Chosen

by Shelby Hild

  “You’ll meet with Prince Aiden at the top of the walkway. There you will introduce yourself. Do something memorable if you can think of it. Tell a joke, ask a question. Anything, really. You’ll only have a few moments with him, though, so make it count.”

  “How many carriages are left?” Vivilyn asked as she heard wheels turning. The carriage she’d been in was rolling off as a new one was pulling in.

  “After you, there are about twelve Ladies left to enter.”

  Vivilyn hadn’t realized there were so many people here already.

  “Okay,” Vivilyn said with a deep breath. “Thank you.” Then she turned and looked up at the front of the palace for the first time.

  She already knew it was huge. That wasn’t why her mouth dropped open in shock.

  A large pathway up to two split staircases made its way up the hill. Three fountains stood on each side of the path with chairs and gardens in between.

  Each fountain had a central character in the foundation of Etilidean history: King Michel, first king of Etilidus who created the world’s largest army in generations and eradicated the barbarian warlords who had devolved into using curses and spells to destroy their enemies; Captain Elina, the woman who sacrificed herself to stop the spread of dark magics through the land; Vic, the wizard who was fundamental in pushing the world into an era of no magic; Queen Mathilde, who created the PrEtAh Alliance in order to keep other countries from destroying Etilidus; Ember, the wanderer from Keller who chose to stand for peace and thus stole the heart of King Andrew.

  And lastly King Andrew, the creator of the Enchanted Trials. He was the reason the people had a say in who the royal family married.

  The fountains had placards on the sides closest to the walkway, but no Etilidean would need it. Vivilyn assumed it was just for show or maybe for visiting dignitaries and ambassadors.

  All around her, flowers bloomed in colors beyond what Vivilyn had even seen. She moved to the side, close to Captain Elina’s statue, and saw the splayed arms of jasmine plants. The sweet fragrance overpowered all the others nearby. Before she could stop herself, Vivilyn carefully removed a small part that held eight of the small flowers.

  She took one off and set it in her hair. It wouldn’t hold well, but the scent would linger for a bit after it fell off.

  The rush of water in the fountains soothed her as she resumed making her way to Prince Aiden. Both sides of the stairs had a landing and shifted back to the center and Shareen said nothing about which side to take, so Vivilyn assumed it didn’t matter which path she took.

  When she reached the top of the stairs, Vivilyn checked to be sure her dress hadn’t been rumpled or torn. It seemed easier for her to move in now that she was growing accustomed to it.

  Everything in front of her grew hazy as a vision approached.

  An explosion behind her made her turn towards the fountains again. Smoke was everywhere. The statues she’d just walked by were a flickering mess of flames. People yelled and screamed. People ran all around. Another explosion sounded in the distance. Vivilyn looked back in the direction she knew Ettravil lay. She could see the flames rising higher. Smoke filled her lungs.

  With a shake of her head, Vivilyn looked back at the fountains. The vision had passed. Had there only been four statues in her vision? Was it one of the past? Or was it one telling of the future?

  Vivilyn stood taking deep breaths, attempting to calm her heart into beating normally. Of course, it was a vision of the past. No one would dare attack the palace. It must have been back before King Andrew and Ember’s statues had been erected. Back when the last revolt happened. That was centuries ago.

  Vivilyn looked up and saw the grand doors to the palace. They were solid black with carvings that Vivilyn couldn’t make out from the distance. Standing in front of the doors in a pale blue suit, Prince Aiden looked down at Vivilyn. His copper hair reflected the light shining down at him from all around and his silver eyes glistened almost as though they blended into the white. At least eight cameramen surrounded him.

  One step forward, then another. Then Vivilyn froze again and looked up at the prince. He stood up straight, clutched his hands behind his back. His smile seemed distracted. Vivilyn worried for a moment he’d already met the woman he would choose at the end and was just going through the motions now.

  Prince Aiden looked directly at her and smiled fully, as though just realizing she was there.

  Vivilyn smiled back. She held the jasmine behind her back as she walked the last few feet towards Prince Aiden.

  “Fancy seeing you here,” she said quietly, as she looked down at the ground.

