As she pushed the cart through the long hallway leading to the princess's chambers, the sound of the wheels echoed loudly off the stone walls. The sound was especially loud and jarring in the stillness of the palace, and Miranda winced each time she heard it. As she approached the door to the princess's chambers, Miranda slowed her pace and took a deep breath. Miranda entered Fel's chambers as she did every day, carrying a cart of food for her. But as she approached Fel's cage, she noticed that something was off.Fel's body was stiff, and she was gripping the bars of her cage tightly. Her head was slumped backwards, and her eyes were wide open, unblinking. Her body shook as if she was having a seizure.Miranda gasped and quickly dropped the cart of food. She rushed to Fel's side and grabbed her hands, trying to shake her awake. "Fel, Fel, what's wrong?" she asked frantically.Fel didn't respond, but her hands continued to grip the bars tightly. Miranda tried to pry them away, but t
Miranda was struggling to wrap her head around what Fel had just told her. A vision? How could Fel, a non-black blood, be experiencing visions? It just didn't make sense to her. She wanted to ask more questions, to understand how this could be possible, but she didn't want to give away her own abilities as a witch."So, when was the first time you experienced a vision?" Miranda finally asked.Fel took a deep breath and said, "It was six years ago when I was fourteen. I had never experienced it again until recently, and the recent ones have become more frequent."Miranda's mind was racing. She had never heard of anyone who wasn't born with the gift suddenly developing it years later. Was it even possible? She had to find out more."Did you ever tell anyone about it?" Miranda asked, hoping to get more information."No," Fel replied. "It happened only once then, and I didn't think much of it."Miranda was starting to feel a bit anxious. This was something that needed to be handled carefu
Gasher and Zen exchanged worried glances as Furo continued to chat with the villagers in his foreign accent. They knew that their cover was at risk of being blown if Furo kept drawing attention to himself.Gasher leaned over to Zen and whispered, "We need to be ready to ditch Furo if things go south. We can't risk getting caught."Zen nodded in agreement. "I know, but let's hope it doesn't come to that. We've come too far to fail now."****“Come to think of it,” one of the villages started, turning to face Furo. "You talk like you're not from here." They stopped talking and turned their heads to look at him.Furo smiled nervously. "I've lived in foreign lands as a child," he replied.The villagers looked at each other skeptically, but Furo quickly added, "I've learned to adapt and pick up different accents along the way."The villagers laughed and began to tell stories of their experiences in foreign lands."I once went to the city of Elvendale," a burly man said. "It was full of e
43.Derek walked over to the stone table and reached for the wine jar, pouring himself a cup of the rich red liquid. He then carefully placed the jar back in its original spot and reached into his pocket, taking out a small bottle of potion.*****His eyes fell upon a small vial with a label that read "Truth Serum." He couldn't believe his luck. He carefully picked up the vial and examined it. The liquid inside was clear, and it seemed to shimmer in the light. Derek knew that this potion could come in handy, especially in situations where he needed to extract information from someone.As he held the vial in his hand, he felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. He knew that the potion was powerful and that it could have serious consequences if used improperly.Derek carefully tucked the vial into his pocket, making sure that it was secure*****The hut was a small, secluded place in the Royal Arena, designed for privacy and intimacy. The inside of the hut was lit with scented candle
Derek watched intently as Aurora held the cup of wine in her hand, taking in its aroma. He felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety, hoping she would take a sip of the spiked wine soon. He couldn't wait any longer to get the truth out of her about the antidote he desperately needed.As Aurora lifted the cup to her lips, Derek's heart raced with anticipation. He felt like he was holding his breath, waiting for her to drink. But to his dismay, Aurora didn't take a sip. Instead, she savored the aroma, swirling the cup in her hand and taking in the scent.Derek tried his best to hide his frustration and impatience, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. He couldn't help but think about all the risks he had taken to get the truth serum and how important it was to obtain the antidote. He didn't want to waste any more time.He tried to control his emotions and kept his eyes fixed on Aurora, hoping she would finally drink the wine. But she didn't, and instead, she continued to swirl the cu
Furo skillfully skinned the squirrel that Gasher had caught earlier, removing the fur in one swift motion. He then proceeded to gut and clean the animal, removing its internal organs with ease. Once he finished preparing the squirrel, he impaled it on a wooden stick and held it over the fire.As the squirrel slowly roasted over the flames, Furo made sure to turn it regularly, ensuring that it cooked evenly on all sides. The aroma of the roasting meat filled the air, making Zen's mouth water. He couldn't wait to taste the juicy meat that Furo was cooking.Gasher watched with interest as Furo continued to cook the squirrel. He was impressed by Furo's skill and speed, and couldn't wait to taste the finished product. "You sure know how to handle a knife," Gasher remarked, nodding towards the sharp blade that Furo had used to skin the animal.Furo simply grinned and shrugged. "I've had a lot of practice," he replied, his eyes fixed on the roasting squirrel.As the squirrel cooked, the fla
The physician took the purse from Derek's hand, feeling its weight as he handed it over. She noticed that it was made of a rich, dark leather and had ornate gold detailing around the edges. As she opened the purse, the sight of the four large gold bars took her breath away.Each bar was approximately the size of her hand and glinted in the light of the chamber. The surface was smooth and flawless, with intricate designs etched into the metal. The physician couldn't help but run her fingers over the gold, marveling at its beauty.As she looked at the gold bars, the physician's eyes gleamed with excitement. She had never seen such a large amount of gold in one place before, and the thought of what she could do with it made her heart race. She turned to Derek, still holding the purse in her hand."Why are you giving this to me?" she asked, surprised by his generosity."To buy your silence about Aurora's condition," Derek replied, his face serious.The physician's eyebrows shot up in surp
Miranda and a few other maids are pushing the carts filled with leftover food from the royal chambers back to the kitchen. They were chatting amongst themselves, mostly about their plight as slaves in the arena. One maid, Lila, was saying that she couldn't take it anymore and that she was planning to escape."I'm sick of being treated like an animal. I want to be free," Lila said, pushing the cart with all her might."But where will you go?" Miranda asked, feeling a pang of sympathy for her friend."I don't know," Lila replied, her voice cracking. "Anywhere is better than here."Another maid, Shira, chimed in. "But even if you escape, where will you go? You have no family, no money, nothing.""I don't care," Lila said, her eyes determined. "I'll find a way. I can't live like this anymore."Miranda didn't say anything. She knew how Lila felt, but she also knew that escaping wasn't the answer. She had seen too many slaves try to escape, only to be caught and punished even more severely.