Prologue
The queen paced back and forth. The tension in the room was high, as always when the queen was upset, and she rarely ever could be pleased. "Millicent..." The King attempted to change her mood. "Don't Edmund!" She shouted irritated, his calmness at times like this was only an annoyance to her. "She will become 18 years of age within three days and she has not even chosen a hand in marriage!" The King sighed, rolling his eyes as she turned her back. "I understand why you're frustrated, but I don't see what we can do." She turned back. "She is being selfish, Edmund, she's receiving a bad reputation. She hasn't even thought of the fortune we would earn if she chose the wealthiest young man." The tracks of the queen's shoes had left visible marks on the cold, wood floor. She sat down in her throne overlooking the hills far off in the distance beyond the castle and sighed. "Edmund," He turned, knowing what she was going to declare. "We will decide who she will marry."
The birds chirped, flying overhead. I sometimes wished I was a bird, I wish I could fly and be free. I'm the proof that money can't buy happiness, opposite of the rule my mother lives by. I plucked simply at the purple petals of the little flowers that surrounded the trail. The tree I rested by was just behind the castle, any further and the entire army of the palace would be searching for me. The stem of the flower was bear, I threw it to the breeze and it landed beside my feet. I always dreamed of running away. I never had a reason though, a strong enough reason that would let me run. Taking off to live in the woods, living off wild berries and fresh water, and everyday moving on to explore horizons, my forbidden wish. I want that freedom, but I'm afraid. I want to find a reason one day, but I know nothing will ever change; I'm a prisoner in my own Kingdom. My dress was spotted with dirt and grass markings, and my boots full of mud and rocks. "Princess!" I heard a yell from behind me, I sighed, back to my hell.
Chapter 1 : The Unforgettable"Kai!" My head darted up to the echo of Galen's call from behind me. I shot up and rubbed the drool off my cheek, also covered in dirt from lying face down in the ground, afternoon nap. "Down here!" I shouted back. The boys stopped, and dirt from above the slope fell over upon me, I coughed and spit dirt off my lips. "Here." I repeated.
The boys chuckled, and Galen bent over. "Catch anything?" He asked, sweat beads covered his face. I gripped his wrist and pulled myself up. "A few squirrels and a wild turkey." I tightened the strap on my bag, and started walking up the hill back to the village. Hade and Ty chased each other and fooled around before us, Galen and I checked the traps we set up behind, all to find empty. The boys and I hunt for the Northern part of the Cheviot, it keeps the Northerns alive, and it gives us something to do. Me, Galen, Hade and Ty began hunting since we were younger.
First it was only me and Galen; we had been best friends for as long as I can remember. Galen's only a year older than I am; he has dirty blond tousled hair to match his ice blue eyes. His soul is closed off and untrusting, he's been like that since his childhood, ever since his father died.
His father was killed in war, the war of the Cheviot in a riot against the Kingdom, a war we call The Peasant's Revolt. The Peasant's Revolt lasted less than a month, it was not by the expectation of ever being able to beat the Kingdom, it was from too much anger and not seeing any other way. The Kingdom could watch everyone in the Cheviot rot in hell and not give a care unless they get their taxes in repay, at the end of the month each peasant is to give one hundred coins to the tax collector, if you don't have it you will be whipped one hundred times, and a hundred times more each time you forget.
Luckily, hunting has saved us from that and none of us have ever gotten whipped. "So I hear the Princess' birthday will be celebrated tonight..." Galen said. The Princess' birthday was actually in two days, they just would celebrate tonight so they had a reason the wild party. "Feel like crashing a party?" I laughed. "Why not?" Galen and I sneak in to a lot of the Kingdom's celebrations, never have we ever ran into the King, Queen or Princess.
The princess never showed, probably too occupied with the million of gold coins that surround her every second, and the King and Queen didn't notice us thanks to the outfits created by Galen's cousin (one removed on his mother's side) the Northerns tailor. "What time does it start?" Hade asked, his curly chocolate brown hair was covered with twigs, and his face was stained with green from the grass, matching his green eyes.
"Won't your mother notice you're gone?" Galen asked. Hade was 15, and Ty was 16, both only lived with their mothers since their fathers had died in war. Hade nodded "Yes..." Ty chuckled and pushed him jokingly. We reached the village, the school bell had just rung for the younger children.
In this village there is no point in going to school once you turn 14, as long as you know about plants, hunting, carpentry or livestock, you'll earn a living. "Hey we're going to the shambles, meet us there later?" Galen asked, I looked at the school and nodded, "Yeah I'll be there in thirty minutes." The boys nodded and left. The herd of little kids ran by me, I laughed. "Kaiël!" I felt two little arms wrap around the side of my legs.
I looked down, and knelt to the ground. "Hello Opal!" I said picking her up in my arms. I brushed the blond strands of hair away from her warm brown eyes. Opal's father is the blacksmith of the village; she got her name from her mother's wedding ring, a gold band with a cloudy opal gem. "Did you get me something today?" She asked in a cheerful voice. I put her down and knelt down again on the ground. "Of course I did!" I said with a smile.
