The Chalk Circle
The Crown Princess of Piltover was having a contest. Not just any contest, but one that was set to make history. This one was to find her partner, her bethrothed, someone who would take the crown with her when she turned twenty-one.
The crown princess, Caitlyn Kiramman, who was only nine, walked through the main square of Piltover, drawing a circle with her chalk. As she walked, people on the sidelines watched with interest, not used to seeing the little princess outside of her castle. Guards stood on all sides of the circle, watching Caitlyn as she completed the albeit wiggly circle with satisfaction. She beamed at her mother and father, who watched with pride as she nodded happily at them. Then Queen Cassandra stepped forward, beginning to address the crowd of curious Piltovians.
“My loyal subjects.” She began as palace staff began to distribute posters of what this was. “Princess Caitlyn has come up with what she wishes to be the contest for choosing her bethrothed’s hand. Her request is simple. In a week’s time, all those who wish to be considered for her hand in marriage should step into the circle on her tenth birthday and wait for her decision as she evaluates you. Then, she shall decide at any point during the day.”
Caitlyn nodded eagerly, her azure eyes sparkling brightly as her mother spoke to the crowd and the flyers were distributed with the royal seal on the bottom. “This is the first time a princess or prince of Piltover has decided against a traditional arranged marriage, and we fully support Princess Caitlyn’s endeavor to find her betrothed.”
The crowd murmured, passing out the flyers. There was no doubt this would quickly reach past Piltover, as far as Ionia, and there would be royalty waiting for the chance to be under Caitlyn’s scrutiny. The nine-year-old watched eagerly as the subjects she’d ruled one day talked about this contest she was holding - it was exceedingly simple and utterly strange - but Caitlyn was excited.
The next week was a flurry of airships arriving into Piltover, vying for hotels and inns. Caitlyn watched as more and more people arrived, of many ages and sizes. She could swear she saw someone with tentacles, even. All of them aimed to stand in the chalk circle to be under her scrutiny. She frowned, thinking now. Maybe she should have made it bigger… but no matter. It was just a contest of wills then, right? To see who got into the circle first. She’d only planned for maybe fifty people showing up, but she knew more were there.
Finally, Caitlyn’s birthday arrived. She woke up to breakfast in bed, and her mother and father gently woke her up. Tobias gently cupped his daughter’s cheek, smiling down at her. “It’s a big day, Cait.” He said softly.
Caitlyn nodded, shovelling pancakes into her mouth. “I know.” She said, the words muffled by the pancakes in her mouth. “I turn ten. And choose a betrothed. Do I have to choose an old guy?”
“No,” Cassandra said, watching Caitlyn stuff her mouth. This was the one day of the year she let Caitlyn be a child, let her get messy and have fun. “You should choose someone who wants to be with you for you, not your crown. Anyone old probably wants your crown.”
“Ew. I don’t even have a crown yet. I have a tiara.” Caitlyn replied, her nose wrinkling a little.
“Exactly.” Tobias laughed. “So plan to give that tiara to someone, okay?”
Caitlyn nodded, thinking. “Can we do it soon? It’s going to be a long day.”
“Yes, of course. Let’s get you dressed.” Cassandra gestured for the ladies in waiting to help Caitlyn change, and in no time, Caitlyn was in an emerald green dress that made her pale skin and blue hair shine, her silver tiara shining from her hair and digging into her scalp a little. “You look beautiful, darling.”
“I feel like a stuffed turkey,” Caitlyn mumbled, frowning at herself. But she wasn’t going to protest much - her mother had already given her the opportunity to choose her betrothed. It was a privilege usually only lower-class citizens received, so Caitlyn was thrilled to be able to experience what a commoner must feel from time to time.
The carriage ride to the square went by fast, and when Caitlyn arrived, people were already crowded inside the circle, some having been in the circle since the night before to assure their spot. Caitlyn frowned at that, seeing so many people so much older than her. One man looked like a father - this was creepy, honestly. Caitlyn shuddered a little before walking around the circle, looking intently at each person in the circle.
Men and women stood there, as did people more her age. She wandered curiously through them, her guards trailing behind her to ensure nothing happened to the princess. Caitlyn paused in front of someone, her azure eyes piercing through him before continuing to walk.
This continued for hours, and as the sun started to sink, Caitlyn stretched a little, her eyes drawn to a group of people her age at the edge of the circle. They were laughing and talking, and Caitlyn vaguely recognised them as staff of the castle. The one with pink hair was a squire to the knight Vander, who had served her family loyally. As she watched, the four of them teasingly walked the line of the circle, feet almost in the circle but not quite.
She wondered what that was like - to be full of fun for a minute, thinking of this as a game when she had to decide who to marry based on this. Almost like it was sensed, the pink haired girl looked up, her eyes almost grey in the setting sun as she made eye contact with Caitlyn. Clearly, she didn’t know who Caitlyn was, or knew exactly who she was, because she grinned and waved at her, her front left tooth missing before she stumbled into the circle. Her friends had pushed her, making her hit someone else, who stumbled as well.
It was a moment of playfulness, of weakness as her mother would say. It was something Caitlyn herself would never indulge in. Somehow, it was weirdly thrilling and intoxicating to see someone her own age, with no clue what was happening, stumble into the circle with a laugh on their face. She wanted that, all to herself.
Caitlyn felt a weird pull, and the words left her lips without a thought behind them. “I’ve chosen.”