The Princess (The Selection)

Chapter One

I slowly walk down the hall. Tonight I find out who got selected. I'm the first princess to have her own selection. My parents taught me that daughters of the royal family used to be sold away to men in foreign countries. They wanted that changed, though. So, right before I turned 18 they told me that a Selection was to be held in the palace for me.

I have begged and begged and begged my parents not to make me do it. My younger brother, Charles, is thirteen. I have asked them numerous times to let me skip it and for it to be for Charles when he is older. They always refuse and tell me how neither of them wanted to do it either.

I walk into the room where the Report is filmed and find my mother. She stands tall, her figure not slouching a bit, unlike mine. When my mother see me enter, she walks over to me.

"Do I have to do this?" I ask. She puts on her kind smile that always comes easily to her.

"Celia, you know that this isn't going to turn your world into a disaster. I thought that was going to happen to me but it didn't. Think of what might be going through those young men's minds. You don't think they would be nervous coming to a strange palace?" she asks me.

"Mom, I don't want this. I'm not ready to be queen," I state.

"Celia, did I tell you about what made me sign up for the selection?" she asks. I shake my head. She leads me over to the stage set up on the back wall of the room and we sit on the edge. "I signed up for the guy who I thought was my love. He made me sign up. After I was selected, he broke my heart. I thought he was my true love and, to be honest, I thought your father was a horrible person. But, I was wrong. Your father is my true love, not the other guy."

"Does dad know that?" I ask.

"Not all of it. And don't tell him that," she says. We both laugh and she gives me a hug. "And why would you even consider making Charles the king? He would end up requiring super hero statues in everyone's houses or make everyone wear milk moustaches," she says. We both erupt into laughter, almost making us fall off the stage.

"What is all of the guys are jerks or slobs or something?" I ask.

"There has to be at least one decent guy in group of 25 men. If not, your father will have them all like that in a matter of days," my mother explains.

"You are right. He'll have them out there exercising with the guards or cleaning the palace won't he?" I ask. She nods and we both go to our spots on the stage. My father comes over and kisses my forehead and then my mother's cheek. He sits down on the opposite side of my mother. Charles takes a seat beside me a few minutes before the Report starts.

When the music plays, I barely hear it. My mind freezes and I smile until I hear Gavril say my name. I keep my smile plastered as I walk over to the couches that is set up for us in the center. "Good evening, your majesty," he says as I take my seat.

"Hello, Gavril. It's lovely to see you," I say.

"Well, it is finally time for you to find your husband. Are you nervous?" he asks.

"Of course. Plus, this is going to be very different from the other selections before this. There are men being picked instead of women. So, that means the men will be proposing but it could happen the moment I meet them. I just hope that isn't so," I state.

"Well, let's hope it doesn't. I know this is going to be much different from the last selection we saw. At least you only have 25 men instead of 35," he says. Several of the provinces joined together to create larger provinces. It means that I have less men to pick from but I also have less men to pick from so my perfect man could be harder to find.

"Well, there are some negative and positive effects but I think I will be able to get past them," I say.

"We know that you will make the perfect choice. Now, lets see who has been picked for the selection," he says. I thank him and walk back to my seat. I smile and watch the faces who appear on the screen. I try to pay attention but my mind keeps drifting to other things. What if I mess this up?