Field Marshall Chan grinned widely as he watched Keira's physical training with her friends in the training grounds within their home.
He loved and admired the fighting spirit of his daughter. Too bad she was born a girl...
He initially wanted a boy, someone to inherit the Chan's legacy and military power.
However, he was granted with a girl...
He and his wife tried so hard to make more babies in the hope for a boy but failed. They gave up after two miscarriages because the doctor had advised that it was no longer safe for Esther. Another pregnancy might compromise Esther's life.
He knew he spoiled his daughter a lot but what could he do, she's the only treasure he and his wife have. As long as they can, they will give her all that they could afford.
He was startled when his wife poked his side.
"Look at that grin of yours. Are you happy watching your daughter doing things like that? I still can't understand you two..." Mrs. Chan said as she watched Keira too.
Then she sighed and continued, "She is so focused on getting admitted to Military School. I still think its inappropriate and not a wise choice. Look at her. She's struggling with simple exercises."
"The camp is the safest place, dear. I'm there and monitor everything that goes inside... Besides, she will learn a lot in there. I know your worries... and trust me it will not come to that. I only want Keira to gain experiences where she can learn and value life more and the importance of it." Mr. Chan explained as he looked at his daughter lovingly.
Of course, he wouldn't let Keira become a soldier but being trained as one was a good thing for her mentally, emotionally and most of all physically.
"Look at that... so frail..." Mr. Chan chuckled as he watched his daughter who was having a hard time with the physical training.
"Yeah, you're right. Your daughter will fail the physical test... definitely..." Mrs. Chan seconded as she suppressed her laughter watching how her daughter struggled.
Despite doing various awkward exercise moves, she still moved with poise.
'Poor guy,' she murmured as she shifted her gaze to the coach assigned to Keira who had been scratching his head several times.
_______
"Drey, just lift her up!" Lana shouted as she looked at Keira's painful face as she tried to do the pull up. She was having a hard time raising her body with her arms as she grasped the bar with both palms.
The three of them had done it successfully where they were expected to raise their chin above the bar. However, Keira couldn't raise herself even halfway.
Each of them had a custom workout plan based on their capabilities, the same applied to nutritional guidance and support based on their body types.
Toink!
Blag!
Keira slumped on the ground. "Ouch," she muttered while she massaged her hips.
"No, don't help me. I'm fine," she said and got up on her feet quickly.
"If they can do it... I can also... without hesitation... do this," Keira murmured with pouted lips.
'Why the heck does it look easier on television!' she complained silently.
She grabbed the bar and tried to pull herself up but ended up just hanging on the bar.
She saw Drey walked towards her to give her support so she shouted, "No, Drey! Don't you dare! I can do it... Don't mind me and do what your coach has instructed you to do."
She looked at her coach and winked. "Coach we still have many days left so stop scratching that head," she said smiling as she tried to pull herself up.
No matter what happened she must try her best and do things right.
"Alright, Keira, you have to do at least one to get better... relax your grip. Decrease that bodyweight..." her coach instructed.
She actually looked funny right now and she could see how amused her dad was as he watched her.
"Hmp!" she muttered. She wouldn't give up even if her physical body was giving her a hard time. She had a goal and she will reach that goal by all means.
She still had a lot of days to get physically fit... she was just starting...
"I can do this." She murmured as she tried to pull her body so her chin could reach the bar.
"That confidence is really killing me!" Lana whispered as she watched Keira.
"Well, we all love that confidence in her. To be honest, I feel like I can also do anything no matter how hard it is, whenever I'm with Keira," May commented.
Drey put his arms on the girls' shoulders and said, "That's so true sistas... Now, let's go back to our own exercises and let Keira concentrate there..."
________
"Zach, when will you get a partner? You've been left behind by the youngsters you know..." Torin said grinning as he handed him an envelope.
It was the wedding invitation from one of the younger soldiers close to them.
"Ron, will get married soon. How about you? When do you plan to get tied up?," Torin asked and sat beside Zach who was focused on the monitor.
