It was the evening now and Alex had gotten word that the three girls from town had already arrived but were taken up to their allocated bedrooms to settle down then get ready before coming back downstairs with the other girls for the opening ceremony of the contest.
It was a little difficult for the vehicles to drive into the palace grounds because of the media outside, who have been waiting there for hours now, just dying to get a statement or glimpse of the contestants, the royal family and the other important guests that were invited to witness the opening of the ceremony.
Pacing the length of the west hallway on the ground floor of the palace in one of his formal Royal wear, he pondered over those last three girls from the town. This was it. The contest was about to begin, it was a very peculiar thing now that it was finally about to be put into action but he couldn't help but wonder if Avery was in the group of three. He wanted to know who they were but Madam Eunice was very secretive and tight lipped about them.
"Can you stop pacing like that, you're making me nervous." Brianna said, watching her brother.
Coming to a stop, Alex gave her a incredulous look. "Why would you be nervous? And how long have you been standing there?"
Brianna merely shrugged her shoulders. "I just got here and I'm nervous for you."
"Your highnesses." Both Alex and Brianna looked behind them to see Terence. "Your parents have requested your presence in the throne room."
"Thank you Terence, we'll be right there." Alex replied and with a nod, the old butler carried on.
"Come on." Alex gestured to Brianna and they both made their way to the throne room.
A oval shaped room and the only room in the entire palace which had not changed at all. It still maintained its original dècor and interior design. Vanished dark panelled flooring, medieval paintings on the ceiling, portraits of the past royalties hanging on the walls, big decorative urns, a maroon carpet laid on the floor from the doorways up to the feet of the platform where the thrones sat, the thrones, golden embroidered curtains that hung behind them, etc., It was lit up and done up beautifully than it normally was specifically for this occasion.
Walking into the room, Alex saw his parents seated rightfully on their individual thrones and their royal advisers, members of the royal committee, church elders, the churches Pastors, a few of the Politicians who could make it, the Prime Minister and his wife, some of his aunties and uncles, and cousins all seated on the sides, creating arches on either sides of the thrones with of the butlers, maids and guards standing behind them and twenty chairs, ten set on each side of the aisle leading up to the thrones for the eligibles to sit on.
Acknowledging the people who were present with a polite a nod, Alex walked straight up to his parents then over to his throne beside his father and Brianna to her own throne, beside their mother.
"This is for the wellbeing of our Kingdom, son." King Stefan muttered to Alex as he looked straight ahead, watching the people getting acquainted with one another respectfully as they waited for the eligibles.
Inhaling through his nose, Alex didn't reply, he just stared his clasped hands on his laps until a moment later were he heard numerous footsteps approaching from outside the doors with the murmuring of hushed voices before the doors to the throne room were opened and Madam Eunice walked in, capturing everyone's attention in the room.
"Your highnesses." She did a little curtsey a few feet away from the foot of the platform.
King Stefan acknowledged with a single nod. "Welcome back Madam Eunice. Are the last of the contestants here?"
"Thank you your highness and yes. They are here and are waiting outside with the rest of the eligibles."
"Alright. Please bring them in." He instructed.
Hearing this, Alex sat up straight on his throne in anticipation. He was curious and slightly impatient to see the eligibles from the town as he watched Madam Eunice turned around and walked back out of the room before the guards closed the door behind her.
The conversations in the room immediately seized and everyone turned in their seats to look at the doors, waiting to see the contestants walk in as Alex faintly heard Madam Eunice give some last minute instructions to them as they stood outside. Then the doors opened again and there was a louder sound of numerous footsteps approaching, and Madam Eunice reentered with two orderly lines of beautifully dressed diverse young women, following behind her.
He ran his eyes over all the faces but stopped at the end at a dark haired girl who had her head down, avoiding looking at the people in the room, he could sense her nervousness from where he was.
Feeling the eyes of the Prince on her, the young woman look up at him and her amber-coloured eyes widened slightly in shock and embarrassment before she quickly diverted her eyes, making him have bite the inside of his cheeks to stop himself from grinning. It was Avery, she was one of the selected girls from the town. He didn't know why, but he felt a sense of calmness wash over him seeing her there. He wanted to get to know her a little better.
The girls all stopped when Madam Eunice stopped a few feet from the thrones, then they knowingly spread out in orderly fashion from behind her before coming to standing beside her, making one long line in front of the royal family with Avery only a few feet in front of Alex but making certain not to make any eye contact with him whatsoever, which allowed him to look at her properly tonight without the embarrassment of being caught.
He saw that she wore a simple but beautiful blush-pink one shoulder dress that flowed elegantly down her tall, slender figure with light nude makeup on that didn't hide her youthfulness unlike most of the other girls with a silver necklace and her dark hair cascading down to her back in perfect waves. She just made simple things look emaculate.
After this assemble, everyone excluding the royal family and the guards, maids and butlers who were already standing, all stood up as the King stood up from his throne and walked up to the end of the platform, looking out at all the young women that would be competing for his son's love and who would be the next Queen of their small, but beloved island nation.
"Please arise." He told them in a loud and authoritative voice when they all curtsed. "Welcome to the Terrigal Palace. Before we begin with the opening of the ceremony I would like to thank each one of you young women for giving us your time to partake in this contest. It takes a lot of courage, sacrifice and commitment to do this, and I pray that this will bring honour to each one of your family. Now, Pastor Fitzgerald, would you be so kind as to open our contest with a word of prayer?"
"I would be honoured your highness." The local Seventh-Day Adventist church Pastor gave a nod in respect then he walked up to the stand set up beside the platform where the royal family sat.
Bowing his head down, Alex closed his eyes and clasped both of his hands in front of his abdomen as the Pastor prayed then reopened his eyes and looked up once he had finished, and saw Madam Eunice gesture for the eligibles to take their seats before the Prime Minister stood up and walked to the stand to give his speech. The ceremony mostly consisted of speeches from some of the guests as well as the King and Queen themselves before everyone was ushered into the dinning hall for dinner which followed afterwards by a splendid firework show, then the contestants were allowed to retreat back to their bedrooms for the night.
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