Rain. That was the weather since that day. A day that ruined the villages last hope. See there weren't many boys to ever be in the village. Three at one point, not long ago. One died of a wolf attack when he was playing in the woods, two years past. Another had died of missing the last boy, and went only a year later. Our last hope, our only hope, died of a sickness unknown to any of us. And that, was a month past.

He was my brother. Edon Dariin was just 10 years, almost 11, when he was taken. Now, we have received a letter from the Romans saying they will be here soon. My father says that since we have no boys to go off, that we will have to send the fathers and grandfathers to go and serve again. All because of the loss of my twin. Yes. My twin. We were inseparable, never apart, and we had to do everything the other did. If my father taught my brother archery, he made me come too. If I learned how to cook so did Edon.

My parents, named us both almost the same since we were so close. Even at birth they could rarely pull us apart. Aiden Dianna and Edon Dariin, twins and more than that. I loved my brother with my heart and soul. And he promised me, that when the Romans came to get him, that he would take me with him. He needed me to be with him, and I was happy that we would live together in a new land.

But all of that is gone now. The promises, the love we shared, the fullness of my life seems to have slipped away. My family will not be disgraced and I will not lose another man in my life. That is why I have decided to request that I go in my brother's stead. As long as I hide my hair, no one will know. My father has old armor that I can fit into, surely, so that I will not have to be suited to new armor. I can fight well, and they will no doubt teach us better technique. How to tell my father, is a new difficulty. I spoke with my mother about it already, while father was out hunting for meat, and she agrees that it would be best if I left. There was nothing left for me here anyway.

So now, I sit on a high branch of my favorite tree, searching the plains for a sight of my father and the others. The sun is starting to set, and I had only come from helping with our meal a few moments ago. All was ready, but the meat. Mother told me to go and play with the other girls until my father got home, but there was no use. None of them seemed to like the things I did, because Edon and I had only ever sat in the tree, or practiced fighting with the wooden swords our father made. Finally, looking out towards the river, I see my father on his horse, a big boar tied to our other horse and a smile on his face. I quickly climbed down from my hiding spot, and ran back to the house alerting my mother that father was home.

"Mother, he is here." I said before going back outside and running towards my father. He jumped off his horse when he saw me, and he picked me up with such strength, and he spun me around. I felt as though I was flying. But such childish games were of no use. I felt as though I had aged five years in a month. All the wonders of childhood had left me since I lost Edon, and now, what was I to do. Tell my father that he may never see his daughter again? That I would rather die than live forever without Edon? How was I to tell him that I wanted to leave and fight?

All the other men had come and they had each taken rations of the boar. The women, thereafter, took the meat inside and finished their cooking. Soon, my father and I were the only people left outside. I knew this was my chance to talk to him, but I wished for my mother to be beside me, to defend me when he got angry and refused to listen any longer. I hoped with all my soul that my mother would soon be near to me, and that we could talk all of us together.

"Father, I must request of you a boon." I said outright. Was it my imagination or were my hands shaking as though it was winter?

"Why do you speak so formal Aiden. I am your Father, you may speak plain," he said in reply.

"Oh," I said looking down, trying to find my confidence again. I knew I must tell him soon, before the Roman's arrived, so that we had time to prepare my leave. And if he did not relent to my request, my mother and I would prepare while he was hunting, and I would leave without his permission. "Father, I must go in Edon's stead. Please, I do not wish for anyone in this village to go off, when their years have already been spent. They all deserve to live long, meaningful lives. Let me do this Father. I pray you, please, let me do this."

He sat, motionless, his eyes dark and guarded. How I wished I could hear his thoughts, what he wanted to say or do to stop me from my plea. The wind started to blow softly, and my hair fell gently into my eyes. I left it there, trying to stay as still as I could until the brunt of his anger came out. I was prepared to stand and argue my way to his permission. But, when he looked at me, his eyes were warm, and full of concerns, but I knew he would relent.

"I know there is nothing I can do to stop you either way Aiden. But they will know, and then they will kill you," he said his voice shaking. I had never heard my father so scared before, and it was starting to worry me. He went on, "Your brother's death is very much mourned, but I do not want to lose both of my children before they even see their twentieth winter. Do you understand Aiden? I cannot bear to see your mother's tears when we wait for your return and you never come."

I looked away, for tears were stinging my eyes. He was relenting to my request, and he was doing it for my sake, no one else's. My Father was a great man, and a great father, but he did not think of how unhappy I was. He had mourned a total of four days before he completely forgot about Edon. He had not mourned each and every night since his death. I had. I had cried alone in my bed, covered in his fur blanket, so that I would not freeze. I cried in our tree, when all others were by the village fire telling stories. I had cried so many tears I did not know where they all came from.

"Have you seen mine Father? Have you seen the tears I cry everyday knowing that he will never be back? That I may not see him until I die? Father, I do this not for my sake, but yours. Your sake knowing that he was our only chance to be clean of your father's father's pact. I really wish that he could be here Father, but I look like him. I can fight as well as him. I can do this Father," I said standing up.

In the background my mother stood, amazed at my courage to speak so, fully to my father. I had never said anything like this to him Before, I always had Edon to listen to me, to talk and yell to. My father's mouth was agape as I looked at him. "Then we shall prepare," he finally said.

I fell to my knees in tears, knowing that I would be taking my brother's place. That I would soon be away from the only thing I had ever known. "Thank you," was all that I said as he helped me up, and back into the house to eat our meal.

(lalalalalalalalalala...next day)

The next day I woke up at dawn from my father shaking me. He was ready to prepare my saddlebags and the horse. My mother was drying meat when I walked out of our wonderful hut. Her beautiful blonde hair was in a braid, but it was still beautiful. It was strange for her to have blonde hair, for everyone in her line had always had black hair. But, it suited her well. My hair, was a mix between her luscious blonde locks and my father's deep brown hair. It was a sort of a golden brown color, which gleamed in the light, as my brother would say.

I followed my father to the pen the men had made to keep the horses safe during the night, and together we packed the saddlebag, and brushed down Brady, the new stallion that Father had captured. He was a good horse, and did not mind that he was to be controlled by a woman. My mother came over, with a small meal of stew, and we put the dried meat into my saddlebag, along with my brother's old clothes. My father saw men on horses coming close to our village, and told me to run and change my clothing and quickly. I did as I was told without any question.

I pinned a hat onto my head, and walked out of the house, a piece of dried meat in my mouth, and I came face to face with a Roman officer. He looked down upon me, and I cowered slightly, but remembered I was my brother. "What is his name?" the man asked my father.

"Aiden. He is only ten, almost eleven," he said in a placid voice. The Roman just looked at me, and nodded towards my horse. I walked towards it, and got on without objection. My mother handed me a token, my brother's old necklace, and a leather bracelet from her and my father. As I was led away from them, I heard my father start yelling "Rus", and then everyone else in the village joined in. No one would speak of how I was a girl, and no one would see me for 15 years. The price I pay to be happy again, is a very frivolous one.

(end of chapter 1...hehehe. whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooooooooooooo)

Hey. Hope you liked it. It's not much, but it is about 4 pages, so yeah. Reviews are much appreciated, I'd like to know if you want me to continue or not. Thanks everyone who's reading it.

Sincerely yours,

SexayKidd