Writer Games: Royals

QUARTERFINALS: Goodbye Love

The twins were silent as they watched the three girls leave from the study window. Calix was especially quiet, after sending home three competitors, one of whom his sister had been rooting for since the beginning. Once Jeluna, Blaze, and Marvrillia had disappeared into their carriages and down the road, he turned from the window and went back to his desk.

"So what are we going to do, Calix? We're not really going to do what he says, are we?" His sister spoke quietly from across the room, her worried eyes scanning the courtyard below her and locking on to the image of her father yelling at Sierra over God only knew what.

"What else are we supposed to do, ignore him? He just wants to be more involved in our choices, Jess. He knows best, doesn't he?" Jessamine could hear the denial in Calix's shaking voice and she knew arguing with him was futile at this point. He was so blindly devoted to their father, so preoccupied with pleasing him that he would do anything. He would do anything to fix the mistakes that they had both made.

"So that's it, you'll just do what he says? If he tells you to send Melody or Elaia or Viola or Ilva home, you'll just do it? When he says Arian has to go, you'll just do it? Is that what I'm hearing?" Calix cringed at what his sister said but didn't look away from the notes that their father had given them regarding how disappointed he was with their choices and what he recommended they do to remedy it.

"Yes, the same as you'll send Alexander or Demetrius home if he says to. The same way you'll send a Dylan home when he says to. He's our father, Jessamine." He hadn't meant to snap at her but he couldn't take it back when he saw her flinch. They had been hurting each other a lot lately, they were nearing their breaking points and it was starting to show.

"This is my future we're wasting, too. He doesn't want what we want and he's going to make us do what he wants... the Calix I know wouldn't hurt good people just because a bully pressured him into doing so. But fine, if you want to send home the love of your life because he wants you to, go ahead."

"Jess, that's not fair and you know it! He's our father and he knows what's best and you shouldn't talk about him like that! Just do what you're supposed to for once in your life, please!"

"He's not my father, a father is supposed to care about you and all he cares about is getting rid of me! Why don't you get your head out of your ass and see that his plan doesn't end in both of us getting a happy ending?"

"Jess, that's not-"

"No, let's send people home! It'll be fine! In fact, why not send everyone home, Calix? It's not like they love us anyways, right!?"

Before her brother could speak, Jessamine was storming out of the study and running down the stairs to where their father was. Calix ran after her, knowing what she was going to do next, but he knew he couldn't really stop her. Was she wrong? He wasn't sure. So he watched her run out the front doors and stopped at the top of the stairs, frozen by the idea that she might be right. Maybe their father wasn't doing the right thing, maybe none of the Selected cared for them, maybe there were no happy endings.

He just wished he could've stopped his sister from telling their father that they were ready to get rid of whoever he wanted to, that they didn't care.

He knew they cared.

~~~~~~~~~

You knew things were going badly when the king called you into his office. When you sat down, you could hear your heart pounding in your chest as you waited for him to speak to you. Your heart beat faster and faster as he told you that he had deemed you unfit for his son or daughter due to something you've said or done in your stay, that you weren't worthy of the crown. As he tells you why you're unworthy and unfit, all you can think about is how badly this will end. And then he tells you that one of his children will be dismissing you by the end of the day. You can't listen anymore, it can't be happening, you can't be going home. That's when you run from the study, straight to only person you know can save you...

~~~~~~~~

YOUR TASK:

The king is unhappy with his children and has decided to take matters into his own hands by choosing who will be sent home. In this task, he will be calling you into his office to personally tell you that you will be sent home later in the day by whichever twin you're fighting for (note that as of now, Arian is on Team Calix and Dylan is on Team Jess because it just makes more sense and I said so) and why he has decided to send you home/why you're unworthy of staying in the competition.

After this, you seek out either Jessamine or Calix and attempt to convince them to spare you and allow you to stay in the competition. How you do this is up to you, and I really do mean it's up to you. I would assume that your entry should end with them agreeing to save you but that is also up to you. Creativity and stuff, you know?

I WILL BE ASSIGNING A SONG TO YOU ON THE NEXT PAGE! THIS SONG MUST BE THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR ENTRY AND MUST BE USED IN SOME WAY IN YOUR WRITING! THIS CAN EARN YOU BONUS POINTS SO I SUGGEST DOING IT!

THIS IS THE LAST TASK WHERE YOUR SCORE MATTERS SO I SUGGEST MAKING IT GOOD!

WORD LIMIT: 1000 words at the least (So more than that is fine, less than that is not. I mean it this time, you're the quarterfinalists and I want more from you.)

Due Date: Friday, August 29th at 10pm GMT

ELIMINATIONS: Two people will be leaving us this task, leaving us with our semi-finalists!

Special Bonus: The best use of your song will get +3 points! The best (well, the worst really) reason for being sent home will also get +3 points! The most feels will get +2!

IMPRESS ME, SELECTED!