Marigold andThe Village of Shadowvale:A Tale forYoung Maidensand Knights
By Adrianna Turcinovic
Slayt: 2
1
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl named Marigold, with hair as golden as the flower she was named after.She lived with her Ma and Pa in the Kingdom of Dragonthorne, in a village called Shadowvale.
Slayt: 3
2
Marigold’s parents were very busy because they worked for the King and Queen of Dragonthorne. They were often out of town running errands for the King and Queen.When they were home, they were usually stressed and bickering, as the Royal Highnesses put a lot of pressure on them. Theywanted to get a different job, but the village of Shadowvale didn’t offer many opportunities…
Slayt: 4
3
Shadowvale wasn’t a very nice place, to the lament of Marigold and her parents. The Kingdom of Dragonthorne was large, and the King and Queen couldn’t give enough gold to many neighborhoods to make them safe or clean. Shadowvale was one of these such neighborhoods.
Slayt: 5
4
Since Shadowvale wasn’t a very nice place, the people there weren’t very nice either, with Marigold and her parents being the exception. Most of the people who lived there were either older teenagers or younger adults who weren't sure how to go about their lives.Because Shadowvale didn’t receive enough gold from the King and Queen, its citizens were often dirty and sickly, and suffered from injuries that they received from working or because of the neighborhood's poor safety conditions.
Slayt: 6
5
The citizens of Shadowvale were unhappy, and sometimes just downright cruel. They either had to work in the muddy crop fields doing physical labor, or could find no job at all. This led to crime being a problem in Shadowvale, as many had to resort to thievery and dark sorcery in order to make a living.Sometimes there would be whole groups of thieves and sorcerers who banded together in order to make their way of living easier and less lonely.
Slayt: 7
6
But because of her parents’ absence and bickering, Marigold felt lonely too. She began venturing out more into Shadowvale. She wandered the streets in a desperate attempt to feel less bored and alone. But this only made her feel worse.Living in the neighborhood of Shadowvale was beginning to have an effect on Marigold's mental health. This meant that she felt sad and afraid more often. She felt sad because it seemed like there was no hope for her or the citizens of Shadowvale. She felt afraidbecause of the dangers that lurked in the dark corners and forests of her neighborhood.
Slayt: 8
7
Even when she was home with her Ma and Pa, these feelings of sadness and fear stayed. Marigold’s parents barely noticed this change in her, as they were busy working on a big project for the King and Queen. Marigold decided that maybe she would feelbetter if she made some friends.
Slayt: 9
8
With that idea in mind, Marigold ventured out once again into Shadowvale. This time, she was brave enough to enter a tavern where she had seen some older teenagers hanging out. Sheintroduced herself to the group, and they were kind andwelcoming to her!
Slayt: 10
9
From then on, Marigold hung out with her new group of friends every day. She felt like her social life was changing a lot. She and her friends did fun activities, such as playing tag in the forest and swimming in the creek. She felt supported and accepted by them, which made her happier and less afraid. They even protected her from the older and shadier residents of Shadowvale.Best of all, they presented her with lavish gifts such as jewelry made from precious gems, and delicious pastries that her family would usually never be able to afford. She always wondered how they could afford such wonderful items in such a desolateneighborhood. Little did she know, she was about to find out…
Slayt: 11
10
As Marigold hung out more with her friends, they began to do less and less fun activities together, and seemed to become more and more confusing, like they were hiding something from her. Shefinally found out what that was when one day, they revealed their dark secret to her: they were sorcerers who used their skills to put people to sleep in order to steal their gold!Marigold was shocked, but by that point she was in too deep. She liked the comfort, protection, and gifts her friends gave her, and didn’t want to give that up, so she began to help them on theirillegal missions, despite feeling very guilty about it.
Slayt: 12
11
Marigold’s social life changed for the worse. Now that she was a part of their inner circle, the Brotherhood of Dark Sorcerers knew they didn't have to convince her to join them anymore, and so they began to care less about her. Her mental health began to get worse again, and those feelings of sadness and fear returned stronger than ever.In addition, because her friend group was a bad influence, shebegan to take on their worst traits. She became mean to others, and would make bad choices without thinking them through. She would disrupt people constantly with loud, angry outbursts, and would act in dangerous ways, becoming the type of person that she was originally afraid of!
Slayt: 13
12
Marigold’s Ma and Pa finally noticed the change in her, but by then it was too late. They pleaded with her to tell them what was wrong, but she was closed off from them. Distraught, they decided to search their cottage for clues about her behavior.That’s when they found her magic wand and stolen gold hiddenbeneath one of the floorboards. They finally understood how bad the situation had gotten: their own daughter, who used to be soinnocent and sweet, was now a dark sorcerer and a thief!
Slayt: 14
13
Marigold’s Ma and Pa knew that something had to be done:not just for their daughter, but for the whole village of Shadowvale. They ventured to Castle Dragonthorne to plead with the King and Queen with tears and their eyes, telling them thestory of their poor daughter.Hearing this, the hearts of the King and Queen softened, and they agreed to meet with their Master of Coin in order to create a new budget that would give more gold to Shadowvale and otherneighborhoods like it.
Slayt: 15
14
Marigold’s Ma and Pa returned to Shadowvale, where they found their daughter at home, crying. Apparently, she had done a dangerous mission with the Brotherhood of Dark Sorcerers, and had barely made it out alive. Because of this, she decided to leave the Brotherhood forever.Marigold’s parents embraced her and comforted her, apologizing for when they had been distant and argumentative. They let her know about the King and Queen’s decision, and Marigold was overjoyed, hoping that Shadowvale could finally become a better place.
Slayt: 16
15
It took a while, but with time, the village began to improve. New places such as bakeries and markets were built with the King and Queen’s gold, which allowed citizens to get more jobs. Shadowvale became cleaner and safer, and everyone felthappier and healthier.Even the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, and other groups like it,eventually disbanded, as they saw no need to continue theirdangerous lifestyle when they could make a living in easier and safer ways.
Slayt: 17
16
Marigold realized that the problem had never been her, or her parents, or even the Brotherhood of Sorcerers! When her life had become turbulent and distressing, it was because Shadowvale had not been a very nice place to live. After years, however, it came to be a very beautiful and pleasant town, and all its citizens,including Marigold, her Ma, and her Pa, livedhappily every after!