The Chosen

"Let the curtains rise for the Claim of Cecera, Seeger Trothe!" The Imperial March filled the entire kingdom, competing with the loud cheers and applause of the crowd, officially announcing my sister as the representative of the Imperial Trials. The Ceceran Hall was packed with people from every sector of society, offering their well-wishes to Seeger, accompanied by smiles, hugs, and gifts. This year marked the first centennial celebration of the pageant, held every three years, to determine the most deserving and celebrated Chosen from among the sixteen Claims. And my sister was one of them. Seeger looked so proud standing at the podium in heels, her uncontested beauty on full display. Her long, wavy hair, styled with fragments of ruby, complemented the dress Ma had customized for her—flowing crimson silk embellished with precious stones and adorned with intricate gold embroidery, a perfect fit for the kingdom's deserving representative. She carelessly waved at the crowd, almost as if she were saying goodbye to everyone. I was just standing beside the wall of the crowd, trying to avoid being seen by her, while tears started to pour from my eyes. Seeger wasn't just my sister. She was my best friend. She knew every single thing about me, even the things my own parents had no idea about. She saw the potential in me—that I could be a Claim someday. But I didn't want to be one. I didn't want to be like the Chosen ones of Cecera, who built their lives on deception only to be forgotten. Like Lilli, who was corrupted by her hunger for power. Or Eve, who lived in seclusion because of the trauma she endured during the Trials. Not to mention the other two, who went missing and were never found. I didn't want to become like them. But fate had played its hand too well, putting my sister on the path toward everything I never wanted her to become. I turned around and saw Ma and Pa, their faces painted with sadness and pain. This might be the last time we would ever see Seeger in person. Pa rested his hand on Ma's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze to ease the tension she was carrying. A silent reminder that he would never leave her. When I turned my eyes back to where my sister was, I caught sight of her crying while staring at me, trying to curve her lips... attempting to create a smile. The orchestral music kept playing in the background as she slowly turned her back on the crowd. On Ma and Pa. On me. On us. And there she went, away from Cecera, until I could no longer see the corveisor she was in, while fireworks and pigment bombs painted the afternoon sky.