Hi again, so as said in the previous chapter, there are a couple of "more mature" scenes in Nathan's section. The scenes are shown by *M* at the beginning and end of each scene, and they last 2 or 3 paragraphs. you can skip them if you want. ;)

Chapter 16 – The Ball, Part 2

~ Nathan ~

It was 10 p.m. when Abigail came up to him when he was talking with a group of Selected girls, sipping on a glass of white wine. "It's time," she said.

Nathan nodded and excused himself from the three girls and he looked for Jesse who was supposed to be close by. Jesse followed the couple, and to make things even more interesting for the camera and for daddy Correll who was watching – though Nathan had no idea who the man was or where he was – Abigail took his hand and placated Nathan against the wall near the gift table. *M* She pressed her knee between his legs and pushed herself against him.

"Kiss me like your life depends on it," she whispered to him. And Nathan obliged – who was he to refuse such an offer? He kissed her with everything he had. With one hand, he laced his fingers in her hair and tugged at the updo while his other hand went down to her thigh and he held it high against his. *M*

They had been at it for a few minutes when a strong hand grabbed Abigail and pulled her away from the Prince.

"Abigail Correll," a blond and graying bearded man hissed. "You are Cinderella, not the Tramp, for Christ's sake!"

Nathan seized up the 'gentleman' and he instantly knew he was no match for him if the man decided to use his fists against the prince. But since no one in their right mind would dare touch a Prince in that manner, Nathan knew he was somewhat protected by his status.

"Leave her alone," Nathan said with his most threatening voice, prying off the big hand from Abigail's arm, which was already bruising. "It was my fault," he lied. "She has nothing to do with this."

"Nothing indeed," the governor parroted. He looked at his daughter. "Are you out of your mind?" he huffed and came closer to her, hissing in her face. "You can say bye-bye to the money, now."

Nathan had no idea what he was talking about, but Abigail stood her ground and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't give a fuck about your damn money, father," she said, spitting out that last word. "The Selection gives me enough. I don't need yours anymore." The devilish grin that curled her red lips made her father blanch. Whatever dirt she was holding on him was no longer safe nor her silence paid. Nathan wondered what the whole deal was about, but now was not the time to ask.

"This is not finished, young lady," the Governor said, brandishing his finger in her face. "You will be hearing from me." That said, he grabbed his wife's wrist and they stormed out of the ballroom with half the eyes of the guests trained on them.

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked. "I had no idea it would explode like that."

"I did," Abigail said, her shoulders slumping a little. She took a deep breath. "Thank you for your help, now if you'll excuse me, I need to go fix my hair."

"Do you need an escort?" he asked, genuinely concerned. He wasn't sure her father was completely gone yet.

"Thanks," she said. "I can stand my own." With that, she left the ballroom, leaving Nathan alone, slumping against the wall, with Jesse and Otis.

"You alright, man?" Jesse asked, coming over.

"Yeah! Yeah," Nathan said. "How much did you film?"

"The whole thing," Otis said. "Should we delete it?"

"No." Nathan ran a hand through his hair. "I'll need to talk to her before you edit any of that. Maybe keep it for future reference." He smoothed out his coat. "Is my bow-tie straight?"

Jesse came closer and straightened the bow. "There. Now it is."

"Thanks." Nathan took a deep breath and headed back into the sea of people. He needed a drink. Or a dance. He checked the time and realized it was already almost 11 p.m. He had just time for a glass of wine to calm his nerves before meeting up with his second rendezvous.

He went over the drinks table and asked for a flute of champagne. When he tipped the glass to drink, he saw Jen over the rim who was watching him. She made a sharp gesture with her head, showing the door. He nodded. "Right behind you", he mouthed. Jen slipped through the crowd of people and made her way to out. Nathan knew he would have more trouble doing the same thing since people always wanted to talk to him, so he headed the opposite direction and pushed the hidden panel in the wall. He walked down the narrow, dimly lit passage the staff used to get from point A to point B faster. In no time, he was on the second floor.

"How did you get here so fast?" Jen asked, coming from the main staircase, a little breathless.

Nathan leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. "I know my way around."

"Okay, well we'll have to hurry things up a bit," she said. "I need to be back before midnight at the party."

"Pfft, midnight. What for?" he frowned. Did she have another rendezvous? "Are you Cinderella, as well?"

"No, silly," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him down the hall, towards her bedroom. "Nev just told me an hour ago when it was my turn to do Val's birthday present."

"Crap."

"What?"

"I totally forgot to get him something." He paused. "What are you getting him?"

She opened the door to her room and pushed him inside. "You'll see. For now, we have some other things to do."

*M* "Very true," he said, grinning. He grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her. She tasted of red wine and strawberry macarons, and he wasn't sorry one bit about that. They undressed each-other pretty quickly – still while making out – and ended up on the small couch at the foot of the queen-size bed.

