Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Cassandra Clare. The title and basic idea belongs to Kiera Cass. This story will not necessarily follow the events of The Selection. It will although have snippets of elements from the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Will was sitting in his secret hiding space. In no time, someone would find him. Probably Jem.

Will was the Crown Prince of Idris. Right now, he was hiding because his parents, King Edmund and Queen Linette, had summoned him. When his parents summoned him, something was wrong. Always. When he had broken a priceless crystal vase at the age seven, his parents had summoned him. When he was five, he had smuggled a monkey into the Palace. Before that, well, you could get the idea.

He was now eighteen, but Will still could not help feeling nervous. That was why he was hiding. His best mate, Jem, knew of this place and would probably find him soon. His parabatai knew everything about him.

In Idris, the nobility were called the Shadowhunters. Why they were called it, Will did not know. Something about an angel blessing them and whatnot. Special bonds between two Shadowhunters were called the parabatai. It was an old ritual, and the traditions of the ceremony went back centuries. It was however, not open to mundanes, the ordinary citizens of Idris, and your qualification for a parabatai closed after the age of eighteen.

Some kings did not have a parabatai. Will's father did not. But when Will would take the throne, Jem's family, the Carstairs, would become the parabatai family, the second most powerful family in Idris. If anything happened to the royal family, the parabatai family would rule.

There were a lot of Shadowhunter families in Idris, but some were scattered across the world. You had to be born into a Shadowhunter family to be a Shadowhunter. A mundane could become a Shadowhunter through something called the Ascension, but you had to be capable of certain qualities and complete all sorts of training.

But for all he knew, there was nothing special about the Shadowhunters. They were just…. people. Breathing and bleeding with the rest of the world. There was although a legend that Shadowhunters were once mythical warriors, but it was all a silly story. Parents often told stories about them to their children.

There was a creak. Will jumped, then banged his head on the roof. His "secret hiding space" was a large closet. When Will was younger, he and Jem had often played here. Sometimes Cecily, his younger sister, tagged along.

Will swore under his breath. Jem would really find him now. And he did.

The door swung open and a burst of light came through. Jem and his silvery features peeked in.

His silver hair and eyes were due to an illness. Will promised him one day that when he became King, he would find the cure. Jem just laughed and nudged him affectionately.

But he would. One day, Will would find the cure. And make sure that Jem would never, ever, leave him.

Currently, Jem was angry.

"Come out of that closet right now William!" he snapped.

Will obediently came out.

"What are you, a baby?" Jem asked, irritated.

Will indignantly fired back. "You know Jem how I fear when my parents summon me. Something always bad happens. But not as much as ducks," he added the last part with a shudder.

Jem visibly softened, but still retained a scowl. He then replied, "I actually think you can handle what your parents are going to say to you. They already filled me in." Jem looked sideways at him. "Or not."

Will immediately started ranting. "How could you do that to me James?! Betrayal! Sacrilege! Blasphemy! Heresy! Abuse!" Will gasped theatrically. You duck lover!"

Jem sighed. He gracefully pulled Will to his feet. The he dragged the Prince to the Great Hall, while the Prince was still muttering to himself.

The Great Hall was beautiful. It was lined with white marble columns with a thin transparent gold layer. Embroidered gold, purple, and white curtains covered the vast windows across the room. In between each window, there was a portrait of a past Shadowhunter King. On the other side of the Hall, there were the past Shadowhunter Queens. They all were majestic.

At the end of the Hall, there were two magnificent thrones. Carved out of a material only available to Shadowhunters, the adamas glittered.

The room was devoid of people, except for his parents and sister. That made Will even more nervous.

Will's parents, King Edmund and Queen Linette looked at Will sternly. The King was still handsome, even with some graying hairs. The Queen's beauty was still praised by the people, and her striking violet blue eyes, the ones her children had inherited, were still as vibrant as they were in her youth. They were both dressed in dark red, almost crimson robes with strange little black marks. No one knew what they were, but they were traditional.

Next to them stood Cecily, Will's younger sister. She was fifteen. There had been a older sister, Ella, who was the Crown Princess and would have ruled after the King's death. She had died though, five years ago, under mysterious circumstances still unknown to Will.

