Untameable Earth

Third of Three

Amelia, Princess of Healing and the Dead sat in the reception area of the London contribution assessment centre. She was as regal and esoteric as she was out of place amongst the mostly human potential contributions waiting to be allowed through for assessment.

Amelia was dressed very casual - for her, in a black mini dress of lace and silk with a cream faux fur collar, flat black ballet shoes on her feet. It was her jewellery that gave away her heritage - a widow peaked crown with matching choker and finger protectors for her hand of the Dead - each made of antique gold with a large garnet in the centre. That and the glowing dark blue shot with white eyes and her waist length copper and gold hair that actually rippled as though there was wind blowing through the waiting area.

Amelia was also in a meditative state as she pushed her senses out to evaluate the centre for alien nature and the state of all individuals near to her and as far away from her as the fourth floor. The way she sensed individuals was through the health levels of their bodies as well as their proximity to death. She was also able to get a general sense of their state of emotion through her gift although that was far more subjective and required her to make a considerable effort to crystallise.

Health was indicated by shades of green, yellow, orange or red pulsing aura surrounding the individual. Death was a slender ring around the aura that was visible to Amelia as a sliding scale from glowing gold to black as night. Babies were almost always green and gold.

She could identify those she could heal by a simple touch by her view of their lightly silvered eyes. Those she could heal, but required more than simple touch, had darker silvered eyes. Those that could possibly taint her soul by changing her balance between healing and death goddess had blackened silvered eyes.

She did not come across many of the later but these were usually older humans or the very ill. She gave these a wide berth to avoid temptation - she could 'heal' them but in effect she was giving them extra years of life beyond what they aught to have which in turn removed a similar number of years off her own life. There was also the simple fact that human life spans were meant to be shorter than the Fey and it was always dangerous to meddle with nature.

'Amelia, Fey Princess,' the receptionist called. Amelia's delicate brow wrinkled in irritation and distaste. The alien female's dislike for the word 'death' annoyed her,

'That is not my name, alien female,' Amelia did not raise her voice but her words were heard by every creature in the extra large reception area and conveyed both her power as well as her annoyance. The receptionist gulped. It was not a normal experience for her to find herself in the submissive position with new member planet citizens, but all staff had been prepared for Princess Amelia's arrival as the Golden Seelie Sidhe Court's ambassador had rung the centre the day before to ensure appropriate preparations were made,

'Apologies, Amelia Sidhe Fey Princess of Healing and Death please come forward for processing,' Amelia stood and glided toward the receptionist. The receptionist, named Deva, smiled apologetically at Amelia,

'Please can you extended your healing hand for proof of identity, Princess,' an A5 sized scanner was pushed professionally across the marble ledge toward Amelia. The faint grey line on the scan pad indicated where her hand should be centred. A delicate charm bracelet on the Princess' wrist tinkled on the side of the scanning device. A positive ping indicated Amelia had been successfully identified,

'Please face the camera lenses in front so that I may take your photograph,' Amelia's facial expression was slightly quizzical as the receptionist snapped her picture. A potential contribution badge was printed off and slipped into a plastic case on a UWC lanyard. The receptionist handed the lanyard to Amelia who held the item between her pointer finger and thumb. The look on her face clearly asking 'what am I to do with this?' Deva mimed slipping the lanyard around her neck. Amelia shook her head negatively once,