THE ROOT OF DARKNESS

d. The farther I climb, the farther the top seems to get. I could only see what I ass

me. I hold fast, digging my knife into the thick stalk. My shirt is paper thin agai

ng enough to knock one off any footholds.

limb. My fingers are bright red and raw from gripping tightly at the knife and ropes. I have tied the

ng on to precarious groove

stalk. I paused for a moment, and glance down. The ground looks so fa

he kingdom at this point. The kingdom gates loo

e. I am completely exhausted, and I know I should rest for a m

hick leaves of the stalk and lean against it to take a rest. It is very st

slip, so I can not take the risk of straying to far away. I climb onto the leaf, with my ba

de to take

g winds whirl through the vines in abundance, and I tense up. In a second, I remember that I a

d to wipe my face, when

eping like an infant. At this rate you wil

rds on the leaf. However, another instinctive fear surges through me and I

tion, but hangs by the rope. I am g

look up at where the sudden voice th

er voice say

t, Barret. It is dangerous up

ing above. It turns out to

register their familiar faces and voices. They have ropes that look st

r frocks that do not look heavy to climb in, but tough eno

m their shoulders, as they lean agains

me, aft

immediately dispelled by their presence. Along with the ang

t very excite

arret

this godforsaken pl

s and green stalks. His face is calm as he accesses the situ

your aunt, after all. It was a treacherous climb, even with our supplies

first time that it is dirty and torn from the

e shoulder, giv

fenceless as aunt thinks. I wil

a new, sturdier rope, and leather gloves for my hands. More food lay within

is already torn and bleeding. You definitely do not want an infection up here, boy

tor say

nk y

he cuts on my fingers, but a largely comfortable. As I s

nt to retrieve Hansman. He provided us with supplies an

ight have forbidden us from coming back. We should make ha

such bad men. Yes, they can be mean and cross when doing their job

need is a decree from the king forbidding all subjects

e appreciation. They turn out

es, motioning me upwards. Sir

boy. Come on,

into the thick stalk with one powerful strike. I pull myself up

with my knife. It is a good thing for us, because i

attention falls on my knife. Sir Victor rai

nife like that in such

ows in a suspicious fr

ing a strand of hair out of my eyes. I do not even take offen

fore the plague hit. This knife was his prized possession, because he sp

roken only by the sounds of our knives piercing the

finally say

iny copper pieces these days." "I have no intention of selling

t, but I can't even hope anymore. The taxes that we poor

not our fault that we owed taxes. We simply did not have the money to pay so

's rule. We only follow o

he rest of the king's subjects. There are a lot of orphans who can barely have one piece of

is in danger right now. If she had not come out to argue with the guard

o, is for her to sustain a few scratches

t lets ou

h, I do not expect you understand what goes on

uddenly loses his footing inside a groove at the side of the st

length and grabbing his friend by his flailing

cting him with my argument. When

be more

nst my back in a playful manner, knocking the wind ou

done this much work in such a long time, that my legs feel numb already

om the side, giving

laws if we fancy it or not. The knights are and guards are severely punished when they do n

the knights and guards are untouchable. Although the knights are more dignified, answe

erret

ose that work around the kingdom get severe punishments should they step out

swings himself up, pushing his

None one copper piece should be short at the end of the day, or get punished by whippin

o they are harsh, to make sure they get the full

taxes you owe. Each month you owed made one of us serve a puni

let out a

ng. Ah, this is such a wretched endeavor, don't you think, boys? I could

here but plant sap. And I

t my shirt. Sir Berret laughs boisterously at my response, slapping

feeling sympathetic for them, now that