I gripped the letter tightly in my hand. Normally, I wasn't one to openly admit that I was nervous but this time things were different. After all, the contents in this letter would determine the way of live that I lived for the next nine months. Would I remain with my family in our farmhouse in Veovine (country sides of Castanovia) or would I be given the great opportunity to travel to Hediff (Capital of Castanovia) to serve one of the selected fifteen girls from the noblest classes of Castanovia in their venture to be elected queen? There was only one way that I was going to find out, and that answer was contained in the small royal envelope that was firmly gripped between my shaking hands. I opened the envelope.
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"So what's the verdict?" I heard my best-friend Clara ask as she sat on my bed nervously biting her nails.
"I got in." I whispered to myself slightly shocked and amazed.
"What?" she sulked letting out an exasperated sigh and then kicked into her bad habit of rambling.
"I knew that you wouldn't have gotten picked, I mean I told you that those stuck up palace people wouldn't let pretty poor girls-"
"I said I got in!" I squealed in excitement cutting Clara off before she said something that disrespected the Royal Family.
"Oh my Goodness! That's great! I always knew that they would have let you in! Told you the Royal Family had great judgement!" Clara shouted as I ran to give her a tight embrace before letting go.
"Now, what about yours?" I asked Clara pointing my chin towards her unopened royal envelope that lay on the bed.
"I haven't opened it yet." she replied with her smile disappearing from her face within each passing second.
"Well, are you going to?" I asked calmly, taking a seat on the bed right next to her.
"Um, I don't know if I want to." she replied uncertainly.
"Clara-"
"Catalyeena, you know that I am never as lucky as you are. Although we're both from Veovine and basically in the same class you've always had life easier. You're prettier, wittier, smart-"
"Clara, stop saying pointless things. You'll never know if you got accepted until you open the letter and I'll tell you this right now, if the Palace didn't accept you then they're nonsensical and I'd rather not go and serve them. In-fact, I'll stay right here with you!" I said optimistically but I could see that Clara wasn't buying into it this time like she usually does.
"Clar, all I'm saying is that we should give it a chance. Okay?" I asked, my tone solid and this time I could see Clara was agreeing.
"Okay." she replied and opened the envelope.
I saw her eyebrow twitch, and I knew what that meant.
She was right, she didn't get in.
Clara looked at me and plastered a smile upon her face, I knew that she was trying to keep it together but I could tell that she was trying her best to fight off that feeling of Royal Rejection.
"It's okay maybe I will have better luck next time, maybe when Princess Lilith turns 20 and she too can have a Quest of her own maybe they'll pick me." Clara said trying to be positive.
"Clara, Princess Lilith is seven years old," I replied soothingly, trying to point out the fact that we'll be too old by then to serve the Elites.
I saw Clara put her head in her hands and as suspected the tears began to flow. I did what I was best at doing, comforting her until her cries turned into broken sobs and rants in between. Seeing my best friend like this made me enraged, and for some reason I did not want to serve the family that made her feel this dejected.
"Clara, I'm not going." I said with certainty.
This caused Clara to abruptly lift her head and twist her nose up at me.
"Catalyeena, what do you mean you're not going? Do you know how much serving the Elite could change your life?"
"I do but-"
"There's no buts Catalyeena, if you do this your resume for any job will be perfect you could probably even get accepted to jobs in Caemmont and FeoChester."
"I know but-"
"No you don't. Did you forget that if the girl that you serve is chosen to be Queen that you get benefits from the Castanovian Crown and this can really help you get yourself a better standard of living?" she explained a bit annoyed.
"Clara, you wanted this too, did you forget?" I asked concerned.
"I wanted it yes, but I got rejected and I'm not going to let you pass this up, I mean you're amazing Catalyeena and who knows maybe you might meet someone who works in the palace. Sure he won't be the Prince of Castanovia, but he'll be yours and you could live the happy life that you deserve. But in order for that to happen you have to go. Okay?"
I smiled at the thought of it, although I was from Veovine -the home of farmers- I wasn't too bad to the eye. Surely I wasn't from Acrekham,Caemmont, Creopraso, Feochester or Esaledo but after all I was still somewhat a quality woman and any man would've been lucky to have me.
I placed a bright smile on my face and nodded my head; my way of telling Clara that for once in my life I would take her advice.
"Maybe he might have a cute brother." I joked and Clara was back to her happily old self again laughing with me just as happy as she was before she opened her letter.
"Come on let's go tell our parents the bittersweet news." Clara said and we headed towards the sitting room where both of our families awaited our arrival.
