Chapter 1

A gentle breeze wafted through the village, carrying cirsen petals in its wake. A group of young children chased after the soft blue petals, leaping for a handful whenever the wind carried them too close to the ground, and giggling each time they missed. Every once in a while there would be a triumphant shout from a successful child who proudly displayed his catch. Servants stood nearby sharing household gossip with one another, all the while keeping a weather eye on the children.

A nine-year-old found his gaze drawn to the animated scene. A burning feeling flared in his chest as he watched from a nearby hill. He had barely recognized the emotion as envy before he found himself staring up into the endless blue of the sky. The air was driven from his lungs, he was unable to breath. The boy finally gasped as weights on his chest and shoulders pressed him into the ground.

“Never allow yourself to become distracted during a fight,” his instructor growled, glaring down at the child. “You’ll end up dead if you let your guard down for even a second during battle. You understand, boy?”

The boy filled his burning lungs with air as he was released. He clambered to his feet and bowed deeply.

“Yes, Master Holon. It will not happen again.”

“Good. Let’s continue.”

Both assumed fighting stances and the skirmish began anew. Holon swung first, aiming for his opponent’s head. The boy ducked under his teacher’s arm, and aimed a punch at the man’s stomach. Holon blocked at the last moment, and swept the boy’s legs out from under him with his foot. The boy rolled to the side and back onto his feet. He started to attempt a kick, but was interrupted by a woman’s voice.

“Giel! Your mother is sending for you.”

Giel Kymur instinctively turned toward the sound of his nursemaid’s voice. He found himself facing the clouds once again, his teacher’s arm against his throat.

“I thought you promised that would never happen again,” Holon teased as he pulled the child to his feet. “Go on to your mother, now.”

Giel suppressed a flash of anxiety as he bowed, then sprinted down the hill. When he reached the waiting nursemaid, her hand latched around his wrist. The pressure she applied as she began dragging him toward the house was uncomfortable, but not quite painful.

“Hurry and put on the silk trousers and overcoat I laid out for you,” the nursemaid instructed.

The young boy dragged his feet as he was pulled along.

“But that outfit is so hard to move around in, Odna,” he whined. “Why can’t I just wear this?”

Odna glared over her shoulder and didn’t slow her pace.

“Hush! You need to look your best for the mistress. Now be quick about it; you won’t be the only one punished if you keep her waiting too long.”

Giel gave a sigh of resignation and pulled his hand from Odna’s grasp.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go change.”

He ran to his room and stripped off his soiled practice clothes. He eyed the fancy clothing on his bed; it was black, the overcoat decorated with fierce-looking golden dragons. He hated to admit it, but he liked how it looked. It made him feel regal and powerful when he wore it, despite its restrictive nature. Giel pulled on the clean white undershirt, the silk trousers, and the overcoat.

He turned to the long mirror next to the door. A tousled head of brown hair and a pair of deep brown eyes gazed back at him as he admired himself. He combed his fingers through his hair, smoothing it down, and adjusted the overcoat. Satisfied with the result, he dashed out of his room and into Odna’s arms.

 The nursemaid laid her hand on her charge’s back, guiding him swiftly toward the lady’s room. Odna knocked when they reached the door, and the pair stepped inside once a cold voice replied.

Giel glanced around the darkly-colored room. It wasn’t often he got to see its ornate decorations and wine-colored, velvety drapes. He thought it had a kind of soft feeling to it, a feeling that contrasted painfully with his mother’s demeanor.

“You have certainly taken your time retrieving him,” a sharp voice rang out.

“I apologize, my lady.” Odna dipped into a bow.

The woman shifted her attention to her son. The boy bowed stiffly to his mother, who lounged on a blood red couch in the corner of the room.

“You wished to see me, Mother?” he asked quietly. His heart banged in his chest as he stared at the braided rug under his feet. He slowly raised his head back up.

“Yes.” She motioned to the dark wooden chair that faced the couch. “Sit down. Odna, you may go.”

Both swiftly obeyed. Once everything had settled, Nikavia Kymur began to address the boy.

“Your father will be returning soon.”

Giel’s heart was filled to the brim with excitement. He fought to contain his smile, to keep his face blank. It had been a few yours since he had last seen his father. Though his memories of him were a bit hazy, Giel could only remember good things about him.

Nikavia continued without a change in her impassive disposition.

“As your tenth birthday is approaching, it is time you knew: you are female.”

Confusion filled the Giel’s mind. She couldn’t keep it from showing on her face, but her mother didn’t seem to notice as she spoke again.

“I am sure you have wondered why you have been treated so differently from the other children, and even from your sister; it was for this reason. Only Odna knows, and it must stay that way. She will continue helping you maintain your disguise, though the bulk of the responsibility will now fall on you. She will advise you as your body begins to change and mature. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes, I think so,” Giel stuttered. It was a lie. She didn’t understand at all what her mother was saying. What did it mean to be female? Why did she need to pretend? She resolved to ask Odna later; it was best not to question anything Nikavia said.

“Good. Go practice your archery; I have heard from Holon that your skills are still lacking in that area. I expect you to excel in all areas, as a son of Atsumasa Kymur. There will be punishment if you fail.” Nikavia stared intensely into Giel’s eyes.

Giel averted her eyes, covering her discomfort with a bow.

“I understand, Mother. I will not fail you. I promise I’ll become a strong warrior, one you can be proud of.”