"Wait." Jenissa held him at arm's length. "Should we put the Imperial March on?" she asked with a sly grin on her lips.

"Hell, yeah," he agreed. "It'll give me time to prepare my lightsaber."

Jenissa burst out laughing. She pulled the sheets from the bed and wrapped herself in it to go find her phone and put the music on. Not too loud so no one walking by would suspect anything – though everyone was at the party. Meanwhile, Nathan took out a condom from his pant pocket on the floor – one from his glow-in-the-dark collection he always carried around – and expertly put it on. Jenissa burst out laughing again when she saw it and Nathan grinned. *M*

They didn't take long, but they did lay down for a while afterward, the Star Wars original soundtrack still playing in the background. She had her head on his shoulder and he was playing with her dark brown hair, his fingers gently grazing the skin of her arm.

"You know, now that I think of it," she said, running her fingers on his chest, "I do think we already slept together, in the past."

"Really?" he frowned and looked down at her. "What triggered the memory?" He wiggled his eyebrows. "My exceptional skills?"

"Hardly," she snorted. "No, but probably the glow-in-the-dark thing. I was clearly drunk, but that thing did ring a bell."

Nathan laughed. "I should use those more often."

-o-0-o-

~ Silas ~

Silas was not wearing high heels like half the guests, but his feet were killing him. After six dances and even more mindless chitchat with some of the guests, he needed a break. And a drink.

He turned to Timothy Parker who was always standing somewhere near him. "I'm going outside for a moment," he said. "I need some air."

Timothy nodded. "Okay." He was about to follow the prince outside when he saw someone on the side of the dance floor who wasn't currently dancing. "Actually, do you mind if I have a dance?"

Silas looked at his friend quizzically. "Since when do you ask me permission to dance?" he asked. "You always dance at balls."

"But not with one of your Selected," Parker replied, looking at a group of girls talking on the side.

Silas followed his gaze. "Who did you have in mind?"

"The cute lieutenant." The grin on his face betrayed him and Silas snorted. Yes, he snorted. Maybe it was the wine or the heat in this stuffy place, but he snorted, something he rarely did.

"Careful, she might flip you like a pancake." He paused. "She flipped Nathan."

"Yes, I know," Timothy replied. "But I won't give her any reason to flip me on my ass. Besides," he added, "I did some research on the woman: she didn't earn her rank by batting her eyelashes at her superiors. She's actually a really good cop."

Silas looked at the young woman in the skirt suit – who wore a suit to a ball, seriously? – and nodded. "Be my guest, then. I'm going outside."

Timothy grinned and walked over to where Anastasia Pembroke was to ask her to dance while Silas headed to the balcony – with a stop to the drinks table for a glass of Pinot Noir –, managing to avoid talking to anyone. All the French doors along the wall heading to the long balcony were wide open in an attempt to let some air into the ballroom. It wasn't really working, but at least he could get out easily.

It was already 11 p.m. and the balcony was blessedly empty. It was nice to finally be alone and not pressed by all sides by people who either wanted to be you, kiss you, or kill you. Well, maybe not the last part since Silas didn't think he had any enemies, per se, but maybe people who thought he wasn't fit for the throne. How could he not be, though? He'd been trained and groomed ever since he was a child. Who better than him?

The Crown Prince sipped on his wine – probably his third or fourth glass since the beginning of the ball – and he savored every drop of his favorite beverage. The music was faint from his place outside, and the crickets were a nice change from the human noise.

Until he heard heels clicking his way. He sipped some more wine before looking at the intruder to his peace. "Leigh," he said, seeing the New Asian girl walking over in her beige see-through tulle gown. It wasn't tacky at all, actually, and rather very elegant and refined. Again, maybe it was the wine making him not turn beet-red at the sight.

"Your Royal Highness," Leigh greeted in turn, curtsying briefly. She stood next to him, both gazing at the illuminated gardens. "Do you mind?" she asked, holding out the pack of cigarettes.

"No, not at all."

She took out a cigarette and lit it and the flame of her lighter illuminated her face for a few seconds. She took a long swig. "I'm not a huge smoker," she said to fill in the silence. "I usually smoke when I'm stressed."

"And you're stressed, right now?" he asked. She didn't look like it.

"Believe it or not, yes." She paused and took another swig. "Do you want one?"

"No, thank you. Nathan already tried to have me start." Instead, he sipped on his wine. "Why are you stressed?"

Leigh took a deep breath and let it out slowly, holding her cigarette between two fingers and tapping the excess ash on the stone railing, over the balcony. "When your cousin – sorry I can't be bothered to pronounce her name correctly – said she'd invite Governors, I was afraid my dad would show up. And up until I was sure he wasn't there, I was kind of stressed out."

"Altman," Silas said, testing her last name. "I don't believe there's a Governor with that name."

