Enchanted Ch1 - Once Upon a Time
This is my second selection fanfic, and just in case it's not obvious, it's an syoc. I have more details at the bottom. hope y'all like it!
Finley West
A high pitched siren sounded through the house, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere.
"Fire! There's a fire!" Kallista, my youngest sister, barged out of her room with a mop of tangled brown hair, a pink bathrobe, and a bewildered expression on her face.
"Get outside! Finley, hurry!" Her voice broke as she yelled at the top of her lungs. I tried to hold myself back, but I couldn't resist a small giggle. "Finley, this isn't funny!" Her high pitched scream only resulted in a barricade of giggles coming from me, and but Kallista was absolutely hysterical.
"Finley, what is wrong with you? This isn't funny!" She was half yelling and half crying now, desperately trying to pull me from the couch where I was laughing.
"Kalli- it's just- Lila- in the kitchen," I managed to get out between breaths.
I knew I shouldn't be laughing, but I was already emotionally unstable, and seeing her hysterical face sent me over the edge.
It took a moment, but Kalli visibly relaxed when she comprehended what I meant. Lila was cooking again. This wouldn't be the first time she had almost burned down the kitchen, and it almost certainly wasn't the last.
In a split second, Kalli's relief turned to anger, and she spun around and glared at me.
"You could have told me earlier! Instead, you thought it would be funny to laugh at me while I thought that the house was on fire!" She pointed a finger at me accusingly, her voice hoarse from screaming.
"I apologize for making you upset," I mumbled softly, more out of habit than actually being sorry.
"Well I'm telling mom and dad," she sniffed, turning away.
I felt my face drain of blood and in less than a second, I was off the couch and standing in front of her, probably looking terrified and panicked at the same time.
"No Kalli, please don't... I'm truly sorry, I apologize for making you upset, I apologize, I apologize," I was breathing quickly, desperately trying to block her way to the kitchen. "Kalli, please... you know how much trouble I'll get in... they'll ground me for weeks!" I was sweating and almost in tears as I threw myself against the door frame to stop her.
Kalli seemed to consider me, and eventually, her lips quirked up into a triumphant smirk.
"Alright. But next time you aggravate me, you won't be so lucky." She spun away with a flip of her hair, seemingly forgetting that it was still a tangled mess from just waking up.
I wilted in relief, collapsing in the sofa next to me. That had been a close call.
I was held to an incredibly high standard by my parents, and one small move would result in me being locked in my room with no human interaction whatsoever for several weeks at the least, and with nothing to do but schoolwork.
Kalli and Lila didn't have quite so much pressure, but then again, they weren't being raised to be the next princess.
From birth, I had been expected to take part in Prince Wesley's selection, and my parents had gone to extreme lengths to make sure that would happen.
They planned the timing of my birth, and had me on a strict diet my whole life. I worked out and modeled and had a 'perfect' body, and I was perfectly taken care of. I had been tutored from a young age, and was advanced in all my schoolwork and could speak fluent English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German. I had perfect manners and etiquette.
In short, I was bred to be the next Princess of Illea.
My parents had taught me to be the picture of a perfect princess, and over the years, I had perfected masking my feelings and behaving the way society wanted me to.
I had learned everything I could possibly know, and had endless facts about the prince to help me win his heart. I had been trained to be exactly what he was looking for in a bride, and I was ready to fulfill my duty.
🌷Enchanted🌷
"Finley! The report is starting!" My dad called from the family room, silently demanding my presence. Sighing, I picked up my velvet bookmark and gently folded it in between the pages of my book, setting it down on my folded bed sheets.
By the time I entered the living room, my whole family was already there, and James Chase, the report host, was taking his place on the stage. I eased myself onto the sofa next to Lila, delicately crossing my ankles as I relaxed into the couch.
Lila and I had always got along much better than Kalli and I had, and we were actually quite close. Whereas Kalli was a spoiled rotten prissy diva, Lila was a sarcastic, clumsy optimist who could make a joke out of anything.
