It is mid-afternoon.

The warm sun beats down upon my flesh. My head cranes into the air, eyes sealed, as I bask in the warmth the giant orb has to offer.

It has been eight years since I died.

I’ve learned so much since then. About war, politics, dancing, fine dining, swords, agriculture, and women. So much so, I could write volume after volume and never say enough to express the depths of my lived experiences within these lands.

My knowledge of the world was completed around a year ago. Professor Lorik concluded there was not much more he, on an individual basis, could teach me. Not that he said I was done learning. On the contrary, he told me, and I agreed, that we learn our entire lives. Ceasing makes us dumber. I’ll always be grateful for the help he’s provided.

Given the newly opened block of free time, I devoted more of my day to combat. Even after finishing my morning lessons with Master Talbert, I searched for more places to train my swordsmanship, and, more specifically, my hand-to-hand combat skills.

No one’s taught me that kind of stuff, nor could they, so it’d be weird if I suddenly started busting out some shadowboxing in the hallways. It hurts that I’m not able to work on any of my submissions since I don’t have a partner, but that stuff is so ingrained in me, I could probably whip it out if needed. If I get stronger, that is.

In the grand scheme of things, I think being able to stab someone is more important than choking them out given how weak I am. Hell, I don’t know if I’ll get that much stronger than I am now compared to some roided-out rapey bandit troupe. Still, it doesn’t hurt to keep all my options open. Anything can turn into an advantage during a crisis.

Sadly, there is nowhere in the castle that’s completely free of people, so I started looking outside. Besides, testing the boundaries of where I can and cannot go was on my list of things to do anyways.

Turns out, no one really cares if I suddenly walk out the front door unsupervised.

That was rather disheartening to discover. The guards kind of waved to me as I walked past. Some piss poor security if you ask me. I was momentarily thinking I’d created adversity for myself when there was none.

Then I tried exiting through the front gate to see how that’d go. Instant reprisal from the guards. My father was told I tried to leave and he scolded me for an hour.

His reasoning was solid for keeping me ‘confined,’ as he called it. My father is both wealthy and politically powerful. There are people out there who’d try to kidnap me. If not for my family, for the fact that I’m a girl.

It turns out that no world is truly innocuous, so it makes sense I’m being limited in the way I am. Still, going from my independent life as Felix to this curtailed, decorous reality as Scarlet has been a culture shock I’ve resented getting used to.

Plus, it annoys me that I have to take orders from a man that is still slightly younger than me if you take into account my past life.

It’s not all bad, though. The castle’s property contains little gardens, a small pond with fish, some apple trees, and a separate guardhouse that itself is large. There’s plenty to do within the few hundred acres we own. Most of it is walled away, but the parts I can access are nice.

There’s no point complaining about it. As crappy as my parents are, it’s reasonable for them to keep me restricted. Eight-year-olds shouldn’t enjoy the freedom I so envy. In time, I hope things will be different.

Heh. It doesn’t mean I haven’t figured out how to successfully sneak out of this suffocating place whenever I want.

Near the back of the castle, there’s a particular section of the perimeter largely hidden by trees, brush, and moss. Thinking it’d be a fine place to decompress, I looked around before abruptly locating a sizable crack in the back of the partition big enough for me to escape through.

Thus, I did.

Not permanently. I always returned to the castle. Why wouldn’t I? It provides me with everything I need. My body is still young and weak. I’m not taking any chances yet.

Still, out in the wilderness, I found my oasis.

The forest swallowed me up. I let it, keeping the castle in the back of my mind as I walked so I would not get lost. After around ten minutes, I stumbled upon a pond. It was void of life, not heavily vegetated, and crystal clear. It emerged within a clearing. Trees surrounded the expanse but not uniquely. A short-grassed meadow circled the pond.

It was the perfect find.

I started slinking out here every afternoon to train then unwind.

Today is yet another one of those days.

Relaxed, my head reclines down. My eyes open once more. The light tint of heat overwhelms my skin as sweat drips from my brow.

Even at my age, I’d say I’m in the best shape of my life between each life I’ve lived. My food is not preserved. Everything I eat is essentially farm-to-table or freshly hunted. The exercise from learning the sword keeps my body toned. Plus, without video games, TV, and internet culture, I spend all my time outside.

