Goodness gracious, I knew school would get in the way, I will probably only write one chapter a week. Depending on how bad homework is.. Stupid high school (sigh).

Anyway I'd just like to thank MS for reviewing and JTz c22 THANK YOU SO MUCH JTzic22 PLEASE REVIEW! And MC I'D LOVE IT IF YOU REVIEWED THIS CHAPTER LIKE YOU DID THE LAST ONE! :) And I'm so sorry it took so long it was a mix of writers block and too much homework. My sincere apologies.

Ruby POV:

When I woke up my maids were already in the room cleaning, things getting my make up ready and making a bath. Which I thought was unnecessary, I mean I can do my own bath.

Meg (the youngest one) was asking me what kind of dress I would want to wear for my first meeting with the prince…... well first ish.

"Do you want to wear this one or this one?" I was still in the bed and I could tell, without having to look, that my hair was a mess. Meg was holding up two different dresses one a soft pink the other light brown. I had to admit for someone her age the dresses were impressive. I pointed to the brown one.

After I got out of bed, took my bath and put the dress on. Emma set me in a chair and started doing my makeup and hair.

"How does someone so young end up in a palace?" I asked Emma after she was halfway done with my hair.

"That's kind of a long story, my Lady." She said, and the way she said it implied it wasn't a happy story either.

"It's fine, but I was just curious."

"Curiosity is a good thing to have", she said slowly, then started telling Meg's story.

"Meg was nine years old when her parents died in a rebel attack, she didn't have any close relatives because her parents had come to Illea from Sweden, and she didn't have any money to fly their. She was left in the streets with no home,and no money. She didn't tell us the details but I know when you are desperate you would do anything to stay alive. She begged, stole and did everything in her power not to die. She was only nine. She ended up staying on the streets for two years. But she was growing weak and one day when the royal family went on a visit to her province she went up to one of them and begged for some sort of job, any thing really." Emma paused then to make sure I was still listening. "Now, you have to understand it is forbidden for a subject to beg in front of a royal family member. And the punishment normally is a hard smack across the face. That didn't happen, the royal family member took Meg by her hands lifted her up, and took her to the palace to become a maid. So far she has been here a year."

"You speak about it as if you were there yourself."

"I was. I was a maid in training and I was accompanying the family on a trip."

Emma was now starting on my makeup and was stroking blush across my cheek with a brush.

"Which member of the royal family was it?" I asked.

"I believe", she said, "It was Prince Warren."

I was the first one to the women's room so I had to wait a while for everyone else to come. Some people came in wearing dresses of similar color. I was lucky that I had Meg doing my dresses, I mean brown? I would have never thought of that as a color on a dress. But looking down it was extremely well made.

Kaylee found me immediately and ran over with another girl following close behind her. She was wearing a dark green color that looked really cool. The girl with her was wearing a light blue dress. "Ruby! You look amazing!" Kaylee said in her normal over enthusiastic voice. I smiled and a knot in my stomach unraveled. I hadn't realized how much I had missed her.

"This is Torina." She said gesturing to the girl next to her.

"Hi", Torina said, "I rode with Kaylee on the plane."

"Hi I'm Ruby Summers."

"You and Kaylee new each other before this right?"

"Yeah, we've been friends for a long time."

"That's awesome!" She had a side bang that made her look like she was one of those badass teenagers in those spy movies.

"So", Kaylee cut in, "Anyone excited to see are future king?"

"Oh I've already seen him", Torina said,"On TV." She added and we all laughed.

"But seriously", Torina said,"do you feel like some girls are going to be mean to others because they think of this as a competition?"

"Yeah", I agreed,"I mean this girl named Cortney just ignored me during the airplane ride."

Torina wrinkled her nose in disgust, "I heard while we were doing the make overs Jade and Cortney made this on girl Bianca cry." She said.

Kaylee succeed in a breath of shock.

"Bianca?" I asked in surprise, Bianca was the sweet girl that sat next to me and that other girl on the plane ride.

"Yeah", she said nodding, "Bianca the short one who always wears high heels."

"That's terrible, what did she say to make her cry?"

But Torina never got to answer that question because just then Prince Warren walked in.

"Hello ladies, as you know I will be meeting with each of you in private to get a feel for well everyone." He smiled ," I will call you each one by one and it will only take about five to ten minutes for each person. Which means the whole thing might take a hour and a half or so. Just hold tight it might not take that long."

Then he called someone's name and he and that girl walked through the door.

Kaylee squealed next to me and we shushed her at the same. I think I like this Torina.

