I'm backkkk!
Summer vacation allows for more writing so expect several more chapters coming soon!
The story is slowly moving on. Next chapter will be form A'chide's point of view which is always interesting. I thank each and every one of you for your reviews and kind words! You all are my motivation for writing.
Read & Review!
-D
"I received a position that is most beneficial. Accompany me on my journey to the outpost city. Pack many things, the journey is long."
It was a mantra that played over and over again in her head. Camilla had been dismissed by A'chide a few minutes after being told she would be leaving. Her master had watched her for a moment; watched for signs of a breakdown or tears. Camilla had resolved herself not to cry, not to act like a child. Instead, Camilla followed A'chide's instructions.
She had left her master's trophy room and wandered down the hall with her empty tray. Even though she was acting unfazed, her mind was reeling from the announcement. Dropping the tray clumsily into the sink, the woman padded from the kitchen to her rooms. The world was a bit fuzzy around her, as if she were in a trance. What would happen to her? To the life she had created for herself in A'chide's home?
In her rooms, Camilla didn't know what to do first. There was her trunk with the few belongings she possessed; some clothes and jewelry. Then there were the creams and serums she used for bathing. Stepping into the bathroom, Camilla absentmindedly picked up the jars and inspected them. She would need to get more of her bathing cream and the liquid she drank to regulate her cycles was low as well. A trip to the market would be needed.
The thought of venturing to the market broke the spell the woman was under. A trip to the market meant seeing Adrienne, Mitchell and P'oshka. Tears brimmed in Camilla's eyes at the thought of never seeing her friends again. She didn't know how long this journey was that A'chide was taking her on. They could be gone for months or years even. She had known of warriors leaving for even decades on their excursions. God forbid she never would see the Yautja planet again.
Talking to her friends at the market would be a good thing. P'oshka had a knack for keeping on top of warrior happenings. The Yautja female could know information that Camilla was unaware of.
Camilla went back to her trunk and undressed, throwing the soiled ceremonial gown into the hamper. Slipping on a tunic of grey leather with long sleeves, Camilla inspected herself in the mirror. The tunic fell to her knees and thin matching breeches of leather covered her legs. A scarf of plain brown fabric was wrapped around her head hiding her hair. It was custom for Yautja females to keep their hair, or at least what Camilla called their 'hair', covered in public; that meant no bare hair in the market. Human females were expected to follow the same customs, as well. Camilla remembered A'chide chiding her when she, as a girl, had gone to the market with her hair undone. Several guards in the market had confronted her until P'oshka had scared them away. Upon her return, Camilla had been subjected to a long lecture from A'chide about 'conduct'.
Grabbing from the trunk a purse full of coins, Camilla slipped into her worn slippers before leaving her rooms, a new resolve in her stomach.
The woman traipsed down the hall into the main lobby, opening the main doors with a push of a button. There was no need to let A'chide know of her departure, her master had grown to trust Camilla with her own freedom. Even if the freedom she possessed was limited.
As the doors opened, a cold wind hit Camilla's face and the woman buried her chin into the fabric of her scarf. The atmosphere was frigid and Camilla felt her lungs restrict from the temperature. A 'whirr' was the only indication that the main doors had closed behind her as she stepped out of the house.
The rust colored terrain of the planet contrasted with the bright metallic of the rectangular cube that was A'chide's home.
Looking up at the sky, Camilla saw a great blood moon glooming over the land. The celestial body took up half the sky, dwarfing all those that dwelled beneath it. It was the Yautja equivalent of noon; the pinkish colored sky indicated midday. Camilla vaguely remembered earth's bright blue sky and shining yellow sun. She could sometimes feel a ghost of warmth in her dreams; it was always cold on the Yautja planet. The nearest sun, according to P'oshka, was a million or so light-years away. The Yautja planet sat at the edge of the solar system making it the coldest, inhabitable planet.