Speaking of exercise, I’m slowly building up to a routine I saw on a TV show once. There was this main character that could beat any person with a single punch. When asked how he obtained such powers, he replied that he ran six miles a day then completed one-hundred push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. That’s the eventual goal that I hope to then build on and surpass. It seems like a good system. I don’t want to overdo it and stunt my growth, though. I’m already shorter than I’d want to be.

It took a while to adjust to this reality after being pampered in urban America. However, I’ve truly learned what it means to be ‘alive’ living as Scarlet. Thinking about my past depresses me. The workload, the pressure, the city, and society. It might be because I’m a kid again, but life seems so much simpler now.

It’s glorious.

Relaxing my hands to the side, I soften my posture into a steady stance. The muscles in my arms, shoulders, and legs ache in delight at the flurry of forms I put them through.

Stretching, I blow sweat out of my face as I unwind, cooling down my muscles.

Recently, I’ve become sort of a nudist, at least out here and when I sleep. There’s no one around and there aren’t really good exercise clothes with good, stretchy materials. I get better movements naked, so I generally practice like that when I’m out here.

As for sleep, I still run hot and my mind craves the invention of air conditioning. Even now, my body hasn’t adjusted to hot nights without fans or even a breeze. Some nights, I sit there with no blankets in a pool of my own sweat staring at the ceiling in absolute anger and disgust wondering how I can keep living like this.

Zalevet’s weather is similar to the state of Georgia in the US. I am getting used to it, but I don’t ever see myself wearing clothes to sleep in this life unless I’m forced to. Believe me, I miss making my room the same temperature as the Arctic, throwing on pajamas, and huddling underneath my sheets. That combination is probably why my heat tolerance sucks so much.

Fully stretched out, I step into the pool to relax my muscles and clear my mind. The cool, crisp water hugs my skin. It’s deeper in the middle, more so than I am tall, so I stick to the sides. My body sags against the brilliant green grass as I let my agitated muscles be sedated by the vindicating waters.

“Time to eat some food,” I say.

A leather sack sits nearby. I pull it closer, opening it up. Inside lays a book, a bamboo box, and a bamboo cylinder. I take out all three items. The book is for fun. The others are stolen creations from another world.

The most innovative thing I have done since arriving in this reality is redefined the culinary world. Mayonnaise. Smoothies. Hot sauce. Barbecue sauce. Ketchup. Peanut butter. Well, redefined is a strong word, but the quality of food in the castle has definitely gotten better. Chef Rumsley loves me for that. With those items, in the past three years, he’s been hailed as one of the top chefs in the country. A little flavor goes a long way.

Lucky him.

Because of that, he indulges any of my ideas without an ounce of hesitation.

When I discovered this location, I thought about how I’d want to bring a packed lunch out here. Alas, lunch bags do not exist in this world, nor do plastic bags. I have no idea how they’re made either.

I do, however, know a lot about bento boxes because of my history channel binges back in the day. You can make one out of bamboo which we have a supply of at the castle. It took a little craftsman collaboration between Chef Rumsley and the castle blacksmith, but, in the end, we’d created a new way to preserve foods.

By using a single segment of bamboo, cutting and sealing it just right, you can also create a water bottle that maintains temperature pretty well.

Needless to say, this little “lunchbox” trial has revolutionized food storage, especially for soldiers and travelers. It’s just another notch on my belt of accomplishments in this life. All these ideas came from those more significant than myself. I have no shame taking these ideas as my own. None of those people exist in this reality.

Lucky me.

Inside my lunchbox sits an array of small foods. An assortment of strawberries. Sliced apples. A glob of peanut butter. Cut up carrots. A good balance of foods with the peanut butter serving as a source of protein. This is more than enough food, as this body isn’t as hungry given my current age and sex.

In my bottle is well water. Nothing special. I long for ice, but I do not know the first thing about technology. Food? Yes. I liked to cook in my past. I was single and lonely. It took up time. But I was never fascinated with how tech worked.

I suppose if I ever get a Divine Treat gift and learn how to coincidentally create ice, I can just use myself to make it. If there were an Admix ice user here, if they even exist, I’d ask them to do it. Alas, I’m stuck with lukewarm water.

