East Kingdom, 4 years earlier
A few hours after the incident in the castle dining area, the children were led outside to a training field. Camilly looked around, trying to get used to the idea that this would be part of her routine now. The place contained crates full of weapons like swords, axes, machetes, and similar things. In the main area of the field, logs were planted in the ground with bundles of hay wrapped in wire around them, Camilly assumed these would be used for their physical training.
When they reached the area where the logs were, Megan ordered the children to form symmetrical lines in front of each log, so each line had the same number of kids. Once they were organized, the general began dictating the rules.
— Alright maggots, this is where the fun begins. — She flashed a sadistic smile — We will test your skills, your performance, your endurance, and most importantly, we'll find out how you can be useful in a war. — She said, looking at each of the young ones present — But until we discover your specific talents, all of you will train a bit of everything. We'll start with the basics: archery. — Megan declared with enthusiasm.
All her bad mood had dissipated after the queen had sought her out to "relieve the tension." Even though she was still very angry at that girl who was annoying and meddlesome in her eyes, a few hours with Her Majesty certainly made Megan's day better, or rather, a few hours of sex.
While the first in each line took the weapons and began trying to hit the target, Camilly, who was at the end of the line, yawned bored. She knew archery definitely wasn't her specialty. The girl even had good aim, but handling that weapon required a lot of calm and concentration, something more psychological than physical, and for her, something where she could vent her anger and switch off her mind was more advisable and appropriate.
— Hey, Mads. — Camilly called in a low tone to her newest friend, who was in the line next to hers.
Madson looked at the guards fearfully, and once she saw their attention wasn't on her, she turned to Camilly.
— What is it? — she whispered back.
— How about we go train other things? Archery is definitely not my best skill, and probably not yours either. — said Camilly, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
Madson crossed her arms and frowned, confused, staring at her friend.
— And why do you think that's not my skill? — she asked.
Camilly smiled, amused, shrugging.
— Well, you're so small and cute, I can't picture you behind a big bow with a sharp arrow. — the girl frowned to herself — Actually, I can't picture you with any weapon at all. — Camilly said, letting out an amused laugh.
Her words made Madson blush, embarrassed.
Camilly wasn't trying to embarrass her friend, but somehow she had to push Madson out of her comfort zone. If she kept that fear and insecurity, she wouldn't last long in this place. Before Madson could retort, Megan called them to take their positions, as they were next in line. The two picked up the bows, with the brown-haired girl going first. Camilly took a deep breath and tried to focus, but unlike when she prepared to fight, she couldn't concentrate completely. Camilly huffed, annoyed, and simply aimed haphazardly at the log before releasing the arrow. The girl smiled seeing it wasn't so bad.
The arrow had hit the line near the center of the target.
Camilly smiled confidently and looked at Madson. She shrugged and winked at her friend. Madson rolled her eyes at the obvious provocation, then positioned the bow and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Madson tried to let her instincts surface, the icy breeze hitting her face making the hairs on her nape stand up, the sound of birds singing and horses trotting filled her ears. Then she opened her eyes, held the bow firmly, aimed at the center of the target, and released the arrow her other hand was holding, sending the object flying, tearing through the air with precision until it finally hit the bullseye.
Madson let out her breath, surprised, and looked around. She noticed everyone was staring at her, mouths agape. Madson gave a slight start when she felt someone grip her shoulder.
— I take back what I said, blondie, you look great behind a giant bow. — said Camilly, smiling proudly at her friend.
Madson smiled, shy and happy to have done well at something. Before they could enjoy the moment further, the general interrupted them.
— You shouldn't be celebrating this as some great victory. — she said venomously — Move on to the next training. You didn't think hitting an easy target once would get you off the hook, did you? — Megan added sarcastically.
Camilly bit her tongue to avoid retorting to Megan. Not because she feared or respected her, but because she was aware she wasn't fully recovered yet from her fight with the woman in the dining hall. And even though the queen had healed her abdominal wounds, her body still felt the effects of the general's blows.
Thinking about that, the queen came to mind again. She hadn't seen the icy woman since she hurriedly left the dining hall after helping her. For some reason, something inside Camilly wanted the queen to be there, watching her training. But then, why would she do that, right?
"To Freya, you're just a pet that needs to be tamed," Camilly thought.
