Chapter 13

I didn't gawk when I entered the palace this time. Instead, I put on my business face and continued forward in the fakest confidence I could muster.

I and Crystal were escorted by a footman to the gathering area, which was the dinner hall. Our luggage taken to our assigned living quarters.

The dinner hall held a third as many girls as were in the ball, which proved the ball was in fact just another test. Dinner had yet to be served, but all the girls sat neatly, next to each other in an overwhelming silence.

I took a seat beside Crystal as more girls entered. It was another twenty minutes of agonising waiting and deafening quiet, except the sound of small breaths and swishing of fabric, when the door shut.

The table had no more empty seats. I wasn't sure if that meant everyone was present or if nobody else could enter, because just as the large door shut, the voice of a servant boomed, shocking many of us unsuspecting guests.

"His majesty, the prince is pleased to welcome you into his home for the princess selection process" the man that spoke had a full head of bright ginger hair and a face full of freckles. His uniform was a dull blue, "We urge you prestigious young ladies to view this as less of a competition and more of an activity where we get to know you. Using your results we will determine who among you will make an able queen", he took a deep breath for a moment and then sharply continued, "Today's marks the First Crown Princess Selection process and we hope you take to heart that this is a major mark in history that will be recorded and we applause you for making it this far. Let today's dinner be a moment of relaxation before the true test begins". He bowed deeply, "Sincerely, his majesty the king. He is deeply sorry to not be relaying this message to you himself, but he wishes you all the best of luck".

There was a round of applause as excited whispers finally broke out among the girls. Crystal grabbed my hand and turned to me.

"For a moment, I was quite scared that boy was the prince" she giggled.

"Why were you scared?" I asked, unfazed by the message. Or rather, not caring for it.

"Well- because he's… quite plain, no?"

"Does it make the prince less of a prince if he's plain? I don't recall you caring for his looks until now" I took note of the meat placed before me with delight.

This looks expensive!

"Every prince is handsome" she argued, "that's why I was surprised. The title prince is a compact adjective for handsome, successful, charming and powerful!"

I laughed at her words.

"I don't think that's a thing, but I admire your ambitions" I replied, taking a bite of heaven and moaning. "You were right. This isn't so bad at all".

It had followed through. After dinner we were all given rooms. I had to share with Crystal and another girl, but we had our own beds so it meant little to me. Especially when I sunk into the warm mattress.

"This place is great!" I exclaimed to myself. The girls chuckled.

"You should expect as much from the palace" Crystal said.

"Yes, the palace is a place of wonders" the girl agreed.

I must have slept immediately after, because I recalled nothing beyond this interaction. Nothing when I felt the covers being pulled off me as a loud bell rung out.

"Wake up Mads! The first task has begun!" Crystal shouted as she scrambled around the room for her clothes.

I sat up, gaze blurred and body not at all rested as I looked out the window and noticed something unnerving.

"It- Its dark?" I croaked as I stepped out of bed to much of my bodies reluctance.

Did I sleep through the day?

"It's the middle of the night" the other girl, Sarah?, complained as her maids were touching up her hair. She had already changed.

I jumped out of bed, grabbing the closest dress to myself and just started changing. I heard Sarah Yelp.

"Why don't you get a maid to help you? Should I call one" she offered.

"I'm good" was the only thing I could make out. I got the dress on in a record time of five minutes and decided to just leave my hair undone. "Do I look alright?" I asked the blurry figure I presumed was Crystal.

"You look fine." She grumbled, "why do they have to do this in the morning. I don't have enough time to get my make-up done properly!"

"Right?" Sarah replied with a huff.

I mumbled a reply, my eyes drooping as my brain shut off for a moment. Had it not been for Crystal grabbing my arm at the final warning bells, I would've just fallen asleep.

We gathered in a hall, one I didn't recognise because I could barely open my eyes.

I only recognised that I stood before a table, with a tea set presented before me. And that every girl had the exact same thing before them.

I heard a door open, footsteps sound and gasps explode. But I barely looked up. Unable to concentrate.

"I apologise for not introducing myself yesterday. I am prince Alexei of Grandor, it is a pleasure to meet you" I glanced up at his words.

The prince is here?

I saw his figure up a head, dark hair, tall in height. That was all I could make out with my blurred vision.

"That's the prince…" Crystal sounded disappointed and I snorted, imagining he wasn't her type, "he doesn't look like the guy I danced with".

"Madeline?" I heard a familiar voice on my other side and turned to see a brown haired girl. I tried to blink to clear my vision, but

to no avail. I was luckyI recognised her voice.

"Anastasia" I replied in the voice one might think a corpse had.

"You look like you could fall asleep at any moment" she laughed and I tried to glare but was too tired.

"This is ridiculous. I can't wait to fail"-

"Apologies for awaking you so early my ladies, but this is the start of your first task in the selection process", a ginger blob spoke from afar, "Your first task is to make a cup of tea his highness will surely like. You are welcome to customise the tea and we offer as many ingredients as possible for that. You will then each present your tea to his highness and he will see if it matches his taste".

He began to explain that the testing system would be point based and if a certain limit was not met after each task then the candidate would be disqualified,

I barely managed to listen to the rest of his speech before he finished. I stared at the tea set. The boiling water and the tea bag.

What kind of task is making tea? What is this joke of a test?! It's too early for this…

I didn't make a move for a while, deciding to look at the other girls as my vision cleared ever so slightly. But what I saw made me doubt I had truly woken up and that I may still be dreaming.

A girl stood before her cup, a bread knife clutched in her hand, with the handle untouched. Blood dripped down her hand and into the cup. I watched, convinced I was dreaming when I saw other girls doing the same.

Crystal had also seen it and was trying to prick herself with a needle.

I looked at my hands tiredly.

I really don't have the energy for this. Not at 2 am. Not ever.

I must have stared at the tea set for another five minutes before I decided to make a normal cup of tea. No blood. No special ingredients. Just a normal cup of tea.

"You aren't going to add anything?" Crystal remarked as she returned with her cup of tea. Most people had already served theirs.

"Did he enjoy yours?" I asked with a rude yawn.

She frowned.

"I'm not sure. He just thanked me like he did everyone" she sighed, placing her set down, "it looks like they're just waiting on the last ones so you should hurry up".

She was right. The line was short and on the verge of ending. I rushed over, noticing a small spill from the tea cup, but not caring enough to fix it.

The girl before me presented her tea.

"I have added a few of my own ingredients to it, your majesty. A squeeze of lemon and a drop of… my blood. I hope it suits your tastes" she sounded so proud of herself.

I almost gagged.

Lemon and blood? Is it a vampiric delicacy?? I truly hope this is a terribly vivid dream and I'll awake soon.

"Thank you, Miss deliquean" came a reply in a smooth and beautiful voice.

"You're most welcome" was the reply before she lifted her tray and left.

I stepped forward. My eyes trained on the floor rudely as I pushed forward my cup.

"A cup of tea, your majesty" I brusquely said.

"Any particular special ingredients?" He asked. His voice somehow unsettled my sleepiness.

"Not at all. Just a cup of tea, which I hope suits your taste" I replied tiredly.

He lifted the cup with a large pale hand. Fingers curling around the handle as he lifted it and took a sip. I hadn't expected him to let a relived sigh when he finished.

"Thank you, Miss Colter. I was waiting for a cup of tea like this all morning" his words felt so genuine and happy that I found myself glancing up at his face in surprise.