Not Built to Be a Warrior

"What business do you have here?" I'd been foolish enough to ask

"I'm here to be a warrior," she replied

I scoffed. "A warrior?"

"Yes."

"Oh, people ramble about gender equality" I said, "but I'm telling you, this is no place for a girl."

"Why not?" she asked

"To name a few, the sword's too sharp and you'll cut yourself."

"So I will. I'll wear the scars to tell my story," she said

"The armour's too stiff; it'll hurt your back."

"So it will," she fought, "I'll emerge stronger than the pain."

"The shield's too heavy," I warned, " it'll wear you down"

"So it will," she argued, "It'll also make me tougher."

"The helmet's uncomfortable," I tried, "you'll miss your target"

"So I will," she insisted, "I'll rise as the sharpest shooter you'll ever have."

"But what about your physical appearance?" I had been stupid enough to challenge

"What about it?"

"You'll come from the battle blue eyed and battered," I said

"Maybe I will. But at least my eyes will be the ones that failed to betray fear."

"The bruises will scar your delicate skin," I warned

"Maybe they will. But victory will be etched into it long before they do."

"But your hands... They'll be calloused from handling swords and arrows," I insisted

"Maybe they will. But they'll always be the hands that won us the war."

"Your face will be ashen and marked with blood," I sneered

"Maybe it will. But my face will be the one my enemies pray they never see again."

"But what about your mental soundness?" I was unreasonable enough to question

"What about it?" she asked

"You will be tormented by those you annihilate," I tripped over the words

"I'll remember the faces of whom I've lost."

"Your mind will bear the image if those you maim," I tried again

"I'll remember what they took from me."

"Your conscience will forever be scared of those whom you show no mercy," I faltered

"I'll remember those who sacrificed their lives for me."

"Your gut will mislead you someday," I stuttered

"I'll remember the day you tried to tell me I wasn't built to be a warrior."