𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙚 [ 𝙖 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ]

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚

The rain trickled down the window. The clouds were a dim gray, thick and full. I watched the raindrops race down the window until I was snapped back to reality by my mom calling my name. 

''July.'' She called. I turned my head away from the window to face my mother, a tall pale woman with her long brown hair tied neatly in a ponytail. ''July, I'm not asking again. The Report  will be on soon."  Walking over, I remembered what was going to be on the Report tonight. 

A few weeks ago I entered my name for a chance to be in the Selection. A process the prince of Illea was tasked to do. 35 girls enter the palace competing for the opportunity to be the next Queen of Illea. Girls from every caste ages 16-20 were asked to join the Selection, but only 35 would make it in. In the end, only one would win the prince's hand. 

I was a Three. Threes were businesspeople, librarians, teachers, doctors, writers, etcetera. My mother was a teacher and my father was a businessman. I had an older brother, Jaymes. He was a librarian and worked at the library across the street. We lived in Clermont, a Province on the Eastern side of Illea. It was warm and sunny most of the time here. I enjoyed the warm weather. Today was rainy and I was mopey for most of the day, until now. I could hear my mom nagging me again to focus because the Report was finally starting.

''Helloooo Illea, I'm your host for the evening, Reign Young! Tonight we have some very special news for all the young ladies in our country,'' he said enthusiastically, winking at the camera. ''Prince Hunter. Why don't you come up to announce  the ladies who have been chosen as daughters of Illea for your upcoming selection?'' 

Prince Hunter was the most handsome prince in the world. Or, at least in my opinion. He had eyes the color of the midnight sky and hair the color of warm hot chocolate. He took after his father, King Phillip, but he had the same midnight blue eyes as Queen Torryn. He wore a navy suit that matched his mother's dress and his father's suit. The royal family was always coordinated, no matter what. I watched Prince Hunter stride over to Reign, smiling politely at the host of the Report. 

''Good evening, Illea, I'm so glad to see that you joined my family and me for tonight's Report. As most of you know already, tonight I will announce the 35 selected girls to compete for my Selection.'' I could hear mom squeal and grab my hand tightly until my knuckles turned white. One of the royal advisers handed Prince Hunter a basket of scrolls with names inside. I watched as he grabbed the first scroll from the top of the basket. ''Gwendolyn Halycon. Two.'' One girl down, 34 to go. Elanora Combs. Eight. Annalise Lyrea. Five. Krysten Bills. Six. More and more girls were called. 

Dad leaned over to me and said, ''You got this July. Only one left.'' Jaymes leaned over to me and patted me on the shoulder. I could feel the sweat drip off of my forehead. I tucked my hair behind my ear nervously and braced myself for the last name being called.

''And our last daughter of Illea is...''

July Ambers. July Ambers. Please be July Ambers. I repeated in my head, hoping to be that lucky girl who was chosen.

''July Ambers, three.''

𝘾𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 @𝙢𝙚𝙝𝙖-𝙠! 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙪𝙩!!!