Chapter One:
King AJ laid dead on the cold ground. Prince Vert looked down at his brother as tears rushed through his eyes and then looked up at the mage who killed him. The mages eyes were clouded, with a ring of green around the pupils. He blinked, and the green disappeared, his eyes now much more focused, and he looked in horror at the body on the floor.
"'I did not mean it.'' He pleaded, falling to his knees in front of the crown prince.
''Don't you deny it,I saw you hit him. I saw you kill my brother.' Vert growled.
''Please, I was being controlled!.'' The men cried out, beginning to sob, knowing his fate was inevitable.
''Captain.'' He called loudly..
The captain of the guards and a few of his men came rushing towards the prince, along with his young son, Sherman trailing behind them. The guards gasped, and one of them ushered Sherman out before he saw the body.
''Kill him,'' Vert voice strong and full of emotion, and it rang around the room.
Sherman nodded and then walked towards him with his sword up. the men shook head and then backed up to the wall.
Princess Agura walked urgently through the door, holding her week old daughter in her arms.
"What is going on?" She spotted her close friends dead body, and screamed in surprise, pain and anger. Her baby wailed, startled by the sudden noise. She held her child tightly, and rushed over to her husband and brother in law, and sank to the ground landing next to her husband, as tears poured down both their faces.
Only a few metres away from them, the mage who killed the king was restrained and decapitated.
Vert payed no attention, still holding his dead brother in his arms tightly.
16 Years Later...
I gazed at the castle wall, the wall that separated the royalty from the commonwealth. The king and queen has banned us kids from anywhere. No home, no family, no life. Thats what they say, the nobility and guard and the cowards who have a meager house with a roof over their head, too scared to fight for whats right.
It was a classic case of taxing the poor, too much control for the lords and nobility. Most of us had hardly any rights, and if it was our word against someone with money or land, we never come out on top. On top of that, the 'purging' of magic users, those who the guard catch using magic or 'selling' magic are immediately taken to the castle, where they are most likely killed.
But that is why we fought. By we, I meant the rebels, the riffraff, the urchins, thieves, streetrats and whatever other nasty names they come up. We fought for our rights. For lower taxes, ending of slavery and unpaid servitude, better houses, and the end of killing magic users.
Who were we, exactly? We were, as to our knowledge, the last magic users who are caught and captured ,and only the powerful ones make it on the have been chased, killed and banished even know we don't have our powers yet. Even if we weren't older than the king and queen know and command the guards to come after us. Sometimes, people are too scared to fight, and leave. Others want to keep their family safe.
But not us. Not me or Tezz or Spinner. Tezz doesn't have any family left, he considers Spinner and I like younger brothers and is always looking out for us. He is basically the leader. I was an orphan, living out on the street for as long as I can remember. Tezz and Spinner found me and became my friends, but later my does have two relatives left, a cousin who is the personal guard of the princess, and an uncle who is the Captain of the Guards, they both live at the palace. To my knowledge, he's never met them, or has any reason to want to.
I just wanted to be free and able to make peace with the king, but that is never going to happen. Sometimes, the only way to bring equality, is to take down those who prevent it. That is what Tezz says, and Tezz is so smart, he is almost always right.
Spinner leaped up to the roof ''Zoom?''
I turned around to face my friend. ''What is it Spinner?''
" You need to get out of sight.'' He said and pushed Zoom back.
I just sighed ''Fine.''
Just as Spinner pulled me from behind, a group of guards marched by and headed back towards the castle. If I had still been there, and one of them had looked up, I would have been spotted. They don't know that we are magic users, but I am a known thief.
"We should leave, Zoom." Spinner said, folding his arms.
" Oh come on! It is not like I was going to give us away." I retort, not moving an inch.
"Tezz wants to talk to us, as a group. And did say the next time you refused to come back, he'd get really angry, and force you down himself. And then…. you know what he gets like when he is mad." Spinner said, palms up in a mock surrender.
