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Imperial Days: Season 1 Episode 6

The morning light peeped through the curtains, as soon as the first delicate rays shone upon Bailey’s face; she was up and running to the mailbox. Bailey and Rachet had agreed on a secret relationship of sorts and since his work had picked up it left him away for days on end; they set up a letter system. If he could meet her he would leave a letter in her mailbox, telling her when he would be at the meeting place.

She eagerly pulled the mailbox door open and snatched up the blank envelope inside. She tore into it, carefully reading every word. Though it was never much, Rachet was a boy of few words. The simple letter read:
“I’ll be in town all this week. Meet me between three and four in the afternoon. I’ll be waiting.
-R”

Bailey was always elated after reading his letters. It didn’t matter that they were usually one small paragraph. To her they were treasures. Her favorite part about his letters was that he always wrote, I’ll be waiting. She could always trust he would be there for her. Rachet was far from a perfect boyfriend, but he never made promises he couldn’t keep and always followed through with what he said. For Rachet, Bailey was the brightest part of his day, week, month, whatever. She filled all his voids with light.

The minutes couldn’t pass fast enough for Bailey’s impatient heart. She must have checked the clock a million times, then she had to convince herself not to leave too early.

Finally school was over, and she could leave for the meeting place. First she went to the bathroom to fix her hair; again. Bailey, unlike most girls her age, didn’t like wearing makeup, however, she was meeting a particularly attractive boy, so a dab of lip gloss, a couple swipes of mascara, and a spritz of perfume where deemed necessary.

Bailey was finally ready to go. She turned, about to dart out of the bathroom but was met with Kayla. The girls embraced each other to avoid a head on collision.

“Hey, I thought you left already. Are you going to make dinner for your family again?” Kayla asked.

Bailey had started “making dinner” for her family as a way to get out of any commitments to meet Rachet, whenever he was available. Her family was thankful for her help, even if they didn’t understand her sudden enthusiasm to do chores.

Bailey beamed, “On my way now.”

Kayla examined her friend sternly, “So I guess the third coat of lip gloss is how you make your rolls rise so well.”

Bailey put a single finger to her lips, “Shh, now you know my secret,” she said with a wink before trotting out the door.

Kayla rolled her eyes, “Just be careful and let me know if something happens,” she called after her long-time friend.

“O-Kay!” Bailey replied without turning back.

She hurried, aching to see him again. It had been too long and now she longed for the warmth of his embrace. The tender heat of his kisses. She missed the happiness she held when he was within reach.

She only slowed when she reached the curtain. It was always a little awkward after he had been away for a while and now she found herself a touch shy. She peeked through the curtain and found Rachet sitting on his favorite rock wearing a playful smirk.

“Finally find the door?” He teased her playfully as he had done at their first meeting.

She relaxed, at ease with his carefree presence. Her hands went to her hips, “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

He stood, “Is that what you were waiting for?” He crossed the distance to her and put his arms around her, “Welcome back.”

She kissed him. “I missed you,” she confessed.

He returned her kiss, “I missed you.”

A flash of flesh under his sleeve caught her attention, his bandage was gone, and the wound underneath was healing nicely. She touched the new scar that ruined his tattoo; a golden dragon in the shape of a cursive “S” inside a diamond shaped border. Her memory stirred.

“Does it still hurt?” She asked.

He shook his head, “Never really did. I have a high pain tolerance.”

Rachet took her hand and lead her deeper into the hideaway. The couple settled on a nice grassy patch to sit together. Rachet laid down propped up on his elbow. He was much more relaxed around her now, and rarely had his guard up these days.

Bailey’s eyes went back to the tattoo. Rachet rarely talked about anything that involved the empire. She never knew when she would hit a sore spot. If he had an issue with the topic he didn’t show it physically, he would only change the subject or simply not say anything at all.

“I haven’t seen anyone else with a mark like yours,” she commented carefully.

“I’m the only special agent here,” he replied simply.

“Really? How many agents are there?” she asked hoping to learn more about him.

“Five. I’m Gold, there are two above me and two below me,” He replied looking uninterested in the subject.

Bailey’s eyes lit up, “Wow! So you’re kind of a big deal huh?”

Rachet scoffed, “Hardly. I may be high ranking but I’m still nothing more than an imperial captive.” He shook his anger away.

Bailey leaned on her hand, “You must be really strong if there’s only two agents above you.”

He couldn’t help but indulge himself in her flattery, “Technically, I’m the strongest, but I’m also the second youngest so my rank is lower.”

“There’s actually someone younger than you?” she remarked surprised.

He nodded, “Bronze; my brother, Axel.”

Bailey squealed, startling Rachet, “You have a brother!?”

“Axel and I aren’t close,” he replied emotionlessly. The saddened expression in Bailey’s eyes made him choose to elaborate, “It’s not like we don’t get along. It’s just that, we used to have a middle brother. He was like the glue that held us three together. Things just haven’t been the same since we lost him.”

Her heart stopped as she imagined what it would be like to lose her own brother. She reached out to him, “Oh Rachet, I’m so sorry. That’s terrible!”

