Chapter 18

November 7th, 2309, Angeles

Michelle and the other girls had finished princess lessons that morning and were now free for the rest of the day until the report that evening.

Michelle was walking along the hallway with Holliday and Riley. Michelle wore a pink gown. Holliday wore fluffy marshmallow white gown and Riley wore a lavender gown with golden swirls.

"So Riley," said Michelle. "How was it when James took you to see that concert?"

"Well, it was the best concert I've ever seen," said Riley. "But I think every concert I see is the best."

The three girls laughed.

Just then four other girls came around the corner. Michelle gasped in horror as they turned in their direction and saw their faces.

There was Emily McShayne and her friends.

Emily wore a dark red gown and the skirt was designed to look like a rose. Tiffany wore a Caribbean blue gown with wide straps and had a blue bookbag around her waist. Suzanne wore a violet gown with a white bodice. And Harper wore a trumpet cream colored gown. All four looked genuinely surprised to see Michelle dressed like a princess.

"M-Michelle? Is that you?" asked Suzanne her voice stammered a bit.

"Emily?! Tiffany? Suzanne? Harper?" exclaimed Michelle. "What are you four doing here?"

A mean smirk appeared on Emily.

"Well, well, well, Michelle White," she taunted. "I almost didn't recognize you in those beautiful dresses. I've always seen you in poor peasant clothing."

Michelle frowned.

Holliday spoke up.

"That's Emily?" she asked in surprise.

"Well yeah" said Emily smarmily.

Tiffany then gasped.

"What is it Tiffany?" asked Suzanne.

"It's Holliday Wade," said Tiffany breathlessly. "I'm your number one fan!" she cried. She grabbed her book bag and poured it. Out came twenty DVD cases. "I've seen all your movies!"

Harper picked up one with a cover picture of a gloomy looking lake.

Rise of the undrowned?" she read. "Tiffany that's a horror film, you hate horror films."

"I do," replied Tiffany. "But any movie that's a Holliday Wade is a movie I'll watch." She looked at Holliday. "Can I have your autograph?" she asked admiringly.

"And who are you and what's your caste?" Emily asked Riley.

"Riley Chelswick," replied Riley. "I'm an eight."

"An eight?" said Emily. "So, surprised to see both you and Michelle still in the selection." Tiffany, Suzanne and Harper nodded in agreement.

Emily turned to face Michelle. "You may have new clothes, and new makeovers," she taunted. "But you're still the same old Michelle. You're not special and never will be special and neither will the other lower castes."

Just then James came up.

"Hey Michelle, lady Holliday, lady Riley," he said. He then noticed the quartet.

"What's going on?" he asked seeing the four unfamiliar girls.

"Hello your highness," said Emily flirtishly to the prince. "I'm Emily McShayne. And this is Tiffany, Suzanne and Harper."

"Your highness" said Tiffany, Suzanne and Harper curtsying.

She pulled her arm around Michelle and pulled her close to her. "We go to school with Michelle." She said sweetly.

James eyed the four girls suspiciously.

"Hmm, Michelle's told me about you four," he said playing along. "Why have you come all the way from Belcourt the Angeles?"

"Count Neilson is hiring us as confidants for his daughter," replied Emily. "By the way, we should go girls, he's gonna be interviewing us soon."

The other girls nodded and started to walk away.

Emily turned back.

"Hope to see you on the report tonight" she said chirpily before she left.

Michelle sighed to her friends.

"Holliday, Riley, just when I thought my Emily days were over," she sighed exasperatedly. "Still, it was nice getting away from them for a little while."

Holliday and Riley nodded in agreement. They had never met the quartet before, but they had already taken a dislike to them. Holliday who was normally kind to everyone despite their different castes, but she did not like Emily one bit.

James had suspicions of the quartet and why count Neilson wanted to hire them.

"So, Emily," said Tiffany. "Remind me why we're all taking this job?"

"I told you Tiffany," sighed Emily. "There is still a chance for one of us to get the prince. Once he sees us better, he'll call off the selection and choose one of us as his future queen."

"You sure it's a good idea?" asked Harper.

"Trust me," huffed Emily. "It's a brilliant idea."

In the council room, count Neilson was pacing around, when he heard the door open and he saw the quartet entering.

"Ah, is one of you the girl who called about the job application?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," said Emily. "I'm Emily, this is Tiffany, Harper and Suzanne."

"What's your caste?" asked count Neilson.

"We're all fours" replied Emily.

"Good," replied count Neilson. "Now tell me, how do you feel about the lower castes?" he asked with interest.

"Ugh," groaned Emily. "Those lower castes are such losers, thinking that their gonna be special, when they're never gonna be special. The royal family is foolish to be letting fives to eights in."

"I'm glad you feel the same way," said count Neilson. "Because I need you for more then just being confidants for my daughter."

Emily listened with interest.

"I'm planning to take over Illea and become it's new king. But I have to make sure the prince marries my daughter Giselle."

Harper, Suzanne and Tiffany were in horror. Emily although cautious, had some interest in what he was saying.

"What does our part come into this scheme?" she asked.

"I'm really hiring you as spies, so you can spy on the other girls and the selection," explained count Neilson. "You'll be posing as Giselle's confidants to avoid suspicions."

"What's in it for us?" asked Emily.

"I'll be happy to make all four of you members of my council when I'm king" replied count Neilson.

Emily looked thrilled. She was gonna get to be part of royalty after all.

"Yes sir" she replied.

Just then Giselle walked in.

"Ah, Giselle my beauty," said count Neilson in a fatherly voice. "I'd like you to meet your new confidants. This is Harper, Suzanne, Tiffany and Emily."

The four girls waved hello.

"I can't believe I'm in the presence of a grand lady" said Emily in genuine admiration.

"Well, it's not everyday commoners and aristocrats mix" said Giselle with a sigh. Though she wasn't sure what to make of with these girls mostly Emily, she felt a bit comfortable with the other girls.

"You four will be staying at my villa with me and Giselle" explained count Neilson. "Giselle, could you show them around the palace?"

"Yes, father" replied Giselle.

As Giselle lead them around Tiffany whispered to Emily.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she whispered.

"Yeah," added Harper. "We'll be charged with treason and canned to eights if we get caught in this."

"Once count Neilson takes over Illea," replied Emily. "We'll be royals."

Author's note; So, the quartet returns. That spells trouble for Michelle. How long do you think Emily or any of her friends would last in the selection if they had made it in.