Cursed Daughter

Chapter 1

    The light filling the room is what woke me up that morning. I had no curtains on my window because I liked to see the sunrise. I looked over to the clock on the wall, making sure I didn’t miss my morning training, and saw I still had an hour before class started. I changed from my flannel pajama pants and oversize t-shirt into my training uniform. This, like everything else, was assigned to us but the outfit does change as we age. Currently as I am twenty-two my uniform is a plain black short sleeve shirt that is fitted to my body and made of a breathable material. My pants were a black spandex material also molded to my body but still able to fully function in.

    My age group and higher were given a belt that was actually a holster for our various weapons. I grabbed a few knives and put them into my belt then slipped on the black combat boots. My hair was straight and cut at my shoulders so I never needed to worry about putting it up. It was mid-summer so I didn’t need a jacket at this time but that also meant that you could see the scars on my arms. I was rather pale but still at a glance you could see the burn scars on my left arm that ran from my fingertips to my elbow. My right arm looked like a hell dog scratched me.

    The burns looked more like scratches that crawled their way from my shoulder to my forearm. I have no memory of how I got them, though I do get asked from time to time about them. What most don’t see is that the scars go over my shoulders, down my back, spiral down my right leg, and my toes got burnt too. Somehow my face and the front of my body didn’t get scarred. I find it rather ironic seeing as how my face looks like it belongs on a doll but my body is covered in horrible scars.

    My eyes were a bright green and my hair was a white blond. I sighed into the mirror seeing the lifelessness in my eyes. After a few more seconds of staring I finally tore my gaze away and headed out. I lived in what resembles a college campus in the middle of a dense forest. There were only three buildings, they looked identical on the outside, but were quite different on the inside. I lived in building three which was nothing but bedrooms and everyone’s living areas. Building one was offices and the Orders living quarters. Building two was classrooms and gyms for us to study in and work on improving our weapons training.

    There was about a mile of field in between the structures, most of the field was reserved for training with a track and weapons staged throughout. By the time I made it to the training field my class was mostly assembled. Since I had finished top of my class I was put in charge of training the fourteen to seventeen female age group. As that’s a teenage group they never assemble quietly so I always put them through several hours of harsh training.

    “Trina!”

    The group of twenty froze finally realizing I was on the field. They quickly got into formation and Trina stepped forward rather timidly.

    “Grab the longstaff from the armor stand and try to fight me off.”

    Trina nodded slightly shaking, she was the best of the group but they’ve all seen that I fight with no hesitation. I never try to actually hurt them but our rules of training say we have to actually hit or cut the other person. We have all been told to never hesitate and never fake a hit otherwise we would never be ready for an actual fight. I noticed that once Trina had the weapon in her hands she stopped shaking and seemed rather sure of herself.

    Before she had a chance to fully turn around I kicked the back of her knees sending her to the ground. She brought the staff up across her chest and pushed me off as I lunged for her again. I stumbled back before I regained my footing but those seconds were all she needed to get back on her feet. I grabbed a knife from my belt and threw it at Trina. She turned her head in time to have it only nick her cheek. She tried to jab at me with the staff but I dodged most of the jabs only getting hit across the arms. She took a swing at my legs aiming for my knees, I jumped out of the way and my ankle took the hit.

    I stumbled down and she quickly brought a hit down across my chest knocking the wind out of me. She had to get close to hit my chest so I kicked at her knee causing it to shoot back. Trina stumbled back, her face twisting with pain, I took advantage of it and quickly got to my feet. She was clearly relying on the staff to keep her up so I rushed at her to land a few punches on her stomach. She threw an elbow and connected with my cheek making my head snap to the side.

    As I stumbled back I grabbed her staff when she went in for another jab and pulled her toward me. I could see the panic in her eyes as she realized I had her weapon. She let go of the staff and went to sweep kick me. I planted the staff into the ground and launched a kick at her chest. Trina hit the ground and rolled away from me. I took another knife out of my belt and threw it at her again this time at her feet. While she was distracted trying to dodge the blade launched at her toes I brought the staff down across her head. She whimpered when she hit the ground clutching at the back of her head.

