Cherie

Cherie was a petite fair-haired blue-eyed curious girl. That was exactly the opposite of what The Council wanted of its' youth. They wanted conformers, people who wanted to "be a part of something bigger," they said.

History wasn't taught in Absarokee. The Council said history is in the past and doesn't serve those living. The definitive class systems were obvious at a young age because those who grow up in a certain echelon stay there. They marry those within that same group. Often they take on the work that their family did or similar type work. They attend the same schools, and are thought-policed by the same families. In a place with no hope there can be no dreamers, so Cherie had learned early on to pretend to conform. To be quiet concise and never allow them to wonder. That is one of Oma's rules.

Cherie was raised by her Oma who told her stories in wWhispers at night about a land beautiful and free. She spoke of love without limiting your options, even alluding to being in love with someone well above their place in society. She spoke of getting to choose what work you did, and having hobbies where she found she had other talents. Before each story a freedom and adventure was told a very strict warning was issued. Oma wanted Cherie to know what life could be like and to be curious but she also wanted her to be safe. The Council was always watching, she said. The people you think are your friends are always watching. Even your relatives who have fallen out of favor may be willing to turn on you in order to regain ground. itHer stories ranged from loving exactly who you want to being able to choose your life's work.

On her 13th birthday Oma led Cherie down the stairs to the root cellar. Oma glided over to a dirty rug and tugged to reveal a passage in the floor.

Oma lit a candle and led Cherie down the passage to a small room, musty and cool. She pointed for cherie to take a seat at the wooden table. It took everything within Cherie not to look around in the curious space she had never known about. Oma stared seriously into Cherie's eyes and then placed a purple cloth pouch in her hand.

She then told Cherie the story she had always wanted, with more details and hard truths then she ever could have dreamed.

Her mother had fallen in love with someone who was of a different class. He was destined to be a great and important leader as his family was currently head of the council. He loved her fiercely, so much as to leave his life of comfort to be with his beloved. This Brave man, her father, new secrets of the council, how they intended to control the masses. Magic was real and they kept it a secret. They harnessed relics and focused the power on maintaining the hierarchy keeping their positions and suppressing the lower classes.

True love unbound him from the magic and he could see how wrong it was. He stole one of the relics and married Cherie's mother in secret. She became pregnant with Cherie shortly after, but when complications a rose she had to seek help from a Medicine Woman in town.

At the conclusion of her story she reached over to Cherie and patted the hands clutching the pouch, instinctively knowing something precious lay within.

When she opened the pouch she found a tarnished heart locket that emanated energy. It was cool and warm at the same time. She knew this trinket fueled by her late mother and father's love would start a revolution and bring magical peace and change.

Now she just had to figure out how