"They are children, Sansa thought. They are silly little girls, even Elinor. They've never seen a battle, they've never seen a man die, they know nothing. Their dreams were full of songs and stories, the way hers had been before Joffrey cut her father's head off. Sansa pitied them. Sansa envied them." -George RR Martin
Chapter 1: The Letter
Josie felt the rush of the warm summer's breeze pass over her. The well-worn path had been left fifteen minutes ago and she had entered yet another part of the property rarely explored. The green goat track beckoned in front of her. Jospehine leaned forward and pushed her horse forward. Butterflies moved around the bright flowers in the old river bed she rode down. The horse was old, when she'd been gifted it six years ago he had been old, now Imre was nearing the ends of his days. But that didn't stop him from enjoying the adventures as much as she did.
Dodging a large spider web, she came up to a part of the path too low for her to pass horseback. She slipped off the saddle, her arse slightly sore telling her that it was probably about time to get back. Knowing if she went back the way she came she'd had to go the long way home she pushed forward with Imre. After all what if she found the main road just past this brook? This was what exploring was all about!
After passing the small creek the river turned and flattened out. Green grass spilled out of a bog. Finding the point where most animals climbed out the track led Imre up the incline. They made their way towards a worn track and then onto a road. Josie jumped up on Imre for the last stretch and pushed him forward slowly into a gallop. As she approached the house she looked on the fields before her. Once her family would have been considered Fours and bound to the price restrictions on food; but now the high quality food her family had cultivated for generations produced great profits. Enough to pay young lad for two days a week work to lighten the load in the spring. As well as interest some degrading nobles into marriage. It was a good life, comfortable and never dull.
She slowed down when she saw the post man, with the royal seal on his shoulders. Josie frowned and led Imre to the stables. She rushed the pack down telling herself she'd come back later. She wouldn't come back later.
She almost ran down the path, remembering the announcement made on the Capitol Report last Friday. At last, after three foreign weddings the Selection had begun. Josie cared little for the boy on the television sitting on a throne; but she couldn't tell her friends, who couldn't tell anyone else, that she wasn't going to sign up. It was one of those things that they'd all do just to prove how un-princess-like and down to earth they really were. And laugh at which ever girl get selected.
It was like that across Bonita. Because they joined Illea later, originally their own country, name forgotten, the Bonitians were strictly independent and proud of it. The royals were distant and not something to be rebelled against, but to be respect and married? Never. Not once had a Bonitians been selected, though once a girl got into the Elite, she'd been a damn smart Three, and left to get married to a nice Two. It was a story told into little girls, the closest thing to a princess story you got in Bonita. Faeries, Sprites, Dragon warriors galore, but no Princes and Princess, it was enough to make you curious.
Josie pushed open the kitchen door, and took into the smell of dinner cooking. "Josephine Agrarian! Where have you been? Do you know what the time is, quick cut these carrots will you?" Josie hurried over to the bench next to her angry sister. The girl had been in a bad mood all week, only two weeks ago they'd celebrated her twenty-first. She'd been overjoyed until the Report; no one said anything but they all knew she had wanted to put her name in too.
She chopped the carrots quick smart, then her sister pushed an onion over. "Camila, can't I do the-"
"Do the onions or I'll tell Mama you've been skipping work. She won't be happy; she'll say you're getting lazy and spoiled. She won't let you go out tomorrow." Camila's tone implied in was more than just going out. "Oh, I was going to ask Papa if I could go." Camila hmphed and tossed some tomatoes into the drainer.
"You're choice." Josie clenched her teeth and muttered, "It's not like I'll be chosen away. That fruit soured a while back." Camila shrugged.
"It soured ages ago, you were just too stupid to see how ugly you were."
"Ugh!" Josie yelled dropping her knife. "What and Papa's sickly brown hair is the prettiest shade in all of Illea." Her sister laughed knowingly.
"You are so silly little sister, why on earth would Mama married a Five like Papa if he wasn't good looking?"
