"So uh, we just walk in, curtsy, and then we can go and drink?"

Rose rolled her eyes at me so hard I wondered if she'd sprained them. I'd been watching her practice her curtsy for nearly half an hour, ever since the stylists had released her.

Luna, who caught on before I did that Rose wouldn't bother to answer, leaned towards me and took my hand in a very kind gesture.

"You walk, very carefully, to the end of the golden carpet. When your reach the end, you curtsy first to the Queen, and then the King. Make sure you point your face to the floor in a show of submission. Keeping eye contact with them may be taken as an insult."

"Oh really?" I tucked the information away.

"You have to walk to the right, remember that, okay? You'll walk to the right and gather with the rest of us, and then we'll be greeted by the King, and he'll order the celebration started."

"Positions!" Nala called. She was our new babysitter, apparently. A tall, thin woman that wore a scarf to cover her hair, neck and chest. Her dark eyes were sharp and her face held a wealth of intelligence.

I took a place behind Luna and in front of Lauren, knowing that with Luna's sweetness and Lauren's beauty, my mess of a curtsy would be particularly horrendous.

Nala's mouth grew thin when I passed her, and it looked like she wanted to say something, but she clamped her mouth shut as we filed from the room we'd had our make-overs in.

Not that I'd had anything done. I hadn't allowed them to touch my hair, hadn't allowed them to make permanent changes. They'd merely removed most of the hair from my body – where I came from, women couldn't afford razors, we were as hairy as men – and they'd dyed my eyebrows dark brown and my eyelashes black.

They'd wanted to alter more, but after threatening physical violence, they'd backed off, hissing and spitting.

They had won with the outfit though; they'd shoved me into a long purple dress that flowed around my legs and clung to my ribs and chest. The neckline plunged, and the arms only covered my shoulders, and were a little puffy. I didn't like it, and knew it looked horrid next to my pale skin, clashing awfully with my orange hair, which was unbound and had been tamed just a little into bigger, neater curls. I didn't know much about fashion, but even I knew I looked awful.

We were marched at a fast pace through the palace, and though I didn't look around – too focused on not wobbling in the tiny heels the stylists had forced my feet into – from the ooohing and aahhing of the other Selection girls, it must have been pretty spectacular.

Nala stopped in front of large double doors which looked to be made of white marble.

"Remember," the woman called, "Smile wide with your heads high; this will be the first impression you deliver to your possible future in-laws."

A few giggled, but most threw beaming grins onto their faces, taking the advice completely seriously. Skies above.

"How come the children aren't sat on thrones?" I hissed.

"This is a formal event," Lauren answered from behind as we approached the open doors. "The King and Queen sit alone; because that's how they rule."

We filed into the room, and I was almost blinded by the light of it. We turned from the balcony onto which we'd emerged, and then descended the grand staircase. I took the time to inspect the room.

It was made entirely of whites, golds and creams, a massive room that looked to be more or less circular, the back wall almost entirely made of windows. A massive chandelier hanging from the domed ceiling threw everything into harsh, yellow light. A sea of faces stared up at us, judging our every move, picking the winner even now.

I hit the floor and almost stumbled in the flowing dress and high shoes. They were barely only two inches off the floor, but I'd never in my life worn heels. Regardless, I straightened, jerked up my chin and flattened my shoulders back. Let them stare at the awful dress and stupid hair and scoff. The quicker they scorned me the quicker I'd leave.

Luna was a meter in front, Lauren a meter behind, and we advanced at a steady pace down a golden carpet towards a little raised platform at the back of the room, where there perched two thrones, one higher than the other. In the highest sat the King, in the lower sat the Queen.

She wore a dress of blue, he a suit of deep silver. The crowns on their heads were golden, inlaid with jewels of all colours. Hers was more elegant, more feminine.

Luna curtsied, and it was perfect. The King and Queen both smiled at her, impressed. Then it was my turn.

Mercifully, I didn't stumble. As I took my place, I looked each dead in the face, no smile, no respect, I couldn't muster even a hint of regret at the insult I was currently delivering.

Could I be arrested for this? If I didn't curtsy, I would be. So I dropped into one for the Queen, not low enough, not held long enough to convey any ounce of respect. I did not dip my head, nor did I avert my eyes. Her mouth tightened at the insult, her blue eyes widening with shock, but she had no other reaction.

I rose, shifted to face the King, and gave him the same pitiful curtsy. But fury made my hands shake, and it rushed up my arms to force my teeth together, to narrow my eyes and curl my lip in hatred.