“I wonder what gift I do have,” I say, plopping a strawberry past my teeth. “Bet I’ll be a Typical. Be nice to be an Admix.” I tap my fingers lightly against the ground. “I hope I get an ability that adds to my strength. Who was that guy? Nigel? His ability would make up for my lack of power. I’m young, I understand that, but I’ll never be as strong as I was in my past life. I realize that living in this skin. But if I could make shit explode on contact? That wouldn’t really matter.”

The edge of my lips falters downward into a frown.

“That’s if I’m allowed to access a gift.”

My father is apparently a Typical with fire attributes. It makes him a terribly effective swordsman. It’s part of the reason why I’d want at least similar abilities. I assume there’s at least some genetics involved.

The biggest worry comes from my mother. She’s never eaten a Divine Treat. There was never any need. She’s not a fighter nor a soldier. It worries me that I’ll never receive a Divine Treat since we’re in similar positions in life.

“I suppose if I make enough of a fuss, I can get my way,” I reason. “Logic seems to work on my father. I’ve never really caused him trouble. The religiosity behind the fruits might make one harder to obtain. Yet, if I truly want a gift, and I really do, it’s worth getting yelled at a few times.”

My parents are still not present in my life. Mother is more distant now than when I was a baby. I see Father more due to my interest in swords and war. Still, every time he looks at me, I see disappointment in his eyes, probably because I’m a woman, at least in body.

Mother looks at me similarly, but there’s more internal pain in her glance. Supposedly, I’m a blessing from the Gods, a genius in everybody’s eyes, an inventor, and an up-and-coming swordsman. All before the age of ten. Even that isn’t enough.

I bet if I were a boy, both of them would treat me like a fucking saint, the hypocrites.

The parental contradictions make no sense. Not that I care. Their internal opinions haven’t affected my life. If things remain as they are, I’ll have a fine future. No family, but I feel no close connections to them anyways.

To me, they’re a source of wealth and knowledge. Father’s status has provided me with a good education and tutoring. I’ll always be grateful. Our relationship ends there, though. Once I come of age, I’m gone for good. Then I can really start living my second life.

Hopefully, the time to leave is fast approaching. I want to go out and see this world. With all the knowledge I’ve accumulated and my fighting techniques, at least by the time I’m fifteen, I should be able to strike out on my own. I want to do some sort of humanitarian work, and I cannot do that stuck in this castle.

I don’t expect any resistance from my parents. If it’s my idea, they might jump on it. I’m not sure they know how to deal with me. Mother actively avoids situations where all three of us are together. Father works all the time. I usually eat with Sonya, in the kitchen with Chef Rumsley, or by myself outdoors.

What a pathetic family…how dull….

Shrugging, I pop a piece of sliced apple past my lips. A healthy amount of peanut butter was dipped onto it. The flavors meld together in my mouth.

“Enough worrying. It helps no one,” I mutter. “Time to read.”

My eyes dart around. Though no one is nearby, I’m sure of it, embarrassment still licks the back of my neck. I move the book closer towards me. The title blares out before my eyes. “The Musician’s Lust” sends signals like fire to anyone who might read the label.

Don’t shame me! It’s a good story!

It’s about a wandering musician who goes from town to town seducing different women in admittedly detailed manners. After a while, he steadily grows bored of that life until one day, he’s rejected. Well, that’s never happened before! Not to him!

Turns out, it was a princess who rebuffed him out of spite for his lower-class style of living. The musician, henceforth, resolved his days to win her over at all costs. He wished to prove that even he was worthy of the admiration of royalty for his talents and beauty regardless of his wealth and status.

I’m just after the part where they met. Admittedly, the book is really cheesy. I started reading it as a joke, but it invoked such a reaction in my mind that I was consumed by it.

Oh! The musician just grabbed the Princess by the arm as she was trying to sneak back home. The Princess can feel her heart beating rapidly inside her chest, but she verbally denies her attraction to the musician’s face.

Gods, how roman—

Wincing, I slam the book down. “Stupid brain!” I say out of anger.

Looking at my body, I cringe. Small. Frail. Different genitalia. Reduced height. Odd voice. In a few years, I’ll start changing. Right now, I feel largely gender-neutral.

There’s no real difference between boys and girls at this point. I’ve been calm thus far because of that. If it weren’t for bathroom differences, mirrors, and style changes, I’d hardly notice my new body.

In a few years, everything will change. The fact that I’m a girl will push itself further forward in my mind.

