A group of producers sit in front of monitors which a just in our view. Caxon stands behind them, his arms crossed and his face serious with concentration.
Amalie looks intensely at the screen as pictures of her, pulling deep curtseys to the camera. She frowns as Caxon orders most of it deleted.
They are finishing the video diary of the Selected. Caxon smiles at the parts with me and other girls and looks across at me, happily and I smile back, pleased that my footage wasn't deleted that much.
"Caxon, darling, are they going to take any longer editing this footage so we can get on with the Report?" Amalie whines.
"Of course, my dear, we will be done in a few minutes," Caxon replies calmly.
"Good, darling," Amalie simpers with a fake smile on her face.
"Why, do you have to be somewhere?" I demand of Amalie.
"Yes, actually, Prince Caxon and I are having a date," she says smugly to me
Caxon steps away from his place behind the producers and wanders behind the staged seating so he can talk to me.
He walks behind and hisses, "I'll come visit you after my date with Amalie."
I almost crane my neck to hear him but I try to stay still and not make it obvious.
The Queen sweeps in then. All eyes are on her. She is wearing a floor length blush pink gown and it has the whisper of a train behind it. But, she looks slightly serious and she rests her head on her hand slightly as she sits down on her throne.
She lifts one hand and Caxon instantly rushes to her side. They have a whispered conversation which is furiously serious. Anmin hurries over as well and he joins the conversation.
They all break away: the Queen's face distraught; Caxon's serious but pain in his eyes and Anmin's serious and worried.
I catch the emotions but they are instantly wiped away through years of etiquette and publicity training.
Queen Eadhlyn waves a hand listlessly and a pair of servants quickly rush across to remove the smaller throne by her side.
Caxon's walks towards Amalie and says quietly, "I'm sorry, my dear, but I must cancel our date due to unforeseeable circumstances."
"Of course, your highness..." Amalie says, her face perfectly straight.
He walks away and sits down politely in the throne next to his mother. He takes her hand kindly and rubs it absent mindedly. The lights pan around the studio before coming to rest on Anmin.
"Hello, Illea!" Anmin exclaims to the cameras, "Have we got an exciting Report for you?"
"What does it involve then, Anmin?" The Queen shouts playfully.
"Well, Your Majesty," He says with a deep bow, "We've got the latest Illea news; a video diary of the Selected and even an exciting announcement from you!"
"Why don't we get on with it, Anmin?" Caxon asks, almost scripted.
"My sentiments exactly, Your Highness, so My Lords, begin."
The counsellors drone on for almost half an hour until Anmin takes the show back. I am perched on the edge of the seat because I'm nervous of the video.
"Thank you, my lords," Anmin says, "Now, we've got a video diary of the Selected. Are you nervous, Ladies?"
"Yes!" We chorus back, our smiles practised and rehearsed.
YOU ARE READING
Scintillate {The Selection}
Fanfiction{EDITING} In Illea, the Selection is an opportunity of a lifetime for one average girl to be catapulted into the royalty. Marie entered, never thinking she would have a chance at even getting to the Palace, and it changed her perception of her past...
