A tattered girl in rough boys clothes Sprinted across the dusty streets of the Northern Moore, Breathing as if she was chased by a cougar rather it was a mob of angry teenagers screaming.
"Don't let her get away!"
She grinned, Her little feet Dashing towards her mother's cowshed. Those stupid village boys never learned that you can never catch Rosalyn Frost. She crashed into a familiar figure in frenzy.
"Rosalyn!" Her mum shouted loudly as she almost lost her balance carrying some hay before the collision.
"Why are you running like a mountain goat, What's going on?" She asked worriedly. Rosalyn rushed to hide behind her Mother's tall figure, wiping the sweat of her face whilst pointing to the teenage boys who had stopped abruptly in front of the shed.
"What have you done this time" Hilda scowled, Dropping the hay while adjusting the Two year old strapped on her back. She turned to the boys with her hands on her hips.
"What is all this about?".
The boys gave way as an angry man and his wife stormed towards the shed dragging a boy of fourteen, with a bruised face and missing teeth.
"Your child is a nuisance! Look at what she has done to my Son" The man Barked. Rosalyn's eyes widened feigning innocence Hiding the satisfaction she felt after beating up her bully.
"Your Father's famous name you bear doesn't entitle you to behave like a brat or exempt you from punishment. "His wife added
"Oh! Surely there must be a misunderstanding, I'm sorry about that " Hilda apologized. Her eyes traveled to the tall Boy with blood on his mouth and shirt and to her little eight year old.
Rosalyn was tall for her age but not enough to beat up a Teenager, a boy at that! Her shoulders Sagged as she remembered Her husband Gilbert Frost, a great Warrior who had fought alongside the Nytheris, a powerful kingdom with Creatures of Immense strength. Rosalyn was her father's striking Image and was Gifted with his fierce strength and wits.
"The next time reports of your daughter's flies, I'm taking the case to the village chief" The woman threatened hissing loudly, she was visibly agitated As they dragged their son away.
"Mum, He hit me first, I was only defending myself" Rosalyn defended frowning, hiding the Mischief daring to crawl on her face as her mum grabbed her ears.
" I know you Rosalyn, you're my daughter!" Hilda sneered.
"But, But..."
" No Buts.... You're grounded Young lady!" Hilda yelled, and Rosalyn frowned pulling away from her mother's grip and scurried off.
"This child is going to be the death of me" Hilda sighed deeply.
That Night Hilda and her four daughters sat under the night sky Stargazing while crickets chirped and Owls hooted.
"Why do we always have to do this" two year old Jacklyn complained yawning tiredly on her mother's lap. She was the youngest and didn't meet her father as he was killed by the Evil King of Dale before she was born.
"Don't be silly! Don't you know our loved ones who have passed on are up there watching over us?" Gwen, the second, replied with her large blue doe eyes fixed on a book..
"That includes dad, he's among the stars now" Carolyn the third added.
Unending folktales" Rosalyn scoffed rolling her eyes. Hilda shot her a glare and cleared her throat loudly.
" Rosalyn fought someone today Carolyn and His parents came to meet Mum" Jacklyn revealed.
"Blabbermouth! I thought you were asleep when they came' Rosalyn scoffed.
"I heard you left a little surprise for his parents in his mouth too" Gwen giggled.
I was just defending myself" Rosalyn replied.
"Where you also defending yourself at the market square Yesterday?" Hilda cut in, and Rosalyn swallowed nervously.
"Yes ! Rosalyn I saw you in your petty disguise" Hilda scolded and Rosalyn gulped in fear. It was impossible for anyone to recognize her, they even thought she was a boy, Well , not her Mum.
"I just wanted to participate in the sword fight" Rosalyn confessed.
"How many times have we talked about this, no sword fights, Rosalyn I expect more from you as the eldest" Hilda scolded.
"I'm... I'm sorry" Rosalyn replied sadly.
"You could get yourself hurt or even killed" she frowned.
Jacklyn batted her sleepy eyes and Hilda picked her up, attempting to carry the dozing two year old into the house when suddenly Jacklyn's hand pulled on her beaded necklace and it snapped with the beads bouncing off as they spilled.
"Oops" Gwen gasped closing her book as they all scrambled for the beads.
"I'm sorry mummy" Jacklyn apologized wide eyes as she discovered what she had done.
"It's not your fault" Hilda said, her voice a mixture of pain as she remembered the past, the day Gilbert had hung the beautiful necklace on her neck, how he had kissed her protruding stomach and made unending promises to his unborn child and also how he was dragged by the Dale soldiers hours later.
"Don't be sad mum, here!" Gwen said handing her a very large but blue gem which was the pendant of the necklace but it was in pieces.
"I'll promise, I'll find a way to fix it" Jacklyn promised trying to cheer her up.
"I promise too, I'll try to be good from now on" Rosalyn made her own promise.
"Urgh; that's the third time you've said that today" Carolyn sighed.
"Nope... fourth" Jacklyn corrected.
"It can't be fixed, but since it's in four pieces, I'll give each of you a piece" Hilda said handing each girl a piece of the stone.
"What's the use, its just a stone" Rosalyn said holding up her own piece.
"See it as a tie that binds us all together as one, no matter what happens, no matter the change".
"Is it some kind of protection, like the bead on our hairs...ouch" Jacklyn yelled as Carolyn pinched her lips, the bead was a sacred family protection, no one knew about it.
"It's getting late girls go to bed" Hilda said as she kissed each girl on her forehead.
The Next Day
Jacklyn's shrill cry woke the entire neighborhood, that morning she had caught Hilda trying to sneak away to the market without her.
"Easy Jacklyn! Mum's not going anywhere". Gwen said trying to calm her down.
"I saw her with a sack of corn, she is going to the market!" She cried.