"He's running for Governor," she explained. "In the next elections, he might just well become one."

"Hmm," Silas hummed, sipping again. "And why would it be such a bad thing to have your father here?" he asked, wine and curiosity getting the better of him.

"Let's just say my dad doesn't have the same face as me." She took another swig, kept the smoke in for a second, and blew out a couple of smoke rings. "He doesn't really like to be reminded that my mom cheated on him with some New Asian dude."

"Oh." Silas thought about that for a moment. "And they're still together, even after she had an affair?" That was inconceivable for him.

"Yes. Because my dad had an affair first, so it was to get back at him." She paused, taking in another smoke. "Their relationship is rocky at best, but since they have this 'perfect family image' for his career to keep up with, they couldn't really divorce."

Silas didn't really know what to say to that, so he finished his wine in silence while she finished her cigarette.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to unwind all my life story on you like that," she said. "Must be the wine."

He toasted her with his empty glass. "Don't worry. This also makes me a little braver." He chuckled softly. "Do you want to dance?" he asked since she was on his list and they hadn't danced yet.

"Now? Out here?"

"Yes." He turned to face her and held out his hand, which she took. They didn't know how long the music would go for, so they positioned themselves right away and started dancing. Silas was also surprised that she was a really good dancer and that maybe she had been on that list Nevaeh had given him. Her breath smelled of cigarette, but his must have smelled of wine, so neither of them complained.

A few minutes later, the music stopped and a voice sounded above the noise, drawing Silas and Leigh back inside.

"And now, Ladies and gentlemen," Nevaeh said, perched on the stage, next to the Queen, "Lady Jenissa Stark has a gift for Prince Valerian."

The girl in the navy-blue dress – and with her hair a little disheveled, Silas noticed – made her way to the musicians' corner. She sat at the huge Steinway piano and started playing a piece. Silas had never heard that piece before, and knowing where this young woman came from, he wondered if she had written it herself. He was impressed and made a mental note to ask her about it on his date with her. Because yes, she was also on his list.

-o-0-o-

~ Valerian ~

When Val was ushered to the stage by Nevaeh, he had no idea Jenissa was going to play something for him. Though he wasn't an expert in music, he could tell she was. The emotion she put into the piece gripped his heart and he didn't know how to describe that feeling. Maybe it was the champagne. Maybe it was the music itself. Maybe it was the overwhelming everything that was the Ball. But one thing was sure, he was glad she was on his list. He could ask her to play and he could listen to her forever.

From his standing place on the stage, he could see her hands running on the black and white keys and like everyone else, he held his breath, waiting for the next note. And the next. And the next. It was exhilarating. He didn't want it to stop. Ever.

It could have been hours, or it could have been seconds. Or even years. All he knew was that time had stopped and everyone was dreading the end. The whole music enveloped the ballroom and Valerian could practically see it, dancing and swirling around everyone. Then, the last note echoed into the ballroom and silence followed. No one dared move.

He let out his breath and started to applaud. Everyone followed his lead and Jenissa stood and bowed to the whole audience with a smile. Valerian stepped down and joined her by the piano.

"That was… incredible, Jen," he said, taking her hands in his.

"I'm glad you liked it," she replied. "Happy birthday!" with that, she planted a light kiss on his cheek and Valerian's face heated a little.

"Thank you, really." He grinned. "I don't think I've ever gotten something like this for my birthday, not even from Silas."

"Silas?" Jen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah. He's also a pianist, only he doesn't let anyone know." He chuckled. "Please don't tell him I told you, though." He winked at her, thanked her again several more times until the lights dimmed around the ballroom. He and Jen looked around them and they noticed the guests had parted into two groups, leaving a pathway from the door to the stage. Jenissa quickly walked away, leaving him at the center of the attention once more.

The only lights were the chandeliers above them, though very dimmed, and the candles on the two giant chocolate and strawberry tier cakes that were rolled down the aisle by four footmen in livery. On the four-tier chocolate one was a giant golden letter V in the middle of sparkly fireworks, and on the three-tier pink cake with sugar roses was a large silver E on top.

Valerian looked around. Who was E?

The musicians started playing the Happy Birthday song and the whole room of people sang along. This was much better than students singing in the cafeteria, that was for sure.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you, Valerian and Emeldaaaaa! Happy birthday to you!"

Valerian looked around for Emelda Dechini in the room but he couldn't find her. Thankfully, the Selected who were with her pulled her towards the cakes and Valerian chuckled. The music hadn't stopped but had changed into something else, so Valerian knew exactly what he needed to do.

"Emelda, would you like to dance?" he asked with a grin. He offered her his hand and she gladly took it. They started dancing and the people gave them some space, while the cakes were rolled to the side.

"Were you also born on the 17th?" he asked her.

"No, the 18th," she replied. "I believe it's midnight and they just merged our birthdays together."

