The Witch Who Burned A Kingdom

Home.... This is how home felt for her. The air was so fresh and cool that you could feel relaxed as tension immediately left your body. The smell of wildflowers, and wild herbs, along with rotting wood and decaying of dead animals combined, will humble you enough to realize that the cycle of life has good and bad parts. Here she was, nothing but an ant under the mercy of nature. It made her realize how one should abide by the flow of nature and earth. The sun was just now disappearing behind the horizon, yet the darkness had descended on the forest with how dense the trees were. The thick branches made it difficult for the sunlight to pass down. The chirping of birds was music to your ears, and the occasional humming of insects, along with the scrabbling of lizards and the rustle of animals in the nearby bushes, added a beat to it. The howl of wolves and the occasional sound of predators might scare anyone away with how dangerous the forest was as the sun began to set. But not her…. She was not scared. She was, in fact, very excited to observe the animals if any of them crossed her path. Theirs was a life of nature. And she loved the way her tribal people lived in tune with nature. The forest was their home. This is where they belonged. Peace and warmth filled her heart despite the darkness descending the forest on all sides. She didn’t know how long she stood here, contemplating life and nature. Above all, her thoughts were lost in the beauty of the forest. The trees around her have grown thicker, and their branches twisting and entangling to look like one tree if you looked up as if they were hiding the sky from your view. A fantastic display of nature and a breathtaking beauty none could ever mimic. It never failed to mesmerize her of how majestic the trees were. Especially the one in front of her. The Queen of Trees… Standing tall and majestic, overshadowing all the surroundings even in the dim light. This wishwood tree had seen hundreds of years and still withstood many weather conditions. She tried to embrace the tree in front of her. But her tiny hands couldn’t enclose the entity of the tree’s trunk. It was her birthday today... Eleventh birthday, almost a grown-up. She giggled, remembering how her sister gifted her a bracelet, saying how she was ready to face the world and how her little brother stared enviously at her, crying while clutching her skirt, not wanting her to leave him. She was ready to face the world, and today, being her birthday, made everything more special. That was why she had risked her mother’s wrath to come and see her. If she can’t do what she wants on her birthday, then what is the use of living like a coward? She was brave like her father… And just like him, her braveness left the moment she faced her mother. But not today. Thalira Zelene, the second daughter of the Wishwood tribe’s leader, would never back down today. She knew that there were many wishwood trees in the place where her tribe settled, but this one…. This one was majestic, and she didn’t know; it just called to her. And above all, this wishwood tree flowered only ten days a year, and it just so happened that her birthday was among the ten days. The beautiful flowers with an eerie glow in the dark never failed to mesmerize her. The bracelet her sister gave her was one of a piece, as the design was very craftsmanship, resembling the leaves of the wishwood tree, a particular green that made the wishwood tree stand out from every other tree. She wished she could connect with the tree like her mother did. Unlike other tribes in the forest, it was a female who led their tribe. It was her mother, Eliza Zelene, who ruled the tribe and led them every day. A life in the forest isn’t that easy, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. His father had taught her all about the history of their tribe. The Wishwood tribe, the oldest among all, ruled the forest for many centuries, and she felt the same pride even now like the day she heard about it in her lessons. She was not taught many things as she had just turned eleven, making her pout at the unfairness of all. Her sister had The cool breeze against her face made her realize how the sun must have disappeared beneath the horizon. It would be pitch dark soon, and she would not be able to navigate the forest without fire. And the fire will attract bigger predators. She would love to take one and bring home food, but her father and mother would be furious. They would already be upset with her for leaving home without informing them, so she didn’t want to add more oil to her parents’ fiery anger. Before leaving, Thalira put her forehead against the wishwood tree, the symbol of their tribe, and wished for peace and happiness as foreign people were entering their forest and disturbing their lives. Thalira hoped they found nothing valuable and left the forest. The wishwood tree granted wishes, and that was why it was named as wishwood tree. That was why she had come to visit this tree, the biggest wishwood tree and the oldest in the forest. She sighed in bliss before she pulled her hands from the tree and decided to leave, not wanting to waste any more time. Just as she was about to leave, she heard it… Faint but audible. Thalira…. Thalira… . . Thalira opened her eyes to see her mother patting her shoulder and calling her repeatedly. Her mother, Eliza, looked at