"You again... someone can't even get some sleep" Rosalyn groaned sleepily as she emerged from her room rubbing her eyes.
"Even if mum goes out we're all here" Carolyn said.
"I could tell you stories" Gwen offered.
"I don't want your boring stories!" Jacklyn said crying,
"Hey!" Gwen felt a little offended.
Just then, Hilda walked in with the sack on her head.
"Mummy! Take me with you" Jacklyn said throwing up her hands in the air and widening her beautiful blue eyes.
"No Baby, maybe next time" Hilda pecked her tear stained face and walked out while Jacklyn sobbed.
Hours later Rosalyn paced up and down the house Gwen who was reading a book at a corner noticed her restlessness and smiled.
"Expecting someone" she asked an Rosalyn frowned, of course she was, her buddy Wilson promised to take her for the sword fight with a warrior... Gorthan a warrior who once fought with the Dale empire.
"It's Wil, who else?" Carolyn said dryly, he was her major accomplice. Jacklyn studied Rosalyn from a distance.
"Sword fight with.... Gorthan?" She said in surprise..."Mama's gonna kill you!" She gasped.
"And....wh...who told you that..." Rosalyn stammered nervously.
"I heard you and Wil" Jacklyn lied avoiding her gaze... Just then a knock was heard on the door.
"Come in Wil" Gwen said still engrossed in the book she held, a tall handsome brown haired boy dressed in rough clothes walked in nervously. He was an orphan adopted by Hilda's late father Twelve years ago when they found him almost lifeless as an infant but he lived with Hilda's mum who was old.
"Aren't you coming" he asked as he noticed Rosalyn wasn't dressed.
"It doesn't matter, I could borrow your clothes again" Rosalyn said in a hurry as she hid her sharp dagger in her pockets.
"I'm not covering up for anyone today!" Carolyn announced.
"I don't need your help, and you..." She turned to the surprised Jacklyn making a zipping sign across her lips before dashing out of the house with Wil trailing behind her.
Minutes later Gwen covered her books groaning.
'it's so boring in here' she thought.
Gwendolyn was a lover of nature, she felt so connected with nature but she couldn't feel nature inside the house.
What about the Meadows?, the perfect place to read, but the Meadows was so far, it was at the boundary between the Northern Moore and the Eastern Moore but it was the ideal place.
"Where do you think you're going?" Carolyn asked as she made to leave.
"Well ehmm, I'm not going far, just around somewhere reading" she lied.
"You're lying, you're going to the Meadows!" Jacklyn said and Gwen looked at her in shock.
"Did..I perhaps say that in my sleep" Wendy asked surprised
"No..." Jacklyn replied.
"Then how did you know that was my destination? Gwen asked still in shock.
"I don't know...." Jacklyn mumbled trying hard to avoid her gaze.
"You're becoming weirder day by day" Carolyn said.
"I won't be long but, I too want an explanation..." Gwen said leaving.
"Better be back early before Mum comes Home" Carolyn yelled through the window.
"I will" Gwen responded as she strutted towards the road.
Gwendolyn walked for hours till she got to the beautiful meadows. Singing nightingales and croaking frogs by the clear rushing streams made her so delighted, lots of primroses were in bloom she lay under a large tree shading from the scorching sun and soon fell asleep while reading her book.
Hours later She was awoken by a very strong smell SMOKE! she opened her eyes wildly shrieking in horror at the sight of the Meadows on fire. Still recovering from the sight she heard laughter nearby, she covered her nose, crept steadily and peeked behind a Bush and there a group of armed soldiers were chattering.
Gwen suspected them to be Dale soldiers, She was smart enough to recognize the Badge, The Badge of the soldiers who dragged her Dad away three years ago.
Why were they here? Then it occurred to her 'An Ambush!' was she too late...?'Oh no! What if everyone has left me" Her thoughts rushed in ... she needed to escape unnoticed, as she drew back, she stepped on a twig and it snapped drawing their attention to her.
"Hey what a pretty little girl!" One exclaimed.
"She'll make a fine price in the market" another suggested.
"Or perhaps a little wife" another teased while Gwen stood shaking in fear unable to move...these were the same soldiers that took her father away...'they mustn't know I'm a Frost she thought
" East or north" the one she perceived was the head Soldier asked.
"East" she lied whimpering drawing back then, she took to her heels running as fast as her little legs could carry her.
" Get her!" The head commanded and a soldier went after her.
Still running with all her might, she came across so many dead bodies, burnt houses... horrible sights that made her afraid....oh she shouldn't have left home!.
She didn't want to lead the soldier on her trail home but she had no choice. Dashing into the house she quickly bolted the door, to her dismay her sisters were all gone, the house was empty.
Then she sighted the window... Her only root to escape the soldier chasing her had got to her door and was trying to break it down. Drawing closer to the window, her eyes met an unforgivable sight...a dale boy in an amour with a sword pointed at two shivering girls she recognized as Carolyn and little Jacklyn. He looked rough but had a helmet on his head. He raised his sword up to strike.
"Noooo!" Gwen screamed as he struck little Jacklyn and she slumped onto Carolyn lifelessly. Gwen was helpless she watched in fear as he raised his sword up to strike but this time it was waged by a little dagger 'Rosalyn' she charged with anger fighting him ferociously but the boy was too skilled Rosalyn gave him a deep cut on his shoulder, he didn't move, no expression of pain as he raised his hands high and slashed her face with his sword, metal met flesh and Gwen watched Rosalyn bleed.
She hated herself for being weak she screamed in fear as the soldier broke down the door and carried her away as she struggled kicking her legs. The fate of her sisters lay in the hands of a blood thirsty kid soldier, that was the end....he fall of the Moore's, the fall of the Frosts