by Billy Miner
I knew exactly what was going on. She had betrayed me. She put me to sleep with that tea and then got the guards to arrest me. I knew at that moment she didn’t have any relatives in the village. She was just sent there to spy on us. The king wanted to make sure everybody would obey his stupid rules.
“Traitor!” I yelled. “How could you do this to me? I trusted you?”
But she was already gone. I couldn’t believe I fell for her charming personality and then have her wrap me around her finger like that. I was so angry. I was furious! She was going to pay.
The guards took me away and brought me to the castle where the king resided. He was a pig… not literally… he was human of course, but he surely didn’t behave like one. His filthy bones and leftover food was all over the floor, and he was drinking wine when I was dragged before him. His red mantle was way too big for his figure, and his crown was halfway over his one ear. He had an enormous beard and interrupted his drinking with a piece of chicken he chewed on.
He looked at me.
“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded to know.
“Your highness,” one of the guards began. “This disobedient rebel has defied you. He must be punished.”
“Ah, one of those, huh?” the king said. “Remind me. What did we do with the last one?”
“We threw him in prison,” he answered.
“Fine. Uhm… let’s be creative here. Have him…”
I was getting a bit scared now. What if the king would have me executed right there and then? He had the power to do so, and I was certain he had already killed several citizens before me. My fate was in his hands, no matter how much I hated it. Why did he have to think so long? Why did he hesitate? Let’s just get this over with. It was driving me crazy.
“… banished. Yes, banish him forever from this country. That will teach him.”
Pfew. At least he didn’t say “executed” or something. The guards followed his orders immediately. They put a chain around my neck and carried me into one of their wagons. A strong horse pulled the wagon and led me out of the city, to an area I had never set foot in.
Entry 4: The Wilderness
We were far away now. It had been four days since I last saw the city. The landscape was deserted and it didn’t look like anyone would or could live here. There were some green hills we passed by, but the more we traveled, the dryer the climate became. Eventually, it looked like a bunch of rocks and desert plants. The occasional small tree gave me hope that there might be life here, but my future looked pretty dire at that moment.
They stopped and pulled me out of the wagon. Finally.
One of the men set me free and push-kicked me, so that I fell with my face on the sand.
“Good luck,” he said. Then he laughed out loud and got back into the wagon with the other men. They rode away immediately, and I was left alone.
I looked around me.
It was fairly empty. Not a soul to be seen.
I decided to walk back. This was it! I had had it. Women. Ugh… why did I trust that lovely lady? She was too good to be true. I should have seen it coming. Why was I such a blockhead?
Oh well. There was nothing I could do about it now. I had to get back to the city… set things straight, and show them not to mess with me or the people in this country. But the determination I had, did not suffice. I was tired and thirsty. The guard hadn’t withheld their water from me entirely, but it hadn’t been a real picnic either. I lacked sleep, food, and water. If only I could find a source…
I moved on and found some branches. I tried to break them, but they were somewhat sturdy. Perfect for a bow actually. After a few hours, I also found my way to the green hills and saw a little creek. As fast as my legs could carry me, I ran towards it and started drinking.
Aaaaah… that was delicious.
At least I had enough strength to keep going now. This gave me hope. I was going to survive, and I was going to avenge myself and get rid of that lazy, filthy king.
I knew I was going to do it, but I just didn’t know how.
It would soon become apparent though…
Entry 5: The League
I pressed forward, aware of the changing environment and relieved that it wasn’t as far as I thought it would be. I came close the forest, and that was the first step on my way back to the kingdom.
I was exhausted though, and I was looking for a place to spend the night. As I kept searching, I stepped into a trap.
Whooosh!
A rope had closed around my foot and had lifted me up in the air. Now I was dangling upside down, with one foot stuck in the loop the rope had formed, more than ten feet about the ground.
It didn’t take long before the ones who had set the trap arrived. They stared at me with big eyes, and one of them scratched his head.
“Look at that, Marty.”
“That’s weirdest elk I have ever seen. Hey, buddy! Hang in there. We’ll get you out of that thing.”
I didn’t respond. They looked at each other and one of them whispered something in the other’s ear. Then they cut the rope and I fell on the ground. After helping me up, the guy named Marty got in my face and yelled, “CAN YOU HEAR ME?!!!”
“Whoa, what are you doing?” I asked. “I am not deaf.”
“Oh, I thought you would be. You didn’t respond the first time we shouted.”
“I heard you, but I just didn’t know what to say.”
“Okay. Well, you look like you could use some food and rest. Would you like to stay in our town?”
“What is the name of your town?” I asked.
“It’s Tree Town. Not very original, I know. But basically, that’s what it is. Our homes are mostly built in trees.”
“Interesting,” I admitted. “I haven’t heard of your town before.”
“Ah, that’s just because we tried to avoid taxes. We never trusted the royal house in the first place, so we hid in the forest and we’re not on the map. By the way, I am Rusty.”