her in sympathy, but she brushed it away just like the memory of her eleven-year-old. Ten years had passed since then, and the memory was still fresh in her mind. Oh, how happy and naïve she had been! All it took was to visit the tree to make her happy, and now, as an adult, nothing could ever make her happy. Today was an important day, just like it had been an important day for her eleven-year-old. Unlike her past self, the reality was different for her. Things had changed… Today, her decision will change the fate of her tribe. That was why she had come to visit the tree in the wildness, despite knowing that it had become very dangerous to vent out in the forest alone. No, not because of animals, but because of humans. The humans that wrecked her home and the very forest they resided in have been destroyed. Everything’s gone. There was no use in crying over this anymore, as tears had dried already with how much she had cried. She didn’t push the hand of her mother, who tried to comfort her, but at the same time, it didn’t bring her any comfort either. When she was a child, her mother’s time for her would have made her jump over the moon, but not anymore. At the age of twenty-one, Thalira’s world had crumpled down on her feet. It all started when the King of the nearby country, named Esnea, took an interest in the forest ten years ago. Their forest didn’t belong to any of the countries, and they had lived harmoniously for centuries. But with the conflicts between countries, the King of Esnea decided to conquer their forest. There were hundreds of tribes living in her peacefully, and with the disruption from outside, some opposed instantly, and some waited to see what would happen, just like their Wishwood tribe did. Those opposed were long gone, and the remaining tribes made an agreement to send wood and rare medicinal herbs to Esnea as long as they were left alone. Things were already tense for years about how they had to cut down their sacred trees. Thalira’s heart hurt thinking of how many million trees had been cut down in the past ten years. Her forest was becoming barren, and the conflicts between Esnea and the tribes only grew. And everything reached a point a year before where none could compromise with how the officials were interfering in their lives and settlement places, harassing their women and even trying to abduct children. Some had been taken to Esnea already as maids and even as enslaved people. No one could tolerate these things anymore, and war was on their doorsteps with the officials. The ministers sent to overlook had crossed every line, and violence began in the forest where trees were watered with blood and gore. Her once beautiful forest was gone… The countrymen had advanced weapons, and they stood no chance against them. Yet, they tried for their freedom. Everything came to an end on a fateful day. Thalira remembered that day very clearly, every detail of it even now. The day that changed everything . . Avis.... Oh God! No.... Please, no... Not her... Not Avis... Never Avis... Please.... Tears trailed her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably. It was her father who hugged her from behind, stopping her from collapsing. If not for her father’s hands, she would have fallen apart... She didn’t know how things could change this drastically. Their beautiful life turned into a living nightmare in a day as Thalira watched her sister. None could do anything, as everyone had been involved in the war going on. The scream and fire caught everyone’s attention despite the chaotic fight going on, and it was already too late. Avis had been stripped naked and was tied to a tree a few meters in front of her and was set ablaze. The war had reached their settlement area, and the elderly, women, children, and everyone had joined the war as there were no other options. Everyone had done so without asking by the leader. But it was not enough… Nowhere near enough compared to the enemy’s army. They had lost. That’s the sad reality of it. And the proof was right before them. Her sister, Avis, too bright of a person, was dead before her very eyes, and Avis’s horror-stricken expression will forever be etched into Thalira’s mind. Avis… Her sweet, sweet sister. Too bright that she would outshine even the sun. How dare anyone do this? Why would anyone do this? How could anyone do this to a fellow human? Her sister’s gone…. Everything’s gone. And judging by the blood on Avis’s body before she was set to fire, Thalira cannot think what all they would have done to her sister. Avis… Oh, dear God! Thalira didn’t know how her parents must be feeling, and judging by the trembling of her father’s hands around her, and he was not holding her to support her but to support himself. Through her hazy mind and blurry eyes, she saw her mother, the pillar of their tribe, frozen in her place, not even defending the arrow coming her way, but her protectors were alert even now and guarded her with their lives. Her mother….. Thalira could see the heartbreak in her mother’s eyes, and she knew that her mother, Eliza, would never recover from this. As the forest burned around them, along with their huts and houses, Thalira stood there, knowing that life as she knew it was gone. Nothing will ever be the same. The darkness that had been threatening to consume her had finally won the battle when she smelled the burnt flesh of her sister, Avis, and