Forest Fire

1

Forest Briggs was never raised. She was built.
Built within the walls of the great manor... surrounded at every side.

Human interaction wasn't something she knew well, unless it was with her father, though he didn't speak unless it was to give an order.

The maids never spoke around Forest either, their whispers coming to an abrupt stop whenever she passed.

They were afraid. Not only that, but sworn to secrecy about every operation undergone at the Briggs Manor.

Despite their oaths, hushed words had spoken on the street, passing down theories and tall tales from one person to the other. Most feared the street leading to the manor, some were curious enough to wonder to the front gate and gaze upon it.

But not even the most respected topsiders would know the true secrets that lied within the walls.

Forest had heard stories of the outside world from the kids who'd sometimes stop and approach her house as a dare. They hadn't spoke to her, she'd just been eavesdropping from the tree she liked to climb so often.

From everything she'd picked up on, Forest was quite lucky to reside in Piltover, which some called the Topside. It was the city of progress.
Zaun, or the Undercity, was said to be dirty and scattered with savage people. They were getting out of control according to a girl who'd been walking along the street near Forest's favorite tree.

The Topside was civilized, organized, progressive. The Undercity could be described as musty, criminal, and uncontrollable.

But for the strangest reason, Forest liked the idea Zaun. The rebellious nature, the heart to fight for freedom. Though that's all it was. An idea. The girl would forever be trapped within the stone walls of her fortress.

"Forest!" The green haired girl jumped at the voice. It was her father, who she was to call Sir.

Almost falling out of the tree, Forest leaped to her feet and climbed steadily along the long branch she'd descended from. It led all the way up to her open window, where she was supposed to be locked inside her room with no disturbances.

Just before her father was about to turn the door nob, the girl leaped from the window and into her bed, acting as if she'd been stretching her calf muscles.

Her father stepped inside, a quizzical look on his face. Forest was used to his intimidating demeanor more than anyone.

Mathew Briggs had hair like midnight, slicked back against his pale neck, so pale, that his veins were painfully visible. His eyes were a dark brown, almost black color that could kill with just a glare, and his tall and lanky figure only made him look more inhuman than ever.

The man stood at about six foot five, and was skinny as a stick bug. Forest was only about five foot four, though she doubted she was done growing, only being seventeen and all.

"It's time." We're the only words Matthew spoke to the girl that was supposed to be his daughter. For Forest, it had never felt that way.

She knew how Matthew felt about her, the same way he'd felt about all her half siblings. Each of the children had been born from a different mother, and all of the mothers had been killed by the hand of Matthew himself after the birth.

Hence why none of them met their mothers.

Forest was his fourth born, and hopefully his last. She was also the only one still alive. The rest of the group, Ondina, Tyrion, and Thali had all been closer in age compared to their gap with Forest. All of them had been pronounced deceased by the time she was eleven. And none of them had made it nearly as far.