Currently, I’m eight years old. From what I remember in health class, the body begins changing into a teenage adult at an average age of around eleven for girls, thirteen for boys. Of course, the range can differ depending on the person. Regardless, I’m at the age where this will begin to be an issue. I suspect this is why I’m suddenly getting into rom-coms. Or, at least, I hope that explains it.

“That would be too simple an explanation,” I mutter aloud.

My biggest fear is that I’ll slowly grow to forget my past. I feel the tendency to do so rise in my heart each day. This world and life are better. All the opportunities I could ever want lay before me in a future so vast that I can barely grasp at its potential.

It’s because I’m Scarlet, not Felix. Felix has played a hand in developing this existence. Not because of who he is, but because of his knowledge. It’s helped me grow as a person who’s benefited from both realities.

And there I go again referring to myself as two different people.

Dammit. It’s getting worse….

I slap myself in the face. “Get a hold of yourself,” I curse. Closing my eyes, I meditate for a moment before relaxing back into my train of thought.

What’s happening to my brain? Is this temporary? Am I going to develop a split personality? While I wish my realities could co-exist, Scarlet and Felix are two completely different people living entirely separate lives, so to speak.

One will take over in the end. I’ll get tired of trying to keep them together, dealing with the conflicts in the mindsets of a thirty-year-old male attorney and a young girl born and raised inside a castle.

Scarlet is currently winning. It makes sense. She’s alive and Felix is dead. Felix is a ghost in my memory. I live my life as Scarlet, so Scarlet is who I am. It’s who I’ve been since birth and who I will be until I die. It’s sort of like forced method acting seeing as I have no other choice but to be this way.

But…I still don’t know who Scarlet is. It’s a philosophical question I struggle to grasp. Am I turning into Scarlet or is Felix merely adapting into Scarlet? Are all the changes I’m noticing occurring because I’m subconsciously slipping into a feminine role that better “fits the part” of this existence?

What does that mean for me? What beliefs and rationalizations that I once held will alter in the next five to ten years?

Who will I become?

I shake the scary thoughts out of my head. “Don’t think, psycho. Stop freaking yourself out because it’s quiet. Just read. Read the damn book!”

My eyes scan back through the pages until I reach my previous spot. The Princess recounts her hidden desires for the musician. I can feel my own heart fluttering as she describes the—

Why am I still reading this shit?!

I toss the book far into the trees.

“I will not succumb to this reality,” I decide. Nodding, I allow my head to dip slightly lower into the water.

My eyes close as I listen to the hum of the forest. Birds. Leaves. Animals rustling through the brush.

Absolute bliss.

“—od find,” says a voice out in the distance. The echoes of its noise barely reach my eardrums.

I raise an eyebrow. “What was that?”

My ears strain towards the sounds.

“Yeah. Found the place a few days ago. I’ve only been by once, but it’s a hidden gem. No one’s around, and it’s relatively close to the castle. Should be a nice place to take a break, get in some more practice, maybe eat some lunch,” a male voice, different than the first, comments.

“I feel like I should be more concerned going deep into the woods alone with two boys,” a more feminine voice breaches the bunch.

Hmmm. So there are at least three people here.

The voices move closer.

“What? Are you saying we frighten you all of a sudden?” says the second voice.

“No. I can take you both. It does not concern me,” declares the female voice. There is a heavy layer of sarcasm and confidence embedded within her words.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Guess we’ll see now, won’t we?” the second voice retorts. It’s deep but young. All the voices are youthful. Older than my current body, but younger than an eighteen-year-old.

“Hello?!” I call out.

The forest seems to freeze.

“Hello?” calls back the second voice.

“People do use this place,” laments the first male voice. His voice is calmer second. More soothing, too.

“Yes! Hello!” I state again once I get confirmation that they can hear me. “Are you all headed to the pond in the meadow?!”

“Yes,” comments the soothing first voice.

“Can you three hold a moment? I am bathing, and I’d like the opportunity to at least dress myself before I’m walked upon by strangers.”

“Sorry! Didn’t hear that! Wait there, I’ll come closer so you can whisper in my ear!” says the second voice with a wry sense of humor.

There’s a smacking noise.

“Ow! The hell?!” says the second voice.

“Let us know when you’re decent. We shall not disturb you,” speaks the female voice. “You have my word.”

I laugh audibly. “That’s comforting!”

