Freya's POV
Something was growing inside of me, pulsing like a heartbeat, and I could feel it. It got stronger each time I practised and engaged in combat. My strength was coming to life, as though it had been waiting for the proper opportunity to manifest; it was no longer something brittle or concealed. Kade's warriors also took note. They no longer regarded me with suspicion or contempt. They now gave me a respectful, if a little frightened, gaze.
However, tension accompanied that respect. I sensed it from the cautious, suspicious way they observed me, as though they were still in shock that someone like me could have this much authority.
After a lengthy training session, Kade called out to me in a smooth yet authoritative voice, "Freya." "You've made great progress. More than I anticipated.
I wiped the perspiration from my forehead and looked him in the eye. I couldn't help but sound defiant as I answered, "I'm only just getting started." I wanted him to know that my fear had subsided. I had had enough of being the weak one, the one who was despised.
A tiny, contented smile curved Kade's lips. He nodded and replied, "Good." Soon, we'll require that strength. I would like you to lead the upcoming raid.
Around us, the warriors whispered their faces a mix of surprise and awe. A raid? Me in charge of a raid? That was something I had never done before. However, the difficulty just strengthened my resolve.
I stood erect, felt the confidence blossom in my breast, and said, "I won't let you down."
Something unfathomable shone in Kade's eyes. "I do not doubt that. But keep in mind, Freya, that having power can be risky if you don't know who has it.
It was soon the night of the raid. Kade's warriors, all armed and prepared, surrounded me as I stood at the edge of the camp. I sensed a constant, powerful pulse of strength within myself. This is something I could do. This is what I would do.
Kade approached me with penetrating eyes. "Freya, this will be your exam. Prove to them your strength.
I nodded while holding onto my weapon's hilt and feeling a wave of resolve pass through me. This time, the warriors surrounding me didn't give me a suspicious glance. As they awaited my order, they looked to me as their leader.
"Let's go!" My voice was firm as I called.
The raid was a flurry of steel flashing and combat yells. As I used all of my strength to defend Kade's soldiers, I experienced the rush of power and the excitement of battle. My abilities increased, directing me, and enabling me to strike harder and react more quickly.
"Behind you, Freya!" shouted one of the soldiers.
I sent one enemy crashing to the ground as I twirled, my power flashing. Kade's warriors stood around me, their expressions full of wonder. They used to disbelieve me, but now they see me as at least as good as them.
They flocked around, muttering in awe, and I could sense their reverence once the raid had ended.
With a tone of amazement in his voice, one of them remarked, "You were amazing, Freya."
With startled eyes, another warrior nodded. "Power like that has never been witnessed by me before. It seems as though It seems like you are superior to the rest of us.
A tiny smile tugged at my lips, and I was powerless to stop it. I experienced an odd feeling of pride for the first time. I was no longer the helpless girl they believed they could manipulate. I was evolving into a stronger version of myself.
However, a shadow continued to haunt me even after the victory. Yes, Kade had offered me this opportunity, but why? What was it that he wanted from me?
I never would have imagined the amount of respect, affection, and whispered acclaim that surrounded me in the days following the attack. Even Kade appeared delighted, eyeing me with that unreadable face that made me wonder what he was truly thinking, and his warriors treated me differently now.
One day, when I caught him by himself, I finally said, "Kade." "What made you offer me this opportunity? Why are you assisting me in strengthening myself?
Kade's eyes were keen, and he arched an eyebrow. "Freya, do you question my motives?"
I paused, a glimmer of uncertainty in my mind. "I simply... Why you would go out of your way for someone like me is beyond me. What do you stand to gain?
There was a tinge of something sinister about his laugh. "You don't know what you can do, do you, Freya?"
I felt the power pulsating beneath my skin, a force I could hardly control, and I tightened my fists. I looked him in the eye and replied, "I'm beginning to understand." However, I'm curious about what you know. About me. Regarding the reason, I feel... strange.
Although Kade's face relaxed, I could still feel my heart pounding because of the sparkle in his eyes. "Everything in due time, Freya. Just know that you are more valuable than you think for the time being. And I'll answer all your questions when the moment is appropriate.
I was both excited and suspicious of what he said. Yes, there was an appreciation for the strength he had given me. However, I couldn't shake the sensation that he was withholding something that had the power to alter everything.
I turned away and muttered, "Okay." However, his eyes stayed on me, giving me a sense of both power and helplessness.
Late one evening, I was by myself near the camp's edge, gazing into the night. My thoughts strayed to the Whiteclaw Pack and the memories I had worked so hard to suppress. All of the pack members who had abandoned me, including Finnick, believed I was weak and had nothing to contribute. But as I stood there, sensing my inner strength, I knew that was no longer the case.
I didn't want to rejoin their world or return for acceptance. No, the day that Finnick publicly rejected me had destroyed that aspect of me. A part of me, however, still desired to disprove their assertions and demonstrate that the girl they had rejected was stronger than they could have ever guessed.
"What are you contemplating?"
One of Kade's warriors was observing me with an inquisitive look on his face when I turned around.
"Nothing," I said, feigning a tiny smile. "Just... recalling things."
He appeared to comprehend as he nodded. "Freya, they don't deserve you. None of them can match your strength.
I nodded as I felt the veracity of what he had spoken sink in. A part of me felt unfulfilled, though, as though there was more I was supposed to do, even as I stood there surrounded by the respect and appreciation I had always desired.
Yes, I had been banished by the Whiteclaw Pack, but that didn't mean I would never return. I will show them one day. I would prove to Finnick and everyone else that I was more than the broken girl they had turned away.
I let the resolve, stronger than ever, wash over me as I closed my eyes.
I pledged myself that one day I would go back to show them what they had lost, not to gain their acceptance.
Knowing that I would not be the girl they believed they knew the next time I confronted the Whiteclaw Pack, I readied myself for whatever was ahead with that pledge blazing in my heart.
As the moon rose higher, casting its light over the camp, a sense of purpose filled me, stronger than the pain of rejection. Whatever it took, I would prove myself. And when I did, they would all see the power I held within me.