A pin dropping would pierce this silence as loudly as shattered glass.

The throne room is a bare, empty room, save for a set of balconies on the left and right sides of the structure. A long red carpet outlined with golden swirling patterns stretches from the large double doors leading to this room to a small array of three steps leading to a throne.

There are doors on the sides to get to balconies. They overlook some impressive views. The room is usually used for parties and formal events, so the mostly empty space makes sense given the room’s purpose.

On that throne sits my father. He stares intently at myself and Master Talbert.

I’m not entirely sure why I am here. Master Talbert merely tossed me a real sword some minutes ago when I entered his room for practice like always. He then said “Follow me” and now here we are.

It seems we shall fight for my father’s…entertainment? Or is he assessing my worth? Not sure, but I shall give it my all regardless.

For eight years, I’ve had a sword in my hand. It has become my dutiful partner. My hands are no longer soft. Like the bottoms of my feet, they are hard and calloused. My muscles no longer protest upon holding the foil. It’s an extension of myself.

It’s like—

Master Talbert darts forward. I blink in surprise as an overhead thrust lurches down at me.

I deflect, bringing my own blade up overhead. Shifting my weight provides some balance as I’m able to set my feet in time. Without the added support, Talbert would have broken through my guard and cleaved my shoulder.

“Shi—”

“No cursing!” Master Talbert flourishes his saber in an upper-cut motion towards my chin. “Focus!”

I dodge it. The steel nearly kisses the underside of my throat.

My teeth grit together.

He’s right.

That first strike felt nothing like the ones I defend in practice. It was imbued with a sensation I’m unfortunately familiar with. Death.

Focus…or die....

Don’t hesitate. Don’t think. Act. Survive. Win.

My eyes narrow.

Master Talbert looks at me. A smirk touches his lips. “Atta girl!”

My lead foot scoots forward. I jab with the tip of my blade. Master Talbert goes to block it, but I reverse the jab left before bringing it back for a horizontal sweep.

Talbert jerks out of the way in time. The tip of my sword narrowly grazes his shirt. He pushes the back of the edge with the hilt of his sword to push my momentum right. I stumble slightly, falling in that direction. The handle of my blade nearly slips from my grasp.

“Clever, but sloppy,” chortles Master Talbert. His hair whips into his face as he delivers a kick to my side. “Is this the time to be trying new things, girl?”

Pain courses through my ribs as the heel of his boot makes contact with my frame. I fully hit the ground. My body slides backwards. Skin scuffs against the floor, chaffing red from the contact.

“Stand up!” shouts my Master.

My heart beats as adrenaline surges within me. Time seems to slow as the sure feeling of death caresses the back of my neck.

I look up.

The tip of a blade aims down at my belly.

I roll

Ching!

Master Talbert’s weapon tip hits the floor, creating an array of fluttering sparks.

“You’re getting abused, girl! Come on! Show me my time with you these past eight years wasn’t a complete waste! Don’t want to die in front of Daddy now, do we?!”

“Oh, shut up,” I curse weakly.

Taking a calm breath, I stand again. My body trembles. The idea of getting hit by an actual sword still scares me. Even though Master Talbert attempted to crush my prior blistering fear into a puddle of dust when, seeing it, he cut me on purpose with his blade during training. He has done it more times since.

Now? I know what it feels like, so I do not fear the unknown, yet I garner no desire to feel that sting anew.

Given what our castle healer, Clyde, can do thanks to his Divine Treat abilities, even near-mortal wounds aren’t so serious. It’s why training in this castle can be so dangerous. As long as a head is not removed nor a heart stabbed out, if the healer can get to the person in time, they’ll be saved.

Clyde used to be a stable hand until he was gifted access to a Divine Treat some years back. He was able to manifest the Admix ability of healing. He was then given deep education in medical techniques and gift control, coincidentally, from the doctor who helped bring me into this world, as he had promised my father. Clyde now serves as the castle healer. A substantial life upgrade, I bet.

Clyde is in his early thirties. He’s neither handsome nor ugly. An average man. His hair is cropped short. The dark strands stand lazily atop his head. His eyes are kind, chocolate treats that exude warmth. There are lines on his face, each etching the depths of his knowledge.

The man himself stands nearby at the back of the room. Dammit. I should have known something was up when I saw him wordlessly lingering about. The odds of me getting stabbed near-fatally are high considering he’s present.

“Fine then.” I grit my teeth.

This would be easier with two swords, but I’ll have to deal.

My right foot braces forward. I launch an overhead slice.

It is deftly parried.

An array of swings come from my end. Left slice. Horizontal sweep. Right slice. Overhead. Overhead. Sweep.

They are all easily blocked or shifted away.

“Faster! You’re too easy to read! Anticipate!”

I grit my teeth.

Swing, swing, swing, swing, swing, swing, swing, swi—

Master Talbert switches his stances. “I’m tired of defending.”

I inwardly grimace.

Master Talbert launches a diving thrust.

