I've received two new charcaters: Tanya Merideth Everly from and Elodie Simone from AlliJanice. They'll be introduced next chapter; this one focuses on the prince and stuff going on at the palace.

The SYOC is closed for Selected characters. I'll accept one more non-selected character if anyone wants to submit one.

Prince Elliot

I sit on a plush chair in a small sitting room with a pile of applications on my lap. Mother and Father sit together on a love seat while Hazel and Liam share a couch. It is painfully and awkwardly silent. I shuffle through the stack of papers, trying to will the 35 faces and names to stick in my brain.

Liam is the one who breaks the silence. My sixteen-year-old brother can never stand to be quiet for long. Funny how he and his twin sister Hazel are so different. "You know," he says, "It's technically not too late to call this off. I mean, none of the girls are here yet."

"But they've already been announced," I point out. "It would be cruel to offer them the chance of a lifetime and then take it away from them."

He snorts. "Do you really think that many girls consider getting to know you the chance of a lifetime? You're not that awesome."

"You be quiet," I say, but it doesn't really bother me. Liam's comments are annoying, but mostly harmless.

"I'm just saying," he says defensively. "I still think you shouldn't do it."

"You're just jealous because you're not allowed to flirt with them," I shoot back.

He sticks his tongue out at me. "Why are you having a Selection anyway?" he challenges. "Did kissing maids get old for you?"

I blush. "Maid. Singular. And she has nothing to do with this."

Liam grins. "Right. Sure she doesn't."

"That's enough of that, boys," Mother says suddenly "Liam, the Selection is happening, and that is final. Elliot, back to work. You really must get these girls' names memorized. You don't want to make a fool of yourself in front of them, do you?"

I sigh and turn my attention back to the papers in front of me. I decide to quiz myself by covering the names and just looking at the pictures. Let's see . . . curly brown hair, big hazel eyes . . . I think it's Amber something, right? I check the paper. Amber Forrest. I was right. Kind of.

The next girl in the stack also has brown hair, but it's longer and straight. Her eyes are also brown, but they seem a little purple-ish too. I have absolutely no idea who she is. According to the paper in front of me, she's Luna Silverwood, an Eight. But really, that tells me nothing. A name and a number, a couple of extra details, but nothing about her personality. No matter how many times I look at these forms, they're still just paper. I don't know her favorite color, or what her reaction to a beautiful sunset is, or what can make her laugh out loud. The paper in front of me is an empty, incomplete reflection of a deep and full human being.

"Are you going all 'deep-thinking poet' on us again?" Liam says.

"You've been looking at the same form for ten minutes," Mother adds. "Well, your eyes were looking at it, anyway. I'm not exactly sure where your mind was. Who was that one, anyway?"

"Luna Golden- no, Silverwood," I say.

"The Eight?" Mother replies, obvious disgust in her voice.

I sigh. "Yes, she's an Eight."

She sighs right back but says nothing.

Floretta

Lilibeth shoves a piece of paper in my hand, barely glancing at me as she says, "Maid assignments," and rushes off. I glance down at the paper. I've been assigned as a maid to Emani Jeffers. The model. I stiffen involuntarily. As Lilibeth like to remind me, not all models are Carissa. But still . . .

I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment and then look back at the paper. I'll be working with Julia Summers and . . . there's no one else listed. "Lilibeth!" I chase after her, grabbing her arm to stop her. "Aren't there supposed to be three maids per Selected?"

"Yes . . ." she says, not understanding. I show her my paper.

"There's only two of us," I say.

"Well, go find someone else," Lilibeth snaps. "Sorry, Flo. I'm just really stressed. I don't have time to find you someone else to work with. Ask for volunteers in the kitchens or something."

I take her advice and head down to the kitchen. I know that if I just yell "Who wants to be a maid?" chaos will ensue. I survey the crowd of people myself. I catch glimpse of a tall girl with short, curly copper hair washing dishes. I have no idea if she's got the right skill set or personality to be a maid. But there's a look in her eyes that I like. I slip through the kitchen around a few chefs and tap her on the shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Lydie

I follow the short girl with dark hair out of the kitchen. "Yeah?" I say, anxious to know what this is about. What if she found out? Mother will kill me. That is, if the royals don't do it first.

"How would you like to be a maid?" The girl asks me.

"I am a maid, " I point out.

"I mean a real maid," she says. "For one of the Selected."

I consider it. Mother would definitely disapprove. She said lie low. But she also said to learn as much as possible about the royals and the Selected. And this would be a great opportunity to do that. Plus, it'd be fun. I smile at the girl. "I'm in."

let me know who your favorite characters are! (And don't just say your own character)