"Good Evening Illéa! As you know, I'm Jem Chase, giving you our weekly Report!" Jem's voice boomed as he adjusted the mic, his deep voice accentuating his broad stature.
Jem cracked some jokes, getting the crowd warmed up as they responded to his every word. After about five minutes of icebreakers, Jem brought the attention to King William, bringing up the topic of our political standing.
The King addressed the issues of the growing unrest between the Brazilian Empire and New Asia, and how as our neighbor, The Brazilian Empire expected us to come to their aid. However, their recent attacks on the borders of Illéa had increasingly become more steady, making us wary of joining them.
Luckily for us, rebel activity had almost completely died down, making us more powerful and one of the strongest nations in the world, only second to New Asia.
Our immense power was the main reason The Brazilian Empire was so desperately vying for our help. They were powerful, but without it, they would slowly be taken down.
After a rundown of our current situation, King William passed to mic to his wife, Queen Genesis, and she reviewed her project for the Eights, and how public schools and homeless shelters and soup kitchens were being built all over the country to help improve their lives.
She finished updating us on her progress, and then Jem took control of the report again.
"Well, now that we've heard from our king and queen, it's time for a special announcement!" Jem proclaimed, pausing dramatically as the crowd fell to a hush. "Please welcome our beloved Prince Wesley!"
The audience erupted in cheers as the cameras zoomed in on the Prince, smiling and waving as he made his way to the center of the stage.
As always, when he entered, I snapped into attention, my eyes zeroing in on him and examining his every move, looking for absolutely any sign that might help me.
"Now, Prince Wesley, I recall you saying that you had an important announcement you needed to bring to our attention," Jem said slyly, exchanging a look with the camera that conveyed, 'I can't wait to hear what he's going to tell us!'
Wesley flashed the crowd a charming smile before jumping into a long speech that sounded carefully rehearsed.
"As many of you know, I've recently reached my 19th birthday, making me eligible for the crown. Obviously, I won't be taking it quite yet, I'll have to wait this old man out," he joked, gesturing to the king and inciting a burst of laughter from the crowd and a playful glare from his dad.
"But that does mean one other thing." He paused dramatically for effect, even though everyone knew what he was about to say.
"I will be continuing a tradition that has run in the family for years. In fact, it recently reached it's 100th anniversary," Wesley commented, drawing his words out and increasing the suspense. "In exactly 3 weeks, 35 girls will be joining me in Angeles for the Selection!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, throwing things like flowers, pennies, hats, and even hair onto the stage.
Wesley waited for the riot to calm down before continuing.
"Every eligible girl from ages 16-20 will be receiving a letter within the next two days, and if you so chose, you can fill it out and bring it to the nearest postal center, where pictures will be taken of all the girls and sent to Angeles to be sorted. In 2 weeks, we will announce Illéa's Selected!"
The crowd went wild, screaming and groping at the stage to get a view of the prince. He gave an easy smile to the camera before addressing Jem.
"Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I'm sure Jem here has several other announcements that will be brought to your attention," the audience groaned good naturedly and Wesley pouted, endearing the crowd before rallying them together again.
"So, goodnight Illéa! I leave you in good hands!" Prince Wesley handed Jem the mic and blew kisses to the crowd as he exited the stage.
Jem took control, bringing up the finer points of the selection and then summarizing the night, eventually closing out and exiting the report himself.
"Can I enter the selection?" Kalli's whiny voice broke the silence, shifting my attention from the now black TV to Lila, who was glaring at Kalli. I bit back a grin and turned away from them as my parents patiently explained that she was too young, and could not bribe her way in.
I excused myself, heading toward my room and ignoring the expectant stares lingering on me as I left. I was completely lost in thought and didn't even noticed when Lila popped up next to me.
"I think I'm going to enter," she said decidedly, smacking her gum. I would have snorted if that had been even slightly appropriate. Instead I settled for a smile.
"Why? You hate that kind of stuff," I pointed out.
"Why not? Besides, everyone knows that you'll be selected anyway, so I don't really even have a chance," she drawled, and I shoved her playfully.