The two of them became good friends, when they were deployed to the same unit during the war five years ago. Zach was his sergeant at that time. One would say they were more like brothers than friends.
Zach got promoted as a General in Four Ranks. It was a high position and he could proudly say that his friend deserved that though they say that he was still young...
Torin was glad to have Zach as his superior. He was the best leader he could have. Not because of his capabilities but because of how he treated his men. He had so much respect for Zach as his superior.
Zach's brow arched and said, "How about you then? We're just the same, age and status..."
Torin laughed hard. It was true that they were still both single at the age of twenty seven but Zach was very different from him.
"Well, you know me I'm a playboy and I would rather stay single forever than be attached to any woman who will try to render my reign obsolete... - no strings attached - that's my motto in life... but you... you are the serious type. Someone ideal to settle with a woman." He teased.
Zach frowned, "I don't have plans to rush things. I still have a lot to do and having someone that can accept me for who I am is expecting too much."
"Well, you are right, besides, you need to get a girlfriend first. I mean, how many girls have hit on you but you're like a stone! I heard from other soldiers that the Field Marshal's daughter is really beautiful and seems to like you. Too bad I was sick and not present in that ceremony to see her," Torin said with a regretful tone.
He missed meeting the 'Princess'. That's what the soldiers were calling the Field Marshal's daughter. They said that her beauty was beyond comparison and she was so graceful that the soldiers were still drooling as they said the words.
"Yes, she is. And I'm sure your eyes and jaw will drop too if you happen to see her. But, what is beauty? It doesn't define you as a person. Personality matters the most." he said nonchalantly.
Torin twitched his mouth and said, "She is the only daughter of our Field Marshall so I'm sure she was raised well."
Then Torin muttered, "What a boring man you are."
"I heard that... Do you want to be assigned early for battle?" Zach said as he continued to finish his work in his computer.
He needed to fix certain things within his major areas of command, including operations for Country X.
"Nay, Sir... I mean, wow, you're looking so hot. The youngest General in history, I'm anticipating the girls drooling over you. That itself is not boring at all. You see without effort, girls will drool over your aloof hotness my friend." Torin said in a jest.
Then he creased his forehead as he remembered something and added, "Well, you're not alone since another General will soon arrive. I almost forgot. Two gorgeous men in Military School and one hot Lieutenant like me... Nah, I only hope we'll have more beautiful girls in the next admission test." Torin said laughing.
Zach shook his head. Torin was good and the best among his men but his main downfall was his playfulness when it came to women.
He sighed at the thought of Jeru, he was a General too and was promoted earlier than him. They were often compared to each other. Jeru cane from a well known and wealthy family while he was from the slum.
Yes, he was from the slum and he was proud of it. He was admitted at this prestigious Military School through his good grades and earned a scholarship.
Being poor was not a hindrance to reach his goal.
Instead, being poor, gave him the motivation to strive harder so he could give his family a better future.
His dad died early when he was ten years of age. He was the eldest of the four siblings.
His mother had a hard time raising them all alone so he had to help her and do a lot of part time jobs at night while he studied in the morning.
At a young age, he had so matured beyond his age. He dreamed of a better life so he made sure to graduate with flying colours.
Field Marshal Chan was his greatest inspiration. He often watched him on the news and saw all his great deed for the people and the country. He looked up to him and wanted to achieve something like him someday.
So, he tried hard to maintain the scholarship offered by the Military School.
It was not easy. Nothing was easy for him but his perseverance and persistence made him achieve whatever he was right now.
_____
Zach filed a week's leave to spend more days with his family.
Once the admission test started, the training will follow immediately for the new recruits. And he had to stay at the dormitory inside the military school to monitor everything while he was not in the field.
He wouldn't get a chance to be with his family by then.
He smiled as he recalled how his mother cried hard during the ceremony when he received the Medal of Valor. He was delighted to see how his family were so proud of him.
He drove to their family home located in the province. It was a three storey house with seven rooms in a small villa, a simple villa if you compare it with the extravagant ones near their area but it was big enough for them.
He also had a bachelor's pad in the city where he slept if he needed to work and be focused on something important and confidential. But being in their province, he felt more at home.
