Chapter one

***Elizabeth's POV***

My heart was pounding. This was it. This was my chance to make a difference. To stand out and to finally meet the crown prince of Illea. Prince Damon Schreave.

"Elizabeth!" My mom hollers fill the tiny house. "Help with dinner!"

"Coming!" I yell in response as I race up the stairs, glad to get out of the stuffy basement I call my room.

"Elizabeth," My mom says right as we all sit down for dinner, "your father and I have decided that we think you should apply for the selection. We know that Marta is applying, and you girls have been best friends for so long!" It had always been my mother's dream for me to be a part of the selection. And now was the moment. The moment where I could finally tell her what I've wanted to for sixteen years.

"Mom, I would love to be in the selection! I think Parker is getting old enough to take on some more responsibility in the house and I'm sure James will help! I know money isn't that much of an issue, but if I get in you will be getting huge funds too."

"Oh Eliza!" My dad chimed in, "that's wonderful! Nothing has been the same since Natalie got married, but now... I'm just so happy!"

It was great to see my father happy! He always had a special bond with Natalie and when she left he was so devastated. I quickly finished up my dinner and did my chores and got into bed, I would have a huge day tomorrow and I didn't want to miss a second of it!

"Liz, this dress is gorgeous you have to wear it!" Marta had pulled out a blue polka dotted dress that fell to right above my knees.

"Are you sure?" I responded, I had never worn that dress, my mother got it for me with her profits from singing at the king and queens wedding.

"Yes!" Marta exclaimed, she had always been so bubbly, she would make a great queen. I just knew she would get into the selection! She had to, with her long silky brunette hair cascading onto her tan skin and sparkling green eyes. Me on the other hand, well, I was not beautiful. Even though my father and my mother told me I was. I had light blonde hair that fell halfway down my back, and I had light blue eyes and pale-is skin.

"Liz?"

"Oh yeah?" My head snapped up

"Daydreaming again?" Marta asked

"Uh yeah." I responded and hung my head.

"it's cool but let's go were going to be late!"

Twenty minutes later Marta and I were engulfed in a long line of ladies. We were all here for the same thing. To apply for the selection.

Snap.

"Next!" The photographer called. Marta practically flew in the room smiling that wide beautiful smile of hers that I envied since we were kids.

Snap.

"Next!" The photographer called. I took a deep breath and sat down in the chair.

"Nervous?" He asked.

"Yes!" I responded

"Don't be!" He leaned in to whisper something in my ear, "Damon said he wanted to marry a cute blonde." And he raised his eyebrows at me.

I was overjoyed as he snapped the picture of me.

"Now all you can do is wait." The photographer called after me as I skipped away.

Chapter two

One week later my whole family and I were sitting on the couch intently listening to the Report.

"James, Parker," I asked, "do you think I'd make a good princess?"

"Yeah sis you'd be great! Of course when I marry Princess Rose Schreave we'll make the cutest couple!" Parker, my nine year old brother, exclaimed! My mother and father chucked, it had always been Parker's dream to marry Rose, a princess of Illea.

"Okay okay!" I exclaimed "shhh! It's starting!"

"Now here is the list of the selected for Prince Damon's selection!" Joe Balderdash, the announcer, yelled." We will show pictures and castes!"

"First up, from Kent- Adele Woodwork 6" and then it flashed a picture of a blonde girl with long straight hair and crystal blue eyes. I watched as Damion smiled.

"Next we have Hansport- Anna claudwash 4" a beautiful girl with chocolate brown hair and aqua eyes flashed on the screen. Joe Balderdash rambled on all of these names, castes, and provinces

"

Waverly- Annabel Davis 2

Zuni- Camille Dean 3

Paloma- Julianna Diaz 2

Clermont- Caroline Fleming 5

Tammins- Tami Neal 8

Sonage- Haley McDaniel 7

Dakota- Allison Benson 7

Columbia- Falvia Rogers 4

Dominica- Harriet Potter 2

Carolina- Marcela Leger 6

Sota- Blare Walton 2

Allens- Madison Nickolson 5

Likely- Kelly Mueller 5

Atlin- Lucy Travino 8

Hudson- Jordanna Rohase 3

Honduragua- Teresa Cerrano 2

Sumner- Brooke Sheppard 6

Labrador- Rosie Peterson 2

Fennly- Leah Calhoun 4

Bankston- Christina Eaton 5

Yukon- Jane Dalton 3

Lakedon- Samantha Noel 4

Whites- Iris Banks 6

Bonita- Claire Squires 4

Midston- Naomi Caufman 8

Belcourt- Veronica Britt 2

St. George- Gennavieve Mcarthy 3

Panama- Paige Macdonald 4

Denbeigh- Sabrina Jenkins 2

Calgerry- Bailey Sanford 7

Eaffin- Evelyn Tillman 3

Ottaro- Winter Benton 5"

34 names were called. Not one was mine. Or Marta. We couldn't both get in.

" And for our last contestant, we have..." I was holding my breath, Marta is so beautiful it had to be her. " From Angeles Elizabeth Herrmann 5"

My picture flashed on the screen as cheers erupted around me. What? I was chosen? I, Elizabeth Herrmann am in the selection.

Chapter four

The next week was a blur of activity. I was rushed to and from places, I met a stylist, another couple photographers, and a bunch of others I don't even remember. But finally, finally, it was my take off day.

Joe Balderdash screamed my name into the microphone as I hobbled on stage fear engulfing me.

"Would you like to say a few words?" Joe asked me.

"I would love to." I respond, but inside I'm like WHAT WHY DID YOU SAY THAT? " hello everyone! I am honored to be a part of the selection. And I thank you for being so sweet and kind to me. I hope I do you all well." The crowd erupted in cheers as I was escorted into the airport. I was the third one to arrive.

