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◾~Nya's POV~◾

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Dinner was quiet that night but it still held some uneasiness. It was like everyone wanted to say something on the matter but didn't know how to word it. Usually, Kai and Skylor would be goofing off or I would be discussing my interest in mechanics. But it was so reserved, no one even pointed out the thunderous storm outside.

Skylor and I poured tea for everyone while Mom served the food. Whilst this occurred, I caught Skylor's attention. I tried to communicate with her through my gazes, nodding towards my father and brother. She shook her head at me, quickly raising a finger to her lips.

I knew I was a bit impulsive and had a habit of rushing into trouble without looking both ways. And I would degrade myself a thousand times before ever ignoring Skylor's warnings; she was sensible when circumstances would change. But right now, I couldn't go along with her.

Although my parents had always treated her like a daughter, her wife status still required her to remain silent and not utter a single word in matters that didn't concern her. I, however, had every right to argue in the name of my family's well-being.

I slowly lowered my cup from my lips before roughly placing it on the table. The action was bound to confound everyone and so it did. I felt adrenaline thrashing in my veins.

"You both shouldn't have to go!" I exclaimed aloud.

"Nya," my mother chided but I neglected her.

I stood up and towered over my family. "There are plenty of other young men to fight for Ninjago!"

I immediately thought of Jay as the words poured from my lips. Personally, I didn't want him to leave either but he would be able to fare much better than Dad and Kai despite him having no past experience.

My brother scowled but my father remained unaffected as if he had known I was going to lash out. "It is an honor to protect my country and my family," he said loudly, a hint of strictness in his voice.

I could feel Skylor tugging on my kimono to make me sit down but I was too angry to think straight.

Kai put his chopsticks on his plate and looked up at me, a kind of seriousness in his eyes that I had never seen before. It was cold compared to the mirthful brother I was used to. "All my life, I've done nothing worthy of honor. This is my chance to prove myself and prevent my family's name from being dragged through the dirt."

I knew he was partially referring to my defiance in front of the royal advisor. I scoffed. So, now it was a matter of shame to voice one's opinion? Or was it only like that for a woman?

"So, you'll die for honor?" I shot back sarcastically.

"We'll die doing what's right," Dad said, standing up and gaining the advantage of his domineering caliber.

"But if you-"

"I know my place!" my father finally snapped, cutting me off. "It is time you learned yours."

"You want me to keep my mouth shut and sit back like a coward? Is that all a daughter's for?" I couldn't stop myself from saying whatever came to mind. It was like my voice and tongue were acting up of their own accord.

Dad glared at me. "I want you to be a good bride. I want you to satisfy the matchmaker and join your name with a respectable family."

Gradually, Skylor's hold on my dress loosened. My father went on with the same painful speech that everyone throws at a woman.

"We all must work together to uphold the family honor. A man must bear arms and a girl must incorporate herself in domiciliary matters."

My frame of thought denied all that my father had to say. Every time someone would mention marriage and matches, my mind would wander back to the mess I had made that morning. And I did not like being reminded of my mistakes.

I was about to retort back when Skylor rose next to me. I turned to her, expecting her to say something in either my defense or my father's. She did neither.

"Excuse me," she said politely, eyes low. With that, she stepped away from the table and proceeded towards the door. Kai held out his good arm to stop her but she readily moved out of the way and disappeared down the hall.

Dad sighed and sat back down. Mom placed a hand on his shoulder before frowning at me. "Nya, maybe you should leave too."

I said nothing. Clenching my fists, I followed Skylor's example and ran from the room. I emerged onto the porch outside and finally burst into tears, leaning against one of the beams holding the roof up.

Lightning cracked through the sky and cold winds bit at my wet face. Rain began pelting the ground, beating a steady rhythm on the cobblestone path that led to the farmyard. I let its noise drown out my quiet sobs as I slid down to the floor.

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◽~Skylor's POV~◽

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When Kai came back to our room, I was already pretending to be asleep. He switched on the oil lamp, casting a faint orange glow on the walls. I tried to hide most of my face by leaning further into the pillow just so he couldn't see my red nose and splotchy cheeks. I couldn't let him know I had been crying. He had never seen me done so before.

Although I hadn't been the target of the scolding at dinner, seeing a girl being reprimanded over having the same opinion as I still made my patience grow thin. Besides, Nya had always been like a younger sister to me. We had practically grown up together. I never liked it when she was hurt in any way.

