Stone towers pierced the sky, their banners snapping in the wind, while rows of houses crowded tightly along cobbled streets below. Smoke curled from chimneys in every direction, carrying the scents of bread, iron, and ash. Merchants hollered from distant stalls, their voices swallowed by the echo of hundreds of boots striking stone.
The walls closed in like cliffs, hemming us inside a place that felt alive yet suffocating. Between the crowded markets, I glimpsed temples of marble, statues of long-dead kings glaring down at us, and alleyways so narrow they looked like shadows cut into the city itself. Wealth and rot lived side by side, all crammed behind these walls.
"Alright…" I muttered under my breath, forcing my chest to steady. "Alright. Alright, alright…"
Kivi gulped audibly. "Gods, please save us…"
Her words made my chest ache. But I knew her prayers fell on deaf ears. And even if they didn't, even if the gods themselves were listening—I doubted they could lift a finger against this new King. 'Ruthless' didn't begin to describe him. He was… something else.
If even the gods couldn't guess what awaited us next, what chance did we have?
The cart creaked forward at a crawl, hooves clopping against stone as the streets of Neto swallowed us whole. Faces turned toward the cage. Some people flinched at the sight of the bloodied corpse lying among us, quickly looking away. Others, not knowing a thing about who we were or what had happened, hurled curses as if they'd been waiting for the chance. A stone clattered against the bars, tossed by a man whose glare burned hotter than the sun.
"Gods save us," a prisoner beside me whispered.
"Lawbreakers!" an old woman spat, shaking her fist. "Bastards!"
"Shameful," a man muttered as we rolled past. "May the gods take you."
Kivi tugged at my sleeve, her voice small, cracking. "We didn't do anything wrong, River. Why are they doing this to us?"
I stayed silent. Because the truth was… I had no answer to give her.
✚✚✚
The cart jerked to a halt, and only then did I realize where we were. The King's Palace. My stomach knotted. We should have been tossed into some dark dungeon under the city, not dragged here. Whatever fate awaited us in these walls… I almost wished for the dungeon instead. Execution for unpaid tribute? That would be madness. Even for our King.
"We're here," the coachman announced.
"Everyone!" the soldier barked. "One by one, out!"
"River…" Kivi whispered, her wide eyes fixed on me.
"Don't worry, sweetie." I forced a smile that trembled at the edges. "Alright?"
She nodded, though fear still clung to her face. Truth was, I looked just as shaken. Who wouldn't be?
"W-why are we here?" another prisoner stammered.
"The King wants to see you in person," one of the men replied. "Don't ask me why. Now move!"
The lock clicked open. The one with the ledger swung the door wide, jumping down first. A villager was shoved out, legs buckling as he collapsed to the ground, trembling. Kivi followed—light, hesitant. I helped her down carefully before stepping out myself.
The sight before me made my breath catch.
The King's Palace rose in gleaming stone, its walls carved with intricate reliefs of heroes and gods, their stern faces watching from above.
A vast garden spread out before the steps, bursting with roses, lilies, and flowers I didn't know the names of, their colors so bright they seemed unreal after weeks of ash and mud. White marble statues lined the paths—warriors raising swords, deities holding scales of justice. Fountains bubbled with clear water, their spray catching sunlight like shards of glass.
Servants in simple tunics bent among the flowerbeds, though their hands paused as their eyes drifted to the cart. Everywhere, guards stood at attention, their polished armor flashing in the daylight, hands resting on spears as if we might riot at any moment. The palace itself loomed behind it all, towering columns rising to hold a roof gilded with gold. It looked less like a home and more like the throne of gods.
"Why!" one of the prisoners cried out, his voice cracking. "Why are we here? Why in all the hells would he want to meet us?"
"Shut it!" the man with the ledger snapped. "Follow me, you filthy thieves!"
"We didn't steal anything!" a woman shouted back, her face streaked with tears. "We only lived in peace!"
"You stole from the Kingdom, woman!" he snarled.
"The King…" I whispered under my breath. "Why would he want to meet us…"
Kivi squeezed my hand tight. "River…"
I looked down into her frightened eyes and tried to smile, though it felt hollow. Around us, the last of the villagers were forced from the cart. Two soldiers stepped in front, blocking any chance of retreat. One motioned for us to march, while the other unsheathed his sword, blade gleaming. Bastards…
We were herded forward in a crooked line. The path to the palace steps stretched long and heavy, the air thick with dread. Every shuffle of chained feet echoed against the stone walls. Some prisoners sobbed quietly, others stared ahead in silence, their eyes wide and empty. Fear clung to all of us like a second skin.
