Credit to Pegicorn. Great name, BTW. :) The other girls mentioned are already credited in a previous chapter or made by guests. Please review or PM for any questions!

I am in my room getting ready for my send-off. I put on a white shirt and black pants, the same thing the other Selected have to wear. I braid my long hair down my back and stick my province flower above my ear—a red camellia. I wear my dark red flats and head downstairs with my red backpack full of extra clothes.

When I get downstairs, my parents hug me tight. They tell me that no matter what, I shouldn't let anybody change me. I nod; of course I wouldn't change.

The send-off is uneventful until I sing the national anthem with the University of Midston Symphony Orchestra behind me. The crowd applauds and my aide leads me to the car. I head to the airport and leave my old life behind me.

After the six hour flight, I, along with four other girls, get to the airport. The crowd around us start to cheer and I wave. I sign some autographs and go to the end of the line. We get into a car that will lead us to the palace. I only have one word to describe it: magnificent.

The high stucco walls seem to sparkle in the sunlight. The driveway circles a driveway and leads us to the front gates. There are guards on either side of the door. They hold it open for us and gasp when I step in. The marble floor is magnificent; it's so shiny I can see the reflection of the chandelier above. We are all then quickly ushered to a room lined with tables with mirrors.

A woman named Silvia calls over a maid to lead me to station seven. When I sit down, a tall man with a high voice comes over to me. "Hon," he starts, "we have to talk about you look."

I look at him warily. "What do you mean? Are you calling me ugly?"

He laughs and for a second I think it is one of the Selected. "No, hon, I meant what we should change about you!"

"So you are calling me ugly?" I say slowly.

"No, I'm saying we can make you look even more fabu!" I have no idea what "fabu" means but I'll just go with it.

He calls over several women and they get to work. They wax my legs until I feel bare. They trim and buff my fingernails. They miraculously get rid of the calluses on my feet and apply dark red nail polish. They put the same thing on my fingernails and then they rub all sort of lotions on me. I feel like a cupcake. A lady starts trimming my split ends and adds layers to it. Another puts black eye shadow and bright red lipstick on me. I am not used to this much makeup on my face. I don't know how it will turn out but I trust these people to know what they're doing.

I look at myself in the mirror. I barely recognize the girl staring back. The person in the mirror looks sexy and innocent at the same time. The way they applied rouge on me make my cheekbones look higher and more prominent. I could get used to this.

A maid leads me to a rack with my name on it. There are a week's worth of dresses on it and I am so excited. I am put into a short dress the color of burnt sienna. There are jewels scattered on the bodice, and the maid pins my name tag on it. She tells me to wear the shiny bronze heels and I do as I'm told. They make me taller than I am, making me three inches short of six feet. I look at myself in the mirror and I look absolutely beautiful.

I am interviewed about my makeover and I gush about how fun it was and how it rarely happens. When I'm done, I head over to a couch. Sitting there is a girl with dirty blond hair and deep blue eyes. I recognize her as Annabel Paisley, one of the few Fives here. She sees me coming and I wave.

"Hi, I'm Tess from Midston. And you are?" I ask even though I know who she is.

"I'm Anna from Hansport. I'm a Five." I already know this not from memory but from her appearance. Anna is wearing a cream colored dress with cap-sleeves. Her hair is in a simple high ponytail and her nail polish is taupe-colored. I guess she's going for the simplicity angle; the Queen America strategy, I guess.

"I'm a Three," I reply. A look passes her face for a millisecond. It disappears as quickly as it came.

"Oh," she says quietly. What? Does a thing as simple as my caste intimidate her? Well, I wonder how she'd survive the whole competition.

Fortunately, the last girls trickle in and Silvia gives us a tour of the palace. When we hit the second floor, girls are dropped off to their rooms. My room is in a secluded corner with Ashley Zoney, Kathleen Scott, and Delphinum Benstone. When I enter my room three ladies curtsy. The thin brunette introduces herself as Emma. The petite blonde is Christina. The oldest, probably in her thirties, is named Margaret. They get me ready for dinner with the royal family, and they tell me that I am going to meet the prince tomorrow morning.

I am put in a dark pink sleeveless ball gown with a sweetheart neckline. I wear silver stilettos and diamond earrings. I head downstairs to the Women's Room. When all of us are present, we watch our send-offs. My voice sounds beautiful onscreen. Girls glare at me when the commentators say how spectacular I am. I politely smile back at them and keep watching. These girls aren't going to scare me.

We head to dinner and nobody talks to me. I don't care; I don't feel like socializing anyway. I look at the head table. All of the royal family is present except for Prince Michael. The suspense and anticipation might kill me before I meet him. I catch the eye of Prince Matthew and he winks at me. I look away; I don't think is acceptable. Shouldn't the prince of all people know that?

I continue to eat my dinner in silence and smile when I see dessert. I look up and want to make sure I am not the only one enjoying the chocolate cake. The others are smiling too. The king looks particularly happy when he bites into a piece. It's an odd sight to see a fit, muscular man eating cake. Prince Xander eats with equal delight. The princesses have equal expressions on their face. Duh, they're twins.

When I finish my dessert, I excuse myself to go upstairs. I take a warm bath and look like myself again. I wear a thin nightgown my maids put on me and get in bed. Christina and Emma exit the room, leaving me alone with Margaret. Usually at home, I don't fall asleep right away. Can you imagine my distress when I'm in the palace?! I ask Margaret to get me a glass of water and when she leaves the room, I tiptoe down the hallway.

I hide behind a marble pillar when I see Margaret with a glass. I snicker when she goes upstairs and back into something. "Oh!" I say surprised. Prince Matthew stands behind me with an amused look on his face.

"I haven't seen you here before," he says with a low voice.

I roll my eyes. "Well, obviously. I wasn't born here."

"No, I didn't see you at dinner," he explains.

"Yes, you did! You even winked at me!" The scene plays in my head like a movie.

"That was you?" Matthew asks incredulously. "No, you are not that girl. You look much prettier than she did."

I blush and remembering my manners, I curtsy. "I'm Teresa, but you can call me Tess, your highness."

Prince Matthew smiles. "I'm Prince Matthew, the brother of the man you are competing for. But you can call me Matthew or the title Handsome Rock God."

I laugh and then I hear a distressed scream. I sigh. "That must be my maid. I have to go." Matthew puts my hand to his lips.

"Good night, my dear."

"Ha! I am not your dear. No one should know of this encounter. This could be high treason for me." I warn.

"Agreed. Who are you again?"

Trying to be funny, are we? I smirk and run back to my room. Margaret grabs my arm and shoves me in bed. I sleep, breathless and happy.

Anyone notice Tess's attitude change after her parents told her not to let the Selection change her? Food for thought.