There was a flurry of feet on the steps, startling me. No one in my household ever ran. To my even greater shock, my door opened and there stood my mother, obviously out of breath from running up two flights of stairs.

"It's here." She said, eyes glimmering.

I sucked in a breath. Everything narrowed to the beautiful white envelope in her hand. In a flowing script the outside was address to Miss Maria Bernelli.

It was here. This is what I was meant to do. It was what I was born to do. I was meant to become Princess of Ethrill and here was finally my chance to do so.

I stood up carefully and walked to take the delicate paper from mother's hands. The paper was smooth and fine. I ran my hand over the letters of my name. Now that this moment was here, opening it felt like jumping off of a cliff. All my life I'd prepared for this moment, but now that it was here I froze.

"Well?" Mother demanded when I stood still for far too long.

Shakily I raised my finger to slice open the envelope. Three pages of paper were folded inside, made of a golden cardstock with fine cursive writing. The first was a cover letter from the King and Queen of Ethrill, reviewing the history of the Selection and thanking the people for participating as well as giving other such information.

The second page listed further rules and requirements. I didn't bother reading it. I knew them by heart.

Finally, the third page was what I was waiting for. The Selection Form.

Mother and I stared reverently at the paper for what seemed hours before I finally had the sense of mind to put it on my desk and pick up a pen. Mother hovered over my shoulder as I filled in the paperwork.

"Don't forget to put down that you speak five languages, including latin." Mother said as I filled out the section on languages spoken.

"I know mother."

"And make sure to add that your eyes are hazel, not green."

"I know."

"Under 'qualities' put poise and education."

"I know mother." I rolled my eyes. She was acting like the training she'd given me had gone out the window. I'd filled out dozens of practice selection forms so that my penmanship would be perfect. We'd thought out every answer and worded them for peak perfection.

Some people might think that the Selection was random, but they were painfully unaware. If it was random they wouldn't need our photos and information. They were looking for someone who was worthy of royalty, and I knew I would be that person.

When I finished filling in the application I let out a small breath of relief. It looked beautiful. My flowing script blended well with their cursive font. It looked like a worthy document. Now all we needed was a photograph. We'd had an appointment booked for months.

"Very good, Maria." Mother praised. "Let's go to the car. We'll be early but there's bound to be many people around."

I changed into the dress that we'd prepared and did my hair and makeup the way I had practiced. I had to look my best, and I certainly did. I smirked at myself in the mirror. My bright red hair was curled and lay over one shoulder, revealing a bare shoulder on the other side. My eyes were accentuated with mascaca, eyeliner, and shimmering eyeshadow. My lips were painted a dark shade of red and looked absolutely kissable.

No one looking at this would be able to resist, not even the Prince.

When I finished changing and got Mother's approval we went to the car where our driver was waiting. He gave us a nod and I noticed his eyes lingered on me a second or two longer than usual. I smirked at him and winked which made him flush.

I gave a bright laugh as I climbed into the car. Men were too easy.

Mother put the divider up so we couldn't be heard and soon launched into one of her selection lectures. I'd heard them all my life but that never stopped mother from repeating them.

"If you remember your lessons, youll do fine." Mother was saying. "The prince is the prize, the rest of the royalty is second to him. The other girls will be nothing compared to you. You are to sabatoge and delude them until they are nothing more than specks in the rearview mirror."

"I know mother." I said bordly.

"Do you remember what we talked about?"

I wasn't sure what she was reffering to but I dutifully said, "yes, mother."

Honestly, I thought she was going overboard. I doubted any of the other girls would hold a flame to me. Why would I need to sabatodge them? They were nothing. One look at me and Prince James would be smitten.

Besides, getting away from my mother's oppressing home might even give me the chance to branch out. I'd been raised with the selection as the only goal in mind. I knew I would win it, because there was no other choice. If I didn't win mother would never be happy. She said she'd settle for a duke but I knew she would forever resent me for such a thing. It would be my fault she wasn't the mother of the queen.

So having the chance to escape that for once would be a dream in and of itself. Perhaps I'd even make friends. Surely there would be some girls there who were worthy of being my tag a longs if nothing else.

When we arrived at the studio there was a line around the block for the studio. I smirked. What stupid creatures. If only they'd reserved a spot like we had.

Mother and I walked to the front of the line, bypassing all the rest of the girls. I took careful looks at them as I passed. While a few were pretty, most were throw away canidates. Sixes with smudges of dirt on their faces, fives and fours in out of style dresses, and even a seven or two scattered amongst them. It was a seven who was at the front of the line, and they didn't dare say anything when mother and I pushed past them.

"Ah, Mistress Akari!" The photographer rushed to us when he saw us arrive. He gave a quick bow and then gestured us to the back.

The reason this line was so long was because Gustav was the best photographer in town. I worked with him often in my modeling career. Mother and I always went to him to get my yearly portraits done. Of course we'd use his services for the selection. Only the best!

Come to think of it, I didn't know how some of the sevens through fours were even affording his services. They would definitely be missing meals to get such a well taken photograph – and all for nothing too! I chuckled at the thought. Honestly.

I was placed before the requiest white background and Gustav hurried around switching the lighting and adding different lenses. He adjusted my hair and shifted my body so I was looking slightly over my shoulder at the camera.

"Perfect! And… smile!" I gave a wide grin as Gustav took the first photo. We took several more in different poses and with different expressions. Then Gustav printed them all out for us. We'd choose the best to mail in with the form.

My favorite was one where I had just the hint of a smile. I looked mischievous and sultry. My eyes alone said 'come here'. It was enough to draw you in for sure.

After the photography came the notary station where we'd confirm that all the information was correct and then send our form off for consultation. Even though mother and I didn't have a reservation we pushed through the front of the line anyway. There was some grumbling, but no one questioned us. If you looked like you were meant to be there, people would think you belonged there.

Mother had taught me plenty of things like this. And I was prepared to use all of them to take down my competition.