Chapter 2

It's been a while that I see out of the corner of my eye my parents looking at me and talking to each other. I know they talk about me. I know that my father does not like me practicing weapons. He would prefer to sit all day on my soft feather mats and embroider or read a book from our library's endless collection.

I have been doing all this for years. I'm tired of them now.

 I have grown up to waste my hours in so much inactivity and essentially useless activities for me. However, sometimes I have the desire for a bit of reading, and I do it. So simple.

But this rarely happens. My heart and body are awake in explosive energy leading me to what it needs to get relief. That is my preoccupation with weapons and daily practice until the final drop. I have been dedicated to these for the last two years. After comparing my previous activities, I realized that the current ones give me more pleasure. I enjoy it to the fullest.

I like that my body feels so strong, so capable of facing any challenge. I feel confident now. I can defend myself without depending on the protection of soldiers and bodyguards.

And for that, I will always be grateful to my nanny. When I expressed to her my desire to deal with weapons, not only did she not laugh at me - as I am a girl and a princess - but she even encouraged me to deal with all this. She dispelled my doubts and boosted my self-confidence by telling me that I can do better than a man.

Her words convinced me, and it was the best gift I could ever make to myself. She was right when she told me that I had the spark I needed and that I was born for it. But this daring of mine-affected my relationship with my father by showing him disobedience to his desire to give them up. And I know why.

I've heard of the various - not so flattering - rumors circulating about me in the surrounding kingdoms - maybe even beyond - but I do not care. My only wish is that my father did not feel that way. Sometimes I feel ashamed of my choices, which makes me sad, but I will not give up. I have my mother by my side, who supports me in all this, which is a big consolation. Every time I return to the castle after my hard training and reach her on my way, her eyes suddenly light up, then she smiles at me as she approaches me.

"Is everything good? Are you happy?" she asks me every time, stroking my hair.

And I always smile at her back and answer: "Everything is perfect. And yes, very much".

"That is all I wanted to hear. Now go take a hot bath and let me comb your hair," she tells me, and I obey her. Since I was little, I have been accustomed to combing my long hair in front of the lighted fireplace to dry it. It is the time of the day that we say the most to each other, about how I spent my day if there is something that concerns me, something that I might want. And my mother tells me her concerns - and most of them usually involve me. I am the only child they have, and they have given me all their love, all their attention, and affection. I wish I had a brother or sister, but God gave them only me. I love my parents as much as anything in the world. My only wish is that there was not that thorn in my father's and my relationship, which every day pierces our link.

If only this did not exist and everything would be perfect… almost.

The sun had started hitting me on the head, and I realized it was already noon. The same pointed out to me when my stomach begins to groan.

I find one of the gardeners and ask him to make sure that the bow with the arrows and the human figure return to their storage area and remove the arrows from it. There are times when I do it alone, but this time I am fatigued, very hungry, and all I want is to go for lunch and then maybe take a hot bath.

I say maybe because then I might want to continue my practice.

I cross the garden and head to the kitchen door. I always use this door, so I have the opportunity to taste some of the goodies they have cooked and greet the cook's helpers. I like them all very much, they are outstanding women, and I am happy to talk to them at every opportunity when my parents are not present because I am not allowed to do that. That's why I asked them to be our secret.

As I approach, I look inside the window and see them all circling the benches like bees preparing lunch. They are smiling as they talk to each other. Mainly, a happy mood dominates, and I like that. I smile and open the door, take a step inside and immediately see six heads turning to look at who entered. When they see that it is me, their smile spreads on their face.

"Welcome!" they told me, happy with my presence.

I smile at them. "Hello, how are you today?"

"Oh, we are all very well, princess, and especially when we see you so happy," the cook replied. At the same time, the other girls, who are her assistants in whatever is needed, agreed with a nod of their head and with a big smile still stuck to their lips. The women's team matched wonderfully here in the kitchen. There are the cooperation and sympathy needed to make everything work.

 "What tasty things are you preparing today? These smells have broken my nose. My saliva is running," I ask, looking at the benches what there is on them that I can eat.

"Roast goose for a start," the cook announced to me and offered me a fork with a piece of roast goose meat nailed on it. "Oh! Thank you!" I say and take it and eat it with a bite.

"Mmm… Delicious. You did an excellent job. "

"There are also baked potatoes," says one of the helpers and offers me a piece of potato. I take it and eat this too.

"There are also grilled vegetables, as well as a fresh salad."

"Mmmm… and the potato is delicious. You do everything perfectly. Oh, that's nice, and please, for the salad, add tomato to mine ".

"As you wish, princess."

"Thank you for everything, but I have to move on."

"But of course, you may go. The table is already set. So I guess as soon as your mother sees you that you are back, she will send a servant to inform us and serve the food. "

"That would be ideal because I'm starving."

The cook laughed softly and said, "Be a little patient, my girl."

I leave the kitchen and make my way inside. I find my parents sitting in the same living room where I saw them watching me before.

"Hello, majesties," I greet them as soon as I was in front of them. I stand for a while waiting for my father to start his sermon on my training in weapons and list his reasons and arguments to give up.

He takes a look at the leather pants I wear with the high boots just above the knee, my wide white shirt, and the wide leather belt around my waist.

His gaze stops for a moment on my hair tangled in two braids, and then he looked at me in the eyes. At first, his face is serious, but after he smiles at me.

"Your hair is nice like this," is all he tells me, and my jaw drops to the floor in surprise.