The Beginning of the End

by Someone the World Forgot

King Maxon and Queen America never dissolved the Castes. Dozens of miles away, a girl finds out who she is. She is the real deal—right? The lower castes want the castes to be dissolved, and the Southern rebels are getting stronger. Soon, the news of World War Five looms upon them. Will Illéa thrive or fall? Will the castes get their wish? *summary updated* ALL RIGHTS TO KIERA CASS

1. Chapter 1

•Chapter 1•

Charmaine Carrington clicks on the TV just as the Report starts. Sherri, her sister, climbs onto her lap. Her twin brothers, Kurt and Chase, wrestle over who gets to sit on the couch this time. Char discreetly smiles at their antics. Kamber, their mother, tears the boys apart with a tired smile. Seeing an opportunity now that the boys are distracted, Jake steals the couch. "Aha!" he yells, triumphant. "Neither of you get it!"

"Says—" Chase starts to say but Kurt shushes his twin. "The Report's starting!" he hisses. We'll fight over it next time!"

"Good evening, Illéa!" The infamous Report host, Gavril Fadaye, says. "Gavril Fadaye here. It has been one week since the end of our Crown Prince Adrian Schreave's Selection. Just as a recap, his choice is Lady—now Princess—Victoria of Kent, a Four. Do you have anything to say, your Highnesses?"

Prince Adrian smiles, putting an arm around his wife. "Yes, Gavril. I don't regret a single thing, choosing Princess Victoria as my lovely wife. She's a hard worker, a fast learner, sweet, compassionate, beautiful, and smart—who could ask for a better wife? I'm thankful that she was chosen for the Selection. If that never happened, I don't know what I could've done." The audience awe's at this. Charmaine groans.

"Awe so sweet," Char says sarcastically. As if Gavril Fadaye hears Char's comment dozens of miles away, he laughs. "Alright. Thanks, your Highness. Princess Victoria, anything else to say?"

Princess Victoria laughs. "Yes, as a matter of fact. My family is also here in the palace for a while before they move back to a house near the palace—apparently King Maxon started the tradition when he married Queen America. The King and Queen are insisting that I call them Dad and Mom. It's kind of hard to get used to that, because I've been calling them King Maxon and Queen America and your Majesties for so long."

"Speaking of family," Queen America adds, "there are quite a lot of them. Besides her parents, she has two brothers and two sisters. When her brothers team up with my sons, you have to be thankful if we don't come into the palace covered with paint, water, and sticky stuff. The four of them love to cook up stuff, but I think the palace would be a lot more boring without them."

"Is this the point of this whole Report?" Charmaine exclaims. She's pissed. "Have the King and Queen forgotten their promise—what, twenty years ago?"

"Alright, continuing on!" Gavril says. "I will now hand it over to His Majesty, King Maxon."

King Maxon nods a thank-you. "Thank you, Gavril. There will be another draft…"

Kamber is watching the screen intently. "Mom?" Sherri asks. "Queen America is your friend, right?"

"Hmm?" Kamber tears her eyes from the screen. "What did you say, honey?"

"Sher's asking if the Queen's your friend," Jake says.

Kamber smiles sadly. "Yes, she was, before she entered King Maxon's Selection. But, well, she became Queen, I had you kids, and we just drifted apart." Her voice becomes quieter. "But I wish we kept in touch."

"Well, Mummy, since you know the Queen, maybe you can tell her to make the Castes disappear? I mean, she's the Queen! She can change anything!" Sherri says.

"I wish it were that simple," Jake mutters.

"Are you sure Queen America proposed in her Selection to eliminate the castes?" Kurt asks.

"Yes, I'm sure. And also at the beginning of their reign. My family and I cheered when we heard that. We thought maybe this was the beginning of the end. But of course, we were wrong. Twenty years later and it's still here." Kamber sighs.

"That's it!" Charmaine yells, frustrated."I'm going to the palace to tell them to! I'm tired—"

"Char, it's not that simple," Kamber says.

"—of being lied to! They promised us that they would dissolve the Castes twenty years ago! I'm beginning to think they'll never do. Do they even remember what's it like to live in poverty?"

"Char—"

"I don't care if they kick me out! If they kill me, imprison me, cane me—I don't care! Maybe it'll show Illéa how much they care about us!"

Kamber has to admit that her daughter has a point. "Maybe it's time that I tell you the truth." Kamber sighs. "Pull up a chair, Char. This might take a while."