A wooden door slammed tremendously behind her.

A young girl tears in her eyes, passed her palm across her face, wiping away anguish, betrayal and defeat. Her vision blurred. She looked to the farm before her and tried to fight the anger and the pain. Everything in her wanted to leave. Just pack up and go. But she couldn't bear the thought of what it'd do to her parents. Her brother.

A small creak sounded behind her.

"Is it alright if we sit together, Sis?" Asked her brother, poking his head out from the door way. A bench lay nestled against the cottage. As ancient as the heirlooms they both possessed. A pair of knotted rings. Made to look like rope, but formed of a metal far stronger but oddly soft.

"Don't you dare take their side,, Rillere!" She said defensively. She didn't want to yell, but she ended up doing it anyway.

Her brother stepped out and closed the door softly behind him. His hand scratching the back of his head.

"Look, I just want to talk. Mom and Dad don't understand. They probably never will. But you have to admit, what you are talking about... It's a bit crazy and out the ordinary for you, Reylin."

The pair of them were twins. They knew each other so well that most of the time they could predict what the other would do. THey were each other's best friend, companion and confidant.

"I can't explain it, Riley. I just have to go. The conscriptors told me how much help is needed in the south. The suffering going on down there because of how those dastardly Moors been massacring the nomads. Don't you care about the people beyond this farm, beyond our villiage? The ones without homes, food or friends. The ones who've lost everything."

Rillere looked closely at his sister. The two of them were standing in silence.

"You don't need to lie to me like that. That's partly it, but what is really bugging you?"

Frustrated and confused. Reylin shook her head, spun on her heels, and landed in a huff on the flat bench. Like a sack of potatoes.

"I want to do something... Anything! I want my life to be exciting. I want to be a hero. I want to face my greatest fears and conquer them.

I want to find love.

I don't want to be known as the useless one. I don't want to get married to Tommins or Duke or Mario. I want to choose who I'm with. I want to be free."

"Well... so do we all, but we have responsibilities. Your talking about going to war, Rey."

"Yah, so!" She said curtly crossing her arms like a petulant child.

"Yah, so!? That means you could die. You'd be gone forever, Rey. I just want you to know that this could be the biggest mistake you could ever make. Why not just move to another town. Why become a soldier?"

"Why?"

"Yah, why?" Rillere kicked at a rock absently as he made his way to sit beside his sister. "Like really why?"

"Because..."

"Mhmm."

"I know I can do it. Something in me tells me I can. I'd be the best soldier that ever lived. I'd be better than Queen's Champion or the Canlaiths or the Men at Arms of Lerra. I'd represent Klendar and the Light Cavalry and the Archers. They say we are the best. I'll prove it to the ignorant. I'll protect the lives of my comrades and the countries whose flags fly high above our villages.

Don't you ever dream, Riley? Of becoming more than you could ever be. And being known for it and welcomed and adored...?"

Rillere burst out laughing. Upsetting his not-so little sister. She shoved him hard, throwing him off the bench. Nearly not giving him the chance to catch himself as he had been wiping away tears.

"You can't be serious. You want to be better than the Canlaiths and Lady Anne. Your insane. They been studying fighting since they've emerged from the womb. We are both 24. That's 24 years behind the best fighters, what makes you think you can do all that?"

"They accept signatures tomorrow. I'm going to sign up and set off to the Capital. And nothing you, or Mom or Dad can say.... Will stop me."

Rillere was no longer laughing as he looked into her eyes. She meant every word and he could tell. A deep and utter sadness hit the bottom of his belly as he climbed back onto the bench looking not at her anymore but toward the east along the crest of the Maldiev plains.

Rey looked at her brother waiting for an answer. There wouldn't be any for quite some time. They looked so similar at night. Short, cropped golden brown hair. Piercing auburn eyes and glowing sun burnt skin. His jaw was more chiseled of course. Hers was soft. She envied the toughness of his face. and was embarrassed by the cherub features she had.

No one ever took her seriously. She always looked like a push over. That will all change tomorrow. Once she had a helmet on and then they'd feel the kiss of her sword. They'd not make fun of her ever again.

"I think you're stupid, willful and making the biggest mistake of your life."

Finally breaking the silence.

Reylin made to retort angrily, but he cut her off.

"But if that is what you want to do," He said facing her. His lips tightening and his head slightly tilted. "Then I have no choice but to give you my blessings."

Tears welled up slightly in his eyes, but he fought them back. He reached out for his sister. She was too shocked to fall into his grasp. So he awkwardly scooted over to grab her and hug her.

Her senses returned and she hugged him back. Laying her head against his shoulder, she muffled words of thanks. Her eyes also beginning to well. But both of them were too strong to show any emotion. Sniffling loudly instead.

Suddenly, at their feet, light began to shine from the morning star. The both of them looked to the horizon. It was awe inspiring. They had seen it hundreds of times before. But today it meant something more to Reylin. It was the beginning of her adventure. It stood for the opening of heart to her own desires. It stood for her what she'd ever hoped for, fighting against all odds.

A New Life.

The grain of the fields she grew up in were rustling against the winds as the sun brightly shone upon them. She saw her childhood flash before her. Their father was teaching them the nature of his work. The importance of planting well and evenly. How the chaff separated from the grain. And how the grain would go to the mill and from their made into bread at a bakery.

The life she was meant for was gone now. And then the gates broke. This was the last day she would ever see him and her family again. She would not kiss Grand Ma Ma. Or race with Dookie in the morning, pray with Tommins again or eat at Mario's sweets shop. She'd never hear the bell toll as it did in the noon time for lunch. She would never see her Mom with chubby children at her feet or smell the smoke from her father's pipe when he sat at this bench.

For that Reylin was gone and she would never return.

"I made a promise to myself, Riley. The minute dawn arrives, I'm walking to the Great Hall to speak with recruiters."

The sky was a kaleidoscope of colour above them and it drank in the clouds in the heavens. Rillere was amazed that he'd really not appreciated the sky, but at this time it meant the most to him as well.

He lay a hand on her shoulder and smiled at his sister.

"In that case, I'm going with you." He said with all the seriousness he could muster. "But I think Mom and Dad are going to kill us both, before the Moors do."