Authors Note: Hi guys! I haven't uploaded a chapter in 7 months, wow. I am so sorry for that! Life has been so hectic as of late, I just haven't had time to write. In an attempt to apologize, I have prepared an especially long chapter for your enjoyment 3 love you all!
"Lady Analeyah, I'm going to need to you to get up, now." Idris said, pulling my curtains open, letting a bright ray of light engulf the room.
"Oh!" I hissed, pulling a pillow over my head to shield my eyes from the light pouring into the room, stinging my eyes. Idris must have walked over to me because before I knew it, the pillow I was using to shield my face was yanked away from me in annoyance.
"Lady, please. We've been trying to get you up for hours, now. You have a big event today." Fathom said from across the room. She was sitting on a small cushioned stool, sewing a new lavender colored dress. It looked like it would come to a little above my knees, with sleeves that looked long enough to come down to just below my elbows. It had a heart-shaped neckline, and immediately, I could imagine myself wearing one of my necklaces that I had at home with it.
"Alright," I mumbled as I kicked the sheets away from me and stepped out of bed into my slippers that were right beside my bed.
My maids smiled cheerfully in my direction and ushered me into the bathroom, already tugging at my hair and buffing powder onto my face. They sat me on a stool in front of the vanity and did my hair and makeup. It was a long process of tugging, curling, pinning stray hairs up, and at least two cans of hairspray, but in the end they had done my hair in an exquisite half-up, half-down look. My hair was expertly curled into perfect ringlets, and a few hairs hung loosely in my face. For my makeup, they had put on a bit of blush, light eyeshadow, a bit of mascara, and some light pink lipgloss. I smiled at my reflection. This was something that I would wear at home, and it made me feel a bit better about the oncoming events of the day.
Idris and Fathom presented to me a sky blue day dress. It was sleeveless and came down to just below my knees. It had a small jeweled waistband and was made solely out of tulle. They paired this with silver kitten heels and a silver necklace. I was ready to go to breakfast, now.
.~.~.~.
The Dining Room was full of energy and chaos. Florists and maids scurried around, making sure the room was nicely prepared for when the visitors arrived. The French King and Queen were coming to visit us, and the Selected were asked to prepare a speech in which they would present to the French visitors and those who are residents of Illea as well. I wrote my speech about having motivation and fairness in the workforce. It was a real problem where I was from, and being a Six, I was well used to being treated like dirt for my caste and the job I had.
I sat in my seat and tried to tune out the other girls' gossip as I piled food onto my plate. I ate rather quickly, as my nerves were eating at me. When Mabel finally dismissed us, I practically ran from the room. My stomach lurched as I walked down the hall, and, not paying attention, I slammed right into someone as I turned the corner. Both of us fell, and some loud, exaggerated gasps were heard from behind us. I stood and offered a hand to the woman that I had just tripped, offering many apologies.
"I'm so so sorry," I murmured, shaking my head embarrassedly, "I wasn't watching where I was going and turned that corner so abruptly that I must have startled you beyond belief." The woman smiled at me. She had kind blue eyes, blonde hair, rosy cheeks, and a pretty smile. Laugh lines were found around her mouth and eyes, and right as I noticed that, I realized she looked an awful lot like Queen Camille. Oh, no. This was Queen Leona. I had just knocked down the Queen of France before I was even supposed to meet her.
"Your Majesty," I corrected myself in a means to be polite, "I sincerely apologiz-" She cut me off before I could finish.
"Nonsense!" She declared, reaching out and placing a hand on my shoulder. "It was my fault entirely. I wasn't looking ahead, and, because of that, I got myself into a bit of trouble it seems." Queen Leona looked me over with an approved smile. "Oh, you're Analeyah, aren't you? You're such a little doll, aren't you?" She paused, looking at a man who was standing next to her. "Gerard," She began, "you're dismissed. Let me have some time to talk to the Lady alone, please." The man nodded and departed, and after his departure, the queen turned to me, her eyes sparkling fondly. "Walk with me."
