The story of Lavinia was well known throughout the Lavinia Kingdom. One could probably guess she had something to do with founding the kingdom when they hear that name, and they are correct. Her story was one that all the girls looked up to, she was rebellious and strong. But what the mothers of the kingdom always made sure to tell their daughters was she never started out that way, she didn't know how to fight at first and followed the rules. The girls would look up at their mothers with eyes full of wonder and ask the question, "can I be like her?", the mothers would smile sweetly at their children and say, "of course dear, but you need to work hard at it." Then another story of Lavinia's would be told, about her using her rare form of magic, that would control somebody just by her words.
That was the part that Maya hated. She was one of those girls that would ask if she could be like Lavinia, but once she grew older and her three brothers would laugh at her for wanting something so impossible, she finally stopped. Knowing, that her dream wouldn't happen. It was only her best friend Lance who would tell her she could do anything if she really wanted to, and he would be there the whole way for her. He would tell her she would be the strong fighter and he would support her with his forest magic. They would giggle together and then he would flick her nose and tell her she could do anything while they both laughed. But in her heart, Maya knew she couldn't do that. She didn't have magic and it was too late for her to awaken it, she was already 11 years old. It should have woken up in her when she was 9 but it had passed that time and it was too late now.
It had been different during that time though. The time when her mother was alive, when she always had her to tell the stories she made and the ideas she had. But that was gone now, her mother was gone now. Once, her brothers used to take her with them everywhere, they would all do adventures in the forest with Lance tagging along trying to find the so-called monsters that had existed hundreds of years ago before they mysteriously disappeared. Sebastien, her oldest brother, would practice sword fighting with her, Monty, the second oldest, would teach her to fight in hand-to-hand combat. They had always supported her being independent, even her twin brother, Levi, who was her other half, her softer and sweeter half, she had been the one born with the fiery temper. He would teach her how to bake, and along with that he taught her medicine. But after her mother was killed, her 2 older brothers and Lance became very protective over her. There were no more adventures in the forest. No more fighting, she wasn't even allowed to leave the house alone and she was 17 now. Levi was still always there for her. He kept on teaching her medicine and how to bake but even he wasn't okay with her being off on her own. Lance was the only one now who would sneak out with her, but he had to be with her at all times or he threatened that he would tell her brothers her secret hiding spot. Maya was done with this, so she decided she had to take her fate into her own hands before she became an old woman still locked up in her home by her brothers. That is how she came up with her escape plan.