Transition: Battle Against Fate

Chapter 1 Conversations like aside and personal thoughts of characters in the story are indicated in italics. A little girl of about seven years old sat on the snow covered ground alongside an older man in a quiet meditative silence. They were both draped in white with a cloth strip of similar color tied in their hair. Their hands were clasped on their crossed legs, directly under their taut chins. Their eyes were closed. "Shut out every distraction and concentrate on your inner self. Listen to your heart, find peace and keep it" he said solemnly, listing out instructions as the little girl tried to obey them. ★. ★. ★ Two hours later, they both strolled on the soft snow, amidst tulips and other plants around them. Far away, the sound of waves crashing could be heard. "Where are we going, master?" The little girl asked, bending down to examine a wilting tulip "Come with me, Dawn, and learn to avoid distractions. You shouldn't ask too many questions" he said and trotted forward as she ran to keep up with him "Yes, master" She said, once again putting her hand in his. They walked for a while before arriving at a wide expanse of land covered in snow and void of flowers. "Master?" She called out, looking up at him and in response to her unspoken question he brought out a dagger from his clothes "Repeat the moves you learnt yesterday" He said and she took the dagger, holding it firmly in her little hand. She pressed on the blue button visible on the handle of the dagger and it extended to its full size; a sword. Seeing the approval on her master's face, she began to swing the sword in the same manner she had learnt. ★. ★. ★ Sun rays slipped through the space in the curtains and into the room, casting its beam on Dawn's face making her stir. She got up, moved the blankets aside and rearranged the sheets. She quickly freshened up and went to meet her mother in the kitchen. "Good morning, mother" She greeted, going to fan the fire to k****e it. She puffed air with her mouth, rearranging the fire wood as smoke billowed around the kitchen "Good morning, sunshine. Did you sleep well?" "I slept like a bear" she replied, earning a laugh from her mother. "That's great, then." She said and paused, setting down the pastries she was making "Uh.... Dawn? Did you do it right? Why is there so much smoke?" She said and inched closer to take a look " I don't know, mother" she replied and hissed as a hot coal came in contact with her skin "Are you okay?" Freya asked in worry, taking the injured hand in hers. "Put it in water to cool off. Don't use ice. Let me check up on this then I'll return to you" she said and turned to the fire, arranging the fire wood and pushing the coal into the right places. Then she opened the doors to allow the smoke escape and soon the room was back to normal "There. All done." Freya said, wrapping the hand up after applying an ointment on it. The whistling sound of a kettle echoed in the background "You stay here while I go make us some tea. You should be more careful when dealing with fire next time, hmm?" "Yes mother" she answered, moving her hand to the side to get a better look at the bandage. "When will it stop hurting?" She asked, craning her neck to look at her mother who has risen to her full height. Freya pretended to think with her hand on her chin. "Let me see. If you remain a good child, listen to what I say and be careful with fire maybe it'll stop hurting by tomorrow" "Really!?" "Yes." She replied in the affirmative making Dawn smile. "That won't be a problem. I promise to be good" "That's my girl. Now excuse me let me go and make breakfast for that growling stomach of yours. Make sure you eat well because if you do, maybe your injury will heal up even faster" she said and left the room. Dawn collapsed on the bed, spreading her arms to the side as she tried to get rid of the soreness which was the result of the intensive training she received from master. Her master only trains her in dreams so her mother wasn't aware of his existence. "I almost made a breakthrough today. I can't believe I reached a bottleneck. I'm so young, how can I be getting bottlenecks like old people." She said grumpily and turned on her bed. "Maybe if I take a break from arduous cultivation, I might get an insight and experience a breakthrough." "If I get a breakthrough, this small injury would be nothing. I wish mother can learn martial arts too. She wouldn't have to be bullied so often." She sighed softly ★ ★ ★ "So where are these flowers going to?" Dawn requested as her mother arranged the flowers beautifully in their pots, creating a unique design for each flower and color. "The Jade green flower pot goes to the princess Chambers, the blue pot with gold speckles goes to the Emperor's Chambers while the white, pink, purple and yellow pots goes to Consorts Pearl, Irene, Elena and Jewel's Chambers respectively." Dawn looked at the palace some distance away and did a mental calculation. If she were to do it alone, it'll take her three hours. Each Consort had a separate house which had at least four pairs of winding stairs and all the houses were far apart for unknown reasons. The princess room was in the last floor of the palace which had winding stairs as well and each Chamber required their flowers delivered before eight o'clock. It was nearly seven o'clock. "Can I help you deliver some flowers, mother?" "I'd love that very much but the Consorts would