Blood and Fury bowed in front of their master, who was sitting in the meeting room of his home. As usual, the curtains were closed and the room was as dark as it could be.

  Master Red sat up straight on the chair, which was the only piece of furniture in that room. His sword was in front of him, the tip of the blade on the floor and his hands placed one on top of the other and on top of the hilt, as if it was a cane.

  Unlike the rest of Blood’s comrades, Master Red did not wear a mask at all times. He only wore it when it was necessary… but usually, it was off and everyone could see him and fear him.

  His blood red eyes were bright, and almost looked as if they were glowing, and his black hair was long and tied up in a ponytail, though some stands fell down his face.

  His features were sharp, with a square jawline that was covered with black stubbles. And his body was so chiseled that he looked inhumane.

  Master Red’s outfit was similar to what Blood was wearing, except Master Red also wore a long black coat with no sleeves.

  “Good news, I’m hoping?” Master Red asked. His voice was deep and frightening. It took a lot for Fury to hold back her shudder.

  Blood however, was used to it. It didn’t frighten him.

  “Yes.” Blood said. “King Karuna has promised that he will continue to trust us with all his heart.”

  “Though he hopes that we can prevent this war from starting.” Fury added.

  “Hmm.” Master Red blinked. “He’s a good man. His trust in us is never ending. We mustn’t let him down. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, Master Red.” Blood and Fury said together.

  “Sky and Faith have won the trust of most of the Northern villagers.” Blood said.

  “Excellent.” Master Red said. “Now Fury, I need you to go inform them of King Karuna’s decision.”

  “Yes, Master Red.” Fury said and bowed her head before she disappeared.

  Blood raised his own head and straightened up once she was gone, looking straight at Master Red.

  Master Red watched him carefully. “Blood… I heard you were spending a lot of time with… Meenu Kyrus.” Master Red said, his face looked serious and unhappy.

  “That’s a lie.” Blood said. “I have not been spending a lot of time with her. I see her sometimes. That is all.”

  Master Red kept his eyes on Blood. “Don’t do anything that will anger me, Blood.”

  “Yes, Master Red.” Blood said. “But… Dukaryn wants to wed her.”

  Master Red hesitated. “What?”

  Blood kept his eyes on his master. “They may get married.”

  Master Red narrowed his eyes, but then turned his head away from Blood for the first time that evening. He thought for a moment. “Return to Amberdyse and keep an eye on the King, Blood.”

  “Yes, Master Red.” Blood said before he disappeared.

  Master Red looked through the small opening between his curtains and up at the moon.

  He didn’t like the feeling that he felt deep in his gut.

  He didn’t like it one bit.

  Three days passed slowly and Meenu waited excitedly for the next time that she could see Blood.

  She was so excited to start learning that she had already told all her best friends about what she was doing. Of course, she made her friends promise not to tell anyone at all.

  When the day finally came, Meenu woke up bright and early. She ran down the stairs with Knight but was stopped by her father.

  “Whoa… what’s the rush?” He asked as he grabbed her by the ponytail.

  Meenu chuckled. “Good morning, daddy.” She tiptoed and kissed his cheek.

  “Are you really that excited for the festival?” He asked.

  Meenu hesitated. Today was the festival? “Um… yes.”

  Her father chuckled. “The King will be looking for you. Make sure you go say hello to him.”

  Meenu nodded. “Yes, papa.”

  “And… he wanted to take you to the palace tomorrow.” Her father said.

  Meenu blinked. “What?”

  “Just to show you around.” Her father said. “He’ll return you home in a couple of days.”

  “Oh…” Meenu said. “Okay.”

  Lord Kyrus smiled before he kissed her forehead. “Have fun, Meenu.”

  “Thank you, papa.” She said before she ran off with Knight.

  She pushed the thought of leaving, even for a bit, to the back of her mind. She had to be focused today.

  After all, she was going to learn how to be a warrior today. And that was a dream come true.

  When she arrived at the spot where they always met, she sat down and looked at her new sword. She had sewn the sheath onto her belt so that she didn’t have to worry about it falling off and now she had more people staring at her.

  Meenu Kyrus with a sword? That doesn’t look too good.

  But it didn’t bother Meenu. Because whenever she touched the sword, she felt so much better.

  With the help of this sword, she was going to become a warrior.

  She’d move up North if she had to, to join the village filled with the respected women…

  But she was going to become a great warrior.

  Just like Blood.

  “I’m surprised you actually skipped the festival to come train with me.”

  Meenu looked up and Blood was sitting in a tree, looking down at her. “It’s the same festival every year.” Meenu said. “I’m missing nothing, really.”

  “Are you sure?” Blood asked, jumping down from the tree and landing on his legs and one hand. When he straightened himself up he looked at her. “We can train tomorrow, if you please.”

  Meenu shook her head. “I can’t.” She said, starting to frown. “The King is taking me to the capital tomorrow for a short while… to show me the castle.”

  Blood’s eyebrows rose. “Hmm. Well, that sounds exciting.”

