-Age 5-
The days were a blur.
People shouting, yelling, sometimes singing even. Large men and women who always brandished weapons and cursed, their accents foreign to her. She trembled often and wept daily as she did her assigned chores and tasks around the ship. And as promised by the Captain, her small figure and hands made her work in places that were difficult to access. She spent a good majority of her days below decks, in dank, wet areas smelling of old wooden planks, drying up wet spots, sanding and working to treat the wood. She would often be told by someone to scrub behind small spaces where she could reach.
And that was how it was today. She was alone, wiping down an area, on her knees and sweat dripped from her brow as she silently cried, wishing she was with her mother and fath----
"You know, child, there's an easier way to do that?" The voice was older but gentle. She turned her head slowly to see who'd spoken and saw an older Miqo'te or at least he seemed so to her. He stood with his arms crossed and looked squarely at her, as if evaluating her. she said nothing and scrubbed even though she was watching him.
"You can speak child. You needn't fear me." He appraoched slowly and knelt down on one knee next to her taking the scrub brush in his hand with warm smile. "Save yourself some energy and let the brush do the work. Instead of the random circles you're doing here....just move the brush up and down like so." He pushed the brush in the way he'd described, the sound of the brush scraping against the wood. "And don't press so hard onto it. That's how you get tired so fast. Again...let the brush do the work, child." He smiled again, passing the the brush back to her and stood. "You do that and you'll be fine."
As he turned to leave he paused looking back. "Keep those hands in good shape, young one. You'll be doing more than scrubbing soon enough and you will want them in good shape." He smiled and turned to leave.
As she was alone again she began to scrub, in the way he had shown her and as she did, the tiniest of smiles touched the corners of her mouth.
The days were a blur.
People shouting, yelling, sometimes singing even. Large men and women who always brandished weapons and cursed, their accents foreign to her. She trembled often and wept daily as she did her assigned chores and tasks around the ship. And as promised by the Captain, her small figure and hands made her work in places that were difficult to access. She spent a good majority of her days below decks, in dank, wet areas smelling of old wooden planks, drying up wet spots, sanding and working to treat the wood. She would often be told by someone to scrub behind small spaces where she could reach.
And that was how it was today. She was alone, wiping down an area, on her knees and sweat dripped from her brow as she silently cried, wishing she was with her mother and fath----
"You know, child, there's an easier way to do that?" The voice was older but gentle. She turned her head slowly to see who'd spoken and saw an older Miqo'te or at least he seemed so to her. He stood with his arms crossed and looked squarely at her, as if evaluating her. she said nothing and scrubbed even though she was watching him.
"You can speak child. You needn't fear me." He appraoched slowly and knelt down on one knee next to her taking the scrub brush in his hand with warm smile. "Save yourself some energy and let the brush do the work. Instead of the random circles you're doing here....just move the brush up and down like so." He pushed the brush in the way he'd described, the sound of the brush scraping against the wood. "And don't press so hard onto it. That's how you get tired so fast. Again...let the brush do the work, child." He smiled again, passing the the brush back to her and stood. "You do that and you'll be fine."
As he turned to leave he paused looking back. "Keep those hands in good shape, young one. You'll be doing more than scrubbing soon enough and you will want them in good shape." He smiled and turned to leave.
As she was alone again she began to scrub, in the way he had shown her and as she did, the tiniest of smiles touched the corners of her mouth.