After a while Torina was called and Kaylee walked around to meet new people so I decided to scout out someone from my plane ride (other than Jade and Cortney) sitting on a couch alone reading a book was Reyna. I walked over and sat on the couch next to her.

"What are you reading?" I asked

"I poem book." She answered without looking up.

"Oh what poem are you reading?"

"A poem about a kind of dreaming." She still hasn't looked up.

Wow, that's specific, this girl really doesn't talk much does she?

"Can I see?" I press on.

This time she looks up from the book. Her eyes are like looking into the vast ocean a dark glimmering color.

"I'll read to you a part from the poem", she says engaging in the conversation,

"Grains of the golden sand —

How few! yet how they creep

Through my fingers to the deep,

While I weep — while I weep!

O God! Can I not grasp

Them with a tighter clasp?

O God! can I not save

One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem

But a dream within a dream?" She glances up when she finishes.

"Wow, so you are into poetry?" I ask, still trying to keep the conversation going.

"I studied philosophy in college prep and I am currently taking a course for law school."

Oh, Law school geeze.

"That's impressive."

She shakes her head making her bangs fan out across her face.

"My expertise lies in the study of philosophy it is what I am most fond of. Going to law school is my parents wish and it should keep me with a good sum of money, that and that only is why I am going to law school."

I blink at her,

"Well you make it sound like their is no chance you will be chosen to be queen? I mean you would only have to go to law school if you don't get chosen."

Before she can answer my question Warren calls on her to go next and she apologizes and stands up.

I look around, Kaylee and Torina are busy talking with some people. I stare down at the book Reyna left. Hmmmmmm.

Warren's Pov:

I sit in a chair waiting for the first lady to show. Up I feel like people can feel me sweating I wipe my palms against my pants and run a hand through my hair. Your meeting your wife today dude pull it together. I can't help but think about bumping into that girl in the hall: Ruby Summers.

How easy it had seemed then to carry out a normal conversation, she seemed shocked at first but then she was so… normal.

"Your Majesty Lady Courtney is here." The guard at the front door said, waking me from my thoughts.

A young lady with light brown hair and wearing a very (like very very) tight dress stalks into the room. I feel myself conscious cursing at me like, ugh why someone like this. I hate to agree. The girl's eyes are traveling up and down my body, stopping to stare at my crown. Then she curtsies and takes a seat next to me.

"Courtney Chambers, if you don't mind I would like to start by asking, why you decided to put you name in the selection form." Good I tell myself you didn't stutter or miss say anything.

"I was just hoping I was going to get picked, and here I am. And here you are."

Well that's not really a answer…. I think to myself I mean - I was just hoping I'd get picked- her eyes poor into mine, searching and unyielding. I fight the urge to lean back.

"Next question what is your favorite food?" I was hoping that question would get a laugh or something but Courtney took it seriously.

"I have two favorite foods one is salad and the other is Éclair." Wow, that's fancy. I think it's a french dish…... Oh that's right an éclair is an oblong pastry made with choux dough filled with a cream and topped with icing. Guessing from the look in her eyes she said a fancy dish trying to impress me. Which isn't necessary I wouldn't judge someone based on their knowledge of french pastry dishes.

"What is your biggest fear?" I ask, and then feel stupid asking her these list of questions, it makes it seem like this is the kind of stuff I want in a wife. When in reality all I want it to get a feel for each person's personality….. and I couldn't come up with a better way to do that.

"I have a fear of snakes." She says still leaning towards me, I'm not sure why she is trying to turn everything into a romantic comment. But I go along.

"So you have ophidiophobia?"

"Yeah." She says yeah, but she makes it sound like she is unsure. Guess she didn't know that ophidiophobia is the phobia of snakes.

"Ok next question, if you could have anything in the world what would it be?" Ok Ok, I know that's a really difficult question to answer and it's certainly not something you should ask someone you don't know. But depending on the answer I could learn some interesting things. Example they say in response: I have everything I want in the world if I was given an opportunity to get anything then I would give that wish to someone else. I would learn that the person thinks they don't deserve that ability to do anything in the world. Also that they believe other people do deserve it. Not to mention that they probably have an idea of someone who does deserve that choice. You see? I can be smart.

Anyway her answer was.

"If I could have anything in the world, anything at all. I would want to have the ability to control everything that happens in my future." She said this all looking at me and my crown. After I asked her a few more questions I sent her out.

To be perfectly honest she seemed more interested in my crown and flirting then the conversation we were having. I run my hands through my hair exhausted on the first one. Well truthfully it wasn't that bad. But somehow I could tell I didn't want to marry that person. Unfortunately I am 90% sure she has a large amount in the poles and currently I can't upset the country and disagree or it would just prove the rebels point.