''What ever.'' Zoom said, and nodded towards spinner'' Just a little more fun.''I smirked.
"You are going to get us killed," Spinner sighed, then smiled, " I'm in. What's the plan?"
Later that night...
Spinner and I crept through the shadow of the small village outside of the palace, after messing with some merchants closing up shop. Not without good reasons, they were rather cruel, and we really don't like them. We headed back to the spacious house where an old women who spends most of her time sleeping and reading lives above us. We took the opportunity to use the secret room and hidden passages in the house as our base. I had no idea why she had so many secret passages and rooms, but it was an old house. She was also basically deaf. Technically, she was not alone, she had a few servants. Most were idiots, but a few turned a blind eye for us.
We crept through the window and made sure no one saw us. From there , we opened the panel along the wall and slid inside, falling down to the cushion at the bottom. It was dark, but we knew this place like the back of our hands, and had no trouble getting to our main area, an underground, dusty and very old basement.
It was a simple layout, with zillions of hiding places, and ways to get in and out. The main area, a washroom, and a tiny excuse for a room that passed as out sleeping quarters.
Spinner and I walked in,and spotted our leader. Tezz looked up from where the planning table was, and at the two of us.
''Up on the roof again Zoom?'' Tezz spoke with his mind, his telepathic powers letting him talk without actually talking, if that made any sense.
I gave him a look ''Stop doing that.''
''You guessed right Tezz,'' Spinner said,'' Saved him again.''
Tezz glared at Spinner, who shrank back against it, and then looked towards me. ''Zoom.''
I turned away ready to leap into the air. When Tezz looked up and saw a Falcon perch on a post and put his back to him. It was a habit of mine when I didn't feel like being lectured. Spinner shrugged and then leaped onto a chair, putting his feet up on the table..
''Zoom, I know you can hear us.'' Tezz said to me, while simultaneously knocking Spinner's feet off the table.
''Hey.'' Spinner complained, but then stopping when he got the look which Tezz had often given us when he wanted us to shut up.
''Anyways, we have some more pressing matters to contemplate. They are sending more guards on patrols, more than we could beat in daylight, even with our magical abilities. That means we are going to have to be more stealthy, and no long trips or missions during the day if we can avoid it.'' Tezz said
Spinner nodded ''But how many more, and do they know about anyone else here?''
Tezz shook his head ''I been talking to a family who is like us, but they have been captured.'' He said ducking his head ''I was too late, but before the guards came back i snuck in and found a book.
''Book about what.'' Spinner asked sitting up?
''A book about our powers and it explains all.'' Tezz answered.
Spinner looked at the book ''What else is there to tell?''
'' More than you think Spinner.''
All of a sudden Zoom took flight and then changed once he got to the floor and looked at them. His eyes widen, their gaze not moving from the book.
''Glad you can join us.'' Tezz smiled
''Whatever, so how much does this explain.'' Zoom asked reaching for the books.
''Enough to stop us for good and take all of us down.''
'' You mean our weakness, they are all in this book?'' Spinner said in a panic voice
''Yes.'' Tezz Replied , his tone grave.
Princess Cassandra leaned against the rail of the balcony gazing at the starry sky. It shone brightly down on the palace and the capital city surrounding it. Sometimes, even though she's never told a soul, she wished she could fly, and soar above the city. It would be like…. Cassandra trailed off. She didn't really know the word for it, she thought it started with the letter M, but that was all. It puzzled her endlessly, she had so many gaps where she could use the unknown word.
A loud cough interrupted her thoughts, and she turned around to see a very good friend of hers.
He bowed and spoke. ' M'lady." He quickly glanced around, before using a more casual and friendly term of speech. " Cass, you need to come inside now, the dinner is in an hour, and you are still not ready."
Cassandra rolled her eyes. " Hello to you too Sherman. I havent talked to you in forever, but lets just focus on being as rude as possible." she said ,a playful smile danced on her face.
