The Royal Picking

The Picked

I looked out the window, out to Ermes, until he was too far away for me to see him anymore. I turned back into the carriage, falling into the seat letting out the air from my body in a low huff. This is really happening.

I hadn't had any time to think about it all, to let the events of today settle in my mind. Everything had moved so fast, it was only the day before yesterday when the only thing I had to worry about was how much Myrwin charged me. Myrwin. I never did get to say goodbye. Who would have thought I would've missed talking with him every morning. Well, he never did say anything, it was usually me making conversation. I sighed, thinking about how much I had left behind. I hadn't had any friends in my life since I usually stayed to myself. Even so, I was still leaving behind pieces of my heart. Father. Kailan. Ermes.

Ermes. I had let him get through my barricades, my walls, my gates. He'd jumped over the cliff that kept people from me and yet he landed unscathed. He made it through every obstacle that came his way, whether it be the many traps I had left hidden, he knew exactly where they were, or the walls that seemed to come up out of nowhere, he walked right through  them. All these years that I believed I was using correctly, I hadn't used them for the right things. I took care of everyone or I at least tried to, that I hadn't even thought-- Well even if I did think it, I would never let myself make anything out of it. Too scared, though I would never admit that to anyone.

I sigh again, knowing it will be months until I ever see him again. Even longer if I'm Queen. I laugh quietly to myself at the idea of me being Queen. I had let him convince me to at least give this all a chance. I sit up straight in my seat taking a deep breath. I don't understand how anyone could be excited to be picked. Don't they have better things to do? People to take care of, people to love, to create memories with. Won't they miss their parents, their family, their partner? No one's even allowed to get married if you're at the picking ages. It would just be too cruel to get married to someone knowing they could be picked and married to some other woman or man. We're not even allowed to have children until we turn 21 because even they know no one would willingly part from their child. But, even parents don't have a choice, if you're picked, you're picked. Our duty is to no one other than the kingdom, to our people. This has been pushed in my head since my first year in school, it's pushed in everyones. They wanted to make royalty out of us since the very beginning. Teaching us things that would be necessary if we were picked. In the Stifles, we learn the kingdom laws, but we also learn about hard work. It's mandatory for everyone, no matter the gender or age, to know how to work the mines. After that experience, I made sure I never stepped into the mines ever again. It's dark and everything crumbles and creaks all around, you never know when it might just cave in. It's not worth it to me, but it's the only way to make any real money here, so everyone is practically a miner, unless you have other talents deemed useful.

I look out the window as we come up towards the ports into the Docins where there should be a crowd of people congratulating us as we go forward to the castle. Only there isn't a crowd, there's exactly ten people standing by the ports. Though I don't know why I expected more to show up. No one shares my opinion of being picked, especially not those from the Stifles. So many people are eager to be picked. Eager to be whisked away to a world where people wait on their every need, where people actually listen to what they say, to a world where they can control what happens. Where they can swim in an ocean of money and never have to worry about another thing. I look out the window to those standing outside, some smile and wave and to those I wave back, but I do not smile. Others don't smile, their blood boiling with envy. They do not smile because they wish they were in this carriage, on their way to a better life.    I do not smile because I wish I were out there, on my way to make my life better.

The rain is a little lighter as we enter the Docins, I look up to the sky to see the dark clouds still hover above, even in the Docins. We drive through the village and for the first time I see the whole thing. I peer out of the window, looking behind me to see another carriage behind me and carriages behind that. I look forward, admiring the houses that unlike the black and dark red brick homes of the Stifles were made out of brown wooden. The shops are all closed up and I notice the dress shop I took Hollee. I laugh wondering where that woman is now, wanting to show her how silly she really is. Both of us have a chance to be Queen. This has been Hollee's dream since she first learned about the Picking. She would dance around the house in various dresses pretending to be a princess. Now that she finally has that chance, I can't wait to see how she does as Queen. I wish I could just talk to her. I want to know where her head is at right now, if she's nervous or confident in her abilities. I sit back into my seat, Am I nervous? I hadn't thought about what it would be like to live with twenty nine other girls, I barely can deal with one. All from different villages, different lives, different people. All working to win one crown. I take a deep breath shaking my head, wondering why they couldn't have thought of a different way to find their Queen and King. Although I can't even think of any other way myself. Kryser. I always wondered what brought him to murder so many innocent people in cold blood. Who would even want to take the throne of such a tyrannical King? To undo years of pain only in ten years. It's practically impossible and yet here we are. People have already forgotten of the pain and suffering caused by him, having replaced it with excitement for the Picking. A chance to give back to the villages, a chance to set things right. A chance to bring peace between us all. That's what this all stands for, I sigh, I hope I can live up to the expectations.