AN: I would like to note that this chapter talks about transphobia and touches on homophobia. I am not a trans person so this isn't the most accurate trans experience. However, I hope you all enjoy anyways.

Chapter Sixteen

Wednesday, May Ninth

Selena Schreave, Legacy of Zeus

"Your Highness," her maid and former nanny enters her room, "You have a selected waiting on you."

Selena turns from her vanity, "I do?" She wasn't expecting a selected to take the initiative and seek her out.

"Yes Selena," Olivia replies, "Shall I let them in?"

Selena nods and then tries to quickly wrap up her daily makeup when Ev Vanaday looks at her in the mirror.

"Please take a seat, Ev." Selena turns around, "What's wrong."

"What happened on yesterday's group date?" Ev asks, "Especially with Chad and his elimination."

Selena pauses, she was expecting Ev to ask her out, not talk of Chad.

"He said things that devalued my opinion of him." Selena replies, "and I eliminated him."

"You do know he's been clamoured for interviews," Ev replies, "Ones berating you and are generally sympathetic to anti-trans and anti-nonbinary people."

"Gods," Selena replies, "Well, what does it say?"

"General anti-palace and anti-trans things." Ev replies, "the media is eating it up."

"Well, we can't have that." Selena stands, finding her shoes, "So… do you want to do something about it?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Interview," Selena notes, "maybe televised, but probably not considering how short noticed it is."

"Interesting." Ev notes, "I'll do it if you set it up."

"Good," Selena replies, "I'll clear my schedule and meet with you after lunch."

"And where shall we meet?"

"I'll come and pick you up from lunch."

Ev exits the room, leaving Selena with a plan and pushed aside fury.

Selena heads to her selected files. They rest on her rarely used desk. Thirty-five stacks of folders sit there, each selected's personal history lays in their folder. She pulls out the folders for Ev Vanadey, Sam Lachlan, and Chad Eustace. Ev and Sam being the only non-binary selected Selena has and Chad being the one making outrageous claims online.

"Olivia," Selena calls in her maid, "please tell Mx. Lachlan about my plans and make sure that they are okay with being interviewed. I have to make a couple of calls."

"Yes, Your Highness," Olivia replies, "Anything else?"

"Have the kitchen bring my lunch up here and make sure one of the conference rooms are cleaned and ready for a three person skype interview." Selena says, pulling out her phone, "Thank you."

"No problem Princess Selena."

Selena finds emails a LGBT reporter, one she's worked with before about the issue and reads up on what Chad has been saying. Selena is not going into this empty handed.

While LGBT activism isn't one of Selena's current priorities, the selection and her passion project being at the forefront of her mind, she is vocal about acceptance when she can be. As a member of the community, a powerful member no less, it feels as if it's her job to be advocating for it. She has stakes in the game.

Illéa-Olympia isn't homophobic; they are a generally progressive country with the right to freely be who you are. Their main religion and a section of their constitution is all about the LGBT community since it was a hot button issue for centuries. However, even the best of countries have their ugly tendencies. The farther south you go, the more likely you will encounter bigotry and prejudice. Selena has thought that she will fix that in her reign as Queen. Equality has and will always be at the front of her mind.

And that's why Chad's comment enraged her so much yesterday. She can't stand hatred for other for no good reason. Call her naïve, but that's just how she's always been.

"Breathe Silena," she laughs, "you'll fix this."

Ev Vanadey, Legacy of Demeter

The selected talk about Chad once more. Ev can feel their eyes head towards them and Sam. Chad had said hurtful things, but Ev wasn't showing any sign of being affected by them. In all honesty, they hadn't really known Chad all that much.

Ev doesn't make the habit of befriending dudebros.

Still, Ev waits at the dining hall's exit, waiting on Selena to take them to an interview about Chad and his transphobia.

"Are you ready?" Selena claps her hands one, grabbing Ev and Sam's attentions. The two of them nod and Selena continues as they follow her down the hall and up a flight of stairs, "So this is an interview over skype. Unrecorded and going to be just a text-based interview between us and a trusted reporter from Northern Zuni. There is nothing to worry about."

Ev isn't worried, but they can't say the same about Sam. They look like they're going to explode. Ev tries to ignore them.

It's a small room with a nice, hardwood table. Comfortable rolly chairs are seated towards the back of the table while a projector sits opposite of them.

"Let's get started!" A set of butlers turn on the equipment and another brings Selena and her selected water bottles.

"Hello hello Your Highness!" A younger girl sits on the other side of the screen. She's no more than seventeen, "Are you all ready to get this show on the road!"

The three of them are seated. Ev on the right of Selena and Sam on the left of her. Selena flashes a smile, "Of course we are!"

The interview starts off with, "I'm Laila, pronouns she/her. With us in The Zunian Post, we have Her Royal Highness, Selena Schreave, pronouns she/her and two of her selected, Ev Vanaday with they/them pronouns and Sam Lachlan with they/them pronouns as well. So, now that we have intros out of the way, Selena, can you tell us about the fateful moment that spun out the elimination of Chad Eustace, a Legacy of Apollo, on Tuesday, May Eighth?"

"Well Laila, we were just about to get the group date started. A small group of us were going to a small island I rented out for the day. However, as it started, I didn't agree with some of the hurtful and negative things that was said about the selected with me and about trans people in general." Selena replies, "Thusly, he was eliminated."

"That's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Laila asks.

"Yes."

Laila comments, "You heard the truth here first. No discrimination came from the moth of Selena, she eliminated a man on differeing oppinions about major things in her life. Now y'all can calm your panties about the whole ordeal."

Selena and Sam give Laila a weak laugh; Ev doesn't make the effort.

"So, Mx. Lachlan, how do you feel about the whole ordeal and Chad transphobia being shared all over social media?"

Sam replies, "Well, in all honesty it's something trans people face daily. Whether its from people you know or you don't. But, Selena's response was endearing to hear about."

"What about you Mx. Vanadey?"

"Well…" Ev comments, "I'm glad he's not in the palace and that Selena has done something about it. I can't imagine most people standing up for minorities."

"And Selena," Laila asks, "What were you thinking the moment it happened?"

"I was angry." Selena laughs it off, "I mean, I care for the people of Illéa-Olympia and the people in the palace. I wasn't going to fall for a man who said hurtful things about people I care about nor a community I admire deeply for their courage and bravery. So, I eliminated him then and there."

"So touching Your Highness." Laila replies, "and this is all we have time folks, but tune in for more LGBT content with The Zunian Post!"

The butlers from earlier turn the projector off and Selena is the first to stand, "Well, I'll see you all around. I hope the article helps shed some light into the situation."

Sam and Ev murmur in agreement as they watch Selena walk out. Then Sam goes, leaving Ev in the conference room, wondering how this will impact their time in the selection.