Rising, I turned on my heel and marched, straight backed and stiff, to stand next to Luna at the edge of the crowd. She was staring in panic, and when Lauren stepped from the carpet, her smile dropped immediately.

There were only three other girls after Lauren, and I barely saw their curtsies, too busy glancing around for the table that would give me alcohol. Only the commanding voice of the King brought me back to attention.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" The King announced to the whole, packed room. "To our new, beautiful guests!" there was applause, swiftly stopped. "This day is special for all of us; it marks the start of a new chapter of our country, a new chapter for my family, and for you young women, most of all." He raised a glass, which I hadn't noticed in his hand, towards us. "One of you, at the end of this competition, will not only become a wife, but a Princess and one day, a Queen. The time ahead of you may seem daunting, and the majority of you will probably doubt that you could face this future. However, I have faith in my son, and I have faith in the Daughters of Illéa. I look forward to meeting my future daughter, and wish every single woman here the best luck in the world."

There was louder and longer applause from the crowd this time, and people were smiling and nodding in approval of the King. The majority of the girls around me were giddy with excitement, all imagining they were the daughter the King spoke of.

"Without further ado!" the King called, waved a hand, and the orchestra in the corner started up in earnest.

"I need a drink." I announced.

"Why don't you like them, Eris?" Luna murmured as we took seats at a round table set aside specifically for Selection women. There were only a handful of others at this one, but the one opposite was much fuller, and much louder.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I chucked back some of the amber liquid I'd snatched from a passing butler.

"Oh, come on." Lauren rolled her dark eyes and straightened the folds of the deep green dress the stylists had said best suited her. That dress was a far cry better than mine.

"What?"

"That was a fuck you if ever I did see one." Lauren face was completely unyielding as she faced me. Luna blushed at the curse words.

They were both staring expectantly. Should I say something? There was no telling if this tentative friendship between the three of us would last. Lauren had certainly been getting a lot of attention from almost everyone; Already, she seemed to be a favourite. I didn't know where her loyalties might lie in few days, even a few hours.

"I just... I don't belong here." I told them, a half truth.

"It's because you're a Seven?" Luna frowned delicately. "Do you blame them... For your situation?"

I blinked. Smart girl, I supposed, to have seen through my anger so easily.

"In part." I admitted, "But I'm not entirely sure I want to be here."

They exchanged a glance, and in that moment I saw their shared confusion at my uncertainty. For them, this was the fulfillment of every wish they'd ever made.

"Well, I mean..." Lauren glanced around, at our half empty table. This space was reserved for the Selection women, but not many girls had chosen to sit at this table. The one just across from us was much fuller, and much louder. "If I was hoping to leave the palace..." She mused aloud.

"I certainly wouldn't disrespect the King and Queen." Luna interjected, trying her best to look as aloof as Lauren was posing.

"Quite right." Lauren praised her, "If it was me, plotting to leave, well... I'd probably go after the Prince."

"That would be smart." I nodded thoughtfully. Gave them a half smile of thanks.

"It's a dangerous place, this palace." Lauren warned, the quiet amusement gone. "Everyone knows it. Play your game carefully, Eris."

Impressed with her bravery, I decided right there that we'd be friends.

The air eventually grew too stiff and hot for me to stand being inside much longer.

Only one exit tonight; The doors leading into the rest of the palace were blocked by Gruks, but there was a steady stream of finely dressed people flowing out the huge, double back doors, thrown wide to let in fresh air.

I walked alone. Luna and Lauren had both been asked to dance, and I'd took the opportunity to sneak away. Some men, all of them soldiers, had ignored my warning glares and been brave enough to ask me for a dance, but I'd refused them all.

Not because I was too good to dance, or because I was trying to be awful. Some of them had even be attractive enough to tempt me, but... I couldn't dance.

So I strolled away from the lantern lit paths heading into the gardens, beautiful even at night time, and headed instead over flat grass into the deepest shadows, seeking solitude.

I settled on a low marble bench, facing the palace. From my distance, I could almost see all of it, laid out before me. The sheer size of it made my head spin, too big even to fit into the full field of my vision, probably bigger even than my Fames.

A noise had me on my feet in an instant, and whirling to the tall line of bushes behind me. Only a small moon tonight, so the darkness was absolute. A little shuffle of movement, the rustle of clothes, had me bracing for the worst-

"Ouch!"

A very tiny figure dropped right out of the wall of shadow, landing with a thud on the grass, flat on her belly. Blinking, I moved automatically to help her stand.

