THE ORIGIN STORY

"Sign the papers" the King urged Mr Willow.

Mr Willow, the addressed could not do it, not when he knew what was in those papers, the content that lied in them , he just couldn't do it. Mr Willow seemed to be fidgeting, the sweat beads that gathered around his face and forehead were obviously noticed by the King. Mr Willow threw a glance at his daughter, seven years old Elizabeth Willow, all he could see in her was her innocence, something he didn't want to lose.

"Mr Willow" The King called on him and yet Mr Willow remained unable to fulfill the task he was asked. Not his daughter. Not the most precious thing he had. Mr Willow was in a deep state of worry and sadness, one that the people around could not understand. How could he? How could he sign those papers?

Mr Willow looked intently at his daughter with love. She was still so young, if she ever came to find out about what he did, Mr Willow knew she would never forgive him but he didn't have a choice. He had to do it!

The King seated on his chair followed the gaze of Mr Willow and saw that it rested on his daughter, the one seated next to him. The King stared at her, looking for something…anything to make him understand, trying to see what was it in her eyes that was holding her father back from doing it, but he didn't see anything, all he saw was the innocence of young child and even that could not stop him from doing what he was about to do. It wasn't like what he asked of was a big deal, she wasn't going to be killed so he did not get why Mr Willow was crying heavily. He knew of so many people who would jump at this offer if he offered it to them. It was an honor, what Mr Willow was about to do.

"We do not have all day!" the king's right-hand man urged bitterly.

The king glared at his right hand man meaningfully. He was the only one who had the utmost authority to say things and it seemed as if his right hand man was forgetting his place. The glare the King gave his right hand man was enough to caution him and bowed his head down in surrender

"Mr Willow…" the king called.

Mr Willow was still sobbing heavily and in his teary voice, he said "Ré"

Ré was a title only the King had the honor of bearing. No one else apart from him, not even the Crown King and Queen could bear it. It was a title that came with the crown. In the kingdom of Astoria, it meant "power" or a " powerful person".

Little Elizabeth felt a burn in her chest watching her father sob. She wanted more than anything in her heart to end it. If she had the chance, the king would have been dead by now, she would have gotten her payback for making her father cry but she also knew that after her payback, the death of her and her father would accompany. She was still so young but she knew that something wrong was going on just by sitting there. She made a promise in her heart to avenge her father's tears but first she had to know what was in the papers?

The King's right hand man, standing behind the king in his corner felt the disdain in his heart grow by a thousand. If it wasn't for the king's presence he would have had Mr Willow slain. If he knew that he wouldn't be able to do this, then he should have just paid up his debt!

Timothy was his name and just like Elizabeth, he was also a victim of single parenthood. Timothy, never in his wildest dreams, did he think that he would be working at the Royal building as the King's right hand man. Timothy, just like Elizabeth too had no mother, he lost his at a young age.

Timothy was always aware of the profound love that his father and mother shared. Something so beautiful, so tender, something which he was never a part of. Timothy knew just how much his parents loved themselves, spending every time of the day to themselves.

"Am I just a product? '' Timothy usually asked his mother whenever he felt left out from the family and each time he did ask this, his mother would make sure to remove that doubt from his mind. Timothy saw his parents as two young lovers who were eternally bounded together by love and as a blessing to such love, they had him but it looked like they never wanted him. His mother, in her heart, was well aware of the fact that she never had a bond with her son. She gave so much attention and love to her husband that she never had any to give to her child. Thus, she set out to create a mother-son bonding day every Friday. Indeed it did happen, Timothy got to spend quite some time with his mother every Friday.

Friday. The day which would become her death day.

Timothy's mother was killed in one of the greatest wars that happened in the kingdom of Astoria. One where thousands of lives were lost and the kingdom was still recovering from it. On the night of Timothy's mother's death, the family had been running from the enemy who the kingdom was in a war with when Timothy's mother was attacked.

An arrow to her heart!

As she slowly bled to death, Timothy and his father sobbed heavily while awaiting their own death in the hands of the same enemy. Fortunately, they were saved by the Royal warriors but not without losing his mother. For this, Timothy blamed the Royal family and hated them in his heart, the same heart which he used in loving his mother. Timothy and his father could not bear the loss of the only female in their lives and while Timothy soon got over the death of his mother, probably because they never had a strong bond, his father, on the other hand, resulted in the only form of solace he knew…. alcohol.

Timothy's father, Mr Luke became a drunk who was popularly known among other drunkard at the tarvens. Day or night, Timothy's father would always be drunk and this had an effect in the life of Timothy who was working as an apprentice at that time. Timothy would always be called from work by people to go get his father from tarvens. Timothy's father grieved over his wife for the span of one year and six months before his son finally had enough of it and talked some sense into him. Mr Luke, Timothy's father after listening to the words of advice from his son, decided to become a new man by opening up a business. Mr Luke knew that he could never remarry, he was too in love with his wife to be with another person and even though she was dead, no one could ever replace her so he opted for the next option he had, starting a business.