The girl shook her head, pushing that thought away. Camilly then decided to go to the next training. Madson didn't accompany her, as she had to continue with archery thanks to Megan, who insisted the girl's hit was just a lucky shot. Camilly walked towards a circle formed by children and soldiers. She smiled, excited, as soon as she noticed that this training was something she understood.
Still from the archery training area, Megan directed her gaze at Camilly, who was slipping between the children in the circle until she reached the center. She rolled her eyes, irritated by the girl's petulance, but decided to keep watching to see how Camilly would fare in hand-to-hand combat. This time, she'd have the chance to observe her skills overall, without them being used against her.
It didn't take long for another girl, a few inches taller than Camilly, to step into the center of the circle and agree to fight her. Megan smiled, thinking she'd get to see that annoying girl get a beating, but her smile didn't last. In no time, the taller girl was already lying on the icy ground of the field. The general's smile faded and was replaced by a scowl. It was very confusing to her that this simple girl had so much fighting experience, especially considering the soldiers had found her alone in a forest. Megan focused her gaze on Camilly's eyes, again, there was the reddish-brown she had seen when they were fighting.
"What's wrong with this girl?" Megan wondered.
Consecutive hours of training passed until the soldiers gave permission for the children to enter the castle and rest. They all accepted, relieved to finally be able to rest and tend to their injuries from the harsh training. Again, there was only one child who hadn't followed the others.
Camilly didn't want to go in to rest. According to her, she wouldn't be able to sleep and didn't feel trained enough to consider stopping at that moment. The soldiers had no objections to her staying on the training field, as long as she didn't cause trouble or try to escape, they didn't care what she did. The truth was, after Freya's incisive speech, none of them had the courage to lay a hand on Camilly.
The girl kept training her aim with knife throwing until sunset. She also improved her concentration using her sharpened five senses and practiced some fencing, using a pointed piece of wood as a sword. Above all, Camilly used that time to be alone. It was very strange for her to have to live with so many people overnight, especially since she was used to surviving alone for over a year.
Being alone was sometimes a time of peace for her troubled mind.
While continuing to practice her skills with her improvised sword, the girl felt her danger sensor trigger. She gripped the pointed wood tighter and spun around with a strike, slicing a snowball that had been thrown at her in half. When Camilly noticed who had tried to hit her with the snowball, she dropped her attack stance and allowed her tense muscles to relax. She smiled.
— To what do I owe the honor, Your Majesty? — the girl asked playfully, giving an awkward bow.
Freya rolled her eyes at the girl's sarcastic tone. She approached, wondering why she was there. Freya had been walking through the castle when she heard noises coming from the training field. She looked through the castle's large window and immediately saw the small girl training alone. Freya remembered considering the idea of continuing her walk and ignoring Camilly, but her curiosity about the reason for the extra training was greater. And also, anyway, the queen liked the idea of being alone with her and learning more about her future right-hand woman.
— You should think twice before using sarcasm with me, girl. I am your queen, don't forget that. — said Freya, stopping near the girl.
Camilly shrugged and turned to face the log she was training on, thus standing sideways to the queen and looking at her from the corner of her eye. Freya leaned against the log with her shoulder, facing the girl. Camilly dropped her improvised sword and began throwing punches at the log with her clenched fists.
— I wasn't being sarcastic, Queen, it was just a joke. — said the girl.
— I don't understand your jokes.
— That's no surprise. — she stopped hitting the log and stared at her with an amused smile — Your sense of humor is as icy as your kingdom. — Camilly said, letting out a weak laugh and returning to hitting the log.
Freya felt even more irritated.
— Your boldness irritates me greatly. — she said.
— I know. — she said, stopping to hit the log and taking a deep breath — But you wouldn't have chosen me if I weren't like this. Your Majesty can say whatever you want, but you can't lie to yourself that the fact I don't fear you makes you even more intrigued to get close to me. — said Camilly, staring at her.
Freya was left speechless by the girl's boldness. It still surprised her that Camilly didn't mince words when speaking to her.
— If you're not afraid of me, tell me girl, why are you still here? — inquired the queen, arching an eyebrow.
Camilly smiled at her.
— Not all loyalty is formed from fear, Queen. I'm here because I promised I would dedicate my life to serving you. You shouldn't feel proud of having many people who fear you. I've been here two days and I already have that too. But don't worry, Majesty... — the girl approached her as if to tell a big secret —, I'll train enough to become something you can be proud of, and then you can say I dedicate my life to Your Majesty, not out of fear, but because I chose to serve you. — Camilly said, still smiling.