I evade to the left.

Master Talbert, predicting this, lurches out his foot. I trip over it, spiraling out onto the floor. My sword stays firmly in my hands as I tumble.

“That’s twice now, Scarlet!” roars Master Talbert. “If I see you land on the floor again, I’m stabbing you in the shoulder.”

That’s not an idle threat. The scars on my body prove as much.

On the floor, I kick my own feet out. My left foot hooks around Talbert’s back heel. I use it as a pivot point, pressing my weight against it and pulling my body towards him. My grip is solid. It surprises my Master.

“Hmm,” mutters Master Talbert as his downward strike misses me.

I throw my blade up into a jab.

Master Talbert goes to jerk away.

My second foot latches onto his other calf.

Talbert falls to the ground. His blade remains in his hand.

“Will you stop fooling around!” My master screeches at me. Genuine anger latches onto his face.

“Hey, in a real fight, that would be a good move!” I motion with my sword at his side. “See? Now I can stab you while you’re on the ground!” I feign the jabbing motion at his abdomen.

“That’s disgraceful!”

“But I’d be alive!”

“Just stand up again already! For real this time!”

The two of us rise.

My father laughs on his throne. “Ah, I see your tutelage has not outdone my daughter’s sense of self-righteous wit.”

The hell do you know about me, douchebag? This is the first time I’ve seen you in months.

“She certainly has a mind of her own.” Master Talbert shakes his head. “Even started picking up practice with a second sword.”

“Oh? Is she good with two?” Father seems intrigued.

Master Talbert grimaces. “Much better than with one sword. She’s admittedly an above-average swordsman with a single blade. With two, she’s on par with those of greater experience. She’s gifted. It’s a sight to behold.”

Father’s eyebrows crinkle. “Then give her a second sword.”

“No one fights with two swords,” Master Talbert addresses, annoyed. “It’s not common, and it’s inefficient. Unsightly. Those who use two swords are usually mercenaries inept in training and cannot properly use the style. It’s more efficient to be better with one sword regardless.”

“Yes, but I use them to make up for my deficiencies,” I explain to my father, adverting Master Talbert.

“Explain.” Father turns his attention to me.

“My offense considerably weakens with only one sword. Master Talbert can easily keep up with it, so I’m not able to catch him off guard. My body is not strong enough. As such, I’m forced to resort to cheap trips like tripping with the skill gap being so great.” I scratch the back of my head with embarrassment. “But with two, my offense becomes less predictable. Most importantly, having two swords enhances my defense. The dual blades also allow my shining aspects, my speed, and flexibility, to be more pronounced in combat. With two weapons, it’s a battle of speed versus strength, and that plays more to my advantage.”

Master Talbert laments, “We’ve been practicing with two swords for the past year and a half since she started asking. I humored her. All her abilities are better with them, but, again, nobility doesn’t carry two swords. No one does but untrained vagabonds who steal and kill for a living. She’s already too much of an anomaly.”

“I don’t see why that matters in a fight over life and death. You’ve said it yourself,” I debate with Talbert. “If I’m good with two swords, I should use two swords. We trained with them. Why not use the skill?”

“If you were going to be a soldier on the front lines, I’d say differently. Or if you were a mercenary. But you’ll likely never use your blades in a war-like capacity, merely self-defense, if ever. Two blades are not necessary for day-to-day life. Regardless, a noble's duty is to stay alive. If anything, you should have a shield instead of a second sword. I humored you. Nothing more.”

I pout, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re just afraid you’ll get hit.”

Master Talbert’s eyes twitch.

“Scarlet, come here,” Father beckons.

I walk over to the throne, slightly afraid, but it does not show in my steps.

“Here.” My father pulls his blade out of his belt and tosses it towards me. I barely catch the hilt before it hits the floor. “Back up your claims. Regardless of what Talbert says, if you can use two swords better, I’d rather see that.”

I gulp. With a nervous nod, I turn back to the floor.

Master Talbert eyes me.

“Sorry,” I whisper.

“Don’t be sorry,” scolds Master Talbert. “Do.”

My stance adjusts. The blade in my left-hand juts forward at a horizontal slant. The edge in my right sits casually above my head.

A calmness flows through me.

Sweat begins to drip at the corner of Master Talbert’s head.

I lunge forward with my left, swinging it at an upwards left angle at my Master’s body. Anticipating an easy block, I follow up with my right arm with an overhead slice.

Master Talbert steps back rather than blocks the first strike. With both my swings soaring past him, he reaches forward with a jab.

I duck sideways at an angle.

The blade soars beside me. I twist my blades into an ‘x.’ His is caught in between them. I jerk his sword to the right, thrust it down, and roundhouse kick him in the stomach with my right foot.

Master Talbert grunts. He pulls his blade away, taking a step back as he does.

We both breathe hastily.

“A vast improvement,” echoes my father.

“Annoyingly so,” shouts Master Talbert as he lunges onward.

