One

Harvie River was never meant to be the name of someone significant. She knew that, her mother knew that, the world knew that. It was a bland name for a bland girl and that was how her parents wanted it to be. It even went with her features. Hair the color of mud, always in unruly waves that had her cutting it up to her jawline, and eyes a moss green. She was designed to hide under the noses of everyone in the kingdom. Her mind was always programmed to enhance this lack of uniqueness. Baggy dresses and old heavy cloaks were her usual. 

Unless it was a day like this one. 

Terrible news spread from within the castle walls. One of the Knowledgeable was found hanging in their room by their own hand. These Knowledgeable were an elite race within the country of Bellacytria. They were humans granted strange gifts from those of the higher realms. This one was blessed by a deity to know the past, the present, and future. Some even speculated they could warp any minute of any day. Not a single soul knew the truth besides the King, King Baxter Sheppard the Third, and the family they descended from. It was harder to know even more-so when this Knowing One outlived every single person within their bloodline. Now there was only the faint memory of their strength and the missing body from their seat within the King's counsel. Things Harvie only had the privilege of hearing about by those that visited.

The only good to come from this was that someone would be blessed in an identical way so that they could fill the big shoes left behind. The process was simple enough. While they didn't trust the parents to be entirely forthcoming with a child's new gifts, the guard's words were undeniable. Harvie's little place on the outside of kingdom walls gave her family easy access to pull pity from any of the guards. They weren't ready to let anyone out of the nest. 

By anyone, they meant Little Saffron. Her baby sister and someone she would trade her life for if the situation ever demanded it. Saffron was not a strong name, but it was significant enough that they were all anxious as the party slowly made their way towards the River family. Saffron was also five. An average age of those that were brought to the castle in service of the King. 

Harvie had finally turned twenty this year, so she was taken out of that age range almost immediately. Which was why she was allowed not to attend. Anyone above eighteen was cast from the magical roulette, according to their King. To be honest, this was something that bummed her out. There were times that being hidden from straying eyes was a perk, but it was also tiring. Boring. To know that she didn't even have a chance of being one of the Knowing meant the anticipation was nowhere to be seen. That paired with the gut feeling that her sister couldn't possibly be chosen was also down playing what was supposed to be the most suspenseful moment in the country.

Her parents did not share her eased example. They didn't seem to understand her gut feelings that never seemed to steer her wrong. Whenever she even brought it up, she was called silly. Talked down to like a child. So Harvie never shared this insight with them. It was something she stopped when she was around thirteen years old. 

Without her calmness, Harvie was left to watch her parents run through their shared home like the "kidnapping" (a name the older generation called it) was due for that day. Her chin rested against her hand so she could lean it on the table. Her green gaze following her mother ran around the kitchen mumbling to herself. The guard wasn't to come until another week, but that didn't help the ongoing emotions tumbling in her mother's head. Saffron sat up at the table as well, drawing on a piece of parchment with a piece of charcoal from Harvie's stash. 

"You're sure that Patrick will do as you've asked?" Harvie's mother whipped around to face the table, leaving the water on the stove to boil. This was a question she asked her daughter every day around the same time. 

Her head bobbed even though she already knew that was not enough for the Rivers' matriarch. Her mother needed a verbal response or it wouldn't have been a response at all. She seemed to think that she could catch it in the voice whether Harvie was lying or not. Harvie had proven this wrong on multiple occasions, but the less her mom knew the better. 

"Yes. He took the bribe easily. I'm pretty sure our family isn't the only one he's doing it for either." Her mother lifted her brows enough that they almost disappeared into her hairline. "Margaret told me that her family's doing it for Sue and there are others too. I didn't say anything, though." If her mom knew she gave any piece of information to that girl, they would most likely be put into jail for hiding a potential Knowledgeable candidate. Then hung because imprisonment was never enough.

Margaret was the only one that Harvie considered a friend. Not that they were close. She just tended to confide in Harvie from time to time and they worked side by side every day to weave for their part of the kingdom. There was only one problem with Margaret; she never knew when to shut her mouth. Any juicy gossip that ended up her way was broadcasted to anyone with ears. Harvie didn't even have to speak to get the newest bits of information. Most conversations with her, all Harvie had to do was smile and make eye contact every other subject change. Not that the girl seemed to mind. 