He smiled with contentment when he was almost near their gate. It took years to finish their villa. Little by little, and just recently, this year it was fully completed.
"Big Brother, you're here..." Rizie ran towards him and hugged him.
"Wow presents, give me that. I'll take care of it." Rizie said as she excitedly pulled the paper bags from her brother.
Zach laughed and pinched the cheeks of their youngest. She's eighteen years old and the sweetest of all. Whenever she sees him she always hugs him.
During the ceremony, most of the soldiers thought that she was his girlfriend since Rizie hugged him tightly after the ceremony and kissed his cheek.
"Mom is in the kitchen with grandma preparing dinner. You must be tired after a long drive but eat dinner with us first." Rizie said before she turned around and peeked what was inside the paper bags.
She knew that her big brother always brought presents for them whenever he arrived at the villa, so she wanted to see them before Josh so that she could choose first.
Josh was her twin brother, they are fraternal twins and they often bantered over a lot of things.
Zach saw his mom and grandma, he greeted and kissed them on their cheeks.
"Oh my handsome grandchild is here..." Grandma Terri said and hugged him.
"Ma, let Zach change first... Go now son, I will have Ning call you once dinner is ready." His mother said smiling.
Zach nodded and walked towards his room that was located at the third floor. He occupied the space on the third floor so as to have access to where his room, gym, library and private room were located.
He removed his clothes and had a quick shower. He would always feel the scars on his body, souvenirs from both gunshot and stab wounds during battle.
There's no more pain, all that's left are scars. How he hoped that the same applied to his heart.
He let out a bitter laugh... It's been three years already. God damn three years, but he still felt the pain in his heart because of her... The woman he loved and longed for wholly.
Then he sneered as the drops of water from the shower continuously flowed on his body.
This happened often, him, recalling memories all of a sudden and it was frustrating as hell...
He was still trapped and couldn't move on...
"Fuck," he murmured. He never usually cursed but whenever he was reminded of her, he couldn't help but curse.
At the dining table, everyone was present except for his sister.
Zach was the bread winner in the family and Lyra was helping him somehow, though he refused because he wanted her to focus more on her career. But Lyra was stubborn and she also did part time jobs while she was studying law.
And now that she graduated. She was focused on passing the Bar Exam. She was staying in the city to attend a review program before the exam.
"How's school?" Zach asked as he looked at the twins.
Rizie smiled at him sweetly and replied, "Big Bro, I'm studying well unlike Josh who often plays around with girls."
"Stop that, Big Bro will believe you... I'm not playing around! They are the ones who are chasing me!" Josh hissed as he looked to his sister.
"You two... Stop and don't quarrel while dining." Their grabdpa Shen scolded and the twins quickly zipped their mouths.
"Don't worry, Zach, I will monitor the twins... Why don't you focus on yourself this time? I mean, you're old enough. I think it's about time you get into a relationship. Your grandma Terri and I are getting old. We would like to see grandchildren roaming around our house soon." Grandpa Shen said smiling.
They knew Zach's past and about the woman he had loved. He hated, to see his grandchild stuck up long because of her...
Zach deserves someone better and he believed that one will soon come if only his grandson would open his heart once more.
Zach did not respond and the whole family exchanged meaningful gazes with each other.
Rizie couldn't control herself because of the sudden awkward silence and so she said, "Gosh, Grandpa... Josh for sure will give you those grandchildren in no time, trust me. You may not know, but next week someone will knock on our door and she will say she's pregnant with Josh' baby..."
Then she followed it with loud laughter when she saw Josh's face reddening in embarrassment. Even his ears turned red. She liked to tease her twin brother so much and the latter was used to it.
Their mother laughed too and said, "Well, Josh is a man so it's okay. He can still continue studying and graduate. Unlike you Rizie, no boyfriend until you graduate. Look at your big sister Lyra as an example."
Rizie pouted her lips and started to eat her food instead. She could see Josh's triumphant face enjoying her predicament so she made a face at him.
Zach smiled happily... This was the best feeling... Being with the people he loved and treasured the most... his family...