I reached into the pocket of my bag, and pulled out a cloth wrapped around her gift. I unfolded it and placed it on top of her head. It was a twig and grass weaved crown decorated in bright yellow and white flowers. She smiled and gasped in her tiny, gentle little voice. She felt her head, and gave me a hug. "I love it Kai!" I picked her up again and started walking towards the blacksmith's. "Oh! I have something for you too." She said, I chuckled. "You do?" I asked. She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket on the side of her dress.
She handed it to me smiling. "I made it today." I looked at the front and smiled. "Is, that me?" I asked pointing to the figure on the cover. She nodded. "Yes, it's you in the woods hunting for everyone. You're a hero." I smiled and kissed her forehead. "You're my hero." I told her, she giggled. I was about to open the card but she stopped me. "Not until you get home!" She said. I nodded. "Alright. This is very nice of you." She smiled. I placed it in the pocket of my bag.
I knocked on open door of the blacksmith's and put Opal down; she walked over and sat on a stool. Her mother came holding a bowl of fresh picked berries and placed them on the counter. "Hello Kai!" She said. I smiled. "Hello Míriel, I brought a wild turkey for you." I walked over to where they kept their game and placed the animal there. "I'll keep you some leftovers for tomorrow." I chuckled. "It's fine, but thank you." She sighed. "Well can I offer you some bread? I just baked some rolls this morning." I put my shoulder strap over my head.
"Thank you, but I really have to be going, the boys are waiting for me at the shambles." She looked behind her and picked up a roll from the platter. "Nonsense, hold onto it for later." She handed me the bread. I smiled, wrapped it in a piece of cloth, and placed it in my bag. "Thank you." I winked and waved goodbye at Opal and started running to the shambles.
The shambles is a large hut where anyone can trade things for a profit, or just be kind and give away items to share with the village, a lot of people spend their time there. I arrived, I saw Hade and Ty trading some fish for gold, and Galen giving some game and a basket of berries away. Each of us have our speciality, Galen hunts and builds spears, he knows everything about plants and berries, and he knows everything about survival. Hade and Ty build fishing poles together, they fish and shoot small poultry and birds with arrows they build. I build traps; I weave nets and baskets, I hunt, and when I have time to spare, I make toys and little gifts for Opal, and the other children in the village. Galen motioned me over.
"Yeah?" I asked, "So we just need to go get our clothes from tailor's and we can start walking to the Kingdom." I nodded laughing. "Alright then let's go." I placed the squirrels I caught this morning on the counter, and we walked over to Carac's tailor hut. Clothes were hanging on a clothes line, a bucket full of water to clean them beside, and Carac was sitting outside the hut sewing a vest.
"Galen!" He said looking up. "Are they ready?" He asked, Carac nodded standing up from his stool. He handed us both our clothing for tonight. "You boys can go change inside." We nodded. "Our thanks, again!" Galen yelled, running inside. Galen walked over, and started getting changed.
I placed the pile of clothing on a stool, and removed my leather vest, keeping on my white tunic made of rough wool. I picked up a coat of blue silk, and buttoned it over my tunic. I kicked off my heavy brown boots, and removed my grass and dirt stained trousers. I picked up brown trousers, and a leather string to keep them up. The last thing was a surcoat, made of scarlet satin. I pulled it over and left it loose.
I looked in the cracked mirror in the back of the room and chuckled, I actually looked rich. Galen came beside me, and he was dressed similar to me. "Are you ready to go?" Galen asked. I nodded. "This night will be unforgettable."
We walked outside, thanked Carac again, and began walking. To reach the Kingdom, we had to pass through the farmer's field, and continue walking for miles. It began getting dark when we finally reached the gates. They were wide open, crowds of people passing through. I just stood, can't move, the amount of people and their costumes was overwhelming, nothing I've ever seen was like this moment I'm standing before.
I looked at Galen. "Little more crowded than usual..." He chuckled. "Yeah no kidding. Oh, before we go, someone at the shambles today traded me this." He pulled a little vile from his pocket. "And that is?" I asked. "It's for the party, one sip of this and you'll be up all night." I watched as the light from the moon shone on the small vile, this little taste of poison.
"You go first." He said handing it to me, I sighed and pulled off the cover. I sipped it quickly, and pulled the bottle away from my mouth in disgust. I felt the burn of the liquid drip down my throat, the after taste stuck on my tongue. "What in god's name is that!" I yelled, I've never drank anything this potent. He laughed. "Some strong alcohol, it sure as hell won't make you sleepy." And he chugged the rest.
Galen grabbed my shoulder. "Come on! We have to get inside the castle before it gets too crowded!" And pulled me, I swallowed again trying to get the taste out of my mouth, and continued running with him and pushing people so we could pass by.
We entered through the wooden front door, there was an orchestra in the middle of the ballroom inside and the sound of chatter was too much to bear all at once. The guards didn't even bother to look at us twice, we looked like young princes. Not impressive rich, but still rich. There were people dancing, people laughing like fools, drinking like there was no tomorrow. I smirked and starting walking, Galen was right; this night would be unforgettable. "Here we go..." Galen followed behind me.
Chapter 2: One Look