We exchange strikes for what feels like hours. My arms begin to hurt, but it is nothing I cannot handle. The extra hours of practice, the beatings with the wooden swords, the time with my friends, the excessive training, dieting. All of it has made me better.

That, and my talents from my past life.

Who knew being able to use both hands equally would end up being a personal superpower?

A smirk flickers on my face as I lick my top lip from corner to corner.

“Still have that sadistic habit, eh?!” Master Talbert’s strike is parried by my blade as I counter with a sweep at his legs. It weakens his overall attack as he is forced to dodge, reducing the momentum of his swing.

I opt not to speak on the off chance it’ll ruin my concentration.

Our swords will speak for us.

•

For minutes, our fight has been back and forth. Maybe it’s been minutes. An hour? Longer? I can’t tell. I’m in the zone.

Narrowly, I avoid a backhand cut to my abdomen. I watch it slide by me as I step back, using the momentum to launch myself forward into a counterstrike.

A jab. He needs to go for a thrust. I can end this if he—

There!

Master Talbert launches a thrust at my upper shoulder in a retaliatory effort to push me back.

With my left blade, I catch the thrust, pushing it away from my body. Right sword in hand, I perform my own thrust at his shoulder to end this bout. It’ll hurt, but I won’t go too hard. Enough to fi—

Master Talbert suddenly purposely hits my left blade hard from the side. A rebound and with such little movement in his wrist. Damn bastard.

My balance stumbles.

Master Talbert shifts around my side, gets behind my back, and points the tip of his blade at the base of my neck. “Yield!”

A tuft of wind seems to blow through the room, signaling an end to the fight.

I sigh.

Both my blades drop to the ground.

“A fine match,” comments my father. “It was surprising, but you actually can use two swords. I’ve not seen it done so effectively before.”

“It’s because of her odd little quirk,” states Master Talbert as he removes his blade from the back of my neck. He sheathes it to his side.

I relax with a sigh.

“Meaning?”

“I’m ambidextrous.”

Father appears puzzled.

“There you go with your made-up words again.” Master Talbert shakes his head. “Her left hand and her right are equal. She has no preference over either’s use. People like her tend to have the talent for this impossible style, as unsightly as it might be.”

“This I know,” Father states. He cocks his head to the side. “This was all a ploy to get me to accept her unique fighting style, wasn’t it?”

Master Talbert grins. “You know me too well, my lord.” He gently bows.

I frown. Is that what he was doing? Why didn’t he tell me beforehand?

Master Talbert explained to me the impracticability of two swords. Generally, people have dominant hands. When using two swords, they lead with their dominant or use both blades in tandem. That seems excellent in thought but creates major openings in their defense.

For one, if you’re going to mainly use your dominant hand, best to use a shield instead of a second sword in the non-dominant. It defends more if you’re going to use it that way anyway. As for using both in tandem, there’s less control. It’d be easier, Master Talbert stated, to simply use a long two-handed sword.

The proposed benefit of the two-sword style is that it can create more avenues of assault and effective counter-attacks. But to use the technique in that way, one would need to use both arms in altered fashions or keep one blade, preferably on the non-dominant hand, shorter than the other sword.

Basically, TV and video games lied to me. I’ll take the facts presented to me by this master swordsman as reality rather than some dumb show.

Two swords basically just look cool. Unless someone has my ambidexterity, it’s easier to get better with one blade as it’s more beneficial.

Glad to finally be an exception in this world. Beyond the fact that I’m a reincarnation.

“I would have accepted your word if you’d said she was an exception to the norm at the offset,” relays Father from his throne. “Her uniqueness no longer surprises me.”

“Couldn’t take the chance. Besides, actions speak louder than words,” replies Master Talbert. “Though normally in this style, she’ll have one blade that is shorter than the other. We devised that two shorter blades overall best suit her tendencies at around two feet in length each. She will not have the reach of a normal fighter, but her speed and overall dexterity make her an exception.”

“That’s high praise coming from you.”

Master Talbert jolts his gaze over to me. “Do not let it get to your head.”

“I won’t!” I recoil.

“Hahaha!” Father chuckles. “I see the progress has gone well. Yes, place the commission on those two blades. I approve of the job you’ve done, Talbert. I assume this is not all you wished to show me, no?”

Master Talbert straightens his posture. He sets his feet together, arms at his side. “Sir, I believe Lady Scarlet should be allowed to partake of a Divine Treat.”

My eyes widen.

Father recoils slightly. “Divine Treat? She does not need it. She is not a lord, nor is she a soldier. We have our Admix healer present in this castle. There is no need to give her a fruit.”

Ah yes. The reason why random servants and Sonya have gifts via Divine Treats. There lies the answer: the Admix Healing ability.

The ability is stupidly broken when it comes to medical care. Got a severed hand? An admix can put it back on. Dying of a stab wound to the gut? Healing admix! Random illness like tuberculosis? Admix healer! They’re great to have around. Ergo, Clyde is set for life. Lucky bastard.

