I could see dark clouds gathering in the sky. The rain was about to pour.
That day, my mother came into my room, holding a sword in her hand.
I knew immediately what it was about; she was going to force me into a marriage with the emperor.
If I were to refuse, she would have to kill me in order to protect our kingdom from that disgrace.
When she saw me, she knew I would never agree to marry him.
Without a word, torn apart between her love towards me and her sense of honor nurtured by antiquated rituals, she swung her sword. Just in the nick of time, I managed to escape her blade with a skill I learned, called Falling Petal.
The blade managed to slice off some of my hair, and as the hairs fell onto the floor, she said:
"My daughter, the princess is dead. It is your turn to go now..."
She left the room without looking back.
To this day, I remember those last words that came from under her breath while she was leaving the room:
"I'm glad I taught you the Falling Petal."
Mother then proceeded to evacuate the remaining townsfolk. Leaving my hair on the floor, I followed them, hearing the sounds of the enemy soldiers approaching.