That could have gone wrong.

With a sigh, I exit the pool of water. Strands of liquid drip off my body. I’d planned to naturally dry off by tanning in the grass, but I don’t have the time. Such is life. I put on my dry clothes over my wet body, and they stick. The task is challenging but doable.

Once my boots are finally on, fighting through the sloshy feeling, I call back out to the random strangers kindly waiting for me in the forest. As I do, I grab my practice sword off the ground and tighten it to the left side of my waist.

“I’m decent! Thank you for waiting!”

Moments later, the sound of brush moving about alerts my attention. My head careens towards the trees more oriented in the castle’s direction. Three people emerge from the brush dressed plainly in pants, shirts, and boots, much like me. Each carries a wooden practice sword at their hips as well as small duffle bags full of supplies.

“Oh!” I remark upon seeing them. “You’re the cadets! I’ve seen you around a few times. A Typical and two Admix, correct?” I point at each one of them as I speak. “Alexander, Remi, and Nigel.”

The three of them gawk at me.

“The baron’s daughter,” whispers Alexander. “I made a crude joke to her. Oh no.”

“It was nice knowing you,” Nigel lightly jabs Alexander in the side.

“I’ll serve as a witness. I can attest to your blatant harassment,” adds Remi.

“Come on, guys!” complains Alexander. He turns sideways to his friends. His shoulders seem to droop. “Obviously, I wouldn’t have said a thing if I’d known it was Lady Scarlet.”

“Ah, so now I’m not pretty enough to be desired in such a way?” I add to Alexander’s torture.

Alexander’s eyes widen. He turns to me, unblinking. “No, it’s not that! You’re merely a child.”

My left eyebrow singularly rises. “Huh?”

Alexander winces.

“I’ll write your epitaph,” announces Nigel.

“I’ll sing at the wake,” joins Remi.

Alexander’s entire body droops.

I snort.

“Jokes aside—” Nigel marches forward, bowing slightly as he stops before me. “—what are you doing out here by yourself, Lady Scarlet? No one knows you’re here, do they?”

“And that would be a great guess on your part.” My shoulders raise, then sag down. “Sometimes I need to get away from my life. I found the gap in the wall a few months back. Ever since then, I’ve gone exploring out in the forest in my free time. Found this pool one day. Now I come nearly every chance I get.”

“It’s not safe out here, Lady Scarlet,” Nigel comments. His eyebrows narrow handsomely.

I clasp my hands together as if in prayer. “Please, please keep this a secret, alright? I don’t get to leave the castle. Ever. I should be allowed to have some semblance of freedom, no?”

“Lady Scarlet—”

“Oh, let her be, Nigel.” Remi walks up beside Nigel. She snaps her fingers right in front of his face. It halts his words. “It’s not like she’s in any real danger.”

I giggle. “Except maybe from lecherous comments.”

Ugh, why did I giggle? I hate myself. Who am I?!

“I feel like I’ve made a terrible first impression,” mutters Alexander. “I’m a Typical, and the baron’s daughter thinks I’m a pervert. Way to go!” He pumps his fist. It is an odd sight for a teenager as large as he to act so sarcastically childish in this situation. He must be a ‘class clown.’

“It doesn’t change the fact that you shouldn’t be…nude out in the forest, Lady Scarlet. What if someone with evil intentions had wandered upon you? You announced your vulnerability to strangers. You were lucky. Eviler men would have taken advantage of you,” Nigel says matter-of-factly.

“True,” I say. “But in that instance, I would have used my sword to buy myself some time,” my retort flows past my lips as I gently pat the wooden handle lying at my side.

Nigel raises an eyebrow. I can tell what that eyebrow says. “Yeah, but can you use it?” and “It’s made of wood, you know.”

Alexander steps closer. “I’d like to apologize for—”

In a flash, I lash out my practice sword. Neither Nigel nor Alexander have time to react. Within a second, the tip of the wooden blade sits gently between Alexander’s legs.

Alexander freezes.

“Well?” I stare at Nigel. A wry smile plays at my lips.

“Well, what?” Nigel seems to grimace.

“You looked as if you doubted me. What? Just because I’m an eight-year-old girl, you thought I’d not know how to defend myself? Wrooooong!”

Nigel raises an eyebrow. “I can see that.”

Alexander shudders. “Can you remove that, please?!”

