𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴

The Uprising (part 1)

I look at Wymond and struggle against the men who hold me back. I watch as he turns to Lena and Kamden to figure something out. He has to. My Wymond always knows what to do. As if he could read my mind, he turns towards the Queen of Oxbourne who is standing with, not only the siblings she bought to fight but also her youngest sibling. The family gathers around Trystan. Their hellos are only short however. They know what they must do now. They all face my husband. They listen carefully. Beyond their gathering, there is a crowd of crazy people. I remember what Father said to me: there will be uprisings. He was not wrong. In fact, he was not wrong about something completely absurd.

I turn my attention back to my friends, family and allies. They have planned something. Surely? Yes, they have.

Kamden, Wymond and Wystan raise their bows. They each aim at someone different. Lena, Cam and Corliss rush to the side and out of my view. Howard and Marlow run in the opposite direction of the girls, and Leoma squares herself in the gap between the ever nearing crowd and the stage. Simultaneously, at least five arrows fly from the five men in my field of view. The two men holding me are taken by surprise. Briefly, their grip loosens and I take my chance. I wiggle my way out of their hands and away from the King and his pets. I see Lena signaling towards me and I try my hardest to balance with no use of my hands as I run down the steps. Corliss is there with a knife. She cuts the restraints as Cam and Lena cover us. I see more arrows fly as we turn back to cross the front of the stage. There is a bigger crowd now, filling the square and there is little room for us to go. People clear a path when they realize who we are.

We make it to Leoma who begins to speak. A hush falls over the crowd.

"We have her now. I have what I want. You have seen what you want." She pauses, mulling over her next words. "Let us end our quarrels. Let there be peace between the towns for once. Let us work together." I watch the King of Mythgrave's face: bemusement covers it. "Together we are stronger."

He laughs again. Shaking his head and says, "we both know that will never happen..."

I do not hear the rest. King Marlow is whispering in my ear. "Kill him with your arrow. You can do it now he is distracted."

Slowly and quietly, I push my way through the crowd to find a clearer spot. A clearer place to aim. At my side is Lena and behind us are Wymond and Kamden. We get to the best place. Not too far from my target but with a bit of cover to be secretive.

Father is talking: "... I have one final wish... my daughter dies."

What is he going on about? I can't think about that now. There is only one thing left to do...

"I will protect her at all costs." Leoma argues. "I will ensure that Hilda and her sister are safeguarded and I will fight for what I know is right. I will fight for the people of this town... you are sick."

I step up onto an overturned crate. When I speak, there are gasps and murmurs throughout the town. "You are sick. You are no Father. You are no King. You are nobody. You have been driven mad for power and for things that you cannot have. You are no leader. You are no husband. You are no Father. You are no King."

I raise my bow. I pull the string back. I breath in. Out slightly. And fire. Just the way my Father taught me.

It happens so fast no one can react to what I am doing. By the time the arrow meets it's mark and the King falls to the floor of the stage, people are just beginning to move and shout. It is confusion.

I jump down from the crate and the four of us run. Some people try to grab me, others begin to create a pack around me, protecting me.

We keep running. Pushing our way towards the front of the crowd. If I killed my Father, I am now Queen. There is only one way to know. People surround us, protect us - people from Mythgrave and Oxbourne. We run and run. We make our way to the stage. I see Ferox and Duke crouching over Father's body, talking quickly with concern and confusion shading their faces. We reach the steps. The Guards are taken down by the men around us. I turn to my right to look at Lena and she nods her head. I then look at Wymond to my left.