Alessandra continued to walk, struggling to keep her bag off the muddy floor as her younger sister, Jaden followed her with tear-stained face. Alessandra didn't look similar at all to her younger sister, where Alessandra had long, blond with low lights of brown, hair, her sister had short black hair. Alessandra sported an average height, hourglass figure, her sister sported a longer and more slender physique. It was the same case with all of her siblings-- She stood out the most. As she continued to walk further to the edge of the town, to be picked up by a few of the royal guards. She was after all the pay back to a huge debt.
She wondered why her farther had given her up, why did he even need to give up anyone? Couldn't they work a little harder and pay it off on months? She sighed softly, her own eyes were filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall in order not to make her younger sister, Allison explode once more. Allison had been the only one-- stable enough to decide to accompany Alessandra. Alessandra felt the pain in her chest grow just a little more. As she left, everyone avoided to look at her, the goodbyes were not done properly. She sighed again and tried to blame it on their sense of loss now that Alessandra wouldn't be around.
Her father though-- He wasn't even present. He had signed the papers and disappeared, leaving a letter behind to their mother that he would be back soon after he 'rested'.
Her mother. Alessandra's tears fought against her as she thought of her mother. Her ill mother, although she was the indirect reason for this situation, Alessandra's heart squeezed in pain. She needed constant care, and Alessandra didn't trust any of her siblings enough to do what she had been doing.
Finally the two young women reached the edge of the town, where the cart with the royal's colors designing it. She looked back to Allison. ''
Listen now. You are the oldest woman in that house after mother. You should pay attention to the little ones. Make sure they do their writing assignments that I have given them. I will try and write up more when I can, until then-- Don't let father take them out of the town school. As useless as it is, it is something.'' Alessandra instructed as she scanned her sister carefully.
''You get home safely and make sure mom is well fed too.'' She added with a huge smile-- Not a smile of a sold off woman, but rather a proud woman. She knew she had managed to raise her siblings well, and she knew Allison needed the reassurance.
Alessandra patted Allison's arm before she turned to walk away again, until Allison interrupted her.
''Are you okay with this?'' Allison asked in a small voice.
Alessandra turned sharply, staring at her sister. So far, no one had asked about how she felt about all this.
''
Absolutely.I heard I could be assigned to be a personal lady of the Queen's? Do you know how prestigious this is? If I get paid later, it will be triple what father makes! I am ecstatic.'' Alessandra answered with a seemingly excited smile before turning away from her sister and hurriedly walking away.
She needed to get as far away from her sister, her town, before she collapsed.
So at the crack of down, Alessandra had climbed into the royal cart, with two other handmaidens from nearby towns. She gave them a sympathetic smile, but none of them seemed as bothered with it as she thought they would be. They were chatting away, talking about the castle, how it would be to live there, the crown prince, and the younger one. Each wondered who she would serve, wishing it was one of the younger royalty, not the queen. In a way, that made Alessandra more assured-- It meant she could really be assigned to the Queen, and that made her excited. She was hoping to get to be the Queen's lady; it made she could grow more and more educated.
By the afternoon, the handmaidens had arrived.
Alessandra had been ordered to leave her suitcase behind, not like it had anything important, but the guards must look through it before letting it into the royal grounds. Alessandra fixed back her
hair making sure it was still secure in place. She straightened her off white
dress with delicate floral detailing all over, and a black satin belt around her waist. The dress overall didn't look anything but cheaply made, but it was the best Alessandra had, and it did wonders to her figure, which could distract from the poor materials.
The other two girls, were a lot more frail than Alessandra was, they were sporting similar dresses except they really didn't fill it out like Alessandra did. They both actually looked quite similar with long caramel brown hair, fair skin, and warm brown eyes that danced in excitement.
Alessandra sported a more tan look due to her work in the lands, with crystal clear ocean blue with a lot less excitement.
They were lead through the extravagant hallways, many closed doors, with maids cleaning, going in and out of huge doors. Alessandra watched in awe. She couldn't imagine in a hundred years she could step into the royal castle.
Alessandra had been distracted until they walked into an open balcony, where the Queen and her two sons sat. Alessandra's eyes grew in surprise-- They looked beautiful, extravagant, out of this world. She was stunned-- They were a lot more than what she heard in the town.
''The handmaidens had arrived, your majesties.'' The guard introduced.
One of the girls hurried to bow and soon followed the other. Alessandra blinked and took her bow as well, except it was more gracious than rushed. She had never bowed to anyone before, being mainly home and working.
