For centuries, the royal family of Aridia has hosted The Choice, the competition where the eligible daughters of the Nobles of Aridia, come together to vie for the hand of the heir to the throne. This year, Prince Carlos is the heir to the throne a...
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Panicked cries and mutters erupted in the ballroom, nobles demanding what was wrong. I clung onto Amancio, fear creeping in.
"Amancio, what's going on?" I asked.
"I don't know," Amancio replied. "Just hold on to me until the lights come back on."
My heart beat rapidly in fear. Nothing like this had ever happened before. The crowd started to panic. I gripped Amancio's hand like it was my lifeline.
"It appears we have some technical issues, please try to stay calm as we-," King Albert's voice boomed before it was cut off by a manic scream. Followed by more manic screams.
"Amancio! What's going on?" I cried.
"Under the table, get under the table Madeline!" Amancio practically pushed me under the drinks table.
The next few minutes were pure torture. Screams and large footsteps resounded in the ballroom. It was like a madhouse. It got even crazier when the gunshots started.
When the first gun was shot, I shook so hard Amancio had to put his arms round me.
"What's going on?" I sobbed.
"I think we're being attacked," Amancio's breaths were heavy and strained.
My heart ached for Carlos. Was he OK? I still couldn't believe what was happening. The Dark Lords managed to get into the palace. Why were they killing nobles? The thought of what it looked like made me sick to my stomach and I closed my ears, praying we wouldn't be found.
The shooting and pained screams from the nobles continued on for about 10 minutes. Tears streamed down my face and I was very tempted to run out from under the table and see for myself what was going on. That was, until a loud thump sounded where a slain noble lay dead in front of the table.
Amancio muffled my scream as I clung into his suit, crying into his shoulder. I just wanted everything to be over.
Until it was.
The shooting and screaming had stopped. The ballroom was quiet. Eerily quiet. Too quiet.
"What's going on?" I whispered.
"I think the rebels are gone," Amancio replied. "I'm going to check."
I held onto Amancio's hand. "It's not safe."
"Trust me, Madeline," Amancio looked into my eyes, before getting up from under the table.
"Oh my God," I heard Amancio say.
I knew Amancio expected me to stay under the table but I couldn't bear it. I crawled out and the lights suddenly came back on.
What I saw made me sick to my stomach.
My legs gave way and I fell on the bloodstained ballroom floor, staring at the horrible scene in front of me.
Slain nobles and courtiers lay on the floor- throats slit, gunshot holes, some of them stabbed multiple times. I didn't know any of them personally.
