Sealed lips kissing scars

"She is a soldier with scars because her battles are worth fighting"

It was dawn, signaling the end of all fights. She had just returned. With blood all over her, and thoughts trafficking her mind. The throne was hers now, and so were its battles. The kingdom's future became her future, its past became hers, and its battles became hers. And its downfall meant her downfall.

The kingdom was all she had left of her father. There weren't many mourners for him. For he was hated by everyone surrounding him and loved by people who hadn't even seen him properly. The villagers loved his deeds. After all, he brought prosperity to the kingdom after a long time of scarcity. They were thirsty for metal, and he brought them those.

The jasmine scent entered her nose and she felt little tingles on her body just remembering the scene that had become her worst nightmare now. The worst nightmare nevertheless continued in her mind.

Her father was lying on the bed, tongue lolling out and eyes energyless. They had lost the strong shimmer in them.

She didn't see any blood but there sure was some backstabbing.

The sole man in her life that she worshipped.

Her father.

Her dear father was killed.

He was given his favorite dish and then he just saw darkness. Nothing else. Not even her.

Her own brother had killed him. Nobody else except her knew. She knew him far too well. Her success wasn't boding well for him, and the strife between him and his father was brought to an end when her baba wanted his only able child to rule the kingdom.

But before he could declare anything of the sort his face was drained of all color and his heart was stopped.

She bent down next to his once brave face and stroked his cheek.

"Goodbye baba."

She whispered in his ear and then stood up.

The mirror stared at her in apprehension.

She looked at herself, in a veil and a heavy dress. With sealed lips that hid everything from everyone. Her potential. Her talents. Her bravery.

The same dress, the same veil that separated her from the warriors of the kingdom. That separated her from the warriors.

It was her kingdom now. And it was time for battles he had readied her till now.

Her Baba's sacrifice had a meaning.

It was meant to enrage her.

And to enrage her meant to deal with her wrath.

Her wrath would then make her fight even her brothers.

And then the throne would welcome her.

She had torn off the veil and turned it into a turban.

Turning her weakness into her support.

Now the Jasmine scent again hit her nose and she remembered the present. She saw the blood mix with the water and her body was stained clean by the hot water. She got up from the bathtub and faced the mirror.

Her wounds and scars were visible. The big slash on her face.

But the most enormous scar was not. Under her chest. In her heart. Of losing her only and only father. And of killing her brother too.

Seeing her bloody armor, she remembered her brother's blood was there too.

One day ago.

She woke up and put her metal armor on. She was steel and calm headed now. She had to be. Her kingdom was at stake.