Chapter 1
The kitchen was warm with the smell of wood smoke and freshly cooked rice.
Maya sat quietly beside her elder sister, helping prepare dinner, around her women chatted about village life, harvests and relatives she barely remembered. It should have been an ordanary evening.
But it wasn't.
From the dining room came the voices of guests.
Important guests.
Who had traveled across the hill of Syngja to see her.
Maya had know something was wrong the moment she arrived at her sister's house few weeks earlier. Her parents had been acting strangely. They whisper whenever she entered a room. They exchanged glances when marriage was mentioned.
Marriage..
The one thing she never wanted.
She dreamed of wearing an army uniform not a bridal dress. While other girls spoke about husbands and weddings. Maya imagined training grounds, discipline and a life she would build for herself.
Then she heard it.
Her name.
The voice from the dining room grew clearer.
"The boy likes her very much."
" The families are a good match."
"We only need Maya agreement."
Maya froze.
So it was true.
A marriage proposal.
And no one had even asked what she wanted.
For a moment she remained silent. The conversation continued. Laughter followed. Someone made a joke and turned towards the kitchen.
"What do you think, Maya?" they asked.
Every face turned to her.
Even the young man sitting among the guest looked up.
Maya met his eyes for the first time.
He seemed kind.
Respectful.
Nothing like the arrogant husband she had always imagined rejecting.
But that didn't matter.
She stood up slowly and wiped her hands on her apron.
" I want to join the army " she said.
the room fell silent.
" If anyone tries to force me into marriage."
she paused....
" I'll destroy their house before i marry."
no one spoke.
The laughter disappeared.
The young man's smile faded.
Outside, the night wind moved through the hills.
Inside, a single sentence had changed everything.
