Sky had blood red hair that went down to her feet, with pale skin that could rival a white peace of paper. But she lived so far from anyone. "Oh why do we have to live so far from everyone father?" Sky asked. He never really told her why, but sky thought he would sense she turned sixteen. "So, why father do we live so far away that I have to walk twelve miles to see another house?" Sky continued to bable on, "and how come I have to where a wig every time I go out the house. And who would even-" Before she could continue her father spoke up. " I have a job for you." He never gives me job's. Why now. Is he going to send me to get more smelly fish. Sky new she probably had her confused and grossed out face on because he sighed. "I need you to go town and get us some bread and milk. Now I know you've never been to town before, but stay focused and on task please."
Sky was so excited. She was finally able to go to town. Sky had to stay focused.
I wonder if people have blue or orange hair. Or if everyone has a donkey. Sky thought. Huh who is that. There's another person! And another. I'm here!! I'm really in town. Their's so many people here. Huh why is everyone starting at me? Do I have something on my face? Sky thought. Not knowing why their staring at her. Why are you staring at me. Sky wanted to ask why, but remembered what her father said. Get the bread and milk and come back. Sky was repeating what her father had said to her when she bumped into something. "Ouch. Sorry." Sky said while rubbing her head. "Who do you think you are?" Sky, startled that someone was talking to her, looked up. Stumbling at the beautiful women in, armor? Why was she in armor when her father said the war was over for a year or two ago. Stumbling for her words sky spoke, "I- I'm sorry, I didn't see you when walking and bumped into you by accident." Sky thought by explaining how it happened and apologizing this would blow over."How old are you young lady"? Sky was confused, why ask her age. Sky answered anyway. "I'm sixteen miss." Sky started walking away when the woman said, " If your sixteen then why aren't you in training ?" The woman asked with an eyebrow raised. Sky was confused again. Why do training when there at peace. "Why would I train when there's peace?" It was now sky's turn to raise her eyebrows. "What are you talking about, the war is still going. If not it's worse, who lied to you child?" Sky must have had a shocked face on because the woman said, " Your coming with me, it seems you need to be, she paused for a moment before continuing. Re-educated." Sky didn't know what that meant, but her heart apparently did because it started beating faster. " I-I can't, I have to get home. LET ME GO!!!" Sky was terrified. What would happen to her father. She couldn't go. But as she was thinking she was already on a horse. "W-what are you doing, I have to go home."
"Listen girl, everyone has to train for war. Since you didn't go as a child, your going to the camp." Wait, wasn't camps for war only for men. They always put up a NO WOMEN sign up. Sky can't go there. They'll eat her alive. Sky struggled the whole way there.
As soon as they go there sky got thrown to the ground. "What the heck is wrong with you!!" Sky screamed. Then her face whipped to the side with a slap. A sting was on her cheek. Sky couldn't feel it though. Before this she was accustomed to pain. Sky looked down at the ground, not wanting to make more pain than she already has. It might not be much but sky hasn't ate in days, so she new she didn't have the strength to fight. "Listen kid, no one talks to the camander like that do you understand child." Instead of screaming it like most soilder's he talked as if he was talking about the weather. Then as if rehearsed the woman who took her from her village got off the horse. Walking towards her in slow deliberate steps. " You will train here, you will come out on top and you will survive." The woman said. Sky stood slowly, looking in her eyes with confidence that came from know where. "What if I don't." Sky said staring at the woman who raised her eyebrows at the question. " If you don't I'll kill your father." The woman sneered. She can't, her father was the only one who cared for her. Sky new she had to be smart. She had to find out how much she knew and how much she didn't. Sky looked at her in the eyes and asked, "do you even know where we live?" Asked sky, trying to sound like she was asking an innocent question. Surprisingly the woman answered. "No but I can ask, because all the villagers know about the war, and they know my position in it to." Sky new she had a point, but would she kill an innocent person. Sky wanted to find out, not at the cost of her father. Sky didn't want to give in. What choice did she have. "Law 248 states that if the person doesn't want to train at a certain camp, they have a right to decide based on the tour of the camp." Said sky, surprising them and her. When had she learned this. She didn't recall reading anything like that. Heck she couldn't even read! "How on heackla did you know that?" Sky knew of the general was using heackla's name, the god of wisdom and freedom, he was asking a question. Not a statement. Sky didn't know how she new. And honestly she didn't know what to say. Sky stayed quiet, for her father taught her silence is better than babbling.
