My Idea Box

ORIGINAL IDEA: The Ebon Crown

I could only let out a sigh as I leaned against the window in my bed chambers. The sun's light passed through the window and hit my body, touching black, and my tan skin. My mind drifted as my hazel eyes stared at three rings that made up Idris' capital of Castella.

The buildings within the Outer Ring were small, yet housed many of the poor and lower classes. Their homes were in terrible condition, made from mud bricks that suffered damage from rain and hail. Crime was well known to happen, as many people were murdered, raped, or mugged of their belongings, so others could make a living.

As for the Mid Ring, the merchants and scholars lived in houses of better quality, made from bricks of cement. There were a few schools to give their children enough education to become like their parents. Still, they were not completely safe from the threat of poverty as merchants had been known to lose their business, and some schools have lost funding due to ridiculous taxes.

Then, there is the Central Ring, where nobles and the royal reside in, including myself and my family that made up the noble House of Kronal. Here were lived in luxury, housed by large mansions protected by the king's guards. The homes of the nobles surrounded the large palace of the Lindrans. The streets were cleaned by the servants of each house. Still, there were a few beggars hanging around the small corners of the Central Ring.

"Taral!" a familiar feminine voice called out to me from the halls of my family's home.

I turned head around from the window towards the door, catching a glimpse of the red mattress of my bed. I saw the wooden door swing open, revealing a woman in her fifties, whose skin tone was the same as mine, but her long hair was dark brown, not black. I did get her hazel eyes, but not her sense of fashion for she wore a bright green dress with golden threads on the sleeves and skirt. Despite how annoying she could be, I had to live with the fact that she was my mother.

"Taral, we need to hurry!" my mother chastised as she rushed into my room. "The party will start soon!"

I tried my best not to roll my eyes, remembering what this part was exactly. The king was promoting my oldest brother, Bale, to the position of royal guard. Since it was supposed to be a momentous occasion, the king was going to throw a party to honor my brother.

Parties were a common thing with the king. So common in fact, that it became quite ridiculous. He even threw a party for his pet cat, one time! Still, there was nothing I could do except go for the party, since my family and I were the guests of honor to this particular event.

"Yes mother," I said in a restrained voice as I headed towards the door.

However, my mother got in front of me, blocking by exit. "Wait!" she told me in her motherly tone. "You're not going dressed like that!"

I looked down at myself to see what my mother was talking about. I wore a simple green shirt and black pants with a white sash around my waist. Knowing my mother, she cared about my brothers and I wearing the best clothes at all times to show off to the other nobles.

Raising my head back to my mother, I told her, "Alright, I will wear something else."

With that said, I turned around to get some fresh clothes, while mymother finally left my chambers.

-----

I found myself standing at the front iron gates of the Lindran royal palace, placed within the center of Castella. The green shirt and black pants was replaced with my family colors of the dark red shirt and white pants. Placed over it was a black robe with red threads on the edges. My black, leather shoes touched the red carpet that was laid out on top of the streets made from white stone.