CHAPTER ONE

At the tap of my mother's hand, I straighten my back.

It's a force of habit, I swear.

And right here, right now, I'm a little glad that it is. With my back straight, I'm ready to feel like I can see everything, even though I'm no Santa Claus, and can't just sit in my bedroom looking to see who's being naughty and nice, still, it helps.

I follow my mother, Queen Calista, into the room. We're a little late for my seventeenth birthday party, but that's only because she wanted me to look my absolute best. And with her and my maid's help, I definitely looked amazing. I wore a long ankle length red dress. It was strapless, sleeveless, backless, all the things my father would rip his hair out seeing me in. But it was my mother's idea, so I guess he'd have to take it up with her. It was made with taffeta fabric, and had a beaded embellishment around the waist. I was wearing heels, but not big heels. I was the absolute worst when it came to walking in heels.

My hair was pulled back in a braided bun. My makeup done lightly because of my refusal to put on anything more then a little bit of blush, eye shadow and some lipstick. I was tugging on my dress, worried, I kept stumbling around in my heels, falling like a feather into my mother's back. She helped to straighten me up. It wasn't so much that I was worried about my birthday and the Selection that would be coming, but it was more that I couldn't stand up straight in those stupid heels.

King Pierce, my father, was standing in the middle of the ballroom area, talking to someone as my younger twelve year old brother Harrison looked bored, while his twin Austen was relieved to be near Dad. My eight year old sister, Liberty, or Libby, as everyone called her, was standing awkwardly with our aunt. Aunt Maggie, and her husband Uncle Alex, and of course their two children, Konrad, their son who was only five years old, and Petra, their daughter who was two years old and the cutest little kid I've ever seen.

My mother's face lights up when she sees my father. She tells me that I can wander and say hello to people as she fast-walks over to him. I look at them, and sigh. I've always wanted what they had. Love. But I wanted the kind of love where it hurt when you were away from them.

I walked towards the table with snacks and food. There was a bowl of grapes set near the end of the table and I reached for it. I don't know why, but ever since I was born, grapes were my favorite food. I remember my mother telling me that she couldn't stop eating grapes during my pregnancy. Now whenever she eats one, she feels like she's eaten a million.

It's the same thing with chocolate. I love chocolate. Harris loves popsicles, Austen loves apples and Libby loves strawberries. We all had out little strange favorites and not-favorites. I ate one of the grapes, but before I could even put another in my mouth, I heard my name being called from a long way away.

"English!" Someone called and I turned to see Aunt Maggie walking towards me, Uncle Alex trailing behind her, trying to catch her hand. I smiled and she rushed to my side. Aunt Maggie was only twenty six years old, and Uncle Alex was twenty nine. I noticed over the years, that as Alex matured, Maggie stayed in her young form. She tugged on my arm, touching my hair.

"You look wonderful tonight little English!" She smiled, kissing my cheek. I smiled as Alex finally reached us, grabbing Maggie's hand. He turned to me, "Here's a hint English. When you get your husband and he wants to hold your hand, don't say no," he glared at Maggie and she batted her eyes at him. His eyes softened and I laughed.

"Here's a hint for you Mr. Alex, when your madly in love with your wife, you can never be mad at her." I said and slapped my hand over my mouth to stop the giggles from escaping. "Now before you all make me burst into laughter, I think I'm going to go."

"Yes! That's perfect! Go mingle! Trust me, when you get your husband, you won't be able to take one step away from them. Mr. Alex here is very clingy," Maggie laughed and I couldn't help but join along. Alex was starting too look annoyed, but when he turned his attention back to Maggie, all of that annoyance just vanished. That was what I wanted. That kind of love. And even though for my whole life I complained about one day having a Selection, and one day falling in love, I still really adored that idea. The idea of true love.

"I'll talk to you guys later!" I said, still laughing. Liberty walked up to me minutes later, "What were you and Aunt Maggie talking about?"

"You forgot that Uncle Alex was there too!" I said and Libby shrugged, "Yeah, but, really, he was just there for the view."

I looked over at my aunt and uncle. Alex was staring at Maggie, who was eating a chocolate covered strawberry. When Libby saw this, she squealed, "We can finish this conversation later Lishy!"

Lishy, was a name that Libby had come up with when she was younger, a baby. She loved how Lishy, sounded like Libby, which was her nickname. It had stuck with her ever since. Even now on my sixteenth birthday while she was running towards the chocolate covered strawberries. They'd be gone by the end of the night, and I wouldn't have even been able to try one. But it's not like I cared, I was still holding the bowl of grapes, that I was now awkwardly putting down on another table.

"Hey French!" Harris yelled, tugging on my dark brown hair. I growled, "Cut it out little cave man."

"Cave man? Wow, that's a new one," Harris laughed and Austen, the shy twin, just smiled and stood next to me. Austen had always been the better twin, and Harris had been more of the crazy and outgoing twin.

"You usually call me Mad man, Loco Roco, Little Brother. Brubor, Ninja, Dumdum, and others that have yet to cross my mind. Oh wait! What about Sirrah? That's my name backwards!" Harris laughed. I put my hand on your hip, "You know, sirrah actually means a man or boy of lower status then the speaker."

Harrison was quiet for a second, then he spoke, "Oh," he was thinking, "technically my name backwards would be Onsirrah."

"That's only if we're talking about Harrison, and we aren't,' I pointed out and he muttered something under his breath, "whatever."

I laughed, rubbing his head and then Austen's. Austen smiled, "Happy birthday English!"

I hugged him tightly, "Ahhh! Thank you Austey!"

"Austey?" Harris asked on the verge of laughter. I glared at him, "Shut up."

Hi guys! Thank you for reading this first short chapter of the sequel to Crystal Skies! You don't really need to read the first book, because it's extremely long. If you want to enter a character into the SYOC then I will tell you that the form is on my profile! Please only send in one person and you are only through PM! Thanks to everyone who submits a person and just so you know, yes, you are submitting males! (Yes.)

Thanks!

Forever And Always,

MABubbles