Only lords and kings have access to Divine Treats. It makes sense given our country’s history. They’ve fallen into the wrong hands before, creating strong bandits and criminals. As a result, they’re not given out to just anyone. Usually, only loyal troops and the spawn of nobles get them. In times of war, they’re handed out more frequently. They’re usually captured in wars, also. They’re rarely killed in combat, as even the most vicious person knows their worth.

There’s an inherent problem with Divine Treats, though. No one knows what ability a person has until after they’ve eaten them. As a result, it’s hard to find one person and make them an Admix Healer. The solution? Nobles usually give all their staff Divine Treats. It makes it easier to control those with the powers, as they’re within a noble’s household surrounded by guards that are better trained than a person who merely ate the fruit.

It’s interesting, at the very least.

“My lord, she possesses a gift in terms of combat and is largely wasted as a political pawn. If it were up to me, I’d have her under Captain Van Gallan training to be a special recruit.”

I gulp.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

My father’s eyes narrow. “A political pawn?”

“Johnathan,” Master Talbert drops the pretense, speaking my father’s first name. “you are in a position of control that you earned through military service. Your power does not come from lineage, so you have concerns about inheritance and control. Your daughter Scarlet, though exceptional, will be used by you in marriage to build your political alliances. To affirm your position. I detest this notion, but it is out of my control. The least you can do is make her capable of self-defense before shipping her off with some advantageous stranger. Or are you merely pitying her with the effort she’s put in so far? If she were a man with the same abilities, you wouldn’t be hesitating at my request.”

Father stares at Master Talbert. There’s anger in his eyes, but also disgust. At himself? I don’t know.

Wait.

Political pawn?

Marriage?

So Master Talbert’s comments during training weren’t just mean jokes? He was being genuine? Father did mention something about marriage when I was born. But for me? Was he really thinking that far ahead? Is that why he seemed disappointed that I was a girl? Because he wouldn’t have an heir to take over for him? Am I going to be shipped off to have some stranger's kids?

Wait.

Am I going to have to have kids?! When?! What?! No! This has got to be a misunderstanding!

Dammit, it makes sense given the circumstances. I’m the firstborn daughter. Father hasn’t been that attached to me. Why wouldn’t he ship me off to marry some stranger so that he can build his empire? We’re in a more “medieval” period from my perspective. I should have considered the possibility as an eventual reality.

How could I have not seen this sooner?!

Dammit!

That’s what I get for ignoring my sex. Sooner or later, it was going to bite me in the ass. I thought the puberty part would be the most annoying thing. Gods was I wrong.

Sweat builds on my brow as a gentle fear overtakes my heart.

I’ll have to marry some guy, have kids, and then what?! Be my mother?! What does she do?! Is she of any value to anyone?! She and my father are in a similar situation! There’s no love! I’ve seen her only a handful of times these past few years!

Besides, I can’t have kids! I don’t want to do that! Not in this body! I should never have to do that, dammit! I came consciously into this reality with a penis! Just because I don’t have one anymore doesn’t mean I want anything going in me or out of me against my will just because I have a vagina!

“If that does not move you, then think of the value it presents her,” Master Talbert articulates. “She’s well educated, smarter than most adults even at her age. Her combat skills are exceptional. Access to her innate abilities gifted by the Gods will make her value in marriage even more appealing to outside parties. Beyond that, you’ll be providing protection to your grandchildren for years to come.”

“Why did you have to say that last part?” I mutter to myself. “Gods, I’m gonna be sick.”

My father chews the edge of his lip.

The room clings to a hushed silence.

I gaze at Master Talbert’s face. He does not glance at me.

“Fetch Captain Van Gallan then,” Father orders my Master. “Your argument is…compelling.”

Master Talbert nods. He turns. Before walking past me, his hand gently rests on my shoulder for a moment. After a solemn look between us, he leaves the room.

It’s now only my father and me.

“Father?” My voice squeaks.

“Yes, Scarlet?”

“Is what he said…true?”

“You will be expected to marry when you are of a more suitable age. It is your right at birth to help this family grow in prominence,” relays my father in a neutral tone.

My head dips. “Ah. I see.”

“It’s an honor.”

“I can see that,” I murmur weakly.

Marriage. It was always something I read about passively in my tutoring sessions whenever Lorik and I focused on culture and religion, but now…it’s my reality.

Shit, it can’t even be to a woman. The whole institution revolves around creating children in this world, and that “result” must vest in five years or the bond is annulled.

I doubt I’d even get five years. With my father’s attitude, the pressure to “produce” will be suffocating without even considering whatever horny bastard I’m gonna be thrown to! I mean, my mom gave birth to me eleven months into her marriage! She knew my father for a few weeks prior to the ceremony!

And that’s my future now.

Huh.

I can…picture myself on the rooftop again.

Has nothing changed?

I was going to travel. See the world. Help people. Make my own decisions for once!

I had the resolve I never did before.

