The Leader of girls

Nie learned very early that beauty could become a prison.

The grand banquet hall of House Zephyr glittered beneath hundreds of golden lamps.Servants moved silently between noble guests.Music filled the room.

Nie stood beside a pillar.Her dress was beautiful.Her hair was perfectly arranged.Her posture was flawless.

She hated every second of it.Her mother stood beside her."Stand straight."Nie's shoulders were already straight."Smile."Nie didn't.Her mother leaned closer."The Zenith's are watching."Nie's eyes moved toward the upper pavilion.

Several important figures were observing the gathering.Her mother lowered her voice."You are the daughter of the second-ranked family.""I know.""Then behave like it."Nie looked at her.

"What does that mean?"Her mother hesitated."It means you understand what is expected of you."Nie looked down at the training bow resting against the wall."And what exactly is expected?"Her mother didn't answer immediately.

Finally, she said:"Perfection."Nie almost laughed."That's not an answer.""It is the only answer that matters."Her mother's hand tightened around her shoulder.

"You have been given the title Leader of Girls."Nie's expression hardened.That title.She hated it.The High Council had granted it directly.

A formal designation.A symbol.A political weapon.To the Great Families, Nie was not merely a talented girl.She was an asset.A future alliance.A beautiful piece on a board controlled by people she had never met.

The women of Zephyr had traditionally been valued for their beauty and trained to use charm and seduction as political leverage.Nie understood the tradition.She simply refused to become part of it.

Her mother noticed her expression."Don't make this difficult.

"Nie looked at her."Who decided I wanted this?"Her mother sighed."Nie.""Who?""You know how this world works.""I know how you want it to work."Her mother stiffened.

Nie continued."You want me to smile when people look at me.""Yes.""You want me to sit quietly.""Yes.""You want me to become some beautiful ornament the High Council can trade whenever they need an alliance."Her mother lowered her 

voice."Careful."Nie smiled."That's what you want.""No."Her mother looked genuinely hurt."That's what I'm trying to protect you from."Nie's smile disappeared.Her mother continued.

"You think I enjoy watching them turn you into a political weapon?"She glanced toward the upper pavilion.

"I don't.""Then why do you help them?""Because I know what happens to women who refuse."Silence.Nie studied her mother's face.For the first time, she saw something beneath the strictness.Fear.But it didn't make Nie surrender.

It made her angry."Maybe the rules deserve to be broken."Her mother stared."Don't say things like that.""Why?""Because walls listen in this house.

"Nie smiled."Then perhaps they should listen carefully."Her mother stepped closer."One day you'll understand."Nie looked at her."Maybe.

"She turned toward the training bow."But one day, Mother..."Her voice became quieter."...you'll stop asking me to smile.

"She looked back."And start wondering what happens when I stop."---The cage eventually became too small.

It happened during an etiquette lesson.Nie sat before a table covered with books about noble conduct.The instructor spoke.

"Your posture should communicate grace.

"Nie stared at the book."The way you hold your hands should communicate obedience."Her fingers tightened."And when speaking to someone above your rank—"Crack.

The instructor stopped.The sound had come from the wooden training bow leaning against the wall.

Nie had picked it up."Lady Nie?"She stood.The instructor swallowed.

"What are you doing?"Nie walked toward the training target.

She raised the bow.There was no arrow.

The instructor frowned."Lady Nie, you're supposed to—"Nie pulled the string.The bow groaned.The air around her changed.

A pressure built around her body.The instructor took a step backward.Nie released.There was no arrow.But the shockwave exploded forward.

BOOM!The reinforced stone target shattered.Fragments blasted across the room Silence.

Nie stared at the destruction.Then at the bow.A smile slowly appeared.Not the polite smile her mother demanded.A real one.Dangerous.Free.She dropped the etiquette book."Let them whisper.

"She walked past the instructor."They wanted a pristine weapon.

"Her eyes hardened."I'll give them a monster instead."And from that day forward, the daughter of Zephyr became increasingly difficult to control.

The Great Families had expected an obedient symbol.They had accidentally created someone who wanted nothing more than to break the cage.