Work Text:
Prologue
After the events of The Grimland Explosion our bodies disappeared leaving our souls all alone. The world began to change. Thousands of years later new species lived through the land. Our souls joined into the bodies of some creating our new selves. We only knew our name though, we knew not who our friends…lovers…families were. Our memories disappeared into dreams…we were alone.
All alone.
But where darkness lived…
There’s light.
——
“Milady…we have found a new flower!”
Princess Katherine of The Flores smiled at the messenger’s words. She bowed her head in gratefulness. “That is very well. Thank you Daisy. Bring it to me so we can name it.” She said kindly.
“Of course your majesty!” The sweet maid bowed and gently walked to the throne. There she carefully laid the soft flower into Katherine’s hand. Curtsying, the maid left to her original stand. Katherine then went on with the process.
She looked carefully at the flower, it seemed to be golden with a sun like middle. It had six soft, petals that surrounded the entire flower. “Oh how beautiful…” She sighed. It truly was wonderful. It made Daisy smile. “Very well milady, what do you wish to call it?”
Think for a minute Katherine spoke. “We shall call it Narcissus, for it appears numb but beautiful.” She explained.
“Very well, thank you any dear princess…” The maid then retreated and left the throne room. Katherine smiled at the flower, she then dropped it over to the side and looked at it.
“Welcome to Flores little guy…your going to love it here!” She cried happily.
Minutes later the princess stood by her balcony with the flower freshly potted and looked at her work. Children played by the great river that the city rested on. They dared not touch the water for Florans could not be fully engulfed in water or they would become weak. Lumberjacks were seen chopping oak trees down and gardeners quickly replanting the trees. Shepherdesses were seen with sheep caring for their herds. It was beautiful.
Just like Katherine. She had long, dark brunette hair styled with a flowery crown of allamandas and camellias. It made her look absolutely stunning. Her glittery eyes were gray with hints of browns…greens…blues…and so many more. Katherine wore a light pink ruffled dress with bows and flowers surrounding it. The neck was a sweetheart and had white trim on the outside of the cut. She wore a pale pink shawl around her shoulders hiding them. A necklace with a golden rose laid on her chest. It radiantly shone making her even more stunning.
Like some people in the world, Katherine had the ability to do amazing things with her originis-as it is called. She could grow plants simply by singing any song as long as she had the energy to do so. Katherine’s body was delicate being only able to stomach honey and stay clear of water like her people. Fire also hurt her far more than normal beings making it nearly impossible to go near any flame.
Katherine had no memory of the day she became princess of the Florans. According to the Archives Of The Flowers, she was found unconscious in a field of flowers by a gardener. She was brought to the counsel who was still mourning the death of their queen. According to legend, whoever wore the necklace of Obliti Amantes was to become the heir to the throne. Katherine surprisingly held the jewelry on her neck. Meaning….
She was a princess wether she knew it or not.
No one had any idea where she was from. Katherine most definitely didn’t. But she certainly didn’t want to be alone in a unknown land so she stayed. It was the only way. The Florans found it odd that she had a originis. No one truly knew what it was but only thirteen people of the world had originis. Legend had it that three souls of the thirteen’s spirits faded away destroying them. But that was just that…a legend.
Katherine had been princess since she was seventeen. That was around a year ago with her birthday coming up. No one knew her actual birthday, but florans were only born in the spring so they celebrated her birth on the twenty first of April.
Katherine noticed a dying dandelion drying out on the railing of the balcony. Biting her lip she quickly scooped up the flower and touched it gently with her finger. “Hello dear soul…who has ever done this to you?” She started. She never understood the Florans and the way they shoveled up the weeds in the ground and threw them away. To her it was cruel and inhumane. She would sneak whatever weed she could find and would give it a true home.
She quickly placed the flower into a nearby abandoned pot and threw some dirt around it. Seeing that the weed wasn’t going to make it, Katherine swallowed and began to sing.
“Flos, fulgens et rutilans
Tuae virtutes luceant
Fac horologium contra
Reduc quod olim fuit meum
Sana quod est malum
Mutato fatorum consilio
Serva quod perierat
Reduc quod olim fuit meum
Quod olim fuit meum…”
The weed began to glow and began to heal its self. Instead of a disgusting weed, it turned itself into a beautiful pink rose. It’s radiant beauty was ever so special. Katherine thought she had never seen one like it before. She kissed one of its petals and gently placed the golden pot by her bed. She suddenly felt tired after using her abilities. She quickly ran her hand into her nightstand by her bed and pulled out a container of honey. She quickly drank it fixing her tiredness. As long as she didn’t do any large amounts of life she would be fine. Any more an she would become sick.
Thankfully that never had happened to her before.
