Sunlight streamed down onto Eva's face from a window above the bed, temporarily blinding her. Groaning in complaint, she threw an arm up to cover her eyes. She'd closed all the windows the night before so she could sleep late after such a long, taxing day, but the sun managed to reach her despite her best efforts by sneaking through the cracks in the old shutters. Lifting her arm slightly and peeking out with one eye, she judged the position of the sun by the angle of the light shining into her room.

Looks like it's almost noon. I guess I've slept long enough, then.

With a sigh, she tossed the covers back and sat up, causing her head to swim for a moment as it struggled to regain its equilibrium after lying still so long. When the room finally settled and stopped spinning, Eva pushed herself to her feet and began the process of getting ready for the day. She slipped into a pair of lightweight, brown trousers and a white cotton shirt before grabbing her favorite pair of knee-high boots at the end of the bed. Years of wear had molded them to fit her perfectly, and the soft leather slid easily over her skin to wrap snuggly around her feet like a familiar embrace.

With the last lace tied securely, she hastily stood and made up her bed before moving to her small mirror and weaving her thick brown hair into a braid that fell to the middle of her back. Lastly, she picked up her silver Royal Guard emblem from atop her dresser and secured it around her right arm with its purple band. Every Warrior was required to wear the symbol of their division at all times, whether on or off duty, and each division had its own unique color for the band that held the emblems in place. The Royal Guard wore purple; the Palace Guard wore deep blue; the Capital Sentry wore goldenrod; the Keepers of the Realm wore crimson; and the Boundary Patrol wore dark green. Eva had received her emblem at the celebration banquet last night along with the other victors, and she couldn't help but feel eager to have it displayed on her upper arm while going about her business today.

Tracing her finger over the emblem, she caressed the raised lines that formed the swirling initials "RG" for her division. A small smile formed on her lips and a sense of pride at her achievement swelled within her chest. Then, clearing her throat, she straightened her shoulders and gave herself a quick once-over in the small mirror. Satisfied, she nodded slightly then turned and strode out of her bedroom.

A quiet emptiness greeted her when she stepped into the main room of the house, and Eva realized without even looking around that she was the only one home. The house Eva shared with her mother wasn't very large. It only boasted two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a main room, which housed a fireplace, a low table, and a couple of padded chairs for visiting. With the feminine touches here and there, though, the house had a cozy feel to it that made it a home. White lace curtains over the windows, a vase of fresh flowers on the table, a worn peach rug in the center of the floor, and some unfinished sewing in a basket at the corner of the room gave the place that lived-in feel that brought a sense of comfort and peace.

The two women had lived here alone for as long as Eva could remember. A man had never been a part of their family. The identity of her father was a strict secret that her mother, Eileen, had kept for the past twenty years. Eva had been told at the age of ten who her father was but only after swearing on the Mother Tree that she would not tell a soul. True to her word, Eva had told no one. She was grateful to know that, despite the secrecy, her father had not abandoned them as many thought, but he had, in fact, watched over and provided for them from a distance, always ensuring they were taken care of.

It would've been nice to have been able to get to know him better, though, Eva admitted to herself with a sad smile.

Casting off her gloomy thoughts with a sigh, she moved into the kitchen and found a plate of fresh fruit waiting for her and a note beside it. She settled herself in the nearest chair, pulled the plate closer, and popped a grape in her mouth. As she savored the sweet, juicy treat, she picked up the note left for her and began to read.

"Since I didn't know when you'd wake, I only set out some fruit for you. I had to run some errands, but I'll be back in time for supper. Don't forget to see the tailor for your new tabard. Love, Mother."

With a shake of her head, Eva folded the small piece of paper and set it to the side. How could she forget her new tabard? It and her division's emblem were the main symbols of becoming a certified Warrior. While still in training, all Junior Warriors wore a white tabard with deep blue trim. The Ataran crest, a silhouette of the Mother Tree inside a shield, was also a deep blue. After passing the Trial, however, the Junior Warriors exchanged their white tabard for a royal blue one outlined in white trim with the crest done in white and silver. This difference between tabards helped distinguished from a distance who had completed the Trial and who had not. Unlike with the division emblems, though, the tabards were not required when off-duty.

