Raine wasn't too afraid of the kingdom being attacked. She actually felt
quite safe because stories were told that no one could force their way into
the kingdom. The enemies reached the gates and the sound of ramming was
heard. The sun was coming up, and the sky was faintly pink. Raine heard
loud marching behind her and saw more troops behind he. She retreated to
the side as she watched the soldiers climb up the stonewall guarding the
kingdom. Sounds of arrows flying filled the air. Raine stood in the shadows
of a house and tried to decide what to do. But then, something happened
that made her freeze momentarily. The gates of the stonewall gave and the
enemy swarmed in. Soldiers met them and the clanging of swords could be
heard. Raine unfrozen and quickly backed away from the road. She turned and
started to run. The gate was broken. If the enemies were that strong, then
they could kill them all rapidly. Raine shook her head. Don't think those
thoughts! She ordered herself. Raine ran on. She didn't know where to go.
She turned backwards to see who was winning. What she saw made her gasp.
Taja threw her things into a sack. She was always ready in an emergency. Her roommates had left the cabin to see what was wrong. As Taja pulled the string to close the bag, one of her co-workers, a woman, hurried in.
"What's wrong?" Taja asked, alarmed at the sight of her pale face. "The enemies have broken in!"
"What?" Taja gasped. "That's impossible. The gate is too strong!" "Are enemies are stronger. Oh, this is the end!" The woman wailed and slumped to the ground. Taja grabbed her sack and started for the door. But when her hand touched the wood, she stopped. Where could she go? The king didn't make an escape route in case of emergency. No one believed that the gate could ever be broken. Taja tried to remain calm. She would have to leave the kingdom. The gate was broken, wasn't it? But it was a slim chance that she can sneak out without being seen. Taja turned back to the wailing woman.
"We mustn't give up hope. There's a chance that we can get out of the kingdom. There's a forest surrounding us. We can hide there until the coast is clear." The woman continued to moan. "Come on now!" Taja said, now more urgently. The sound of houses burning and destruction was near. "There's no hope at all, oh leave me be!" The distressed woman wrenched her arm out of the girl's grasp and continued to weep. Taja sighed, dejected. "I can't force you to go." She reluctantly left the cabin and the woman.
Taja gasped. She couldn't help it. The cabin next to hers was burning. The ashes made her cough. She turned and started in the opposite direction. Taja screamed. A man stood before her, his sword gleaming from the rays of the rising sun. He had short brown hair and gray eyes. Taja stumbled backwards, nearly losing her grip on her sack. The man walked towards her and raised his sword. When he swung his sword, Taja ducked. The man missed and tried again. Taja moved on her instinct and kicked the sword out of his hand. The man showed surprise, but not for long. He grabbed his sword again. Taja turned and began to run. The man grabbed her arm and Taja twisted it. She kicked him when he was distracted. She tried to slip away, but he grabbed at her again. This time, he knocked off her hat on accident. Her long brown hair tumbled out in a cascade of waves and settled on her shoulders. The man stopped and stared at her. "Your..." he began in shock, but Taja kicked him in the shin and ran off, not even looking back.
Isabel made sure that her mother and sisters were safely out of the house. Then, she ran back to her closet and grabbed a backpack. She grabbed her cloak, which matched her forest green eyes, and pulled it on. She put some clothing in her pack and went to the kitchen. She opened the cupboards and put food in the backpack too. Then, Isabel ran out of the house.
If it were true that the gates have been broken, she would try to make a run for it. Isabel knew that she might die, but it was better than waiting for death to come to her doorstep. She looked around wildly for her mother and sisters, but she couldn't see them. Smoke filled the air and made her sneeze. Isabel looked around her one last time before heading in the direction of the gate. She tried to blend into the shadows of the houses and pass by undetected. Isabel ducked behind a shed and looked out. The clang of the swords and singing of bows filled her ears. There was blood on the roads. Isabel fought back the sudden wave of nausea and tried to look away. But for some reason, she couldn't. Isabel looked at the enemy soldiers. They didn't have armor. They wore robes of dark green. Some had long hair tied back or just short hair. Isabel finally forced herself to turn. But she didn't move a foot when she realized what was nagging her.
