The Way of the Warrior

Chapter 1: Like Mother like daughter

"Mom, can I be a guard? Can I start training now? I'm 6 years old!" Little Iiren said, looking up at her mother inquisitively with her big golden eyes. Cassandra stopped sharpening the knife she was going to use for preparing dinner and smiled at her daughter.

"Just like your mamma, huh." She said.

"Well, yeah. I'm as old as you were when you started training. I wanna train too!"

"I think it's totally fine. I'll have to talk to Varian first."

"Ok!" Iiren jumped once, excitedly. Then she got on her tiptoes to try to look at the counter top. "What are you making?"

"I'm making soup for dinner. Want to watch?"

Iiren did want to watch, so she pulled a chair over and stood on it, watching her mother as she worked. Cassandra began to explain in simple terms what she was doing.

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The next week Cassandra and Varian took Iiren and three-year-old Leo to the training field where the little girl would learn how to become a guard of Corona. The field was large and round, with an area that had an obstacle course, some of which towered above the wall that surrounded the field. There were five boys already there getting ready to start their day.

Iiren looked around excitedly. The sight of the high obstacles did not scare her, but rather invigorated her. Seeing she was the only girl there to be trained just widened her smile.

"These will be your squad." Her grandfather, the Captain of the guard, said. He ordered the boys over to where the family was, and they stood at attention.

"They are Falworth, Nelson, Philip, Reginald, and Aidan." He introduced. "Boys, this is a new recruit. Iiren."

"Why is it a girl? There are no girls in the army!" Nelson said. He was shorter than all the other boys and his voice sounded scratchy.

"Because I'm your Captain and I said she can be." The Captain said, glaring at the boy. Cassandra smirked. Iiren was not intimidated.

"Actually, there was a girl in the army." Iiren said, "My mom! So, you just watch your mouth, kid."

Reginald looked like he was sizing her up. Seeing if she would be competition. Iiren crossed her arms.

Cassandra looked at Varian, "Looks like she'll fit right in."

"Are we still sure we want her training now?" Varian was still concerned for the little girl.

"Dad will take care of her. Plus, she really wants to do this. I think she will be fine."

Varian nodded, and it was now time to say their goodbyes. Cassandra knelt to get to her daughter's eye level.

"Listen to your grandpa. Learn a lot. I know you'll do great." She smiled and hugged Iiren. Varian put his hand on her shoulder.

"You are amazing. You got this." Varian smiled. "And take care of yourself, alright?"

"Yes, dad." Iiren said, with a look of 'I know'. But she hugged him. Leo shyly waved goodbye then sucked his thumb.

They left and Iiren joined the boys on the field. The boys made it a point to talk amongst themselves and not include her, which made her roll her eyes.

Stupid boys.

"Attention!" Captain called out. The six children stopped whatever they were doing and stood straight.

"Do you think we are going to be taking it easy just because it's the first day? Well, you are mistaken! First you will do a workout. Then you will practice on the course. You will learn to fight both hand-to-hand and with weapons. And most importantly, you will learn to be a team! Complement each other's weaknesses and strengths! Yes?"

"Yes sir!" The children responded. Then the workout began. Being kids they had a lot of energy, but after a while it began to run out. And being kids, they started to complain.

"Can we stop now?" Falworth asked.

"I need a breeeeak." Nelson whined.

"You whine, you do another lap, recruit!" The captain barked.

"I don't waaaanna."

"Alright, around the course you go. The rest of you take a break."

Iiren took a cup of water and watched as the Captain made a protesting Nelson go around the track. She was a little tired and breathing hard but mostly exhilarated by this new experience. She glanced at the rest of the boys who had clustered together drinking water and talking and decided not to hang out with them since they were so stubborn.

A glint on the floor caught her eye and she dug it out of the ground with her fingers. It looked like a crystal that was about an inch long. It was purple at the base which gradually faded to clear. Iiren thought it was a very pretty stone. The purple reminded her of the necklace her mother sometimes wore.

"I think that's quartz."

Iiren turned her head and saw Philip standing behind her, looking over her shoulder.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"I've read about it!"

Iiren smiled a little and looked at the purple quartz. He was the first boy to talk to her. She felt like she should let him know she was happy about that.

She stood up and wordlessly handed him the crystal.

Philip looked at her curiously, "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because I want to give it to you." Iiren said, "You said you read about it so you probably would like it right?"

"Yeah, I do!" Philip took the quartz and smiled. "Thank you."

The two children walked back to the rest of the boys, which Nelson had by then joined.

"Ya know, newbie needs a nickname!" Nelson declared.

Iiren looked at him. "What kind of nickname? Also, why are you calling me a newbie? This is the first day!"

"We all got here before you! Slowpoke!" Reginald teased.

"And we gave each other nicknames." Aidan added.

"That doesn't even count." Iiren said.

"Oh yeah it does!" Nelson said with an overly screechy voice.

"Why are your eyes gold?" Falworth asked, not giving Iiren a chance to reply.

"My mom told me that's because of my father."

"Your Dad does not have gold eyes. They were bluer."

Iiren paused. She knew her situation was probably very different than theirs.

"Well...my Dad is not my father."

"Wait what?! How!?" Most of the boys said a variant of the phrase of astonishment.

"He died." Iiren said flatly.

"And you don't care?" Falworth asked, cocking his head.

"I have a dad. He's really nice, so I don't have to be sad."

"Geez, you are so creepy!" Nelson exclaimed.

"Why?"

"Dead dad, black hair, super white skin, yellow eyes --"

"Gold."

"-- and you don't even care!"

"Iiry is her name." Reginald said. "Sounds like eerie so it's perfect."

"Great." Iiren said sarcastically.

Then they were called to continue their training.