While eating, Eva decided she'd try and find Marissa so they could visit the tailor together. "If she hasn't already gone without me," she muttered to herself.

Once she'd finished, Eva quickly washed her plate and headed outside. Few people wandered the cobblestone street as she made her way to her friend's house. Most were already working or at the market by this time. One familiar figure caught her attention, though, as she reached her destination. The person had been sitting on the front steps but sprang up and stepped into the street to meet her when she drew closer.

"Rissa!" Eva chimed excitedly while pulling her in for a hug. "I see you waited on me. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, but not as well as you I assume. You slept half the day away! I doubt you'll even need to bother yourself with sleep tonight. Surely you've rested enough to last you at least through tomorrow!"

"Alright," she replied with a laugh. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting, but you know I do not make a habit of doing so."

"True," Marissa conceded with a chuckle. "Well now that I've scolded you fully, are you ready to go pick up our new tabards?"

"I've been ready for a long time. It seems like ages have passed since we started training."

"It practically was ages ago," Marissa said as the two began walking together. "Our whole life has been spent preparing for this. Do you remember when we first started wielding the elements and I was struggling to use my magic?"

"Everyone does, Rissa. You got frustrated that everyone else had been able to awaken their magic except you. In a fit of anger, you threw a tantrum and nearly burned down the schoolhouse. The only good thing to be said about that day was that you finally unlocked your ability to wield."

"We were five years old! Who decided it was a good idea to train the first-level Junior Warriors indoors anyway? It was an accident waiting to happen."

"Well, to be fair," Eva reasoned carefully, "we were only supposed to be working with bowls of water that day, not fire."

"True," she conceded with a sigh. "You were the first to unlock your gift over the elements, right?"

"Yes," Eva said simply, almost as if she were embarrassed to admit it. She glanced to her friend to see if she'd ask further about it, but to her relief, Marissa let it go at that.

Both friends continued on silently for a few steps before a new memory caused Marissa's face to brighten again. "Oh, and what about when we started weapons training and you 'accidentally' threw your hatchet at the instructor's head?" she asked with a smug smile.

"I was aiming for the target, you know that, but when I drew it back, it slipped out of my grasp. He'd been pushing us pretty hard that first day, and I was nervous...."

"Yeah, I know. I think all of us were silently cheering you for that near miss. He definitely was brutal."

"He certainly wasn't my favorite teacher...," Eva admitted after a long pause.

"Absolutely not," Marissa agreed vehemently.

The two young women peeked over at each other and burst into a fit of laughter. They were still laughing when they rounded the corner and came across a group of Capital Sentry soldiers huddled together in a serious exchange. Out of curiosity, they slowed to a stop to catch what was being discussed.

"They took everything-their weapons, armor, tabards... all of it," the tallest one said while gesturing wildly.

"Cursed bandits," said the man to his left. "Must've caught them by surprise. It had to have been an ambush."

"Probably," the third man agreed as he stroked his jet-black beard. "They wiped out the whole unit."

"No," the tall one corrected. "I heard there were two women in the unit who haven't been located yet."

"They've likely been taken to serve the bandit's sadistic pleasure," the second speaker reasoned.

"I'm not so sure," the bearded man responded. "A Common woman would be likely to be carried off but not a Warrior. They would have fought until their last breath."

"Very true."

"When did this happen?" Marissa interrupted abruptly. The three men had not noticed the two young women who had stopped to listen, and Marissa's sudden outburst caused them to turn with a start.

"Excuse us," Eva said politely while pulling Marissa back behind her with a reproachful look. "We didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, but we couldn't help overhearing about the unit that was attacked. Would you be kind enough to tell us which division it was and when this happened?"

"It's alright, young miss," the tall one answered. "It was a Keepers of the Realm division patrolling the roadway between the villages of Ager and Mercari."

"In the southwest part of the kingdom," Eva commented quietly to herself.

"That's right. And to answer your friend's question," he cast Marissa an amused glance, "it occurred this Friday night past." To her credit, Marissa actually gave a faint blush at her rude interruption earlier.

