I am so sorry for not updating more often! I have been working out the transition between chapters and character POV. I think I have worked it all out. Here we go! -Elizabeth

Lizzy's POV

After the ceremony, we were quickly taken to the palace.

We were separated and dolled up by some maids. I was wearing a burnt orange dress with spaghetti straps. The waist was high, and the tulle bottom went down to my knees. The maids had tried to put me in heels, but when I explained to them that I would fall and make a fool of myself in them, they switched me over to a pair of orange ballet flats. They brushed my hair until it crackled with static, then they pulled the top half back and tied it with an orange ribbon.

I know what you're thinking, "Wow! That is a lot of orange!" Well, the reason behind that is: Each girl is assigned a color, so that when we stand side by side we made a rainbow. Pretty ridiculous, right? Plus, to add to my embarrassment, I look horrible in orange.

After they finished dressing me, they sent me to my room which wasn't really "my" room because I shared it with the other 12 girls. When I walked into the room, the rest of the girls were already there. I guess they all had looked better than me when we had all arrived at the palace, so they hadn't needed as much help. A couple girls turned to stare, but quickly began to whisper after a few seconds of staring.

I walked over to my bed which was orange, and I sat on the edge afraid to mess anything up. After a few minutes of sitting still, I got up to look through the trunk at the end of my bed. It took a minute to open it because I had been trying to pull it open, then I realized I had to undo the latch. The lid popped right open, and I saw that someone had gone to my house and grabbed some of my stuff. Initially, I had thought it was pretty creepy that someone had been going through my stuff in my room, now, after all the things I have seen, I find it normal.

There were several of my books, pictures, and my favorite locket. It was a small gold heart with a rose engraved into the front. I held it up by its chain and let it twirl around before putting it on.

As soon as i had closed my trunk, a butler came to get us to take us to the dining room. The butler lead the way, and I walked in the back not wanting anyone to see my hands shaking with the nervousness of being around Farris. Lauretta and Madeline fell back and walked in step with me.

"So," Lauretta said it twirling a piece of shimmering locks, "What do you think you are still doing here?"

"I beg your pardon? What do you mean?" I asked biting my lip.

"Exactly what I said. What are you still doing here? You are from one of the lowest families, and you are the youngest. Plus you are BOOOOORING." She stepped in front of me and grabbed my wrists, "You are not even pretty."

I tried to wriggle free, but her hold on me was tight. She shoved me up against a wall and knocked the breath from my lungs. Madeline came up next to Lauretta and looked me in the eye. I was still trying to catch my breath, and the way Lauretta was holding my wrists was pressing my bracelets into my skin. The pain was so sharp, it was hard to breathe. Madeline touched my locket with the tips of her thin fingers, and in one swift movement, she ripped it off my neck.

When she ripped it off, it jerked my head forward and slit the back of my neck. As I saw it dangling in her grasp, I saw the chain was broken. My eyes started to well up with tears from the pain of loss, and the pain of physical abuse.

As Lauretta leaned in to say something, I spat in her face.

"Why, you little-" she drew back her hand to punch me but I growled at her:

"Careful, you might split your knuckles, Lauretta." I growled at her while seething with rage.

She then turned red with rage and when she was about to slap me, she stopped. She stopped because we heard someone slow clapping. I turned my head to Cadmus walking towards us.

Lauretta let go of me and hissed, "Wait until next time!"

When she stalked off, Madeline threw down my locket and rushed after Lauretta. I collapsed to the floor breathing hard. When I reached out to grab my locket, someone else's hand grabbed it and handed it to me. I looked up and saw Cadmus smiling crookedly at me. 

I watched him as he sat down next to me. His green eyes roved over my body, and he just sat by me as I tried to catch my breath.

"So," He said looking at my bruised wrists, "Those girls are your friends?"

I laughed bitterly, "No, they are not, and they never will be."

He looked at me for a moment and then said, "May I escort you to the dining room?"

"That would be great."

He stood and held out his hand to help me up from the floor. As we walked down the hallway arm and arm, he asked, "Why were those girls so nasty to you?"

I looked at him curiously as I replied, "I don't really know. It is just what they do. When they see someone new or different, they get nasty and mistreat that person. Basically, they live to break people's spirits and make people submit to them."

"I think they are jealous." He said looking at me out of the corner of his eye."

I laughed, "No. They are definitely not jealous."

After I said that, I thought for a moment and then nervously asked, "Why would you think that?"

"'Cause, you're gorgeous. They are afraid that you will catch the eye of the Prince. Plus, they are probably nervous because you didn't back down. You didn't grovel at their feet, and, most impressively, you didn't cry. Most girls I have met would have cried over less than what you just endured.

"I guess that comes from having six older brothers." I said blushing at his remark.

"Yeah, I guess that would explain your uncanny ability to deny your girl hormones." He said while laughing.

"Shut up." I punched him lightly on the shoulder. As I did, I winced. My wrists were still throbbing from where my bracelets had dug into my skin.

He looked at my face and then my wrists, and he smiled cheekily, "Karma."

"What do you mean 'Karma'?" I inquired.

"You punched me which hurt more than anything I have ever felt in my entire life." He dramatically held his hand to his forehead, "After that, your wrists hurt getting you back for punching me. Karma."

I shook my head at him, and he smirked. We walked the rest of the way to the dining room in silence. When we reached the doors, Cadmus kissed my knuckles, I blushed, and then he sauntered off, leaving me alone in front of large double doors which lead to the dining room.

