Prologue
Ever since he was little, Kaden had always thought that he would be a better ruler than his sister.
He never voiced that opinion often, but it was always there in the back of his mind. Not that he didn't love Eadlyn - because he did, unconditionally - or he thought that she would be a particularly bad ruler; quite the opposite, she had all the necessary skills to do a superb job. It was just that, he was smarter and quieter, and he didn't lord his power over other people like she did. He was good at fencing, and knew more languages than she could ever dream of speaking. And he had voluntarily learned everything she had, from tax deductions to settling civil suits, without complaint. There were some days when he knew for a fact that the throne would've been better off in his hands.
They always said be careful what you wish for.
It all happened so fast: the screaming, the yelling, the undeniable dread that settled in his stomach when he knew that something terrible had happened. It wasn't until after he and Osten were safely situated in the panic rooms deep beneath the palace that they were told that there had been a bombing. More specifically, there had been a bombing at the same gala where both his parents and his sister were supposed to be giving speeches.
Kaden remembered seeing clips of the bombing being played on repeat on every news channel in Illéa, the perpetrators of the crime proudly calling themselves "anarchists" while chaos ensued around them. Kaden remembered the way that Osten cried in his arms for hours after hearing the news that their parents wouldn't be coming home. Kaden remembered the long, dark days spent cooped up in that panic room, not allowed to leave until the palace was completely secured. But Kaden didn't remember the words. He couldn't remember being told that his parents, and his sister, and her husband were dead.
He refused to remember what had to be the worst moment in his entire life. It was like he was blocking it all out, pushing the memory away, like it didn't exist.
He just couldn't understand why anyone would do this. He had thought that the public had been soothed when Eadlyn finally took her Selection seriously and chose a husband. He thought that all dissent had scattered when his father had implemented new laws that were stricter forbidding the discrimination against former castes. Obviously he thought wrong.
He hadn't wanted the crown at such high a cost. He never wanted to be orphaned at the ripe young age of 19. He never wanted...
But there he was, seated in his father's office, surrounded by ghosts and shadows of the past. He hadn't had time to move all of his things into the space, so his father's notes and pens and knick knacks were still scattered about, making Kaden feel like a trespasser in his own home. It was hard to believe that only a month ago, he had had a family. It was hard to believe that only a month could change so much.
He had so much to do and so little time to do it in. He had only just finished the funeral arrangements and social engagements that followed. He had only just signed his name to over a thousand condolence letters, thanking every dignitary, secretary, and Prime Minister for their floral arrangements, fruit baskets, monetary donations, etc...The list went on and on and on and Kaden felt numb.
On top of all of that, the anarchists were still at large. Just the thought of those terrorists running free made his blood boil. More than anything, he wanted justice for what was done to his family, and he vowed to stop the threat before they could harm anyone else the way they harmed him.
He wondered, briefly, if this is what his father felt like after being crowned king. They were both coronated under similar circumstances; his grandparents had only just passed when his father was elevated to King of Illéa, and he was faced with rebels not unlike the anarchists that were at Kaden's back now. If only his father were here now to guide him, to tell him how to solve this mess. But he wasn't, and Kaden was alone.
A knock on the door pulled Kaden from his brooding, and he waved at the guard to let whoever it was in. It turned out to be a few of his father's old advisors, as well as Lady Brice, who looked more frazzled than the rest. Kaden knew that she was very close to his mother, and made a mental note to give her some time off in order to grieve.
"Your Majesty," an elder man said as he stepped forward and bowed. Kaden nodded his head, acknowledging the gesture.
"Gentlemen, Lady Brice," Kaden addressed the rest of the small group. No more than five people had entered, and he signaled the guard to shut the doors to give them more privacy to talk. "What can I do for you?"
"We've come to warn Your Majesty that we have received reliable information that an anarchist faction has been located up near Yukon."
Kaden's interest peaked, and he stood up from where he sat. He had hoped for news like this ever since he had come out of hiding. It almost seemed too good to be true.
"So close?"
The man nodded and stepped forward. "It would make sense, given the secluded nature of the province. Most of it is vastly uncharted tundra."
"We would like Your Majesty's opinion on what to do next."
"What is our best option?"
Another man stepped forward then, one that had been hanging behind the rest of the group. Kaden immediately knew why as soon as the man stood to face him, and his features sharpened into those of General Leger. Kaden's throat constricted a bit as he saw how ragged the man looked, his usual strength and charm gone and replaced with a visible weight. He looked old, and his hair had grown whiter since the event. Kaden knew how close he was to his parents; the man was practically his uncle, and the loss of his closest friends had left him hollow and weary.
But that didn't stop General Leger from pushing on and delivering his plan.
"The nearest soldier outpost is a hundred miles outside of the target site. We could send in a small reconnaissance team to infiltrate the base and collect intel before we decide on any course of action."
"Hmm," Kaden sighed. It was a smart plan, but slow. He could only imagine how long it would take a team to collect enough information to get what they needed to take the anarchists down. But, if he played his cards right, the reward for his patience could be great. "Send in the men," Kaden decided. "Tell them their mission is to get in, collect the information, and leave. In the mean time, I need this palace secured and every man we have out on the streets or every province looking for these people chasing down leads. Send a few liaisons, people loyal us, out into the field to discretely ask the people if they've heard or seen anything suspicious. Any hint of anarchist activity and I want it taken down. The last thing we need is to have them slip away again."
"These men will not fail, Your Majesty."
Kaden watched General Leger's eyes harden at the end of his phrase, and they shared a similar look. Both of them wanted nothing more than to take these anarchists down, and would stop at no lengths to do it. Kaden was not letting anything or anyone else touch his family, no matter how small it had become, and he had the feeling the General Leger was going to protect him in every way he could.
"Good. See to it then General Leger."
