Chosen- A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 5

I was in the dressmaking room working on Danielle's dress for an upcoming tea with the Italian monarchs. It was pink with flowers on the shoulders, and I was personally proud of it because I designed it. I picked out the fabric, I sketched the designs, and I spent an entire week making sure this dress was perfect.

"Lia, this looks really good for your first piece," Ashley gushed as she felt the silky smooth fabric.

"Better be. I'm the one who taught her," Janet winked, earning a giggle from the rest of us.

"I'm going to take this up to Lady Danielle. Anyone else need a delivery?" I asked across the room.

"Oh, yeah," Alice, Kiara's maid, said, running up to me with a blue gown in a dress coat. "Could you take this to Lady Kiara? She's very cross with us right now."

"Sure," I giggled. "I'm sure it's not that bad."

I left the dressmaking room for the day and went to make my deliveries. I went to Kiara's room first, making sure to knock. She told me to come in, and I pushed open the door to see clothes strewn about all over the room.

"I have your dress for the tea on Thursday," I announced as I hung the dress up in her closet.

"Let me see it," she commanded. I showed her the blue dress, and I longed to wear it, but I wasn't a part of this anymore. "Ugh," she scoffed. "Can I see the other one, please?" She asked with false sweetness.

"Miss, it's Lady Daniell-"

"I don't care," she snapped. "Let me see it!" I reluctantly unzipped the dress and showed it to her. She eyed the pink dress with envy. "I want it."

"Miss, I'm sorry, but I can't give you Lady Danielle's dress," I said, slightly annoyed with her behavior.

"You know what? I've just about had it with you little sixes. Running around here, when really, you belong on the streets. There's a reason that there's only one six left in this competition, and it's not because Aaron favors her. Now give me the dress."

"Lady Kiara, I don't take orders from you," I said with an icy glare.

She slapped me across my face so hard, I stumbled back into the wall. My face stung from where she hit me, and I touched the skin gingerly. "I'll let you go this time. But just so you know, I'm going to be Queen, and soon enough," she chuckled darkly, "everyone will take orders from me. Now get out."

I left the room with tears brimming in my eyes. I knocked on Danielle's door, an released a sigh of relief when there wasn't an answer. I didn't want her to see the hand mark that was probably on my face.

I went into the room and quickly hung up the dress, arranging it so that it wouldn't get wrinkled. I was going to take pride in my work. Then, the door opened, and my cousin came inside.

Her eyes widened and an expression of horror appeared in her violet eyes. "Oh my god, what happened?" She asked, quickly rushing to me.

"Nothing," I said. "I was just putting your dress for the tea in here."

"As lovely as the dress is, it can wait. Come with me," she said dragging me into the bathroom. She ran some water in the sink and drenched a washcloth with cool water. She took off my cap and held the cloth to my face.

"The dress is beautiful," she commented.

"Thank you," I sniffed. "I designed it," I added softly.

"No way," she smiled. I nodded my head. "See, now I always wanted to do all of that stuff, but I didn't know what to do that my sisters didn't do either. We're all super competitive, and I'm the least accomplished out of them all."

"I'm sure that's not true. You're a selected member," I reasoned. Danielle was special compared to her seven sisters and one brother from what I could tell by the brief meeting I had with them.

"That's literally the only thing. In a few years, I'm just going to be some washed up girl that lost in the selection," she said as her voice began to waver. "And my sisters are professional actresses, writers, athletes, musicians, models, and I have one that's a makeup designer. Even my fourteen and sixteen year old sister have done more than I have!" She cried softly. "And if I don't win, I'm going to be some loser that nobody remembers in five years."

Suddenly, everything made sense. The way she acted, the way she was made sense. She was afraid of being outshined by her sisters. I dropped the cloth from my face and pulled her into a hug. She cried into my shoulder, and I just comforted her.

After a few minutes, I released her from the embrace and grabbed my cap. "You're going to do great things, Danielle. Not just because you're a Nicholas, but because you are a brilliant girl with a kind soul. Your life isn't about success, it's about happiness. As long as you're happy, you'll do just fine."

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you so much."

"It's the truth," I smiled. "I have to go, but I better see something about you rocking that dress in Illèa Weekly, alright?"

She smiled and nodded weakly. "What's your name?"

I smiled and thought for a moment. Should I tell her? "Talia," I replied, hoping that she might fit the pieces together later.

I went down to America's office to see if she needed any coffee or anything, and on my way, I contemplated wether or not I had made the biggest mistake of my life.