The queen took me to a side door that led to the garden, and we started down one of the paths that took you to the center sitting area. She seemed to know the area very well, and, admittedly, it made me a bit nervous.
"So Lady Analeyah," She began, smiling at me as we continued down the stone laden path, "how have things been going at the palace? Good I'd assume."
"It's been wonderful, your Majesty. It is certainly better than that of my own home back in Newberry." I replied in an upbeat tone. She smiled at me before she sat down on a bench situated between two rose bushes and gestured to the spot next to her.
"My cousin Camille has been telling me Lionel has been gushing about you, Analeyah." Queen Leona admitted, gazing off into the distance thoughtfully. "He hasn't talked about anyone so fondly before." My heart skipped a beat.
"R-really?" I asked, my voice cracking a little bit in nervousness.
"Of course he has some nice things to say about the other ladies as well, but she said he mostly speaks of you. You must have made a mighty grand impression on him, dear." The queen reached over and took one of my hands in both of hers. "I'm not really supposed to say this, but if you ever need some help in getting another girl eliminated…" she winked.
"Oh, no, I would never…"
"I know, but just in case you ever do. I think this palace needs a lower casted queen in here once more." The queen opened her mouth to say something more, but Queen Camille opened the garden doors and the clicking of her heels against the stone path showed that she was desperately trying to reach her cousin.
"Leona!" Queen Camille exclaimed once she reached us, "I'm so glad you made it here safely." She paused, taking in my presence. "Hello, Lady Analeyah. I hope my cousin wasn't filling your brain with nonsensical statements. She really is a kind and sensible person once you get to know her." She winked in my direction, then returned her attention to her wide eyed cousin who was shifting uncomfortably in her seat on the bench. "Would you like to come in and meet the other ladies, Leona?" She asked finally.
"Yes! That would be wonderful." Queen Leona stood and curtsied to me, and I returned the gesture. "Until next time, Lady Analeyah."
"Goodbye, Your Majesty." I replied, a smile spread wide across my face. I watched awkwardly as the two cousins turned and began walking back to the palace. Tearing my gaze from them, I studied the palace and noticed that Idris was hanging over my balcony waving at me, obviously trying to get my attention. I ran as fast as my heels would allow over to the balcony and called, "What is it, Idris?"
"It is time to come in, lady! The speeches are scheduled to begin in 5 minutes and you are fourth on the list. Come on, then!" Upon hearing this, I turned abruptly and began running back in the direction of the double doors that lead inside of the palace.
.~.~.~.
The Great Room was full of life when I made my entrance. I heard a whistle coming from somewhere in the room, and, intrigued, I scanned the room for the person responsible. After about ten seconds I spotted Ginger, who was waving frantically at me and gesturing for me to come sit next to her. I smiled and made my way over to her, taking a seat once I got their.
"I saw you talking to the French queen earlier," Ginger began, without a greeting, her voice bouncier than usual, "what was all that about?"
"Oh, um…" I tried to hide my blush. It was always embarrassing to talk about how clumsy I am. "I ran into her in the hallway and we found it hilarious so we decided to take a walk together." Ginger cupped her hand over her mouth dramatically as if that was the juiciest piece of gossip that she had ever heard.
"You," she started, pausing briefly for effect, "took a walk with Queen Leona? Queen Leona?" I nodded and laughed nervously.
"Yeah, I guess I did." Ginger opened her mouth to say more, but was interrupted by the squeaking of a microphone, which caused the whole lot of us to cover our ears and flinch away from the awful noise.
"I apologize." Came a voice across the very same microphone. An involuntary smile crept onto my face. I knew that voice. My eyes darted to the stage that was set up in front of us and I instantly felt at ease when I saw him. Prince Lionel was standing on the stage, holding the microphone awkwardly in his left hand while he conversed with his father. He was wearing a baby blue suit with a white and gold sash draped across his chest. His wavy, sandy blonde hair was gelled back, but a few stray hairs still found there way out and into his eyes. He blew up at them subconsciously before returning his attention to his quiet, attentive audience.
