Survive

Forth Chapter

Damiana's POV

16th century

The sun started peaking out from the horizon. I was watching Magdalena sleeping peacefully on her bed, not far from mine.

The words from last night have played in my head since I woke up not long ago.

Kill me.

You would rather die than see me happy with the love of my life?

No. I would rather die than live without you.

I winced at my own words. God, I am such a selfish cunt.

I watched Magdalena for a while before standing up and changing into my Commander's armor and braiding my hair and taking my sword and three daggers.

Today, General Casmund should come to prepare for the upcoming war.

I still could not quite believe if this was real but...either way, I should be ready since I represent my fath--General...my army, and the Crosse family.

If Magdalena represented our family on occasions or balls, I represented them in war or before other armies.

How it must be convenient for my father...

I glanced at my sister's fragile, youthful body, her chestnut hair perfectly laid all around the pillow and her shoulders. I smiled and exited the tent.

Some warriors were already awake and trained while others only started getting out of their tents.

I looked around, searching for my father. Gladly, he wasn't around now.

"Good morning, Commander," greeted everyone who walked past me, and I only gave them a nod.

My eyes turned into steel and the smile that I had was already gone. Even if I was the kindest and the most compassionate one, I knew my role as a Commander.

I went before the training group and inspected their fighting.

"Reagan, keep your elbows to yourself or you will get knocked off. Patrick knees higher and stop hunching over. Good job, Callaghan, keep doing it!" I was walking between the warriors and correcting them or giving them compliments for motivation. My father despised my way of motivation, but I didn't care as long as this worked and they respected and liked me, not feared me.

I was so into teaching and showing how to make a certain move that I didn't notice kids stopping by and watching me... adoringly. I stumbled on the word and cleared my throat when the kids laughed, still watching me.

"Alright, what you should remember is, you should always, always, watch your opponent's moves. What hand does he use often? What leg does he put in the front? Is he nervous? Is he sweating? Do his eyes shift often? When he checks your body, don't be nervous and never...never shift your gaze from your opponent's eyes, got it?" I made an example by nonblinking and staring into his eyes.

My father taught me the stare from a young age. It was a little game that we played. We could look into each other's eyes not blinking for minutes and minutes. I remember my first time. It was terrifying. My father's eyes were coal black and they looked as if they were always angry or at any minute could kill you...I was only eight and I begged him to stop staring at me but he acted as if he didn't hear me. He just kept holding me by the shoulders and staring into my eyes, even when I tried to look away, he somehow caught my eyes...only after years of training, I could stare back for longer than he expected. And now, I can beat him with my death stare.

"Oh, God, Commander, I will piss myself. Could you please stop staring at me as if I am that thing that killed Willow and Ernst?" Pleaded Wes, who turned all embarrassed red.

I didn't even notice that I stared at him...

I looked away and sighed, Ernst and Willow "Go work, Wes." I muttered and turned away, but before I could walk away, a little thing was glued to my leg. My whole body tensed at the sudden impact and I nearly gasped. It was a little girl with shiny, golden hair, maybe six years old.

"Hello, Commander Crosse!" She squealed.

"You know who I am..." I unexpectedly grinned at the girl.

She rolled her eyes playfully, "Of course! You are the only lady in the army of General Crosse! Everyone knows you, my lady."

I sighed and pre-sat, now looking at the small creature, "What's your name, young lady?"

"Mar--Call me Rita, please." She answered with a slight nod.

"As you wish, and you please call me Miss Damiana and I am not your lady. Miss Magdalena Crosse is 'your lady' but certainly not me." I laughed off, ruffling her soft hair.

She giggled, "Miss Damiana! I have a question. How did you end up being a Commander? Can I be one, someday too?"

Bile came up to my throat. F**kish f**k.

Not everyone knew that my father chose me to be his Commander because he didn't have any sons. It wasn't my choice but I obeyed...maybe because I knew that I was not Magdalena or maybe I just needed this. For children, it was a dream...they thought that it was great.

I chuckled, "My father made me his Commander, Rita, it wasn't my choice."

Rita curiously tilted her head, "Don't you enjoy being powerful?"

I gaped, "Well, I believe it's my path and if I could turn back time...I wouldn't change a thing. As weird as it sounds...I am happy and if you really want to be a Commander someday, you should work hard as a warrior, and to be a warrior...it will be hard to become a warrior but...If you want something so badly...you can achieve it. I am sure of that."

The girl's eyes sparkled, "Oh, I thank you, Miss Damiana!" She jumped at me and hugged me tighter than any person ever hugged me.

My heart squeezed and that's when I hugged her back.

I smiled, "You are welcome, little warrior."

***

It was already noon. My sister went for a walk with the prince and we didn't even exchange a glance. She was mad, no doubt...

My father and I, with several warriors, stood in front of the gates. General Casmund could arrive at any moment, so we waited patiently.

The King went off to the castle not long ago, leaving his son in charge. It was annoying because Prince was irresponsible and still immature. I caught my father talking to Eduard before and I know when my father is furious...this was one of the moments when he wanted to choke someone. At least somewhere we agreed.

"Greet General Casmund of the Western Camp and his son, Commander of the army!" unexpectedly yelled the guard from above.

I saw how my father fixed his silver armor and stepped slightly to the front. He never liked being on the same line as me.

When the gates opened, they revealed an army of soldiers on horses. Two men were in the front and others followed them.

My sight caught an auburn-haired gentleman in the clothes of a Prince. He was in green velvet and perhaps silk. His amber eyes glowed in the sun and his slight beard gave him a fierce look...like a lion. I presumed it was the General's son, a Commander, just like me.