  “Seeing you so fancy here,” he said then lowered his eyebrows, obviously confused at what he said. As Vivilyn looked up at him, the prince corrected himself. “I mean, you look very nice. I see the fountains didn’t soak you today.”

  “I thought about going for a swim,” Vivilyn said, “but decided I wouldn’t be comfortable all night in a soaked gown.” She smiled. Prince Aiden laughed.

  “Sound reasoning. Maybe next time?” He laughed again and Vivilyn tried to stifle a giggle.

  “I’ve got something for you,” Vivilyn said as she stepped a little closer to him. Prince Aiden opened his mouth to say something, but Vivilyn cut in. “It isn’t much.”

  She moved her arms in front of her and looked down at the jasmine in her hand.

  “What is it?” He asked taking a step closer to Vivilyn.

  “It’s jasmine,” she said, looking up at him again. “I’ve heard it said that jasmine helps us keep mental clarity. But this one has a flower for each of the most important people in our history: King Michel, Captain Elina, Vic, Queen Mathilde, Ember, and King Andrew.”

  She handed the jasmine to him and he held it to his nose before examining it closer.

  “Who’s the seventh one for?” He asked.

  “Oh?” Vivilyn reached forward and gently removed the extra flower. “Well, I guess that one’s for you.” She held it up to Prince Aiden, “May I?” With his nod she stepped so close that she could feel his breath on her cheek. She slipped the small, fragrant flower into his hair.

  Perhaps, she thought to herself, I could be the last one standing in all this. Perhaps we could be something.

  “I see you want to be an important person in history too,” he said as his fingers touched her hair directly under where she’d set the flower in her hair.

  “It’s still there?” Vivilyn asked. She didn’t think it would hold as she climbed the stairs. “I mean… I just didn’t want you to forget who said you’re one of those important figures.” Prince Aiden smiled again as he let his fingers slide down Vivilyn’s hair and then to her shoulder. “You do have 200 women here tonight.”

  “I doubt I’d forget you gave it to me,” he said. A bell rang from the door as he opened his mouth to say something. He sighed, before saying, “It’s been a pleasure. But the next Lady has just arrived at the fountains, so I must bid you farewell.” He bowed to Vivilyn, who automatically curtseyed. Then he kissed her knuckles. “Until next time.”

  Vivilyn walked towards the giant doors and noticed they were parted slightly in the center. She looked back to Prince Aiden to see him smiling into the jasmine before setting it carefully in his pocket like a boutonniere without a pin.

  As soon as she entered, a woman in all black ushered her down a wide hallway. A staircase that could fit everyone in Treelyn at once with room to spare filled the end of the hallway.

  “Up there leads to the main hallway of the palace,” the woman said, “but for now you’ll be going this way.” The woman led Vivilyn underneath the staircase and to the left.

  They entered a room filled with people in nice outfits just like Vivilyn. There were chairs and tables and flowers and candles all around.

  “Lady Vivilyn,” someone shouted to her right almost as soon as she entered.

  “Lady Marisol,” Vivilyn said as the woman approached her in a red strapless dress. Mari
sol smiled and grabbed Vivilyn’s hands in greeting.

  “You’ll never guess what Darissa is doing right now,” Jolene said, coming up immediately behind Marisol. “She’s balancing a spoon on her nose.”

  “I think she’s had a little too much to drink,” Marisol said behind her hand as though she was telling Vivilyn a secret.

  “Where is she?” Vivilyn asked. Louise approached the small group with two golden drinks in her hand.

  “About time, Vivilyn,” Louise said. “I was about to drink another one for you.” Louise swayed slightly as she handed Vivilyn one of the glasses.

  “Thank you,” Vivilyn said.

  “Viv!” Darissa’s voice cheered from the other side of the room. She elbowed the tall dark-haired woman on her left. “That’s my friend, Vivilyn. She’s so pretty, isn’t she? She’s super nice too. A li’l on the quiet side, but that’s okay.” Darissa peeled herself away from the woman and stumbled over to give Vivilyn a hug.

  “Darissa,” Vivilyn put an arm around her shoulder tightly as Darissa swayed. Vivilyn handed her drink to Jolene.

