When I saw a carriage outside my house, I got a little scared. Apparently, it was the king's order, which reassured me. As Marco would say, it was "typical Milaia" to worry more than necessary.
My father had to help me in, I could not climb that small but great distance in those horrible shoes. I will never, ever understand why women have an obligation to always be dressed up, when beauty does not lie in a pair of shoes or in the size of our waist. A woman's true beauty is in her strength to face life. To be powerful and strong, more than any warrior. Yet we were limited to looking pretty and not contradicting anything we were told.
The road was endless. Marco began to talk about how great the king's generosity was in doing this for his son.
'All the girls in the kingdom at his disposal, that boy is lucky'.
He talked and occasionally looked at me in a derogatory way, as always.
The lights of the palace were like little fireflies in the distance, as we got closer, they blinded me. I had never been so close to the palace. Two large grids of pure gold, which made the whole place seem brighter than it was, protected the castle. No citizen of Bieno could enter the palace. My eyes were pleased to see those images that seemed dreamy.
At the entrance there were beautiful flower arrangements. The carriage stopped right in front of the main door, which was wide open for the occasion. As we got off the carriage, I saw how many more were coming behind us. With Mena's help, I walked towards that enormous entrance, where two men of great stature stopped us.
'We are, we are the Pleiton family,' said my father almost whispering, showing the nervousness that ran through his veins.
'You may come in,' said one of the men in a low, terrifying tone.
As I entered the palace, I could see a long, endless corridor, the floor was covered with the best quality red carpet I had ever seen. Great candlesticks lit up that majestic place. I could see beautiful images of the Gods on the ceiling, with exquisite features.
Women of all ages, were waiting. I could recognize some of my old class mates, their mocking smiles were still intact.
We had to stop, there was almost no space left, everyone was wondering where we should go.
A soft melody was heard at the end of the corridor. Suddenly two doors opened for us. It was as if those doors were the doors to paradise. Behind them, a huge ballroom appeared, bigger than seven times my home, full of tables and chairs with extravagant decorations, flowers, and lots and lots of food. I must say that I did not feel ungrateful every day when I had to eat the small pieces of bread that I brought from the bakery. But who did not wish for all that food that was calling us, the hungry citizens of the kingdom of Bieno?
Each one had an assigned table, we had to wait several minutes until one of the butlers indicated which was ours. In the center of our table was a large turkey, surrounded by small pieces of fruit, a delight to behold. I was surprised to see how many of my neighbors and history class mates did not even bother to look at the magnificent feast. They all really took this engagement thing seriously.
'Milaia, please don't be disrespectful, no one can eat until the king and prince come out and say so,' Marco scolded me when I stretched out for a fruit.
The orchestra stopped playing for a second and everyone got up. I figured it was time for the organizers of the extravagant dinner to show up. Not wanting to, I got up from my seat and closed my eyes, telling myself that it would all be over soon.
One of the men at the entrance stood in the middle of the room, took a big breath and shouted for everyone to hear:
'Please welcome our beloved King Lucius and his heir and son, Prince Jonah,' everyone began to applaud and shout wildly. I didn't understand it, I mean, didn't they see it? Yes, I was grateful for the food and the good treatment, but was it fair that they should have a golden plate when their people were in despair because of the hunger that was occurring every day?
King Lucius was a robust man, with practically white hair, with small flashes of black. He looked sick, pale and unhappy, as if he would fall down at any moment. He wore a black suit, with an enormous cape that gently caressed the very well-polished floor.
At his side and with a firm step was Prince Jonah. On his face I could see the satisfaction he felt that all this was for him. He seemed conceited and unprepared to handle a kingdom in the conditions we were. I was the only one thinking about that, the rest were sighing at his sky-blue eyes and his perfect, well-groomed dark blonde hair. He was dressed exactly like his father, the only detail that didn't match: he was already wearing the king's crown.
They both stopped in the middle of the ballroom, the king made a small gesture with his hand. Without a word, just showing authority, we sat down without hesitation.
