Light of the Unexpected Adventure

In this medieval era and alternate universe, the world is split as much as it possibly can be between humans and magical beings of all kinds. Magical creatures are looked down on as if they have some sort of disease when, for most, it was just the way they were born and they can't help it. But the human kind has made it their duty to torture, use or cut out of this world, the many magical creatures they come into contact with, because they were told it's what's best for mankind. The one leading all of this 'non-magical beings' takeover, making it a magical creature annihilation, is none other than the richest and well-known people in the entirety of the kingdoms combined, the royal family. They now rule all the kingdoms that surround us, but the one royal that we have to personally deal with is King Theodin. The Royal family, involving our King and his siblings, along with their army of dedicated men, have traveled from village to village across the lands, purging the places of any magical beings before taking over and claiming the place as their own for 'saving' them from magical destruction. Our King ends up being a professional at this deception. I would imagine that the comfortability with this is just from being front row and center to his family doing this over and over again, from one village to the next, 'purifying' many times before getting to our town. He tries to show how he only has the human's best intentions at heart, convincing most he comes into contact with of his pure intentions. Only a small few might see past the blinding curtain he hides behind before he has laid it over the easily persuaded people's eyes, but not enough people have seen through this fascade to believe what is happening, let alone stand together to stop this man. To ensure there won't be contact with magical beings as he takes over, the Royal family end up ordering a wall to be built around each of the villages, keeping everyone closed off for 'safety'. It's always a hard switch to the ways of life when the walls are set. At least, that is the case at first, but the King provides them with enough space to have crops for their food and enough water to sustain themselves over time. So, there hasn't been much within the people when it comes to objections. They have easily given control and just go with what they are told to do by the King. That's what happens in a world full of sheep are being governed by the wolves. So, since we have everything we need inside these walls and everyone knows what they need to do to survive, the crops have been developed, and the huts, which provide services of shelter or selling items, have been improving over time. The people have developed their own way of life after having this wall up for the many years of the Royal family reign. But since being closed off from everything around, people have become more curious about what's out there, what we are being protected from. The younger generations just want to see anything other than the same old village they have seen for far too long. They have been born into the life of just our village, and at this rate, they will probably die by only seeing just this village. Not many are permitted to leave or even come through the big front gates. They are shut at all times. So, getting around those rules that have been carved in stone is almost impossible, and if you are found outside of the walls without King Theodin's permission, then it could be punishable.. by death. -Gabriella's POV- The blue skies above are easily covered in no time at all, looking as incredibly dark as the clouds that are quickly rolling in, painting the entirety of the sky above in almost the same shade of a dark charcoal gray. They are darker than I ever expected, showing there must be at least a night's worth of rain stored in them. It's surprising that even though it's barely past midday, it looks as if it's nighttime already. I was at least hoping for a little longer of this relaxation in the sun, but we can't always get what we want, I imagine. I lie on my back in the grass, feeling the light tickles of each blade brushing against my skin while the wind pushes it around. The calming breeze cascades across my exposed skin as I instinctively suck in a deep breath, enjoying this little bit of quiet time until we have to head back to the village. My friends and I are technically not supposed to be out here because, supposedly, it's dangerous for us humans. But I have been out here too many times to count, with and without people, and never once have I run into anything dangerous. Nor do I ever imagine that I will.. I think part of what the King declares about the outside world is mostly just to scare us into staying inside under his family's large thumb. But threats have never been convincing for me. I need something substantial before I believe it. I'm a person who needs to see it with my own eyes to believe it, and like I said, as of right now, I haven't seen anything to be worried about out here beyond the walls of our little village. Magic is something to be feared here, as if it is some kind of disease that will take our lives as soon as we see it, which I outwardly scoff at every time I hear any such thing. They whisper that we can't leave the protective area, because if and when we leave the secure walls of our village, we are technically exposed to any of the surrounding magic which will end up destroying us, someway or somehow. But like I said, I have never seen such things in the many times I have left the security of the village to be outside the walls.. So their warnings to stay away from this calming and sweet smelling area goes into one ear and out of the other. This is the place that I have come to just to clear my head, and I won't stop needing this clarity any time soon. But what they don't know won't hurt them. "We probably need to be heading in soon before our absence is noticed by none other than the head mother. She has been on everyone's back today.. I'm not sure why she has been like this, but all the mothers seem to be on edge." Grace declares, grabbing my attention. I groan out about not wanting to do that, but Grace is right, the head mother is not the person you ever want to mess with, especially if she finds out you're doing something you're not supposed to be on a day she is