be angered if a child delivers their flowers" "What do they need all these flowers for, anyway? Are they throwing a flower party? Or they just like to punish people because of their positions? If they needed to smell flowers the least they could do was walk into a garden, right?" She asked grumpily and Freya released a short nervous laugh "Don't let any other ear hear what you just said. It could cost you your tongue. Well, I don't know their reasons for wanting fresh flowers every morning. It could be for a lot of reasons. You maybe right and you maybe wrong. Whichever way, I must do my duty and I'm already late" "Does that mean you're going to be whipped again?" "Maybe" She replied with a shrug and Dawn's countenance fell. "Well, if I can't deliver the Consorts flowers then I can deliver that of the princess?" She asked hopefully, making Freya sigh "Fine. Do as you please. You're not going to stop arguing until you get me to agree with you" She said and picked up the purple flower pot that goes to Consort Pearl's Chambers. Consort Pearl is the oldest Consort in the palace both by age and status. She was the first Consort of the king and also the consort who most likely going to be made the empress. "Thanks Mom. I'll leave now. I promise to be quick....... and careful" She said, picking up the Jade green flower pot in her arms. "See you later then" she said and they went on their way. {Princess Chambers} "Who are you?" A voice asked from behind, startling Dawn. She spun around quickly on impulse and let go of the flower pot by mistake. Just before it got to the ground,she put out her right foot and caught it mid air throwing it up to her arm's reach. Then turning around in a circle, she caught the flying flowers and put them back in the pot. She turned to see the owner of the voice and saw the awe stricken face Alexa Conrad, the princess "I'm sorry, your highness. Please forgive my clumsiness" She said, bowing respectfully and the princess scrutinized her from head to toe, nodding in satisfaction. "Clumsy!? This guy is everything else except clumsy." Alexa thought. "You still haven't answered my question" She said with arms crossed on her chest in a questioning stance. Dawn's face shot up immediately, clouded in confusion "What?" "Who are you?" "I'm Dawn, your highness" She replied with a bow "So what brings you here?" She asked, shifting her gaze to the flowers in Dawn's hands. "I came to change the flowers" she answered, gesturing to the pot in her hands. "What about the woman who changes these flowers everyday? Why are you here in her place?" She questioned sharply "She's with Consort Pearl, your highness" "I see" the princess answered simply "And who said I wanted white roses?" She asked leaving Dawn astounded "We.....I just picked it casually. It suits the weather" "The weather?" Alexa probed further "Well, the weather looks peaceful today and white represents peace. It's my way of wishing her highness a great day but since you don't like them, I'll dispose of it and bring you the flowers you want" she said going to reach for the flower pot by the pavement "And when did I say I don't want them?" Alexa interrupted, making Dawn stop in her tracks. "Your highness, you said...." She was cut short by an approaching guard "Hey you! What do you think you're doing there, huh?" "He's with me" Alexa replied and Dawn snapped her head in her direction. "He?" She thought, confused. "Maybe it's a slip. Yeah, it must be a slip." "What are you still doing here? Don't you know your place? Piss off! Do you want to lose your head, hmm?" "Please forgive me, Mr. Greene. It'll never repeat itself. I beg to take my leave, princess" she said, bowing courteously to both of them before turning around and descending the stairs hurriedly. "Are you crazy? Which part of 'he's with me' did you not understand?" Alexa yelled after Dawn left. Mr Greene bowed. "I'm sorry princess, but I'm only doing my duty. Your safety comes first before anything else" he said and she eyed him disdainfully "I'll say this just this once. Repeat what happened today again and you'll lose that busy tongue of yours" "I understand what you mean, your highness. It will not happen again" he said bowing once again. "It better not, for your own good. Now piss off! My eyes are beginning to hurt from looking at your ugly face!" "Yes" he said and left. "So boring!" She hissed, rubbing her forehead. " Now he made me lose my chance with that guy" she grumbled, walking into her room. She sat on her bed and angrily removed her hairpin, tossing on the table. "Your highness, is everything alright?" Her maid asked and she glared at her. "What do you think!? Of course everything is fine. Get out." She said and the maid bowed before leaving. "So handsome." She mused with a dreamy smile as she reminisced the time she saw Dawn's face for the first time and when Dawn caught the flowers. "It's all because of that Mr Greene. I didn't even get to ask for his name. What if he never comes here again? What to do now?" She grumbled and laid on the bed with her boots on. Suddenly she sprang up as an idea came to her mind. She quickly ran to her window and looked out for any signs of Dawn without success. "I guess I may really never see him again." She murmured dejectedly. "He wished me a great day but how can I have a great day when I'm never going to see him again?" She sighed and picked one flower and brought it up to her nose before taking a long sniff.