It opened out into a massive room filled with noise. Men and women dressed in black and white rushed too and fro around the room. Tables with mirrors and trolleys of makeup lined up every free spot of wall.
Girls sat in chairs, who I assumed were just like me, having their nails and hair worked on quickly.
"Lady Amelia and Lady Isabelle have been delivered." Camber spoke to a nearby maid and she nodded gratefully.
After a moment I looked back and our aids were already gone.
I noticed the cameras, propped up on stands in each corner of the room and filming every movement.
I stood beside Amelia until a lady came over to assist Amelia to a seat.
Then I was left to wait as another maid came over. She put a hand on my shoulder to lead me away from where Amelia sat and towards the other end of the room.
I was stationed on a recliner chair that I sat on and was spun around to face a large mirror that I could see myself perfectly in.
The maid, who had a white button up shirt on and wore a black skirt, started by introducing herself with a bored expression.
"I'm Tracy, I'm here to do your makeover. Tell me if you want anything specific done."
She looked at me and I gave her a nod, including a small smile that she didn't return. Tracy began by arranging bottles of lotions and oils, picking out different scents and testing them on the back of her hands.
Before applying anything she waxed my legs that were already starting to show hairs again from the last time I shaved.
Tracy then applied a peach scent to my arms and legs, making me feel shiny and oily.
Next she skilfully plucked a few of my stray eyebrow hairs which was quite painful. Carefully, she took the pins out of my hair and left my curls drape over my shoulders.
She then moved my chair around to a sink where she ran my hair under a tap with warm water.
As the shampoo and water ran over my head I felt tingles over the back of my neck and she rinsed my hair quickly.
Then Tracy blow dried it and brushed it so it was neat again.
She spun me back to the mirror and began to braid small sections of my hair that she wrapped around into a half up do.
Tracy then added some hints of makeup to my face, light layer of foundation, blush and eyeliner.
The maid checked over me once more before announcing she was finished. She told me I should head off towards a separate side of the room.
I was met with some ladies ready with dresses we all had to wear. They quickly piled my arms with clothing and sent me to the nearest change room.
The room had a mirror, clothing hooks and a bench.
I unpiled the clothes, fine, expensive material.
First was the dress, gown more like, a pale cream that was floor length that puffed out. I had never worn something as fancy as this, and expensive.
The dress had puffy sleeves on my shoulders that made the dress look more extravagant.
It seemed like we were all to be dressed like how I imagine princesses in portraits.
I put on the dress, folding my old clothes as I removed them. The dress felt so soft and comfy against my freshly moisturised skin.
Then I put on the white gloves, just as expensive and twice as silky as the dress had seemed. They matched the pearl white wedge sandals that fit me perfectly.
I fished in my pocket for my house pin and put it carefully onto the dress, noticing the purple standing out from the other colours.
I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. At least I could enjoy the lifestyle while I was here. I was being pampered as if I was a royal.
When I came out of the change room a maid was there to collect my stuff and a guard was there to escort me to wherever I needed to be.
I was moved out of the makeup and dressing room and into a sitting room nearby to wait. Glancing to a clock on the wall, it said it was nearly 2 pm. I was overtired now from travelling and felt like I wanted to sleep.
As I came further into the room I counted there was around 12 other girls in the exact same dress as me in the room, sitting or standing around waiting.
I moved to a couch and sat down, trying to relax and not worry about the glammed up gorgeous girls around me.
"Hello."
I opened my eyes at the sound of a voice and saw a blonde girl getting my attention, her grey-blue eyes blinking at me.
The girl had pretty, rosy blush covered cheeks and a button nose, picture perfect for a princess I would say. She was in the same outfit as me, as were the other selected girls.
She was smiling at me and sat down on the couch beside me.
"Hi, I'm Harriet." The girl says in greeting with another positively over enthusiastic smile. Her eyes brighten and her smile widens significantly.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Isabelle. And I'm already exhausted." I say, groaning and covering my eyes with my hand.
Harriet laughed, in a quiet, refined sort of way.
"Long flight I assume?" She asked, her British accent poking through.
"You wouldn't understand. I'm guessing you just had to drive an hour to get here since your from England." I say, and she looks at me surprised.
"How did you know?" She tilted her head in question, some of her perfect blonde curls falling over her face.
I chuckled and looked over at her with a smile, "Your accent."
She tilts her head at me, "I don't have an accent. You're the one with a silly voice."
"Silly?" I say to her, in a teasing manner.
A smile plasters across her face as she goes to impersonate me, "G'day, I'm Isabelle and I ride a kangaroo to school." She mocks in an attempt Australian accent.
I laugh because it was actually pretty good.
"Ladies, ladies please listen up."
We turn, along with the other girls who seem to have increased in number to probably all 20 of us.
The lady, in her long blue dress, started checking names off on a clipboard. Once everyone was accounted for she began.
"Now it's time for you girls to finally meet the prince. You each get 5 minutes to introduce yourselves and chat to him one-on-one. As you can understand there is a lot of you for him to get through so it needs to be kept brief. Then you will all attend an afternoon tea to get to know each other." The lady explained, a formal smile across her face.
The room started to become buzzing with excited whispers from the girls. I looked to Harriet and we both smiled.
"Girls, quiet down." The lady said forcefully, "You have to remember your manners, especially around the royal family."
The lady then looked down at her clipboard, "First, Lady Hadley Adkins."
I assumed they must have been going in alphabetical order by last name.
A girl with bright orange hair stood from across the room. She made her way over to the woman with a slow pace, seeming nervous to be the first one.