"Thank you." Eva gave a nod of her head as she hooked her arm through her companion's and turned to go. "We won't bother you further. Good day."

"Same to you," the bearded man said with a wave before resuming his conversation with the other two men.

"It's so sad," Eva whispered softly after they had walked away.

"It makes me mad," Marissa said with a clenched jaw. "Who would do such a thing? We have never provoked such an attack. I mean, we have lived in peace since our kingdom was formed nearly two hundred years ago. So why would anyone do this?"

With a somber shake of her head, Eva sighed. "Darkness is always near, hiding just outside the light. Even when we do what is right, evil waits around the corner. Some people do not need a reason to do bad things; they just look for opportunities. This isn't the first time something like this has happened, although it has been a while since the previous incidents."

"Which is why we must remain vigilant. I imagine patrols will be stepped up and more units will be on the roads for a while. They will be better prepared next time."

"Let's hope there will not be a next time."

"Agreed." After a few steps, Marissa furrowed her brow in thought as a new question occurred to her. "How do you suppose the bandits made it past the border without anyone knowing?" she asked once they had passed some women talking on the side of the street.

"Hmm, good question. I know the Boundary Patrol use various animals to help them keep a watch; so it would be unlikely they slipped by undetected. One of the creatures would have seen, heard, or smelled something and alerted the soldiers."

"Right. Maybe they disguised themselves as merchants and just walked through the gate like everyone else."

"That is very possible, but we may never know unless the culprits are found."

"Oh we will find them. We are peaceful, not weak," Marissa declared with clenched fists.

"Well said," Eva agreed with a firm nod of the head.

Any further discussion of the matter was soon made impossible as they entered the market area. Hawkers shouted at passersby to try their wares, potential buyers haggled for better prices, and street musicians played for coins. People from all over the kingdom and even some from neighboring kingdoms were present to buy and sell. Atara had become well-known for the gems and ore mined from the mountains bordering it to the north. Elves from a southern kingdom were particularly fond of the metal they called "silivren," so named due to the "glittering white" appearance of the metal once smelted and hammered into its chosen shape. The elves used the metal to make armor and weapons that were nearly unbreakable. It was the elves that had taught the Ataran people to make their own armor and weaponry in exchange for the precious ore, although the elves' creations were still far more advanced and elegant in appearance, but usually only the Officer Superiors and the Royal family possessed pieces made from the rare material. Besides the elves, dwarves from the mountains in the west would make the long journey to trade gold and silver for the Ataran gems. Plus, several faeries could usually be found flitting about the area on any given day. Thus, the marketplace was almost always filled with beings of all sorts.

Used to such commotion and mix of peoples, though, Eva and Marissa simply weaved their way through the throng without a second thought. Fortunately, the smiths and crafters were in the part of the market nearest the housing quarter so they didn't have to go far to reach the tailor's. The small structure was squeezed between a cobbler's and leather worker's shop with a faded painting of a needle and a spool of thread hanging above the door. The rusty hinges squeaked as they entered, alerting the aged tailor to their arrival.

"Ah, good afternoon, young ones," she greeted from her stool behind the counter. "May I assume you've come to pick up new tabards?"

"Yes, ma'am. That is correct," Eva answered while Marissa was busy examining the delicate cloths.

"Very well, then. Come closer and let me see your emblems. My vision isn't what it used to be. Too many years of straining my eyes trying to thread a needle, you see." The two did as asked and stepped up to the wooden counter so the old woman could have a better view of their emblems. "Ah, Capital Sentry, eh?" she directed to Marissa.

"Yeah... it's a bit of a family tradition, you could say."

"Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure your parents are proud to have such a pretty thing like you following in their footsteps."

"Thank you," Marissa said with a sparkling smile before the woman turned to Eva.

"What's this? A member of the Royal Guard. You must have made quite the impression to be accepted into their ranks. It's a very serious business protecting our dear king and his family. You wouldn't be the one I heard the gossipers chattering about that was hand picked by King Justian himself would you?"

"Well...," Eva cleared her throat uncomfortably, "actually yes." She lowered her eyes as heat filled her cheeks.

