Marigold

"I am going with my brothers," shouted Marigold.

SLAP.

Marigold's cheek turned red and swollen. Tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down. She placed her hand on the cheek and rubbed it.

"Say that again," Melinda said. Marigold saw the veins bulging on her mother's forehead.

"It's not fair that only the boys get to go to glamorous places," Marigold said crying.

"Adventurers are in no way glamorous," Melinda glared.

"But I still want to go on a journey as an adventurer. I want to see the beauties of this world," Marigold's teary eyes turned starstruck.

"I will not allow it," Melinda roared.

"I will ask uncle. I know he will let me go," Marigold said and ran to Connor's office.

Marigold ran to Connor's office and pushed the door. Melinda followed her quickly and gracefully.

"Uncle!" Marigold screamed.

Connor was sitting and reading leisurely. He was startled by the sudden sound.

"What?" Connor said. His eyes glared and his face twitched.

Melinda came and pulled on Marigold's hand. "She is just being stupid, brother."

"No I am not," Marigold said and pulled her hand away.

"I want to go with my brothers, please let me go," Marigold pleaded with her palms clasped.

Connor frowned and listened. He closed his eyes and thought. "Women who become adventurers are rare but not nonexistent. If that is your choice, you may go," Connor said.

"Brother?" Melinda gasped.

"Melinda, if she wanted to become a Mansabdar, would you have stopped her? If it is the stigma that you are scared of, the king is personally tasked with removing it."

"I will not allow all three of my children to walk into death's mouth," Melinda raged and slammed the desk.

"Besides, she has zero training. How can you expect her to survive outside?" Melinda glared at Marigold.

Marigold's eyes were downcast. She clenched her fists. "I have..." She whispered.

"What?" Melinda said not believing her ears.

"Who taught you?" Connor asked leaning forward.

Marigold's eyes were downcast. Blood drained from her face and saliva stuck to her throat.

"I asked you a question," Connor got up from his chair and stood in front of her.

"Be..Be.." Marigold fumbled.

"Say who it is or you will get much worse than your mother's slap."

"Beverly..." Marigold trailed off.

Connor frowned and then went to his seat. He rang the bell on his desk and Audrey came opening the door.

"Yes master," he said bowing.

"Call Beverly as soon as possible. Melinda, you two will also be called when Beverly is summoned," Connor said.

In the afternoon, Audrey came to the office. "They have come master," he said.

The three entered the room, first Melinda and followed by Marigold and Beverly.

Connor looked at his three guests and fixed his gaze on Beverly. "I told you to bodyguard, not teach."

Beverly was a woman with a tall and lean body. Her short straight hair was the colour of a red rose. Her eyes were like blue seas. She wore a plate armour fitted for a woman.

"I am sorry sir, but my lady was so interested and I couldn't help it," Beverly said standing straight.

"What did you do with her?"

"Well, we mostly do spars. At first, she fell to the ground, eating dirt most of the time. But recently, she seems to get better and better. There was even an instance where she struck me when I was off guard," Beverly said stressing the word 'off guard'.

Off guard or not, that was an impressive feat. Beverly was a trainee from Ward mansion and soon to be a Mansabdar for the nation. Marigold was just an eight-year-old girl that has no prior battle experience.

Connor sat on his chair and pondered. "I will be testing her then," he told Beverly.

Beverly's eyes widened. "How?" She asked afraid.

Connor scrubbed his beard. "Chadwick will be too much for her. We will do a mock battle with Christopher and Marigold tomorrow and from the result, we will see if she can go or not."

Melinda gritted her teeth and went to Connor. "Brother, I have the utmost respect for you. But you have been using my children as if they are one of your trainees. I will not tolerate this no more," her eyes did not blink.

"I am training them as if they are trainees," Connor said matter-of-factly.

Melinda stood there with her mouth open. "But I am your sister and they are your nieces."

"Yes, they are. But you came for training them and this will be my way of doing it. If you don't like that, you can leave any time," Connor replied coolly.

Melinda saw Chadwick in her mind. As a boy, he had come and now he was turning into a man. She exited the room without saying anything and Marigold followed her. Connor dismissed Beverly and she left bowing.

Come next morning, the summer children and their mother came to the training ground behind the mansion.

Marigold was donned in a boiled leather armour dyed in red. She wore a full-sleeved black dress underneath it. She tied her hair to the back with a black silk ribbon. She held the lacquered wooden sword in her right hand with an air of confidence.

Christopher was wearing boiled leather armour of grey. He wore a fern green shirt and hickory pants. He gripped the sword tightly and tried to stop it from swaying.

"I don't want to hurt you sister," Christopher said timidly.

"Don't worry, you won't," Marigold said taking her stance.

Connor looked at Marigold and then at Christopher. "Begin," he shouted.

Marigold dashed forward without missing a beat. "Wait..." Christopher blocked clumsily. The barrage of swings came and Christopher blocked them, and with each swing, he moved a few paces back.

Marigold ducked down and went for his leg. Christopher saw it, and scared, he lifted his leg and lowered his sword. Marigold went for his face. Christopher swayed back and the tip scraped his face. He lost his balance and went back.

"You are being rough sister," Christopher said wiping his face.

"I am a girl and even I know that being an adventurer is rough," Marigold frowned.

"Don't be beaten by a girl, boy," Connor shouted.

Christopher gripped his sword and glanced at his sister. She was waiting for an opening, like a hawk.

'I am a boy,' Christopher muttered.

Christopher dashed forward with the sword above his head. He swiped it down like a waterfall. Marigold ducked and dodged. She swirled and his struck his arm. The sword went flying and Christopher cried in pain.

"Over," Connor shouted.

"It seems that there is true Centurian blood flowing in this girl," Connor said smiling.

Connor looked at Christopher. He was kneeling in pain and crying. "Crying from a strike from a wooden stick, that too from a girl."

Melinda came running and hugged her son. "You didn't have to say it like that," she said while wiping his tears.

"I say the truth, however brutal that may be. I am now afraid of sending him with the others."

"Others?" Melinda frowned.

"Yes, I permit Marigold to be an adventurer," Connor said looking at Marigold.