Sanara looked down in shame; intricate leather shoes filled her field of vision. She reached for Faust, her little feline companion that had somehow wandered into this imposing man's arms, as she finally looked up.
"I'm so sorry Your Majesty, I--,"...
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Her skirt blew along with the lavender-scented winds as she made her way down the cobblestone path. The small bells of her anklet chimed with each step. The basket balanced against her waist rubbed against the sliver of skin exposed between the end of her blouse and the waistband of her skirt. She winced as the decorative chain secured there dug into her skin.
She stopped briefly to readjust the basket which kept slipping down and ran her hand through her long black hair that was displaced with the wind.
A cheerful melody spilled from her full lips as she passed various merchants lining the streets. Her hips swayed with each step.
Townspeople bartered and eyed the goods on display, eager for a good deal. She continued past them, gracefully maneuvering through the throngs of mostly women and children and the occasional pup that had escaped the governance of its parents.
Dozen apples for a silver! Freshly harvested today! At the peak of their season!
New cloth's from abroad. Have them stitched with us for a discount! You won't find fabric like these anywhere else! Get them before they're gone!
You look like you need some guidance; come have your fortune told! The spirits led you here today for a reason!
The woman avoided eye contact with the various sellers offering their services and continued forward with her chin held high. She had missed the town. She missed the hustle and bustle. She missed the gardens.
She breathed in the salty ocean air, which became more and more overpowered by the scent of flowers as she approached her destination.
The King's gardens were open for all to visit and take mementos from. His sister, the princess, loved all flora, especially flowers. The garden was her pride. Any time she had time free from the country's matters she spent it outdoors tending to her plants. The kingdom made sure that the garden thrived in her memory. She had passed several years ago during the same plague that took my parents. Princess Anya was well-loved by the people. The palace was even renamed after her.
Even though the youth of the country have never laid eyes upon her person, the elders had. They sang her praises-- touting that she was the reason for the glory of the kingdom today, for the harmony between werewolves and all other creatures. The king maintained the peace but she was the one to introduce the idea to begin with and her brother convinced the figureheads of the other species. The elders knew what life was like before; they knew how precious and important this peace was. They remembered what life was like before the Great Union.
Their eyes would glaze over as if reliving a nightmare. Their voices dropped to whispers as they recalled the fear of fending for their lives. They spoke of attacks in the dead of night. Endless war. Rations. Droughts. Famine. The normalcy of the deaths and disappearances of loved ones. They cherished the changes in our society the most. For the rest of the living generations were fortunate enough to have been born during the era of New Tidings. An era free of the horrors of war.
