Arwen's Ascent

* * *

“A young woman, living in a bustling 15th century city, struggles with the unstable politics surrounding her. Despite her limited means, she seeks to create a better life for herself, driven by her fierce and quirky personality. As she strives to survive and move forward through an everchanging environment, her story escalates in intensity until a heartwrenching conclusion. Along the way, Arwen discovers strength, courage and determination, eventually uncovering the source of her struggle an abhorrent scheme that has driven her whole world into chaos.*”

She was a small girl from a small town.

Her father had left when she was four years old. She never knew why but he had left her mother as soon as she found out he was going to be a father. It was hard on his wife, but she remained strong for the daughter they had together. They lived in a small house just outside the city walls where all their neighbors were friendly but they were poor. Arwen's mother did not have many skills so she could only do what work she could at home or the local taverns. Arwen helped where she could, but she never gave up on finding something better for them both.

Arwen tried to do whatever work she could find to help out with money or food for her and her mother. Most days she went fishing at the river or gathered berries from the fields around town if it wasn't too muddy. There were some days when there was no money or food so she would go back to the river and skip rocks or try to catch fish with her bare hands like her father had shown her. Sometimes people threw coins into the river from boats and Arwen would swim out after them before anyone else could get them. On rainy days Arwen would sit outside of shops and listen for people to talk about the latest rumors or news so that she might be able to tell someone else later when someone wanted to know more about it. But most of all she loved being around people because it made her forget how quiet and depressing their little home was without other people around.

One day while walking through town Arwen heard some women talking about some duchess who had died recently up north. They said that there was going to be a funeral procession across the country back to the capital by someone from the king's family who was going to take over as ruler of that area now that there was no duchess anymore. They even said that some foreign noblemen would be taking part in it and that it might stop in their little city before heading on through! It seemed like such good luck! Perhaps this procession might bring more people into their town? Maybe they could sell things along the road? Maybe they could meet some of these foreign noblemen?

Two weeks later Arwen stood along side everyone else watching as two wagons slowly made their way through town towards the castle gatehouse further up on the hillside above them all. There were guardsmen all around keeping watch, three of them standing on each corner of one wagon and two on each corner of another wagon behind it as well as others riding alongside on horseback watching out for trouble ahead of them all. The first wagon carried items for display along with some men dressed in long robes who looked important because they weren't sitting down like everyone else but walking alongside looking out onto everyone who lined up along either side of the road here to watch them pass through. There were also carvings and paintings decorated across every side of both wagons showing pictures of people who looked sad with tears streaming down their faces which seemed strange since this was supposed to be a celebration!

The second wagon though held people who did not look happy at all despite being seated down upon cushions inside covered by blankets against any possible wind they might feel while passing through town today! Two rows of guardsmen walked alongside this wagon sticking fingers between gaps in boards covering windows at each end holding back anyone trying to get close enough to see anything inside! It didn't seem right somehow! Who were these people? Where were they going? Why couldn't anyone see inside? Some whispered amongst themselves wondering if perhaps these foreign nobles inside might want something special brought out to eat or drink while passing through? Or maybe they were tired maybe they needed a bedtime story read aloud by someone special?

Arwen thought about these questions quietly until finally after nearly half an hour watching these strange nobles pass by wondering what sort of lives they must lead if they weren't allowed out from under blankets high atop carts surrounded by armored men! Her curiosity grew almost unbearable! And then suddenly one guard stepped aside quickly making sure that no one saw him doing so letting slip one arm holding open a window board just enough for someone like Arwen who is shorter than most other adults nearby to see inside using just barely enough time before stepping back again taking his place once more beside other guardsmen surrounding this cart!

When Arwen saw what was inside she gasped loudly causing everyone near her to turn towards her curiously wondering what happened? But within mere moments after seeing what lay inside this cart filled with nothing but dozens upon dozens of adult sized bodies stacked neatly on top of each other surrounded by nothing but thin wooden walls separating them from those outside watching wondering what sort of terrible punishment must await those being carried away bound in chains like animals locked away from those free outside watching them pass?! All sorts of thoughts raced through Arwen's mind as she began running back away from this procession up towards home leaving behind everything except for one thing---her fishing pole which she hoped still had a few coins attached somewhere down deep below its surface wrapped tightly around small rocks held firmly within its hooks waiting patiently just below water's surface waiting for someone just like Arwen herself following behind hoping desperately hoping wishing praying needing something more than just hope left behind among other more fortunate children much more fortunate than herself?!