Hey guys! Don't worry, I didn't abandon you, I just really wanted EVERY form complete before I posted this. And I now officially have each of the girls totally complete! I hope this was worth the wait, but more than that, I hope I'm never gone for so long again ahahahaha!
Special shout out to Artemis hunters (x6), jenhen48 (x2), Cookiedoodles168, 4Love4Love4, Happygreenbirdy, and XOStarbrightXO for reviewing! I'm not sure if anyone followed or favorite (I cant remember), but if so, thanks for that also!
Just gonna tell you all, if it doesn't specifically say otherwise, it is Aspen's POV. This chapter, for example, is Aspen. Hope you guys like it!
Without further ado, the Report!
I thought I might be hallucinating, but all day I've been looking through a vision of violet. Every room has been engulfed in a subtle purple hue, strength varying in the lighting, and every other color seems subdued. It reminds me of a phrase I've seen before, in a book. La vie en rose: Living life through rosy glasses. It's supposed to mean that you go through life in a state of untouchable bliss and contempt, so I'd guess that I'm feeling the exact opposite.
Of course, upon some research as to why I could only see the color purple,the answer came almost immediately: it's simply out of nerves. See, it's a very busy color, and nervousness is a busy state of mind. And on the day where my fate could be so dramatically altered, my psyche has been spinning for hours on end, each thought buzzing in and out in seconds to make room for the next. It doesn't register as anxiety, exactly, but something similar enough. So it all checks out and makes sense, and it turns out I'm not completely crazy after all.
But after hours and hours of a spinning mind, without a mental break, it certainly feels like I'm completely crazy. So far today, I've stumbled through a really cloudy shift at the café, patchy conversations with my family, my friends and coworkers, and scanned thousands of lines from whatever book I chose, which I know already that I'll have to reread tomorrow because I remember none of it. And by now, at five fifty-nine, with each second ticking away to the on-the-dot six o'clock Report, as delicious as they are agonizing, I can't tell if I'm gaining sanity or losing it.
Forty-three seconds.
Forty-two.
Forty-one.
Forty, thirty-nine.
There really is no escape. But I've been waiting for hours, for days, for weeks, for an announcement –no, more of a confirmation: a yes or no answer- that might take all of ten seconds. And I'll sit on the same alabaster (tinged lavender) armchair I do every Friday, the same pea-green (but looking nearly mauve) woven blanket draped over my body, and eyes fixated on the clock, aching for it to tick to six.
Twenty-seven seconds.
Twenty-six seconds.
Twenty-five.
My heartbeat shakes my entire body. I can't stop thinking about my almost certain reality: that Blaire will be Selected, or Persephone, or literally any other girl in Waverly. The possibility is so incredibly likely: that I'll never be able to reach the goals I've had for my entire life, that I'll never-
Fourteen seconds.
Thirteen.
Never make Prince Cameron smile, to be the good that he sees in life when he doesn't seem to have any. Never be able to influence a nation as a Lady, or a Princess, or a Queen. Never have the resources to work in philanthropy and therapy, never satisfy a lifelong crush, never leave my home province.
Ten seconds.
My family is poised around me; hands clutched and faces bearing only excited smiles. Never do their eyes betray nervousness or doubt, not even Persephone. I can't imagine the same for myself. Our traditional bowl of popcorn sits on Blanca's lap, made from cobalt colored ceramic and exploding with fresh steam.
Three seconds.
Two seconds.
One.
The television snaps to life in an instant, and my nerves fail to waver when they're met with a notorious Brenan Gavin smile. In fact, I quickly notice how the entire Royal Family (Prince Cameron excluded, as usual; no matter how disappointing) sports glimmering grins and lively eyes. They almost seem like a mirror to my own family, down to the one near adult who couldn't seem any more than glum. I try to pick up a bit of excitement, but it does little to push back the fearful anticipation buried in my belly.