  Meenu pushed the thought aside again. “Blood, I have some questions to ask you.”

  Blood chuckled. “Do you, now?”

  Meenu nodded. “What’s your real name?”

  “There’s a reason for why I have a fake name.” He said. “You’re not supposed to know my real name.”

  “So you won’t tell me?” She frowned.

  “No.”

  “Give me a clue!”

  “No.” Blood said as he pulled his brand new sword out.

  Meenu frowned some more. “Can you at least show me your face?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Pretty please?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  Blood sighed. “When I joined the group that I’m in now… my true name and identity was supposed to be forgotten.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it can slow us down.”

  “Your name and identity can slow you down?”

  “Of course.”

  Meenu tried to figure out how that would work, but Blood didn’t let her think for much longer.

  “Take off your jewelry.”

  “Why?” She asked.

  Blood rolled his eyes, getting a little annoyed with her questions. He then quickly swung his sword in Meenu’s direction, making her gasp and close her eyes.

  But the blade of his sword slipped through the silver bracelet she wore around her wrist, the flat end against her skin. “Because something like this can happen.” He said, lifting the sword and lifting her hand up in the process.

  Meenu carefully pulled her hand away, her heart racing in fear and excitement at the same time. “How did you do that?”

  “Practice.” Blood said. “Now, take off your jewelry.”

  Meenu nodded quickly and took of her necklace, her earrings, the one ring she wore on her finger and the bracelet. She dropped it in the grass next to a tree and then ran back to Blood. “I practiced holding the sword when you were gone.” She said. “My best friend Linkyn taught me. His father is a Knight and he’s going to be one too.”

  “Good.” Blood said. “I’m happy to see you working hard.”

  Meenu grinned at her teacher.

  “Now, show me what you learned.”

  Meenu pulled the sword out of her sheath and held it out in front of her. Her arms were still sore from the practicing, and she still had to hold it with two hands, but at the very least, she wasn’t wobbling or dropping it any more.

  Blood looked at her posture and nodded his head. She was holding the sword out with both her hands, one foot in front of the other and her shoulders were relaxed. It was good for a beginner. “Good.” He said. “Now swing it.”   

  Meenu hesitated. “I haven’t practiced that yet.”

  “That’s okay.” He said. “Just swing it.”

  Meenu took a deep breath and swung the sword.

  In the process, she almost tripped over her own feet. She stumbled forward, but kept a hold on her sword.

  “Well…” Blood said. “At least you didn’t drop the sword.”

  Meenu pouted her lips.

  Blood chuckled as he walked in front of her. “Put the sword away. Let’s try something else first.”

  Meenu hesitated but did as he said.

  “You’re too hesitant.” Blood said. “And you do not have proper control over your body.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What?” She asked. “How can I not have proper control over my own body?”

  Blood bent forward and untied a cloth that was tied around his thigh. He then handed it to Meenu. “I’m going to teach you how to see without your eyes.”

  Meenu suddenly got excited. “Like how you do it?”

  Blood nodded.

  She smiled at Blood but then frowned immediately after, trying to hide her excitement. “How can you stay sane, walking around with a mask all day?”

  “You learn.” He said. “Your other senses become your eyes. And I’m going to help you learn.”

  “Is that really possible?”

  “Of course.” He said, amusement in his voice. “You learn to feel shapes, hear distance, and taste and smell colour.”

  Meenu snorted. “That's impossible.”

  “Cover your eyes.” Blood said.

  Meenu looked down at the cloth and then blindfolded herself.

  “You’re going to spend the rest of the day blindfolded.”

  Meenu was going to argue, but they suddenly heard loud drums and music start to play.

  The festival had begun.

  “Perfect.” Blood said. “Point in the direction that you hear the music.”

  Meenu took a deep breath.

  “Listen carefully. Trust your instinct.”

  Meenu tried to hone in on her hearing, and after a moment of contemplation, she pointed to the right.

  “Very good.” Blood said. “See, you’re already learning.”

  Meenu smiled, excited.

  “Now, I want you to walk.”

  Now she frowned.

  “Trust your instinct though.” She heard Blood say. “Without you even knowing, your body is already taking in your surroundings using your other senses. Your skin feels the changes in light and wind because of objects that surround you. And your hearing checks carefully for danger.”

  Meenu swallowed hard.

  “Now, walk forward.” He said. “Today you will learn to trust your instinct completely. If it tells you to turn, you turn. If it tells you to keep walking, you keep walking. Understood?”

  Meenu nodded.

  She took a deep breath and started walking forward.

  She held her hands out in front of her, but then panicked when she felt Blood grab them. “That’s cheating.” He said. “Keep your hands down.”

  When he let go, she lowered them and kept walking forward.

  Blood watched as Meenu walked towards a tree.

  He tried not to laugh, but his eyebrows started to rise when she began slowing down in front of it.

  And right when she reached it, she turned.

  Blood was about to congratulate her, but then she bumped into the tree that was right next to it.

  Meenu grunted and fell back. She rubbed her forehead and Blood laughed.