"Maybe his eyes drew her in. Not his hair." Josie said, feeling good in complementing her favourite feature, her blue eyes were striking on her tanned face, they were blue with hundreds of flacks of white which were the first thing that people noticed about her, compared to the dull grey-blue of her sister they were stunning. "Gah! Do you want to finish the dinner? If so, I can leave."
"No, I'm just suggesting a possible reason. Nothing more."
"Well then, you should start chopping those onions, since there's nothing more to say." Josie laughed suddenly; it bubbled out before she knew it was coming and had little chance of stopping it. Camila grinned at her and they giggled together, shaking their heads. Dinner was almost finished when her mother entered, looking tried but crisp. She'd been out meeting with a family who were likely to sell some lands they could no longer afford to keep; while her family had thrived in the open market of new Illea, some farming households hadn't.
She dropped half a dozen letters in the bin and smelled the cooking food. "Thank you girls, you're angels, are the boys back?" Camila shook her head. Their mother hmmed and walked out of the kitchen door. The sun had set and now only the faint wisp of light would lead the boys home. She sighed and closed the door. "They packed the lamps correct?" her daughters nodded.
"And Laia, she'll be the reason why they're out so late." Camila said turning back to the dinner; they'd be feeding more than usual tonight. It wouldn't be right sending the apprentice boys home after a long day's work in the dark, at least, not without some food in their stomachs. The sounds of the horses riding home came echoing into the house. Soon the voices of the rest of the family drifted up to them and the workers came through the door.
First it was Papa, he was strong, tanned, with the same eyes as Josephine. She leaned down and kissed his wife, wrapping his arm around her. She pushed him away, and shook her head, looking more awake and years younger, "Now, how many times have I told you, have a shower before you kiss me." Papa chuckled and waved at his girls giving them a knowing smile. He turned back to his wife, "You know you love me when I smell like the land." They laughed and she pushed him out of the room.
After him came the other boys, and one girl. Aleix, Anton, Hugo and Leandro; they piled into the room, pulling stools out and asking about food. Camila shook her head and told them they'd have to wait until they'd had a shower. The last to come in were the apprentices and Laia. She was pulled in but the tall, buff boys by both hands. She shoved her feet into the nook of the door. Mama gasped. "Laia! What did you do?"
Standing at the door, covered in mud and a large coat was Laia. She had long brown hair and the tannest skin of all the children, even with them all doing manual labour in the sun for more years than her. She was nine and had a talent for getting into trouble, which normally involved a mess. The only person who even batted an eyelash these days was Mama, because as the mother of the girl it was a requirement. "Fell." Anton said rubbing his hands together, trying to grab a piece of meat from the bench. All he got was a ladle to the hand.
"Right down the embankment on the far property, you know the area, all bog this time of the year." Aelix explained, he was a honey blonde and according to the town girls; the best looking of all the brothers. "Not much we could do but pull her out. Fell in the a second time 'cause she could, we let her crawl out that time, she was in there until 'something slimy'" He mimicked the little girl's high pitched voice, badly of course, "got her." The boys laughed.
Laia pouted and lurched forward as she slipped on her perchance, mud went flying. "That's it! Get out girl; you're having a shower with the dogs." Grabbing a whining Laia, she pushed the door open and made her way down, shouting for Aleix to come with her. Anton attempted to steal food again and got called out to the yard. "Damn, that woman has cameras in this house I swear." He yelled leaving the room.
Josie ignored him going over to the bin, searching the letters. She found the one with the royal seal and smiled. "What's that?" Leandro asked leaning over and snatching the letter from her hand. "The Selection? Josie you're not thinking about signing up, are you?" He asked, opened in the seal, starting to read. Josephine ripped it out of his hands as he flipped it over.
"Well, it's not like everyone else isn't going to. What do you want to try? I reckon I could borrow you a dress for the big day. We could give you some make-up too, make you're ugly mug something worth looking at." The mention of dresses and make-up turned the younger boy off instantly. Josie smiled and sat down; her name was the only one of the list of possible girls in the house who was available for the selection. "Oh, looks like you're name isn't on here Leo, too bad, I guess you're a bit too young. Sorry, little sister."
