My Father had sat our family down for an important talk. I'm not sure why he had to wake me earlier than practice, but he insisted it was more important than practice. What is more important than practice?
Father began speaking about how from a kingdom far away, a princess would be staying in the village for protection. While in her kingdom a war would be fought, she would be residing here for who knows how long. When it is safe for her to return she would go back. I laughed a bit unknowingly, "Why doesn't she fight for her kingdom?" Father gave a smile towards me and told me not all girls can fight, like me. I felt pride that not all girls were fighters. It made me happy. Indeed, I was the only girl in my village to become a Warrior, but I didn't think in every kingdom it was like this. Father began telling us that other Soldiers would be protecting her as she stayed. I rolled my eyes already envisioning a stuck up, petty princess who thought highly of herself because she's a princess. Father told me I would have an opportunity to become friends with her. I shook my head not even wanting to be any friend of hers. My Father sighed as he left the table, only leaving Grandma Fa and Mother at the table with me. My mother looked over to me and told me to freshen up and be ready for breakfast, there was a long day ahead of us.
The sun was beginning to peak out from the mountains as I was training in the gardens with my sword. It was wooden sword, but I trained everyday so soon I can have a sword of my own. My Father told me I was almost ready to make my own. I was beyond excited. I wanted to be a Warrior already.
Papa was telling me that I had to go away for a while. I didn't understand why, but I knew it had something to do with the Ogres making a ruckus in the kingdoms across the lands. I asked him where I would be taken and all he would respond was, "Somewhere far away from here. A small village past the mountains." I sighed wanting to be able to help with the issues at hand, but I couldn't argue. It was my 'Duty', whatever that was. He told me to pack my things quickly for I would be leaving any minute.
I was dragging my biggest trunk down the stairs as the servants came to help, but I insisted that I was fine. I wanted to do something on my own for once. I was already 18 and my Papa thought me still a baby. I was quite excited to be going to this new village. I could be on my own, I could become someone. I boarded the carriage as my Mama and Papa said their goodbyes. It was a quick goodbye and then I was off. A strange new land and journey awaited me.
I was getting a bit restless in the carriage because of how long the ride was. I was grateful for leaving with a new sense of adventure, but I didn't want to waste it in the carriage. I pulled down the sliding glass and asked one of the guards, from behind, if I could go horseback for a bit. The guard looked at the constructer who shrugged his shoulders in a yes. He heaved the carriage to a stop so I could get out and ride one of the horses. The guard willingly gave his horse up for me. I thanked him of course, and began the journey on horseback.
The sun had completely come up from behind the mountains and had given me some light to train. I had been practicing forms until the sun had rose, now I was practicing attacking. I had a special tree I used to practice my swings. The tree had been so abused that dents in the bark showed and also all the leaves had fallen off. Mother was angry with me at first, but Father had talked with her and told her that I needed the raw training. Especially a tangible target to practice on. My mother always rolled her eyes when she saw me practicing with the tree, but she knew it was important to me so she didn't pesture me about the tree anymore. I was hitting the tree forcefully, with all my strength. I loved the feeling of the swings and hits I made, that every hit made an indent, a mark. It was like I was marking myself into the world. The sweat began to drip down the sides of my head, but I trained on. I wanted to show my Father I was ready to take the steel. I wanted to show him I was ready to become a Warrior. I kept swinging and swinging until I heard a tumult of some sort coming from beyond the walls of the garden. I ignored it and kept my training going, until my Father was calling me from the entrance telling me to come now.
I was riding the horse all the way into the village which took a few hours, but as we came closer to the outskirts of the village all the guards halted the carriage and me. "Princess Aurora, you must get inside the carriage when we approach the village." One guard told me as he moved closer to the horse I rode, to help me down. I was going to protest on why I had to get inside the carriage, but I remembered my place a Princess and got off the horse without a word. I sat inside the carriage a bit sullenly as we began making our way into the village. I saw a crowd of villagers awaiting my arrival. I didn't know they knew of my arrival...or even cared. I peered out the glass as we got inside and found that they were very different from the people in my kingdom. I heard them speaking a different language as my carriage passed by. Papa had told me that I would be residing in the Fa's house. He told me there was a girl their around the same age as me, I was excited to meet her. I barely got to see my friends because they all lived in the presiding kingdoms.