Hey guys, hope you enjoy this chapter! –Caitlin xx

Samantha Lucas would never forget the disappointment in Queen Adelas eyes that day. Even just remembering it gave her shivers, she knew the goose bumps were silly because that look wasn't even directed at her. As soon as the fight broke out she ran straight to Allay on the window seat, and they tried their hardest to ignore the screaming beside them. Samantha only looked up when there was a sudden silence in the Womens Room. She remembered nudging Allay, who was silently crying, on the shoulder so that she could look up and see what had happened. When Samantha looked across the room she felt like crying herself, glass from the coffee table was everywhere and girls had obviously just been fighting. The beautiful embroidered curtains were torn and lying crumpled on the floor, books were strewn across the floor. Elle had blood running down her left arm and Tanya Baines had one hand on Christie Moores shoulder pinning her to the wall. At the farthest corner of the room, Samantha saw a red headed maid, so obviously out of breath that her cheeks almost matched her hair, standing next to the Queen who, although she must have just run to the Womens room with the maid looked as regal as ever. Everyone had clearly fell silent when they realized the Queen was watching them.

"Girls. I have no power over who goes and who stays in this competition, that is entirely Damons decision. However, being his mother, I happen to have a very large influence on who he does and does not associate with" The Queen said, making eye contact with all of them, showing each of the Selected how disappointed she was. Queen Adela stood for another ten seconds and slowly walked out of the Womens

Now Samantha sat hours later on her bead, wringing her hands nervously. She shouldn't even be nervous, she did nothing wrong, but she couldn't help thinking of the worst case scenario. What if the cancel the entire selection, obviously we –I-I mean they, can't control themselves. The King and Queen will probably just kick us all out. But she was being ridiculous, and she knew that.

A soft knock on her door was followed by a quiet "Lady Samantha, could we come in? You need to get ready for dinner"

"Yes, yes" Samantha said opening the door for her maids. She glanced up at the clock which told her that is was only 5p.m. "You're all early, are we having dinner early today?" or are you prepping us for our last dinner in the palace?

"No Miss, a Princess from New Asia is coming staying for the next week and the Queen would like everyone to look their absolute best, and this means an extra half hour on your dress and make-up"

Oh, that makes more sense.

"Did any of you know a maid who was in the Womens room this afternoon?" Samantha asked while sitting down in front of her mirror.

All three of her maids looked at each other uncomfortably. After a long uncomfortable silence one spoke up, Ava if Samantha remembered correctly "I actually knew the maid who went to get the Queen, the one with the red hair" Ava spoke nervously, looking at the other two maids for approval.

Samantha tried to play this off as no big deal "Really?" she said, as nonchalant as she could "What did she say about the fight?" Samantha pretended to be more interested in her fingernails.

"Well, um, she didn't say much Lady Samantha." Ava stuttered, pulling a brush through Samanthas brown hair. "All she said was that a lot of people would be in trouble after today"

"Trouble?"

"Ye-yes Miss. She said the Queen told her to fetch Damon immediately. But she was so tired after running to get the Queen that she took a little rest around the corner" Ava giggled "Sometimes we do that, being a maid is awfully tiring and we need more breaks than we get!"

"So the Queen is defiantly telling Damon about today then?"

"Yes Lady Samantha"

"Do you know if she told the King?" Samantha wondered how much Ava would actually tell her.

"I'm very sorry Miss, but I'm not sure" Ava said while struggling to get a particularly tight knot out of Samanthas hair.

Samantha took a deep breath in before entering the dining room, she had met up with Allay at the bottom of the staircase but neither of them talked much. It was a comfortable silence though, one that all of the others would find the need to fill. A guard pushed open the doors for them and they walked in. Simultaneously Allay and Samantha curtsied before the King, Queen and Damon. Samantha scanned the Selected table to find that five seats had been removed, Annie Carter, Ellie Simmons, McKenzie Johansson, Tanya Baines and Christie Moores table sets had all been removed. They were down to the final 15.