It was dark and dreary: Thunder clouds were forming into a sinister threat up above, and soon a heavy shower of rain came down and struck the cobbled grounds of a large palace. The palace of Vulgerisaille's walls loomed in the damp mists and took on a grey, depressing pallor that overruled the furious sky above. As if in reply to this outrage, the sky was growling and hissing in fury as thunder rolled like the howling of mighty dogs in the heavens above, casting its loathing below to the buildings who dared to defy the fact that the sky alone was the most sinister, darkest and dreariest of them all.
Though it was impossible, a young creature was standing under the magnificent archways of the doors that were one of the many entranceways that led into the palace. The animal held a cloak around her that was dyed obsidian black as a raven's plumage and around her middle, she donned a belt that held a long blade; a fencing sabre. The unusual thing about this otherwise normal squirrel, was that she did not possess the usual grey or red pelt of the common squirrel: Aramina possessed a pure brown pelt that gleamed in the slightest rays of sunlight. She was a Raresheen, daughter to the present King and Queen Raresheen who ruled over the lowly creatures from the heights of the palace of Vulgerisaille, without any threats to hinder their comfortable reign.
Aramina leaned against a Corinthian column, her paw hovering over her blade as often instinct told her to. Too many times, her father had lectured her to always keep her blade close by her side as many dissatisfied, rebellious squirrels were keen, sickeningly eager to draw their own blades through her ribs. Yes, her father recalled, many times he had feared for his own safety and had countless experiences that almost cost him his life. Aramina shuddered and drew her cloak closer though not for the reason of being cold. Keep you sword with you if you want to live. The lesson sent qualms of horror and fear down the young squirrel's spine yet with that came anger too.
"It seems that according to my father, everyone is after my blood. What a charming life for a young squirrel to lead... For one moment I'm fearing for my life and the next, I've got myself into a deadly dual with a ruffian who is sick and white with the desire to kill me" She took her sword from her belt, parried thrice before finishing the motions in a smooth, deadly lunge. She smiled coldly "Of course, there is the advantage that I can indeed defend myself if it comes to such events"
And she was right. Having been encouraged to take lessons in the noble, Royal art of fencing, Aramina was a skilled student and soon was told that she was able and talented enough to protect herself against any ruffian that went against her.
The brown squirrel sighed nonchalantly "Yes, though it is a great pity to be informed that the whole world and your people are against you... Actually they aren't my people" she closed her eyes whilst thinking. "They don't belong to us or my father and mother. No, the citizens belong to themselves and as royalty, we should guarantee them safety and protection" she was taking the opinions of her Grandfather who was known to be kind and compassionate to his citizens when he took the throne. Aramina was desiring to follow in his paw steps.
Suddenly, there was a clang somewhere around the gates. Aramina whipped round, her sword held in front of her and her eyes darting about to locate the trespasser.
"Who's there?" The Raresheen asked, surveying the dreary landscape warily as adrenalin rushed through her blood. She was fearful now, all her instincts told her to run as it could be an assassin come to slay her or some other treacherous ruffian. All she had been taught, encouraged her to hold her life dear and she learnt from her parents that the world was a dangerous, sinister place for young royalty. The mislead squirrel regarded everything as being suspicious. She had been brought up to do so.
She started as a voice called out in reply.
"They call me Flamiro" the voice that sounded was young, though slightly older that Aramina. The brown squirrel narrowed her eyes suspiciously, looking to the direction that the disembodied sound had come from.
"Be you friend or be you foe?" She called out coldy, longing to find the source of the calm and collected voice.
It replied "You are Raresheen and so I have no desire to do you any harm" again it sounded tranquil, amiable too.
The Raresheen relaxed slightly and let her muscles loosen though she was still not overall convinced that this creature meant her no harm. "Do you pledge against your sword that you, Flamiro, will not do any harm towards me and in turn I will not do you any harm so that we may be satisfied?" She asked, knowing that if the squirrel broke the pledge once agreed, he would be liable to have his tail cut off: a terrible thing to happen as it signified the loss of pride and beauty in a squirrel. Once a tail was taken by the axe, the poor victim was considered worse that scum.  It was yet another law passed by the Raresheens to keep the citizens under order. A cruel, merciless act to show their infinite power.