————-
A yell filled the night awaking the princess from her beloved slumber. Katherine awoke with a start. She sat up in her bed and quickly darted her eyes around. She was startled by what sounded like screams. Whatever it was…she didn’t like it. She quickly went to her balcony where she saw her guards holding back a person. She couldn’t tell who it was but being that her soldiers clearly did not like then meant that it must be a intruder.
Quickly dressing Katherine threw on a simple white dress with a flowery pattern dancing across the fabric. She then placed her crystal heels in and was startled by a sudden entering person.
“I…I am sorry milady…but there is a intruder…” It appeared to be a young soldier who then noticed that the princess was already dressed. “Tell me…who is it…?” Katherine asked as they ran down the stairs a few moments later. The soldier shrugged. “I do not know your majesty. No one has ever seen the beings before…they appear hostile.”
Katherine stopped by the door they led to the outside where the intruders were. “Hostile…? What kind of weapons did they bring?” She asked concerned.
“Oh…enchanted bows and iron axes…milady…they were well beyond our ability of technology…we were able to stop the attack because of the element of surprise. We have no clue where they come from. Their clearly strangers from other land.
Katherine bit her lip. Then she breathe and opened the door. The darkness mixed with the light of torches blinded her sight for a moment. Her eyes adjusted to see her guards surrounding a group of men truly unlike any she had ever seen.
Hoards of grayish bald men with enormous noses and terrifying green eyes that looked as if they could kill with a single glance. They were tall and had broad shoulders making them appear ten times Katherine’s height. Their brows were thick and jet black making them even more intimating. They wore
iron armor making them even more powerful. They had not bows like the soldier had said but crossbows making far more ready for battle.
Katherine kept her head high. After all, the weapons were taken away from the intruders. She then noticed the one in the middle. Two guards held the man tightly. Even though he had appeared far smaller than the other men he seemed much like the leader. He was clearly young, probably near Katherine’s age.
His hair was unlike any of the others for he had a head full of ruffled ginger hair wearing a blue cloak with golden stars splattered across it. He wore a long midnight blue robe that reached his feet. She could see that he wore charcoal colored pants underneath the robe and had black boots that stopped at his knees. She then noticed that he had fingerless, brown, leather gloves clenched in a fist.
The man’s face was one that surprised Katherine. He had deep purple eyes that reminded her of amethyst crystals and two blue painted triangles underneath his eyes. Katherine noticed that he had a quiver on his back where he housed his bow before the guards had taken it away from him. A brown belt covered his small waistline and had pockets for daggers and other weapons.
Katherine noticed that though the man’s face was clearly angry that it was very handsome. He had specks of red stubble and freckles across his somewhat chubby cheeks creating a sweet childlike innocence radiating across his face. Katherine couldn’t help but smile at the man. Despite clearly being a adult he looked simply like a boy.
“May I ask who comes to my peaceful kingdom?” Katherine said folding her hands to her back. She walked to the man and bent over. Wether she meant it as a insult or what the man never knew.
“We were simply trying to go over the mountain…” The man insisted. Katherine noticed how odd his voice seemed. It appeared to have a slight accent. Judging by the other men she guessed that he wasn’t from around the area and had spoke multiple languages.
“What is your name…?”
“Hah…why should I tell you?” He smirked.
Katherine swallowed steadying herself. “You are under my mercy. I could end you right now if I wanted to.”
“…Fine it doesn’t matter anyway…Its Fwhip…” The man said not chancing it.
“Good…and what is your peoples’ name…?”
He looked at her and shook his head.
“We are the Illagers…” He said as if surprised that she had never heard of them.
Hesitating she then spoke.
“Right…then may I ask why you come here at dead hour with twenty men with weapons may I remind you and seemly snuck up on my people? Explain please.” Katherine commanded trying to sound a bit meaner than she actually was.
Fwhip just snickered. “Ah dear queen. Do you not wish for us to protect ourselves from vicious people such as the ones who have taken us prisoner now!” He spat.
Katherine wiped the spit off her face and furrowed her brows. “What do you want from us?” The man shrugged. “We thought the place empty is all. We simply just wished to sleep.”
“Why didn’t you stay in the city then. Most people don’t wish to sleep in a palace.” Katherine cocked a brow. “Now as ruler of the Floran Kingdom, I ask once more…what do you want from my people…”
Fwhip laughed and shook his head. “Is that so? You look less like a queen and more like a damsel in distress.” He mocked ignoring her commanded.
Feeling anger fill her throat Kathrine stood up and glared at him. “We shall see who calls who who…lock him and his men up. We shall deal with these suspects in the morning. Make sure to double this one’s chains…we need not trouble in our kingdom…
As Fwhip is being taken away he brushed up against Katherine surprising her. Looking back at her he sneers.
“Watch out where you step…oh Guardian of Flowers…or you may wake up to find your empire in destruction…”
Katherine’s eyes glitter in fright as something fills her mind.
“Katherine….”
“Fwhip…please…don’t…leave me…”
“I’m sorry…”
“Your majesty…are you alright…?”
