Renaria Lutheria, Ovid's wife and Zenia's mother, came from a well-respected military family. She was a well-decorated female battle tactician, which her daughter inherited from her. The only difference between them was that Zenia could also fight well and she knew how to use various weapons. Renaria was able to maintain her femininity, Zenia acted more like a man.
Renaria already expected this outcome. Zenia was pampered from young by her father and brothers. She had no female companions. She often tagged along Zander and Ovid whenever they went out. Zenia was not interested in wearing dresses or learning the crafts that women should learn. She chose sword over embroidery needle.
Renaria was a beautiful, intelligent woman who was also adept in wielding needles. Aside from designing an attack plan, she had no knowledge in handling any weapon. She was patient enough to teach Zenia about embroidery and other things that young ladies of their kingdom should learn. Zenia had zero ability in doing embroidery, but she could whip up a delicious meal.
"Zenzen, where are you going?" Zander Anisen called after his most beloved sister.
Zenia turned around and was greeted with a smile that could outshine the radiance of the sun.
The first born son, Zander Anisen, was already a well-decorated general in his young age. He doted on Zenia so much that no man dared to get close to his beautiful and clever sister.
Zander got his built and looks from his father, and the gentleness of his mother's eyes. Apart from his very manly physique and fierce aura, his eyes seemed to always give off a kind of gentleness that was hard to ignore.
He was a bit taller than his father, but looked gentler than the military advisor. However, he was regarded as the dark Asura in the battlefield. His favorite line would be, "You need to defeat me first if you want to get your hands on my sister."
Everyone knew that no one would be able to defeat him. There were many young men who wanted to ask Zenia's hand in marriage, but they were too afraid that the doting brothers and father of the Anisen family might chop off their hands instead.
"Big Brother, why are you here?" Zenia asked in a rather cold tone. His brother even felt the chill seeped through his spine.
"I sensed that my little sister is here. Did you talk to father?" He asked warmly as he reached for her hand and motioned that she should continue walking.
This pair of brother and sister seemed to come out of a painting as they held hands. Eyes followed them everywhere they went. They were already used to the adoring gazes of the people and paid them no mind.
"Yeah, but I don't think I will be able to escape this time," Zenia explained while feeling sorry for herself.
Both siblings knew how stubborn their father could get. No one could change his mind once it was set.
"I was there when King Jarod and King Tarendino signed the peace treaty and agreed that a political marriage must take place."
"It should be Princess Jemilla, right?"
"I don't want to agree with father and King Jarod's choice, but I think we can only gain an advantage if you are the one to be married off."
Zenia's eyes almost popped out from their sockets when she heard Zander's reply. She couldn't believe that her own brother who doted on her so much would say such words.
"B-big brother, you're joking right?"
Zenia looked at her brother with pleading eyes. Zander could no longer help it and hugged his baby sister so tight that she almost gasped.
"Oh little sister, your big brother is so useless that I can't do anything to counter their plan." Zander replied between sobs, and he slightly pushed Zenia away.
"But, big brother will always look after you even if you are already in Tissuria. I will send you my most reliable spies." He declared proudly as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"…"
Zenia learned from his brother that she was to monitor the military movement within the Kingdom of Tissuria. Nobody was smarter than Zenia when it comes to military tactics. King Jarod and King Tarendino believed that a faction within the Tissuria military was planning to sabotage the alliance between the two kingdoms. King Tarendino believed that the 'little war' between the people of both kingdoms had always been instigated by that group.
No one knew that Zenia was the great military tactician of Ishelon, except her family and the higher ups. Only King Jarod and the high ranking military personnel knew her identity. King Tarendino had never met Zenia before, but her great contributions in Ishelon's warfare had been well known in all of Tissuria. However, no one in Tissuria knew that the talented military tactician was a woman.
The people of Tissuria always thought that Zenia was a fine military man. The daughters of the high ranking officials in Tissuria even pleaded with their fathers to convince King Tarendino to grant them an edict to marry Zen Anisen, the Great Military Tactician of Ishelon.
King Jarod did not say anything to King Tarendino. Ovid and Zander told King Jarod that it would be best if the whole of Tissuria knew nothing about Zenia's identity apart from being Ovid's daughter.
However, they were surprised when the Crown Prince suggested to change the bride from Princess Jemilla to Zenia Anisen. King Tarendino explained that Prince Vaughn thought that it would be more convenient for Ovid and Zander to visit Tissuria without arousing suspicions if Zenia was married to the Crown Prince of Tissuria. Ovid and Zander thought that it was indeed a better idea.
"Brother!" A soft, warm male voice called from a nearby garden.
The siblings looked at the same time in the direction of the garden, and saw something beyond their belief.