Flamiro chuckled and gave his word "I Flamiro solomnly do uphold this pledge."
Aramina nodded and smiled grimly. At least now she had no fear that this squirrel would dare to harm her. If so, he would suffer the consequences for it. She replaced her sabre into its scabbard.
"Then do me the honour of coming out and showing yourself to me. You have been masking your identity for too long. Come out sir, for I wish to see you as you are" Aramina suggested, turning her head to stare into the gloom, hoping to catch sight of this stranger before he made his intentions known to her.
The strange squirrel laughed pleasantly. "I suppose I may grant you what you ask" he revealed himself to be a flame pelted, male squirrel whose name suited him. His build was much like Aramina's in that they were both tall and slim which gave them the ability to be agile and dexterous too.
Aramina looked at him, taking in every detail in his figure and complexion. She narrowed her eyes and stated "Now, prithee, tell me what your fortune is that brings you here?"
The red squirrel leaned upon the gates and raised his paws as he stretched luxuriously. Aramina, impatiently, stared at him out of her fiery, cold, peridot eyes. Her eyes had a strange effect on Flamiro. At once he felt that this Raresheen was one not to play around with. There was something about her. Something that affected him and shook him through and through.
He replied, slightly nervously and hastily "I'm a peasant, your highness, and I came for I heard you consider kindness towards us. You stated, and rightly so, that we belong to ourselves and are not trinkets merely to keep your royal parents happy"
Aramina nodded, her eyes still set upon him. "Aye, that I did say but what can you do about it? You and I have no power against my parents. Aye, in due time I will become the Queen but there are still many years for the rule of my parents to live out and during that they may have all the liability to cause you and your type all the pain they intend to inflict" she laughed bitterly. "You sir, do not know my parents. You sir, have ignorance of what they are willing to do... why, I heard say by their very own mouths that they drowned their child for it was a runt."
Flamiro clasped a paw over his mouth in horror. Drowning a child was unheard of, unspeakable. He drew in a shuddering breath as he shakily replied "Let those who dare scandalise one of my little ones be cast into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck" he quoted from the bible about what Jesus preaches towards the cruelty shown towards children. But he was shocked: killing in cold blood was too far.
Aramina noted the look on his face and nodded bitterly. "Aye, that is how far they intend to go, that is how low they intend to stoop. To slay an innocent babe whose only crime was being a runt."
Flamiro looked her in the eyes and spoke quietly "But didn't you strive to stop them. Why didn't they listen to you?"
The brown squirrel gave a sign of scorn "Oh yes, many times I tried to stop them from their dastardly doings and for the murder of the babe I strived to stop them with such a passion that it turned me faint. I argued with them, debated with them, begged them, pleaded with them and beseeched them but their hearts are cold as winter frost and they would not hear me. When they drowned the child, I was ill with an abject sense of shock for the majority of a week. Yes, the things my parents act out are enough to make a normal squirrel have a fit of the vapours yet my parents hardly turn a whisker" she added softly "I have reason to believe that they even enjoy it."
Flamiro was beyond shock. "They kill us too. Not the way they had slain the child but they starve us, neglect us and because of that we perish during the cold winter nights. Our babes die whilst weeping for food, our elders die with their frames like skeletons and our youngsters die without a word" he startled as Aramina suddenly spoke angrily.
"And it is that that I am so willing to speak against" she gritted with her jaw clenched.
Suddenly lighting flashed overhead like some eerie power that the two were ignorant of. It caused them both to leap but illuminated some scene that made the young Raresheen turn to the red squirrel in alarm.
"Go! Go now" she whispered urgently to him. "It is my parents and if they find you here, you will be slain for sure"
Flamiro nodded and without a further word, ran towards the golden gates where he slipped silent as a shadow through to the poorer lowly world once more.