fainted in her father’s arms, not caring about anything anymore and welcoming the darkness. . . Thalira wiped the tears away, feeling surprised how she could still cry when she felt that all her tears dried out. Her mom hugged her from behind, but all she could feel was numbness and an emptiness that threatened to swallow her whole. The King hadn’t been happy with how the Ministers had waged war on the tribe without informing him and going against his duty, or that was what the messenger told them. Thalira doubted it. It didn’t matter either way, for the King wanted to put a full stop to losing his soldiers while the enemies were trying to conquer his borders. Other than wood, they didn’t find anything in the forest. None wanted to fight anymore. Hundreds of tribes were reduced to nothing more than ten. The survival tribes all united to fight, to take a last chance, and they lost that day. And she had lost Avis that day. They never stood a chance, because they didn’t have the technology or the advanced weapons the countrymen had. The signing of the treaty wasn’t upheld on both sides, and that was when her mother, Eliza, thought that she could convince the King to compromise, for she didn’t want the rest of the tribal people to die on her watch. A meeting was arranged, and without her knowledge, her mother decided to propose the idea of marriage to the King. The King had asked to see her. And when he saw her, everything changed. Her mother’s proposal had been to marry her to one of the King’s sons. But the king wanted to marry her himself. Everyone was stunned. The King had left, saying that he would leave the forest alone and even cancel the agreement to cut trees so they could send wood to Esnea. Only if she married him; otherwise, he would kill every last one of them and be done with it. Thalira had been rooted to the spot, not knowing what she had just heard. She was not ready for that. It had been two days since the king’s announcement, and she had decided to visit her favourite tree to find some peace. What should she do? She knew everyone was tired of burying their loved ones, and her parents could not tolerate losing another child. She knew everyone wanted a stop and was expecting her to do the duty of being the hire to the tribe since her sister had passed away. Even if it was immoral to marry like that, everyone could not help but hope that she married the King and put an end to all their misery. What should she do? The King was in his fifties probably and had a cruel streak that would rival a demon. He had destroyed their forest without a thought, and she didn’t know how everyone expected her to marry someone like that. When she felt suffocated in her own home, she came to look at her favourite tree, and she found the answer to her dilemma. The wishwood tree that stood tall among everyone was burned, and its branches charred, no leaves in sight. The surrounding trees stood no chance and were burned to ashes, along with the bushes and plants, even the weeds. There was no pleasant smell as the area was covered by the smell of decaying animals and rotten waste. The entire area was littered with metals and waste thrown by the countrymen without care. She would have wept at the sight if she were a child. And now, this only enhanced the emptiness in her. The forest… No, it was mother to them, who nourished and cared for them all for centuries…. She was now being destroyed by the countrymen. Thalira decided then and there that she would marry the King. The forest had given them so much, and it was her turn to protect the forest and the people who lived in it. So, what if she had to sacrifice her life? What was one life compared to the entity of forest and her people, who all had no doubt were harbouring guilt to even think of hoping her to marry? “Mother, I will marry him. Send the King our acceptance letter.” “Thalira, are you…” “Yes, mother. I am very sure about this.” “But..” “No, buts. We already know there is no other option anyway.” She could hear her mother’s voice trembling when she began to apologize to Thalira. She turned to her mother and hugged her. Eliza was not just her mother, as she was the mother to her whole tribe, and everyone’s life was in her hands. Thalira knew that her mother didn’t have any other chance. She had hoped to marry her to a Prince, but who knew that the King would be a sadist and a womanizer? “Anything for our tribe, mother.” She turned again to look at the wishwood tree one more time. It still made her proud, as this tree was still standing even after everything. Yes, burned and lost, but not completely gone. Yet, it pained her heart to look at the tree like that. And, with that, she turned away, unable to look at the painful sight anymore. Thalira… A faint whisper and she tripped on a branch, and her mother caught her from falling. She must have been hallucinating. Because she was sure there was no branch there before. She looked up at the wishwood tree and strangely felt as if the tree was stopping her from leaving…. She put a hand on its branch, ignoring her mother’s strange looks. I will protect you. She will… Even if she had to endure torture or die. And, in turn, protect my family and our people. She left the spot, knowing that the King would send a tutor for her to learn the ways of his country, since he had already informed them that, as if knowing she would agree. She has a month to