"Why can’t I get out of that damned cage?” I curse to myself as I look out towards the blue, cloudy sky looming out the nearest window.

•

Moments later, Master Talbert returns. Captain Van Gallan stands at his side.

“Lady Scarlet! A wonderful day! I’m pleased to see you are entering the fold of those charged with divining the Gods’ light upon this world,” announces Van Gallan in a soothing voice. Behind him, the soldier who carried that chest eight years ago still follows his duties.

“I am honored,” I tell him. My voice is shaky, but I press past my emotions.

On the bright side, if there is one, I’ll have a gift. I never thought this would happen, but here we are. Based on the necessary qualifications, I am fortunate. This is a right given to a select few. Master Talbert went to bat for me. I owe him.

The soldier with the chest stops before me. Captain Van Gallan opens it with the key tied at his neck. Inside sits the fruit. He takes one before sealing the box once more. The soft slam seems to vibrate within my ears. The lock clicks back into place.

“We do a different ritual for royalty and nobility than we do our soldiers, Lady Scarlet,” Captain Van Gallan states as he stands before me with the fruit.

“Oh. That makes sense,” I respond.

“Put your—”

I place my hands out in front of me. The left hand sits under the right like I’m accepting communion.

Captain Van Gallan beams. “You have a good memory.” He clears his throat. “Do you accept your position in this world as one above the rest?”

I recoil slightly. “I do.”

One above the rest? This is the pledge for royalty? How narcissistic.

“Do you promise to rule with honor and intelligence, willing the best future for those under your guidance?”

“I do.”

“Do you accept that, while special, you are beneath the Gods and that their prowess alone allows you your privilege in life?”

“I do.”

For that one, I agree. Something put me here that’s above myself.

“Then you may eat.” Captain Van Gallan places the Divine Treat in my palm.

I examine it, having never seen one up close before. This thing looks like a large ball of jiggly gold. It’s oddly smooth as if wrapped in plastic and surprisingly soft to the touch.

With only a moment of hesitation, I pop the ball into my mouth.

My teeth grind against it.

It dissolves like a chunk of fast-melting ice. Its juices, flavored like liquid honey, slip down my throat.

I gulp.

Nothing.

A pause.

Then…a feeling….

The left side of my body burns with energy. There’s a level of heat below the skin, but it isn’t hot like fire. More like...I can’t describe it.

On my right side, I feel something pulling at me. Tearing at me. Dragging at my flesh.

On both sides, power surges.

My left half explodes with a divine white light while the right bursts forth with a cloud of darkness.

My mouth opens. My eyes widen. I feel the force surge out of the pores of my skin. Shouts erupt around me, though I can barely hear them. My brain trembles. I can feel my consciousness begin to retreat.

The energy subsidies.

I wobble then fall to the ground on my back.

The world is silent, save for the sound of crumbling rocks.

My gaze lingers blankly on the ceiling above. Weakness is the only sensation I can feel. It’s like I’ve been hit by a damn car.

“She’s fine. No serious injuries,” Clyde’s voice sounds off. I can feel a pair of fingers pushing at my temple. It’s probably him. His fingers leave my head.

Faces soon linger over my own. My father pushes them away. He drops his cloak over my body before leaning over. “Scarlet?” he asks. His voice seems far away.

“Is it morning already?” I mutter weakly.

Father grimaces. A well of emotions swells within his eyes. I can’t pinpoint them. Is that fear, surprise, anger, regret, or pity? Why is he so conflicted?

Captain Van Gallan’s cheerful voice breaks my eardrums. “Do you know what this means?!”

“We all know what this means,” grumbles Master Talbert. He stands just behind my father. His face is devoid of color. “She’s special. Ought to be allowed to work under Captain Van Gallan to develop her abilities. She’d be a boon to the kingdom. At the very least, she isn’t someone worth trading for tax breaks on crops or a discount on trade.”

“I forbid it,” spits Father. His jumbled emotions solidify. “She is my daughter, not a soldier. She may be allowed to fight, but it is not her duty. Her duty is to her family, to our legacy.”

“She’s a Dyad, Johnathan,” Master Talbert answers back coldly.

“Does that matter?!” retorts my father.

“Dyad?” My voice cracks.

“A combination of two Typical elements, my lady,” Captain Van Gallan speaks up. “Sometimes, though it is rare, substantially rarer than becoming an Admix, a person will be granted two abilities from the Gods.”

“Oh?” I blink. My eyes are half-closed, but I feel my energy beginning to perk back up. “What do I have?”

No one answers me immediately.

“Hello?”

“Light and dark,” says Captain Van Gallan breathlessly. His voice steadily fills with excitement. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. In legends, sure, and it’s technically possible, but to actually see it! Absolutely wonderful! You are truly blessed by the Gods, Lady Scarlet.” He bows. “If you shall allow it, I’d be honored to teach you to at least control—”

Father interrupts him. “Scarlet is forbidden from joining the armed forces. She has her duties. If she wishes to play with her gifts on her own time, fine, but she has more than enough responsibility on her plate.”

