The fifteen years old Agatha was sweating again , it was that woman. She looks like an angel , the woman smiles sweetly but her eyes was full of sadness as she fades away from the light. In the middle of the night where the horses are bred she managed to embraced herself. She is a girl with no background, no mother and a father. Only an alcoholic aunt who always beat her without reason. Until her aunt marries this alcoholic uncle of hers. She was innocent back then but she knew when she is in danger. Her uncle tried to rape her one night but she managed to kick his butt and escaped. At the age of 10 she needs to cut her hair and pretends to be a boy for her to lived a normal life. She went to work for exchange of food from breakfast to dinner in different businessman/bussinesswoman. She pleaded and cried for them to hire her. Now she is 15 and homeless, she's working under Mrs. Chu, the woman who buy and sell horses/stallion especially to soldiers. She's sleeping with the horses since she's one of the caretaker and she have a talent to communicate and tamed even the wildest stallion that's why Mrs. Chu keeps her and favored her knowing that she's a boy.

He is the cold general. At the age of 15 he became the most trusted right hand of the emperor. Now he is 24 and feared even by the neighbored lands. He conquered lands without questions and take them as slaves, he killed their leaders. He is smart but he is missing his heart. Even when he killed he doesn't have an expression on his face as said by his soldiers who have fought beside him. Even he is in pain he cannot feel . There once a story by the soldiers who fought beside him that one time he was covered in blood and is dying he managed to fight as if nothing happened until he fainted after winning the battle. Many believed that he is cursed, That he doesn't have a heart, that he is immortal and thus called him as "the cold general" for being expressionless.

As usual, Agatha was trying to color her hair from dark brown to black. She doesn't want her original hair color because it attracts attention. " Trying to be handsome like me ? " the 18 years old Hamid smiled and his eyebrow went up and down. This young man is full of confidence and a bright smile. Hamid is tall and skinny but undeniably handsome, he is the only son of Mrs. Chu. Agatha whom he knew as Athan smiled and immediately rinsed her hair with cold water. It was rainy season and water are free but cold coming from the roof. Because Athan was tiny and a little malnourished it affect her physical structure. One of the reason that's why she cannot be seen as a girl. Athan started to move her body under that little stream coming from the roof. She was relax and she likes it. When is the last time that she's relax ? Everyday all she did was to survive, to live. Her purpose is to live.

General Ragid blinks as he heard the rain pouring out of his tent. He hates rainy season thus it reminds him of someone's blood all over his body. They are now camping in the border. He was reviewing the plan for the attack when it started to rain. Unlike before he can control his self now. He is not the boy who will cry and hide anymore. Now he will just close his eyes and again the scene 16 years before appear in front of him . As if it's real. But this time he manage to control it and it's gone . He opened his eyes and the rain is still pouring. He stand up and decided to drink a cup of coffee, this will be a long day to go.

Laila who saw how sweet Hamid to Athan started to get feel jealousy again. Laila was a helper under Mrs. Chu and is in charge of the food for the horses and the caretakers including Athan. Laila knew that Athan was a man but there is something inside of her telling her not to trust this Athan man. Yes Athan must be skinny but there is something about him that attracts attention especially to men. Lilo, Laila's elder brother saw how Laila look at them. He is there to get money from her sister. Lilo looked at the direction of Athan .

In Lilo's memory, Lilo was in the market place when he saw his little sister. She was holding a money to pay for the vegetable that he bought but Lilo's hand was faster and managed to get the money from Laila's hand. "Lilo?!" gasped of Laila while her eyes widened. "Surprised, sister? " a mocking tone of Lilo while counting the money. " Please that's not for you. I don't have money for now. Mrs. Chu will surely be upset. This is not the first time you have done this. " a worried expression on Laila's face can be seen but Lilo was not affected at all.

A small hand reach out to Lilo's hand holding money and it flipped it. After a few seconds everyone can hear Lilo's scream. The money are now in Athan's hand. " I will get you back for this!!" a hissing sound from Lilo while running back from them since he saw Hamid was coming to their direction. "What happened? " asked by Hamid when he saw the serious expressions of Laila and Athan. " It was my bro---" Laila was supposed to answer honestly. " Nothing. Some man asking for directions. " Athan smiled and Hamid believed her. Since then Lilo was looking for the right time to get revenge.

