Little boy, you're a man; Little man, you're a king

...

Prince Tiernan

I blinked, the gears shifting in my brain as my father explained what he was asking of me, "You want me to what?"

King Alasdair Morgenstern sighed, but maintained his ever noble stance, "I'm asking you to hold the first Selection since the Illéan Revolution! If your current fiancé actually wishes to marry you, then she can sign up for it like all the other girls would be."

Huffing, I raked one hand through my hair and grasped the silver coin tied around my neck with the other – the one thing keeping me from getting inside my father's head to see his true motives, but also the only thing keeping his own personal telepath from getting inside mine. I clenched my jaw, and started pacing, but the king remained still, watching me with his intent brown eyes. My fists curled, and I froze, pointing an accusatory finger in Alasdair's direction, "What makes you think anyone will sign up for the Selection, huh? I've never given anyone any reason to want to be my queen, and you know better than anyone that Elektra Arendse will never sign up to marry me if she doesn't have to. The woman hates my guts."

Tilting his head to the side, my father hummed, "And who's fault is that?"

My shoulders rolling back, I tried again, "Why not have Aedan do it? Everyone loves him."

"Because he won't be king someday, and we need a big enough distraction so I can rectify my mistake," he explained, waving his hand as though it should be the most obvious thing in the world.

I chuckled heartlessly, "So I'm a prize, that's great. You know, no one is going to let me just quit the Selection, I actually have to go through with it."

He nodded, "I'm well aware. That's why we'll have preparations set to make sure that any regular humans that makes it in, won't make it that far."

My arm dropped to my side and I squat back into my father's office chair, "Once a Morgenstern, always a Morgenstern, right? Fine," I grumbled, leaning in, "I'm in, but know this, father, while my loyalty for this family seems to be never ending, you have a habit of taking advantage of it," Hauling myself to my feet, I strode to the door. My hand twisted the knob, but I peered over my shoulder once more, "I'm growing weary of it."

The door swung shut behind me and I put as much distance between the king's office and myself as I could, running into Gemma, along the way. I tried to maneuver around her without drawing attention to myself, but my 5'1 little sister stopped me, "Tier!" She called out, and I mentally cursed. Gem bunched up her skirt and ran over to me, the black color of her dress drawing more attention to the blue in her short hair. Her eyes skated over my own black button up and black slacks and she laughed, "Well, don't we look ready for a funeral."

My lips quirked into a smirk and I rolled up my sleeves, "Father must've been really convinced I'd say yes to the Selection if he already got you all dressed up."

Gemma rolled her eyes, "Please, we all knew you would say yes. You're predicable like that, and if you think I got all dressed up, you should see what Davina has on."

I passed a hand over my face, knowing that Gemma's younger twin and my second little sister, Davina, would love the idea of dressing up, while her elder twin tried to contain her excitement at the thought of thirty-five young women coming to the castle, "You pass this information on to Aedan, too, but since I'm being forced to go through with this, I don't want you corrupting their minds or trying to win them over for yourselves. You know I support you, Gem, always, but I'm already not exactly the number one bachelor in Illéa."

She shrugged and bounced off, probably to Davina's room, and I adjusted my course to the music room; however, when I arrived, light, but basic music hung in the air and I cracked the door open. The littlest Morgenstern, Astraea, perched on the bench in front of the piano, awkwardly pressing the keys with the same finger, I smiled, and stepped in. The echo my dress shoes made drew Astra's attention, and her face lit up when she saw me, "Tiery!" the seven-year-old giggled, sprinting and launching herself into my open arms. Chuckling, I hoisted her up so she would rest on my hip and glanced at her bare hands.

"You know," I chided, "Mother and father wouldn't be very happy if they found out you weren't wearing your gloves."

She pouted, sticking out her bottom lip, "But mommy told me to practice my music and it's so much harder to do that with them on."

I sighed, "But what if I was Aedan? Or Gemma? Or virtually anyone else in the world?"