The queen was left speechless by the girl's declaration. She hadn't expected that. She expected a rude and mischievous answer, but not that. Freya stared at Camilly, much more intrigued than before. It was then that her gaze fell on a peculiar mark below the right clavicle on the girl's neck. It was a reddish mark, like a burn, with a curious shape, like the silhouette of a feline head.
— What is this mark on your chest? — asked the queen, thankful that it pulled her out of the dead end Camilly had put her in.
The girl frowned and looked at herself. She immediately realized what the queen was referring to.
— Ah. — she began, not knowing how to explain — I don't know where it came from, actually, I don't remember. I know it's not a birthmark. I've had it for over a year, since I've been alone, but it doesn't hurt or anything, it's just a strange mark. — she said.
Freya approached and touched the mark with the tips of her icy fingers. To her surprise, Camilly didn't pull away like most people did when feeling the queen's cold touch. She remained still, letting Freya trace the outline of her mark with her fingers.
— Don't you feel the cold? — asked Freya, genuinely curious.
— I do. — she smiled — But it's not a bad thing, I like the cold of your skin. — she slowly took the queen's hand and held it between her two hands — Don't you feel the heat? — Camilly returned the question.
— I do. — replied Freya, looking at her hand between the girl's hands.
— Then why didn't you pull away from my touch? — the girl asked, making the queen stare at her — You could have pulled away as soon as I grabbed your hand. The heat of my hands is to you what the cold of yours is to me it's different. — Camilly smiled when Freya frowned — You just have to remember one thing, Majesty: being different isn't bad. On the contrary, it's what makes us special. Those who avoid your touch because it's cold just haven't understood that yet. — she said before releasing Freya's hand.
The queen held her own hand, feeling strange for missing the warmth. Freya never liked heat. Her hand tingled, but not in a bad way. The queen stared at the girl, who had gone back to training, and wondered how she could be someone so distinct from everything she had ever seen in life. No one had ever told her things like that, not even the people she once believed loved her. They always asked Freya to hide her powers, to wear gloves to cover her cold hands, to be someone completely different from who she really was.
— Girl. — she called her, making Camilly stop and stare — Your training is over for today. Put on your coat. When your body stops sweating, you'll realize how cold it is out here. — said Freya.
— What? But... — she was interrupted.
— No buts, I'm giving an order. I want you to follow me. I'm going to give you something. — Freya said seriously.
Camilly, noticing the queen's serious tone, decided to stop questioning and simply obey. She excused herself to Freya and just finished tidying a few things on the field. She remembered very well Megan saying that if anything was out of place the next day, her head would roll. Not that she believed the general could actually do that to her, but she was tired of having her ears filled with complaints.
As soon as she finished tidying everything, Camilly felt the icy wind hit her bare arms, reminding her of what Freya had said about the coat. A discreet smile spread across the girl's face as she realized the woman had thought of that before she did. Indeed, it would take some time for her to understand Freya; some of her actions contradicted others. It was like a great maze Camilly would have to learn to navigate.
She put on her coat and walked over to where Freya was waiting.
— I'm ready. — she clumsily adjusted the beanie on her head — Is what you're going to give me edible? Because I'm starving. — said Camilly, making a face as she felt her stomach growl.
— Two things — the queen pointed out —, first, what I'm going to show you is not edible, but I think it would be fun to see someone try to eat it, especially if it were chatty children. — she said, looking directly at the girl — Second, what's in your stomach, girl? Are you raising lions in there? — asked Freya, astonished at how loud the noise from Camilly's stomach was.
The girl felt her cheeks warm at the queen's comment about her stomach.
— Hey! I'm just hungry! — she defended herself, embarrassed — Thanks to your general, I couldn't eat properly at lunch. — she explained.
Freya raised her eyebrows, surprised by the girl's outburst. Camilly was genuinely embarrassed when Freya mentioned the noise from her stomach. The queen didn't expect that kind of reaction; it was inappropriate. But then why was Freya smiling?
— Alright, calm down, little lioness. — the woman said, somewhat amused — After I give you what I want, I'll have someone bring you something to eat. — said Freya.
She rolled her eyes seeing the girl do a little celebration.
