A great big thanks to UltimateMaxmericaShipper, Artemis' hunters, alexiaroosenhaan, wolfofstark, Cookiedoodles148, and XOStarbrightXO for their kind reviews! Love you guys!
Ok, so this is only Aspen's interview, but I plan to write more interviews next chapter! It's finished already, and I think longer than last chapter, so I hope you guys like it!
This one's kinda average-length. around 2.5k words. But I hope you enjoy!
Lets just say, I didn't get very much sleep that night. My maids actually noticed the following morning, when my eyes were puffed up like balloons and as dark as night, and my cheeks were streaked and red. My mind has been spinning for hours thinking through scenarios concerning the events that must have transpired last night. I try not to let my mind wander and think the unimaginable (after all, Prince Cameron said everything would be all right. And everything would be all right), but I wont stop worrying until I see Ivy for myself and ensure that she's alive and well. It may sound dramatic, but so be it.
My maids draw a bath and throw in some blush-colored salts, leaving the bathroom radiating an aroma of peonies and lilies. They call me in when they decide it's ready, and I'm submerged in warm water, left alone with my thoughts in the peace and calm.
My mind curses Ivy's name. Something about the situation didn't add up perfectly: the bathroom was subtly torn, but so barely that Giselle hadn't even noticed. There was blood on the floor (or at least, I think it was blood), but we didn't hear any screams and there didn't seem to be any security increase around the palace grounds. My maids were abnormally jumpy, but it seemed to be more of an excitement-feel (probably because they're preparing me to meet my maybe-soul mate) than one that's associated with fear or dread. There were a few key differences between the two: all three sported grins and their eyes flicked between each other in knowing, purposeful ways; licking their lips every so often and showing subtle signs of encouragement. These signs all correlate with excitement and anticipation. If they were feeling dread, I'd see wild eyes and hunched shoulders, maybe even shaking or trembling. So maybe there was a chance that I didn't have anything to worry about after all. Maybe the paranoia has actually gotten to me.
Doubtful, though. Because I'm hardly ever wrong, and I've never been one to make things up or trick my mind in seeing things that aren't there. I don't believe I've ever seen a ghost, and I didn't think there were monsters under my bed like then ones who tormented Blanca and Chandler when they were toddlers. I'm not sure how I could spontaneously imagine blood on the floor and a cracked mirror (which, may I say, stuck out like bleeding thumbs in this otherwise polished palace) and draw such an out-of-the-blue conclusion.
I try to push it away. How insane is it that I'm only two hours away from meeting the man I've spent years loving and that's the thing furthest from my mind?
It's hard to help, but I do try my best to stop thinking about Ivy. If something bad happened to her, I'm almost positive I would have heard something about it by now. And for now, I have the time to picture my (hopeful) husband-to-be. It's a lovely thought, trying to walk through how this might go down today.
"Want us to ask you some questions?" Alexa offers with a cheerful smile.
"What?"
"Well, I'm sure your interview questions will be pretty standard. I could run a few by you so you can think about what you want to say?"
Well I guess that didn't exactly occur to me. And shouldn't the conversations be organic? I can't script it… I cant… I can't try to manufacture this, can I?
"No thank you." Alexa smiles in recovery and goes back to rinsing shampoo from my hair.
Will the other girls try to manufacture this?
After my bath, I'm dried and lathered, my hair is blown out and makeup is applied. My eyes glimmer around silvery smoky eyes and charcoal liner, drawing out my chocolate irises, and they bat in feminine ways with the thick coat of mascara. My cheeks are sharpened and highlighted, and a layer blush-brown-with-a-twist lipstick defines my lips. I'm still amazed by my maids uncanny ability to create something like that on my own face. Blanca was the makeup goddess of my family, and she passed her skills down (as best as she could) to Chandler, but neither of them –even at their best- could do something like this.