"Why are they here?" a maid whispered to her friend as we passed, her nose wrinkling. "I just finished cleaning the garden."
"Don't look at them," the other muttered. "They stink like animals. It makes me ill just seeing them."
The steps loomed, wide and steep, leading toward the grand entrance. Guards lined the stairway, their spears upright, their eyes cold. No one spoke; only the groan of wood and clatter of chains marked our climb. My legs felt heavier with each step, as though the stone itself wanted to drag me down.
At the top, the great doors of the palace yawned open, tall enough to swallow a house whole. As we crossed the threshold, the air shifted—cooler, scented faintly of incense.
The interior was overwhelming. Marble pillars rose like trees, their surfaces veined with gold. A crimson carpet stretched down the center of the hall, guiding us toward a staircase that spiraled upward like a coiled serpent. Chandeliers hung above, dripping with crystal, scattering light that made the polished floor shine like glass. Statues of gods and kings stood between the pillars, eyes carved so lifelike they seemed to follow our every step. Ornate vases and gilded relics rested on pedestals, each one worth more than everything our village had ever owned.
We walked deeper inside, our chains clinking against a silence so heavy it pressed on my chest. It felt less like entering a home and more like stepping into judgment itself.
"River," Kivi whispered, her small hand still wrapped around mine. "This is…"
"Expensive?" I finished for her, glancing at the gilded pillars around us. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."
"Why would the King want us here?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"I… don't know, Kivi. We'll find out soon enough."
"H-he won't punish us, right? Like… k-kill us…"
"That'd be too much," I said, though the words felt empty even to me. "Even for him."
"Then why!" the prisoner in front of me burst out, clearly listening in. "Why are we here!"
"I don't know," I admitted, meeting his frantic eyes. "Maybe… maybe they'll do some paperwork before throwing us into a dungeon?"
"Dungeon?" Kivi gasped, looking up at me.
"I mean…" I froze, realizing she was still listening. "Kivi… I'm sorry, honey. But they might. Hopefully not…"
"Quiet!" the soldier at the front barked, his voice echoing across the vast hall. "Or I'll make you all quiet!"
We began to ascend the grand staircase. Each step felt heavier than the last, chains clinking as our tired feet dragged on the polished stone.
Halfway up, one of the prisoners stumbled. His legs buckled, and with a cry he tumbled sideways, smacking against the stairs. Gasps rippled through the line. For a second, I thought he wouldn't get back up at all.
"Ah, gods! Get up, ya damn idiot!"
The man trembled. "I'm, I'm… I'm…"
The nearest soldier stormed down, grabbed the man by the collar, and yanked him upright with brutal force. "On your feet, rat!" he snarled, shaking him like a ragdoll before shoving him back into place. The prisoner staggered but forced himself onward, his face pale and drenched with sweat.
We reached the landing and the soldiers herded us to the right. The corridor stretched wide, lined with tall windows that flooded the hall with daylight. Servants lingered nearby, clutching baskets of linens or trays of polished silver. Their work slowed as they noticed us.
"Disgusting," one maid muttered, wrinkling her nose. "Dragging filth into the palace…"
"They reek," her companion whispered, holding a hand to her mouth. "Why would His Majesty even want them here?"
"Don't question it," the first said, though her eyes still lingered on us with disdain. "Just be glad we're not in their place."
We kept walking, every glance we drew cutting into me like a blade.
The second floor was quieter than below, though the air felt colder, sharper. The polished stone floor stretched out beneath a patterned carpet, and the walls were full with tall paintings of battles and hunts. Golden sconces lined the way, their candles flickering despite the daylight streaming in through arched windows.
We stopped in front of a door so massive it seemed almost unreal—its height and width rivaled the size of my house back in the village. The dark wood gleamed as if freshly polished, and carvings ran along its frame. Four guards stood flanking it, their spears planted firmly on the floor.
"His Majesty," the soldier who led us here said, halting us in place. "Is waiting for you inside. Do not do anything idiotic. Or I'll cut down whoever does, and then make the rest of you clean the blood off the carpet with your hands. Got it, ya buncha sly bastards!"
"Y-yes," all of us answered in shaky unison.
"Good." He turned to the door guards. "His Majesty is ready to see them?"
"Yes. You're late," one of them replied flatly.
"Well, shit happens." The man said, then he faced us again. "Come on, bastards. Get in line and tilt your heads down. I don't want any of you looking at our King with those filthy eyes!"
The two door guards stepped forward, raised their fists, and knocked against the towering doors. The sound echoed like thunder down the hall.
"Come in," a voice commanded from inside.
The guards pushed the massive doors open, revealing the throne room.