“Oh, trust me. I think it’s a stupid reason too. Like, there’s absolutely no way the prince will be interested in me, and I’m completely fine with that. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. We get money too, though, so it’s not all for nothing.” Wren said, being realistic. “Yeah, I feel like fights are going to happen. Fights that I won’t be a part of.” Andie went quiet for a bit, and they walked in a comfortable silence until she asked them how you talk to rocks. “Well they don’t reply, of course, but it’s still nice to get things off my chest. Even better, they can’t tell anyone. It’s a weird thing to do, but it works. It’s like you talking to the animals. Well, they’re not inanimate objects, but you get the gist. Something that won’t judge us."
@LunaticLeviTheSecond - Andie
2 Likes
“Yeah I understand. I guess not everybody is lucky enough to have living yet unresponsive things like animals to talk to when they need to like I did and could do all my life … But to me it feels like one talking to rocks for that reason means you’re really down bad. Have you tried talking to plants? Or trees? They’re also unresponsive but they’re alive … I also knew a guy that talked to fluffy pillows when he needed to tell something to somebody … See he had no animals so he would pretend he was talking to a fluffy rabbit or a cat and he would just trail off looking into the distance and pet the pillow. Apparently it helped. I guess you could also talk to a round rock if you held it like a mouse … If I had to resort to that I would draw 2 dots and whiskers on the rock and pet it while I talked to it.” Andie said before she entered the party. “Well … anyways, you won’t need to talk to anybody unresponsive in this castle, knowing nothing bad will come your way if you keep out of the drama.”
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“Actually, no. I never really thought about talking to plants. I just talked to what I knew the most about, which were gems. You know, daughter,” They internally cringed at the gendered word, “of jewelers and all that. I honestly had no problem with it.” They listened to Andie talk about the pillow guy, nodding. “I see, that makes sense. Pretend it’s a living organism so it feels less weird. Not that it ever felt weird to me.” They shrugged, nodding at her next words. “Right. Also, the Prince and everyone would think I was insane if I just started talking to a garnet. I’m not crazy, I swear.” They paused for a second. “Wait, that’s exactly what a crazy person would say. Uh oh.”
@LunaticLeviTheSecond - Andie
2 Likes
// balcony //
lost in her own world, the sudden voice of another contestant caused her to clumsily slide off the stone rails and land on the ground as a scream of terror slips out of her mouth. “thank you” she moaned before standing up with an awkward chuckle. “and don’t worry, these things happen” she says before she really realizes that she is talking to a contestant. quickly she straightens her back and dust off her dress. “I mean, sorry for my uncharted behavior,” she quickly adds politely as she takes a step back. Not knowing that on the part she walks to there is a flower pot on the railing, which she clumsily knocks down. The sound of the pot breaking startles Alviva and she quickly turns around. “oh no, I haven’t even been in for a day and I’m breaking things again” she bleats before slowly turning around in a nervous chuckle. “this isn’t the best first impression, is it?” she asks slowly.
@Jass - Camila
// Grand Hall Window //
Something in Sanura wanted to tease the poor man, so a mischievous grin grew on her face as she leaned against the wall by the window. “oh that was your attempt at flirting…huh…good to know that in some regions this concept may be different” she jokes with a wink. “Let’s face it, you saved me from an uncomfortably boring interaction where we’re forced to get to know each other by being as neat and unnatural as possible,” she says before shaking her head. “uh-huh, not for me”.
The proposal made Sanura think. It was a nice idea to get out and avoid the awkward interactions. “okay I can pretend I didn’t see you while you give me a tour and show me the garden” she jokes before giving him a gray for trying to learn her name. “Isn’t it customary that the person who asks has to offer his name first? … but then again, I don’t do custom anyway so… my name is Sanura” she then introduces herself.
@LunaticLeviTheSecond - Thomas
1 Like
Margo knew her father would have been proud if he was there when they announced the new choice of girls for the selection, seeing all he had worked for was coming true and that his daughter had a major shot in a good fulfilling life, but he wasn’t present, as usual, thanks a lot army.
She was sitting in her room, it was the middle of the night, the night before travelling to the palace. Sitting in her room and writing a letter to her dad, whom she missed very much and knew she most likely wouldn’t be able to see anytime soon considering they were both busy and far from home.