After 5 days then , Lilo went to Laila's workplace to get her salary. He knew that it was Laila's payday. He accidentally saw her sister behind the kitchen looking at the two men outside. He knew his sister very well , especially that they grew up together. Laila was a woman of silence. But there once a time when she gets jealous of their neighbor for having a colorful fish in their pond. When the neighbor's house was empty she went to their pond and put poison to the water that causes it's death. Laila went back to the house as if nothing happened. Lilo went to Laila's side and whispered something that only the two of them can hear.

It was a success! After how many days of raining , the sun finally arise. At the same moment in the battlefield , the enemy retreat. The soldiers open the alcohol tank and decided to celebrate as they always do. Some soldiers cried that they can finally go home after how many years.

General Ragid is expressionless as ever. No one knows what he is thinking. Going home? He have no home. Yes, he has a big manor and a lot of golds, lots of treasure but he never thought about it. Where is home ? He knew it's not there. Up until now he's still searching for a place to be calling home. Going back means to face the emperor, to be in the big palace where everybody is killing each other silently for the throne. Going back means facing a different danger within the palace where your own friend, family and even lover can kill you for power. The truth is Ragid is more comfortable fighting with the enemies because he will never regret killing them in the boarder but inside the palace you don't know who's your enemy and who's not. The most dangerous creature inside the palace is a woman. They can kill you with their soft and petite body. How many kings and emperors died because of a woman? Things they called love and posessions.

"Done reporting General!" Ragid seems to be overthinking while his officers are reporting. He just nod and give a sign telling " All dismissed". " Baltor. Send the message to the emperor that we are going back. " ordered by the general to his most trusted friend and right hand captain. "Yes, General!" Baltor answered.

Athan feels something is off with the horses this morning. They don' t wanna eat and all of them can't stand. " There he is! I saw him putting something with the horses food ! " Laila is shouting and coming to her direction together with Mrs. Chu and three soldiers. The soldiers arrest Athan as ordered by Mrs. Chu but Hamid came and stop them. " Mama, you knew Athan very well he cannot do that. He loves the horses!" resist by Hamid while protecting Athan. " We do not know him well! He came from we don't even know where and now he wanted to kill all my horses!! This dumb little man! He cannot pay for my loss even if he die!!" angry statement of Mrs. Chu. " Mama please.... " pleaded by Hamid. " Okay! I will not let you go to prison but I don't want to see your face from now on! Get out! You filthy dumb!!" Ordered by Mrs. Chu. The soldiers didn't arrest her and she felt Hamid's palm in her hand. He guide her to walk going out of the gate while Laila smiled quietely. " Stay by the old man's store. I will try to talk to mama, She listens to me. Here is my bag, they're a 2 pairs of my clothes, it's clean. I was supposed to go to my training but I heard what happened and I came at the right time. " Hamid was sad. Athan silently get the bag and go to the direction of the old man store.

Athan sit infont of the small noodle house stand. The old man sat beside her while having an old tobacco cigarette. He inhaled and slowly exhaled. " I saw soldiers with Mrs. Chu early in the morning. News spreads fast than the stallion. How are you kiddo? " he asked. " I was used to it. But I just didn't expect it would be a trusted person" a cold stare from Athan cab be seen but she didn't cry. The old man kept silent as he remembers how this person together with Hamid became his loyal costumers.

The old man has a son and he is always waiting for his return. His son is a soldier and he was so proud of him. But since the war in the border he never came back and he didn't hear any news from him. He didn't leave his noodle stand for his son to return. His black hair turned to grey hair. His skin wrinkled. His eyes have cataracts. He became old and waited and still waiting for his son. His wife died after giving birth to their son. Thus all his life he wanted what is best for his son. But war came and the empire needed a soldier. His son wanted to prove himself and he went,until now he didn't return.

After how many years some gang wanted to make a profit from the market and forcely collecting money in exchange for they say "protection". "Protection" was an excuse to collect money from the owners. One day the old man cannot submit the amount of money they wanted and nearly broke his store. Hamid and Athan came and pay for the old man. The gang recognize Hamid as the son of Mrs. Chu and afraid that of the consequences and retreat knowing how the old lady spoild his son.

Since then Hamid and Athan became his grand children. Seeing them reminds him of his son and the two everyday came to his noodle store to eat and play.

