Dg sat in her bedroom, look below her balcony. Below her, troops readied their caravan for departure. Men walked determined, ready for battle. Captains ordered men who were useless around.

How did it come to this? The OZ used to be so peaceful. What happened? DG thought.

Of course, she knew. She had been to the meeting after the siege of the Northern Island. She had been in the same siege, escaping the onslaught of Longcoats. And she saw the aftermath: hundreds dead, more injured and missing. Including Jeb Cain. Those that survived the siege, DG and her family excluded, cried for war. Even those who were not in, but heard of the attempt to destroy the Royal family, cried for war.

So the question of what happened was not necessary. It was more of, why did it happen. The day the queen signed the document of war, DG was there. She was there when a General volunteered to Jeb's position, until his location was known. The day of the siege, now known as The Northern Siege, was the motivation for the troops heading north. Back to retake the palace, and the OZ.

DG felt angry with herself. She and the rest of the family had escaped to Central City, for the time being. The furthest in the OZ they felt safe. The guards positioned, doubled around the palace and lake. Escorts were beyond mandatory. However, she was not angry with the number of guard, but the number of troops. They were men that DG had gotten to know over the course of a few months. Men who had families that worked in the Northern Island Palace. Dg did not see soldiers marching to war, but men marching from their families.

Leaning her head back against the palace wall, DG let her memories search back. She probed her brain for the dark events that lead the War of the OZ.

------------------------------------------------------

ok...here we go.