[ E D I T E D]

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 4//: Rules and Questions♕✿~♕✿~

The next few days are a blur as people, many whom I don't know, come by the house to congratulate me on being Chosen. I get twice as many calls than I did before and soon, the jar where I am keeping my money earned from these performances starts to get full. Although I'm immensely shocked and annoyed that I was Chosen, I can't help but smile every time the sound of a coin hits the other coins in the jar.

During this time, officials visited and swarmed me to prepare me for the Choosing. A man came to measure me for my new wardrobe at the palace, which would consist of dresses. I wasn't feeling too excited that I would have to wear a dress since I've worn pants for the majority of my life. Another woman came to my house because she thought I was lying about all of the instruments I could play, which led to me having to play a piece on all of the instruments I had listed. A Sentinel from the palace visited as well to go over security measures with the local security guards. Apparently, I wasn't safe from rebels attacking my house while I was here. Great, just fantastic.

The last visitor from the palace came on Wednesday, two days before I would have to leave. The man was supposed to go over all of the competition rules with me. He was dressed in a clean suit and had slicked-back black hair. Upon entering the house, he asked Sydney to leave as he talked "with the adults here." Sydney opened her mouth to protest but quickly fled the scene when she saw mom give her the you-better-listen-now-or-you'll-regret-it-later look. After this, mom led the man to the dining table where we all sat down, me and mom sitting on one side while the man sat across from us.

"My name is Solomon Macanthos, and I am here to explain the competition rules and discuss other information with you." The man, names Solomon, introduced himself. "Miss Williams, this will sound harsh, but as of last Friday, you are now considered property of Norta. You must take care of your body from here on out.I have several forms with me that you need to sign as we go over the information. Any failure to comply on your part will result in your immediate removal from the Choosing. Do you understand?" The man says this all in one quick breath. I nod in understanding, and he continues to talk.

"First, I must give you these." The man slides a large bottle across the table to me. I pick it up and shake it around a bit. Something rattles from inside. "Those are vitamins. Since you are a Five, I'll assume that you may not have access to necessary nutrition. You must take one every day," Solomon informs me.

"Understood, sir," I tell him, though I don't really think I'll remember to take these anyways.

"Very good. I'll need you to sign here to say you received the vitamins." I quickly sign on the dotted line on the paper, and the man takes the paper back.

"Looking at the physical from your doctor, you seem to be in excellent health. There's not much to worry about, so we'll move on." Solomon flips through the papers he's holding. "Moving on. I know this is personal, but I've had to discuss this with every other contestant. I must confirm that you are a virgin."

At this, my cheeks redden in embarrassment. Seriously? Couldn't they send a woman to do this?

While I stay silent, mom answers the man herself. "Of course she is! She's never had a boyfriend before in her life. It's against the laws sir, might I remind you, and my daughter is not a troublemaker like that!" she exclaims. I groan internally, even more embarrassed.

Solomon doesn't pay attention to my mom and instead turns to me. He wants to hear me say so, not my mom. "Yes, sir. I'm a virgin. I know the laws," I mumble. Solomon nods and marks something on one of the papers. He hands me another piece of paper and a pen. "I'll need you to sign here to confirm your statement." I sign my name again and then pass the paper back to Solomon.

"Now that we got that over with, I will go over the rules with you. They are straightforward but if you have a question, speak up." Solomon says. I nod at him to continue.

"You cannot leave the palace of your own accord. The prince will dismiss you whenever he feels the need to do so. Even the king and queen cannot force you out. They may tell the prince if they do not approve of you, but it is ultimately the prince's choice to kick you out or not."

"Remember, there is no set timeline for the Choosing. It could be over in a couple of months or even years."

"Years?" I ask in utter horror. Would I have to be stuck for years in that horrible palace?

Solomon seems unfazed by my shocked question. "Yes. But the prince is unlikely to do that. In the best situation, the Choosing will last for only a couple of months. This particular one will most likely end in December or January."