Katherine blinks as she comes to in seconds. She stares back at the red head and her eyes widened.
“No…no I’m not…”
————
“It’s a trade!”
Villager Gem was happily accepting a deal from one of her friends who was visiting her village. Her friend laughed and tilted his head. They were trading a few books about enchanting for some exotic wood. They were in the North Village on the east side of the world. Like Katherine, Gem too had awoken remembering nothing of her past. All she knew was that when she had found the North Village she was very surprised. Unlike it being the nice little town it was today it had fallen in disaster. Illager outbreaks consumed the village almost weekly to the point the villagers had nearly given up. It had taken Gem quite a while to get the village into okay position.
The main reason the whole place was constantly being destroyed was because of the cumbersome illager- Fwhip. Better known to the villagers as Bråkmakare. Gem had to deal with the kid all the time. They were-or what everyone assumed were the same age. Both looked alike. But boy were they different.
Gem was the good girl who always did the right thing no matter what. While Fwhip…well…Fwhip wasn’t necessarily bad…but he wasn’t necessarily good either. The main reason why the villagers hated him was because he was the reason why the they were constantly being attacked. No one knew how but Fwhip was able to convince the South Village to attack Gem’s beautiful town but he did. But...Fwhip wasn’t a villager or a illager. He was full on human just like Gem. But somehow he did all of this…
And another thing about the two was that…They both were two of the thirteen originis. Gem was the only known human being that was loved by the villagers to the point that they gave her free stuff and she could sense when there was evil lurking around. It made her valuable to the villagers and to herself.
Fwhip on the other hand…he was a bit dangerous…
Whenever he wanted he could turn invisible so no one could see him. He did it out of nothing. He had the best archery skills that the known world had ever seen. It was a dangerous combination…
“Thank you Gem so much! Enjoy the wood!” Her friend Jimmy smiled helping place the wood in a shed. Jimmy was a also a originis. He was a thornling. One could not punch him or the pain bouncing off of him to them. It was a dangerous ability. It was one of the only things he could do. But that was that.
“Your welcome Jimmy.” Gem smiled. She had long ginger hair wrapped together in two braids with little leather made bands holding them in place at the bottom. Her eyes were a bright green color matching her outfit. She wore a long, brown apron over her body to keep the dust and other disgusting elements off of her. Underneath that she had a bright green dress with purple bows on the top and sides. Her skin was pale despite constantly being hard at work in the sun. Her body was tiny and short but she was a beautiful young woman.
Jimmy on the other hand was a short and small. He had simple blonde hair with pale blue eyes. His skin was slightly darker than Gem’s. He wore a purple and black robe and it’s accents of amethyst crystals throughout it. He had knee high boots and long black gloves.
They were shaking hands when a yell screams out. Quickly running the walls of the village they see Fwhip and his band of illagers running towards the west. Unlike most of the time when he would go to their village.
“Oh my gosh not again…” She muttered. She was more annoyed than frightened. “How many times is it this week…?” Jimmy asked looking at the band who took no notice at the illagers. “Like the third time…but…Fwhip-he’s never gone that way before…” She studied her enemy.
Jimmy tilted his head. “He’s not attacking the village it seems.”
She nodded. Of course he wasn’t. That was what was scaring her. She was nervous that Fwhip was heading towards the west. There was no known civilizations around that area. It led towards the sea. “What is he doing…?”
“Does it matter?” Jimmy asked stupidly. Gem shrugged and pulled out her Spyglass. She then zoomed into Fwhip who was in his boat now with the same mischievous face he always had she then looked to the side of him and saw something in the distance. “Hell…that kid may be super hyper and childish but he’s a smart one…look over there…” She gave Jimmy the spyglass and he looked over where she had looked. He saw the boat and the illagers but then he saw the west land that had always appeared inhabited but there were torches and buildings.
“What the hell?” He muttered. “Why is there buildings and stuff over there!” He pointed in the direction. Gem shrugged. “I don’t know. The last time we looked over there it was…empty.”
“And when was that.”
“Almost a year ago…we-we’ve been so busy with the constant pillaging…we never thought there would be civilizations…”
Jimmy shook head head. Gem was usually smart. He couldn’t help but find her excuse terrible. If anyone was to keep constant eye on the lands it was Gem. He didn’t want to start more drama so he decided just to drop it.
“What do you think he’ll do.” Jimmy asked. Gem sighed and shook her head. “He’s going to try taking the land. He must be scouting out. That’s why he didn’t take more men. “Oh my gosh…” Jimmy furrowed his brows. “What are you going to do?” He asked. Gem looked at her friend and wrapped her arms around each other. “If he doesn’t return than I shall go there myself and see what’s going on. If he does than…my gosh we better hope he find the lands unsuitable…”
Jimmy widened his eyes. “Joy.” He said sarcastically. Gem snorted. “Indeed.”