Valerian laughed. "I'm glad they did. I hate having all the attention to myself. I like to share it."

Emelda blushed a little. "Yes, well, I prefer the attention when I'm competing. Not on my birthday."

"Oh, yeah, right," Val said. "You're an athlete." He paused. "What sport do you do again? I'm sorry my mind is too full tonight, I can't seem to remember that information."

"That's okay, I totally understand," she giggled. "I do gymnastics at an Olympic level, actually."

"How could I have forgotten that?" he asked, shaking his head. "Must be the champagne." They both laughed and continued to chitchat until the music died down. Each of them got the first slice of their cake before the rest of the people formed two lines to get their own slice of the delicious-looking dessert.

Dancing died down a little while everyone was eating cake, but it started again after some time, and this time, the waltz was forgotten. The music changed and some of the guests bid the royal family goodbye, wished Valerian a happy birthday, and were on their way. The guest number dwindled down and by four in the morning, only the most daring stayed along, with the Selected and the Princes. Even the Queens and the Prince Consort went to bed sometime after the cakes, indicating that whoever wanted to go home was welcome to it.

-o-0-o-

~ Jesse ~

While the people danced, Jesse and Otis went around the ballroom to interview the Selected over the course of the Ball. Not all of them had dancing partners at all times, so they stood to the side, in groups of two or three, or just sipping on champagne or another drink. The next one he was going to cross from his list of interviews was the French duchess. Not Nevaeh, the other one.

"Mia Williams!" Jesse said, walking over the young woman in the ginormous red and white ballgown with ruby and diamond jewelry practically from head to toe. Otis was already shooting.

"Hello, Jesse," she said with a wide smile. "How are you doing?" She still had a slight French accent and Jesse thought it was adorable.

"Excellent!" he replied. "How about you? Have you already had a dance, tonight?" he did hope so since the ball had been going on for some time already.

"Yes!" she said. The light reflected on all her diamonds at the slightest movement she made, making her look like a very elegant disco ball. "I was Prince Valerian's second dance, actually," she added with some pride in her voice.

"Oh, is he a good dancer?" he asked.

"Yes, he is." She paused. "Though I have to say I am quite impressed by his progress in the last couple of weeks. You see," she explained, "he started out with very little notion of dancing, but he picked up very quickly on the steps."

"I see," Jesse said. "Being 5 inches taller than him… was it awkward to dance with the Prince?"

Mia laughed. "Why does everyone keep asking me about my height?" she looked down at Jesse, who suddenly regretted talking about that in the first place. And she was wearing heels. He stood up straighter, making himself a tiny bit taller. "To be honest, I'm so used to having shorter partners that it doesn't bother me anymore. You might want to ask him, though." She tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear.

"And Mia, that dress," Jesse said whistling, looking closer at the red designs and details on the white fabric. "Is this your gown? Or did the tailors make it for you during the Selection?"

"Well, it is mine, now, I guess," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "Though I do have similar gowns, back home." She paused. "No, the only thing that was mine before the selection is the jewelry." She held out her hand to show him her ruby ring. "This ring is actually a family heirloom on my mother's side."

Jesse took her hand in his and looked at the ruby stone surrounded by so many diamonds on a golden band. "It's beautiful," he breathed out. Yes, Jesse was a sucker for diamonds and showy, expensive jewelry. So what?

"Thank you," she said.

"Mia, may I ask you one more question before we conclude this interview?"

"Of course!"

"Now that you've lived under the same roof as the Princes for a couple of weeks – even though you haven't had a date yet, but all in good time – which one do you prefer?" If Jesse knew the princes' lists, he would also know the girls' preferences and comparing those two lists would be… entertaining.

She laughed. "Why does this not surprise me at all, Jesse?" She paused and thought for a moment. "I think Prince Valerian."

"Ooh, would you tell me why?"

"His kindness really draws me to him," she replied. "And to be honest, I think he's the easiest one to be around."

Jesse nodded. She wasn't entirely wrong about that. "Thank you, Mia, for your honesty." He paused. "Anything you'd like to add for the viewers?"

Mia turned to the camera Otis was holding. Clearly, she was used to the spotlight and to being filmed. "Remember, share your blessings with those who are less fortunate." She flashed the camera a smile and Otis turned the camera off.

"Thanks, Mia," Jesse said. "Good luck with the rest of the evening!" He took her diamond-ringed hand and kissed her knuckles. This was a royal event, and she was practically royalty, as well. Might as well show some manners. Mia hadn't expected this kind of gesture and red filled her cheeks. But before she could say anything, Jesse and Otis were on their way.

"Pallas Ramirez!" Jesse said, seeing one of the remaining girls on his list. "Can I have a moment of your time?"

"Of course!" she replied, giving her full attention to Jesse and Otis coming her way. The Governor of Belcourt squeezed her hand in support and left with his wife.