The next person was wearing a pink dress and tall high heels her name is Bianca Rivera.

She wobbled into the room on her heels and I got up to help her walk over to me.

"Sorry." She giggled and laughed lightly, which was a relief.

"It's ok, come sit." I gestured to the couch and we sat.

"So, I heard you are a anime artist tell me about why you enjoy drawing?" I figured I would start with an easy question that would tell me more about her.

"Oh!" she gushed, "I love drawing, it makes me feel better about myself. You know? My mother died of cancer. It's an old disease but still dangers." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, "I made an anime about a teenage girl loosing her mother and finding happiness in drawing. Kinda my life story."

"Wow, that's amazing, sorry for your lose." I feel bad I didn't know from her letter that her mom died.

"It's ok, it was four years ago but I still miss her." She smiled at me, but their was a touch of sadness in her eyes. So I decided to change the subject.

" I'm going to ask you a series of questions their kind of silly, but you know I don't have much to work with." I smile apologetically,"So, where do you see yourself in ten years."

She giggled, it was like giggling was the only way she know how to laugh. "I don't know, the same place I am know I guess, older possibly more mature. Taller." She straightens her back. "I'm only 4.5 and 18 years old. Hopefully I'll get a little taller." I study her, looking to see if she looks like she has got anymore to go sadly she looks like she's hit her peak. Of course I don't tell her this.

We talked for a couple more minutes before our time was up and throughout our conversation (not that I was counting or anything) she giggled sixteen times (yeah, I know). Anyway when we were done talking I told the guard that I needed a minute. I ran my hands through my hair and tried to boost my self esteem. God, what is wrong with me? She was plenty nice and I was able to laugh with her on occasion. Why am I so worried? Is it possible I believe that I will never find a wife? I shake my head and clear my thoughts rubbing my hands against each other. "Sir", I say to a guard standing near by, "Bring in the next lady"

The next young lady that walked in had short black hair and an expression that reminded warren of the way her mother looked when she was on camera.

"Your Majesty." She said sinking into a curtsy.

"Lady Reyna, how are you enjoying your stay at the palace?" I want to start the conversation off slow.

"It's very intimidating, I have never been to a place such like this." Her eyes traveled around the room in silent wonder.

"Well it certainly wasn't my intention to intimidate you. Or seem to vain or prideful. I want you to feel at home."

"Oh, I don't mind pride, there's nothing wrong with having self respect. Only vanity could ruin a person's pride. Pride, is a very common weakness, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, the human nature is practically prone to it, and their are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self - complacency, on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things. Though the words are used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to are opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."

"You seem a very established individual, what interested you into signing up for the selection?"

"I did not sign up with the intent to win. In fact I have no interest in winning. I am here merely to observe love and come to understand it. I assume you are aware that I am a practicing philosopher?"

I nod

"Well philosophers are asked a lot of questions and it is the job of a philosopher to find an answer to those questions. The most troubling question I was ever asked was, what is love? I had yet to find a answer. The soul reason I signed up was to observe love and maybe find a reasonable answer to that question. You see my parents never truly loved each other, at least not in a romantic way. Although they never fought or cheated on one another it was plain as the eye could see they didn't love each other. Growing up like that was difficult and strange but I never doubted the existence of love. Now I'm not so sure."

"That is the question, isn't it? Is romantic love really long lasting?" I myself had considered this before but every time I looked at parents or even my grandparents the answer seemed pretty clear.

"Although", I added, "I wish you the best of luck in finding a answer."

"Thank you." She said, and dismissed herself.

I was starting to become slightly more confident with myself to more girls came in and it went pretty well Torina Torres and Courtney Chambers. Torina was up front and kind about everything laughing at all of my bad jokes which I appreciated. Courtney was all fake smiles and over done giggles. Reminding of my previous meeting with the Jade girl. After about seven more a guard tells me I'm on my last one. I run my hands through my hair (yeah I know you probably guessed it, running my hands through my hair is a nervous habit of mine) the guard opens the door.

Ruby the girl I talked to yesterday comes in wearing a bright smile.

"I guess after last night you figured a relationship with me was doomed? Is that why I'm the last one?"

Her eyes twinkled with untold humor.

Again sorry it took so long like three weeks? I feel bad. I'll try to do the next one sooner. Thanks for not unfollowing.

Also quick question would you prefer short chapters but posts sooner or long chapters and once every week or two weeks?