Rachet laid out flat on his back, “It’s part of life, and remember I have a very high pain tolerance.”

Bailey struggled, wanting to learn as much about Rachet as she could while he was feeling talkative, but clearly that wasn’t something he wanted to open up about. “You said you’re a captive. Where’s home for you?” She finally asked innocently.

Rachet bolted up, “We can’t talk about that,” he said sternly.

He got up and started to pace around. He just couldn’t seem to stand still; Bailey had never seen Rachet so rattled.

“That name sets me off, it’s one of my fight words. At the academy, they call it triggering. They pick a word or name close to you, and use it in different drills and scenarios, conditioning the perfect response from your body. My body is set on go… It makes me go into war mode,” He explained, visibly trying to calm himself down.

“Man, I am just striking out left and right on conversation topics,” Bailey commented incredulously. “Do you have any good words? How do I take it back?”

“It’s complicated,” he paused looking at her crestfallen, “I really didn’t want you to see this.”

She shook her head, “But I want to learn more about you.”

“If you knew everything, I don’t think your eyes would look at me the same way,” he said darkly.

“I don’t know if there’s anything that would make me stop loving you,” she said honestly.

He looked at her, his deep, dark blue eyes stunned, “What did you say?”

Bailey blushed; she hadn’t meant to tell him that way. It was out in the open now and there was no use taking it back, she was crazy about him. “I said I love you,” she said more confidently.

He paused, thinking over the right words to say before replying. “I hope one day I’m able to say it back with half as much conviction as you do,” he admitted.

His words might have hurt her if she hadn’t noticed the bright red tops of his ears. Rachet was very shy and timid where emotions were involved; he wouldn’t let his heart get carried away so quickly. Bailey would patiently wait to hear those words, but she wouldn’t wait another minute to be in his arms again. She walked over to him.

She threw her arms around his neck, “You don’t have to say it, but I do require some lip service.”

In an instant Rachet’s arms were around her. He looked deep into her eyes, and kissed her. His words were never so gentle or delicate as his kisses.

Words didn’t matter much to Bailey, because she never felt so treasured as when his lips where on hers. She closed her eyes, letting her feelings wash over her. She was certain he loved her even if he was afraid to say it.

Imperial Days: Season 1 Episode 5

Rumor’s echoed all throughout Baker’s Village. Humming in the streets, stirring in the air, swirling into Bailey’s ear was “Special Agent Rachet this”, “Rachet that.” It stung her ears more and more, as she heard his name cursed throughout the town. The urge to defend him built up in her chest. That act was impossible, as exposing their relationship would be even worse.

Bailey scoffed, relationship. She had been meeting up with Rachet for nearly three weeks now yet couldn’t begin to put a name on what she and Rachet were. They weren’t simply friends, or acquaintances, she wouldn’t dream of calling him her boyfriend, and yet they were far more than perfect strangers.

Rachet was a hard object of affection. No matter how much she gave he never returned very much. A smile here or there, but not much more. He was never cruel or intentionally unkind to her, though he was cold by nature. He hardly talked about himself or his life; actually he didn’t talk much at all. Still he let Bailey talk all she wanted. He even seemed patient with her when she would ramble aimlessly about school drama, quietly listening.

Bailey’s ears caught Rachet’s name once again. Two older ladies were huddled together gossiping in hushed tones. “Jim said he saw him catch an ax with his bare hands,” the one lady said.

“I heard he killed a man with just one kick,” the other responded.

Her friend shook her head gravely, “Isn’t that something. It makes you wonder what type of a monster he is.”

Bailey paused at the edge of the forest, all the rumors and gossip circling in her head. Doubt crept into her mind now. She knew Rachet wasn’t a monster; no one would believe her if she said as much, but she knew in her heart that he had a gentle side. She gripped his note in her pocket. Only four words were written on it, meet in three days.

She chided herself for never questioning whether she should get close to him. What future could they possibly have? Even if he actually liked her, which all signs pointed to the opposite, no one would approve.
Her breath caught; what if it were truly forbidden. The imperial army was only a decorated name for the emperor’s dogs he sent to do his bidding, it would make sense that they weren’t free to have romances outside of the empire, or while serving.

She could stand it no more; today she would ask if he wanted her to leave him alone. Bailey marched down the path to the little hide away, with a fierce determination. In her mind, she had the conversation down, word for word. She would walk straight up to him, then she would say it as she had rehearsed. A girl needs answers and she had every right to ask if he only saw her as a bother.

She charged through the curtain, full of resolve. As soon as her eyes fell on him, all of her words left her mind. He sat on his rock swearing under his breath, trying unsuccessfully to dress a bloody gash on his upper arm.

She ran to him, “Are you okay? What happened?” the words tumbled out of her mouth.

“I’ll be fine as soon as I tie this bandage,” he fussed as the cloth slipped out of his grasp again.

Bailey winced at the wound, “You should see a doctor. Do you want me to take you to one? Or I can bring him here,” she turned to leave.

Rachet’s firm hand on her wrist stopped her. His eyes flashed a panicked expression before he could shake it away. He let go of her wrist. “My doctor is back at the empire,” he said.

“But you need help,” Bailey argued.