"That's not true," I complained, grateful that my parents didn't hear the whine in my voice.
"Oh it is and you know it. You're the most gorgeous girl in all of Angeles, you look and act like a princess, you're a bloody genius, and even if you weren't, mom and dad would probably pay to get you selected," she teased, and though all her points were valid, I still didn't like it.
I had never really liked attention, and was kind of nervous for the whole idea of the selection. Though Lila insisted that our parents would pull strings to get me selected, I didn't believe they actually had that much power, and I wasn't sure if looks and talent were enough to get me in the selection.
"I don't know, Lila. There are a ton of beautiful, talented girls in Angeles, including you. I have just as good of a chance as any of them. What if I don't get selected? What would mom and dad do?" I shuddered just thinking about it, but Lila wasn't one for sympathy.
"You suck it up, girl. Just have a little faith, trust, and pixie dust," she teased, referring to one of my favorite movies and childish obsession.
"Don't forget about wishing on stars," I pointed out, teasing her right back.
"Oh, definitely. You can't forget that one," she added seriously. We were both laughing as we wished each other good night and retreated into our rooms, but I couldn't stop the doubt that lingered in the back of my mind.
As much as I wished it, I couldn't get into this with faith, trust, and pixie dust.
Prince Wesley Pierce
"You didn't even mention that it's my birthday too!" Laurel, my twin sister, shoved me playfully after the report was shut down.
"Well, it's obvious that it's because you're just not as important," I feigned a sigh, pretending to check my fingernails and Laurel smacked me on the shoulder.
"Whatever was that for?" I exclaimed dramatically, holding my wounded shoulder. Laurel rolled her eyes, but a smile was playing on her lips.
"You know, I love you Wes, but you're a big pain in the a-"
She was interrupted from her dirty language by a pair of muscular arms that grabbed her waist and spun her around.
"Tristan!" She shrieked in surprise, falling as he let her go. She ended up tripping them both, and they landed in a mess of laughter on the ground.
"Hello, lil Laurel," Tristan greeted her with her pet named, and I laughed.
Tristan was Laurel's best friend, and had been for as long as I could remember. His mom had been a part of our dad's selection, and she and my mom were really close, so he's been living with us his whole life, staying even after his mother died.
"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't getting back till tomorrow," Laurel asked with a confused expression as Tristan helped her up.
"No, 'How are you? I've missed you,' huh?" Tristan complained, giving me an exasperated look. I returned it and mouthed 'Women,' with an overly dramatic sigh, and Laurel glared at me, but was too busy with her best friend to be too concerned.
"How are you? I've missed you," she said, giving Tristan a peck on the cheek. "You happy now?"
"Very." Tristan smirked, continued to tell Laurel about his most recent adventures in New India. He and Kieran, my younger brother, had both loved traveling, and Kieran often tagged along with him on his many explorations.
I wandered away, my energy leaving me as the adrenaline from being on stage wore off. The preparations for the selection had begun a week ago, and everything was a mess.
I was avoiding my parents, because they were sure to lecture me about going off of script during the report, and no running off and last minute flings before the selection started, and I wasn't really in the mood for that.
Laurel was the only person I would really want to talk to, but she was busy with Tristan, so that wasn't an option.
Kieran had probably already run off to tell Tessa about every waking moment in New India, and even being 14, she would still beg for him to play with her.
Spencer was probably off reading or doing something education, and that didn't sound like any fun. My only other option was Jem.
Jem had been my closest friend since I was 10, and constantly put up with my behavior, and besides Laurel, he was the one I trusted the most.
"Wesley!" Jem found me before I had the chance, and he clapped me on the back.
"Jem, I'm struggling with my deep dark turmoil and emotional problems," I told him seriously, and he immediately sobered up looked me in the eye.
"Now, Wes, we don't have time for angst ridden teenagers causing trouble and letting out the deep dark blackness of their souls," he told me with a look in his eye. I nodded obediently, but neither of us could keep up the charade for much longer and doubled over laughing.
