Chapter One

      The constant roaring of the thunder and the sparks shooting from the lightening Ты would have thought we had planned for this. Nothing is planned for in Somnium. No one expects these tragic events to occur. Even if we did plan for it, it still wouldn't change the mood. It would not make me feel any better. It wouldn't change the fact that my brother was now lying in a cold coffin dead.
      The weather was the least of my concerns at the moment. This funus, или celebration for the dead, was at my вверх priority list. Although I should be worrying about my fate, I wasn't. I was a bit distracted from my brother's death to care what my parents would do to me now. How could I have let him slip from my grasp like this? He was suppose to be my rock, my foundation, my only will to survive and yet, I was his.
      About a месяц ago, he was jolly and snacking on some of my mom's chips. It is a luxury to have in Somnium. It was a luxury we were use to. My brother, Liam Alexander, was his usual self. Ты wouldn't imagine him having to deal with war on his mind. He was еще intrigued about my day. I sat across from him as he ate.
      "I really care, Bumblebee," сказал(-а) a sincere Liam. He calls me bumblebee because that was my first word. My real name is Mary. "Tell me everything, right down to the minute."
      Because it was Liam and not one of my other 3 obnoxious brothers, I told him. I spilled every detail about my день to him. I was a girl and so my duty was to keep the house in order. Since he was a boy, he could go off to school and receive an education, something I can only dream of. We have strict rules in Somnium and one of those rules are that girls are suppose to stay Главная while the boys go learn to become warriors. It was something that was respected here. I wasn't going to try to change something that everyone was already so accustomed to. This is a very traditional community and many people aren't open to change.
      I told him of my troubles of getting the toilet to stop sputtering liquid and how the windows would not become free of crud left behind by the nearby birds. His response was laughter. His laugh spread to me and we both were overwhelmed with laughter. It was one of the few moments I shared with him. I longed for blissful ignorance once more.
      "Go on," he urged in between breathes. 
      I told him when mother was upset that the sink was not properly clean, I wanted to tell her that if she has an issue with it then she should clean the crummy thing herself. He was quiet. I quickly realized my mistake.
      "You know mother would kill Ты if she heard of this," he said. "Commander Booker would surely kill Ты if he heard of your insolent comments." Liam studied my reaction. He was always so smart and could sense it when someone was truly apologetic. I loved that about him. It was a characteristic he had received from our late grandmother.
      "I'm sorry," I responded. "I guess I got carried away in the moment."
      "Never apologize for the things Ты truly mean. It only shows weakness on your part." He wrapped his heavy arms around my shoulders and gave me an affectionate Kiss on the forehead. He was the only brother, no, the only one in my family who actually showed affection towards me. 
      The parochus lowered Liam's honoree blue and Золото coffin into the ground. I could hear not sorrows, only clapping. It was an honor for someone to die in battle. My other brothers, Taylor, William, and Andrew all wanted to die in battle. It was something that was installed into your mind at birth. In Somnium, Ты should just be prepared for war your entire life because Ты never know when the enemy will come. When the enemy does strike, Ты can bet that we will strike back but ten times harder. Liam once told me that our greatest enemy is each other.
      My father nudged me to clap and I did, halfheartedly. I didn't want to clap for his death. I didn't even want to turn and see the grin on my father's face as they gave my brothers and I each a medal. We were related to him so we would get the Medal of Victoria. That is the greatest honor a person could receive well секунда greatest.
      I remember one hot summer day. I was in Liam's room trying to clean up but my mind was elsewhere. That summer was the день Somnium came together and choose their new warriors. They didn't randomly pick Ты out of a crowd. If your teachers think of Ты as a warrior and if Ты Показать exceptional behavior then Ты were chosen. I was so worried that день because I knew Liam was going to get picked. He is nothing but exceptional. They wouldn't send Ты off to war that день but Ты can count on it that they will send Ты somewhere Далее month.
      I wasn't exactly snooping but when I found this journal of his underneath his pillow, I couldn't help but wonder what was in it. His scrawled handwriting covered every blank page. It talked about how he refuse to enter war for a country he didn't love. It read that he was еще interested in art then he would ever be in combat fighting. I was shocked at first but I soon realized that he was right. It was unfair for Commander Booker to send off the sons to fight our enemies over seas. That wasn't how the Old America was. I wouldn't know. They are under strict orders to not teach the ways of the Old America.
      "Come on, child," сказал(-а) my father as he, my mother, and my brothers made their way to the car. A car is once again another luxury that we have come accustomed to. My father works as a government official. He is really close Друзья to Commander Booker, our president. My father will forever be troubled by how he presents himself in public. The family must also present themselves with decorum, father's orders.
      My mother is a tough subject. She could be a sweet lady but years of bitterness and abuse from my father has made her a cruel woman. I knew she could try and help me become a better woman but she too has learned that having sons is better then having girls. The only reason they haven't dispatched me was because by law Ты have to keep every child even if it is a girl. They also keep me because they can marry me off and receive tons of pecunia. 
      Pecunia is money in Latin. We use a lot of Latin words in Somnium because Commander Booker was born in what was Rome. He still loves his country and this is how he respects it. I have been taught English along with Latin from an early age. Girls are allowed three years of schooling then we must stay home. If we want еще education then it will cost еще pecunias then Ты could imagine. My family could afford it but they don't Любовь me enough to actually do it.
      "Remember Andrew," сказал(-а) my father. "you must always bring your elbow to the air in a straight formation before Ты could ever release a blow. I see that Ты have troubles with that."
      "I know father and I think that teacher at school has been the cause for many of my failures. He has no understanding of being out in war. He has never experienced it before and I think he should be done away with." Andrew seemed so innocent with his blue eyes and pale blonde hair.
      We both know that Andrew's teacher is еще then qualified to teach him combat training. Andrew must have it out for his teacher. He loves to manipulate people and things. He wants everything to go his way. I fear for his fate. I fear for his destiny because being manipulative can really make a guy a target. A target for some very troublesome and dangerous matters.
      "Hmm, well, I will have to take a look into that," replied my father. My mother should have an opinion in this but woman are forbidden to talk unless a man talks to her. Actually, it isn't an official rule but everyone seems to follow it.
      "Father," piped up Taylor who was only one год older then me. He rarely speaks and that is only because he is quiet. I believe he is a mastermind villain inside that head if his. "Aren't Ты going to take us to the legendary battlefield?"
      "I shall my dear boy," сказал(-а) father. "We shall go tomorrow."
      "That would be good," I сказал(-а) too loud to myself. "It will be easier for Ты to leave so mother and I could have our Bona Dea."
      "What did Ты say?" demanded father. His voice was testing and I knew not to anger him.
      "I apologize," I muttered.
      "Louder!" 
      "I apologize."
      "Mary," сказал(-а) my mother. "You should listen to your father еще and treat him and I with respect. Why can't Ты be like your brothers?"
      "Alice, stop babying the girl," сказал(-а) my father. "What she needs is a visit to Regimen Reformatory. My cousin, Marlo, works there. He could give us a discount."
      "Or we could send her to that . . . um, never mind," сказал(-а) my mother. Ты couldn't miss the evil glare father gave mother. It frightened me and I was in the backseat which is the farthest.
      Now was the time to worry about my fate. I knew what they were talking about and it wasn't anywhere I wanted to be.