"Good thing your dress is so puffy, else that might have really hurt." I said, as I scooped her right off the grass, surprised at the weight of her, and placed her gently back on her feet.

Looking up at me, she seemed to realise all at once the situation she was in, and gave a terrified, high-pitch squeak. She tried to dart around me, the huge skirts of her dress swinging wildly.

"Hey, hey." I caught her by the shoulders and planted her in place, then dipped down onto my knees so I could look into her eyes. "It's okay, meine Süße. You're safe with me, all right?"

"I'm going to be in trouble." She panted, "I'm going to be in so much trouble."

"Don't worry about that for now."

I couldn't very well let her tear off back to the Ball, coated in twigs, grass and leaves, with wild eyes and a sweaty face. She might get in more trouble for being a mess than she would for going missing. No room for dirt in the palace.

"Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?"

She looked down at herself, and panicked all over again at the dirt on her dress. Steering her back to the bench, I sat her down gently.

"Just breathe." I instructed, as I started a clean-sweep of her outfit. "Why were you out here, anyhow?"

"I thought..." She sniffed and rubbed her nose. "I thought you'd be nice. All the other girls I tried to speak to weren't very... Nice. And you let those children put flowers in your hair... So..." She trailed off, shrugging helplessly.

"Well, I am nice." I assured her, smiling. Her eyes brightened a bit. "And you're clean." I stood, proud of my work. There were still a few smudges of faint mud, but there wasn't much I could do about those. "Let me fix your hair."

I sat on the bench beside her and set to work again.

"Can... Can we be friends?"

"Sure." I promised easily, "I'm always in need of new friends. Especially pretty ones." I tweaked her nose, and she let loose a tentative giggle, swatting me away.

"Amber!" The sharp tone made the girl beneath my hands jolt round suddenly.

Amber... I knew that name, and I knew too that light auburn hair, halfway between blonde and red, as she gave a sharp, frightened intake of breath.

Amber Schreave... Skies above, the Princess of Illéa had just guilt tripped me into agreeing to be her friend.

And that voice... My stomach flipped with anticipation as the Prince of Illéa made his way over the grass towards us.


Amber stopped short, clearly distressed to find a disapproving scowl on her brother's face. His stomp was heavy as he made his way over the grass, not at all amused to see the two of us together.

"Asher?" She questioned, a little nervously.

On instinct, I stepped forward to put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her into my side protectively. On instinct, she shrank into me, half hiding her face in my waist.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked harshly, "Where are your nannies?"

"Don't speak to her like that." I said, voice cold. The Prince stopped suddenly, eyebrows flicking up.

He looked nothing like he did on the big screen back in Fames. Which was irritating, because he was infinitely more beautiful than the camera managed to capture.

On screen, he looked like a corpse. Pale hair, pale face, pale eyes. Something devoid of life, of energy or charisma. But under the natural light of the low hanging half-moon, he looked like some ancient god, dipped in molten silver.

I'd only ever seen him sat in a large throne, and it dwarfed him in size; in reality, he was tall, taller than me by at least a foot. With wide shoulders and long legs, and he wasn't as slim as that throne made him, either. Bulky, in fact. The expensive suit - soft grey, like rain clouds - was trimmed to fit him perfectly, and it was clear his form beneath the layers of material was striving for perfection.

Which was good, because his face was very close to exactly that.

I'd never seen anyone like him. People back in Fames weren't pretty. All of us dirty, all of us hairy, sweaty, too busy trying to survive to not look like the weathered, weary people the world had crafted us into.

But Prince Asher, skies above, Prince Asher was beautiful. His hair looked silver in this lighting, but it was clear it was close to platinum blonde. Thick, unruly, messy in a way that said he'd tried hard to get it like that. His face... Thick, dark brows, sharp cheekbones, strong nose, rigid jaw, full lips. Everything you'd need to construct the perfect face, had he been made in a laboratory? And those eyes. In this light, they too looked to be pale silver.

The Prince seemed to recover from my challenge, busy observing me like I was him. When he was done, he dismissed me entirely, looking right at Amber.

"Go inside, mother is looking for you." That got her attention, but still she clung to me.

"How about I walk you back, meine Süße?" I started to lead her around her brother.

"No." He stepped into our path. "I'd like to speak to you, Lady Eris."

We scowled at each other, a silent battle of wills. I was loath to do anything he asked, but I couldn't help thinking he was about to send me home. My heart raced. This could be it. My opportunity. Back on the plane tonight, in my own bed by tomorrow morning. A dream come true.

