𝙷𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝙾𝚏 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚜 | ✏️

𝔙 // 𝔟𝔢𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢

    Weeks pass, and still I don't turn in the vial. I don't know what it is, but something tells me not to trust the faery. So I hold tight to the vial, pretending I know nothing about its whereabouts.

Alfred is distraught. Brian is distraught. The king is less distraught and more angry, but it's just as bad if not worse than if he were simply upset. Honestly, I'm surprised none of us have been beheaded or imprisoned yet.

The kingdom's prosperity is steadily decreasing: crops are drying up, livestock is dying, and people are getting sick. This was never a stipulation of having the vial though - the vial was supposed to protect people on the Hunt, not protect the whole kingdom...right? Rumors are swirling, no thanks to the Royal Hunting Party. Whispers about a witch that lives in the forest are heard in every town.

I am asked many questions as well, since the hunters who had been with me knew that the witch had taken me away. But I've never outright lied, since no one has asked about the vial. I try not to scare people, reassuring them that there is no witch, just some delusional madwoman in the forest. Eventually, most people believe me.

Only I know the truth.

There's a witch in the forest, looking for the vial. There's a faery in the kingdom, also looking for the vial. There's a king, just waiting for someone to confess to taking the vial or losing it so that he can behead them. And there's me, the poor hunter who's only opportunity to rise up in life was the Hunt. Me, the liar who stole the vial and won't confess.

Me, who's responsible for the destruction of our kingdom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Written September 4, 2023

Word count: 291

{like the most FILLER chapter ever, but I honestly couldn't think of any other way to extend it...i'm sorry}