He was crying, “I’m not who you think I am!” And she just looked at him and said, “I don’t care,” and snapped his neck.

Never seen a woman do that before. Hell, I’d never seen anyone do that before. Still, scared me to see so much power packed into one person. Seemed more like a stick of dynamite than a person.

Maybe that’s just the fear from what she did next.

The boys stared across at their grandfather with bated breath. They’d never heard him talk about his time in the legions before. He’d mentioned little things here and there as they got older, but once the twins turned fifteen he sat them down at the family table, poured himself a glass of brandy, and told them to listen.

“If you keep staring at me like that, I’ll let you join your friend,” she said. Strange thing to have a short person tower over you. Seems the size of some people doesn’t match their height. “I won’t be any trouble.”

He told the boys he spent the next week following the women through the desert back to their caravan. Never accept special orders if you don’t have special skills or luck. We started with fifteen and ended up two. And boys, I ain’t even in the top twenty of those fifteen.

You got luck then! They both exclaimed. Clamoring to hear more of his story. Their grandfather shook his head, “No, just received more mercy.”

“What did she look like?” The boys asked. Their imagination running wild. Their grandfather shook his head again, “Can’t be described like a normal person. Her face blurs when I try. She stood closer to a force of nature than the rest of us mortals.”

“Was she beautiful?” One of the twins asked with reddening cheeks. The other squirmed in his seat as well.

“Everything dangerous is beautiful. Closer something takes you to death— the more alive you feel. And what’s more beautiful than that?” The boys tried to nod sagely as if they understood. And maybe they did. But boys still wish to know of curves and smiles and softly whispered promises.

So as they sat and listened— they each conjured an image of this woman whose essence marked their grandfather’s soul.