"Hello, Illéa! I'm exceptionally proud to welcome you to this very special segment of the Illéan Capital Report!" Brenan's jubilance is palpable. "This evening, we will disclose the thirty five young women randomly chosen in a drawing this morning, who will come to the Royal Palace to compete for the hand of our ever-charming, Crown Prince Cameron Alexander Havillard in Illéa's fourteenth Selection!" Brenan takes a bit of time to explain what will happen after the announcement: how each girl may get calls about when the best time may be for dress fittings, to meet their personal aids, to work out any health issues and flight information, and other things like that. Excitement begins to build in my chest, and I hold my breath for more. "Now, please join us in congratulating the thirty-five Selected Daughters of Illéa!"
The screen shifts from Brenan's face to the country's national emblem, with a small rectangle showing Cameron's reactions in the upper right corner. His face still hasn't moved, and I silently bet that it wont for the duration of the announcement. Can't show favoritism, I guess, right?
"Lady Pepper Hearst of Kent, six." A pretty blonde with a shy smile appears on the screen, her brown eyes soft and vulnerable. Prince Cameron's interest seems piqued, but he doesn't smile.
"Lady Natalyn Brandon of Hansport, three." Natalyn is a New Asian girls with a round face and wide brown eyes, her skin completely porcelain.
"Lady Delilah Gregory of Zuni, four." A pair of thick eyebrows lay over eyes of deep auburn and hazel, and the girl's brown waves are thrown into a ponytail.
"Lady Catalina Alvarez of Paloma, three." Another brunette appears, this one looking almost a bit like me. Her chin is sharper and eyes lighter, but it's easy to see the resemblance. What de ja vu. I'm immediately cautious of her.
"Of Clermont, a two: Lady Manhattan Bourne." Manhattan seems so stark in comparison from the other girls so far: she was pinkish-purple-grey waves and brown doe eyes.
"Miss Katherine Arias, a five, is the Selected from Tammins." A dainty girl with long, dark blonde hair appears on screen, and her blue eyes seem positively lively. Her lips form the most perfect close-mouth smile I've ever seen. Like Mona Lisa, or something.
"From Sonage, Lady Kaycee Thomas, a two." Another brunette, her hair falling in gentle curls. She has brown eyes to match, and adorable dimples that I'm nearly jealous of.
"Lady Adeliza Yancey of Dakota, a seven." Adeliza seems almost primal, yet tame, if that makes any sense. Her dark hair is messy and laden with feathers, and you can see that her clear, dark skin is streaked with a bit of dirt. The girl seems ethnic, maybe an Indigenous, which seems interesting. To confirm my theory, I notice her covered in what looks like skins, and a tribal pendant necklace lies around her throat.
"Lady Waverly Evans, a three from Columbia." Waverly is quite pretty, with captivating hazel eyes and porcelain skin. Her hair falls in gentle nut-brown curls. She seems incredibly friendly and has a sweet disposition.
"Lady Wednesday Corbineau is from Sota, a three." I almost laugh when I see that the girl on screen in blinking. I feel terrible, that must be awkward, but almost funny nonetheless. From the slant in her eyes, I can tell the girl might be New Asian of some sort, and her auburn-tinted brown waves fall around her shoulders.
"Of Allens, Miss Raven Cortez, a seven." Raven's the most intense girl I've ever seen, with pale green eyes outlined in dark black, the same color as her long, sweeping hair. She smiles, but it seems more like a simper, or smirk.
"Lady Emberly Saffron is our Selected from Likely, a five." The girl on camera looks simply angelic, her honey hair in curls, and her creamy skin glowing. Her eyes are the color of glistening sapphires, and I notice how much of a contradiction she seems to be: clad in a leather jacket pairing her innocent charm.
"Lady Makayla Durand, a five from Atlin." In surprise, another New Asian girl appears, but she's completely sunny blonde, with blue eyes. It's kind of striking, actually.
"Of Hundson, Lady Lucie Crimson, two." Lucie projects as strongly Indian and exotic, which I realize will probably be good for the war and alignments. She has near-black hair and matching round eyes, and her skin is tan. She bears a perfect white smile.