"Welcome to Illea, Queen Leona. We are very happy to have you here." He began clapping, prompting the rest of the audience to clap as well. Queen Leona was positioned in a red, cushioned chair on the stage, looking regal as ever. She smiled and waved at everyone, then proceeded to say something to her cousin that no one could hear, and the two laughed. I smiled at this and shifted awkwardly in my seat when Ginger nudged me and laughed quietly.
"As you all know," Lionel continued, his voice confident and his lips turned into a smile, "My second-cousin Leona only visits Illea once every five years, but you ladies have been lucky enough to meet her two years earlier than her scheduled visiting time. We are so excited to introduce you all to her and for you to give her a glimpse into your morals with your speeches. Leona, the girls have been asked to prepare a speech with their thoughts on how we can make Illea a better place to live in. I am excited, as I'm sure the rest of you are, to hear the end results." Everyone applauded for a bit, and once it settled down, Lionel said, "I now invite the first lady up to the stage, Jani Rochester, to recite her speech!" He stepped back from the microphone as Jani walked up the steps leading to the stage area, waving to everyone as if she was at a concert and the audience was her fans. I rolled my eyes slightly at this.
.~.~.~.
The first four speeches went by rather slowly, as all they really proposed to make the country a better place was to tax the lower castes more and up the salary of those in higher castes. Finally, it was my turn, and I made my way awkwardly up to the stage, almost tripping once I got to the microphone. I looked out over the audience, and suddenly, my stomach lurched, and a wave of nausea swept over me. I swallowed, took a few breaths, told myself that if I didn't recite my speech I would be eliminated, and spoke.
"Hello, people of Illea. My name is Analeyah Salome, and as you all know, I am of a lower caste. I'm a Six, and because of this, I am often overlooked and ignored. Most people in this country would like to focus on the problems originating in the higher castes such as lack of maids, housekeepers, and butlers who are willing to take the , it is quite a tragedy that these people will not be free of having to clean their house, but have you ever thought about the people on the other end? Have you ever considered why they aren't taking any jobs?" I paused, taking a deep breath. "I have had personal experience with this, and I can tell you the reason right now. The people who hire us are extremely harsh and treat us like trash. They do not care one bit whether or not we get a wink of sleep the night before, if we're coming to work on a full stomach, or if they are hurting our feelings. I think, that if we better the treatment of the lower castes, these small problems would fixed instantly." I smiled, "Thank you, that is all." There was no applause at first, just bewildered stares aimed directly at me. Finally, the whole room erupted into applause, and I could see Jani trying to shut everyone up. I smiled at this before I exited the stage.
.~.~.~.
Once all the speeches had been recited and the chatter had filled the room once again, we all moved into the Dining Hall for a banquet. Lionel was chatting animatedly with his parents and Queen Leona, and everyone else was occupied with something of their own. Desperate to get out of this crowded room, I grabbed a pastry and slipped through the double doors after making sure no one was looking. I began walking down the hallway in search of a corridor I could slip into and be alone. Once I had finally found one, I heard the clicking of shoes behind me and I whipped around, finding myself face to face with Prince Lionel.
"Y-your Highness," I sputtered, immediately straightening.
"Analeyah," Lionel said, crossing his arms with a frown, "Is there any specific reason as to why you left in the middle of the banquet?" He sounded hurt.
"You and everyone else were occupied, so I felt like it was a good opportunity to slip out." I paused, "I'm not a very social person." The prince grinned, and nodded in understanding.
"I'm not a very social person either," he admitted, "it's nice to know someone else who doesn't enjoy being in the center of crowds very much."
"My family is very antisocial, so this is really the only time I've been forced to interact with so many people." I murmured in an embarrassed tone. The prince laughed.
"Wanna get out of here?" He asked, cocking his head. I nodded quickly, and he took my hand, leading me up the stairs.
We went up to the third storey, and I paused.
"Wait," I began slowly, taking in my surroundings, "I thought the Selected weren't allowed up here?"
"Yes, but only when you aren't accompanied by a member of the royal family, and, fortunately for you, I am just that." He grinned sheepishly and I giggled, beginning to walk again. We walked down a long hallway, and at the very end was a door. He placed his hand on the knob and turned it to the left. The door opened and the two of us entered the room.
