War Prize

Chapter Twenty-Four: Katerina

        Two more girls are gone. Elyssa and Daralis were not courageous enough to continue forth to the next trial. Apparently they had announced the trial results the day after I had jumped, and the prince had put the rest of the Division on hold until I was found. Which made me the most hated girl on the planet.

         The remaining contestants were Addrianna, Hellena, Inu and Eva.

         And me.

        After my meeting with the Prince I had been escorted back to the Wolf Room. I had been welcomed by my fellow contestants with glares and whispered insults. I was then locked in my chamber, per royal request, and have not spoken to another soul other than Commander Drake O'Neil who delivers my meals and stands guard outside my door. I have had no visitors, I am not allowed to leave. I a stuck, floating within my own silence.

        I found that I hated the silence. When I myself was 'mute' the world around me spoke, and surrounded me with noise. Now though, there was none of this. Now I was condemned to live in a endless Chamber X.

       By the third day I began to hum. It was a small tuneless hum, a soft tremor of noise that broke the silence.

       By the fourth day the humming began to take shape into a progression of notes, both high and low.

       By the sixth day, I began singing to myself. The songs were ones I had stored from my time in both the orphanage and slavery.

       By the seventh day, I sang and I danced, until I collapsed exhausted.

       The eighth day I stayed in bed, and plotted.

       And by the ninth night I made my escape.

      Everyday, I was brought three meals. One at dawn, noon, and dusk. Each is delivered by Commander O'Neil. And everyday, after everyone had turned in for the night, another guard comes to replace the Commander. The man is a terrific watchdog, but he is not as studious as the Commander. Dressed in black trousers and a grey covering, it was far to easy to slip past him, and flee the Contestant's Quarters in the cover of darkness.

       I trailed my hand along the hallway wall, as I basked in my new freedom. I let out a soft laugh as I stared at the long hallway. Shooting a glance about myself, I did one thing I have not done in years. I ran. I ran not out of fear of being caught, but for myself. I was running, but going nowhere. It was by far more freeing than anything I have done so far. I ran until I came upon my paradise. The library I had discovered before my escape.

      I entered quietly, afraid to wake the knowledge resting within. I trailed my hands along the spines of the variety of books. I stared up at the vaulted ceilings. I debated with myself over wether or not I should climb the iron staircase to the second level of books, or the third. I chose the second level as it held a cluster of couches that were far too comfortable to put to waste. So I selected my book, settled into a warm armchair and read using the light of the two moons.

      The novel was intriguing to say the least. It was the history of the Solas Galaxy Royal family, starting with valiant Lord Gallium himself who discovered the galaxy in his travels of the universe. He had wandered into space, not excepting to find something so beautiful. When he stumbled upon the bountiful galaxy, his travels came to an end. "I have never seen a place filled with so much Light." He had written, so he had named the galaxy of light, Solas. And his descendent's have ruled ever since.

      I jumped when I heard the Library door shut. Shutting the book abruptly, I hurried away from my comfortable perch to investigate. Over the edge of the second floor I could see a figure walking about on the ground floor. I held a hand to my stomach and cursed my own recklessness. I had to leave before the figure below noticed they were not alone.