Then, though albeit uncomfortable, the girls dress me (as in… day two and they've seen me naked at least three times) in white lace undies and matching bandeau (my first thought, besides the fact I'm wearing lingerie, is that I've never been the biggest fan of strapless and it might be a bit more than awkward if my bra turns into a belt mid-interview. My maids assure me that this was my only option, unless I wanted to wear no bra at all). The garments make sense, I suppose, because though my dress isn't strapless, there's only two spaghetti straps, and a bra would be visible from underneath. My bandeau would be worth it to wear something like this: a grey chiffon number with undertones of periwinkle that falls down to my knees, with a delicate fit and flare style, and an open back. A deep V surplice bodice brings the perfect layered look to the dress, with the cute skirt draping below the fitted waist. Kaia pins my silver nametag to my left breast and leaves to straighten the bed. My look is paired with small silver hoops (which you can barely see through the volume of my hair) and a thick bracelet of sterling and diamonds. My final accessory is a silver ring with three small diamonds in the middle on my left ring finger, and the ensemble is paired with yesterday's strappy white heels. Alexa spritzes perfume on my wrists and neck and send me on my way at five minutes to seven, giving me until the hour to make it to the Women's Room before Avery escorted us to meet Prince Cameron.
Upon arriving, I take a place next to Evie, who's the only one of my three friends (so far) to arrive. She looks beautiful, as usual, taking a break from the light vision she appeared to be yesterday in favor of a jewel tone of royal blue chiffon in a strapless dress with a curved neck, a tied waist, and a criss crossed bodice, accenting her clearly flawless-in-every-way figure and darkens the blue in her eyes. She's beautiful, unequivocally perfect in her every feature. Immediately I'm jealous for my friend. It's unfair of me, I'm sure, but I can't even help it. Now that's a girl who would have no problem manipulating her answers (and not even in a devious way, in a way that she knows exactly what she wants) and charming my love, the one I've grown to care for in so many years.
No sooner until after I find Evie, Ivy (with Giselle right next to her, in carnation pink) appears through the door. I apologize quickly to the blonde and run towards my friend, relief flooding each of my systems.
"Ivy! What happened to you last night? Giselle and I couldn't find you."
The redhead gave me a funny look, as if she didn't even remember what I was talking about. "Oh, I just wanted to take off my makeup before my mascara started running and I was found so out of it in some random bathroom. It took me forever to find, by the way. Who's idea was it to hide the Selection's bathroom a four minutes walk away and under a staircase, without proper lighting and a terrible smell, because that person probably shouldn't have been tasked with doing that." She laughs, not noticing the strange look on my face. That certainly wasn't the bathroom Giselle and I searched yesterday, with the blood on its marble floors and the loose sink handle, which was bright and no more than seven steps away from the Women's Room. Either Ivy had a concussion or she chose… not the correct bathroom.
More investigation on that later. For now, I was just happy she was safe.
In the end, we cant leave until ten minutes after seven, even though my insides itch from making Prince Cameron wait, because some of the girls take longer to get ready than others. But you can obviously see the care and attention in everyone, who each look princess-like in their own ways, and I no longer have any reason to believe I may be special. But I try not to let my courage be shaken, and stride purposefully to await my destiny behind the doors of the Great Room.
As each slab of mahogany is thrown open and we're lined up to wait for Prince Cameron (who's due to arrive at seven, just like us, so he must be running a bit late).
"Do you guys think these earrings are ok?" Ivy asks, her back hunched and her hands fingering the diamond drops that hang from her ears. "I could take them off."
"You look fine." Giselle reassures her, squeezing Ivy's hand in reassurance.
"Are you sure?" Her voice almost quivers.
"We're sure." I tell Ivy.
"Positive?" She doesn't seem convinced. "I really could take them off. Maybe I could show you what they look like off and then you can decide-"
"I'm serious, Ivy. They're fine." Evie snaps. Ivy shuts up and drops her hands to her sides. I nudge Evie slightly, who stands to my left and she gives me a look as if to ask what she did.
The drama discontinues as Prince Cameron strides in, sporting a charcoal suit and tie, with a black dress shirt to pair his loafers and golden cuff links. He looks dashing, his green eyes empty by shining. I'll be able to fix that. If I just have some time.
"Good morning, Ladies." His voice sounds gravelly and soothing, and he's only addressed us so far but I already feel flighty and almost faint. I smile extra wide. The entire room straightened in a simultaneous motion with last minute fixes of flipped hair and perfect posture.
Avery takes the lead and all at once I realize how unprepared we were for today. "Good morning, Your Majesty."
