Welcome (3)

Helena let go of Hazel's hand when she spotted a friend who was taking part in the selection. Hazel walked close behind Helena to keep an eye on her sister since Helena had a lot of attention on her. Some of the other girls had drawn close to Helena to speak to her about the dance she shared with the prince while others kept their distance, giving Helena nasty looks out of jealousy. 

"You can turn off your overprotective side," Linda said, hooking her arm with Hazel's so they could walk together. "If she is old enough to get married, she doesn't need to be looked after by her sister. Especially when you need to be helping me. Do you think we will see Edgar?"

Hazel shook her head at Linda, still being more interested in Edgar than Tobias. "It is the first day, Linda. You should at least pretend to be interested in the prince. Why didn't you plead with your father to take you out of the selection? The palace wouldn't dare say a word because of your family's influence."

"It is because of my grandfather. He doesn't want me to drop out of this and try my best to get the prince's attention even though I have told him there is someone I already had my eyes on. If not for my grandfather, my father would have denied me coming to the selection," Linda answered. 

The selection took away valuable time she could have spent trying to get Edgar Collins's attention. Like the prince, Edgar was sought after by many women. The time Linda spent in the palace pretending as if she cared to be queen, she could have been trying to bump into Edgar so she could get him to notice her.

The one thing Linda liked about being in the palace was having the chance to run into Edgar when he was visiting the prince.

"I hope you are picked to become the next queen so you can introduce me to Edgar and tell him how wonderful I am. I will never forgive you if you don't help me," Linda said jokingly.

"I would first need to become the queen. I hope they put our rooms near each other. I am surprised by how fast she sent our parents away and we were already meeting with the queen for our first test. What do you think she will ask us or make us do?" Hazel questioned, curious about the first test.

None of the girls from the first group spoke of the trials they took part in most likely to avoid giving anyone the chance to do well. Hazel also wondered if the trials would be different from what the first group did so their group could avoid being too prepared.

"She will probably have us sit down and watch how we speak or sit. How we can engage in a conversation and our answers. That is what my mother said. I am sharing this because you are my best friend. My grandfather used his connections to try to know a little bit about what the queen is doing. Little does he know it is all pointless," Linda whispered.

"I never realised how your grandfather was so interested in your becoming queen. He was just trying to make you happy by inviting the Collins over to your home so he could bring up marriage. I suppose everyone does not want to miss out on having the queen come from their family," Hazel noted. 

Hazel knew it was too much to ask for, but she hoped this competition wouldn't cause anyone she was close with to change. To end the relationship they shared all to become the next queen.

Hazel didn't worry about having to stand in front of the queen. What worried her was what relationships would change after this. She was confident her friendship with Linda would remain the same simply because Linda was not interested in Tobias, but she wasn't certain about Helena.

Helena had always been the emotional one and if things didn't go her way, Helena would be upset for a long time. Like Hazel had Linda, there were a few of Helena's friends present. Though they all knew each other for a long time since everyone but Linda was here for Tobias, Hazel knew there would be some friendships ending.

She didn't mind losing a few friends if they were to get upset over Tobias. 

Hazel continued to walk with her hands hooked with Linda, following the maids as they were led to where the rooms were. All the young women in the selection rooms were in the same wing of the palace. 

Hazel let go of Linda's hand to enter the room a maid led her to after her name was called. 

"Please ring the bell at the door whenever you need a maid. A maid will be assigned to you after you have met with the queen. One of the queen's ladies will knock on your door when it is time to go to the palace garden to see the queen. Excuse me," the maid said, backing out of the room to help with getting Hazel's bags.

Hazel waited for the door to be closed to relax her shoulders. She took a deep breath feeling like this room was probably the only place she would feel comfortable for the next seven days. Everywhere else in the palace would have someone watching her to report what they saw to the queen. 

Hazel walked further into the room, inspecting what she would call home for the next seven days. She stopped to look at a painting of the queen sitting with the king. She had seen this one painting at a few corners of the palace when she was younger. 

"Why does this painting need to be in my room?" Hazel questioned, tempted to take it down from the wall. She didn't move to take it down because she considered the fact the maid assigned to her would tell the queen about it. 

The smallest thing could ruin her chances of being in the queen's circle which everyone wanted to be a part of even if they weren't chosen to become queen. The queen would still pick from the current young women who would be invited to private parties for noblewomen in the future for the new queen to socialise with.

"You will be covered at night," Hazel said, looking at the portrait as staring at it made her feel like the queen was spying on her. 

Hazel walked toward the balcony doors and opened them to get a better look at the view she got from her room. She was in luck to have her room looking out to the palace garden. It was just as beautiful in the day as it was in the night, and she couldn't wait to explore it if she were to have free time. 

Hazel took a deep breath and started to prepare herself for what was to come. It wasn't only the other women she had to put up with. The queen wouldn't go easy on them, hardly caring what family they were from. 

"I should make the most of this," Hazel said, planning to enjoy herself even if she wasn't picked by Tobias or his mother as one of the young ladies to have private time with either one. This experience alone would be something fun to look back on.