"Sister! Sister!"
She couldn't get up. She had been defeated. Anemone lost the right to be heir. Lost the right to learn the swordsmanship. Lost to her younger brother. Cayden was shaking her, trying to get her to react to him.
"Sister, answer me!" Cayden was crying. She didn't care anymore. She fell on her side at his pushes. He gripped her arm, shaking her harder. "I'm sorry, sister. I would've let you win but father says if I don't win, I won't be able to protect you. I had to be serious. Please forgive me!"
She started laughing. Her hand covered her eyes. He had always been strong. Anemone was the one who was foolish and stupid. She could hear her father pulling him away. As her brother and father left, she heard heels clicking closer. She stopped laughing.
"Do you know why you lost?"
She moved her hand and looked up at her mother. She couldn't see her face. The sun stood behind her, her mother's face shadowed. She covered her face again, not wanting to face the truth. Yet, her mother persisted.
"Tell me why you lost, Anemone."
Anemone sat up and stared at the brick building of their townhouse. "I wasn't strong enough," she responded dully. She felt tired.
"No, that's not the answer." Anemone's eyes widen in shock and turned to look at her mother. Her mother was looking at her with a sad face. "Anemone, you didn't lose because you weren't strong enough. You lost because you only thought about winning."
Anemone stood up angrily. "Isn't winning what I was suppose to do in this match? It was for the right to be heir!"
"Anemone," her mother said her name sadly. "All these years of learning and training... And you still don't understand?"
Anemone gritted her teeth. What was it she did not understand? What was more about the winning? "Please tell me, mother."
Her mother pointed at the broken sword. "Think about how your sword broke. How your brother attacked you. What your brother thought about you."
Staring at the sword, it seemed odd to her that it was even hers. The training sword was made of bamboo but hollowed to make the weight light. Light enough for children to train with. They also splintered with repeated force. With enough force also, you could bruise easily.
During the fight, she realized he had avoided hurting her and chose to hit her sword only. What did she do in return? She attacked him with the intent of defeating him any way possible. The thought shamed her. She had forgotten what father had taught her when he had given the role to her. To be the heir was to protect their lands.
Their people...
Her own brother...
Tears slowly fell down her cheeks. She felt shame. Anemone felt her mother hold her. She hugged her back tightly as she cried. She didn't deserve the role. Not even the swordsmanship. Not even her younger brother's love.
When she finished crying, she wiped her dirty tear streaked face. "Mother, I understand now. I will listen to your guidance. With our agreement, I will no longer follow what I shouldn't." Her voice seemed hollow, devoid of emotions.