It was early morning and the sun was barley up. The cold air fell over Maybelle like a thick blanket. People were able to see their breath as they worked hard trying to clear up debris. Maybelle took a blow in the last few days. Thankfully everyone worked together to rebuild. It was honestly pretty magical, an unspoken agreement had been made and everyone began to wake up early to start doing their part. The men and women all worked together brining their home back to life. Working through the cold, marching through the clay and the mud slipping through ankle deep water in some areas and knee deep water in others. Other men and women that didn't help clear the debris or help build, set up places where they would serve food and drink to people while offering them a warm blanket. They even helped with basic first aid. If it was needed they would transport people to the local hospitals. Everyone had really come together to pull through, neighbor helping neighbor. Maybelle's true strength was showing and it was beautiful to say the least. The sun began to rise more in the sky, painting a beautiful orangish red and yellow sky. The coldness began to fade as the mud and clay began to harden.
Princess Lilly came walking up behind her father carrying wood she had cleared off the streets. She wore a pair of black jeans and a button up red flanel with grey work boots. Her hair was tied back in a loose pony tail with a few strands that strayed away unkept. There were a lot of reasons the Royal family was highly respected and there were no riots. The royals had no issues with hard work and they always seemed to pull everyone together to get the job done. They would work side by side with everyone. Sometimes people forgot they were royalty because they acted like everyday hard working people. It was hard not to respect them, if there was ever a crisis they royal family was always the first on scene. "Lilly, you doing okay?" King Nathaniel asked his daughter. "I'm alright dad thank you, what about you? How are you?" Lilly replied with a soft smile. "I'm alright." Her father said with a smile. He gently pat his daughter on the back as she walked by to place the wood in a pile near him. "The down trees are just about cleared out in the North and Northeast, the boulders are no longer blocking roads in the southern region. We are making good progress. Maybe we should take a break? It's almost noon and it's really hot and humid right now." Lilly suggested to her father. "That's a great idea."
Nathaniel agreed.
The king called everyone around him and announced it was time for food, he had people that normally worked in the palace helping with the rebuilding and cleaning up process of the Kingdom. Who wasn't heavy lifting found other things to do. Within a few weeks and everyone's help Maybelle was almost fully rebuilt. It looked brand new and a lot of the harvest was preserved, allowing more hope to bloom for Maybelle. Things had been quite since everything began, however everyone was still on edge. Prince Zeal was still after Princess Lilly, they still lost a great deal of their crops and they were now working on boarder protal for Maybelle's boarder's and even getting Maybelle's allies to get patrols for their boarders too. Allowing for more trust to be built and more stronger security between Maybelle and the allies. Zeal had manage to pose a threat on one of the most strongest and most peaceful countries and it's allies. Trying to kidnap Princesses and force them to marry him, so many King's and Queen's began marrying off their daughters either early or quickly to ensure their safety. Other's would try hiding their daughters in hopes that Zeal wouldn't come looking.
Hiding Princesses to keep them safe changes into even more rushed marrieges, once news got out about Princess Lilly's misfortune. Their attemps to hide her and Zeal still kidnapping her. It shook so many kingdom's leaving father's and mother's a hard choice. They still kept their daughters best interest at heart and made good deals they normally wouldn't make just to ensure a happy and safe marriege. Most of them had married off their daughters to sons whose parents were close friends. It was known Zeal wanted a young wife, the longer it took to find one the more limited his goal was becoming. There was spectulation that he might be going after widows who aren't mother's. Zeal was managing to cause chaos wherever he went and he was bringing war with him. So many countries were helping other's out during or after attacks brought on by Zeal. He was becoming more desperate. People were gathering around tables to enjoy a hot meal just as a soft warm wind began to blow. You could see Maybelle's fighting spirit however you could see worn out faces too. The King looked at his people and decided he was going to make an announcement.
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Royal announcement
Reliefe checks for all residence in Maybelle will be granted $2500 every two weeks, as of now no one pays rent for the next 6 months and no one can be evicted. Focus on your family, friends, home and the rebuilding process of our home land. Let's keep each other safe.
