(This story will be based off of the song Castle-Halsey)
I live in the peasant's quarters, below the castle. I am not part of royalty; I am quite the opposite. A castle usually consists of a royal family who governs the people of the outside and let their holy knights, and their Templar's, and whatever they call them roam the city looking for trouble. I see at least one daily; they all look the same to me. Riding their white horses around, all geared up purple jacket with gold tassels and the royal's family crest sewn onto the front. The men would wear purple clothes underneath their armor to finish the look. Which was heavy, metal, and a shiny silver. Their sword handles were even gold to match the tassels around the horse's reins, and a silver sharp cutting edge, a broadsword I have been told. I have seen one drawn before, but never seen one kill a single soul. The Louis family was unfair to my family, they would sit pretty and eat whenever they wanted while we sat here in drapes of clothes and questioned when our next meal would be. Those times would have to end soon, life could not continue to be unfair to us. The Phillips family, that is me. We have lived up to do notorious things, my uncle had killed a man who was wanted for stealing from the rich. The Louis family and their cavalry never knew the whole story, they just appreciated my uncle's good deed of getting rid of the thief. They claimed it was justice, I saw it as unfair. My mother once shot a knight with a bow and arrow, trying to get into the castle's gates in the head. I was told he was a spy. Their army did not wear helmets like ours. Our knights wore heavy armor, headpiece, chest-piece, anything they think would keep them alive and the family's crest as a tabard, which was a golden hawk. They looked ridiculous, most of them are young and probably never heard of the poor before. Before my grandmother's time, the Phillips were above the Louis family. I was never told what happened, my father always told me I was not old enough to hear the story. My mother got ill several years ago; the doctors did not have a cure. The royalty would have been treated fairly and gotten a cure instantly. As for my mother, they let her suffer through pain until death took her in.
Today is the day, I plan to go talk to the king about people like me. The poor, lower-class, that is living unseen around the upper-class city. He has visitations monthly, and the lines are usually long. They normally consist of traveling merchants or those who wish to seek a new rule. Most people are unsuccessful, but it was a known tradition for the kingdom. The whole town asks for something specific, food, money, health, a prayer, most of the money and food wishes get declined. I get dressed, I wear a hood to hide my hair, and the locals are used to me by now. Especially the local chef next door, he makes sure to sneak my family some scraps every now and then. I was different from the royal's, but in a good way, a Phillips way. I head to the castle front, there is a large gate in front of it which I have seen a few times myself. I have never been close enough to see the details, I stare at it in awe as I wait. I have snuck into some parties before. I would wear my mom's dress which was passed down from her grandmother. It was a timeless dress that would flatter the body, but nothing that matches a royal tailor. I would mingle, and always fit in with the upper-class, but I would have to keep away from the Louis family. They knew me, and my family, by heart. I looked too much like my mother to hide from them, it made situations rather complicated.
The line was quite long, horses would ride by slowly walking to make sure no fights would break out. Do they think we are wild animals? And then he arrived, yes prince Eugene. He despised me, I calmly let him pass as I catch him out of the corner of my eye. He seemed to have not noticed me with my hood up. The line moved slowly forward, and I had seen Eugene at least ten times now. At this point either my disguise worked, or he already knew my attempt was going to fail. A few girls up ahead in line would try to flirt with him, but royals are not known for marrying someone from town. They usually set arranged marriages. The royal's claimed this was to keep their family royal blood, or some nonsense like that. I had finally hit the bridge, and I now had passed the outer gates. It was about a block wide, and three feet above water which was murky but beautiful. The towns people said it had holy powers because it circles around the castle, I believe it has dead bodies hidden below. The line continues moving forward again, it is about midday now. I brought bread my father had given me, I wanted to eat it, but food was so scarce I tried to keep the hunger feeling in my stomach. I could not risk getting my meal possible stolen. As if a guard would help me. My satchel had a letter I had written for the king, or well my father did, and I revised it for him. My bread was in there as well, which I could almost taste, I wonder if the royals had cheese today. They always get cheese imported from traveling merchants. I may have snuck some from a party a few times. The line slowly makes its way through the castle entrance, towards the throne room. There he is the king himself. As much as our families have clashed before, and how cruel they were to the poor. I was not here for hatred. I took a deep breathe. The man I have waited hours to see, still far from my turn. The king usually calls it quits by now, was he high spirited today? I kept getting closer, the flirtatious girls ahead of me kept giggling and speaking of the Prince, they were agitating me. I would roll me eyes, as Eugene passes me again, glancing at me a bit too long. Did he notice it was me? As I got closer my heart began to sink, the letter was about me. I gripped my satchel, feeling terrified. Questioning to run and hide, or if this would even work. My father proposed I marry Eugene to end our family rivalry, I hated the thought of it. This was all for money, and to help lessen the ignorance on the poor living towards the outer walls. It made my stomach turn, or maybe it was the sight of the cheese next to king Alexander II. I was probably hungry by this point, but my emotions were taking over I could not tell anymore. Either way I was getting closer, Eugene struck my mind and I must have been staring off into space because some old lady behind me said, "Miss Genevieve, dear it's your turn." It was my neighbor; we must had left at the same time. She was like a mother figure to me, slightly gray in the hair. I refocus on what is in front of me, the king. I did not know what to say so I just took the letter out of my satchel, it had breadcrumbs on it, I wiped them off, then handed my death wish to him. Not really a death wish, but it sure felt like it at this point. He slightly glared at me, looking at the family stamp and he told me to step to the side. He motioned the guards which closed the doors and said visitation was over. My heart had sunk, I was scared what was going to happen to me. He spoke up " Genevieve, I know what this is about. I told your father to never step through those doors (he pointed at the entrance) again. Must I include you too?" My throat was dry, and that cheese looked delicious, as I glanced over at it in a half panic and half starvation. "Sir, I don't think that will be necessary, please read the letter, sir." I said sir twice, how embarrassing. I thought I was going to be stronger than this, but I was weak. I was shaking almost, like a cold night without a warm fire.
He read the letter, slowly, making me more and more worried about my demise.