prepare. Prepare herself to leave her home. She ignored the whispers of her name and walked towards her home with determined steps, even though her heart shrunk with every step she took. . . Two months have passed…. And here she was, packing the last of her things. The bare minimum. That was all she could take. Since the King didn’t want her to bring her forest habits to his country, or that was the gist of the letter he had sent. She could not take any of her clothes there. Thalira didn’t know why the King wanted to marry her. She felt disgusted at the thought of marrying such a vile man. Her skin shuddered in repulsiveness as she tried to suppress it. Already, she was being restricted to many things and trying to be moulded in a way to fit in a golden cage. She was feeling suffocated, and she didn’t know how she would survive this. She was not to bring any kind of clothes as her size was taken by her female tutor, and the dresses were being stitched for her. The past two months were hell with the tutor not even letting her breathe. She was to behave in a certain way. Not to laugh loudly. Not to walk faster than men. Not to make gestures. Not to eat with hands. Not to run. Not to speak loudly. Only to smile, and if a laugh came, you had to hide it behind a kerchief. Not to sneeze loudly or to cough loudly. Basically, nothing loud is allowed. Should always wear clothes formally. Never interact with men unnecessarily. Don’t venture out of the palace. Not to explore the palace. Don’t go to restricted parts of the castle. No horse riding. No camping. Basically, just don’t go anywhere. The King is above God, and you should obey him word by word. Never interfere in men’s work. Never involve yourself in politics. Her head spans with all the don’ts, and the number of do’s can be counted with her fingers. And there were things like hierarchy, from upper class to lower class people. And it bothered her alot as here in the forest, everyone was equal, and there were no classes and such. To top it all, the King already has twenty-something wives and concubines, and the Queen has separate authority over everyone. The first wife was the Queen, and the Harem palace had different rules and politics which she really didn’t want to think about. Things were already complicated and messy. The tutor woman, Misa, was not really helping her. Misa was very strict with her learning rules, and her disgust with their culture and things was apparent. Yet, everyone stayed polite, not wanting another conflict between them. The language was slightly different, along with the constant bowing to the people above her in authority. It was so f*****g irritating that she had to bow to the King and should call him His Majesty and the same to the Queen and some ministry officials. She already felt suffocated by the tight clothes. The summer was hotter this time, and this stupid dress made her only sweat more. And yes, you should not smell like sweat. One should drown themselves with perfume. Ugh! Thankfully, she could bring some of the things from her home. She had packed important herbs, some essential oils, lighter perfumes, tiny bits of jewel which wouldn’t stand out but that would make her remember her home all day. Along with a few other things, she finished packing and looked at herself in the mirror, not at all liking the woman she saw in the mirror. She turned away from it as she felt panic rise in her. She had prepared herself mentally and physically. Yet, she felt scared and miserable. She couldn’t breathe. God! What sort of life had hers become? One toe is out of the line, and her entire tribe will suffer. She felt like there was not enough air all of a sudden and was going to lose consciousness anytime. Thalira…. No…. No…. She wasn’t weak. She cannot falter like this. Her shoulders had become big enough to carry the entire tribe, and she shouldn’t panic over the decision she herself had made. Thalira fiddled with the bracelet in her hand and counted her breathing. The bracelet calmed her down. The one her sister Avis gifted. She had outgrown it and added little charms his dear brother gave her and made it into a new one. His dear little brother, who was a fine wood crafter at such a young age, had gifted her small charms made of wood, and she loved and treasured every one of them. If not for anyone, at least for her little brother, Emric. Emric, the joy and pride of their family. The one who was all smiles and lived every day happily without any worry. His smiles were all gone. He had protested against her marrying the King. He didn’t care about anybody else and just wanted his sister to be safe right there in the forest. She didn’t know how many days she spent consoling him, trying to make him understand how things were. He had been inconsolable and angry. She had given the task to her parents, and she knew they were failing miserably at it. The fourteen-year-old had thrown a fit this morning, refusing to come out of his room as she was leaving their home today. Talia urged her to hurry, not wanting to upset the officials and people who had come to take her to Esnea. She nodded at Talia, the friend who had agreed to accompany her and act as her maid. She had also attended the lessons along with her so she could stay with Thalira. Thalira was forever grateful to her friend, who had decided to accompany her. She was allowed to bring a maid and a Knight for her