Same as before!
The next morning, Caladria again waited for the young girl. This time she took her bread and water jar, getting there just before she did. Caladria waited a little bit for her, and when she came Caladria handed the girl the piece of bread, meanwhile indicating for her to sit on the bench wrapped around the well. This she did, while Caladria retrieved both of their water, and then the girl stood up. Caladria sighed, Farron was right. She was tired of being alone and she wanted at the very least someone who was willing to say two words to her every day, besides Farron. Caladria stopped the girl before she left, sighed, and finally relented.
"What is your name?" Caladria asked in the dialect that she'd picked up from the other villagers. The girl looked extremely surprised. Still though, she didn't respond, merely taking her water jar and walking back to her home. Caladria hauled up her own water, and then dejectedly walked back.
"She won't speak." Farron said as she came in.
"Of course she won't." Caladria responded, overwhelming frustration in her voice. She set down the water, picking up a broom and beginning to sweep the kitchen a little. A man came to the door which Caladria had just entered from, and knocked. Farron opened it, and the man who had just arrived quietly said something to Farron. Farron then turned to Caladria.
"Go," he said nodding to the stairs. Caladria ignored him, still sweeping. Farron took an angry step towards her. She looked at him, he definitely meant it. Caladria set down the broom, and quietly walked upstairs. Whatever the messenger was there for, Caladria had a feeling it was about her. She sighed, she'd find out soon enough. She just hoped that she wasn't going to be put into the care of a different eunuch, she had just been getting used to Farron. The last one had been terrible as well, he had been much more insistent on her place as a woman, and had occasionally hit her. After a few times of this, Caladria had hit back, at which point their scuffle became much more serious. It ended with him towering over her with a knife, and Caladria managing to take it. Apparently, she hadn't completely forgotten the training her mother had given her. She had gotten in serious trouble for that, and in the end, received a much stronger beating then she other wise would have received for merely disobeying him. Then she had been put in Farron's care. Farron tried to change her, convince her to be like "other women," but both of them knew that it wasn't going to happen. After the incident with the other eunuch though, she had become an out-cast, and one of those that was constantly being gossiped about by the other women.
Caladria heard the messenger leave, finally. She then heard Farron heavily walking up the stairs to her room. He opened the door, and Caladria looked expectantly up into his face from the corner where she was sitting.
"They take you back to Capitol." Farron said. Caladria swallowed, this was not what she wanted to hear.
"What? I didn't do anything wrong though, Farron, you know that!" Caladria protested. Her last "visit" had been long and painful, and she wasn't eager to repeat it. "Why?" She asked him.
"I do not know." Farron stated turning and walking downstairs again. From the bottom, he called back up to her.
"You leave now." Caladria gave a long sigh. She didn't have anything to bring, just herself and the clothes she wore. She walked outside, where the messenger was standing with two horses. She got on one of them, sitting with her legs hanging over the side. Her horse had its bridal firmly tied to the messenger's horse. The messenger mounted, and they began to leave. Farron stood, watching her go. She looked at him, and then saw someone else watching, the little girl from the well, just standing on her doorstep and watching Caladria leave. On an impulse, Caladria waved at her. It couldn't do any harm.
It took a day to reach the capitol city. The messenger didn't say a word to Caladria, and Caladria responded in kind, happy to keep it that way. They finally reached the city, and Caladria dismounted, feeling rather sore. The messenger promptly took her to the palace, which was strategically placed in the center of the city. Caladria was then taken to a room, where some attendants lighted some candles, and then left, closing the door. Caladria heard the faint "click" as the key locked it. She looked around. She had a window with some stone lattice work, and from the window she could see that dusk had just passed, and she was around three stories up. There were rich, plush carpets covering the floor. In the center, was a small, low table which held a golden bowl containing fruit. Caladria ate a prune, and then lay down in the corner to sleep.
A few hours later, midnight had just passed and Caladria awoke to the sound of footsteps drawing near. A woman entered, shut the door, and then motioned for Caladria to come forward. Cautiously, Caladria did so, at which point the woman knelt on the floor and signaled Caladria to kneel in front of her. Caladria did this as well, taking off her heavy veils and headscarf. The woman then took out a comb, and began combing Caladria's long, rich brown hair. She continued in silence for awhile, and then the woman stopped, beginning to braid Caladria's hair. Caladria sighed. If they had given her the comb she could have done it just as easily, and without the long agony of having to hold her head perfectly straight. They continued though, and Caladria was too tired to truly complain. Caladria's mother used to do the same thing, gently combing and braiding Caladria's hair. But it had been years since she had done that, many sad years since she had done that.
The woman finally concluded her fussing, and stood up, pulling Caladria up as well. She handed Caladria a fancier head scarf and veil, both of which were golden with intricate embroidery. They were a little bit lighter than the old brown and black ones though, much to Caladria's relief. The woman then opened the door of the room, stepping out. Caladria followed her, and to guards fell in step behind them. After awhile of traversing endless corridors, Caladria finally was led into another much larger room, which held around six Jaffa.
