The Village Princess

Chapter Five

For the next few months Jayla and the other girls studied hard. They practiced their sewing every morning, followed by dress making. Jayla found those very difficult, but she enjoyed baking, and setting the table for every occasion. Jayla noticed none of the girls were too focused while they were practicing these things. They would whisper to each other and some would wipe tears from their eyes.

Every Friday, someone from Finna Brin would collect letters from the girls, and take them to the addressed places. Piper never once sent a letter. So Jayla would write to her family and ask them to tell Piper's family that she is doing well.

"They can hear all about it when you all go home, and I am the Maid." Piper told Jayla one day when she had begged her to write just once to her family.

Milee and Jayla would stay up some nights by a candle and practice doing one another's hair, or reading through their history books.

"I can't do it!" Genevieve, a Dedictorlyian girl, sobbed one day during their break from class.

"Why do we even have to study this kind of stuff?" Camron groaned, tossing her history book onto the flower covered field. Teacher Jabari had instructed the girls to study in the garden behind the castle to get some fresh air in their lungs.

"What are you stuck on?" Jayla asked, walking over and taking a seat.

"Fractions." Genevieve growled, glaring at her open math book.

"History." Camron muttered, glancing at her book that was sitting, pages bent, on the field.

Jayla giggled and grabbed the history book.

"We'll start on history first." She decided. She flipped to the correct chapter and skimmed through the pages, refreshing her memory.

"Ok, so this chapter is all about wars and conflicts we've had with Heerian." She explained to the two girls.

"For hundreds of years Ankary and Heerian have been fighting over many things." She went on to explain in detail the history of the first two kings and how over the years the tension grew.

"So is that why the prince is marrying an enemy princess?" Camron asked, looking at Jayla.

"I would think so. That way the kingdoms are united as one and the fighting stops." Jayla said with a shrug of her shoulders. The two girls nodded their heads.

"So now I think I can remember all of that. You make it easy Jayla." Genevive said, smiling at Jayla as she set away the history book and took the math book.

"Thanks! Now we move on to fractions." There was a groan from in front of them and Jayla saw Lucas walking to them.

"Why are you guys doing fractions out on a beautiful day like this?" He asked, taking a seat in front of the girls.

"We are studying so we can pass." Camron explained, crossing her arms. Jayla nodded her head and opened the book to the chapter on fractions.

"Ok guys. So fractions are actually really fun once you get the hang of it. You just need-"

Genevieve cut her off. "But why do we need to know them?" She asked, falling over and lying on her back, looking up into the sunny sky.

"I don't know but just pay attention." Again, Jayla explained to them everything they needed to know. She answered most of their questions, and used examples such as pie because they had just baked one earlier that day.

"If I cut a pie into 12 equal pieces, and Lucas eats one half of the pie, how much pie is left?" Lucas gave her an offended expression and she suppressed her laughter.