She choked down tears as she strode from the room. Her blurred vision nearly caused a collision with a small figure as she rounded the corner. Giel stepped back, surprised, and brushed her hand across her eyes. A pretty little girl, nearly four years old, came into focus. A smile broke across Giel’s face.

“Hey there, Yma. Where are you headed?”

The small child was draped in beautifully embroidered pink silk. She beamed up at her brother as she twisted back and forth. Her dress swished around her knees.

“Mama sent for me!”

Giel smiled sadly. “That’s very exciting; she’s always happy to see you.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Just remember, don’t tell her we talked, alright?”

“I know, I know! It’s a secret!” Yma shouted gleefully.

“Hush!” Giel brought her finger to her lips. “Run along now, don’t keep Mother waiting.”

Yma nodded eagerly. “Bye-bye, Gi-Gi!” She skipped off.

Giel watched Yma leave wistfully; she didn’t get to see her little sister very often. She finally knew why, but it didn’t make it any less painful.

 

After retrieving her bow and quiver and changing back into her practice clothes, Giel made her way out behind the house. A small target had been hung from a nail on a tree at the edge of the clearing. The girl’s head swung back and forth, surveying the area. She was the only one there.

She took a shaky breath as she strung her bow. Dread formed a lump in her throat as she prepared too shoot. Giel took a deep breath and threw her shoulders back; Master Holon always said she had to act as though she was sure of herself, even if she wasn’t. Then her arrows would strike, her blows would land, and a true confidence would grow. She pulled an arrow from her quiver and nocked it onto her bow, swinging it up in front of her.

She pulled the arrow back to the corner of her mouth. The bowstring remained taut for a few seconds as she breathed evenly, picturing her arrow piercing the target dead-center. One more exhale, and she let the arrow fly. The arrow cut smoothly through the air. She could feel it; this one would hit the mark.

The arrow whistled past the target, past its host tree. It embedded itself in the tree just beyond. Birds erupted from its branches, startled by the impact. The girl cried out in frustration and grabbed a second arrow. She loosed it, and then another, and another. Blood dripped from her fingers when she finally stopped.

Giel resisted the urge to break into tears as she plopped to the ground on her rear. She leaned her head against her bloody hand, elbow propped up by her knee. This was hopeless; only two of her arrows had hit the target, and none protruded from the very middle. Why wasn’t she able to improve? Was it because she was female? What did that really mean?

As if summoned by Giel’s frustration, a cheerful voice revealed Odna’s presence.

“Working hard again, I see.”

The girl jumped, startled. She rose to her feet and faced her nursemaid.

“Odna, Mother says I’m female. How can that be? What does that mean? Why must I pretend to be a boy? How am I going to hide the fact that I’m not one? How will-"

The auburn-haired woman interrupted the flood of words.

“Patience! I know this is a shock to you, but all your questions will be answered in time. Most can wait a while more, but I can answer a few now. By the time you were born, the mistress had already lost two pregnancies. She was desperate to provide an heir for the Kymur family. So when it turned out you were a girl, the only solution she could accept was disguising you as a boy, as an heir.

“This won’t change anything for you, yet. We’ll continue as we have up until this point. When you’re older, though, things will become more difficult…and I may not be able to assist you as much. But don’t let it worry you too much, dear; I’ll make sure you’re ready before that time comes.”

Giel allowed this new information to sink in, but her confusion did not fully dissipate.

“But…what is it that makes me female? How am I different from a real boy?”

A slight blush rose in the servant’s already pink cheeks.

“Well - I don’t think that I need to explain the details to a girl your age - can you be satisfied with what I’ve told you until you get to be a bit older?”

A pout formed on Giel’s face.

“I guess. Oh! Mother also said that Father will be returning soon!” Her eyes lit up at the thought. “Do you know when?”

“Yes child,” Odna laughed. “The master will be returning within the week, just in time for your birthday.”

A wild energy coursed through Giel’s veins; she could hardly contain herself. She had to shout, or jump, or run, or skip…anything to burn off this overwhelming exuberance. Such actions were not becoming of a wellborn, though; she forced herself to remain still. She was, however, unable to restrain the huge smile that spread from ear to ear.

“Let’s take care of your hands; you’ll never hold a bow properly again if they don’t heal right, you know,” Odna scolded.

Giel’s joy diminished at the reminder of her inadequency, but it did not die. Nothing could ever rob her of the excitement that accompanied her father’s impending return.

Reviews

[Mitchell J.U.]

It's not my place to say what you did or did not do in your writing. By that I mean negative and positive criticism I could care less about. I have really enjoyed the beginning of your story. Are you planning on it being a book? Does it have a title? I hope you continue to cultivate your passion.

[sinclairrb]

Thank you for reading! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. This is part of a full book, but don't have a title yet. I hope you will find the rest of it just as enjoyable if you choose to keep reading :D

[Rawiya Scarlett]

Awesome chapter! I really enjoyed it. Your writing is so good and flawless to me (I'm new to critiquing and stuff). I just love how Giel believed that she was a boy and that the truth of her being a girl did shock her and that you stuck to how a nine-year-old would question it. That mother wow she's such a witch like I see where she's coming from but the fact that she was so blunt in telling Giel that she's a girl was so cold and I just loved it. You have a real talent, keep it up!

[sinclairrb]

Thank you! That really means a lot to me. I'd love to hear more of your feedback on later chapters too :D