"Lady Scarlet Chatterly of Honduragua, five." Scarlet seems as beautiful but simultaneously standard as the rest of us. She has curly brown hair and dark brown eyes.
"Lady Audrey Matlock of Sumner, a two." Audrey is yet another brunette, except her eyes are small and colored grey-blue, with long eyelashes that frame them beautifully. She has creamy skin and high cheekbones, and carries herself with an air of professionalism. She's gorgeous, and already ladylike.
"Of Labrador: Lady Clio Smirnov-Athans, three." A blonde appears on screen, her hair shinning and long, with full, rosy lips and piercing blue eyes.
"Lady Hannah Wade of Fennley, another three." Hannah has tan skin and deep, dark eyes. Her raven hair is pulled back in a professional-looking ponytail.
"Lady Allena Quick, a five from Bankston." A dainty blonde appears on screen, with green eyes and dark roots, and thick eyebrows to accent her sharp-featured face.
"Lady Bonita Stone of Whites, a two." I'm surprised to see another girl with colored hair, but this one's is deep violet. Her tan skin and dark eyes say that she might have some sort of an ethnic background, in the same way that I'm a third generation Italian and second generation Bulgarian. She's beautiful, and you can see that her makeup has evidence of a skilled artist's work.
"Our Lady from Bonita, Miss Leanore Fleuret, a two." I recognize her as another girl of Asian decent, but not necessarily Chinese or Korean, like the other girls so far. She has tan skin, first of all, and her hair is more of a dark brown than black. Her eyes are squinted, but not entirely so.
"A five: Lady Drew Montgomery, from our home province of Angeles." Drew seems quite fashionable and well kept for a five. Her makeup is skilled, properly accenting her emerald eyes, and her ebony hair is in a messy ponytail. Her skin is the color of dark carob, without a hint of dryness or acne.
"Lady Mahalia Babineua is our Selected from Midston, a four." With high cheekbones and a white smile, Mahalia looks really cheerful. She has silky black hair and dark skin.
"From Carolina is Miss Adriana Foster, a seven." Adriana smiles mischievously, her dark eyes captivating and her head topped with auburn springy curls.
"Lady Serena Ballora of St. George, a two." Serena has deep ebony hair and porcelain skin, with beautiful blue eyes.
"Lady Harper Jones, a six from Panama." Though platinum blonde and crystal-blue eyed, Harper has really tan skin. I suppose that's due to where she's from, of course, as Panama is pretty far south, all the way near the equator. I wonder what it's like where she lives.
"From Denbeigh, Miss Giselle Knight, a five." Giselle is remarkably pretty, with caramel hair and blue eyes. She has high cheekbones and a perfect smile.
"Next is Miss Heather Berry, a seven from Calgary." Heather has dark, straight red hair. Her skin is flawless and pale, and she has dark blue eyes.
"Another seven: Miss Ellina Foster from Baffin." Ellina seems young and… maybe a bit too mature. She can't be older than sixteen, but her blonde hair is styled, and her blue eyes are surrounded by dark eye shadow.
"From Ottaro, Lady Evelyn Clause, a three." Evelyn has crimped-curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Her lips are full and pink, her cheekbones are high, and her jawline is sharp. Her face is a perfect mirror, and she looks absolutely beautiful.
"Lady Ivy Dupree of Lakedon, a two." Ivy has striking, bright orange hair and pretty hazel eyes with thick, dark eyelashes. Her skin is remarkably perfect, and so is her makeup… You can tell that she's wealthy by her clothes, and the diamonds dangling from her ears. She looks so friendly, though: with a kind, bright smile.
"Lady Cherika Lowell, a four from Yukon." The girl on screen looks to be maybe the youngest out of anyone I've seen so far… She's quite dainty, with pale blonde hair and icy skin, and matching blue eyes.
"Of Dominica, is the Lady Alessandra Hernandez, a two." Alessandra looks super skinny and fit, with curly dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, with tan skin.
