A Crown To Die For

No Funny Business

Schmeik stood over the king with a wicked smirk. The dinning room erupted in murmurs. "What happen to him?" "Is everything burned?" "How can he rule?" Questions swarmed the room. Schmeik seem ecstatic in the chaos she had started, her eyes twinkling just so. She raised her hands over her head to silence the room.

"There was an attack on a vacation house the royal family was at. The king is the only survivor." She took a breath as she glanced at Tajime. "The kingdom will require a new bride and you lovely woman have been hand picked so be groomed into royalty. You will have classes, contests, and competitions. You will be graded, rated and judged! One of you will be chosen for the greatest honor! MARRYING OUR KING, THE BELOVED XURRE TAJIME!"

The room once again roared with voiced. This time even the men that came in with Xurre murmured to themselves. They want their king to marry a Ierrellian? This made no sense we've been at war for years. Xurre had won the war our four fathers couldn't, what could he gain through this marriage?

"The Zurayn Princess Games will start on the morrow. Eat your fill girls no telling what tomorrow has in store for you. I must admit though." Schmeik paused. "You'll have no more uses for such pretty clothes!" Schmeik began to cackle, but the King stood erect, knocking his chair into her. He put his arm out and was led away. Schmeik scurring behind the group of men who followed him in.

"Well this is bullshit!" Malmare Exclaims with her arms crossed over her chest.

shhhhhhhh!

"No you shhhh. We're taken from our homes and our families to play some sort of twisted game?" Malmare shrieked.

"We have no choice either way Malmare. We are kidnaped, and our country gave us up. We have no where to go we must play things their way. Its all for their entertainment..." Veldean said in a gloomy tone.

"This is bullshit." Malmare whispered. We finished the evening in silence. The food was nothing for mention. I think we all might have ate robotically, and when all the food had gone we were lead as a group back to our chambers to sleep.

The next morning all of the young women were called into a grand conference hall where Schmeik began assigning ladies in waiting and 'princesses'. Schmeik began the meeting telling us the extensive research she had done on each of our families.

A group of Zurayian scholars ranked our bloodlines. Judged us by our bodies like cattle. The conclusion was to put us in groups so we could take care of ourselves and we'd rotate positions until our talents and skills could be gauged appropriately.

Schmeik decided that with fifty girls she should split us into ten groups of five. Fortunately I wasn't moved rooms like much of the other girls. Malmare was first to be assigned to a group. She was with a group of girls that looked just like her. Brown hair, green eyes. Veldean assignment went the same way. I finally got to see Kataina and she was beautiful.

"Kataina de Saintel" Schmeik called out in a curt tone. Kataina stood at maybe 5'3 without heels. Her posture as she walked to the line up was poised to perfection. The caramel tone of her skin looked almost as if it glistened with each step she took, and when she finally turned around to face the crowd my breath caught. Her eyes were different colors of hazel. One was grey mixed beautifully with a light blue and the other was a soft green framed with brown on the outside. She had a slender button nose and a cat like pout. I was amazed.

Looking at all the girls separated into their groups I felt below them. I was a farm girl on Ierrellia no nobility in my blood. No soldiers nor knights. I was lower than a royal servant. The bandages wrapping the Zuraynian King were above me.

I, with my violet eyes, and dark nappy hair. My skin that was damaged from all the sun exposure on the farm. The ladies in the was room spoke in their native language of my freckles and too dry skin. I was nothing if only an eye sore. How could I compare to these girls, who all looked so prim and proper? How did the scholars decide which group each girl belonged in? What group could I belong to? And then it struck me. Why was I here? Our family line was disposable.

"Opus!" Schmeik shouted. Now I was mad.

"What?" I replied curtly, Instantly I regretted the short word. My hands instantly clasped over my mouth. "Mistress Caretaker I apologize my mouth spoke before my brain did."

"Stop daydreaming right now and get in line!" Schmeik glared at me until I was standing beside the tall girl I had seen before the yellow brick hallway. Her bruise was gone, and her hair was no longer tied up but hanging in a shoulder length bob. The bob framed her face in such a way to enhance her sharp features. I had seen her with brown eyes earlier but I had missed her feline pupils.

"Lathe Mantegu." Thankfully the Caretaker continued on as if nothing had happened. I watched the next girl come up to our line up noting her grey hair and bright blue eyes. Standing beside me she came up to the bottom of my breast bone, almost dwarf heighth.

"Addelyn Zefnic." The next girl to start toward us wore her hair dark hair long and straight. Her emerald eyes standing out in opposition to her pale skin.

"Roz Luvhert." Now Roz was captivating. Bright red hair with blazing steel grey eyes, a spicy appealing demeanor. If that phrase about 'if looks could kill' were true I'm sure Schmeik would not be with us. Roz's anger most certainly streaming from the makeup hidden bruise lining her jaw.