Crimson Hearts of the Broken

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It was her home. It was her life. It was everything to her.

In the town of Nywolke, that is where Cassian was born. She lived with her mom, dad, her brother Oliver and her sister Ethel. The family lived in the second richest village among all of the other 13 in the kingdom of Ilsire. All 5 lived a happy life doing what they had to do.

Cassian's mom was a baker while her dad worked at the guardhouse. Oliver and Ethel worked as weavers and Cassian wanted to be a warrior. She was already a scout and she was already fluent at stuff like hunting, combat and survival, thanks to her dad. Cassian would also sometimes pick berries for the family to make food with. But what was nice to everyone in the village, was that Ethel and Cassian were musicians. Ethel played the flute while Cassian played the fiddle.

In Nywolke, everyone knew everyone there, so if they figure you did something bad, they would likely tell your parents about it. It was a sweet community; when people got together, they got together.

At times though, Cassian would be really blunt and stubborn, causing her to get in trouble often.

"You know better than that, Ve! You know better. We raised you better than this," her dad said as he was going to work one morning. All Cassian did was roll her eyes. Everyone in the village called her "Veign" or "Ve" as she used to be very vain as a young child, so her parents named her that but spelled it that way to make it sound cute. Nowadays, she isn't, but everyone still thinks it is a nice nickname. Another nickname was Cass, short for Cassian.

To Cassian, this kingdom was all shit. She wanted everyone to be in one; she felt as if the other villages were as wholesome as this one. Some days, she hated where she lived.

"Be grateful we live in the SECOND RICHEST VILLAGE for Christ's sake!" her mom scolded her one morning, as Cassian had another outburst while her mom was at the bakery. Cassian stomped out and decided to go hunting. Her machete had to be sharpened, so she had to use the bow and arrows, which she didn't mind but wasn't a big fan of.

~~~

On the same day, Cassian heard a voice while she was out in the forest.

"Cass!"

While Cassian was hunting, she turned around to be greeted by her one her childhood friend, Judith. Judith was one of her two friends that she had known since she was about 4 years old. The duo hugged, like they usually did when they had the chance. Judith was about a year younger.

"How's your day been?" she asked, as Cassian picked up her bow and arrows and placed the strap on her body where the arrows were.

"Fine, I guess," she said, still a little annoyed from what happened earlier. "This kingdom has been nothing but bitches. I love this village, I really, truly do. But why do we have to be seperated?! I honestly wish we lived somewhere different. This forest is the only place and time where I can truly run away and just... have peace. Something we never have."

Judith felt her. It was something that punched her hard. Peace. Something we never have. Those words rang in her head for God knows how long. "Yeah... it's a nice place. I want to meet the others, you know? I feel bad for the poorer villages."

Oh, dear. Cassian thought. The villages that were poor were forced to work. In the richer villages, you need some sort of job, but you aren't put in hard labor unlike the others.

"Yeah it isn't good, but I believe it's really wholesome there." Cassian spoke. "I would love to be a bard there. I love telling stories. My mom is our own bard. The stories she tells us makes me want to do the same. I love adventure."

Judith knew Cassian as much as she knew her mother. She knew how she wanted to try and sneak into the other villages.

"Me too, Cass. Me too."