[The rewritten version of Two Gangs and a Golden Girl]
DO NOT ATTRACT ATTENTION UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED FOR THE CONSEQUENCES.
Such is the law in Tygerwel, a town torn apart by a long history of bad blood.
19-year-old Amber Marigold can barely face t...
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"Mom, I'm scared," the little girl mumbled.
Lips pressed together, but the woman could not hide her smile as she tucked her trembling daughter into bed. A crowd of teddies was watching them, ugly hand-drawn pictures stuck to the walls, and tiny paper planes hung from the high ceiling, dangling in the pale light peeking from the window.
"It's okay. There's nothing to be afraid of, my sweet," the mom soothed, tucking a strand of hair behind the girl's ear.
She looked up, glossy-eyed, and bundled the blanket in her tiny fists. "What's that loud popping noise?"
"Your daddy's just playing with fireworks outside."
The girl frowned, puffing her chubby cheeks.
"Again?" she grumbled. "It's scary."
"Want me to sing you the song?"
In an instant, the little girl shot up.
"Yes, yes! The lullaby of seven lines. Sing it! Please do!" she begged, eyes wide and alert. That song never failed to calm her into sleep. Like the house or her parents, it had always been there.
The mom stroked her daughter's hair as she started the familiar, soft tune. "There's a song for children late at night," she sang. "Please, little dear, don't get a fright."
The popping outside became distant, drowned out by the mom's familiar voice, and the girl sank into her pillows, eyelids drooping.
"It's not very long; it's a simple song," she continued, "and if you want, you can sing along."
The daughter softly hummed, eyes faintly closing.
"The first line's for blood; the second's for the king; the third is for friends, and the fourth old can sing."
Paper planes swayed.
"The fifth is for loyalty, the sixth for an heir."
Stuffed bears stared.
"And the last line's for peace, so everything is fair."
A faint breeze ruffled the curtains, the drawings on the walls, and the mom carefully got up, heading to the window.
"Now you heard a special song," she went on, lightly treading as she kept an eye. "Please don't forget, don't ever get it wrong."
The girl was already asleep, and the mom stopped smiling. She wished the peaceful moment could be captured and kept forever.
"Sleep, little dear, the monsters are at bay..."
She glanced out the window, the moon washing her in a soft hue. Her song neared its end, and she let go of a breath that sat heavy in her chest. The gunshots finally stopped.
"These seven lines are the price we pay."
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