Cerise stood frozen, as though her feet rooted through the floor, preventing her from escaping. Did the Queen really find her worthy on going such a dangerous journey? All of this was determined by a simple child’s game! She certainly didn’t have the courage or talent or strength that Roselle had, did she? She was simply Cerise de Vernase, a humble village girl that had a mission of saving her sister. She didn’t think that it would grow into an epic grand adventure where the lives of the King and the good people of the Kingdom would be at stake. What should she do? But Cerise knew that she couldn’t refuse, though she also couldn’t bring herself to speak, either.

“Look, she’s stunned speechless from the honor of being bestowed a grand mission such as this,” Roselle said. “I of course would accept without hesitation. It’s a grand adventure, building character and all that.”

“I mean, how can I refuse,” Cerise said as she bowed towards the Queen. “People’s lives are at stake. My sister has fallen to the exact same illness, my Queen. I was hoping to find a solution to all this, and I think that coming to the Kingdom was the right decision after all.”

“These are troubling times, to be certain,” the Queen said, before she looked fondly towards her daughter, Roselle. “But I have faith that if you can defeat my daughter, then you have all the courage and pluck that you need to save the Kingdom, don’t you think?”

“Why do you have to bring that up, Mother,” Roselle said with an injured sniff, and the Queen simply laughed at her daughter.

“Because I think that you learn more from your failures than your victories,” the Queen said. “At least, that’s what the King would’ve said. I wouldn’t know, because I’m perfect in every regard. Hmhmhm. But my dear Roselle, I still think that you have much growing up to do.”

Roselle bowed her head, before a Knight came charging into the room.

“Run, fair ladies! There’s some strange creature that is attacking the castle!”

Roselle’s eyes brightened at the notion of a challenge. “I invite them to come into the castle to have a grand battle with me, the Grand Duelist!”

“Oh dear me,” The Queen said while putting a hand to her cheek. “Looks like a fine situation to prove your champion status, dear Cerise. Don’t worry, you have Roselle with you.”

“Aren’t you taking this situation rather too calmly?” Cerise said, as a strange creature crashed into the castle. It was a truly horrendous creature with strange markings across its sleek body, resembling a mixture of creatures with three heads, a lion’s body, and a snake’s tail. Cerise found herself rooted to the spot once more, fascinated by the creature, before the creature lunged at her with a mighty paw. Roselle slashed at the beast with her rapier, cutting into its skin as It bled blue blood.

“I’ll take you on!” Roselle called bravely to the creature “En garde, you uncouth creature!”

Cerise watched in horror as Roselle took on the horrid creature, whatever it was. She couldn’t do much, but she had to help Roselle! Cerise threw a fancy looking vase at it, bashing it from behind while it’s attention was focused on Roselle; and the creature roared in pain and something in the back of its head opened slightly, before it closed again. What exactly was that? Maybe if…

“Roselle!” Cerise said. “Try to target the back of its head!”

“Easier said than done, but I’m known to do the impossible,” Roselle said with a confident smirk, before she parried and danced and performed a series of intricate footwork to confound the creature and thrusting and jabbing at it at every opportunity. Cerise wondered; what was the thing behind the back of its head? Could it be a weak point of some sort? They had to discover that, though Roselle was still in the middle of furious flurries of attacks against the creature.

Cerise decided to distract the creature from Roselle, turning its attention to her from Roselle so that the back of its head would be exposed to Roselle for an easier landing.

“Hey, you big dumb creature!” Cerise said. “Why don’t you come fight me instead?”

The creature hesitated, torn between indecision. It poised its paw in midair, trying to take a swipe at Roselle, though Cerise shouting at it caught its attention as well. While it was frozen in indecision, Roselle landed on its back and stabbed at the back of its head. The creature roared in agony and pain, attempting to shake Roselle off, though Roselle kept steady on the creature’s back while she continued to poke and prod the back of its head with her rapier.

The thing behind its head opened, revealing a dark blue eye that suddenly turned red. Cerise instinctively yelled, “Don’t look at it, Roselle!”

Roselle attempted to turn away from the glaring red eye, though now she was frozen in a stupor, stunned, as the red eye closed again and the chimera shook Roselle off its back. She landed on the ground with a thud. The creature rounded on Cerise, and Cerise stood protectively by the Queen, even though she had no fighting ability and stood frozen in place, trying to calculate what to do next.

The creature then lunged forward, maw opened wide. Cerise closed her eyes, expecting the end to come, though the knight from earlier regained his wits and stopped the creature from pouncing on her. He swept at tis open mouth with his sword, and the creature roared in unchained agony before collapsing on the ground. When the Knight took Roselle in his arms, the creature started to glow and then detonated in a bright light, causing damage to the surrounding area.

Cerise stood in astonishment. She knew that she didn’t prove her champion status to the Queen or Knight or Roselle there. She simply stood there, frozen in fright, unable to move and do anything…

The Queen patted Cerise on the back, before saying, “You did splendidly, Cerise. You came to protect me from the creature even though you had no fighting experience or courage. You simply did what was right without thinking.”

Cerise’s eyes widened. “Surely…I wouldn’t call what I did admirable. I didn’t do anything of significance.”

The queen smiled, before saying, “Well, this adventure will toughen you up and help you build character, that’s for sure! Just think, at the end of this journey, you will marry my daughter. Isn’t that a fabulous prize?”

Cerise blushed. “Well, I’m honored of course, but…how can you be so carefree, my Queen? Our lives were at stake there.”

The Queen waved a hand. “A life without a little risk and gamble is boring, wouldn’t you say? Anyway, here’s what you and Roselle need to do. I want you to go to the royal treasury and find a suitable weapon for you to protect yourself with. You did have quick thinking about you, Cerise, though I think that having a weapon will give you that little extra protection that you need.”

