An unexpected twist of Fate.

A Warrior of Fate.

Margo 

I looked down at myself trying to remind myself that this was the only way to save my life.

My family's life.

 The night of my twentieth birthday, my whole life changed

My father the black Smith and my mother the teacher who worked in the Manor. Were great parents. They weren't like most who constantly reminded their children of our places. My father the ever overprotective man would constantly give me lessons of life that only my brother was allowed to learn. 

We live on one of the Four Warren Islands. West Warren. A Island that was a seventeen hour boat trip across an unsettled ocean. 

The main land that was ruled by a King who was greedy for Power and driven by wealth. 

West Warren was as you can imagine small. Our Island was known for it's metal. All of the families who lived on the Island were Trades men. Blacksmiths. They made the Armor that the Army wore into every battle. The swords they strapped to their belts. The helmets they wore to protect them. The Shoes they used on their horses.  Our Lord that owned the land, had contracts with the King. All the metal used in the Kingdom came from our Island. It was the Wealthiest Warren Island but it didn't make our living conditions any better.  

South Warren is known for it's Clay. The Clay was made into rock that built the Houses of Cane City, The Capital. South Warren was nothing but Red Mud. That would stick to your boots and cling to your skin. People who lived there were constantly dirty. They're clothes constantly stained from working all day in the queries. Their lord was a drunk. Ruthless bastard who had put fencing around the whole Island to stop people trying to escape him.

East Warren is a Farming Island. Full of life stock. Farms of Vegetables and Fruit. The Lord of the East was fat and lazy. Making East the lesser of three evils. 

North Warren is a Prison. A prison, with a hundred foot wall all the way around it. Wolves and other ruthless animals living freely in the woods. For any crime you were dragged there. Hand cuffed. Taken to the thick steal gates and pushed inside. Then you were left to death. Having to try and survive with lead handcuffs on that weight two stone. I would know. My father made the cuffs for the prisoners. No one actually knew what happened once in there. All we knew was that some times on a quiet day a scream would be carried on the wind letting us hear the terror of prisoners. For once you are sentenced to North Warren. There was no getting out. North Warren had always terrified me and interested me. Growing up. I always tried to know as much as I could about it. How it was built. The Prisoners sentenced there. Everything. Always out of fear that one day I would end up there. It was a fear I shared with many. Our King was ruthless and unforgiving. He was monster. 

West Warren my home had been an Island of freedom and safety. One that people would come to for refuge. Until Lord Gateway's only son died while serving in the King's Army. It was law that any man between the ages sixteen to twenty five were to serve the King's Army. Unless you were in trade. Such as my brother who was to take over from my father when he retires. Our family is actually one of Noble blood. 

Or so my mother has told us from birth. 

My mother told stories of how she was once Duchess of Nima. However she refused to speak of how she became the Black smith's wife. All I know is something happened and she fled to West Warren where she fell madly in love with Dad. I never believed her. I mean how could she be a Duchess? It was made worse when she said we were never to speak of it. Dad who had been a Captain in the Army took up the trade of Metal when his Injury meant he could no longer serve. My father is blind in one eye. 

He bought one of the biggest houses on the Island. He's the best Black Smith on the Island and is well respected. That was why when the new Lord was offered pick of all the women on the Island as his new bride when his wife died four months ago I was dragged to the palace. Where out of Seventeen I was picked. The King had granted the Lord a pick of anyone as The Lord Son had been one of the Best Soldiers. The King wanted many more like Aaron Black. 

That's what I was going to be. A baby machine until I gave the Lord a new son who would take his brother's place in the Army. I wasn't ok with it. Neither were my parents. My father trained me to be good with any weapon. He taught me how to be a black smith. He taught me everything I needed to know to make sure I survived in this world. Where women were nothing but house wives, slaves and baby making machines. All but my mother and me. So on the Eve of my twentieth birthday and wedding day my father handed me some of my brother's clothes, weapons he had made himself for me, money and a bag. A bag of fake papers and clothes. Men's clothes. He told me to dress. I did in a hurry. He slipped out into the night and took me to the docks where he had me hide in a crate. Telling me not to come out until the boat was well out to sea.