It was a tragic time at her death. Will himself was knocked unconscious after the incident and had no memory of what had happened. But he was certain he had played some kind of part in her death. Then he had run away, only to come back because he realized he then would be the heir to the throne.

Cecily looked at him pityingly. As something hellish was about to happen. Jem had looked the same way. Something was really off.

His father cleared his throat.

"Yes Father?" Will asked.

He was just about to speak when the Queen interrupted.

"Goodness William," she said sternly. "Judging by your rumpled clothing and messy hair, you hid in that closet. Will you ever get rid of that habit? I even had to send poor Jem to find you." Will felt like a little boy who had trampled mud over his mother's best silks.

Jem smiled at Queen Linette. "It was a pleasure to be of task Your Majesty."

Will glared at Jem. Jem grinned at Will.

"I cannot simply remember why we are parabatai," Will said.

Jem laughed. "His Most Royal Highness cannot live without me. He would simply die of excess pride and brashness without me having to rein him in."

Everyone started laughing. This went on until Will's father started to talk again.

"Will," he began, casting a secret look at his wife. "We think it is time for you to-"

He was yet again interrupted. This time by Cecily. She ran down the steps that led to the thrones and sped over to Will and Jem. She almost tripped over her skirts.

"Oh Will!" she cried. She looked at him dead in the eye. "Mother and Father have this dreadful idea of parading you across Idris in search for a wife!"

Will looked even more surprised. He swung his arms around in indignation and hit Jem in the eye.

"Owwww…" he yelped.

"Sorry," Will reached up to look, but Jem batted his hand away.

King Edmund, now severely annoyed from being interrupted over and over, stood up.

"As Cecily was saying," he said giving her a dark look. "Your mother and I agree it is time for you to find your wife, your Crown Princess, and your future Queen."

Queen Linette stifled a sob. "My little boy, all grown up," A tear fell out of her eye.

"Mam!"

This came from Will. "Mam" was the informal term he and Cecily called their mother. "Papa" was what they called their father.

Cecily ran back to her mother. "Don't worry Mam. When Will has found his wife and is frolicking with her and ignoring the rest of us, I'll be there for you," she said loyally.

The Queen stopped her tears and caressed Cecily lightly.

Will snorted.

The King sighed. "Back to business. All the eligible women in the kingdom, mundane and Shadowhunter alike, were tested for two weeks. Then thirty-five of them were chosen, and soon they will be sent to the Palace here. From then on, you will eliminate them until one is left. That woman will be your bride."

Will rubbed his head. This was too much to take. "How will the eligible women be tested? What if they all hate me? What if-"

In synchronization, Jem smacked him lightly and Cecily snorted.

"Who would hate Prince Will Herondale? The dashing heir to the throne?" Cecily asked mockingly.

"More like they would throw themselves at you. You would be quite the ladies' man," said Jem.

Will tossed his head back dramatically. "Quite right," he said, his wild curls bouncing around.

King Edmund sighed once more. "The women were chosen based on their basic manner etiquette, whether they have the potential of ruling Idris alongside you, and many other factors."

"So I have no say in this at all?" Will demanded.

The King pursed his lips. "You choose the final woman Will. I trust that she and you would at least love each other."

Cecily snorted again. "They would probably all love Will the moment they lay eyes on him."

Before Will could defend himself, the doors to the Great Hall banged open. In came a small petite woman whom Will recognized as Lady Charlotte Branwell. She was one of his father's most trusted advisors. It was an extraordinary job for a woman in this time period, but there was the fact that she and her husband were Shadowhunters.

There was even talk that Lady Charlotte might become the next Consul, the head of the Royal Council, which was the group of Shadowhunters who King Edmund relied heavily on. The current Consul, Josiah Wayland, was slowly losing the King's favor. Will never really liked him either.

Charlotte made a brief curtsy to the King and Queen before saying, "I trust that His Highness knows everything now Your Majesties?"

Queen Linette smiled at her. She admired Charlotte for being a strong woman and the feeling was mutual. "Will has taken the news…..alright."

The King snorted. Then he asked Charlotte. "Is there anything you need?"

