Choice of the Prince (The Selection/PTX crossover) *Scolex* (boyxboy)

Me, Myself, and my Caste (Introduction)

A/N I'm soooo excited to start this

My name is Alexander. Alex to most people, and my life is about as amazing as my mothers cooking. So it sucks. Even though I hate just about everything I try keep a positive shell because I have lots of people who count on me. For instance my whole family.

I work with my mother. She sings and I play the piano. We are the background music to the lives of ones and twos. To be heard and not seen. Not important enough to get applause.

Regardless of the way we are treated I really do have a gift for piano. When I play, the pent up emotion leaves me and I put it into music. I love the way it makes me feel. Like I'm on a drug that only gives you a high for a few minutes. It's the best thing in the world. But before I ramble on about piano I should explain a bit more about me.

I live in the kingdom of Illea. A hell whole in my opinion but the upper castes seem to like it. Your caste number is based off of how much money you have and what family you're born into. It's your social rank. They go from one to eight. Ones are the royal family, guards, and very important political people. Eights are the homeless, the beggars who are covered in layers of grime. I am a five. Not the worst but certainly not respected or well payed. My mother and I work our asses off just to put not enough food on the table.

In Illea your goal in life is to marry up. Get a better caste number by who you marry. That's my families plan for me anyway. "At least find a four Alex," my parents say. I know it is because of money. They need it so desperately that they will marry off their son just to get some food. I don't blame them but I don't want to get married. I don't think that I'll ever fall in love. No one has ever shown romantic interest in me and they never will. I will get married by force to help my family, not for love. But, its not just fives that have to go through this. Marriage in Illea sucks for everyone.

Take our very own prince for example. He finds a spouse through the selection, when people from all castes submit themselves with a picture and application, and 35 people are chosen to go to the royal palace. From there he eliminates them as he finds who he likes. I guess he does get to choose who he marries but it's only from the pool of the selected. He can't find "the one"over time like most of us. The selection can take weeks or even years to complete. The prince and his choice then get married and continue to royal family. Not to mention that the whole thing is televised for the kingdom to watch.

All I know is that this time I will pressured to submit myself. Especially since a certain anouncement.

~

Around a month before the selection the royal family announced held a televised announcement. This is when Prince Hoying came out as gay. He said it plain and simple. Just said it and then that was that. Then King Hoying said that the selection would only be looking for men this year and the broadcast stopped. It was that easy for him because he is the prince.

The reason I said I would get pressured this year is because I too am gay. My family loves me but now they think I have a chance with the prince. In reality I don't. Prince Hoying is stunningly beautiful (as is the whole royal family) and talented at the arts. He couldn't possibly fall for a starved five with no looks, who's only talent is the piano. This year I assume he will find a beautiful man who is a two or a three and they will make many beautiful children and have a beautiful family. Key word here 'beautiful'. I would simply ruin the genetic line if overall prettiness.

But, I suppose I will submit a form. Not that I could get away with skipping it anyway.

A/N I could not stop thinking about this idea. I love The Selection series, it is amazing and ya'll should read the books. I recently fell deeply in love with Scolex and had to start writing something. Don't worry Mitch will come along. I hope to update this frequently (we all know in about a week in that will go out the window). Next update might be out today. If not hopefully Monday. Happy Easter, Passover, or whatever you like to celebrate.

XxHan