4 Chapter 4: #vote4belle

"You did what!," Leo yelled at me from the side, "It's bad enough that I have to bribe the jury, now we have Miss Perfect on our backs. I felt so sorry for her, I wanted to help, I don't know what got into me," I returned contritely. He buried his face in his hands in reply: "Let's not argue, we have a lot of work to do today." We entered the street on the other side of the city, thanks to the underground canal system it was no challenge to get from A to B quickly. "Remember what I told you, I'm your brother and I wanted to be in the photoshoot, got it?" "Really? I'm not a little kid anymore Leo, I know very well what I'm saying." He made another comment, of course: "Yes, of course, I noticed that Belle." I boxed him against the side and kept walking, as I suspected he would, he once again pretended not to mind. Madame Parisie noticed us from a distance, she waved at us. As we got closer I saw her filming with her mini camera: "And this, my darlings, is my protégé, Belle," she held her camera close to my profile, "You can say hello, she doesn't bite." I had to swallow, but your kick on my foot made me fall into character: "Hello, you humans out there, I'm Belle." I put on my friendliest fake smile. She picked up the phone again: "Isn't she lovely, the little one? You have to help her make it to the throne, support us with the #vote4thebeautybelle, and among all helpers, I will raffle a prize. Of course, I will also be filming everything from start to finish, just 4 fun, isn't that a nice play on words? Today we are going to put together the application portfolio and therefore we are at Mary photos and Model GmbH. #noproductplacement." She grinned and made a cut: "Let's go inside you beauties." As soon as we were inside and I could see again, because of the glare, I was put on a chair. We're going to turn you into a beauty," Leopold smiled at me in the mirror. Don't push it," I hissed between smiles. "Oh Belle, every girl would like to be a princess," he teased me. , "I'm not every girl though, once I get these naughty nails I'll scratch you next time." He smiled amusedly as if he didn't take me in his stride, as he did every time: "Sure." He left and I was "beautified", then placed in front of a white screen. "Oh, isn't she cute," Madame whispered to Leo. He looked at me as if I were the ninth wonder of the world. "He's so embarrassed, your brother has probably never seen you looking so adorable." The photographer spoke up: "If you don't mind, I'd like to get started." Madame pulled her camera out of her pocket and started filming again. Be natural, think of yourself winning and the prince standing by you." I almost started laughing, that was the most disgusting thing ever. Belle, pull yourself together, you have a mission to fulfil, be believable, I said to myself. I started to pose without thinking much about how and why, but according to the shouts and the flashes I seemed to be doing a good job. I looked at the result on the monitor, I had to admit I didn't look bad. Madame was talking to the photographer in a corner and I remained seated with Leo, of course leaving plenty of distance between us. "Who were you thinking of when you stood there?" I didn't have to think long: "No one!" I see, are you sure about that?" he asked. I felt my cheeks start to glow, but I put it down to the heat in the room. You're turning red," he said mischievously. "Nonsense," I dismissed it, "I'm just warm, that's all." I stood up and went to the others. "Darling, we were evaluating the perfect picture and came across this one." She showed it to me. I stood there all confident, with a smile on my face. My green eyes were shining at me. I didn't know I could look so beautiful, I nodded: "Yes, that's perfect."

My file was ready:

Name: Maybelle, Julliette Woodstock

Age: 17 (As my birthday was coming up)

Hair colour: Bronde

Eye colour: Green

Height: 1.70 m

Born: 13.10. in the year of the fox, in Little England

Parents: Roe Woodstock and Pirns Woodstock

Hobbies: history, riding (this point was not true, but Parisie said it would make me more interesting), cooking

Languages: fluent New English, fluent dead English, fluent Germanic

School: basic education, but would like to study

Basic caste: 4

Curriculum vitae: Lived in the district of Four until she was 15 ½, lottery winner this year, moved with family to the outskirts of Sallto.

Occupation: maid to Madame Janette Parisie.

With this file we went to Sallto on Monday, but never would I have dreamed that so many girls would want to stick to the prince's side. "Well, intimidated.", Leopold stated, "Don't worry you can do it, I trust you, besides you'll get in anyway, one of my people is on the committee." "Ok..." was all I could manage. We had come a long way, I was sitting in the entrance hall of the town hall waiting for my name to be called. I could no longer tell how many girls were going in and out. Out of thousands, only 50 will be allowed on to the shortlist and I will be one of them. This thought is so unapproachable at that moment on a marble-floored bench. Luckily our neighbours can take care of my siblings, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to leave. I still felt the pain when I revealed to everyone I was going to sign up for the audition. The group was divided, my mother and sister had been happy for me, but my brother and father were beside themselves. They had both said how stupid I would be if I took part in such a ridiculous game. They were right, but I knew that as well as they did. I could back out now... "Maybelle Woodstock?" Did she just say my name? "Maybelle Woodstock, come in." I was nudged: "You're on, dreamer." I didn't move, I was all grown up. Everyone stared at me. Leopold stood up and pushed me towards the receptionist: "That's her, she's a bit lamp shy." Yes, that's fine, I want to go home today, follow me," she was so cool, the lady had probably been here for hours, poor thing. I was still paralysed and didn't notice many things, something like this had never happened to me before. Slowly the tension in me eased and I could think clearly again. We were led to a large double door and the receptionist asked me to go in without my companion. He's not my boyfriend," I tried to tell her. She rolled her eyes and typed something into her smartphone: "Honey, I don't care." She opened the door and without looking up from the phone she pushed me inside. In front of me were the members of the jury, sitting on a long table. Number 870," an assistant read from his clipboard. A stern-looking woman turned to me, she reminded me of Mrs Kirnmilkbaum, great: "Sit down," she looked at her paper, "Maybelle, Juliette Woodstock." I took a seat in a chair across from them. "Hand us your file, please," a red-haired woman spoke to me, I think she was our ally. I handed her the folder, she read it through and asked: "Can you speak three languages?" Yes," I answered in accordance. Before we came here, Leo had impressed upon me that I had to answer the most unpleasant questions conscientiously. Why do you think you would be a suitable partner for Crown Prince Nicolas Merh? I had to learn this answer by heart: "Because, together with him, I will lead our kingdom into a glorious future, if I may say so, I have taken on responsibility since I was little, I can also handle a kingdom".

"One last question. What do you find so special about the prince?" Oh man, I had completely forgotten, what could I say now? But on the other hand, I got into the palace one way or another. "I think his honesty, he doesn't choose just any woman, he wants to lose his heart and waits as long as he has to," I was quite surprised to hear myself say. Thank you very much for coming, we will contact you in the next few days, have a nice day," she handed me a piece of paper. It contained key data and other things that were important for the further course of this casting. I also thanked her politely and rose. I stepped out of the door, as soon as it was closed I sank exhausted onto the cold marble floor.