Chapter60: An Unexpected Vision

*Permiton* It’s been two weeks since the first clash beyond the barrier, and somehow life inside the castle has adjusted to the rhythm of siege and skirmish. Every morning begins with patrol updates and casualty reports. Every evening ends with silence and smoke. And in between, we’ve found some sense of normalcy. The people of the kingdom have transformed from terrified refugees to a brave community.  Walking through the crowded halls no longer feels like walking through a graveyard. The people have come back to life in unexpected ways, turning their fear into action. They help in the kitchens, create gifts for the soldiers, tell stories and grow closer than they ever have. While I wasn’t in this kingdom long before the war, I know that there’s a closeness amongst the people that didn’t exist before. They aren’t just neighbors anymore. They’ve become something of a family.  It's equal parts encouraging and unsettling. Then again, everything unsettles me lately. For instance, River has