1 week before the girls’ arrival
“Beckett, I know the list of girls chosen was finalized this morning, have you taken a look yet?”
“My sister may have looked over the list, but I’ve been waiting to find out with the rest of Illea. I just hope I’m as ready as they are for this.”
“Well then lets not keep you, and everyone else, waiting any longer.”
“First, we have a three from Fennley, Miss Emberlynn Draughtsman.“
Beckett smiled, hoping nobody would realize he was nervous. This was it, the first of many, one of the girls he would be meeting. Emberlynn, that was a nice name. She had nice features, from what he could tell when her picture appeared.
“From Whites, Miss Cecelia Allegro, a five”
Beckett turned his head just slightly looking at the girl’s picture, she was definitely something about her that caught his eye, but he couldn’t put a finger on it. He just didn’t have the time to figure it out before the next girl was announced.
“From Yukon, Miss Leah Fisher, a seven”
Though Beckett tried, he couldn’t hide the surprise on his features as the girl from Yukon was announced. A seven. There shouldn’t have been a reason to be surprised, as there had even been a couple of sevens in the last selection, but he still wasn’t necessarily something he had expected.
“From Hudson, Miss Aydan Hain. Five”
Beckett took a breath to compose himself as the girl’s name was announced. Everyone watching, including the girls themselves, could see his reaction to their pictures. He didn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression of his first impression of them.
“Then from Zuni, we have Miss Dariana Tiergan. Three”
Beckett looked over the girl’s soft features, curious as to what she would be like in person, beyond just a pretty face.
“And from Dominica, Miss Amanda Cuisinier. Four”
As Amanda’s name was announced, Beckett turned towards his sister, not seeing the picture, only for her to whisper to him to turn back around as this was still only the beginning of the girls.
“From Panama, Miss Sanura Seif. Six”
Beckett’s gaze returned to the screen and cameras in front of him as Sanura’s picture was revealed. Her eyes, there was something about them that stood out, like a part of who she is as a person. In what way, he didn’t know, but meeting her would be interesting.
“From Clermont, I would like to welcome Miss Lum Walker. Five”
There was no doubt in looking at Lum’s photo. The excitement was clear. Perhaps her excitement was already rubbing off on him, by his smile. Maybe he didn’t have a reason to be nervous.
“Now from our own backyard, Angeles, Miss Alviva Sherman, Two.”
There was a part of Beckett that had been waiting, wondering what girl would be chosen from his province, the one girl he could count on having some common ground with, and this beautiful blonde was her. He was looking forward to meeting her.
“From Likely, we have Miss Wren Laurents. Four”
Glasses, this girl had glasses, and she wasn’t made up to impress. He didn’t expect anyone would let their imperfections show, she was unique, at least from what he could tell so far, even if she wasn’t the most conventionally attractive.
“From Bonita, the candidate is Miss Camila Imagen. Five”
Bonita, meaning pretty, or even beautiful, in Spanish. Camila being from there seemed fitting. There seemed to be either a natural beauty, or down to earth quality to her.
“Our next young lady is from our lovely Queen’s home province, Waverly. Miss Azra Mayene, Four”
Beckett silently muttered “wow” to himself when he saw Azra. She was stunning. Especially being from his mother’s home province, she was going to be on his mind.
“From Kent, we have the lovely Miss Andrea Acker. Four“
Another four, there had been a lot of fours, and fives too. Though, there seemed to be a certain toughness about her from what he could tell, at least, that’s what it felt like from the look in her eyes.
“From Sumner, is Miss Marta Suarez. Seven”
Marta, another seven. If Beckett was being honest, she wasn’t the most attractive of the girls, but he didn’t want to judge any of the girls solely on their looks. He would have to meet her and maybe there would still be a connection.
“ Next we have Miss Astraea Chambers of Carolina, a three”
Astraea was lovely, and maybe it was just the way she was dressed up for the picture, but somehow she looked like she was ready for anything coming her way. Like Beckett wished he was.
“and Miss Fabianne Cellini of Hansport, a five”
When her photo appeared, Beckett could see his brother shift in his seat. Beckett turned to look at him, to see the impressed look on his face, and for Kit to quietly whisper to him. “She’s really pretty.”
“Next is another two, Miss Lorelai Georgina of St. George”
Another two, but this one was different, even from a picture she exuded confidence. It was like she had power and knew it. In a way, it was almost intimidating.
“From Lakedon, the young lady chosen is Miss December Crest, a six”
As the name of the next girl was announced, Beckett faced forward to see her picture. She was very pretty, but even smiling she seemed sad. He wondered what was wrong, and could only hope that she was alright.
“Miss Austin… of Ottaro, Three”
Beckett didn’t catch what the girl’s last name was, but when her picture appeared, it didn’t make sense. He thought he had already seen her before.
It wasn’t long before Beckett lost count of the number of girls announced. Girls from Dakota, Belcourt, Tammins, Sonage, all the others. He couldn’t keep track, until finally it was the last one.
“Last, but certainly not least, we have Miss Phoenix Artem of Labrador. Two.”
There was something impressive about the girl, she didn’t smile, and there truly was a fire in her eyes, to match her hair, but then there was the scar that made her stand out the most. He didn’t know what she was like, but he knew he wanted to know more.
“Alright those young ladies are the Selected who will be coming to the palace to win over prince Beckett’s heart. So rest up ladies, the adventure of a lifetime is about to begin.”
It was real now. The selection wasn’t just something that would one day happen. The girls had already sent in their applications, gotten their pictures taken, the process had already begun for them, but it wasn’t until he could see the girls that it became real. One of those girls, someone he hardly knew anything about, was going to become his wife.
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