24 Hours

Memories

“Mom guess what!” I excitedly ran towards my mother.

“Sweetheart you can’t be yelling while we’re at camp, you know that,” My mother looked at me sternly.

“I know mother but I have to tell you what father told me!” I looked at her with stars shining in my eyes.

She sighed, “What is it Aria?”

“He said I could fight in the upcoming battle! He said that I’ve been training for far too long and that if I’m going to be general in three years I need experience. Did you hear that mother? He said I was going to be general in three years!” I jumped up and down in excitement.

“Aria the first thing you need to learn is that generals don’t hop up and down when they are excited and they most definitely don’t yell. Generals hold themselves with dignity and grace. If you are to be general you will have to win the respect of everyone and hopping up and down while yelling will not get people to respect you.” Mother’s sharp gaze pierced me as I looked down.

“Yes, mother. It won’t happen again.”

“You are not a child anymore let this be the last time. Now, are you sure he said the next battle?”

I look into her eyes again, “Yes mother, he said that I was going to be leading a company in the rear and that I was to help defeat the vampires. I don’t understand why I haven’t been in a battle yet. Most recruits go through their first battle at the age of fourteen. I’m fifteen and I’m just now going to battle.”

“You are more important than the other recruits, Aria. You are the general’s daughter, the only heir he has. Your life cannot be risked in battle. Your father wanted to make sure you were trained well enough to not die on the battlefield. Do not feel joy going into this battle. Being in a war is dangerous and you can die. You can get kidnapped by vampires and they could r**e you. We held off sending you into battle because we cannot risk you losing your virtue or your life.”

“But why mother? Other women have gone into battle before. You have fought on the field before. Why is it so important for me?” I grabbed her hands.

“Sweetheart you won’t become the general if you do not have your virtue. Women generals are rare and they like having men as the general. Do well to protect yourself out there.” Mother kissed my hands and smiled at me, “I can’t wait to give you a hug after all this is over Aria.”

“Me too mother.” 

The memory faded but I was still stuck in this darkness. I wandered around but I couldn’t find my way out. I was trapped with no light at the end of the tunnel. I wanted to scream out for help but generals didn’t do that so I sat down and let the darkness consume me.

“You worthless piece of s**t!” My stepmother, Andria, threw me against the wall, “You made me break a nail!”

I spit in her face, “You’re lucky that’s all I broke. I will be General next year so I have more training than you. I could kill you if I wanted to.”

I heard the sound of skin against skin before my mind registered the pain. My stepmother had slapped me. “Just wait until your father comes home. We’ll see how long it’ll take me to change the line of succession. I am the queen of this house now. Your father listens to me.” 

“A w***e like you should just be chained to a bed. Leave politics to my father and I. Go lay in the bed and wait for him to come to you,” I grin mockingly at her.

“You b***h! Watch your words!” I could see her fist move towards me in slow motion. I could’ve moved to stop it but I didn’t. I wanted to look like the victim. The blow landed on my head and I fell to the ground. 

Apparently that wasn’t enough for her. She grabbed me by the hair and dragged me into a kneeling position and backhanded me. My face was starting to burn from all the abuse but still, I didn’t fight back. 

I promised myself I would get revenge one day on her and I will. One day she will be outcast from the cities and fall prey to the vampires. Her children will go with her. I don’t care that they’re my siblings. They will never get the General position.

I closed my eyes again and another memory popped up.

“You are the General now Aria. Take care of the people and don’t lead selfishly as I did,” my father pulled me into a hug, “I’m proud of you and your mother would be as well. I know you will do great things.”

Just then someone pulled him away from me. It was the crazy b***h who wanted to be my mother. “Darling!” She had a voice that made me want to gag, “Didn’t you forget to tell her something?”

My father sighed, “Don’t ruin the day. Besides, it's her right as General. I won’t take it away.”

The b***h flared at my father, “She hasn’t given her blood to the vase yet. You are still the General. I will be forced to leave if you don’t tell her. It’s either her or me David, choose now.”

(If you’re wondering, every general before I have cut their palm and added their blood to the sacred vase. It’s our way of gaining the position because other methods are easily destroyed. After the ceremony our names are then engraved into the stone beneath the vase.)

My father sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Aria until I die you have no power over who lived in the General house, I will keep that power but you will have a right to everything else.”

I glare at them both, “Why am I not surprised. You can rest assured, though, the w***e will be safe. I’ve been training all my life for this and I won’t let a sorry excuse for a woman take it away from me. Now may I add my blood?”

My father silently handed me the ceremonial knife and I walked out from behind the curtain that hid me. The whole of Home City was there to witness the adding of my blood. I silently walked over to the vase and cut the palm of my hand.

 I held my hand over the opening of the vase and watched as my blood spilled down into it. After about thirty seconds I pulled away and faced everyone. They started cheering and chanting my name with my new title. I was officially General. I was officially safe from my so-called family. I could finally exact my revenge on everyone who hurt me and my mom.