Nana slumped down onto the bench, defeated. A failure.
She stared at her feet, fighting back the tears that had started to form. This had been her last chance. It was supposed to be her guaranteed chance! Yet she failed, miserably. She had it all planned out, her brilliant life-changing adventure. Chapter one had been the epiphany-filled escape from her former life. Chapter two was entering and graduating from the Custodes Hominum Academy outside of Durandal, considered to be the campus to produce the most skilled resistance fighters in the Western Haven. Chapter three was suppose to be joining the king's anti-Folk Military and climbing the ranks as soon as possible. And finally, chapter four was going to be the dramatic conclusion where she returns home a glorified hero and proving to everyone that she was more than some damsel who will bear the next generation of Schwindt princes and princesses. But she can't be a military hero if she's not part of the military. Chapter four cannot happen without chapter three.
"What do I do now?" she whispered to herself as she let some of the tears fall. "I really thought...why can't they just..." she fingered the white pearls of her bracelet, contemplating how such trivial trinket had caused her rejection. The recruiting officer had completely disregarded her glowing recommendations and transcripts. She had walked in wearing one of her more subtle dark dresses with the barest of accessories, a choker, her usual beaded necklace, and this stupid pearl bracelet. The stern man immediately examined the outfit and immediately made the decision on the spot: she was unfit for duty. When she tried to argue, to ask that he at least reconsider based on her Academy background, he shot her down with a condescending look and retort, "little ladies like you shouldn't worry about our fight with these creatures. Leave it the our men and you can go back to...dressing pretty."
It was infuriating. She gripped the pearls tightly in her fist, ready to yank it off her wrist. But no - she couldn't, not this bracelet anyways. It was one of the last presents she had received from her father, and she did not dare lose that. Besides, she could not let them win. She was supposed to prove them all wrong, she was supposed to show them you can be both a lady and a fighter at the same time.
"They're wrong", the confirmation comforted her. She released the pearls and wiped the tears from her face. She cannot go home a failure, not after everything. She refused.
With her new resolve, she wiped the rest of the tears away, finally getting out of her head and rejoining the heavily crowded market square. "Right, the announcement just finished." The crowds were a buzz with gossip and speculation. Nana tried to listen to the couple of women a few feet away.
"The girl looked absolutely stunning! Where is she from again?" The round-faced lady in a red dress claimed enthusiastically. "She's a Niederstsdt girl. I hear this engagement has been in the works since they were children". The other replied. "Too bad, I really liked him with that one visiting girl, the one from the Isles" the third remarked. "The Smith girl? No no, I hear they're distant cousins Regardless, she's married some patrol man some years ago."
Nana smirked to herself at that one. She remembered the Smith girl. The brunette was indeed a distant cousin, one he didn't particularly care for. She recalled multiple instances when he would storm into her room declaring his cousin to be the devil for causing him to cancel his afternoon ride with his sister. Wil had loved taking the horses out for an afternoon ride with his younger sister, Sylvia; it was one of the few things they had agreed on.
Nana's smile slowly drifted. Wil was engaged. In a sense, she had already failed long ago.
Just as she was about to go back into the crevices of her own thoughts, she noticed a dark shadow loom over her. Nana looked up and saw a tall hooded figure standing over her, his pale face barely visible. She quickly looked around to see if the rest of the square noticed the man but no one else seemed to. The crowd was still consumed over the engagement and their own personal lives. Nana looked up at the man again, he remained in place. "...can I he-" before she could finish her question, the figure spoke. "I know who you are." He was barely audible, his voice gruff and tired.
Nana's felt her heart beat faster, but she didn't dare let him notice. She gave an unsteady smile, "I don't know what you're talking about." She motioned to get up, but the man didn't budge. "-na.." He made another sound but she was only able to catch the last syllable. "Excuse me?" "Helena. You. You are Helena Niederstadt."
Before she could react, the man collapsed, putting all his weight on her.
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