Astra shrugged, "I wouldn't have hugged you then."

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I readjusted her in my arms and walked towards the piano, "You're getting to big for this, you know that right?"

She huffed, "Am not!"

I shook my head in amusement and placed her down on the bench then sat down beside her. I grabbed her little white gloves and handed them over to her, "Wouldn't want to make anyone live out their worst nightmares, would you?"

My little sister frowned, but slipped them on, before asking, "Can you play something for me?"

I relented, knowing that she was fully aware it was the very reason I came to this room in the first place. My fingers adjusted on the keys and started playing her favorite song – one she'd made me memorize once she heard it – Once Upon a Dream from Sleeping Beauty. Astra cheered when she recognized the tune and began to try to sing along. Looking to me once it was the prince's turn. I froze, the song pausing, and shot her a look that she reciprocated. We stared at each other before I grumbled and pushed my sleeves up and started up again, "…The way you did once upon a dream...I know you I walked with you once upon a dream, I know you the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam," I dropped out, knowing full well that Astra would start laughing at my lack of vocal talent if I continued into a part that wasn't one she designated specifically for me.

But as the song drew to a close, the young girl pleaded for another, and another after that, until my fingers ached and a maid entered to inform us that we'd missed dinner in our hours spent and the Report was set to air in half an hour.

I pulled out my phone from my back pocket, and sure enough, I had missed calls and texts from my parents, asking me what was taking us so long, then them finally giving up and saying we could have dinner delivered to us after the Report. My little sister reached up and grabbed my unoccupied hand, squeezing it slightly, and we both made our way down to the public extension of our home where the theater for the Report, and local high-end musicals and plays, were preformed, and filmed in our case.

When we arrived backstage, Davina was in the corner touching up her makeup as her boyfriend, Ryder Keith, encouraged her, telling her just how gorgeous she looked in her off the shoulder gown with a gold bodice and a wine colored skirt that flared out mid-thigh. Gemma sat slumped in the chair, her phone in her hands, while Aedan talked to our parents about what to expect in his long, khaki pants, navy button up, and light blue tie that our mother often remarked that it "matched his eyes". My father dressed sharp, as always, in his black suit, satin gloves, and a perfect golden tie to match our mother's gold and black dress. Upon seeing our mother, Astra darted away from me and rushed to her, her white gown nearly causing her to trip. My heart sinking in her sudden absence, I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, trying to style it better but only achieving a messier look.

Finally noticing my presence, Aedan grinned and motioned for me to join them, "Tiernan," he greeted, clapping me on the shoulder, "The man of the hour, thanks for finally joining us."

I rolled my eyes, "You sound like Idris," Unlike me, the rest of my family were all technically susceptible to mind games, and while my parents had practiced enough to protect their thoughts, my siblings had not – leaving them vulnerable to our Report Host's enhanced charisma.

Aedan shrugged, taking it as a compliment rather than what I considered to be an insult, but our parents rushed us to our seats before either one of us could say another word. My mother made a point to instruct me to actually smile before handing the reigns over to Idris Merrill. Listening intently to the headset connected to our videographers outside, our director counted down from five before the curtains parted and the crowd gathered to watch live began to cheer.

My family waved, just as we did each night, and Idris moved to center stage, "Welcome Illéa! Tonight, we're doing something different. Tonight our very own Prince Tiernan Morgenstern has a special announcement to make, so without further delay, let's welcome him up!"

For once, the crowd cheered for me like they usually did for my father, even though they had no clue as to what this night had in store, and in all honesty, I didn't really either. I gulped, and plastered on a smile before making my way to our podium set up. Clearing my throat, I started, "One hundred and fifty years ago, my family stepped up as monarchs, but in doing so, we changed traditions. We rid ourselves of the very way that allowed our country to stay united for our own personal uses, but tonight, I'm here to tell you that in light of the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Morgenstern monarchs, we've decided to bring the Selection back. One girl from each province will be selected to compete to become the next Queen of Illéa, my wife. Every girl between the ages of eighteen to twenty-one will be eligible; however, this is not mandatory, but those selected will be compensated for the time they spend away from their families. Forms will be sent out tomorrow, and I await the arrival of those who choose to enter."