" You will learn a lesson in every experience kiddo. It is up to you what's your next move. To get revenge is an option but beware of the consequences. Is it really worth it? " said by the old man. " I don't know what is my purpose. Why am I even alive ? I wanted to live for what? " Athan answeres calmly. The old man went inside of his store and came back with a clothing of a woman. It is colorful and clean as if he really keep it properly. " I know someone from the capital. I will give you this pendant and show it to her. She will take care of you and you can choose the way you live. You reminds me of my wife when I first saw her. " He said with a meaningful smile. The old man put the woman's dress in Athan's bag and put some coins with it.

General Ragid together with his troop chosed to put up a tent in the middle of the forest. " Within five days we will be back. Our meat and foods are enough . We will be in a small village nearby for tomorrow as calculated , General. " Baltor reported. " Act as simple as possible. We don't want to alert the civilians. Especially from the palace. " a meaningful words of the general. Baltor sighed. Outside the boarder the enemy wanted to kill the general and of course inside of his own land almost all from the palace wanted him to be dead, including the emperor. The emperor cannot kill him directly because he needs him. But he's afraid of him. From the battlefield no one can defeat him , his strategies are foreign and the enemy respect him. But he's a threat to the emperor. What bothers Baltor's the most is it seems his master the cold general doesn't even knew about it or prentending?... For how many years Baltor is with him and until now he didn't manage to read what is running in his master's mind. All he knew was he became a warrior at such a young age and brought honor to the country. Some people even worship him saying he is the reincarnation of the God of war. How many women tries to seduce his cold master ? A hundred ? A thousand? It's not an exageration. It's not easy to be a right hand of a popular person that his life is always in danger.

Baltor remembers that there was a time when a bunch of ladies would put a sleeping drug on his drink just to step into the general's tent. He doesn't really knew what really happened but after he woke up , the cold general punished him for being a sleepy head. The cold general have no weakness at all or he is interested in men according to the street news. No! Of course Baltor knew his master well!. But sometimes having a perfect master is a headache. Well it's his own choice to follow this master of his.

Agatha started to travel going to the capital. She was surprise to see the golden coins in the bag that Hamid gave her. She also put the woman's dress given by the old man inside the bag. She didn't manage to wait for Hamid since the small boat going to the nearest village is aproaching. Disguised as a man Athan step into the small boat nervously since this is the first time for her to travel this far from her hometown. The boat didn't go that far when Athan hears the voice of Hamid. " Athan , Take care!!!! See you in the capital!!" Hamid shouted while waving his hand crazily. Athan wave her hands too. Hamid hold's a special place in Athan's heart since he was the only person who treated her well. The smile faded and Athan didn't even noticed that she's crying. She wiped her cheeks and closed her fist. She knew she needed to be strong. Stronger than before.

" The messenger from the palace is here. The emperor decides to create a special force to be under his personal command. " Baltor's voice is serious. At that moment Ragid is giving Red, his horse , a breakfast before continuing to walk to the next village. He sighed. " We just lost many soldiers. I cannot answer that. Not till I arrived in the capital. " Ragid answered. Baltor went to the messenger and tell the words of his master.

"This village , I didn't remember I've seen this before. " Ragid told Baltor while walking in the entrance of the little village. " It's because we didn't take this route before. This is the first time that we enter this peaceful village, general" Baltor answered . "Find an accommodation for the soldier for the night. The horses needs to rest also. " ordered by Ragid. " I have heard a news that this village have a businesswoman who buy and sell horses. I know you are interested in horses, since were going home maybe you are interested to buy a wife for Red? " in a not confident tone of Baltor. Ragid look at Red and then look at Baltor. "Do you want me to buy a wife for you?" a serious tone of Ragid that makes Baltor blush. What an insensitive master! But Baltor's manage to answer in a not cracking voice way. " I'm happy to be by your side , master." he answered. Sometime's Ragid's joke's makes people to shiver. " A wife for Red then. " Ragid answer while walking.

"Mama we're here!!" a voice of a happy little girl that everybody in the boat can hear. In front of the boat is a big gate for the villagr but something is wrong. While the boat went closer, you cannot see anyone and a ship of pirates can be seen in the dock. "Pirates!!" an alert person who is a crew in the boat has shouted. " We cannot go in. Pirates are in the place. We'll go back. " decided by the crew. Different discussions from the passengers is what you can heard later. In the middle of commotion , Athan manage to get down of the boat silently.