Another failed Attempt
The morning light danced upon the walls, the sun's rays warm and inviting, as I stirred from sleep, my body stretching, as if seeking to shake off the last vestiges of night's embrace. As I turned my face toward the light, my eyes opened, as if to embrace the new day, the fresh start that awaited me.
I sat up in my bed, my hair tousled, my gaze fixed on the window, on the light that streamed through as if searching for a sign, a symbol of hope, of renewal, that would lift her spirits, that would remind me of my goal, my resolve, my future.
My gaze fell upon a butterfly, its wings a vibrant splash of color, as it danced outside the window as if beckoning to me as if urging me to join it, to embrace the beauty, the wonder, the magic of the day.
I smiled, my expression soft, as I rose from my bed, and smoothed my hair. I crossed to the window as if drawn by the butterfly's song, the promise of a new day, a new beginning, a fresh start that would fill my heart with hope, determination, with the will to fight.
I stepped outside, the fresh air embracing me, the sun warm against my skin, as I took a breath, and drank in the sights, the sounds, the scents of the morning as if to cleanse myself of the bitterness, the despair, that had clung to me, that had weighed me down.
I closed my eyes, my head tilting back, as turned my face toward the sun, and let the warmth fill me as if to renew me. To replenish me as if to remind me of the beauty, the strength, the resilience that lay within my soul.
I opened my eyes, my gaze sweeping across the landscape, the trees, the flowers, the birds that filled the sky. As I began to walk, my feet crunching on the grass, as I moved through the gardens, my heart light as if I had left the darkness behind as if I had embraced the light that awaited me.
The echo of clanging steel, of grunts, of fierce, determined shouts, reached my ears as if they were calling out to me, as if summoning me, as I moved through the gardens, my steps slowing, halting, as my gaze shifted, as my eyes fixed on the warriors.
I stood there, her feet rooted to the ground, as if the very earth beneath me had turned to stone, as the warriors' voices reached my ears, a chorus of shouts, of cries, of grunts, that echoed in my mind, that filled me with both a fierce longing, a fierce pride, as I imagined myself among them, as I imagined myself defending the king and the people, against the threat that loomed, that waited in the shadows.
My heart ached, my spirit wilting, as I realized the truth, the bitter truth, that lay before me, the realization that my dreamy destiny had been denied, that Gerald's refusal, my rejection, had kept me from fulfilling intention, my destiny, the yearning to defend, to protect, to be one of the elite, to fight for the kingdom, that burned within me, that called to me, a cry that echoed in my soul.
I stood there, my heart heavy, as if burdened by a weight I could no longer bear, as I made my decision, a decision that would change the course of my destiny, that would set me on a path that was both uncertain, yet exhilarating, a path that would lead me into the heart of battle, of conflict, of the very struggle that had drawn me, that had called to me, since I was a child.
I moved with intentions, my feet quick, sure, as I made my way to the training grounds, my heart racing, my pulse quickening, as I sought out for the Lycan king.
Gerald's face twisted into a mask of fury, as he strode toward me, his steps quick, heavy, as if he sought to crush me, to break me, to make me feel the weight of his wrath, of his disapproval, as he reached out, his hand grasping my arm, his grip tight, painful, as he dragged me to my feet, his words sharp, cutting, as he spoke.
"You dare defy me, again?" He Despitehiswere words venomous, he glared at me, his eyes blazing with rage, his expression dark, twisted, as he shook me as if to shake loose my defiance, my stubbornness, as if to force me to realize the folly, the recklessness, of my actions.
My voice was steady, my gaze unflinching, as I met Gerald's, as I spoke with a quiet, determined courage that seemed to silence the very air, as I countered his accusations, as I defended her actions.
"I have done nothing wrong, my king," I said my voice low, steady, as I stood before Gerald, her head held high, my posture proud, as I sought to convince him, to reason with him, to show him that I had done what was right, what was just, what was necessary.
"I am a warrior," I continued, my voice rising, my words ringing with defiance, with determination, with the strength that had been forged within my soul, as I stood before him, and sought to claim my destiny, my fate.
Gerald's face contorted into a snarl, his teeth bared, as he glared at me, as he regarded me with a burning, all-consuming rage as if I were an enemy, a traitor, a threat that must be eliminated, that must be destroyed, to protect the kingdom, to protect the warriors.
I heard a loud sound on my cheek, like that of flesh hitting flesh, I crumpled to the ground, my body trembling, my breath coming in ragged gasps, as I lay there, stunned, shocked, my face pressed against the dirt, my tears mingling with the dust, as if to erase the mark of his anger, his disapproval, as if to wash away the shame, the humiliation, that overwhelmed her.
Tom's voice was low, steady, his hands resting on Gerald's shoulders as if seeking to calm the storm that raged within him, as if seeking to even the fury that seemed to consume him, to burn him from within.
"You are a king, my lord," Tom said, his voice a whispered plea, as he sought to reason with Gerald, to remind him of who he was, of what he stood for, as he tried to convince him that beating a woman, a woman who sought only to fight for their kingdom, was not the way, not the path, not the honor that the kingdom required.
Gerald's words were like a whip crack, a lash that seemed to cut through the air, as he pushed Tom away, his eyes still fixed on me, as I lay there, silent, my face still pressed into the dirt, as if to shield myself from his words, from the contempt, the disgust, that he felt for me, for the mere fact that I had dared to challenge him, to defy him, to defy the very order of their kingdom.
"She is nothing but a breeder," Gerald said, his voice dripping with venom, with contempt, as he spat the words as if they were a curse as if I were an abomination, a stain that must be removed, as he turned his gaze upon me, his eyes cold, hard, as if I were already dead to him.
Gerald's squatting form loomed over me, as he knelt, as he brought his face closer to mine, as he whispered, as he hissed the words into my ear as if seeking to sear them into my soul, to make me understand, to make me realize my place, my position in the hierarchy of their kingdom.
"A breeder, nothing more," Gerald repeated, his voice low, dangerous, as his hand lifted, as he trailed a finger down the curve of my cheek, as he traced the path of my tears as if seeking to mark me, to brand me, as if to reinforce the idea, the notion, that I was nothing more than a vessel for the creation of life, a vessel that could be used, that could be discarded, at his whim, at his pleasure, at his mercy.
My body moved as if possessed by a force beyond my control, beyond my will, as I pushed myself to my feet, as I stumbled, staggered, away from Gerald, from the training ground, from the eyes that stared at me, that bore witness to my humiliation, my shame, as I ran, my tears blurring my vision, as I fled as if to escape, to outrun the truth, the reality.