Work Text:
passing (noun): (1) the passage of something, especially time. (2) the end of something.
The kingdom’s walls stood as an impassable barrier for nearly 1,000 years. And then, little by little, they were dismantled.
The process started shortly after the Director’s rampage. After the royals, nobles, and knights had argued about politics for a long while, a number of city planners and civil servants were consulted on the remains of the wall. In the end, that section was rebuilt into an imposing gate. In time, it would be called the Gate to Reformation.
It would be the first of many.
For centuries, the kingdom had been struggling with limited space as the population grew and grew with each passing year. Now there was the added complication of an influx of travelers and commerce. It was only logical to start expanding outwards.
Farms and trading markets were the first to be constructed outside the wall. These quickly became farming communities and trading centers with loud bustling markets. Ordinary families started moving outside the wall too, desiring more space than a cramped city apartment. Before long, entire neighborhoods were being built. This is how it became that, ten years after Reformation Gate’s construction, the entire Northwest section of the wall was carefully dismantled in order to join the Daffodil and Clover neighborhoods.
And down and down and down the wall came.
The remaining sections of the wall evolved as well. Shortly after Reformation Gate’s construction plans were made for a number of parks along the perimeter. A year later an astronomy center was built on top of the wall. Then two years after that an ambitious architect and engineer partnered to construct the wall into supports for an apartment complex.
Public consciousness began to ease away from paranoia and towards innovation and creativity. Along one portion of the wall, a luxury resort was constructed, on another a vertical theme park, and on even another the tallest climbing center in the city.
In time, nearly half of the original walls would be dismantled to make way for the expanding kingdom. The other half would be reconstructed for entertainment, public housing, and research purposes.
Nimona was currently high in the sky, flying over the outlying kingdom settlements which dotted the lush green grassland.
Over the years, the people have grown accustomed to her presence. So no one paid her any mind as she flew towards Reformation Gate.
She landed in a park situated at the outer perimeter of the wall. Nimona closed her eyes and felt the sun against her skin. This park was well beloved in the neighborhood for a number of reasons. Next door was a local grade school, so after the school day finished, it was common to see multiple young children running around. In addition, a cat sanctuary lay just beyond a row of trees. But most notably of all was an old wooden cottage in the very center. Nimona looked longingly towards it, but did not head in that direction.
Instead she walked towards the back of the park. This portion of the grounds rested directly against the original kingdom wall. Here, under a towering tree, was a metal bench that shone brightly under the sun, so elaborately adorned with intricate welded custom designs.
A child, no older than seven, had followed her. He raised his big brown eyes to the golden plaque that rested against the old wall.
“Ballister Boldheart and Ambrosius Goldenloin?” he sounded out. “Who were they?”
Nimona smiled sadly.
The nobles and former knights had tried to convince them to construct large statues to commemorate their accomplishments. However, Ballister and Ambrosius had always refused. It would have been counterintuitive, they said, that in dismantling one idol they were to create another. This little plaque remained one of the only public displays of their legacy.
“Friends,” Nimona answered. “They were my friends.”