I feel myself swallow at that. It was the beginning of October. Just thinking about spending so much time at the palace made me sweat. But then I remembered what mom had told me the night Sydney barged into my room with the form: I could stay for a month and it would be enough payment to help my family. I feel myself smile slyly. I didn't have to stay longer than a month, and I could just get myself kicked out of the competition once a month passed.

Solomon continued talking, not having seen me smiling to myself creepily. "You do not arrange your times with the prince. He will seek you out for one-on-one company if he wants it. If you are in a larger social setting and he is present, that is different. But you do not go to him without invitation."

"While no one expects you to get along with the thirty four other competitors, you are not to fight with them or sabotage them. The Silver competitors have been told to not use their ability on the Red competitors." I snorted at that. I doubt the Silvers would follow that rule. Solomon glances up at my scoff, and I awkwardly cough.

"If you are found laying hands on another contestant, causing her stress, stealing from her, or doing anything that might harm her personal relationship with the prince, the prince will decide whether or not you will be dismissed.

"This will be blunt, but there is no other way to say it. You are only allowed to have a romantic relationship with the prince. If you are found writing love notes to a person other than the prince, meeting another person, or having a relationship with someone outside the palace, the punishment can be as harsh as execution." I feel my eyes widen at that. Execution? For simply seeing another?

"On occasion, there will be cameras or photographers at the palace. You will be courteous and allow them to see your lifestyle with the prince."

"For each week you stay at the palace, your family will be compensated. I will give you your first check right now." Solomon pulls out a check and slides it across the table to mom. She grabs it, looks at the amount written on it, and lets her mouth drop open. "Should you not stay at the palace, an aide will help you adjust to your life after the Choosing, including new housing and employment afterward."

"Should you make it to the top six, you will be considered an Elite. Once you reach that status, you will be required to learn about the inner workings of the life and obligations you would have as a princess. However, you are not allowed to seek this information out before you reach this status."

"From this moment on, your status is a Three."

Mom spews her coffee that she was drinking back into her cup, beyond shocked. I sat there, dumbfounded.

"A Three?" Mom and I exclaimed at the same time.

Solomon nods. "Yes. After the Choosing, it's difficult for girls to go back to their old lives, especially Fours and below. You are a Three, but the rest of your family will remain Fives. Should you win, you and your entire family will become Ones as members of the royal family."

"Ones," mom whispers in awe.

"And should you go to the end, you will marry Prince Ahren and become the crowned princess of Norta. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I tell Solomon. He nods and starts to organize the stack of papers in his hands. Putting these papers in the briefcase he brought with him, Solomon stood up from the kitchen table. Mom and I escorted him to the front door, and he left with a curt 'good day.'

After closing the door, mom and I looked at each other. Then she burst out in excited laughter.

"I can't believe it! You're a Three now!" mom exclaims as she grabs my hands in her own. I giggle with her, though not feeling the same excitement. "Yes. But it feels weird." I frown. "I can't do music anymore." This finally hits me and a pang of sadness follows it. All my life, I had done music, singing and playing instruments at parties and celebrations. And now that would all be gone, a future I couldn't have.

Mom frowns a bit as well. "Perhaps you could teach music," she suggests to me. I nod, but it's still sad that I have to give up music because of this competition.

"What happened, what happened?!" I turn around and see Sydney rushing towards mom and I, excitement glinting in her eyes.

She reaches me and grabs my arm tightly. "Tell me every detail!" she exclaims.

I can't help but laugh a little. "Ok, ok, you little monster. I'll tell you everything." But a look from mom makes me remember about Solomon asking me for confirmation about my virginity. Obviously, mom didn't want me to tell Sydney about that question. She probably didn't know what virginity was since she was only 12.

I wouldn't tell her everything then.

♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~

Yeaaaaah not my favorite way to end a chapter. But I couldn't figure out a way to end the chapter well without making it too long. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this one as well. In the next chapter, I'll start to write about Madison going to the palace so the plot line will soon start!

Glass_Sword