by Anna Santos
Claire’s best friend was handsome, and the girls often fought for his attention. Yet, Deborah looked at him as if a rotten smell had hit her nose.
The Regent smiled at Myka and guided his daughter to his stall. “Good morning, young man. Let us see what you have here.”
His daughter wasn’t as polite. “Hello, commoner.”
Her dry greeting didn’t seem to falter Myka’s good mood. “Good afternoon, Miss Deborah. I’m honored you decided to take a look at my wares.” Myka put on the charm. “Do you see anything you like?”
“These shoes look nice,” the Regent commented. “Did you make them?”
“Yes, I did. Glad they caught your eye, milord.”
“Maybe these ones.” Deborah reached for the pair, knocking over Myka’s bag.
Myka rushed to clean up her mess. “I’ll grab them, don’t worry.”
Deborah sneered at the shoes until her eyes glinted. “What are those?” she asked, pointing at the shoes Myka made for Claire.
Claire’s stomach dropped, and she got a bad feeling. A new customer looked at one of her goods and asked for the price.
Meanwhile, she heard Myka apologizing. “I’m sorry, milady, but those are already spoken for.” From the corner of her eye, Claire saw Myka shove the boots into his bag. “They are a gift for a friend, and they are not for sale.”
Deborah looked at her father. “Dad, I want those.”
“Honey, the nice lad just said that they weren’t for sale,” her father reasoned with a tight smile.
“But I want them!”
The Regent looked at Myka. “I will pay double what they paid you.”
“I’m sorry, milord, but these are a gift.”
“Dad, you are the Regent. He has to obey you. Force him to sell them,” Deborah whined.
Myka was pale when his eyes met Claire’s. She knew she had to do something.
Moving closer to Myka’s stall, she grabbed the bag and removed the boots. “Miss, these boots are beautiful, aren’t they?”
Deborah nodded as her eyes aimed at the boots, and she folded her gloved hands with a smile. “They look so comfortable. Can I try them on?”
“Of course.” Claire made the gesture of giving them to her but then pulled back. “I couldn’t help overhearing why you wanted a new pair of shoes.” She looked at the Regent, whose cheeks were red.
Deborah raised her chin. “I have all the shoes that I’ve seen here. Nothing is new to me. What I’ve never seen are boots like these. I have to have them. My father will pay anything you want for them.”
Claire nodded with a placid smile. “My friend makes the most original shoes in the whole kingdom. However, these are boots, and you would look prettier if you wore a nice pair of shoes for the ball. Are you sure you want to buy these?”
Deborah’s expression changed, and she looked at her father. “Dad, she’s right. I can’t wear a pair of boots to the selection.” She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “Where will I find shoes that match my dress now?”
“Deborah, you didn’t like anything so far. Whatever you choose, I’m sure you will look great. We can look one last time around the fair.”
Deborah pouted. “I don’t want any of the shoes we saw. I just liked the boots, but they don’t match my dress.”
Myka spoke. “I can make you a pair of shoes as comfortable as these boots.”
Claire eyed her friend with incredulity. Is he insane? “It’s getting dark. You won’t have time.”
“I can come here tomorrow with fabric samples and take measurements. Of course, it would be a bit more expensive than one of these that are already made,” Myka said, glancing at the Regent and then at his daughter.
“I’ll pay whatever you want.” Deborah was quick to answer as she jumped in excitement. To her father, she said, “Won’t we, Dad?”
The Regent rubbed his forehead and nodded. “Be at my home tomorrow morning. I’ll pay you well for your trouble.” Then he looked at Claire. “You should thank your beautiful companion for securing you this deal.” Tipping his head, he grabbed his daughter’s hand and strolled away as the bratty girl kept chirping at him.
When they were far away, Claire glared at Myka. “What were you thinking? I have almost convinced her to give up on the boots. Why did you offer to make her a pair of shoes?”
“She seemed so sad. I felt bad. I didn’t want to sell her your boots, but I didn’t want her to be sad, either.”
“Are you kidding? She’s spoiled and gets away with anything she wants. You indulged her whims and put yourself in a mess because I’m sure she’s picky and won’t like anything you make for her.”
“I’m sure I can make something she likes. She must have delicate and beautiful feet.”
Claire arched an eyebrow while Myka rearranged the shoes. “Are you serious? Do you have a crush on the Regent’s daughter?”
“Of course not. I’m going to marry Tanya.”
“That noble girl thinks you smell bad. She would never look at you as someone who is human like her. She treats everybody like slaves. It doesn’t matter how pretty she is on the outside. Inside, she’s ugly.”
Myka stopped what he was doing. “Calm down, Claire. It’s just work. I could use the money. Plus, if she likes my work, she’ll recommend me to other noblewomen.”
His reasoning tamed her rage. “You’re right. This is a great opportunity for you. You could save money faster for marriage.”
Myka nodded. “Also, the Regent thinks you are beautiful. You could be the next queen, and my chances of being a nobleman have improved.”
Claire rolled her eyes and shoved him back. “Stop with the nonsense. We have merchandise to sell.”
