Hidden Punishment
Chap.1
I once lived in a world where the women were treated as queens. The parties were extravagant. And where the wine was plentiful. But that was another life that was a surreal dream. A dream gone so wrong that it was impossible to ever return it to its former glory. I am Rouge. I was born in Belridge, in the year 2121.
It was the year that our fair king was shot and killed. In the world we live in now, all is doomed. We must hunt for our food, defend what little we have. Well that is for the women. The men are our masters. They control our very fibers.
We are but pawns in this large, large world of kings and knights. I am but one of the few who choose to go against this injustice. I feel compelled to live out my life in the way I feel to do so.
Not in the way my so-called-maker, chooses on a whim. I am a free woman as every living creature is. Man is what makes us slaves, man is what makes us savages. My maker still lives and hunts me down for my disobedience. I choose not to upgrade, like so many of the men have their women, their property, do so.
I walk along the wilderness helping those in need. Defeating those who over welcome their won power over the females of these lands. I hear screams along the roads only to find the women dead on the cold hard floor. Just lying there, unmoving. I travel with a good friend, Wrath, she and I have known a great many of battles together.
We travel in pairs and when her people call for her, need for her she will go to them without a moment's hesitation.
"Rouge, do you not think that we should rest tonight? For tomorrow we reach the town of Keller. " Wrath spoke as she patted the main of her brown stallion, Lucy. I look down at my own black mare, Aza. We have ridden for days on end without a moments rest.
I give a solemn nod. "We shall rest beneath the stars tonight, for tomorrow we shall certainly reach Keller and all her wonders."
In the Midlands surely Wrath and I would be safe.
No one knew of our stories here. No one knew of the red haired girl that wears black like a shadow of the night. Whose piercing green eyes shine like stars. And the woman whose name means anger, whose black hair flows down like the black lake. Whose brown eyes are so dark they look black and never ending.
We would walk along the people here dressed, like ladies. We will talk like ladies. It may be hard but we will do as we should. We will do our business and walk away.
Wrath and I awake to the shining sky. We gather our things and gather up the horses from the riverbed. We hear a hawks call coming from the distant.
"Rouge, that's Ferris. What would he be doing here?" the bird flew into Wraths waiting arm. The note attached to his left leg. Wrath skimmed through the note briefly. "It says that the king is going through houses and killing every woman that shows any sign of resistance."
I nodded. "Wrath I know, go, I will be there as shortly as I can but I need to finish this." she clasped my hand. "I really am sorry. Please be safe." I nod and get on Aza. As I ride through the forest I pray that Wrath will be safe. That she will not give up in our fight for freedom. Ever.
The kingdom of Keller is large and full of lush vegetation, and flowing crystal waters. The land was good for crops and the people are friendly. Enough, other for the very fact that if a woman were to step out of line she would be prosecuted and hanged.
