Rising Above (Dead War Sequel Book 2)

Chapter One: The Meeting

I stood watching the new men practice with Charlie. New men and some men with their wives came into umbris looking for work and they all said they heard amazing things about umbris and our inclusion in ethnicities and genders in our guard. There were 17 men and 12 women, 10 of the men and 7 of the women all came to train and practice with Charlie and Nathaniel. I watched as the men trained with Nathaniel and the women with Charlie. I chucked at Charlie trying to keep up with women but was severely failing. I walked over and Charlie sighed and looked over at me.

"Can you help?" He asked In defeat.

"Of course, go help Nathaniel and I will train the women." He thanked me and ran over to Nathaniel.

"Okay, thank you to everyone who joined us for the fight. We appreciate all of you and your willingness to fight in this war that is not your own." I spoke.

"So we will actually be able to fight in this war, like we won't be required to stay here and be nurses or something." A woman asked.

"Absolutely, may I ask how old you are and what your name is." I asked her.

"My name is Naomi and I'm 17." She replied. She had super curly black hair and she was African American her eyes were as dark as can be and beautiful. She was the epitomy of beautiful her skin was flawless and her curves were beautiful.

"Well Naomi I when I was 17 I was in this very guard learning to fight and using swords and guns and more. My father the king disagreed with my methods but yet I still fought and did everything I could with my people." Her eyes widened with the rest of the group and in unison they all said in shock and surprise.

"You're the queen?"

"The one and only." I said with a smile on my face. They all jumped for joy and I laughed and Charlie looked over his eyebrow raised. I smiled and nodded my head and he laughed and continued with his training.

"So you're a queen and a women and you still fight with the guard and as a knight."

"Exactly, just because we are women and just because we are different races and ethnicity's and different ages doesn't mean that we can't be strong and we can't fight. I became queen ruling this kingdom and I still wear pants and not dresses and leather jackets. We aren't defined by our gender or anything of the sort we define ourselves and that is our power." Naomi smiled with the rest of the guards and mercy walked out and stood next to me smiling.

"Newbies?" She asked.

"Yep and we have some good spirit here." I said smiling looking over at Naomi.

"Do you fight to?" Naomi asked mercy.

"Oh absolutely I lead an expedition with the queen over here and fought to save the kingdom and protect our towns just like Serena did. Just like she said we are women but that doesn't make us weak or less capable." The women cheered and Nathaniel and Charlie both looked up confused mercy gave them a smug look and they both looked fake offended and laughed.

"Now let's get to the real training." I said. I placed the wood swords on the rack and placed rings of metal on the ground 6 inches away from the next. I set up ropes on wood boards and placed unused carriage filled with rocks on the end of an open path.

"The most important part of working for the guard is your strength. Not only physically strength but mental strength. We will have four physical activities four mental activities and then four partner activities. This guard is like your family, these men and women will be like your siblings, your older and younger brothers and sisters and to be like a family you have to trust one another. You have to put your full trust in your peers that they will have your back no matter what. And I as your queen you have to be able to trust me and be able to know that I am here to protect you and I will fight by your side. And at the same time your job is to protect me so I can make it back to my sons the next day. This guard is your family and you will protect it like such. Half of you will go with mercy and the other half will come with me. We will combine the men and women together to show that we do not separate. Charlie walked over with the men and I split them up into sections.