A Royal Ransom

IV

"All we are is skin and bone, trained to get along. Forever going with the flow, but you're friction."

- Treacherous, Taylor Swift

♛

Ryder, Dahlia and I were stood around a circular and wooden stage, along with the rest of the townspeople.

Ryder had kindly woken me up by chucking a glass of metallic water at my face.

Great way to treat an injured and grouchy girl.

John, Dahlia and Ryder had all forced me to get dressed and go out with them for payday. I had initially refused to come, not wanting to be seen. John, however, told me that members of the Royal guards checked every single house to make sure no one was skipping. I had borrowed another outfit from Dahlia, who was very reluctant to give me her clothes. We ate some eggs and a slice of bread each for breakfast. I wanted more to eat, but there just wasn't anything at their house.

We had walked for ten minutes, or so before arriving at Town Square.

On the stage stood four royal guards. I recognized one of them. It was Edward Lastings. Edward was a really sweet man, he had taught me how to shoot a bow and arrow when I was thirteen, despite my father saying it was unladylike. That also meant that if he saw me, he would easily be able to pick me out from the crowd.

Dahlia had given me one of her hoodies to throw on so that people wouldn't immediately recognize me. My hair was a dead giveaway that I was a part of the royal family. As a symbol of our status, upon my father's coronation, all seven members of my family had streaks of honey brown dyed into our hair. Although beautiful, the dye was unfortunately very visible and very distinctive.

As I looked around I could see that the crowd was filled with gorgeous dark or blonde locks of hair. Very few people had light brown hair, and even those who did have light brown hair, didn't have the tint of honey that I did.

John, though it was mandatory, had refused to come with us. He said what was going to happen was too torturous for him to witness and that he would hide somewhere the guards wouldn't find him..

I kept my head angled towards to floor, trying my best not to look up, but I was curious to see what was going to happen. Ryder had briefly explained that we were about to witness those who didn't pay their taxes, get punished.

So far, I had no idea what the punishment was but by the looks of the townspeople, it really wasn't going to be pretty.

The air was filled with tension and nervous chatter. I felt myself getting a bit antsy. I turned to Ryder, wanting to ask him what was going to happen, when Edward spoke up.

"Welcome, villagers, we are gathered here to show you what happens when you don't pay your taxes," Edward smiled.

No one smiled back at him. The crowd had fallen into an uncomfortable silence. Only convincing me further that something bad was going to go down.

"Our first demonstration shall take place on Elizabeth Graves," Edward announced.

A middle-aged woman reluctantly stepped onto the stage, her head held to the floor.

What the hell was going to happen?

Edward pulled her to the centre of the stage and forced her to kneel down. The three other guards came towards her. Two held her in place and the third held a long leather whip in hand.

Oh, this had better not be what I think it is.

Edward beamed at the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, Elizabeth has neglected to pay for the past ten tax days, earning her ten lashes for today."