…Shortly after Gruff’s encounter with the Forest Witch…

- - -

Gold paced inside their cell. From the mystifying fissures on the stone ceiling as well as from the long corridors, cobwebs choked with dust swung back and forth like cold metal chains. Shouts flooded through the corridors as elementals, jail keepers, stable hands, and officials alike were forced to trade their tasks for a dark cell in the dungeon. Torches were constantly being extinguished by some and relit by others. The atmosphere of the Ordinary Brotherhood, in short, was one of fearful neglect and disorganization. 

Gold’s mind was drowning in confusion. Ever since Gerald, one of the elemental prisoners, had joined the Ordinary, things had turned upside down. For the first time, the Ordinary’s prisoners were vanishing like leaves blowing in the wind. Gold, the most secretive of all the Ordinaries, was suspected of being a spy (The Ordinary tended to jump to conclusions).

The fire elemental’s escape made it far worse, especially since shortly after, Gerald was revealed to be a spy (Gold had seen it coming). Everyone was thrown into one dizzying circle of people panicking, accusing, being accused themselves, imprisoning, and being imprisoned by turns as the blame hurtled from person to person. The Ordinary Brotherhood had always been slightly unstable, but Gold had never seen it like…this, until now. 

They had been one of the first victims during the chaos, not surprisingly.

Somehow they had been able to think during all the confusion, sorting out their options in their head. Escaping and being recaptured would only be humiliating, but there was also a chance that they would make it out since half of the guards who stood at the gates were in prison. Or, they could be released from prison by promising to make sure–somehow–that the queen never came back to Delfer again.

They’d chosen the second.

Naturally, they had been refused. The reasons? Nobody trusted them, nobody had gone out of the castle for fear of being attacked (all of the recruits who tried to join the Ordinaries were imprisoned, for fear they might be spies), if Gold couldn’t even successfully handle a fire elemental, how would they get rid of a queen, etc, etc.

But Gold wouldn’t take no for an answer. They knew that the Ordinary Brotherhood would quickly be overthrown because of the weakened state it was in. How much worse would things be, then, in the hands of new captors? They didn’t want to find out.

Over time, they had noticed that the partitions between each cell didn’t go all the way up to the ceiling, and that the ceiling was considerably easy to climb.

Gold studied the holds for a few more minutes, then leapt into action. The wall, it turned out, was more slippery than they had thought. 

  They tried again. The rock almost hooked into their palm and they winced, pressing hard against the sore spot. This cell had been proofed against elementals–specifically earth elementals, who were said to be excellent at climbing and could make rocks fall in an instant. Hence, the cell was purposely made so it was difficult to climb, and the first few holds could only be reached by jumping and grabbing, a task made more difficult because of the sharp edges.

But Gold wouldn’t give up.

This would have been a small detail had not Gold been imprisoned. Since they had been, they were…dangerous. Their thoughts were coated in thick anger that tried to drag them down, as well as bitter, consuming resentment at Gerald and the fire elemental, whom they believed had started the entire thing. They were also motivated by the hope that the Ordinary would appreciate it if their greatest threat–Queen Akhalia–was dead, and fear of failing. 

And when they finally escaped, their hands torn and bruised, they set out–straight for the Canderran palace.

The question was…would they succeed?

- - -

Apologies if this took a while and if I got carried away (it might be a little boring...), but I felt that the Ordinary Brotherhood needed more development and for some reason it sounded more grandiose than I intended. Also, based on what Amethyst said, the story is drawing to a close so I was just trying to create a little more tension and conflict. There hasn’t been that much that Crieff and Ardie have had to struggle with, and it felt too easy.

Tag: @Rora :D

Whoops, I forgot! Rora is on a hiatus, so I will tag Alex instead (I don't think they went yet this round).

I was in San Diego. I'll try to get the next part out soon.

Here's the list for this round:

Periwinkle

Rora

Tsuki the Skywolf

Alex - tagged? skipped? Who knows yet.

Poinsettia

Lyric

Hex

Artemis (she'll be taken off in the next list, as she's taking a hiatus)

Amethyst

So, as soon as Alex goes or is skipped, we can start a new round!

Could you please tag someone else? I think a new round can be started, unless Rora wants to try writing a part :)

could I maybe write the next part? I got a good idea for the story and I just kinda wanna write the next part… if it's okay with Lyric and Rora everyone else.