Lionel's room was dark blue, and the walls were covered in sketches-detailed sketches, too, it appeared that he was very talented. There was a desk in the corner that was covered in papers, and next to that was an easel. In the middle of the room was his bed, which was made out of a deep mahogany and had a light blue quilt. Lionel sat down on the edge of his bed and motioned for me to take a seat next to him if I wanted. I glanced at the clock, making sure it wasn't past my curfew, and, seeing as it was only 8:30, I took my place next to him.
Things were quiet for a few moments, but right as I decided to talk, so did he. The two of us laughed.
"You go first." I insisted, receiving a grin from the man in front of me.
"If you insist," he said with a wink, before returning to his usual seriousness. "I was going to ask what hobbies you enjoyed. I noticed that you were observing my sketches and I suddenly became curious of your interests." I smiled a bit at this.
"I love to sing." I said with a slight smile, thinking about how Tya and I would sing as we made breakfast in the morning. "But I also really enjoy taking walks outside. There's something about nature that intrigues me and always keeps me drawn in." I turned to him, nudging his shoulder gently. "What about you? I mean, aside from drawing that is."
"I enjoy being alone if that counts." He said, glancing around his room. "I also rather enjoy the outdoors as well. I suppose we have that in common." He paused. "I like to dance." He blurted out, and I raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" I asked, giggling. "Mind showing me your moves?" He smiled.
"Certainly." He stood, offering me his hand. I took it happily and rose off of the soft cushion of the bed, immediately being spun around. I giggled and found myself nose to nose with Lionel. We both stared into each other's eyes for a moment, but once we realized how close together we really were, we moved away. We waltzed for a while, indulging ourselves in conversation.
"Wait, you really ate mud when you were younger? Like every day?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him.
"I did." He said proudly, "And I am proud of it."
"Proud?" I laughed, "Are you sure about that, Lionel?"
"Hey! Ill-judgment is not welcome here. I had a great mud pie business going there for a minute! Both of my brothers, my mother, and my father even said they were the best mud pies they had ever thrown over their shoulders." He dipped me and said, "Besides, I will never forget that you accidentally pushed a politician into a fountain. I will never let you live that down." He pulled me back up and attempted spinning me again, but I lost my footing and tumbled backwards onto the bed, pulling him with me. We laughed at this for a while, so much that it began to hurt, until we realized we were very, very close to each other. Lionel blinked and took in my flustered expression. He leaned in and his eyes began to close, and, not thinking, I leaned up as well and closed my own eyes. When our lips met, it was loving, yet ferocious at the same time. He pressed his lips harder onto mine, and I returned the action, wrapping my arms around his neck.
My mind was racing. I had never felt so loved, so...right, ever in my life. When he finally pulled away, he blushed, looking away.
"I'm sorry, that was a bit sudden." He murmured, casting me a look of apology. I shook my head.
"No, no. It's fine. I didn't mind it at all." I replied, offering a reassuring smile. He smiled back awkwardly.
"Well that's nice to hear…" he looked away, "that was my first kiss, so if it was bad…"
"It was mine too," I admitted, "and it was wonderful. I wouldn't have done it any other way even if I could." Lionel nodded and laid back onto his bed. I laid back next to him, nuzzling my head into his chest.
"Analeyah?" He asked, gently stroking my hair.
"Yes, Your Highness?" I replied, my green eyes searching his chocolate brown ones.
"Marry me." He murmured, pressing his lips against my hair tenderly. I blinked.
"W-what did you say?" I asked, biting my lip.
"I said," Lionel repeated, laughing awkwardly, "that I like you." I blushed. I had just imagined something completely different, and if I had responded with something other than asking what he had said, I would have made him think me crazy. I grinned and tried to respond as reasonably as I could.
"I like you too, Lionel. You are not at all what I thought you to be." I whispered. When he didn't answer, I looked over at him to see if he was still awake, and seeing that he wasn't, I smiled, closing my eyes as well.