When Midnight Strikes-Sequel to Rumpelstiltskin's Reign (An FTRS/RAR AU)

II

DEVIN

"Alright, 3C, there's a rouge farmer in Wetherby. We'll apprehend him and take him to the castle, after which we have dungeon duty. Come." 

3C's leader, a girl named Jessie, pulled Devin's group along in a line. Though Jessie was a member of the Stiltskin Squad, Devin liked her, if only because she let 3C in on information and only punished them if another member was watching. Jessie had good in her heart, Devin knew it. Whatever she'd done to land herself stuck in the Stiltskin Squad, Devin would bet twenty bucks she was regretting it. Devin guessed Jessie felt guilty about her job and what she did, so she was in turn as nice to them as she could afford to be.

Devin stumbled over a rock as they marched toward the village square. The rhythm of her group's steps was identical to that of all the other groups marching toward the center of Rerzal. Devin peeked around at the other groups. She met eyes with a dark-skinned boy from 2C. He peered up at her through his glasses, and Devin again had the frustrating urge that she should know him. The dark-haired girl marching behind him gave Devin a pointed look, as if she'd experienced the same feeling. She frowned at the boy in front of Devin.

Devin stared at his back as they marched. He-Heath. He was no longer a nameless wonder. His name was Heath. The name seemed to resonate through her skull, as if digging and scraping around for content that simply wasn't there. 

It was infuriating. Every gesture, every action, every rebellious, challenging glare at the Stiltskin Squad was familiar. She recognized his whole stature, his whole being.

But it was nothing more than that. Recognition. She had no memories, nothing definite to go off of, other than that frustrating sense of needed to know who he was. It bothered her, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Every group came to a halt in unison. Rerzal Square seemed suddenly silent without the drum of a hundred footsteps. 

With one motion, each Stiltskin Squad leader lifted his or her hand in sharp salute. Rumpelstiltskin's voice filtered through the square. Devin resisted the urge to hold her ears, or punch something. 

"Gesture appreciated," his resonating voice carressed. The Stiltskin Squad leaders dropped their arms stiffly to their sides. "we have one announcement for today. In graduation from Rerzal today, we have three workmen."

Workmen. What a stupid term. Devin knew, as all of them did, that the members of Rerzal weren't "workmen". Unless workmen was a term applied to a bunch of teenagers and kids doing forced labor because they didn't fall down at Rumpelstiltskin and Olivina's feet. Olivina. The name always made her tremble with rage, though she didn't really know why.

Three "workmen" marched up the stage, each escorted by a squad member. At the age of seventeen, Rerzal kids "graduated", meaning they were given a profession and kept monitored by magic charms. They would stay in these professions for life. Devin didn't fancy having to work the same job for sixty years, but it was definitely a step up from Rerzal. Although...Rerzal was forced labor that proudly announced it's purpose. Devin suspected that graduation was the same thing, just in pretty packaging.

Rumpelstiltskin's voice splintered her train of thought. "Our first graduator, from 3D, will be accepting the profession of farmer. He will work in the Wetherby section of Enchantasia. His absence in 3D will be replaced in two week's time when another child comes of Rerzal age."

Wetherby...wasn't that the farmer they were apprehending? Of course. And this boy was taking over his position. Devin was so full of pity for the poor rebellious farmer that she missed the next workmen's job.

The last girl was given the position of maidservant for the Stiltskin Squad. Devin winced. That was her current position. To do that forever? Would suck.