Atlas (A Selection/Hat Films Fanfiction)

~ Four ~

I was the first to step out of the train car, but stopped when I looked up at the castle. It was huge! The outside face was a pale brick with a steep dark roof and and various balconies and protrusions that gave the building character. There were three floors of windows and two wings branched off of the main building and disappeared behind the wall. Round, pointed towers at every corner gave it a fairy tale feel, complete with long banners that bore the royal family crest. Even through the small iron gate atop the hill, I could see a manicured lawn and expertly done landscaping. 

Albany brushing past me woke me from my trance, and I tried to recover from my shock at the castle but following beside Beckii as we walked up the drive towards the tall walls of the castle. People all around us cheered, and all the other girls from the train started splitting off to sign autographs and pose for photos. I didn't see a single sign that read my name like they did for the other girls, and no one was pinning for my autograph. 

I swallowed hard, feeling panic rise in my chest. I couldn't just follow Beckii or Anouk and stand there awkwardly, but I couldn't just stand here on the train platform either. I started walking forward, staying close to the other girls so I wasn't in the middle of the wide driveway where everyone could see me. I decided to just walk slowly up the gate and smile and wave at people when someone grabbed my arm and wrapped their hand around their waist. 

"Come take a picture with me Atlas," she smiled, and then I did the best I could to pose for a couple of photographers who were shouting different directions at us. I thought I recognized this girl as Valeera somthing, but I didn't know where she was from nor did I recognize the red flower in her hair. As we took a few more pictures and finally someone asked me for my autograph, girls started peeling away from the crowd and gathering at the main gate. 

"Thanks," I muttered as we walked up the hill. I got a better look at her; she had fair, copper skin, dirty blonde hair, and the brightest green eyes. There seemed to be an air of mischief that permeated her aura and her high cheek bones and deep set eyes with sharp angles to them only added to that. 

"Don't mention it," she said as a guard slid open the gate and all 35 girls started shuffling onto palace property, "No one else would have done it and I saw you were panicking pretty bad." She laughed it off as if it were comical.  

"Was it that obvious?!" I asked, wondering if anyone had taken my picture during that small, panic-induced, monologue. That would not be a good first impression for whatever magazines and newspapers those journalists were taking pictures for. 

"No," she said, laughing again in a high, clear voice, "I'm just good at reading people." 

Another pair of guards met us at the steps of the palace and pulled open the hulking oak doors. The foyer was even more impressive, with a gold leaf floor pattern and a large crystal chandelier hanging over our heads.

Once we were in we didn't know where to go, so light chatter started to fill the hall as we clumped together in a group. "I'm Valeera Sanguinar by the way," she smiled. 

"Atlas Avery," I said, trying not to cringe when I said my last name. 

"I know," she breathed, her eyes widening, "You're fighting skills are the stuff of legends." 

My heart started to race in my chest. "You've heard of me?" I asked, wishing now more than ever that I knew where this girl was from. If someone five or up has heard of me, then others have as well. 

Valeera opened her mouth, but was cut off by a loud, female voice that washed over all the selected and quieted us. "Welcome ladies!" a woman with smart looking glasses and pin straight pale blonde hair greeted us, "I'm Silver, I was the one who talked to each of you ladies on the phone and I'll be your adviser and teacher for your stay here at the palace."