The Female Warrior

Chapter Four

I spoke too soon, college is much better than this!

"Stand up and continue!"

Right now I'm at the warrior camp, busy playing sword fight with the camp's commander. This morning I was woken up by someone slamming my bedroom door, when I checked the door, I realized it was a scary looking man with scars all over his face.

He didn't even allow me to clean my face or take my bath, instead he yelled that we have a lot of practice today and I won't need cleaning when I would get dirty again. Although he's right, but that doesn't mean I have to smell like garbage all day.

" You're ready, you passed the test." I dropped the wooden sword in shock.

"What! So all these have been a test," I wonder what the actual training would be if a test could be so bone breaking.

" The most important thing is you passed now you could head up to the palace fields to meet the others." Commander Richard replied folding his arms.

" Let's go," He turned around, walking away. I glared at him wishing I could slap his white haired face with the wooden sword so hard that it would leave another permanent scar.

         *********************

" Wow! This is so cool," the whole place was field with warriors. They were all sword fighting and blasting each other with bolts of lightning like mine. Their moves were amazing, they were flying all around the field with skill and perfection.

I can't believe I'm actually going to train and be like them. I stood in a line of two other males and one female they looked my age. They were also gawking at the scene.

Someone hit a huge bell and the warriors stopped fighting and returned their weapons and formed a line. They were all thirty in number.

The commander stood on a huge flat rock in front of the warriors, where we stood.

"As of today," he began. "These four you see would be part of us, treat them as your mates and we would have no problems."

"Yes commander!" they chorused

"This is Nate," he pointed to the last boy on the line with black over gelled hair.

"This is Valarie," the red haired girl next to Nate.

"This is David," also black haired but not over gelled.

"And Kiara. Welcome them nicely."

The commander left the field signaling the warriors to continue.

"Hello, I'm Gwen and I'll be your teacher." The four of us stared at the woman, she looked badass with her combat boots, sharply fitting uniform and huge muscles and her tightly packed hair in a ponytail.

"Yes sir!" we chorused adjusting our relaxed pose.

"We start training tomorrow, get to know yourselves today and don't forget the remembrance ceremony.

"Yes sir!" What remembrance ceremony I frowned.

"What is the remembrance ceremony?" I asked after Gwen left.

"This day twenty two years ago, we lost our king and his son and some other people, ever since then we always have a ceremony to remember their demise." Valarie explained.

"Oh! That makes sense. I replied. The boys joined us.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we should all go out and have some drinks and know each other better." David suggested.

"That would be great," I squealed. This is the first time I'm going out with friends apart from Skylar.

"Cool, we all meet at the palace gate. Nate said.

            *********************

"Cheers!" we are now at a local bar, which means lots of noises and bar fights but luckily for us it seemed the chaos was booked for the following night.

Who knows they might want to make it peaceful since its their kings remembrance day.

"So, where are you guys from?" I asked sipping my drink. Who knew mysterious realms like Dicastro, have amazing beverages.

"I'll start!" Nate said, already drunk. He hasn't even finished his alcohol yet!

"I live in a small village, a little far from here with my grandmother and my aunt." He narrated with a wrinkled forehead and a lost look in his eyes. His expression explained his parents were dead. I felt his pain also it seemed everyone else did.

"Come on dude, snap out of it," David playfully bumped his shoulders trying to lighten the mood.

"If it would make you feel better I live with my uncle and he is a palace chef. So the next time he comes home I would ask him to bake a very delicious cake for ya."

"Thanks man, I never knew your uncle works in the palace. Have you been there before?"

"Nope, never been there, my uncle only goes to the palace when he's needed. He says the king is a nasty person and get whatever he wants. I wonder if he would attend the remembrance ceremony: he's never attended before."'

"My turn!" Valarie announced, emptying her cup.

"I live around here, the west side of Dicastro with my parents. They're both farmers. What about you Kiara?"

"Oh...um...I...uh live in..." I don't know what to tell them, should I say I'm from earth? But we are on earth right? Or should I say I'm from California?"

