If you were to look down on the city of Chie you would immediately be able to spot the tell tale signs of a once thriving city. Originally it had been a very systematic city; the grid-like design was still visible if one knew where to look. To the north and east were the remainders of the supposedly indestructible wall that had once protected the city from harm. It now lay crumbling and unkempt, completely useless. To the west was the harbor. Though the water still glittered endlessly, the actual buildings of the harbor itself were depressing and soon to be condemned. And to the south were the mountains and steep cliffs; the last source of real protection.
The dusty stone and wood buildings that lined the now maze-like streets of Chie were gloomy to say the least. Occasionally you might come across a house that at least looked like someone had tried to make it look decent. But most gave up in the end. They always did. The streets were nothing more than compacted, dusty, brown, dirt. The little children of the village did not play like the children who had come centuries before them. Families were poor and every hand was needed for something or another if they wanted to eat and live another day. But what gave off the most depressing sense of gloom was the once great castle that loomed over the city. But like all of the other structures it had suffered considerable damage and now looked pathetic.
Chie did have a ruler though. A heart throb of an emperor who did nothing more than play around with his girls and order the army to enforce ridiculous laws that no one would follow. Once every year his men would go through and pick out useful children to be servants in the castle. Mothers would cry out in anguish as their children were led away and fathers would bite their lips honor bound not to cry out with the women.
Kaye hadn't really understood what had happened when the men came to take her away. Her green eyes lingered questionably on her crying mother and her silent father. The men had simply tugged gently on her arm and she had simply left with all of the other children. A black crow had cried out to her that day. Some of the children were crying, the older ones anyway, while the young ones, including herself, had walked to the castle with wide-eyed wonder and confusion. Kaye and the others slept in the north wing of the castle. It was the area specifically designed for the servants and the higher the floor, the higher your rank.
Said girl gazed out of her third story window at the rather depressing landscape unable to convince herself that she seriously needed to get to her chores. There are plenty of people in my position that can do them for me. She thought. What harm could there be in missing one day's worth of chores? After all, as she had just come to the conclusion herself, there were other people that could and would take her place. But her unfortunate heart was laced with guilt as she sighed and dragged her body away from the window. The crow that had been perched above her for some time now let out a cry and flew away with a flutter of wings and feathers. Kaye looked at her reflection in the mirror and posed humorously but dropped her arms dejectedly and walked out of her small room. The long hallway seemed to be the only happy place to be. The other inhabitants of the floor had put up little bits and pieces of themselves to try and make the blank walls more cheerful and homely. Evidentially it had worked to some extent. Kaye couldn't help but smile before setting off at her fast pace to her designated work station.
Yay! My first story; though I don't really think it's that good. But I shall listen to comments and criticism. Plus, flames are used to make my room warmer!