Hey guys! Yay, new story! Male SYOC is rare here, but I hope you'll play along... ;-) already 3 amazing Characters have been submitted. Thank you so much! all right, let's get down to business... Oh, and I'll introduce the boys when I have enough of them^^ until then, let's get to know Princess Rosaline a bit, shall we? ;-)
Chapter 1
« Rosaline, pull yourself together ! » Father called out from his seat on the Report Stage. « This evening is about you. Show our people you're happy about it. »
I rolled my eyes at him, and leaned on my elbow, looking on the opposite side from where he was.
« Don't you roll your eyes at me, Rosaline. » he threatened me with his index finger.
Kate-Lyn was next to me and she smothered a laugh. I stuck out my tongue at her – very childish, I know – and it made her double over with laughter, this time loud enough for everyone in the studio to hear. I smacked her arm and sent her a death stare. She wasn't the one being forced into marrying a total stranger.
At nineteen, I had to have my Selection, so I could be married by twenty. Stupid royal customs. I wished I could at least wait until I was twenty-five, so I could travel the world a bit – maybe be a diplomat or something – and get to find out about the world other than from my father or via books and teachers. I wanted to see the world as it really was. I thought that as the future queen of Illéa I could at least do that. But no.
I was bound to the Palace. Sometimes I felt like a prisoner in a golden cage.
I straightened in my chair and smoothed the wrinkles from my plum-color 50's tea-length dress with my small white gloves. These were my favorites and I wore them with almost anything I had. It was kind of my signature. There was a heart on the back of my hand and a tiny round button closed them at the bottom of the heart. They were antique and had belonged to my great-great-grandmother, Queen Eadlyn Schreave. I cherished them with all my heart. To me, they were even more precious than my tiaras.
« Two more minutes ! » called out the stage director.
I inhlaed deeply and plastered a smile on my face, ready for anything now. I had to be perfect. My outfit was perfect, my shoes were perfect and my hairstyle was flawless. I checked to see it my tiara was still in place and waited. Five, four, three, two, one.
« Hello, hello, Ladies and Gentlemen ! » Everest Layden was his usual excited and bubbly self. « Tonight is a special night. Our own beloved King Semour Schreave has an extraordinary announcement to make. I must admit I don't even know what it is... So, without further ado, King Semour, please join me. »
Father made his way to the Center Stage and sat next to Everest on a second plushy gray armchair.
« Your Majesty, please tell us what this is all about ! »
I kept my smile on my face, because I had feeling that they would be filming me soon after father would annonce the Selection.
« Well, Everest, if you must know, Princess Rosaline decided to have a Selection of her own in the coming months. » I almost choked on my smile. I decided ? I most certainly did not ! I was forced into this ! I quickly recovered. I heard Kate-Lyn next to me also choke on a laugh. Everest was now looking straight at me. He swallowed. He knew me too well to know I wasn't the one asking for this stupid Selection.
« Princess Rosaline ? Would you come join us ? » His smile was the closest to genuine he could do, since I feared he instantly knew the truth about all this masquarade. I kept my perfect smile and strode proudly to the Center Stage. « Welcome, Princess ! »
« Thank you, Everest. » I mastered the smile, now. I should get a PhD in 'smiles when I'm storming inside'.
« Well, Your Highness ! Who would have thought you would actually want a Selection... »
I snobishly waved his comment away. This was a game I was good at. « There are a lot of things you still don't know about me, Everest, and I have a bag full of delightful tricks. » I chuckled lightly, covering my mouth with my heart gloved hand.
His eyes widened. « Oh, I do not doubt that. Now, tell me. The first Princess ever to have a Selection was your great-great-grandmother, and since then, there were only Princes going on the throne. How do you feel about being the second Princess ever to hold her Selection ? »
I frowned and tilted my head. « Oh, I never realized that I was the second Princess. This changes everything. I think this is going to be a very special time for our country. But can I tell you a secret ? »
He leaned closer, and I imagined everyone in front of his TV doing the same thing. « What ? » he said under his breath.
« With a house full of Princesses, I'm really scared to have boys looming around us for months to come... But then again, a change of scenery is going to be very welcomed. »
Everest supressed a laugh. « I don't doubt it, Your Highness. I have another question for you. Who is eligible for this Selection ? »
« Every young man between the ages of eighteen and twenty-three, and coming from the Castes 2 to 7, will recieve monday morning a form to fill in. They fill it only if they want to. And of course they will be generously compensated for their service to the Crown. Then, in three weeks, I will be drawing one from each Province, Live on the Report, and the Selection will officially start in a month. »
« Wow ! So what will you be doing until then ? »
I looked at father who was still sitting next to us. « Thirty-five rooms must be prepared for their arrival and the Men's Parlor must also be refurbished. »
« But what will you do ? »
« Help for the preparations, of course. What would you want me to do ? »
« I don't know ? Maybe getting new outfits, planning dates, what else ? »
« Everest, you know better than anyone I have everything I need. And want. I won't be getting new things just for the pleasure of having new things. » There, I said it. I let it slip. For a minute, there, I completely forgot about the cameras and the whole country watching. I mentally kicked myself for it. « But I may still be getting one new dress ready for the first Report with the Selected. » Phiew. I saved us.
Everest, who was understanding what I almost did, helped me even more. « You sure will, and I can't wait to see it ! Go make yourself beautiful for those young men ! » Asif that was the only thing I was good at.
I mentally thanked him. He turned to the camera.
« Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, you heard the princess. Get ready for the Selection of the year ! And you, young eligible men, keep a lookout for that Selection form monday morning. I can assure you that the young man Princess Rosaline will choose will be a very lucky man... That's all for tonight, folks ! » The Illéan Anthem played and the cameras were off.
I slumped in my chair and exhaled.
« Wow. »
« Shut up, Kate. »
« No, really Wow. You outdid yourself out there. I thought you would crack up your perfect image for a minute. »
I glared at her. As much as I loved my sister, I hated her in that moment. We were total opposites. I was one year older than her. I was a brunette, she was blond. I had plain brown eyes with a golden rim, she had the most beautiful green eyes. I was short and a slightly bit overweight with nice curves, she was tall and thin, and straight as a wooden board. I had a perfect highheeled gait, she looked like a penguin – I'm only quoting her, here – when she wore heels. I loved vintage clothes, she loved modern. I was a caring person, she was always laughing at you before trying to help you. But we were inseparable. And we had the same humor. We could just look at each other and perfectly understand what the other was silently saying. She was a precious friend and advisor, too.
« Oh, come on, Rose. » She held out her hand and helped me stand. As we were walking to the dining room, mother catched up with us.
« That was a great performance, there, Rosaline. »
I looked at her, thinking I would find mockery on her face. But there wasn't any trace of it. « Really ? »
« Look, I know you don't want to do this. But I'm sure the Illéans were completely excited about it and didn't read between the lines. »
I rolled my eyes – again – and ignored her. I sped up the pace and entered the Dining Room. Father was already there. I sat next to him.
« Well done, Rose. » I ignored him, too.
I slumped on the table and held my head with my hand, playing with my fork with my other hand. I just wanted to go up to my room and take a bath. Stupid Selection. Now I had to oversee renovations in the Palace. The last three Selections hosted girls. The rooms were pink, and I didn't think the boys would feel comfortable with that. I was going to have a lot on my plate these next three weeks. How could I possibly know what a boy would like ? I only had three sisters.
But there is one person I can think about that can help me : Prince Philipp de France. And maybe his brother Frédéric could come too... It would help me get used to having boys around.