End of announcement.
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Maybellians were relieved to see the King's announcement but neither of them were surprised by it. Again the Royal family was known for going the extra mile for the citizens. It was a slow process and time seemed to have stood still. People felt numb and in a haze, while their body ached from all the work and cold weather. There were sniffles in the air thanks to people being able to see their breathe and being in the cold temps for hours on end. The King was worried about sickness. "It's been a week now, since everything has happened.. I can't keep pushing them, they all need rest and to be home where it's warm..." King Nathaniel was concerned so he sent everyone home telling everyone to rest, Lilly walked towards the door of the shop and looked at her home that used to look so pretty, happy and lively. Now everything was crumbled and a massive scar remained she saw the toll it was taking on the people of her kingdom and worried for them.. She wanted to cry but knew right now wasn't the time, she needed to find a solution. Lilly glanced down a hill and saw her father and ran towards him. "Father I think maybe I should go into hiding. Not even you or mom would know where I would be." Lilly said running up to her father. "What?" her father responded in shock and anger. "We just got you back and now you want to run off?" Nathaniel said in a puff. "What other way is there? We have to keep Maybelle safe and out of harms way from Prince Zeal. So long as I'm here he will continue to attack our home and people." Lilly responded in haste. Suddenly Prince Brandon ran up behind Lilly grabbing her waist from behind and held her in his wrapped arms. "No! That is a horrible idea, we have new patrols out on the boarders now, you are safer here, my love don't act so reckless. You will feed into him." Lilly was surprised by her Prince she had no idea he was anywhere around and she felt kinda startled. Her face was red and warm. Yet the butterflies that were fluttering from her stomach into her heart gave her excitement and comfort. While his words lingered on her ears.
Prince Brandon felt his Princess relax into his arms and he got a sly look. "Besided with all the extra security and guards, he will be held captive and, eventually beheaded for his crimes against our beautiful Princess and, the Kingdom of Maybelle. He just better hope it's not me catching him, because I'll kill him so slowly he'll think it's a new career." Brandon said with a smile. Lilly's heart raced with a mix of emotions but smiled at Brandon's words. The King smiled at the young Prince and gave him a look of approval, happy that Brandon was able to talk sense into his daughter. "Okay, I won't talk about it, however don't rule it out and have it as a back up plan to keep our people and home safe." Lilly said filed with worry. "Don't worry Hummingbird, I'll keep everyone safe, even if that young, dumb, full of cum power hungry child tries to start anything, we will be ready." The King reassured his daughter smiling softly down at her. Lilly relaxed and sighed feeling the cold wind blow on her face. Everyone was finishing up after getting the King's recent request to go home and rest for the next few days.
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Prince Zeal's POV
"GAAAAAAAAAH" A loud scream came with a flipped table breaking the contents on it's surface. "I want her and I want her now! Figure out a plan of action by tonight!" Prince Zeal screamed at his second in command with rage filled eyes. The man looked at the Prince with fear and confusion. "How? They now have boarder patrol on water and land, even their allies are following suit." The old man replied shaking. "Figure it out!" Zeal screamed. His face was red and his voice gave out from how loud he made his voice. The old man quickly nodded at Zeal and walked out as fast as he could. Ever since the failed attack a week ago, they had to get back up, along with staying out of sight when it came to the new boarder patrol in the region. Each one goes 10 miles out and they had their guard up. From what could be seen from one of the spy boats they weren't hurting on artillery much less back up. The second in command walked down a narrow hallway, making a sharp right turn to then enter a room on his left, where he sat down waiting for members of his team. They needed to hatch a plan on how to capture the Princess. The old man sat waiting for only but a moment when his men started walking in one by one, taking their seats. "Gentlemen, thank you for joining me on short notice. We need a plan to kidnap the Princess of Maybelle." The man proclaimed to his team. "That was short but sweet.." A man blurted out. The second in command looked to his right at the man who opened his mouth. "I have no time to dilly dally, the Prince wants a plan TONIGHT!" The second in command snapped. "Hey Captain James, we could always fire missiles at the castle." A young naïve brown hair man said. The second in command snapped his head back and looked at the man sitting at the end of the table. "Firstly don't call me by my first, it's Captain Thomas to you sonny, second we want her alive NOT dead" The second in command James Thomas replied. "Oh...around the castle?" The naïve boy asked in response. "Get out if you're not going to help!" Captain Thomas yelled.
