Thread: Make It or Break It (Itachi | celestine)

She'd long since found herself immersed in the world around her, but Serenity was continually being shocked by the events that she witnessed firsthand. People were starving ... not just suffering, but dying because of the way her father was ruling. Simply introducing herself as a traveler from a foreign country had her welcomed easily enough - fortunately, no one recognized her because of her father's zealous need to keep her hidden from all but himself and a select few servants... Admittedly, she sometimes would sneak out of the halls she was allowed to wander through which had likely led to some ghost haunting stories, but nonetheless, she'd ventured out from time to time. She was obedient, but not stupid, but somehow, faced with the true extent of what her father had kept hidden from her, she couldn't but feel that she was, perhaps, stupid. How else could she have been kept hidden from the face of so much suffering? After the first few days, she'd been able to slowly amass an image of how her people viewed her father. He was, without a doubt, a tyrant. She'd been horrified to learn it, but had been forced to accept it. She spent her money carefully, purchasing food and drink and shelter only when she needed it, but with the way these people were forced to live, it was no surprise to her that the prices had been driven up because of the way that the economy suffered and they all hungered for food and life. As a result, she'd decided she'd seek work. She did not yet want to part with the precious stones because each, despite its worth, also held sentimental value to her... And somehow, she understood that in a place ravaged by hunger, those that traveled would undoubtedly be threatened by bandits, many of whom drew their numbers from the poor... and yet fed on the slightly less poor. It was a cycle bound to strengthen the numbers of the bandits and weaken the number of those that could be preyed upon... And the richer the merchants were, the more mercenaries and guards they hired. It hurt her heart to think about all the pain and suffering, but she could not help but feel that she must do something... No, as she'd heard of a caravan of merchants that traveled and distributed discounts, charity, and even weapons to those that could not afford them to protect themselves, she'd gained hope. There was a group that still believed that her countrymen could be saved - and she would join their number to seek their advice and aid. It was well over three weeks when she began to get closer. She'd begun tracking them through rumors and whispers from the lower classes. The higher she'd seeked, the less she'd found, and so she knew to dig low... Now, though, her chase had her following on foot after freeing the castle's horse to return to its stable at home. She'd considered purchasing a horse, but had decided against it upon realizing that while it would make travel easier, it would make accommodating more difficult. And chances were, she'd be more likely to be robbed. Those with horses had the money to care for them, and money was the equivalent of food here in the city. Despite the many troubles she'd come across - her father had not yet called for her return publicly that she'd heard of - but he had begun to increase the taxes on the lower class, this time at an apparently ridiculous rate... or so she heard. Yet these thoughts would soon be behind her. She watched as one of the guards at the border post of the city followed after a caravan, leaving with an object - one that, as she drew closer - she saw the man strap to his waist. It was a sword. Serenity's eyes narrowed. A city guard had just taken a sword from a caravan... Knowing full well the dangers of the road. So not only did her people suffer, but now they suffered under tyrants lower than even her father - in the form of brutes and curs that thought only of their own bellies and greed. These were the men that made her country suffer further... And it was men such as this that she felt her country did not need. Disgusted, Serenity turned into her surroundings, keeping an eye on the man. Stepping into a dark alley, she watched her surroundings. Confident no one was watching her, she quickly strung her bow. She checked the alley for escape routes and then took her shot. He was the only guard at that particular post and he'd been greedy. The loss of one such as him would not do much, especially when it would help free the city of a cruel man. Carefully, she drew an arrow, knocked it, prepared her shot, and, upon finding the perfect moment, released the arrow, immediately moving away from her location to a less opportune location - one that would seem less suspicious. She unstrung her bow and carefully coiled the oiled strings into the parchment she'd taken to carrying with her. Checking her surroundings, she realized nothing was out of place. Checking to see the guard, she saw that no one had so much as bothered to look at him, much less raise a cry of alarm. She approached carefully, but in such a way that she would still look confident to those around her. Enough that they would not attack her. She took the sword from the man's body and straightened. Looking towards those that were watching her warily, she merely smiled pleasantly. She'd seen the weight of his belt purse as she'd moved the sword away. It was heavy and bulging with the obvious print of coins. This is all that I wanted, she spoke gently. If you saw nothing, then certainly, I will be happy to leave with what I have. At the sudden hope appearing in their eyes, she merely broke the end of her arrow off - the feathers were good and could possibly be reused - and turned to walk away, the sword strapped to her hip until she caught up to the caravan. It was, she felt, the one she was looking for.