ALICE

I pick up my uniform, a dark blue military overcoat with gold trimmings, and wear it over my sleeveless white silk shirt before approaching the mirror. Back straight, shoulders squared, chin held high as deep-set dark brown eyes stare back from the reflection with a frown. My wavy black hair is styled into a short side-swept bang with the rest pinned into a messy ponytail that falls like waves above my neck.

Music, dance, literature and arts...securing social status through marriage. That is what is expected of me, as if I would waste myself on trifling endeavors such as fawning to noblemen. Why would I settle for being someone's obedient princess? I am a Lavellan; the blood of warriors runs through my veins. Like my forefathers before me, I will serve to protect the people.

A small smile tugs at the end of my thin lips. No one believed in me when I joined the Academy, but not only did I make the cut, I am enlisted as an Enforcer. Not the City Watch but an Enforcer. "Self-admiration?" A hot flush spreads from my face down to my body; Christian is standing by the barely open door. I entertained him for one dinner, and he thinks he could visit unannounced. "Unexpected."

"I wasn't engaging in self-admiration." I turn my face away, hand clutching at the locket hanging from my neck, fighting off the burning embarrassment building inside me. "You neglected to mention another visit in our last meeting." I stared into his bright blue eyes, hand playing with the locket hanging on my neck, forged in the shape of a songbird akin to my family's sigil.

Christian Amell, one of the lesser noble families who rose through the ranks, not the most influential but certainly one of the richest in Lumia now. A man who did not simply inherit his place in the world but made it. As will I; I will not settle as the daughter of a Lavellan. I will be something more. I will leave my own mark in history, perhaps similar to the warrior princess, the Legendary Mathilda The Great.

My heart fluttered as he approached with both hands behind his back, and I inhaled deeply. Is it his beautiful golden hair? How neatly they are slicked back? I can't help but find his short and clean stubble attractive, despite my aversion to facial hairs. It makes him appear regal; perhaps a handsome face could make anything work. "I deemed it necessary to add surprise to your life."

"Surprises aren't precisely my cup of tea." My eyes widen as he reveals the flowers he hides behind his back—a bouquet of freshly picked red roses in white wrapping papers. "Truly, I detest the unexpected." I turn my face away, fighting back the smile trying to break out. Not wanting to show him my feelings.

Distraction. That is what he is, a strong wind wanting to blow me to the opposite direction. When I've achieved all I want to achieve, maybe then but certainly not before. "You claim to be quite proficient with the rifle. A game of marksmanship between us, perhaps?" A smile escapes me, it would be better than small talk over dinner. He is indeed unlike the rest of the nobleman I've met.

"Are you suggesting a challenge, then?" I hold his gaze with renewed composure, and he lets out a chuckle. His lips curve into a wide smile, though his brows, thick and hard-angled, maintain his menacing gaze. Everyone wants a good man, though having a hint of danger has its allure even if only in appearance.

"I envisioned something enjoyable, but a competition it is then." He takes a step closer, standing a head taller than me, and I take a step back from his imposing presence. Not intimidated in the slightest, but I hate it when my personal space is invaded.

"Challenge accepted. How about tomorrow evening?" He gives a solemn nod, and I walk past him. "You can leave the flowers on my desk." I stride out of my room to make my way to City Hall.

The sun dips in the horizon, casting long shadows as I stand in front of the City Hall, a massive structure with soaring arches, towering columns, intricate stonework, and ornate carvings. With a central dome reminiscent of Grand Cathedrals. "The Lieutenant finally graces us with her presence." My jaw tightens at the comment; Carla is being sarcastic as always. And I wasn't that late.

Reiner stands at attention, tall and muscular, placing a large fist over his heart with one arm behind his back as the others stand in a collective display of discipline. "Lieutenant." With a sharp movement, I stand at attention to render a crisp salute of my own. Reiner's physique is what every soldier should strive to have, strong and imposing.

"At ease, everyone." I lower my salute before relaxing my stance, and so do they. "Shall we begin our patrol?" I smile, trying to uplift their spirits; no one likes the dead patrols through the streets, especially during night shifts. Though Percy usually tries his best to entertain everyone with jokes during our rounds, probably the only thing making the otherwise dull patrol bearable.

The moon is high above us as we head for our last route, with countless stars dotting the night sky as they trap the moon behind them in a celestial cage. Together they illuminate the area with silvery light, and I take in the soft luminescent glow to the rustling of wind in the night breeze, and a smile escapes me. "Do you mind if we take a break?"

I turn to Reiner; he is smiling widely as he looks at me with wideset expressive light blue eyes. It is past time we rested. My legs are killing me, not that I would tell them. "I don't mind at all." Reiner sits on the steps of a shop right next to Percy, taking out a smoking pipe from inside his overcoat and taking a drag from it. "It's not some prohibited substance, is it?" A cough escapes him, and he places a hand on his chest before waving smoke away from him.

"It's just tobacco." Reiner assures before clearing his throat to take another drag.

"Do you smoke, Lieutenant?" Carla raises a perfectly groomed brow, hooded large light brown eyes staring with a smirk, her round face framed by long brown hair that falls in loose curls around her shoulders.

"I do not."

