Oswald & Griselda

The first fall leaves touched the ground early in the evening. As darkness enveloped the village, everything was quiet except at the old castle on top of the hill. There, whenever the sun went down, the dead began to live! Although the castle of Tubenia was visible to all the villagers, none dared to enter the property. The children were taught from a young age to stay away from the house of the dead. That's how the locals referred to the magnificent prehistoric structure. Rumors of the horrific monsters in Tubenia's castle had been spread for centuries. Some said that vampires and zombies lived there. Many believed that a curse kept the monsters trapped in the castle. Their stories would often end with a warning to stay as far as possible, or they'd become food for the hungry souls of the dead.

Most people didn't know that Tubenia was the birthplace of an untold love story that began centuries ago.

To understand the origin of our lovers, I take you back to the 16th century. In that era, Tubenia was a wealthy country ruled by King Mokkar. He was a fierce and ruthless ruler. Unfortunately, Queen Amira passed away, and the aristocrat was left without a male heir. But that didn't mean he loved his daughter any less. Princess Marilda was raised like a prince. The King arranged for the Princess to be trained by the greatest warriors of the time. The Princess was also trained in foreign affairs and other skills usually reserved for a prince. She grew up to become a fierce woman, like her ancestors whose blood flowed through her veins. She never backed down from facing more vigorous male opponents in combat or a healthy battle of wits. Sometimes she would get in trouble by sneaking out of the castle to explore the village down the hill. Her father would often have to send his men to search for the Princess in the jungles near the palace. Lucky for her, most of her childish pranks were quickly forgiven by the King. With all the freedom she had, Marilda was happy living in the castle.

 By the Time Princess Marilda turned 21 years old, she was the leading general of her father's army. Hidden beneath the facade of a naive beauty was the Kingdom's most strategic warrior. Under her lead, Tubenia had expanded its Kingdom to 500 villages. The most challenging of those villages was the Mekuba tribe. A terrifying part of the Kingdom, where the people were known for being cannibals. Their ancient traditions were based on the belief that consuming the flesh of their enemies would give them strength. Many Kings have failed in conquering this village as part of their Kingdom. The last general who attempted a surprise attack had his head served in a tomato stew.

According to rumors, the people of Merkuba had supernatural powers. They were powerful shapeshifters with strong telepathic powers. The stories of a forbidden place always interested a strategist like Marilda. She didn't play to win; she played to be successful. Other generals prayed to never receive a mission near the borders of Mekuba. On the outskirts of their village lay a vulnerable part of Tubenia. It was often reported that men, women, children, and even soldiers went missing in those parts. A tragedy that Princess Marilda was bent on solving, by using any tactic necessary! On her 21st birthday, just hours after her father officially knighted her as the leading general of the Kingdom, she requested a private audience.

A familiar face opened the door to the King's Thronehall for Mirelda. It was Lady Dania, a loyal knight, known as the protector of the throne. But to the Princess, she was more than a pawn on her father's chessboard. She was a mentor, a teacher, and a mother figure. Going against the rules of protocol, the Princess grabbed Lady Dania by the hand and pulled her in for a hug. " Princess, this isn't proper. Your father is waiting.". 

Mirelda faced her father, who was sitting on his golden throne. Kneeling in front of him, she greeted the strength of the Kingdom. A stern face under a crown, that transformed into a fatherly warmth at the sight of his daughter.

" Rise, my daughter. Today you have become the son our kingdom needed!". Princess Mirelda rose in her heavy armor. " Father, I'm grateful for this great honor you bestow upon me. Allow me to give you a gift in return, A gift worthy of the status and loyalty of Turbenia's army to your throne." Her father laughed. Mirelda witnessed sparks of pride burning in his eyes. "What does my daughter have in mind?". " Father, send me to Merkuba, and I promise that I'll make them all submit to our throne. Their land will melt with Tubenia, and the flesh and blood they took from our people will pay its price in this very throne hall.". The smile on her father's face disappeared, he transformed into the King who was feared by even his closest subjects. King Mokkar rose from his throne and stood tall above his daughter. " Do you know what you're asking? Losing you would not only threaten the leadership of our army, but also the position of the royal heir.". 