"Miss Thera Ellington of Belcourt, a three." The girl on screen is classically beautiful, with long, dark brown hair, pale skin, and turquoise eyes.
This is it… The queen's home province always came last, a tradition that's been going on since the second Selection, after the reign of Queen Grace Lowell of Angeles. Queen Nadia was the people's favorite from the start, or so my mom said.
"If you got into the Selection, do you think you would have won?" Cooper asks my mom.
"Please, I never even entered." Mom takes my dad's hand. "Your father proposed to me three days after the Selection was announced. I'm pretty sure he was scared into doing it." She laughs.
"That's ridiculous." My father protests. "I proposed to you because my best friend Tony said he wanted to ask you out one day when we were no longer dating. So see, it was out of jealousy, I wasn't scared."
"Oh good, because that's better."
"Finally, from our beloved Queen Nadia's home province of Waverly: Lady Aspen Marx, a four." My mind barely registers my own name being called over the chaos. I can hear the shrieks of excitement all around me (with a few gaping mouths from my not-so-friendly sisters), but my eyes stay glued to the screen. I study the way my own eyes are illuminated in excitement and hopefulness, and how I look more beautiful than usual. With my smile, lighting up the rest of my features, I appear radiant.
"Oh my god, Aspen! Congratulations sweetheart!" My mom springs out of her chair, sending Blanca's bowl of popcorn all over the floor.
"Mom!" Blanca protests. Rowan takes her hand and holds her back, whispering something in her ear. Yes, she had been a lot less pleasant since the excitement of her engagement wore off, but at the very least, Rowan had some uncanny ability to keep her calm (for however long that would last). It made us all like him just a little bit more; or at least more than the five percent we did originally.
I'm tackled by hugs and my ears ring from all of the cheering. My lips feel like they're going to fall off from the grin that sits unmoving on my face. That was it. It was exactly the confirmation that I needed. My life's course is now dramatically, permanently altered.
The telephone begins to ring from behind me, and doesn't seem to stop all night.
Dramatically altered. My life won't be the same ever again.
All right guys! There's the Report for you! Next chapter will have a whole bunch of stuff in it, because the Selection has really begun! Hope you're excited!
I also just wanted to tell you all who the main cast is, as well as supporting and minor! I had so much trouble trying to decide the main cast, because I got so many girls of an outstanding caliber and so many more than I selected deserved to get the spots… I really am sorry, I loved everyone's characters a lot, and you all did a great job! I eventually wound up choosing even more girls than I had originally intended (eight, including Aspen, as supposed to the six I had hoped for), because a lot of girls deserved spots, but I've come up for a remedy! I decided to come up with a new category for those girls who should have gotten spots that I couldn't give because there were already too many, and it's called the Mains Abbreviated. The only difference between the Mains and the Mains Abbreviated is that the latter will have less common POVs, but when I say that only Main girls will get POVs in a specific chapter (say, in the interviews MAYBE, or other undetermined events) that will typically include Mains Abbreviated. Also, when I'm selecting only a few to cover a chapter (a ball, a Report, etc), Mains Abbreviated will also be considered for POVs. Anyways, off to the official list! Here you go:
Mains
Aspen Marx
Adriana Foster
Audrey Matlock
Emberly Saffron
Giselle Knight
Harper Jones
Ivy Dupree
Pepper Hearst
Mains Abbreviated
Bonita Stone
Clio Smirnov-Athans
Drew Montgomery
Evelyn Clause
Leanore Fleuret
Raven Cortez
Supporting
Adeliza Yancey
Catalina Alvarez
Delilah Gregory
Makayla Durand
Mahalia Babineua
Manhattan Bourne
Thera Ellington
Waverly Evans
Wednesday Corbineau
Minor
Alessandra Hernandez
Allena Quick
Cherika Lowell
Ellina Foster
Hannah Wade
Heather Berry
Katherine Arias
Kaycee Thomas
Lucie Crimson
Natalyn Brandon
Scarlet Chatterly
Serena Ballora
See you all next chapter! Remember to review!
xoxo
xx. Scarlett