He paused, watching the blood roll down his arm, thinking over her words. He didn’t like admitting that he needed help, but he was far from home and needed all his strength.
“Maybe you could bind it,” he suggested, not able to actually ask for her help.

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Bailey baked; she could barely open a band aid much less dress a wound of that caliber. On top of that, blood made her feel queasy. “Me?” She asked stunned. She shook her head at the idea, “No, you need a doctor for sure. The town doctor can take care of that easily,” she countered.

He wheeled away angrily, “Forget it. I’ll just do it myself.”

Guilt made her realize she had just refused the only thing he had asked of her. She groaned, “Sit down. I’ll do my best.”

She studied the torn flesh, the sight of it made her stomach turn flips. She made herself shake away the sick feeling and focus on getting the task done. She quickly, and roughly, wrapped the bandage around the cut, making him groan.

“Sorry, sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing,” Bailey panicked.

Rachet watched her as she struggled. “I’ll have to get my brand fixed. It’s pretty messed up now,” he said trying to take Bailey’s mind off of the blood.

She looked at him completely lost, “Your what?”

“My tattoo,” he clarified.

“Is that what that is? How come you’re the only one that has one?” She asked.

“The emperor likes us all to remember our positions. In my case, I’m a highly regarded slave,” he answered full of distaste.

“Oh,” was her only response. It had never occurred to Bailey that Rachet didn’t choose his position, or his way of life. She had just assumed he was drafted or serving temporarily in the army. She didn’t know if she could ask him about his past or if he was allowed to talk about it in the first place. As a result an uncomfortable silence grew.

“I… I don’t trust doctors,” Rachet began.

“Why?”

Rachet shifted uncomfortably, “I haven’t had a lot of good experiences with doctors.”

Bailey recalled the expression in his eyes at the mention of getting a doctor and wondered what sort of trauma he had endured. “What about your doctor?” she asked.

“My current doctor is okay. I don’t really trust him, but he hasn’t hurt me. At the very least, his methods seem humane,” he replied.

Something about the way Rachet said the word hurt, made her heart sting. She couldn’t begin to know the horrors of Rachet’s muddled past, but she wouldn’t make him relive it. She tied the bandage securely, “For now, I’ll be your doctor,” she said brightly.

He smiled, “Thank you. At least I like you.”

She looked at him, her hopeful heart throbbing, “You do?”

“I trust you more than everyone else here,” he paused. “Actually, I haven’t felt close to anyone in a long time.”

Bailey’s lowered her head bashfully, finding it hard to meet his eyes when he spoke sincerely. His hand slowly grazed hers. Her skin tingled at the softness of his touch.

“I’ve never met someone like you before,” he admitted.

A wide grin spread across her face, “I feel the same way about you.”

He was close now, his nose bumped hers. Bailey shyly leaned away. He closed the distance meeting her lips, for the briefest of seconds. The little kiss filled her body with a warmth that she had never felt before.

He stood from his rocky chair and slid one hand around her waist and the other on her back then slowly drew her towards him. Her breathed hitched as he pulled her into his embrace. Her hands went to the back of his head, loving the way his hair felt in between her fingers. He kissed her tenderly. She pulled him closer deepening their kiss.

A fire started between the two, they kindled until they were both breathless. Bailey light pushed against his chest, then kissed him on the jaw.

“I should go now,” she said, though she wanted to stay with Rachet and explore this feeling further.

He tucked her hair behind her ear, “That’s probably best.” He kissed her forehead then released her from his hold.

“See you tomorrow,” she said with a small wave.

“I’ll be here.”

Bailey could barely breath as she followed the path home. His sweet words rang in her head like the loveliest of melodies. She could not believe the magical evening she had just had. Her heart was so full, she thought it might burst. She sighed happily like a true young girl in love.

Imperial Days: Season 1 Episode 4

Flames licked at the gloom of night, chasing away the darkness and replacing it with glittering embers. The bonfire was in full swing now, filling the space with warmth and light; creating an airy and festive tone. Teens gathered around the flame, some playing music, some dancing, but most were talking. The Threshing Floor seemed like a safe place the youth could gather without worrying that the Empire was watching over their shoulders. Chatter hung in the air as the stress of the last couple of weeks was fading.

Dren sat on a log listening to the music as he waited for Steve to show up. They had previously agreed to meet up tonight, a much needed break. It had been a while since Dren felt like he could breath easily. Every morning he had to go to that cursed “Assembly” only to learn about how another freedom would be stripped away from him, his family, and his community. Now there wasn’t a part of Baker’s Village that wasn’t under imperial command. The Empire had taken full advantage of the fact that Baker’s Village had no active military. It was easy pickings for them; ridiculously easy.

The village hadn’t used the slightest of resistance when the Empire showed up, a fact that irked a part of Dren that he buried deep down inside. Becuase, in reality, it didn’t matter what he thought ought to be done, or how much he wanted to give that captain a good punch in the nose for what he had done to Bailey. None of that mattered, because it would never amount to anything; which was the source of his aggravations. The thing Dren hated foremost was injustice and second was hopelessness. Now these things had taken over his life and weighed him down.

