1742 The Road To Leadership
It was a snowy day in Baymard.
Snow blew crazily, flying in all directions sometimes forming little snow tornadoes on the ground.
Rooftops had icy cones dropping from their sides, and everywhere seemed to be covered in a white blanket of frost.
With her hands kept in her winter jacket, Tilda made a run for it, accompanied by the trained military personnel beside her.
From the parking lot to the destined building, Tilda was careful not to slip.
Her heart was pounding and her emotions chaotic, seeing as this was the first time she had entered the barracks since she arrived at Baymard years ago.
It was ironic that the time she was entering was also the time she would be leaving.
Taking off her jacket, she gave it a wiggle before giving it to one of the men beside her.
"Miss Dina, don't worry, you will be fine. Remember not to smile, keep a stern face, breathe in, breathe out and never show weakness... These are the brave men and women who will follow you on your journey. So first impressions matter."
"Right!"
Tilda nodded, agreeing with the lead man escorting her.
Like Big Brother Landon said, there is a time for everything.
At times like these, one has to be serious, showing in laughter. But it isn't all the time that a monarch should drown.
Take Big Brother Landon for example. Sometimes, he is goofy, other times, so stern you can wet your pants.
In the future, she will have enough moments to smile and bond differently with these brave people following her on her mission.
But for now, she had to prove she was worthy of leadership, or else they would end up babysitting her while taking control instead.
Understand that no soldier goes to war to die.
If she can't handle the heat they will take over and let her sit back.
This might look good on the surface but was detrimental to her because once their task is done and they leave, she will be all alone and everything will come crumbling down.
That's why Landon had told her severally that no matter what situation they found themselves in, she must be assertive and very involved, taking control respectfully and not forcefully.
You don't want to insult these people, by forcing your chain of command on them.
Rather, admit your lack of experience and allow them to guide you, by giving you their feedback and thoughts.
From there, you can choose which option you wish to follow.
But before you ask them for their thoughts, you must first tell them your conclusions on the matter, so they too know of your brilliance. In short, there were a lot of lessons she learned from Big Brother Landon.
And now was the time she was finally going to put it all into play.
To test her, Landon wasn't going to appear today. So it was just her taking charge.
Chin up, chest out, mind cleared.
'I can do this. I've gone through the agenda, I've practiced, and I know what to say and how to address the crowd.'
----
Din. Din. Din. Din. Din. Din. Din.~
In the vast hall filled with 5000 people, many quieted down, when seeing the lineup of high-ranked military personnels following behind a woman no older than 17.
Bear in mind that once a girl passes the age of 15, she is no longer seen as just a girl, but a full-grown woman ready and ripe for marriage, childbirth and adulthood.
'Who is she? And what does she have to do with the mission?'
Many inwardly questioned, though showing no signs of confusion on their faces.
Navy officers, Marines, Soldiers, pilots, military doctors... Everyone concerned was here.
Like rocks, they stood still with chins high, staring at the podium.
They had been selected for this hidden mission they knew nothing about.
Such was military life.
Surprising unexpected missions pop out which may require swift action.
Maybe word only got in now hence leading to their hasty preparations and fast exit from Baymard.
But they weren't so anxious because they were trained for such types of missions, and already understood that in their line of duty, one must be prepared for anything.
Of course, some felt their hearts continuously beat out loud against their chests, knowing this was their first big mission.
'Amazing! I can't believe I'm sitting close to these big guys with reputable names.'
'Wait. That haircut... isn't that the famous Arrowhead standing 3 paces ahead of me? I heard during one of his missions, he used the famous Shaolin techniques to sever the heads of a 3-headed Bastian Wolf in Zohl. What a legend. Look! It's Said he even wears the tooth around his neck too.'
'Ahhh! They're here! They're here! Isn't that General Izenburg, the one who was rumored to pluck the enemy's eyes out with one poke? Lying trough! Is he also joining in on the mission?'
'Oh, my ancestors! That's Spider Queen Leticia, a former Noble lady of the Casteel Family. I heard she thrashed 10 burly men during training while in the Purple Spider Brigade. Damm! What is she doing here?'
'Oh no! I can't show my nervousness. Act cool... be cool! I have just become a special soldier of the Black Beetle Brigade!'
(*^*)
----
Except for the knocking sounds of the many rugged winter military boots, no other sound could be heard echoing across the space.
Everyone immediately gave a firm salute, once they saw their superiors stand on the high podium and face them.
Tilda was at the center. There she raised both hands with a cold voice.
"At ease."
Brentford, one of her teachers who guided her in the palace, secretly gave her a nod of approval.
In the meantime, the projection screen was lit up, showing the Baymardian flag, before switching to the main course of today's meeting.
Standing high above the massive group, the anxiety Tilda' faced earlier, slowly dissipated the more she spoke.
"Let's begin."