I shake my head, rubbing off the rust from my mind. “Yes. My apologies.” My practice sword returns smoothly to my belt.

Alexander, now free, lets his shoulders droop. “Ahhh! I thought divine retribution would bring me down this day! May the Gods continue to watch over me!”

“Hahahaha!” Remi comes walking up between Nigel and Alexander. She drops her arms over both their shoulders, leaning down towards me. “You’re not at all what I expected, Lady Scarlet”’

“Please, drop the whole ‘lady’ thing outside the castle.” I grimace. “It’s always made me uncomfortable.”

Remi blinks. “You’re a strange one, huh?”

“Excuse me?” I flinch.

Remi releases her grip on the boys. She walks towards me, bending down slightly. It has been three years since I’ve last seen her. I pegged her as a beauty then, but now her body’s begun developing. If anyone deserves to be royalty, it’s her. She has a charm about her that I’ve never had within myself.

Alexander and Nigel, on the other hand, are taller, stronger, and more mature-looking.

“Eight-year-old princess, considered a genius by age three, no longer needed a tutor by age seven and practices swordsmanship under Master Talbert, an artist of the craft,” Remi speaks. How she knows all this, I’m not sure. “Not to mention the many creations you’ve brought into this world. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you outside of the formalities.”

“She’s being trained by Master Talbert?” remarks Alexander and Nigel at the exact same time.

Remi ignores them. “Seems like someone is trying to avoid fate, huh?”

I flinch.

What is that supposed to mean?

“You don’t know anything about me,” I growl. I myself am surprised by the level of anger swelling up in my throat.

“I believe we are dancing around the issue here, Lady Scarlet,” says Nigel. “As a soldier in your father’s garrison, it is my duty, as well as that of my comrades, to escort you back to the castle.”

“Still using the whole ‘lady’ thing even though I said not to, huh?”

“I respect your authority,” responds Nigel seriously.

“Authority?” I scoff. “I’m a child. I don’t have any. It all belongs to the baron.”

“And that is exactly why we must take you back,” agrees Nigel in a somewhat different conclusion than I was leading.

“You’re a buzzkill,” sighs Alexander. “But also totally right.”

Remi simply rolls her eyes.

“I refuse.” I crane my neck.

“Come now, Lady Scarlet, ple—”

I pull out my sword again. My arm swipes forward. I angle my hand so that the back of the blade carries the momentum.

This is an excellent opportunity to test my mettle against someone other than Master Talbert. I’ll probably lose and get reprimanded, but that’s going to happen regardless at this point. Might as well go down swinging!

Besides, I’ve always wanted to fight someone other than my master so I could gauge my skills. I’ve dreamt of this exact moment where I could finally fight Nigel, explosions and smoke raining in the background.

I guess one might call this destiny.

Clack!

At the last second, Nigel brings up his own practice blade. My attack hits it at an angle, skewing off gently to the right.

Nigel grimaces. He stares at me with neutral eyes.

Alexander’s mouth drops. Amazement floods through him at the sight.

“Hahaha! I like her!” cries Remi.

I flex a harsh smile. “What? Not going to fight back?”

“Lady Scarlet, I—”

“No?!” I swing my sword again. A diagonal slash aims towards the left side of Nigel’s body. “Then let me hit you!”

Clack! Clack! Clack!

There’s a level of pressure in the sword work. Nigel is stronger than me. More experienced. He has the advantage even with my tutelage. The only thing I have going for me is the fact that he’s likely not going to try that hard, so I have an advantage, even if only temporarily.

“Fine.” Nigel relaxes. He stands up straight. A bead of sweat drips off his brow. “I’ll tire you out.”

“Ew! You’re a dirty-minded freak!”

Nigel flinches. His cheeks redden slightly. “What kind of child talks like this?!”

I charge forward, catching Nigel by surprise. He barely gets his sword up in time as I produce a horizontal sweep at his abdomen. “Just teasing you!” I beam.

“This isn’t safe, Lady Scarlet,” Nigel observes. He continues to block my attacks as they flood at his body.

“Probably not!”

“Gods, I love her!” interjects Remi from the sidelines. “She’s like a wild animal!”

“How are you so calm right now?!” I hear Alexander say to Remi. “If either of them gets hurt, there will be hell to pay for both of us.”