Apart from that, I was sick of women being constantly associated with nothing but housework, worshipping their husbands, and bearing children. The only difference between Nya and me was that I kept these thoughts a secret. She would let them out and get burned by society. It shouldn't be like that.

After getting ready for bed, Kai turned out the lights. I heard him hiss in pain and assumed he had accidentally hit his arm somewhere while climbing into bed. It was silent after that but only for a while.

"Skylor?" Kai whispered. I didn't respond.

"Skylor," he tried again, louder this time. "I know you're awake. I just wanted to let you know that me and Dad will leave at dawn. Mom doesn't want you and Nya to get up early so she'll see us off herself. But I promise I'll let you know when I'm leaving, okay?"

I ignored him, still angry at the way he was giving himself up for something as unpredictable as war when we hadn't even properly started our lives yet. He must've understood that I was mad at him because he didn't say anything after that.

An hour passed. I had new visions zooming through my mind's eye. The rush and thrill they brought with them were overpowering. I tried to suppress the feeling but it had grown too much in a span of minutes. Eventually, the call was too loud to shut out and I found myself stealthily getting out of bed.

My husband was fast asleep, his quiet snores filling the silence. I was surprised at how he slept so soundly with the expectation of a battle hanging over him while I, who had nothing to do with it, was worrying my head off. However, those roles would be switched by the time I walked out the gates.

I was halfway out the door before I stopped, realizing something: I couldn't let anyone know I was married. I glanced down at the gold band hugging my finger. Hesitation took over and I was torn between keeping it on and leaving it behind. However, I convinced myself that it was one of the little sacrifices I was willing to make in order to stop a bigger problem.

Slowly, I pulled it off.

I appeared at Kai's side and carefully placed the ring in his half-open right hand. I took extra caution in closing his fingers over the piece of gold. I whispered a goodbye and left as quickly as possible.

It was dark and the hall was deprived of the faint moonlight that would usually shine through the windows. Now, it lit up only for a second with every bolt of lightning that flashed outside. Though we were not very rich, the farmhouse the Smith's ancestors had built was big with many rooms and passages. I had to navigate a great deal in the dark to reach the armory.

On my way there, I thought I heard someone shuffling through the house somewhere but it was impossible to tell with the storm raging on. I pushed aside the possibility of Kai waking up and coming after me as I stepped into the armory.

I moved past the closets and weapon racks to reach the medical cabinet. It took a while but I finally located the crepe bandage among the other medical supplies. I prayed for luck and unrolled the cloth.

. . .

I had to admit; it was extremely difficult to breathe with the bandage wrapped around my chest. Though the armor I would be required to wear would conceal my feminine build, I still wasn't going to take any chances.

I took a clip and a handful of pins. I set to work in tying up my hair and preventing it from reaching anywhere below my shoulders.

I returned back to the closet and opened it. Alongside Ray's suit of armor was Kai's, distinctively marked with red here and there. Without wasting a second, I took it out and began pulling it on piece by piece. I strapped on the final protective gear and gave myself a look in the mirror. It was unusual to see me in such a state but the purpose of my mission was far great than my convenience.

I picked out my husband's sword from the rack, glancing at my faint reflection in the blade. I momentarily turned to look at the door, thinking someone was there but ignored it altogether once I tucked the sword in its case attached to the armor's side.

There was one last thing left to do. I stepped lightly as I made my way to Ray and Maya's room. I had to retrieve the conscription scroll from there. However, I was surprised to see it missing from the nightstand where I had seen it before dinner. Instead, there lay a piece of jewelry. Upon closer examination, it turned out be Nya's ruby encrusted bracelet.

Before I could silently question what it meant, thunder roared outside. In the din I heard the faintest sound of a closet being shut. Ray shifted in his sleep and I immediately crept out of the room. I quietly made my way to the armory once more, certain that the noise came from there.

Peeking inside, I froze. Someone was donning my father-in-law's battle armor. And that someone was no other than Nya. I watched as she pulled the helmet over her head. For a moment, it seemed like her hair looked different but the lack of light made it hard to confirm my suspicion. However, the source of the mysterious sounds and the reason of the scroll being missing became clear.