 I understood then that my father was saving me from a loveless marriage. No matter the impact on his life. I couldn't go back even if I wanted to. I knew it would be the end of my whole family. Instead I stayed on that boat. Once we reached the docks of Cane City I knew I needed to find something that meant I had a home and money.

 The Army. 

Making sure my hair was firmly tied back and hidden under a wig I went to the Palace. Posing as a man I got into the Army. Thanks to my father who was once the best I worked my way up from being a foot Soldier to becoming a Captain in a matter of months. I was given a small Estate I had people working for me. I had my people living on my Estate with me in small houses. In fact I became the new Aaron Black. The house I lived in was once his. 

Of course no one knew the truth. If they ever found out I'd be hung. On my Papers I was Margo Farron. In real life I was Sky Knight. It was a name I could never use again. I had become known for being silent but deadly. I was silent because talking revealed my girly voice. I did deepen it and used an accent to make me sound more like a man but even after almost two years of being a man it was hard still. 

Yes I was short and not Muscled which made alot of people believe I was not what everyone said I was. When we met the enemy they laughed. Believing that I was nothing but a story to scare the enemy. Until I had them begging me to spare their life. Serving in the King's Army, we had two enemies. One was the King's brother. The other was the Rebels who called themselves the Dragons. I had faced a few Dragons. I hadn't killed one. I knocked them out. The fact was. Anyone willing to take on the King was Welcome. I made it my mission to leave any Dragons unharmed. The King's brother's men...... Well things weren't as black and white as everyone believed.... Today was no different. We were coming back from the Dina's land where the King's brother was in hiding. He and his Army. Living high in the Mecca Mountains. Thinking we couldn't get to them.

We could. 

Admittedly I was torn in this war. 

The King was not a good man and didn't deserve to be sat on his throne but there was stories that his brother was worse. I had no idea what stories were true or not but the fact was in order to live and one day find my family. I had to follow orders. I had to face the Army that was marching upon Cane City.

I was exhausted.

We had been away for days. Marching to reach the Mountains. We had fought many battles and retreated due to lack of Supplies. My men were drained and missing their homes and warm beds.  

All my men were alot taller and bigger than me. Some times I wondered how no one dared question me. Yet I had saved many of their lives. I had earnt their trust and respect. When I didn't or couldn't I scared them into following orders. 

I ordered that my men made Camp as I needed a break. My ass was hurting from riding Nara. My all black war horse. I hated having to make camp, as it meant I couldn't risk washing or changing my clothes. Instead I was forced to stay in the same clothes. Smelling awful. 

I looked over at my loyal Wolf. I had found her after arriving in Cane City and living on the streets. Firstly I found Nara. Who I saved from horrible evil men who were about to kill her. Then I found Nika. In the woods. Her mother had been killed and she was alone. Everyone told me I was crazy for taking her. That she would turn and kill me. Now she was past my hip in height and mean as hell. Though gentle when it came to me. She was the only one to learn of my secret. 

"You prepared for the smell?" I asked making her turn her head as if understanding me. I knew Shadow Wolves were full of Magic. So she probably could understand me better than any creature.

"Captain?" My Lieutenant shouted coming into my tent. I squared my shoulders and put a mean expression on my face. It was hard playing the cold bastard. And a man of course. Especially when it came to Freddie. My friend and most Trusted Soldier. Sometimes I thought about telling him everything. I knew he wasn't like most men. He was kind, loving, willing to put himself in harms way to save people.

