Return-path: Envelope-to: lojban@lojban.org Delivery-date: Fri, 15 Oct 2021 10:31:19 -0700 Received: from mail.baptistgogogo.com ([193.124.7.79]:55877) by 36792b12ac38 with esmtp (Exim 4.94.2) (envelope-from ) id 1mbR2S-000NJ9-OC for lojban@lojban.org; Fri, 15 Oct 2021 10:31:19 -0700 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha1; c=relaxed/relaxed; s=dkim; d=baptistgogogo.com; h=Date:From:To:Subject:MIME-Version:Content-Type:List-Unsubscribe:Message-ID; i=latoya-phillips@baptistgogogo.com; bh=gS0fsQbxd93nHTUPij0wn/AXJ9s=; b=idvx5Nx606m6mjvg8UOruQ8xnJuVNuP9Wkbommgb8KcPw602F6HNrox+cFdxY4fxq4e6CuIHQ2K3 jeiu2OJYi0HHHVcqDf+ceyj+zOvSgLhZw2votMvJaoQh1IhJUgggzKrD8WU/sRLZGiX8t3QMVTO4 bwGIC30gkpRYVu1qRvI= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; q=dns; s=dkim; d=baptistgogogo.com; b=hovfOJF1POjRUFvnx62SJKzOu0gT5UTZFJumf7NfiIxOnVU9ingbO0Uu59gECHmUuEEMNYT/dT5n D7qIbYHEphGZKsbafUa1iKoOr/Igg37U7oKEYtGQhnXHDcK6cOtQOTEFO+vq+CvJja5y9cS9ID9E RDQ0yudmXbwmUR1hitI=; Received: by mail.baptistgogogo.com id hd6trc0001g1 for ; Fri, 15 Oct 2021 13:31:11 -0400 (envelope-from ) Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2021 13:31:11 -0400 From: "Latoya Phillips" To: Subject: For Extremely Accurate And Precise Measuring Readings Use The All New TapeKing MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_316_1589347865.1634318475845" List-Unsubscribe: Message-ID: <0.0.0.35.1D7C1EA72200D30.3DAC35@mail.baptistgogogo.com> X-Spam-Score: 0.5 (/) X-Spam_score: 0.5 X-Spam_score_int: 5 X-Spam_bar: / X-Spam-Report: Spam detection software, running on the system "1c83b5ee42e7", has NOT identified this incoming email as spam. The original message has been attached to this so you can view it or label similar future email. If you have any questions, see @@CONTACT_ADDRESS@@ for details. Content preview: ** ToolFront Tape Measure ** A new way to measure. Tired of unraveling that old tape measure? Are the numbers fading and getting hard to read? With the ToolFront Tape Measure, you won't have to worry about that! Content analysis details: (0.5 points, 5.0 required) pts rule name description ---- ---------------------- -------------------------------------------------- 0.0 URIBL_BLOCKED ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE: The query to URIBL was blocked. See http://wiki.apache.org/spamassassin/DnsBlocklists#dnsbl-block for more information. [URIs: baptistgogogo.com] -0.0 SPF_PASS SPF: sender matches SPF record 0.0 SPF_HELO_NONE SPF: HELO does not publish an SPF Record 0.0 HTML_MESSAGE BODY: HTML included in message 0.7 MPART_ALT_DIFF BODY: HTML and text parts are different 0.0 HTML_FONT_LOW_CONTRAST BODY: HTML font color similar or identical to background 0.0 MIME_QP_LONG_LINE RAW: Quoted-printable line longer than 76 chars -0.1 DKIM_VALID_EF Message has a valid DKIM or DK signature from envelope-from domain -0.1 DKIM_VALID_AU Message has a valid DKIM or DK signature from author's domain -0.1 DKIM_VALID Message has at least one valid DKIM or DK signature 0.1 DKIM_SIGNED Message has a DKIM or DK signature, not necessarily valid 0.0 T_REMOTE_IMAGE Message contains an external image ------=_Part_316_1589347865.1634318475845 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ** ToolFront Tape Measure ** --------------------------- A new way to measure. Tired of unraveling that old tape measure? Are the numbers fading and getting hard to read? With the ToolFront Tape Measure, you won't have to worry about that! This tape measure uses a laser guide to record large distances. It also comes with a flexible cord and wheel, so you can measure small and/or round items. The reading will show on a large LED display, giving you an easy-to-read accurate measurement. The ToolFront Tape Measure is the perfect gift for remodelers, woodworkers, or any one who loves to work with their hands! Take Up To 50% Off -> http://www.baptistgogogo.com/cf54G2395pG86O10F5e4cza27J18UhscFDrfhscFDrEsvZ7RQ0oRnQ7Vvuh10Y6r3qsv2/furnishings-demultiplexing K Street Digital Pioneering 9490 Virginia Center Blvd Unit 330 Vienna VA 22181 4802 Click here http://www.baptistgogogo.com/snoops-sanctimonious/8285i239P5r8o6t11Q5eG4dRa27J18IhscFDrfhscFDrEsvZ7YQ0oRnQ5z1I0h6rNjsvz to edit your messaging preferences. ------=_Part_316_1589347865.1634318475845 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20
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Maxwell & Steiger Professional Tech-Group=20
10972 Us Highway 6. Buda IL 61314 9348
End all communication or= edit preferences.
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Her story lay gilt in gold