" Yes, Father, I do realize that if I am not successful, it puts the Kingdom in a threatening position. But you have not raised me to be a failure! Besides, traditionally, acquiring new territory is the first duty of each general. Right now, the only place left for me to conquer on our coast is Merkuba. If we fail to claim this territory, we cannot move forward, and it would be the end of our empire. Allow me to break through the lines and expand your Kingdom into one that's worthy of our family's bloodline!"

" As a father, I should write out a royal decree this instant to remove you from your position. But as a King, I recognize the same stubbornness and determination that runs through our blood. Knowing you, even if I tried to stop you, it would be futile. You've always been strong-willed and chose to go your own path. Just like when you were 8 years old and I told you to stay away from the village down the hill. You thought I didn't notice you fooling the palace guards each time. I've tolerated all your antics as they reminded me of your late mother. If she were alive today and she knew I'd let you do this, she'd never forgive me! If you're going to do this, promise me that you'll come back to rule this Kingdom! If you come back alive, I know your mother won't be upset at me when I enter heaven." 

"Thank you, Father. I shall leave tomorrow morning before the sun rises.". The Princess left her thoughtful father behind to attend to other matters of the Kingdom. Marilda wasted no time. Her gratitude for her father's reluctant blessing was sincere, but her mind was already calculating the complex logistics of the impending campaign. Leaving the Throne Hall, she sought out Lady Dania, not for comfort, but for counsel.

"Lady Dania," Marilda stated, her voice firm despite the late hour, "Inform the quartermasters. I need a full assessment of our current provisions, weaponry, and siege equipment by midnight. Every serviceable blade, every bolt, every ration must be accounted for. Furthermore, send riders to the most seasoned captains. I require their presence in the war room within the hour. We depart for Mekuba at dawn."

Lady Dania, ever stoic but with a knowing glint in her eye, simply nodded. She understood the weight of the King's decision and the relentless drive of the Princess. There would be no rest for anyone in Tubenia this night. Marilda then moved to the strategic maps, her fingers tracing the treacherous borders of Mekuba, the rumors of shapeshifters and telepaths swirling in her mind. This wasn't just a conquest; it was a venture into the unknown, a challenge she had sought for years, and now, it was hers to command.

The next day, Princess Marilda and a small army of 100 knights left the palace at dawn. She led the fearless men and women to a new adventure. Her father stared out from the tallest palace tower at his brave daughter as she passed through the city gates. The King kept his eyes fixed on the warrior princess and her small fleet until they turned into a small speck on the horizon.     "Ooh Mirelda, I hope you do not forget your promise.". The journey had just begun, with no promises of easy travel or a safe destination in sight. The journey to the borders of Mekuba was a silent testament to the land's cursed reputation. The path, once a trade route, had long been reclaimed by a ravenous and unnervingly silent jungle. Massive, moss-laden trees formed a dense canopy that plunged the forest floor into a perpetual twilight, and the air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and decay. For three days, Marilda and her hundred knights pressed on, their gleaming armor a stark contrast to the gloom that surrounded them. They made sure to stay on the outskirts of the forbidden dessert. Since it was known to all that none had survived the cursed sand storms constantly twirling on this barren and dry land.

Marilda, riding as the head of the group, was the very picture of vigilance. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, missed nothing—the snap of a twig that was too deliberate, the unnatural stillness of the undergrowth, the fleeting shadows that seemed to mock them from the corner of their vision. She had handpicked these hundred soldiers not for their brute strength, but for their resilience and unwavering nerve. She knew this campaign would be won with wits and will, not just steel.

On the fourth day, they found the first sign of the Mekuba. It was not a warrior or a scout, but a village. Or what was left of one. The settlement, once a Tubenian outpost, was utterly desolate. Huts stood empty, their doors agape like silent screams. A chilling wind whispered through the abandoned streets, carrying with it a sense of profound dread. But it was the silence that was most unnerving. There were no bodies, no signs of a struggle, no bloodstains in the dirt. It was as if the inhabitants had simply vanished into thin air.

"General," a seasoned knight named Kael uttered, his voice low. "What sorcery is this? It feels as if a hundred ghosts are watching us."