"Hello!" I exclaimed as I reached the two other Ladies standing in the airport.

"Hi!" They both answered together, they looked like they were already friends.

"I'm Elizabeth Herrmann from Angeles, I am a five."

"Oh I'm a five too!" One of the ladies answered, she had black curly hair that fell to her waist and dark brown eyes," I'm Kelly Mueller from likely."

"And I'm Evelyn Tillman 3 from Baffin." The other girl answered.

"So what do you do for your careers?" I asked nervously.

"I am an actor." Kelly answered warmly.

"And I am training to be a full time lawyer." Evelyn responded. Evelyn seemed sort of shy.

"Oh that's awesome! I am an artist. But my mom is a singer and trumpet player and my father is an artist too. Do you have any siblings?"

"Ha-ha Yes!" Kelly practically shouted," I have four sisters, Jamie, Joan, Ella, and Carter. Carter and I are twins, but she didn't apply for the selection. What about you Eve? "

"I have a brother." Evelyn responded flatly.

"I have a brother too! Three actually. James, he's 13 and very shy. Parker, he's nine. Thomas is the eldest, he's 27, and married. And then Natalie my older sister, she is 25 and just got married."

"Wow!" Kelly exclaimed. Right then another girl came strutting over. But it wasn't a mean strut it was a beautiful graceful strut.

***Winters POV***

I had always grown up watching the Illea report always wanting to fall in love with the crown prince and get swept away in that princess life. Of course, I knew it would never happen Prince Damon would never want a five like me. We lived in an apartment with 10 other families in a 3room apartment, one room with a kitchen/ dining room/ living room. Then my parents had their own bedroom and I shared a room with my 14 year old sister. My sister and I were dancers, my mom was an artist, and my dad played the cello in a small band that played pretty often.

It is my turn to get the mail today, and, luckily for me, it was raining and really muddy outside-it rains 3 days a week every week in ottaro. I grab my raincoat-it rains 3 days a week every week in ottaro. I run outside sheltering my face and run to the mailbox. I grab the mail and run back inside. I sot down at the table and start to go through it. Just some bills and invitations for my dad to play with his band at parties and stuff. Then I see it, it's the letter for the selection! I take the letter up to my room and rip it open. I start to fill out the easy stuff quickly before I go to dance practice. Hair color, blond. Eye color, greenish blue. Height, 5'7 Caste, Weight, name before I know it, it's time to leave for dance practice

-time skip-

I get home at about 4:30 and finish filling out the rest of the form. Hobbies: dancing, playing piano, singing, gardening. Then I filled out the rest of the form and got into a corduroy pleated skirt with a magenta sweater and a white lace shirt underneath. I went to the province office to take my picture and when it was my turn, I walked over to take my picture and I remembered when I was Clara in the Nutcracker. It was SO much fun and I got paid a lot and my family had a wonderful Christmas that year. That was my favorite memory and always made me smile.

Snap...Next!

I walked out of the province and back to my house to make dinner. That night we had pasta and some meat sauce which was pretty good since some nights we couldn't have dinner or the power would go out. We talked about how I entered the selection and my parents were really happy for me.

-two weeks later-

Tonight was the report where they would be announcing the selected. I was really excited for it even though I knew that there were thousands of girls in Illea and all of them were a thousand times more beautiful. The Illean symbol popped up on the screen and then the king announced some important stuff, the New Asian war was coming along nicely, and they were working in getting rid of caste 7 and 8. Then Joe Balderdash came on and he started announcing the names of the girls selected.

Waverly- Annabel Davis 2
Zuni- Camille Dean 3
Paloma- Julianna Diaz 2
Clermont- Caroline Fleming 5
Tammins- Tami Neal 8
Sonage- Haley McDaniel 7
Dakota- Allison Benson 7
Columbia- Falvia Rogers 4
Dominica- Harriet Potter 2
Carolina- Marcela Leger 6
Sota- Blare Walton 2
Allens- Madison Nickolson 5
Likely- Kelly Mueller 5
Atlin- Lucy Travino 8
Hudson- Jordanna Rohase 3
Honduragua- Teresa Cerrano 2
Sumner- Brooke Sheppard 6
Labrador- Rosie Peterson 2
Fennly- Leah Calhoun 4
Bankston- Christina Eaton 5
Yukon- Jane Dalton 3
Lakedon- Samantha Noel 4
Whites- Iris Banks 6
Bonita- Claire Squires 4
Midston- Naomi Caufman 8
Belcourt- Veronica Britt 2
St. George- Gennavieve Mcarthy 3
Panama- Paige Macdonald 4
Denbeigh- Sabrina Jenkins 2
Calgerry- Bailey Sanford 7
Eaffin- Evelyn Tillman 3

There were 33 girls selected two more spots left, and i could still be selected...i probably wouldn't though...but then, he announced my name Winter Benton, 5 from Ottaro i couldnt believe it!

The next day reporters and seamstresses and random people from the palace came asking me questions and measuring me and all sorts of stuff. In 2 days i would leave Ottaro to go to the palace and hopefully live my dream and fall in love with Prince Damon, of course, in the end, i want Damon to be happy. The next two days went by so fast, it was time for me to leave already! My family and i were on a stage in front of the whole province to see my sendoff, and a lot of people had posters with my name on it or saying good luck of something like that. Someone handed me a microphone and told me to say something I got the microphone and I just put sticking not really sure what I'm saying but it came as a thank you everyone in Ottaro making me who I am I wouldn't be here without you and I love you all. After that i said goodbye to my family, i teared up a bit, and then I get into the car 20 min. Later I am at the airport and I gracefully walked in.