The days go pass and I don't even notice; until the castle looms ahead of us, its spikes touching the sky. My mouth falls open. It's more stunning than the tiny, static filled screens show at home. Stone after stone lay on top of each other, years of effort done tirelessly to create the castle.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOELHj0kUG6
I jump, hearing a noise behind me. I twist my head and a guard stands before me, his arms resting on the top of the wagon. He still wears the silly mask.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Z6aXEZTA9
"Get out," he says sternly. His eyes stare into me, burning holes into my body. I crawl over to him and hop out, to only be greeted by the other two guards who clasp handcuffs around my wrists. They walk me over to the castle gates, one hand on my back, the other hand on around my cuffed arms. The gates groan, slowly splitting open until we can enter. They push me along, through doors and bustling servants. They ignore us, their eyes straight ahead, literally minding their own business. More guards line the walls, the masks hiding their faces. They hold spears in their hands and swords are strapped to their waists.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewN2dqAON9
We turn another corner and come to a stop. A wooden door stands before us, latched closed. The first guard grabs out a metal key and slips it into the lock. It groans as it opens. The sound of screams and yelling suddenly fill my ears. People fight each other, swords swaying, spears flying, daggers jabbing. They don't stop when the guards enter, either. They just weave their way through, pushing the fighters away. They only stop when the first guard stands before them, me beside him. The clangs of metal against metal slowly fades away. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrwwRLRnfo
"We have a new recruitment!" he bellows out. Cheers follow, the people pumping their fists into the air. "Cecelia is the name of our last contender!" Claps echo in the room. How does he know my name? Recruitment? Contender? I never signed up for anything. I try to grasp his attention, to tell him that there must be a mistake, but he keeps on smiling, keeps on pumping up the people in front of us.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNxZ5FigRh
"Go," the guard beside me whispers into my ear as his fingers unlock my cuffs. They fall to the ground and I wrap my hand around my wrist and squeeze. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen78k9wnUZ
"Start training." He nudges me forward and I clamber down the small set of stair and come face to face with a tall, blonde girl...or woman. Her hair wraps around her head into a bun and her armour clasps to her body, encasing her breasts. She straightens her back, pushing them into my face. I have to crank my head backwards to see her face. It's set into a scowl. Her lips rise into a tiny smirk, the rouge on them dark. Her eyebrow arches up as she surveys my body, her eyes flicking over me. She spits, "the queen will always pick me." 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynHNgIisB5
Then a searing pain explodes onto my face. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSpbPp2Spy
She pins me onto the floor, her fists beating me. One, two, rest. One, two, rest. One, two, rest. Over and over again. All I can possibly do is shield my face with my arms while the blood pours from my broken body. Suddenly, it's over. She stands over me, a guard holding onto her arms, her hands still clasped into fists. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhoiJkWA1l
"That's enough, my girl," he says, laughter dancing in his eyes as he looks at me. She strides off, everyone patting her on the back and some cheering. Someone, though, slides up to me, his chubby hands clasped around a tiny dagger. He reaches out a hand and I grab onto it, greeted by sweat that sticks to him. I stand up, despite my aches and pains.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPP0HQLEPF
"Thank you," I say and quickly regret it. Pain shoots all across my face and I do all that I can from moaning. He sees the pain in my eyes, though.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryk4pmXJIE
"Don't mind her," he whispers. "She was the only girl-until you came. She's also the strongest. Flogged all our asses."798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtT2TwqMLP
"What-what is this place?" I whisper back, my hand slowly massaging my aching face. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sf7bXCWEu
"Don't you know? It's where we train-to become bodyguards for the queen."798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2ku2tRiOM
"What am I doing here?"798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VEl5jN6Vy
"You signed up, didn't you?"798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxsjJk4OpU
"Signed up for what?" I hiss, just a little too loudly. A few glance in our direction but I ignore them.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjiwkn7vKR
"To become bodyguards for the queen," he says as he shrugs like I should know this. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL1Xfm4x3m
"I didn't sign up," I say as a matter-of-fact. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNUOmy1Yt4
"Well, you must of because you're here."798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2eGgGoBM5
I sigh and go to rub my eyes but flinch when my fingers touch my face. "Just-just tell me everything I need to know."798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ193MRcVHOB
He shrugs and motions for me to follow him to where he was training before. "The queen needed a new bodyguard, the other, well, everyone's sure he was secretly executed for an unknown reason. Her men came to every village and demanded for at least one recruitment. Your village didn't have any, so maybe they put names in a hat and you were the lucky winner. So, here we are, being beaten up by the biggest bitch in history." He motions his head towards the other girl. A smile twitches at my lips as I nod my head in a thank you.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr74LzyuUg6
"The name's Cecelia," I say as I stick out a hand.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtcXTHou36
He chuckles, showing a splay of crooked teeth. "I know. They said before."798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdK5ZESmg1
"And yours...?" 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSZGS5t1qD
"Arthur," he says, sticking out his hand as well. We shake. A pact. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGg2OphxZUx
***798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQaGJkzlWe
We continue training, Arthur telling me everything that there is to know. When we have meals, when training starts, when it ends, when and where showers are, when we can get assistance for our wounds. The list goes on and on and I'm more thankful for Arthur by the second. He even tells me the hierarchy of the place, how the Bitch, as he likes to call her, is the leader. Or Aadya, he says, is her name. He doesn't even omit how he's the lowest of everyone, left with no allies but me. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVQWph6S7f
My gaze keeps going down the shining metal swords, the blades glinting in the light. Arthur notices my gaze.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhqbIardgI
"You want to try them?" he asks, his chubby fingers barely holding onto the dagger I've managed to steal from him countless times. I make my way towards them and I reach out to grab one. A hand slaps me away.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxApDHBT53
"Tsk, tsk, only skilled warriors can have a go at the swords," Aadya smirks, her hand clasping around a gilt decorated handle. Her eyes peer at my face, her smile becoming wider as she takes in her bloodied work. I stalk off, defeated and stupid. "That's right, little girl, go away and whimper like the child you are." 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SvaXobaXk
Rage boils through my bones, my veins, becoming my every being. I turn and snarl at her. She smiles at me, her laughter erupting from her delicate, little mouth. How much I would love to plunge a sword through it. 798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41aQHh9DQf
"That's right," she says sweetly, "act like an animal." I stalk off once again, tears threatening to spill.798Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuS6TFKMeO7
