The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)

by R.F. Kuang

“Seriously?” Hope flared in Rin’s chest. She looked between the two apprentices. “Well, what’s stopping you from taking it?” They both looked at her incredulously. “It destroys your womb,” Arda said finally. “Basically kills one of your inner organs. You won’t be able to have children after.” “And it hurts like a bitch,” Kureel said. “It’s not worth it.” But I don’t want children, Rin thought. I want to stay here. If that procedure could stop her menstruating, if it could help her remain at Sinegard, it was worth it.

Children ceased to be children when you put a sword in their hands. When you taught them to fight a war, then you armed them and put them on the front lines, they were not children anymore. They were soldiers.