Amalia's attention was taken from her plate to the pale haired girl who sat across from her. "Excuse me? Are you from Maanku?" she asked. Amalia shook her head. "No, but I have heard of it in my studies. I am from Artane, on the Emerald Coast. My name is Amalia." While she spoke Amalia took in the girl. She was very pretty. They looked very similar. One would almost assume they were from the same place. But while Amalia's beauty was more soft, like gentle waves lapping against the shore, this girl had an ethereal beauty, like the sheen of freshly fallen snow in a glade. There was little doubt she would be fought over.
Amalia guessed her to be either a Water or an Air Gem. While Amalia looked like an Air Gem thanks to her father's genes, she got her abilities from her Earth Gem mother.
Quiet conversation with some whimpers drifted through the dining hall. Amalia shook her head. "Some of them will not survive their first night. My heart aches for them. I can only pray the Great Mother will give me her strength.," she looked at her companion curiously. "Do you pray to the Great Mother? I know that some have lost faith in her. Truly it is difficult at times to hold on when such things happen to us."
A cup slammed down next to her. A girl who looked like an Earth Gem sobbed. "What is the point of praying? The Great Mother has abandoned us! Why else would she not heed our cries and answer our prayers? We are abandoned! We are cursed!" Amalia put her arms around the girl, trying to quiet her outburst. "Quiet please," she pleaded gently. "If you become hysterical they will surely punish you. Calm. Please. I know you are scared. I am too. Even if you do not have faith in the Great Mother anymore, remember her teachings: be humble, be kind, be generous. Such traits are true beauty and will be rewarded," Amalia soothed her, running a hand over her hair and rocking her gently as the girl cried into her chest.
"What if I am chosen by a Drakken who is as ugly as he is cruel?" the girl sobbed. "What if he tortures and kills me for entertainment?" "As pretty as you are?" Amalia asked, pulling back to brush the girl's hair from her face. "You will surely be fought over by the most handsome of Drakken. And Drakken do value hard work. Do your best and your future husband may treat you fairly."
The girl hiccupped and looked at Amalia with a mixture of disbelief and wonder. "How can you be so positive?" "Because I refuse to become the alternative," Amalia answered. "I will not let their hatred destroy who I am."
Amalia makes small talk with Lienna and observes her beauty before calming a hysterical Gem.
I'm sorry it is so short. This is not reflective of my normal post length.
"My little one, you look beautiful," the old maid said lovingly. "Thank you," Amelia replied formally. Impulsively the older woman reached out and hugged the girl-child. "Out. All of you," she ordered and all of the younger servants went scurrying away. When they were alone Treema began braiding small bits of her hair on either side of her head, pulling them back and fastening them with a tie in order to keep the hair out of the girl's face. "Remember little one, the only way to even hope for safety and security is for you to entice a Drakken in high standing. Even if he is ugly as sin itself and smells like death warmed over, once he claims you as his property no one will dare touch you. And if he is taken enough with your beauty he will endeavor to retain that beauty by not harming you." Amalia nodded mechanically. She had been told this many times before, since she had turned 12 and had her first woman's time. Once her first bleeding had occured her mother had informed her of her eventual fate. Both of her parents had kept their distance since then, perhaps in an attempt to lessen the blow of losing their only daughter.
Amalia had grown up with only Treema and few servants for company. Her older brothers, four in all, kept away mostly as well. She didn't blame them for this. Whenever she did see them, the look of shame in their faces was enough to make her not want to see them either. She understood that they wished desperately to save her, but there was truly nothing that could do that wouldn't lead to war. The current peace was delicate and as thin as frost. Any misstep could lead to centuries of bloodshed and the eventual extinction of her people.
Amalia barely spoke and when she did it was in quiet tones and in as few words as possible. She had been groomed and tutored to be the perfect pet. A beautiful bird to sing and be kept in a cage, to be enjoyed at her master's whim. Amalia knew how to cook, clean, sew, weave, could play the harp and sing like an angel. Drawing had been attempted but abandoned, as had horseback riding.
