Princess Shyra's life has only extended till planet Ziya and she doesn't know how to look beyond helping her people. As far as she's concerned, she's being trained to rule her entire life, and it's the only goal she's ever known.
Cue the handsome pr...
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"Oh! We have to attend this!" Shyra said, jumping up and down. Uttara was then pulled rather roughly into the dingy stall by an excited Shyra. They stepped through the door and made their way across the room lit with dim lighting. Even at this time of day, it was filled with smallfolk and praanis of various sizes, eagerly awaiting the story.
Many sat on chairs thrown around the room and the rest occupied the stone floor in droves. The faint smell of parijata lingered in the air, giving their atmosphere a pleasant vibe.
"It's nice to see that there are many children here as well," Shyra said, glancing around at the assembled people. There were many young people around, chattering among themselves. "It helps build our confidence when we know how great our ancestors were. It makes us believe in ourselves."
"The same way you have such immense faith in our people because of our history?" Uttara asked, bumping shoulders with Shyra. Shyra pushed her off slightly and settled down at the back of the crowd. Uttara joined her with a couple of drinks poured from her personal flask.
"Alright, everyone! Our storyteller is about to begin. Please maintain silence throughout the session," a man came onstage and said with a short bow. He escorted an old man behind him and seated him on a charmwood chair, and left the stage. Even from this distance, Shyra could already smell the sage and herbs emanating from him.
The old man cleared his throat softly. Somehow, this commanded everyone's attention for a kshana. Shyra looked at him with furrowed brows, trying to figure out how he got the audience's attention. His wrinkly, parched hair and flowing clothes made him seem like any other old man on the street. He smiled, displayed crooked teeth, and spread his arms widely.
"Hello everyone! My name is Tiam, and I'll be your storyteller for today. Now, how many of you have heard of the planet Earth's destruction and its aftermath?"
Most of the adults in the room, including Shyra, slowly raised their hands. The children looked at each other questioningly and shook their heads in unison.
Tiam smiled kindly at the little ones and continued. "I see. Since the kids here aren't aware of our basic histories yet, let me begin with this story."
There were a few appreciative nods from the audience, and Tiam started his tale with wide eyes and animated gestures.
"In the olden days, Earth was the only home we'd known for a long time. In spite of having everything, our ancestors overused their environment and triggered the delicate balance between them and nature. Due to them, Earth was cloaked by burning magma. There was destruction everywhere, and the ones who could afford it escaped on spaceships that had been built for a long time in preparation for this."
"That is the huge metal cylinder we see in the Town Center, right ma?" a little voice chirped, and was silenced by his embarrassed mother, much to the amusement of the audience.