"Were those your parents?" Jesse asked, watching the couple walk away with a glance and a smile over their shoulder.

"Yes," Pallas said. "As one of the Governors, he was invited."

"Seeing you three together before I arrived, I assume you have a good relationship with them?"

"Oh, yes, definitely!" she said with a bright smile. "We're like peas in a pod!" she laughed and Jesse joined.

"So, back to the Selection," he said. "How many dances did you have tonight? And with whom?"

"Two royal dances!" she said. "The first with Nathan, and the second with Valerian." She paused. "Oh, and a few others, as well. I know quite a lot of people tonight, actually."

"Oh really? Who?

"Mainly the other Governors and their kids, and some others of Valerian's friends." She tucked a blond strand of hair behind her ear, one that had fallen from her braided updo. "I always go to parties, so I mix up a lot with the high spheres in Illéa."

"Good to know," Jesse said. "I know you haven't been on a date yet since it's been only two weeks since the beginning of the Selection, but if you had to choose one, who would be your most favorite prince for now?"

"Jesse! that's such a hard question!" she giggled. "Uhm, I honestly don't know. I mean they all have their own fortes, and they're all dashingly handsome, but that goes without saying."

"Of course," Jesse agreed.

"The thing is, I've known them for more than two weeks," she admitted. "Since my dad's been the Governor of Belcourt, he's been invited here often, and I always came along. Especially when I was a kid."

Jesse's eyebrows shot up. "How long has he been governor for?"

"Well, he's done 2 four-year terms in a row when I was a kid, then since he couldn't reapply a third time in a row, he left his spot for someone else. But he reapplied after that and the people of Belcourt voted for him again. He's in his third term, but not third in a row."

"I see," Jesse said, nodding. "Now, can I ask you something a bit more personal, Pallas?" She nodded so he continued. "You said on your application that you had just finished your bachelor's degree in Business. Any plan B for the future if the Selection doesn't work out?"

Pallas nodded. "Actually, yes," she said. "Before the Selection came up, I was planning on going to Harvard in the fall to get my MBA." She paused. "Depending on how long I stay here, I'll either be able to catch up in the fall on the classes I missed, or I'll wait to reapply for next year."

"Or you could do like Prince Valerian and follow the first few weeks or months of the new school year by correspondence."

She frowned. "He's going to do that? I didn't know." She nodded. "I think that would actually be a really good idea. I mean, I wouldn't skip a year, and I could do two things at the same time, yeah!" she finished, grinning.

"Excellent!" Jesse said. "I'm glad you figured that out. Anything you'd want to add for the viewers?"

Pallas thought for a moment and smiled. "Remember that a goal without a plan is just a dream," she said. "Work hard for what you really want."

"Thank you! This was Pallas Ramirez, Ladiesandgentlemenboysandgirls!" Jesse said, and that was Otis' cue to stop filming. But Jesse had just one more question for her, privately. "What's the plan for your dream?"

Pallas' smile illuminated her face. "The next step is my MBA. Then I can open up my own tech company." She winked at him and walked away, apparently not wanting to share more than that. Jesse was surprised she was considering a tech company. This woman was definitely more than met the eye.

After a quick food and drink stop, Jesse and Otis continued on their quest to cross off names on their interview list. A girl in a quite sexy red dress joined them by the drinks table and she asked for a glass of red wine. Jesse motioned to Otis to start filming.

"Well, if it isn't Ximena Oliveira!" Jesse said, walking over. "Do you have a few minutes to spare?"

Ximena looked around the ballroom for someone but then nodded. "Sure."

"Excellent!" Jesse straightened his top hat. "So, wow, you look amazing, by the way."

"Aw, thank you, Jesse." Ximena flashed him a smile.

Then he looked at her hair accessory. "I think you're the only one of the Selected not only matching one of the roses but actually wearing the rose. That was very bold of you."

The curvy brunette chuckled. "Sila- I mean, Prince Silas gave it to me yesterday, on our date, and I just thought it would go perfectly well with my dress." She paused. "Don't you think?"

"Oh, yes. It certainly does. It's a pretty clear statement, though," he added.

"Jesse, it's a Selection." She paused. "A fight for love."

"Very true," Jesse said. "And you think you can woo the Crown Prince?"

Ximena popped out her hip and rested her hand on it. "You don't think I can?" she asked with a mischievous spark in her eyes.

"That's the thing," he said, looking at said Prince standing some distance away on the side of the dance floor and looking at the young woman Jesse was talking to. "I don't think you have to, he seems to be already pretty taken with you."

Ximena followed his gaze and a crimson blush filled her cheeks. She smiled at Silas.

"Ximena," Jesse said, asking for her attention again. "I've looked you up on Instagram – theximena, right? – and I have to say, I was quite impressed by the message you send." He paused and took out his phone, her account already opened. He read the first quote he found. "Ah, here it is: 'Fuck society's idea of beauty'." He looked up at Ximena who held her chin high, proud. "Do you want to comment on that?"

