Jara sat in front of her TV, Nikolai next to her, trays and trays of biscuts cluttering the coffee table, chocolate, orange, frosted, not frosted. Jara's nerves came out in baking, and this was the definition of nerves.

The TV broadcast started, and Jara saw Luna Madison, the host of the show waltz onto the stage. Luna had been one of the queen's friends that had come with her from Britian to Illéa when the queen won.

"Helllllooo Illéa!" Luna said, tapping her long nails on a stool for a drumroll. The camera paned away from Luna's face for a second and over to the royal family.

Princess Lilli had an excited, restless energy as she bounced in her seat, and so did the younger Prince Donovan. Prince George had more of a calm air, and the king and queen were all regal.

Jara nervously nibbled on a cookie. 

Why is it such a big deal to you? She asked herself.

Luna continued her speil as she listed off all the things they would adress.

Jara heard several unnecessary things such as public schools, lower caste assistance, the divorce of some famous people, a shooting, and a women's soccer win.

"And at the end, an announcement for all the girls out there who entered the selection!" Luna said cheerily.

At the end?

Jara wasn't going to wait all the way until the end. She took the remote and threw it at the wall.(A/N insperation for this moment from myself whenever i watch dwts) 

"Whoa, Jara, are you okay?" Nikolai asked.

"Can we turn it off until the end?" Jara asked in reply. He nodded, retrieved the remote, and shut it off.

————

Maeve leaned towards the TV the whole broadcast. She wasn't really listening for the little clips about disasterous events in the country.

She did listen for the little teasers that said things like, "coming up, the announcement of the Selected!" and stuff like that.

All the girls that worked on the farm that had entered sat by the TV, Maeve squished in on the couch with three other girls, and her father stood behind her, watching the broadcast. Maeve knew he would be happy if any of the girls sitting there got in, but she knew he would be especially happy for her.

Or she hoped he would.

"We're all waiting!" One girl yelled at the TV.

Maeve was patient, but even she could agree that the suspense was getting extensive. The stuff they put on wasn't what she would put on before an announcement of something like the Selection. 

Divorce, for example was stupid to put on before a love competition. Also it sounded a little weird.

Maeve started to drift off near the end, when Luna was talking about a sports something. She dreamed of flower fields.

Maybe that's what I should paint next she thought.

Daisies would look beautiful. 

————

Anika sat in front of her TV, a maroon and gold notebook sitting in her lap. She had spent some money on a new notebook just for the Selection. She wanted to write poems and songs about her watch on the Selection.

The brief period of propaganda before the purple-dressed Luna Madison, the electic host of the Report, appeared back on screen.

"Now, as some of you may have known, our dear Prince George just turned ninteen. To celebrate this new era in his life, we have sent out letter to every girl between the ages of 16 and 21. Prince George is looking for a partner to rule beside, a princess- and eventual queen- of Illéa," Luna says.

Anika's eyes widened at the TV as the prince stepped out. He was handsome for sure. She wasn't focused on that though. The prince could give her comfort and riches and fame. Anything she'd ever want.

"Now, the prince has randomly drawn one girl that entered from each province. Each of those girl's names will be called tonight and the Selection will begin with the girls arriving at the palace in ten days time. So, without further ado, please welcome the prince, Prince George Schereave!"

The prince stepped further out into the spotlights, yellow and gold with dust floating down them, which just highlighted his attractive features to Anika.

Anika readied a pen from a cup on the desk that was her mother's, and put a pen to paper. She scribbled down several thoughts on the prince, which she could later use in a poem.

"Now," Luna said, "your highness, thirty-five girls will enter the castle in a week and a half. Ho do you feel about that?"

"I feel like most people expect me to say invaded," George responded. The studio audience mumbled affirmatively. "But I'm not really."

Anika was shocked. Thoughts twirled around in her head like pink skirted ballerinas. If 35 boys invaded her home to fall in love with her, she would feel as if her comfort was all gone. Which it would be

"If not invaded, what are you feeling?" Luna asked, shocked.

"I would say some of it is excitement," he said, "some for all of you, since this is the first Selection in generations. Some is for the girls, because I can't even imagine what someone would feel if they got chosen. Some is also for myself, a little bit, because I can't help but be excited. The other thing is fear, which I feel is natural in this case, since anyone that's ever had a Selection is dead, and I have absolutely no guidance."

"Naturally. Now are you ready to see your selected?"

The prince nodded, and Luna stood up, walked over to the rest of the royal family, and the pictures of several girls popped onto the screen.

"From Allens, Miss Leleana Baner, 3." A cute girl with tan skin and dark hair flashed on the screen.

"From Angeles, Miss Wynter Clane, 2." A pretty blonde girl popped up.

So they were going in alphabetical order by province. Anika had a while to wait.

————

(A/N I'm going to freely perspective jump now w/o the dividers so bear with me, if Luna says someone's name, their perspective follows)

"From Atlin, Miss Lyndsey Draga, 4."

"From Baffin, Miss Ellen Saga, 3."

"From Bankston, Miss Jenna Denisa, 3."

