Chapter One: A Colder Winter

"It couldn't be something big. His parents would have told him beforehand if there was big news."

Winter had always been Alistair's favorite season.

He couldn't exactly call December in Angeles 'winter', due to the nonexistent temperature drop and the lack of snow. It was one of the things he preferred about Allens, where he attended school; one morning, he had woken up to a beautiful white blanket covering the courtyard, and from then on snow had been his favorite type of weather. He was also a winter baby, having been born in January, which gave him even more reason to look forward to the time that trees lost their leaves and animals disappeared into hibernation.

Ever since he had started attending Hilliard, the only holiday throughout the whole year (excluding summer vacation) when he could visit Angeles was the winter break. Alistair loved the four weeks he was allotted to spend time with his family. They were the only people who really, truly understood him.

In the palace, Christmas season was a whirl of festivities. His little sister Holiday's birthday ball, also known as the Christmas Eve ball by many, was his absolute favorite. There would be a plethora of famous guests, a good amount of food and a wide range of carols being performed. A few days later came New Year's Eve, and the celebrations were even grander.

But even if they weren't taking place, Alistair would've still felt the joy that coursed through him as he stepped out of the limousine into the not-so-cold Angeles air.

A loud cry of "ALISTAIR!" was the first thing he heard. He saw his parents, King Cliff and Queen Breena, waving from a few meters away. Surrounding them were his three little sisters: Isabelle, Holiday and Adina. The shout had come from Adina, who was jumping up and down.

When he reached his family, the first thing he did was to wrap Adina in a hug. "Hey, muffin. Still annoying all the maids?"

"I'm twelve, not three," Adina muttered, her words muffled by Alistair's jacket. "I'm a mature young woman. That's what mom said."

Alistair's mother raised an eyebrow. "Did I? I don't remember anything." Her brown eyes twinkled, showing the happiness that they usually held when she was around her loved ones.

"You did!" Adina protested, letting go of Alistair and pointing an accusing finger at the queen. Instead of intimidating everyone, she only made all of the Raynotts burst out laughing. "Mom!" Looking as if she was hiding her giggling, Breena shrugged innocently.

Cliff picked Adina up and swung her around. "Come now, little muffin. Mature young women don't throw tantrums when their older brother has just come back from school for the holidays! Isn't that right, Holiday?"

"Yep," Holiday chimed in with a roll of her eyes. Alistair tried hard to hide his laughter for his father's sake.

"Because mature young women can obviously do 360s on a ramp," Isabelle muttered under her breath, referring to Holiday's most recent hobby, skateboarding. Then, at a slightly louder volume, "So when do you go back to school again?"

Alistair was about to answer when his father placed a hand on his arm. "Wait, son… There's something we need to tell you," he said. When Alistair gave him a confused look, he went on. "You might be against it, but I hope you'll understand."

For a moment, all the possible news flashed through Alistair's mind, and he had a feeling he knew what his father was talking about. "Dad, it's alright. I know, and I'm fine with it."

Breena and Cliff exchanged looks of disbelief. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" his father asked.

Alistair shrugged. Why wouldn't he be? "I mean, twelve years is quite an age difference, and mom, you're a little bit old…"

"Wait, what?" his mother cut in.

He continued, not knowing why she was acting so confused. "And you always talk about how happy you are to have four kids, but I-"

"Stop. Alistair." His mother looked as if she wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. "Alistair. I'm not pregnant."

Unable to believe that he'd thought the queen was pregnant, Holiday and Isabelle burst out laughing at this. Adina snickered from her perch in her father's arms. Alistair's thoughts, however, were running wild.

What if what they actually had to tell him was extremely bad?

Had another country issued a declaration of war? Were they going to take away some of his allowance? Had they contacted the Hilliard headmaster about his C in chemistry?

"Then…" Alistair swallowed hard, trying to keep his nerves under control. It was probably some small news that wouldn't affect him too much. It couldn't be something big. His parents would have told him beforehand if there was big news. "What?"

Breena stared at the floor guiltily, so Cliff filled in for her. "Son," he said with unusual gentleness, as if he already knew how much this news would break him. "You're going to have a Selection."

The world seemed to spin around Alistair as all the color drained out of his face. His lungs constricted, up to the point where he felt like he was barely breathing. The space around him suddenly seemed to be filled with buzzing voices, whispering to him. You're going to have a Selection.

When he finally managed to open his mouth, his question came out quiet and hesitant. "A Selection?" he choked out.

"Your father's getting old, Al," Breena said softly, sharing a loving smile with Cliff before returning her attention to her son. "We originally wanted you to ascend this summer, but we think that now's a good time to start. If you find a wife within a few months, we can spend the time between then and summer to train you. After all, you've been at Hilliard for the past few years, so you've been missing out on some of your other lessons."

For a second, Alistair imagined the quiet palace filled with thirty-five girls, all trying to compete for him. It was a terrifying thought, one that made him dizzy. Alistair had never really liked talking to strangers. Even at school, his world was fairly concise, and his friend Halynn was the one who helped him scare off all the annoying fangirls. What would it be like when he was legally required to date total strangers? He'd prefer his Hilliard classmates any—

"Wait, what about Hilliard?" he blurted out. A feeling of dread settled in his gut as he thought he already knew the answer, but he refused to even consider it until his parents confirmed—

"I'm sorry, Al." It was Cliff speaking again, and his expression was one of guilt. "But I just don't think school can do much for you. You've learnt a lot and you've had your fun, and I don't think you need Hilliard anymore. It's about time you start preparing for your rule."

Alistair could still remember when he'd been 14 and his parents had agreed to let him attend Hilliard until graduation. He had wanted a taste of what life was like outside the palace. Back then, the palace had been a home to him, but also a prison. He'd rarely been allowed to interact with the public, and his home was a constant reminder that one day he would be like his father, overworked and tired, with responsibilities weighing him down.

He felt cheated. He had friends in Hilliard who he might never see again. They would be studying for their diplomas and applying for colleges while he would be filling out financial reports and He was back to being a prince, instead of just a student. Of course he'd been treated differently while at Hilliard, due to his status, but it was the closest thing to normal he would ever get.

Most importantly, he didn't want anything to change.

"I'll think about it," he sighed in resignation. As if he had a choice.

His parents sighed in relief. "Al, we are so proud of you," Breena said, pulling Alistair into her embrace. "Should we discuss the rest inside? It's a little cold out here."

Alistair nodded, and he followed his family into the familiar but also strange entrance hall, throwing one last look over his shoulder at the limousine which had brought him to the palace.

It looked like this winter was going to be less fun than he thought.

Let the Selection of Prince Alistair Raynott begin! Thirty-five girls will come to the palace, but in the end, only one can win. Does your character have what it takes to become the Queen Consort of Illea?

This chapter was a brief introduction, and usually chapters will be longer than this. Let me know what you thought of it! Constructive criticism is always appreciated :)

Until next time!

~Rysa