Chapter 6: Invarr
Warnings: Violence, Weapons, Bullying, Teasing, Taunting, Beating, Blood
One week later, I arrived in Invarr. Invarr was a jungle covered in palm trees with green leaves. I saw women with black hair and brown skin dressed in black suits holding wooden signs that read 'Get Recruited for the Invarrian Warriors!'. I could join the Invarrian Army! I thought. What if they attack Corona? I fretted. Some people probably deserve it like Gothel and Quirin, I will protect my friends and family. I reassured myself.
I marched up to the recruitment booth. A woman with black hair, brown skin, and brown eyes wearing a black suit was sitting inside. "Hi, I would like to get signed up." I told her. "Name?" She asked me.
"Anna." I replied.
"Last?" She questioned.
"I'm an orphan." I told her. Not a complete lie, Dad passed away before I was born and Mom disappeared when I was 15.
"Okay, you're in. Go into the tent." She told me. I smiled. I went into the white tent.
The tent was filled with brown, wooden chairs. I sat in one. It was kind of hard. I saw a woman with black hair and brown skin dressed in a black suit make her way to the front. I remember seeing her at the Contest of the Crowns when I was ten. I realized that she was the queen.
"Brave women of The Seven Kingdoms, we are absolutely honored to have you sign up for the Invarrian Warriors. During the next 16 months, your strength, power, and courage will be tested. A woman who can show dignity in the face of adversity is truly a warrior. Now your leaders will show you to your dorms." The Queen spoke. We all stood up and clapped.
"Last name A through J go with Sarah." The Queen announced. About a third of the women ran over to a woman with black hair and brown skin dressed in a black suit. "Last name K through S go with Rachel." The Queen announced. About a third of the women ran over to a woman with red, curly hair and tan skin dressed in a black suit. "Last name T through Z go with Cindy." The Queen announced. About a third of the women ran over to a woman with blonde hair and tan skin dressed in a black suit.
"This girl's an orphan." Explained my recruiter. The Queen thought for a moment.
"She can go with you." The Queen explained. My recruiter nodded.
My recruiter led me to a brown, wooden door. She opened it up. Inside, there was a white mattress on a black, metal frame with white sheets on it. "I'm assuming that since you're an orphan you probably don't have your own bedding." My recruiter asked me. I nodded. "Let me get you some." She told me.
A few minutes later, my recruiter came with pink blankets, sheets, and a pillow. She put the sheets on the bed. She put the blankets on the bed. She put the sheets on the bed. She put the pillow on the bed. I put my doll from Corona on the bed. "There you go." She told me. I smiled. After my recruiter had left the room, I changed into my uniform.
I went down to the river. The river was murky with brown, muddy water. I took my black boots off. I put them beside me. I put my feet in the river. A few minutes later, I noticed something moving in the water. I immediately pulled my feet out. Is it a man-eating phreona? I panicked. I looked in the water. A pink dolphin popped out of the water. I gasped. "Aww, you are beautiful!" I exclaimed. I petted her. She chirped. She turned over to show me her tail. Her fins were missing. I gasped. Just then, The Queen came over to me.
"Aww, she has no tail. She probably won't survive much longer." She explained. I frowned. "Com'on, let's go inside for dinner.". She reached her hand out. "Com'on.". I took her hand. She led me inside.
Inside, there were six long, rectangular, brown wooden tables. I sat down at the first table. Some brownish-purple jerky was passed to me. I picked it up and ate it. It was fruity and tough. I decided I liked it and ate the rest of it.
That night, I went to my room. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona. I pulled out my teal bag and got out my journal and sat down on my bed. I began to write:
2/15/1624
Dear Journal,
Today I arrived in Invarr. I signed up for the army. If they attack Corona, some people probably deserve it like Gothel and Quirin, I will protect my friends and family. There is also a pink dolphin without a tail here. I really hope I can stay here.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal back in my bag, laid down, and went to sleep.