"Bertilak! My old, dear friend!" greeted my father, coming to the old man, who got off his horse. General Casmund was a good-looking man like his son but with wrinkles, but his eyes were darker, almost black.

"Recherd. How are you doing? I heard about the attack. My condolences."

"It's kind of you, Bert. Oh! Meet Commander Damiana Crosse. Damiana, These are General Casmund and his son, Commander Braxton."

I bowed my head and shook my hand with the General and, without hesitation, gave my hand to Braxton but I found them staring at me in awe.

"So, you did make one of your daughters a Commander. Fascinating...It's fancy meeting you finally, Commander Crosse." mused the General, "Is she your oldest?" he questioned my father, not giving me another glance. I gritted my teeth and caught General Casmund's attention, "With all due respect, General Casmund, you can question me personally, I am staying here for a reason."

The old man's eyes widened slightly, "Attitude is great. Your father surely knew what he was doing when he made you his Commander."

I smiled slightly before glancing at Braxton. All this time he didn't say a word, he just observed with his amber eyes.

"I think we better go inside, Bertilak. Is your son tired? He can rest in the guest tent for a while." offered my father, making his way to yesterday's tent while glancing at Casmund junior. I guess my father counts silence as tiredness.

"No, he is absolutely fine. My son is a tough guy," chuckled Casmund. My father nodded, "It's great that he became a Commander. How do you like it, Brax?" asked my father, arrogantly checking the auburn-haired boy, perhaps he was in his early twenties?

Braxton lazily met my father's eyes. His amber eyes flamed, "Did you ask your daughter this question? I am sure that my answer is the same as hers, General Crosse."

I hid my smirk, seeing how my father fought his scowl, "Very well, Braxton," replied my father, but I guess young Casmund wasn't pleased, "It's Commander Casmund."

"What?" asked my father in shock.

I finally raised my eyes to meet with the Commander's eyes before he slowly gritted out, "Call me Commander Casmund, not Braxton." his eyes were like hot-red gold.

He was powerful, his father knew it and liked it. He knew it himself and he made sure that we would know it too.

My father glared at the cocky young man with a smile and turned his head at his father, "Gladly, my daughter is a Commander...or I would compete with my own son," he joked, laughing.

The two old men laughed synchronically while my gaze went cold and my eyes as if turned into glass.

F**k it. We all knew that he competed with me. Huh, liar.

I felt how Braxton, for the first time, turned his head at me. His eyes flickered in the sun, his left eyebrow rose and his gaze went quickly from head to toes and back to my eyes.

Was he checking me out?

My expression was blunt and I didn't make any move.

I saw how he wanted to say something, but hesitated but his lips twitched in a smile. It was like he thought of something and wanted to share but mischievously stood back.

I narrowed my eyes at him, keeping eye contact, not listening to what our fathers said.

"Are you gonna ask me?" he blurted out. His voice is softer than previously.

I looked at him questionably, "What about precisely?"

He licked his lips, "About what I was thinking?"

I shrugged, "Should I?"

He came closer for a step, "You are curious. Perhaps you should."

I sighed, "I am curious but not interested."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "And what's the difference, lady Crosse?"

"It's Commander Crosse," I stated and for a second he wanted to ask 'what?' but then he understood whom I copied.

He chuckled lowly, "Alright, what's the difference, Commander Crosse?"

"I am curious about your thoughts but I am not interested in them. I would gladly hear them but I would not ask you to tell me if you have no intention of saying them."

Casmund raised his eyebrows and gaped, "Hm, smart play, Miss Crosse...smart," he muttered, thinking, "Strangely that your father seems not to notice such a--"

"Competitive?" I guessed.

His smile went wider, "I wanted to say, threat."

I was...clearly astonished.

A threat?

Braxton lowered his head and chuckled under his nose before I heard my name.

"Who taught Damiana? We all know that it's hard to be a Commander for a woman, even a warrior."

My father sneered at General Casmund, "Bertilak, you are forgetting whose daughter she is."

Certainly not yours. I am the daughter of Johanna Crosse.

I held back my anger as I coldly looked at the two old men.

"Ahh, so you taught her yourself then, huh? What about Johanna? Did she agree so easily? It would be easier for her to give you an heir," uttered Bertilak Casmund with a disgusting smile.

I was on the edge of ripping him apart, but why should I when my father had already taken him by the throat and lifted his big body above the ground.

My father's eyes turned into glass and his capillaries went red and bulged out.

"If her name will again leave your filthy mouth, I will cut your tongue and shove it down your throat. Never..." my father whispered in a terrifying voice, "Never remind my wife again. I hope I made myself clear, friend." with these words he left General Casmund and fixed his hair, still glaring at the West Camp General.

Maybe my father would not have been so furious about his words if Bertilak hadn't known that my mother had died, but he did know. Everyone knew it. The day she died, my father burned forty vampires and werewolves in one night. He was a monster that lost the only beautiful thing in him. Sometimes, I understand why he became such a person. I don't know who I would become if I lived his life.

"Now, we need to prepare. Knyaz will not wait for long. After tomorrow, at sunrise, we will start a war with vampires."

Hey, Guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Stay tuned and, of course, comment and share if you like the story so far. CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOK 'BEAST ACADEMY' and the second part too. In those books I created playlists, so check out for the music too! IF YOU WANT ME TO CREATE A PLAYLIST OF THIS BOOK, COMMENT AND I WILL GLADLY DO IT.

Love ya all, xo.