BRIANNA CHASE

This was it. Tonight was the night when we would get to find out whether we stayed past the preliminary rounds of the competition or left to go home. I fingered the hem of my short white-and-gold cocktail dress that my amazing maids Piper, Josephine, and Savannah had whipped up overnight. My hair was styled ornately to make up for the fairly plainness of my dress. I tried to distract myself with some small talk with Tara, but I was too nervous, and couldn't pay attention to the conversation well enough to get past more than pleasantries. Finally, Anna signaled to us that it was time to get in line to go onstage and introduce ourselves. I filed in behind Tara, listening to my heart pound like a drum. Through the blood rushing in my ears I could hear Derek and the Prince exchange some friendly banter, and then it was time to go onstage. Remember, walk on, curtsey, say your name and your province, and sit down, I reminded myself over and over. It's not so hard, you're stressing about nothing. Yeah, like introducing myself was what I was stressing about. As I got closer and closer to the front of the line I could clearly see the papers clutched in Prince Asher's hands, the names of the ten girls who would be going home tonight.

Soon it was my turn to go onstage. I walked out as confidently as I could and dropped into a graceful curtsey. Hopefully I wasn't too shaky or pale or scared-looking.

"Hello your Highness, my name is Lady Brianna Chase and I'm from Midston." There. Talking over. I turned abruptly on my heel and strode to my seat between Tara and Michelle. Soon, it would be time to know.

MICHELLE KENYON

"Welcome, Daughters of Illéa, to tonight's episode of the Report. I'm your host Derek Fadaye and tonight, however it may turn out for some of you, is truly a night of celebration. The Selection is underway and the royal family couldn't be happier, and on a more business-y, boring side of things, the King has made great progress negotiating a trade deal with Italy. But of course, that's not why we have thirty-five beautiful guests on tonight's show, am I right ladies and gentlemen?" Derek grinned widely at the camera. He seemed unfazed by the constant lights and cameras on his every move tonight. I wish I could be that natural in front of cameras. I almost choked on my own tongue when I had to introduce myself and say "Lady Michelle Kenyon, from Denbeigh," and to think about doing a whole show by myself… ugh, the horrors. But no time to dwell on that now, the Prince was starting his part.

"Ladies, although your stay at the palace has been brief thus far, it is with my greatest regret that I announce these ten names that will be leaving us tonight. I haven't met you yet but my family's opinions are very important to me, and I have conferred with them to help make this decision. The women going home tonight are…"

JILLIAN BIRCHMORE

Please not me. Please not me. The chanting thoughts echoing in my mind almost drowned out the Prince's list of names. Almost.

"Lady Brianna Chase. Lady Michelle Kenyon." Oh good, maybe he's going in alphabetical order and they skipped B for Birchmore.

"Lady Jillian Birchmore." Or maybe not. I tried my hardest to contain my sobs. I couldn't go home! The prince hadn't even spoken to me yet! He hadn't had enough time to realize that I was his true love! This cannot be happening. This is some sort of test for his favorites, to figure out who can handle themselves the best under tough pressure. Yeah, that's it.

VALENTINA DODD

"Lady Jillian Birchmore. Lady Valentina Dodd. Lady Linnea Pena. Lady Maegen Byrd. Lady Cecelia Conroy. Lady Renae Staedtler. I'm sorry ladies, but this will be the last we will be seeing of each other for now." Ha, good riddance. I never wanted to be in this stupid Selection anyway. Around me I noticed lots of near-crying girls, and it made me want to laugh out loud. Who would be crying over such a sissy prince? He'd probably never even been to military camp. Now, however, I had some extra cash to blow, I was officially a Three, and I could go back to my life at the post with my secret fiance, although since I've been eliminated and it's not treason to be engaged to someone else, we could probably announce our engagement soon. That's nice.

RENAE STAEDTLER

I actually thought I had a chance, too. My name was the last one called. I thought for sure that someone else's name would come spilling out of Asher's mouth. Oh well.

As the Report came to a close, there was apparently a tradition where the eliminated girls had to stand up and walk off stage for a final time, which was actually kind of embarrassing. I mean, why would you want to publicise the fact that you just got eliminated from the Selection and you're pretty much a failure. Backstage as Derek finished up the Report, I absently consoled one of the crying girls - was it Brianna? Jillian? - and waited to be told what to do next.

A guard soon showed up and tapped me on the shoulder.

"Lady Renae?" he asked. "It's time to go. Let me take you to your car."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Okay, so that ending sounded really ominous, but I promise it's not. She got driven to the airport and flown back to her province and everyone threw her a party and she met a cute boy, just like all of the other girls. Well, most of them… okay that sounded really creepy too. Geez, what's up with me and really creepy endings today? Anywho, this chapter wasn't really too much of a filler, and since I have so much time on my hands I may or may not work on another chapter to post tomorrow. Maybe. That wasn't a jokingly suggestive "may or may not" that really meant I will, that was actually a consideration. If I have time, I'll work on another chapter. However, I have lots of outfits to work on for stuff that goes on later in the story, and I have to update the blog and do my homework and watch Dance Moms and eat cookies. I'm pretty busy, you guys. (Hopefully you realized that that was part of my sarcasm overuse issue. Sorry [again, sarcasm]).

Love and Kisses and Sugar Cookies,

Margidee ;)

Questions:

Whose reaction to the eliminations was your favorite?

Who do you think will be eliminated next?

Do you like eliminations on the Report like this?