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Her eyes were as beautiful as a fresh = cut rose

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She had no heart with which to know

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But she knew with all her soul she hat= ed the cold

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She was a strange girl

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Born of an age long ago

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A history of winds and curls=20

 

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And a memory as faded as a photo

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They say that once she shone like the = stars

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That her heart was kind and soft

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Then the darkness came

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And took her dreams aloft

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A war of blood and broken bones did co= me

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The girl of roses could only weep

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She did not want it and only turned nu= mb

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A warrior of iron forcing others down = to sleep

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Her light went out

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And her heart was gone

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Her soul remained blackened from fallo= ut

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She had won, she'd got her crown

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But she was broken

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Killed from within

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Her screams remained unspoken=20

 

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And she wished she'd never been.

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Till the bells they rung

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And trumpets sung

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For she was saved

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With the light she had craved=20

 

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Rosanne had once been called the dark = jewel of the ivory forest. The brightest rose, the warmest star, yet all sh= e felt was tired. Bags as dark as the shadows under an evergreen hung benea= th her eyes, and her skin was starched to a sickly white pallor, she looked= more like a water washed limestone cliff beside the sea than a girl. The b= acks of her hands were cracked and dry, riddled with red dots where blood w= as beginning to well, her throat ached from disuse and her lips had thinned= , like an eraser pulled over paper too many times. Her hair was matted and = brittle from miscare, she was surprised pieces hadn't started falling out. = Her feet were blistered sore, and standing on her sore ankles made her want= to scream.

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But the people all around her never sa= w any of it, she went to great pains, her father went to great pains to mak= e sure that none of them would ever know. 

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It was amazing what a person could do = with some good concealer and a spell or two.  

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She couldn't remember the last time sh= e'd felt rested. She spent days were in court and among the people, resolvi= ng conflicts and negotiating between arguments. Most days however she force= d to attend the council meetings regularly held by all the nearby kingdoms.= As her father's primary heir, it was her job to understand the other kingd= oms and peoples. The debates were long and tedious, an utter waste of time,= hours upon hours spent endlessly talking about subjects of little importan= ce, and events of even less matter. It was boring and useless, and everyone= in those meetings knew it.

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Or at least Rosanne hoped they knew, a= nyone who didn't was dumber than two men in a liquor store.

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War was coming, one way or another, ha= d been for long time, almost as long as she could remember.

