𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊

𝟬𝟬 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝟎:

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

The huddled group met in the shadows of the old oak tree, their voices hushed but urgent. They were all dressed in similar attire. With a long, dark grey cloak covering their appearance, the group was only able to distinguish each other by their voice or scent. Fortunately for them, they had been meeting up in this exact place for weeks, so everyone was now well acquainted.

One man, his face bruised and torn, spoke up. "Her guards flogged me in public, just for bumping into them!"

The woman beside him sobbed uncontrollably, wiping tears from her cheeks. "They imprisoned my husband for speaking out against her! He was innocent!"

Another man joined in, his voice strained with anger. "They've burned my crops to the ground! And when I complained, they called me a traitor!"

The group grew more agitated, their complaints overlapping and intensifying.

"They've been spreading their propaganda through the village, making it seem like we're all happy under her rule!" exclaimed one woman. "But we're not! We're not!" 

The man next to her nodded in agreement. "And they've been raiding our homes, taking what little we have left!"

As their anger and frustration grew, the group began to lose track of who was speaking. Voices overlapped and shouted over one another, each person adding their own tale of woe to the chorus.

"They've been watching us, following us, and reporting everything we do to the queen!"

"My children are starving, and she does nothing!"

"They've even imprisoned my dog, just because he barked at a guard!"

"Silence."

A hush fell over the group as they turned their attention to the elderly woman sitting in the creaky chair near the base of the tree. Her frail frame was wrapped in a shawl, and her face was lined with years of hardship, but there was a fierce determination in her eyes. "I've seen this before," she began, her gaze piercing the darkness. "I've seen this kingdom torn apart by tyrants, and I've seen the people rise up against them. We must not lose hope."

She paused, taking a deep breath, her voice growing stronger with each passing moment. "Years ago, there was a seer, a young girl no older than any of our children. She saw four mortals in her visions, four souls who would come together to save us from the darkness." There was a collective gasp as she went on, but most were shaking their heads and rolling their eyes.

Undeterred, the woman continues. "She said that four mortals would come, four brave souls who would save us from our despair. She said that they would bring light to the darkness and restore balance to the land."

There was a moment of silence as her words hung in the air before the group began to murmur amongst themselves. Some nodded in agreement, while others looked uncertain. The elderly woman continued, her voice growing stronger. "This doesn't mean we give up and wait for a couple of kids to save us. We must find a way to stand together and fight back against the injustices that are being done to us. We must find our courage and our strength, for it lies within each and every one of us."

One of the men in the group, his face hardened with determination, spoke up. "You're right. We can't just stand by and let this continue. We must do something." There was a spark in his eye that the others had not seen before. "We should form a resistance, a group of people who will work together to bring down the queen and restore justice to our kingdom."

The elderly woman nodded her approval, her wrinkled hand gripping the branch of the oak tree for support. "That is a good idea, my son. But we must be careful. The queen's guards are everywhere, and they will stop at nothing to protect her. "Yes, we must stand together and fight for what is right. Even if it means putting our own lives at risk." 

The queen's knife made a satisfying scrape against the stone as she continued to sharpen her nails. There was a dark gleam in her eyes as she listened to her daughter relay the conversation she had eavesdropped on. "And what, precisely, do they think these children will manage to do?" she drawled, her voice dripping with condescension.

Her daughter swallowed. "They mentioned that the children would save them."

The queen's fingers danced across the hilt of her sword, itching to draw blood. "So, it seems my subjects are growing restless. Well, that only makes our work all the more important." She leaned forward, her voice low and menacing. "We must redouble our efforts to crush any hint of rebellion before it has a chance to spread."

Her daughter looks up at her. "May I rest now?"

"No, but you will arrange the cavalry." She flings the sword in the direction of her daughter, cutting her cheek in the process. "I will make sure to crush every single rebel there is, and you are going to help."

𝑼𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒎𝒂'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 ᝰ.ᐟ

𝗶'𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗲😭

𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲?

𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆'𝗮𝗹𝗹 !!