Sherman sighed. " Fine. Hi Cassandra. Its nice to talk to you again, but dinners in an hour and you need to get ready. Is that better?"
"Much better." She responded, as she followed him inside.
" Alright, you, out, I need to get ready." She said.
Sherman raises his hands up. " Alright! Alright! I'll just be outside your door." He said, as he retreated through the door and closed it .
Cassandra swiveled around and swung open her closet doors, and began preparing for that night.
Cassandra looked around at the long table. She honestly didn't even know or like half these people,and she was pretty sure neither of her parent knew them either. She glanced to her right, at the centre of the table were the two of them in all their glory. Both were engaging in conversation, making polite remarks and laughing at all jokes told. She didn't think she could handle it, and preferred to talk to people she actually knew.
" Earth to princess? I was talking to you?" came a voice, and it interrupted her thoughts.
"Oh? Sorry Stanford." she replied and smiled sheepishly, " What were you saying?"
" That you seem distracted of late. Is there a problem love?" he said quietly.
She chose to ignore his stupid pet name for me, and responded. " No, its just that I'm, getting, bored."
Sanford looked at me oddly. " Bored of what? This dinner?" He lowered his voice before he continued. " To be honest, I'm rather bored of this too."
I smiled back at him. " Not just this dinner, I mean everything is so routine now, and it's just so repetitive. I mean, I can list right now, by heart the next schooling sessions and their subjects for you, me, Simon and Grace."
Stanford just shrugged. "I'm sure you'll do something exciting. After all, your parents rule the nation, I'm sure they can think of something for you to do."
The king and queen smiled politely to a nameless noble they had been talking too. For once during the dinner, people seemed to have been talking amongst themselves. Queen Agura looked around at her guests, and lingered on her daughter. King Vert, noticed his wife and followed her gaze.
'
"Cassandra seems distracted, and not at all like herself.'' The king whispered to his queen.
''Yes, I can tell. She's not as energetic, and spends more and more time by herself, or locked away in her room'' the queen replied back looking at Cassandra
''I have this old friend, who took care of me and my brother since birth, she is retired and old but I think she is what Cassandra needs.'' he said
"An old women?'' the queen asked
''Well yes, Cassandra can go their for the summer, she will come back fresh and new. Not as... bored as she looks.''
''Are you sure thats a good idea.'' The queen asked ''She never been out of the castle, and we can't forget about the remaining, creatures.''
''New changes are always good.'' Vert smiled and squeezed her hand
''But what about some guards or people know she the princess. I dont want to imagine what might happen to her.'' her eyes watered.
''She will pretend to be a normal young lady of high class, and no one will have to know, besides her babysitter and a few trusted servants. Cassandra could be a daughter of a duke, perhaps.'' Vert said happily. ''Plus we can always dress sherman up and pretend to be a vender, and he can keep an eye on her.'' He said.
''I guess that would work.'' The queen said ''Just hope she safe.''
''She is strong and brave, just like we were.'' Vert smiled ''Just like when we were kids.''
''Okay, maybe you're right.'' she said, and kissed him on the cheek.
"Lets finish this dinner up." Vert said to her, before he stood up, and all fell silent. " Let us finish the night with dance!"
END OF CHAPTER ONE
Vert: as king (36)
Agura: as queen (37)
Cassandra :as princess (16)
Zoom: as rebel second in command (16)
Spinner: as one of the rebel (17)
Sherman: A friend of Cassandra, leader of her elite guard (19)
Tezz: leader of the rebels (20)
Aj: brother of vert and predecessor of Vert on the throne (Deceased, was 35)
Stanford: Son of Lord Isaac, friends of Cassandra (17)
Sage: Servant girl in the house the rebels live in, sneaks them food (19)
Hi! So this is set in a mediaevalism society with some modern conveniences like phones and silverware and duck tape. We really hope you enjoy and don't forget to review!