Forced Royalty

1

"Grace, don't forget to take your father's boots! They need to be washed as well! And, you'd better be back before the sun reaches its highest!" Her mother shouted.

"Yes mother, I shall be back soon." She replied with a calm tone.

Grace Andris was the only daughter of Thales and Delilah Andris. A family of farmers; a duty carried by their ancestors. Despite being among the lowest class, farmers had respect in the society as they supplied food items to many and thus gave a helping hand in survival.

Grace was known to be a really kind and cheerful young girl in her neighbourhood. She possessed all the virtues an ideal female required. She was indeed blessed with beautiful features and admirable manners which distinguished her from the other girls of Grimwood.

Grace's P.O.V

I hope I did not forget any of mother's wearings. The river is not too far now, I wonder if Lucia has already arrived. It's a mystery how she gets everywhere's news so easily.

"Good morning, Grace!"

"Luciaa, you will live a hundred years! I was thinking of you. How come you're so early today?" I asked her with my eyebrows raised since she rarely came earlier than me.

"Oh Grace, you don't have a single knowledge of what information i'm carrying right now. Hurry! I need to disclose everything before my mind explodes!"

Hmmmm it seems like she has something very important to tell today.

After carefully placing my bucket and starting to rub the fabrics against the smooth rocks, i was just going to ask Lucia about what she had to say. But before I could even start my sentence, words shot out of her mouth like deers escaping a lion.

"You can't even imagine what i heard! Livia's sister is getting united to the King... Her parents had not been able to offer the full amount of grains 30 moons ago..."

"WHAT! That's soo sorrowful. She would be the King's hundred and sixty second mistress right? And, does that mean... we won't get to see Livia anymore?" I wondered.

"I think so..." Lucia answered.

(So basically the residents of Grimwood must pay an amount of grain after a period of 40 days to the King, and failure to do so results in the exchange of a woman as a mistress for the king or the sacrifice of a life for the remaining debt and the rest of the family has to leave the village forever. And please don't mind the weird English which is because the story is taking place in a very ancient time.)

Coming up:

"Daniel Maguire! Where are you going?"

"Greetings, Mother. I'm have a friendly gathering to attend by the horse track. I shall be back in a while."

Why am I feeling the prick of guilt for having lied to Mother..