“Us? What are you talking about? I’m blaming you,” retorts Remi. She sticks her tongue out at him.

“Why?!”

•

For ten minutes, I kept swinging.

A grin has fully overtaken my face. Slowly, the same became true of Nigel. A connection began to build from combat, one I have not felt during any competition like this before.

A string connecting us.

To fight.

But even still…

“So this is where I’m at….” I mutter.

“Lady Scarlet, please calm down!” Nigel deftly parries another one of my blows away. He tries to suppress his smile to no avail.

“Stop calling me lady!”

Nigel catches the cut with his blade. He shifts the weight to the side, allowing my blade to bounce away.

My lips widen further as adrenaline surges beneath my skin.

My hand drops off the blade, and with my left, I re-catch it. Using the momentum of the grip change, I pull the edge forward at a reverse angle, hilt first, to jab him in the gut.

Guess still being ambidextrous does have some benefits.

The power is the same regardless of which hand I use.

“Oooo!” Remi and Alexander say in unison.

Nigel pouts.

Bang!

A small explosion erupts from the bottom of Nigel’s foot. Plumes of smoke rush upward in response. Dirt hits my eyes. I close them before the particles can sting my pulse.

“Gah!” I reply as the momentum from the bang stops my sword stroke. I lean forward. A cough wrecks my lungs as sediment invades my system.

A shape whooshes around to my back. One hand squeezes my wrist hard enough for me to drop my sword. The other angles my right arm behind my back until I’m fully restrained.

“Calm down, Lady Scarlet. The battle is over,” says Nigel from behind me.

The mental string connecting us slackens until I can no longer feel it.

I sigh. “Now I see how helpful gifts can be. But I already knew that.”

“Lady Sc—”

“No, it wasn’t even that. You could have counter-attacked me at any time. All you did was block me. I was outmatched. Outplayed. I never stood a chance. That’s disappointing,” I mutter absent-mindedly.

No one speaks.

“I thought I’d be stronger by now. Three years, and I can’t beat anyone yet. How exhausting.”

“Lady Scarlet, please don’t put yourself down like that,” Nigel tells me.

I raise my head. Carefully, I crane my neck back around to meet Nigel’s gaze.

“You are by no means weak. If I hadn’t stopped your final blow with my gift, I’d have been hit,” Nigel says. “You’re very young. Your future is full of potential.”

“Plus, neither of you were really trying to seriously injure the other,” adds Remi out of the blue. “Well, except when you got overzealous at the end there.”

“And I have no real insight at this point in time,” says Alexander just to be a part of the conversation. “You looked good, though.”

I let out a small, mischievous smile. “Still perverted, huh?”

Alexander crinkles his nose. “Why am I the punching bag here?”

“You should really stop trying to make moves on her, Alexander. It could end with your execution,” says Remi. She crosses her arms over her chest, nodding her head as she speaks. “You don’t have enough status to go after a baron’s daughter.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to report your conduct,” finalizes Nigel with what almost seems like sincerity.

Alexander’s voice is but a whimper. “Please, no.”

There’s silence.

I’m the first to laugh.

Remi follows.

For some reason, Nigel chuckles along as well.

Alexander’s head droops. “You guys are annoying, you know that?”

“Choose your words properly next time, then!” I bellow through my caterwauls.

“I’ll make sure he’s thoroughly punished for his transgression, Scarlet!” Remi places a sarcastic salute on her forehead. “Though he may like that. The sick freak.”

“My reputation is in shambles….” mutters Alexander. His face is dark. Doomed. He stares blankly at the ground.

“All joking aside—” interrupts Nigel. “—you really did very well for your age, Scarlet.”

“Oh!” I point at Nigel accusingly.

“What?” he recoils.

“You didn’t add ‘lady!’ That’s great!”

“O-Oh?” Nigel goes to bow. “I deeply apolo—”

For what feels like the thousandth time, I interrupt him. “Don’t worry about it! I prefer it that way!” Both my hands raise in front of me, urging him to stop. “Makes me feel like a normal person for once. I like it.”

Nigel stares at me for a moment.

I clasp my hands together. “Could you indulge me in some more practice? You can take me back to the castle right after, but I’d reaaaaally appreciate it! It’s the most fun I’ve had in years. Please?”

Nigel continues to stare.

I raise an eyebrow.