Dren’s mopey thought’s stirred as he spotted Steve making his way through the fire’s glow, apple in hand. Dren couldn’t recall a time that he’d seen Steve without an apple. Steve was rail thin, but he was always eating. He shook his head now at his long-time best friend, Steve never changed. Always easy, and carefree. If he was eating, he was happy; it was that simple, even now.

Dren sighed loudly, “Finally,” he remarked.

Steve sat down on the log beside Dren, “Sorry, had to put the cows up. The calf got out; Wildflower was mooing so loudly I thought she was going to get detained.”

Dren nodded. He was used to Steve running late, and though it didn’t bother him, he couldn’t call himself a friend if he didn’t occasionally give Steve a hard time.

Steve looked around, “Pretty good turnout tonight. I guess everyone is feeling pretty relaxed since the soldiers are busy elsewhere,” he commented.

“What do you mean?” Dren had noticed a lack of troops but he hadn’t heard the reason why.

Steve threw his apple core into the fire, sending a flurry of sparks into the air. “The special agent took a small battalion and headed north for Timberville, where they had been giving the soldiers what for,” Steve replied with a chuckle.

“Timberville is rebelling?” Dren asked excitedly.

Steve shrugged, “Everyone knew they weren’t going down without a fight. They’re self-sufficient and every one of their men can wield a weapon.”

Dren’s heart surged with new life, “Steve, why don’t we give them what for?”

Steve frowned at his friend, wondering if the stress of the takeover had made him a little loony. “Well for one, neither one of us can wield an axe like those lumberjacks,” he said with no enthusiasm.

Dren huffed, his friend clearly lacked vision.

Steve shook his head incredulously, “What do you want to do, charge into the barracks carrying pitch forks, riding one of my cows at full gallop?”

Dren had to laugh at that. Apparently Steve didn’t lack imagination. He cleared his throat knowing what he had to say was no laughing matter, “No, I’m just worried. If we’re not resisting now, how far will it have to go before we say no? What is it going to take before we start standing up for our freedoms?”

The two young men stared into the fire in silence. The rest of the youth carried on with their antics, while a somber tone hovered over Dren and Steve.

“I don’t know the answer to those questions. You have to admit it’s a useless death sentence to try something now,” Steve replied thoughtfully.

Dren lowered his voice, “I’m not talking about now. Let’s build a rebellion, slowly, and when they feel settled here in our quaint little village we’ll drive them out of our home!”

Steve pulled another apple out of his pocket and took a thoughtful bite. The appeal of having their freedoms back was tempting, and if they were smart about it they could have a large army from all corners of Serally.

Dren watched eagerly, as Steve mulled the idea over and over. Steve reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a third apple, handing it to Dren. Bewildered, Dren took it as he waited on his friend’s reply.

“I think you’re onto something. With some patience and a blessing, we might be able to turn out those homewreckers,” Steve said at last.

Dren decided to overlook the misuse of the word homewrecker, focusing on planning an army. “It will take a lot of careful planning, but I want to do this. Our home is worth it.”

“Here’s to starting a war in which our odds of dying far outweigh our odds of succeeding,” Steve replied.

“Cheers,” Dren said as they clanked apples together.

Steve waved a greeting to someone behind Dren, “Hey Bales!” he greeted cheerily.

Bailey gave Steve a big smile and wave before hurrying to Dren’s side. “Dren, Mom says you have to come home. She said something about a curfew and that she won’t have her only son thrown in jail over a bonfire.”

“Oh right, another rule,” He rose from his seat, “I guess we should all head home.”

Steve sat on the log alone. “Go ahead, I’m going to go listen to the rest of Patrick’s new song first.”

Dren waved, “I’ll see you in school.”

He noticed his sister carrying something, “Whatcha got Bales?”

Bailey ducked her head shyly, “Oh I did some baking this morning. Want a brownie?” she replied, Dren noticed a touch of sadness in her tone.

“Did they not turn out okay?” He asked.

“I meant to share them, but my plans didn’t work out,” she said as she hid Rachet’s note in her coat pocket.

“Plans fell through huh? Just take them to school tomorrow. I’m sure Kayla will enjoy them just the same,” he assured her.

Bailey would never let Dren know that she had secretly been meeting a young man in the woods; and Rachet of all people. She would just let him make his assumptions, and keep her affections a complete secret.

Bailey nodded, “That’s a good idea. you can still have one. I made too many.”

He happily ate, making over exaggerated noises as he chewed. Even though she knew he was being over the top, Bailey always loved Dren’s little plays he would put on for her every time he ate her food.

The pair of siblings walked home, both hiding their secret desires close to their hearts. Neither one having a clue the completely different paths they were heading.

Imperial Days: Season 1 Episode 3

With trembling hands and a pounding heart; Bailey made her way through the forest. Very rarely had she ventured into the forest, since it contained many different inhabitants, some friendly and others not. Luckily, she had easily picked up Rachet’s trail and was safely following his directions.

Her crush made her reasoning near non-existent, she threw all caution, and logic, aside; plunging head-first after her heart’s whim. She did, however, ask herself what exactly was it about Special Agent Rachet that drew her so earnestly to him? To which, she didn’t have an answer. Or maybe she did, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She shrugged inwardly; she’d figure it out, eventually.