He saluted the General, and he left without another word, set on his mission. Kaden had no doubt that the man would do his work well, and leave no stone unturned in his pursuit.
Kaden figured that everyone else would follow the General and leave as he did, but they still lingered in his office, fidgeting like they didn't know how to broach the next topic of conversation. Kaden sighed and slumped at bit. He hated it when people walked on egg shells around him. He was the king now. He didn't have the luxury of people sparing his feelings. Whatever they had to say, he'd prefer them just say it.
"Is there anything else you all would like to tell me?" Kaden prompted, causing startled looks to be thrown his way.
"Sire," another one of the older advisors spoke up, pulling at the knot in his tie. "What we have to say next is of a more...delicate matter."
"Delicate how?"
"It deals with matters of the heart."
"Oh, let me handle this," Lady Brice sighed, tired of seeing the men trip over their words as she shushed them. "Your Majesty, as you know, you are the last of the Schreave line, outside of your brothers Prince Osten and Prince Ahren."
Kaden flinched but smiled all the same. "Yes, I painfully am aware Lady Brice."
She faltered a bit as she realized her misstep, but she kept going on. "And with Prince Ahren tied to the French throne and Prince Osten still under age, you must know how crucial it is to the future of the country that you continue that line."
"Where is this going Lady Brice?" Kaden asked, his alarm and skepticism growing with each passing second.
"We propose that, for the good of the nation, you take a bride," Lady Brice stated plainly, but with a motherly kindness that startled Kaden. "We propose a Selection."
Kaden stared at them for a moment in disbelief. There was no way they could be serious. Not so soon after he lost his family. But they were serious, their grim faces lined with intent.
"No," Kaden said, the word automatically falling out of his mouth. "No, there isn't time. The anarchists are still a threat, and they will not stop until they see me dead. I can't just throw thirty five young women into the palace and subject them to that kind of terror."
"The anarchists can be dealt with by General Leger and the National Army for the time being. It will be weeks at least until the intel we need comes back. In the mean time, Your Majesty can be securing Illéa's future by searching for a queen."
"Of course, there are certain things to worry about. You are right, Sire, in the fact that the anarchists are unpredictable. They can strike at any time. Which is why, if this Selection is to happen, it needs to be done quickly and with the highest discretion."
"A Selection cannot be done on a schedule," Kaden chided back, a little ruffled that he was being bullied into a Selection when he wasn't ready both emotionally and mentally. "My sister tried that, and it backfired. She spent twice as long than the three months she planned for. You can't plan love, especially with thirty five contenders."
"What if we limited the girls? Fifteen, twenty? It would be more manageable surely," Lady Brice suggested, and Kaden was shocked that she was continuing to steam roll right over his objections. What he was even more shocked at was his own self. Why was he even still listening to all this?
"This is madness!" Kaden shouted, throwing his hands up and collapsing back down into his chair. "I cannot believe I am entertaining this outrageous idea!"
"You have no choice Your Majesty," Lady Brice insisted, the rest of the council members vigorously nodding along to her words. "As king, you must continue the royal line for the sake of your people, for your country. I know that this is not the most ideal time, or the best of circumstances, but we would not ask this of you if there were any other way."
Kaden slowly let himself unwind and be soothed by Lady Brice's voice. The rational part of his mind knew that she was right. He needed to take a bride. He was Illéa's last hope of prolonging the monarchy and therefore the government as a whole. Besides, he was of Selection age and would probably have still been given one around this time had his parents still been alive to arrange one. The other part of his mind, the part that was still broken down in an emotional mess, knew that this Selection would either make or break him. It would either be just what he needed to cope or the thing that took him down for good, and he was terrified over which one was worse.
Lady Brice must've mistaken Kaden's silence for acceptance, as she walked over to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. He had known her all his life. He respected her, and the way she was looking at him with motherly pride almost made him want to collapse into her arms.
"I've watched you grow into such a strong, intelligent young man over these last few years. You have the ability to do such great things. I know you'll make the right choice."
Kaden swallowed and nodded. Great, now he was being guilted into this as well. But as he looked around the room and finally into Lady Brice's eyes, he could see that, even though he was king, he really had no choice in this. He was going to have a Selection, and that was final.
"We will give you three months with a limited number of girls, and hopefully by the end, you shall have your bride and Illéa will have her queen."
So, I hope that this little prologue piqued your interest! I based this story off of the rather morbid conversation in The Heir where Kaden is at breakfast with Maxon and Eadlyn, and he talks about if they died what he would do as king. Hopefully, the Selection is just one of the many exciting adventures this story has to bring!
Now to what you've all been waiting for: the SYOC rules!
Because this is limited, I am looking for 15 (minimum) - 20 (maximum) individuals to be a part of King Kaden's Selection. That means no Mary Sue's or America/Eadlyn clones. Make your girls interesting, diverse, and original!
I'll only be accepting submissions given to me in PM. Any submissions made in the reviews section will not be included in this story. It's just easier for me to keep track of things in PM, and I'd really like to keep in touch with you guys to let you know what's going on with your girls. Each author can submit up to two girls for now.
Just something to keep in mind: If you enter any girl(s), I would like for you to tell me - either in a review or PM - how I'm doing in writing your character every once in a while. This would be to keep me on track. Again, with 20 girls and this being my first SYOC, I'm going to need all the help I can get, and I would appreciate your support in this! And please don't get mad if your girl gets eliminated. Only one can be queen after all.
The SYOC submission form is posted on my profile page (or will be shortly). It is a bit long, so you can choose to split it up if you run out of room. I won't start writing the actual Selection part of the story until I have the minimum number of girls I need, but there might be another chapter or two before the girls are introduced. All of the Selected will be announced during The Report, per tradition. I look forward to your submissions and a wonderful Selection!