 Nika my Wolf stood with a growl as four of my men pushed two struggling men into my tent. I frowned wondering what was going on until I saw the red crested Dragon on black Material around their arms. I didn't speak as usual. Waiting for Freddie to tell me why I had two Dragons knelt down in front of me. One of the men looked terrified and young. The other nearly knocked me sick. I had to take a minute to compose myself when my brown eyes clashed with his glaring Blue ones. His long black curls were tied back in a leather tie. His all black clothes and boots looked clean considering the Dragons were apparently meant to live underground. His stubbled jaw was strong. Hell he was the most handsome looking man I had ever seen. I quickly looked away to Freddie. y"Captain we found two Dragons trying to steal your horse." My Nara? That Horse was like Nika to me. They were my babies. Of course I had to act heartless. I pulled ropes from my uniform and threw them at Freddie. He was quick to tie them. "Sir do you want us to take them into the woods and kill them?" I narrowed my eyes looking from the two dragons. The other man looked younger than me. Barely a teen.

"No." I said in the deepest voice I could manage. Freddie gave me a look clearly knowing what I had planned. "Tie them there." I pointed to a tree that my tent had been build around. The bottom half of the tree was inside my tent while the branches were what my tent was tied too. It did the job. I walked over to where Nika was still growling ready to strike if anyone tried anything. I ran my hand over her head. While Freddie struggled with the two Dragons to get them tied to the tree. "It's ok girl." I whispered to her in my gentle girly tone. Once the two men were tied Freddie told the Soldiers to get lost then came over to me. Freddie is six feet tall with short brown hair and brown eyes. A  very handsome man. At the age of twenty four he was also young. He had also been through hell to get where he is. We both had joined the same day. We were put in the same quarters and were paired together from the moment we joined.. I always hated the lie between us but what choice did I have?

"Captain what do you plan to do with them?" Freddie looked at me with a smile as if he knew something I didn't. He was always looking at me like that.

"They come with us. I'm in no mood to have two Dragons killed." I said rubbing my head. It was pounding. "We'll bring them with us until we can figure out what the f**k to do with them." I needed to find a way to get them out of here unhurt. 

"Cap you look tired. Why don't you rest?" He nod then left. I listened to his advice. I walked over to the bed that was just fur and pillows. I laid down. Nika instantly joined me.

"That's the great Captain.... Lord we've heard so much about?" Asked one of the man about an hour after I laid down. I couldn't sleep as I could feel the two men watching me. I didn't want to look girly. I maintained my scowl on my face. My body was tense which hurt my already aching muscles. 

"Apparently. Kind of Small considering he strikes terror into everyone he faces." I shivered at the sound of that voice. Knowing instantly it was the handsome one.

"It looks weird." Whispered the young one. His voice was at that awkward stage where it wasn't deep but it cracked every now and then. I felt offended that they kept calling me an It. I knew I looked strange as a man. I looked too small and fragile. Some said I looked sickly. In training I was constantly picked out and bullied upon. Freddie was constantly there backing me up. 

"Don't take it's looks for granted. They say he's silent but the meanest son of a b***h around. Gets the hardest jobs. Impossible jobs. It could awake up and kill us." I was going to kill them if they called me an it one more time. Unable to sleep thanks to them I sat up and lite a candle. The candles in the tent were almost dying.

"Reframe from calling me an It. Or you'll see the damage I can cause you." I spat not sparing them a glance. Nika stood looking at me. Wondering what we were doing. I walked over to the two men and stood in front of them taking them in. "You're nothing but a kid." I said wincing when my deep tone faltered. Making the good looking one look at me with a frown.

"Neither are you." The Kid hissed at me. He was brave. I'll give him that. The good looking one shot the kid a look to shut up. 

"Are you going to kill us?" He asked when the Kid looked away from me. I looked at him hating that my heart was pumping and my mind was racing. I didn't ever look at men as anything but numbers usually. Until it came to Fred. This man couldn't be making me feel something. Right?

"I haven't decided yet." I said wondering just what I was going to do with them. A few too many of my men knew they were here. They'd love to witness the hanging of Two Dragons. I wasn't going to do that. The Kid looked no more than Fifteen.