Marilda dismounted, her gauntlet resting on the hilt of her sword. She walked to the center of the village square, her gaze sweeping over the eerie scene. "This is no sorcery, Kael. This is a message. They know we are here." Her voice was steady, betraying no fear. She was a strategist, and fear was a luxury she could not afford. "They want us to feel terror. To believe the rumors of their power. They are using our own minds against us."

As she spoke, a flicker of movement caught her eye. It was near the edge of the abandoned village, by a large, gnarled tree whose branches twisted like skeletal fingers. A man stood there, half-concealed by the shadows. He was not dressed as a warrior. He wore simple, dark leather, and his face was calm, observant. He made no move to hide, yet he seemed to blend into the forest itself.

Marilda signaled for her troops to hold their position. She alone began to walk towards the stranger, her steps deliberate and confident. As she drew closer, she could see he was young, perhaps her own age, with eyes the color of the forest floor and a quiet intensity that was both unsettling and intriguing. He did not seem surprised by her approach.

"You are far from home, warrior of Tubenia," he said, his voice a low baritone that seemed to carry on the wind. It was not a challenge, but a statement of fact.

"The same could be said of you," Marilda countered, her hand never straying from her sword. "This is Tubenian territory."

A faint, wry smile touched the man's lips. "This land does not obey the maps of kings. It has its own masters. You seek to conquer the Mekuba. A futile ambition."

"I do not play to be ambitious," Marilda replied, echoing the philosophy that had guided her life. "I play to be successful."

The man's gaze seemed to pierce through her armor, through the facade of the Princess and the general, to the core of the woman beneath. "You have a warrior's heart. But the Mekuba do not fight with swords and spears. They fight with the mind. They will turn your strength into a weakness, your courage into terror. They will break you from the inside out."

"And who are you to know their ways so intimately?" Marilda demanded, her suspicion piqued.

He took a step out of the shadows, revealing a face marked by a quiet sorrow. "My name is Oswald. And I am one of the few who have seen the true face of the Mekuba and lived to tell the tale. I was once their captive." He looked her over, a new understanding dawning in his eyes. "You lead this army with a heavy grit. They may call you Princess in your castle, but in this dark place, a name like 'Marilda' does not suit you. Here, you are a 'Griselda'—a grey battle-maiden."

The name hung in the air between them, foreign yet strangely fitting. Marilda felt a flicker of something she hadn't experienced before—not fear, but an unnerving sense of being truly seen. This man, this Oswald, understood the nature of the fight that lay ahead. A shiver, not of cold but of recognition, traced her spine. "Griselda," she repeated, tasting the word. It resonated with the dark, untamed part of her that had always sought out the forbidden. It felt like a warrior's mantle, shedding the last vestiges of her royal upbringing in favor of the grim reality before them. Her gaze hardened, fixing on Oswald. "You say you were their captive. You lived to tell the tale. Then tell it. Tell me everything you know about these shapeshifters and their telepathic powers. Tell me how they fight with the mind, how they break from the inside out.".

She gestured back to the desolate village. "And tell me why this place is silent, yet full of ghosts. Our alliance, Oswald, begins with truth. Where do we go from here to truly succeed?"

" As expected from a strong spirit, you have many questions. I am willing to be the helping hand in your mission on one condition!".            " What is it you desire?" 

" I was taken as a captive when I landed in this desert." "Landed?" Princess Marilda asked, slightly confused. " I'm not from your world, and when I was discovered by the people of Merkuba, they captured me. My spacecraft and other belongings were taken into their possession. Thankfully, I managed to escape after observing their people during my captivity."

"What's a spacecraft?". " You could say it's almost like when you people use horses. My spacecraft helps me get from this world to my home. If I help you, Griselda, will you aid me to get my spacecraft back?". The silence of the abandoned village hung heavy as Oswald revealed his astonishing truth. Marilda, now Griselda, processed his words, her mind racing to reconcile his claims with the world she knew. A "spacecraft" and "another world" were concepts utterly alien to her, yet the man before her radiated a sincerity that defied immediate dismissal. His knowledge of the Mekuba, their mental warfare, and the desolate land resonated with the dark, unsettling reality they were facing.

