The Next Selection: Ladies of Illéa

Chapter 1

I was sitting on my bed with my computer on my lap when my mother burst into the room. I looked up from my research of new found species towards my mother's frantic face. "Pack your bags, Diana, we're going home."

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I looked out the window of the plane, gloomy. We were flying back from a rural part of New Asia, where we had been studying the flight pattern of a new type of bird that had just been discovered, to Illéa, where my grandmother was living. My grandfather Elliot had passed away a few years back, before the death of the princess Kerttu. I shuddered at the memories. It was a dark time for all. For some urgent reason, Grandmother Kriss wanted mom and I to come back home quickly. I bit at my nails, hoping she was okay. Gigi, as I called her, was a retired professor and had once been a constant in the Selection. She was still close to the previous King and Queen, always visiting, which I assume is why she moved closer to the castle after the death of Grandpa. I startled when I felt someone touch my hand. "You shouldn't bite your nails sweetheart, it's unbecoming," chastised my mother gently. I stopped, having forgotten that I was doing it in the first place. "Do you think Gigi is alright?" I whispered worriedly. Mother smiled. "Of course dear, I talked with her over the phone. I believe she is simply lonely," she assured me. I was really close with Gigi. Mom says it's because we are alike, and I hope that's true. Gigi is remarkable.

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In the airport, after grabbing my bags and Marcie's kennel, I scanned the bustling crowed for a familiar face. "Tatum!" I shouted, waving my arms frantically in the air. He spotted me, rushing through the crowed, until he was close enough to hug me. Tatum was my favorite cousin, though he was basically my twin brother, or at least that was the family joke. We even looked the same, with stormy blue eyes and caramel brown colored hair. He grinned and went to hug my mom. After helping load up the bags into the back of the taxi, Tatum slid into the plastic covered seat beside me. The car started up into the busy streets and Tate turned to me. "How's it been sis?" he asked jokingly. "Oh, it's been great. You know how much I just love the city," I said sarcastically, nodding out the window towards the hoards of people along the sidewalk.  He chuckled and we sat in peaceful quiet until we reached Gigi's house.