𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙚 | ✓

005

𝘑𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘩 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘹

Darkness gloomed overhead the group, crows cawing in the distance. One of those said crows flew over their heads, their wings flapping against the strong winds. Usually it was bad luck when crows flew nearby, however Josiah felt it would be much worse than bad luck. He was smuggling witches on the royal grounds, sneaking them past the gates as if they were just regular old civilians. If his father were to find out-

Why does every thought he had come back to his father? His father doesn't haunt his mind much like he does in real life. It's time Josiah forces him out and start thinking what he wants to think. His father couldn't control his thoughts...could he?

As Josiah was walking, the witch named Atticus was next to him. He smelled like a dead rodent, the stench burning the prince's nose. Cringing, he took a side step away from him. "As soon as we find you a place you're talking a bath," Josiah grumbled under his breath as he kicked some rock out of the way with his boot.

Atticus didn't respond, but instead allowed his eyes to wander over the kingdom gates. His expression was shocked - and definently concerned - as the kingdom didn't quite live up to his expectations.

Josiah wasn't surprised that was how they felt, however, as the kingdom wasn't much to brag about anymore. The gate was rusted metal with the words 'Shelby Kingdom' engraved in it. Inside was only rusted and broken down buildings, often finding wooden barricades on each door. The ground beneath them was only dirt paths and patches of grass, never anything nice. The fountain had collasped in the war and nobody had bothered to fix it, so instead it was just a pool of rain water. Once brick paths were now cracked, tiny plants growing between them. There were also many people living on the streets as they suffered through poverty, the greedy king refusing to pay anybody for their labors - hence all the expensive fruit shops.

Vienna stopped walking, her gaze drifting upon the kingdom before her. "Holy shit," she whispered. Her voice sounded like she was in mourning, perhaps in mourning of the now dead kingdom.

Josiah couldn't blame them for their troubled expressions, he himself having that face every time he stepped out of the palace. It was certainly odd that the only decent thing in this place was the palace where the king lived.

Hell, he never even left the palace. He never interacted with his citizens and never even offered to help them. His father was selfish and greedy, wanting everything to himself. Perhaps that's why he married Diana, forcing a lesbian into his arms. He knew she didn't see him as a son and that was okay, he didn't see her as his mother and often found himself disliking her, but Josiah still couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Somehow the king was still shocked their marraige was failing, which always baffled the prince.

Josiah led them through the gates and continued to follow the dirt paths. It was hard to find words to say when everything around you turned to rubble, shocking the newcomers into silence. However, he was more surprised at Atticus' silence. The male witch seemed to turn everything sexual in his mind, never failing to share his thoughts. Though for some reason his thoughts had gone silent, clenching his jaw as he glanced upon the mounds of rubble around them.

"Alright, I have to go speak to a friend. You two wait here," Josiah spoke when they had reached the palace. Despite not trusting Atticus to stay by himself, he did trust Vienna to keep him in tact. Besides, they were gawking at the building in front of them so Josiah highly doubted they would run off - especially with all the help they seemed to need. Though, Josiah forgot to ask one question.

Why are they here?

𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘹

The king was sitting on his throne, leaving the queen to clean up anything even slightly off around the palace. When she spotted Josiah enter, she gave him a slightly awkward wave. He seemed to glance at her for only a second before choosing to ignore her and instead rushed down to the dungeons. She noticed he went there a lot, most likely speaking to Reyna Falls. She had been arrested for manslaughter - an accidental murder. However, she mourned for the girl.

Reyna's punishment will get her sentenced to death in most likely a week, depending on Bass' mood. It wasn't like Ms. Falls indented to kill that guy, but perhaps the king was only angry because a woman managed to murder a man without meaning to. It was a common theme with the king. Sexism.

There was no male in those dungeons, only being women forced to rot in prison. She wasn't certain if he had always been against women, but if so why did he force her to marry him? Diana often wondered what it would be like if she managed to escape this dreaded palace and maybe venture to somewhere new. She always dreamed of having a wife and moving to live somewhere by water. Being queen was no fun and she wanted out of it, especially when her husband treated her less of a wife and more as a maid.

However, Diana knew none of this would ever be possible. Besides, her daughter was stuck in the dungeons and that should be her only concern. When Reyna would be sentenced to death, the king was going to force his queen to watch. Why was he doing this?

A warning.

He was warning her that if she tried to escape, more dangers would happen.

The queen would fall.