“If I may, this is unprecedented,” argues Master Talbert. “It’s already rare for one to develop either light or dark abilities. But both? She is wasted the way she is. It is common law in this country that those who partake of Divine Treats are given the opportunity to join military service, be they commoners or royalty. The girl deserves to make a choice about her—”

“My word is final. I’ve already done more than I should have by letting her partake of a Divine Treat. Her future doesn’t involve war. She will forge a beneficial union for our family, marry, bear children, and raise them right as I know she can. It is her destiny; nothing else,” says Father. “She will not live the life I had to endure. Scarlet will know peace. My word is final.”

“Johnathan—”

“Enough!”

The room is struck into silence.

My energy slowly returns. I look around the room. My eyes widen.

The throne upon which my father sat is destroyed. The head of it is gone. A large hole sits behind it. It leads outside the castle, opening the area up to the wilderness. The floor is cracked as if lashed with steel whips. The air seems warmer, too.

Looking down at myself, I can see why my father threw a cape over me. My clothes are in tatters, and I’m essentially nude. My gift must have shredded them. Nigel exploded when he got his powers, but it wasn’t to this degree. It looks like I was hit by a natural disaster, though my physical body is completely unharmed.

Shock ripples me further as I stare at my arms.

The left is pure white from my shoulder to my fingers. The right is the inverse. What looks like black rags wrap around it making my arm appear dark.

Slowly, the colors in my arms fade, revealing my ordinary flesh underneath.

Master Talbert stares at me with curiosity. His eyes examine my body. For a moment, there’s a flash of...something...in his gaze.

Feeling uncomfortable, I pull my father’s cloak tighter against my body.

Master Talbert sighs. “As you wish, my lord. If that is all, shall we allow Lady Scarlet to dress? Being in her condition around a bunch of older men is likely uncomfortable, even if one of them is her father.”

Father frowns. “Quite right.”

•

Hours later, I enter the forest through the crack in the wall. Armed in my typical skirt-and-shirt combo, I make my way to the meadow towards my friends.

“Oh, you’re here. Thank God,” I say as I spot the three of them. They’ve been busier lately now that their duties have increased.

“Lucky us! Captain Van Gallan left for the afternoon on business with the castle. Gave us the rest of the day off,” remarks Alexander. His feet sit gingerly in the pond as he waves at me. “Though those two never know how to sit back and relax.”

Remi and Nigel are crossing blades. Both are dripping with sweat. Nigel stops his fighting when he sees me. With a wave and a smile, he acknowledges my arrival.

Remi smacks him on the top of the head with her wooden sword.

“Ah-ha!” shouts Remi.

“Ow!” Nigel complains.

“Heh! You let a girl distract you! Now I win! Bow before me, weakling!” commands Remi with a lofty attitude absolutely brimming with sarcasm. She points to the ground as if telling, no, ordering Nigel to genuflect before her.

“That wasn’t fair,” Nigel snaps. He rubs the top of his scalp.

“Nope. I think she won. Do whatever Remi says from now on,” I apprise Nigel.

“Yes, Lady Scarlet,” mockingly keens Nigel.

I pout. “Gotta love how you used to call me Lady Scarlet so much when we first met. Now you only use it sarcastically.”

“We got to know you and realized that ‘lady’ overemphasized your personality,” remarks Alexander from the pond.

“Ha!” I release a sharp bit of laughter. “Tell my father that.”

“Hmm. Something wrong in paradise?” interrogates Remi. She digs the tip of her wooden blade into the dirt. She leans on the hilt, looking at me. Sweat drips from her hands down the edge onto the ground.

I hold up both my hands as if they contain hidden answers inside my palms. “Good news or bad news?”

“Good news. Bad news takes time to comprehend. It also overshadows the good fortunes. Best to get your spirits killed than to never have them rise,” says Nigel.

“Aren’t you cheery?!” cries Alexander. He gets out of the water. “But yeah, what he said.”

I laugh.

In my vision, I spot a boulder. It’s just outside in the forest. We usually use it for target practice with bows. The muscles in my core stretch upon command. Heat builds in my body, and energy flows around my frame, crafting a miracle into reality.

I remember the feeling from when I essentially burst forth with energy. I’ll never forget it. It’s as if it were engrained into my brain as a permanent part of my consciousness similar to breathing.

Light surges from my hand. It hits the rock. A large chunk is taken out of the side.

My friends gawk in wonderment.

“So I ate a Divine Treat today,” I meekly pronounce.

“THE HELL WAS THAT?!” shouts Alexander.

“Light gift,” whispers Remi. Her eyes move from me to the hole in the boulder.

“A rare ability,” notes Nigel. He stares at me with a spark of wonder.

I smirk. “That’s not all.”

Three sets of eyebrows raise with curiosity.