"Absolutely," she said. "Why would Barbies dictate what mold women can or cannot fit in? Every single woman is beautiful, whether she is tall, short, skinny, fat, white, black, brown, blonde, brunette, or with red hair. And I will always support other women because we should be straightening each other's crowns instead of pulling each other down."

Jesse nodded impressed. He liked to play the devil's advocate just to get the reaction he wanted. And this was perfect. "Crown, you say? Why crowns?"

"Because women are queens in their own bodies, and we should be worshiping one another instead of judging one another." She sipped on her glass of wine.

"Is that why you named your brand of clothes, Rainha, with a little crown on the 'i'?"

"Yes," she said.

"That's actually really cool," Jesse said. "And before the Crown Prince asks you on a dance – because he's standing just behind you, by the way – is there something you would like to add to all the women out there?"

Ximena looked at Silas over her shoulder and he nodded, encouraging her. She looked at the camera Otis was holding. "Do not compare yourselves to others. You are who you are, and should never be ashamed of it." She paused before adding one last thing. "Self-love is the very first romance you will ever have."

"Ladiesandgentlemenboysandgirls, Ximena Oliveira, the Rainha of fashion and body positivity!" he said smiling, ending the interview. Only, Otis didn't stop filming, because His Royal Highness was asking the lady to dance, and from what Jesse could make out of their conversation, she was the last – but not least – on his list of partners for the evening. The Prince led her away to the dance floor.

"I'm betting my best bowtie she makes it to the top three for Silas," Jesse said to Otis as they watched the couple dance. And contrary to what Nevaeh had described Silas' dancing habits, they were much closer than he expected, and he was looking at the lady's eyes.

"Make that top two," Otis said, chuckling. Then he pointed to another part of the room. "You haven't interviewed these two," he said, motioning to a girl in green and another one if dark blue.

"Right. Come on, let's go!" Jesse said, grinning. There was a spring in his step, and he himself was wondering how he was still holding up. He would need to wrap up the interviews soon if he wanted to have enough time to go through them – and what Sydney had filmed – and edit something presentable for the next evening, plus the Report in the morning. There wouldn't be much shut-eye, that was for sure. Oh well, he'd sleep in on Saturday.

"Good evening, ladies," he said to Phoebe and Veronica, as he approached. "May we have a little chat with you two?"

"Sure! Of course!" they said at the same time and laughed.

"In Selections, young ladies are bound to make friendships, despite the fight for love and the competition at stake." He paused. "Would you two consider yourselves good friends, by now?"

Phoebe and Roni shared a smile. "I wouldn't say we're BFF's just yet," Phoebe said, "but I think we're friends. Right?" She looked at Roni to make sure.

Roni shrugged. "Yeah! I guess we were two danceless girls and we just hung out together."

"But do you think you could become good friends?" Jesse asked. "I mean, like would you stay in contact whatever the outcome of the Selection?"

The two girls looked at each other and nodded. "Yeah, I think so," Phoebe said.

"But we've been here only two weeks," Roni added. "And I'm not that good at making friends." She paused. "At least not in so short a time."

Again, Jesse took out his phone and typed in something in the Instagram search bar. "Really?" he asked. "Because according to your account, roniflores_xx, you have like, loads of friends." He tapped on a picture to zoom in. "And you look a lot like your sister, by the way."

"Yes, well, we're identical twins, if you hadn't noticed," Roni said on the defensive. "Of course, we look like each other."

"Can I see?" Phoebe asked and Jesse handed her his phone. "Oh wow, yeah. You look alike a lot."

"What about you, Phoebe?" Jesse said, changing the subject, though he would dig a bit more into that when he had more time and more resources underhand. "I understand you're an artist. Have you had any opportunity to work on your art these past couple of weeks?"

"A little," she admitted. "A little bit of painting, but mainly photography, though. I've been posting some pictures of the selection, the selected, and the palace on my Instagram account." She smiled. "I've had more followers in the past couple of weeks than since I've started that account."

"Oooh, so tell me what's the name so I can follow and make a shout-out on the official account!" Jesse said, ready to type whatever she told him, and then followed her. "I really love that aesthetic," he said. "And those pictures are gorgeous! Well done!" He already knew that he would edit the Instagram accounts in the final footage for the Report.

"Thanks!"

"Okay, so one last question before we end our little chat," Jesse said, already rubbing his hands for the tea. "From what you've learned about the three princes, living under the same roof for two weeks, do you already have a favorite? Roni, we already know you prefer Doug," he added, teasing her, and Roni chuckled and blushed.

"That's not fair, Jesse," Roni said. "I love Doug, but I also very much like Prince Silas and Prince Valerian."

