I remember when I dyed my hair. It was when I was 13. I was returning from Goro's quarters, when I stumbled upon a door. It was small, wooden, and ordinary. I had never really noticed until today. It was hidden behind stacks of boxes of Goro's old things. I was able to push the boxes away and get into the room. In it where things I had never seen before. I soon realized that they where my father's things.

Their where pictures everywhere. Pictures of the house. Pictures of him. There was even one of mother. And pictures of me. Their many, many books. Books on almost every subject imaginable. I knew father had been a journalist, so he must have needed all the research he could get. Their was even a small journal, underneath a beautiful piece of silk.

The journal was actually more of a record book. It kept records of every artifact he had brought back from the places he had traveled. I looked at the beautiful piece of silk that he had previously been laid on the book. I flipped through the pages, and found it easily. It was on the page I the very middle of the journal.

Silk

Origin: Middle-East

Status: Gift

Value: $5,000 American Dollars

Color: Aquamarine

Rating: 5 stars

Story: This is my favorite item. It was a gift from a very powerful Sultan. It is such a beautiful piece of silk. There are intricate designs all over it, and the bead work is magnificent. I wrapped my new baby girl, Kaida, in it the day she was born, and tucked her in every night with it. She looks just like me, and she is the only person who really loves me. It's a tragedy I won't be able to spend much more time with her…

I closed my tear-filled eyes, and let them spill down my face. I never even knew my father, but I know I loved him. Goro would never speak of him or my mother. He must have locked up all of his things in this room. Goro. I hated him, more than my mother, more than anybody.

I don't know why I decided to dye my hair, although the color choice was obvious to me. I just knew it would really get to Goro's head. He would surely know why I had done it. For the first time, I anticipated the day that Goro would call me into his quarters again.

I was wrong to anticipate. Goro was speechless with anger as he looked at my hair. Finally, he uttered, "Why? Why do you wish to disobey like this? WOULD IT NOT JUST BE EASIER TO TAKE MY OFFER? YOU'RE LIFE WOULD PERFECT! I WOULD GIVE YOU EVERYTHING! WHY DO YOU DO THESE THINGS? This requires special punishment…" He grabbed my arms and pinned them to my sides. He took a large metal object from the fireplace. "Do you know what this is?" He whispered. "It's called a Brand. It is what farmers use on their cattle. So everyone knows that they are their property. Do you want to see how it works?" He stuck the long brand into the fire, and let it heat, slowly. "I love the idea. The beautiful pain. Ownership of something big. I had one custom made. It is shaped like a dragon. I love the artistic detail…" He was stringing me along. I knew what he was planning. But I refused to cry. To break down and show him that he could get to me. He may scare me. But he would not get to me.

Goro removed the brand from the fire. "Now," he whispered, "You are my property." He moved the brand to my bare arms…