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Chapter One
"You don't have to do this Leto" His sister beseeched him as he strode towards battle master. "Yes, I do Varania. Now be quiet and go back to mother before you are missed from your duties in the house. You know if you're late again, it will be a beating for you and mother both."
He turned to face his sister, staring into her identical green eyes, their mother's eyes. His own softened when he saw the concern in Varania's. "Why are you doing this? You're already one of the Master's prized guards. What have you to gain from winning this contest?" She pleaded with him. She was sure this was going to be her last chance to talk him out of this folly. But Leto was being his annoyingly obstinate self. He flattened his lips, and then raised an eyebrow.
"I have my reasons. Get back to the house now! I will not tell you again." He sighed and lowered his eyebrow, pushing a stray red lock behind Varania's pointed ear. "I will win this Varania. Believe in me, I will win this boon and become invaluable to Danarius. I will improve our lot." He allowed his high shoulders to drop infinitesimally. "I will win, Varania."
Varania was beginning to feel anxious about her extended absence from the house and was tallying how she would catch up on her work in the back of her mind, but she was terrified she would lose her big brother. Several years older and from a different father, Leto had been her protector and friend her whole life. He was her whole world. She pled with him one last time. "But what is it you'll win Leto? The master hasn't said what it is! What if it's one of his jokes?" She shuddered at the thought.
Magisters could do as they pleased with their slaves and Danarius certainly did. Leto shook his head. "I doubt that. He wouldn't waste his best warriors on a joke. On a wager perhaps, but not a joke. Go, I must speak to the battle master now." With that he strode away into the training grounds along with the other guards who had chosen to participate. Varania swallowed a sob and ran to the house.
Their mother was already busy cleaning the ladies quarters and getting the evening clothes prepared. They were ladies maids to Danarius' daughters and wife and tonight, as every night, were a formal dinner, with all the trappings and fashionable accoutrement that went with it. Danarius liked his women to look beautiful and expected them to look different every night, so each day was spent altering and rearranging gowns and accessories into fresh-yet fashionable looks. Then there was the cosmetics and hair styling for all the ladies. And last but not least, keeping the chambers spotlessly clean. Dinner was still a couple of hours away, so they were still tidying up and setting out the clothes for that evening. Her mother looked at her with a vague air of annoyance as she entered, but said nothing as Varania started to do her duties in the rooms. Varania sighed and began setting out three gowns per lady, so they might choose.
She looked at her mother and felt she would explode if she didn't say anything. Her mother and Leto could brood quietly about something eternally it seemed. "He's entering the contest. I couldn't stop him." She blurted.
Her mother glanced at her from under her fringe of dark hair, yet another trait shared between mother and son. Her mother sighed "He will do what he will. Once he has set his mind on something, Maker knows, there is no turning him from his purpose. What we must do is pray for him, dear." With that voluble speech, she turned back to organizing shoes and gave her back to her daughter.
Varania had never felt so completely alone in her life.