rampaging. Grace, Victoria, Merida and I have been friends since we were children. We got as close as sisters would in this home for children who have no family. All of us were given up or found at a very young age, so we were brought into this hut to be 'helped'. But I am not sure if this has been any help to us besides finding one another. The Mothers here have supposedly tried helping all of us find homes, but not many have left these houses that are run by the 'Mothers'. It is an inside jest amungst us in this place that states, if you come into this place you will never get out, but only the others stuck in here would understand such a jest. Supposedly the Mothers say that they say that they have tried to find something suitable for us, but we are such disappointments to the families wanting children that we never got picked.. But like I said, I have only seen a small number of children leave these houses in general.. The rest are used for labor to help make the mothers some money. So if there is anything to assume, it's that they didn't try very hard to find us places to go, just to have free labor. They make sure that we remember how much they have helped us by using some of that money to help feed, clothe, and take care of all of us with a roof over our heads.. Which I guess is nice, better than the alternative, I would think.. But I always imagined that when I got big enough that I would be able to leave this place and do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. But now the mothers say that we need to help take care of the other children that they seem to get monthly. That we owe them this favor. So, I have been roped into staying for far too long, which has been creating a resenting hatred inside of me, pinpointed at this place and these people. I'm within the 25th year of my birthing, almost on to the 26th, and yet I am stuck in this place for children. Mothering who is not mine, which has been frustrating. What about me and what I want? Let's be honest. No one cares about that. But even if I had an opportunity open up, I wouldn't know where I would go, especially when all I have ever seen is this village and some of the forestry that surrounds these walls. I have no clue or indication of where to head or what to even expect. I had always hoped that maybe I could be like a leaf and go where the wind takes me. I have no idea if that is even possible, but the idea of going out there into the 'dangerous world' with nothing to take with me except for the rags on my back and absolutely no experience is purely terrifying. I don't think I would ever be capable enough to survive on my own. So I sit here working my life away one year after the next, hoping for something to happen and let me leave this burdened life I seem to be unwilling chained to. "Come on, Gabby.. You don't want to get a lashing, do you?" Merida scolds me, since we all know that the Mothers have never cared about giving us a lashing if they think we deserve it. Which they always think we deserve it. Late by a minute for accidentally sleeping in, lashing to your back.. burning the food even if it is only on one tiny bit of it, lashing.. forget to wash one rag that wasn't given to us after already washing the many others.. Lashing. Roll my eyes at their ridiculous and condescending remarks, lashing.. They have never even attempted to resist the urge to hurt the workers. I assume that they think this treatment will dedicate us even more to them out of fear of what they would do to us otherwise.. But all it seems to do is push me away more, wanting to find a way away from them, even if it's just for a moment. But the fact that I do seem to always come back in a way says that they are right about the lashings. They are slightly working in their favor. I huff out thinking about that as I hear sounds besides me. I glanced over just to notice they had all gotten off of the grass and making their way back towards the crack in the wall that the strong, determined, old tree has made on its own over the long years it has been growing here. It split a huge crack as tall as I into the thick brick wall, but you wouldn't know about it unless you're looking for it, and I never see any people out here looking around. It's nice though, all you have to do is climb the tree, sliding through the leaves and branches to get back to the other side. This tree seems to be so healthy with its big, plentiful leaves and branches all around that there is no way anyone would notice us passing through. Hence how we have been able to get back and forth for years now without ever being noticed. I sit up while automatically groaning out, putting my hands over my eyes, holding my head up for support, feeling the frustration hit because it never feels like it has been enough time out here. I take my hands away to see, slightly above me is Victoria, extending her hand towards me, silently demanding me to take it. I willingly do, connecting our hands together as she helps pull me to my feet. I fixed my belted tunic since it turned around slightly before reluctantly following her to our secret passageway. I have to pull my tunic and chemise up into my hands, just in the hopes that they do not tear like my other ones did, because I received a lashing for that as well. I used the branch to pull me up and into the tree as I watched Victoria go out of sight after slipping through the bushels of leaves. I wait for a moment before hearing a bird chirping whistle, which is the signal given that the area is clear for me to slip through. I take this moment to slip through the branches, holding my clothing tight as I drop to my feet. I stumble for a second before wiping away the stray leaves, grass, and pieces of branches on my tunic. We can hear the bell chiming, calling out to all of the people who have left to wander the town for just a little bit, getting anything done that they needed to within this small break given to most of us at the same time. This chiming is letting all of us know to come back to the mother's home. But we knew that would be coming soon enough. That's why we started heading back before the chimes rang through the streets. This just seemed to be a little sooner than I had imagined it would be. But with no surprise on anyone else's features, I can assume that maybe I was the only one who thought or maybe hoped I had more time.