The road Camilla traveled on was metal; the same metal that comprised A'chide's house. Houses of great Yautja, like A'chide, lined the path to the market; their metal facades strangely comforting. Some Yautja females, breeders as they were called, left their homes with their children in tow; making their way along the same path Camilla walked. Camilla kept her head down and avoided eye contact with the breeders; their tempers where nasty and they were quick to insult.
Several aircrafts passed overhead. Camilla, as a child, would marvel at their size. Now, they simply where noise in the foreground. Many things floated in the sky. In the distance, set against the backdrop of the blood moon, Camilla could spot the orbiting army base where the unblooded Yautja trained. The woman wondered where A'chide had docked his ship. Was there a special reserve for warriors? A chill ran up Camilla's spine. It wasn't caused by the cold temperature but by the idea of seeing A'chide's ship. That ship would be her new home. Camilla walked faster to the market.
In her haste, Camilla collided with a Yautja foot soldier. Her head collided with his chest plate; his hand connected with the young woman's shoulder, roughly throwing the girl off him. Camilla let out a yelp before a curse; mouthing off a rebuke in the Yautja tongue. The guard gave her another guttural growl before he turned away. A sane individual would be terrified at the confrontation, but Camilla had learned to hold her own in this world she lived in. Camilla rolled her eyes, before quickly entering the rows of vendors selling their wares.
The market sat in the shadow of the central tower, where the Council ruled. From Camilla's understanding, the Council was composed of several elder Yautja that passed down important jurisdictions. The central tower was a thin building with a beacon on top, a bright blue light forever shining. She had been to the central tower once before for the ceremony that had honored her master. Humans were off-limit to the central tower, but for the ceremony, Camilla had been permitted inside.
Camilla's slender frame allowed her to maneuver between the market goers easily. Vendors selling their wares lined rows and rows. There were pelts for sale along with weaponry. A Yautja foot soldier inspected a large knife with his comrade, the two of them clicking at one another. Living beasts were sold at one stand, a mutant dog creature yapped loudly at Camilla as she passed its cage.
Eventually the woman came to P'oshka's stand. Adrienne's voice could be heard, haggling with a breeder. From what Camilla could see, P'oshka was absent from the stand. Only Adrienne managed the busy booth.
Adrienne's voice could somehow make the Yautja tongue sound beautiful; there was a musicality to the woman's chuffs and cracks. She was the only one of them, out of three humans that Camilla knew of, that could partially speak the Yautja tongue. It was too complicated and intricate for Camilla to ever master, she depended on her arm band too much to every really attempt to learn. Mitchell saw no real point in the language if their English was easily translatable to the Yautja tongue with their utility bands.
Camilla came forward, pushing through the crowd. Adrianne caught Camilla's eye and motioned for her to come into the booth. The woman slipped around the crowd to stand behind Adrienne. For a moment, Camilla assisted in handing off things that were being sold to the Yautja customers. A momentary pause in sales allowed Adrienne to give Camilla an embrace, smiling from ear to ear, "Hello friend, long time no see! Where have you been hiding?"
Camilla knew her time was limited; she had to be home soon to finish packing. The young woman took her friend's hands in her own and, in a grave tone, asked, "I have an urgent matter I must see to.. Where is P'oshka?"
The tone of Camilla's voice made Adrienne's eyes widened. Adrienne squeezed Camilla's hands, her manner concerned, "P'oshka will return shortly. We ran out of healing balm and she needed to go retrieve more from her quarters. Is everything quite alright, Camilla? You're paler than usual."
Camilla shook her head, allowing Adrienne to maneuver her to sit in a wooden chair. Everything wasn't alright and the young woman felt the menacing urge of her situation. Adrienne shooed away several Yautja pups that were knocking around in the jars of liquids before handing Camilla a canteen of water. Camilla readily drank from the canteen, allowing the cool liquid to calm her nerves.
A breeder called Adrienne's attention away and in this moment Camilla observed her friend. Adrienne was a comely woman with a round face, narrow green eyes and long blonde hair that was tied up neatly in a black scarf. She had the body of a woman, all soft and round. Camilla felt very boyish whenever near the woman, and today was no exception. She would miss Adrienne, especially if her journey with A'chide was long like she figured.