"You speak of things beyond my understanding, Oswald," Griselda said, her voice betraying a hint of the surprise she felt, yet her warrior's resolve remained. "A spacecraft... a way to travel between worlds. This is a tale I've never heard, even in the most ancient scrolls of Tubenia." She paused, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "However, your insights into the Mekuba are invaluable. If what you say is true, if you truly witnessed their ways and survived, then your help could indeed be the key to our success."

She walked closer to him, her gaze piercing. "My father, the King, seeks to expand his Kingdom, not merely to conquer, but to secure our borders and protect our people. If your 'spacecraft' and 'belongings' are within Mekuban territory, then retrieving them aligns with our objectives. But I need more than words, Oswald. I need proof of your capabilities and a clear understanding of what we face."

The Unveiling of Secrets

"Tell me, Oswald," Griselda pressed, her voice firm, "how did you escape? What did you learn about their shapeshifting and telepathic powers? How do they 'break from the inside out,' as you described? Give me the unvarnished truth, for the lives of my knights depend on it."

Oswald looked at her, a flicker of something akin to admiration in his eyes. "Very well, Griselda," he began, his voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial tone. "My escape was born of desperation and their overconfidence. The Mekuba... they feed on fear. They use their telepathy to project illusions, to twist your perceptions, to turn your allies into enemies in your mind, and your deepest fears into tangible horrors."

He gestured around the desolate village. "This place, for instance. It isn't merely abandoned. It's a mental trap. They broadcast a sense of dread and emptiness, making you believe the inhabitants vanished. In truth, they likely moved them, or worse, used them as bait. 

The silence, the feeling of being watched – it's all part of their psychological assault. They want you to break before you even draw your sword."

"Their shapeshifting isn't merely physical, either," Oswald continued, his voice grave. "They can manipulate the very perception of reality. They can appear as your dearest loved ones or your most dreaded nightmares. They can make you believe a rock is a monstrous beast, or that your trusted comrade is a Mekuban spy. This is how they 'break you from the inside out.' They shatter your trust, your sanity, your very sense of what is real."

"I escaped," he explained, "because I learned to shield my mind, to recognize the illusions. It is challenging, requires immense focus, but it is possible. They become less effective if you can ground yourself in reality, if you can distinguish between what is truly there and what they project into your thoughts."

A Perilous Alliance

Griselda absorbed his words, a grim understanding settling over her. This was a war unlike any she had ever conceived. "So, our strength is our clarity of mind, and our weakness is our fear," she mused aloud. "This is not a battle of steel, but of wills."

She looked at Oswald with a new appreciation in her gaze. "If you can teach my knights to shield their minds, to see through these illusions, then your 'spacecraft' will be retrieved. Your belongings will be returned. We will forge an alliance, Oswald, for mutual benefit. But know this: if you betray us, if your knowledge is false, or if you lead us into a trap, you will face the wrath of Tubenia's army, and no 'spacecraft' will save you."

"Where do we go from here, then, Oswald? Where do we begin to fight this enemy that dwells in the mind?" she demanded, her voice ringing with renewed determination. "Show us the path, and teach us to see."

Oswald nodded slowly, a faint, resolute light entering his eyes. "To truly succeed, Griselda, we must first go into the desert of whispers, the land of the forbidden desert you wisely avoided. That is where my spacecraft was taken, and it is also where the Mekuba conduct their most potent rituals and train their shapeshifters. It's dangerous, yes, but it is also where we can learn their true weaknesses and reclaim what is ours."

He pointed towards the desolate, shimmering expanse beyond the village. "But we will not go blindly. I will teach you and your most trusted knights the basics of mental shielding. We will move carefully, using the shadows and the landscape to our advantage. The first step, Griselda, is to embrace the unseen. To understand that the greatest battle we face is not with a physical foe, but with the illusions they weave."

Griselda turned to her knights, her face a mask of resolute purpose. "Kael!" she commanded, her voice cutting through the eerie silence. "Assemble the captains. We have a new guide and a new way of war to learn. Our journey to Mekuba begins, but not as we planned. From this moment forth, we fight with our minds as much as our swords."

What do you think, men? Are you ready to venture into the desert of whispers and face the true nature of the Mekuba?