Anna's POV
War.
Gallons of fresh blood cover the ground, and my armor. I smile. They are all dead. I look around to see most of my army gathering weapons that used to belong to the enemy. And others carry the bodies of the fallen soldiers. Their sacrifice has not gone in vain.
"Your majesty, we've lost several men, but we were victorious. Your strategy worked. " My commander told me.
"Take the bodies of our fallen soldiers back to camp. We need to take them to their families. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten, and it will not go in vain." I tell him. He nods and immediately leaves. I look back at the ground. I never thought that I would turn out this way. A murderer. Feared by men, women and children alike.
A tear falls from my eyes as the realization that I am responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of men dawns on me. What have I become? What did I just do?
"No Anna, you are strong. It wasn't your fault. It was them. They made you this way."
I tell myself as my daily consolation. They took away the only thing that made me feel. And with that I wipe off the tears.
"Majesty, we are ready to leave for the kingdom." My commander tells me.
"Wonderful. Let's bring the wonderful news to the people."
My arrival to the kingdom was grand. The people were chanting my name as my men carried me high on their shoulders. I was a hero. I had just done what no other king had done. I had just conquered the most powerful kingdom of the time. When I arrived at the castle gates, I prepared to give a speech to my people, who were eager to hear what I had to say.
" When I went into war today, I wasn't thinking about how many nations I would conquer, or how many people I would kill, I was thinking about the people of my beloved kingdom, the men, the women, the children. I was thinking about the prosperity of our kingdom. I didn't carry the mind of conquering and occupying, I carried the mind of protecting at all costs. Sadly, the sacrifice of many men was necessary. And it will never go to waste. It will never go in vain. But as of now, we have gained victory. And our Lands are safe. As for the families of our fallen soldiers, worry not. We shall give them a proper burial and try and compensate you as much as we can, although it cannot match up to the sacrifice you have made. I don't have much to say, just that I appreciate your support, and I will always protect you."
With that, the crowd erupted with cheer as I waved to the people and walked into the palace to be met by my father who was drunk senseless, and didn't even notice that I had gone to war.
"Father, I have just returned from the war with. Saynar. We won." I said almost excitedly, hoping that he would realize my importance, and that unlike my spoilt little brother I was fit to rule Mayvna as their queen.
"Oh, when did you go?" He asked and in his drunken state I couldn't tell whether he was just being spiteful or sarcastic.
"Father, do you even know the intensity of the situation? We could have been invaded. Our people could have been massacred, or sold into slavery..."
"Keep shut you insolent woman." He said almost snapping out of his drunken state.
"Honestly father, the world doesn't stop when you are in ecstasy, it goes on and the more you ignore this, the more you put your people at risk. Please try to understand, I'm trying to open your eyes here...."
Before I could add anything, I felt a hard slap befall my cheek. Did he just slap me?
He then grabbed my hair tightly and pulled it back. Hard. Silence befell the place as everyone tried to comprehend what just happened. I looked at my father with nothing but rage in my eyes. Not anger, rage.
"Listen to me woman. Know your place here. You have no right to give me advice on how to run my kingdom. You are a mere woman, whose work is to get me alliances, speaking of which, I'll get you one soon. You had better not involve yourself in my issues, else you will join your mother, you understand?" With that, he let me go. My brother was laughing his soul out .As he drunk on, while the women around him, almost half naked, bruised and scarred, looked down in disgrace.
"A woman's place is here, pleasing men, and doing as we please, not having opinions or voices, just really nice bodies, which you, Anna really need to work on." My brother says, with arrogance lacing his tone. "Did you learn nothing from your mother?"
"OUR mother, our mother Earnest." I say, trying to remind him if how much our mother loved him.
"No, just yours. Now unless you want to join us, head to your room like a good little girl." He orders me. How dare he? I am five years older than him. So my dad has finally gotten to him. He's hopeless.
I storm out hiding my tears.
No Anna, you are strong. You have to be strong for the people. You have to be strong for your mother.
I head to my room and out of frustration I order the maids out of my room. Immediately they leave, I can't help but thrash the palace. I want to scream, I want to shout, I want to cry. I sink in my bed, and slowly, my tears start falling rapidly. I look at the mirror and see how weak I have become, then my mom states back at me through the mirror.
"Anna, don't give up. Don't let them get to you. You are MY daughter. Mine. You are stronger than all of them combined. You are more powerful than you think. Don't ever let them put you down. You know what you must do " she says. With that, a new fire ignites in my heart because I am indeed my mother's daughter. And she was not weak, she was the strongest person I've ever known. I am my mother's daughter she was the smartest and bravest.
Just then, commander Marcus walks in.
"Majesty, I had sworn an oath to protect the people and kingdom of Mayvna at all cost. Now I realize I need to protect it from our own king. I was a friend of your mother, and she had a vision for Mayvna. But the king got too comfortable. Watching your fire at the battlefield today, I realize, that the fate if Mayvna lies in your hands." He says to me.
"But Marcus, you swore allegiance to the king, this would be considered treason." I say to him slightly worried for him.
"Wrong majesty, I swore to Mayvna. And I know for sure, you are cut out to rule it. You have the people, and the army in your side" he says to me, as he bows to me.
"But Marcus, I am just eighteen. Do you think I have what it takes?" I ask him, a bit worried.
"Sire, you are your mother's daughter. First get rid of these feelings of weakness and self doubt, just the way your mother did. Then you will be the best ruler Mayvna has ever known. Don't worry, I will be here to help you, as I owe it to your mother, and to Mayvna."
With that, the fire in my eyes grows even bigger, and Marcus noticed it and smiles.
"Do you know what to do now sire?" He asks.
"Kill them all. A painful and slow death. I will spare none." I almost whisper, a rage and thirst for revenge evident in my voice. "They must die for the sake of Mayvna."