After I finished getting dressed, I made my way out and almost bumped into my mother.
"I was about to inform you that I need to step out to the central market to get vegetables," she said, holding the bag carefully in her hands.
"Oh… right, let me come with you," I said, my eyes lingering on the bag she carried.
"There is absolutely no need for you to go through that stress," she replied firmly. "Eat your food first, then go to church."
I nodded, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before waving as she stepped out. She waved back, curls bouncing lightly with each movement.
I moved quickly to the dining area and ate my food in quiet, my mind wandering as it always did. Once finished, I made my way out toward the church.
The church loomed ahead, massive, whitewashed, and of course… impossible to miss.
It was the largest in our village, its spire rising above every other roof, its bells was a familiar comfort to all who lived nearby.
On reaching the doors, I was greeted by the village minister which I returned with a polite smile.
"Adeline, good to see you," he said warmly. "I pray that you receive all your heart's desires."
I closed my eyes quickly, bowing my head.
"Amen," I whispered softly, letting the words linger in the cool morning air.
"You're here to clean?" he asked, peering down at me.
I nodded. "Yes."
He smiled faintly and stepped aside, allowing me to move in.
By the time I had finished cleaning the church, the sun had begun its slow descent, casting long shadows over the village. Evening had come quietly, and Mother would have been back from the market long ago.
I made my way back to our small cottage, the wooden door creaking softly as I pushed it open. It clicked shut behind me, muffling the sounds of the neighborhood.
My mother looked up from the book she held in her hands, she was seated in the high-backed oak chair that had belonged to my father. The warm glow of the lamp caught her curls, and the delight in her eyes was unmistakable.
"You're back," she said, her voice bright and full of life.
"Yes," I replied, offering a small smile.
"Come here… I have good news for you," she said, rising from her chair and tugging me to sit beside her.
"What is able to make you this delightful tonight?" I asked, curiosity tugging at me despite my efforts to appear casual.
She reached into her bag and produced a neat envelope and handed it to me.
"It seems, at long last, fortune has remembered our forgotten name," she said softly. "For years, misfortune has lingered at our threshold like an unwelcome guest, and hope has felt like a distant rumor whispered by passing winds. Yet on this quiet night, I found this at our doorstep… and I daresay, luck had finally found its way back to us, Adeline."
Her smile was bright, but I saw the tears she blinked back before they could fall.
I peered into her eyes, then down at the envelope resting in my hands.
Carefully, I peeled out the thick paper tucked inside. My fingers trembled slightly as I unfolded it and read:
{By Royal Decree of His Majesty,
The honorable house of Willowbrook is hereby invited to present its eligible maiden
at the forthcoming Bride-Selection Ball,
to be held within the Grand Palace on the first full moon of the season.
All invited families are to consider this summons a mark of royal favor and distinction.
May grace and fortune attend you.}
My heart dropped straight into my belly as I tightened my hold on the paper.
Truly, it was good news. Any maiden would have fallen to her knees in gratitude at the sight of such an invitation. The entire village would call it a blessing, the greatest fortune our small village had ever known.
But not me.
I could not bind an innocent life to mine in marriage when I had barely one month left to live.
What was the use? What kind of cruelty would that be?
Mother saw the look on my face and gently cupped it in her hands. "What bothers you, my dear?"
I shook my head as I stared into her hopeful eyes. "I do not care to go."
Kaira's smile faded, replaced by something deeper, something resolute. "Adeline," she said gently, taking my hands in hers, "you think too little of yourself. This is not about crowns alone. This is about a chance. A chance God Himself may have placed before you."
I pulled my hands away. "If this is a chance from God Himself, then I do not want it. You know very well I do not fancy this kind of life, Mama."
My mother, unaware of the true fear coiling inside me, continued in her hopeful voice. "Adeline, this is a chance to live a life better than ours. A life of comfort. A life that commands respect. Surely this is something to be thankful for."
I shook my head as I fought my tears back. "Surely it is, and I do not dispute that, but… Mama—"
She cut through my words with a firm tone. "Life has been cruel to us, yes. Still, we breathe. And as long as we breathe, there is hope. This invitation is our hope."
Her fingers tightened around mine. "I am sure your father would have wanted this for you," she added softly. "Please, my dear, do not deny this goodness because of fears I do not know… fears you still refuse to share with me."
The tears fell then, pouring down my face like heavy rain.
Through blurred vision, I gazed into her eyes, and I saw the mother in her. The woman who had survived loss… hardship and refused to bow to fate's cruelty. The woman I admired more than anyone in this world.
I could not refuse her. Not after everything we had endured together. "I…" I whispered, my voice barely there. "I will think about it."
She exhaled slowly, relief softening her features. Reaching for my hand once more, she squeezed it gently.
"That is all I ask, my dear," she muttered, a hopeful smile touched her lips.
And though I nodded, the paper in my hand felt heavier than iron.