And soon without warning, morning came by, and this adventure was just about to begin. ”please take care of Waldo for me” she told her mother, referring to her favourite horse whom she wouldn’t be able to care for while at the palace. Her mother agreed and hugged her, ”take care of yourself for me, princess” she said smiling at her daughter, watching her as she leaves.
Organizing, makeovers, makeup hair dresses and whatnot, for some reason they wanted to add even more hair to her already ginormous hair, but she said no, and when she says no it’s a no, trust me.
She wore a gorgeous dark Green dress, a dress which believe me or not, she brought from home and made completely by herself, which only made it better. Margo loved making clothes, her mother taught her to saw when she was younger, and eventually it just became one of her favourite hobbies, which is good because I mean look at that dress it’s fcking gorgeous
Leaving the room, Margo started wandering the hallways when she saw another girl at the corner of her eye, the girl had dark hair and honesty she was just gorgeous, but something about her overall vibe just pulled Margo towards her(no homo), ”I don’t know why, but I have a feeling you’re going to be fun” she said, lightly smirking, leaning against the frame of the door ”not in a creepy way of course”
@kristi Lor
3 Likes
She noticed it had thrown the girl off she had entered so abruptly and disturbed her “I should have had a better look though before entering the balcony.” she said still feeling apologetic. “And you have no need to apologize, para nada”. She said as the girl took a step back and the flower pot beside her was knocked down.
“Hey, it happens to the best of us. Plus, it is a lot being here, so it is only fair you are a bit on edge about everything. It’s totally okay!” she gave her a genuine smile before giving a helping hand with collecting the shards. “Plus, I am not the one you should be apologizing to, this pot must have cost them a fortune. But I doubt they would mind, it is practically nothing for them.” she said, with a subtle wink hoping it would show the girl she had not said it to make her feel bad, just to lighten the mood a bit. “This palace shows how much fortune the royal family must have.”
“And don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you. Sure, first impressions matter, but the long term matters so much more. I’m Camila by the way, you are…” she tried to memorize the name out of the list she had seen. “Alviva” she said with her Latina accent “if I am correct. It is a pleasure to meet you” as she made a small curtsy and gave her a warm smile. She felt like she had met someone who was genuine, and she appreciated that.
@Meekepeek - Aliviva
1 Like
// balcony //
Alviva appreciated the girl’s attempt to cheer her up. with a sigh she began to clean up the shards. “To be honest, I’ve lost count of how many times I knock things over, break things or slip myself,” she explains, followed by a kind of self-deprecating sniffle. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I break something very expensive here,” she adds with a chuckle.
it was impressive that she had remembered her name, Alviva couldn’t do it again. “That’s right, it’s nice to meet you Camila” she says with a friendly smile. “is it too much to ask to keep this blunder between us, I’d rather everyone find out for themselves what a klutz I am than they already know…keep things interesting…I think…I hope” she then asks in an attempt at a joke as she pulls her hair back from her face. nervously she bites her lower lip. subconsciously, she starts fidgeting with her dress as she searches for the words to turn the conversation around. “I think your freckles are cute” is all she can think of, but then immediately realizes how that probably comes across. “I mean…the rest of you is beautiful too…no…I mean, yes…but…you’re beautiful but I don’t mean anything weird by it” she stutters franticly.
@Jass - Camila
1 Like
After Emberlynn had enjoyed her cup of tea in the Ladies’ Room and had some small talk with some of the staff there, she realized she had yet to organise the small suitcase she had brought. It wasn’t much, some of her favourite books, and a couple of her souvenirs she preferred to keep close. It was a reminder to her of why she had wanted to join the Selection.
When she approched her room, she noticed a girl in the hallway who must have been her neighbour.
“Lady Fabianne Cellini, it is a pleasure to meet you” she said with a small curtesy “It seems we have been assigned rooms next too each other”. Emberlynn had studied her competition, and while Fabianne came from a lower caste, Emberlynn had not yet ruled her out as direct competition. She, just as Emberlynn, seemed to have an elegance surrounding her.
While she respected Fabianne for that reason, she was somewhat unsure what they could connect on, unless the Selection, therefore she asked “How has your journey here been, If I may ask?”
@CerealKiller - Fabianne
1 Like
“Well, my dad never allowed me to touch his camera until I was 17, he was afraid I would break it as I did with everything” she chuckled thinking back to those memories “So you are not the only one”.
