Smoke had dug its way down my throat with fiery talons. Giant crimson blazes had swallowed our beloved Dukedom – Gareth whole. When soldiers of the Amarante Dukedom attacked, death and misery had followed. I had thought these soldiers were heartless, faceless bastards, but I had been wrong. They were merely following orders from their War Leader “Tyrant” Valora. I had been injured severely in the battle, and I had thought I was never going to survive. Just as it was getting painful to breathe, the unbelievable had happened - Valora herself found me, and instead of killing me, she saved my life. She had no medical supplies to treat me with, but instead of losing hope, she brought me to the nearest doctor. I had no idea why, but it seemed the horrid red of war was to much, and she had a change of heart. She called a truce. Her men were all imprisoned, and she was hung. I am forever in her debt, and I also had a change of heart. My fellow villagers however, did not. I was the only one who had cried at her hanging, and the only one who didn't howl in joy when her body finally went limp. I was the only one who had felt sickened. Even my dearest father did not see reason. My people who I thought I knew so well, forgot their morals, the teachings of our ancestors. They had forgotten forgiveness, and instead held hands with a false justice. Now that this beast called revenge has awoken, it doesn't want to go back in it's cage so easily.
“Oh fair maiden with eyes deep as the sea, with hair woven from a silky night, why do you come to see us so often? Why do you risk your reputation as a fair woman to hear us babble about our lost lands?” The old warrior questioned in his broken voice.
“ It's not babble, I find your stories quite interesting. And your lands aren't lost, you'll return to them once again, I swear to you. I will convince them all, you'll see. I'll find a way. You'll all get out of this wretched prison to see a golden dawn once more.” I promised in my stern and blunt voice.
“ Ha! Little girl, your eyes see far, but not far enough. We'll only see dawn the day we are hung.” Curtis continued with an unwavering pessimism.
I felt tears welling up in my eyes, but I shook them away as quickly as they formed. I wasn't just about to give up.
“ Curtis is right, girl, you are naive. You saw what we did to your Dukedom. We butchered it. I don't think anyone else will ever have the heart to forgive us. It's a miracle that you did, even when your mother died screaming in the same bloody flames we gave birth to.”
“ Oh shut up Junius, her words may be true! If we give up, more importantly, if we make her give up, we'll never get out of here!” I agreed with Marcello, but I could obviously see the snake of cowardice binding him in a tight embrace.
Suddenly, my Father's voice boomed into the prison. He was obviously angry.
“ Guenevere, get out of there at once! ”
I was probably in trouble...again.
“ What's gotten into your head Guenevere! This is the fourth time I've caught you in there in two days! You can't sneak around, and talk to those vipers! They'll poison your mind!”
Blood rushed to my head, clouding my vision. “ You are the ones with poisoned minds!” I wanted to scream. I painfully swallowed my angry words back down.
“ Come with me Guenevere. We have work to do.” As we walked by, I felt venomous stares seethe into my skin. I needed to find the antidote – and soon.
This was my last chance to save them. The villagers had cheered, “ N'eath the next glorious dawn we will have sweet justice! N'eath those beautiful golden rays, justice will be wrought! Then is when we will hang them all!” despite my shrieks and protests. I was tossed aside. A lone whisper against hundreds of screams. I was being foolish for doing this, but rather be a fool than a murderer.