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Her nights at least were productive, b= y day she might have been a frilly princess dressed in silk gowns and diamo= nds, but by night she was the right hand of the queen.

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Anything her mother needed done that p= olitics or law prevented her from, there were many things that king could n= ot do, or even know about. So, the queen took care of, always had in the iv= ory forest. Anything at all. Weather it required bloodshed or a person's we= ight in jewels, the queen took care of it. Any backhanded deal, any back co= rner alliance forged through threats and blackmail, every assassination and= kidnapping, the queen took care of it.

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The sons of the forest throne were rai= sed in the light, raised to rule, to be good. The daughters were raised wit= h a pair of daggers beneath their pillows and how to hide anything with a s= mile.

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For that reason, no daughter of the fo= rest ever sat on the throne, how could they? They already ruled in the dark= , and trying to sit in the light while and pretend to be ?good' had never r= eally been the female half of the monarchies style.

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Kings could marry in and so could quee= ns, but a born daughter of the kingdom always sat behind= the forest throne.

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Rosanne's mother had been sending her = on more and more missions lately. Her latest one had been over the border i= n the nearby kingdom of Bellon.

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She had to do anything and everything = she could to start a war.

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She'd thought it'd be easy, a push her= e, death there and viola; a war.

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No, it hadn't worked, instead she'd be= en forced to infiltrate the royal court as a lowborn baroness, if you wanna= bring something down you should always start with the supports.

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Rosanne had struggled to make the conn= ections necessary for her plan. The adults ignored for both her station and= her gender.

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And the children of the court, teens t= he same age as her excluded her as an outsider. Sure, they would gossip and= talk about useless nothings, but they never really told her anything.

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Her job was made that much harder by t= he fact that the people of Bellon valued relationships and family bonds ove= r everything else. travelers were not welcome and strangers were practicall= y regarded as criminals. But the moment a friendship was made and trust was= given they would welcome you, help you with anything, even die for you.

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They were a scary people, but Rosanne = had been raised by scarier.

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She'd played in the shadows of the for= est, pried glittering gems from the crusts of volcanos, had tasted blood on= her tongue before she knew how to braid her hair, and she was the right ha= nd of the queen of the Ivory Forest.

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The kingdom famously called the home o= f the fae, it wasn't, but they didn't need to know that.

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The king and queen didn't even show th= eir faces at meetings and exchanges with the other rulers, which only added= to the mystery.

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She could do this.

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She started small, with the staff, the= cooks and maids, the footmen and squire boys. Slowly, painstakingly workin= g her way into the framework of the palace. That task alone took months, bu= t the information she gained form it was invaluable.

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Shed become their friend, the baroness= that actually spent time with and cared about them. She helped them with c= hores and problems, listening when they needed to rant and giving them a sh= oulder when the needed to cry.

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In return she learned little things th= at they would never care about but that would help her immensely. A certain= Lady in waiting's favorite foods, a royal knight preferred shift duty, the= princesses favored spot in the garden, the flowers that the man who cleane= d the royal crowns took care of Infront of the public library.

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Suddenly she found herself being invit= ed to luncheon the with court ladies, their daughters would take walks with= her in the gardens and bring her when they went shopping. The lords would = speak with her about their horses and estates. And the sons, while slightly= flirtatious, were never more than slightly. It didn't matter how close she= grew to any of them, none would ever marry or even pursue a courtship belo= w their station.

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No instead she became something that t= he other girls of the court could not. A companion.

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They brought her hunting even on the r= ainiest of days, knowing she didn't care about mud. They practiced their ar= chery with her, and even let her spar once with wooden sword, she'd let her= self beat the weakest one there before stopping.

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She kept that side of her court active= s heavily separated from the other girls and woman.

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Even the royal family eventually accep= ted her, throwing her a huge party in honor of her. The princess herself, a= young child named Klaroline had given her a flower crown as a present.