"You're an ass." He said retreating from the room. Camila laughed, and was joined by the rest of them. "Good luck, Josie, if you can get it in without Mama seeing it then you'll definitely get selected." Hugo said he was blondest of all the siblings, and the best at sweet talking; no one knew where he got it from though.
"Thank you," She said glancing over the letter. Her father came out of the bath room and into the kitchen. "Okay, who's next? Hugo, where are your bothers?" Hugo looked around grimacing, as if just realising he was the only boy – other than the two apprentice boys; Caleb and Lian – left. Sighing he pointed outside, "Aleix and Anton are helping Mama with Laia, Leandro's gone somewhere, probably Cami's room trying on dresses."
"Over my body!" Camila yelled slamming her knife into the chopping board. Papa looked confused, "Now why would he do that?" His eyes lightened when he saw the letter. He crossed the distance and held out his hand. Josie passed the letter over almost reluctantly. Losing the demeanour of a farmer he gained one of an intellectual. Surveying the paper he shook his head and clucked. "Do you know how old Xavian Schreave is?"
The siblings looked and each other knowing what was coming; the royal heir had been an object of curiousity for tehri father longer than they could remember. While he didn't constantly talk about, preferring to maintain a distance from the subject, he had a serious of theories stating that there was something 'odd' about that 'boy'. "Nineteen, twenty in July," Their father shook his head.
"They've erased the facts, but the boy is only eighteen, his birthday is in December."
"How do you know that Papa?" Cami asked, removing the knife as she put on the final touches to the meal. Their father smiled slyly, "Well, on that date eighteen years ago, it was broad cast on a special edition of the Report, old Gavril interviewed the princesses on how they felt about a younger brother. I remember it well, our king looked like the happiest man alive, God help him, I haven't seen his eyes like that too this day. So that's how I know; I had a father to father moment with the bloke and I'm not for forgetting times."
He put down the letter. "Something's up." Hugo looked at the ceiling with a wry smile. Camila sighed, "Papa, you're getting old. His birthday's always been in July, remember when I was young, and I complained about not being young enough for the selection. Fairy princess and all. For all you're fathering and that, you can't remember my disagreeable childhood dream."
"Oh, I remember that. You were the cutest little angel. Still are of course," he sighed, sitting down, "Just not so little away more. I guess I am getting old; all my little girls are growing up. Even Laia's doing a hard day's work now." She hugged Josie. "I'm going to be a grandfather soon, don't you think? It's been long enough since Gracia's marriage, right? Next time she comes over for lunch I'm going to mention it. I'm old enough to have grandchildren surely. Maybe she'll have a good hard working son, always wanted one of them."
Hugo sputtered. "Papa! I've been sweating all day in the sun. If that's not hard working I don't know what is." Their father smiled. "I'm just joking with you Hughs, now, is dinner ready or not?" Camila shook her head. "Only once everyone's had a shower." Hugo jumped up.
"That's my cue," He bowed, "Thank you for coming all of you, thank you, thank you, you are too much." He exited with a fair. Camila rolled her eyes and employed the apprentices help to move the food to the table. Then she gave them each a bowl to take home and they left. Josephine moved over to her father who poured himself a glass of wine, home brewed.
"Papa, will you sign the permission form for me?" He looked at her with sad eyes. "Has you're mother said yes?" Josie frowned, trying to keep it off her face. "No."
"I can't, baby, you know how you're mother is. Besides, what good will it do you? Why should you go to the palace?" Josephine sagged. She had thought her father would understand her curiosity. He'd been going on about the prince for years. She wanted to see him for real, not just through a television screen. Stepping away from him she tucked the letter away, supposing she'll keep the paper, it was good paper after all. "I'm curious that's all."
"Ahh…I know the feeling. So, Josie, why don't you ask your mother? Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." He brushed her head and moved out of the kitchen. "Off to find Leandro, where ever that boy got off too, he's in the shower next."