What she did know was she must see him again. Bailey’s affection for Rachet was like chasing after a shadow; a shadow she liked very much, but what kept her affections was discovering the owner of that shadow.

She approached a rocky outcrop covered in moss, and surrounded by trees on all sides. Bailey looked at the dead end and frowned; now what? She re-read her directions, her eyes falling on the step that read, “Find the curtain.” A little description of said curtain would be helpful right about now, she thought.

She circled the stony hedge, looking for a drapery of sorts. Until it dawned on her that “Curtain” might not be a literal description. She looked again and sure enough, she found a patch of very thick moss.

When she pulled back the mossy curtain, it revealed an entryway, which she promptly peeked through. It was a little dark inside, but there was a nice ray of sun shining through the leaves that lit up the area enough for her to see. She saw large rocks jutting up out of the grassy ground, bushes near the base of the outcrop, and to the far end was her favorite part where a small waterfall ran from the top of the rocks. It filled the space with mist and fed into a clear, winding brook. What she didn’t see was Rachet.

“Finally find the door?” a callous, sarcastic, voice rang out. Bailey immediately knew the owner. She followed the sound upwards, where Rachet sat perched on top the outcrop.

Her hands went to her hips, “If you knew I was here, why didn’t you help me out?”

“Because I wouldn’t want an audience with someone who couldn’t even follow simple instructions,” he remarked. His eyes fell on her basket, “Is that for me?”

“Yes, but I’m not climbing up there,” she resolved.

“Like you could,” he retorted. He leaped off his perch and landed effortlessly.

Bailey’s eyes widened, “Wow,” she breathed. She was suddenly aware of how broad his chest was and how strong cut his jaw was; which filled her cheeks with warmth.

She cleared her throat, “I suppose the Empire picks the strongest of men.”

“I’m not like the other men,” he said coldly.

She withdrew a little. Just what sort of person was Rachet? She thought for a moment, “As in you’re one of a kind or as in you grow fangs every full moon?”

He approached her, “I always have fangs.”

She nodded. “I see, so you are a werewolf,” she mused.

“What? No. Are you bold because you are fearless or thoughtless?” he questioned her.

“I think you’re hangry,” she handed him the basket, “Here eat this and become pleasant.”

He regarded her sternly. He wanted to scare her off but somehow she didn’t startle very easily. Questioning her true intentions, he hesitated to take the basket. Until he saw in her eyes, for the first time, a waiver in her determination. She would be hurt if he refused her now. He sighed and took the little thing, wondering why he cared about her feelings at all.

“Alright you can go now,” he said at last.

She looked at him expectantly, “Aren’t you going to try it?”

His hands went to the heavens, “And I suppose you’d like to join me too?”

Bailey giggled, “If you insist.”

He rubbed his temples contemplating what he had gotten himself into. He saw her happily sitting on a sizable rock, waiting for him to join her. Her, it had just dawned on him that he didn’t even know her name. “What do they call you?” he asked.

She smiled brightly, radiating a strange light, “Bailey Mitt.” It was a light like he’d never seen before, he couldn’t help but stare. He guessed it was like staring at a train wreck; but if he were being more honest with himself he’d understand why he stared.

He stood near her, at a distance; he made it a habit never to get close to anyone. In addition, Rachet had never been good with girls, or very popular with them, he really didn’t know what to do next.

Fortunately for him Bailey was already filling the silence, “And you’re Rachet… what? What’s your last name?”

He shook his head, “No, Rachet is more like a code name, or alias.” He saw her eyes light up and knew the next round of questions, “Don’t ask. I don’t even know my name… I’ve forgotten.” He surprised himself with his answer. He really couldn’t remember his old name. Perhaps it started with a “A”?

“Oh,” she replied despondently. Bailey seemed a little clueless from time to time, but she understood more than she let on; especially about people. The atmosphere had turned gloomy and she knew she had touched a sore spot. She handed him a cookie, “Here,” she changed the topic quickly. She understood people but she didn’t always know what to do with that information.

Thankful for the escape, he accepted it without a second thought and took a bite. The taste surprised him making him take a closer look at the baked good, “What am I eating?”

“A cookie,” Bailey said timidly. She held her breath and tried to recall if she followed the recipe correctly. She mustered her courage, “Do you like it?”

“I don’t hate it,” he said, trying to regain that callous wall he always had up.

She exhaled, “Oh good,” her hand went to her chest. “You had me worried for a second,” she laughed.

Why was she always so cheery, he thought. “You’ve ruined them for me, I’ll never be able to eat cookies again,” he replied, not intending to sound genuine or romantic, but to Bailey it seemed to be the most sincere thing he had said.

“Then I’ll bring them daily,” she gushed.

Rachet choked, “What?” His reaction made her laugh. He vehemently shook his head, “No, this was a one-time thing. This is where I come to be alone, because I like being ALONE.”

She smiled slyly, “And yet, this is where you wanted me to meet you. To be alone with you.”