The soldiers had pointy ears. Like hers!
Isabel stopped and started back. She went back to the place where she had watched the fighting. She saw on the other side of the road a little girl crying. Before she could think, Isabel ran into the street, intent on saving the girl. A horse galloped out of nowhere and reared up, whinnying. Isabel stopped shocked. She thought she heard someone scream. The horse's legs began the journey downward and Isabel threw herself to the side. Her head hit the stone street and the last thing she saw was the cloudless sky before everything went black.
Taja threw her things into a sack. She was always ready in an emergency. Her roommates had left the cabin to see what was wrong. As Taja pulled the string to close the bag, one of her co-workers, a woman, hurried in.
"What's wrong?" Taja asked, alarmed at the sight of her pale face. "The enemies have broken in!"
"What?" Taja gasped. "That's impossible. The gate is too strong!" "Are enemies are stronger. Oh, this is the end!" The woman wailed and slumped to the ground. Taja grabbed her sack and started for the door. But when her hand touched the wood, she stopped. Where could she go? The king didn't make an escape route in case of emergency. No one believed that the gate could ever be broken. Taja tried to remain calm. She would have to leave the kingdom. The gate was broken, wasn't it? But it was a slim chance that she can sneak out without being seen. Taja turned back to the wailing woman.
"We mustn't give up hope. There's a chance that we can get out of the kingdom. There's a forest surrounding us. We can hide there until the coast is clear." The woman continued to moan. "Come on now!" Taja said, now more urgently. The sound of houses burning and destruction was near. "There's no hope at all, oh leave me be!" The distressed woman wrenched her arm out of the girl's grasp and continued to weep. Taja sighed, dejected. "I can't force you to go." She reluctantly left the cabin and the woman.
Taja gasped. She couldn't help it. The cabin next to hers was burning. The ashes made her cough. She turned and started in the opposite direction. Taja screamed. A man stood before her, his sword gleaming from the rays of the rising sun. He had short brown hair and gray eyes. Taja stumbled backwards, nearly losing her grip on her sack. The man walked towards her and raised his sword. When he swung his sword, Taja ducked. The man missed and tried again. Taja moved on her instinct and kicked the sword out of his hand. The man showed surprise, but not for long. He grabbed his sword again. Taja turned and began to run. The man grabbed her arm and Taja twisted it. She kicked him when he was distracted. She tried to slip away, but he grabbed at her again. This time, he knocked off her hat on accident. Her long brown hair tumbled out in a cascade of waves and settled on her shoulders. The man stopped and stared at her. "Your..." he began in shock, but Taja kicked him in the shin and ran off, not even looking back.
Isabel made sure that her mother and sisters were safely out of the house. Then, she ran back to her closet and grabbed a backpack. She grabbed her cloak, which matched her forest green eyes, and pulled it on. She put some clothing in her pack and went to the kitchen. She opened the cupboards and put food in the backpack too. Then, Isabel ran out of the house.
If it were true that the gates have been broken, she would try to make a run for it. Isabel knew that she might die, but it was better than waiting for death to come to her doorstep. She looked around wildly for her mother and sisters, but she couldn't see them. Smoke filled the air and made her sneeze. Isabel looked around her one last time before heading in the direction of the gate. She tried to blend into the shadows of the houses and pass by undetected. Isabel ducked behind a shed and looked out. The clang of the swords and singing of bows filled her ears. There was blood on the roads. Isabel fought back the sudden wave of nausea and tried to look away. But for some reason, she couldn't. Isabel looked at the enemy soldiers. They didn't have armor. They wore robes of dark green. Some had long hair tied back or just short hair. Isabel finally forced herself to turn. But she didn't move a foot when she realized what was nagging her.
The soldiers had pointy ears. Like hers!
Isabel stopped and started back. She went back to the place where she had watched the fighting. She saw on the other side of the road a little girl crying. Before she could think, Isabel ran into the street, intent on saving the girl. A horse galloped out of nowhere and reared up, whinnying. Isabel stopped shocked. She thought she heard someone scream. The horse's legs began the journey downward and Isabel threw herself to the side. Her head hit the stone street and the last thing she saw was the cloudless sky before everything went black.