Chapter 6
The night of the celebration had arrived. Whether noble or commoner, this was a time everyone had to come together. The law demanded it, and many girls were in a rush to attend and find out if the Regent would pick them to meet the prince. Who wouldn’t want a chance to be queen and end the cursed winter?
Claire dressed in her best clothes and prepared to travel with her parents to learn her fate. That night was supposed to be one of jubilation. Another chance for the kingdom to pick a girl in hopes of melting the prince’s heart. Yet Claire felt as if she was being led to the gallows. Failure either meant returning to the mundane or not at all. No one outside the Diamond Palace knew the fate of the girls who never came back. The rumors chilled her to the bone.
Her father rode a horse-drawn cart to the Regent’s house along with Claire, her mother, and three other girls from their village. Their dresses were decent but not nearly as fabulous as the one Claire wore. Their community always tried to help anyone they could, and her father had rented the cart after carrying out a favor for an officer. He never said what the favor was, and she never pried.
Everyone was nervous and barely said a word along the road.
Hours later, Claire walked her parents to the stage while the other girls gave their thanks and hurried to the entrance. Who could blame them for being so excited for a single night of luxury? Those not chosen got to return to their regular lives, and theirs was poverty. The Regent and fellow high-class citizens enjoyed the bounty of life after that night. The commoners less so, especially the poorer among them like Claire’s family. At least, they still had a home.
It was unfair that the impoverished were not allowed entry to the ballroom. Claire’s parents and many others were expected to put their daughters up for barter, but their class level determined if they could watch up close or from afar. The stage stretched from the inside to the city’s square, and all those not granted entry had to pack out there to watch the young ladies on the stage answer the questions the Regent had for them.
Claire kissed and hugged her parents before going in.
“You would make a great queen. I love you, Claire,” her mother said.
She smiled, letting the silly words slide this time. “I love you both. I’ll see you after the se
lection.”
The idea that this might be the last time seeing them rattled in the back of her mind. Silly, since the Regent had many beautiful, noble maidens to choose from before considering a commoner.
At the entrance, Claire gave her name and was escorted inside. Wiping sweaty hands against the side of her dress, she pasted on a friendly smile and moved forward.
“Well, look who’s here!” a voice cackled.
Claire’s heart stopped beating as she turned around.
“I see that you decided to wear those tacky boots, after all.”
Claire kept walking as Deborah and a crowd of girls headed in her direction. No doubt, she was still upset. Yet, she had no reason to be since Myka made her a pair of beautiful shoes.
“Wow, those boots are gorgeous,” a noble girl gasped, seeing the boots up close. She was tall and elegant, dressed in a sparkling blue dress with her brown hair cascading in large curls. If there was someone in the running to be chosen, this was that person.
“No, they’re not, Reya. You’re going blind,” Deborah barked. She was dressed in a tight, blood-red dress with a silver bow in the back. Her makeup was flawless, and her hair ran down her back. The shoes were silver with a red bow on each. They looked incredible. Myka outdid himself. Still, Claire preferred the beauty and simplicity of her pair.
“Your new shoes are beautiful, Deborah. A lot more than the ones I’m wearing.”
Deborah’s eyelids fluttered as she looked at her feet. “They are also really comfortable. I love them.”
“It matches your dress perfectly,” Claire added with a smile.
“They do,” Reya chipped in. “You need to tell me where you got them.”
“My father found someone to make them just for me. They are one of a kind. No one else has a pair like these,” Deborah said as she laced her arm around her friend. “Let’s get out of here. We don’t mingle with her kind.”
Claire clenched her jaw and ignored the insult. She had tried to be nice, but Deborah was just being herself.
“Don’t mind her. She’s scared of the competition.”
Claire searched around to find the voice of the girl who had spoken to her.
“I’m Alina,” the girl in a gaudy orange dress introduced herself. She was shorter than Claire yet stunning with long, blonde hair. “Your dress is gorgeous.”
“Thank you. My mother made it for me.”
“That’s nice of her. Mine forced me to wear this,” she said as she pointed at her dress with an amused smirk. “I’m aware of how bright it is.”
Claire giggled. “I’m Claire. I’ve never seen you around.”
“I’m from a faraway kingdom. We heard about this tradition, and my parents decided to try to get rid of me.”
Claire raised her eyebrows, unsure if she should laugh or not.
“It’s fine. I didn’t want to be here anyway.”
“That makes two of us.”
Alina scanned the crowd and whispered to Claire, “I don’t know anyone.”
“You know me,” Claire said. “The way you talked to Deborah, I thought you knew her.”
Alina shrugged. “My parents know her father. We used to come here when I was little.”
“I was about to join my friends. Do you want to come with me?” Claire invited Alina.
“Sure. I would like that.”
Smiling, she guided Alina through the crowd.
Claire felt like a slab of meat as she presented herself along with the other participating girls. Fifty in all this year. They all wore their best smiles, answered the questions the Regent had, and listened to the cheers as they cat-walked. In the end, everyone relaxed to enjoy the musical performances while the Regent went off to decide on which maiden would be chosen.
An hour later, he walked out onto the balcony with a name on a golden sheet of paper. The silence hung like a blanket.