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All of the sudden Rosanne couldn't bre= athe, every movement, every word felt like a lie. She spent hours terrified= that they would figure it out, that they would know what she had done and = come for her. That they would take away everything she had here.

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How could she possibly want a war?

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She knew the son's that would be force= d to fight in it, forced to die alone on battlefields with swords that were= too big for them in hand.

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She knew the daughters that would lose= everything, their brothers, and fathers, families and homes, their futures= , their innocence, for even in a kingdom like Bellon the daughters could be= nurses or maintain weapons in times of war.

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She knew the fathers and mothers that = would never see their children again. 

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She knew the king that would lose his = head, and she knew the little princess that would become a prisoner of war = at only eight years old.

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So, she'd fled, claiming it to be a vi= sit to her uncle, everyone had believed her, family was everything after al= l.

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It had already been two weeks, and her= e she was, tired and hungry and hurting.

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Her father had tried to talk to her, b= ut she needed to figure this out on her own.

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Her mother had only sent a message tha= t she would be expecting a report on her sudden return.

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She hadn't eaten in days, her stomach = lurched at even the thought of food, and her sleep was short and fitful.

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And she felt cold, so very cold, she h= adn't realized till now how little physical contact she actually had with o= thers. In Bellon hugs were given every goodbye and hello, everyone was alwa= ys brushing shoulders during conversations, the girls in the court would gr= ab her hand or arm when they were excited, along with a thousand other casu= al little touches that she hadn't known were missing from her life until th= en.

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The only people that touched her here = were her father, who still gave her a hug, one hug every time she came back= from a mission, and her brother, who was still a little to young to copy e= veryone else in his life.

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That was what it was she suddenly unde= rstood.

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Love.

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The people of Bellon had shown her lov= e. Her father and brother had already showed it to her, been showing it to = her for years, but somewhere along the line her mother's words and taken ov= er and she'd only been able to view it as weakness.  

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They'd given it to her, opened their h= earts to her and taken her in as one of their one.

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At some point she hadn't been lying an= ymore, her laughter when the told a joke was real, her excitement to go hun= ting or shopping was real, her happiness when the little princess gave her = the flower crown was real.

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Looking back, she'd been genuine for f= ar longer than she'd been faking. Except for the entire reason why she was = there, to bring war.

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Everything, all of her friendships and= connections had built on lies, and she hated it.

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Hated herself for it. 

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The door to her room creaked open and = father came in, he was holding a book and he had a sad smile on his face.

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He sat beside her and placed the book = in her hands.

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Rosanne nearly started crying when she= opened it, presses into the middle between sheets of paper, was the flower= crown.

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She'd left the night of her party, una= ble to bearing the crushing guilt any longer, she'd still been wearing it w= hen she got home, her father must have found it where ever she'd thrown it.= Looking at it only made her heart clench and her bones ache.

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She looked up at him, tears in the cor= ners of her eyes as she tried to convey everything she was feeling through = her expression.

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He smiled gently hugged her tightly.

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Without speaking, he seemed to know th= at she couldn't handle that right now, he met her eyes, and held out a trav= eling cloak.

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It was if he knew, as if he'd always k= nown that one day, she would either break under the pressure of the dark fo= rest throne, or find someway to escape.

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She didn't want to just leave him here= , him and her brother. But for now, she needed to get out of here, she need= ed to go back to the place where she'd finally felt happy.

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She promised herself that she would come back. She wouldn't leave her family to the same crush= ing life she'd been trapped under.

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When she finally arrived back in Bello= n, she was greeted with hugs and smiles. But she couldn't accept them now, = not until she made things right.

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She called for everyone to come the th= rone room, that she needed help.

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And for the first time, she gave them = the truth.

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She pulled her mask from her bag, the = one she only wore to royal gatherings and council meetings. The one that be= longed to the Princess of the Ivory Forest, a primary heir, and richer then= Bellon's own princess. A mask that Rosanne the baron's daughter shouldn't = have, that Rosanne that smiled so bright and laughed so loud and cared so m= uch would never even see within her lifetime.