"Give the kid a break, he gave you his best idea. That counts for something Captain. Just think of capturing the Princess like you're playing capture the flag." A young man replied. Captain Thomas looked at the gentlemen that spoke, he looked around the same age as the kid who brought up the missels, he to also had brown hair. "Go on?" Thomas replied. "Dispurse under the water, we go deep enough so their sonars can't sense us, then we use the moutains to hide us, send a small team to get the Princess during nightfall, bring her back and the same way we got in we get out. This ships can act as decoy to draw attention so no one pays attention to us. They will be wanting to focus on keeping their distance while readying up for an attack. By the time they realize the Princess is gone it will be morning. We will already have a large chunk of distance between us. Just have the ships go top speed." The young man rambles. "That's not a bad plan.. we have everything we need it's simple but brilliant, in this case less is more...DISMISSED!" Captain Thomas said sounding pleased. The Captain started walking back to where the Prince was and after 10 minutes of explaining the plan, the Prince agreed to it and waited for nightfall. Zeal had Thomas explain the plan to the crew, while the ships were getting ready to be in position to start drawing close to Maybell's boarder patrol. Where Captain Thomas and a few highly skilled men went were readying up to go into a submarine. The pieces on the board were moving into play. They just needed two things. Night to hit and for the confirmation from Prince Zeal.
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Nightfall
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After a few hours of waiting Prince Zeal gave the confirmation and the sub began to move in. The ships went full speed ahead and stopped just as they got in view of the patrol. Making sure that they grabbed their attention, they heard alarms sounding off in the distance letting them know that they weren't welcomed but very much seen. Prince Zeal told everyone to hold their position and not engage to sit and wait until the Princess was on the ship.
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End of Prince Zeal's POV
Captain Thomas's POV
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Captain Thomas and his men were on a fast track to Maybelle, going as fast as they could, they hoped that they were able to dive far enough down not to get spotted by the sonar on the ships. They were in a small enough sub that they could push how close to the shallows they could go, before needing to surface. Thankfully were they were headed was a blind spot thanks to the mountains. The closest patrol in the area they were heading to was 10 miles out. They were still at risk of being spotted if they weren't careful. After about an hour later they got to their check point and touched land. They began to hide the sub with some fallen tree limbs and other debris. The men began to make their next move and started their journey towards the Castle. They had been walking for about 10 or 15 minutes when they saw some soldiers on horseback patrolling the area.
"What are we going to do captain?" One of the men asked. "That's why I brought him, his name is Edward Johnson he is a dumb Lieutenant that made an idea of using missels. He'll be our bait." The captain replied. "Was my idea really that bad Captain?" the Lieutenant asked confused. The captain rolled his eyes and pulled out his sword hitting the youngman right on the head, knocking him unconsious. Edward was about to drop just as the Captain caught him and dragged him to an open area. So the soldiers could see him. The Captain then hides in some brush and waits. The soldiers spotted a very unconsious Edward and went to check to see who he was and if he was alright. Little did they know the trap that they had fell for. The men were jumped and knocked out before being stripped to their underwear and tied to a tree. The Captain and men changed into the soldiers clothes and dragged Edward through the Kingdom until they reach the palace. Once they entered they began to make their way through the palace trying to locate the Princess, After 2 and a half hours of searching they finally found her passed out asleep in her room. The men decided that once they get the Princess the best and quickest way out was the balcony. It led straight to the woods which gave perfect cover for a kidnapping. They were able to pick up the sleeping Princess and carefully clime down from her balcony. Rushing towards the woods as fast as they could. They finally reached the sub, two people began throwing the debris and tree limbs off of the sub while another climed in powering it up. The Princess was carefully placed into the sub and everyone was now on their way back to the ship where Prince Zeal eagerly awaited.