Planet Serenthia

Chapter 15

In the morning the hustle and bustle of camp starts again, the fires are lit and food cooks over them. Women attend to the tents as someone of the women sit stitching. Warriors head out with spears in their hand to gather fresh meat for the day. I watch as the gate opens before locking shut, guards always postioned in place. Because I had been assigned no duties, one of the women had handed me her baby placing her on my hip before scccurrying into a tent cursing because she was late. The baby was red, like his father his hair thick and black however his features presente like his mothers soft and delicate and I couldn't help but wonder if I will ever have a child on planet Serenthia.

I take the oppuruntie to wonder round the camp, the child is able to walk not very well he stumbles around and I have to take his hand so that he does not full. He leads me to the horses where one of the servents where feeding him and I brush my fingers through its fur the child copying me. It wasn't long before the child was begging to be picked back up and I placed him on my hip. However this was not enough for the child and as I walked back to the ladies camp with him on my hip he started crying loudly and nothing that I was doing was stopping him.

"Shh shhh."

"What have I told you women about keeping those fucking kids quite." Tygriss bellows causing me to jump and the child to start crying harder. He was hardly dressed, his top half was compelty naked and I could see the scars and cuts that lined his chest. His eyes realised it was me, scanning me up and down.

"Vex " He bellows as a skinny looking alien comes out of one of the cabins, he was carrying papers and looked confused as to why he had been summoned. "Why does she not have jobs to do yet!" He yelled as the man looked at me up and down.

"I will do it now sir." He states leading me into the cabin that he had just appeared from. "What do you know how to do?" He asks flipping his page over. It had a schedule with all the womens names on it and the tasked that they needed to do around the place.

"I.. I " Nothing came out my mouth. I am no use to the camp I have no skills that they need nor require.

"Fine no special skills, you will be on the cooking and cleaning schedule. Find Marta she will sort you." He states as he dismess me, I take it as my que to leave and hunt down Marta whoever she is. However it become very apparent when I walked over to the fire that she was the lady sat down, her baby was feeding of her breast milk and she was in deep concentration.

"Marta?" I asked as she looked up from her pot to stare at me.

"Indeed." She says as I stand awkwardly over her.

"I have been assigned with you." I state as she offers me a weak smile.

"Very well, you can start by filling those buckets up. Fill all the masters tubs with fresh water. " She states as I nod my head grabbing the two heavy buckets and heading in the direction of the well. It took me some time to learn how the well works but before long the buckets where full and I was struggling to carry them to the first masters tent. The water sloshed over the sides and onto my sandels making puddles in my shoes, my dress was already drentched from the well and the bucket was half empty when I reached the masters tents.

I debated weather to knock, unsure of alien curtsey but the fabric of the tent would make no noise and so I entered instead. Thankfully there was no one inside and I got to work with filling his tub. The water only half filled the tub and I realised that more water would be required. It took me the whole morning to fill all the tubs almost near the top. I had left Targriss till last, and when I finally entered he had left to lead training making me thankful. However he was training in the middle of the camp with all the men. I could feel his eyes burning into me as I carried the empty buckets back to the well ready for use tommorow.

I found my seat next to the fire, taking a drink of water out of the jug to quench my thirst from the hard labour. The women where all stitching together clothes and knitting fresh clothes for the children. No one battered an eyelid when I walked in. I found Mater at the main fire, the food was cooked and she was filling the bowls up with the soup that she had made. Other women had arrived helping distribute the plates to the masters and warriors around the camp. "Come here and help girl." She states making me walk towards her taking the bowl that she had just filled. "And remember do not look them in they eyes." She reminds me as I take the bowl and pass it to one of the men who had just finished their training.

It took a while before all the men had their bowls filled with hot food, only then where we aloud to retreat back to the women's tent to eat. We all sat around the fire as we eat the soup and the small amount of bread that was left. They eat as fast as they can before scurrying away to collect the empty bowls and plates, I had always been a slow eater however now everyone was looking at me like I was porously slacking.

I finished my own dish as quick as I could before grabbing the few plates that where left, they where pilled onto the sink and me and Marta started cleaning them, before leaving them on the side to dry in the sun. "How are you finding camp so far?" She asks as she places the baby into her arms.

"It is hard work, you women do so much." I state as she nods her head.

"Yes we do." She pauses. "Normally the newbies have the more manual jobs, the cleaning and cooking jobs are left to those that have children or are pregnant." She states as she looks at me. "Are you?" She asks as I pause to take in what she is asking me.

"Oh no, no I am not." I state, she pushes her lips together.

"Strange." Is all she says as she retreats back to the womens camp.

I empty the water from the sink, leaving the cloth on the side to dry before heading back into camp. Some of the women are washing the masters muddy clothes in large washing tubs, whilst others are hanging them to dry or stitching the holes. I find a spot in the sun, letting the rays burn into my skin, the women pay no attention to me as the continue with their jobs.

I was only drawn away from my moment of piece from the large bellows of Targriss. He stormed over from his tent, still completely naked the anger radidaing from his body. "Who filled the tub." He bellows to the women sat on the floor, I feel myself die silently inside knowing that I must have done something wrong. The children start crying which only agrrivates him more, as the women eyes drop to the floor not wanting to meet his gaze. I didnt want any of them to take the brunt force of him and I felt myself stand to my feet. "I filled the tubs." I stated as he towered over me.

"Well do your eyes not work? Or do you not understand the concept of volume?" He demands as I stare at his feet. "Get a towel and clean it." He demands as I meekly grab a towel from the side and walk towards him. Walking into the tent I can see the mess that has been made all over the floor. Water has spilled over the tub and I instantly realise the one towel is not enough for the mess. I try and dry it as best as I can as he gets back into the bathtub, the water splashes over the tub once more and splashes onto my dress. I let out a sigh which only angers Targriss more.

"Why are you sighing for human? This is your doing." He states as I bite my tongue not to say anything.  One the ship I felt as thought we where equal that although he had the power he would not act upon it. Now that he his back in his own terortorry and back to being General of the camp he can do whatever he pleases, and no one will even care.

I finished up cleaning the water, before taking the wet towel back outside hanging it to dry on the washing line. All of the washed towels had been taken down and I could hear the complaints of the women as they dried the other masters floor from my own doing. "How useless." One of them muttered as they threw the towel over the line, glaring towards me.

"Child you had better go and get the tub filled, you are going to have to re wash these before the sun sets." Marta states as I nod my head, I had been in here for only two days and already created enemies for myself.  I walked to the well filling the tub with the cold water and washing liquid before soaking and scrubbing each towel. Some of them had become so muddy from the tent floor that the water had changed colour. One of the more older women stood over me.

"That is not going to clean anything, empty the water and restart." She stated rolling her eyes. I reluctantly drained the tub ad started the prossess of filling it back up again. It took me the entire rest of the day to get all the towels washed and dried. By the time night fell, the women had already eaten and left me with no food, I suppose they where trying to punish me for my wrong doings. I went to bed with an empty stomach, not wanting the day to restart tomorrow.