Spirit
1261 Words
Kaia finally forced herself to pull herself together, she shut her mouth flushing with embarrassment that she had been momentarily stunned. She had been able to understand them speaking Razzaki, a rare skill in Creed and even more so in little Bleakburn where most folk did not care to learn much beyond where their supper was coming from, but clearly she had been naive to assume these foreigners could not speak Creesan. The beautiful woman waited patiently, steadily watching Kaia’s face without emotion.
“I...I didn’t know he was a prince,” Kaia stuttered lamely feeling like a child being scolded. The woman stared and her for another moment until one corner of her lip twitched as though she was about to smile.
“Well, you are certainly fortunate he was in an unusually good mood or things may not have turned out so well for you.” The woman warned her sternly as though Kaia had won some sort of prize. The woman flicked a finger at Kaia beckoning her to follow as she turned gracefully on her heel and started walking toward the center of the pavilion without a backward glance. Kaia was startled by the quick changed she glance behind her wondering if she really had any choice, then remembering the two enormous guards on the other side of the entryway, and the camp full of Razaaks beyond them she shuttered unconsciously. Quickly she turned to follow the Ma’Kala’ree.
The women scattered around the room looked up as they passed. A few whispered in another’s ear in rapid Razaaki that Kaia could not hear. Kaia suddenly felt self conscious in her bloodstained linen dress as these women, all of whom appeared to be exceptionally beautiful, stared her down without any attempt to disguise it. They were all wearing silks of various colors and designs, although not one of them wore red like the woman she trotted after. A few simply looked curious, and watched her as though she was a child they were minding. Others, however, eyed her with open disgust. One woman in particular, looked at Kaia as though she was meat that had spoiled before its time. She was wearing purple silks and had eyes heavily rimmed with kohl. Her lip was practically curling as Kaia rushed past her trying to keep up with the Ma’Kala’ree. They passed through a divider into a room much smaller than the previous where only a few people were present. Two were clearly Razaaki, clad in identical purple silks, who stood in front of two other women kneeling on the ground in front of them. To her horror, Kaia quickly realized the girls, each of whom were short in stature with golden brown hair, were Creesan.
The girls looked up as they entered and Kaia started as she realized she recognized one of them. Sarah Britton was the daughter of the blacksmith, two years Younger than Kaia, who had been married off to a boy in a neighboring town last season. Kaia had not seen her since then. Sarah looked tired and miserable, much like the girl who kneeled beside her who Kaia did not recognize. To her surprise she realized they were not in Creesan linen dresses nor the Razaaki silks but instead were dressed in simple tunics that ended just above their knees, a scandalous cut in Creed but a bit more reserved than the nearly see through silks their captors wore. They also wore skintight black leggings under the tunic. Kaia realized that If Sarah and this other girl were here, Bleakburn had not been the first village to be raided. A flash of recognition in Sarah’s face as she looked up and she opened her mouth to say something, but before she could make a sound the hand of one of the Razaaki women in front of her whipped out and cracked across her cheek with such force she nearly toppled over.
“Be still!” The woman hissed in Razaaki but the meaning was clear regardless. Sarah shuttered at looked at her knees not willing to provoke the woman any further. The Ma’Kala’ree turned to face Kaia as though she had not even seen the altercation.
“I am Azra, leader of the Kala’ree,” she said gesturing toward the purple clad women.
“What are the Kala’ree?” Kaia asked before she could stop herself. A hiss from one of the women was cut off sharply by a quick gesture from Azra. She looked back at Kaia rather coldly.
“You will speak only when told to do so. “ she reprimanded but continued smoothly, “the Kala’ree are the King’s Haram. Specially chosen and trained to serve the king and his men as deemed necessary.” Kaia’s eyes widened in horror but she managed to hold her tongue this time. Azra continued, “You and these other girls are Varuuk, or outsiders, and therefore extremely unlikely to have what it takes to complete the Kala’ree training. However, “ she paused drawing out the word as though unwilling to continue, “ the king’s advisors have taken a liking to you three and wish us to attempt to make something of you three.” Azra gestured s to the two Razaaki women and they sprung into action rushing to Kaia who tensed for an impact but quickly realized they were pulling her ruined dress up over her shoulders and nimbly unlacing her corset. Kaia was not fool enough to attempt to stop them and soon was left standing naked as the day she was born in front of these three strangers. The two Creesan girls across the room stared at their knees, clearly the same had been done to them when they arrived. But the Razaaki women circled her like vultures, looking her up and down. Kaia had never been in front of any woman except Miss April while naked as far as she could remember and she quickly tried to cover her self with her arms. A quick smack on her wrist from one of the women forced her to put her arms at her side as she seethed with embarrassment.
“So skinny” one hissed in Razaaki.
“Too pale, is she ill?” The other criticized. Kaia flushed, color rushing to her cheeks, she tried staring at the ceiling but she caught Azra’s eye who was studying her curiously. She nodded to the women, one of whom helped Kaia into simple black undergarments and the other, none too gently, started binding her breasts with a long strip of black fabric. Kaia grunted as the woman roughly tied the band in place, earning her a glare but no other response. They draped her in a simple tunic like the others and finally once she stepped into the leggings they moved away to flank Azra.
“Your name?” Azra asked her, still studying her. Kaia lifted her chin slightly and looked her in the eye trying to muster any last bit of dignity she possessed.
“I am Kaia Bjorn.” The corner of Azra’s mouth twitched again as she looked at one of her companions and spoke in Razaaki.
“This one has spirit,” other woman rolled her eyes and replied dryly.
“We’ll see how long that lasts.”
- Writer
