Truly Elected (Book Two of The Next Selection Series)

Chapter 18

The days seemed to roll together until it was the Report once again. Today, I was wearing a strapless sea blue gown. A lacey fabric wrapped around my waist in a belt like fashion, but the ends did not meet in the center; a small but noticeable gap was left. Small, white pearls decorated the top part of the bodice, while the part of the bodice from my waist to my hips flared downward in the same sea blue color. Sea blue lace fluttered along the foe skirt, coming to a short stop as the full, round, sea blue skirt protruded from underneath the foe skirt and down to the floor.

"Pearls are the most regal jewel." Cassia explained as they slipped me into the gown. Starlet was finishing dusting my eyes with an off-white eyeshadow and Juliana was finishing my hair. "Now that this competition is starting to get more serious, you will be taking on more queen-like duties, such as the challenge you just had. This shows that yes, you are youthful like a princess, but you are taking everything with the seriousness of a queen."

I thought back to the way Queen America had been behaving during the Spanish reception. "Queen America doesn't really act that regal."

Juliana giggled, finishing pulling a curl into place and spraying it with hair spray. "If you're referring to her public display a few days ago, she isn't usually like that. It's only when King Maxon's away really." Pulling a pearl headband from behind her back, Juliana placed it atop my head, tucking the ends of the stiff band behind my ears. "Besides, Queen America has a wild side. My aunt told me that she did drastic things during the king's selection."

I nodded as Starlet slipped a small pearl-studded ring onto my left middle finger, pulling the sparkling bracelet attached up to my wrist. She then moved to my ears, replacing my earrings with pearl clusters.

"Perfectly regal." Cassia said, putting her hands on my shoulders. My reflection stared back at hers. "You're ready."

****************

Something felt different in the Report room today. The Pre-Elite seemed tense, most dressed in some shade of purple, like myself; I almost felt like I blended into the crowd. The royals all wore stern expressions, King Maxon's and his eldest sons' the worst of the group, and General Leger stood beside Shane, a gun crossed over his chest, while his son and Officer Woodwork mirrored his image on the other side of the royals. Something was happening, and the fact that I didn't know had my stomach twisting in knots. 

"Okay, so your own project you felt could have been more successful," Gavril said into the microphone. Fabian stood behind him, a pose mirroring the General's, and he too was dressed in his guard's uniform. Fabian spoke of returning to his guard duty during the day and on special occasions on the last Report; he had said that he felt that he needed to serve out his term as a guard because without that, he would still only be a Five and would never have an opportunity like this. As much as I didn't want to believe this to be his reasoning, he had a point, and for that, no one could restrict him from fulfilling his guard duties. 

"Could you elaborate on that more, Lady Rebekka?" Gavril pushed and Rebekka nodded, tucking a piece of dark shoulder length hair behind her ear.

"I personally feel that I myself didn't learn much. Risa was always the one who knew more about foreign countries." she shrugged, but I could tell her emotions dipped as she thought of her eliminated twin sister. 

Gavril nodded, he too noticing the change in her demeanor. "I know that this is off topic," he started. "But you seem to really miss your sister."

Rebekka blinked, possibly holding in tears. "I've managed." she mumbled, rubbing her arm and looking away. To be honest, I didn't know why Rebekka was still at the palace. She came with her identical twin sister, so it definitely wasn't solely for her looks; she had a clone copy. And from what I've seen, she's not very talkative, more on her own. Matthew and Daniel started with seventy women: I wondered how she ended up being one of the final few.