Chapter 1

The fort

12 years later

Brana eyed the heavy oak door in front of her. It was morning, a good long time past morning. Yet brother remained closeted in his room. Everyone else had chuckled at his absence at the table but she was having none of it.

She raised her foot and slammed it against the door. The sound echoed down the hall and the vibration ran up her foot. She still gave the door another strong kick.

The force of her slamming the door did not give her much pain. It hurt but she had felt much worse than trying to kick down a door.

The fifth kick gave her results as the door creaked off the hinge; she pushed inside the room fighting away the thoughts that he could have done the same with just two kicks.

Entering his bedroom, which was still clothed in darkness she gritted her teeth and went to the windows to remove the drapes. He was such an irresponsible man.

“Brana.” A deep voice laughed from under the mountain of sheets. “Have mercy. It is barely morning.”

“If it was the crack of dawn I would understand.” She said rolling her eyes flinging the heavy drapes to the floor. “However a good set of the men have had breakfast and gone off training and scouting it will soon be mid morning.”

The heavy sheets moved alerting her to two facts. He was not dressed and he was not alone. She watched as one movement revealed his arm holding his sword dropping the sword and grabbing clothes scattered on the ground.

Movement under the sheet then revealed a woman with brown hair and green eyes. Only up to her neck was revealed and she cast Brana a dark look that she shook her head at.

The woman was unrecognisable to her but she was accustomed to such looks. They were very frequent.

Her brother emerged next from the sheets an idiotic grin on his face. “I’ll be down. Take care about the door little sister.”

Brana snorted. “You must be joking, it broke because you had the door locked, fix it if you need privacy so much.” Turning around she exited the room feeling disgusted. There was a time and place for everything. Had he forgotten the important talks for today?

“Sister? That is your sister?” She heard the woman say her voice surprised.

“Yes. My little sister Brana.”

“She has a different mother from you then Milord? Or was she....”The woman trailed off her voice confused.

“She is my sister, Pa is her father. When Pa becomes King she will be a princess.” She heard him say his voice angry. “Do you doubt it?”

Leaving his rooms Brana could understand. With her hair and skin, it would call up a few questions. She was nothing but extraordinary looking.

Her brown skin and wavy black hair, she looked nothing like Dusan, nothing like Father. She smiled; it never bothered her because even though they were not related by blood they were her family.

All she had left that and making Dusan’s dream come true. What others thought were not her concern.

She just had to work harder to stay at his side. Learn more to become useful. Give her all for him because she had been given a second chance at life.

Without Dusan she surely would have died in that hole. Cold, shivering, afraid. Now that she had the opportunity to give him everything, not a thing would be wasted.

She turned down the tower leading to the weapons tower. 12 years had passed since he had offered his hand to her. She had half believed that his father would have rejected her but she had been surprised.

Father had welcomed her, trained her and kept her close. Sometimes she failed to understand how those men thought. A girl from nowhere, they welcomed into their hearts and home. Clothed and fed her, protected her.

Brana stopped at the window to look down into the courtyard. Father was a man with a huge army. From this height, they were as small ants hurrying around the fort courtyard. Soon this would not be called a fort it would be their castle.

Father and Dusan were excited she could tell. It had taken then a good number of years to prepare this territory. To secure men, to train them to gather people to set rules. Finally five years ago part of their dream became real.

In this world of magic those without usually suffered but Father was putting a stop to that. Everyone here, gathered behind the walls were strong together.

The army was huge, the food plentiful the money flowing in the raids successful. Continuing to the tower, she could not help but wonder. Was this all what made a kingdom? Was this all it took?

She knew better, you needed alliances, a crest, and a bigger territory, which led her back to why she was so mad at Dusan.

They were to meet with people later on about alliances and magic. They needed more healers they needed more soldiers. They needed more land paths open to them and safe. They needed more patrols.