“The name is Wesley. Good to meet you.”
We headed towards their Tree Town, and passed several hills covered by trees, forming a thick, dark forest. It certainly looked like a good hideout, with all that shelter and all those hills. No wonder the king had never found this people.
I looked up and saw the tree houses. There were dozens of them. The curious workmanship of the floors, walls, and roofs were most impressive. They used leafs, wooden boards, and even some metal. Many eyes were staring at me as I walked into their territory. Men, women, and children came to watch their visitor. I smiled to some of them, and several kids shyly hid behind their mothers.
The leader of the Tree Town stepped forward.
“Who is this?” he asked.
“This is Wesley. We found him in the forest,” Rusty said.
“Yep. No moose this time. Bummer,” Marty added.
“And what are you doing so far off the beaten path, Wesley?” the leader asked.
“I was banished from the country.”
He smirked. “What did you do?” he asked.
“I stood up to the king’s messenger. The old king has been murdered, and he has been replaced by some slob named Bartholomeus. I had the pathetic privilege of meeting his monster, and he is nothing but trouble. I was banished because I defied his ridiculous new tax laws, and I am on my way back to avenge myself.”
“How are you going to do that?” the leader asked suspiciously.
“Well, I was wondering if you could help me.”
“Ha-ha-ha-ha!” the leader laughed. “And why do you think we would risk our lives to help you out?”
“Sooner or later, the king will find you,” I began. “He will enforce his taxes on you, or worse, destroy your little tree village. Do you really think you can hide from him?”
“It has worked so far. Why would it change?” the leader asked.
“Haven’t you heard?” I asked. “The new king has sent scouts all over the country to discover who is trying
to evade taxes. They will start looking here soon, and when they do, you better be ready for them.”
Of course I was bluffing, but they didn’t know that. It seemed to be working, because he rubbed his chin and looked a lot more serious all of a sudden. After being in thought for a few seconds, he turned to a few men behind him and told them they would discuss it. I watched them walk away and have a little meeting in one of their homes.
I hoped for the best. If I could get them on my side, I would certainly be able to get to the king and get rid of him.
Time would tell…
They came back. Their leader introduced themselves and told me about their plan.
“We will help you,” he said. “But only if we do it our way.”
“Okay, I am listening. What’s your way?”
He explained it to me. It was obvious that they didn’t want any big confrontations, especially not in the big city. Their way was sneakier and more secrete. It sounded better than what I had in mind, so I went along with their plan. It was going to happen the next day, or the next night actually. We were going to strike fast and hard, but in secret nonetheless.
I slept well that night. I mean, what would you expect after such a long day? They also fed me and took care of me. Their hospitality was beyond my expectations. But the next day was going to be tough, and I knew it.
We were preparing ourselves by collecting weapons, practicing archery, and putting on our masks and dark clothes. We were going to be assassins. It needed to be done.
Entry 6: Return to the Homeland
That evening, we entered the city. We passed by the guards easily, pretending to be some vendors with certain goods and merchandise. They didn’t even check when we pulled in a wagon with pieces of wood and some axes. They simply believed us.
Good.
We put on our hoods and masks in a dark alley, making sure we wouldn’t be recognized. There were ten of us, and we were on a mission. We would all split up and find the king. And when we would find him, we would assassinate him.
“You go over here,” the leader said. “I will go there. You, you, and you… spread out quickly. Let’s kill this fat dictator.”
We each went separate ways.
I snuck into the backside of the castle. It took me a little climbing and some effort to pull myself up and get over the edge of the tall wall, but once I got there, I had a great overview of the whole place. The castle had four towers, each on a different corner. My gut instinct told me to look at them for a few minutes and analyze which one would be most likely to contain the king’s sleeping quarters.
I chose. I went to the west tower. It had more ornaments and more guards, a predictable combination that showed how much they valued that tower. I came closer and closer. Nobody saw me. My dark clothes and mask protected me from their sights. There was a ladder, a very steep one. I didn’t think the king would climb this ladder each time he would retire to his room, but perhaps it would help me find a detour and end up in the same place.
I waited.
I saw a guard walk by, so I hid behind one of the walls. He walked by. His footsteps became louder. I held my breath.
“Hey, Magnus. Have you seen any intruders? I think there may be someone here, but I don’t have anything to prove it.”
“Oh, just leave it alone,” the other guard said.
“But what if someone is here?”
“Then just sound the alarm as soon as you see them. I don’t want any disturbances unless you have evidence.”
“Fine,” he grumbled.
He kept walking. I am glad he didn’t hear me, because I had dropped one of my arrows while he was discussing his senses with the other guard. I slowly picked it up and put it where it belonged. Then I climbed up the ladder.
When I was in the top part of the tower, I found a hatch. I lifted the lid and climbed down the ladder.
There I was: In the king’s bedroom.
I looked at the bed, but there was nobody there. Wasn’t the king supposed to sleep here?