“It is honestly quite nerve-racking, being surrounded by all these expensive things. If you don’t pay attention, well, that is a couple of thousands of dollars gone, just like that” she let out a little laugh. “No, I actually prefer the beach cottage I live in back home for that matter”
“Of course, no problemo,” she said giving her a reassuring smile, not wanting to laugh even if it came across as quite funny “you deserve people to judge you for who you are, not by what happened here”
When Alviva suddenly changed the topic to Camila’s appearance, it made her blush slightly. Her freckles were what she liked most about herself, by far. She loved them, it made her who she was. “Thank you.” she replied shyly, she never really knew how else to react to compliments. Alviva’s stuttering was quite adorable to Camila. “And please don’t ever think it is weird to compliment a friend. Us girls should stick together and boost each other’s confidence, instead of hurting one another.”
“Just out of curiosity, what brought you out here on the balcony, sitting here sola, all by yourself?” she followed up with a question, so Alviva could have a topic to talk about, which hopefully would make the conversation flow a bit easier for her. Plus, Camila was genuinely curious about this girl. She remembered Alviva was a case two, but did not seem like any caste two Camila had met in her life. Much kinder.
@Meekepeek - Alviva
1 Like
// balcony //
Alviva couldn’t help laughing a little at Camila’s comment. It was reassuring that she wasn’t the only one who regularly broke things. “I have the urge to walk through the castle like this” she jokes to where she shuffles around a bit while making herself as thin as possible with her arms tight against her body. “or wrap everything in bubble wrap” she ponders before a relieved smile spread across Alviva’s face as Camila reassured her that her compliment didn’t come across as weird. “I have a habit of using words that can be misunderstood. So situations like that are a regular occurrence”.
the question of what brought her onto the balcony was an unexpected one, and it took Alviva a few seconds to come up with an answer. “I grew up in a house that surprisingly bears a lot of resemblance to the castle. My parents have always shielded me from the outside world so I haven’t had many opportunities to have social interactions. Hence the situations like before. Because I’m often inside, I notice that now… I want to take the opportunity to go outside as much as possible. I… want to do things I’ve never done…” she adds slowly, looking up at the sky. But she also knows that as long as her sister keeps an eye on her, there will be things she will never do. “what about you? from what I’ve seen you’re fine in conversation once you get started” she asks.
@Jass - Camila
1 Like
Camila was happy to see that Alviva was now joking along with her. It made her feel a bit better to see that Alviva seemed a bit more comfortable. So Camila felt it was now okay to laugh at Alviva acting it out.
"I get you. I’m not native in English, so picking the right words can sometimes be a struggle, no es fácil." she said as she taught back to the countless times she had mixed up words or said things she didn’t mean like that.
While Camila expected some honesty, she hadn’t expected her to open up this much. It touched Camila. “You should be proud of yourself for being here, it shows you are willing to step out of your comfort zone” she said “I mean, I think being here will be an interesting and new experience, for all of us” she ended on a deep breath before answering the returned question. “It has been a lot for me, being here. My mom passed away a bit more than un año ago. It’s been a tough year. Being the oldest, I became caretaker of my younger siblings. Mi hermanos, I miss them already.” she said holding back a tear. “Back home, I’m always outside, so I hoped some fresh air would make me feel better.” She wanted to end her answer on a positive note “And it seemed like it did help, not sure if it is the fresh air or our conversation, but I feel better” followed by a chuckle.
@Meekepeek - Alviva
1 Like
// balcony //
Alviva gave Camila a polite smile. Alviva was not proud to be here because she had no choice. Her parents had given her up and decided that if she was elected it would be her last chance to prove herself. Camila’s family sounded very different from hers. “I’m sorry about your mom” she muttered softly. Even though she couldn’t understand some things, she understood the situation. “your family sounds like one that is very close. my sist-…my family lives very apart so we hardly ever see each other. I was the only one left in the house and my parents are often at work. Of course I love from them even though I don’t see them much,” she explains. Alviva wasn’t sure if the love she was talking about was the same that Camila felt for her family. But as a daughter you are supposed to love your parents…she knew that. “what is it like to be outside often? I was always jealous of the delivery guys who always delivered our stuff because he always had to go everywhere to deliver stuff…” she asks. “I say deliver too much, don’t I ?” she realizes immediately afterwards.