"Blessed faeries, it's true! I didn't half believe those rumormongers when they told me the tale." The plump tailor gave a loud harrumph. "You must've put on quite a show indeed on to draw such attention."

Eva glanced to Marissa, eyes pleading for help out of this awkward situation. Seeing the silent request, her friend quickly jumped into the conversation to rescue her. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but will we owe you anything for the tabards?"

"What?" The tailor blinked a few times in bewilderment. "Oh, the tabards! No, no. You don't owe a thing. As a gift to the new victors, all Warrior tabards have already been paid for by the king. But bless me, I've just been babbling on about nonsense, haven't I? Please overlook an old woman, my dears. I'll go get your new tabards now. Wait one moment."

As the rotund woman shuffled to the back room, Eva let out a heavy breath and whispered a "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," came Marissa's soft reply followed by an even softer giggle.

Within a few minutes, the tailor shuffled back into the main room and handed them each a wrapped bundle containing two new tabards. After expressing their gratitude, the two friends made their way back out into the busy street.

"Do you know what rotation you will be on and what day you start with the Sentries?" Eva asked Marissa once they were outside.

She shook her head. "No. I haven't picked up my orders yet. Do you want to go there with me?"

"I don't have anything else planned right now."

"Good. Come on." The two set off toward the southeastern part of the city at a brisk pace, and before long, Marissa was emerging from the Capital Sentry headquarters with her orders in hand.

"Well?" Eva asked as she pushed off the wall she'd been leaning against.

"I report for duty Monday at six in the evening," she answered somewhat disappointedly.

"The night shift?"

"Sadly."

"The Capital Sentry division operates on seven-day rotations like the Royal Guard and Palace Guard, right?"

"Yes."

Eva groaned. "We'll never see each other!"

"Not but every other week," she nodded glumly.

Eva sucked in a deep breath and held it as she swept her bangs to the side before blowing it out in a rush. "Well, at least we'll have a full week off together. I suppose it could be worse."

"Probably," Marissa agreed. "You could have been shipped off to one of the villages and put on an opposite rotation from me. Then we really wouldn't ever see each other."

"And why do you presume I could have been 'shipped off,' as you put it, and not you?" Eva asked with one eyebrow raised and a small smirk pulling up the corner of her mouth.

"Ah, because it's abundantly obvious that I am the superior fighter. The Officer Superiors know to keep me close at hand."

"Are you mocking me?" Eva asked aghast.

"Why of course not. I'm just stating facts."

"Is that so? So you're the superior fighter?"

"That is correct."

"And the better wielder too, I assume?"

"Of course," Marissa confirmed matter-of-factly.

"Mm-hmm. We'll see about that," Eva said ominously.

"What are-" Marissa began, but she was cut off as the ground suddenly lurched beneath her and knocked her on her backside.

"Hey! That wasn't fair," she said from her sprawled position.

"Fair? Who said I had to be fair?" Eva questioned with feigned innocence. "After all, you are the superior one."

"Alright. Have it your way." Quickly, Marissa hurled a burst of wind into Eva's face to distract her then scrambled to her feet. Eva stumbled backward slightly but recovered in time to block the punch aimed for her gut. She countered with an elbow strike to the face, but Marissa sidestepped out of the way at the last moment. For several minutes, the two continued sparring this way. Anyone who might have seen their exchange would have thought they were in the middle of a heated dispute, but both females had been trained in combat all of their lives and so were only having a little fun with neither one intending to injure the other.

Just when the young Warriors were beginning to tire, though, a sudden and powerful gust of wind tore between them and forced them apart. Out of breath, they looked around in bewilderment to see who had sent the gust of air. Looking past Marissa, Eva saw a young man approaching at a brisk pace with a clenched jaw. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when she saw the determination in his eyes; she recognized that stern look. As Marissa's older brother by five years, he had often worn that expression before he set into a lecture, reprimanding them for one thing or another. He couldn't hold the disapproving glower for long, however. Half of the crazy things they had attempted as children they had learned from him. Eva and Marissa had decided over the years that he simply enjoyed pretending to be the more responsible one.

"It was William," Eva said while nodding in his direction.