"I...uh...live with my aunt here, her house isn't far from the palace." I decided to lie, even though that's the truth but not the total truth.

"Hey, you kids should be preparing to leave I'm about to close for the ceremony!" the bar owner screamed from the counter.

"We should go guys, its time." Valarie said standing up.

"You guys should go we would catch up with you I need Valarie to follow me somewhere."

"Okay, don't take long." David and Nate chorused.

"Were are we going?"      

"Well Commander Richard didn't allow me to take a bath this morning so that's what I want to do."

"I feel for you sis that man is a nightmare, when he gave me that stupid test I wished I could smack his face with the wooden sword." Valerie said.

"I also felt the same way!" We both laughed.

            *********************

"They must not see each other, Kiara is not yet ready for that to happen, she still needs more training." Isn't that Commander Richards voice? What is he doing here?

"I agree with Richard, she's not ready, having them cross paths must not happen we have to avoid it at all costs." An unknown voice spoke. Who am I not to see?

"Kiara? Why are we not going in?" I totally forgot Valerie is beside me.

"Shhhh! I'm trying to figure out what they are talking about."

"Oh, okay."

"Don't worry about it Gadius I will handle it, just make sure the scroll doesn't fade again."

"I hope we make it work, we are taking a risk here, Keng must not see her again till she's ready." Aunt Madison said. "I really appreciate your support for a better Dicastro."

"We should leave the ceremony is about to start." Commander Richard said.

"I would wait here for Kiara. Good luck."

The squeaking of the door knob made Valarie and me run quietly to the corner or the house. We stayed there for a few minutes before we entered.

Aunt Madison was clearing her dining table of the tea cups and bread crumbs.

"You're here? Hows your first day at the Camp?"

"It was fun," I answered, "this is Valarie we started camp today".

"Nice to meet you young lady," She said smiling while wiping her hands on a clean towel.

"Nice to meet you too ma'am." Valarie smiled in return.

"We were about to attend the ceremony but I decided to take a shower since the Commander didn't allow me this morning."

Aunt Madison laughed, "That man, he's something else."

               ******************

Wow.

The place was crowded with every one holding a floating lantern.

"Why don't we have one of those?" I asked Valarie.

"You see that crowded space beside the fat woman in front of us? That's where we get it."

"Oh, I see it lets go!" I squealed dragging her hands.

"We maneuvered ourselves through the noisy crowd, collecting floating lanterns of our own."

"So what now."

"We wait for the king to release his lamp."

"Make way and bow your heads for the king of Dicastro!" Commander Richard roared in the crowd his eyes moving in different directions.

He's sharp eyes met mine for a second before he disappeared into the crowds. Moments later the whole place was quiet and every one bowed their heads making way for the king. Men with whips walked forward hitting anyone who refused to bow.

Bowing my head I folded my hands in front of me. Leather boots entered my vision, it stopped in front of me.

"Richard!" the voice called.

"Your highness."

"Why is this girl still wearing the warrior emblem?" I bent my neck further in embarrassment. I can't believe I forgot to take it off.

"I'm sorry your highness, she's a new member. She must have not been told. I'll take care of it my lord, no need to bother."

"Good." Why is the king's voice familiar, I racked my brain trying to put a face to that voice at the same time stopping my head from taking a look at the kings face.

"Let's start the ceremony my lord." Another voice suggested.

"Where's my lantern Theo?"

"Here it is my lord," Theo said.

Walking past my vision, I sighed in relief until commander Richard growled in my ear.

"Take it off."

Nodding my head rapidly, I put the emblem off while Valerie collected it and put in her pouch.

The king light up the lantern and threw it in the air gently, immediately, he was surrounded by guards who walked him out of the crowd.

After he left everyone threw their lantern gently into the air lightening up the sky like tiny fireworks. I watched the scene in amazement appreciating the soft music that was played by a live band.

Moments later, every one left the place with a few people crying while some stayed to clean the place.

"That was amazing." I said to Valarie.

"I know." She sighed.

"We should find the boys, we promised to catch up with them."

"Yeah, lets go!"