  “Call me Rissa,” Darissa said, giggling as she settled her head on Vivilyn’s shoulder. “Rissa and Viv. Viv and Rissa. Vissa. We’re gonna be a power team in this.” For a moment Vivilyn hesitated. No one had ever called her Viv before. Everyone from home called her Lyn.

  Darissa broke into contagious laughter, complete with eighteen snorts.

  “Rissa,” Vivilyn said, half leading, half dragging Darissa over to a table, “I’m hungry. Let’s grab something to eat.” Darissa continued to laugh as Marisol pulled a chair out from a table for Vivilyn to set Darissa in. Which she did. Vivilyn sat down in the next chair and placed the drink Louise had given her on the table.

  “You save our spot here, and I’ll go grab us some food.” Vivilyn said.

  “That sounds wonderful!” Darissa said as she leaned forward on her elbows.

  “Will you guys stay with her?” Vivilyn asked as she stood up. Marisol and Louise agreed and sat down as Jolene remained standing.

  “I’ll come with you,” Jolene said. “I am great at helping carry things.”

  “I think you should stay with us, Jo,” Marisol said. “Maybe Rissa will tell us another story about the time her cousin thought she could fly.”

  “Oh,” Jolene said looking between Darissa and Vivilyn. “Do you mind, Viv?”

  “Of course not,” Vivilyn said. “You stay, tell me all the important things that happen when I get back.”

  “Sounds like a deal,” Jolene said, drawing out the last word as she sat down. Someone with a tray full of drinks passed the table and she grabbed one and set it in front of Louise.

  Vivilyn moved through the crowd towards one of the nine food tables spread out across the room. As she went to pick up a plate, a hand grabbed her shoulder tightly. With a jump, Vivilyn turned to see who it was.

  Brayleigh stood up straight. Her pale skin and light hair stood out even more in her skin-tight black strapless jumpsuit. Her hair was pulled back in a tight tail. Red chandelier earrings and a matching bracelet looked like blood falling against her skin. Her tall red stilettos made her at least two inches taller than Vivilyn in her small heels.

  “Can I help you?” Vivilyn asked as she tried to shift her shoulder away from the other woman.

  “Are you bringing food back for Rissa?” Brayleigh looked around, as though she was making sure no one noticed them talking. Only one camera was pointed towards them.

  “Why do you ask?” Vivilyn took a step back.

  “She’s drunk,” Brayleigh said with an eyeroll. “Give her these with as much water as you can.” Brayleigh handed her two small pills.

  “Why should I trust you?” Vivilyn asked, looking carefully at the two small pills Brayleigh set in her hands.

  “I don’t care whether you trust me or not,” Brayleigh said. “They rarely let the girls who are so drunk they can’t stand at the first ceremony get far. Rissa deserves more than an early elimination because she’s too nice to say no to someone offering her a drink.” Brayleigh looked over to the table Darissa and the others had been left at. The corner of her mouth quirked in an almost smile before Brayleigh continued. “I might not think you deserve to be here, but I’m a good judge of character, and you’re not just being nice to her to get ahead, and—” Brayleigh looked all around the room, “—and that’s rare here.”

  Vivilyn didn’t know what to say.

  “Just get her to take these with water and don’t let her drink anything except water from here on out.”

  Vivilyn grabbed a tray to set a couple plates on as Brayleigh plucked two finger sandwiches off a plate in the center of the table.

  Before Brayleigh walked away, though, she turned back to Vivilyn. Vivilyn saw no cameras were facing them anymore. “You won’t win.” Vivilyn shifted to face Brayleigh again. “No matter how hard you try, the people want someone of Rank to win. They want someone who has been raised to be a queen to win. You weren’t. You’re wasting your time.”

  As Brayleigh walked away, Vivilyn looked at the plates she was filling.

  “I know,” Vivilyn whispered, eyes downcast. She didn’t know when she decided perhaps she had a chance in this competition.

  When she looked up again, a camera was facing directly at her. Very quickly, she wiped at her eyes and finished putting different items on the plates. She also balanced six glasses of water all around the plates on the tray, one for each of them and an extra.

