June 15, Summer 1545
Flora Marksmanship Academy
0100
Knock Knock Knock!
"Ugh who is it?" Abby stumbled out of bed towards the door, cracking it open.
"Hey!" Rosemary was in her pj's, her eyes wide open.
"What's wrong?" Abby inquired, letting Rosemary in.
Rosemary quietly walks in a circle, eyeing Luna who was stirring in her bed. "How do I say this? We have to leave in a few hours. The railroad near Masten Bridge at the border was hit. The enemy force is pushing up the Southern border. You have to get ready."
"Uh..." Luna mumbled, sitting up and opening her eyes. "What? We have to? You mean now!"
Rosemary's usual pigtails were undone, her sky-blue hair meeting the small of her back. "We can do this! Monica told me we are to meet at the Southern Gate at 0600 for departure." Clenching her fist, she turned around, putting her hand on the wooden outline of the door. "Let's go take back our homeland." Her eyes were piercing as she quickly left out of Abby's eyesight.
Luna reached over the edge of the bed, grabbing her glasses and fixing her eyes on Abby. "Isn't Rosemary's family from Masten?"
Abby leaned up against the door, laying her face on it. "You're right… I didn't even ask."
Luna slowly jumped out of bed, putting her sniper rifle by the door. "Let's get packed up and get some more rest."
Abby nodded, walking to her bed and picking up her suitcase from underneath the bed. Pulling out her leisure clothes from the dresser, she rolled them up, placing them in order from light to dark.
"Are you scared?" Luna inquired.
Luna neatly folded her clothes in a square, putting them in the oak-colored suitcase. "What if we fail? They are counting on us. We are only eight people deep going into an unknown area. I have never been to Masten before."
Abby sighed, grabbing her revolver and placing it in the oak case beside her. "I'm scared but determined. I trust you. I trust that you would kill without hesitation."
"Training is one thing, but to take a human life..." Luna stood silently with a green colored summer dress laying in her hands. "I just..." Tears formed in her eyes and streamed down her face. "I don't think I could kill anyone..."
Abby walks over to Luna, putting her arms on the shy woman's back.
"I'm not you Abby...when I am around you, I feel victorious. I can do anything. I can call you a friend. I've seen your heart these past few weeks. You are pure light and energy. If the goddess existed and had a child... I think she would be you."
Abby wrapped her arms around Luna's neck, holding her close. "Don't worry, we are in this together."
Several hours later
"You got everything?" Abby inquired, looking over at Luna who was double checking all of her items.
"Yeah, I'm ready to go," Luna mumbles quietly, turning around holding two suitcases. Her rifle was on her back and her holster for her magazines was over her shoulders. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she says, walking towards the door and almost toppling over with all the items she was carrying.
Rosemary slid a letter underneath the door. Horses with the carriers should be downstairs waiting to go when you get there so you will not have to carry everything. I don't want you toppling down the stairs because you're already carrying enough and I won't be able to catch you.
"Just steady your feet so if I fall I fall into that back of yours." Luna smirked as she stood in the hallway with all her luggage.
Abby walks out of the room taking one last glance closely at the door. "Let's get going." Hurrying down the hallway, Abby knew what was down the stairwell without missing a beat. They darted out the doorway heading into the early morning sun. The military installation was full of hustle and bustle with people wearing brown and green uniforms running about.
"You get to the train station," a man yelled as people crossed the street. "Hurry up, we must get this done. The northern train leaves soon."
Abby noticed a carriage in front of them where a gentleman in a green uniform with a few stripes on the shoulder stood.
"I presume Abby Berkshire and Luna Neil?" the man inquired.
"You're correct," Abby says. She put her suitcases in the back of the buggy.
Luna followed, almost tripping as she put her baggage in the back and jumped in underneath the covered carriage. "We are heading to the southern gate," Luna states as she walks towards the gentleman, her hands on the small of her back.
"Will do. Those were my orders," a young man states as he alerted the horse to move forward.
Abby crossed her legs. She tightened the belt around her waist, making sure her green uniform was in tiptop condition. Looking at the tree stripes on her shoulder, she put her hand down, reminiscing about her grandfather. I won't let you down granddad.
"I wonder if everybody is already at the southern gate? Since the southern train rails are captured, we are going to have to take horses all the way, don't you think?" Luna took out her goober and flipped it around in her right hand, trying to stay calm.
The road was bumpy as a normal cobblestone path led way to the southern part of this installation, which didn't have as much activity.
"I don't know," Abby chirps, crossing her legs and arms, looking across at Luna. "Were you able to get any sleep after we finish packing?"
"I just stared up at the ceiling," Luna states as she leaned her head to the right, tracing the top of the carriage. "All I could think about was everybody in my family who rejects war, and here I am going to fight a rich man's battle. I just have conflicting emotions and I hope I survive. I don't want to lose myself out here. Since I was an accountant, they gave me this rank. I came down here enlisted rank five only because of my accolades outside of the military. I want to grow old to go back home and marry, and maybe have some children."