Chapter 3

Once I was standing completely naked I was led to a bathing room, that had one huge ground-level bath in the middle with smaller ones around. 'What a waste of water.' Was my first thought. I was lead to one of the smaller ones. The other girls were there too, completely naked as well.

I sat down in the cool bath, 'Okay maybe not a complete waste.' The lady then began to clean me, not liking the feeling I said, "I can do it myself."

"I'm sure you can, but I have orders to fulfill." She gave me a hard look then returned to scrubbing me. Every inch of me, I was very uncomfortable. The soap that she used smelled much nicer than the ones we made at home. It reminded me of the baked goods me and my siblings would smell when we passed by the bakery.

My thoughts clouded with worry for my siblings.

As soon as that was finally over she grabbed a towel and dried my body by hand. My entire body. I didn't like this.

She then led me back to the room where I had been stripped naked and told me to sit, I did so tentatively, afraid of what she would do next.

She went to a table and brought a very, thick, yellow liquid that looked like honey. She grabbed a flat stick and scooped it onto my leg, it was hot but not painfully so. She began spreading it with her fingers then she ripped it off. I yelped in pain. She quickly spread a clear, goopy substance that immediately soothed the area. I sighed in relief.

The rest of the day went like that. She put the honey like stuff on my entire body, along with the goopy stuff which she had called aloe. She had strategically put the honey on my face and ripped little bits of hair off. I wiped away a tear, I had begun to cry when she had reached my thighs.

Afterwards I was a pink, tingling person where every step hurt, especially between my legs. She led me back to the bathing room and told me I could sit in the large one to rest. I did so gladly. I eased myself down and sat in the shallow bath that reached my neck. I closed my eyes and sighed as my skin cooled at the water's touch.

I sat there thinking about my day so far. I had woken up this morning, but it seemed as though I'd been in that ship longer than I thought, thinking about market sales, and if we were going to have chicken tonight, teach my little sister Peri some more about reading and writing. And then I had found myself on a ship after being drugged by my own mother. Then I had been brought here. A place where I wasn't being treated horribly, other than being stripped naked and made to endure having all of my hair ripped off. A place where one of the hundreds of girls that were gathered would be chosen to be wed to the new Sovereign. I rubbed my temples with this notion. I put my hand down and attempted to relax.

After a few more minutes of relaxing I felt something cold touch my face, I jerked away, but a hand held my shoulder. "It's just something for your skin." The same female attendant said.

I stilled and let her continue to spread the cold paste on my face and down to my collarbone. After a few more minutes it had hardened and she scraped it off with a thin, flat stick. Then she told me to rinse my face in the water. I saw quite a few of the other girls in the bath with me going through the same process.

Once I was done with rinsing my face the lady ordered me to get out. When I was completely dry she put a robe made of soft, shiny fabric, I think it's what my mother called silk. My skin still stung and was pink so the soft fabric helped to soothe it. I followed her through all the way back to the first beautiful room.

I sat down next to one of the fountains, away from where a bunch of the girls that were wearing robes like me were sitting. I played with the water and inhaled the sweet fragrance of the flowers surrounding me. The air was still moist and warm around me but since I was wearing practically nothing it was pleasant.

More girls began to arrive wearing the same attire as me. They gathered and sat on the cushions scattered on the floor. A few of them were giggling. I narrowed my eyes at them confused at why they would do that.

Before long it appeared as though all of the "chosen" girls were present. The tall, dark skinned man from before appeared at the top of the stairs and announced in his loud voice,

"My name is Hadoc, the head eunuch. If you need anything tell your attendants and they will come to me. Now, follow me and I will show you to your rooms." He said all this very unhappily, like he didn't want to be here.

He turned and began walking. I got up hurriedly, despite the pain, and followed him. The other girls did the same.

He led us to a long corridor with doors all along each side. "Ten of you will each be allowed to share a room." The girls started shoving past each other to get a room. I pressed myself against the wall of the corridor as the throng of young women pressed by to get through.

It died down and soon I was the only one left standing there. Hadoc raised his eyebrow at me questioningly.

I smiled sheepishly, "Sorry." I said as I pulled my robe tighter over my body. I made my way to find a room.

Most of the rooms were filled but I found one that wasn't and entered. I then stood still and took in my surroundings.

The room was covered with curtains and cushions. There were ten beds spread out amongst them and in one corner a bronze mirror. The back of the room was open to a garden with a large pool that didn't look like it held water, it was covered in a thin layer of a shiny dust. The archways that led to the pool were covered with thin curtains of light blue and green.

The girls who were sharing the room with me sat on the cushions looking bored. I walked forward and sat. None of us said anything and when it was time for dinner we still hadn't spoken a word.