"You have too many girls in your life," Jem informed me with a smirk after we both got control of ourselves.
"Tell me about it," I rolled my eyes. "Lil Laurel was harping on me for not mentioning that it was her birthday too. I mean, how am I supposed to remember that?"
"Well, you are twins," he reminded me.
"That's no excuse!" Jem and I continued bickering until we reached my room, where I reluctantly left him to get ready for bed.
While I acted like it wasn't a big deal, secretly, I was terrified for the selection. I mean, normally I'd be thrilled to have 35 gorgeous girls living with me, but this was different.
I was actually expected to fall in love with one of them, and I would see them everyday, which meant I couldn't do stupid things and not have to worry about it because I would probably never have to face them again.
This was more than just a silly fling. This was real life. And no wishing upon a star was going to fix it for me.
So, there it is! I'm going to give all the characters mentioned so far and their face claims, just so y'all can get a better idea of them, but I will have descriptions of all the royal family on my profile, so check that out.
Royal Family:
King William Pierce(40) - Orlando Bloom
Queen Genesis Pierce(38) - Blake Lively
Crown Prince Wesley Pierce(19) - Luke Bilyk
Princess Laurel Pierce(19) - Nina Dobrev
Prince Kieran Pierce(17) - Peyton Meyer
Princess Tessa Pierce(14) - Rowan Blanchard
Princess Spencer Pierce(11) - Eloise Lushina
Others:
James 'Jem' Chase - Shemar Moore
Tristan Cooper - Ian Somerhalder
Finley West - Miranda Kerr
Alright! My profile will also have a lot more background and character information, so if you plan on submitting a character, that would be very helpful to read.
For applications: I'll be accepting 20 total, with 15 of my own throwaways. I'm planning on having 5-10 mains, and the rest supporting, but if your character is wonderful, I'll let them be a main, no matter how many I already have.
My 15 throwaways will be assigned random provinces, but I'll be more than happy to change them if your character needs them.
Finley is my own character, and she will be a main, but solely because she has a plot line of her own. She has no more chance of marrying the prince than anyone else, so don't let her being in the competition deter you from submitting.
My pinterest(Alexia Roosenhaan) has tons of helpful information about this, so please check it out! I want to make this interactive, so having a pinterest board for your character or even being on pinterest would be very helpful, but it's not required.
okay, I think I have everything covered so far, now onto the rules:
1. No carbon copies of America, Eadlyn, or Finley, and no Mary Sues.
2. You are allowed a max of 2 girls, and they are allowed to know each other.
3. Give me a variety! I like sweet girls, but not everyone is shy and sweet and nice! Give me sassy, mean, funny, bubbly, etc. Also, I want different appearances! All kinds of hair colors, ethnicities, skin tones, etc. Make your character unique!
4. Be creative! Give me unique and interesting backgrounds and different characters! The more interesting and creative the character, the better chance they have of becoming a main!
5. I will only be accepting through PM. I'm sorry guests, but I need to be able to talk to you about your character.
6. When you send applications, please title them like this: "First and Last Name, Age, Caste, Occupation, Province" - for example: "Finley West, 17, Two, Model, Angeles"
7. DETAIL! I cannot stress enough how important detail is. The application is incredibly long, and I'm sorry if it overwhelms you, but I want to know your characters inside and out so I can portray them well. The more detailed they are, the more likely they will become a main.
8. This is NOT a first come first served! I will only be accepting girls who I think fit well with the plot and that I can write easily.
9. I want this to be interactive, so if you have a pinterest, please let me know and I'll add you to the board! I want everyone to be pinning things like dresses and face claims and just anything selection-y.
10. I love interesting, uncommon names(as you can see with Genesis and Finley), so go ahead and find unique names!
I think that's it for the rules, sorry if it's overwhelming! I have lots of links and more information in my profile, so seriously, check it out! The form is also on my profile, for those of you who want to submit.
love y'all! please review and submit! I love feedback!
One last thing: HUGE shoutout to morethanjustastory for helping me out with starting this! she's the best ever, love ya❤️
~lexi