She was lead out of the room through a side door and as soon as the door shut behind her the whispers grew in the room.
"I'm so nervous." Harriet admitted, turning to face me.
"Why? You're super pretty, the prince will love you." I say, trying to ease her nerves.
"Thank you. I'm just worried I'll do something to embarrass myself, or him. Oh I wouldn't want to offend him." Harriet says, seeming all over the place.
"Hey it's alright, I'm probably more of a klutz than you." I say, pointing to my shoes, "These shoes, tiny heels but still deadly."
Harriet laughs and I giggle along. We chat together for a few minutes and it was nice to have some friendly company in this whole new environment.
The door is thrown open.
"Ok, next Olive Adler." The lady in the blue was back and she called up the girl who sat with 2 others by the couch.
She stood, readjusting her dress and smoothing down her dark hair.
Olive had tanned skin and dark lipstick.
She gave us girls a dazzling smile and strutted confidently out the door.
"She seems confident." I say to Harriet and she nods in agreement.
"Definitely." She whispers back.
After a few minutes the lady comes back and takes Emma to meet the prince.
I sit beside Harriet, chatting away and having a good time until she is called.
"Lady Harriet Black."
Harriet stands up nervously and gives me a weak smile.
"Good luck." I whisper and she turns back to me, "Good luck to you too."
I watch as the lady in the blue dress leads Harriet out of the room and shuts the door loudly behind her.
I sit alone on the couch for quite a while and slowly each girl is called, Daisy, Lexi, Indiana, Natasha.
As Jade is called up I get tired of sitting still, fidgeting and tapping to try and make the time go faster.
What if I fall over? Or embarrassed myself in front of the prince? What would I do then?
Would I be sent home if he didn't like me?
"Lady Isabelle Davis."
It took me a moment to register my name and I stood up, smoothing my dress down but mostly wiping the sweat from my palms.
I followed the lady to the door as I had seen all of the girls before me do and saw what was on the other side.
The lady took me in and shut the door quickly behind us.
The only people I saw were a few guards lining the walls. The lady pointed around the corner telling me he would be waiting.
I took a deep breath before walking around the bend, holding my dress so not to trip in these heeled shoes.
I saw Prince Thomas, in the flesh, sitting on a lounge only a couple of steps away.
His green eye met mine and I'm suddenly overwhelmingly intimidated by this. He was a prince.
I quickly went down into a curtsey, "Your majesty."
"Please, come and take a seat."
His voice was smooth yet gentle, and as I look up he smiled encouragingly. I could see how one might swoon over that smile, it was even more enchanting in person.
He was in a dark blue suit and had his brown hair neatly brushed back, and I was totally taken aback by the stunning green of his eyes. He didn't take his eyes off me as I looked up.
The area was set up with two grey couches opposite each other, a small glass table between them with water and glasses.
"Are you alright miss?"
Crap, I had been staring at him.
"Yes, sorry, I'm fine. Just a little nervous I guess." I walk forward and sit opposite the prince.
"No need to be, I'm surely twice as nervous than you might think." He says smoothly, seeming totally calm.
He looks at me intently, totally engaged and clearly interested in our conversation.
"And what might your name be?" He asks, even though he probably knew as I came in.
"Isabelle Davis. And you?" I say instinctively, then cringe, "Wait, don't answer that. I know your name. Thomas."
The prince beams.
"It's nice to meet you Isabelle. And yes, I'm Thomas. But uh, usually it's your highness." He says, seeming a little nervous to correct me.
"Forgive me. Your highness."
"It's alright."
Everything time he talks I think, that accent is drop dead gorgeous.
I look up at the prince as he starts to say something, "What was that?" Prince Thomas asks, raising an eyebrow, seeming amused.
Did I say that out loud? Oops.
I smile down into my lap and shake my head again, "Nothing."
"Oh?"
I look up to meet his eyes, seeing he's raised an eyebrow at me.
"I was just..wondering if the cameras follow us everywhere around here." I say, trying to cover myself and I look around to see if there's any cameras around.
The prince looks suspicious yet answers my question, "Not everywhere, the crews only come in when there's something important to film. Your makeover looks were filmed. It's only when there's big activities or the reports."
"Ok."
"Don't worry, the cameras certainly aren't around all the time."
I nod. My hands were sweating like crazy so I pulled off my gloves, thankfully having my nails freshly painted. I place the gloves on the glass table in front of me and look back up at the prince.
Prince Thomas continues the conversation, "How are you finding things so far?"
"The palace is amazing. I've only seen the tiniest bit of it but everything is truely wonderful."
Prince Thomas smiles and nods, "I'm glad you like it. Maybe some-"
"Lady Isabelle, your time is up."
I turn to see the lady in blue marching over to us quickly in her heels and looking at me impatiently.
I stand and turn to curtsey to the prince, "Thank you, your highness, for your time."
I quickly rush to keep up with the lady as she speedily advances to a door.
"Wait."
I turn back to see the prince holding my gloves as he jogs up to meet me.
As he hands them to me I feel his skin touch mine, tingles going down me. I wonder if he felt that to.
He looks up at me and my heart beats a little fast.
"Until next time my lady." Prince Thomas takes my right hand in his and brings it to his lips, giving it the softest whisper of a kiss.
I inhale a little too sharply, feeling my cheeks warm. My goodness he is charming.
I thank him one more time before the lady behind me reminds me I need to leave. She guides me out the door and shuts it quickly so I can't see the prince any longer.
It's only once I'm out of the room I slip my gloves back on.