Chapter 1
Esmeralda's POV
Men from all around the town have always wanted to steal my heart but so far no one has succeeded. Today I have decided to change the game. Today I will declare to the town that in 1 months time someone must unlock my door with a key. Whoever unlocks the door might get become my husband but I doubt anyone actually gets the key. There is a twist, the key will be strung around my cats neck.
Men from around here are quite dumb and I have little faith in their ability to be gentle. Being gentle however is the only way the "cat" will let them take the key. The cat is smart, fast, and myself. I'm a shapeshifter.
I do not know how I got the shapeshifting gift. All I know is that one day my biological parents left me on a doorstep somewhere in this town and that family raised me. Here I am 19 years later with the strange ability to change my form. I have read multiple books about shapeshifters and none explain why everyone is so attracted to me. I'm not trying to be self-involved but its honestly too much sometimes and I'm sick of being alone. My adoptive family died in a fire shortly after I turned 15 and ive been on my own ever since. If by chance or pure luck I let someone in it would be a welcome change even though it probably wont happen. "It's time" I say to no one in particular.
As I walk on the dusty path to the center of my very small town I silently wonder if someone will actually figure it out. However my love life as you know it will not be handed over to the first man who says "kitty kitty". The whole point of this experiment is to finally get these men away from me, maybe find love, and frankly, entertain myself.
I plan on moving after this anyways but I need a reason because I don't want to be suspected as a witch. I've been in this town too long and if any single or widowed woman leaves after being somewhere as long as I have than they're suspected for sorcery. I'll simply lie and say that someone got the key so I can "elope".
" I can't wait to see how this goes." I mutter to myself as I go to the center of the crowd that has already gathered at the fountain.
"Hello dear citizens of Culcria, I'm sure you are all very aware about my stay here in your nice town and of my apparent popularness." I start my speech. Everyone is staring at me waiting for my next words. If they had seats they would have already fallen off. I begin again, "Men have vied for my attention since I first moved here but none of you seem to realize what your doing wrong." ( For instance, when this one crazy guy showed up at my door with a dead squirrel and a vine ring trying to propose.) "So I have prepared an experiment. A key will be strung around a cats neck and the first man to unlock my door with that key, on the next full moon will have my hand in marriage." Gasps come from around the circle. The few woman in this town probably wonder why everyone is so captivated by a crazy lady who just proposed one of the stupidest ideas ever, and so do I. Because the truth is doing this experiment with the men is simply a distraction. And if I happen to fall in love, which will NOT happen, then win, win, I guess.
"Esmeralda, why are you doing this?" A voice from the crowd calls out.
"I have simply decided I no longer wish to be alone and wanted to have some fun" I respond while batting my eyelashes. They all fawn over my self-obsessed, main character of the story, acting skills. "Thank you all for your time and remember you only have one month."
