The hottest day of the summer was drawing to a close and a serene silence lay over the tiny cottages of a little town by the name of Cedonia. Gone where the hysterical laughs of the village kids romping in the cool pond near the forest while their nervous mothers stood closeby, shouting at them to be careful.
All the residents of Cedonia had escaped to the shade of their breezy homes and cottages, lounging by the open doors of their cabins, praying that winter would soon come. The only person left outdoors was a youthful miss who was lying nimbly in a bed of flowers just near the outskirts of the town.
Gone was the uncomfortable corset that sinched her waist so tight and netted stockings that restricted her blood flow. The young girl laid free, with only her thin petticoats to cover her healthy physique. Now Calla was not your ordinary lady who despised fairytales and cursed love at first sight. No, Calla was excited to love, to read, to learn. She enjoyed hiding in solitude while pondering the outlandish realities of life; dreaming of the day she would be whisked away by a handsome young fellow and living happily ever after.
Many sneered at her girlish optimism but she cherished it, for it made her Calla.
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I never understood why people feared the sun.
While they moved to escape to the shadows, I embraced the sunlight, letting its warm rays caress my darkened skin. A small grin fills my face as I think of the past summer months in our humble little town. Warm nights reading in the forest while snacking on iced treats; frolicking in the meadows with my little sister Sarai...how sad I was for it to end.
Just as I closed my eyes to take in the silence once more, a large shadow of darkness blocked the warm radiance of the sun. "Calla!" my friend's vibrant voice bellowed against the fields, disturbing my peaceful relaxation.
Of course, I ignore her.
"Calla!" she shouts again, waiting until I opened my eyes to notice her but I resisted, trying to cherish the last few moments of sunlight I had until the end of the evening came. She probably had some vapid news to tell me or insignificant village gossip.
"Fine. Keep ignoring me Calla and I will just refrain from telling you of the events befalling our humble town," Cassandra says through a huff.
"Bless your humble soul Cassandra for you have spared me" I smirked sarcastically, lifting my hand to push her away so I could take in more sun. A chilly breeze made the hairs on my neck stand to attention and for this I was worried. This breeze meant a cold front would soon arrive and trap me indoors for the rest of the month.
"Fine! I suppose I will not tell you about the carriage that rolled in here from the kingdom of Genovia" (*Disney lawyers have entered the chat*).
"Carriages move through our village every day Cassandra. What makes this occasion so important?" I sighed, sitting up to face her again. Our village was on the main road to every major city in the kingdom so many travelers passed through.
"But this is a special carriage Calla! It was painted in gold and adorned with diamonds. Elegant white pearls were encrusted on each wall. And!!" she gasped, sitting closer to face me. "It stopped outside your little cottage past the fountain of our town" she smiles, lifting her arms above her head to lay in the grass beside me, itching for a worthy response.
"You jest?" I frowned, turning over to observe the blades of grass that had found their way onto my skin.
"I do not jest! There was a man as tall as the heavens. He looked as if he was a priest of some sort? Maybe a witch? Who knows. He asked the villagers for the family named Duvont and was in search of a girl by the name of Calla" she confessed, making sure to put emphasis on each syllable of my title.
My breath stiffened as I heard her compelling news. I had known no one beyond our tiny village of Cedonia so a stranger asking for me was a bit peculiar. What could he possibly want with me?
I shot up from the ground, swiftly gathering my dress and tieing it on.
"I thought you did not care about frivolous matters such as this!" Cassandra chuckles, sitting up to watch me as I packed my things.
"Oh pish posh!" I cursed, gathering my small journal and running into the fields near the town. I shot through the fields of wheat, past the plains of corn until I saw our small cottage in the distance. The golden carriage was parked beside our well, the sun highlighting its elegance.
A crowd of children circled around the opulent carriage, kicking the wheel and daring the bravest of the bunch to touch it.
I struggled through the small gathering, pushing past them and slowly stepping into our small cottage, peeking through the slit of the wooden door where my father spoke with a man I had never seen.
