The sound of an infant’s cry broke the anxious silence outside the royal bedchambers. Subjects and kinsmen in the hall alike looked at one another with relief. Their immediate joy was broken, however, by a horrified scream from the queen.
“She is deformed! My child, deformed!” was all they heard from the queen’s ragged throat before the king burst from the room and cleared the hall, having all its occupants removed save for two guards outside the door.
Nevertheless, the king’s efforts were knowingly in vain. Before two days had passed rumor was already rampant through the kingdom that the new princess had only one horn atop her head.

Thirteen years later…

The missing horn seemed to be the only malformation on Euna’s right side. On her left side, however, her single horn seemed almost meaningless compared to the dystrophy in those muscles. Early on the nurse and royal physician worked together to improve Euna’s left body strength, and although she could work them easily as she neared her coming of age ceremony, they still seemed brittle for a warrior princess.
Euna understood what her weak and malformed body meant for her parents and her future. Her mother had only been able to give birth to one more child since Euna, a boy child who died before his first birthday. Now the queen lay on a sickbed, likely never to rise again.
As the only heir, Euna would be forced to marry sooner than later to maintain the image of royal strength for her people. She was barely of age, though, and Euna’s mind was focused only on the one thing every child in the kingdom enjoyed at her age.
The muscle weakness did not dissuade Euna from training to become the best warrior she could be. Ward, the captain of the guard, did not refuse a young six-year-old Euna’s request to begin learning swordplay and use of other weaponry.
Ironically, Euna’s favorite person in the castle became the weapons master. He did not belittle her or gave her an easy time because of her handicap. Instead he consulted with the blacksmith to make a special lightweight armor for Euna’s weaker side. This they all were forced to keep secret from the king and queen, for after the first time the queen witnessed Euna training with Ward she nearly fainted from fear.
Amor was rare among Euna’s people, but not unseen. They hid the armor in Ward’s room and he would bring it out in a large sac during their secret practice session, usually early in the morning or late at night when the rest of the castle had yet to rise and soldiers and guards were still at first meal.
With only a few days left until Euna’s coming of age ceremony, Ward entered the courtyard with dawn’s early light to find the young princess sulking on the brick ledge that dropped down to the training arena.
“Morning, princess,” Ward said as he sat next to her, placing the sack of armor between them. “Why so down, dear?”
“Oh, you know why, Ward,” Euna grimaced. “Father’s been looking for a suitor the last year and has nearly decided with the day being so soon. He plans to announce the next day, after it’s been officially decided.”
“Now, now. Euna, don’t be so glum. You still have the day itself. And nothing is decided until then.”
“But Ward! How can I possibly succeed?”
“Princess Euna, I will hear no such self-deprecation on my training grounds. Now armor up.”
Euna smiled a little despite herself and pulled the armor out of the bag. She strapped on her ankle guards and then proceeded to her plated forearm and shoulder guard. She also donned the new chest plate the blacksmith had just completed.
“It first perfectly!” Euna commented excitedly. “Oh, please let Ferrer know I love it!”
“Of course,” Ward smiled. “He has another gift for you, though.”
Euna waited excitedly as Ward left for a moment and came back with something large covered by a ragged sheet. She gaped when he revealed it to be a large battle axe with a half-blade on the other end. Standing it was a little taller than Euna herself, and sideways the axe head was more than half her height.
“Can I—” but before Euna finished her question, Ward thrust it in her hands.
The weapon was heavy, but it was light compared to what it should have been. Euna weight it carefully with her right hand before slowly shifting it into her left. She felt the strain on her arm, but the armor not only protected her but gave her extra support. Despite its size and weight, Ferrer had crafted the precious thing for Euna alone.
“It’s of the same metal as your armor. Light and fierce.”
Euna smiled so wide she felt childish. Ward only laughed heartily before beginning their last lesson together. After that morning the serious preparations would begin for Euna’s day.

The morning of Euna’s thirteenth birthday arrived with serving girls whisking into Euna’s room and preparing her at once. They dressed her in her best vest, skirt and boots, trimmed her bangs and pulled the rest of her hair back tightly. The head servant, Euna’s old nurse, fussed when Euna refused to remove the three silver rings Ferrer had placed through the top half of her horn on her tenth birthday.
After she was dressed, Euna was ushered to the throne room where her father sat expectantly. He nodded in approval and sent her to Ward to get ready for the ceremony.
Alone with Ward at last, he and Euna hurried to put her armor on and retrieve her new gift. Euna waited anxiously at the wooden door as her father finished his speech. She took at deep breath and Ward squeezed her right shoulder comfortingly before the door opened and they stepped out into the dirt grounds.
The intake of breath was audible, and her father was obviously torn between anger and shock. Euna focused straight ahead, though, at the rattling gate on the opposite side of the grounds.
The king reluctantly took his seat again and motioned for the opposing gate to be opened. Behind the wood sprung forth a large female plains lion, roar echoing on the stone walls of the surrounding castle.
Euna swallowed hard and placed her feet firmly in the ground. The lion spotted her on its level and charged.
To Euna’s dismay and the crowd’s horror, the lioness charged towards her right side. She waited until the very last moment in hopes that it would shift just enough, but when it didn’t Euna had no choice but to pivot on her left leg. It shook once, but it held her weight. As she completed the full circle she swung the axe head around and sliced easily through the beast.
Silence took the entire castle it seemed. Even Euna stood in shock. It had happened so quickly, almost easily. She had done it.
Ward was the first to move. He ran up to Euna and swept her in his arms off the ground, cheering wildly. Then the king followed his lead, and then the rest of the crowd.
When she saw his face up close, Euna realized her father was crying. Then she noticed her face was wet and realized she was doing the same. She laughed suddenly and threw her arms up in the air.
Ferrar came out of the crowd and presented Euna with the half crown. It was a symbol for royalty that the successor to the throne wears one half and their spouse wears the other. It often looked awkward when only one was seen at a time, but on Euna it seemed perfect.

As quickly as the rumor had spread that Euna was deformed upon birth, the rumor of her immediate succession to the throne grew faster. Three weeks following the queen passed, but she did so with her husband and daughter at her side and a smile of pure relief and joy in her countenance.