Book 1 - Chapter 18 - Captured

1000 November 5th

~Near New Kintin~

 "Come on, I ain't got all day,"
Mila's captor yelled. She hung her head, watching from under her lashes to see how Tink and Wisp fared. Tink walked along as she did, slow without a fight or word. Wisp was flinging his arms out, biting, kicking and trying to run the opposite direction their captors were leading.
"We need some of those flowers in the first hall!"
shouted the blue coated man. Mila bit her lip. The flowers... she had seen them used once in her entire life. That had been when she was small. It was horrible. When the flowers were crushed they let out a sick-sweet scent that caused a man to lose his senses. In a word: insane. It induced insanity. The type of it though also halted all resistance.



"Now get in there!"
a guard yelled. He held a spear to Wisp's back. He grabbed Wisp's neck with one hand while he was off guard. The guard squeezed..
Mila shut her eyes allowing the man behind her to be in total control of her direction. Wisp was going to get himself killed one way or another. They came to a door. It was the sturdy dungeon type that they had back home. Oh, home! If only she was there right now. There with her family wrapped in love.

 Wisp coughed and hacked above Mila. His entire body shook and blood was coming through a spot in his armor. He was hurt, bad. Boys were so dumb! They never weighed the consequences.
"What are your names?"
 a voice ahead asked. Mila stared forward focusing on the opposite side of the room.

"Ugh..."
Tink whispered.
One girl, a white-blond, put a finger to her chin.
"Maybe they can't speak. I wonder what they did? In any event I'm Aza. This black haired girl beside me is Mari."
She nodded to two boys on the other side of her,
"Those are always hungry and ever lazy, at least that's what I call them!"
Mari, the black haired one, grinned down on everyone.
"Nice to meet you! We're from Quoga."
 Mila gasped. Her lips forming words before she thought.
"Liers, why would you be from Quoga! That is who's attacking!"
 Aza grinned.
"She does talk, thank goodness. I'm getting so tired of these three's company."
The lad on the straw stirred.

"We're here because Duke Crispin is trying to ruin Quoga so we have to stop him.,"
the boy said.
"And my name is Orange, not always hungry despite what some people say. The other is Dill."
 Tink stepped forward, closer.
"Explain it?"
she asked. Dill nodded. One by one they took a seat on the cold floor as there weren't enough seats for everyone.
"Who should tell it?"
Aza asked. Dill pointed to her.
"It's all her fault were here,"
he said then chuckled.

"Fine. In Quoga there is a curse saying that if the country is run well a single village or town a year will turn into ruin and fall to despair. If the country becomes ill-run the amount of areas that will fall multiply. The only way to lift this curse is for a hero to rise up and lift these effects from each town or village until all are uplifted once more."
She scratched her nose then had a long sniffle.
"Only this Crispin man decided that when the curse was fulfilled all the way he could take over Quoga without any fuss at all because everything would be ruined. His plan is to build Quoga back up. Queen Buttercup found him out so Crispin kidnapped her and we aren't positive where she is right now."
Mari nodded.

"I'm her attendant. I was captured as well but managed to escape. Aza and her companions found me in a town. I joined her and together we've been trying to find a hero to set things aright again. Or at the least stop Crispin from his doings."
Dill shook his finger at the younger girl,
"Don't forget what he's been doing to the animals!"
He looked at Wisp.
"He has some power we don't know about. It turns all the animals both wild and domestic against the people. We aren't sure but suspect he can do it with people too."
Mila gasped. Her chest tightened until it verged on hurting.
"Control their minds?"
she whispered. Dill nodded.
"We're-"
A knock sounded on the door. It jerked open and the blue coated man entered.
"Having a nice chat?"
 Aza glared at him.
"You'll gain nothing by containing us!"
she yelled.
He shook his head.
"I need to chat with that girl there!"
he yelled. His long index finger pointed to Mila's chest.