Inevitable

Chapter 1

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Esmeralda played by Madison Beer

    I wake up to the cold crisp air as the wind blew through the cracks of rigged door, billowing on my rags I called clothing. Quietly I got up and got ready in silence as not to wake up my brother, Charles. It was just me and him now. Since I was legal and turned 18, my parents have left and took their own lives leaving just me and my brother. I had to learn how to support both of us by myself.

I walked to the little kitchen we had and pulled out the carton of milk out of the little fridge and grabbed the little bag of cereal. I placed them on the rickety table and looked around for a clean bowl in the cabinets. This little food was what we called breakfast.

Dawn came slowly as i woke up Charles.

I combed his hair and fixed his uniform.

"Essie, I'm hungry." Charles said softly after he finished his cereal.

"I know baby and I'm sorry. Wait until after the ceremony okay? I'll come home with the best treat you could ever think of." I said back pitifully.

He nodded his head and his big doe eyes focused somewhere else.

"Get your school bag. I'll walk you before I go." I said.

Charles nodded and went into the bedroom.

The ceremony was today. This was my last year. I was one of the lucky ones who hadn't been claimed yet. After this I was free. No more stress or worrying about being taken. What would Charles do without me? No one would take him in.

Charles came back into the room and off we went The school was only 15 minutes away. When we got there, we waited in line as they looked at our identification and the numbers on our wrist.

"I Love you Charles. If.. If I'm taken today, I'll come back for you. I love you so much. Have a great day baby." I whispered before sending him off.

The guards looked suspiciously at us.

"I love you too Essie." Charles yelled as he walked into the gates of school.

I wiped a few stray tears and turned my back. I would do this. Surely I wouldn't be claimed. I have been doing this for three years. I would be fine. This was the last year and I sure as hell wouldn't get claimed now.

As I walked into my workplace of sewing, I heard the chatter of the bubbly girls who had no fear of the fairies. In fact, they praised them saying their dominance over us was an act of God showing us the way.

"....Did you hear..."

"Prince.... Mate.... Coming..... This year....."

"I hope he likes me......Not even"

"He's so hot........ Yum..."

"Can't......wait..."

These people disgusted me. They wanted a fairy for their mate. Something I have always avoided.

I sighed and picked up the beautiful material and started sewing.

Since I was one of the best sewers, they had gave me a work piece for the new queen.

Whoever the new queen was, she was very lucky, this dress they made me create, was breathtaking.

It was a grand wedding dress. I had started 2 weeks ago and now I was just finishing it of with final touches.

Sure sewing was fun but painting was my passion. In our little house, I had paint and brushes with canvases left from my dad. The only thing left that reminds me of him everyday.

There was so much artwork in there, but I haven't had the time to continue painting.

"All of you are dismissed. Get ready for the ceremony and be in town square by 6, no later." The guard said.

Everyone rushed out eager to look their best for tonight. I rolled my eyes and got up and started the walk home.

I showered and left my hair down in its natural curls. I looked at myself in the small mirror.

I looked the same as everyday. I sighed and walked to Town Square eager to get this day over.

Charles would be sleeping at the school as they had a school sleepover every time the ceremony happened.

We were loaded on a bus and driven to the castle. It looked the same as every other time I had been here, hauntingly dark. We got off and were filed into the castle. Its vast doors were decorated beautifully with gold.

The inside was even more stunning. Everything was bright and shiny, even the floor. It contrasted between our raggedy clothes and dirty shoes.

"Welcome, I am Butler Adams. You will be escorted to get your selves fixed. Follow me." A bright eye said softly and walked off into a new hall.

We followed curiously as he showed us to a gigantic room which had dresses made from the best and makeup lined everywhere. Shoes overfilled the corner as makeup stylists with bright eyes beckoned us to come.

"You have an hour to look your finest. Today there will be dinner. Do not keep his majesty and the rest of the wonderful men waiting. Ladies, farewell." Butler Adams said and went his way.

The girls rushed to the vanities and sat waiting for the stylists to fix them up.

I shook my head and walked to the dresses.

Everyone picked out the brightest gowns and the biggest jewels.

I grabbed a black tight dress, which was the least revealing. I put it on and chose to keep on my converse on. I grabbed a gold ring and placed it on my ring finger. If I was claimed, I could say I was already claimed from someone else. Stealing someone else's mate was against the law. Who cared if I faked it. I wouldn't be taken then.

There was still 40 mins left so I decided to explore. I slipped out of the room quietly and walked aimlessly.

Suddenly I heard heavy footsteps coming my way so I opened the door closest to me and scurried in closing the door behind me silently. I held my breath as they walked by.

Phew.

I turned around slowly as I admired the room.

It was a big ballroom. SO grand and open. The moon lit the room up with a soft white glow as the curtains were drawn.

Sitting in the middle was a white grand piano. Slowly I walked towards it. I had learned to play in secret. Of course I wrote the keys on paper and pretended to play. One time the guards had blasted piano music and I had listened through the thin walls of my work place. It was beautiful and I found anything I could to teach me how to play.

Now that there was a piano right in front of me, I didn't hesitate to play.

Somehow it felt like I was meant to play. I closed my eyes as I placed my fingers on the keyboard. Then I played. It was echoing since the room was big. It sounded so angelic. I felt like I was on cloud 9. This music was so soft and enchanting. It made me want to cry and sing and dance and laugh. Everything. I felt like I could do anything right then and there.

My fingers danced gracefully on each key letting a beautiful sound come. I played and played. It was amazing. The sound was exhilarating. It felt like only now mattered. It gave me hope, that maybe, just maybe we would be free one day. This was a story I told through the music. It got sad sometimes but then it got happy like when me and Charles had saved enough money to get a slice of cake which tasted like heaven.

By the time I had finished playing, I was panting. I sat there in silence as the sky had turned pitch black but the moon was shining very bright.

'Clap. Clap. Clap.'

I turned around quickly. I couldn't see his face clearly but you could tell he was very fit and muscular.

He then started walking closer to me.

"That was brilliant."