Rachet sat straight-up, the words striking too close to home. She had guessed at something he had so desperately tried to ignore. She giggled at him now, which earned her a glare from him.

She stood, “I should go, but I’ll come again tomorrow. If you happen to be here, then I’ll give you something else.”

She walked towards him; he held out the little basket, guessing that was what she was after. She leaned over and grazed his cheek with a whisper of a kiss. He froze, completely blind-sided.

She refused the basket. “You can keep that. I’ll get it next time.”

Bailey looked at Rachet one more time before leaving; his expression seemed completely stony, except the tops of his ears, which were bright red. She smiled, delighted she had broken through one wall.

Once he thought her back was turned, Rachet wiped the kiss off of his cheek, “You shouldn’t kiss men you don’t know,” he scolded.

“I only kiss men I like,” she corrected him. She reached the exit and paused, “Oh, and it’s rude to wipe a kiss away.” Rachet ducked his head becoming shy; he hadn’t realized she saw him.

He shook his head at her recklessness, yet he couldn’t shake the urge to chase after her. Though he did resist it. He watched her walk through the curtain and disappear out of sight.

He looked around his little hiding spot, and frowned. For the first time since he had found it, he couldn’t help but noticed it looked dim. Prompting him to ask questions, had it always been so dark and cold here? Hadn’t it always been the perfect place for solitude? Maybe now he didn’t want as much solitude as he thought.

Imperial Days: Season 1 Episode 2

The sun was shining, the birds chirping happily; the day started as if yesterday never happened. The empire was slowly destroying Baker’s Village and turning it into an imperial vassal. Many of the villagers felt anxious for their futures, lives, and were fearful of the changes happening.

Bailey Mitt, however, felt no such thing. She was on a mission. Today she would confirm Special Agent Rachet had retrieved her necklace. She could find no other explanation why it had suddenly appeared after their chance encounter. She wondered if it was a chance encounter at all. That particular thought made her heart race. Burning curiosity drove her to scheming a plan. How would it ever work? Well, she had no idea, but she would at least try… until she lost the nerve. Again and again.

The imperial officers held a mandatory, morning meeting with the citizens at six in the morning. They called this meeting “Assembly.” There they would discuss public issues, announcements from the empire, and talk about goals for the day. Bailey had hoped to see Agent Rachet there. Which was why the entire contents of her closet where strewn all over her room.

She was wading in her wardrobe trying to decide between the cute overalls she had or plain jean shorts. Several knocks sounded at her door.

“Bales, are you awake? It’s time to go,” Dren called.

Dren didn’t use nearly as much effort as Bailey in getting dressed. He wore a pair of sweatpants, and a plain cotton shirt. He yawned and checked his watch again.

Mrs. Mitt rounded the corner, “Is she up?” she asked Dren.

“I think so, I hear her running around, but she hasn’t answered yet,” he replied.

“Hold on, hold on,” Bailey replied through the door.

Mrs. Mitt huffed, “Bailey? Are you ready?”

Dren and his mother heard a loud crash; they looked at each other curiously. “You alright in there?” asked Mrs. Mitt.

The door flung open wide, Bailey came through it like a whirlwind, “I’m fine, I’m fine, let’s go. We don’t want to be late,” she said as she hurried passed her brother and mother, to the front door.

Dren glanced at his mother questioningly. She shrugged, “She’s a fourteen-year-old girl.” He swore to himself he would never understand women. He chased after the rest of his family out the door.

The town hall was quickly filling up with villagers. Bailey’s eyes searched the crowd. Her eyes trailed up to the platform where there officers were preparing to speak. She sighed disappointedly when she discovered the young agent wasn’t up there. She caught something out of the corner of her eye, bounding towards her. Her best friends, Sophie and Kayla, had come to see her.

“Bailey!” Sophie clung to her.

“We saw what happened yesterday! Look at your poor neck,” Kayla cried.

“I know! It was so scary!” Bailey admitted. She hesitated to say more, not knowing what her friends would think if she told them about Agent Rachet.

“Wait, I thought your necklace was taken. How did you get it back?” Sophie asked.

“Oh, an officer found it and returned it,” Bailey replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

Kayla’s mouth flew open, “An officer?”

“Weird right? Completely surprised me, but it was actually kind of nice,” Bailey replied.

“An officer came up to you and gave you your necklace back?” Kayla asked in disbelief.

Bailey thought about it, “Well, not exactly. After we were sent home, I kind of bumped into him and he gave it to me.”

“That sounds so sweet,” Sophie gushed; she looked over to the platform, “Which one is he?”

“I don’t see him,” Bailey said with a shrug.

“Maybe that’s for the best. After all, they are invaders,” Kayla nodded her head at the officers.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Bailey agreed, but her heart wasn’t in it.

“Three-minute warning,” the loudspeakers announced.

Bailey followed her friends to their seats; she’d nearly given up on searching for Rachet here. Then she spotted him sitting at the end of their aisle, his hair was particularly spiky and gravity defying this morning. She wasn’t sure why, but it somehow made him look incredibly cool. He sat with flawless posture, arms crossed, looking callous and unapproachable. Somehow this look had the exact opposite effect on Bailey; what made other people avoid eye contact, made her determined to crack that icy stare.