Mr Luke thought of the business to start and finally came to the conclusion that it would be a candy business. The idea was already in mind, next was the capital. Mr Luke decided to seek help from the king's new policy. Although Timothy was happy for his father's new idea and change of mind, he was also against the idea of seeking for help from the King.

This was because Timothy belonged to the "Anti-Ransom Community", ARC for short. It was a society made of people who were against the new policy of the newly crowned King. To show their distaste, every Friday, they would rally outside of the Royal building in a peaceful protest. Timothy never missed a day of protesting, a day to show his hatred for the taken children not knowing that one day, that would be his life too.

The new policy came with the new king. King Alexander West was his name and he had recently been crowned four months ago. The first act he made was out of the kindness of his heart and for the less privileged. The King declared that all those in need of money or resources would henceforth seek the help of the Royal family. The Royal family would in turn borrow them a certain amount of money/resources which would be paid back when the people had the effort to.

It was a good policy which was in the interest of the people but it did not sit well with the Crown King and Queen; Alexander's parents. The Crown Queen in particular was against the idea of it because she believed that if the people were allowed to borrow from the Royal family, they would not pay back even if they have the money to. Hence, the need to revise the policy came to light.

The Crown King and Queen having the ultimate power which is higher the King Alexander revised the policy into "all those who are less privileged and unable to take care of their families and businesses shall be able to borrow from the Royal family as long as they are able to pay back within the given duration. Failure to do so will lead to having their children taken away from them to assume roles in the Royal building pending when the payment is made".

It meant that all those who refused to pay up after the deadline shall have their children taken away from them to work at the Royal building until the full payment is made. Although the King was against the idea of keeping children hostage and making them work even at young ages, he strived make sure that they were well protected and cared for. Their security was his top priority.

Timothy's father, Mr Luke sought for the start up capital he needed from the King and got it. Soon enough, Mr Luke started up his candy business and it began to flourish. He was finally doing something decent and worthwhile and Timothy could finally focus on his work as an apprentice. Mr Luke was given a duration of two months by the King to pay back the forty dizis which he borrowed from the Royal family.

Dizis were the official currency of the kingdom of Astoria.

In the twinkle of an eye, two months elapsed and Mr Luke had the money at hand. On the D-Day, Mr Luke proceeded on his way to the Royal building to pay back the money. He was feeling joyous and fulfilled. He had a lot of praises to sing to King once he arrived at the Royal building. Mr Luke felt utterly grateful to the King. He played a pivotal role in helping him become a better man. From here on out, everything was going to be alright, Mr Luke thought.

But everything did not go alright. Everything went chaotic because along the way, Mr Luke was robbed and beaten by a notorious group of robbers who had been active for quite some time. They took all the money and left him with bruises. Mr Luke had begged them not to take his money away from. It was the second time that he had called on God after the death of his wife. He told them that they could hit him but should not take his money. The robbers did not listen and did as they wanted to before leaving him to count his losses.

Feeling dejected and in pain at the turn out of event, Mr Luke still went ahead to meet the king. There he reported all that happened and the King gave him an extension taking into consideration his bruises.

While Mr Luke was at the Royal building, another tragedy struck again. Something terrible was happening to his store. His store had caught on fire and was slowly burning to the ground. While the neighboring shops and people around were trying to put out the fire, Mr Luke was pondering on how he was going to raise the money oblivious to the current happening. He was still lost in his thoughts while walking down the stairs of the Royal building when a friend of his rushed to meet him outside of the Royal walls, to confront him about what was going on.

"Mr Luke! Mr Luke! Mr Luke!" Timothy's father's friend called in between pants while running to meet up with Mr Luke who was outside the Royal walls.

Mr Luke did not have any idea of what had happened as his friend was not covered in anything that could have given him a sign. He only knew that the matter at hand must be crucial enough to make his friend leave his shop and run all the way to Royal building to meet him.

"Why are you breathing so fast? What happened?" Mr Luke questioned.

"It is bad. Very, very bad…worse! It is the worse!" Mr Luke's friend muttered with a mixed emotion of sadness, fear and pity.

"What is bad?" Mr Luke asked, feeling a bit nervous.

"I cannot. I just cannot say it. I'm so sorry, Luke" Mr Luke's friend muttered with his hand over his mouth and his eyes containing terror.

Mr Luke gripped onto his friend's arms and shook them violently

"What happened??" he asked, this time more fearful

than ever with his voice very high.

"It's all in flames!!!" screamed his friend.