Eventually, Nigel’s expression breaks. He smiles just like he did when we were fighting. “It’ll probably be easier than dragging you out of here by force. Fine. For a little bit.”

“Feel free to use gifts.”

Remi steps between us. “I’m all for practice, but a missing finger or a hole in the gut means the three of us will lose our heads,” she directs at Nigel. “Try to be careful.”

“Ah.” A bead of sweat billows on Nigel’s forehead. “Yes. I will.”

Remi turns to me. “Then we can spar next,” her head jerks over to Alexander. “Then you can thrash the pervert.”

“Hey!” protests Alexander.

Warmth floods my chest. “Okay!”

•

Hours later, we’re all lying on the ground, exhausted. My shirt is stained with sweat. A filthy smell rises from me. The others are not much better. Though they’re all better than me with the sword, our energy levels are about even. Even though all three defeated me in one-on-one combat, I never stopped trying new things on them.

Alexander fought like a berserker. Heavy swings and very little blocking. He looks more graceful on the surface, but his personality and fighting styles are just like the abilities he uses. Rocky and jagged. It’s by no means bad. He’s a tough fighter. Alexander is merely…a contradiction? His looks and his actions don’t match.

Remi fights with a graceful refinement akin to a ballerina. She uses a sword, but I bet rapiers and knives suit her better. She didn’t block any of my attacks. All she did was dodge. I never landed a hit on her while she picked away at me like a gnat.

Out of all of them, Nigel was the most fun to fight. He’s the only one whose combat style I felt a connection to. The string. It disappeared and reappeared each time we fought. It’s like my soul is telling me to beat him. Like…it’s my destiny in a way.

One day, I will. I guarantee it.

But not today.

I’m exhausted.

“Where the hell do you get all that energy from?!” shouts Alexander. He lays on his stomach, gasping. “Are you finally ready to call it quits!?”

“I think so,” I say through bated breath.

“You’re certainly tenacious,” gasps Nigel. The back of his hand sits over his eyes as if he’s using it to cool his face.

“I’ll say,” Remi huffs from a crouched position. It seems she is in the best shape out of all four of us.

“Same time again tomorrow?” I ask the group.

Nigel begins to laugh.

“What?”

“To think you’d be so normal,” Nigel comments. “I tried acting formal the whole time, but it’s too hard to keep up the front.”

“She was always normal, Nigel,” grumbles Remi. “You were over-exaggerating your position.”

“And failed,” replies Nigel.

“Never got an answer to my question, though,” I interrupt the two of them.

“Huh?” Nigel and Remi say at the same time. Alexander continues huffing into the grass.

“Same time tomorrow? Or do you have prior duties? We can schedule another time if not. I don’t mind.”

Nigel’s eyebrows knit together. “What are you getting at? You want us to keep practicing with you?”

“Kind of. If that’s not too much to ask.”

All three stare at me for a moment.

I freeze.

Oh no! Did I assume too much? I probably did, and I took up all their time! Shit! I’m starved for people to talk to and I jumped the gun.

Dammit! They felt obligated to stay here because I’m semi-royalty! Stupid. I should have known better. This was my first conversation with people outside of my parents. Well, the first conversation with someone my parents didn’t have to hire to be around me.

“I think I can swing tomorrow,” says Alexander. “Captain Van Gallan only has us training in the morning, right?”

“I believe so, yes,” agrees Nigel.

“I was coming regardless,” Remi snorts.

“Huh?” I panic.

All three of them look at me.

Remi laughs. “What? You don’t like us anymore?”

I freeze once more. Terrible emotions burdened in the back of my mind suddenly rush forth.

Oh…

I just realized…

I’ve been alone for a long time… haven’t I?

Eight years…

No friends. Parents that barely like me nor care that I exist regardless of the efforts I put in. Teachers to fill up my endless free time. No siblings. No people my current age.

Even before this reality, I was lonely in New York, even when I had friends. It was my fault. I made the situation the way it was, but it doesn’t change how I felt back then.

Gods, these people are actually going to make me cry over something so simple. I truly am pathetic.

As if on cue, I feel tears spill over at the edges of my eyes.

Before the trio can respond to my breakdown, I hold up a hand to halt them. I wipe my eyes with the back of my hands. “Sorry,” I whisper. I force a smile. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

Maybe…maybe even if I end up becoming someone different…it won’t be such a bad thing…