The Selection

Chapter 11

I walk swiftly to a maid to ask who the reporters are and where they want to interview me. I spot one bustling around with a huge laundry basket filled with dirty clothing.

"Excuse me!" I try to project my voice at the maid so I can catch her attention. She hears my voice and turns around so she can meet my needs.

"Yes, my Queen?" She curtsies and is ready to give me any type of service that I require.

"I heard that there were reporters at the doors looking to interview me about my pregnancy. I hoped that you would be able to show me to them."

"Of course, Queen America," the maid nods and begins leading me down the hallway. Reporters have been coming to the palace just about everyday to come and interview me, so I'm used to this sort of thing.

We reach the front double doors of the palace, and there are probably about twenty five guards that are protecting the entryway. The maid walks me to a guard and I nod to her to say that she doesn't have to stay with me anymore.

A guard sees who I am and says, "Queen America, what can I do for you?" He genuinely smiles at me, showing me that he is a loyal citizen of Illéa.

"There are some reporters outside that wish to interview me," I tell him. "I was just wondering if you could let them in."

"Of course, your Majesty," he replies, nodding in agreement. he goes to the other guards as they discuss who will go outside to investigate the reporters. They can't have any weapon cross the entrance into the palace for the safety of me and Maxon.

"Thank you so much," I tell him as he walks off to let them in. Before I can get a good glimpse of who the visitors are, the gates close so they can't come in while being investigated.

As I wait for them to arrive anxiously, I wonder what kind of questions they will ask me. The judgements that they will give me in the local papers and news. Anything and everything I say will greatly affect what they say about me later.

Another guard that I believe to be named Richard comes up to me and bows before saying, "My Queen, the reporters are entering the palace at this moment."

I nod at him in understanding. "Thank you so much for searching them," I tell him. He nods to me and goes off back to his duty spot. I can see the gates beginning to open. Here we go. Another standard interview with the same standard questions that have the same standard answers.

I can see three figures standing outside of the gates that are making their way inside. One of them will probably ask the questions, another will record my responses, and the third one will write down what I say. Usually the interviewers come with at least two helpers.

As they make their way inside, I am beginning to see a glimpse of their faces. They're all women that seem to be under 25. I close my eyes and brace myself for whatever they might ask mean just a few minutes. Everything they ask will involve my deepest personal life.

As I'm pondering over these things, I hear, "America?"

"Yes?" I look up, expecting pompous and cocky women. I gasp, though, because in front of me are Marlee, Elise, and Kriss.
_________________________

*3 hours later*

"So, how are you and... Officer Woodwork?" I ask Marlee. Elise, Kriss and I are all waiting excitedly for her answer as we laugh under our breaths.

"We are doing very well, thank you, America." Marlee gives us a sly grin.

Elise takes yet another roll from the long table full of delicate food, eager to have another bite. We are all famished after a long day catching up with each other in the gardens and around the palace. The trio arrived just a few hours ago, but there wasn't enough strength from any of us to talk much, especially because of my pregnancy and their long trip here. We all fell asleep after exchanging hugs but jumped out of bed twenty minutes ago to talk things over.

"I'm sure there's more than that," Elise smiles and pressures Marlee to tell us more about Carter.

"Oh, fine." Marlee groans, but is smiling. "You see, Carter and I recently talked about trying to buy a new house..."

As Marlee begins telling us of her new relationship, I begin to think about the Selection and all of the memories it created. Marlee's hands being whipped senseless. But when I look at her smiling face right now, she isn't that person anymore. She is stronger than that fragile, weak girl.

"...we noticed one by a little lake in the back, and we thought it would be perfect to try and raise a family in..." Marlee continues her story for us to hear. Her face is beaming with admiration for the previous palace guard.

Lost in my own thoughts as Elise and Kriss stare at Marlee and indulge every word she says, I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't won the Selection. Granted, Maxon said that I had been his only possibility from the beginning, but still. What if Kriss had won? Or Elise? Would they be the same sweet, modest girls that I once experienced a major event in our lives with, or would royalty have changed them? I notice that even though the three of them brought beautiful dresses to wear during their short visit, they all have some sort of stain or scratch. Their clothes were probably all they could muster.

"America, you seem a little dazed," Elise tells me as her and the other girls giggle at me with concern.

"Oh I'm fine, just stuck in my own thoughts," I reply, smiling back. "You know, thinking things over."

"Oh, ok," Kriss says back. "If you need to talk about anything in particular, you know we're here for you America."

I take in what she says, then say, "I know, and I'm so thankful for friends like you. If you guys stay in here, I'm going to go get you something. A little present before you leave in a few days."

They nod in return, and I immediately rush to the first maids that I see. I turn go out the double doors in the dining hall, sharply heading towards the maid's living quarters in the back of the palace.

When I stumble upon a short, young maid that is pretty new, I confront her. "Excuse me, miss, do you mind taking me to the other seamstresses in the palace? I have an important request to make."

She curtsies in my presence and replies, "Of course, my Queen. Follow me."

I follow her lead down multiple twists and turns down many hallways, corridors, and stairwells. When we finally make it, she takes me to a tall, slender, and thin faced maid.

"Can I help you, Queen America?" The maid curtsies.

"Yes ma'am, you can. I need you to make..." As I tell her about my plans for tonight and the urgency of this mission, she nods in understanding.

"We will get it done in a few hours, my Queen," she tells me before I leave.

"Thank you so much," I say. I make my way back to the girls, and we continue our talk into the night.

|four hours later|

Marlee, Kriss, and Elise are in the dining hall eating. Before the big banquet that we planned for tomorrow, I want to give them a little something before they leave. I had the maids whip up something really quick so they can have something nice to wear instead of
their old and raggedy clothes. A little gift for being my friends and sticking with me no matter what happens in our lives.

I have sent a maid to retrieve the three of them so they can have a good surprise. I had Marlee's dress be made into a lovely pale blue, Kriss' a deep yet subtle red, and Elise's a velvety jade. They're all going to love them!

I set out the three dressed on a long table that some guards retrieved for me and put in one of the halls. As soon as I set down all three, I can hear faint murmuring and footsteps coming, so I dash around the corner and wait for the girls to come. I see Marlee's face come into view, and then the other girls.

As their gazes fall upon their new ceremonial clothes, I walk towards them with a wide grin and say, "Surprise!" They all beam back at me, and suddenly, like a chain reaction, one after another begins to cry until we are teary-eyed at the thought of our bonds and the sadness of their departures tomorrow. As I instruct a maid to come take get Maxon to say a quick good night to the girls, I turn around to find myself surrounded by my three friends, all of them laughing and giggling from excitement. They drag me to a private hallway to try them on, and as we laugh along, I know that these are the times when we can always count on each other.