She nodded. "Yes Your Majesty. I have the final papers of thirty five women selected." She handed the papers to the King.

Will looked confused. "Wait, so it was already going on and I did not know?"

"You did not notice? How typical. Girls all over Idris were jumping up and down with excitement. Who knows what goes in that head of yours," said Cecily sarcastically.

The Queen shushed Cecily while the King read the paper out loud.

In the year 1878 of our Lord,

Our glorious King Edmund and Queen Linette Herondale of Idris,

has decreed that their son, Crown Prince William Owen Herondale,

next in line for the throne,

has reached of age of marriage.

For the sake of a new and diverse Princess,

the King and Queen has developed a process,

where thirty-five young women are chosen.

From then on,

Our Prince will eliminate the women,

Until eventually, he shall have chose his wife,

Crown Princess,

And the future Queen of Idris.

This process will be called

The Selection.

The Final List of the Selection

Mary Adriano

Eleanor Aquitaine

Emma Bayliss

Corona Beapatrix

Camille Belcourt

Lady Anastasia Bellefleur

Sybil Bransquene

Caroline Cathers

Sophia Collins

Virginia Darunal

Magdalene Fir

Abigail Floresico

Genevieve Garvora

Evangeline Giovanni

Theresa Gray

Lady Lavinia Highsmith

Marian Hood

Lady Penelope Kingsmill

Lady Victoria Kingsmill

Henrietta Lancaster

Lady Tatiana Lightwood

Cassandra Lorenzi

Lady Jessamine Lovelace

Edith Marovelli

Lady Josephine Montclaire

Lady Gwendolyn Morgenstern

Lady Elise Penhallow

Louisa Prescott

Aurelia Ransome

Lady Wilhelmina Trueblood

Lady Adeline Verlac

Parthenia Vroman

Lady Elizabeth Whitelaw

Arabella Xavier

Dorothea Yanaer

These ladies,

Shadowhunter and mundane alike,

Therefore will take part in,

The Selection.

Will tuned out half way through.

When the King had finished, he asked Charlotte. "These are going to posted all over Idris correct?"

Charlotte nodded.

The Queen asked, "I presume the Shadowhunter ladies have the title Lady?"

Charlotte nodded once more.

Queen Linette was not a Shadowhunter. She was a wealthy regular mundane. But King Edmund fell in love with her, and married her as soon as he became King. Normal Kings or Queens married Shadowhunter spouses.

"Twelve Shadowhunters," murmured Jem.

"The rest are mundane," Cecily chirped.

"I'm not an idiot," Will said darkly.

"Really?" Jem and Cecily said together. They both started laughing.

Will ignored them. He turned to his parents. "When are they coming?"

Charlotte spoke instead. "To be exact, in two weeks."

"What!" Will yelled. "In two weeks? And they are going to stay here!" He pointed to the floor.

The King replied, "Stop your tantrums. You are the Crown Prince. It is your duty."

Will looked furious and was about to fire back when his mother added. "These are fine ladies Will. The Lightwoods, the Bellefleurs, even the Montclaires who are here exclusively from France. All the Shadowhunter ladies are good women. And don't even forget the mundanes. I heard that the Beapatrixes almost made the Ascension."

"Mr. Rudolph Beapatrix," Jem muttered. "He never showed up for the training sessions."

Will looked about to burst. "The Lightwoods? TATIANA LIGHTWOOD?" He put his head in his hands. "By the Angel."

Cecily smirked at him. "Well I think Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood are very handsome," she said slyly.

Now Jem looked like he was going to burst into laughter.

The Queen looked at Cecily. "Do you not have lessons?" she inquired.

"Yes, ma'am," Cecily trilled. She then pranced out of the room before giving Will another smirk.

Will still had his head in his hands. "When did my life get so miserable?" he moaned.

Jem pulled him up. "Let us go have a duel outside. If that is alright with Your Majesties," he added.

The Queen nodded, and the King muttered, "Oh thank the Angel we have Jem." Then he said louder, "Do you have any questions Will?"

Will made a face. Then he asked, "What is the name of this desolate torture?"

Jem exhaled. His father replied, "The Selection."