"So, you LOVE Doug, but you LIKE the princes. Okay, that's fair," he teased, laughing. "Phoebe?"

"I think my answer is pretty much the same as Roni," the blonde in the blue dress replied. "Prince Silas and Prince Val are probably at the top of my list, but that doesn't mean I don't like Nathan." She paused. "It's just– well, his reputation precedes him, and it's a bit hard to not be a tiny bit wary of him."

Jesse agreed. "That's very true. Well, Ladies, thank you for your time!" He turned towards the camera. "That was Phoebe Evans and Veronica Flores, Ladiesandgentlemenboysandgirls!"

Jesse and Otis left the two girls after thanking them again and wandered around the ballroom in search of a few more selected to interview.

"Over there," Otis said. "In light blue and pink. I don't remember their names."

"Seriously, Otis?" Jesse laughed. "Two weeks and you still don't know their names?" He shook his head in dismay and walked towards the two girls. "Good evening Ashia and Dyani!" he said. "How are you doing?"

"Well," Dyani said. Then she saw Otis' camera and she blushed a little.

"Do you have a few minutes to spare for me?"

Ashia nodded. "Of course!" She tucked a brown curl behind her ear.

"Excellent!" Jesse almost rubbed his hands together. "So, the first question for both of you: Have you already danced with at least one of the Princes?"

"Valerian and Nathan," Ashia replied as Dyani said "Nathan and Valerian" at the same time. They shared a look and burst into giggles.

"Oh, two dances, interesting," Jesse said. "Both of you already had a date with both princes, so you already knew you were on their lists." He paused for effect. "Do you have a favorite?"

The two girls looked at each other so they wouldn't talk at the same time.

"Valerian," Ashia said.

"Same," Dyani added.

Jesse wanted to comment that very few girls seemed to favor Nathan, but he'd probably get to that during the Report. Or some other time. "Why not Nate?" he asked.

Again, the two girls shared a look. "He's…" Dyani trailed off, searching for the right words. "A little overwhelming."

Ashia nodded. "Yes, overwhelming."

Jesse nodded. They weren't entirely wrong. "And one last question for both of you: would you two consider yourself good friends, whatever the outcome of the selection?"

Ashia frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If one or the other was to win, would you still be friends? Or would jealously come in between you? I mean, this is a contest for love…"

Dyani absentmindedly played with the lace half-gloves she was wearing. "I'm not the jealous type," she said softly. "If Ashia was to become queen or princess, I'd support her one hundred percent." She smiled at Ashia who smiled back.

"Besides," Ashia added, "only three of us will win. And I'm just glad to be part of this whole event and to get to know the future queen, whoever she is."

"So you don't think you'll win?" Jesse asked.

"I didn't say that," Ashia replied. "I just don't think I'm in the list to become queen since I haven't danced with Prince Silas."

Jesse looked at his watch. "There is still time, the party isn't over."

Ashia shrugged. "I think I'll be happy if I can make friends with all these amazing women." She hooked her arm in Dyani's and both girls shared a smile.

"What about you, Dyani?" Jesse asked. "Do you think you have a chance at becoming queen? Or princess?"

"Why not?" she replied. Jesse noticed she was trying not to look at the camera too much. "Anything could happen, really. And I have a good feeling about my date with Val, and I was his first date." She paused. "Though I do have some predictions concerning the winners…"

Jesse leaned over, eager for more tea. "Do tell!"

"I'm afraid it's still too early to be sure, but I'll let you know if I figured it out." She flashed him a smile.

"Aw, just tell me one thing!" Jesse begged.

Dyani shook her head. "If I tell you too soon, it won't happen."

-o-0-o-

~ Nevaeh ~

It was five in the morning when all the guests had finally left. She was exhausted, but the ball had gone well, so that was good. The only people remaining other than the Selected, were the Watanabe and Anders-Caswell families.

The whole group of people migrated to the private sitting room of the Royal Family, on the first floor, a room only used for special occasions with many guests. Though they were a bit tight, with 24 selected, plus the Watanabe kids and Robin. The parents had all gone to bed, and only the young people remained.

Nathan and Ezra made Valerian sit on a throne-like armchair in the middle of the room while everyone huddled around him with their gifts ready. There was also some left-over cake and champagne continued to pass around. That's when Nevaeh realized she was nearing 30 years old: drinking until the wee hours of the morning was becoming harder by the year, and soon she would need a whole week to recover from such a feat.

"My turn!" Phoebe said, standing up from her spot on the floor and handing Valerian a rather big and flat present. Nevaeh tried to focus again on what was happening around her but she really wanted to sleep. And there was the Report to go to in three hours. No shut-eye for her.

Valerian took the gift and unwrapped it – he was too tired and a bit drunk to complain about the amount of paper used to wrap all his gifts – and held it at arm's lengths to contemplate it better. "This is amazing!" he said. "Did you paint this?"