"Fun, aren't you?" Carla's tone is sarcastic. She swipes the smoking pipe from Reiner's hand before putting it between her full lips, and a repulse escapes me. "What are you doing here anyway? Too comfortable and bored with life?" My brows furrow; why else would I join the Military? Same as everyone else but with bigger ambition.

"To uphold justice, safeguard principles of law and order." I place a palm over my heart with a smile. "To provide protection to the innocent from-" Carla bursts out laughing, and my smile withers into a frown. "I'm not entirely certain what you find so amusing." A tinge of frustration escapes my voice, eyes narrowing, it is as if she asked a question only to make fun of whatever words that come out from my lips.

"Justice?" Carla says through her laughter, shaking her head as her lips curl into a smirk. "I heard you weren't supposed to be an Enforcer, but being a Councilman's daughter and all." She takes a drag from the smoking pipe before blowing smoke my way. "Where is the justice in that?"

"Pray tell, what are you implying?"

"You got in through Nepotism." Carla stares intensely, whatever rumor is going around, I know I earned my spot. The training commander hated me, made my life hell in the academy; if anything, he'd sooner kick me out of the top ten if the eleventh was close behind. My father had nothing to do with it.

"Who said that? I worked diligently, my position is earned through merit alone."

"Ask around, Lieutenant; everyone knows it." Carla shrugs.

"Why don't we finish our patrol?" Marvin smiles sheepishly, clearly uncomfortable with the exchange. The youngest member of my team, yet seemingly the most mature of them all; things would be easier if they all shared his attitude and mindset. Reiner is the physical manifestation of what a soldier should be, but Marvin has the right mentality.

"Yeah. It is getting late." Reiner agrees before rising up to take the pipe away from Carla and tucking it in his overcoat. "Lieutenant." He gestures for me to lead the way, and I stride through the empty streets wearing a frown to reach the harbor. Still upset.

I lead the patrol to the sounds of seagulls and lapping waves. Merchant ships of different sizes berth along the piers, and from their gleaming masts hang colorful sails of different associations, kingdoms, and empires. We turn to a splash as we reach the last pier. "Anyone caught wind of that?" The only action one can get around here is giving out fines to crewmates for littering the ocean, and concealing items to avoid taxation.

"I think it's coming from that ship." Percy points, and we approach the ship. A subtle humming resonates through the air, but I could not see anything. I return to look at the water nearby but find no trace of what was thrown overboard. "I wonder what they dump into the water. Think we should go on board and hardass our way into making them think we saw them in action?" He smiles mischievously.

"Allow me to take the lead in this conversation." A faint smell of oil greets me as I board the ship. The deck, where normally one or two crew members are on watch, is empty. My boots thump against the wooden deck floor as I make my way across to reach the cabin, but the open hatch takes my attention. The scent of oil grows stronger as I descend into the cargo hold.

My eyes snap to a flicker of a shadow moving in the dim light of the cargo deck. As far as my eyes can see, there are only boxes, barrels, kegs, and containers. "Anyone happened to witness that?" I turn to Marvin. He shakes his head, but I reach for the baton hanging on my waist belt, an innocent-looking object when in its sheath.

"There's nothing here." Carla rolls her eyes in annoyance, hating the delay in time as our patrol should have ended by now. I move to one of the kegs, my surroundings illuminated only by the dim lantern hanging on my waist as I keep one hand on my baton ready to draw. I glance at the content to see bottles of wines and move onto the next container, still alert and ready for anything; it contains nothing but layers of salted meats.

I move on to a half-open box, an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables neatly packed. My brows furrow as I turn to my left. Something is moving from behind the stack of boxes further ahead, and I take out my baton. With a flick of my wrist, the metal in my hand extends outwards with a satisfying click, the joints locking into place with a sharp, metallic snap. My steps are gentle as I approach.

A light of fire shoots out from behind the boxes; it's a lighter falling into the wooden floor and torching it as a man vaults over the box. He is wearing a white fox mask, with striking red and black colors painting its features. My lips part as dark green eyes stare back in the sudden burst of light coming from the flames now igniting all around us.

I swing with all my might, but he simply turns his face, my baton missing by an inch. I backswing, and he turns his face in the other direction, causing the edge of my baton to miss him once more. His reflexes are sharp. He lunges forward with a kick, sending me reeling back in pain as it lands on my stomach. He is fast and strong as well, but there is three of us.

I inhale sharply and rush forward, slamming my baton down on him, but he steps to my inside, catching me by the arm. My eyes widen, pupils dilating in disbelief and shock as my heart trembles. Feet lifted off the ground, my eyes shut tight as the world tilted, I find myself hurtled into the floor. My back crashing against the floor with a thud.

A grunt of pain escapes me; pain spreads through my body like a bolt of lightning, forcing me to roll over as I lace an arm across my chest. I push myself off the ground with a wince, a sharp pain on the side of my stomach as he kicks me with the toe of his boot and I drop back to the floor. "Stay down." He walks away.

I look at him as I lie prone on the ground, palm pressing against the pain as I taste blood in the back of my throat. There is another masked man at the stair, Marvin is knocked out on the floor to the left, while Carla is down on one knee, grimacing in pain with a baton in her hand. And the two masked men bolt up the stairs to escape. My lips part open to shout for Reiner and Percy but I wince with pain instead.