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Yet here she was, she showed them her = first set of knives, nicked and worn by time but still sharp. Before finall= y bringing out her jeweled diamond crown, it was the last irrefutable piece= of proof to convince them. She set the crown down gently, and opened the b= ook to the dried-out flower crown, hugging it close to her chest before she= at last looked up.

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Their faces were grim and flinty, thei= r expression as hard as they had been when she first came here, full of mis= trust and judgement.

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She backed away, terrified that she'd = made the wrong call, that they hated her, that they make her leave, that sh= e had lost everything that meant so much to her here.

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Maybe she should have wished that she'= d kept quiet, but she didn't, they deserved the truth.

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None of them had spoken or moved, they= were all just staring at her in terrible silence.

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This was it wasn't it; she was a princ= ess trespassing in a foreign kingdom, they couldn't kill her but they could= still lock her up and throw away the key.

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Rosanne felt tears, more tears, how ma= ny had she cried in the last few days? Seeping from her eyes, she swiped at= them with the back of her hand but the just kept falling, unbidden, and as= silent as the people around her.

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It was the women that moved first, the= ladies and the maids and mothers. She wasn't surprised they were first, wo= men after all know what it is to do what you have to survive.

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Surrounding her, pulling her close in = comfort, slowly the others joined too. Embracing her, reassuring her that e= verything was ok. Someone rubbed soothing circles over her back even as she= kept crying, but now for a different reason.

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For it seems she had forgotten somethi= ng else about friendship and family.

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AN: Just a little disclaimer, there mi= ght be some discrepancies in my grammar and how everything plays out in thi= s plot because I was running on a tight time crunch. But nevertheless, I wo= rked hard on this piece and will take any criticism. Also, I will go back a= fter this is read and fix any mistakes. Also if you were interested in my s= tory called the Infinite Reigns of Time, I'm planning on extending the stor= y and trying to make a book out of it since it did so well. But enjoy!

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The dull white saucer in the sky, comm= only known as the moon, rose to the precipice of the climbing mountainsides= The great LED light bore drops of darkness on the stripped roofing, where= a royal family resides. Inside the depths of the quiet quaint cottage, the= only utterance breaking through the loud silence was a rasping sigh escapi= ng the distressed pent-up frustration of a distraught teen. Tears trickled = down the contours of Princess Kallista's face, leaving temporary trails of = sadness soon to dissipate into nothingness. Stirring in bed, Kallista felt = for the hem of her soft pink linen bottoms, feeling the sleek design in her= fingers. When making this motion, the ruffles in her lace top moved ever s= o slightly, before flittering back down to its roots. The decadent bows lac= es fell between her bo= som as Kallista sat upright, in an attempt to shake the distaste and evil w= rongdoings welling in her mind against her parents. On numerous occasions, = Kallista fought inner battles with her consciousness to keep herself from r= unning out of the prestigious double doors. Kallista peered with freshly gl= immering eyes at the blaring alarm clock and realized with disdain she had = another 3 hours to go before she had to start the tedious sequence of her f= ormal dress attire.

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Leaning against the headboard of the p= lush bed frame imported from Greece, Kallista thought of all the ordinary c= ommons people that had the latest iPhones and computers while she was stuck= with nothing. She thought of the children not having to wear corsets to be= more presentable to no one or to be required to wear layers of clothing to= hide even the slightest bit of skin. A requirement of being built into the= royal family was dressing like it was the late 16th-century Britain. If it= was even feasible to wonder to Townsquare, the men would whistle and chide= as she walked by, admiring her curves, while women whispered insults. Kall= ista was able to count the times she made her way to Townsquare, only holdi= ng up 3 fingers. She remembered with great audacity the whisperings of the town at such an old-fa= shion outfit. Wanton fervor played across the eyes and lips of men making c= areful notice of her. Kallista would watch, forbidden and obscene words pou= nding inside her lips wanting to be released. Fighting words that her paren= ts had sealed off and tucked away in a box in the back of her mind. Fightin= g words and gestures that were labeled the opposite of pristine. Kallista f= oamed with hatred because of the movies she never got to watch, the games s= he never got to partake in, the technology she wasn't allowed to have, the = society she wasn't allowed to participate in. Most of all the restraints of= romance, and the forceful marriage of her 1st cousin, which would be known= as pedophilia and incest today.