    The rest of the class looked rather shocked I would hit her like that. “Never take your eyes off your attacker. That is the first rule we teach. While Trina was distracted looking at the ground for the knife I threw she left the rest of herself vulnerable. Now pair up and go three rounds, bruises or cuts determine the winners.”

    Lessons went on for two hours so by the time we were done we all had about half an hour to shower before breakfast was to be ready. While all the kids were practicing I went over to the track and ran about four miles before they were all finished. They managed to beat each other relatively badly I chose not to torture them with further excersises, that could always be saved for another day when they get out of line. I was breathing heavily by the time I made it back to my room to shower and change. I was starving so I took a quick five minute shower and changed into my non training outfit. It was still all black with combat boots but the pants were more stylized with studs along all the stitches. 

    The belt that belonged to this outfit wasn’t as fitted nor did it have as many holsters for weapons so it hung high on one hip then slanted to below my hip on the other side. The top wasn’t as regulated and I chose to wear a wide strap tank top. I pulled my hair back into a french braid not wanting it in my face any longer. I pulled a couple knives from my training belt and put a few into this one. I quickly jogged down to the kitchen and sighed in relief when I saw I was one of the first ones there. I fixed myself a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon then went to find my friends. I spotted the pair in the corner by the doors that lead to the patio eating area.

“Lucy nice to see you finally joined us.” Sandra was always quick with attitude in the morning but we were all used to it. I just gave her a glare as I sat down.

“Kyle you know better than to let Sandra leave her room without coffee.” Kyle laughed and Sandra shot me a glare pointing her fork at me. She was tall but rather slender as she was the fitness coordinator. Her hair was a dark brown with eyes that matched. Her skin was slightly tanned with freckles spattering her face and chest. Her outfit was similar to mine except she was wearing fingerless leather gloves and her hair was in a ponytail. She glared daggers at me ready to launch the fork into my eyes.

“Listen here, don’t try me this morning. I had to train the seven year olds today and they are total little shits.”

            Me and Kyle laughed while she angrily continued to stab at her food. Kyle was the only male I would consider my friend. He was bordering six foot with a very muscular build. He was very tan with short blonde hair and brown eyes. His clothing was a more male version of ours with cargo style pants and a t-shirt, he could wear a tank top also but always chose to stay in long sleeves, his belt was fitted, with double the knives. I had met Kyle in my second year here and he, Sandra and I clicked well and always hung out.

    “Don’t blame me on this one she was gone before I was even awake! I didn’t have to teach today.” Kyle said.

    Our age group was always chosen to teach at some level since we are the strongest and fastest at our age. Kyle was in charge of weapons training for the fourteen to seventeen male age group. We just let Sandra grumble into her food while we finished ours. We never took long to eat so as we were walking out the morning rush of students were all walking in. We were all heading to the same training field, since we decided to combine our classes for the day, when we were interrupted by a messenger.

    Messengers are always aged between twenty-one to twenty-seven and we’re usually the worst of their age group. They worked for the Order doing secretary work as they’re pretty useless. This one was a short scrawny boy who looked sixteen but was in his twenties.

    “Lucy, Order Garrett orders your presence at once.”

    I sighed, waving Kyle and Sandra off knowing I shouldn’t wait. I jogged over to building one not trying to make him wait and get the Order’s anger. I entered the building and took a sharp right. I had been called into this building far too often as I was no longer impressed with its opulence. When you enter a waiting room of sorts is the first thing you see with large lavish chairs and a large reception desk that is only for show as no one is ever there.

    There are two hallways, one to the left and one to the right. The left holds offices of sorts that never look used. The right is the Orders’ individual offices and their living areas are all on the second floor of the two story building. The offices all have placards on the door but I no longer need to read them. I knew exactly where I was going because as a younger teenager I got called into their offices several times a month.

    I reached the last door in the hall and knocked. My heart was racing like it always does. I know I have done nothing wrong, that I could be punished for, but that lingering fear is always there. I heard a voice call out for me to enter.