Thought of the Day - March 15 2022 - Once Upon a Time - Final Chapter

Another month has passed and so it is time to tell the final part of our tale

( Thought of the Day - September 6 2021 - Once Upon a Time, Thought of the Day - November 19 2021 - Once Upon a Time - Part II, Thought of the Day - February 2 2022 - Once Upon A Time - Part III ).

A quick recap. The story is about a fiefdom besieged by dragons that had come from a faraway land. People were dying and so a great fortress was built for protection. Those who wished to seek sanctuary within its walls must take a Dragon Card lottery. If successful people could find refuge, those that failed would be called upon to use weapons, bought from the south, to fight the dragons. The system was a great success, many people were protected and saved.

The second chapter talked of the arrival of the more powerful Delta Dragons. 'The Many' in the Fortress were surprised there were still some that chose not to seek sanctuary. 'The Few', who refused to flip the Dragon Card and shunned the protection of the fortress, took their chances with the dragons. 'The Many' became convinced that the 'The Few' were the reason for the continued assault of the dragons. Thus, a medallion was issued to the 'Many' used to ensure that 'The Few' could not visit any ale-house, work on any farm, or hunt on any land of the fiefdom.

In the third chapter, along with the Great Winter's Feast, the Omicron Dragons arrived. They were smaller, more nimble and much more plentiful. As the dragons kept coming 'The Many' were told they must flip the Dragon Card yet again to boost the ranks. The Guilds were pressured to ensure all of their members complied. Unrest broke out when the Cart Drivers refused and instead travelled to the Fortress to express their displeasure.

When we left off the Omicron Dragon attacks were starting to abate. Attention was now turning to what many saw as their new enemy at the gates - the Cart Drivers.

The standoff with the Cart Drivers continued. The Mages called upon the Farmers to remove the Cart Drivers' horses and oxen but they refused. Instead, some even took feed to the Cart Drivers and their animals. There were great arguments at the Session of the Spring as to the best course of action. The Mages refused to grant the Cart Drivers an audience; they called them names and town criers spread rumours that the Cart Drivers were corrupted by spending too much time travelling to the Kingdom to the South. After a time the people of the Fortress grew tired of the blockade and the disruption it caused. By decree, popular or not, any Cart Driver who continued to protest was to be thrown into the dungeon and their carts and animals seized.

At the same time, good news was coming from faraway lands. The news that with Omicron Dragon attacks abating, people in the lands across the sea were returning to their normal lives, no longer needing to huddle in strongholds or rely on the great weapons.

With the coming of spring, people in the fiefdom also started to leave the Fortress. They left the Mages to their arguments and returned to their homesteads to rebuild their lives. They cast aside their medallions, letting one and all back into their homes. As the fields had not been well attended, as the mines had not been worked, and as the great coffers of the fiefdom had been laid bare by the war on the Dragons, they knew there would be shortages in the months or even years ahead. But working together they also knew they could build a better future.

So here we leave the fiefdom. Like others in lands far away, they knew the Dragons were yet a risk and indeed there would be some hard times ahead. But while Dragons will always be around, life still needs to be lived.

Cheers

Cliff