Instead of going in and stopping her from doing what she was intending, I stepped away from the doorway. Besides, I couldn't forbid someone from doing the very thing I was currently attempting. I felt a kind of proud smile tugging at my lips as I walked outside to the stables.

I tried not to ignore the feeling of relief the sight in the armory had brought. I wasn't alone in this.

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◾~Nya's POV~◾

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I emerged from the prayer area after asking my ancestors for help and guidance. The rain was still falling hard and I was soaking wet by the time I had entered the house. Dripping and cold, I shivered but the determined fire inside was strong enough to warm me.

Thankfully, everyone was asleep so the halls were empty. I really had no excuse to reinforce my actions if I came upon anyone.

I proceeded to my parents' room first. I was relieved to see the conscription scroll laying beside my father. I grabbed it and swapped it for my lucky bracelet. I figured it was enough for a proof of the whereabouts of the scroll. I shot one last look at my parents, smiled at their peaceful countenances and left.

I stopped in my tracks. For a brief moment, I heard a creak. I ducked into the hallway, thinking my parents had woken up on account of my intrusion. It turned out to be nothing. Apart from being big, our house was pretty old too. I shrugged it off as mere house sounds.

I tip-toed back to my room and shut myself in. Sighing, I placed the conscription scroll on my bed. I reached down and pulled out a plain old dagger. I had stored the blade for emergencies under my mattress because I didn't believe in screaming and going to fetch a man to deal with the problem.

Tugging on the ribbon, I let it slip through and allowed my long hair to fall freely over my shoulders. I gave my dark tresses a last look in my mirror before tightening my shaking fingers around the dagger's hilt. I lifted the sharp edge to a black lock and shut my eyes.

I hesitated for a few seconds before giving in to the rage and running the blade through the strand. Without a break, I grabbed another fistful of hair and cut it. Then another and another. I felt determined and horrible at the same time as I worked. Curls of ebony fell at my feet, tickling my toes but I didn't stop till I had a satisfactory crop reaching below my jawline.

Without sparing myself a look, I gathered the mess and discarded it. Tucking the scroll inside my undershirt, I crept out of my room and headed straight for the armory. Once there, I yanked on the closet door to reveal my father's armor. Kai's was missing but I figured he probably took it to his room.

I took out the chest plates and helmet and tied the old scrap around my body. Many times it felt like I was being watched but I ignored it. I topped it off with the helmet and inserted my father's sword into the sheath. I provided myself confidence by staring intimidatingly at my new reflection in the armory mirror.

"This is what was meant to be," I whispered at the warrior in the silver before marching out of the room and towards the stables.

Toyo and Fei, our family horses, greeted me with low snorts when I entered the stall. I was surprised to find them awake and alert but quickly assumed they must've heard my heavy footsteps. I had taken care of them since they were both young and they were very attached to me. They'd recognize me just by the sound of my feet.

I approached Toyo, the great black Friesian, and rubbed his nose to calm him. He snorted once more and nuzzled me. I made a gesture to be quiet before saddling him up. All the while, Fei was interested in the far corner of the stall. She kept walking over there, whinnying and returning to me.

I worked on tightening Toyo's reins, trying my best not to get distracted by Fei. Once I was done, I began leading him out of the stall but for some reason, he seemed reluctant to move. I muttered soothing words to him but to no avail.

"Either we both think alike or you didn't want me to go alone."

I jumped, pivoting on my heels and glaring into the dark stall. At first I saw nothing but Fei's white muzzle. Then someone slowly stepped out of the dark; right from the corner where Fei kept wandering off to.

"Skylor?" I exclaimed in disbelief.

My mouth dropped open as I took in her appearance. At least now I knew where my brother's armor had disappeared to. I wordlessly waved my hands at her in an aimless effort to say something.

Finally, I blurted out, "Why do you look better than me?"

I know it wasn't the most pressing concern at the moment. But I was sure I looked like a garden gnome in my father's huge armor.

The serious look on Skylor's face dissolved and she began chuckling. She stepped closer to me and pried off my helmet, exposing my short hair. As she studied the new haircut, I glanced down at my feet, feeling ashamed.

I felt her fingers running through my short locks, settling down the rough bits. She lifted my chin and leaned back as if to observe an abstract painting. Then, she smiled.

"Don't worry. You look beautiful," she whispered, tucking a few strands of my hair behind my ear. "Short hair suit you."

