Inside a moving carriage, two women, a younger and older woman sat down opposite each other, their clothes screaming luxury and wealth.
" Mom, I can't find it!" The younger woman, a blonde princess cried out to her mother, panicking.
" What exactly can't you find?" Her mother rolled her eyes, " Your period?" She added sarcastically.
" Mom!" The princess grunted, " I'm talking about the invitation, the seal, the envelope. It's gone!! I can't find it anywhere" The princess began searching her gown again and around her, praying fervently to find it this time but instead she fell into more panic when she couldn't find it.
She grabbed handfuls of her hair and pulled in desperation.
The older woman looked at her daughter, annoyed. How could she have lost such an important letter? " Just minutes ago, I asked you to hold onto it while I adjust my gown, and suddenly you're claiming that it's missing? " She reached out and smacked her daughter hard on the shoulder.
" Ouch, mum! " The princess wailed, " I do-n-t k-know when the carriage window got opened and the wind took it. You know it's been kind of stormy today! " She defended herself, tears pooling in her eyes.
" A lifetime opportunity and you just ruined it. I'll reach out to the royal household. Pray it got lost and someone does show up with it to return it. Let's get home first " The woman said, anger rolling out of her every word.
Then, she snapped at the carriage man, " Can't you drive faster, you idiot?! "
***********
Cecelia ran all the way home, and luckily she didn't get too wet. She had kept the envelope amongst her things, her mind still contemplating it.
" Sis! "
" Big sis! "
" We were so worried! "
" Are you hurt? You need to change your clothes "
Two girls ran out to meet her as she walked into her home. Both of them resembled her, one roughly the age of sixteen and the other was very young, about nine years old.
" Babies, I'm fine okay? Just a little hungry " She replied, then added, " Did you make anything? " Addressing the older girl.
" Yeah, the vegetables would soon be done. Go and change first, okay sis? "
Cecelia nodded. Vegetables were what they ate almost every day, and she knew it was getting harder every day to tolerate the food. If there was a word that could describe her predicament right now, that word would be ' Poor'.
After their parents died years ago, things became hard for them and that was when Cecelia jumped into fashion designing to take care of herself and her younger ones, but even the little shop she had and the money she made was nowhere enough to take care of the three of them.
" I'll be back soon," she said, flashing them both smiles.
When she stepped out, food was ready and they all sat down on the floor to eat. Cecelia's mind was still on the letter, " Girls, What would you think if I told you I got a letter with the royal seal embedded on it today?"
Dan, the sixteen-year-old almost choked on her food on hearing the surprising news, " What? For what? Did you offend them? Talk to us, what happened?"
" Calm down Dan, nothing happened and I think it was a mistake " she extended the letter to Dan who took it from her, " Read it"
A minute later, Dan looked up from the letter, " I believe it's either you were mistakenly invited, or it's fake. Where did you get this anyway? "
" It flew to me " Cece replied.
" Flew to you? A letter with a Golden seal? That sounds outrageous if you ask me "
" I know right? I mean even if it was a prank who would dare do that, and to me? A nobody?"
They continued with their meal, but Cecelia's mind was distant. She felt kind of irritated and she also hated to believe that it was true, and also that it wasn't true.