"Fine, let's show you around." Said the general. As they were walking sky could see the men staring at her. Two in particular stood out. One with blond hair that was the color of golden light. With dark brown eyes. Like chocolate. The other hand the same golden light hair, but his eyes were a shade lighter. Like a chestnut. Sky caught herself staring at them. Then they turned their heads towards her. "Their looking at me, why are they looking at me. Do I have something on my face?" Sky thought.
They were trouble. They have that feeling of don't mess with me. Even though she was thinking this, sky kept a straight face. Looking back ahead, she saw she was getting left behind. Sky keeping her pace, continued to walk. Still on the outside of the camp, sky looked at the tents. They had holes in the fabric and post that look like their ready to break holding them up. "Starter cadets sleep in these. Move up the rank, get better sleeping courters." This was just cruel. How can they be expected to fight if they can't sleep. Sky kept this comment to herself. Sky, noticing her wig was starting to fall of, she quickly fixed it. They had to think she was blonde. Dad always said to hide her hair. This was no occasion, especially in a camp where they all had brown,blond or black hair.
While walking around, sky saw a little boy. About ten or so, seeing her " tour guides" were talking to someone, sky snuck over and knelt. Looking at the frightened boy, sky couldn't help but pull out her only peace of bread and slowly handing it to him. The little boy snatched it like he was as starved as she was. In a whisper she asked, "what's your name? Mine is sky." Sky thought he wouldn't answer, but he said so quietly she almost didn't catch it. " I'm William, but you can call me willy." Sky was so happy. He talked to her and she made a friend. "Sky, why are you here?" Willy asked. Even though he didn't know her, he was asking. Sky thought for a moment before answering. "Well willy I was dragging here and am getting a tour because I remembered a law."
"So you didn't come willingly?"
"No, I was brought against my will." Sky thought about scrunching up her face, but decided not to.
"Can I be your friend?" Willy asked me, looking up at me with hopefully eyes. "I thought we were friends willy." Sky said, seeing his eyes light up. Before she got him in trouble, sky stood up and said, "I better get back. I'll see you later, ok." Sky walked back just before they turned to look at her to see if she was still their. Sky have a weak smile. Looking over again, seeing the boy stare at her. She gave him a wink, And started walking again. Looking around,she saw a bunch of kids, they were skinny,bleeding,and broken. Her heart broke for them. She had to stay. For the children. She needed to stay and protect the children, but she couldn't let them know that. They would use it against her, and them.
Sky kept a straight face. Knowing if she showed the slightest reaction, they would use it against her. She needed to be neutral. "Why are children here?" Sky asked, trying to sound curious.
"As I said before, you didn't serve young, you serve now. They're serving now." The woman rolled her eyes like I was supposed to know. "What if I stay?"
"Then you stay for three years at first, then if you want to continue fighting for everyone's lives,you can stay and fight." She looked at me as if I was a worm. "And if I fail?" I ask trying to pry as much as I can. "You die." The woman looked dead in my eyes while saying that if I mess up they'd kill me.
"Man war really makes everyone bitter." Sky thought.
"I'll do this camp. But I want to know one more thing." Sky didn't know if she was in the right to ask anything, but she needed to know. "How much longer do the kids have until they go home?" Sky new she was showing emotions for the kids, but couldn't help herself. " They just started two days ago. So three years." The camander said. Looking at her with a curious gaze.
Alright, they have the same amount of time as she does. She has to survive for them. They remind her of herself when she was a kid. How she was going to survive,she didn't know.
" So where do I sign to start?" They looked at her, then pointed at a tent that was worse than all others. It was more holes that cloth. Still she knew she had to work hard and survive. The woman looked at sky for a long moment before saying,"good luck, may the god of luck be on your side." The woman said. Was that supposed to inspire her. Move her to tears? I just have to fight for three years and then I can go home. Home! Sky missed her father already. Was he looking for her? Did he care to? Sky new their was a big and hard day ahead, so she tried her best to get comfortable, but it was hard. Seeing as her only bedding was a thin blanket, if you can even call it that. It was more like a rag than a blanket. Sky normally took of her wig before bed, but she didn't want to take it off. Not around here, where she feels unsafe. Sky was dozing off when she felt tiny hands on her shoulder, shaking her arm. Sky opened her eyes to see Willy and another little boy. "See, this is the kind lady that gave me bread earlier. " Willy said with a boyish grin that made sky's heart feel she did the right thing. The other boy wisperd her name under his breath before speaking. " I'm Charlie, Willy's brother. Can we be friends to?" Charlie had that hope in his eyes that Willy did when she first met him too. "Of course, I'm sky. I'm glad to be your friend." Sky gave him the realist smile she gave since she got tooken. Which to her was just this morning. "Charlie, Willy why did you come to my tent?" Sky asked with one eyebrow raised. Even though she just got here, she felt this was against the rules. "We wanted to sleep in your tent. Ours is just boards, can we?" They have to sleep in a tent without cover? I thought I had it worse, how could I say no. "Of course you can, here cover up with this ok." I gave them the rag that's being called a bed. Hopping it's enough.