The next week, we were all gathered in the weaponry. The Queen stood in the front of the room. "Today, ladies, we are going to review the art of sword fighting. Now, you stand with your sword in your dominant hand and your other hand out in front, like this." She explained standing with her sword in her right hand and her left hand out in front. "And then you move your sword around until you knock it out of your opponent's hand.". Sarah came over to The Queen. She stood with her sword in her left hand and her right hand out in front. "Then you strike at your opponent.". The Queen struck at Sarah. "Then your opponent strikes at you.". Sarah struck at The Queen. "Then you continue until one of you drops your sword.". The Queen struck at Sarah. Sarah struck at The Queen. The Queen struck at Sarah. Sarah struck at The Queen. The Queen struck at Sarah. Sarah dropped her sword. She looked shocked. The Queen smiled. "Get with your leaders.".
I went with my recruiter, Leah. Leah tossed me a sword. I stood with my sword in my left hand and my right hand out in front. She with her sword in her right hand and her left hand out in front. I struck at Leah. Leah struck at me. I struck at Leah. Leah struck at me. I struck at Leah. Leah struck at me. I struck at Leah. Leah dropped her sword. "Wow, Anna, your're really good." She told me.
"Thank you." I replied.
That night, I went to my room. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona. I pulled out my teal bag and got out my journal and sat down on my bed. I began to write:
2/22/1624
Dear Journal,
Today I sword-fought Leah (my recruiter) and won!
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal back in my bag, laid down, and went to sleep.
Three months later, me and my other pupils were gathered on the back lawn. There were five wooden disks with red and white circles on them. The disks were propped up by small, blue, wooden blocks.
The Queen stood in the center of the yard, holding a tan, wooden bow. "Today, ladies, we are going to practice archery. Now first, knocking the arrow: you attach the arrow's tail to the string of the bow in the center of the bow." She told us. She picked up a brown wooden arrow and attached the arrow's tail to the string of the bow in the center of the bow. "And pull back and let go.". She pulled back on the bowstring and let go. The arrow flew to the red center of the target. I and the other women gasped. The Queen smiled. "Get with your leaders.".
I went with Leah. Leah handed me a tan, wooden bow. "Thank you." I told her. She smiled. I picked up a brown wooden arrow and attached the arrow's tail to the string of the bow in the center of the bow.
I went up to the target. I pulled back on the bowstring and let go. The arrow flew to the red center of the target. I smiled. I went over to another target. I pulled back on the bowstring and let go. The arrow flew to the red center of the target. I smiled. "Good job!" Leah told me. "Thank you." I told her.
I went over to the murky river. The pink dolphin without a tail, who I had begun to call 'Summer' was popping her head out of the water. I ran over to her. I knelt down and stroked her head. "Oh, I guess that little dolphin is much stronger than I imagined." The Queen realized. I just smiled.
That night, I went to my room. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona. I pulled out my teal bag and got out my journal and sat down on my bed. I began to write:
5/22/1624
Dear Journal,
Today we had archery. I shot a bullseye. I also played with Summer, the pink dolphin without a tail.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal back in my bag, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later, it was time for the lantern festival in Corona. I went downstairs to talk to The Queen. She was standing in front of the room. I went up to her. "Excuse me, You're Majesty, can you please give me the day off, it's the lantern festival in Corona today." I explained. She raised an eyebrow at me.
"Anna, you know you only have twelve sick days a year, do you really want to use one of your sick days for that?" She questioned. I nodded. "Fine, be back tomorrow." She told me. I ran out of the palace.
I went to the river. I grabbed a raft made of brown, wooden logs and tied together with green vines. I set the raft down in the murky river. I got on it. Summer swam up behind it. "You ready to go to Corona, Sunshine?" I questioned. She clicked. I smiled. She began to push the raft towards Corona.
Six hours later, we arrived in Corona. I got off the raft and went to the mainland. I looked around. The baker was selling cupcakes at his booth in the street. People were dancing and making chalk art in town square. Some people were also selling flags, dolls, and other souvenirs along the sides of town square in wooden booths.
I went over to the baker's brown, wooden booth. "Can I have a chocolate cupcake?" I asked him. The plump, red-headed baker nodded. He handed me a brown cupcake. "Thank you so much!" I told him.
I went into the town square and spun around. The people in the market cheered. I smiled.
I went over to the chalk art station. I outlined baby Rapunzel with the black chalk. I colored her skin with the tan chalk. I drew her eyes with the white, green, and black chalk. I colored her lips and gave her some blush with the pink chalk. I colored her dress with the purple chalk. I stood up and wiped my brow. "Hey, she drew a picture of the Lost Princess!" A man with tan skin, brown hair, and eyes, wearing a white shirt and brown pants announced. I smiled.