After settling the matter of the girl's hunger, Freya and Camilly headed inside the castle. The walk through the long corridor was silent, the only sounds being the queen's heels hitting the floor. Soon after, they were standing in front of a large door that seemed to have been hand-molded. It was completely white, with lines perfectly carved in curves that crossed each other around the door, like a picture frame.
— Where are we? — asked Camilly, looking at every detail of the door.
— We're in my room.
Freya remained expressionless as she used her powers to form a small ice key. She inserted the key into the door's lock and opened it. She entered the room while Camilly remained standing at the entrance. The girl let her eyes wander over the queen's entire room. It was beautiful, its colors were a variation of white and light blue. There were dressers and cabinets that, like the door, seemed hand-molded. In the center of the room was an enormous bed with its frame and headboard made of ice, polished cleanly and delicately, with a mattress entirely covered in white on top. Camilly thought to herself that it was an impeccable room; it resembled Freya almost completely.
— Hey little lioness, are you coming in or are you waiting for a formal invitation? — said Freya from inside the room.
Camilly rolled her eyes at the woman's rudeness but soon entered the room. She walked over to Freya, who was standing in front of a large wooden chest. Once she stopped beside her, Freya opened the chest and took out a long object wrapped in white silk cloth. She unwrapped the cloth from the object, revealing a beautiful sword. Its blade and hilt were entirely red.
— This sword belonged to someone who was very important to me. — she stroked the blade with her fingertips — When that person was gone, I kept this sword as a memento, so I would never forget how cruel and dirty love could be. — Freya turned to the girl — Now, after a long time, I'm giving it to you. — she said, extending her arms and offering the sword to Camilly.
The girl was stunned by the queen's gesture. She hadn't expected this; she certainly never would have expected something like this. Camilly took the object from Freya's hands. It was a strange feeling to hold a sword. It gave her a sense of power and, at the same time, complete anguish. Somehow, Camilly felt that this sword should belong to her, as if it had been made exclusively for that and nothing else.
— Its original and first owner painted it red. He said that unlike other men, he didn't like seeing his adversaries' blood running down his blade. So he painted it, so he wouldn't have to see it anymore. — she made a short, thoughtful pause — You, for some reason, remind me of him. — said Freya.
She stared at the girl as if she could discover why she was so intriguing to her eyes.
— You said at the beginning that he had left. — Camilly shifted her gaze from the blade to look at Freya — What happened to him?
Freya felt that all-too-familiar tightening in her heart. The woman wondered how long it would take for the wound in her heart to stop hurting every time she spoke about that tragedy.
— I killed him. — she replied coldly.
She turned her back on Camilly and walked away, hoping to escape the subject she herself had brought up.
— Majesty, wait! — Camilly quickly approached her — If this sword is something so important to you, I will keep it. But only because I will transform this thing you use to remember that you should hate love into something that reminds you to believe in it again. — she said, as firmly as if making a promise.
Freya turned to the girl and looked at her without reaction. The queen wondered how many more times that girl would manage to surprise her.
— Do you have any idea what you're saying to me? — Freya asked seriously.
— I'm aware of everything I've said, Queen, and I'm willing to keep my word. — Camilly said, firm and irrevocable.
Freya quickly approached the girl. She gripped Camilly's right arm, the one holding the sword, with her other hand. The queen concentrated her powers on the tip of her index finger. She held Camilly's arm tighter to keep the sword still. Freya then used her index finger to draw the silhouette of a feline head on the weapon's hilt, just like the mark below the girl's clavicle.
— Well then, I hope you really strive to keep it.
Camilly looked at the small drawing on the sword hilt and smiled.
— I guess the nickname 'little lioness' stuck, huh? — Camilly muttered, wrapping the sword in the cloth and leaving it leaning upright in the corner of the room.
— It suits you. And also, you eat as much as a lion cub. — Freya teased, smiling to see the girl blush.
— Speaking of which, um, can we order that meal now? — Camilly asked, accompanied by a loud growl from her stomach.
— As I said, a little lioness. — Freya shook her head — Stay here, don't touch what you shouldn't, and don't mess anything up. I'll bring something to satisfy the lions in your belly. — the woman said before leaving the room.
— They thank you! — the girl shouted after Freya had already left the room.
Camilly walked over to the huge bed and sat down. The girl stared at the sword in the corner of the room while tracing, with her fingertips, her strange lion mark below her clavicle.
Maybe her new life wouldn't be so bad after all, she thought.