Chapter 4 -Pan's Dream-

The sun was beginning to blaze overhead as the procession of slaves grew nearer to the castle. Stooping slightly from the long walk, the girls marched ever onward, dragging their chains. The bright port had given way to a cool forest, a well trodden path leading through the middle. With a sort of awe and wonder that contradicted her true mood, Pan stared around at the many unique creatures and plants that littered the forest floor; shrubs and flowers of every shape and color, bursting with blooms and surrounded by jade and emerald leaves. Periwinkle blue birds lighted on branches in front of them, warbling to each other in odd tones that carried through the canopy. The tree branches formed a thick curtain of shade above them, casting everything in a yellow green light. Pan thought that if she hadn't been chained to thirty other girls marching towards a life of servitude with no foreseeable end in sight, she would be rather enjoying herself. But not even the lush woods could take her mind off of what was to come. She had not cried. The fighter in her would not allow it. But still...she found herself aching inside, missing her home, her family, everything she had loved. She shook her head. No. She would not allow herself to waste away, drowning in her thoughts of regret. Her only chance was to look towards the future, and not to give in to despair as some of the other girls had obviously done. There was a dead look in their eyes, an utter lack of hope. Pan could not allow that. No situation was impossible to over come, her trials on her home planet had taught her that. She would find a way out, or her name wasn't Pan Son...With a new sense of determination Pan looked up and saw that they were nearing the edge of the forest. The thick canopy overhead was wavering somewhat, slowly letting in more light. The march continued in silence, and they finally walked into open land. Looking to her left, Pan's nerve dropped slightly as she saw something that looked suspiciously like an auction block, and a crowd of men milling around it. However, she did not have to look at it for long before the line of girls was steered to the right towards a small hut sitting on top of a small hill.
The hut was really more of a shack; it looked like it had been thrown together without any consideration for symmetry or sturdiness. Tilting precariously on its side, it was held up on one end by three pieces of thin wooden boards. Pan vaguely wondered how they were all going to fit into it when they were stopped by the man who had been leading them. Clutching some type of metal device and flexing his muscles, he looked very threatening indeed. He said nothing however, and merely seemed to be waiting for something. Suddenly the door creaked open, and a middle aged woman dressed in a lime green dress stepped outside. Her dress clashed brilliantly with her magenta curls, which were shoved under a large straw hat that seemed to be too small for her large head.
"Hurry up, hurry up...we haven't got all day. Alright, now you girls are here to get cleaned up before the auction. We have to make you look pretty for your potential buyers, which will be hard as most of you look like something I would find on the bottom of my a dirty rock. Now we can't all fit in here, the house could very well collapse from all your excess weight. You will come inside in groups of three. I will release you when it is your time, and you will promptly go through the door and wait inside. She turned now to address the man that had escorted them. "Ix, if you could stick around and keep an eye on them while they're waiting that would be great. Wouldn't want anyone running away on us, cutting our profits..." The man grunted in return, and turned to watch the girls with his arms folded over his chest. She nodded, and walked over to the three girls at the front of the line. "You three come with me." She bent down and messed with the chains that bound them together, releasing them. She watched as they walked forward, and then followed them through the door.
Pan and the other girls stood still for a few minutes, looking around at each other not quite sure what to do. Their guard still had not spoken to them. Pan's legs were over cone with fatigue. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she looked around for a few more minutes before almost collapsing onto the cool dirt surrounding the hut. The other girls turned to look at the guard nervously, but he apparently took no notice. A few of the braver girls followed suit, sitting down one by one until there were only a few standing up. These girls continued to shift their eyes about nervously, not wanting to risk any trouble. Pan leaned back, relishing the break from standing. She turned her gaze towards the sky, observing the thin clouds silhouetted against the pale rose colored sky. She closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze that floated across her skin. She was falling...falling faster and faster...suddenly she found herself in quite a different place. There were fires everywhere, death and destruction. People were shooting at each other, everything was in chaos. Flashes of red erupted everywhere. Pan looked around, panicked, for her father. She called out his name...there was no response. She ran...she had to find him. She was falling again...faster, faster, faster...suddenly she screamed and hit solid ground. She blinked her eyes open and realized that she had never left...nothing she had just seen had been real; the scream, however, was. Her leg throbbed, already sore from where she had been kicked earlier in the day.
"Stupid girl. You're supposed to be waiting for your turn, not falling asleep. Eesha warned me you would be trouble. Well get up then. "
Pan looked down and saw that her chains had been removed. Looking back up, she saw the hem of a lime green dress. She rose slowly, looking around for any means of escape. The woman eyed her suspiciously; "I wouldn't try that if I were you,"she muttered. "That metal band around your neck would pump you full of lethal electricity if I just pushed this little button here." She motioned to a gold band on her wrist containing a small red button. Pan started. She hadn't noticed the loose lightweight ring around her neck, but now realized there must have been some method in place to stop them from escaping. She fingered it delicately.
"Yes...that's right. Now, come one, the auction will be starting soon."
Pan turned and slowly followed the two other girls to the door of the hut.

The inside of the hut was not much better than the outside. There was no floor, simply the dirt that seemed to appear in abundance around the area. It was also crooked, sloping up and down with the land. Pan's gaze traveled to three large tubs of water, the contents stained slightly gray from continued use. With a look of disgust, Pan turned her eyes to the bare walls, which were cracked and contained small holes where light peered through.
"Alright, alright. Now each of you get in a tub, and no complaining! You're lucky you even get a bath." The woman shoved them towards the water. Pan looked warily, trying to pick the bath that looked the cleanest. Stepping into the one at the far left, Pan's foot slid into the stagnant room temperature water. She paused to remove her green drape, and sunk into the water. She submerged herself up to her neck, as another girl, younger than the woman, rushed over and began to douse her with soap. She sighed as the woman began to scrub her furiously. She noticed the other two slaves receiving the same treatment. Just when Pan was beginning to think her skin was going to peel off from the frenzied bathing, the girl retreated and threw a towel on the floor next to the tub. Taking this as a sign that she was to get out, Pan gingerly stepped onto the dirt floor and picked up the towel. Shaking off the dirt, she began to dry her body and hair. Wrapping the towel around herself, she waited. The other girls also got out and stood waiting for what was to come next. The girls who had bathed them rushed forward and began holding up different dresses. Pan's attendant was holding up a silk emerald green dress, trimmed with gold. She pointed at a screen, giving Pan a small push in its direction. She retreated behind the screen, and emerged a few minutes later. The dress swept the floor, tightening at the waist and bust. The long sleeves flared out at the ends, draping her wrists in the luxurious material. The attendant seemed pleased, and rushed over to begin brushing Pan's hair. She left it down, a shining curtain of black standing out against the dazzling green. Next she moved her to a stool low to the ground, and began brushing her face with powders and blushes. Finally, she draped her neck in a long gold chain with a polished jade pendant nestling itself against her skin. Standing back, the girl took a moment to admire her work before standing Pan up and ushering her over to a corner in the opposite side of the room. Startled by how quickly she had been prepared, Pan turned and looked at the other slaves who had already been taken care of; they stood waiting, dressed in equally stunning dresses of all materials, from crushed velvet to soft calicos. With a look around, Pan realized that they had been the last ones. Everyone was ready. Her heart started beating rapidly in her chest. The moment was here. They would soon be marched out to meet destiny head on, and to learn what would become of them. She fell into line with the other girls. Everyone was silent. The woman with the straw hat came over and pushed open the door. Pan nodded. She was ready.