I took a deep breath and rubbed my sweaty hands on my blindingly bright orange dress. I wished that I had been given a more subtle color because I am not a flashy person. Plus, I don't want to draw attention to myself when I try to sneak into the dining room where dinner is already being served, and the prince would see my face as i walked in late. Walking in late is one of the worst things you could do when you are visiting someone else's home. Also, to add to my embarrassment, it is even worse to walk in AFTER dinner had begun. It was one thing to walk in after everyone had been seated, but it was worse to walk in after the meal had already begun.

I reached out and touched the door knob of one of the huge double doors with trembling fingers.

Would it be so bad for me to just walk away from the door?  I thought to myself, I could be at breakfast, besides, I am really not that hungry. I really, really don't want to walk in alone.

I turned to walk away.

"I knew you would try to leave." said Cadmus as he walked around from behind a huge statue in the hallway. "I had hoped you wouldn't, and you would prove me wrong. But, guess not. Shall I walk you to your room?"

"No." I said since i didn't want him to think me a coward, "I was just............going to use the restroom."

"'Going to use the restroom.'" He repeated clearly not believing me. "Well then, by all means, go use the restroom. I will wait right here for you to come back."

I turned to walk off, and he said, "The restroom is the other way."

I pivoted to look at him. He was looking at me with pity in his gorgeous green eyes.

"I understand that you are afraid." He said as he stepped forward to grab my hands in his, "Let me help you not be afraid. My best friend is in there being harassed by 11 other girls who are not as nearly as kind or as brave as you are. I will walk you in there so you won't be alone."

He let go of my hands, and i watched as he fixed his collar, straightened his tux which he was still wearing due to the fact that he hadn't gone home to change after the graduation, and smoothed his golden locks.

He turned to me and said, "May I?"

I nodded nervously not knowing what he was going to do. He reached out and gently ran his fingers through my slightly disheveled hair, pushing it all back into place. Then he helped me smooth out my dress. Finally, he took the locket out of my hand, and he grabbed a small piece of wire out of his pocket. He twisted the wire through the broken ends of the chain reuniting them with ease and expertise only someone twice his age should possess.

As he fastened the locket around my neck, I briefly wondered why he had wire in his pocket.

"There," he said, "That should work for now. I can take it later and find a whole new chain. Ya know, if you want me to."

He offered his arm to me, and we stood in front of the huge double doors.

"Here we go." He whispered in my ear.

With that, he reached out and knocked loudly three times on one of the massive doors. I cringed at the sound imagining how it had gotten everyone's attention. They would all be wondering who it was that dared to interrupt. I am sure that Farris would see Cadmus doing something like this, but he would never guess it was me who dared interrupt. On the one hand, I was excited for him to see another side of me, a side I never knew existed until just now. But on the other hand, I really didn't want his full undivided attention in front of all those other girls who would surely tear me apart for grabbing his attention. If I had to choose, I would not have asked for his attention or for him to see the adventurous side of me, especially if it meant him staring at me and Cadmus. That, and we would have an audience of vicious teenage girls. These are the things my nightmares are made of.

While I was warring with my emotions, the door was jerked open by no one other than Farris. This was the LAST thing I had expected. I had expected the huge doors to be thrown open simultaneously and for us to walk in to the royal family and the 11 other girls glaring at me and Cadmus for interrupting their dinner.

Farris had only yanked open one of the doors. This was wonderful because the closed door shielded me from the view of the rest of the dining party. They could only see Cadmus through the open doorway, and even then they couldn't see much of Cadmus because Farris was right in the door way.

Farris looked relieved to see Cadmus at the door. Then he looked at me and my arm, wrapped through Cadmus's arm. I quickly pulled my arm from his and curtsied unsteadily. I tripped forward and almost hit the door with my head, but thankfully Cadmus caught me just in time.

"Farris, who is at the door?" bellowed the King.

"It is Cadmus, Father, and he is in need of my assistance with............." Farris looked meaningfully at Cadmus as he floundered for words.

"I require you son's assistance with choosing my mate, Your Majesty." Cadmus said in a sophisticated manner.

"I hardly see that as a reason to intrude on our welcome feast for the young ladies who are here to win the hand of my son." said the King in a slightly irritated voice.

"Well, I thought tha-" Cadmus made a retching sound even though he wasn't actually throwing up. "Sorry, Your Majesty." he whimpered feigning ill. "I am just ill with worry." he made another retching noise.

"Father," said Farris while he beamed at Cadmus, "I should take Cadmus away before he does it again."

"Please do, Farris." said the King exasperatedly, "Servants, clean that up before it ruins our appetite."

A puking noise followed by lots of screaming was heard from inside the dinning room as Farris was closing the door. Farris and Cadmus high fived each other.

"Dude," Farris said a huge grin on his face, "You have gotten so good at the noise that you actually got one of those girls to puke."

Cadmus laughed and said, "What will the servants do when they come out and find no puke?"

"Oh, they won't wonder a thing." Farris said as he knelt down to place three gold pieces on the floor.

"You bribe them?!" exclaimed Cadmus.

"How else can I cover up our pranks without being discovered by Father?"

"Dude, you are so good!" Cadmus beamed at his best friend.

I felt a twinge of jealousy at their friendship.

Farris turned to me and got serious. He looked me up and down, and then he said, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't send you home."