"Yes!" Phoebe grinned from ear to ear. "It's you in a treehouse with fairy lights!"

Valerian chuckled and showed the painting to everyone. It was a blond boy in a treehouse with lanterns and fairy lights around him, all in pink and purple hues. It was pretty, but not Nevaeh's style. At all. She yawned as the next girl gave the Prince her gift. Not all the girls had thought of something, but she was glad some had done something.

"Thanks, Anastasia," Valerian said, taking the small box from her hands. He opened the pink ribbon holding it closed and took out a small fancy wooden music box. He opened it and inside there was a dancing couple. Some music started to play. "I have no idea what this music is," he said, "But it's pretty!" he said grinning.

"Waltz Number 2, by Dmitri Shostakovich," Jenissa and Silas said at the same time. They shared an impressed look and some of the girls giggled, thanks mainly to the wine and Champagne.

Next in line was Eve. She offered Val a card-size package that was an inch thick. Valerian delicately opened the envelope and took out a card. There was also something heavier inside, and it was not money – who would give money to a prince? "Ooh, very nice card," Val said. "This looks like the Palace garden…"

"Because it is," she replied with her soft voice. "It's the view I have from my room, and I just added some fairy lights."

Valerian laughed. "I think I'll never live the fairy lights down, will I?" he chuckled some more and took the heavier present that was inside the card. "A butterfly? This looks so cool and very steampunk-y. I like it!" He turned the mechanical insect in his hands, trying to figure out how it was made.

"If you wind it up, its wings will flutter and hover above the ground for a little while," Eve explained, pointing to the winding mechanism.

"Even better!" Val said, winding the butterfly. And true to her word, the wings fluttered rapidly and it hovered a few centimeters above the floor for a couple of minutes. Everyone was impressed by it and it went around in all the hands, winded up and hovering here and there. Even Nevaeh had a try and she thought it was the most interesting present Val had gotten so far. Eve even said that she had made it herself and Valerian was even more impressed by that since he couldn't even hammer a nail straight.

Yuna gave him a new coil of white fairy lights for his room, along with a plush berry for his bed. Over the years she had given him a strawberry, and raspberry, a couple of cherries, and now she was giving him a blueberry. It always added some color to his collection of brown teddy bears he kept lined up against the wall. Nevaeh wondered if he'd ever put them away or if they'd just get passed on to his kids without seeing the attic.

Mia gave him a desk organizer, claiming that he'd probably needed something in the like for when he got to his Master's degree in the fall.

Pallas offered him a pink peony plant, precising that it symbolized compassion and new relationships, as well as a philodendron plant, which symbolized the love of nature and growth. Everyone thought it matched Valerian extremely well, and he said he was happy to have some plants and flowers to put into his room; even his dorm room at university when he went back again. He promised Pallas he'd take them on campus.

Neveah had to get up and walk around the room so she wouldn't fall asleep, and by the time she went back to her seat with a glass of icy water and a couple of macarons on a china plate, Odessa was giving him the last gift of the Selection. And of the night.

Being a florist, she had made a small terrarium in a geometric glass vase with small stones and succulents, something that didn't need too much attention, that could be watered only when Val remembered to do so. Val loved it and told her he'd also take it on campus with him when he'd have to go back. Valerian had had a little too much champagne, and he named the four succulents in the terrarium Carl, Bob, John, and Sophie, because he said the grey one was a girl. Everyone laughed and passed the plants around to say hi to them.

Nevaeh yawned again and she took her phone out while Valerian was taking selfies with all the girls. It was now 7 a.m., and their next stop was the Royal Report at 9 o'clock. She knew Jesse would be waiting for them on the dot.

She kicked off her shoes – after realizing she should have done that hours ago – and walked towards Silas who was sitting alone on a couch with Doug's head sleeping on his lap. He was staring into space while absentmindedly petting his dog's head. She sat next to him and lay her head on his shoulder. "I don't know how you can still be awake. I could fall asleep right now."

Silas let out a small amused huff. "I'm used to sleepless nights."

"That much work?" she asked, her eyes heavy and her mind already shutting off.

"No. Too much overthinking." He paused. "I've never known you to fall asleep after a party, though?"

She shrugged. "Try organizing a Ball. I've been up since 6 a.m. yesterday."

"You can sleep for two hours, I'll wake you up."

"Thanks." She lay down with her head on his other thigh, right next to Doug, and fell asleep, preventing Silas to move or go anywhere. She noises around her faded to a dull buzz and her mind shut everything out.

I hope you enjoyed this second part of the Ball! let me know what you think of our 5 POVs this chapter :eyes:

Also, please let me know if the *M* scenes were notified enough or if I should do that differently...

Next time we'll be back with Jesse and the Report and his juicy questions :eyes:

thanks for all your reviews and support, and see you next week! ;)