The Gates

After they had breakfast, it was time to continue the briefly interrupted journey. Titan had no clothes to pack and D told her she wouldn't be needing any as the school she was headed for would provide her clothes. So basically, they went empty handed, the only things they had were the map, compass, Titan's dagger and D's scroll. Titan had no idea why D decided to take a scroll but she didn't bother asking. She wore her regular male outfit because it was more comfortable than the long heavy gowns.

They walked through the woods for hours but D kept talking and because of that, the journey wasn't that boring.

"You know, back at the school, you don't need to fake your identity because no one would care if you're a princess, a prince or a commoner. Everyone there is treated equally but you'd have seniors because the master at that school is so strict with discipline so if you do not want be trampled upon, you'll have to learn fast in order to be a senior too. Oh! I've always wanted to go to that school." she spoke with dreamy eyes. One would think she was just an innocent child with the way she was behaving. She wore a childish expression while Titan looked like the matured one. What a swap. Her outfit made it even worse because she wore a long red gown and a long cape that had a hood. In front of others she would look like a villain but to Titan, she looked like little red riding hood; a tale her mother used to tell her about.

"Ah yes. There's something I forgot to tell you. Everyone in the school are girls. Isn't that awesome?"

Titan stopped in her steps. 'What! Girls?' She had always lived her life as a boy so she had no idea how girls behaved. The way she talked, walked, ate, slept in fact everything about her was boyish.

Noticing her halt, D turned and asked "what's the matter? You're bothered by girls? Hah!!! Don't tell me you're into girls."

'What's she blabbing about? I'm only eight for God's sake. How could she even think such?' Titan frowned and began to walk again totally ignoring her question.

"Oh I must have misunderstood." D continued to walk but Titan stopped abruptly which caught D off guard. She looked at D meaningfully and then signed HOW OLD ARE YOU?

Hesitantly, she replied "Nineteen why?"

Titan wasn't expecting that answer. How could D be nineteen? She thought she was in her mid twenties. Although that wasn't the answer she was expecting, she sighed and then signed again.

"AND HOW OLD DO YOU THINK I AM?"

"Ummm I guess ten or twelve."

It's settled, Titan had no words left for her. 'She could clearly read minds but was obviously blind.' She stared deeply into D's eyes and shrugged. She then began to walk away.

D was lost in her thoughts for a while ' why did she ask that?'

"Hey, why did you ask that question?" D ran after Titan "Hey! Wait up."

They walked for hours and finally, they got to a huge gate in the midst of tall mountains and in the middle of nowhere. Titan raised her brow why did the compass lead them here? She turned to look at D but before she could make any signs, D affairmed.

"Here we are." Titan looked at her confused. How's that even possible? This journey was supposed to last for at least one full day on horse but here they were in front the gates and it was not even sunset but they covered the distance in less time.

"Oh not to worry. We took a short route. Anyways, I should be on my way back now. You go ahead."

BUT WHY? Titan signed.

"Well I still have some work to attend to besides, my flocks need to be tendered." D began to walk away and the n turned as if she had forgotten something.

"Oh and by the way,..... good luck."

Titan nodded and D walked back. In front of the big gates, there was an old looking gate knocker which she reached for and knocked heavily. She knew that no one would hear her if she didn't knock so loudly.

A woman standing at the top of the gate tower looked down and saw a tiny boy standing outside the gate.

"Hey. What are you doing there? Boys aren't allowed here."

Titan looked up at the woman. She knew she couldn't win in an argument because she was putting on a male outfit so she thought of another strategy. What to do? She thought. She then took out the map and compass and raised them up for the woman to see.

She squinted her eyes and shortly widened them. 'Why would the master sign on a map for a boy?' She thought. She then sighed and ordered that the gates be opened after all, there was nothing she could do because the master's signature was on it.

She scoffed. "Besides it would be impossible for this tiny weakling to pass through the gates." She muttered. At the thought of that, two ladies opened the gates.

When the gate was opened, the woman spoke. "Go through the gates if you can. If you are successful, I won't bug you but if you fail, you'll have to leave quietly."

Titan didn't even look up at her. She just began to walk. Immediately she got to the center of the two poles holding the gate, a force pulled her back but the force was not too extreme. Then with a little effort, she walked pass the gates. The woman at the top of the tower opened her mouth in astonishment.

"How..... how's this even possible? It takes people days to successful pass through this gate. It even took me three days. So.... How? Or is it possible that these gates have lost their potential?" She murmured. It was simply impossible but today, she had seen the impossible possible and she was honored to have witnessed it.

Titan walked in and was wondering why everyone was staring but soon, the woman who stood by the gates instructed someone to lead Titan to the master. She wanted to do it herself but she couldn't leave the gates unwatched.

Titan walked through the long walkway but didn't get a glimpse of the school. She wondered why the school was this far from the gates. But when they got to a dead end, her escort stopped.

"Here we are." She gestured forward and her straight hands were pointing towards the dead end. Is she pulling a prank on me? Titan wondered but before she could think of anything else, her escort jumped down which caused Titan to widen her eye. 'Is this woman crazy? Or has she just been planning suicide all along.'

After a few seconds, an inaudible voice came from the dead end. "What are you still doing there? Aren't you coming?"

Titan moved closer and looked down. Her mouth flew open when her eyes came in contact with what was beneath.