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The sun shone through the window, shining on my face, waking me up. I heard singing and I saw my mother and father open the door to my room, singing a birthday song. I sat up and remembered, I was twelve today!

“Amma, Amanda dear. Happy birthday!” My mother told me as she pulled me into a hug. I hugged back before jumping out of bed. “What’s for breakfast?” I asked.

I ran out of my small bedroom, not waiting for an answer. I ran over the cold wood floor and through the hallway, feeling my way around with my hands, running into the kitchen to see the biggest breakfast I had ever laid eyes on lying on the old wooden table. I gasped, “Where did you get all of this food?” My mom looked at my pa then said to me, “We’ve been saving up for it.”

“Oh. Okay.” I said accepting their answer. I turned my gaze onto my small pile of presents on the center of the table. There were three. Just like every other birthday. One from my ma one from my pa, and the one I got every year and on every holiday from someone my ma and pa wouldn’t say.

We all sat down and started to eat. It was a delicious meal. Once we were done my ma passed me the present from her. I opened the drawstring leather bag to find a new blouse, skirt, and boots. I gasped in surprise. I didn’t often get new clothes, they were a luxury that only the rich had; we always patched and added to my old ones.

The next present was from my pa. I opened its drawstring bag to find three books inside. I stared at them in astonishment. These too were a luxury that we couldn’t afford, seeing as paper was expensive, and they had to be handwritten by a scribe. “Books are expensive,” I stated, “Thank you.” My voice was thankful and surprised.

I reached for the next, and last one, but I was stopped.

“No.” My father said. I followed his gaze and saw it land on my hands. I looked at them too. I saw how dirty they had become brushing my hands on the side of the walls as I ran to the kitchen. I had forgotten to wash them. “Wash first.” My pa said. I’m sure I had a confused look on my face as I helped my mom clean the table while I waited for the water over the fire to boil.

I filled the wooden tub with the boiling water, adding just enough cold to balance it off. I climbed in and washed myself. Cleaning myself as best I could. All the time wondering what gift could be so special that I had to wash before I could open it. What could it be? I robed myself in my new clothes and dumped the water down the drainage hole. I walked through our house and to the kitchen where I found my ma and pa talking in hushed tones. When I walked in, they looked up and smiled at me. I sat down and they pushed the drawstring leather bag towards me. I was excited, this had to be special. I just knew it.

I pulled the drawstring and put my hand inside. My fingers wrapped around a smooth box shaped thing. I pulled it out. It was a small box that could fit in the palm of your hand. I opened the box to find a ring on a silver chain. I pulled it out, bewildered. The ring was silver with diamond flowers all around it with a bigger one on the top. The chain was simple but it looked strong. I felt the sides of the ring. It was perfectly smooth with the exception of the biggest diamond flower. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. It was so beautiful. After what seemed like an eternity I looked up from it and at my parents. It was my mother who said, very carefully, “You’re betrothed. Betrothed to . . . to Prince Steffen. ” I stared at the madwomen, dumbfounded.