The winning buyer

"That said, your meeting Carl's son tomorrow" my dad says suddenly and quickly as if it was a fact he wish he could ignore

"PAPA" I shouted in disbelief

"I know you've been hoping for this moment since you were five akemi" my father said

"Don't worry I'll be there with you, Carl said that if the engagement doesn't work his son won't say anything about you to anyone" my dad continued

"I really trust that man so if you don't wanna trust him trust me ok stinker" my dad said grinning

I grin back and nod my head

"Go help your mother with chores stop being lazy" my dad says jokingly

He sets me down leaving me sitting in the bed

I stay there for a few minutes before I go to help mother with the chores

I wonder around the little house looking for mother and find her doing the laundry outside behind the house

"Can I help mama" I ask politely while smiling widely

My mother looks at me suddenly very concerned

"Akemi honey stay inside, A few people are gonna pass by and see you just stay in your room" she says quietly

I nod my head and visibly show my disappointment as I walk inside

I walk into my room and lock it

I learned that whenever mother says people will "pass by" she means people will come

And if people come over it means I have to hide

"So unfair" I say loudly while flopping on my bed

After a while of cursing my horrible living conditions I grab my magic book from the shelf

I open to the third chapter

It's explaining how to use simple spells

"It sucks that it only tells you how the spells work instead of showing you how to do them" I sigh while throwing the book back on the shelf

I decide to quiet down because I'm starting to hear voices upstairs

[ since I'm forced to stay down here it's only fair I know what's going on ] I think while smirking

I put my ear on the door and waited for someone to say something

" so how about selling your daughter to me Daichi" I hear someone say

" I would put up a better price" I hear a woman say

" listen I didn't call us all here just to give my daughter Away" i hear my dad say

I slowly back away from the door with my face white from fear

I can still hear the conversation going on

" The highest price I'll offer for her is 500 gold" The man said

"I know you and your little wife are struggling with financial problems " although I couldn't see it I was sure the man was grinning

I was shaking in fear, 500 gold would be enough for father to open 10 farms

I shake my head, my papa wouldn't sell his daughter after all wasn't he going to introduce me to Carl's son?

"Nonsense! If what you say is true about her beauty I'll offer 1000 gold" the woman shrieked happily

There was an awkward silence after that

"Okay" I heard my dad say

Who knew that one little word would send me into the deepest thought in my life

"You can pick her up tomorrow Sarah, she thinks she'll be meeting Carl's son so she'll go with out a fight" I heard my dad say sadly

Next thing I knew I was crying silently on my bed

I was still listening because I wanted to know what their plan was

" I'll dress her up nicely and send her in a wagon on her own to your home lady Sarah"

My father said while I heard whimpers coming from my mother and giggle coming from the lady named Sarah

"Please take care of her Sarah" I heard my father say with a shaking voice

This woman Sarah scoffed and I heard the door slam behind her

I heard the mumbles of disappointment coming from the male this woman Sarah came with after a while I heard the door closing signaling that he left

I heard footsteps coming to my room

I quickly grabbed my book quietly and flopped in my bed I did my hair as neatly as I could so it looked like I was reading my book the whole time

My mom opened the door

I look at her with a wide smile

"Did the people passing by leave mama" I happily chirped

My dad walked in and stood next to my mom grinning

"Well stinker to answer your question yah those guys did leave" he said while coming closer to tickle me

I laughed loudly and hit my dad on the shoulder to signal him to stop

He stopped after a while

"Well I'm going to go chop wood outside you be a good girl akemi" my dad said while pinching my cheeks

I put on a fake smile but inside I was disgusted by his fake love

My mother kissed him as we went outside

And went up to hug me

"Be awake by curfew " my mom whispered in my ears

I didn't know what she was gonna do but she was aware I had heard the conversation

I nodded my head

She lead me into the kitchen to help her shine the table wear, and she lead me outside to help with the extra laundry

I spend just about the rest of the day doing tiring chores

But I didn't care

I say on me bed and waited for my mom and dad to tuck me in

Sure enough they came in and did their usual routine

They both left together in each other's arms

I turned on my lamp a few minutes after they left and put on my morning dress I did my hair and hugged my magic book waiting for it to be past curfew

I heard my door creak and it was my mother holding a cloak and a sack

She cried when she saw me

" my baby girl let me explain why you had to stay up-" my mother said before I cut her off

"No need to mama, I heard everything...thank you" I whisper

She wraps the cloak around my body and puts the hood over my head

"I put food, water, soap and extra pairs of clothes in here including blankets" my mother said handing the sack to me

"I have no where for you to go because your father told all our family members about you being sold, but I prepared a horse for you to get very far away" my mother said quietly

She cupped my face in her hands and stared at my face

She pulled something out from her sleeping gown

She had a secret pocket and took a veil out

"If you ever stop by a village put this veil on and immediately rent a hotel" she said

She gave me a small bag of copper coins

I nodded

She walked me out of the house

We were both as quiet as a fox stalking it's prey

We huddle into the stables and my mom puts me on a horse

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you horse riding lessons sweet heart but when I lead the horse outside the stables kick it and I'll run off into the forest" my mother said

" when you feel safe lightly pat the horse on the head and they'll stop" my mother said calmly

She lead the horse out of the stables with me on it

"Mama" I said turning to face her

My mothers face was full of hurt looking at me on the horse

"I love you" I said with a tear rolling down my face

I kicked the horse and he bolted into the forest

I turned back one last time to see her collapse on the ground with tears

I turn and look straight ahead

Seeing only darkness and trees