Outside of the window, the town was silent. The people, who worked her father's land and lived under his protection as their liegelord, mourned for her already. They loved the fair maiden who was like an angel to them, the very embodiment of the Great Mother herself.
Amalia Solair, born of Earth and Sky. That is what they called her.
"It is time my little one," Treema finally said, turning her to face forward and brushing her shoulders and face. There was nothing there, but the older woman was stretching out their time together, fussing over her little one for the last time.
Finally there was a hesitant but solid knock on the door. Pulling back, Treema, crying in earnest now, held Amalia's face in her hands. "Whoever choses you, HE is the fortunate one. HE is the one who should be grateful and HE is the one who is blessed by the Gods. No matter how the Drakken's act or speak to you, remember : the Great Mother sees all. Embody her patience, her love, her grace, her purity in all that you do and say and she will bless you." Amalia nodded. "May the Great Mother look kindly on you Treema."
One of her father's men stood at the door, ready to guide her down to the waiting carriage. The black carriage was horrid looking, already having several Gem maidens inside whimpering.
Sunlight bathed the courtyard. Many people had gathered to watch her leave. Amalia hid her astonishment that her parents were there as well. They both stood stoic, but she could see the hurt in their eyes. She presented herself to them with her head high but her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her mother embraced her child, not speaking. Her father laid a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Do not forget this land," were the only words he spoke to her.
Amalia climbed into the carriage and didn't look back as it set off. She finally allowed the tears that she had been holding to fall freely from her eyes. Ahead of her loomed darkness and the unknown. Ahead were monsters and creatures of the damned. Ahead was her future, shrouded in pain, fear and shadow. What could a creature of light do but weep.
"Great Mother...," she prayed in her tears, the other Gems holding hands as they also bowed their heads in prayer. "Hear our plea... We beg you to turn your gaze to us... take us into your embrace as your beloved children... give us the strength to face the evil... protect us Mother... protect us... We beg you..."
She continued to pray aloud and held the trembling hands of her fellow captives as they were taken towards the dark.
---
Their welcome had been as reassuring as expected. Each girl was taken to a room and locked in. Several of her carriage mates had clung to Amalia, drawn to her calm spirit, but were roughly tore from her. Unlike the women she had been brought with Amalia had an air of calmness about her. Of course she was terrified of her yet unknown future but she kept calm. Being near her would feel like being near the ocean.
The window of their rooms were too narrow to throw themselves from, but Amalia could see outside at least. The land was dark and twisted, so unlike her garden home by the sea it made her want to weep. Tears glinted like pearls down her cheeks. How was she to survive this? Why had the Great Mother allowed such a thing? Did she not care for her devoted children? Why did she ignore their cries for help?
Needing to fill the silence with something other than the whimpers and cries of her fellow captives, Amalia sang gently a lullaby from her childhood.
"Just close your eyes, The sun is going down, You'll be alright, No one can hurt you now, Come morning light, You and I'll be safe and sound..."
---
The next morning Amalia was awake before the pounding. She sighed and walked out, following the guards who lead her to the morning meal. Many girls looked like they hadn't slept. Some were still weeping. A few came close to her, almost as if her presence eased their nerves and they quieted.
The food looked edible at least. Amalia ate like a bird, not having much appetite. What were they to expect this day? What training could the Drakken have meant? She prayed the females with weaker constitutions would survive.
Amalia glanced around at the others. There were quite a few Gems so perhaps there would be be fighting as she had heard happening in previous years. Some Drakken would kill each other over a single Gen of great beauty.
With her pale skin, white hair and crystal blue eyes Amalia stood out. But there were several others of unusual beauty as well. One could definitely tell which Gems were of high breeding.
Amalia's parents are pretty much emotionless when she is taken. Amalia prays with the other girls during the trip. She sings a lullaby in her room at night. At breakfast she eats little and gazed quietly at her fellow brides.
I don't know if that format for posting will work for my phone but I can try. I can't get to my computer til tomorrow. If it doesn't work I'll fix it once I get to my computer.
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CleverFox