“Nice job,” I heard from a shady corner of the room. The king stepped forward and was clapping as he moved towards me.
I immediately bent my bow and aimed at the evil dictator.
“Hold on,” he said. “I am not as bad as you think. What do you think these people need? A strong fist. A ruler. Someone who tells them what to do. They don’t want freedom; they want guidance. So spare yourself the melodramatic ethics you are fighting for and help these people by letting them have a powerful man who leads them to success?”
“You’re full of nonsense,” I said.
“It’s just a matter of perspective,” the king said.
“I am not here to listen to your speech,” I added.
“But you know I am right.”
He smirked and kept silent. He knew he wasn’t going to convince me. Then he yelled as loudly as he could, “Guards! Seize this man!”
With that, I let go of my arrow. I shot the king! It pierced him through the heart. This lazy, arrogant tyrant wasn’t going to harm anyone anymore. I made sure of that. He died instantly, an almost painless death. But unfortunately, I had to get out of there fast, or I suffer the same fate.
I leaped up the ladder and looked at the yelling guards on the castle walls. They were everywhere. I looked down. It was steep, at least a few hundred feet high. There was no way I would jump into a haystack or a mote from there. Too high.
But I had a great overview of what was happening, so I observed their movements and took my chances. I went descended to the castle wall, the same shady corner where I had hid before.
Suddenly, I heard a sound.
“Pssst… Wesley. Over here.”
It was Isabella!
Entry 7: Escape
I couldn’t believe it. What was Isabella doing in the castle? That treacherous wench! How dare she talk to me again? I aimed my bow and arrow at her and was ready to shoot.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now,” I said.
“Please,” she begged. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“You couldn’t choose to not have me banished or maybe even executed? Am I supposed to buy that? Why should I trust you?”
“They threatened me,” she began. “My husband was imprisoned. They demanded that I would spy on the villages, wherever the messenger went. All I had to do, was play along and inform the king of traitors or disobedient citizens.”
I lowered my bow and arrow. “Is your husband still imprisoned?” I asked.
“No, they let him go. But the king wanted me to stick around. I don’t know why, but that’s the reason I am still in the castle. Please, you have to believe me.”
Her story seemed somewhat plausible, and my aggression had become less. I decided to believe her. If she was still lying, she would only have to face her own guilty conscience. If she told the truth, she was just as much a victim of the tyranny as I was. But maybe she could help me. Maybe she could lead me out of the castle.
“Get me out of here and I will let you off the hook,” I said.
She thought for a moment and said, “All right. I think I know a secret passage. Follow me.”
I stayed alert. What if she would lead me into the hands of the guards? I still didn’t trust this woman, but I figured she was the only way to escape. She led me into a small door, where we had to duck. This made me feel more comfortable, because it really did look like a secret passage. We went down a narrow hallway with a winding staircase, all the way to the bottom. I think we even went below the main floor. When she opened the little door below, I noticed I was right. It was the cellar. Bottles of wine, juice, and other drinks were carefully displayed in cabinets, and barrels with water were stored into the corners.
“Where to now?” I asked.
“This way.”
When we opened another door, she pointed the way out. There was a long, dark tunnel that led outside. I could see the shadows of the trees and the shiny moon through them
.
“Go,” she said. “If the king finds out I helped you, he will murder me.”
“I doubt it,” I said. “I just put an arrow through his chest.”
“Either way, I still think it would be better if I stay here for now.”
“Makes sense. Perhaps we will meet again. Thank you for helping me instead of betraying me.”
She was silent and waved at me. I looked back for a second and then moved forward. I ran as fast as I could towards the woods, where I would be safe.
Entry 8: Peace
The king was dead. Commotion was the result. I went back to the place we had agreed to meet. There I saw the team of assassins from the Tree Town. They had heard the news. The guards had been shouting it for hours. The announcement that the king was dead spread like wildfire.
I went back to the Tree Town with them and celebrated. Occasionally, one of us would go back to the city to find out which political changes had been made. When the new leader was chosen and the country’s policies appeared to be pure again, I returned to my home village within a day or two.
I went inside my house. It smelled delicious. What could that be?
“Hello there,” I heard a voice say.
I peeked around the corner of my kitchen.
“Jack!” I said. “I am glad to see you. Is everything all right?”
“Of course,” he said. “Apparently, somebody killed the king. The new king has pulled back all the high tax rates and the oppressing rules. He rules the country in righteousness. It’s been wonderful.”
“Oh,” I said innocently. “I am happy to hear that. I was on a long journey. Don’t ask me where, but it’s good to know that everything in this country has turned back to normal.”
“Exactly.”
“So what are you making?” I asked.
“Well, I saw you coming when you came down the mountain and decided to cook you a little welcoming meal. It’s the bear you shot, remember?”
I had totally forgotten about that, but now that he mentioned it, I was eager to eat some of that barbecued meat.