protection. But there were no maids and such here. There were volunteers who decided to aid the leader and the protectors who vowed to protect the leader. So, she had been hesitant to ask anyone to be her maid, and she was grateful to her friend Talia for accompanying her. Thalira took one last look at her room and decided to follow Talia outside. She was surprised to see her father closing the door of her room and hugging her. In her ears, he whispered as if the air could even spy on them. “Just your word, I will kill every one of them, and we can live somewhere else.” Thalira hugged him tightly and asked him not to do anything recklessly. Where would they go? They would not be welcome in any country because their entire culture was different, along with their food and clothes. They would never fit. It was not as if any country would help them by risking the wrath of Esnea. Above all, their people only knew the ways of the forest and lived freely there. They would all never be happy if they left the forest. “I am sorry, Thalira. Father failed you.” She pulled away from the hug and wiped his tears. “No, father. Please, no.” “I am sorry, Thalira.” “Father, there is nothing in your hands or in anyone’s. We tried everything, and yet, we had lost. I am not even angry with anyone. If it meant that you all could be safe and happy, I would do anything for that.” “No, my daughter. Safe, maybe. But, never happy.” He gave her a tiny sword, edges sharp and thin like a needle. Small enough to fit in her dress with a holster. She accepted it and hid it in the hideous socks and tons of clothes above it. None would dare to touch her as she was to be the wife of their King. Her brother banged on her door, and they were both startled by his appearance. As soon as she opened, she was pushed back with the force he hugged her. She lifted him effortlessly and hugged him. He had grown and soon will be an adult. She put him down and held him close in what she knew would be her last embrace, as none mentioned her coming back. “Grow strong, my dear. Protect our tribe.” Thalira whispered in her brother’s ears as he would be the one in charge of their tribe after their mother. His father hugged them, and her mother too joined them. Her mother began to sing their tribe's song in a soft voice that made her realize how lonely she would be in the future. Don’t worry, my child, The mother of trees is with you, If you lose your way, Don’t forget to look around, The forest will protect you, The animals will aid you, The trees will show you a path, The wishwood tree will guide you home, Don’t worry, my child, The wishwood tree will be there. Thalira gripped her fingers tight, knowing that there would be no wishwood tree where she was going, but allowed the song to comfort her. “It’s getting late, my lady.” My lady… My lady… Not Thalira… Misa’s voice irritated her to no end but she didn’t show anything on her face and nodded at her. Her father kissed her forehead and left the room, unable to meet her eyes. Emric followed him with one last hug, but her mother stayed. She hugged Thalira one last time and kissed her forehead. “Don’t forget, Thalira. The forest may not be there, but it lives within you. Never forget that.” Thalira hugged her mother back and asked her to take care of their family and tribe. “Stay safe, my daughter. Don’t lose yourself and forget our teachings.” Thalira nodded and walked out of the room, not wanting to stay anymore, for she would never leave. She stumbled a little on the stupid heels Tutor Misa insisted on wearing as this was a fashion trend, and the royal women should always be in touch with recent fashion if she wanted to mingle with other women. Who the hell cared about other women? But she decided to heed the tutor’s words as she was going to a foreign place without knowing anything. It was better to stay on the safe side, at least for now. She steadied herself and breathed out, evening her expressions as she exited her home. She was shocked to see her people waiting outside of their home; everyone looked at her with tearful eyes and, all of a sudden, bowed at her. Bowing is the highest form of respect anyone can pay in their tribe. She was taken aback by their act, and she bowed back to them, ignoring Misa’s glare at bowing to common people. They were her people, and they were acknowledging the sacrifice she was making, knowing very well how cruel it was. Yet, she bowed back to them, not at all angered. A leader is always for the people. She nodded at her parents and, offered a tiny smile to her brother, Emric and moved towards the countrymen waiting for her. She looked ridiculous with the stupid dress, dragging on the mud, and the maids from Esnea lifting the hem of her dress so as to not get dirt in it. She didn’t protest, knowing that she would only be frowned upon. She lifted her head and, ignoring the Knight’s offered hand, got into the most ridiculous thing she had ever seen. The carriage was lifted by men as horses could not navigate the dense of the forest. She could have walked, which would have made things easier for everyone, but as per the rules, she should not travel like common people. It may look like she had agreed to protect her people. But it was not the sole reason. She will have her revenge one day, even if it took years. Avis, the fallen people, and the forest will be avenged by spilling the blood of everyone responsible.