I clench the power in my core again. A different ‘color’ blends within my abdomen as I exude my dark gift. Again, it feels as if I’ve known how to do this my entire life. The Divine Treats work in mysterious ways.

Black tendrils seep from my arm. They lurch forward, jab into the boulder, then pull. The boulder rips in half as dust explodes from the middle.

“Shit!” Alexander exclaims. He falls backward. “The hell?!”

“Dark gift.” Remi’s mouth drops.

“A Dyad,” I confirm, releasing a hearty laugh. “It’s been a good day.”

“You do realize how exceptional that is, don’t you?” Remi raises to question. There’s worry in her voice.

“So I was told.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Will you be joining us from now on?

“Joining you?”

Nigel remarks, “With Captain Van Gallan. If you were given a treat, you were also given the option to enlist, yes?”

This again. Yes, that would be the norm. Even the servants, who voluntarily took the treats, when they did not receive Admix healing abilities, were given the chance to join the armed forces. They could choose not to, but the national policy is to offer regardless of status. I’d go into something similar to officer’s school given my status, immediately giving me command over troops upon “graduation.” A pity I don’t get the choice. I might have gone that route.

I frown. My eyes veer away. “Unfortunately not.”

“Come again?” Alexander remarks.

“Father forbade it.” A fair bit of laughter leaves my lips. “It’s okay. I’ll practice in my free time. Master Talbert can teach me some things. Hopefully, I’ll get the hang of it.”

“It’s absurd,” mutters Remi. Her gaze focuses on the ground. “Light and Dark gifts are already as rare as Admix gifts. Talbert’s a dark gift user and the only one in this territory. No one in the area has access to light gifts. Counting me, Nigel, the captain, and the three others around the lake, there are six people with Admix gifts.”

“And Scarlet can use light and dark powers, making her rarer than even Talbert,” concludes Nigel.

“Yet she’s being restricted like this,” Remi continues. “I get that Scarlet’s his daughter, but the baron’s decision makes no sense,” she says to herself. “What is his reasoning?”

“Basically, Scarlet’s getting screwed over,” decides Alexander. He glances at me. “What do you want to do?”

“I’d at least want the option to join the guards,” I admit. “It’s ultimately not the path I want to take in life. No offense. Even so, it’s not my only restriction,” I scoff. “My whole life just changed. What I want doesn’t matter anymore. I’d have at least liked some formal training, but it wasn’t even offered. I was given the treat, everyone screamed about my future, Father forbid me from being a soldier, and the rest was brushed under the rug.”

My three friends frown at me.

“There’s nothing I can do, guys,” I groan.

My friends look at one another. They all nod.

“Let us pitch in,” Nigel states.

“Huh?” I blink rapidly in surprise.

“We’re here to help,” says Remi.

“Um, guys. If she can’t control it, she’ll kill us. How about we supervise for now?” nervously chortles Alexander.

Emotion surges through me. “Are you sure?”

All of them, even Alexander, nod.

“It’ll be second-hand advice, though,” says Nigel carefully.

“It’s better than nothing.” I bow my head in reverence. “Thank you!”

“Don’t do that. It makes me uncomfortable,” Remi notes.

The three of them mutter in agreement.

“You ate the treat today, right? Then we’ll start next week. Let your body get adjusted to the feeling. Try not to overdo things,” Nigel informs me.

I nod. “Will do.”

Our relationship started out as impromptu training, but I’ve come to depend on these three. They’re my only friends in this world.

For a time, I thought maybe they were hired to be with me, to serve as ‘eyes’ for my father. I put that notion aside many, many years ago.

Remi is carefree. She’ll say whatever is on her mind. She’s as beautiful as she is powerful. If I’m walking randomly in the hallways and she sees me, she’ll speak up in a way that scares me each and every time. It’s become sort of a game, but I enjoy talking to her. I never tire of it. She’s my best friend, I suppose. It’s hard to believe she’s only two years older than me. She looks about twenty. I don’t know what her mom is like, but she’s blessed Remi with “perfectly proportional and attractive” genes.

Nigel acts as a sort of father figure or older brother. He’s patient, kind, and willing to teach me things if I ask him. His sense of duty is strong, so he’ll not talk to me when he’s working unless I initiate. When we’re in a less formal environment, he’s much chiller. In practice, he’s fully endorsed beating me ruthlessly with a wooden sword, much like Master Talbert. The string bonding our combat has only strengthened over the years. Overall, Nigel’s the “rock” of our group. Cool, calm, and collected. The baby fat has left his face and dark little hairs have taken their place in its stead. His hairstyle is still as lazily frayed as always, but it works for him. Even now, he gives off majorly heroic vibes. I find myself in awe when I’m around him sometimes.