She looked at him as if for the first time, asking herself questions like, was he always so handsome, or his muscles so big? Were his eyes so blue before? Or his hair so dark? She was having one off these conversations with herself, when she noticed he was scrutinizing her with questioning eyes; he had seen her gawking.

She looked forward, as if she was paying any attention to the speaker. After a few minutes, she couldn’t help but look to see if he was still looking at her. She glanced his way, and when she did, he would look back; making her heart jump inside her chest. She covered her mouth, so no one could hear the giggle she was trying so hard to keep inside.

The two kept exchanging glances throughout Assembly, all the while, Rachet grew more confused by Bailey’s reactions. He was even more surprised when she approached him after Assembly.

She smiled brightly, “Good morning.”

He regarded her coolly, “Why are you talking to me?”

She giggled, his stoniness exciting her. He thought to himself of all the possible things that could be wrong with this girl, settling on some form of insanity.

Bailey regained her composure. “I wanted to send you a thank you gift, but I didn’t know your address,” she probed.

“Why?” he asked, skeptical as to why she would want to give him anything.

“Because you returned something precious to me. I wanted to express my thanks,” she said carefully, trying not to be too obvious with her crush.

Oh that, he thought. If he had known she would react this way, he probably would have left it in her mailbox or just ignored the whole incident. Still, he did not mind her presence nearly as much as he thought he should. But he should get rid of her before she causes problems.

He stood to leave, “Just pretend it didn’t happen and don’t cause any trouble.”

On impulse, Bailey reached out and touched his arm. She couldn’t let it end this way. She was determined to thank him and that meant accepting her thank you cookies, even if she did look, and feel, a little silly.

Rachet’s head whipped around so fast, it nearly created a breeze. Who was this senseless girl, that was brazen enough to touch him? Not even his own comrades dared to so much as bump him in passing, much less intentionally touch him.

She shyly withdrew her hand, “Oh sorry,” she cleared her throat, then regained her resolve “I just don’t like feeling like I owe you something. You went out of your way after all.”

He sighed, knowing she wouldn’t be brushed off so easily. “You can’t have my address; I don’t want anyone to think I have any kind of relationship with you. But if you really want to give me something, I have a place I like to go to be alone,” he could not believe he was giving in to some pretty girl. Pretty? The word had struck him so suddenly.

Bailey radiated happiness, she had completed the task she had set out to do, and before morning coffee too. Rachet smirked, finding this crazy girl amusing. He gave her the directions to the meeting place and left as soon as he could, wanting nothing more than to get away from her.

“Tomorrow then,” she said happily, then skipped away to rejoin her friends, who congratulated her on a job well done.

She could not believe he agreed to meet with her. It was almost like a date. She chose to ignore the fact that he seemed to want nothing to do with her. Instead her mind was filled with what sort of ingredients she would need to get on the way home and every aspect of that momentous meeting.

Imperial Days: Season 1 Prologue

The day started, seemingly, like any other day in Baker’s Village. The wheat was growing tall and drying out. Meaning harvest time was around the corner, which would in turn supply the whole village with flour for their baked goods, which provided income through exports. When there was a good harvest, the village would thrive off of their deliciously, crafted goods; and when it was a bad harvest… Well, no one likes to talk about a bad harvest. Harvests had been good in recent times; everyone had enjoyed many peaceful and joyous years.

However, this day was very different. The Emperor had his eyes set on the trade village for a while and today was the day he decided it would become his. From this day forward the village would never be the same.

It happened while Dren and his younger sister Bailey were walking home from school. Like any other day, Bailey had been going on and on about her day; whether it was the funny things that happened in class, latest gossip or fashion trends, or the homework she was assigned, Bailey had talked nonstop since Dren made the mistake of asking her how her about her day; if only he had known. She had no idea her brother had stopped listening all together, somewhere between Kayla’s new pants and Dylan’s old girlfriend. Middle school.

Instead Dren had been thinking about inviting his best friend Steve to go to the threshing floor. Near harvest, the teens in the village meet up and enjoy teenage shenanigans, by a bonfire. It was these shenanigans Dren was daydreaming of when he first noticed signs of trouble.

The atmosphere had changed from light and jovial to dark and heavy. As if an ominous cloud had come and swallowed up Baker’s Village.

Sensing the sudden change, Bailey clutched her heart shaped necklace; what had recently become her most cherished possession, “What’s happening?” she whispered in a small voice.

“I don’t know Bales,” Dren said seriously. He looked on at the village where he could see strangers surrounding the residential district. “But it looks like we are about to find out,” he continued.

Bailey grabbed her brother’s hand, and together the two started down the path towards their house. They didn’t get far before a callous man stopped them.

“Stop!” he ordered.

The man wore a thickly padded suit, woven with metal. On his chest was the Emperor’s insignia, and if that wasn’t a big enough hint who he was working for, his ear was also pierced with the seal of the Empire; a pledge of loyalty the Emperor made his army wear.

At the sight of the insignia and seal, Dren’s heart dropped into his stomach. He had long since heard rumors that the Empire was seizing whole planets, but he had hoped the relatively small village of Baker’s Village would be safe from the Emperor’s greedy grasp.

