"It is often thought that trying times can test one's mettle. But, what qualities come out of your inner self has long been lying in wait prior to the day fate set its trial date."

Princess Lilly did immediately commit the remaining Chaco not to sit but to carve stone from the mountains own She knew an idle mind tends to decline into despair after so recently fraught with so much distraught To keep them on task would be the best cure one could ask to battle back their depression
Since most of the artisan class were the only Chacos left they were blessed to possess their skills to decompress the situation

They dug out the earth to accommodate something of enormous girth Lilly sumized and authorized a castle soo stout it would leave no doubt who was in charge and still at large to discharge the Gran Chaco's claims The aim was to hunker down in their giant bunker and wait out any retaliate the Draco had planned if they were to somehow bid adieu to the shield and ever breakthrough

A dungeon was first made at its base to anticipate holding the Draco consorting who held tight to their barbaric ways Thick iron bars were wrought to make escape not an option But to take caution Lilly was sly and she incorporated a secret chink in the windows casement to be used for escape if power ever moved much disapproved to the Dracos rule

From battlement to basement an enormous rampart did start to take shape No gape to be found each stone was perfectly fit No mortar would even sit for unparalleled Chaco craftsmanship was their flagship
Hand honing over 100,000 individually fit pieces of stone on their own
Ornate archways dared to defy gravity as they expansively cross over polished marble floors painstakingly designed to fit without seam nor space for the eyes to place
Beautifully designed spires grabbed the sky that would be the ire of the jealous who desire to attain such a housing gain but of course without the physical strain
Housing quarters then took shape to their artisans elate making a home once again known for their very weary bones

Now almost complete Lilly took a seat and surveyed her derive She realized they needed to keep an eye on the Draco So she asked for one last cast A tower so tall it reached the peak of the dome to see any sneak attempts to unseat their mountain suite The Chaco were happy to oblige their dear Princess' contrive
So up and up it did grow quite a show to see 395 steps to reach its peak A private suite was made replete for Lilly's needs They knew she would steal the days away watching from her new chalet so they decorated it in eclectic to suit their leaders perspective
Lilly was proud of her people and a peaceful life free of strife had been gifted after an undeserving war was brought to Chaco shore so many years before

Now that it was done it stood gleaming in the sun Covered in shining white limestone it would be seen as a defeat to the Draco hierarchy
All would stare in awe whoever saw this humongous estate had no relate of living in such ornate surroundings Jealousy did ensue amidst the Draco crew who had now inherited their old Chaco town

The town still sits in ruins truant humans overfilled into every standing hall No attempt was ever made to repair the damage that day they attacked and destroyed Chacos walls The Draco have almost used up all the stores and will soon be back to their prior forlorn state
Khret sits on his new throne in the town he forced the Chaco to disown oh soo many years ago Finally it occurs to his simple mind how are the Chaco being supplied?

Wait, they sit in a new build from their skilled labor but how do they survive all this time in a shield about a mile wide? I believe I am in need of a spy

Khret: "Krug I have a task for you." "Make speed take a steed I need you to spy on the Chacos new abide."

Krug: "But father why?"

Khret: "Have you not seen how they thrive though locked in a shield of their own contrive?" "Their persistent exist brings my rule to ridicule." "I need to know how they grow though bestow such a blow of exile in just but a mile." "Go tonight stay out of sight and wait until you gain insight of their plight." "Tell no one of this plan this is just between you and me man to man."

Krug: "Yes father, you can consider it done."

So Krug dressed like a vagabond in case he was caught and brought in for questioning Camouflaged by brush with ease he sat and had his curiosity shortly appeased Just after midnight he took sight of the Chacos passing through the shield unyielded into adjacent fields There are even ones dressed in Draco garb leaving their yard unmarred so he knows their people have been rused into this unyielding permanent shield elude

Krug: "How can this be they pass with impunity?" "The entire Chao community sits in beautifully construct castle tucked away in safety while we lately can't feed all our own and run short on stores leftover from the war." "Father won't let this go without another Chaco row."

Krug then does return back to tell his father about how he has been outdone by the Chacoan once again

Khret is furious he was oblivious to the ruse he just presumed since the shield would deny Draco entry it was elementary they were trapped packed into their own cage But to find that they not just survive but thrive by outside supply angers him to the core this yet again means war

So that morning the Chaco are met with a surprise They are completely surrounded by the Draconian franchise Every inch of the shield had lying in wait had a Draco preventing their escape
Lilly is aghast at this sight nary a war crime after all this time then out of the blue they show face relaying no escape as of late

Khret: "Feeble Princess come see there will be no more flee the fee will now be your life if you cross into our might!" "I became wise of your guise making us think you were trapped unable to interact outside of your tiny tract."

Lilly: "No guise was implied." "You crudely assumed we were doomed which is what I would expect of ones who neglect wisedom such as you."

Khret: "You pass insult to me and my tribe while soon you will be at the other end of my knife?" "That is ill-advised!"

Lilly: "I merely stated a fact that your people refuse to grow by knowing how to survive in these changing times." "I was there the day you walked away on my fathers' stipulations to help your nation." "All the Gran Chaco know how to adapt and grow but your people refuse and accuse us of not giving enough." "But, you aim to claim our labors?" "Have you even begun to sow our old fields to make yield for your own? " No!" "They are still barren and burned no different than the day your greed impeded our breed."

Khret: "The Draco have survived longer in time than your human derive Our archives are filled with people such as you who deny their fate when confronted with Draconian make."

Lilly: "How many demises of peaceful tribes have coincided with rendering aid to Draco surmises?" "You are but locust who take without remunerate of any donate."

Khret: "A woman has no right to convey to me in such way!" "A Draco bitch would be disowned and stoned if she ever made such tones."

Lilly states as she hurriedly walks away "Well, Draco I am not thank the Gods!"

The Chaco now all go inside to fortify their new abide and await their fate I cannot reiterate enough the disgust felt towards the Draco's tout or the bout they are attempting to enter them into now After everything they have been through a new plan is eluded to During a meet that night in the castles great hall an idea has been brought up to decide the future of Gran Chaco kind to defeat the maligned hold that so quickly arose
A General named Gabe who Marco put in charge may be the one with an idea crazy enough to work though the safety of his conceive could be quite questioned indeed

Gabe: "Everyone please listen up." "Though we give no fielty to deities they are the only ones that would have our backs in this attack if we promised to fill their sacks with Chaco gold." "Princess is it not worth a mound of gold to parole us from the fate of the Draco constraints?"

Lilly: "When my father put you in charge of Chaco's defense I assumed he had the sense to find a man whose backbone wasn't on the fence to commence a war when Draco are on our door." "But see now I question your commit to wait and sit this out you cast doubts that we will get out alive from Draco confine."

Gabe: "M'Lady!" "Please persuade me how you plan to stand against an army that outnumbers us ten to one?"

Lilly: "Quartermaster!" "What are our current stores indoors these walls?"

Quartermaster: "Right now as we speak if we ration food the timeline might be skewed to conclude three in months before we are barren with nothing to eat."

Lilly: "See, we have time to see if fortune will align for Chaco kind." "We will wait to abate the Draco's mandate."

"In the meantime, I want every hand in this land to go out and find the white oleander root." "It contains an enzyme that can induce permanent sleep to keep Chacos alive but quite unable to comply to the Draco's decry." "They will have no keep for slaves in a permanent sleep."

So, waiting out this dispute was put on the Chaco's plate while finding an elusive root that grew only in the most precipitous places on the mountains faces.
© Peter Gunn