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Kallista swung her legs from the low s= itting bed, standing with a mighty fury. Swinging the closet door open, Kal= lista slipped on a thin ruby red low-cut dress with ruffled sleeves. The wi= nd whistled through the screening of a slightly ajar sliding window which K= allista opened prior to dimming the lights and pulling the silk covers. The= pale blue curtain flapped helplessly as the propelling force picked up speed. With gloved hands, Kal= lista slid the screen with great care and gingerness, making sure it didn't= squeak in its hinges. One foot then the other landed on soft grass, an= d with eyes lifted Kallista found the stars shining with great wonder over = her. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she turned to look at her empt= y room with growing guilt. They won't even think to check. They ne= ver do. Kallista told herself, still battling with the demon and = the angel on her shoulders.

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The breathtaking coolness of the grass= excited multiple sensations on Kallista's bare feet, as she began to take = long strides near the edge of a great canopy of trees. With an arm outstretched, Kallista examined di= ps and curves in the protective sheath of bark on a hickory tree that swaye= d elegantly from side to side. Giggling internally, Kallista took notic= e as to how the tree danced with the wind. Twirling with childish delight, = Kallista bowed and passed by the matinee, smiling as she went. Paying no at= tention to wilting flowers and falling leaves, Kallista danced along the di= sorganized dirt path, kicking up spouts of dirt in her wake. Past frustrati= ons now a distant memory, Kallista's mind was now focused on a slight rustl= ing in the bushes. Eyes fixed on the shrubbery, it rustled again, and a whi= te bunny with beady black eyes flounced out. The furry creature twitched it= s slimy nose before disappearing back into the darkness. 

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After the brief distraction, Kallista = continued on her journey to the cleaning, ignoring the hidden eyes of shado= wed watchers. The trickle of water roared through the constant chitter from= the tiny critters of the forest. Kallista moved with a great rhythm to sil= ent music until she reached the edge of a water source many called The Grea= t Majesty. The icy blue waters Kallista was now admiring her shadow in, gli= stened with sparkles of shattered moonlight. The dock creaked with great au= thority as Kallista sat at the rugged edge, lifting up the edges of her dre= ss to dip her feet in. Shivering, Kallista produced a shaky sigh when she r= elaxed onto the dock. Head= upturned, eyes toward the heavens. I wonder if I will ever me= et the star I was destined to have, reminisced Kallista. Slender, glov= ed fingers found the weather-worn stips and gripped tightly as if Kallista = would fall in. The mystery and wonder of the giants took hold of Kallista's= heart. On a distant flag pole, a flag lapped lazily back and forth, saluti= ng the wind. Kallista hated the sight of the flag pole. That very flagpole = was the objective embodiment of demands and warnings issued from authoritat= ive figures. 

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Tears began to well in their pores onc= e again, occasionally a few stray drops would splash into the pond, adding = saltiness to freshwater. Combining perfection and brokenness into one mass = Parting full plump lips a broken and weak scream released 17 countless year= s of captivity. ?Why, why why,? she lamented, depression taking hold of her= vocal cords. ?Oh darling, you sound very distressed,? crooned a female voi= ce from behind Kallista. Those words sloshed around in Kallista's head as s= he turned to see who produced those words. Standing before her was a gorgeous goddess, looking do= wn at a crumbling princess with great pity and understanding. ?You poor thing,? she frowned. Without much affirmation, the stranger foun= d a spot next to Kallista and pulled her onto her lap. Wrapping comforting = arms around her shoulders, Kallista lay her head on this complete stranger.= She almost didn't care who she actually was, the comfort was enough for a = blush to play on her fair cheeks. ?Confess to me love,? blushed the foreign= er.

