Good evening, everyone! A special thank you to everyone who has submitted a character, and to those who haven't: please do. There is a list of the available provinces at the bottom of the page.

Also, ladies and gentleman, we have an Italian Princess in our midst, Megan Albert Vallentino, who will be visiting Prince Tristan for the Selection! Thank you, Alia Sharma, for contributing her! Yaaay!

As usual, enjoy!

~Alison

Megan POV:

I stroll down the garden path, arm-in-arm with my husband, Albert. Leaning my head on his shoulder, I feel like a contented angel as I watch the sun filter through the trees.

"What are you thinking about?" Albert asks in his deep Italian accent.

"Just the Selection. I'm wondering how Tristan plans on getting to know any of the girls if he doesn't plan on seeing any of them." Albert chuckles at this.

"I'm sure Tristan will work everything out." He tells me. Then he turns to a more serious note. "If you are worried, I can stay longer." I smile at this.

"I'm not worried, but…it would be nice if you stayed longer." I inform him hopefully. He sighs.

"I want to, but I can't unless its urgent. I have so many meetings with the New Asians, I am even flying there next week for negotiations. We have almost reached a treaty, and its of dire importance that I am always present. I don't want to offend them now."

"Yes, but isn't it important for you to spend time with me? I am pregnant, even if I haven't started showing yet." I say, feeling only slightly guilty for pulling the pregnancy card on him. "And besides," I continue, "I do worry about your safety when you're in New Asia." My voice quivers as I imagine the danger of being there now, when it is so unstable. Albert wraps his arms tightly around my shoulders.

"Meg, I don't want you to have to worry about me, ever. In fact, I should be worrying about you more. You're more fragile than ever, since you are carrying an extra life." I snuggle against his chest, listening to his heart beat in his chest and enjoying the warm feeling of his arms around mine. I look up into his kind eyes.

"So…you'll stay?" I ask again. He sighs, scratches behind his neck, and then gives in.

"Yes, I'll stay." He concedes. I jump up and down, clapping my hands, and lean in to give him a kiss. I pull away, but he whispers 'oh no, you don't' and pulls me back in for another, deeper kiss.

I hear a guards footsteps, and pull away hurriedly just as he emerges from the bushes. I spare a glance at Albert, and notice that he is just as peeved as I am by the guard. I was hoping to spend some time alone with my husband, but I suppose you are never alone when the whole world is watching you.

"Your majesties, pardon the intrusion." The guard bows before continuing. "I'm terribly sorry, but there could be a rebel attack at any minute, and I believe you would be safer indoors." Albert nods in agreement, his grip around my shoulders tightening at the thought of a rebel attack.

"Yes, that's a good idea. Lead the way, officer." I sigh, exasperated, as Albert leads me back inside. When we are inside, I stare longingly out the glass windows until my husband breaks the silence. "Would you like to show me the pictures of the Selected?" Albert asks. I suddenly pipe up in excitement, nodding profusely. I've been wanting to take another peek at them myself.

"Lets go!" I exclaim, practically dragging Albert up the stairs and to the office with the folders in them. There is a cork board on one wall with all of the pictures plastered on them, and suddenly I feel self-conscious. Some of those girls are WAY prettier than I am. And Albert is most certainly going to be the handsomest man in the room (sorry Tristan). "I'd better hold on to you, otherwise someone else is going to snatch you away." I say, only half-joking. Albert turns to me, serious.

"Nobody could tear me away from you." My heart softens at this comment.

"Really?" I ask.

"Meg, do I even need to tell you how much I love you?" Albert asks. I laugh.

"No, but its still nice to hear." Albert wraps me in a warm hug, and I breathe in his fresh scent of peppermint and something distinctly Albert that I can't quite place.

"You are the sun, the moon, all of the stars, and the only thing holding me to the Earth. You are my precious flower, the thing I wake up for every day and dream of every night. You are the one thing at once so strong and at the same time so fragile, and there will never be an end to my love for you." These words bring happy tears to my eyes, and the next words make them spill over. He leans down and whispers in my ear, "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part." I don't think, instead, standing on my toes and lightly brushing my lips against his, trying to convey how much I admire, love, and appreciate him.

"I love you." I whisper. He does not hesitate to whisper it back.

"And soon," Albert adds, "We are going to be a family." These words comfort me, and I take one last glance at the pictures of the Selected, which no longer intimidate me. Albert is my husband, and he will always be mine. I don't need a Selection to know I would choose him in a heartbeat.

"Fifteen minutes to the broadcast!" The voice startles me back to reality, and I recognize it as that of Gavril Fadaye. Fifteen minutes until Tristan's future is broadcasted for the whole nation to see. I take Albert's arm.

"Shall we?" I ask. Albert nods.

"We shall." He says, and we exit the door. I glance at my charming husband and know without a doubt that this is where I belong, just as I always have. Family.

So…how was it? Once again, PLEASE LEAVE CHARACTERS either by PM'ing me or reviewing, and, as promised, here is the list of the available provinces:

Kent

Hansport

Paloma

Clermont

Tammins

Sonage

Dakota

Sota

Likely

Hundson

Honduragua

Sumner

Labrador

Fennley

Bankston

Bonita

Midston

St. George

Panama

Denbeigh

Calgary

Baffin

Ottaro

Lakedon

Yukon

That's all for now, folks!

~Alison