Somewhere in the palace garden was the red haired princess Olivia and her brother , the heir to the throne , Prince Oswald,they were both deep into a conversation.

"Look love, you are a lady and have no business in Royal matters okay" .the prince said. "Your duty as the daughter of the king is to get married to another noble in the kingdom and create new alliances through marriage, do you understand?, I never want to hear another word about this nonsense from your mouth ".

He turned his back to take his leave.
"I know I will make a good general out of myself and you are scared about..."
She was interrupted as Oswald slapped her.
Soon she started bleeding.

"Arghh...look what you made me do, I'm sorry but do not upset me ever again".
He took a wipe from her hands and cleaned the blood from her lips as she sobbed.

"Change your dress and join the family at the dinner hall. And do that immediately". He said as he walked out of the garden.

Her guard was watching quietly with his arms folded into fists.
As Oswald left the garden left the garden he rushed to the princess.

"Are you alright my princess? , I'm sorry...". She slapped him. She slapped him again. And again and again until he too started bleeding.

"DO I LOOK OKAY TO YOU, HUH ,DO I?. YOU WATCHED ME GET HUMILIATED , I'M SURE YOU ENJOYED IT. I'M ASKING YOU ARION DIDN'T YOU ENJOY IT?".
She cried as she kept slapping him. His face was completely covered with blood as she had adorned her hands with heavy jewels earlier.
With his face and mouth all swollen he managed to speak.
"I'm sowwy my lord, s'all i call your lofer ofer to help console you".
She reacted violently, but this time with a punch nearly removing his eyes.

Arion crawled out of the garden with trail of blood following behind him but unfortunately for him he passed out just at the exit of the garden.

She then commanded a guard close by to take him to the shelter where they took care of injured soldiers.
Later that evening at the dinner table all the members of the royal family and their lovers or wives were seated. There was a little chatter at the table. Then olivia spoke up.
"Father you haven't answered my request about commanding a regiment in the lower ranks. I believe I would become a great leader and fighter. I'm good at strategies of war and...".
King armah banged his hands on the table and immediately silence fell on the table.
The look on the King's face was scary .
"I told you before and I will say it again that I will not let you go into the army for any reason, why can't you be like your elder sister and get married, bear children and raise a noble family. Leave the dirty work for we the men in the family".

"I told you not to mention or speak about the army or any thing relating to politics in your life, father please with your permission let me correct her once and for all". Prince Oswald said.
The king just wave his hand. "No need for that my boy".
Soon a loud laughter was heard at the table.
"Hahahaha, look at you acting like father's best son when you are as vile as the beggars at the swamp areas of this kingdom. Why don't you bunch of scrats let that spoilt lot be huh, she wants to taste war then let her taste it".
Prince riechford the true heir to the throne and the general of the white army regiment said. He was stripped of the crown when he was accused of killing one of the sons of a noble he had problems with when he was younger, so instead of being killed immediately he was punished and was told to command the regiment that will always be the front line at any major battle. The white armour regiment.

"Look son , when important matters are being discussed at the family table , just shut your mouth do you hear me". The king was really upset this time.

"Any way I wonder why you still allow him to eat at the table with us , shouldn't you be with your army in your quarter huh, you hopeless thing". Said with scorn on his lips.
Riechford then brought kriesmegger(war knife) out of his coat and stabbed it into the table.
"Say that one more time boy, and I will show you bloody scrat what I'm capable of".
Terror soon filled Oswald's face.

"That's enough, look Olivia, I'm your senior sister and I only want the best for you , I lost my husband, prince ormah to this war and I would not let another loved one die under my watch ever again , so please forget about the army for your own good".
Master Roderick then held her hands and whispered something into her ears. But it only infuriated her.
"You with them too, all of you don't want my happiness, I don't want to be a house wife and an ordinary mother like you sister maria ,I want to do battle like brother riechford and that is all that I want". She said as she ran out of the table.
She cried all night in her room. Then it hit her. She went up to the family study room and started searching the whole place.
Thud.
A book had fallen out of the shelf. She went over to pick. Just then the whole shelf moved unveiling a small pack of books behind the wall. She then picked one out of three on the wall and started reading immediately. After few hours of studying, she hid the book behind her night garment. "When I retrieve this item father will have no choice but to install me into the army , now to get my self an army ". She said as she left the study room.
Unknown to her she was watched by the hooded creature. As she left the study room he gave a light grin and said .
"It's all coming together now, very soon my goal will be achieved, haha haha".

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