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?I would rather not, this problem has = been frustrating me for years. It would sound foolish and seem confusing to= a commons person,? Kallista sighed. No one ever understood the concept of = being locked away and forced to withdraw herself from society. The hand of = the stranger flinched in reproach. ?Excuse me? Commons people? Who do you t= hink-? stopped the shadow of the night. Wheels were spinning and falling in= to place in the factory department of the mystifying woman. ?You're the pri= ncess that is forced to hide away all of the time,? she gasped in mock surp= rise. Kallista looked down at the woman who was now cradling her head, stro= king it ever so gently. ?Yeah, that's me,? Kallista whispered. =

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While still looking into the wondrous = face beneath her, Kallista drank in the details of this woman's face. Lips = buzzing with attraction, Kallista wanted to share her first kiss with the d= ouble forbiddance. If one of her parents happened to be taking a stroll at = this ungodly hour witnessi= ng the sight of Kallista drooling over a commons woman she would be shu= t out of the royals forever. 

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?What's your name sweet one,? the stra= nger asked. ?Kallista, what's yours,? the princess asked in response. ?Sage= smiled with a wink and a slight blush playing at her lips. ?I just want to= kiss you,? Kallista stated aloud. ?I get that a lot,? laughed Sage before = she placed her hand on Kallista's soft skin. Tingles grew and warmth spread= throughout their bodies, as they locked lips. Brain stinging with guilt, K= allista pulled away, almost ashamed at her sudden feelings of lust for the = same sex. Sliding one thigh, then the other back onto the cold lonely dock,= Kallista dropped back to reality. Dropped back to her senses, before being= pulled back in just by the sight of Sage. 

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?You do realize darling I can make thi= s all go away by sun-up,? promised Sage with a sly grin. Looking back with = expressions of curiosity, Sage continued, ?Go back to your hidey-hole and b= ring me 50 of those rare gold pieces everyone is talking about, and the fam= ily ring. That's all I need and I can make your problems disappear.? A smal= l chortle up-welled into Kallista's chest at the thought of a genie. ?Yes m= y beauty, I can do tha= t. Anything to rid me of the 17-year trouble,? Kallista partook. 

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With great servility, Kallista retrace= d her steps back through the sleepy hollow and to her quiet abode, except t= he 3rd time she carried a medium-sized sack with the prized possessions and= her ticket to freedom. The beating adrenalized heart of a princess soon to= be freed from the manacles of the proverbial fiery dragon, sounded in her = ears. Pushing any last-minute opposing thoughts away, Kallista gulped large= quantities of air when the clearing came into view. At the sight of Sage's= gaping beauty, Kallista almost hurtled the bag forward but restrained hers= elf. Sage pocketed the stash, before producing some model of an iPhone. Sag= e looked up and smiled me= ekly at Kallista as she pressed her phone to the side of her face to li= sten. 

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?Yes, boys you're free to do your job,= ? was all that was uttered before the call ended. Arms outstretched Kallist= a ran to Sage to close the embrace. ?Wait, how did they kn-,? Kallista was = cut off. ?That's none of your concern anymore,? Sage laughed, before slippi= ng a long kitchen knife into the fleshy muscle on the back of Kallista's ne= ck.

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Bolting upright, a teen looked around = in childish fright at her= surroundings. The chair is empty, the closet is closed, and the lights off= , the teen checked off in her mind. ?Everything is okay,? she reassured= herself. ?Just a dream. I'm not even gay,? she laughed despite the vivid d= ream.

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