As they were sleeping, they had the most cutest faces. They were snoring too. I can't believe they would do something so cruel as to give mere children barely anything to cover themselves with. Looking out at the camp through the holes, people have house's, while CHILDREN have to sleep in the cold. Trying not to wake them I scoot them over to lay down. Well tomorrow is the first day, let's home it goes good. As I was dozing off, I felt someone staring at me. To tired to care, I fell asleep.
I awoken with something on both sides of me. Looking down, I saw Charlie on my left, and Willy on my left. They were curled up to me on both of my sides, keeping me warm. Looking at both of them sleep, my heart warmed. They looked so peaceful. As I was starting to sit up, they started groaning. Begging me to lay back down. "I would, but It's my first day and I can't afford to be late." I wisperd to them. They both shot up and hid behind me just as two figures walked this way. Looking back at them I wisper-screamed, "Go, I'll be ok, just get out of here and hide ok." They both looked terrified, but nodded and snuck out of the big hole in the back. "Who are you?" Said one of the tall figures standing above me. Trying not to let my fear show, I said,"I'm new and don't know what to do." Trying to not cower in my skin, I look up and beg any who listen. Please let them be nice, please. "It's time for training, get out of bed cadet." The other with a scowl on his face said. I'm pretty sure it's his face since birth.
"Yes sir!"
"Then why are you still sitting cadet.!"
Scared I'll get thrown, I get up to my feet as fast as I can.
Walking behind them, I see about five-hundred tents. Looking around, I noticed there's no girls in sight. I started becoming scared. What if they squash me to death. I mean I'm only 5'5. What if one of the general's shoot me because I'm a girl. As I was freaking out, we got to the training grounds. It's massive, with white pillars that hold up nothing. The pillars had dragons carved into them. Looking at them now, I think they might be the original pillars the war was started at. Their were training mats down in the middle. On the sides of the stadium, their were people with bandages. What would that do. Then I I started looking at the pillars again,something moved at the corner of my eye. As I turned my head a fist connected with my jaw, sending me sprawling to the ground. A buzz was in my ear as I looked up to see one of the men staring down at me as if he wants to kill me.
As I scrambled to get up I could hear Snickering from behind me. The one who punched me had a bald head and looked as if he was drunk. "If you think,then he hiccuped, that we will go easy on you because your a girl, you need to get your head checked." Looking at him, I think he reminds me of my mum. I don't think I want any enemies so I'll just keep my mouth shut. I have to survive. I have to be respectful. I need to think with my big brain. Ok, bow to boost his ego. Then act scared. If I were looking at myself, I would think I were a weak person. As soon as I put on the act he bellows out a laugh and walked away.
After he was gone I strained my back and quit the act. I need to be strong. As I was trying to work up the courage to go down their, I saw Willy getting called to go up against a man built like a tower. Something in me stirred, I don't want him to get hurt. So I ran up and stood in front of him and said, "I'll fight instead, I'll fight for him." Looking up to see Mr.tower, that's what I'm going to call him. Looking down at me with disdain. "Alright, but he has to agree." He said as he was pointing at Willy. Oh no. He would say no, I don't know how I know this, but I do. Willy started balling. I dropped to my knees and started comforting him. "Hey, it's ok. I'll be fine, shhhh." I kept repeating these words to him while rubbing his back.
As soon as he calmed him down he started to shake. Looking at this little boy as if it's the last time I'll see him. Memorizing his green eyes that look like a forest green, that are identical to mine. His short wavy black hair. His tiny hands, when he spoke. "If you do this, you have to promise you'll survive." I can't promise, but I can try. "Ok, but you have to promise me you won't step in, know matter what happens, ok?" I needed him to agree. "Ok." He squealed out. I could see he was trying not to cry.
" Let's get to it then." The man said while walking to the ring.