"Getting Your Hands Dirty"

[Oany Kimaris 0]

"Getting Your Hands Dirty"

Ensign Oany Kimaris

 

"Tell you where you need to go,

Tell you who you need to be

Tell you what you need to know

Tell you when you’ll need to leave." - Switchfoot

 

She could see people's eyes on her as she walked through the corridors of the USS Morningstar. Oany Kimaris knew she was a spectacle, covered with smudges of dirt, dust and sand. It was probably no secret now that she had gotten quite into the analysis of the dirt the science team had in the cargo bay. It had to be done, with rumors of conflict in the near future. But perhaps it wasn't the dirty appearance of the science officer that shot strange looks her way, it was the smile on her face. A bright, sparkling smile of a woman who truly loved her job. Even when it was crawling in dirt and carrying specimens. She had a feeling no one would truly understand how freeing it was to her .. to even be allowed to do that.

 

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The young girl's lip trembled a bit. She knew that she was in deep now. Her magnificent dress, a beautiful sky blue silk adorned with lace and precious gems was torn, tattered and covered in grass stains and mud. Even her fair porcelain skin was smudged with mud. But somewhere behind the dirt, two amazing dark blue eyes looked out, with a little bit of fear behind them. They glanced a man standing a bit ahead of her, dressed in a royal guard uniform. And he couldn't have been more than 18 or 19 years old. But he carried himself with confidence beyond his years.

 

"I found her climbing a tree, your highness. In fact, she had gotten stuck and I had to help her climb down." He stated to the Queen, who sat in her chair, looking down at her 13 year old daughter, a look of disgust on her face.

 

"I wasn't stuck.. I just didn't want to get down!" the girl piped up, quickly tried to look remorseful. Though it was clear she wasn't feeling it.

 

"Thank you, guard. I'll handle this .. of course." Her mother waved her hand at the guard, who quickly bowed and made his way out. Not before giving the young girl a small smirk. The girl scowled at him.

 

"I really wasn't stuck."

 

"Oany Kimaris! This is absolutely unbecoming of a princess! And future queen! Climbing TREES? What would your father think? You are lucky he is out on very important business. Lucky, indeed. And your dress... " Lady Melorra Kimaris, Queen of Daneri, stood from her luxurious chair and walked over to her daughter. Oany stood very still and her eyes darted back and forth from her own feet and a large piece of art that hung on one of the walls of the huge room.

 

"You are not going to tell Father?" Oany still didn't look directly at her mother. She never could have. Unlike her sister, Amiia, she never had a close relationship with her parents. Oany followed her heart and her impulses, while Amiia did whatever she could do to please everyone.

 

"No, I am not going to tell your father. I really should.. you know how he hates when you separate yourself from the guards. Especially out on the grounds! Anything could have happened to you." Melorra frowned a little, shaking her head, "It was high irresponsible of you."

 

Oany dared to move and crossed her arms, "I hate the guards. Sometimes I just want to be alone, Mother."

 

Melorra turned away and headed back to her chair, taking a graceful seat, "Then you can do so in your own area. That whole wing was so that you could have your space. Same with your sister. We thought it would be nice to have your own area. Is that not enough for you, Oany?"

 

"I am not saying that, Mother. I am greatly appreciative of what I have here in the palace.. " Oany paused, as her mother gave her a small look,

 

".. I mean, here.. home. But I want some freedoms. To climb a tree on a summer day! To sit by the edge of Lake Calira and get my feet wet."

 

Melorra picked up a piece of fruit from an overabundant plate to her side and take a bite of fruit, "You can do that, my princess.... with the guards. I was very lenient with you.. dropping your guards from 5 to 3. But I will not go any lower than that.. and you will not try to lose them again."

 

Oany looked down with a grumble, "If I lost them so easily..perhaps they aren't the best guards anyway."

 

"Princess! You will do things this way.. or you will be put in your wing and you will be left there." The queen's voice roared and echoed in the large room. Oany blinked and frowned a little .. then nodded.

 

"Yes, Mother.. may I please go get changed now?"

 

"Go .. and remember, just because you are a princess doesn't mean you are exempt from rules. This is how things are and you must get used to it. You are being molded into the queen you will have to be in the future. This is who you are. It has been decided.."

 

Oany just nodded and walked from the room, immediately followed by the same guard who turned her in, and two others. She glanced back at him, with piercing eyes, "Always turning me in, hmm? If you think it gets you favor with my parents .. it doesn't."

 

He came up to walk beside her and glanced down at her, "Favor isn't what I desire, your highness. It's my job to protect you. Even from yourself. Hate me if you want .. but I take my duty seriously." She paused and looked up at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but then just sighed and started walking down the long corridor to her room, "I can make it on my own now. Thank you. Finally.. some time alone..."

 

He stood back, since it was her wing and took his post there. Watching the young princess walk with a firm, yet graceful stride .. he smiled. He knew she'd be an amazing woman one day.. when she grew up.

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As Oany entered the science labs, she smiled to the others there and placed her samples down and started working on the extensive analysis. Again, she saw plenty of eyes on her. One assistant walked up and nudged her. "What happened to you?"

 

"I was just gathering some samples of that dirt the chief and his team brought up." Oany said, smiling to the person her. That person blinked.

 

"I can finish running these for you..if you want to go get freshened up."

Oany's smile got bigger and she glanced down at herself. She was pretty filthy. But she wanted to finish the work herself, especially if the rumors of conflict and war were true, "No .. I want to get this done. Besides .. there's nothing like getting your hands dirty.."