Last Chance

Chapter one: Just luck

I whipped flour out of my hair and took of my white apron. My kitchen was covered in flour, but I didn't bother to clean it up. Today was special, and if I was lucky, I'd never have to see flour again.
I hung up my dirty apron on a rack of hand towels. I sighed. My purple, somewhat fancy shirt was covered in the flour despite the apron. I walked into the crowed of other kids like me. Who were taken.
When we were young, three at the most, knight from this town took us from our family's to work in the kitchens of the lord's castle. We make bread, and other baked stuff all day. Although most people are stuck in the kitchens, there are a large amount of other... nice jobs available.
A cracked mirror leaned against the bare, concrete walls of the kitchen. I glanced at my self as I walked past. To my relief, the flour had come out of my brunette hair nicely. On the other hand, bits of dough clung to my face. I went to a nearby sink to wash my face. The water was lukewarm and tasted metallic.
I re joined the thinning crowd of people. The cool, October air was refreshing, especially after being cooped up inside all day. Rows of kids fought to get seats on the ten benches scattered around the dirt yard. Barbed wire fences loomed over the scene, casting pointed shadows across the dirt. I rushed to sit on a bench near the door. I wasn't up for sitting on the ground.
An upturned crate, which once held oranges, sat in the middle of the cluster of benches. Every one fell silent as the door opened. Mrs Dow, her tight dress and pinched face glairing down on all of us. A littler boy whimpered somewhere in the crowd. Mrs Dow found the culprit immediately.
"You!" She sneered. "Inside!"
"But... But..." The boy said, standing up.
"Get inside!" Mrs Dow marched over to him, grabbed his wrist, and literally tossed him inside, the door slamming behind him.
Mrs Dow stepped back onto the crate, brushing invisible dust off of her skirt. Clearing her throght, she said,
"Normally, at this time of the year, we pick a few puny guards to guard the lord of our town." She paused. "But this year, we must also choose the next lord of our town.
The yard erupted into chatter. The girl sitting next to me began bouncing in her seat and said, " I knew it was meant to be!"
"SILENCE!" Mrs Dow roared, the yard falling into dead silence instantly. "Our lord, and many of his guards, were killed by werewolves last night, leaving only twenty-seven of forty guards left. Now, for fourteen of you, today will be your lucky day. But for the rest of you, don't go around mopping about it, your lucky to still be alive."
"Now, normally, we would pick someone much more qualified for the lord's position, but in Michael's will, it said, 'please choose an heir that is young and innocent to rule with Pyrenees and justice.' I honestly don't know what the hell he was thinking, but here we are."
Mrs Dow reached behind her and pulled out a beat up, green straw hat from behind the crate, which was filled with slightly yellowed prices of paper.
She drew the first name.
"Marco."
A boy sitting on my bench jumped up, flushed.
"Come line up over here, and make it quick."
Marco did as he was told.
More names were read out.
"Lucia."
"Sebastian."
"Nora."
"Jeremy."
"Lucy."
"Cason."
"Laura."
"Tony."
"Sarah."
"Noah."
"Katie."
"Our head guard is Eva."
Eva, her blond, braided hair and blue eyes popped up from the bench across from mine. I smiled sadly at her, and she returned the gesture. Eva was my best friend, now I might not ever see her again.
"And now, moment all of your scrawny minds have been waiting for, our next lord, who will certainly destroy our town..."
She paused to let her extra comment sink in...
Mrs Dow sighed. "Noemi."
The yard was silent. I felt my face grow hot as over a hundred people stated at me.
I am Noemi.
I am the next lord of Ambrier town.