While Adrienne sold her wares, Camilla recounted her story.
P'oshka appeared a few moments later after the crowds died down. The older Yautja was a dull yellow with grey splotches over her appendages. Camilla knew that women in the Yautja society where functional only as birthing tools; there were only a few Yautja females who actually participated in hunts. Females bred for two decades and then were supported by their children, mainly their sons who had grown into successful warriors. P'oshka had not birthed any notable Yautja warriors; therefore, she had been relegated to the lower rungs of society. However, her great knowledge of chemicals and ointments had made her quite a sought after merchant.
The female was kind and easy spoken, she had purchased Adrienne at a young age and the two had been inseparable ever since. Adrienne had often said P'oshka felt like a second mother to her.
Camilla made way for P'oshka, allowing the Yautja to take her chair. Adrienne appeared to try and explain Camilla's problem to P'oshka, but the female already knew. She waved her hand dismissingly, speaking to Camilla directly in an honest manner, "A'chide has been given the honor of blooding the new warriors. He takes you on the journey?"
Without thinking, Camilla nodded. Blooding was the Yautja rite of passage. Young males where taken on a strenuous hunt where they were subjected to all sorts of horrors in the hopes of receiving a blood mark. Many of them died during the blooding, but those that survived always went on to do great things. There were many terrible stories of blooding rituals; Yautja males being killed in very gruesome manners. Camilla's stomach flipped at the thought of having to tag along on the ceremony.
Camilla hesitantly inquired, "Why can I not stay in the house like I always do? Why can't A'chide leave me behind?"
Adrienne wrapped an arm around Camilla, stroking the young woman's back. P'oshka chortled in contemplation before letting out a long string of chuffs. Camilla's translator spoke, "A blooding ceremony can be long, too long to leave you alone. The Council wished for A'chide to give you up to another, to be free of you. You are burden in the Council's eyes, but A'chide insisted. You are… special to him. It is a great honor he appoints onto you."
A flush came over Camilla's cheeks at P'oshka's words. The Yautja were a fickle race, their actions unexplainable but everything revolved around honor. Their sole purpose in life was to attain as much honor as possible, to leave behind a legacy their forefathers would be proud of. If the blood hunt meant bringing honor to A'chide, then Camilla understood her master's reasons for participating. What she did not fully understand was why Camilla needed honor as well. She was a human, a lowly fly on the back of a prosperous civilization. What was the use of a human gaining honor from a blood hunt?
It was what A'chide wanted.
Camilla would need to resolve herself to her new role if she were to survive. A'chide had a reason for her presence.
With a heavy heart the young woman hugged Adrienne in farewell. The women both had tears in their eyes as they embraced. Adrienne sweetly piped, "Perhaps the blooding will not go on too long, you'll be back in no time!"
Camilla hoped the woman's words were true. She was happy to be able to say her good-byes to Adrienne. She needed to find Mitchell, he was the last person she wished to bid farewell, "Adrienne where is Mitchell?"
P'oshka chortled from the chair, "The male has been selected for the blooding as well."
Adrienne and Camilla turned to her, a look of surprise on both of their faces. It made sense. Mitchell was an assistant to the healers who cared for the warriors and unblooded. Healers would no doubt be necessary on such a dangerous trip.
Camilla's heart soared at the idea of having a companion, a human companion, on the journey. It made her feel less alone in her struggles.
A beep went off on Camilla's arm band. A'chide was signaling for her to return to the house. Her time was over in the market, and with a heavy heart Camilla bowed to P'oshka. The older Yautja laid a hand on Camilla's chest; it was a Yautja sign of respect and Camilla placed her hand on the woman's chest in return. P'oshka loaded Camilla with a sack of jars full of the ointments she would need for the journey. The sack was heavy, but the woman was able to balance it over her shoulder.
Handing the sack of coins to Adrienne, Camilla gave one last farewell to the two figures in the booth before making her way back to the house.