But Amber... I looked down into her somber face, bottom lip puckered pitifully. I sighed. It didn't matter. She couldn't matter. I had little sisters like her at home. On my way out, I'd ask Luna and Lauren to befriend her, and Amber would soon forget about me.

"I'll watch you to the door," I told her, and walked her in a wide arc around the Prince. She turned towards me, distressed, but I hushed her, "I'll be right here, watching. I can see all the way to the door, can you see it too?"

She nodded, still unsure about leaving on her own. "I'm afraid of the dark." She murmured to her shoes, hazel eyes welling.

"Oh, for goodness sake-" the Prince hissed, but I flashed him a glare so fierce he fell silent.

"All the more reason for me to stay out here," I pinched her cheeks until she smiled, and I grinned. "I'll fight all the things in the dark, while you spend the rest of the evening in the light. Then, when you go to bed, you won't have to be scared, because you'll know I've already killed everything that might hurt you."

"Won't you be hurt?" Her eyes grew wide in childish horror.

"No, no, no." I glanced around, and bent to whisper in her ear. "I'm just as scary as the monsters, you see."

"That makes sense." She mused, nodding slowly. "You'll tell me about the monsters you fight?"

"Of course, but only if you hurry."

She tore off, streaking towards the light of the glowing doorway, music pouring out of it like water from a pitcher. Smooth, welcome. I watched until her little form had disappeared into that safe haven, and she turned back to search. She couldn't see me, stood out here in the dark, but she waved anyway.

Finally, I turned to address her brother. He was staring like I was something odd he'd never encountered before. Some foreign creature, newly discovered, fascinating and horrifying all at once.

"You shouldn't encourage her."

"She's going to believe in monsters, whatever adults say. Might as well give her a way of believing they can be beaten."

The confusion grew on his face. "You're... strange, Eris Black."

"I get that a lot." I crossed my arms over my chest and scowled harder at him. "Did you need something?"

"Why were you with my sister?"

"She followed me out here. Wanted a friend."

"Odd choice." He sniffed, still inspecting me this way and that. Like tilting his head might show him the secrets hiding in the snarls of my orange hair.

"Something we'd both agree on." I gave him a humourless, frigid smile. "Was that all? Because if you're going to continue to be so boring, there's vodka inside with my name on it."

For a moment, he looked absolutely scandalised, and in the next second, he looked positively delighted with my attitude. "Wow. I thought you'd be a handful, but I never imagined you'd be quite so funny."

"Glad I can entertain you."

He laughed. It was a good laugh. Deep, rich. Full of life. The visual personification of drizzled honey. I hated it. "Can I ask you a question, Lady Eris?"

I stared at him, wary. "Yes."

"Why do you despise me?"

"I have a problem with loud men who are mean to quiet children."

He looked back towards the palace, as if he could find Amber behind those thick stone walls. "She's silly. Always getting herself in trouble because her head is in the clouds. It's not my fault she doesn't listen."

"Whatever." I scoffed, spinning to march back towards the ball.

"Hang on a second!" He called, and hurtled after me. With his long legs and my stupid shoes, he was in front of me in an instant, herding me backwards. Or trying to, he rocked back just a moment before he realised I wouldn't be moved. "I just want to talk."

"About what?" My demand was half exasperation, half annoyance.

"I don't know." He shoved his hand through his hair, caught me watching him, and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Aren't we supposed to be getting to know one another? Bonding? Building a relationship?"

"If I wanted a relationship with a prick, I'd carry a mirror around." I tried to step around him. He shifted into my path.

"Did you just insult me and yourself? Impressive." He smirked, eyes alight and dancing with amusement. Mischief weighed heavy in his gaze, and it made my bones sing. Not good. Very not good. People like him and people like me were not meant to be around one another. Trouble. Too much trouble.

"Yeah, well, that's me. Impressive."

"Modest too, I'd say." He cast a glance over me, and smiled wide again, flashing teeth. "And you should certainly stay that way, in that dress. It looks like a big bruise." He laughed again.

"The stylists here don't like me much." I rolled my eyes. If he wasn't going to let me leave, I wasn't going to stand in these stupid heels. I turned around and marched right back to the bench I'd been sitting on before Amber had arrived. The marble was cold and went right through the thin layers of the horrendous dress, but I fought the shiver back.

It's not like he could stop me leaving if I really wanted to, but the longer we talked the more he would hate me, and the quicker he'd send me home. Best to carry on talking.