Cerise wanted to say that she wasn’t up for grand adventures when it involved more scary chimera attacks like that, though Cerise stayed her tongue. She didn’t want to end up disappointing her bride to be, who was currently polishing her rapier and making sure it was in fine condition. The Queen led them away from the chimera attack and the Knight followed suit, showing them the royal treasury.

“It’s not going to be easy, you know,” The Queen said. “The Royal treasury is compact with traps and dangerous things that keep the weapons locked deep safe in the vault. I’m sure that you’ll be able to find the key somewhere in there. Hmhmhm.”

“Why do you make things unnecessarily complicated?” Cerise asked in despair, before Roselle patted Cerise on the shoulder.

“Everything we do in the castle is a challenge,” Roselle said. “Ever since a young age, when I was old enough to lift a sword, my Mother would send assassins after me every morning and before I could get breakfast, I had to hunt the large game and gather fruits and feasts from the Forbidden Forest. Then I would study, which is never ordinary because if you get the wrong answer, then you have to scale the castle walls and rooftops to evade the tutors, who are also secretly assassins.”

“You put your daughter through hell and back?” Cerise asked the Queen in wonder, before the Queen said.

“It was the same training that I received when I was a little girl to earn the title of Grand Duelist. If she hopes to inherit the title from me, then she must be perfect in every regard, and if that means enduring a few hardships along the way, then so be it.”

“I…I don’t understand,” Cerise said faintly.

‘Come on, Cerise,” Roselle said with a haughty sniff. “We need to get started on this mission as soon as possible. Now is not the time to express doubt about my upbringing!”

“I just don’t understand why we have to go the extra mile to equip a weapon that is suitable for me though,” Cerise said, before Roselle laughed.

“Well, you’re going to be a part of this family, after all; or are you too cowardly? Will you go back on your word about saving the Kingdom and our marriage?”

“Not that I’m opposed to marriage, I didn’t exactly agree, did I?” Cerise said, before Roselle huffed.

“Hmph! This marriage must happen or I will have to bear the the shame of being humiliated by a plain girl with no extraordinary background forever written in the history books! I couldn’t bear for that to happen, so therefore this marriage must happen so I can continue to keep my legacy as the Grand Duelist of being undefeated!”

“Does it really matter so much?” Cerise asked. “Being the Grand Duelist?”

“It’s a prestigious title only given to one person throughout the seven continents,” Roselle said, appearing appalled that Cerise didn’t share the same enthusiasm or pride as her. “You’re lucky to be marrying into this family, you know! Riches beyond your imagination! Going on a grand adventure to save the King himself! Don’t you think that it’s just grand? Or are you a dull little girl with no imagination?”

“I’m not dull or unimaginative, thank you very much,” Cerise said, before Roselle continued on.

“Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to have the same advantages and wits that I have. I had many tutors teach me in literature and lore and history and science and alchemitsry and whatnot. Come, come, though. Let’s go to the treasury and choose your weapon! Though the weapons vault is actually MY vault, just so you know. I know how to duel with various weapons from bows to arrows to spears and swords and whatnot.”

“You’re pretty amazing, Roselle,” Cerise said in admiration. “Compared to you, I am nothing.”

“Please don’t say that,” Roselle said. “You’re only rubbing in the fact that I lost to you. As much as I’m loath to admit it, there must’ve been some certain quality that I’m lacking that enabled you to win against me, the Grand Duelist.”

“Losing a game of rock paper scissors is a game of luck, isn’t it?”

“Everything is calculable,” Roselle said. “And there’s a certain percentage of times where either rock, paper, or scissors will appear and common statistic of which one is more commonly used and which variances people will play, and it involves a bunch of mind games trying to guess what your opponent will play out of three options while thinking of your own play! Rock paper scissors is more of an intense game than you realize, and the fact that you’re not taking it seriously drives me up a wall! Seriously, Cerise de Vernase, competitions exist because it’s to prove a person’s worth.”

“I see,” Cerise said softly. “I’m sorry that you think that way, Roselle.”

“Don’t pity me,” Roselle said while she held up her head high. “Don’t look down upon me. I worked hard for that title, and I must prove that I’m the best in all seven continents and hold that prestige with pride. I just can’t have the other Kingdoms know about my loss, or it will be a disaster. An absolute disaster, you hear! So whatever you do, Cerise, do not shame me!”

With that, Roselle headed off towards the weapon vaults, with Cerise following close behind. Going on a grand adventure…was that how Roselle saw it? It was full of danger and the stakes of people’s lives were at hand here. Roselle may have had romantic notions about going on an adventure and being the Grand Duelist, though life wasn’t all about competition or proving that you’re the best or anything like that. It was sad that she thought that way. What about all the other people who were content to live their lives without such ambition? What about those who didn’t have the ability or privilege to do so, yet were still content with their lives? Wasn’t happiness the most important thing?

You’re not happy. You’re nervous about this journey, and you’re not sure whether you’re cut out for it, her mind whispered. You’re not sure if you’ll live up to the high expectations of Roselle and the Kingdom. You don’t know if you can even believe in yourself in the first place. You think that you should’ve been the one who was in a coma instead of your sister. That’s what it comes down to, isn’t it? Roselle was just like your sister; headstrong, bold, talented, and everything that you’re not. You truly are an ordinary and simple girl with nothing extraordinary attached to your name.

Thinking this depressed Cerise a little, though she tried not to let it show on her face. She would cry alone later when she had time to herself, after they went through the weapons vault and risked their lives acquiring a weapon that suited her.