"She was appointed by the divine! The ultimate sign of certitude" the priest's raspy voice sounded throughout the small cottage. I pushed my nose to the slit of the door, taking in the appearance of the man that towered above. He was a skinny, brown-haired man who had a long greying beard. He was taller than the average man, easily swallowing the height of our living room ceiling. His gown was black and long and on his chest was a gold cross necklace that made sure to cement your gaze. He sat in a chair near the unlit fireplace, sipping on a cup of something my father had offered him.
"But she is just a young maiden. How could she possibly be...the chosen one?" my father asks through a chortle.
"Divine intervention Raoult" the priest sighs, pulling his chair closer to my father. "I had a vision of this very cottage a month ago. In that vision, an angel appeared to me prophesying how a small simple girl by the name of Calla from the Aristocratic line of Duvont will be the future monarch of Genovia. From this very sanctuary, you will have a queen. I feel her presence even now" he closes his eyes, lifting his hands to the heavens.
My father watches him with amusement; finding him strange. We were not a religious family so whatever theatrics he was performing was novel to him. Once the priest was done with his upheaval, he sighed and stood up to face my father once more.
"I see you are still hesitant Raoult" he frowns, pushing the cup to his lips once more.
"It is not every day a cleric from the kingdom of Genovia comes to our village" he excuses his hesitancy.
"Hmm" he frowns, walking around to observe the contents of our modest kitchen. He picked up the tattered spoons and pots, understanding the means of our condition. "I have heard of the immense debt clouding this tiny village, especially your line of Duvont?" the preist chimed, leaning against the counter to face the door.
My father's temple protruded as he heard the promised escape. "You do not see the sanctimonious benefits Raoult but I do hope you can be swayed by monetary means?" he proposed through a smirk. My father lets out a lengthy sigh, leaning against the creaky side table of the room.
"How is the emperor's palette?" he clears his throat. I almost screamed at my father for even considering the offer but I bit my cheek, making sure to not reveal my hiding place.
"This Calla...is she pretty?" the priest questions, running a palm through his beard.
"Her beauty is radiant. The rays of the sun have taken their sabbatical in her skin" he brags ever so proudly. Of course, he would, now that the situation involved money.
"Then she will do" the priest shrugged not understanding the weight of my father's question.
"She will do but is his taste....foreign?" my father asks him again. I knew he was trying to brace him for what I looked like for I was the only woman in Cedonia with skin as rich as onyx.
"I do not understand?" the priest says.
"You are a man of God so outwardly appearances may not sway you but.... we spotted her off the coast of Finine when she was just a young babe and took her in. She is Cedonian at heart"
"I assure you the emperor is advanced in his ideologies. We have many folks serving in our palace as guards, advisors, even some priests from all different places" he explains assuredly still not understanding the manifest of my father's question.
There was a silence that encompassed the room before my father sees me watching through the door.
"Calla!" his voice sounded. I backed away from the door, pressing a sweaty palm to my mouth to stifle a gasp. I was scared to come in, embarrassed by my spying.
"From behind the door daughter!" he yells, sensing my presence just beyond the entrance. Carefully, I open the door to the area, stepping in to face the stranger. The priest's gaze fell onto my body, then onto my face twisting in astonishment then a frown.
"This is she?" he asked, moving over to face me. Strange enough, my eyes move to the side of the room, awkwardly moving to watch anywhere but his face. He circles around me, taking in my humble form. "And her name is Calla?" he asks again, lifting my chin to face his.
"Yes"
"I see" he hummed, holding a palm up to his greying beard. I looked nothing like he was expecting and to him it was an issue. He took one final look at me, gently running his hand over his face and nodded. He pushed past me, taking his coat and hat from the hook near the door. "A carriage from the palace will be sent to your cottage in a month's time. Have her prepped and ready to leave," he announced before leaving the cottage in silence.
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LONG Author Note:
How was the first chapter?
I need opinions. Are yall okay with my stories highlighting the blackness of the main character? I was trying to write a book where race is not an issue or the focal point (Like the Cinderella starring Brandy. No one in the movie ever questioned how the prince was Asian with a black mother and white father lols) It was historical fiction and I loved it.
This book is heavily inspired/taken from The Great which is an AMAZING show on Hulu (I suggest yall watch) There were so many races (Asians, Indian and BLACK people) and not one person ever mentioned someone's race. I loved it!Of course it was not historically accurate but still.
Anyways, tell me what you think!