@Jass - camila
1 Like
“I’m sorry to hear that your parents aren’t giving you the attention and love you deserve” she reacted. “It must be tough having to be alone so much”. It was something Camila couldn’t necessarily relate to, there was always someone around the house, but she understood. She could feel that Alviva would have done a lot to have a better bond with her parents. “So, are you close with your sister, or not that much either?” she couldn’t help but be curious by the half mentioning of a sister by Alviva.
Camila laughed about the delivery comment “I would like to deliver the news to you that you haven’t used the word deliver too much in explaining the deliveries of the delivery guy” she replied jokingly. “Nah, you have nothing to worry about with your social skills, just be yourself.” she reasured her.
“But to answer your question, it is amazing being outside a lot. With my job, well, being a photographer a lot of the job is outside. But even better, la playa near mi casa is gorgeous, so when I have some free time I’m either on the beach or in the water. It just gives me a sense of freedom” she said before realising that might have been a very insensitive comment so she quickly followed it by “I hope from now on you will be able to enjoy the outdoors more”
@Meekepeek - Alviva
1 Like
Lorelai walked around in circles, bored of staying in her room. She wondered if she could find something to do, did this palace have any fun places? Back at her family mansion, Lorelai had a whole gaming place which she typically used to play with her brothers and friends. Sometimes she would use it to host tea parties, but that was rarely, tea parties were more fun outside. Lorelai began to wonder how the princess or the other royals managed to live here, the castle felt so trapped (or maybe it was her bias against the prince and the castle but we will just let that slide)
She had continued wandering in the palace, looking at the paintings and portraits. Lore, saw a guard who resembled her brothers Ceasar and Agustus (Ceasar more but to be honest she couldn’t tell them apart, unless she hears them speak) but that was probably just her delusion from missing her mansion and doting family. Sigh, the amount of gifts and dresses she could have been getting right now. The food too she could be eating, sighhhh. She could have been a popstar trained by her mom or training with her elder brothers to become a powerful warrior. Maybe she could ask a maid if there was a sword training place she could use. She really wanted to train with a sword, the feeling of slashing and cutting was really fun too her. Lore started to remember the good ol days of hunting animals and criminals with her brothers and dad. The fact that even though her family thought of her as a ‘weak’ and ‘fragiled’ yet allowed her to be a lioness- tough, strong and firm made her smile. They were honestly the best family ever.
”I don’t know why, but I have a feeling you’re going to be fun”
A voice said, Lore turned to see a golden honey curly haired girl. The girl was pretty, with a light brown skin tone. She leaned against the frame of the door, ”not in a creepy way of course” Lore smirked back at that. “Really? I would have quite liked it to be a creepy way, I have a fondness for creepy things.” She joked, walking towards her. The girl seemed fun, maybe like the light Lore would need to be able to stay in this boring @ss castle and stomach meeting the vile prince who must not be named. Lore wondered, did the prince trap people under a bridge like some sort of troll? She was joking, obviously. He was a prince, he would most likely k!ll people in public like he killed her hopes and dreams. “And thanks, I’ve gotten that a lot. Ever since I was born, my parents said that I was born with fireworks in my hand.” She smiled, “Which means I almost burnt done my family house when I was born.” It was true, well kind off. When Lore was born, her mother was burning something away, when her water broke and everyone had to rush to her side. Her father taking her to the hospital quickly, nobody noticed the fire was still on. And if not for a maid, the mansion would have been burnt off, “I’m Lore” Lore said bringing her hands out for a handshake.
4 Likes
// balcony //
At Camila’s comment, Alviva’s head popped up. “Oh thank you, but don’t get me wrong, they give me the love I deserve” she corrected immediately. Then came the question about her sister and Alviva shook her head. “I’m a lot different in age from my siblings. Everyone lives somewhere else and my youngest older brother lives in lodgings at the University of Angeles. I see most of them once a year but that’s only when they have time. They have their own life…their own family” she says nonchalantly and shrugs.
the delivery joke made Alviva laugh. “Good to know” she says with a short nod. Camile then went on to talk about what it was like to live outdoors, but Alviva’s thoughts remained on the comment Camila made earlier about being herself. That was something she had just unlearned…she had to do as she was expected to do. “it sounds like a carefree life and a nice place to relax…I hope to see that one day too” she comments before nodding in agreement at Camila’s comment that she can see more now. “I hope so…” she mutters.
