They polished the marble floors of the Grand Palace until they shone like mirrors today. I watched my reflection as I crossed the throne room—a woman in a general's armor, surrounded by portraits of men who never had to fight half as hard for the right to stand there. A reminder that the most difficult battles aren't always fought on a field, but in the minds of those who cannot see past tradition. My strength is not in spite of my being a woman, but woven into the very fabric of it.