Alexander, well, I called him a “pervert” jokingly when I first met him, but he actually is one. Not in a bad way like he’s stolen women’s underwear or tried to assault me. Mostly, it’s his sense of humor. It’s crude. I think it’s funny, but I learned a while ago that he’d go overboard if I endorsed his behavior. As such, Alexander has fallen into his role as the “class clown” of the group. We pick on him, and he roasts us. We may feign complaints, but we all appreciate what Alexander brings to the group. He’s a good change of pace for three generally serious people. The blonde hair he had as a kid has grown well to his neck. It blooms like thick locks of dirty gold from his head. His face is always perfectly clean-shaven, accenting his very sharp facial features. He doesn’t look heroic like Nigel, but he has his own charms. I’m sure people find him attractive until they hear him talk.

“Oh yeah, what was the bad news?” Alexander suddenly asks.

“Oh,” I squeak. “Yeah. That. I learned my father intends to marry me off to some stranger in the next few years for political reasons.”

The three soldiers do not respond.

“Well?”

“This is known,” says Nigel.

“Well, assumed,” adds Alexander.

Remi frowns. “What did you think would happen when you got older?”

“I don’t know. I thought I had more freedom than I do. I didn’t think my parents cared what I did. That was stupid of me,” I mutter pathetically. “It explains why Master Talbert always used marriage as an insult. I thought he meant I would be doomed to marriage or something equally pathetic if I failed in my training, not that I was always destined to get married. I guess he thought I was using the sword to fight back against my fate. Hell, I didn’t even know it was my fate.”

“Even though it was painfully obvious?” ponders Alexander. “You’re the firstborn daughter of a baron. Did you really think you could do whatever you wanted?”

“…kind of.”

All three of my friends stare at me with dubious, pitiful looks.

“I’m bad at these kinds of things, okay?!” I shout at them. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m a sheltered little loner. I don't even get to leave the castle. This place has been my whole world since I was born. I have to sneak out to the pond whenever I want to get away. That's the only respite I have.”

“And yet you still thought you'd have some choice in life when you grew up?” snorts Alexander.

My left eye twitches. "Sh-Shut up...."

Alexander says as he taps his chin. “What does that make you? Stupid? No. You’re book-smart. Yah know a lot more than me. Oh!” He snaps his fingers. “You lack common sense.”

Remi and Nigel look away, but their eyes display their agreement with Alexander’s words.

I sigh, ignoring the row of admittedly truthful insults. “What do I do? I don’t want to get married to some random stranger. I want to do…anything else.”

Remi gently walks towards me. We’re roughly the same height now, so she no longer needs to bend down to talk. “Scarlet, fate is not absolute.”

I lick the top of my lip from corner to corner.

“If this is not what you want, then fight. The future is not set in stone no matter how others might will it,” Remi remarks. She pulls away for a moment. “That still doesn’t really explain the baron’s logic,” she dwells quietly.

I cock my head to the side in confusion.

“We have your back.” Alexander gives me a thumbs-up. “Don’t worry so much.”

Nigel nods.

“Ha! If you really want to help me, earn merit in battle so you can ask my father for my hand in marriage,” I sound with a tint of laughter.

Alexander reddens. “Huh.” He pauses. “Not a bad deal.”

“Oh, shut up!” I flip him the bird.

“What?! That sounds like an easy life!”

“You’d have to do something heroic first,” barks Remi. “Nigel’s more likely to do that. Ha! There you go!” She turns to Nigel. “Go be a hero. Kill some big, bad enemy, then marry Scarlet.” She waves her hands about. “Tis your destiny.”

Nigel rolls his eyes. “Sure. I’ll try my best.”

“Better one of you two than a stranger.” I shrug my shoulders.

“You being serious right now?” Alexander raises an eyebrow.

“What? Am I that repulsive?” I raise an eyebrow. “Are we not friends?”

Both Nigel and Alexander look around for a moment. They seem embarrassed.

Remi moves her lips near my ear to whisper. “They both find you pretty, though you’re young. You’re also the baron’s daughter, which is intimidating regardless of friendship.”

“Hey! Don’t spread lies!” Alexander protests, though he cannot hear what Remi is saying.

“Oh?” I question. “I suppose objectively I am attractive now that I’m older and a little more developed.”

My three friends all stare at me. Worry etches their features.

“Whaaaat?” I complain. “Was that the wrong thing to say?”

“It was a weird thing to say,” snorts Alexander. “Damn narcissist.”

Nigel merely creases his brow.

“At least you know.” Remi sarcastically pats me on the head. She then points at my chest. “Hopefully, they’ll grow in some more, though you’re clearly on the right track.”

I deadpan. “Gee, thanks.” With an exhalation, I sink into the dirt. “Maybe I’ll just run away.”

“They’d find you in less than a week if they wanted to,” relays Nigel. “You’d have to kill people to ensure your freedom. Do you feel that you could do that?”

“No,” I grumble. “Have any of you three killed anyone before?”

None reply.

“I suppose not. Well, whatever. You’re considered an adult here when you turn fifteen. I suppose that’s when I’ll be shipped out to some faraway land to meet my betrothed.”

“Nothing is set in stone,” Nigel says to me softly. He repeats Remi’s words.

I say nothing.

But I hope he’s right.