@Jass - Camila
2 Likes
If you could do one thing just to prove something to someone it would be this, right? Hoping to be one of the selected girls and fight for the attention of such a lovely prince? First of all - Cecelia didn’t know much about the prince or… That whole royalty thing, she always had better things to focus on like trying to survive living with her very lovely family so maybe being selected wasn’t that bad of news. Yes, maybe this way she could prove something to someone, after all the look on her sisters’ faces was priceless when they found out Cecelia would be leaving soon. So who knows… maybe actually seeing this prince isn’t going to be so bad. He’s a prince, girls love that, right? Cecelia should love that… Maybe she will. Truth be told she never really thought much about that - love and… Woah, marriage. Only on her way to the palace did everything set in for her. If this goes well she… She’s going to be a princess. If her life was different maybe she wouldn’t like this but no, she is willing to give this a try. She’s willing to leave that insecure, hurt girl behind and be and act how she always wanted to. But will it be that easy?
Never before did Cecelia get a chance to leave her province, unlike her sibling, so you could imagine how excited she felt. Excited to see the world outside of her studio and room, her town, and possibly see some things she’s read so much about. And that celebration as a send off? Would it be embarrassing to say she never experienced something like that? Not in a way that she’s never been at a party but… There was never any party held for her. But things might drastically change for her.
Standing in front of the mirror of her new room, Cecelia was looking at her own reflection. The dress she had on. Her whole appearance in this place she felt so unnatural in. It was wonderful, that was not the problem, just… It all still felt so surreal. Arriving she was expected to let them give her a makeover, dresses and get introduced to her maids. Her maids? Let me tell you something - as sweet as that sounds Cecelia would rather be left alone and do things on her own than have someone follow her around making sure she was alright. It’s just something she got used to and she had a feeling that’s not going to change so easily. She had nothing against those girls, they all seemed pretty nice but do you know what else seems pretty nice too? Taking this time to explore the place a little bit more on her own and use that time to prepare for tomorrow, prepare for meeting the prince and figuring out…What version of herself will he get from her.
So that’s what she did - carefully closing the door behind her, Cecelia was standing in the hallway in front of her room, listening to any kind of sound that would indicate that someone else was around and as soon as she was sure it was all clear and she probably wouldn’t run into anyone, she made her way out of the palace.
Approachable
3 Likes
mood: anxious // location: hallway // with: queen gemma (@Littlefeets)
song - moodboard
Phoenix might’ve spent the last week in shock from the announcement on The Report, the last days in a whirlwind of paperwork and cameras, and the last 24 hours traveling to the palace of the royal family of Illéa; that didn’t mean that any of it felt real.
Soft brushed flew over Phoenix’s face, tickling across the bridge of her nose and the apples of her cheeks, painting her up as someone worthy of marrying the king’s heir. Phoenix but her tongue- she was sure arguing would make her seem childish, not assertive, so she just asked them to go as light with the makeup as possible.
When a stylist approached Phoenix’s scar with a bottle of creamy beige liquid, Phoenix froze in her seat. “Don’t!” She squeaked, loud enough to startle a few of the girls on either side of her. “I’m sorry, I…” Phoenix shook her head. “Please don’t cover it,” she asked in a softer voice. The stylist nodded, moving on to the rest of her face.
Phoenix didn’t speak for the rest of the process, and the entire look took about half an hour. Every so often, she glance at the girls, taking in their glittering eyes, silky skin, and complex hairdos. She suddenly felt very out-of-place with the rather simple hairstyle the hairdresser had gone with. Phoenix was just glad the hairdresser hadn’t insisted on dying it- she had said that Phoenix’s hair was “far too unruly to take to any other coloring”. Plus, her hair naturally matched the Queens’, and Phoenix should “take what she could get in the looks department”. That would’ve been something I would’ve fought for.
After the makeup artist had put down all her brushes and showed Phoenix her reflection, Phoenix couldn’t do much but sit there in stunned silence. She looked… well, herself. The makeup artist had tucked away her insecurities, brought out her best features, and… well, she’d taken her request about her scar seriously. While she had touched up bits and pieces where the creases and tissue were most puckered and prominent, she’d overall transformed the ugly gash running from Phoenix’s chin to the corner of her right eye into something beautiful- the mark of a survivor, rather than a victim.