"You will not." Her mother spoke suddenly and solidly. Josie hadn't even asked the question, only brought the letter from her pocket. She felt suddenly angry, every other family would just take it as a given, they were part of Illea it was in our rights to become it's ruler, not that that would ever happen.
"Why? I just want to see what's so great about the Capitol, the palace. You know. All my friends are going to do it, it's not like I'll be selected anyway." Her mother huffed.
"Darling, I don't care if they think you're a dog; if you enter and get selected, because you're beautiful and smart, then you'll marry a noble. Do you know who nobles are right?"
"Ah…anyone that comes from a family that was once a One, Two or sometimes Three?" Normally the comment would have been bitten back but this time her mother only shook her head. Putting her knife and fork down she looked at her daughter with a hard line of a mouth.
"Silly girl! They're customers. The first rule of business is not to marry your customers."
"You've been going on and on about Camila marrying that old Three family in town. What's the difference?"
"Psha! They aren't nobles, they're beggars, that house they live in might be grand but I looked at it and it's as you said, they're an old Three family. No money for such things, everyone's going into farming these days for one reason; everyone needs to eat and food doesn't just appear, Josephine. Nobles are dropping like flies these days, and it's because the government isn't handling it right. Why risk going into a falling apart noble family, or worse, joining the fairy tale life of the royals? They know nothing of the outside word, stuck in that palace on the hill. They may have torn down the walls, but they're still there, mentally. You don't what that Josie, I know you, you're a good of the woods and fields, like me. You'd hate being up in the high pants of the nobles. Trust me."
"Why are you so sure I'd be selected." Her mother sighed.
"If I let my girl enter, I'd make sure she'd get into the selected, pull a few strings. I know a few old families who still have influence. Maybe bride of few people-"
"Mother!"
"Darling, this isn't the street, we all know it happens, the families don't do it inevitable crumble. So, stop this silly dream, and eat your dinner and don't interrupt." Josie stared at her plate. A mix of three different dishes lay on her plate and suddenly that didn't look as good as they once had.
"Please, Mama, if I get in. He's sure not to want me; I'll come home, and marry a good hard working Four. Someone without a degrading family. I can may friends, use the fame to promote our business. Think of it as a marketing opportunity. I don't think I'm in love with the prince, I doubt I'll ever love a noble; I'm in love with curiosity, the mystery. Please Mother; this is could be my only chance to sate it."
"Jorge, what do you think?" The woman turned to her husband who was quietly eating at the other end of the table, newspaper in hand, hiding.
"Egh?" Their mother tsked.
"Jorge, pay attention, Josephine wants to be a princess." Josie cringed. That was not what she said at all. "Are you okay with that?"
"Josie is old enough to decide on her own. If she wants to sign up she can, if you want to help her become a selected you can. It's every one's decision. I would like her to find out what is wrong with the prince." Mama slammed the table in sudden annoyance. Aleix flinched next to her.
"Mama…"
"Jorge! Do not bring in that pet obsession you have, I will not, I repeat, will not send my daughter away just to see if Prince Xavian is a normal boy or not. He's a bloody prince; he's not going to be normal." Calming down she sunk back into her chair, turning back to Josie.
"Now, darling, I know you better than you think; I know what you love and what you hate. I've heard about the girls at school and that irritating old Two boy who thinks he's better than you. You're like me child, a daughter of the earth, you like to grow things and explore fields. Always you're favourite toy was Imre, you're horse, because he respects you as you respect him. What do you think the prince will think of you? A farmer, psha, that boy won't know what it's like to tend the land and watch it grow. But you do, you won't like the palace, Josie, and if you go you can't come back until he asks you to leave."
"I know that Mama, but I really want to try. I have to try." The woman sighed, and stood, walking over to her second youngest daughter she wrapped the girl in a hug. Warm and soft. "Alright, darling, you can sign up. But, please, remember who you are." She pointed to Josie's heart, "in here."
"How could I forget?" Her mother smiled and hugged her tighter.