The Kingdom Of Arameor.
Elara stood still gazing at her parents who insistently kept avoiding her gaze. Something's not right.
Maybe it's their past action that drew to this distrust or maybe just an instinct feeling but she knows something's definitely up.
"Come on eat your food it's gonna get cold" she looks to the beautifully presented and filled plate of rice with chips on the side.
Gazing up to her parents again they give her a forced smile and urged her to eat. She may be quiet but she's not stupid.
Her parents never gave her a full plate of food. They were always about themselves and now this!!
"What is the occasion?" They glance to each other before her mother speaks up.
"It's nothing we just want to apologise for all the things we've done to you in the past"
"Which part?" She picks up the fork and takes a bite of the rice. "Is it when you left me in the storage room for three weeks to fend for myself?"
They look shaken but then kept their smile intact, but Elara wasn't done, she takes another bite before continuing.
"Or was it when you gave me up for a night to an old man just to let you guys off the hook" the list could go on and on but she's not much of a speaker.
She glares at them but ate quietly. Elara always wondered why she still stayed with her parents even though they begged her.
They did a lot of hurtful and traumatising things to Elara but guess blood really does run thicker than water.
The moment she was done with her meal an assembly trumpet sounded; a sign there's a message from the king or the king's travelling to war.
Everyone files out of their houses and stood before the king's councillor; Master Orrin a very perverted and disgusting noble.
He stood up proudly looking down upon the people like they're wasting his time which is true, he's sick of being the council's pushover!!
"By order of the King of Arameor, keeper of the eternal flame, sovereign of the outer and inner realms. The grassroots and king supporters must give their eligible gents and ladies to be selected as the court maidens or the lower halls as the king may decide. In return the king will offer three bags of Grains to the selected."
The king wants maidens? Isn't there already more than enough maidens there? Elara could see some families already pushing their kids towards the councillor.
She's surprised to see her parents calm and not giving her away like they normally do.
Meanwhile the parents are maintaining their happiness because they were among the first few to see the notice on the board a week ago and they gathered along with the others to destroy the notice and keep to themselves.
Elara's mother personally went to the town's head and gave her daughter's name, she looks to her husband with a cheeky smile, everything is going to plan!!
"Here are the list of people who will now be part of the outer walls of eternity realm" Orrin hands over the paper to his lower because it is too un-dignifying for a man like him to do a silly roll call.
"First we have Lani from the Griffin family" a gasp escapes Elara. Not her best friend!! Why are they cruel.
"Second is Elara from the Morgin's family"
A laugh was the only thing that escaped her lips, she should've seen it coming the food and the big smiles.
She got sold to be a palace maiden for three bags of grains.
Oh chim!!