  But to his surprise, she stood up and kept going.

  She kept at it for hours, just as she had a few days before… and her determination never ceased to impress Blood.

  A couple hours in, she was dodging trees easily, though she still bumped into a couple of them.

  Soon, she was even stepping over things that could trip her… though again, she still continued to trip many times.

  But all in all, her improvement was drastic.

  And Blood was thoroughly impressed.

  She practiced until the sun was going to set and Blood stood up from his spot against a tree trunk. “Keep an eye on her for a bit.” Blood said to Knight, though he knew he didn’t need to say it.

  And then Blood disappeared.

  He returned very quickly, holding a basket of bread and fruits and a jar of milk.

  “That’s enough Meenu.” He said as Meenu bumped into another tree and fell back.

  She got up and turned around and Blood chuckled.

  Her forehead was a little bruised from all the bumping and her clothes were filthy from falling onto the ground too much.

  Meenu removed the blindfold and grinned when she saw the food. “Can I have some?”

  “It’s for you.” Blood said, holding the basket out. “A congratulations for your excellent improvement. Who knows, you may be a full fledged warrior by the end of the month.”

  Meenu chuckled as she ran over to him. “Thank you!” She said as she handed him his blindfold and took the basket from him. She sat down, pulled the bread out and showed it to Knight. “Fruit or bread, Knight?”

  Knight grabbed an apple with his mouth and dropped it on the floor, eating it messily.

  Blood sat down in front of her and watched her eat.

  “Do you want some?” Meenu asked him.        

  Blood shook his head. “I’m fine.”

  Meenu took a bite out of the bread and smiled. “Thank you.” She said again.

  Blood nodded his head. “Are you ready to go to the Capital?”

  “No.” Meenu said. “But my mother is packing for me.”

  “I mean… are you emotionally ready?”

  Meenu looked at him. “No.” She said, honestly. “I only saw the King once after he told me he was going to marry me… And it was strange.”

  “Strange?”

  She nodded. “It was almost like… this was a simple thing to him.”

  “It’s often like that for higher class men.”

  “Is it?”

  Blood nodded.

  “Well… I still don’t understand why he wanted to marry me.”

  “Why can’t you just accept the fact that he was interested by you?” Blood asked. “You’re a pretty girl with an extraordinary talent.”       

  She was both flattered and surprised that Blood would say something like that. But Meenu knew he was just saying that… well, at least the ‘pretty girl’ part. She did believe she had a talent… but she wasn’t at all pretty.

  But she knew if she said what she thought out loud, Blood would accuse her of having no confidence.

  So she just shrugged. “I don’t think that’s it.”

  Blood shook his head.

  “I’m also a little worried that he’s going to be a bit mean.”

  “Why is that?”

  “He’s from the Lumynos family…”

  “Mmm…” Blood nodded his head. “They say that people from the Lumynos family are harsh.”

  “Like Avaryn.” Meenu shuddered.

  “Especially like him.” Blood chuckled. “But there are some kind Lumynos people. Like Avaryn’s father, yes?”

  Meenu nodded. “My father speaks a lot about Avaryn’s father… I think they were friends.”

  “Really?”

  Meenu nodded.

  “Your father must have known Avaryn then.”

  Meenu hesitated and thought about it. “You’re right…” She said. “I’ve never asked him that.”

  “He probably would not want to talk about it if he did.”

  Meenu nodded. “Hey, Avaryn’s father is the one who started these festivals, right?” Meenu asked.

  They could both still hear the music and the drums beating.

  Blood nodded. “I believe he thought that it was important for citizens to get a chance to meet and enjoy a day with their King.”

  Meenu nodded. “He seems like he was great… it’s strange that the son of such a man would do what he did.”

  “I heard he went mad after his father died.”    

  “That’s what I heard too.”

  “Do you believe it?” Blood asked.

  Meenu looked up at him. “Why do you ask? Is there something else that people believe?”

  “There are some people who believed that there was more to it.”

  Meenu raised her eyebrows, interested. “Like what?”

  “There are many, many theories.” Blood said. “But the main point of it is that there was a reason behind his actions.”

  “Isn’t it treason to speak for Avaryn?” Meenu asked.

  “Of course.” Blood said. “Don’t tell the King.” He said, jokingly.

  Meenu smiled. “I wish someone could catch him and we could find out what really happened.”

  “Me too.” Blood said. “And I think you should be getting home. If you’re leaving to the capital you’d have to leave bright and early in the morning tomorrow.”

  Meenu sighed.

  Blood smiled. “You’ll be fine.”

  Meenu smiled and then got up. “Thank you for the food.” She said. “I’ll see you again when I get home.”

  Blood nodded his head. “Enjoy your stay at the castle.”

  “I’ll try.” Meenu said. And with that, she ran off with Knight.

  Blood watched her leave, and as he did he noticed that she had left all her jewelry behind.

  He could have caught up to her and returned it… but for some reason, he picked it up, stuffed it into one of his pocket and decided to hold onto it.