The Princess of Darkness

Chapter 13: The Third Elimination

The day after the interviews was the third elimination ceremony. 

It was also the day after Alex had gotten rid of my arm tattoo things, and called me The Princess of Darkness. I had no idea what he had meant by that, but darkness was bad, and being the princess of it...well that was even worse.

I had excused Jennifer, Amelia, and Isabelle of their work today. I didn't want to talk to anyone today. I was so tired and confused. I would randomly burst into spontaneous fits of sobbing and screaming. I feared that I was going crazy. 

I didn't want anyone to see me like this. I especially didn't want an entire audience to see me in a floor lenth wrinkled mess of a dress on, with makeup carelessly put on, and mascara running down my face. 

Then, suddenly I had an idea.

The other guards probably thought I was crazy. They were probably correct, and I couldn't blame them. I was running down the hall screaming "Michael! Michael! I need your help!"

Michael was standing with two other guards. One was tall and muscular, and the other was the same one that the other girls had been drooling over yesterday. Michael told them to give us a second and they walked away quickly.

"What is it? Wait aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the elimination ceremony?" He looked me over and shot me a look of pity. I hated it.

"Yes, I know that I look like hell, but I need your help."

"Well, I'm not sure I can help you, but I am sure that you need better ladies to help you get ready."

"Can we stop talking about this! I need some real help!"

"Obviously." He muttered. I slapped him.

"Can you help me find the Prince?" I asked.

He rubbed his arm where I had hit him and said, "I can, but I'm not sure you're in the proper physical or mental state to be seeing the prince." 

I slapped him again. 

"Ow!" He yelled. "Stop doing that. I'll take you to Prince Alexander if you stop hitting me!"

"Deal." We shook hands and he told the other guards that I had to speak with Alexander immediately. They had both nodded and he had led me down one of the many confusing hallways.

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Alexander was sitting outside in the courtyard polishing a frighteningly sharp blade. For some strange reason that I had never been able to comprehend I had always longed to hold a blade such as this one.

I had always wanted to fight in a battle, to ride on a horse, to scream profanities at the enemy. But women were made to sew, to cook, to clean. Even Alex's mother: the brave queen, never fought battles with a blade. She trained armies, she lead soldiers to battle, but she never fought in wars, she did have a habit of starting them though.

To sum it all up, I wanted to hold that blade really badly.

Alex saw me and followed my gaze towards his sword. He must've mistaken my attitude towards his fine blade, because he immediatly set it down carefully and the cleaning rag over it.

Michael touched my shoulder and whispered, "I'm going to leave you to it." And he walked away.

"I am so sorry that you had to see that ghastly blade." Alex said after Michael had gone inside.

"Ghastly? It's gorgeous!" I ran over to where he had been sitting and I uncovered the silver sword. I lifted it up and grabbed the hilt with my right hand. "I had never seen such beautiful workmanship on a blade such as this before!" I exclaimed.