Nadia

Today hasn't been a great day for me. First I woke up to find that my two year old sister wet the bed again, that wouldn't have been a problem if we didn't share the same bed. As I got up to wash up I found that there was no hot water left for me, I have my twin brother to thank for that. I washed up with cold water then went to help mother with chores in the kitchen.

“Nadia” mother called as I got in the Kitchen.

“Yes Mama” I called back.

She told me to go and feed the chickens and clean the varenda of our house. We aren't well off but we survive. Ever since my father died we have been living off our livestock and mother works at the palace as a servant. We only see her two days a week.

After I got done with the chores at home I went to see Willa. Willa is one of my best friends we meet when I was fetching water from the river. Her family is not rich but they live better than us. She's an only child, so she gets everything she wants. Sometimes I envy her but then I remember how lonely she gets at times.

As I get near Willa's sleeping chambers I hear shouting voices, so I hurry my steps and as I'm about to enter I hear something that making me pause. Willa is arguing with Talie, our best friend.

“Think about it, she's not going to want to compete” says Talie.
“ But we have to at least tell her maybe she'll come with us too, and if she refuses  we won't have to lie to her” Willa replie.

I'm starting to think the ‘she’ they're talking about is me but I don't know what it is that Talie doesn't want me to know about. Talie and I we don't get along sometimes because she can't manipulate me as easy as she manipulates Willa. Talie and Willa were friends way before I came along, so I guess she feels threatened by me and Willa's closeness. She's older than us by a year.

“But she's not even going to pass the entrance test, she's gonna need proper attire for that and you know she can't afford it” Talie shot back.

“i could borrow her some of mine” Willa suggests.

“Willa I get it, you want to involve her and that's great of you but we're talking about a prince's future wife here and I just don't see Nadia as that. She's my friend but let's be honest no one's gonna want a queen from a poor family as hers” says Talie.

She's not wrong but it hurts to hear her say that about me. Everyone in the village knows that my family is poor and no one wants to associate with us but Willa and Talie have been my friends for so long I never even thought they might be embarrassed by me. Talie may sometimes be mean to me but she's my best friend and always fight anyone who is mean to me. She says she's the only one allowed to be rude to mean and no one else gets to disrespect her friend.

“Shhh” Willa shushes her.
“what ?” asks Talie.
“i think there's someone outside” replied Willa.

I come out of my hiding spot and see that both of them are looking toward me.

“i -uh, didn't mean to eavesdrop” I tell them .

I know I have to tell the truth but I don't want to see pity in their eyes so I just say “ I just got here and heard you arguing and didn't want to interrupt you but then Willa must have heard me" .

Willa sighs in relief “oh okay, we have something to tell you ”.
“What?” I ask.
“next month at the Palace the would be twenty girls chosen to compete for the prince's affection and if you win you'd be crowned the next queen in line” Willa tells me.

“uhm...”
“ please just come with us for the entrance test then if you're chosen as one of the twenty girls you can decide if you want to continue or not, just give it a chance ” Willa cuts me off.

I think about what Talie said about my attire and honestly I almost refuse but then I think about my family and what they would gain if I won this competition. I just have to get some fabric to make representable clothes for the competition.

“when is the entrance test?” I ask, looking at both of them. Talie is surprisingly quite.

Talie looks at Willa before saying “in two weeks from now”.
“okay, I will go with you” I say “ what do we need for the duration of the competition” I ask watching Talie this time.

They share a look again before Willa says “ uh maybe some representable attire and accessories, I don't really know but everything else will be provided to us in the Palace”

“okay then I guess I have to go back home I start sewing new clothes” I say the last part looking Talie's way.

I walk out.