"Really? Thanks," I replied, grinning and consciously touching my hair.

Lightning flashed and thunder soon followed after. That's when I realized what we were both doing here. "You shouldn't come, Skylor. This isn't your fight," I muttered, turning away and moving towards Toyo.

The girl pouted. "What do you mean? This isn't your fight either."

I sighed, playing with the strap of Toyo's saddle. "I'm the one who broke out in front of Hutchins. I stained our family name."

"If requesting for concessions for the safety of your loved ones means staining the family name then maybe I don't want a family," Skylor frowned, folding her arms.

"It's not just that," I argued. "Today might probably be the worst day for my family's honor because now it has two unfit men fighting under its name in the war."

I removed a straw of hay from Toyo's mane and continued. "So to make up for the messes I've made, the least I can do is provide a better pair of arms to the imperial army. I can't watch my father and brother be ridiculed like this."

It was after a few seconds that Skylor answered, advancing towards Fei as she did so. "This isn't just about the honor of your father and brother, Nya. To me, it's about my husband's honor too."

She gave me a look that meant, without a doubt, that she was coming along no matter what I said in return. I inhaled, the air laced with the damp smell of hay. A tear betrayed my resolve and rolled down my cheek.

"I just want to help them," I said in a shaking whisper, wiping the drop away.

Skylor's eyes glistened but didn't spill. "Then, let's go."

We didn't say anything after that. We simply led Toyo and Fei into the steady rain and glanced one last time at the house. I quietly ascended my horse and Skylor did the same. It was a bit difficult with the armor but I managed it. I heard my sister-in-law mutter a quick prayer to the ancestors before she gave me a nod.

I clicked my tongue, jerking the reins. Toyo broke into a run. I could hear Fei's hooves clattering behind me over the thundering rain. Electricity marked the clouds as we bursted through the gates and rode down the street. Water splashed around us as the horses conquered the puddles in the road.

My heart was hammering loudly in my chest as we turned around the bend and set a course for the army camp.

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◽~Kai's POV~◽

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Something woke me up. Either it was the thunder or someone had broken into our house. At least, that's what it sounded like. I carefully sat up in bed, trying not to hurt my arm in the process.

My wife's name was the first word I uttered. When she didn't reply, I felt her side of the bed in the dark. My heart skipped a beat when I realized it was empty.

"Skylor?" I called out, glancing about the room in a panic.

That's when I became aware of something in my hand. I uncurled my fingers and saw Skylor's wedding ring. "What?" I mumbled, squinting at the band.

A stream of unsettling possibilities invaded my thoughts. I clambered out of bed and bolted into the hall. I directed my bare feet straight to Nya's room. If anyone knew Skylor better than me then it was her. However, I found her missing from her bed as well.

Mind spinning, I called out both their names on instinct. I stormed into my parents' room, not caring to keep quiet. The first thing I noticed was Nya's bracelet on the nightstand.

"Mom! Dad!" I yelled, rushing in to pick up the trinket. The two of them stirred. Dad grumbled under his breath but I had no mind to apologize. "Nya and Skylor are gone!"

All it took was a glance at the nightstand, the bracelet and ring in my hand and the panicked look on my face for my father to understand what was going on. He got out of bed and limped down the hall to the armory. I followed close behind. He threw open the closet and I took in a sharp breath. It was devoid of the armors. Even our swords had disappeared from the rack.

"No, no, no, no," my father mumbled, an expression of pure horror on his face.

The next thing I knew, he was running out into the storm while Mom and I yelled at him to slow down. We emerged onto the porch together. The gates were open and swinging wildly in the winds. That was enough to uphold our suppositions.

"Nya!" Dad yelled out to the night, his voice cracking. "Nya! Skylor!"

I rushed forward before he could collapse onto the wet floor. My arm flamed up with pain but I didn't care. Dad's paleness had numbed my own perceptions.

"You have to go after them!" Mom said, arriving on Dad's other side and looking more scared than I felt. "They'll be killed!"

Dad placed a hand on hers, sharing a look with her. "If I reveal them, they will be."

I was breathing heavily from the rush, the safety of my sister and wife being my only concern at that moment. I turned to the gates. The doors' helplessness in the wind indicated a ghost of their departure. I didn't feel betrayed. Nor did I feel hurt by what they had done.

All I did was gaze up at the gray skies and hope for the best.

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