That day I didn't go to the woods, I just wanted to go home and rest after a long day of work.
My house was quite small. A wood construction built years ago. But it was better than nothing.
I opened the door and found my father siting next to the table.
'You came back earlier than usual,' my father said as soon as he saw me. It was strange that he noticed my existence, and even stranger that he was interested in my schedule.
'I came straight from work, went to the bakery, and bought dinner,' I replied by gently placing a bag on the table. Bread, with more dough than taste, enough for people who wanted nothing more than to eat. 'It's not much, but I suppose it will be enough'.
He grunted in affirmation, taking the bag and pulling out one of the loaves. He always ate when no one was looking, as if he found it embarrassing that I was the one bringing the food.
'I'm leaving now, it's a cold day, I might have some luck selling,' he took his sack, put on his cap and kissed the badge he had carved to remember my mother. Before leaving, he turned around. 'Get ready for tonight, you and your siblings have to come with me to do something very important,' he concluded and left home.
Even if I didn't understand what he meant, I never argued anything with him. It was enough with Marco, I couldn't deal with them both. So even though I hated "getting ready", I did it without thinking. By the time I finished, Marco and Mena were waiting by the table, dressed in elegant clothing.
'Why aren't you ready yet? It's always the same with you, when will you grow up?' exclaimed Marco when he saw me in my pants.
'I got ready like father asked me to, and I'm tired so why don't you act your age and just leave me alone,' I replied in a not very flattering tone to his attack.
'Always the same show Milaia, you're always the victim, right? The little whining...'
'Why don't you just...'
'Hey, stop it right now, both of you,' if it wasn't for Mena intervening, it would have ended in a way I don't even want to imagine. It was obvious that he didn't like me, and I didn't like him either.
'I'll help you change Laia, come on'. Mena grabbed my hand.
We walked a few steps to the room, a small room that we both shared for as long as I can remember. She took something out of her wardrobe, it was a huge blue dress with beautiful gold embroidery details. I was still trying to calm the anger Marco had aroused in me.
'I sewed it myself, hope you like it,' she smiled and held it, 'I made it for a special occasion, and I think there is no greater occasion than this'. I never understood how, but somehow she managed to get hold of simple pieces of cloth, and turn them into dresses worthy of royalty.
'It's beautiful, truly Mena, it's perfect,' I said and took the dress. She was not to blame for my fights. I had to pay my respects to the majestic pieces she made. She deserved it. 'But, I would like to know, what is the special occasion that you rejoice in?'
'Father didn't tell you?'
'No. Why are you smiling like that?'
'Laia, it's wonderful. We're having dinner... at the palace!'
It took me a minute to process the word she had said.
Palace.
What were we going to do at the palace?
'The palace? Mena, are you feeling all right?'
'Yes, I know that you're stuck in the woods and at work all day, but I can't believe you don't even know about this, are you even from Bieno? By all the Gods,' she sat on my bed and pulled me to sit down next to her.
She was excited, rumors were her favorite banquet.
'Okay, apparently King Lucius is sick, very sick, no healer has found a cure for what he has. He believes he will not last much longer, so he decided to summon every young woman in the kingdom and their families tonight to meet his son, Prince Jonah, and from all of them he will choose his bride. He will choose the next queen! This has never happened before, it's a miracle!'
'I still don't understand, do you really think the King would choose any common girl to marry his son? That anyone could be the Queen of Bieno?' I questioned, laughing a little.
'You never know,' she was disappointed at my words.
Women could choose who to marry until they were twenty-five years old. If they didn't do it before that age, the head of the family could sell them to the best bidder. Mena was twenty-two which didn't leave her many years to marry before Father or Marco would sell her. She'd had several proposals, but rejected them all. No man seemed to be for her.
I was twenty years old but didn't think for a second about marriage.
I still had five years to worry about that...
'Anyway, you must get ready,' she said, and got up quickly. I watched her for a moment and that's when I reconsidered.
'Why should I go? I don't want to marry the prince,' I said with a certain nervous tone.
'Come on Milaia, you're twenty years old, you're old enough to commit. Besides, any girl would die to be with the prince.'
'I wouldn't, and I don't think you would either,' I refused by dropping the dress back on the bed.
'Fine, but still you have to come. Don't you know what happens to those who disobey the king's orders?' She questioned, crossing her arms.
Bieno had a tendency to "take care" of anyone who disobey.
That was the way they kept the Kingdom obedient and submissive.
'I just don't like the idea of parading around like a doll giving someone else the power of deciding my fate. I just hate even the idea of that.'
'It's not my problem that you don't feel happy with anything, little sister. For once in your life, do something like a real lady, come on, I know there could be a princess inside of you,' she said as she started fixing my hair.
'Yeah, no thank you.'
A simple braid, a hideous corset, the big blue dress with gold embroidery and some beautiful but very uncomfortable leather shoes.
That's how I prepared myself for the day that, I did not know at the time, would change the rest of my life.
We left the room. My father was already there, it hadn't taken him long to come back home, that meant that once again he hadn't sold what he expected. To my surprise, he was dressed in the suit he wore to my mother's funeral. He had cleaned up completely. When I saw him, I realized how important this was. Otherwise he would have never wore that suit again.
'This must be the first time you look like an actual girl,' said Marco when he saw me.
'How was it?' I asked Father, ignoring my brother.
'It wasn't a good day. Again,' he said with some resignation without looking at me.
'Don't worry father, maybe this dinner will make us happy once and for all,' said Marco increasing a little more the great appreciation my father had for him. I noticed from his words that he was quite sure he would not leave the palace until he sold one of his sisters.
'Surely it will be a lovely dinner,' said Mena.
'Now, stop talking all of you, and let's just get this over with, this corset is killing me,' I concluded.
Dressed in our best clothes, we headed for the big night, probably the craziest night of my life.
The day where it all changed forever.