Marissa rolled her eyes before turning to face him as he came to a stop two feet from them. "Hello, dear brother."

"Don't try to play innocent; I know better than that. What were you two thinking behaving in such a way? And in front of the Sentry headquarters, too! You looked like unruly children fighting over a toy. I'm ashamed of both of you." Pausing from his rant, he noticed that both girls were struggling to keep from smiling. "What is so funny?" he demanded.

"Oh nothing," Marissa chimed. "You're just so cute when you try to act like an adult," she said while patting him patronizingly on the shoulder. Eva had to cover her mouth with her hand to hold back the laughter bubbling up at their exchange.

William took a long, deep breath then let it out slowly, slumping his shoulders in defeat. "I don't know how I've put up with the two of you for so long."

"Oh, your life would be terribly dull and dreary without us," Marissa said while giving him a lighthearted punch in the arm.

"If you say so," he replied as he returned the punch with a little more force.

"So what are you doing here, William?" Eva asked before the siblings could work themselves up into another round of sparring.

"I'm on my way to Master Brogan's office to request permission to use the training ring tonight. A few of us are holding an unofficial tournament. You can come if you'd like. We could use some fresh meat," he added with a wink.

"I would love to come and put you to shame in front of your friends," Marissa began, "but I promised Mother I would help her with the wash this evening. Eva, you should go. I know you could teach those boys a few things."

"It sounds entertaining, but I have plans tonight as well."

"What plans?" Marissa and William asked simultaneously. Marissa gave her brother an annoyed glare before fixing an expectant gaze on her friend.

"I'm supposed to meet someone at the Mother Tree at nightfall," she answered vaguely. "He said he wanted to show me something in the Faerie Woods."

"He?" Marissa asked with a squeak as her eyes grew wide.

"Yes.... Caden, of the Boundary Patrol."

Marissa gasped audibly and pressed her hands to her cheeks in giddy delight. Knowing her friend was already beginning to imagine what their wedding would look like, Eva grimaced and groaned inwardly.

William crossed his arms over his chest and brought his eyebrows together quizzically. "Boundary Patrol? When did you meet someone from that division? They don't usually travel to Elysia."

Hesitating slightly, Eva slowly responded, "Umm, I met him at the banquet last night on the balcony after Rissa went back in to the party."

"So you're going into the woods alone with a man you only met last night and know absolutely nothing about?" he queried disapprovingly.

"Ease off, Will. She's not exactly a helpless damsel in need of protecting. Besides, he's Ataran."

"Don't call me Will, Mari," he retorted. Marissa cringed at the nickname he used but surprisingly remained silent. "Just because he is of Ataran blood and a Warrior does not mean he is good or can be trusted."

"You are right," Eva conceded. "I promise I will be careful, and I will go armed. Does that help ease your mind?"

"Only slightly. What does Eileen think of the matter?"

Slapping her palm to her forehead in exasperation, Marissa yelled, "For Atara's sake, she's not four! She doesn't have to ask her mother's permission for every little thing. She is technically considered an adult now."

With an appreciative smile, Eva gently laid her hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's alright, Rissa. He's simply trying to look out for me. To answer your question," she directed to William, "I haven't had a chance to speak to Mother. She left before I awoke this morning. However, I do intend to get her input."

"Good," he replied firmly. "In any case, I need to be on my way. You two try to stay out of trouble."

Marissa gave him a mock salute with a fist to her heart while Eva just shook her head. "Merciful faeries, he acts so old sometimes!" Marissa exclaimed once he'd walked away.

Eva chuckled, "I suppose we'll never have to worry about such a thing happening to you."

"Not at all," she confirmed proudly. Picking up her bundle from the tailor that she'd cast aside during their duel earlier, Marissa gave Eva a wide grin and asked, "Ready to head home?"

Eva stooped to collect her own bundle before answering, "Yes. I believe it's nearly lunchtime."

Marissa harrumphed. "I think you mean supper, Sleepyhead."

Looking to the sky as if praying for patience, Eva simply started walking away. Her vivacious friend let out a warm laugh before taking a few long strides to catch up. Together, they made their way back to their respective homes in good-humored camaraderie.