Like a sister?

Yeah. Right.

Akhalia sighed. She knew she was settling. Settling for less than she’d wanted. But what she wanted - it - well - the words couldn’t seem to come to her so easily, not the way they used to when the only person who’d ever made her feel seen was holding her hand and helping them escape - it had fallen apart. Everything she’d ever dared to love had fallen apart. First her parents. Then the kingdom, which was probably going to be attacked and destroyed by the Forest Witch. And Ardie - Ardie! If only she’d acted sooner, then maybe she could’ve - she should’ve -

Ardie. Ardie was never someone she’d loved like a sister. Or a best friend. Akhalia had always been treated like a princess. But Ardie -

Ardie was her queen. 

Still, now, Ardie was gone, and Akhalia’s kingdom was defenseless. So she’d settled. She’d settled for Xavier. 

Xavier was a witty, funny young man. He was sweet, and, in the time she’d gotten to know him, had become one of Akhalia’s best friends. But she didn’t want to get married to him. She had just needed an escape, something to cling to, a reason not to have to go back to the kingdom that she’d grown up in (the kingdom that was doomed because of her) and the girl she’d grown up with (the girl she longed for but could not have). 

“What’s wrong?” Xavier gave her a concerned look.

“It’s just - I -” How do you tell someone that they’re important to you and matter to you, but you just can’t love them back? But thinking of Ardie’s eyes brought a determination to Akhalia, a will to get the words out. “I don’t want to marry you!” She said. She shut her eyes, as though bracing for impact.

But all she heard was laughter. “That’s what you were worried about? Oh, good. I was worried about that too!” 

“Wait, what?” 

“I don’t want to marry you either! I love you, but just as a friend.” 

Relief washed over Akhalia. “So we don’t have to get married?” 

“Of course not,” he said. “I wish you’d told me earlier. I mean, it’s not like you’re not an amazing person or anything, but… Nobody really makes me feel that way.” He shrugged. “I don’t know why. For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with me. Maybe that’s why I got engaged to you. I think we were both just desperate to…”

“… Feel something?” Akhalia finished. 

Xavier nodded. “Yeah.” 

They smiled a bit at each other, and realized that they understood each other in a way nobody really could - they understood what it was like to be expected to be one way, forced to be one way, and then end up being the other. They understood what it was like to have the courage to be what they were and not what everyone told them to be.

Akhalia’s dog, Pippin appeared. “Pippin!” 

There was a brief, joyful reunion, but then Pippin delivered the news that, as Akhalia had predicted, the Forest Witch was making evil plans.

“I don't want to go back. I never enjoyed being a queen. I want to live here... With my ‘husband-to-be.’” She smirked and exchanged a glance with Xavier. “If only I knew where Ardie was…”

“Wait, who are those?” Xavier asked. Akhalia peered out the window and realized who it was.

“Ardie!” 

She ran, ran, ran, down the stairs, through the doors, and out to where Ardie and her companions stood.

“ARDIE!” 

Ardie looked up and saw Akhalia standing, arms outstretched.

“AKHALIA!”

They ran towards each other and embraced. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Ardie said, crying with joy.

“I’m glad you’re okay, too,” Akhalia answered. “I was so worried about you…”

Watching from afar, Crieff realized something. He realized, like a punch in the gut, that Ardie had never looked at him the way she looked at Akhalia. She didn’t feel for him what she claimed to. 

She wasn’t in love with him, whether or not she realized it yet.

Ardie was in love with Akhalia. 

***

Bet you didn't see that coming, huh? I really liked the idea of Akhalia and Ardie and I thought we'd been dropping hints about it (did I misinterpret said hints or…?), and I think seeing how Crieff will react to the realization that Ardie doesn't feel the same way about that will be really interesting… Love triangle!

Also, I intended for Xavier to be aromatic (maybe AroAce?) and implied that Akhalia was lesbian (and maybe demiromantic or something?). Akhalia could be bi or something though, I guess? Ardie definitely likes girls if she likes Akhalia (duh) but idk if she's lesbian or bi or whatever, it's up to you guys

And I hope this is okay! I just thought it would add some interesting parts that would be really cool to explore :D

Next up is @Hex!