“I know it is not easy to leave the life you know for a man with no guarantees,” he said to everyone. “This is for the best. Your sacrifice will be rewarded, and your family will be taken care of. With no further delay, the young lady leaving to meet the prince is Claire James.”
Dread sunk in Claire when she heard her name. There was no time to doubt she had been chosen since her father patted her on the back, and her mother pulled her into a hug.
“I knew it. I knew it,” her mother cheered with tears in her eyes.
Between the loud cheers, Claire heard an upset shriek.
“No!” Deborah screamed. “That stupid peasant can’t be the prince’s new fiancée! Not her. Choose someone else to go to the Diamond Palace.”
The Regent reproached, “Deborah, behave yourself.”
Claire stood frozen in place, ignoring everything around her.
She had been chosen. Just like her mother had hoped and Claire had feared. Meeting the prince was almost a sure death sentence in the making. Plus, she would be giving up her freedom to be with a cursed man. Her head felt light, and she almost fainted.
A pair of guards quickly took her by the arms and escorted her to see the Regent. The nobleman said something, but Claire was too shocked to hear or understand what he was saying. Moments later, the same guards led her to a chariot where a servant handed her the bag her parents had packed with a few personal belongings and clothes.
“Where are my parents?” she asked the servant.
“They aren’t allowed to say goodbye to you. Just enter the chariot and make yourself comfortable.”
Swallowing dry, Claire peered around, hoping to see her parents one last time. The servant held the door open, and the guards shoved her inside as if suspecting she might want to escape.
“Keep yourself warm,” the servant instructed, giving her a long fur coat. “It’s a long and cold trip to the palace.”
The door closed when she sat on the bench, and her back hit the upholstery.
As she was driven away, she glimpsed through the window at the cold and dark night. Once she wiped away the tears and covered herself with the fur coat, the motion of the chariot lulled her to sleep.
Chapter 7
Claire woke up and peeked out of the carriage. It was dawn, and she could see the chariot was entering the palace grounds. The entrance was both beautiful and haunting with a large white gate. Not far off stood the magnificent palace with tall towers and icy-looking walls. Claire knew the palace was made of crystal forged by the ancient dragons who roamed the world and protected the humans against all evil. Still, she couldn’t help but think that from afar, the walls seemed made of crystallized snow.
The closer she got to the palace, the faster her heart beat.
The horses pulled the carriage through the grounds covered in ice, making her believe they were floating above the clouds. How could such a sterile place be so beautiful? She had no idea. Still, she was eager to climb the stairs that led to the entrance and discover what those walls hid behind them.
The chariot stopped, and Claire put on the fur coat to protect herself from the cold outside.
The Diamond Palace was even more radiant up close. Claire’s breath was taken away as she exited and walked up the stairs to the entry.
The massive door opened, and she was shuffled in by a gray-haired butler with a long beard. “Welcome, milady. Please follow me to your living quarters. Don’t dally by the door.”
“Of course.” Claire’s voice shook as she followed the butler.
The furniture and decorations appeared extravagant. A few paintings and murals were inviting, but most showed endless lands of snow and ice. Everything around her was white, silver, or light blue. There was no fire burning to warm the palace or velvet drapes coloring the walls and windows like at the Regent’s house. The glass statues seemed eerily human. Her footsteps echoed inside the high ceiling divisions where crystal chandeliers illuminated everything with a silvery glow.
The butler guided her up the stairs with one hand behind his back and his chin up. His stride was steady, and Claire
had to keep up without stopping to look around.
They followed a corridor of closed white doors contrasting with the marble walls that were also white with dark veins.
The butler stopped in front of a double beige door with an arch.
“Here’s your room. Stay inside until the fairies arrive,” the butler instructed and opened the door.
Nodding, Claire stepped into the room. The door closed behind her and startled her. Spinning around, she found herself alone.
There was no warmth or friendly reception from the butler. With the number of girls who arrived and left before her, maybe he had decided there was no point in being nice. The thought only filled the young lady with more dread about being stuck there.
“I need to relax and think about the positive things,” Claire told herself. “I am in a beautiful palace ... a little creepy and drafty, but it’s a palace. I might get to be queen if the prince chooses me. This room is just—oh my— this is my room now. So huge!”
Claire walked around, feeling as if she was living in a new house instead of a bedroom. It was three times the size of her family’s hut and had beautiful furniture to stare at. There were also two other doors on her right side. Rushing there, she found the first door led to a powder room. Opening the second door, she stepped into a bathroom. Claire squealed, realizing it was her private bathroom with a huge bathtub. The chance to experience a taste of luxury finally sunk in. She flopped on the large fancy bed with a fluffy silver comforter and tried to rein in her rampaging thoughts. Her bedroom smelled nice and felt warm. She sat up and removed her coat. Then, she remembered there was a large window, and she couldn’t wait to see the view from her bedroom.
Walking to the silver curtains, she prepared herself to open them and take in the view. A chittering of voices, suddenly, hit her ears. The bedroom door opened, and she turned around, startled.
Her shock only increased when she saw three small, winged creatures flying her way. Blinking rapidly to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating, she quickly realized they had to be the fairies mentioned by the butler.
