It's a few days after your little escape attempt, and it's been quite rough to say the least. You weren't unfamiliar with having to live off the land, after all that was expected of a village hunter. But with two other people, especially when one of them isn't exactly on the best terms with you, it was definitely something you would prefer not to do. But, this is the price of fighting for what you believe in. "You know, when I thought that when I met you again I was gonna try to get some payback." Taffy belt went on, seemingly trying his best to irritate the both of you. Before you could retort bluntly, he went on with "But seeing as so many of your own have turned their backs on the king you stuck so firmly too, I'll consider that payback enough. Besides, fighting and bickering amongst ourselves is what that usurper wants us to do."
"He's.... right. Yeah, we can't just argue about small things like differences in ideas. When all our livelihoods and lives are on the line, we have to stick together to persevere." Caramel Arrow chimed in at the end, with you giving a quiet nod of approval after a moment of thought. Perhaps more musings with Taffy Belt will show who he truly is on the inside. Whatever the case, you brought the most prevalent issue to the forefront. "While we are free and committed to ending this traitor's reign, we are but three cookies. Affogato has dozens of loyal cookies at his disposal, maybe even hundreds." You explained, with quiet nods from the two of them. "Some of my people as well as Loyal Watchers are being held at some kind of camp nearby." Taffy belt said, explaining what he could ascertain given what bandits were used to doing. "There's also a good chance people who are willing to fight with us are hiding out in the woods and the mountains. Tracking them down might take some time, but it would be most helpful." Caramel Arrow brought up, knowing the behaviors of most watchers and their tendencies.
Both options posited valid ways of gathering the force needed to make a move on the citadel. Yet, it was likely that both would be needed in order to really put up an effective fighting force. Hopefully, it would not take long until a move could be made on the traitor. After all, his reign needed to be a short one for there to be any peace in the snowy kingdom. Seemed you would be the one to decide on what to do next. Weighing the options presented, you decreed "We must divide our efforts. Me and Taffy belt shall secure our collective comrades within the camp nearby, and Caramel Arrow shall take to the mountains to gather up the few who are hiding out." The quiet nods of agreement among your tense peers showed a determination and commitment to getting things done.
A few hours pass, and this camp is definitely a large one. Dozens of Affogato's soldiers patrolled it and the surrounding area, with cages containing the unjustly confined prisoners within. They seemed to be on guard despite your escape into the mountains not occurring a small amount of time ago. Perhaps that mysticism the disciples Affogato always had with him was based more in truth than you cared to admit. Either way, Taffy Belt stated "Ain't no easy way we doing this, not gonna be quiet either. Too many of these mooks." "Like that's gonna matter. If we don't act now, more people like this could be executed... or worse. Besides, it'll send a message. If an outnumbered pair of resistance fighters can turn the tides of battle, it might start to crack their resolve like a pane of opaque glass." You follow him up, showing a quick willingness to put aside any differences the two of you had.
With a quiet nod, the two of you approach the first set of cells. Getting close immediately alerted the guards and they come out to meet you in kind. Some of them are former watchers, warriors who broke an oath they swore to dark cacao cookie in order to protect this kingdom and all the lands it borders. Others were the disciples of affogato, practiced and well-versed in the magics of the land. Together, they made quite the force to be reckoned with. But with Taffy's Belt Bruiser battle style and your swift and adept watcher form with the katana, they failed to stop you. Whatever you batted Taffy Belt's way, he would send hurtling to the ground with a great cleave of his axe.
With the defeat of the initial guards came the freeing of the first set of prisoners, which snowballed into a full-blown mass escape. Again, some were watchers that had evidently held firm that they swore an Oath and one does not break such a thing without serious repercussions, in this life or the next. Others were bandits, highwaymen, and the like. Petty criminals who had been pushed to the brink and resorted to low level crimes to make ends meet. Whoever they were before didn't matter now, Whoever you and Taffy Belt were before didn't matter now. A tyrannical usurper was in the place of the king, and it was the duty of all of you to overthrow the advisor and bring an end to his endless grasping ambition before his sickness spread to the rest of the world and brought undo harm to more of the innocent for the sake of his insatiable gluttony and greed.
Returning to the cave with a small fighting force 100 cookies strong, Caramel Arrow was waiting. Seems your antics had taken quite a while, especially considering having to move 100+ cookies and the supplies necessary to keep them alive and well was close to being a total logistics nightmare with only you and Taffy Belt. Fortunately, much like Caramel Arrow, Taffy Belt was a natural leader and could easily get people into ideal positions and optimized how things were moved. "Welcome Back, I see you had success more than me." Caramel Arrow noted, grimacing a little at her meager assortment of free cookies scattered among the mountains. Noticing her slight change in expression, you tell her "It's not like it was any easy for us. I've lost track of how many times an arrow merely glanced my cheek as opposed to lodging itself firm in my head." She shrugs and gets to the main point, addressing everyone present.
"My Fellow Cacaoins, thank you for being here today. It shows that no matter who you were, be you a watcher or a bandit, you do not want Affogato seating that throne which does not belong to his dainty behind!" She begins, provoking a stirred reaction to the people in front of her. "You remember how life was like when Dark Cacao was in power. He was not a perfect, as evidenced by the bandit problems, but we were making progress on a peaceful solution to it. So long as affogato reigns, that life remains locked off to us all." She continues, riling up the force of cookies, galvanizing their resolve with the memories of the times past. "We shall not stand for tyranny! If we must die to see our land and all it's people prosper, then we shall lay down our lives! Dark Cacao Forever!" She finishes her rousing speech, with you, taffy belt, and the crowd responding in kind with the same phrase.
"DARK CACAO FOREVER!!!"
Hot Damn. Now that is the kind of woman you need in your life. Wouldn't you agree, Y/N?
YOU ARE READING
Kindred Spirits
RomanceA humble Villager, you were someone fairly unremarkable. When the cold biting winter of Dark Cacao strikes once again, you decide to take up a post as a watcher in order to provide for your people. It is there that you shall meet someone who would c...
