The Big Announcement

It was another day of Travillia's beautifully mild climate. The sun was shining high in the sky as a young girl rushed across her village. Her bare feet hit the packed dirt of a village road with audible smacks and puffs of dust left behind. Today was the a village meeting day. These village meetings happened weekly in order share announcements and news from the castle. Usually, it didn't matter too much who showed, as the news would surely reach their ears through village gossip, there wasn't much else to talk about. Some villagers even used it as a day to sleep in. This wasn't just any villager however, the dark skinned girl moving as fast as her feet could carry her was supposed to be the town crier! it was embarrassing to have overslept so much that she was actually running late to the meeting. She could only hope that people wouldn't be left waiting because of her mistake. The other villagers would be furious if they had to wait because their best reader had accidentally slept in. It seemed however that she had worried for nothing as the messenger flew off into the sky just as she arrived. It meant that she wasn't nearly as late as she had thought. Or maybe just that the messenger was late as well. She slowed to smooth her frizzy hair back into a presentable poofy ponytail. She had just finished tying it back when she was spotted. "There you are! You were almost late!" Different voices chided the young girl as she was pushed impatiently through the crowd towards the center platform where the Elder waited.

 The Village Elder was just starting to look around for the town crier and just as she was about to call her name she was pushed onto the platform by her fellow excited villagers. The Elder looked at her disapprovingly as she handed the young girl the announcements. It was mostly trivial news about how the kingdom was improving, how their king was proud to have them as his people, how the Kingdom was strong and getting stronger every day. Empty platitudes from a foolish King to a broken kingdom. many rolled their eyes, annoyed they'd left the luxury of extra sleep for more of the same hollow words. The girl had nearly finished reading the announcements when something new came up at last. There was to be a treaty with the neighboring kingdom, but it seemed to have more to do with the peasant class than usual. Her voice was a little louder and faster as she got a little excited and continued to read it out loud.

"Citizens of Travillia, the king has announced an alliance to the kingdom of Driffin. They have but one requirement: that our kingdom sends qualified young women to their kingdom. These women must go voluntarily and must to be able to read and write. They will undergo tests both at our and Driffen's Kingdoms. The finest shall stay as representatives and their families shall receive recompense for their services."