"Good morning, Avery. If you don't mind, I'd like to introduce myself to these girls." There are a few snickers and blush-tainted cheeks redden even more at his words. I, myself, am captivated in the same way. "I'll be speaking to each of you individually for five minutes each. I'll be interviewing you in alphabetical order of province, starting with Allens and ending with Zuni. It'll be brief, as I'm sure you'd all like to go to breakfast as much as I do, and we cant do that until I've met each of you, but I look forward to getting to know you girls further. Please forgive me if I can't remember your name, I'll get the hang of them eventually." Most of the girls, including myself, laugh quietly. His eyes don't glint a hint of humor, however, and suddenly I'm not sure if he was making a joke. "You don't have to be standing for the entire time, of course, and you can sit with whoever you'd like until you're called. First, I'd like to speak with Lady Raven Cortez." The dark-haired girl struts to him and they begin to chat, leaving me alone (but not really) with my nerves.
"What do you think he'll want to know?" Giselle ponders. "I've been trying to think through some things all morning, and I'm just not sure."
"One of my maids offered to drill me on a few of these questions this morning. I'm not sure if she actually knew what they would be." I respond.
"What kind of things did she ask?"
"I didn't have her question. I don't know, I guess I wanted it to be 'organic' or something, but in retrospect, I think it was a bad idea."
"Are you guys sure the earrings look ok?"
Not much more important went on from there. In time, Giselle leaves for her interview, then Ivy, then Evie. We all promise not to kiss and tell, but I itch to ask them exactly what happened. What can I say? I'm nervous. Beyond nervous, actually.
When it's my turn to be interviewed, I'm practically shaking. I keep still, but the feel of each set of eyes staring into my skull sets me on edge. I curtsey dutifully to Prince Cameron –avoiding eye contact- and sit down on the ornate white ottoman that was set out for me.
"Good morning, Lady Aspen."
"Good morning." I let a small smile grace my own lips, not expecting him to mirror my gesture but a tad disappointed anyway when he doesn't.
He misses a beat. Then a few more, and I straighten my skirt in the mean time. The entire time, he sits studying me, as if trying to figure out my kinks and quirks and my personality in just a few glances. Eventually he takes a breath and asks me my very first question. "Tell me about your life at home."
"In Waverly?" Prince Cameron nods his head. "Well, I grew up a few towns away from the Atlantic Coastline. It's scalding in the summers, frigid in the winters, and absolutely breathtaking in the autumn. Around this time of year, all the way back at home, the leaves are probably just starting to turns the trees ombré in amber, orange, and crimson… My favorites were the bright red ones. They looked so vibrant, especially since there are less of them in Lexington than other parts of the province. You don't have anything like that in Angeles I don't think, but it's really nice here too, of course."
"I've been to Waverly a handful of times." Prince Cameron states.
"Really?" My interest is piqued. "What did you do there?"
"Well, my mother's from Waverly."
"Right. I'm sorry, I forgot for a second." I chuckle.
"The yellow ones are my favorite."
"Pardon?"
"The yellow ones. Not amber, like you described, but the ones that are the color of buttercups or topaz. They were my mother's favorites, too." I smile at the sentiment. "Angeles doesn't have seasons, you're right, but summer is something that I'm fine being trapped in."
"Right, you could live in Whites."
"No one would come to here if I lived in Whites."
"Ah, on the contrary. I still would."
He gives me a smile. A small one, granted. It seems maybe false, it doesn't reach his eyes, but it's a start. I'm sure that I'm radiating golden pride. "Well good." I gleam in return.
All of a sudden, he's on his feet in a start, extending his hand, which I take tentatively. He pulls me up, putting a pressure on the blistered heels I forgot I had. "It was nice to meet you." He says flatly. "You may return to your seat."
It's a step back from his former (something of) warmth, and my grin wavers, but I curtsey and walk away quickly as he calls up the next girl, who actually is from Whites. I almost laugh at the hint of irony.
So true, it wasn't exactly what I had hoped it would be. But if some of the other girls' puzzled looks and slightly dejected faces were any indication, it hadn't gone so horribly in comparison. Not so bad after all.
Ahhh young love. Aspen finally gets to meet her prince! Hope you don't mind, this chapter was pretty short, I know, but the next one is already finished so I'll try to post it tomorrow. Hint, it's the longest one yet!
Love you all! Remember to review!
xx. Scarlett
