Labeled (A The Selection Fanfiction)

Chapter Five

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The plane ride to the palace passes in a blur, and now I'm being ushered up the steps with Cece, Eleanor, and Bridgette close behind by two new butlers. In the car driving from the airport to the palace, we saw thousands of people cheering us on. It was really sweet! Some of them had signs with my name on them. We couldn't go out and meet people because we were running late.

The palace was no big deal to me, having been before, but the other girls were awestruck. Since my mother was so obsessed with power - money and fame - she made sure we had connections with royalty. We had met with the Queen's cousins many times, and they were lovely. The time I came to the palace was at the Prestige Ceremony, where people, like my mother, who had insane riches and fame, gave speeches about their success. We met the King, Queen, and Prince Alexander, but I'm sure they don't remember me. My mother was born into being a Prestige, so her story was, "Always gain new connections and manipulate others into doing what you want them to."

"Take her to chair one!" Someone shouted. A beautiful maid with blonde hair and brown eyes comes over to me.

"Right this way, Lady Clarissa." She says, and turns around for me to follow her. Rushing all around me are other selected, maids, and butlers. A very hurried looking maid comes towards me holding a large pile of sheets. I don't think she can see where she is going, and I try to move out of the way, but she trips over someone's foot and falls right into me. She stands up, apologizing, and I assure her it is no big deal.

"But still, I am very apologetic Lady - oh! Clarissa! I can't believe you are actually here, I mean I knew you were selected and I was hoping to get to see you -"

I cut her off with a hug. Cora was my best friend at home, she used to be maid in my house, and I thought I wouldn't get to see her again when she got accepted as a palace maid. I hadn't even thought about the possibility of seeing her here!

"Hey, Rissa?" Cora peeks around the doorway from the hallway. I sit on my bed, playing with the fabric on a pink embroidered pillow, and look up at her.

"Cora! Where have you been this week?" She hasn't been around for the whole week, I had searched the whole house for her each day, but she wasn't there.

"That's what I came to talk to you about." She took a breath to steady herself. "I applied to be a maid at the palace, just to see what would happen, I don't want to leave here or anything, but I thought it could be a good chance to meet more people, and you know how shy I am so...yeah, I applied and got in."

"Oh, Cora! I'm so happy for you!" I would miss her a lot, but I know how hard it is to get into being a palace maid. Since she is a Modest, a palace maid is the very best she can do in life. It is so unfair, because she is a really talented singer, and is denied any opportunity to sing for a living.

She looked surprised, "So you're not mad?" I got up and hugged her. How was she thinking that?

"Of course I'm not mad, Cora Woodwork, I am so happy you get this chance. I will miss you so much. Say hi to Prince Alexander for me!" I joke with her. That's the only way to make her feel better, to laugh it off.

I tell her that she doesn't need to work for the rest of the day (mother will love this). We spend the rest of the day designing clothes, dressing up for fun together, swimming in the pool, watching movies, and laying in one of the gardens. I have the most fun that I've had in months.

"Ahhhhhh, I missed you sooo much! I'm so glad I finally get to see you again!" This is more than I could of ever hoped for. I have three friends at the palace now.

"I know! I've missed you too! Come on now, lets get you ready for the prince!" She dragged me away to a table where a bunch of tools that I assumed people used on themselves were set up, ignoring the maid who had already directed me somewhere else.

"Umm...Cora? None of those are coming near my face."

"Ha! Still the same old Clarissa, I see. But a little make-up? Pleeeeaaase?" She begged, and I was to happy to know to refuse.

"Fine, but only a little." She did my make-up lightly, and then got me in a cream colored dress that made my normally auburn, even just slightly red hair look like it was on fire. It was a stunning look with my light makeup and green eyes.

"Wow. Rissa, you look..." She moved her hands around, trying to catch the right words it seemed.

"Stunning." She finished.

"Thank you, you did a great job Cora. I feel like a princess!" And I really did. Even though I'm not a girly-girl, I did like to feel like a princess from time to time.

She winked at me, "And maybe you will become one, Princess Clarissa! Oh, that sounds nice too!"

I playfully slapped her, "Stop! The Prince will never like me. But still, Queen Cora, you are very flattering." We used to always joke like that, adding fancy titles to our names. Never did we know that I would have a chance to grab that title for my own. But I'm not going to take it. If I happen to catch it, I will throw it back for someone else to have. It would make my mother far too happy to have yet even more fame.

Cora said she would show me to my room, and we walked leisurely there. Right when we turned a corner, near the staircase. A window was open, with no bars for safety.

"That's strange," Cora said, "that window is always closed. When I get back I'll tell Officer Kay that he needs to check on that."

We turned around to go back to the staircase and saw a gruffy looking man pointing a gun at us.

And that's when the sirens went off.