He knew that but there he was messing around with women instead of doing last minute checks as she was doing. Opening the door to the armoury, she looked around. This was only the reserve armoury but recently they had been dipping into that ever so slightly.

They had enemies, yet brother and Father was not as worried as she was. She just could not let the nagging feeling she had rest.

Their land outside he fort walls were fairly safe. The village was inside. The last count of the villagers last winter boasted of over ten thousand. That excluded the men fighting.

A kingdom was more than that. They would have to make connections with other villagers. Acquire more land, the magic walls they had were handy but she wanted something stronger. All magic could be defeated.

Arms slipped around her and she found herself being squeezed from behind. Dusan rested his chin on her head.

“Don’t worry so much.” He said as he swung her gently.

“How could I not? This is not a kingdom as yet.”

“I know we need more land.” Dusan said raising his head. “We have to protect what we have first though and keep an eye on those who want to destroy us. Don’t rush it when the castle here is finished we will move on and secure safety for everyone.”

“I just feel so uneasy.” She whispered. Dusan moved his hand so they rubbed her arms. “Follow your instincts. It is what keeps us alive. Father has already told you. You see better than everyone else what may come.”

“Thank you.” She said slipping out of his embrace. That was reassuring. The heaviness she felt, as usual her family supported her.

“My apologies about tainting your eyes earlier.” Dusan sighed. “I never expected my innocent little sister to barge into a locked dark room to retrieve me after a night of celebration.”

“Trust me; she held my interest more than you.” Brana said dryly. “I don’t believe I’ve seen her before.”

“I’ve told Pa numerous times that you travelling and fighting with us is a mistake.” He grumbled. “You aren’t even blushing at knowing what a man has a woman in a bedchamber for.”

“With my skin this dark you would never know.” She pointed out. “And the men already told me in great detail if you remember about what happens.”

“And they paid dearly for it.” He sulked before hugging her again. “I never wanted you to know about that.”

“So I would have been always wondering where they go and what the women were doing? Doesn’t matter Father explains wonderfully.”

“Enough!” Dusan moaned. “I want you to stay by my side when we leave in a few days time. With any luck we will be having new men and until they learn the rules I want you close to me.”

The rules, Brana knew what that meant. The whole army knew it. She was not to be touched. For some not to be spoken to. Although Father was not yet properly a King, she was their Princess.

Although one of war. She did not remain behind. Father and Dusan kept her always at their sides. In the heat of the battle was their only slackening of the strings that tied her to them but only so, she could fight in a safe place.

Even though she was close to Dusan’s strength. She was almost there; she still was put aside as fragile. The army was made of many strong men and she could beat a good set of them.

Dusan’s generals however, there was a small set of men she knew she could not take down that she wondered if Dusan himself could take down.

Father’s men were the same; she could match some but not all. She was better than the new ones. Stronger than a lot of those there but the handpicked ones of Father and Dusan.

Until she could surpass them, she felt as though she would always be put behind them in matters of battle. Sometimes it felt as if the whole army fought to protect her.

When she was small, it had felt that way. Dusan either hiding her or keeping her right behind him as he fought.

Even now, she was a woman of 19 but she knew nothing of a woman’s world. She only knew the world of men. Of fighting, drinking, gambling and of those sort of women. She knew nothing of children or households.

No wonder the women of the village and the fort disliked her. To them she was of no use. She could not provide like a man, or compete like a woman; but it was not as if she even really wanted to compete.

There was nothing worth competing for. Unless. Her gaze went to the arms embracing her. They were more like tight strings binding them together. How longer would she remain smothered?

She sighed deeply. She so badly wanted their roles to be reversed, could she not be the one to protect him for a change?

Be the one to pull him from a pit of despair and grief? Was she set to be able to only do women stuff for him her whole life?

Could taking care of the castle, keeping an eye on his health the only things she could accomplish? Why could she not be regarded as a warrior?

Could the day not finally come that she could stand up to face him as something worthwhile and of equal status. Could the day not come in which she would finally be useful?