  “Here we go,” Vivilyn said as she set the tray in the center of the table. She sat down next to Darissa again. “Take these, Rissa.” Vivilyn said as she handed the pills to the other woman.

  “What’s this?” Darissa asked with a giggle. “It looks unappetizing.”

  “I’ve been informed it might help you feel better later,” Vivilyn said.

  “By who?” Darissa picked up a chip covered in melted cheese and laughed as the cheese stretched.

  “Brayleigh,” Vivilyn said quietly enough so only Darissa heard.

  “Oh, BrayBray,” she whispered back. “Braybraybraybray, she looks out for me sometimes.” Darissa picked up the pills and swallowed them with a large gulp of water.

  “I’ve heard the water here is extra fresh.” Vivilyn said as she picked up one of the glasses and took a sip. It was slightly chilled against her tongue.

  As Darissa gulped down the rest of her glass of water, the entire room went silent.

  “Ahhhh,” Darissa said loudly. She covered her mouth to avoid hiccupping. A couple of people from other tables glared over at her. “What’s going on?” She asked.

  “He’s here!” Jolene whispered as everyone in the room stood up.

  Vivilyn leaned to the right slightly to look beyond the people in front of her. Prince Aiden stood tall at the entrance.

  “He’s so handsome,” Marisol sighed with a smile.

  “I’m gonna go steal him before anyone else does,” Jolene said as she pushed her chair away from her. It fell loudly with a clatter.

  Prince Aiden looked over to see what made the noise. His silver eyes locked on Vivilyn. He smiled and immediately turned to walk towards them.

  Before he took six steps, Brayleigh stepped up to him and whispered into his ear. He smiled at her and walked away with her to the other side of the room. Everyone began to chat amongst themselves again.

  Chapter 14

  The night dragged on.

  Every time Prince Aiden came into view, someone else pulled him away. Vivilyn stayed by Darissa’s side. After about four hours (and a short, well-hidden nap), Darissa seemed clear headed again, although still laughing and smiling at everyone.

  Jolene and Marisol both left the table for about fifteen minutes each to get a little bit of one-on-one time with the prince. Louise waited until Darissa woke up but vanished as soon as Darissa opened her eyes.

  “Stop hovering over me, Viv,” Darissa said. “I’m fine. I just overindulged a bit.”

&
nbsp; “Drink more water,” Vivilyn said, handing Darissa what had to be her twentieth glass.

  “I am going to go to the ladies’ room first,” Darissa stood and had to hold the back of her chair for a moment before stepping away.

  “She shouldn’t go alone,” Jolene said. Both Jolene and Marisol stood up. “We’ll go with her.”

  And just like that, Vivilyn was sitting at her table alone.

  You won’t win. Brayleigh’s words repeated in Vivilyn’s head over and over again. She knew she should find Prince Aiden and talk to him. If she was to have any chance, she needed to spend as much time as possible with him.

  You won’t win. She would just be wasting his time. She was here to get exposure. She was here to become a known artist, not the queen. That didn’t mean it wasn’t nice to wonder what it could be like if she won.

  You won’t win. Vivilyn admitted to herself that Prince Aiden was attractive. His brother didn’t trust her, though. Vivilyn knew how close she and Duncan were, and she couldn’t imagine continuing a relationship with someone her brother didn’t trust. Did the princes have a similar relationship?

  You won’t win.

  The smell took her out of her thoughts before she felt the air move behind her. Jasmine.

  Vivilyn smiled before turning in her chair. Prince Aiden bowed before her. Then reached a hand out as an offer to help her up.

  “I’ve been hoping to see you all night,” he said as he tucked her arm through his. “Every time I smell the jasmine, I’ve thought of you.”

  They walked away from the table to a sliding door facing another garden.

  “There are so many gardens around here,” Vivilyn commented.

  “Grandmother loved watching things grow, a trait that has passed on through my father to my sister and me. Ethan doesn’t appreciate it as much.”

  “No matter how strange things get,” Vivilyn said, quoting one of her father’s sayings, “you can always count on the earth to produce beauty.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Were you close to your grandmother?” Vivilyn asked, keenly aware of the three cameramen that followed them. Prince Aiden leaned onto the railing of the balcony.