Though the look overall was natural, her stylist had made the bold choice to give her a vivid red lip. She’s turned me into a vampire, Phoenix thought, the juvenile reaction flitting through her brain as she processed that the color was similar to that of fresh blood, though it wasn’t something she was necessarily complaining about. The entire look felt so different than the last times she’d applied makeup, with her mother during playtime, with heavy blush and glittering eyeshadow that made her feel like a princess. And now I’m in the running to be one. Do I look like I’m playing the part?
“It’s gorgeous… thank you,” Phoenix murmured once she’d gotten snapped out of her trance. Her stylist nodded and smiled, giving a few parting words, before directing Phoenix to the dress rack which had been set up against one wall of the room. Up to now, she had been wearing a gauzy robe that, while comfortable, had felt much too thin, but the vast array of gowns in front of her. As she surveyed her options, Phoenix could hear snippets of conversations, girls throwing hissy fits over not getting pants, and while Phoenix didn’t necessarily like dresses, she decided she wasn’t about to go home over an outfit. Looking over the rack, Phoenix’s eyes caught on a flowy ombré dress, a milky white that faded into shades of red, orange, and black. As soon as she reached out to touch it, she knew she had to at least try it on.
As soon as she stepped out of the changing room, Phoenix couldn’t help but be amazed. Sure, she would’ve taken jeans and a comfy tee over a dress any other day, but this dress? The loose fabric didn’t scratch against her skin like some of the ballgowns had, and as she moved, it seemed as though the fire-colored fabric flickered to life, making her entire outfit look alive. Phoenix tried to remember when the last time she wore a dress was- five years ago? Ten? The outfit was so unfamiliar, though- even after the past year, she was so used to wearing worn sweaters and scraps dug out of trash bins, relying on herself because she couldn’t rely on anyone else. Phoenix might’ve been a two, but she didn’t think there was anyone more out of their element right then than her.
Phoenix didn’t have much time to admire her outfit, though, as a smartly-dressed woman and a gaggle of cameras approached her. “Hello, sweetheart,” the woman said, her voice peppy and bright. “You must be Phoenix! What a fitting dress.” Phoenix smiled and chewed nervously on the inside of her lip. The woman cleared her throat. “I’m here to just give you a short interview- all the Selected girls have one. You’re alright with that, aren’t you?”
“Um, yeah, that sounds great,” Phoenix said, giving a smile for the cameras. Here she was, being filmed, probably for the whole kingdom to see on the Report in just a few days. I wonder what everyone back in the station would be thinking? Because just a week ago, Phoenix would’ve never dreamt of this scenario- not in a million years.
One week ago…
Phoenix stood in the shower, trying to wash the sweat and ash out of her hair- though by that point, it probably wasn’t going to get much better. Her wet hair clung to her neck in copper waves as she elected to just tilt her head back, letting the hot water pour across her face and neck. Princesses, heirs, parties and ballgowns and… this is too much to think about right now. Half an hour ago, Phoenix’s name flashed across the screen during the Report, announcing her as Labrador’s Selected candidate for the Prince’s hand. Half the station had gone wild, the other had doubled over laughing, and Phoenix? She needed to just escape, get away from all of it. Now, she was in the shower, trying to wash away dirt, grime, and sickly-sweet memories tinged with blood.
At some point, Phoenix felt the water starting to run cold, and knew Viva would be pissed if there wasn’t any hot water left for her- future-lady-be-damned. Phoenix turned the knob, her sense of moderate peace flowing down the drain with what was left of the water, and dressed herself in a plain shirt and worn pants, not even bothering to towel off her hair. She walked into the commons to find Fletcher as the only one there, sharp eyes peering over his glasses at a newspaper.
“The others ran off as soon as you walked in the bathroom,” Fletcher said, reading her mind. “Probably planning some sorta celebration party.” He’d never been one for surprises.
“And you stayed?” Phoenix asked, walking over to the kitchenette and putting a pot of water on the stove.
“'Course. You need someone to put that head of yours on your shoulders.”
Phoenix chuckled. Fletcher had been fire chief since her mother had started there, and despite his eternal grumpy disposition, he truly cared about everyone that worked there. “And what do you mean by that?”
Fletcher huffed. "You’re a fighter, girl, like your mother. You’re not one of those prissy girls, or some lower-caste brutes. You got the gumption.”
Phoenix restrained herself from rolling her eyes. “What if I don’t want to be queen?”
