Lilka squirmed and tried not to scream as her mother worked out a kink in her hair. She pulled at the hem of her dress. It was uncomfortable and scratchy and she hated it.
�Mama, I don�t wanna go!� she whined.
Kenda just smiled grimly and continued to work on her long deep red hair. If it was up to her, she would have kept her daughter home and taught her the art of war. She felt it in her heart as if the god Soren told her himself, there was a war coming. She wished her daughter could learn of the glory and valor of war, but it was not to be so. Kenda and her family were lesser nobles. If the High King and Queen did not wish for her daughter to learn of war, then it was not to be. Lilka would go and meet the princess. If she so wished, Lilka would not live as a warrior as Kenda had, or Kenda�s mother, or her mother before that.
Kenda sighed. She had wished for so much more for her daughter. She wished for Lilka to be a warrior. She wished for her to find glory and nobility on the battlefield. She wished for her to learn of the Warrior God Soren. She did not wish for Lilka to be the prissy handmaiden of a spoiled princess. If she had her way�
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
�Lilka held up her sword and screamed her rage as she rushed into battle. The glittering blade wouldn�t be shining for long. She pushed forward through the enemies front line, fending off attackers on all sides. Adrenaline rushed through her body. This was what she lived for! The thrill of battle, the strength she felt in her body�There was nothing like it.
Lilka lifted her blade and ran at some poor fool on the opposite side, screaming as she came on.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lilka bowed to Leandra. �I ask to now take my leave,� Lilka said quietly. �I must return to my people for a brief while. I shall not tarry, I will return within a fortnight.�
Leandra nodded. �Of course. You must miss your family.�
Lilka nodded. �I must speak with my mother.� She smiled sadly. It had been nearly three new moons since she had last seen her mother.
�I grant you leave, then, my friend,� Leandra replied. �I would not keep you from your family. I will call for the guard to escort you on your way.�
Lilka held the skirt of her dark green velvet dress up above the debris on the forest floor. Before her walked two Guards Of the Royal Family; two also behind her. They were dressed in the blue and silver of the royal family household and bore the emblem of the Royal House, the silver bow and the blue arrow of the first archer. They were solemn, the four, and did not speak. The road back home was somber and quiet. Lilka was bored.
Her mind drifted. She had been Leandra�s �playmate� for 6 summers. She first came when she had seen but 8 summers. Lilka was beginning to feel too old to be the princess�s playmate. She longed for something�she felt a calling in her heart. Deep down she knew that it was the wanderlust of a natural born warrior�.All her people were warriors. She shared the same fate as them.
Lilka hated not learning the ways of her people. She would return home and find her mother at the training field, sword in hand, looking to the sky. When she would look at Lilka, she would smile sadly and put away the sword. There was no mention of war or glory when Lilka was home. Instead, Kenda would ask questions about the Royal Family and smile absently while Lilka spoke.
If it was not for Ewan�.Lilka smiled. Even as she thought of him the Gate of the Forest came into view. Before her rose high the gate to her city. In front of it stood two members of the guard. One was tall and thin, the other, tall and toned slightly more with muscle from long hours of training. His brown hair was pushed back and fastened in place with a leather strip. He held in his hand a large bow. On his back, a quiver of arrows, and on his hip, a long sword. Ewan, the Captain of the Guard had anticipated her return. He stood solemnly with his comrade in front of the gate.
Lilka tried hard to keep a straight face as she and her escort paused in front of the gate. The gate slowly opened, and as her escort passed through, Lilka risked a glance at Ewan. Just before she turned away, she saw his mouth twitch in almost a smile, and then return to a flat line. Then she was through the gate and Ewan was out of sight.
Lilka watched as Ewan drew out an arrow and fitted it to the bow. He held his hand against his cheek, paused, and then released. The arrow sliced through the air and imbedded its head into the tree trunk.
�Did you see that, Lilka?� he said proudly. �Now you try.�
Lilka jumped from the branch she was sitting on and grabbed the bow from Ewan. �Easy,� she said, raising an eyebrow. �If you can do it, so can I.�
She fitted the arrow to the bow as she had seen Ewan do and pulled back on the string of the arrow. And pulled again. She was met with more resistance than she anticipated. She furrowed her brows and pulled with all her might. She finally got the string taut and released. The arrow fell on the ground at Lilka�s feet. Ewan choked, not even trying to hide his laughter.
�Forgive me, otter, but I think that your arms were meant for swimming in the sea, not for archery,� he taunted
Lilka glared at him. �I am not in the mood for your insults. I�ve only returned for a fortnight, but my mother will not speak. Some great foreboding is plaguing her and I cannot console her. I fear for her health.�
Ewan sobered. �I�m sorry. But if you want to learn, you need to practice.�
Lilka rolled her eyes. �Oh yes, I find plenty of time for practice between helping Leandra pick out a pretty new dress to wear for the next party and running errands for her royal highness,� she complained.
�Ah, yes. The most esteemed position one can receive--the royal dress chooser,� Ewan said solemnly.
Lilka laughed. �Aye, that is what I do.� She handed the bow back to Ewan and the smile left her face. �If it wasn�t for you, Ewan, I probably wouldn�t have any real friends. Leandra treats me as one of the servants. I�ve no one to talk to,� she said seriously.
�Don�t become all sappy on me,� Ewan warned. �You know how easily I cry.�
�Stop,� Lilka complained. �I was being serious!� She stomped her foot and pouted.
�I think that you are spending too much time with her highness,� Ewan commented. �Now watch what I do.� He brought the bow up and pulled an arrow from the quiver.
Lilka threw her hands up in frustration. �I don�t think that it is worth saying anything serious to you. You just make a joke and then become a teacher again.�
Ewan smiled as he fitted the arrow to the bow. �What would you have me say? Oh, poor, poor Lilka. How sad it is that she is the right hand woman of the Royal Princess. And here I am at her request, teaching her in secret the ways of a warrior. What a sad life she leads.�
Lilka put her head in her hands. �Not worth it at all,� she moaned.
~You are listening to It's My Life by Bon Jovi~
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