All Rights to Kiera Cass
Chapter Four- The Palace
When we landed in Angeles, I was awestruck. There was so many things going on, I couldn't focus on just one.
People in the middle of the street yelling at cars, couples on sidewalks taking a lunch date, and so many people vying to see us.
As soon as we got off the plane, hundreds of people were waiting at the airport.
And most of them had signs. But the people holding those signs were very dingy. Dirty clothes, messy hair, Sevens and Eights at my guess.
"Alaina!" One of them called. I looked in the general direction and saw a five-person sign that said;
Sevens rule! Alaina's the best!
So I was right. Sevens and Eights proud of such a low caste making the cut.
I look at the other side and see mostly Twos and Threes with signs for Vivian and Simone.
No one has any signs for Diana. I wonder why, I mean, she seems nice enough, she barely talks but that doesn't mean that she's a bad person. I'll have to ask her.
We walk out of the airport and off to the limousine. I wanted to talk to the people, but the guards wouldn't let me.
As we're driving, I can see more people on the sides of the street, but we're not allowed to talk to them either.
After about 15 minutes, we get to the palace. It has yellow stucco walls, and wok lining. The oak is painted blue.
Giant blue, oak French doors are standing, closed, waiting for us to arrive. As soon as we pull up, someone opens them from the inside, like magic, almost.
Diana, Vivian, Simone, and I get out out of the car and start off to the doors. When we walk in a lady greets us.
"Ladies!" She calls. "You're the first ones here! My name is Marlee and I'll be your guide for your time here!"
I try to look in the other direction before catching her eye, she used to be the head maid, and since she was the head made, I worked under her. Hopefully she didn't notice me. But when I looked back, she was staring at me. And so were the other girls.
"Anyways..." Mrs. Marlee says after a few minutes. "I'll show you to the makeover room!"
We walked down the hallway. Vivian was wearing heels, but she was the only one so her footsteps echoed ours out.
We walk towards the Great Hall and a bunch of lights. When we entered, I'm flurried away to a station where three girls are waiting.
"Alai-" Daisy starts. We used to work together. Maya, another co-worker, puts her hand over Daisy's mouth.
The third girl I don't recognize.
"You don't recognize me," I say in a whisper, noting that the other girls are starting to stare. "You've never seen me before."
The two girls nod their head and the third just tries to keep up.
"I'll tell you later," Maya says. The third girl nods. To make it look like we've just been introducing ourselves, they usher me to the chair and talk as they work.
It's just a makeover for my time here.
"The Prince will be meeting all of the Selected by tomorrow night. So you have to look your best from now until then," Daisy tells me.
They don't cut my hair, just make it shiny. Then they buff my fingers and nails and paint them. Since Daisy and Maya know what most of my wardrobe will look like, I don't complain when they paint my nails an actual color.
I get rubbed down with a lotion and then Maya comes back with a dress bag. I close my eyes. I don't want to see it until I look in the mirror.
A silky gown gets slipped over my head and very minimal make-up gets put on. All neutral colors. Then I look in the mirror.
I'm wearing a teal evening gown. My nails are the same color. The dress barely swoops to just below my neck bone. The sleeves come to below my elbows and the hem just grazes the top of my feet. I'm wearing white kitten heels.
My hair is in a braided crown and then wrapped around into the back, which is in a half up half down bun, and the down hair is set In its normal waves.
I look stunning. And then I'm ushered away, and set in front of down cameras.
Alaina's dress
.