Fletcher raised a brow, but didn’t look up from his paper. “The little girl I knew had everyone thinking she was heir apparent, but guess you’re no little girl anymore, eh?” He laughed. “But, to answer your question, you’d come back home. You could act as though nothing had ever happened. But I know your not that kind of girl.” He folded the paper and stared Phoenix in the eyes for the first time in the conversation. “But are you there to quit, or there to win?”
—-
”So, Phoenix, do you think you have any shot of winning the prince’s heart?”
The question shocked her back into the present, and Phoenix realized she’d drawn blood from her cheek. Up until now, they’d been asking her mundane questions- things about her caste, and her opinions on the makeover. What was this? “I…” I don’t like that you’re talking about him like he’s some prize. Phoenix didn’t know the prince. She didn’t even know if she’d like him, and she defiinitely didn’t think he’d like her. But ever since she was little, she had the same question- what right did they have to treat someone’s life like a prize to win?
“I don’t…” Phoenix’s throat felt like sandpaper. Her thoughts felt like they were swimming through a pool of molasses. “I think this interview is over.” Phoenix stood up and rushed out, not even taking a second to glance at the crew’s stunned expressions. What right did they have? What? But now, Phoenix wasn’t just thinking of the prince- she was thinking of memories, memories they had dug up from a decade past.
And that’s when she ran into the queen.
Phoenix had never seen the queen in real life, but she was surprised to see just how normal she was. Even then, Phoenix was scrambling, her mind going from the speed of a tortoise to light in a split second. “Your highness- I’m so sorry, I…” Phoenix attempted at a curtsy, but the heels made it nearly impossible, so she elected to just bowing her head, flustered.
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She didn’t want to go against Alviva and pressure her more about this seeing her reaction, even if Camila was quite sceptical about whether they were actually loving towards Alviva. However, after all, if she was happy with how her family treated her, that was what matters most. Plus, they had only met minutes ago, who was Camila to judge her family? She just gave her a nod in the hopes to show that she understood what Alviva had said.
“Most of them” Camila let out quite surprised “How many siblings do you have?” She took a breath before she continued “Excuse my curiosity, it is just, I have always been taught most high-caste families only have one or two children” Camila was actually very keen on learning more about the different provinces but more importantly also about the Castes during her time here, she didn’t like the Casted. She hated them. Out of that hatred came the desire to fully understand them.
“Mi casa es tu casa” she said to Alviva “It’s a Spanish expression to say you are welcome in my house. Whenever you want, just give me a call and you are more than welcome to stay over once the Selection has ended” The Latino hospitality was in Camila’s nature, she enjoyed making other people feel welcome and hosting them, so this invite came very naturally to her. “Or earlier,” she said with a soft chuckle “I heard that there have been times when the Selection took years, some Selected already had their own families by the time the last one got out of here and the Selection was finished.” the smile on her face disappeared even thinking about that and her lips tightened “I definitely would not like to be stuck here inside the palace where the only fresh air I could get is on a balcony or through a window for that long.” she sighed “But just in case we might be stuck here for a while, we might as well start feeling trying to feel comfortable here. Wanna explore a bit more of the palace together?” she said, not only because she wanted to see more of the palace. She was not used to the colder weather in Angeles, Boniata was always warm, so she had started to tremble a bit due to the temperature in the fresh outside air.
@Meekepeek - Alviva
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“Talking to a germent? Well it depends on the occasion … See anybody would talk to a garnet if it were beautiful or interesting enough. I can just picture somebody interested in geology opening up a geode that’s really beautiful from the inside and saying ‘Ohh, aren’t you beatiful’. When I talk to inanimate objects it’s usually out of frustration … You know like if the internet won’t work I’d say ‘Oh you’re only laggy now because that’s when I need you the most. When I play games you’re pristine.’ Yeah well seeing somebody take the time to talk to objects when you’re happy. You know …” Andrea smiled looking into the distance of the party they were now at, but not taking notice of anybody, her eyes deep in thought “I can picture you with a few tools in a cozy little office surrounded by different diamonds, rubies and such, taking neat care of each one, looking them over with a maginifying glass and saying to them ‘You, will make a great garment once you’re nice and polished … And you, you’re already beautiful … Oh, a blood diamond, You’ll make a very nice necklace.’ And so on … Am I wrong?”
@LunaticLeviTheSecond - Wren
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