What it Takes to be a Queen Round 1

"IT IS time to wake up, Lady Temari. You can't be late for breakfast. Today is a big day!"

Temari groaned but didn't open her eyes. Instead, she pressed her face in the pillow. She has every intention to go back to dreamland. She felt like she only had an hour or two of sleep.

Given the events of yesterday, as well as her exploration in the hallways of the castle and her strange encounters, Temari felt like even a whole day of sleep will not be enough for her.

Emma, her lady's maid, suddenly grabbed her blanket and pulled it away from her body. Temari moaned in protest. She rolled on her back and forced herself to open her eyes. "Five more minutes."

Emma shook her head and grabbed Temari's arms. She pulled her into a sitting position.

"You can't just stay here in your room, my lady. After breakfast, there will be an event in the royal library for all the guests. You need to attend. It is important."

"Ugh. Fine." Temari moaned aloud and scratched her head. Even without looking, she knew that her hair is a tangled mess.

"You must get up now, my lady. I already prepared water for you to wash your face and hands."

Temari sighed and nodded. She dragged herself out of the bed and went to the washbasin on the far end of the room. After washing her face, she sat on the chair next to the dressing table to let Emma do her magic.

The lady's maid might not be an oracle or a mage, but she can do wonders with her hands. In a fast and efficient way, Emma was able to fix her hair into a fashionable style and she was able to powder Temari's face and apply color to her cheeks and lips.

Emma is a small woman but her strength in pulling the strings of Temari's bodice until she could not breathe is unrivaled. In less than two hours, she was transformed and ready to go out of her room. Then the lady's maid guided her to a part of the castle where the breakfast will be served.

Temari could not help but gasp when they stepped out of a huge door and she saw the spacious garden in front of them. Her eyes widened, her mouth fell open and she could do nothing but look around in wonder.

Everywhere she looks, she sees different blooming flowers. Most of them are flowers she has never seen in Clearbury before. They made the garden look beautiful and magical, especially as the light of the morning sun made some of the flowers shine.

Tables and chairs are spread in the central part of the garden. Most of the princesses and ladies are already seated. Dozens of servants go in and out of the garden to serve tea and put food on the tables. The scent in the air is sweet and delicious, a combination of floral and newly cooked breakfast.

Temari and Emma sat at the nearest table. She was forced to do small talk with the lady next to her and she took that as an opportunity to ask questions about the other guests. She needed as much information as she could. She also enjoyed breakfast and even asked for a second serving to the horror of the ladies at their table.

Generally, it was a good meal. Temari noticed that the crown prince didn't appear for breakfast. Some of the ladies around her are murmuring to each other about whether he will appear later or not. Temari hoped it is the latter. Unlike all the guests in the castle, she doesn't want to see the crown prince as much as possible.

After breakfast, the butler that was also in the royal ball last night came to announce that they are all headed for the royal library.

"What are we going to do there?" Temari whispered to Emma as everyone walk toward the said location.

The lady's maid whispered back, "It is for the first activity of the one and a half month long even, my lady. You are all here to get the attention of the crown prince and to show that you are the one deserving to be the future queen of our kingdom. So the people in charge of the event organized a series of activities for all of you."

Temari's stomach clenched. What kind of activities are in store for them and will she be able to do all of those things without getting caught as a fraud? Those are the questions in her mind as they walk the hallways of the castle until finally, they reached the tall and wide closed double doors.

The butler was there again. It was strange since Temari didn't see him walk with them. Did he take a different route? Are there hidden passages in this castle that only the royal family and the closest people to them know about? That piqued Temari's interest but decided to put that thought at the back of her mind when the doors to the royal library finally opened. There are no windows in sight but it was bright inside. She looked up and saw that transparent glass serves as the roof of the library.

Temari is not into books and she was never a reader. She was the action type of person instead of sitting and reading. Still, she was amazed at the massive collection of books inside that library. All the walls serve as a floor to ceiling shelves. There are also lines of tall and long shelves, all filled with books. You will need a ladder to get the books on the top shelves. The whole room looks like a maze and Temari bet her life that someone can get lost in here.

Just like in the garden, there is a wide space at the center of the library. There are also tables and chairs. Temari's hands went cold and sweat trickled down her spine when she saw the things on top of the tables. There are papers and quills in front of every chair. Her throat went dry when the butler began to ask everyone to take a seat while the lady's maids shall remain standing in a line against the wall.

Temari cursed silently as she walks to one of the tables. She sat on a chair and looked at Emma. The lady's maid smiled and even made a gesture of support. She almost winced. Then when the butler seemed to see that all the women are settled on their seats, he went out and called someone. Then an old man wearing a robe similar to that of Lennox Holland.

The doors of the library closed behind him. He cleared his throat and looked around them. "I am one of the royal advisors of his royal highness, the crown prince. I will be facilitating the first activity of this event."

Murmurs filled the room. The royal advisor waited until everyone is almost quiet before he continued, "This morning, your activity is a written examination."

Temari's heart fell to the ground. [A what?!]