Red Queen

A New Lesson

Ashyer and Arvel were yelling commands to their troop. It was hectic.

Nobody noticed that the combat troop was doing nothing. That was because their Commander had already figured out what was happening after the black clothed people stopped attacking her troop. This was probably the work of her father, the General. After they had knocked out the people coming towards them they stopped coming and were only attacking the sword and arrow troop. This was a simple test, it was child play. Renee looked over to her Commander to find a dark smirk on her face.

After a while everybody from the sword and arrow troop was panting. "Why didn't the combat group do anything!" Which fool was complaining? Everybody looked at the combat troop. Some of them gave them disgusted looks and scoffed. That's when the torches surrounding the training ground lit up. Some of them had to squint from the sudden brightness. Before anybody could say anything there was clapping. "Looks like you guys have a lot to learn from the combat troop," the General was walking over to them with other higher-ups following behind. Everyone bowed. "There's no need to bow," he laughed. "I want you guys to look around you," everybody did as he said, at first nobody saw anything except for the black clothed men scattered around but once they started scanning the whole area they noticed that the combat troop was still in their order as if they haven't moved but around them were black clothed men laying on the ground circling around them. But how was that possible? They were still in their rows and nobody saw them move, yet their area looked the neatest and while the other black clothed men that the sword and arrow troops dealt with were still groaning and moving, it was if the ones around the combat troop were dead.

"Amazing! We've have never seen someone like this. She is indeed the daughter of the General." The older men were giving the General praises, mainly on the combat troop. While they were in the sidelines observing the troops improvements they were doubting a little girl could have made a change with Smith's troop, but they didn't dare to say that in front of the General. But today changed their views completely. They regretted that this had to take place at night. The combat's actions were so fast that the only thing everybody could pay attention on was that troop, even the General was in shocked. They had never seen those moves before and didn't know where she, the previously spoiled brat, learn to teach them that. They had thought she has gotten a master but nobody has been seen entering the training grounds. They wanted to warm up to her and question her but seeing how she was didn't have much interaction with her family it was obvious that she was going to treat them like strangers.

Its been a couple of days since the "test" and during those days different kind of people, mainly the higher-ups, were trying to find Mela, but to only be disappointed. She was like a ghost. She disappeared when she wanted to and appeared only to seclude herself again. They had tried to get in contact with the princess, but every time they went to the soldiers chamber it was always empty. They even tried leaving some other soldiers there to inform them when they arrived but since that day nobody has been seen. They had no choice but to give up. Same goes for the two brothers. After that night they had wanted to get their troops together with Mela's, since it was a traditional thing to learn a little bit of the other troops specialty. However, she and her troop has not been seen. They thought their father must have sent her off on a huge mission again but just as they were about to ask their father also asked if they'd seen their sister. Nobody knew where she was. It was as if she took her troop and ran away, but that wouldn't make sense. Although the General didn't keep tabs on where his children were going he was worried about Mela, since its been days since they last saw her and his lovely wife was getting worried. So he dispatch guards into town looking for her or anybody in her troop.

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After that night the Commander has taken us to a deserted place outside of the kingdom. I didn't even know a place like this existed. It was the slums. She didn't tell us what to do but we knew we were to follow her. The people looked at us with fear, but there was a little girl who came up to me and some of the other troop members giving us flowers that looked as if they were being held too long. We were flustered and didn't know what to do. We glanced at the Commander to see her taking the flower and patting the little girl on the head. The Commander had never shown this side of her before, although she wasn't smiling at the little girl her actions gave it another significance meaning. Even following the Commander to an open field of grass we kept hold of the flowers in our hand. It is true with the saying "the actions of the members reflects the actions of the leader".

The Commander stopped and turned towards us. She set the flower gently in her tunic. It must've been a weird sight to see a group of intimidating men holding almost-dead flowers. "I see you all accepted the flower," the Commander's calm voice said. "Do any of you know the meaning of humanity?" She asked but nobody answered. "Everyone of you have your strengths and weaknesses. Although you guys have trained hard to be where you are today, closely matching some of the strongest people, it doesn't mean to abuse the power of strength. No matter what status they have, what clothing they wear, or their personality, there will people with evil hearts. You must never let your defenses down, even with people who you've known a long time. You must know who to trust and how much trust you are willing to put into them. The ones living in their own waste may be the ones to build you up. Never disregard someone based on their appearance." It was as if the Commander was talking to me. Cautioning me about the wolves hiding behind sheep skin in the kingdom. Was the little girl handing out the flowers also her doing to test our instincts? "Look at your hands holding the flower," the Commander said and we opened our palms to become surprised with the redness that was on our palms. "That girl may not have known that these were poisonous flowers, but by observing her hand and knowing what the plant is you should know instantly how to handle the situation. In this field there are multiple poisonous plants and I want to build you resistance to all of them. After experiencing the effects of the plants and learning about them I will hand you the antidote. Those who do not wish to do this may leave." As expected nobody left.