet look and have her eyes linger on it for a while, but chose not to object. I didn't mind for their customs too much and only cared to have something to cover myself with. Plus, I was more of a free runner than a piddle that sat inside all the time. And although I didn't show it, I ached to go outside and run around in the grass. But I knew there was no way I could even step foot outside alone. I'd be taken forcefully back inside.
"Go on and get changed, it's past noon so you need to get on the road," she pushed me towards the bathroom.
"On the road? I'm leaving now? I only just got here," I said stopping myself. She shook her head.
"I'm afraid you're not to stay. I know I can't tell you about your village, but I do know they chose you to represent your tribe. You're not the only one either. They chose the most capable looking of the lot. Trust me, I don't think they're going to hurt you," she explained quietly. I nodded, tears brimming my eyes. I blinked them away, then left to get changed.
I slipped into the pale blue dress with little to no ruffles, and stepped out where Miss Harriet styled my hair into small curls and a big daisy head band.
Patting my shoulders, she bid me goodbye. The only person who'd been nice to me was bidding me farewell, and I never got to tell her my name. But I wanted to make sure she knew who I was.
"Miss Harriet?" I said catching her attention.
"My name's Fiera. Fiera Kohl," I said with a big breath. She seemed confused, but then smiled knowingly. Squeezing my shoulders, she pushed me lightly to the wagon where all the men stood waiting for me.