Her mother still looked displeased with this information. As if she hadn't thought that others would try doing the same exact thing for their own children. When you were as poor as they were within the kingdom of the wealthy, every child counted. They needed her little sister for another hand in their family's shop. Another pair of hands working the garden. And, an even greater investment, another marriage that would end with some extra change in their pockets. 

"If he's helping everyone hide, it makes them all as noticeable anyway," her mother grumbled as she turned back to the sink. The dishes laid in the bubbly water untouched while she started to zone out at the thought.

Harvie nodded, having already tried to warn her parents of this exact scenario. Her mother didn't see, still turned away, but that was probably for the best. "Do you want me to try talking to another guard? I don't know many others by name, though most of them would still take the money. It's been a hard year for all of us down here."

"What makes you think there aren't others that thought of that too?" Her mother's voice came out sharp and probably more aggressive than she had meant for it to. She didn't want to start another argument with the matriarch when they were all already as stressed as they could possibly be. "Besides, we wouldn't have enough to actually bribe another guard asking for the same amount as Patrick." Unless Harvie helped. That was the underlying message in her words. 

Harvie had been working in a slightly illegal practice. She was able to 'read' cards to give people manufactured fortunes. Without being able to physically speak with the Knowledgeable, the kingdom's inhabitants had turned to other means for getting their answers. She was one of those people. She had a large stash of money from this under the table work and, though her mother didn't actually know how it was acquired or how much it was put away, it was known that she had this stash. Harvie had already helped the family business out of debt a few times with this emergency money. She didn't think this would be worth using the fund. It was meant to be put away for her to move out on her own. Without having to marry out of the family. Her mother didn't know that part, thankfully.

The daughter hummed, leaning away from the oncoming wrath. "I'm sure it will all turn out fine, mama. Saffron is from the wrong district. We all know the Knowing came from within the inner circles." A well known fact, which was confusing since they decided to start their searches from the outer rings this time around instead. People speculated that one of the others saw a vision of the next Knowledgeable from these districts. It wouldn't be impossible, but if they had seen such a thing there wouldn't already be dates for the closer rings to have their choosing ceremony. 

In sync, the mother-daughter duo knocked on the closest piece of wood. 

"You should watch your tongue, Harvie." Her mother threw her a dark look over her shoulder. Finally the matriarch had shook out of her stupor to start cleaning the dishes once again. "If you challenge fate our whole family will suffer the consequences." 

Harvie apologized quietly. Her mother didn't say anything because she didn't need to. This was something said at least once every day. Every time the Rivers' matriarch would discipline her for mocking fate was another moment that Harvie lacked respect for those that controlled every action of the world. The only thing she actually feared was the idea of karma. Fate was nothing to her if she felt like she hadn't done wrong in the first place. 

Her mother sighed, exhausted with the eldest River offspring and her mocking attitude. Harvie occasionally wondered if the woman knew her every thought. Though she would be locked within her room if that was at all true. "Me and your father will have to be in the shop during the ceremony. There is another inspection scheduled on that day."

"Another one?" The inspections had been constant and only on their family's shop. She had often wondered if someone high up in the chain had something against them. Whenever it was brought up, her father would scold her then send her to her room or out for a chore. "Who's going to be there for Saff then? She can't go walking around alone." If her little sister was somehow chosen while alone, none of the family would ever see her again. They would assume the child was an orphan and take them in without even trying to look for any sort of familial ties. 

"You will have to go." She must have heard her daughter's jaw drop to argue this. "Non-negotiable. You are the eldest, you can look after your sister for one day. Do not argue about this with me right now."

Harvie bit the inside of her teeth to try staying silent. It wasn't that she had plans. She really didn't. Though this was a momentous occasion that would only happen once in their lifetimes. Their parents decision to not enjoy it with the family was disheartening. That and, if someone were to be chosen, then that morning would be one of the last times they were able to see their five year old child. With all the effort they were using to keep Saffron from being picked you'd think they'd at least be there in case it actually did.

"Alright."

Her mother whipped around with the knife she was cleaning pointed directly towards Harvie's heart. The only thing that made it less intimidating was that they were on other sides of the kitchen. "Don't give me that attitude. As long as you're under this roof, our word is law."

"I wasn't giving you any attitude, mama. I was just agreeing with you." She thought that was what the matriarch wanted. Sometimes she felt like the parents made problems just for the fun of it. "I'm going to go deliver the basket for you, to take something off your plate. Love you."

She pressed a kiss to her mother's cheek, then went to deliver the picked vegetables from their backyard garden. This was going to be some very long days.