𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 | 𝟏𝟖+

𝐎𝐍𝐄 | 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

ততততত

𝐈 𝐌 𝐎 𝐆 𝐄 𝐍

My world fell apart with one decision.

A foolish one, really, one I never would've dared to make. My world was never the image of perfection before the choice was made, but now it's certainly far from it. Eons. Miles. Doesn't matter the distance you use. But this.

This involves literal 'war'. Kingdom against kingdom. Blades sharpened, flesh pierced, and blood drawn.

And what am I? A bartering tool—one meant to mend the kingdoms together.

Or worse.

I storm into my father's study. Colossal windows span the back edges of the room, along with tall shelves around the perimeter filled with ancient scrolls and books. A few portraits of our family hang on the walls as a constant reminder of what we lost, and what our kingdom risks. A hearth burns at the far end beneath one of the tall windows, its warmth bubbling through the room. Yet, all that grazes the hairs on my arm is cold, stale air.

A fiery wrath hums beneath my fingertips, waiting to release and burn my father down.

"You said it'd never have to come to this," I spit, cheeks flushed and tear-rimmed eyes swelled. "You always said there were other ideas you would consider first."

My father winces as if I'd just slapped him across the cheek. "I'm running out of options."

"We could fight."

"That would lead us nowhere," he shakes his head, keeping his eyes on a scroll from the warfront. Its lettering scrawls across the page in franticness, in fear. "Hundreds have already died on our borders. We're losing territory, men, resources—the solution isn't to continue this way."

I hate to admit that he's right, but that would be giving in to his decision.

The kingdom of Lagulon, our coastal regime with the most powerful navy known, will never win a fight on foot. Our battles are fought against ruthless pirates on the sea, not other kingdoms. We were at peace with our neighbours, and even offered them our abundant resources of fish and crops in exchange for lumber and coal. But it wasn't enough to have them keep the peace between us. Any tether between us and them has snapped like a broken cord.

Months ago, the kingdom of Adorid stopped sending coal, forcing our men to search for coal deposits within our borders. My father reminded his noblemen and commanders that an agreement would be sorted soon. Whispers and rumours of an incoming war spread across the castle like a weed. Those rumours dug their roots into our soil, growing seeds of apprehension.

Our kingdom is one of peace, of unity.

War goes against everything that we are, and war is where we ended up.

Our borders transformed from meadows to wastelands of bloodshed and chaos. With every battle lost, we managed to scrap up the courage to enter into another. The pattern of loss became evident, and our strength dwindled.

Walls crumbled.

Cities fell.

Families broke.

Until Adorid, our neighbour, our enemy, sent an offer that would end this madness.

I pace the room, pulling at my moonlit gold hair.

My father's gaze follows me as I wander back and forth, "You can stop pacing and take a seat, if you will?"

I take a seat, although I fidget with the golden rings on my fingers. It's not like sitting down will still the storm beneath my skin. "How long do I have?"