*A story based on The Selection by Kira Cass*
The only escape form the world Alia is trapped in are her books. The has never been in one and never plans to, until she enters the selection and has a chance to win the Princes heart. Follow her journey...
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The month passed slowly, each day started to drag more than the last. Alia's life had become more of a chore, picking up more work at home to help out her mother. The only thing that kept her going was a small hidden jar underneath her bed with the promise of a new life. The jar had accumulated a few coins from work Alia had hidden from her mother. She had hoped to use them to get out of the small village she was trapped in and to take her sister with her, but Alia knew this could only be a dream. She could not save enough to get herself out, no matter how long she worked at the factory. It was simply an impossible endeavour and she knew it. A six is a six, and nothing could change that.
Not long after the incident at work, Alia had decided to resign to the life she had lived all her life. No use waisting time on dreaming. And the Reports during the month did not help with this. All month long the Reports had shown more and more of the prince. Alia couldn't help but notice every time he appeared that his style was a bit different. One night he would wear a bow tie, then the next his hairstyle would change and the next no tie at all! It was a sort of game to Alia, spotting the differences each night. Sometimes they would be subtle, like a ring or a jewelled pendant but other times it would be easily identified. Slowly the Prince also seemed to be getting more agitated during the Reports, fiddling and adjusting his seating position every two seconds. Alia always wondered why all this now? What had the Royal family got planned that involved the unspoken prince?
That night The Prince looked particularly well dressed, neatly pressed suit, the largest crown he's adorned yet and the obvious nerves expressed through the tap of his foot, the thumb of his fingers or the twitch of his eye. Something was going to happen, Alia was sure of it.
"Good evening Illea" The King announced. "Today is a very special day, and here to explain is Hamilton", A well dressed man waltzed out to the excitement of the audience, he wore a blue suit with a light pink tie and held a microphone.
"Thank you my King", Hamilton bowed over dramatically to the King, "And thank you to all of Illea watching the Report from home". The man flashed a white smile at the camera, before moving over to the Prince. "Are you having a good night Prince Adam?".
Alia noticed the Prince exhale a nervous breath before answering with renewed confidence, "Yes Hamilton, how are you?". Alia was impressed by how th prince presented such a cool and collected front.
"Good as always, your majesty. Shall we get to the announcement?" Hamilton gave the Prince a strong pa on the back before he moved on to look into the camera. "This upcoming month our very own Prince turns nineteen, the age he may have his selection to fond the next queen". Alia remembered the Report a month ago, where the queen had read a book about the selection. "Soon application forms will be delivered to all eligible young ladies across Alia, we are all very excited to see how the selected will be. So get ready girls, this could change your life". The report had continued with the usual politics. When It was over alia's mother turned off the television and aLia brought her sister to bed.
"Alia" her mother called before she could close her bedroom door.
"Yes mother".
"If by some odd chance you are 'eligible' you will not be entering the selection. I need your wages or your sister will have to end school early and start a job. Understood?" he mother made it perfectly clear there was no room for argument.
"Clear".
"Did you know the Palace has the largest library in the world?" Alice said as she filled the tarts.
"No i didn't know", The whole shift Alice had talked about everything to do with the selection. Alia desperately wanted to find out if what Alice had said is true. She Imagined the hours she could spend reading all those new and old books. But she knew it would never happen.
"And did you see how good Adam looked" Alice exclaimed.
"Adam?" Alia questioned.
"Well, that's what I'll call him when I get to the place", this had made Alia laugh before getting shushed by the other workers. She couldn't fathom calling the Prince Adam, ever. "And you can be the royal pastry chef" Alice Explained as if t was the biggest honour.
"I guess that could be interesting" Alia replied with a lack of enthusiasm.
"I'd let you go to the library" Alice enticed, knowing Alia could not resist a good book.
"Okay it's a deal" Alia giggled.
The day passed with a buzz around the small village, for the first time in what seemed like forever people had hope. A hope for a better life, but Alia could not share in this. She knew the selection would come and go, and the village would be the same after as it was before. This did not solve all the hunger and poverty that surrounded Alia on a daily basis, It just provided a distraction for a while.