The people present glance around at each other, unsure what to make of the situation. For six generations a Selection had never even been considered, but now, here I was, trying to integrate it back into society. Slowly, applause started to grow, starting off as soft, hesitant taps, but then growing. I ran my tongue across my lips and hurried back to my seat, feeling as though the night wouldn't end quite fast enough.

Hey Lovelies! I've been wanting to do something supernatural for a while now and since I've ended OTI, I decided I would make this story Supernatural. The SYOC Form will be on my profile, as will the basic personalities of the royals and some extra information on Tiernan, and then the rules will be down below! So without further ado, let's begin.

Full Summary:

One hundred and fifty years ago, the last of the Schreave descendants died out in the Illéan Revolution, spurred on by the old monarchs beginning to grow more power hungry after the demise of Kerttu Schreave de Koskinen. Elected by the people, the Morgenstern's have ruled Illéa for the past six generations, but the country wasn't the only one to evolve.

Though, unknown to the public, the first Morgenstern Monarch, King Atticus, already had this advanced gene, bestowing humans with unfathomable abilities, and he passed it down to his successors by rejecting the tradition of the Selection for his first born son, and arranging a marriage with a woman whom he was positive had the same gene. And so it went on for a century and a half for the first born men, until the current King, Alasdair Morgenstern. Under his rule, Illéa has become a strict place – fit for survivors and survivors only. He restored order like those before him had failed to, but with that order, came a price. His family was composed of children, each with a certain unique ability, who constantly try to appease him. But when Alasdair makes one fatal mistake, the family decides that their son, the crown Prince Tiernan Morgenstern, would renew the Selection and hold one for himself as the monarchs attempted to right their wrongs.

Prince Tiernan's world was turned upside down, but being loyal to his family, and his family alone, he not only is forced to end his current engagement and serve as a distraction at age twenty-one, but everyone truly expects him to find a wife – and to do so without complaint. Yet as Alasdair continues to fail to rectify the situation he's put his country in, people start to catch on. The secret begins to spread, and it could tear the whole country apart, starting with the Morgenstern's themselves.

Hey guys! Welcome to my newest Selection fanfic, hopefully this chapter gives y'all enough information if you choose to submit a character…but so…the form is on my profile and here are the rules –

Be diverse in facial appearance and personality, I can't have all the same girls

Please no Mary Sues, America, or Eadlyn copies

Please don't give me characters you've already submitted to other stories

Be reasonable about what abilities you give your girls, and I could actually use some regular people, just because Alasdair says they wont make it that far doesn't mean Tiernan won't keep them

Please no princesses in disguise, and I wont be accepting any Ones.

You are allowed a max of 2 girls and they are allowed to know each other.

Detail! I cannot express enough how important detail is. I want to know your character so I can write them correctly!

I'll only be accepting through PM, I need to be able to talk to you about your character, and when you do submit, please title it "First Name, Last Name, Age, Caste, Occupation, Province: Spiders in a Jar"

This is not first come first serve, if the character doesn't work with my story or is a flat character I have the right to turn them away.

I love unusual names (or even basic names spelled in cool ways ex. Aedan) so please give me those! It's always more fun to write when they're names are really cool.

Lastly, I want this to be as interactive as possible. If you have a pinterest, I'd love it if you made a board for your character! I have one (it's MTJAStory) and I have the faceclaims, extra inspirational stuff, the abilities, social medias, the castle, and clothes all on there.

After I get all the girls, I'll divide them up into 10 main and 10 supporting, and the more constant you are reading the story, the more motivated I am to write your character!

Finally, a HUGE thanks to alexiaroosenhaann and wolfofstark for helping me get this story going, y'all are the greatest!

Happy creating (should you so choose)!

Bye Lovelies!

~Hailey