I sat in the carriage beside my father, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels against the cobblestones reverberating through the air. Each jolt resonated through the vehicle as if the very sound mirrored the turmoil churning within my heart, amplifying my anxiety as we journeyed to the formidable castle looming in the distance. With every bump and jolt, it felt as though the carriage was an extension of my own tumultuous emotions, an unsettling reminder of the myriad challenges and uncertainties that awaited us—shadows stretching ominously in the twilight. The atmosphere within the carriage was thick, heavy with tension, creating a formidable force that pressed against my chest and heightened my awareness of our precarious situation.
Behind us lay the village we had always called home, its f