"I've been told." He followed, and after a moments thought he took the open space next to me. The heat of him seeped outwards, and I hated him for that, too. "I was hoping they'd see sense and do something with all that awful hair, but I guess you argued to keep it."

"I happen to like my hair." I stuck up my nose at him. "Shame you haven't seen sense and ordered the stylists to construct you a new personality, but I guess money does have its limits."

Again, that moment of shocked silence, before the comment seemed to register with him and he burst into raucous laughter. This insult seemed to be his favourite so far, because he even doubled over with his hand to his stomach, bending low over his knees.

"You're a funny thing, darling."

"Don't call me that."

He chuckled again. "It's refreshing to meet a real person. Half the women I've spoken to tonight have been starry-eyed and besotted. The other half have tried their best to act that way."

"Deluded."

"Almost definitely," He agreed, without an argument for his own character. Interesting. He pulled a metal flask from the inside of his suit jacket and took a swig. Without asking, he handed it to me. I took it without comment and threw some back.

"Thank you." I handed it over.

"You're welcome." He drank again from it. "At least you have manners. That's something."

"I might be a prick, but I was raised right."

Asher glanced at me and shook his head. "It's nice. For someone to look past all my gorgeousness, charm and integrity, see the dickhead underneath, and be brave enough to hate me for all the right reasons."

He startled a laugh right out of me. A proper laugh, one I clamped down on quickly. Too late, he was already grinning sidelong at me.

"You're strange." I told him, frowning.

"I get that a lot." He echoed me. Smiled, shook his head again, and stood up. "I'll see you at breakfast, Lady Eris."

"It's Eris." I corrected, automatically.

"Well, it's still Prince Asher to you, but thank you for giving me permission. Good evening." He bowed at the waist, oddly formal after the conversation we just had, and started striding away.

But then his comment registered, and my eyes grew round with horror. "Wait! Hang on a second!"

I hurtled after him, blocking his path like he had mine. "What are you talking about,'breakfast?'"

"I didn't think that was too difficult a concept to understand." He frowned down at me. Stars, he was so tall. Patch and him would probably be eye to eye.

"I understood it just fine, you imbecile. What I don't understand is why you'd keep me here long enough to warrant me having breakfast!"

"Why on earth would I send you home?" He seemed genuinely surprised by the idea. He tucked his hands behind his back, straightening his posture. The motion reminded me of someone who'd received military training.

"Were you not present for our entire conversation? I despise you! You clearly don't like me! You're supposed to be finding a wife, and I am clearly not wife material. So send me home."

"Wife material." He snorted, "That's something we can certainly agree on. No. You are not fit for this competition, Eris. But you are certainly quite entertaining. This process is going to be tedious and tiresome and at the very least, you'll be a welcome distraction."

He moved to march around me, all the considerable, solid six feet something of him. Infuriated and blinded completely by my own rage, I grabbed his forearm with one hand and swung him promptly back round to face me, yanking him down a couple of inches to better glare into his face.

Prince Asher seemed impressed rather than shocked at the show of strength, especially from a woman a full foot shorter.

"You can't keep me here against my will, Asher."

His eyebrows quirked up at the missing title we were supposed to address him by, but the title could kiss my ass. He brushed my hand off his arm, but did not lean away.

"But the thing is, I can." He smiled cheerfully. All teeth. "I'm the Prince, which means I'm the only person in this palace able to dismiss a Selection girl. Since you're a Selection girl, your fate is in my hands."

"You think I'll make this easy for you? You think I'll roll over like a dog and accept your blatant disrespect? I want to go home, and you're going to give me what I want."

"Or what, darling?" He breathed, leaning down like I was arching up. Eyes flaring with challenge, cheekbones flushing with anticipation. The smile was pure malice.

"I'll make your life a living hell." I snarled, my hands reached automatically, gripping the lapels of his fine jacket, scrunching it harshly in my fury drenched fists. Dragging him an inch closer. He let me. "Would you unleash me on your life, Asher Schreave?"

"I dare you, love." He growled right back.

"You think I couldn't do it?"

"Oh no," his smile was brighter than the moon in the sky and colder than the black night surrounding it. "I absolutely think you could. I see the storm in your eyes, darling. Skies above, I invite you to ruin me."

He seized my wrists and yanked my hands from his clothes, shoving me aside and striding off. I turned to watch him go, my chest heaving with anger and my wrists still burning where he had touched them.

I wondered, suddenly and fleetingly, as to why the Prince of Illéa was so broken.


Thank you for reading! Comment and vote if you enjoyed xo

Meine Süße - German for 'my sweet'.