"From Belcourt, Miss Jara Morozova, 2."

Jara leaped to her feet. Nikolai jumped up too, and she hugged him. They were both cheering and whooping excitedly.

They can come home. She thought happily.

"From Bonita, Miss Aitana Alfonsina, 4."

"From Calgary, Miss Alejandra Corine, 2."

"From Carolina, Miss Maeve Ambree, 4."

The girls all stared at Maeve, and for a stunning moment, everything was silent. Then all the girls burst into applause. Maeve turned around to see her dad beaming at her, and she threw her arms around him.

"Well done, Maeve," he whispered to her.

"From Clermont, Miss Seren Yūki, 3."

"From Columbia Miss Keahi Nālani, 3."

"From Dakota, Miss Ajda Anahit, 2."

"From Denbeigh, Miss Herleva Alkestis, 5."

"From Dominica, Miss Vicenta Gema, 3."

"From Fennley, Miss Aditi Roma, 3."

"From Hansport, Miss Nanny Bethanie, 5."

"From Honderuga, Miss Amonet Janelle, 2."

"From Hudson, Miss Pru Kristine, 3."

"From Kent, Miss Diann Elodie, 2."

"From Labrador, Miss Tillda Helen, 2."

"From Likely, Miss Quincy Thomas, 5."

"From Midston, Miss Deirdre Swan, 5."

Deirdre's head snapped up from her book, which was worn and old. She wished her parents were there, but they were out on jobs. 

Me of all people?

She was confused and shocked, but she listened carefully as Luna continued.

It's a sign.

"From Ottaro, Miss Kim Vera, 4."

"From Paloma, Miss Evangeline Lisette, 4."

"From Panama, Miss Millie Yvette, 2."

"From Sonage, Miss Alexa Doreen, 4."

"From Sota, Miss Evelyn Kack, 2."

Evelyn whipped her head towards the TV. The soccer ball she had been juggling dropped to the floor with a loud thump.

Her mouth fell open, a circle of shock. No way. Right after her big soccer win, this? Was this just chance, or some crazy luck?

"From St. George, Miss Olivia Lavina, 4."

"From Sumner, Miss Miriam Stacey, 4."

"From Tammins, Miss Dolores Maeve, 3."

"From Waverly, Miss Anika Vinarine, 3."

Anika let out a loud squeal. She was so excited she could go insane.

The palace!

"From Whites,  Miss Daniella Gabrielle, 3."

"From Yukon, Miss Lorri Andrani, 2."

"And finally, From Zuni, Miss Tricia Hope, 2."

————

Deirdre was still in shock, blinking.

"From Midston, Miss Deirdre Swan..." Luna Madison's voice rang around in her head. There was no way that had just happened. She would wake up in a second and the voice would go away because it hadn't been real.

Her out of anyone in the province? All the twos that were ridiculously pretty and the threes that had the wit of someone who was already a royal, they picked a five? 

A five whose only talents were reading and grieving, burring herself in the refuge of books, and maybe, just maybe she had a small skill with music.

But if this was real, and she had been picked...

Is it a sign?

————

The phone ring interrupted Evelyn's sleep. 

As soon as she had been announced as one of the Selected, she had gone immediately home and started to sleep. This had been the longest week of her whole life and there was no way she was going to stay any longer than she had to.

She knew that it was no mistake that she had been chosen only days after her win in Nationals. It was something the Illéan government would do.

She climbed out of bed and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She asked into it groggily.

"Is this Lady Evelyn Kack?" A woman on the other side asked.

"Yes, it is," Evelyn was suspicious now.

"I'm calling to concern people we are sending to your house over the next few weeks," the woman said.

At ten PM?  Evelyn wanted to ask.

But she regained her control and said, "For what, exactly?"

"To prepare you for the Selection!" The woman said happily, "I'm Brooke Heather, and I'll be your head maid. Over the next week and a half before your arrival at the palace, you will find several people that want to see you. Tomorrow there will be an outfitter arriving around eight in the morning, and over the rest of the days, you might see a few more people, such as different types of doctors, and maybe even some government workers and heads of security, just to make you sign papers."

Evelyn sighed. This was going to be a long process.

————

And that does it for the first chapter! This one is around a thousand words, which probably makes it the shortest full length chapter I plan on writing, the others will top out around 2,000-3,000 words, with authors notes.

I will say the names for the other selected girls and their castes are very strange, mostly because I used a random name & number generator for them, so there are a lot of threes, and only a few twos, and some first names are last names, and it's a huge mess, but it's fine, just go with it.

The next chapter will probably come out New Year's Day, or maybe a few days after. I got a laptop(finally) which makes writing a lot more efficient. The next chapter will cover two topics which are:

-The girls meeting with their head maids, who are in place instead of a royal planner(who was Sylvia in the Selection books) because I forgot to make one. They will also meet with the blokes that talk about several very strange topics

-And they will also arrive at the airport, which is where they'll meet some of the other selected girls with their very, very weird names.

Lots of love from across the sea,

Angie May