Cecelia Comes Here: A Short Story

“Cecelia, come here.” Cecelia heard her father call from the main room. She sighed and started making her way slowly down the stairs, making her father wait for her presence purposefully. “Don’t you have the decency to at least put on proper clothing? Those are men’s clothes.”

“That’s sausage to me, Father. You know I refuse to wear dresses, especially ones made by workers who you don’t pay.” She replied snarkily, staring her father in the eyes.

“We’ve made a deal. You are to be married.” He said and Cecelia’s slight smirk fell off her face.

“I don’t want to be married, I’m barely old and have no interest in marrying a man I’ve never met.” She said and her father put a hand over his face.

“Cecelia, maybe you could-” Marlisa, Cecelia’s step-mother

Even though you probably have enough to feed the whole village.” Henrik, one of the shop owners said, making Cecelia smile.

“Henrik, you know not to call me ‘princess’. And yes, I’d love to buy some rice.” She said, pulling out her coin purse.

“Princess, hello.” A townsperson said, bowing down to her.

“Oh no, please, don’t bow for me.” She said. “I’m just like you.”

“Have a wonderful day, Miss.” Henrik said, handing her the bag of rice. She smiled and slowly made her way through the town, trying to find Louisa’s house. Louisa had been her oldest friend, when Cecelia would walk through town, she’d sometimes see Louisa working with her grandmother to sell some fabrics. That’s when Cecelia would beg her father to buy some fabric to make a new outfit for her dolls.

“Lou, I’m here, and I brought some rice.” Cecelia said, opening the door slowly.

“Is that Cecelia? Hello, dear.” Edda, Louisa’s grandmother said. “Is everything okay? You look pale.” Edda had always been wonderful detecting emotions on people’s faces without them saying anything.

“No, I am to be married, and I’m meeting him tomorrow.” Cecelia complained, setting down the bag of

She was already in love, and not with any boy. She loved Louisa, and those were her last thoughts before falling into a deep slumber.

~

Ivan Albright always was trying to look on the bright side of things. When he fell out of a tree and scraped his knee, he saw it as a learning opportunity. He learned to be more careful when climbing tall trees, instead of focusing on the scrape on his knee.

“Ivan, come here please.” He heard his mother call from the main room.

“Is there something wrong, mother?” He asked, reaching his destination.

“No, my darling son, have a seat.” She said, and Ivan cautiously took a seat. “Your father and I, well, we’ve been talking, and we decided it’s time for you to get married.”

“I’m sorry?” He said, confused. He was barely an adult, and his parents already wanted him to get married?

“Ivan, please, don’t get upset, I have talked with the family of the girl you’re to be married to, and they are just as thrilled as your father and I are.” The Queen said, putting her hand over Ivan’s.

“What about the girl?” Ivan asked and his mother’s face fell slightly.

“We haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her yet, but if she’s anything like her parents, she’ll be just as