Suddenly, I heard a strong, male voice announce: "To the boats!". I rushed to the docks.
I rowed into the middle of the ocean. As soon as we got to the middle of the ocean, we noticed lights arising from the island. "Ah! There are the lights." I cooed. We just watched the lanterns for the rest of the night.
After the lantern festival was over, I rowed us into the ocean. Summer was pushing the raft so I took out my journal and began to write:
7/4/1624
Dear Journal,
Today, I went back to Corona for the Lantern Festival. Again, like last year, nobody recognized me and I didn't get caught. I had a chocolate cupcake. It was good! I danced in town square. I drew a picture of baby Rapunzel with chalk. I saw the floating lanterns! I hope Rapunzel sees them and knows to come home.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I closed my journal, put it back in my bag, grabbed an oar, and continue to row back to Invarr.
The next month, we were gathered in the basement. The basement was a room with grey, concrete, walls, and floors with red sandbags hanging from brown ropes from the ceiling. The Queen was standing in front of the room. "Today, we're going to work on our boxing skills. Now, punch the bags as hard as you can and as fast as you can." She explained. I picture Gothel's face on my bag. I punched it forty times.
That night, I went to my room. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona. I pulled out my teal bag and got out my journal and sat down on my bed. I began to write:
8/4/1624
Dear Journal,
Today, we worked on boxing skills. I punched my bag forty times.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal back in my bag, laid down, and went to sleep.
Three months later, we were in the basement again. This time, instead of sandbags, there were small tan, wooden, broads in front of us. "Okay, ladies, today you are going to kick the broads in half like this." The Queen explained. She raised her foot off the ground and kicked the broad in front of her in half. I lifted my foot off the ground and kicked the broad in front of me in half.
That night, I went to my room. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona. I pulled out my teal bag and got out my journal and sat down on my bed. I began to write:
11/4/1624
Dear Journal,
I kicked a board in half today! That was fun!
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal back in my bag, laid down, and went to sleep.
Three months later, we were on the back lawn again. The Queen stood in the center of the yard with a tan, wooden pole in her hands. "Today, ladies, we are going to be practicing pole fighting. Now when I say 'jump', you're going to jump and hold the pole out in front of you." She instructed us. Rachel tossed us tan, wooden poles. Once everyone got their poles, The Queen yelled "One, two, three, jump!". We all jumped with our poles out in front of us, in unity.
That night, I went to my room. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona. I pulled out my teal bag and got out my journal and sat down on my bed. I began to write:
2/4/1625
Dear Journal,
Today we practiced fighting with poles.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal back in my bag, laid down, and went to sleep.
Four months later, I walked into the weaponry. Everybody was staring angrily at me. "What… Did I forget to put something away?" I questioned. The Queen was holding my bag. She turned it over, my Bible, journal, Mudcloth from Galcreast, paper from Pittsburgh, Peter Pan, my dolls, and all of my outfits from everywhere in the Seven Kingdoms fell out. "YOU WENT THROUGH MY STUFF?!" I screamed. They had no right to do that.
"I started keeping my eyes out for you several years ago when I heard you ran away. And you confirm my suspicions when you ask to go to the Lantern Festival, because you just had to go to your little girl's birthday party. Besides, a queen's duty is to her kingdom." The Queen explained.
"THEY TREATED ME LIKE AN ANIMAL!"
"Girls, beat her.". A woman whipped me from behind. I let out a painful cry as I fell down. The other women whipped me. I screamed in agony. I hadn't felt this type of pain since I was sick with Rapunzel.
"You're Majesty, stop this nonsense right now! Sure, she deserves to be punished, but not tortured!" Leah demanded.
"Children need to learn that there are consequences in life.". When my body was practically covered in blood, one woman took my wrists, another one took my ankles. They took me to the raft. They threw me on it. They threw me my bag. The queen wrote a note and threw me my bag. It landed on my stomach. I winched. One of the women pushed me away from shore.
Summer swam up to me. She chirped. "Sum, they hurt me bad." I explained, putting a hand on her hand. She swam under me. She began to push me. I just lie on the raft, groaning in pain.