'Welcome', he said in a worn voice, which could hardly be heard. His son took his arm as a sign that he should not exert himself and decided to finish the words his father had begun.
'It is an honor to have you here today,' he said with a smile and turned a little, 'I cannot wait to know which one of you will be chosen to be my eternal companion'.
They all started clapping. The orchestra started playing again and the feast began. The King and his son took their seats.
When I saw the dish again, I thought of my mother. Growing up, she had everything she wanted and she abandoned it for a more important reason, the love for my father.
Suddenly my stomach closed and I felt nauseous as I realized that there was no lack of food in this Kingdom, but rather lack of people who would deign to share it. It was not fair.
Marco looked at me with shame.
'What's wrong? Weren't you hungry? Come on, eat! Eat something worth eating! Not like those miserable loaves you bring us every day,' he said angrily.
'I won't eat a bite, especially not now that I know you think what I buy every day isn't food. How dare you offend the only person that protects this family? Don't you realize that people are starving when you have food on your table every night? You are an ungrateful, miserable, drunken womanizer who does nothing with his life', I was so angry and frustrated that I could not control my words.
That's when it happened.
I stood up and a wind blew through my body. It had happened before but this was the first time I felt it with such intensity. The lights flickered and the orchestra stopped for a second. I kept looking at Marco, he seemed scared. My father, full of anger and humiliation, stood up.
'Milaia, sit down now, or you'll regret it,' he threatened me.
In the back of the room, both the king and the prince stood up and with a slow step walked towards us. Everyone was stunned, few even dared to breathe. When they reached our table they stopped. We bowed properly. The king broke the silence.
'What do we have here? Look at me girl', I knew he was talking to me.
'Your Majesty,' I said, looking right into his eyes. He and his son examined me silently. I noticed that he was concentrating on my neck.
'Beautiful necklace you are wearing', the king smiled in a catlike manner. I didn't realize that I hadn't taken off my mother's necklace until that moment. My cheeks turned red and my hands went straight to the necklace. The king realized his effect on me. He kept his eyes on the table until he addressed my father.
'Percival, is that you?', said the king. How did the king know my father? A woodcutter who had nothing to do with the Crown.
'Your Majesty, I'm absolutely grateful that you recognize me after so long,' said my father, offering him another bow.
'I always remember everyone I meet, it's one of my many attributes, tell me, how is your beautiful Elina?' Asked the king. He also knew my mother. The situation was becoming increasingly confusing.
'She died,' replied my father, and when his eyes began to fill with tears the king stepped forward.
'I'm so sorry,' he crossed his arms behind his back and looked across the table again. 'These are your children, aren't they?'
'Yes, your Excellency, Marcus, Mena and... Milaia'.
The feline smile reappeared on his face. His son was as baffled as I was.
'Come with me, you and your...', staring at me, 'family, the rest... let the feast go on!' everyone continued as if nothing had happened, while we got up and followed the king and his son to a room next to the ballroom.
A butler opened and then closed the door for us, making sure that no one was behind us. It was a much smaller room than the ballroom, but was still fully decorated. There was a large fireplace and in front of it, some armchairs covered with cushions with extravagant designs. The king sat down first and then everyone took one of the other seats. We all looked at each other attentively, waiting anxiously for the first word to appear in that scene. It was the one we were all waiting for that took action.
'I'm so sorry for your loss, Elina was a diamond in the rough, one of a kind,' said the king, as I watched him in amazement. Then he looked at me, I felt that cold again, but not as a call for defense, but as a call for escape. My heart screamed at me to get out of that room, as if something inside my body was telling me that something very bad was about to happen. A voice, a premonition, a sense of unease about what was coming.
'Milaia.'
My name on his lips was something I never imagined to hear. I contracted in my seat.
'You are a very special girl, I can tell just by looking at you, there is a fire inside you, something indescribable', he testified, no word came out of my mouth.
And then, he pronounced my sentence.
'Son, she will be your wife'.