The Imperial trooper grabbed Dren and his sister and lead them to a large barrier made of soldiers. It seemed the whole village was inside the barrier, but thankfully everyone looked unharmed. Anxious, but otherwise physically well.

“Here’s two more,” the trooper reported.

The two siblings were pushed into the circle where they found their friends, neighbors and family had been rounded up. Dren searched hastily for his parents; and breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes spotted them. He half drug Bailey, who was too scared to look up from her feet, over to their side.

He was trying to make his way across the circle when Bailey bumped into one of the men in uniform. This man was older and had many shiny accessories on his suit, which made him look much more impressive than his fellow companions.

Red-faced and enraged, he seized hold of Bailey’s necklace and ripped it off her neck, “Watch where you are going brat!” he spat.

In nearly all his young life, Dren had never gotten into a scuffle with anyone, not even had words with anyone, but he wasn’t too sure that would last much longer. It took every ounce of restraint he had not to tackle the man to the ground. Instead he wrapped his arms around his sister and shielded her from any more pain. Bailey buried her face into his chest, and there she silently cried.

The red-faced man glared into Dren’s eyes, wanting so badly for Dren to make a move, but Dren remained stony-faced, not letting his temper rise to the surface. He didn’t know what was going to happen, but he did have the sense to know if he started a fight now, it would end with his death and probably his family’s too.

Not being able to provoke Dren, the red-faced man raised his arm as if to strike Dren. Dren looked past the man not moving a muscle. The man huffed and reared back.

“Captain?” an even voice gentleman addressed the man.

Captain Red-Face straightened himself and saluted the new man, “Sergeant!” he replied.

The sergeant was a grey headed man, with even more impressive shiny decorations on his jacket. Standing beside him was a young man with jet black, gravity defying, hair. From the waist up, his attire was completely different from the other two men. He wore a black short sleeved shirt with a golden colored breastplate over it. In addition to the imperial earing, he also had a tattoo of the current Emperor’s seal on his bicep.

“At ease, Captain. What’s the trouble?” the sergeant asked.

“Oh just showing these villagers who’s boss,” the captain dismissed.

The young tattooed man eyed Dren and Bailey skeptically. “These two children were giving you trouble?” he asked, sarcastically.

Children? Dren thought, as he noticed that the younger companion looked to be around his own age.

The captain’s eyes glared at the young man, “And just who are you?” he demanded.

The young man answered with a raised, superior brow. An ice-cold breeze blew past them, though it had been a warm autumn day. At last, the sergeant cleared his throat, “Captain Lentz, allow me to introduce, Special Agent Ratchet.”

He inadvertently straightened himself, changing his tone completely, “You’re the one Emperor Scholten sent.”

Ratchet gave a dismissive wave to Dren, who hurriedly took his sister out of the line of fire. He never took his frozen blue eyes off of the hot-headed captain.

“Picking fights with civilians is not how the Empire handles take overs,” Ratchet reprimanded.

The captain bowed deeply, “No, sir. I apologize.”

Satisfied with that response, he gave another gesture and the three men walked away together, deep in discussion. Dren’s itching ears wanted nothing more than to hear more about this take over, but instead he reigned them in and focused on his family.

The Mitt family had gathered together. Bailey mourned the loss of her most recent birthday present. “It’ll be alright Bales,” her mother comforted her.

Bailey only quietly cried to herself. Dren was filled with anger looking at the burn marks on his sister’s neck, where her necklace had been torn off. He knew it wasn’t yet the time or place, but he swore deep down inside of his heart that he would rid his home of the Empire; bit by bit.

“Attention everyone, make your way to your homes until further instruction has been given,” the sergeant ordered.

The Mitt family made their way to their home. Upon opening the front door, the family dog, Strudel, ran out. Fearing another precious item might be taken from her; Bailey darted after Strudel.

She followed the dog into a narrow alley in-between her house and her neighbors, where the dog was happily rolling in a patch of grass.

She grabbed the naughty dog and was set to return home triumphant. Though as soon as she turned around she had to bite back a scream. She stared, wide eyed and scared, at the young special agent before her.

He looked at her with uninterested eyes. “Didn’t you hear? Everyone is to go to their homes now,” He said to her, in a cool tone.

She averted her eyes and nodded in response, not daring to speak. Her grip on Strudel tightened, hoping the dog would not be ripped from her. A terrifying silence hung in the air.

“Well go on,” he dismissed.

Bailey blushed a bright red and ran past the young man. She made it to her front door, her hand on the handle. It occurred to her that something was different. She slowly reached and found her necklace; right where it had been. She clutched at the treasure in wonder, then she recalled the young special agent. This time when she thought of him, he didn’t seem so cold and scary, but more like a handsome stranger.

“Imperial Days” Intro

Imperial Days is a blog series I am writing weekly, in installments of about 1,000 words an episode. I am planning around 10 episodes for season one.

Imperial Days is a YA scifi/fantasy. Some episodes follow certain characters more than others but the story, as a whole, is centered around the main couple and the hero’s journey.