2 Dukes daughter

"What?No!"Amira said with a slightly raised voice, scratching her head awkwardly when people around her looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I have no plans of joining the competition."She shook her head vigorously. The merchant looked at her with a deep frown on his face.

"I was just asking since everyone is talking about it here in the market."She paused and swallowed saliva because she felt her throat was dry.

"Just curious."Amira shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, a small smile settling on her delicate features.

"Okay."The merchant nodded his head doubtfully.

"Oh my goodness, I need to get going."It was then that Amira realised the sky was beginning to turn dark.

She turned around and headed towards the waiting station, half running and walking.

'Oh no! This can't be.'She thought as she stood at the waiting station, breathing Wildly.'This is the result of gossiping.'She scolded herself as she shifted and darted her eyes to the empty road, hoping to find a carriage.

Amira's hope began to fade away as she waited for more than ten minutes.

"One more person, one more person."She was about to turn around and start walking when she heard a coachman shouting.

"I'm here."Amira shouted and ran towards the carriage as fast as possible because she didn't want anyone else to take that one spot that was left.

She ran and overtook a girl who was about her age. Amira felt pity for the poor girl, however, there was no way she could help her since both of them were fighting for the same thing.

Amira looked at her with apologetic eyes as she climbed inside the carriage. The girl looked back at Amira with hostile eyes, as if she could kill her right away if given a chance.

"I almost missed the carriage."A sigh of relief escaped Amira's lips as she sat close to the window.

She laid her head on the carriage window as she watched the trees passing by as the carriage moved.

____

"Have you heard that the bride competition is starting tomorrow?"Inside the carriage was silent until two women began gossiping.

Amira didn't turn her head to look at them, however, that didn't mean that she wasn't listening.

"Yes, I heard about it. My daughter is one of the castle maids."The other woman said.

"She said that to take part in the competition you need to arrive early because the gate would be closed when they think that the contestants are enough."She explained.

"Is that so? I know it's every girl's dream to get married to the crown prince." Amira detected the smile in the woman's voice.

Amira rolled her eyes when she heard the woman's words. She wished she could tell the woman that not every girl wishes to get married to the royal family.

"My daughter said that the crown prince is cold-hearted.He has never smiled in his entire life."She continued to explain to her friend who seemed to pay full attention.

'Her daughter must be those castle maids who like to gossip around.'Amira thought.

"She also said that the crown prince has never been interested in any woman. That's why the council of elders have decided to help him to find a bride."The man paused.

"It's hard to crown him the king of Wylan without a queen you know."She continued after taking few breaths.

Amira leaned in to listen to the gossip. She wanted to know more about the competition and the royal family.

"Do you know Monalisa?Duke Caspian's daughter?"The woman raised her eyebrows.

Her friend was quiet for a while, maybe trying to remember if she had ever heard of the Duke and his daughter.

"I think I have heard of him maybe twice or However,I don't know anything about her daughter."The other woman answered.

"His daughter Lisa will be taking part in the competition."The woman said in almost a whisper.

"Hey Coachman, we're alighting on the next stage."The woman notified him.

Amira's heart sank when she learned that the woman was about to alight the carriage. She wanted to listen to more of her gossip even though she didn't like gossiping.

The coachman stopped and the women alighted. That's when Amira turned her head gently to look at them, they both had dark wavy hair which hung slightly above their waist.

"What about you young miss?"The coachman asked Amira who was still watching the two women walk away.

"The next stage."She said with a smile on her lips.

The carriage was silent since there since there was no people to gossip around. Amira alighted when it was her turn.

The sky was clear and the surrounding was dimly lit by the light from the moon and stars. Amira walked hurriedly and she arrived in her compound in no time.

She opened the wooden door and walked inside the house. The faint light from the candle illuminated the house which made it possible to see around.

"Anybody home?"She asked as she walked to the familiar room to look for her grandmother.

The old lady was seated at the fireplace which illuminated the whole room with the help of a few candles. 

Amira's grandma is in her sixties. However,when someone looks at her, she /he might hink that she is around fifties because she doesn't look that old and thanks to the herbs that she loves to use.

"Grandma, "Amira called as she walked towards the fireplace. She planted a kiss on her grandma's hair before sitting beside her on the mat.

"What took you so long, young lady?"Grandma stopped knitting to look at her granddaughter momentarily before he continued with whatever she was doing.

"I was looking for fibre grandma."She paused and a long sigh escaped her lips.

"It seems like there's a shortage of fibres in the market."Amira explained.The old lady stopped knitting to look at her granddaughter with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Since when?"She asked doubtfully, the last time that Amira's grandma went to the market, there was plenty of fibre in the market.

"The merchant said that there has been a shortage of fibres recently."She shrugged her shoulders innocently.

"Don't look at me like that grandma because I am not lying. You can go to the market and prove it yourself if you're doubting me."Amira complained when she realised that her grandma was doubting her.

"I didn't say anything."The old lady shrugged her shoulders, a small smile flashing on her face.

There was a calm silence in the air.Amira took a piece or firewood and placed it carefully in the fireplace. She closed her eyes slightly and a sigh escaped her lips before turning her head slowly to look at her grandma.

"Grandma..."Amira called with a nervous voice.